Posts with the label plays
Showing posts with label plays. Show all posts
Showing posts with label plays. Show all posts
Friday 17 July 2020
Indoor theatre performances allowed to resume from August 1st
It has been announced that from 1st August socially distanced audiences can return for indoor performances in theatres, music halls and other venues. Building on pilot success from a number of venues, including the London Palladium.
Talking at a press conference today, Prime Minister Boris Johnson said: "The timetable I am about to set out is conditional. It is contingent on all of us staying alert and continued success on controlling the virus."
"From 1 August, we will restart live indoor performances to a live audience subject to the success of pilots, and we will pilot larger gatherings, with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn...From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and to allow conferences and other business events to recommence. These changes have to be made in a covid-secure way subject to pilots".
Johnson also announced new powers for local authorities, allowing them to cancel local events if there is a rising rate of transmission in specific areas.
The Prime Minister added: "We hope that by November at the earliest, if we continue to make progress, then it may conceivably be possible to move away from social distancing measures, such as the one metre rule. That is entirely conditional on our ability to keep the virus under control."
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden echoed these plans on social media, explaining that this is a progression into stage four of the plan for culture.
"From 1 August, we will restart live indoor performances to a live audience subject to the success of pilots, and we will pilot larger gatherings, with a view to a wider reopening in the autumn...From October, we intend to bring back audiences in stadia and to allow conferences and other business events to recommence. These changes have to be made in a covid-secure way subject to pilots".
Johnson also announced new powers for local authorities, allowing them to cancel local events if there is a rising rate of transmission in specific areas.
The Prime Minister added: "We hope that by November at the earliest, if we continue to make progress, then it may conceivably be possible to move away from social distancing measures, such as the one metre rule. That is entirely conditional on our ability to keep the virus under control."
Culture Secretary Oliver Dowden echoed these plans on social media, explaining that this is a progression into stage four of the plan for culture.
Monday 4 May 2020
Theatre You Can Stream For FREE
With no end in sight to this lockdown, the boredom may be setting in for a lot of people so I thought I'd make a little round up of some FREE theatre you can watch from your home. Now some of these do rely on you having a Netflix, Disney+ and/or Amazon Prime account but I assume most people do! There are also some no subscription shows at the end. If you have a show you'd like to be included in this list, feel free to email rewritethisstory@outlook.com
Netflix has a whole host of binge-worthy films and series, with a great selection of musicals including:
The Wizard of Oz: A young farm girl Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto are whisked away from their Kansas home in a tornado to the magical land of Oz. A complete classic, with whimsy to take you away and a load of tunes to sing along to.
Burlesque: Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a singer who moves to LA in hopes of achieving her dreams. After getting a job at a burlesque lounge, Ali performs there nightly and helps the lounge's owner (Cher) restore the club to its original glory. It's a film of absolute boppage with two musical queens.
La La Land: While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an actress (Emma Stone) fall in love. As they start to experience professional success, they struggle in their relationship and have to decide between love and doing what they love.
Opening Night: A failed Broadway singer who now works as a production manager must save opening night on his new production by wrangling his eccentric cast and crew. Starring Lesli Margherita and Taye Diggs.
The Wizard of Oz: A young farm girl Dorothy (Judy Garland) and her dog Toto are whisked away from their Kansas home in a tornado to the magical land of Oz. A complete classic, with whimsy to take you away and a load of tunes to sing along to.
Burlesque: Ali (Christina Aguilera) is a singer who moves to LA in hopes of achieving her dreams. After getting a job at a burlesque lounge, Ali performs there nightly and helps the lounge's owner (Cher) restore the club to its original glory. It's a film of absolute boppage with two musical queens.
La La Land: While navigating their careers in Los Angeles, a pianist (Ryan Gosling) and an actress (Emma Stone) fall in love. As they start to experience professional success, they struggle in their relationship and have to decide between love and doing what they love.
Opening Night: A failed Broadway singer who now works as a production manager must save opening night on his new production by wrangling his eccentric cast and crew. Starring Lesli Margherita and Taye Diggs.
West Side Story: Romeo and Juliet told through the street gangs of New York City — The Sharks and The Jets. When Tony (Richard Beymer), a Jet, falls in love with Maria (Natalie Wood), a Shark, drama ensues as the gangs fight one another and Tony and Maria fight for their love.
Crazy Ex Girlfriend: Rebecca Bunch, a New York City real-estate lawyer abandons her job and her life in an attempt to find happiness in the unlikely locale of West Covina, California. It's hilarious and heart-warming and the music (by Rachel Bloom) is completely genius.
Disney+ there are of course all the live action movies on here as well as the classic Disney films such as Annie, The Sound of Music, Frozen etc... but here are a few other things you may have missed/not gotten round to yet:
High School Musical: The Musical: The Series: If you haven't watched this, you'll probably think it's rubbish but it's actually really entertaining and has some great songs. The main plot point is that the school where the HSM movie was filmed are putting on their own production of the musical, but amongst that there's teen romance, rivalries and over the top musical numbers.
Newsies: Based on the real-life Newsboy Strike of 1899, this musical tells the story of Jack Kelly (Jeremy Jordan), a rebellious newsboy who dreams of a life as an artist away from the big city. After publishing giant Joseph Pulitzer raises newspaper prices at the newsboys' expense, Kelly and his fellow newsies take action. The dancing, the choreo, the cast- it's all exceptional and worth a watch purely just for Jezza singing Santa Fe!
Encore!: Hosted by Kristen Bell, this series takes adults back to high school to revive the musicals they were a part of in their youth. There's a great selection of musicals included from Godspell to The Sound of Music and it's lovely to see theatre kids who have all taken different directions in life reunite through a shared love.
