After all, tomorrow is another day.

1984

2013-10-20T14:48:00.000-07:00

17th October 2013

Warwick Arts Centre

Adapted and Created by Robert Icke and Duncan Macmillan

As a self-confessed twitter addict who follows many thespians, I was well aware of the hype surrounding 1984. Everywhere I looked were 5 star reviews and copious amounts of praise for this intelligent production of Orwell's novel. Naturally, I wanted to witness this for myself, and luckily enough one of the stops on the tour was at Warwick Arts Centre, right in the middle of my university. I was intrigued to see how Orwell's complex novel that focuses quite heavily on language and writing as a tool to control and empower people would come across live on stage. With so much praise behind the production, I was ready to be impressed as I took my seat in the nearly packed out theatre last Thursday, and impressed I was.

Interestingly, the show took much of its inspiration from Orwell's appendix to the novel, "The Principles of Newspeak", (which I must confess I have only ever skimmed over before watching the show as it looked too much like an essay to read!). The show highlights the past, present and future to be interlinked. It is hard to work out what time setting the play is based in, some parts are very futuristic, others are reminiscent of the 1940's and there are many parts that are eerily close to the modern day.

At the beginning of the play I was slightly confused. The play opens with a book club discussing Winston's diary, whilst Winston is on stage writing his diary, wondering whether the year is really 1984. The boundaries of time merge and as audience members we are not entirely sure what is happening. It is only when we are able to follow the linear (or seemingly linear) development of Winston's and Julia's relationship that we have any sense of stability. Yet, despite the initial confusion, the blurring of time has a clever purpose, it makes us question history - what is truth?, what is fiction?, should we really believe what we're told to believe about our past?

As well as the intriguing and thought-provoking concept, what made this play exceptional were the performances. The whole ensemble were incredibly strong and the two principles (Mark Arends as Winston and Hara Yannas as Julia) were outstanding. In particular Arend handled Winston's torturing in Room 101 brilliantly; the audience groaned, gasped and hid behind their coats when witnessing the apparent pain Winston was suffering portrayed through the strained physique and agonized facial expressions of Arend. I hope he wins awards for his spine-tingling performance.

Overall, 1984 went above and beyond the hype for me. It is a fascinating, clever production that really does justice to Orwell's novel by opening up new debates.

Mamma Mia!

2013-10-01T13:00:00.001-07:00

27th September 2013

Novello Theatre

After having to cancel and rebook twice due to ill health, I finally celebrated my 21st birthday (albeit nearly 7 months late) by seeing Mamma Mia! in London with my best friends. I have grown up listening to ABBA songs and love the film version of Mamma Mia! so was super excited to be able to see the musical on stage. I have to say that I had the best night I've had in a long time. The show was brilliant; I laughed, cried sang and danced. It is definitely by far, the best happy, feel-good musical that I have ever seen.

Mamma Mia! is more than just a fun night out. Catherine Johnson's book is both a touching and clever story that fits perfectly with ABBA's greatest hits. It focuses on love, the relationship between mother and daughter and even enters into a feminist dialogue. Donna Sheridan is a bit of a free spirit of the 1970's, she left home, traveled abroad, loved freely and ended up pregnant with Sophie. Despite being brought up by a single mother, Sophie has dreamed of having a big white wedding and finding her father to escort her down the aisle and give her away. Sophie ends up realsing that she does not need a father or to be a wife to feel complete and that Donna has fulfilled the roles of both her parents brilliantly. Also, Donna comes to acknowledge her fears of losing Sophie as she grows up and leaves the island and being left behind. She is a matriarch and is used to her independence, yet throughout the musical she comes to see that she can be in love with someone without having to sacrifice her independence.

Everything about the show was flawless: the performances, choreography, design and staging. All the actors danced with so much energy and enthusiasm you could easily tell that they loved their job and were having a great time on stage. I saw Emily Dunn (who is in the ensemble and is first cover for Sophie) play Sophie Sheridan, who was fantastic. She highlighted Sophie's innocence and naivety as well as her daring and confidence. Dunn performed at such a high level of professionalism, it is hard to believe that she is the understudy, let alone that she only graduated from drama school this year! Yet, the star of the show is undoubtedly Dianne Pilkington as Donna. Her emotional portrayal of 'Winner Takes It All' is tear jerking, her vocal range is excellent and her she has a very powerful voice. Importantly, she also ensures that Donna is a fun-loving, loveable character that audience members can connect to.

Overall, Mamma Mia! is simply amazing. It's a feel-good, fun show with a heart, perfect to see with a group of friends or your mum. I am so happy that I finally got to see Mamma Mia!, and would love to see it again!

Dirty Dancing

2013-09-15T13:48:00.001-07:00

14th September 2013

Piccadilly Theatre

I had no idea what to expect from Dirty Dancing. Unlike most of the adult female population of the UK, I have never seen the film and did not know anything about the story until last night. Still, as a fan of romance stories and musical theatre I was very excited to experience the worldwide phenomenon of Dirty Dancing for the first time and I am pleased to say, I did not come away disappointed.

Set in the U.S.A in the summer of 1963, a time of great change as Martin Luther King gives his 'I have a dream' speech to the nation, the musical focuses on the blossoming love of Baby Houseman and Johnny Castle. Seventeen-year-old Baby (Frances) comes to Kellarman's, a resort in the Catskill Mountains, with her father, mother and sister. Kellerman's is a wholesome family resort with scheduled activities and entertainment - much like Butlins or Pontins. However, behind closed doors the resort staff engage in a much raunchier kind of fun - drinking, flirting and dirty dancing. Baby discovers these secret after-hours parties when she carries a watermelon for Billy (Johnny's cousin). She becomes intrigued by the dancing and receives a brief lesson from Johnny, which soon develops into many lessons as she becomes his dance partner and then a full-blown romance.

This show is all about the dancing, there was not as much live singing as you would expect from a musical. Quite a few of the numbers are provided by the film's original soundtrack, whilst the performers dance on stage. When there is live singing it is very good, the performances are strong and the songs are acted well. It would have been great if we could have heard the cast display their vocal talents more. However, the main draw of the show is, of course, the dancing and we are treated to some amazing dancing. The whole ensemble dance with such a high level of energy and enthusiasm they make the complex moves look easy.

The set is relatively simple and functional. The majority of the scenes are short as the story jumps to a different time/place, therefore there are a great deal of scene changes which sometimes felt unnatural and slightly awkward. Yet, the simple set and use of lighting enables these changes to take place as swiftly as possible and without having to blackout the stage. I liked the use of lighting to create beautiful scenic images of the sky in the background, which add to the romantic atmosphere.

Jill Winternitz is a delight to watch as the girl-next-door, Baby. She is superb dancer, but also effectively convinces us that she is learning in the dance lesson scenes. Paul-Michael Jones shows off his professional dancer skills as Johnny, however he did not have enough charisma to make me fall in love with him! Yet, Jones and Winternitz work well together as a couple and their final dance to 'I've had the time of my life' with the climactic lift is breathtaking.

Overall, Dirty Dancing is a lot of fun. I came out of the theatre humming the songs and wanting to go dancing (attempting to do the lift with my sister, however, did not go so well!). It's the kind of show that will not fail to put you in a good mood. The majority of the audience are clearly fans of the movie, so there is plenty of applauding, cheering and wolf whistling at the famous lines which adds to the upbeat atmosphere. Now I want to watch the movie to see how it compares!

The Lion King

2013-09-10T13:48:00.000-07:00

6th September 2013

Birmingham Hippodrome

Anyone who knows me, knows I love Disney, so when I first heard that the UK Tour of Disney's The Lion King was coming to Birmingham, I knew I had to see it. The Lion King has been a global success since it premiered on Broadway in 1997, the West End show is currently in its 14th year and there have been many productions in cities across the globe, including Sao Paulo, Sydney and Johannesburg. As a massive fan of the 1994 film and after listening to the Broadway soundtrack countless amounts of times, I was super excited to be finally seeing this smash-hit musical last Friday.

From the opening number, 'Circle of Life', I was spellbound. The production immerses the audience into the African landscape, parades of animals dance down the aisles towards the stage, birds fly over our heads and African drums play above us in the boxes. The Lion King starts as a celebration to which we are all invited. It is a party in the theatre; celebrating life, birth and African culture.

However, the party atmosphere does not remain as this is the wild and you must fight to survive. Here is basic plot line for those of you who are not familiar with it (where have you been?): a new lion cub is born to King Mufasa and Queen Sarabi, named Simba. Mufasa's evil brother, Scar is incredibly jealous of the new heir to the throne and plots to kill both Mufasa and Simba with the aid of the hyaenas. Tragedy occurs and Simba must fight to save his pride and his beloved, Nala.

