Review:The Sacred Flame

In the world of literature love often seems to lead to murder, but what happens when the victim is a bed-bound war veteran? In many ways Somerset Maugham’s “The Sacred Flame” is a classic murder mystery, leading us through a series of dramatic scenes as the evidence stacks against the main suspect before the shocking truth is revealed in the final, not-so surprising twist. It’s also a play that raises puzzling, deep ethical questions about the sacrifices that a permanently disabled person and their friends and family have to make. Maugham’s play premiered in New York in 1928 and then came to London in 1929, before returning in 1967 with Gladys Cooper playing the matriarchal Mrs Tabret. Since then the play has slipped into the background until Director Mathew Dunster’s decision to stage a revival with English Touring Theatre. Having recently worked with the Pet Shop Boys and choreographer Javier de Frutos at Sadler’s Wells, directed “Saturday Night and Sunday Morning”, based on Sillitoe’s novel, and staged his own play “Children’s Children” at the Almeida, Dunster’s versatility is striking, and a characteristic which perhaps makes his choice of Maugham’s 1920s murder mystery a little less surprising.

It’s easy to spot the challenges facing Dunster in updating “The Sacred Flame” to suit the palate of a modern audience. Dunster has kept occasional archaic-sounding lines to add humour, and although initially these sound strained it doesn’t take long for us to fully accept that this is the 1920s. What has been completely altered, though, is the set. We are presented with a modernist construction of crossing metal bars, large transparent plastic doors and large off-white walls which look like concrete. It is an interesting decision, but the clash of eras between language and set confuses and disconcerts more than it provides a clean, uncluttered background on which to present the play for today’s audience.

There can be little doubt, though, that Dunster’s bold decision to revive “The Sacred Flame” has paid off. Maugham’s play is packed with heady emotional impact and incisive empathy which leaves our loyalties and ethics torn. We want to sympathise with the young, beautiful wife, Stella, and her impossible situation, while at the same time understanding the awfulness of taking another human life and the need for justice. This tension is well delivered, with particularly moving performances from Sarah Churm, as the Nurse Wayland who obstinately seeks justice and the truth, and Beatriz Romilly as Stella, the young wife struggling to deal with the changes to her marriage brought by her husband’s accident. Mrs Tabret, the matriarch of the play, is played by Margot Leicester, who also gives a strong performance, although some lines sounded strained and unnatural.

Dunster’s staging of “The Sacred Flame” proves that old, almost forgotten works can be successfully revived and hold their strong emotional impact. Maugham is better known today for his novels, particularly “The Painted Veil”, recently transformed into a popular film, but the power of English Touring Theatre’s production proves that treasures can still be found in the back catalogue of English drama.

The Sacred Flame is at the Rose Theatre in Kingston until Saturday 22^nd of September and then continues its national tour until the 24^th of November, visiting the Northern Stage in Newcastle-upon-Tyne, the Oxford Playhouse, The New Wolsey in Ipswich, the Liverpool Playhouse, Guildford’s Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, The Theatre Royal in Brighton, The Nuffield in Southampton and the Cambridge Arts Theatre. For more information and to book tickets, visit the English Touring Theatre website.

EDINBURGH INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL 2011: Peking Opera Preview

PREVIEW: The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh International Festival 2011

Photo: Liu Haifa

What do you get when you cross an Elizabethan playwright with a traditional Chinese opera troupe? This is not a joke, but one of the exciting cultural fusions set to grace this year’s Edinburgh International Festival.  EIF Director John Mills’ vision is to explore the bonds between Europe and Asia, making Shakespeare adaptations a natural choice. The programme features several cultural translations of the Bard’s works, including the Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe’s lavish production which reimagines Hamlet as The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan. It’s a thrilling idea, the transformation of a dark, verbose European tragedy into a characteristically Chinese blend of acrobatics and martial arts, music, singing and graceful ritual dance, flamboyant costumes and vibrant painted faces.

Interestingly Shakespeare has only recently become well recognised in China. Nineteenth century European missionaries made his name known, but Chinese versions of his plays were not available until the early twentieth century. Cultural Revolution clamp-downs followed hot on the heels of the 1967 publication of his complete works, resulting in the book being banned. Fortunately the political climate is more relaxed today - China’s economy and population is booming, and its arts scene is developing and shifting in response, reinvigorating ancient artistry with new influences, often taken from the Western literary canon. Alongside the Bard, the choice of whom is reflected in innumerable copied Tudor buildings, popular playwrights also include Ibsen and Beckett.

Peking Opera is one of some three hundred regional types of opera, and according to Dr Ashley Thorpe, a lecturer in theatre at the University of Reading, it’s the nearest China has to a 'national drama'. Such performances have deep roots in Chinese culture; the founding of the first dramatic school, the Pear Garden, was by Emperor Ming Huang in 740 AD, although the tradition of Peking Opera came together around 250 years ago.

As a sumptuous, sophisticated art form it occupies a similar place to that of classical opera here, although actors are required to dance, sing, fight and perform acrobatics, all within the same performance. This type of opera is highly symbolic, with vivid colours of make-up and costumes denoting emotion and rank, for example yellow represents strength and is also worn by emperor characters, while red indicates courage.

In keeping with tradition, the performance at the Festival is delivered in Mandarin, and the wealth of symbolism, the accompanying music, and gestured movements both clarify the story and give audience imaginations a good workout. To make matters even clearer, English supertitles are also provided.

So what can we expect from this show? Dr Thorpe encourages audiences to anticipate something very different. In contrast with much of traditional Western drama, Peking Opera is about far more than plot. It’s a showcase for actors’ skills, and appreciation of their wide-ranging talents is a crucial part of the experience. And since visits to these shores by high calibre Chinese opera troupes occur just one or twice a decade, The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan is a rare chance for Edinburgh audiences to glimpse this uniquely Chinese art form.

The Revenge of Prince Zi Dan
Shanghai Peking Opera Troupe

Friday 19 and Saturday 20 August, 8pm, Sunday 21 August, 3pm
Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

The Edinburgh International Festival runs from 12 August – 4 September. Browse the programme and book online at www.eif.co.uk

Written for the Edinburgh International Festival.

EDINBURGH FRINGE 2011: The Tempest

THEATRE REVIEW: The Tempest (Squeaky Door Production Company) at theSpace @ Niddry St, Edinburgh Fringe 2011

Glittery dust sparkles in the air of the sweet isle as Ariel and her lusciously eye-lashed spirits cavorts into the audience, pulling us deep into Shakespeare’s world as if bewitched by Prospero himself. Skilful physicality and playful use of Shakespeare’s lines bring humour, originality, and accessibility to the Bard’s final work, engaging and captivating children and adults alike. The acting is first class, with Miranda particularly notable as an unsocialised, cringingly forward young girl, sniffing and jumping on the perplexed visitors to her island, and the hilarious drunken Stefano with his attempts to curl up on the laps of unsuspecting audience members. A vivid, comical riot of a show.