Amazon Prime has a few more rogue theatrical selections as well as some great documentaries; some of my favourites are:
Once: The story of Girl meeting Guy. He, is a Dublin busker on the brink of walking away from music after having his heart broken and feeling unheard in a bustling world; whilst, she is a force for change who exudes positivity from the moment their worlds collide. In the space of a few days, their lives become beautifully connected and changed forever.
The Last Five Years: This show chronicles the lives of a struggling actress (Anna Kendrick) and a successful writer (Jeremy Jordan) as they journey through their ultimately doomed relationship. Told from two perspectives, this is just a beautiful piece of theatre.
Wild Rose: Fresh out of prison, a Scottish woman (Jessie Buckley) juggles her job and two children while pursuing her dream of becoming a country music star. She soon gets her chance when she travels to Nashville, on a life-changing journey to discover her true voice. Featuring both original music and covers, this is a lovely, lovely film.
Jesus Christ Superstar: Based on Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice's musical, JCS recounts the last days of Jesus Christ (Ted Neeley) from the perspective of Judas Iscariot (Carl Anderson), his betrayer.
Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway: If you're a Hamilton fan this is a must watch. It looks at how the hit musical came to be and features snippets of the show as well as interviews and archive footage.
Aside from what's available on these regular streaming platforms, the brilliant creatives from the world of theatre have put together some amazing online resources:
National Theatre at Home: Each week the National Theatre are streaming plays from their archives on YouTube. Each show stays up for 7 days and there's a whole variety of genres. This week's stream is Frankenstein with Anthony and Cleopatra going live on Thursday and more to be announced. Check out the channel here
Ghost Quartet: If you missed the recent revival of Dave Malloy's show at the Boulevard Theatre, you can now watch the original production here
Signal: A series that presents new artist driven musical theatre has released a complete playlist of songs presented over the past two years. Available here
The Show Must Go Online: Each Friday Andrew Lloyd Webber is sharing one of his musicals, available here
21 Chump Street: Lin Manuel Miranda's lovely 15 minute musical is available to stream now. Telling the true story of an agent who went undercover in a school to reveal students who were dealing drugs. For a short musical, this fits so much in and the performances from Anthony Ramos and Lindsay Mendez are outstanding.
Jesus Christ Superstar: Based on Andrew Lloyd Webber/Tim Rice's musical, JCS recounts the last days of Jesus Christ (Ted Neeley) from the perspective of Judas Iscariot (Carl Anderson), his betrayer.
Hamilton: One Shot to Broadway: If you're a Hamilton fan this is a must watch. It looks at how the hit musical came to be and features snippets of the show as well as interviews and archive footage.
Aside from what's available on these regular streaming platforms, the brilliant creatives from the world of theatre have put together some amazing online resources:
National Theatre at Home: Each week the National Theatre are streaming plays from their archives on YouTube. Each show stays up for 7 days and there's a whole variety of genres. This week's stream is Frankenstein with Anthony and Cleopatra going live on Thursday and more to be announced. Check out the channel here
Ghost Quartet: If you missed the recent revival of Dave Malloy's show at the Boulevard Theatre, you can now watch the original production here
Signal: A series that presents new artist driven musical theatre has released a complete playlist of songs presented over the past two years. Available here
The Show Must Go Online: Each Friday Andrew Lloyd Webber is sharing one of his musicals, available here
21 Chump Street: Lin Manuel Miranda's lovely 15 minute musical is available to stream now. Telling the true story of an agent who went undercover in a school to reveal students who were dealing drugs. For a short musical, this fits so much in and the performances from Anthony Ramos and Lindsay Mendez are outstanding.
Southwark Playhouse have introduced the Southwark Stayhouse with three of their previous productions, including the tale of the Bronte sisters, Wasted. Find them all here
The Royal Opera House #FromOurHouseToYourHouse: The Royal Opera House are releasing lots of their archive shows, including La Traviata. Find them all here
The Shows Must Go On!: Weekly readings of Shakespeare's plays, performed by stellar actors take place on YouTube
Only The Brave: Telling the story of a group of soldiers in the run up to the D-Day landings, the hit musical starring Caroline Sheen and David Thaxton is available to view here
Myth: The Rise and Fall of Orpheus: Filmed live at The Other Palace in March 2018, this belt-fest of a musical is available to watch here
Eugenius! Towards the start of lockdown, team Eugenius! released their show which was filmed during its run at The Other Palace and the show is still available to stream now.
Eugenius! Towards the start of lockdown, team Eugenius! released their show which was filmed during its run at The Other Palace and the show is still available to stream now.
Wednesday 15 April 2020
Laura Cassidy's Walk of Fame, Alan McMonagle | Book Review
Laura Cassidy's Walk of Fame by Alan McMonagle
Published: 5th March 2020 by Picador, Pan Macmillan
Rating: 2.5 out of 5 stars
As a theatre fan (note: obsessive), I was thrilled when I was asked to review this book all about one young lady's journey to achieve her dream of stardom. Now it was not exactly what I expected. I had pictured Laura taking part in a rom-com esque battle to fight opposing actresses and pull out all the stops to achieve a coveted space on stage, and whilst that is a part of the story, the real driving force is Laura's mental struggles and falsely inflated sense of ego and stardom.
During childhood, when Laura's mother and sister were asleep, her father would fill her head with dreams of stardom as they watched classic films. When her father dies, Laura's whole life turns upside down and she never recovers from the trauma. Now in her mid 20s she hasn't managed to take Hollywood by storm and she lives an unbalanced life.
When a new Director comes to town, Laura thinks she will finally get her big break as Blanche DuBois in his new production of A Streetcar Named Desire. In an attempt to fulfil herself and make her father proud, she makes it her mission to land the role.
Needless to say, things don't go quite to plan. With Laura's globetrotting sister returning home and her kind-of boyfriend helping fill her head with daydreams, Laura begins a downward spiral and her feet fall out from beneath her in her own personal, Galway version of Streetcar.