The musical score is spine-tingling. The combination of the orchestra, strong voices and meaningful lyrics is fantastic. I particularly enjoyed 'He Lives in You', 'Shadowland' and 'Can You Feel the Love Tonight', which were all very moving performances.

All of the performances were superb, the ensemble danced with so much energy and enthusiasm, you could feel that they were enjoying themselves. Cleveland Cathnott had a brilliant stage presence as Mufusa, whenever he was onstage I felt that I was in the presence of royalty. Ava Brennan was a strong and feisty Nala and Nicholas Nkuna made a kind-hearted, brave and incredibly good looking Simba!

Joshua Cameron and Donica Elliston were amazing as the young Simba and Nala respectively. Despite their young age, they were every inch as professional and talented as the adult cast. Their duet, 'I Just Can't Wait to be King' is such a fun number and showed off their talents. I predict long and successful careers for them both!

Overall, I love The Lion King. The stage musical surpasses the film in every way, the story and characters are developed, new musical numbers are added and the staging and costumes are phenomenal. I would happily watch this production hundreds of times!

The Cripple of Inishmaan

2013-09-02T13:59:00.000-07:00

29th August 2013

Noel Coward Theatre

Directed by Michael Grandage

The Cripple of Inishmaan is both hilarious and heartbreaking. The Micheal Grandage season show starring Daniel Radcliffe (which sadly closed last week after it's limited season) was the hot ticket of the summer after receiving outstanding reviews. As a fervent theatre goer and a Harry Potter fan, I naturally had to see it. However, any association I had of Radcliffe with Harry Potter went as soon as he came on stage as the protagonist, Cripple Billy. In The Cripple of Inishmaan, Radcliffe displays his excellent acting skills in a beautiful, thought-provoking play that transports the audience to 1930's Western Ireland.

Martin Macdonagh's dark comedy focuses on a community living on the island of Inishmaan,( one of the Aran islands), off the West coast of Ireland as a Hollywood film company arrive to make a blockbuster nearby. To everyone's surprise, 17 year old orphan Cripple Billy, who is believed to be mentally as well as physically handicapped by the community, is chosen to go to Hollywood for a screen test. It is a play that explores the mythical Hollywood perception of Ireland and the treatment of those who are outcasts in society.

Radcliffe leads a talented cast. Each character has distinctive characteristics and speaks a variant of the western Irish accent, allowing them to be easily distinguished. Sarah Greene is incredibly energetic and engaging as Billy's love interest, Helen McCormick. Her teasing and witty comments provide many of the laughs. Ingrid Craigie and Gillian Hanna are both also excellent as Billy's old, and slightly mental, aunts. Pat Shortt also deserves a mention for his hilarious performance of the ghastly village gossip, Johnnypateenmike.

However, it must be said that Radcliffe is the star of the show. He ensures that Cripple Billy does not become a laughing stock; he does not overperform Billy's disabilities (which include a stiff leg and a clenched hand), instead he makes them seem natural. His Irish accent is perfect and he balances Billy's vulnerability with optimism and a melancholy charm, making him impossible not to like.

Overall, after seeing The Cripple of Inishman, I instantly knew why it received such brilliant reviews. It is a superb play, brilliantly directed and with an outstanding cast. It's a real shame it had such a short run.

Edinburgh Fringe 2013

2013-08-22T13:52:00.000-07:00

18th-21st August 2013

After years of wanting to go but not making it, I finally spent a few days in Edinburgh to check out the fringe festival this year. The atmosphere in the city was amazing; everywhere I turned was a makeshift theatre or a street performer performing to a crowd gathered round. There was so much to see, it was too hard to cram it all in. In the three and a half days I was there I saw some weird, amazing, hilarious and terrible pieces of theatre and comedy acts. I've decided to do a few mini reviews to give you a taste of my experience of the Fringe.

Avenue Q, Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.

Avenue Q was definitely the best show I saw. I have loved the songs from Avenue Q for years, yet missed seeing the musical in the West End, so when I heard it was being performed at the Fringe I booked tickets straight away. Avenue Q was the biggest budget production I saw; it looked and felt like a West End show. The set design, staging, costumes and performances were outstanding.

Avenue Q is a poor street in New York inhabited by puppets (operated by puppeteers) and humans. The plot is simple, but effective. Princeton has just graduated from college and is currently unemployed and unsure of his purpose. The number 'What do you do with a BA in English' is almost a little too close to home for me! He soon makes friends with the various inhabitants of Avenue Q who are a mixture of different races, nationalities, cultures, sexualities and breeds (monsters and humans). Basically, the show looks at discrimination but it a light-hearted, hilarious way.

I was laughing throughout the performance and left with a huge smile on my face.

The Givers, Year of the Horse Theater.
I really was not sure what to expect from The Givers, reading the synopsis on the Fringe website I had mixed thoughts. The Givers looks at the abortion debate in the American south, focusing on the stories and opinions of an abortion provider and a pro-life advocate. Abortion is a sensitive topic, and one I have mixed feelings about. If handled well, I thought this play would be fascinating, however I was concerned it would be insensitive propaganda.
Luckily, on the whole, I found that The Givers provided a intriguing insight into both sides of the abortion debate. The performances were mostly strong and I was gripped by the plot throughout. I found the play to be incredibly thought-provoking, my two friends and I discussed it for at least an hour afterwards. The Givers is not perfect; I found the pro-life side to be overly focused on the religious argument, and the end was somewhat of an anti-climax. However, I greatly enjoyed the play overall, and found it to be a starting point for further debate and discussion.

West End at the Fringe, MCG Productions.
As a massive musical theatre fan, West End at the Fringe, was a must-see. You cannot go too far wrong with 50 minutes of listening to professional performers, sing songs from some of the best musicals ever written. The only qualm I have about this show is the ticket price, at £10 a ticket, I think it was overpriced. Yes, the performances were excellent, but there was no set and minimal props. Compared to Avenue Q, in which I saw a full two hour musical with excellent set design, lighting and props for £12, West End at the Fringe was very overpriced. That said, I did enjoy the show, it was lovely to sit back, relax and be entertained.

Broken Holmes, Broken Holmes Productions.
One of the best things about the Fringe is seeing theatre you would not normally see, and Broken Holmes is a great example of this. I have never read any of the Sherlock Holmes books, or watched the films or TV series. I would not usually consider myself a fan of murder mystery, but recently I have enjoyed a couple of mystery novels, so was up for seeing a Sherlock Holmes play.
It took me a while to get into Broken Holmes. The opening scene involved a discussion between Sherlock and Watson, which you really need some knowledge of Sherlock Holmes to appreciate and find funny. However, when the plot was fully established I got into the play and thoroughly enjoyed it. The play was incredibly funny and included some brilliant performances, with the actor playing Sherlock standing out. Overall, it was great to see something different, and now I'm definitely up for seeing more murder mystery plays.

The Hawke Papers, Produced Moon.
The Hawke Papers was so much fun. The play lets the audience become the detectives, to uncover the murderer of Dr Marcus Hawke who was found dead in his drawing room. The audience have to work together to uncover the clues, search the premises for important items and question the suspects. I was incredibly impressed by the setup of the production, every single part was well thought out. The cast were excellent; they all stayed in character throughout and handled the audience questions (or interrogation) brilliantly. What made this production even better was that it was free. An hour of free theatre, were you get to be a Victorian detective, is definitely a recipe for a good time.

Look Back in Anger, The Lincoln Company.
Unfortunately, Look Back in Anger was definitely the worst play I saw at the Fringe. It was one of those plays were I spent most of the time glancing at my watch, wondering when it would be over.
The play focused on misogamy and sexual inequality. Alison and Jimmy's relationship is held together through manipulation and anger. Eventually Alison leaves him and Jimmy begins a relationship with her friend, however she eventually comes back to him.
I felt the plot could be told in fifteen minutes, yet it was drawn out to an hour and a half. As horrible as this sounds, I did not sympathize with or care for any of the character so I did not care about their outcome. Jimmy was abusive and constantly irate, with no redeeming qualities and Alison was completely ineffectual. The performances were OK, with one or two moments of excellent acting, but I felt the actors were limited by the script.
I wish I had enjoyed Look Back in Anger, I hate giving bad reviews, but regrettably I must admit that it was one of the worst plays I've seen.