 

The Tempest is playing until Aug 13th at theSpace on Niddry St, Edinburgh. For more information visit the Fringe website.

EDINBURGH FRINGE 2011: Shakespeare for Breakfast

THEATRE REVIEW: SHAKESPEARE FOR BREAKFAST: THE COLLEGE YEARS (C Theatre), Edinburgh Fringe 2011

“Simply Macbeth, better than all the rest” sings the schoolboy king, gently strumming a guitar. Not quite the best, but it is pretty good. In its twentieth year at the Fringe, this cult show has cannily reworked the Bard’s tragedy into a short, lively romp with sock-puppets, witty songs, and audience participation. The school setting works well: Macbeth becomes an artistically sensitive musician with a convincingly ambitious cheerleader Lady, while the choice of a stroppy pair of fortune-telling Goths to play the witches is truly inspired. Although after a while the constant iPhone jokes become irritating, this show is a good laugh for older kids and adults, with moments of genuine hilarity. A refreshingly comical take on an old favourite.

Shakespeare for Breakfast runs until Aug 29th (not 16th Aug) at C Theatre, Edinburgh. For more information visit the Fringe website.

Written for ThreeWeeks.

EDINBURGH FRINGE 2011: The Good Doctor

THEATRE REVIEW: THE GOOD DOCTOR (Theatre Alba) at Duddingston Kirk Manse Garden, Edinburgh Fringe 2011

“Man is the only living being with the ability to laugh” the Chekhov proudly proclaimed half way through this presentation of darkly comic vignettes. It’s a statement which encapsulates the writer’s raison d’ecris, the desire to amuse which lies at the heart of his work, and grants his witty short stories their eternal appeal. Theatre Alba’s selection of tales is taken from the adaptations by playwright Neil Simon, touching on a satisfyingly broad range of subjects like prostitution, the ridicule of Russian bureaucrats, and the Moscow acting scene.

Although initially stiff, a little too poised and polished, the Good Doctor himself soon relaxed into a sensitive but solid portrayal of the playwright as the laughs began to flow. At any rate, this was more than made up for by the rest of the cast; highlights included a moving portrayal of a starstruck actress and her soaring reading of the close of “Three Sisters”, the sycophantic sneezer Tchervyakov, and the unforgettable hilarity of the trainee doctor chasing a fearful Orthodox priest with toothache round the marquee, pliers in hand. All in all a cracking Am Dram performance that certainly exercises that uniquely human disposition to laughter.

Runs from 2^nd – 6^th Aug. For tickets and more information visit the Edinburgh Fringe website.

Twelfth Night in Rendlesham Forest

REVIEW: TWELFTH NIGHT at Rendlesham Forest Centre

Families happily picnicking, blankets strewn beneath the pines, the enticing scent of a barbeque on the fresh evening air, frolicking children and Elizabethans with archaic greetings; it is the atmospheric Rendlesham Forest setting which lends this show its enchantment. Played on a stage in a clearing in the wood, this production of Twelfth Night marks the twelfth consecutive year of Red Rose Chain Shakespeares here.

The reason for the endurance of these productions is clear; Red Rose’s Twelfth Night is captivating, an introduction to Shakespeare, light-hearted entertainment for children, a vibrant adaptation for the more seasoned theatre-goer. All things to all men. But it’s not just intellectually stimulating. There is a real sense of magic in the air, the stage-enclosing branches and trunks of verdant pines, the creeping dusk falling on the players and peeping stars above, surreal glimpses of top-hatted Malvolio striding in the forest beyond as the offstage players flit between the trees.

Malvolio is undoubtedly the star of this show; ridiculously “cross-gartered” in a yellow and black striped one-piece, his dignity sacrificed for the love of his mistress, Olivia. Indeed its hard to drag one’s gaze from the gawky Edward Bean’s perfectly executed physical comedy. Against this the romance of the tale, and the rest of the cast, take a back seat. It’s a sensible decision on the part of director Joanna Carrick, to focus on the laughs from a family-dominated audience, but I could not help but feel that a bit of love had been lost.

This is really the only criticism I can find. Twelfth Night is an extremely enjoyable performance. The set is delightful; two beach huts, Orsino’s purple and Olivia’s red, with bunting laced between them, and a wooden rowing boat to one side. There’s exquisite animal puppetry of cawing seagulls and the three-manned dog, some punchy songs and comic audience interaction. Twelfth Night is a cracking show in a beautiful location. Take the kids, the grannies and the picnic for a night of magic and laughter.

"Twelfth Night" is playing at Rendlesham Forest Centre until August 28th. For tickets and more information see http://www.redrosechain.com/page/12th-night-home

Edinburgh, City of Festivals

Just a few weeks from now I'll be chugging out of Kings Cross on my way to the biggest arts extravaganza in the world. The summer months see Edinburgh transformed into a City of Festivals, a sort of cultural marathon, a veritable endurance contest for the thousands of tourists, students, reviewers and journalists. Competition is fierce; accommodation, affordable transport, decent tickets and elbow room are in limited supply. Of course all of this does little to dissuade the flocks of culture vultures.

For me "the Festival" has always been something of a mystery, a confusing, messy, explosion of art, plays, music, dance, street entertainment and book readings.  Probably important, then, that I get to the bottom of this before I actually pitch up in the city. What exactly is it all about? What is the essence of the Edinburgh Festivals? It turns out Edinburgh actually hosts ten summer festivals running right through from the children's theatre festival, Imaginate, beginning in May and ending with the International Story-telling Festival in October. There's the International Film Festival in June and the Jazz and Blues in July, while August is crammed with the  Art Festival, the Tattoo, the Fringe, the International Festival and the Book Festival. Five in one month!

So where did all this cultural excess begin?  Well the first Festival was held in 1947, hot on the heels of the close of the Second World War. There were hopes it would envigorate Scotland's cultural scene and provide somewhere for culture to blossom after the dull and heavy years of war. In those days there were just two, the International Festival and the Fringe. The Fringe actually came about as a result of eight theatre companies who turned up uninvited to the main festival, intending to take advantage of the big crowds the main event would draw, and to offer them an alternative range of performances. The spirit of openness and variety of performances that we see today has clear roots in these early days. An important part of "the Festival" is the productions put on by the smaller, less-established theatre companies and those created by so-called amateur groups. Encouraging new theatre makers through the Edinburgh Festival Fringe is essential, and its obvious that this is a result of the bold initiative of those original eight "Fringe" companies. Many writers and productions started out at the Fringe; 1966 saw the first full length performance of Stoppard's Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead, while comedians Rory Bremner and Steve Coogan were both "discovered" performing in Edinburgh.