I can't say this is in my top reads ever, but there's certainly some good moments and it's a very unique way to portray mental health. It's a hard book to explain because it doesn't really fit into a category. There are elements of contemporary chic-lit as well as darker moments, but it's never really dark enough to really be affective. Laura is continually an unreliable narrator so it's difficult to know how we should react. This partly makes it entertaining, having to try and pull apart the characters motivations and truth of her stories, but a lot of the time it feels laborious.
I found the writing somewhat hard to get into, which in part I think is intentional as it shows Laura's fragmented thought patterns, however, this didn't make it the most well paced book. The character development of course is essential but due to this, the key plot points often feel rammed in.
However, in saying all of this, I certainly think McMonagle has done a great job of showcasing passion for performing, and effectively creates some humourous scenes. There's a lovely sense of optimism throughout and you can't help but admire Laura's fervent desire to get her name on the Hollywood Walk of Fame!
Review by Olivia Mitchell
{AD PR Product- book gifted in exchange for honest review}
Thursday 23 January 2020
Sex/Crime, Soho Theatre | Review
Sex/Crime
Soho Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 22nd January 2020 by Jake C Macpherson
★★★
The show opens to a simplistic set draped in plastic sheets and not much else but a single sofa – so many questions were initially made as an audience member as to what was going to happen throughout the next 60 minutes. This added to the complete suspense that was felt from the get go.
The production opens with the sudden entrance of ‘A’ and ‘B’. ‘A’ offers a service to recreate the killings of famous serial killers for the pleasure of random men. Enter ‘B’ who has booked himself in for an ‘authentic experience’ this doesn’t quite turn out to be what he has paid for…
Alexis Gregory, who plays ‘B’ in the production also wrote the show. Combined with the direction of Robert Chevara they have created this dark, new piece of theatre, which at moments is so relatable and humorous for a London audience. Names of well-known London locations are scattered liberally throughout the piece, giving the audience a real sense of place and time. This generally gives an immersive feeling. Gregory has a very unique style of writing and is very straight to the point in what he wants the audience to hear. The cut-throat reality of what is being said is jarring, but at moments feels almost poetic.
The show opens to a simplistic set draped in plastic sheets and not much else but a single sofa – so many questions were initially made as an audience member as to what was going to happen throughout the next 60 minutes. This added to the complete suspense that was felt from the get go.
The production opens with the sudden entrance of ‘A’ and ‘B’. ‘A’ offers a service to recreate the killings of famous serial killers for the pleasure of random men. Enter ‘B’ who has booked himself in for an ‘authentic experience’ this doesn’t quite turn out to be what he has paid for…
Alexis Gregory, who plays ‘B’ in the production also wrote the show. Combined with the direction of Robert Chevara they have created this dark, new piece of theatre, which at moments is so relatable and humorous for a London audience. Names of well-known London locations are scattered liberally throughout the piece, giving the audience a real sense of place and time. This generally gives an immersive feeling. Gregory has a very unique style of writing and is very straight to the point in what he wants the audience to hear. The cut-throat reality of what is being said is jarring, but at moments feels almost poetic.
Multiple themes are explored throughout the show: the age of social media, violence, sexual fantasies and queerness to name a few. I don’t particularly feel as though all of the themes are easily translated and it is left to the audience to make personal conclusions throughout. But I do feel as though this adds to the performance. The sharp-witted humour often carries the piece and is well received by the entire audience.
Jonny Woo (‘A’), and Alexis Gregory (‘B’) play the two polar opposite characters in acting style and personality. During the show it's clear their relationship grows closer together and finds a balance between their emotional states. Both Woo and Gregory work well to hold an entire audiences’ engagement and towards the end, the audience do begin to connect with both characters. The chemistry between them was clear from the moment they entered the stage, and they both remain strong throughout.
It's hard to imagine this show re-staged in a bigger venue, as the Soho Theatre really offers a sense of intimacy and the tension of the piece really translates well in a black box studio Theatre. In essence Sex/Crime is a vulnerable and intimate piece of theatre which tackles the fetish of sexual violence in a modern society.
SEX/CRIME runs at the SOHO Theatre until 1st February 2020
photo credit: Matt Spike
Tuesday 14 January 2020
Peter Pan Goes Wrong (UK Tour), New Victoria Theatre | Review
Peter Pan Goes Wrong (UK Tour)
New Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 14th January 2020 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
The masters of laughter, Mischief Theatre are back at it again with a gut wrenchingly funny touring version of Peter Pan Goes Wrong, which takes everything theatrical and jumbles it into a mess of impassioned, choreographed mayhem.
The Goes Wrong franchise has achieved an astounding amount of success. From a Fringe company, they have taken over the West End, with new productions regularly being released and a series recently beginning on BBC One. Their timeless form of physical comedy, provides excellent entertainment, as well as a celebration of the intricacies of theatre.
Previously televised, this raucous version of Peter Pan, performed by the most bumbling amateur dramatic group ever, is as amusing as ever as it journey's around the UK. It's slapstick of course, but more than that, it is a precisely executed piece of theatre, full of well thought-out characters and exuberant joy. From the pre-show that audience are involved in the mayhem and it's quite excellent how the cast are able to mould us to laugh both at and with them.
During the show, there are missed cues, comedy falls, props malfunctioning, wires crossing and many, many casualties. Mischief Theatre wonderfully balance physical and visual gags, and never cross the line of overdoing their jokes. That's not to say all the gags are highly original, but they're pulled off so seamlessly that this farce is almost comedic perfection.