Hairspray, The UK Tour

2013-07-21T11:50:00.003-07:00

3rd July 2013

Theatre Royal, Nottingham

A couple of weeks ago (sorry about the delay in posting this!) I finally saw one of my favourite musicals live on stage. I have loved Hairspray since I learnt the songs for a musical theatre performance with my local youth theatre group when I was fifteen. Then when the movie came out I loved it even more. It's funny, has catchy songs and carries a good message, what's not to love?! Therefore, I was super excited when my friend, Dawn, invited me to go and see the UK Tour of Hairspray in Nottingham with her.

As poor students we didn't have the best seats; we were in row C of the balcony - so very near the back! However, I was very impressed with the view of the stage. The seats were very tiered so despite being some of the furthest people away from the stage, we still had a clear view. Also, as Hairspray is a big, bold and bright show I found that it does not matter where you are sitting to feel part of the action.

Freya Sutton makes her professional debut as the protagonist, Tracy Turnblad, the overweight teenager who dreams who changing the world. Sutton is simply stunning. Her "Good Morning Baltimore" is the perfect, uplifting start to the show. She sings and dances with so much energy and enthusiasm, yet she also balances this by highlighting the more vulnerable and serious side to Tracy's character. Sutton ensures that the audience cannot fail to emphasize with Tracy throughout the show.

Mark Benton has the hard task of following the likes of Micheal Ball and John Travolta in playing the part of Tracy's pantomime dame mother, Edna Turnblad. Benton embraces the ridiculousness of the character without causing the character to lose her humanity. His vocals may not be the strongest and his accent did slip at times, yet this was made up for by his excellent comic timing that had the audience in stitches.

Aside from the comedy, the show does carry a serious message about racial equality and this is powerfully portrayed in the song, "I Know Where I've Been" performed by Sandra Marvin as Motormouth Maybelle. Marvin's performance is incredible; not only are her vocals exceptional but the way she delivers the song really makes you sit forward and listen to the lyrics.

Hairspray is a celebration. A celebration of life, equality and big hair! I would be very surprised if anyone does not leave the theatre with a smile on their face and humming "Welcome to the 60's".

As You Like It

2013-07-08T12:08:00.001-07:00

20th June 2013

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford

Directed by Maria Aberg

I had heard many good things about Aberg's As You Like It from fellow English students at Warwick university before I went to see it. It seemed to be the production to see in the summer. So, a few of my uni friends and I decided to check it out.
I was excited yet also apprehensive as this would be the first Shakespeare production I've seen since being ill. I was not sure if I could hold my concentration for long enough to understand and appreciate the whole production.
I usually approach RSC productions in my English literature student mindset, analysing all the various aspects with the aim to review the production for this blog. However, my illness has affected my concentration levels quite a bit and my analytical skills are out of practice having not been at university for 5 months so I was not sure if I would be able to review As You Like It. Therefore, rather than a formal review, I thought I would just write down a collection of my thoughts about the production.
The thing I liked most about As You Like It was the relaxed, festival feel of the production. Laura Marling's folk music is a joy to listen to, and really adds to the hippyish Glastonbury feel of the forest. I could sit back, forget my muscle pains and relax and be transported to the free and joyous alternative universe of the Forest of Arden.
The production has a great energy, which is largely created by Pippa Nixon's Rosalind. She is passionate, fiercely independent and handles the transition into Ganymede brilliantly. Without a doubt, she is the star of the show.
Overall, I really enjoyed Aberg's bohemian As You Like It . Whether you're a Shakespeare expert who has seen the play thousands of times before or a complete novice, you will enjoy this production. I could of (like some of my friends did) analysed the production, compared it to the original text and questioned its relevance to the modern day. Instead, I simply sat back and was entertained by a piece of brilliant theatre for three hours. After all, theatre is above all entertainment.

The Phantom of the Opera

2013-06-13T06:42:00.004-07:00

8th June 2013

Her Majesty's Theatre, London

After many months of enduring various different illnesses and seeing too little theatre, I am finally attempting to begin reviewing again. What better way to start than with a review of one of my favourite musicals, The Phantom of the Opera. I love Phantom, I listen to the cast recordings and soundtracks constantly, have watched the film numerous amounts of times and am obsessed with the 25th anniversary concert. For me, Sierra Boggess and Ramin Karimloo are the definitive Christine and Phantom. Therefore, I was both super excited and a little bit nervous to finally see Phantom live on stage.

I need not have been nervous. The West End show lived up to all the other productions of Phantom, and the experience of seeing the show live was breathtaking. The special effects were brilliant, especially the famous chandelier fall! The orchestra were excellent and the set was spectacular. I was gripped throughout.

Sofia Escobar and Marcus Lovett both shined in the roles of Christine and the Phantom. They were not quite Sierra and Ramin but they were certainly the next best! Escobar's operatic voice is world class and she brilliantly conveys Christine's naivety, as well as her personal growth and strength throughout the story perfectly. Lovett's Phantom is manipulative and terrifying, yet also incredibly vulnerable and insecure which enables him to gain Christine and the audience's sympathy.

In a word, Phantom is simply outstanding. I am not surprised that the London production is now in its 26th year and predict it will not only play for many more years but the show will be one of the world's favourite musicals for centuries.

Finding Neverland

2012-10-18T14:07:00.000-07:00

13^th October 2012

Curve Theatre, Leicester

Directed by Rob Ashford

I first heard rumours of a musical adaptation of Finding Neverland about a year ago and I have been incredibly excited since then. However, as I love Marc Forster’s charming and emotional film starring Johnny Depp and Kate Winslet I did have some reservations about how well this delicate story would translate into an extravagant big-budget musical. On paper, Finding Neverland seems far from a traditional family musical; it is a story of the breakdown of a failing playwright’s marriage caused by his involvement with a widowed woman and her young boys. Also, there is no “they lived happily ever after” as tragedy strikes before the end. Yet, what makes this musical work is the magic that lies behind the relationship between Llewelyn Davies family and J.M Barrie, which becomes the inspiration for Barrie’s Peter Pan.

Act one gets off to a slow start with the number “Opening Night”, narrating the failure of Barrie’s play “The Wedding Guest”. I have since read that this opening was put in just a few days before I saw the production to replace another number that was not working. Therefore I can now see why “Opening Night” needs some fine tuning, particularly on the choreography, before the production takes to a London stage. However, as I settled into the musical and became involved with the characters, the production kept on improving for me. It was at the end of act one and the number “Set Sail” when I was blown away. At this point in the story, Barrie is suffering from severe writer’s block, his marriage is ending and his relationship with Sylvia and the boys is breaking down. We see him wander the streets of a dark and misty London on the brink of depression until a Pirate Ship appears steered by Captain Hook who tells Barrie to write about him, after some consideration Barrie climbs aboard and grabs the steering wheel to “set sail on an adventure”. It is an uplifting end to the end of the act that leaves you excited for the second act. The level of excitement, energy and magic in “Set Sail” is what is needed for the beginning.

On the whole, I found act one very good, but it is really after the interval that this musical becomes outstanding. With Barrie writing Peter Pan, his wife out of the picture and his relationship with Sylvia and her boys back on track there is a whole new lease of life into the story as seen in the reprise of "Set Sail" where Barrie takes Sylvia and the boys for an imaginative ride in his motor car. Yet, tragedy follows and in a beautiful scene where the Llewelyn Davies family watch a performance of Peter Pan in their living room, we see Sylvia stand up and declare her love for Barrie in the number “In the blink of an eye” before walking past the actors and out of the house to enter the figurative Neverland . This incredibly emotional and artistically stunning scene pulls on the heart strings and left me in floods of tears, particularly when the boys cry out for their mother . Yet, unlike the film the musical has a more uplifting ending as in the final scene the boys and Barrie fly over London, ready to undertake new adventures.

Finding Neverland includes some exceptional performances. As J.M Barrie, Julian Ovenden perfectly balances the energetic boy that will never grow up with the more serious man and lover. Rosalie Craig is brilliant as Sylvia. She gives a highly intelligent performance, highlighting the struggles Sylvia has with coming to terms with her love for a married man against her moral judgement, and the effect her relationship with Barrie will have on her fatherless children and disapproving mother. Both Ovenden and Craig have stunning vocals that compliment each other, particularly in their charming duet “In The Blink Of An Eye”.

All four of the young actors who I saw play the Llewelyn Davies boys are very strong (they alternate the roles with other boys), but Theo Fewell as Peter is exceptional. Fewell displays Peter’s energy and vivid imagination, yet he also effectively portrays his anger and frustration at J.M Barrie for, what he sees as, Barrie's disloyalty to his mother and his trying to take the place of the boys father. In his duet with Ovenden “Do I Know You?” we see Fewell’s impressive voice and strong acting ability come together as he confronts Barrie and through this we get an intriguing glimpse of a grown-up side to the child who is the namesake for the boy who will never grow up.