So what will 2011 hold for festival-goers? There's the usual hype, of course, with various publications putting out listings of "must-see" events. It's not hard to see why you would simply choose from one of these. The sheer number of events to trawl through is staggering. The Fringe alone boasts over two thousand shows. In the end what you choose will inevitably be something of a lucky dip, whether it be Shakespeare, ancient Greek plays, modern dance or classical music. But in the end that in itself is part of the experience. It should be unpredictable, sometimes wonderful, sometimes less impressive. The Festivals are a reflection of human nature, that abstract quality that we can never quite pin down. Art is about what it is to be human; it can be brilliant, but it can also be dull. I'm not going to make suggestions about what you should see, I'm finding it hard enough to decide myself. My advice is just use your instinct. Pick things you like the sound of. It might be the next big thing, or it might not. But it will still be an experience you won't easily forget.

Off to see the Wizard!

REVIEW: THE WIZ at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

The Wiz started life as a 1975 Broadway show, based on Lyman Frank Baum’s book The Wonderful Wizard of Oz. Producer Ken Harper transferred the tale from rural Kansas to the city, creating a “super soul musical” which would speak to the African American community, reflecting on slavery and the contemporary battle for civil rights. The show did well on Broadway and in 1978 was adapted to film, starring Diana Ross as Dorothy.

An iconic American tale cleverly adapted to relate to black culture and memory, The Wiz is now the subject of a collaboration between Birmingham Repertory Theatre and Leeds’ West Yorkshire Playhouse. Director Josette Bushell-Mingo’s creation sees Oz transported to modern-day Leeds, a fact that is referred to with irritating frequency. The Emerald City becomes a nightclub, and Dorothy a local schoolgirl. It’s an attempt to bring up-to-date a show that had such meaning and power for its 1970s audience, speaking directly to the painful African American experience. We can still clearly see the slavery references; Evilene the evil witch portrays white slave owners, while the quest to find the Wiz reflects African American search for identity and equality following emancipation. This seems to sit uneasily with Josette Bushell-Mingo’s intended appeal to an English audience of various cultural backgrounds. I could not help but feel that there is some weakness in this ambiguity, this multicultural approach. The original musical was clearly about hugely significant issues, civil rights and slavery, and these very issues affected everyone, regardless of background. Transferring this definitively American show to modern England has watered-down the original meaning, and introduced an element of confusion; is it a show about African American experience, or about British modern life and our search for identity?

There are good reasons for catching The Wiz, though. The show marks the professional debut of Treyc Cohen, former X Factor contestant. Cohen gave a decent performance, demonstrating an impressive voice despite being cast alongside wonderfully powerful male singers Clive Rowe, playing the Lion, Wayne Robinson, as the Scarecrow, and Horace Oliver, as the Tin Man. Particularly enjoyable were Robinson’s I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday, Oliver’s hilarious Slide Some Oil to Me, and the mournful If I Could Feel.

Part of Josette Bushell-Mingo’s vision was to enable young local people to be involved in The Wiz through a community ensemble cast. The cast is made up of sixteen people with a passion for singing, dancing or acting who come from the Leeds area. This is one of the show’s great strengths, not only showcasing young local talent, but also adding real vitality to the performance, with the “beautiful people” of the Emerald City nightclub and the exuberant Munchkins, garbed in wonderful gypsy hotchpotch fashion.

As performances go The Wiz is actually rather tacky and naff, but strangely still enjoyable. There’s a giant glitter-ball which is used probably too enthusiastically in the final scene, and some of the songs border on being cringe-worthy. The set is bulky and overcomplicated, but at the same time delightfully appealing, with its glowing yellow brick wall and delicate running water effect projected onto the wall. Set and Costume Designer, Rosa Maggiora, has truly excelled in her clothing creations; the striking sparkle of the Good Witch of the South, the wonderful flowing mane of the Lion and Addaperle’s colourful folk-inspired garb. In all, The Wiz is a strange combination of glitzy and aesthetically pleasing, absurd and hilarious, all polished off by some great singing and music. Of course it’s not meant to be sophisticated, and this show does what it should, providing exuberant escapist fairy-tale entertainment. If you don’t dig too deep, there’s much to enjoy here.

The Wiz is playing at West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds until the 16^th July. For more information and for booking visit the website.

Reviewed for "A Younger Theatre".

Transform season

REVIEW: Transform Season at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

Transform season is introduced as a two week conversation about theatre. It’s all about change; changing what it means to be an audience member, exploring how performance can, and should, change us, and changing how the West Yorkshire Playhouse actually works as a space. 

 

Lemn Sissay, Photo by Ruphin Coudyzer

These probably sound like lofty ideals which might be difficult to relate to actual performances, but they’re immediately addressed by the format of the season. The programme is dynamic and diverse, changing from day to day, and hour to hour. Unique guides are printed for each day, giving a brief outline of the events going on. The busiest day fell on Saturday 11^th June, a kind of day out at the theatre, with a non-stop whirl of opportunities taking those with the stamina right through from the daytime café-bar activities to the 9:15pm “Headline Act”, Lemn Sissay’s Something Dark.

One of the best things about Transform is that it’s an open invitation for the public, whoever you are and whatever your background, to come along and get stuck in. On entering the building there’s a large chalkboard posing the question “What would you change about the WYP?”, a challenge the people have risen to admirably, with answers ranging from “More physical theatre”, to comments about start times and ticket prices. This encapsulates the vision Curators Alan Lane and Kully Thiarai had for Transform season, as the start of an exciting public conversation about WYP and theatre more generally. There’s also the Twitter fountain, bringing participants in from all over the world wide web to join the discussions, and Pilot Theatre’s online live-streaming of events and interviews.

Story Map: What I Heard About the World, photo by thirdangel.

 This focus on involvement and questioning is followed through in the free events held in the café-bar. In the centre of the space is a strange office-like area containing a photocopier, lots of newspapers and several piles of paper. This is The Book of Politics, described by creator Topher Campbell as the “photo-copying of people’s thoughts”. Passers-by create a page displaying their thoughts, in words, pictures or collage, on any issue concerning them. These will then be bound and sent to the “powers that be”, namely Number 10 and various government bodies. At the far end of the room there’s another odd piece of theatre going on, Story Map: What I Heard About the World, which consists of a large canvas littered with post-it notes representing countries. It’s an all-day drop-in performance which creates a map of the world from memory. Each country is accompanied by a story of a fake, replica or substitute, with contributions invited from the audience. Story Map is great fun to watch, and definitely worth revisiting throughout the day as the piece grows.