Tonight's performance was a real testament to understudies, as they really saved the day for the show. Amongst the host of theatrical parodies are Katy Daghorn as Wendy who boastfully struts around the stage and gives a completely stellar performance. Chris, the grandiose director who also plays Hook and Mr Darling, is expertly portrayed by Tom Babbage who bounces back and forth with the audience as he insists the show is not a pantomime. Stepping in as Trevor, Ava Pickett is a complete joy to watch and Christian James' Peter is likeable and dynamic as he dizzily flies around the stage.
This is clearly a physically demanding piece of theatre, which is expertly performed by the entire cast, of which there are zero weak links. A genuinely entertaining show, this is a definite family pleaser and a great night out at the theatre. The company may get everything wrong, but in the end it all seems so right.
Peter Pan Goes Wrong runs at the New Victoria Theatre until 18th January before continuing its tour
photo credit: Alistair Muir
Peter Pan Goes Wrong runs at the New Victoria Theatre until 18th January before continuing its tour
photo credit: Alistair Muir
Thursday 5 December 2019
Billionaire Boy (UK Tour), New Theatre Oxford | Review
Billionaire Boy (UK Tour)
New Theatre Oxford
Reviewed on Wednesday 4th December 2019 by Emma Gradwell
★★★★
David Walliams' children’s books translate perfectly from page to stage, with Billionaire Boy being the Birmingham Stage Company’s third adaptation. The stories are naughty, gross and capture British school life to a tee.
Billionaire Boy tells us the tale of Joe Spud. The heir to the Bum Fresh fortune. He has crocodiles, a racing car and a two million pound cheque, but what he doesn’t have is something that money cannot buy.
Matthew Gordon as Joe, confidently leads a fantastic cast through this pleasing story that packs a kind message. The actors move seamlessly between characters who are all fully realised and charming. Highlights of the evening were Aosaf Afzal as the fabulous Raj, a recurring character in Walliams' books. He is the shop keeper that we all knew growing up, with hilarious sayings and antics. Also, Emma Matthews as Ms. Trafe gives a wonderful comedic performance, from her deep fried blue tac to her hip replacement that looks suspiciously like a boob job.
Jaqueline Taylor’s clever set design is made almost entirely out of toilet rolls. The different pieces open and move to reveal all sorts of scenes hidden away. Watch out for the helicopter reveal - it is impressive and an audience favourite!
Music by Jack Poore is simple and catchy. We were singing the Bum Fresh song all the way home on the train!
The Birmingham Theatre Company have taken a children’s story and made it into a sophisticated production. The audience reaction is testament to a good job done.
photo credit: Mark Douet
Saturday 2 November 2019
Ghost Quartet, Boulevard Theatre | Review
Ghost Quartet
Boulevard Theatre
Reviewed on Friday 1st November 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
The opening of a new theatre in central London is cause for celebration, especially when it's as wonderfully sophisticated and welcoming as the Boulevard. SODA architects have created a millennial dream with a pink-walled restaurant with delicious looking food and cocktails and a completely chilled atmosphere. Whilst, Charcoalblue have made a theatre space which is versatile, extremely comfortable and just great. The programme of late night concerts, cabarets and podcasts is an exciting one indeed and this space is sure to become a hub for new theatrical experiences. The Sketch of the theatre world, the Boulevard is certainly worth a visit!
As the inaugural show, Dave Malloy's Ghost Quartet paves the way to stray from convention. The show is pretty much a song-cycle of interlinked ghost stories, sung track by track by an amazing group of performers. The four musicians play a whole range of instruments and introduce each track as they perform it. There's also a regular breaking of the fourth wall and the audience feel part of the story throughout. The line between real life person and character becomes blurred as the performers are addressed by both their actual names and show names. They also comment on the strangeness of the story throughout in a very meta manner which works exceptionally in the space.
We are introduced to a number of characters and stories which are eerie as opposed to scary and really don't make a tonne of sense, but that totally doesn't matter. The amazing performances and variety of musical styles make this a piece which wraps you round it's finger without having, or needing a proper plot. The circular seating adds to the feeling of being gathered round a campfire listening to stories the whole experience feels communal in a magical way.
The piece feels marvellously balanced between being off the cuff and rough around the edges but also highly sophisticated. Bill Buckhurst's direction has allowed the performers to be themselves as they interact with the audience but still maintain an aura of otherworldliness. Simon Kenny's set of piled suitcases, books and various household items allow for visual interest and frame the performers wonderfully. Emma Chapman's lighting is refined and effective.
The cast are an exceptionally talented bunch with some of the most stunning vocal tones gracing London stages right now. Carly Bawden, Maimuna Memon, Zubin Varla and Niccolò Curradi give completely enchanting performances and share a graceful rapport with each other and the audience. The way the performers exit the stage is completely magical and leaves you feeling warm and content, perhaps not how you'd expect to feel after a show with Ghost in the title. The vivacious performances and gripping qualities of characterisation throughout make Ghost Quartet a thrilling way to spend ninety minutes.
Ghost Quartet runs at the Boulevard Theatre until January 4th 2019
photo credit: Marc Brenner
Shook, Southwark Playhouse | Review
Shook
Southwark Playhouse
Reviewed on Friday 1st November 2019 by Shaun Dicks
★★★★★
Now in it’s tenth year, the Papatango writing prize is back. Last year’s winner, The Funeral Director, was a rousing success and ended up going on a national tour. After a record 1,406 entries for this year’s prize, the winner is Shook by Samuel Bailey. One of the prizes, a month’s run at the famous Southwark Playhouse.
We found ourselves in prison to follow the stories of Jonjo (Josef Davies), Cain (Josh Finan) and Riyad (Ivan Oyik), three inmates who all have young children and are taking a childcare class run by Grace (Andrea Hall). Throughout we stay in the classroom where we learn all about the three men, find out why they’re in there, see who they are as people and watch them train to be fathers. But as Cain points out, ‘You can’t teach anyone to be a parent.’