Finding Neverland will undoubtedly be successful in the West End, it has a fantastic and memorable score, exciting set design and some of the most talented musical theatre performers staring in it. However, one thing I will say is that the musical is not suitable for young children as it deals with adult themes and can be quite upsetting. The young children sitting near me got restless during the performance and one child had to be taken out of the auditorium in tears. That said, Finding Neverland is still a magical family show (I would say take kids aged 8 upwards), it is endearing, uplifting and left me wishing I could be flying over London ready to set sail on an adventure at the end!

The Second Mrs Tanqueray

2012-10-03T15:09:00.003-07:00

29^th September 2012 (a preview)

Rose Theatre, Kingston

Directed by Stephen Unwin

Despite being an English student and a fervent theatre-goer, I had not heard of Pinero until a couple of months ago when I found out through Twitter that the Rose Theatre in Kingston was going to be putting on The Second Mrs Tanqueray starring Laura Michelle Kelly. Initially I was purely excited about the production because Laura was in it (I am a big fan of Mary Poppins), but as I researched the play and read that Pinero has been described as ‘England’s version of Ibsen’, I became even more excited and instantly booked tickets.

So, last Saturday I made the long journey from my home in the Midlands to the picturesque Kingston-Upon-Thames for the matinee performance. The long journey was completely worth it; from the minute the play started I was hooked. Pinero’s story of Paula Tanqueray, a fallen woman who attempts to rehabilitate herself into society through marrying a much older, widowed aristocrat is both thought provoking and entertaining. The play poses important questions about the condition of women in the late nineteenth century, the nature of forgiveness and the sanctity of love and marriage. We witness the vibrant and lively Paula become consumed by jealousy due to the loving relationship of her husband, Aubrey, and his daughter, nineteen year old Ellean who has returned home to Surrey from a convent school. To make matters worse, Aubrey’s friends do not accept Paula and she becomes bored and unhappy with provincial life. Without wanting to give too much away, a climatic denouement causes Paula’s past to resurface with devastating consequences. The plot is exhilarating throughout; I became involved with the lives of Paula, Aubrey and Ellean and emphasised with their struggles, and therefore could not help shedding a tear at the end.

James Wilby and Laura Michelle Kelly as Aubrey and Paula Tanqueray.

Although Stephen Unwin’s production is set in the era the play was written, the late nineteenth century, the production does underline the relevance of the themes to the modern day. Paula Tanqueray is a strong, independent and modern woman trapped by the social codes of aristocratic English society in which she lives. She is far from perfect but all she wants is forgiveness, she confesses to her husband her wrongs, yet it is her confession that is the root of her tragedy. The circumstances under which an individual can be loved and forgiven are just as prevalent today even though many Victorian social codes seem prehistoric. In fact, the relationships, characters and themes explored are indicative of a modern day soap opera.

Both the costumes and the set are exquisite. Mark Boumen’s costumes are beautiful, with excellent attention to detail. His costumes emphasise the personality of the characters; the silk emerald green dress Paula wears in act two is eye catching and extravagant, a complete contrast to her step daughter’s high necked, pastel coloured frocks. Paul Wills’ set is naturalistic and detailed but not overly excessive, allowing for smooth transitions from one scene to the next. Through the set and the costumes we are transported to the world the Tanquerays inhabit in Victorian England.

Although all the actors are superb, Laura Michelle Kelly is the star of the show. As an incredibly versatile actress she is able to convey the complexities of Paula’s character and therefore enables Paula to be a character that the audience can emphasise with. She plays Paula with so much energy and emotion that all eyes are on her as soon as she enters the stage. I was also really pleased to hear that Laura’s vocal talent is used on recordings played during scene changes and reflective moments on stage.

Laura Michelle Kelly and Rona Morison as Paula and Ellean Tanqueray.

Rona Morison is brilliant as the reserved and innocent Ellean. We feel a great deal of sympathy for this young motherless girl whose struggle to accept her stepmother causes her to feel responsible at the tragic outcome. Likewise, James Wilby’s Aubrey wins over the audience’s affection as he struggles to please both of the women in his life.

Overall, The Second Mrs Tanqueray is a fascinating and entertaining piece of theatre, it had me laughing, crying and at the edge of the seat throughout. I really wish I could see the play again, but the start of the new term at university has got in the way. However, this did mean that I could take out a collection of Pinero’s plays from the university library to discover more and I am now considering his work to be a possible dissertation theme. I encourage anyone who likes good theatre to head down to the Rose Theatre to see some amazing performances in an excellent, thought provoking play!

The Second Mrs Tanqueray plays at the Rose Theatre, Kingston until the 27^th of October.

Twelfth Night

2012-10-01T05:03:00.001-07:00

27^th September 2012

Globe Theatre

Directed by Tim Carroll

This year’s World Shakespeare Festival proved that Shakespeare’s plays are applicable to any culture and time period. Much Ado was in modern Delhi, Troilus and Crisseda in the American West and Romeo and Juliet in Baghdad. Shakespeare is constantly being reinvented and re-imagined by theatre companies causing his plays to always feel fresh and current. In fact, before seeing Twelfth Night last Thursday, I do not remember the last time I saw a Shakespeare play in its original format, or even if I had ever seen it performed this way. As a result, I was intrigued and excited to learn that Tim Carroll’s production for The Globe (originally seen in 2002) brings Shakespeare back to the Elizabethan age including the custom of having an all-male cast (something that would normally go against my feminist beliefs!).

Carroll’s production uses a minimalistic set; there are no extravagant special effects and the music is provided by a group of musicians in Elizabethan costume using traditional Tudor instruments. It is incredibly refreshing to see the play stripped back to its roots; I could really appreciate Shakespeare’s beautiful poetic language and the brilliant acting. And the acting really is exceptional. Stephen Fry makes a remarkable return to the stage in the character of Malvolio. Malvolio first appears to be a simple, two dimensional figure; he is haughty head servant who is impeccably loyal to his mistress. However, as soon as he is tricked by Maria and Sir Toby we see another side to him. When he enters in his bright yellow stockings he is ridiculous, a figure to be laughed at, yet Fry also emphasises Malvolio’s humanity and as he is accused of being mad we begin to pity him and understand him to be a rather more complex character than first perceived.

Yet, despite the extensive publicity and media attention, Twelfth Night is by no means a ‘Stephen Fry show’. The whole ensemble is exceptional, but the person who steals the show for me is Mark Rylance as Olivia. Rylance heightens the comedic value of the character; he glides across the stage white faced in a full mourning dress and speaks in a high pitched voice, often stumbling over Olivia’s words as if they are only just being formed in her head. From this description, it would be easy to assume that Olivia functions purely to be laughed at. However, like Fry’s Malvolio, Rylance ensures that Olivia has humanity; she is far from a pantomime dame but is a fragile woman in love.

Overall, Tim Carroll’s production is charming; it is both hilariously funny yet still has a heart. For an audience of theatre goers used to seeing unique, original and sometimes bizarre adaptations of Shakespeare’s plays it is just as fascinating to see Twelfth Night in its most traditional format as it allows the audience put themselves in the position of an Elizabethan audience, and thererfore come to a greater understanding of Elizabethan theatre. Twelfth Night is a must see for all fans of theatre.

Twelfth Night transfers to the Apollo, Shaftesbury Avenue, from Nov 2.

Anna Karenina

2012-09-08T14:38:00.001-07:00

Based on the novel by Leo Tolsty

Spreenplay by Tom Stoppard

Directed by Joe Wright

It is hard to consolidate my views on Anna Karenina into a concise, coherent piece of writing. Joe Wright has created a masterpiece; every little prop, glance and costume has been thought out and creates meaning. I left the cinema completely mesmerised.

I read Anna Karenina two years ago during my gap year and I remember loving the 800 page novel from the first page. I found the character of Anna fascinating and the social customs and politics of 19^th century Russia incredibly interesting. Being a lover of literature I am often cautious about film adaptations, yet I also love them, with Wright's Pride and Prejudice and Atonement as two of my favourites. Film adaptations are interpretations of a novel, as such, they can bring to light certain themes, problems and viewpoints expressed in the original text, and certainly this is what Wright's Anna Karenina does. Wright made a bold decision by choosing a non-naturalistic setting. When watching a period drama audiences tend to expect to be able to sit back and be transported to an exact time and location. However, by making the principle setting a theatre, the audience cannot simply relax; they must work and use their imaginations to understand the significance of the setting and create Russia.