The evening saw a move to more traditional studio-bound pieces, beginning with The Tin Ring, an adaptation of Holocaust survivor Zdenka Fantlova’s book. This work in progress was simply but powerfully performed by Jane Arnfield. Traumatic and raw, this piece was a real challenge, presenting a tiny taste of the unbelievable horrors and suffering of this historical event. The evening also featured Simon Manyonda’s mesmerising performance in The Mamba, a piece telling the story of a Nairobi gangster. His life is radically altered by the hope and new respectability his football club inspires in him. Both of these pieces were all about the transformative power of stories. Perfectly in line with the ethos of Transform, I came away from The Tin Ring feeling quite different, certainly rather queasy, but convinced of the importance of remembering and preventing these kind of atrocities, while The Mamba’s hopeful ending seems to uplift, but also to question the notion of change, with its allusions to Obama’s dubious promises in The Mamba’s inspirational speech to his football club.

Theatre is dynamic, in all its forms. For a performance to be engaging it helps if something or someone changes, and it is generally accepted that theatre ought to move its audiences. In a sense Transform season has merely picked up on this obvious, although undeniably fundamental, theme. But it’s also extended the idea, asking and inviting us to ask questions, to really look at change and what that might mean for theatre, for audiences and participants. Transform is very much what you make of it; how much you chose to do, and how much you chose to give, is up to you. It’s a challenge, and a rare opportunity. Try it, get involved in changing theatre, and give WYP the chance to change you.

Transform season runs until Saturday 18^th June at the West Yorkshire Playhouse in Leeds. A full brochure can be found on the WYP website.

Reviewed for "A Younger Theatre".



Transform season preview

PREVIEW: TRANSFORM SEASON at West Yorkshire Playhouse, Leeds

Photo: Bourgeois and Maurice by Tom Jef

One of the few constants in this world is that it always seems to be changing. That’s certainly the case at Leeds’ West Yorkshire Playhouse this June where the Transform season will mark a complete departure from the ‘normal’ workings of the theatre. According to Associate Producer Amy Letman, Transform’s Curators Alan Lane and Kully Thiarai are creating “the first line in a conversation”, inspired by the changing nature of the theatre experience and the shifting boundaries of what it means to be a spectator. Everyone’s invited to join the discussion.

The big idea is to bring together new audiences and a wonderfully diverse and eclectic selection of artists to challenge how we relate to performance. The programme looks enticing, boasting pieces as different as The Soldier’s Song, an intimate screen karaoke encounter; 21 Writers, showcasing three-minute shorts from new writers who have taken the Playhouse’s free five-week course; and Open House, a piece that will be developed over a week in a collaboration between theatre-goers and a team of theatre-makers headed by Chris Goode. Letman promises there’ll be a real mix of pieces, from both established hands such as Goode and younger, less experienced theatre-makers.

It’s not only the nature of performance that will find itself all shook up. Installation artist Shanaz Gulzar is colonising the front of house space in Steamline 21, an intriguing mix of Steampunk (described in the programme as science-fiction inspired by Victorian technology) and Art Deco. She’s creating a setting in WYP’s café and bar for the grand finale, Smoke and Mirrors, a modern cabaret evening which will bring Transform to an exuberant close on the 18^th of June. Including magic from Tim Sutton, performances from burlesque dancers The Wau Wau Sisters, Flick Ferdinando’s dark comedy Horse and surprise acts to be announced on the night, this “sexy, splendid and ever so slightly scandalous” finale sounds like a suitably unusual end to a season of change. Fancy dress is actively encouraged.

Transform is going to be big on interactive theatre. The idea is that you buy a wristband and this gets you a whole day out at the theatre -  a WYP “experience day”. Opportunities range from adding your thoughts to The Book of Politics, which will then be sent to ‘the powers that be’; to a one-on-one live music performance in the world’s smallest venue, Folk in a Box; and Story Map: What I Heard About thE World which invites theatre-goers to help “map the entire world, alphabetically, in a day”. On the 11^th of June participation goes global with A Midsummer Night’s Stream. The events at WYP will be shared live through Pilot Theatre’s online streaming channel, allowing anyone, wherever they are, to get involved and interact.

Handbag, photo by Sheila Burnett

There are plenty of opportunities to get involved in performance, too. Geraldine Pilgrim, Artistic Director of Corridor, is seeking “anybody that likes to dance – or just move” for Handbag, which will set the people of Leeds jiving around their bags. And Peepolykus is creating a different science-inspired piece each day for The Ionian Enchantment, performed, directed and written by anyone who is game enough to have a go. Interested individuals just have to send in a CV and are invited to attend a free workshop led by Stephen Canny, BBC Four’s Comedy Executive.

There’s a real youthful vibe to Transform. There is a sense that something is really happening here, something new and different for the Playhouse, something which feels genuinely exciting. Plus it seems Transform is just the beginning for innovation at West Yorkshire Playhouse. Set to launch in October, Leeds Furnace will see the Playhouse working with up-coming and mid-career theatre creators to launch new pieces, perhaps marking the continuation of the conversation Transform has started.

It’s certainly a necessary conversation. The arts are changing; what it means to be an audience is shifting. Going to the theatre is no longer just about taking your seat and passively observing, nor should it be. Transform promises to investigate what it is we actually want from a performance, how we can change the very nature of theatre. It’s a noble and worthy proposal, focusing on issues that really matter, and it will be interesting to see just what the ensuing discussions reveal.

Written for "A Younger Theatre".

Hobson's Choice

REVIEW: HOBSON'S CHOICE at the Crucible, Sheffield

Harold Brighouse is getting increasingly popular these days; last year saw Manchester Royal Exchange Theatre’s production of Zack and Northern Broadsides’ tour of The Game. And it’s not hard to see why. Hobson’s Choice has a peculiarly northern charm with its gruff accents, Mancunian setting and echoes of a bygone era of hard work, pragmatism and “decency”.  But there’s also the eternal appeal of touching domesticity, the triumph and perils of capitalism, and the continual battles of the sexes, all knitted together by gently comic moments. Finally, there’s something of the fairytale about Brighouse’s Hobson’s Choice, a kind of Cinderella meets the Suffragettes.

Hobson’s Choice marks the directorial debut of Christopher Luscombe at Sheffield’s Crucible Theatre. It’s a capable performance, solid and reliably amusing. Luscombe gives us a classic telling of Brighouse’s play, and on the whole he handles Brighouse’s humour well, refraining from forcing the laughs. The Crucible’s thrust stage is well-suited to the performance, being fairly large in capacity (seating 980), yet retaining an intimate relationship between audience and stage thanks to the three-sided layout.