There are many things that make this show great. One of them is the humour. The jokes within this script from Bailey are a laugh riot. ‘What does MBE mean? Massive bellend.’ and ‘Have you grown up in a cupboard?’ are particular highlights delivered by the outrageously loud mouthed but hilarious Cain.
But what makes the humour so brilliant is the sucker punches that are handed out by Bailey later. They are brutally honest and cutting, like when they are talking about their children and Cain proclaims that ‘They’ll be in here too soon.’ and when Jonjo finally opens up about his dad leaving his family and Cain replies ‘Fair enough, your old man fucked off. That’s normal.’.
However, all get to shine in their different ways. Riyad is intelligent and full of confidence and he is looking to get his Maths GCSE. His confidence is on full display when he says, ‘I’m going to make Equilateral Triangles my bitch.’ Jonjo is new to the prison and is a very shy man. He takes his time to open up to the others and as he does, you warm up to him. As soon as you do, he hits you with the sucker punch of how he got to where he is. And Grace is a wonderful anchor for the entire show, giving the other characters someone to bounce off throughout.
What really stands out in this show is the cohesion between the performers. There is an outstanding rapport between all four actors. The bounce back of dialogue between all is seamless and brilliant. A testament to director George Turvey, who clearly worked his performers hard to get that level of cohesion.
Papatango and the Southwark Playhouse have met and superseded all expectations. The whole package is simply superb, from the writing to the performances. This. Play. Is. Phenomenal. It affects you and that is the sign of excellent theatre. Shook will take you and you will not return the same.
Shook runs at the Southwark Playhouse until 23rd November 2019
photo credit: The Other Richard
Thursday 31 October 2019
Billionaire Boy (UK Tour), Richmond Theatre | Review
Billionaire Boy (UK Tour)
Richmond Theatre
Reviewed on Wednesday 30th October 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
David Walliams' quirky children's shows (adapted from his best selling books) are quickly becoming regular features in the UK theatre scene and Billionaire Boy certainly shows why. His excellently gleeful stories, filled with important messages are brought to life wonderfully on stage and provide a laugh-out-loud night for adults and kids a like.
Billionaire Boy is about the life of Joe Spud and his dad Len- a man who's made unfathomable amounts of money from inventing a special kind of double sided loo-roll: Bumfresh! Joe transfers to his local comp school and learns about the importance of friendship, money and loyalty.
The cast, made up of many recent graduates, are fantastic at bringing a variety of characters to life with spades of energy and childish delight. Matthew Gordon as Joe is thrilling to watch as he highlights Joe's moral struggles and gives a lovely performance throughout. As his best friend Bob, Davy Bell is earnest and instantly likeable. The pair have a wonderful on stage chemistry and really bounce off one another to create realistic school-time dramas that we can all relate to.... (well other than the part where one of them's a billionaire!)
Amongst the rest of the cast, Jason Furnival brings a realism to the story, especially towards the end; Emma Matthews gives it everything as Mrs Trafe and is certainly a highlight and Aosaf Afzal garners some of the biggest laughs of the night with his witty one liners and great comedic timing. The show is dotted with some very catchy songs by Jak Poore which keep the whole thing buoyant and are extremely well performed. Mared Lewis and Rosie Coles give vocal performances which really shine and Coles brings Sapphire to life excellently... I think we have a future Mrs Wormwood in our midst!
Jacqueline Trousdale's set is extremely well put together, with simple pieces weaving together to create something eye catching throughout. Bumfresh Towers is created by huge piles of loo roll which are twisted and changed to create the school, Raj's shop and other locations. There's also the helicopter scene which had children ahhing and ohhing- a real wow moment. Despite being a production aimed at children, nothing feels cheap or amateurish and Billionaire Boy really seems as if it'll stand the test of time and continue to entertain.
There are a few jokes which run dry a little fast, and it would be nice to see the bad guys get their just desserts but this is a wonderful production which is sure to bring joy to young audiences.
Billionaire Boy runs at Richmond Theatre until November 2nd before continuing its tour
photo credit: Mark Douet
Tuesday 29 October 2019
The Girl on the Train (UK Tour), New Victoria Theatre | Review
The Girl on the Train (UK Tour)
New Victoria Theatre
Reviewed on Monday 28th October 2019 by Melanie Mitchell
★★★★
Having never read the book nor seen the film apart from the first 20 minutes, I was unsure what to expect from the stage version of Paula Hawkins' 2015 bestseller The Girl on the Train. I knew that it was a psychological thriller involving a girl, a lot of train journeys and a murder but that was all!
I was unsure how the train element of the story would be transferred on to a fairly small theatre stage, but thanks to the extremely clever set design by Anthony Banks accompanied by the atmospheric lighting from Jack Knowles and sound by Ben & Max Ringham, this was very successfully and effectively achieved.
The story focusses on Rachel Watson after the breakdown of her childless marriage. Her life begins to unravel and she sinks deeper and deeper into the bottom of a bottle. Whilst on her daily commute she starts to watch a couple on their balcony, living close to where she used to live. Convinced that they have the perfect life that she no longer has, she becomes fixated and obsessed by them. But as we all know, things aren’t always as perfect as they seem...
Samantha Womack plays the alcoholic Rachel superbly, conveying her feelings of inadequacy, confusion, loneliness and envy, interspersed with moments of laugh out loud one liners, that don’t take away from the drama at all.
All members of the production are very well cast, especially Adam Jackson Smith who portrays Rachel's caring ex and now perfect husband to Anna, played by Lowenna Melrose who also gives a strong performance.
As the story goes on it becomes increasingly apparent that people are often not living the lives that are seen and admired by outsiders or people looking in. Things are very different behind closed doors and when one of the characters disappears these facades begin to fall away, culminating in an unexpected twist, which I didn’t see coming. Altogether this is a very clever adaptation and production of the book, which takes you on a journey of human emotions and is well worth seeing.