At first, I must admit, I was not sure that the setting would work. It seemed to be making a spectacle out of normal daily activities, such as being shaved, and I was concerned that this would cause the poignancy of the plot to be compensated. Yet, as the film went on I grew accustomed to the setting and understood more fully its importance. Anna’s life is a performance; she is playing the role that is socially assigned for her, an aristocratic wife. In fact, the whole of Russian aristocratic society are performing with their customs, rules and expectations of one another played out in large social gatherings. Therefore, the theatre is perfect backdrop to the dinner parties, dances and operas portrayed. However, Anna cannot retain her performance and it is, at first, outside the theatre, away from society that her performance falters and she begins her affair with Vronsky. In a pivotal scene set in the theatre, during the horse racing, she breaks her public performance as she screams Vronsky’s name as he falls from his horse. It is this break in performance which leads to her exclusion from aristocratic society.

In contrast to Anna and her theatrical setting, is Levin. Levin’s scenes are the only ones shot in Russia; therefore this naturalistic setting provides a stark contrast. Unlike Anna, Levin chooses a life of simplicity away from the theatrical artifice of society. He works the land along the peasants his father used to own, and his wholesome relationship with Kitty is juxtaposed with the selfish and gluttonous affair between Anna and Vronsky.

Keira Knightley is stunning as Anna. I am a big fan of Keira’s work and I knew that she would be a brilliant Anna before I saw the film. She is intelligent and subtle in her portrayal; the slightest dilation of her pupils or twitch of her upper lip gave great depth of meaning. Jude Law shines as Anna’s kind but constrained husband, Alexei Karenin, who is the character that receives most of the audiences’ sympathy at the end. Aaron Taylor-Johnson brings a selfish conceit to the part of Vronsky which is highlighted against Domhnall Gleeson’s humble Levin.

There is so much more I could mention about this film, the costumes, the scene changes, the choreography…to name but a few! Each detail was perfect, and came together brilliantly. I was surprised the concept worked so well, but it did, the story did not lose poignancy, and Wright’s interpretation enhances our understanding of the novel. I hope Anna Karenina gets the BAFTAs and Oscars it deserves.

Jersey Boys

2012-09-07T13:54:00.001-07:00

27^th August 2012

Prince Edward Theatre, West End

Andrew Lloyd Webber stated recently on his talent show, Superstar, that the West End was lacking in leading men. Well, I think Lloyd Webber forgot about the stars of Jersey Boys. The male actors in Jersey Boys are all sensational; between them they proved that there is no lack of male talent on the West End.

I did not know much about Jersey Boys before seeing it. I knew people love it and that it has been incredibly successful in its run on Broadway and the West End, and that was reason enough for me to book tickets. Whilst watching, I soon realised why the show is thought of so highly, the show is fantastic. It does not matter if you know of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons or not, their story appeals to all, and their music is world class. The musical takes us on a whistle-stop tour of the career of The Four Seasons, with a particular focus on lead singer, Frankie Valli. In order to get through over six decades, the pace is fast, scene changes are incredibly fluid and songs flow into each other. However, this fast pace does not take away from the impact of the story. Key events in Valli’s life are highlighted such as; how he was discovered as a singer, beginning a relationship and splitting up with Mary Delgado and the death of his daughter, Francine. As such, the audience are able to relate to him as a character, which is essential to the success of the musical.

In the performance I saw, Jon Lee starred as Valli. Lee has left his S Club career behind him and matured into a strong, emotive performer. One of the unique elements about the part of Valli is that throughout the show his age ranges from a teenager to middle aged. Lee effectively portrays the teenage Valli, a naïve kid with aspirations of being a star, yet he handles the transition into a confident adult at the height of his career and to a middle aged man concerned for his daughter’s wellbeing perfectly. Jon Lee is a triple threat, a brilliant singer, actor and dancer, and certainly an excellent leading man.

However, Lee is not the only standout performance. Matthew Wycliffe is excellent as Bod Gaudio, the young singer-songwriter who makes up the fourth member of The Four Seasons. Wycliffe is incredibly talented artist; he has a beautiful voice and is a flawless dancer. Wycliffe fully engages the audiences’ attention when he narrates parts of the story as well as effectively portraying the enduring friendship between Gaudio and Valli, highlighting a crucial theme; the strength of male friendships over relationships with women.

It would be wrong not to mention that the rest of the cast were also brilliant, and even though so far I have concentrated on the talents of the men, the female cast members also play a crucial role. The three female cast members are exceedingly versatile, taking on a variety of roles during the show, ranging from backing dancers to fans to members of Valli’s family. Also, the onstage band deserves a mention as they enhanced the feeling that the audience were watching The Four Seasons in concert.

I would recommend Jersey Boys to anybody; it is a fantastically fun night out, which will leave you singing the songs for weeks afterwards!

Much Ado About Nothing

2012-09-03T15:30:00.001-07:00

22^nd August 2012

Royal Shakespeare Company

Directed by Iqbal Khan

One thing I love about going to the theatre is being transported from the everyday world outside, to a different time, place or universe. I love getting so involved with the characters that I feel part of the show myself, and that is exactly what I got (and more!) when watching Khan’s Much Ado About Nothing.

Upon entering The Courtyard theatre, aspects of Delhi are everywhere. Bicycles hang from the ceiling, incense is burning, brightly coloured scarves decorate the walls and there is a rickshaw positioned in the middle of the floor. As the crowds flocked in on a hot Wednesday afternoon for the matinee I started to leave Stratford upon Avon behind me and enter the chaos of modern Delhi. Yet, it wasn't until I entered the theatre that the transformation was complete, Tom Piper’s set design uses the traverse stage superbly. There is a two storey Delhi house at the promenade with a decorated tree with a swing to one side, leaving the main space to become the versatile street; a place of domesticity, conflict and celebration.

An effective pre show enacting a domestic scene of children running away from their parents entertained the audience as they found their seats and instantly allowed us to feel part of the action. This continued when the lights went down and the show began as the actors frequently interacted with the audience, so much so that some members of the audience (myself included!) found themselves on stage for the climactic wedding scene. Cast members came into the stalls and pulled people out to become ‘wedding guests’; our role was to simply sit on cushions and eat Indian sweets whilst watching the action unfold. It was an exhilarating experience, and having done a bit of acting before, I made the most of being on an RSC stage!

Being part of the ‘World Shakespeare Festival’, one of the main aims of Khan’s production is to highlight the parallels between Shakespeare’s England and modern Delhi. In terms of social customs, there are many similarities; both are patriarchal societies which encourage arranged marriages and pressure females to remain chaste. However, the relevance of the soldiers was unclear, it was only afterwards when reading the programme that I discovered that they were portraying members of a UN peacekeeping mission.

Meera Syal does not disappoint in the role of Beatrice, she is feisty and strong willed yet loving and loyal. There is a definite spark between her and Paul Bhattacharjee’s Benedick from their initial feuding. Sagar Arya’s Claudio is pompous and arrogant, which is exemplified by the use of a handheld microphone whilst denouncing Hero. Hero is not the stereotypical damsel in distress figure; Amara Karan adds a feisty streak to the character, developing Hero into a 21^st century woman.

Khan’s Much Ado About Nothing is a spectacle of Bollywood meets the Bard. It is a highly entertaining three hours of theatre that immerses you into the world of the play.

Matilda the Musical

2012-08-23T16:56:00.002-07:00

12^th August 2012

Cambridge Theatre, London

Anyone who knows me (or has read this blog or follows me on twitter) will be aware that I am obsessed with Matilda The Musical. I listen to the soundtrack so frequently that I know nearly all of the lyrics and, as I have now seen the musical five times, I know a lot of the dialogue too. Often people wonder why I keep going back to see the same show when there is a vast amount of highly acclaimed musicals currently playing in the West End. However, I may hasten to add, that most of these people have not seen Matilda. Matilda is addictive; each time I see it is just as fresh, exuberant and exciting as the first time I saw it back when it was previewing in Stratford-Upon-Avon.

Each time I see Matilda a different element of the production strikes me and I appreciate more fully the genius of Minchin, Kelly and Dahl. This time I particularly noticed the musical’s celebration of the power of women. Dahl’s novel was published in 1988, in the decade of female power; Thatcher was Prime Minister and women were beginning to take the top positions in the world of work. Although the actual time setting of the musical is not specified, it could be seen to be set in the 1980’s as there is more than a hint of Maggie Thatcher in the calm elocution but tough policies of Miss Trunchbull.