Janet Bird’s designs fit well with Luscombe’s vision, a traditional production, down-to-earth and simple. The first act features a simple shop interior and window-display of various boots, with an imposing flight of wooden bannistered stairs rising above the stage. The second act sees a shift to domesticity, a simple table and shabby chairs for the Mossops’ home, followed by Hobson’s grander living room, complete with hearth and Persian rugs. Bird’s costume designs are also commendable. The bold transformation of the sisters’ circumstances from neglected daughters to well-off wives is cleverly mirrored by their change of dress; drab black working dresses replaced by bustling brightly-coloured silks and headpieces.

The whole cast give commendably strong performances. Of particular note is Zoe Waites, perfectly cast as the dominant eldest sister Maggie. Waites deliciously conveys the matronly, bossy-boots woman determined to steamroller Will Mossop, bootmaker in her father’s shop, into accepting her proposal of marriage and business partnership. Philip McGinley makes a fine Will, convincingly timid and awkward in the face of Maggie’s orders. There are several precious moments; Will’s wedding night anguish at the thought of being alone with Maggie, which is resolved in perhaps the finest moment of the production, when he is led to the bedroom to the strains of a lullaby by a candle-bearing Maggie, her hair streaming loose about her shoulders. Here Luscombe creates a perfectly-balanced scene, touching and intimate, reinforcing and yet softening Maggie’s dominance. We also get a great moment when Hobson chews very slowly, almost choking on his daughter’s wedding cake,  dragging out the minutes as the audience is made to wait for his eating to finish.

There are also good performances from the remaining sisters, Alice (played by Cassie Atkinson) and Vickey (Sally Hodgkiss). Barrie Rutter in the title role does a decent job as the gruffly drunk misogynist and miserly father, but I couldn’t help but feel there was something missing from his performance. While amusing, I found his portrayal of Hobson did not entirely convince, although

On the whole, Luscombe’s Hobson’s Choice is a decent production, blessed with some excellent comic moments and the particularly touching lullaby scene. Unfortunately, though, the momentum seems to trial off towards the end of the first act, losing direction and our full attention. The play as a whole is solid and enjoyable, but it lacks sparkle, and must stay firmly inside the category of acceptably amusing comedies, not brilliant yet quite funny.

Runs until Saturday 25^th June.

Reviewed for "The Public Reviews".

NICKED!

PLAY REVIEW: NICKED at the High Tide Festival, The Cut, Halesworth

Getting home from the theatre and sticking the news on I was thrown for several seconds by the familiarity of Nick Clegg’s dulcet tones. Then I realised I’d just spent the evening with him in Nick Clegg the musical, also known as Nicked. This hilarious new show takes a satirical look at the Coalition Government, creating a bold, up-to-the-minute snapshot of Britain’s political landscape. In fact it’s so current that the first weekend of the High Tide Festival saw only the first Act performed, with the second being reliant on the outcome of the AV referendum of May 5^th.

Nicked, based on a book and lyrics by Richard Marsh, tells the story of the Coalition, from a difficult conception of back-room deals and back-stabbing, to its fragility today, though a chaotic whirl of singing and dancing politicians. But it is also the story of one man; Jason Langley gives a fantastic performance as Nick Clegg, foolhardy and easily-led, yet somehow demanding real sympathy from us. Sam Hodges makes a slickly believable Cameron, while the rest of the cast take multiple roles, switching with the help of partisan ties and party-specific lighting. A personified Britannia, Amy Booth-Steel wears a punk-feathered helmet in a symbol of disillusioned national spirit worn down by politicians’ lies and fiscal misery.

The urban beats provided by Rogue Nouveau (Natalie Shepherd) give Nicked a fast-paced, exciting energy. Music and dance power the show, fuelling Marsh’s hilariously incongruous scenes. A glittery-collared David Cameron raps to the Tory right wingers over Osbourne’s beat-boxing. The passionate duet between Cameron and Clegg reminds of a bull-fight or a courtship dance of advance and retreat, step and side-step as each vies to impress his political opponent, and to claim the advantage. This is “politics you can dance too”, and it works wonderfully as satire, a good balance of wit and cruelty, brought to life with the energy of the urban score and slick dance moves.

Nicked has some great one-liners from Clegg’s “I colour inside David’s lines” to Ed Milliband’s assessment of the Labour leadership contest, “Our hearts are slightly differently on the Left”. Cameron jeers at the winner “You’re going home in a Tory ambulance”. Nicked mocks the Coalition, but also has a more serious side. Cameron’s “one man, one vote; you don’t get two because you’re racist”, and Clegg’s desperate attempts to get Proportional Representation, followed by the poor compromise that is Alternative Vote, feed into the final scene in which we are exhorted to stand up for what we believe in. As the lights dim Clegg pleads with us to protest, not simply to observe, to sit and calmly watch, but to get involved.

The performance was a little unpolished, understandable at such an early stage, but nevertheless full of promise. My only concern is that such a current show will date quickly once the issue of AV fades in the fickle public memory. It is hard to see how the issues it raises would be as relevant, as moving, several months or a year from now. I fear that elements of Nicked may have a short shelf-life, but then we always enjoy laughing at our leaders, whether they be dead or alive, politically speaking.

Nicked premiered at the High Tide Festival in Halesworth.

Reviewed for "A Younger Theatre".

A first for poet laureate

PLAY REVIEW: INCOMING at the High Tide Festival, The Cut, Halesworth

 A highlight of this year’s High Tide Festival, held in the pretty Suffolk town of Halesworth, is the eagerly-awaited first play by former Poet Laureate, Andrew Motion. The result of an exciting collaboration between High Tide and the Poetry Trust, Incoming is loosely based on the powerful poem Home Front by Motion about Sally Thorneloe who was widowed in 2009 by the war in Afghanistan. Motion’s work has swung towards themes of war and loss in recent years with Regime change, a 2003 poem protesting against the Invasion of Iraq, and his work on the last of the First World War veterans, Harry Patch. Incoming reflects well Motion’s commitment to modern issues, providing a well-tempered, thought-provoking criticism of British involvement in foreign conflicts.

Incoming is the story of a ghost, Danny, a soldier killed in Helmand, who returns to his wife and son. The acting is exquisite; sensitive, yet realistically emotional enough to add authenticity to Motion’s uncomfortable home truths. Timon Greaves particularly shines for such a young actor, providing a powerful and convincing portrayal of Danny’s idolizing son, Jack, while Christian Bradley and Penny Layden give strong performances as Danny and Steph.