The Girl on the Train runs at the New Victoria Theatre until 2nd November before continuing its tour.
photo credit: Manuel Harlan
Tuesday 22 October 2019
Toast (UK Tour), Richmond Theatre | Review
Toast
Richmond Theatre
Reviewed on Monday 21st October 2019 by Glenys Balchin
★★★★
On press night, Toast started a little late and I was tapping my toes waiting for it to being, however, this became inconsequential once I spotted Nigel Slater in the audience. This was certainly an added bonus! I would love to ask him what he thinks about seeing his life being played out on the stage at Richmond Theatre, it must be a very surreal experience.
Anyway, back to the play, I loved the simple stylised approach of the story telling, scenery and the lighting which was very atmospheric. Although, I was not sure at first about the young Nigel being played by a man wearing shorts, but as the play progressed I became convinced that the actor was looking through the eyes of a nine year old boy and it worked for me. The actors were flawless in the systematic approach of changing from scene to scene. The cast were versatile switching from one character to another. I was most impressed that a play with such a big story to tell, with so many underlining themes, was delivered with such a small cast and the action on stage was kept fluid at all times
The mum played by Katy Federman was the star of the show for me, though I don’t know whether it was her acting skills I enjoyed the most or that character that she portrayed. A most loving and nurturing mum protecting her son from the realities of life.
Anyway, back to the play, I loved the simple stylised approach of the story telling, scenery and the lighting which was very atmospheric. Although, I was not sure at first about the young Nigel being played by a man wearing shorts, but as the play progressed I became convinced that the actor was looking through the eyes of a nine year old boy and it worked for me. The actors were flawless in the systematic approach of changing from scene to scene. The cast were versatile switching from one character to another. I was most impressed that a play with such a big story to tell, with so many underlining themes, was delivered with such a small cast and the action on stage was kept fluid at all times
The mum played by Katy Federman was the star of the show for me, though I don’t know whether it was her acting skills I enjoyed the most or that character that she portrayed. A most loving and nurturing mum protecting her son from the realities of life.
Nigel played by Giles Cooper told the story well and showed no difficulty, or hesitation changing from being the narrator, to then playing his character. He drew us into his world and breathed life into the other actor's characters portrayed on stage.
As the story unravelled you were saddened at the loss for Nigel, of both parents, but enlightened that his Mother’s unconditional love drove him on to be the man he became. For me the early life of Nigel evoked a lot of beautiful memories from the cooking with mum in the kitchen , jam tarts, spagbol and the sweets, angel delight, ballroom dancing lessons in the kitchen and the ritual of sitting around the table as a family.
My mum’s cooking, as was Nigel’s, was always made with lots of love, but she too was certainly no Marguerite Patten. I do, however, fondly remember my Mum’s splodge trifle! Watching the play has made me want to read Nigel’s autobiography and taste again all those 60s and 70’s treats again- Angel Delight being one of them! I loved the storyline and the tale it told and it was well executed by the cast and I would definitely recommend others to go and experience Toast.
However, my words alone do not resonate the success of the play as well as Nigel Slater giving a standing ovation, a very high accolade indeed and one that the actors should be proud of.
photo credit: Piers Foley
Friday 4 October 2019
Noises Off, Garrick Theatre | Review
Noises Off
Garrick Theatre
Reviewed on Thursday 3rd October 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
If you're looking for a few hours of complete laugh out loud escapism, Noises Off is one hundred percent the show for you. It is a play about putting on a fated production; from a dramatic technical dress rehearsal to a dramatic performance mid run and a final disastrous show near the end of the run, it's clear that this show is destined for doom.
What's fantastic about this play, is that the real joke is rooted in the processes of theatre and those that perform it. Entrances, exits, line memorisation and personal issues are just some of the things that go into the mixture to create this crumbling production. Long before The Play That Goes Wrong, Michael Frayn had the idea for this farcical show after watching a performance of his own play The Two of Us from backstage at the Garrick Theatre. It's a production of controlled chaos which is entertaining from the front of house and backstage.
Max Jones' set is a wonderfully realistic and beautifully executed living room and upper landing that is exquisitely turned round for act two. The play begins as tiring director Lloyd (Lloyd Owen) is trying to push his company of actors through a final rehearsal for Nothing On. Making appearances in the stalls, boxes and circle as he tears his hair out, the audience are immediately immersed in the hilarity and action set to ensue. Whilst heightened, the panic and tension hits close to home for anyone who's been part of putting on a show.
The cast are exceptional in their performances as they stand out individually but also thrive as an ensemble. Each with razor sharp comedic timing, their organised chaos is perfectly carried out. Slamming doors, lost contact lenses and dropping trousers, there's something ever entertaining about slapstick comedy when it's carried out so well.
Within the uniformly stellar cast, there are three performances which stand out just a tad. Meera Syal plays Dotty, the poised but forgetful performer who is playing Mrs Clackett, an absent-minded housekeeper who can't seem to keep her sardines. Sarah Hadland is Belinda, the overly nice, girl next door who plays the flirty Flavia Brent. Daniel Rigby as Garry is is excellent and he transforms from doting to hating and gives a tiring but completely enthralling physical performance.
A blissfully laughable production, with a heart of gold reminder about professionalism in the arts, this is a must see production which will surely continue to have audiences gasping for air and slapping their thighs.
Wednesday 11 September 2019
The Play That Goes Wrong, The Duchess Theatre | Review
The Play That Goes Wrong
The Duchess Theatre
Reviewed on Tuesday 10th September 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★
The Play That Goes Wrong and all of Mischief Theatre's productions have gained somewhat of a cult following thanks to their un-stuffy, melodramatic and outrageously slapstick set ups, which thrill regular theatre goers and less frequent attenders alike. The show throws buckets of energy out as it takes on the form of a whodunnit and is authentically British.