Yet, it is not just Trunchbull who is a powerful woman. The musical charts Miss Honey’s progress from the timid and submissive primary school teacher (a job traditionally deemed suitable for an unmarried woman), to a successful, confident headmistress and single mother. Of course, Matilda herself also advocates the power of females. She represents the new generation of girls who have the agency to control their own lives and who will not stand for their stories to be written for them. Matilda first revolts against and then defies the patriarchal rule of her father by leaving his household in favour of a matriarchal one. Matilda sings; ‘Even if you’re little you can do a lot’, she may say ‘little’, but if you exchange it for ‘female’ then you have one of the messages of the musical.

At the performance I saw, the incredibly talented Jade Marner played the title role. From the moment she stepped onto the stage she stole the audience’s hearts. Her performance was flawless and she handled the complexities in the character of Matilda perfectly, it is hard to believe that she is only ten years old and not a seasoned professional! Also, this was the first time I saw Matilda without Bertie Carvel as Miss Trunchbull. Bertie created and defined the part so brilliantly I was apprehensive about the ability of any other actor to fill his shoes. However, Alastair Parker (understudy to David Leonard who plays Miss Trunchbull) was fantastic in the role. He made the part his own, adapting the characteristics Bertie created to construct a less elegant, more imposing headmistress. However this was compensated by the comedic element of the character, and Alastair certainly gained many laughs from the audience.

In each of the five times I’ve seen Matilda, I’ve learnt something new, noticed something new, seen a number of new cast members and grown to love the musical even more. It is a musical that is forever developing and changing, as now, only a week and a half after I last saw it, a new cast have come in and changes have been made, meaning that when you watch it, no matter whether it’s for the first time, the fifth or the hundredth there will be always something new to excite you. I think it may be time that I booked to go again!

Les Misérables

2012-08-19T15:17:00.001-07:00

11^th August 2012

Queen’s Theatre

Les Miserables is simply amazing. The music is flawless, the set is remarkable and the story is beautifully moving. That is why it is the longest running musical in history and also why I went to see it for the second time last Saturday.

My two best friends from University and myself are obsessed with Les Mis; we sing it when we’re drunk, send YouTube videos to each other, and most recently imagined what Les Mis would be like if the characters were cats! We had all seen the musical before but with the highly anticipated movie set for release early next year and the 25^th anniversary concert two years ago, it seemed like the perfect time to return to see the stage show.

Yet, having a love for the show means having high expectations. I always approach a show that I have previously seen and loved with slight trepidation, will it fulfil my expectations with a new cast? With Les Mis, I shouldn’t have worried; the current cast are all sensational, and I think I enjoyed the show even more this time round!

I was so excited when it was announced that Sierra Boggess would be playing Fantine. I had never seen Sierra perform live before, but had watched the Phantom of the Opera 25^th anniversary and YouTubed her in The Little Mermaid and Love Never Dies countless times. She certainly lived up to her world class reputation playing Fantine. ‘I Dream a Dream’ was stunning, but it was ‘Fantine’s Death’ that was sensational; Sierra’s performance of the delusional, dying young woman searching for her child was heartbreaking, leaving my friends and I in tears.

However, it was not just Sierra but the whole cast who were incredible. Geronimo Rauch was a fantastic Jean Valjean, with an incredibly powerful voice, his “Bring Him Home” was just as it should be; an oxymoronic mix of strength and heartbreak. In the performance we saw, Eponine was played by understudy, Helen Owen. However if I had not known this before watching, I would not have guessed. Helen Owen was flawless; ‘On My Own’ and ‘A Little Fall of Rain’ were beautifully poignant.

At the end of the show, the whole of the stalls suddenly leapt to their feet in standing ovation, something that I have never seen happen before. But it was not without reason. It is easy to understand why Les Mis has been running for 27 years, the power, energy and enthusiasm of the cast keep the show fresh and alive and because of this I predict the show will continue to run for a very long time.

Troilus and Cressida

2012-08-13T13:42:00.001-07:00

8^th August 2012

Royal Shakespeare Company / The Wooster Group

Directed by Mark Ravenhill (RSC) and Elizabeth LeCompte (The Wooster Group)

What to say about Troilus and Cressida? The adjectives that sprung to mind straight after the production were; bizarre, strange, random and unique. These adjectives could suggest either a positive or negative viewing experience, and certainly the production has divided audience opinion. Some have found Troilus and Cressida to be an interesting, intelligent take on one of Shakespeare’s most underperformed plays and others have left bemused and disappointed during the interval. Although I sticked it out for all of the three hours and thirty five minutes (yes, I was counting), I can see why so many walked out halfway. Troilus and Cressida is a messy collaboration that makes a mockery out of Shakespeare’s language.

It sounds like a brilliant idea: a collaboration of two diverse theatre companies from two different countries working on one play- all in the purpose of emphasising Shakespeare’s role as a world playwright. However, in reality this collaboration was more of a collision. The American Wooster group were the Trojans, yet they were not Trojans but Native Americans, and the RSC actors were the ‘Greeks’, or rather English soldiers. By no means am I a traditionalist; I love seeing Shakespearean plays taken out of their traditional timing and setting to highlight how applicable the Bard is to many different cultures, times and places. However, I have to say this production went too far. As I previously stated Troilus and Cressida is one of Shakepeare’s most underperformed plays, therefore many theatregoers (including myself) had never seen it performed before. Consequently, grasping the concept of this bizarre production when you are not that familiar with the original text is incredibly difficult.

To make matters worse, juxtaposed with the Native American setting is 80s punk by way of Thersites, who is a transvestite in a wheelchair (although at times he vacates this and walks). Plasma screens on poles show clips from movies (none of which I recognised) which the characters looked to and copied the actions displayed. This intertextuality could have been very interesting; however the screens were too small to make any impact and did not fit with the concept – why would Native American Indians living in tipis be copying actions from European 20^th century movies? It is almost frustrating how little of this production makes sense.

Unfortunately the performances did nothing to save the play. Scott Shepherd and Marin Ireland as the title characters, Troilus and Cressida speak Shakespeare’s language in a flat, emotionless monotone. As a result, the passionate love of Troilus is lost and whole philosophical speeches about the workings of free will disappear. Things are slightly better on the Greek side, the diction is better and Scott Handy as Ulysses enunciates the verse clearly with intelligence, giving us a taste of what we normally see on a RSC stage.

It is a shame that Troilus and Cressida is a bizarre spectacle instead of a thoughtful production about love and betrayal in a world of heroes.

Julius Caesar

2012-06-25T02:13:00.001-07:00

Paterson Joseph, Cyril Nri and Theo Ogundipe in Julius Caesar. Photo by Kwame Lestrade

16th June 2012

Royal Shakespeare Company

Directed by Gregory Doran

After a break from reviewing brought about by the craziness of my last term of my first year of university, I went to the RSC on Saturday to see my first World Shakespeare Festival production, Julius Caesar.
I must admit I had never seen or read the play prior to seeing the production and only knew the plot very loosely so I saw everything with fresh eyes. It was fascinating to see the play set in Africa and played by an all-black cast, a unique and interesting interpretation highlighting that Shakespeare really is the world's playwright.

Upon entering the theatre the audience came into an atmosphere of carnival and jubilation. The stage was crowded, people were dancing and singing and there was a band playing. One of the beauties of the thrust stage is that the audience were not excluded from the celebrations, but felt a part of them. However the jubilant attitude was short lived. The play began with the entrance of Flavius and Murellus who bring an end to the partying, making the citizens move on and from then on the play moved progressively darker as the plot to kill Caesar solidified, executed and followed in mayhem.

The main strength of this production lies with the incredible cast. Ray Fearon shone as the skillfully deceptive Mark Antony, Antony's rhetoric did not just persuade the conspirators but almost the audience as well as his words were so powerfully convincing. Other standout performances came from Andrew French as the tragic hero, Brutus, and Jeffery Kissoon as the powerful Caesar.

The modern day African setting emphasized that the themes of the play, power, dictatorship and republicanism are very much current, and the world has not changed all that much in some ways from the 1st century BC. The production also highlighted how Shakespeare would be able to resonate with contemporary Africa more than modern Britain can, with the beliefs in witchcraft, soothsayers, portents, nature spirits and dictators that could killed and were killed. Overall, Doran's production was captivating, synthesizing Africa and ancient Rome to depict a unique representation of them both.

Happy Birthday Shakespeare 2012 !