Incoming is a cleverly written play, a subtle protest against the horrors and wastes of unnecessary conflicts which takes a “pro-soldier” approach. In this Motion has neatly captured the contradictions of the Afghan war, and by extension the problem that faces the people of any country at war; how to oppose conflict without opposing those who are fighting and dying in it, without neglecting our basic humanity and regard for others. Incoming pushes us to remember the plight of soldiers at the same time as questioning our involvement in Afghanistan, or indeed any war. Danny embodies these complexities; in death he is disillusioned, running from the “glorious sadness” of the hero-worshippers, while in life, convinced of the need for British intervention. Motion brilliantly draws out the human side of war, yet does not allow us to forget the full picture. He criticises war but makes it clear that the people of Afghanistan cannot just be left to “manage their own shit”.

Motion’s play demonstrates a very natural transition from poetry to playwriting, reflecting the similarities between the two arts. In both Incoming and Motion’s poetry we see the careful creation of a world from words, each line fitting into place, each crucial, repeating, echoing, and foreshadowing to create new meanings and refer back to old ones. The play’s lines have their own kind of poetic rhythm, building their own momentum as the play progresses and driving forward the narrative and our understanding. The lightness of poetry is also something that is common to both forms. Theatre also weaves its magic through hints and suggestion, leaving much of the work to our imaginations. Motion plants his seeds in our minds and allows them to develop as the play unfolds. The second conversation between Danny and Steph is set against a backdrop of falling rain, which both muffles the powerful emotions of the pair, and echoes the rain of the funeral and the aridity of Helmand, subtly knitting together the diverging experiences of the couple.

A cracking debut play, Incoming has clearly demonstrated Motion’s ability to transfer from poet to playwright. This transition felt very natural; at the heart of both forms is a feel for humanity, and Motion seems to capture us as a species so well that he can glide easily between the two. He weaves together the dynamic truths of war, presenting us with a complex, multi-coloured view of modern warfare. We simultaneously understand the proud widow, the hero-worshipping son, and the defeated, disillusioned soldier, and in allowing this, Motion elucidates the delusions and contradictions of war. Motion’s Incoming is not so much a protest against the dodgy politics of the Afghan war, but more a moving and finely-drawn reminder of the humanity that lies behind every conflict, the toll on the often-forgotten victims, the soldiers, their wives and children.

After previewing at the High Tide Festival, Incoming will be presented at the Latitude Festival, 15^th – 17^th July, and then at the Aldeburgh Poetry Festival, 4^th – 6^th November.

Reviewed for "A Younger Theatre".

Metamorphoses, Greek-style

PLAY REVIEW: METAMORPHOSES at York Theatre Royal

After Pants on Fire’s all-singing, all dancing Ovid’s Metamorphoses in March, it crossed my mind a classic retelling would seem a little staid. The initial indications of Hugh Lupton and Daniel Morden’s performance did suggest this; two actors seated by a table of assorted bells and bowls with only the power of their voices and eerie musical noises to drive the show. I need not have worried, though, for as the tales began the skilful oratory of the pair soon lulled and captivated, pulling us deeply and convincingly into the world of the gods.

The tales covered well-trodden ground for the most part, Orpheus, Demeter and Persephone, Echo and Narcissus, and King Midas, of course. There was something authentic about this familiarity, though, as if we were closer to the ancient Greeks with their close knowledge, learnt at the mother’s knee, of their myths and hero tales. It felt as if the audience were in some way part of the performance, involved in the stories themselves through our previous encounters, building them in our minds as the plots progressed.

Commissioned by the Hay Festival, this is a masterful retelling of Greek myths, simple yet effective. Perhaps one fault that could be identified was the use of the bowls and bells to create strange noises to indicate the beginning and ending of tales, and to add tension at relevant moments. While it leant an air of New Ageism and mystery, I found the hums and ringing a little off-putting, distracting from the wonder of the tales. And what tales they are to be told. In sum Morden and Lupton showed off the power of oral story-telling to its best effect, providing a glimpse of the tradition shared by so many long lost cultures, including our own.

Chekhov's Shorts

PLAY REVIEW: CHEKHOV'S SHORTS at York Theatre Royal

Few things in this world match, or indeed even come close, to my love of Chekhov. What started out as a teenage crushed has blossomed and grown into an obsession with nineteenth century literature, notably that of Russia and France. My interest began in the world of Chekov’s masterfully witty short stories, and so you can imagine my excitement on hearing that the European Arts Company were presenting of five of his early dramatic pieces; “The Dimwit”, “The Bear”, “Swan Song” and “The Proposal”. These are somewhere between his short stories, with their fresh, light humour, and the darkly comic full length plays for which he is best known. Fascinating, then, for what they reveal of the progression of the writer. We can see Chekhov developing, changing his mind and views on how to make the best use of theatre, in these transition pieces.

The European Arts Company’s performance certainly did not disappoint. Although mid-way through a lengthy tour, the trio of actors were on top form, not noticeably tired or complacent, but able to bring a convincing freshness to the roles. Richard Lantham shone as the ageing actor Svetlovidov in “Swan Song”, with its darkly comic Chekhovian take exploration of how the old view death, and amused as the hard-done-by servant Luka in “The Bear”. Vivienne Rowdon and John O’Connor provided excellent romantic fodder in “The Bear”, “The Dimwit”, and “The Proposal”. This repetition was fascinating, giving us the same actors coupled in different situations, a kind of distorted mirror-effect, reflections echoing through the three as the performance progressed and subtly suggesting comparisons between the three situations. It almost seemed as if we were watching the same couple playing out alternative scenarios, other lives they could have led. In this respect the show was cleverly structured, with a clear emphasis on the issues of marital tension and challenging of gender stereotypes linking the individual plays, and giving the indication of a continuous whole, broken only by “Swan Song”, a brief interlude in the boy meets girl repetition. I did think this play was a little overdone in terms of acting, with the comedy of lines being thrust upon the audience. Admittedly it was a farce, but I think more naturalistic acting might have paid its dividends.

Overall, though, the acting was well received, and rewarded. The atmosphere in the studio was fantastic, bubbling up into raucous laughter by the final pieces. It was clear that all present left with the impression of an evening well spent. The European Arts Company bill this show as giving an introduction to the world of Chekhov. I’d say they’ve done a pretty good job. This is the real Chekhov, the Chekhov of light humour broken only by a scattering of darker shadows, not the deeply tragic playwright which performances of “The Seagull” and “The Cherry Orchard” would have us believe. Chekhov consciously wrote comedy, even in those dark, longer pieces, and this humorous edge is a fundamental part of his legacy. So in some ways “Chekhov’s Shorts” redresses the balance, putting the comedy back into Chekhov’s reputation for a new generation.