The story follows an amateur dramatic group, the Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, as they attempt to wow audiences with their version of the 1920s murder mystery The Murder at Haversham Manor. Well what follows is a production that is less wow and more woe. The sets collapse, the plot goes wrong and literal anarchy ensues. Thankfully for us, this is all done with hilarious humour as the cast embody the motto that the show must go on.
Everything about this production is choreographed chaos, as every trick and accident is pulled off with such a natural flow that it feels improvised, but in reality is precisely organised. Daring tricks are carried out as actors fall from the ceiling, jump out of windows and play their own version of twister as they try to keep the set and props in place.
At times the production does teeter on the edge of being too slapstick but most of the time it beautifully draws back to remain funny. This really is a show down to personal taste and for some it'll will certainly be too over the top and not enough thespian but for a completely carefree night of theatre, there's no reason to miss it.
Thanks to the wonderfully strong cast, this production rattles along with efficiency and intensity. Often breaking the fourth wall and including the audience in the action, this really becomes a raucous piece of communal theatre. With pantomime antics and tricks which will keep you on your toes, The Play That Goes Wrong is a belly-laugh inducing piece of theatre which will continue to entertain and surprise during it's fifth year in London.
Tuesday 3 September 2019
The Feeling, The Other Palace | Review
The Feeling
The Other Palace
Reviewed on Monday 2nd September 2019
With an influx of Broadway transfers and film/book to movie adaptations dominating the London theatre scene, it's always wonderful to see new British theatre developing. The Feeling by Kyra Jessica Willis is a good example of this, as it brings social troubles to light in a headstrong way that feels authentically British.
The Feeling follows a tight knit group of friends who congregate in their local cafe to chat, moan and laugh. Various issues begin to plague the group as they struggle through life's ups and downs and we see how easy it is to fall apart. The small cast features cafe owner Mel (Halie Darling) who is a little unsure of herself as she begins a relationship with geeky and incredibly caring Jamie (George C Francis). Kyra Jessica Willis plays the snide Jessie who has an innuendo to offer at every moment; with PJ Tomlinson playing her ex and moral supporter Kasey. Chloe Hazel brings the psychologically controlling Edie to life and Chris Barton is Holt, the new man in Jessie's life. Completing the cast are Pippa Lea as Lexie and Sean Erwood as Archie who have a good chemistry with one another and provide some touching moments.
Director George C Francis does a good job of utilising the small stage of The Other Palace but at times there seems to be either too much or too little going on in terms of action. The cast are clearly developing their characters as they exchange knowing glances which extend beyond the text, but these sometimes detract from crucial moments on stage. This is especially evident when conversations continue as the cast exit the stage and space. Whilst, at times this brings an effective realism to the characters, at others it takes away from the main action and would perhaps be more efficient if mimed.
The text lends itself to being a straight play but this show takes on a jukebox format, with several pop songs dotted throughout to further the drama and emotions. Often these work but the show could work equally well as a sleek play, perhaps with musical interludes to fill scene changes as opposed to full songs. Despite this, the song choices are catchy and there are a number of strong performances, especially from Pippa Lea and Chloe Hazel. From Kelly Clarkson to Kate Nash, there's a variety of music that does provide entertainment and varies the tone throughout. The lighting changes from the spoken scenes to the sung scenes are somewhat abrupt in their contrast but do a good job of differentiating the emotions from being internal to external.
As Willis' first foray into theatrical writing, this is a production which shows promise and a positive willingness to create new work which sheds light on intense subjects. For the most part the dialogue is realistic, the characters are well defined and the subject matter is delicately handled. There are several tweaks which can made in terms of rounding out the story and bringing further truth to the text, and the show definitely needs to be streamlined to make it a real competitor in the theatre scene, but as a work in progress The Feeling definitely has potential. Monsteers Artistry continues to rattle forward with innovative ways to break down barriers in the theatre industry and provide opportunities for a range of people, something which can only be applauded.
The Feeling plays at The Other Palace on 7th September at 3pm and 8pm
Monday 12 August 2019
Squad Goals, The Other Palace | Review
Squad Goals
The Other Palace
Reviewed on Saturday 10th August 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
Squad Goals written by Michelle Payne follows Lexi who wants to have the best summer ever playing football with her friends (and foes) before results day comes and they all have to take steps towards their futures.
What's great about this piece is that each person has a characteristic or emotion the audience can relate to; so whilst football may not be your bag, there are other aspects which will draw you in and entertain. From Mel the theatre fanatic to Missy the wannabe lawyer and Ellie-Mae the social media influencer, there's a whole array of characters, each of whom are well identified and enjoyable to watch.
This is the third play to be performed by students of the Caspa Arts: Acting for New Writing part time course and it's terrific to see a showcase of performers in training, and new British theatre. The 10 strong cast work incredibly well as a team and it's clear that they are loving working and developing together.
Whilst the ensemble work is wonderful, there are a number of stand out performances. Firstly Mia Kelly as the hopeful drama student Mel. Mia is fantastically natural on stage and has great comedic timing, her performance is witty and well thought out. As leader of the squad Lexi, Hannah Khalique-Brown gives an ardent and charismatic performance as she races forward to fight inequality between women's and men's football and break barriers between social groups in her local area. As a character, Lexi is very truthful as she steps up to the plate without being over the top or unbelievable, something Khalique-Brown emphasises well.
The influencers who are forever taking selfies and posting #ad posts are everywhere you look these days and Sophia de Souza brings the squad's resident 'It Girl' Ellie-Mae Hague to life with a marvellous balance of humour and kindness. Whilst Ellie-Mae is extra in every sense of the word, she is also a team player and the bond she has with the other girls is put across very well by de Souza, as is the compassion she shows as she influences the union of the groups. Lauren Cooper also shines as the dippy Sharky who is charming throughout and naturally gets the audience on her side.