2012-05-01T15:10:00.000-07:00

Happy Birthday Shakespeare 2012

Since before I can remember I knew Shakespeare was a brilliant playwright. Romeo and Juliet, A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Hamlet are all household names. I knew vaguely that he wrote some poetry too, yet I only knew one line of his poetry, the famous “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day”, and I, like most people, completely misunderstood the context of this line. As I got older, influenced by references to Shakespeare’s sonnets in popular culture and other works of fiction (most notably Marianne Dashwood in Austen’s Sense and Sensibility), I presumed they were conventional love poems. However it is only this year, my first year of an English degree that I have come to see the full scale of the sonnets and Shakespeare’s skill as a sonneteer.

One of the first things that shocked me was that the first 126 sonnets are believed to be addressed to a young man. Suddenly the line “Shall I compare thee to a summer’s day” was put into a whole different context. Questions about whether Shakespeare was homosexual were brought to mind as I read about his infatuation with the young man. However, as I began to analyse these poems in more depth I realised that the subject of the poem is not the main theme; rather Shakespeare uses the subject to comment upon more philosophical questions such as the ravages of time. Time and the changing of the seasons features prominently throughout as the speaker struggles to come to terms with his own mortality. First procreation and then verse is suggested as a way to conquer Time. Since we are still reading Shakespeare’s poetry nearly five hundred years on, so far it seems he succeeded.

Another feature that struck me about the sonnets is that they are in many ways anti love poetry. Although the speaker idolises the young man, his imperfections and unfaithfulness are suggested very strongly. Likewise, in the Dark Lady sonnets, I was surprised to see Shakespeare overtly satirise Petrarchan love poetry, the very kind of poetry I always associated him with. Despite the sonnets being not what I expected, I loved reading them, analysing them, and examining the language and form more than any other poetry I have previously studied. Shakespeare paints a picture of a real, imperfect world beautifully through the artificial sonnet form. Therefore, his poetry may be somewhat paradoxical but it depicts the human existence brilliantly and resonates with the modern day much more than Petrarch or Sidney. It is a shame that the sonnets are not as widely read as Shakespeare's plays and that so many people see the sonnets as purely love poetry, such as I used to believe them to be.

The Comedy of Errors

2012-04-19T15:04:00.001-07:00

18th April 2012

Royal Shakespeare Company

Directed by Amir Nizar Zuabi

Part of the RSC’s “Shakespeare’s Shipwreck Trilogy”, this production of The Comedy of Errors revolves around a port. Illegal immigrants, counterfeit goods along with Antipholus and Dromio are smuggled into a rather modern looking Ephesus. The borders are controlled by an ominous group of armed people that brutally intimidate and execute any unwelcome guests. It is a situation of chaos, danger, yet above all comedy.

One of the most notable parts of this production was the set which allowed the audience to be at the heart of the port. An open tank of water formed a corner of the stage, which the actors got dangerously close to falling into, much to the concern of the audience members sitting in the front row. A crane was used to strategically change scenes, delivering Adriana and Luciana in their domestic setting onto the stage, in the middle of the port and consequently in the middle of the action. The crane emphasises the artificiality of the whole play, with constructed characters forcibly placed in a fictional setting and scenario.

The Comedy of Errors is one of the earliest and shortest of Shakespeare’s plays, and is one often overlooked in favour of longer, more developed comedies such A Midsummer Night’s Dream or Much Ado About Nothing. Yet, where the plays lacks in characterisation, it makes up for in farcical humour. One of the beauties about Zuabi’s production is that it is hilariously funny. Slapstick humour is the order of the day, with characters being plunged into fish tanks, being knocked out by doors and, of course, the identity confusion which is central to the plot.

The two Dromios (played by Felix Hayes and Bruce Mackinnon) are the clown figures. Both play Dromio as incredibly naïve and rather stupid, running around the stage, getting increasingly confused as they get mistaken for one another and run errands for the wrong master. Dressed as clownish chavs and frequently raping Shakespeare’s lines, the Dromios resemble overgrown teenagers. Certainly, the teenagers in the audience the night I saw it were in hysterics each time Dromio was on the stage.

Despite the comedy, the play has very dark undertones. Ephesus is a society ruled by terror and this terror is rather underplayed in Zuabi’s production. We see a glimpse of it before the interval as a young immigrant is caught sneaking into the country and is shot, yet these scenes of terror are completely overshadowed by the comic scenes. The Comedy of Errors really is a dark play, the characters’ behaviour do not correlate with the immense danger they are constantly in. At any moment they could be arrested, tortured and threatened with execution much like Egeon, who is a rather understated character.

Yet, theatre is above all entertainment and it cannot be denied that Zuabi’s The Comedy of Errors is highly entertaining. I was laughing all the way through and constantly engaged in the action. It may not be Shakespeare's best play but it is absolutely one of his funniest.

Oliver!

2012-03-31T13:57:00.000-07:00

30th March 2012

Directed by Laurence Connor

Birmingham Hippodrome

Everyone knows the story of Oliver Twist, the young orphan who asks for more gruel and unbeknown to him this simple request leads to him journeying to London, joining a criminal gang and eventually discovering his heritage. Whether you have seen one of the various films or television dramas or read Dicken’s classic you are bound to be acquainted with Oliver’s tale at some degree. When I first heard that Oliver! was coming back to the West End back in 2009, I have to admit that I was slightly apprehensive, wondering if we really needed a production of Oliver!? However after viewing the production on tour in Birmingham last night I no longer had any doubts, Oliver! is a fantastic British music that will never go out of fashion.

Oliver! is the perfect combination for a family musical with catchy songs, a rags to riches story line, comic characters and a talented young cast. It leaves you with a smile on your face and the song lyrics stuck in your head for weeks. One of the best thing about the show is that is works on many different levels, allowing both adults and children to be entertained. Cameron Mackintosh’s new production plays up the humour and gives the show a contemporary feel through Fagin’s brilliantly timed jokes.

Neil Morrissey was fantastic as Fagin, he was funny and cunning, yet also displayed a more sympathetic side to Fagin’s character, meaning that he had the whole audience behind him when he decides to change his ways at the end. Another stand out performance came from the soon to be the star of the Les Miserables movie, Samantha Barks. Barks demonstrated her world class talent during the number “As Long as He Needs Me”. She combined outstanding vocals with intense emotional depth, leaving the audience stunned in silence. Barks brought the perfect balance of feistiness and vulnerability to Nancy, making her death one of the most heart-wrenching moments in the show.

The younger cast members were also sensational. I saw Joseph Bennett as the title character, Oliver Twist, who was fantastic. At the tender age of ten, he did not seem overwhelmed by the scale of the production at all, yet on the other hand he did not have that sparkling stage school quality which made him perfect for the part of the orphan boy. “Where is Love” certainly left a tear in the eye of many audience members. Max Greisbach as the Artful Dodger stood out; he had the best dance number in the whole show and led “Consider Yourself” perfectly.

It is no wonder Oliver! has been entertaining audiences for 52 years and in 2012, the year that the world is celebrating Dicken’s 200th birthday, Oliver! is just as fresh and exciting as ever.

Jerusalem

2012-03-04T13:53:00.002-08:00

2nd March 2012

Directed by Gordon Vallins

Assistant director – George Want

The Loft Theatre

Last year saw Jez Butterworth’s new play, Jerusalem, take the West End and Broadway by storm in sell out runs. Being highly acclaimed by critics and winning Tony and Olivier awards, it became the centre of attention in the theatre world. Having caught on to the Jerusalem hype rather late on, I was very excited to hear that Leamington Spa's The Loft were staging an amateur production. After the seeing the play last Friday night I can safely say there was nothing amateur about this production; the performances were exceptional, the set brilliant and the smaller theatre was perfect for enabling a sense of intimacy.

Jerusalem is a play that has many different levels, above all it is a lament to England, but as ‘England’ and ‘Englishness’ have become problematic terms in the modern day, the play addresses the issues associated with being English. The play is set on St George’s Day (23rd April) in the rural village in Pewsey, Wiltshire and centres on protagonist, Jonny ‘Rooster’ Byron, who lives in a caravan in the local woods. Byron is a wanted man, the council want to evict him to expand the new housing estate and Troy Whitworth accuses Byron of kidnapping his missing stepdaughter, Phaedra. By following Byron’s life on this patriotic day we get a glimpse into the highs and lows of modern English life.