Yerma

PLAY REVIEW: YERMA at West Yorkshire Playhouse

Lorca described Yerma (1934) as "a tragic poem". Reflecting on issues of childlessness, the repression of women, and the nature of marriage, this new adaption by Irish writer Ursula Rani Sama sees his powerful play transplanted to Ireland. This is a setting which makes a lot of sense given the similarities between the two nations; a rigid Catholicism, a judgemental society with strict expectations of women, and a superstitious rural tradition of rituals and fertility rites.

Fascinating though these national parallels are, I did not find myself fully convinced by the Irish setting. The accents were of varying quality but acceptable. What jarred more for me was the nagging knowledge that Lorca is making comments on the restrictive society of his native Spain. Of course there are obvious affinities between the two countries, but I often found myself perplexed, not quite sure, for example, how to replace my imagination's expectations of arid, Spanish landscapes with a green, rain-soaked Ireland. Having recently seen Brian Friel’s Dancing at Lughnasa, with all its Irish pecularities, could go some way towards explaining my confusion, but the transition certainly diluted Lorca's characteristic emotional intensity.

This aside, Sama’s adaption does succeed in bringing out much of the lyricism and poetry of Lorca, an element that is difficult to transfer from the original. Particularly interesting was the enriching use of movement, compelling us to watch Yerma’s desparation wildly cavorting across the stage. Kate Stanley Brennan excelled as the lead, bringing a real intensity to the stage. The gaggle of women were also enjoyably convincing with their silly gossip, singing and washing foolery, and it was clear the school kids in the audience warmed to their saucy language. Director Roisin Brinn’s portrayal of the two sisters was starkly memorable, although somewhat spoilt by the laughter of the students. Sinisterly concealed entirely in long black capes and black beaked hats, they brought a clear contrast to the light, airy feel of the summery dresses of the rest of the cast, and the warm, bright lighting.

The set was particularly inspired; a simple tiered wooden decking which unexpectedly slid to reveal three pools of water for the washing scene. A huge tilting moon hung above the stage, reflecting the light from the pools, and lending an absurd, but magical quality to the performance. In domestic scenes Yerma’s house consisted of no more than a glowing line marking the boundaries on the ground, a powerful statement on the lack of privacy, the transparency imposed by rural Spanish culture. Equally powerful was the metaphorical image conjured in the second half of two chairs, one draped with Yerma’s scarf and the other with Juan’s jacket, separated by the lonely stretch of a huge table in an eloquent physical description of the growing distance between the couple.

Yerma is a fine adaption of Lorca’s original, conveying much of the original poetical intensity. I found the use of movement and visual imagery particularly enriching, although the Irish setting did not entirely convince. Roisin Brinn and Ursula Rani Sama have succeeded in creating a powerful revival of a timeless piece; childlessness is as relevant to us with our IVF and surrogate wombs as it was to our grandmothers with their old wives tales and superstitions. Lorca's play has a timeless quality, something which allows revivals like Sama's to speak to us with such power as the original did to the audience of their day.

Theatre Uncut: The players doth protest

Fingers jammed in ears, pillow firmly clamped over the head, we can no longer block out the moaning. The cuts are really beginning to bite, with Arts Council funding issues slicing into theatre budgets. Even the arts, that industry which always tries to hold itself a little aloof from the vulgarities of capitalism, must muck in. Theatre Uncut was conceived as a kind of demonstration on behalf of theatre, a last ditch attempt before the full squeeze of the Arts Council bodice-tightening was felt. Falling on Staurday, 19th of March, it took the form of a day of nationwide short performances from some of the best playwrights.

To see the world of theatre actually getting involved, speaking out and addressing contemporary issues should have been a moment of triumph for the art. A chance to fulfil one of its most important roles in our modern world, to demonstrate the relevance and power of drama. All too often, theatres seem to get bogged down with reproducing established pieces, trying to draw out commentary on contemporary issues by looking backwards. But this day was a chance to rectify that, to prove that theatre can be used to make relevant responses to our issues using modern playwrights. This can only further the utility of art as a form of expression. Artists produce fascinating pieces about the economy, why should theatre not do the same? Theatre is blessed with the ability to rapidly produce responses to the world, to speak to us in ways television and film cannot. And it should be used in this way wherever possible.

Unfortunately, though, the reality felt quite different. Theatre Uncut looked very much like protest for the sake of protest, the need to be seen to speak out driving the act forward rather than it being a eloquent and considered response to a difficult situation. And, at the risk of sounding unfeeling and dispassionate, this is all the cuts are. I, as a rational being, would far rather see the arts have to find ways to cope with a smaller budget than see other, more deserving sectors bled dry. I agree theatre is life-enriching. But I must also point out that hospitals and the emergency services are life-preserving. If we accept cuts are necessary, which I do, surely it is more noble to bear a little less money for the arts for the sake of the our safety and health?

I also believe that theatre is going about protest in the wrong way. Yes, protest can be a positive thing, pushing forward the relevance of what goes on in our theatres to the contemporary world outside. But this protest was nothing more than a litany of complaints, an over-dramatic wail at the realisation that the arts, too, must be affected by the economic situation in that strange world outside their doors. A more mature, proactive approach would have been far more effective; I would like to have seen the industry actually produce constructive suggestions as to how the financial blow might be softened, and how they can go on making art on stage with a reduced budget. I am confident it will be possible, but all I have seen so far are pitiful whimpers and stage whispers of dissent.

The most crucial factor for the continuation of Britain's vibrant arts scene in these dangerous financial waters is clear to me. Theatre has a small audience, as a proportion of the population, a factor which only further reduced the effectiveness of these demonstrations, confined to preaching to the converted. Theatres need to reach out, to look beyond their traditional audiences, and to seek new ways of doing things. Perhaps this will mean needing to produce more of the big money-spinning shows, pantos and popular Shakespeares, or perhaps closer collaboration with corporations will bring more funds. Of course, there is much to be worked out, and keeping the careful balance between artistic quality, the ability to show new work, and providing popular entertainment will be of paramount importance.

York Theatre Royal was under the management of the Takeover team at the time of the nationwide protests. This fantastic opportunity itself seemed to fly in the face of the budget belt-tightening, especially with the announcement of the scheme's continuation next year. A group of under twenty-six year olds were selected to take on the running of the theatre, from box office and marketing to artistic direction and organisation of post-show bands. This team chose to stage three protest performances in the upstairs lobby area where a stage had been created for the entertainment which followed nearly all the performances of the two week festival. This in itself was not ideal. Lucy Kirkwood's Housekeeping was particularly disappointing from this point of view, with a good deal of the dialogue being lost. The central piece was infinitely more powerful, doing justice to Jack Thorne's darkly comic Whiff Whaff, but to finish on an incredibly dull economics lecture, The Fat Man, was disappointing.