Elsewhere, Emily Clark gives a strong performance as Amanda and has a great chemistry with Verona Smith as Missy who delivers some great one-liners and bounces off the other girls well. Morag Davies is suitably feisty as Scrappy-Doo and Stephanie Stevens gives a well nuanced portrayal of Misha who is consistently fighting for equality but also longs for a group of friends to share her triumphs with. Antonio Ayuso provides comedic moments as he tries to prove himself to be a "man's man", Clara Mainardi is greatly mysterious as Assassina and as a whole the cast are very strong.
The use of movement is very effective in this piece, with the opening scene giving Spring Awakening vibes as the women approach the issues they face not only in football but in life. Throughout there are entertaining passages where the cast transition from one place to another or highlight specific feelings through sharp movement. This does well to both further the story and keep the intensity high from start to finish.
In a time when the world seems pretty dark, it's lovely to see such an uplifting piece of theatre that highlights the importance of passion, hard work and friendship. Of course this is the beginning stages for Squad Goals and there's certainly room to pad out the story and establish the characters a bit more but overall, this is a really enjoyable hour, with a company of fantastic promise. Hopefully the show gets the further development it deserves and we don't see the end of this female story.
Monday 29 July 2019
Games for Lovers, The Vaults | Review
Games for Lovers
The Vaults
Reviewed on Friday 26th July 2019 by Olivia Mitchell
★★★★
Making its world premiere at The Vaults underneath Waterloo station, Games For Lovers examines the fast-paced, complicated, often embarrassing and downright tough topic of love and how it fits into a modern world.
The play, written by Ryan Craig follows four individuals looking for love, a connection or just someone to spend the night with. The incredibly talented actors are energetic and dynamic throughout, with many memorable moments, however, at times the dialogue does feel a little claggy. The interludes of playful, almost game-like scenes are entertaining but seem somewhat like games that would be played in the rehearsal room. That's not to say they aren't enjoyable to watch, but they have minimal effect on the storyline and therefore feel detrimental to the pacing of the play.
The small cast are really outstanding though. Calum Callaghan is believable and relatable as Logan as he struggles with his emotions and the pressures to have a relationship. Tessie Orange-Turner is completely in charge of the stage in the entirety of her scenes. A masterful actor, her subtle mannerisms, facial expressions and gestures convey a boat load of subtext behind each line of dialogue. She has fantastic chemistry with the other three; the role-play scene with Callaghan is particularly entertaining.
Evanna Lynch is beautifully warm as Martha, consistently bringing an aura of sincerity whilst also providing spades of humour. Billy Postlethwaite is utterly fantastic as the charismatic, often non-pc but always humourous Darren, who is imbued with both energy and vulnerability.
Simon Scullion's vibrant and playful set with Ben and Max Ringham's sound and Matt Haskins' lighting, all add to the dynamic of the show and make it feel like a mix of game show and Netflix rom-com. Overall it feels very of the moment and perfectly fitting for millennials today.
Whilst there is definitely some room to make all four characters fully rounded and cohesive, this is a fantastic debut for Games for Lovers. The cast are clearly tight knit and thanks to Anthony Banks' strong direction, everyone provides a comfortable, enjoyable and fun performance.
Games for Lovers isn't going to leave you questioning your life choices but it will leave you beaming from an utterly hilarious and fantastically enjoyable two hours.
Games For Lovers plays at The Vaults until August 25th
photo credit: Geraint Lewis
Wednesday 12 June 2019
Afterglow, Southwark Playhouse | Review
Afterglow
Southwark Playhouse
Reviewed on Tuesday 11th June 2019 by Shaun Dicks
★★★★
“There are no fairy tales about polyamory.”
Afterglow is ‘The little play that could’. After its impressive off Broadway run of 14 months and 467 performances, it has made its way across the pond to the Southwark Playhouse, a theatre synonymous with fantastic shows.
In this story we follow three men, the married couple of Josh and Alex, played by Sean Hart and Danny Mahoney, and the complication to Josh and Alex’s marriage, Darius who is played by Jesse Fox. The story follows these three men as the ins and outs and potential complications of polyamory play out. It explores the ideas of commitment, love and the malleability of relationships.
The script written by S. Asher Gelman is a good one, the dialogue is clean, interesting and has brilliant jokes but also has some very honest and real lines in there. The monologues of Darius are just fantastic, and Jesse Fox does well with them; delivering some hard truths excellently. Danny Mahoney as Alex does a good job being the anchor of the show, giving his co-stars a chance to be a bit freer on stage.
The star of the show though is Sean Hart as Josh. Josh is a well fleshed out character, that has obviously been thought through and is fully realised. Hart’s character work makes his co-stars characters look a little non-descript at points.
The direction from Tom O’Brien is ok, the one thing that hampers this show is the scene transitions, they are just so long, it sucks the energy out of the show. The transitions are so long, you could go out, get a drink and get back before the next scene starts.
David Howe's lighting is great, doing well to elevate the piece higher by being creative in his design. The set design by Libby Todd is fine, but their design is half the problem with the very long scene transitions.
Afterglow isn’t your typical fairy tale but in this pride season, it does give a fair, true and honest representation of polyamory and the gay community as a whole; giving life to a story that needs to be told. It’s a show that does have flaws but that’s almost part of its charm.
It’s a highly recommended piece of viewing for all. Gay, Straight, Bisexual, Asexual, Pansexual. Cisgendered, Non-Binary, Transgender, Gender Queer. It is ultimately a show about people and how the heart wants what the heart wants.
photo credit: Darren Bell
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