Upon entering the theatre and finding in between the curtains a large St George’s cross and then hearing Jerusalem sung by Indigo LeFevre (as Phaedra Cox) before the play has even started, you may mistakenly believe Jerusalem is highly patriotic, however that would be wrong. Jerusalem emphasises both the “pleasant pastures” and the “dark satanic mills” of Blake's mentioned in Blake's poem; a way of life is under threat by new developments, there are hints of sexual abuse by a stepfather to a teenage girl, drug taking is the norm, but also we witness a community coming together to celebrate the Saints day with a fete. The play raises the question; what makes us English? Is it the ancient traditions, the famous authors, the myths and legends, our sense of humour, or is that all irrelevant today? By situating itself in a small rural community and on a group of outsiders, a ‘forgotten class’ of rural England, Butterworth’s play challenges stereotypical views of Englishness, as well as interweaving legends, myths and history traditionally associated with England, highlighting that there can be no essential Englishness. However, what was lacking was any mention of race, as we all know today we live in a multicultural society, with many different skin colours and ethnicities making up the English people. It would be very interesting to have a black actor play one of the roles to see how the dynamics, relationships and the overall meaning of the play changes.

Despite being a low budget production, the set was brilliant. The Loft is very lucky to have a low, wide proscenium arch stage, creating an almost cinematic feel and allowing every intricate detail to be seen. The main focal point was Byron’s caravan, and surrounding it were trees, planks of wood, a sofa, a fridge and various pieces of rubbish left over from Byron's party the previous night. Along with the lighting, this setting really gave the illusion that, as an audience member, you were in the woods. A nice touch was that when talking about the wood, the characters would look out into the audience, making the audience an extension of the wood, which further gave the impression that we were sitting amongst the trees looking into a clearing.

Above all else, it was the performances that made this production brilliant. David Pinner had the hard task of portraying the complex character Byron, yet he handled it perfectly. His comic timing was superb; however he was careful not to let Byron become a laughing stock. In the intimate scenes with Oscar Webster as Byron’s son, Marky, we were able to witness his sympathetic side and as the play progressed we built up empathy for him. By the end we saw a beaten up and damaged Byron about to give in to those who are against him, furiously banging his drum in rage and despair, which was incredibly moving and emotional. Another excellent performance came from James Wolstenholme as Ginger, who is also hilarious as the aging unemployed plasterer who aspires to be a world class DJ. Joel Cooper was also very funny as the naïve Lee Piper, who is about to leave his English nationality behind and relocate to Australia. As Phaedra Cox, Indigo LeFevre had the opportunity to display her vocal skills as well as her acting talent, however it was a shame Phaedra is unseen for most of the play as the character remained somewhat underdeveloped.

The Loft’s production of Jerusalem is superb; it is so exciting to see a local theatre take on the challenge of a new, modern and daring play so quickly after its run on the West End. I would recommend anyone to buy a ticket, regardless of whether you have seen the original production; you would not want to miss out on a remarkable piece of local theatre.

Vile Bodies

2012-03-03T08:25:00.001-08:00

1st March 2012

Freshblood and Codpiece

Directed by / Adapted by David Levesley

Warwick Arts Centre

‘The Bright Young Things’ certainly seem to be coming back into fashion. Our love of looking back to a seemingly carefree era of endless parties, beautiful dresses, endless bottles of wine and plenty of money is reflected in the success of The Artist, the new series of Upstairs Downstairs and the upcoming film and London production of The Great Gatsby. Therefore a new stage adaptation of Evelyn Waugh’s Vile Bodies seems to have come at the perfect time. Vile Bodies presents a satirical look on the high society between the two world wars, where morals are eschewed in favour of pleasure and money. This production is excellent in highlighting that on the surface the world of ‘The Bright Young Things’ is a joyful place of endless partying displayed in gossip columns. Yet as the play progresses and we steadily head towards the outbreak of the Second World War, the internal darkness and pain behind the extravagance becomes prominent and we see the characters crumble before us, turning into just vile bodies.

Waugh’s Vile Bodies was published in 1930; therefore in it Waugh predicted the outbreak of the Second World War. Levesley’s stage adaptation sets the play in January 1939, adding historical accuracy and thus an even greater sense of doom for a modern day audience well acquainted with the horrors of the Second World War and Hitler’s brutal regime. The plot follows protagonist, Adam Fenwick-Symes, a posh but poor young writer who needs enough money in order to marry his love, Nina Blount. Adam and Nina are central figures in the party going group of young people who make up the characters in the gossip columns. Their lives appear to be one big performance and façade, the reason why the novel is perfect for the theatre.

The set design reflected the corruption and vast oncoming change in the characters lives. A beautiful yet decrepit living room was the main set, with the wallpaper torn, cobwebs at the window panes and a broken, fallen chandelier in the corner. The set emphasized the characters wish to hold onto a way of life that was fast becoming outdated. Lulu Raczka’s costume designs were also magnificent, beautiful flowing dresses for the women and smart suits for the men, highlighting excess and artificiality of the characters.

This amoral society was symbolically represented in the four singing angels, Fortitude, Hope, Chastity and Prudence, all morals that should be highly valued especially when approaching war. Yet, these values are shockingly absent from the play and ironically from the angels themselves. The angels do not represent their names; they are vile, jealous creatures who are out for success and money above all else. The perversion of morals is very clear.

However, the play was by no means all doom and gloom; there were many moments of comedy particularly from the characters Ginger Ambrose and Colonel Blount. Also, the play was aesthetically charming; the grand piano provided the soundtrack for some 1930’s hits which when accompanied by the dimmed orange tinted lighting and the choreography was beautiful to watch. Also, the play gave Lottie Clitherow a chance to display her exceptional talent for singing, her performance of the Billie Holiday classic ‘That Ole Devil Called Love’ was stunning.

Overall, all performances were exceptional. Katie Caddick made a cool and sophisticated Nina Blount, and carried off a flawless Received Pronunciation accent. Alice Whitehead portrayed the comic yet dark and desperate Agatha brilliantly, we were able to laugh at her and cry for her. Dan Hutton was fantastic as the gossip columnist, Simon Balcairn, an outsider as the gossip columnist who makes many enemies yet has an undying love for Nina. Upon losing his job, his world crumbles as he resorts to suicide. Furthermore as the protagonist, Matt Bent stood out as Adam, he portrayed Adam’s journey from naivety to realisation brilliantly, making him the most empathetic character in the play.

Vile Bodies was superb, it is the definition of amazing student theatre and I do hope that it has a life beyond its short run in Warwick Arts Centre.

Lee Mead - The Love Tour

2012-02-26T13:41:00.002-08:00

26th February 2012

Birmingham Symphony Hall

Lee Mead’s concerts just seem to get better and better. I thought nothing could top Lee Mead’s Merry Christmas at the Barbican last December, but I think today's last concert of the much anticipated Love Tour did. Birmingham Symphony Hall seemed like the perfect venue (apart from, perhaps Albert Hall!) for Lee, it is grand and beautiful with a large open stage for the band. Yet this grandness did not compensate the intimacy Lee’s concerts are known and loved for. Also the more concerts I see, the more powerful Lee’s voice seems to be; today his ballads were breathtaking, leading to several standing ovations throughout the show.

Lee performed a mixture of tracks from his new album, musical theatre classics and old favourites. Highlights included the upbeat number “Kiss” which saw Lee come into the audience (unfortunately I was on the other side of the stalls!), “Dancing Through Life” from Wicked during which Lee danced a snippet of Fiyero's routine and “The Garden”, a beautiful number from Lee’s new album, Love Songs. However, the most moving and emotional songs that brought the audience and even Lee himself to tears were “Your Song”, “Anthem” and “Bring him Home”. “Bring Him Home” finished the first act magnificently; Lee both sang and acted the song brilliantly, conveying the deep raw emotions of the lyrics. It is amazing how these songs staged entirely out of context from the musical theatre shows where they originate were performed with such intense emotion. At the end of each performance there was hardly a dry eye in the house!

Lee was joined on this tour by Louise Dearman, who starred alongside Lee as Glinda in the West End production of Wicked last year. Louise was outstanding, performing tracks from her album out in May and duetting with Lee. When their two voices came together the effect was spine tingling. As a massive Wicked fan my favourite was the duet “As Long as Your Mine”. Making a change from her role in the West End, Louise stepped into the shoes of Elphaba, and Lee reprised his role as Fiyero. Adding to the atmosphere, the lights tinted the stage green, getting us in the Wicked mood. The duet was beautiful, sincere and moving. It would be lovely to see more of Lee and Louise performing together.

Overall, the concert was brilliant and to top it off Lee and Louise stayed over an hour and a half after the concert to sign programmes. I eagerly joined the very, very long queue near the back and about an hour later I spoke to Lee for the first time. He was so polite and courteous, thanking us for waiting and then signing my programme. It is lovely to see how humble Lee is, he may be a big West End star and recording artist yet he never forgets his fans. Today’s concert has been wonderful, I sincerely hope there are more concerts to come!

Me meeting Lee. Bad photo of me, but Lee looks lovely!