Theatre was right to make a stand, but it did not seem this was the most effective way to do it. The financial difficulties we see should be seen as an opportunity to push forward the relevancy and artistic quality of theatre, to get more people inside the buildings. The plays themselves were admirable, prompting debate and discussion, but it is great a shame that they were not more widely appreciated.

Double Vision; every show unique

Thanks to Takeover Festival, and its associated abundance of free tickets, I recently became more aware of what I think is one of the greatest distinguishers between live performances and the static, usually pre-recorded, "modern"media of television, film and radio. This was the first time I had been to see a show twice, revisiting 4:48 Psychosis on the third night, and catching both the matinee and evening performance of Belt Up's magnificent The Beggar's Opera. The stark differences between each showing were so significant, it is hard to underestimate the unique quality of each performance, and the weight an audience commands in determining this.

I had expected quite a different audience for The Beggar's Opera matinee. In truth there were no more than fifty in house, with just a handful of those falling under, say, 65 years of age. And many came expecting a beautifully classic version of John Gay's comic opera. Needless to say they found themselves challenged. The level of expletive usage was critically high for such an audience, and we quickly felt the tension rising from the stalls. The lady behind accosted us in the interval insisting "That was not the Beggar's Opera". Not a promising first half.

Things did, however, improve in the second half. Those who chose to remain (after 12 interval walk-outs) were swept along with the enforced jollity of Belt Up's performance. And there was a decent applause, as much as could be expected from such a small audience. All of this did nothing to prepare me for the onslaught of the evening performance. A pretty good turnout, with a mix of young and old, immediately provided an upbeat atmosphere, something which would build and build right to the exuberant finale. The contrast in the feel of the show is impossible to understate. Those exiting the matinee trickled away almost sheepishly, but later the same day I was hard pushed to see anyone leaving without a large grin on their face.

Psychosis provided a very different comparison experience. The first night performance was fresh and raw, not perfect, but more powerful as a result of this naivety. But the third night was very different, quite surreal. The whole play took on a kind of black comic element, becoming almost a parody of Kane's original. The culprit in my opinion was one man who began to laugh at the more shocking expletive lines. The rest of the audience seemed to get swept along with this tension diffusing humour. What was a brutal, shocking performance had been transformed into a mildly disturbing piece on mental health with darkly comic undertones.

This prompted me to reflect on the unique nature of live performances. We rarely see theatre twice; perhaps every performance is significantly different. The role of the audience seems critical. The feel of a play depends very much on how it is received by those watching. Being in the audience always seems such a passive experience, but in actuality viewers contribute a critical part to any performance. How people react, whether they laugh, yawn, or remain indifferent, creates the atmosphere in the auditorium, an atmosphere which influences the actors on stage, the mood of the audience, and our overall impression of the show. It seems the success of a show is for the most part in the hands of the audience, after the work of the production team and actors has been done. We must remember that it is thanks to both the audience and those creating the show that each theatrical performance becomes a unique experience, in a way that prerecorded or replayed film, television and radio pieces can never be.

Another Someone

PLAY REVIEW: ANOTHER SOMEONE at York Theatre Royal



“A beautiful and deliberate mayhem”; Rash Dash’s Another Someone is a wonderfully uplifting exploration of the nature of happiness. It feels like watching a child's collage being stuck together on stage, layer by layer, as each character explores the feeling of joy in their own way, physically, musically and poetically.

This show is driven by the prolific usage of movement and music. Becky, the whimsical keyboardist narrator, channels a naive Kate Nash with her innocently soft lyrical happiness. Another Someone boasts a very talented cast, with strong singing voices and impressive acrobatic physical pieces. The sheer passion and sensuality conveyed by the dance of the lovers, Jim and Holly, was enthralling and so convincing, although I could not help but feel that some of the earlier movement lacked lightness of foot. 

The main focus of Another Someone is the exploration of what makes each of us happy, and how we express this. Each character takes a different method; Becky's song, Holly's childhood memories, Jim's basic list, and Ellie's dance, which produce, along with the storyline they interrupt, a rather randomly assembled portrait of some of the good things in life. The plot is kept simple; unlikely friends and mismatched lovers discovering the true pleasures of life. The result is far from coherent, but the confusion and rough edges do impart a rather pleasing handcrafted, almost amateurish feel.

Another Someone is a charmingly sweet play, perhaps even a little sickly in places as it attempts to seduce our inner humanity. If we are willing to accept its utilitarian undertones, based on the simplistic premise that we are a species which just wants to be happy, this play becomes an anthology of human joy, illustrating how joy has a different meaning for all of us. Rash Dash pushes us to consider what makes us happy and, hopefully, compels us to act on this.


Reviewed for "A Younger Theatre".

The Beggar's Opera

PLAY REVIEW: THE BEGGAR’S OPERA at York Theatre Royal.

Magnificent. Tremendous. Incredible. Even such grandiose words can only go so far towards adequately describing Belt Up’s latest creation. This show is something else; a frantically crazed, panto-esque musical injected with incisive political satire, hilarious comic sketches and witty improvisation. Nowhere else will you see the Iron Lady majestically cavorting on stage as brothel owner Madame Snatchers to strains of “Rule Mrs Thatcher, Mrs Thatcher Rules the Waves…”

Belt Up’s The Beggar’s Opera is a masterpiece of popular entertainment, but still manages to be clever and complex. There are so many layers here, forming a kind of patchwork quilt of a show which flickers between satirising the contemporary political climate, tearing apart the Thatcher years, and referring back to Gay’s original (if only through the outline plot). Having said that, Belt Up’s performance does continue John Gay’s controversial approach; equally shocking to contemporaries, the original is often credited with initiating the musical theatre genre.

I particularly enjoyed the satirising of the coalition government, with Cameron and Osbourne simpering around “Mumsy”, telling tales of their cruelty to the friendless “Nicky” Clegg. And I would be surprised to find anyone not won over by the humour of songs like the incredible political-correctness rap, “He’s a gypsy…” The audience interaction was fantastic, with Belt Up pulling lots of the audience up onto the stage for an exuberant final number.

I have rarely had a more enjoyable evening at the theatre. This is quite an admission coming from someone who has an intense dislike of pantomime and musicals, but there was something powerfully intoxicating about The Beggar’s Opera, as if they had pumped the auditorium with airbourne jollity. It was quite impossible to sit through that performance and to remain indifferent as trombone players and members of the cast erupted into song from their peppered positions in the auditorium. I cannot wait to see more from Belt Up, a company which I hope has the potential to do great things for the future of theatre.