Thursday 2 March 2023
Someone of Significance, The Vaults | Review
Someone of Significance
The Vaults
★★
Last night I attended a performance of Someone of Significance at The Vaults and unfortunately, it was one of the weaker shows I've seen at the festival. It basically chronicles the life of two business people and the issues they have when mixing work, politics and their social lives. In theory it could be entertaining, and whilst there are occasional moments and pieces of social commentary that make you think, overall it doesn't offer much and fails to really nail home any enduring messages.
The two hander written by Amalia Kontesi, is led well by Funlola Olufunwa (Rosie) and Simon Bass (Brad) who bring some elements of charm to their characters. The duo's chemistry isn't particularly strong but they do a good job of bringing the story to life, and have brief sparks where they really bounce off one another well. Unfortunately they've not got much to work with as the script itself is lacklustre and fails to be engaging. The pacing of the play is also quite slow, which make it difficult to maintain interest, even with it only being an hour long.
Additionally, the technical aspects of the production leave something to be desired. The lighting and sound effects are often out of sync with the action on stage, and the incessant costume changes between every scene feel completely unnecessary and take you out of the action continually. These issues are frequently distracting and make is very difficult to fully immerse yourself in the story.
Overall, while the show has some interesting moments, it never really develops any ideas enough and as a whole is an aggressively fine production. In its current form, the play doesn't feel like it has much to say. It would be much more interesting if it further developed its exploration of classism instead of trying to be a love story. The underwhelming script and strange scene changes definitely need tweaking to make any future versions of this show memorable enough to recommend.
Reviewed on Wednesday 1st March 2023
Photo credit: Vasiliki Verousi
{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}
Caligula and the Sea, The Vaults | Review
Caligula and the Sea
The Vaults
★★★
Caligula and the Sea is a beautiful theatrical experience, that really works within the setting of the Vaults Festival. The play does a good job at immersing its audience in a vivid and surreal world, and expertly brings scenes to life with minimal set and just a few well-crafted props. The performances are great, with each actor bringing a unique energy and presence to their role.
Noah Silverstone as Caligula has both a childlike innocence and an unstable menace that works well to bring the mad Emperor to life; his guard, friend and confidant Cassius played by Felix Ryder is pretty nicely nuanced and has some well thought out character development which works well, and bodes well for future iterations of the play. Early on, Caligula meets Neptune (Riko Nakazono), God of the sea, who he makes a deal with for absolute power. Riko's performance is mystical and a lovely addition to the story which is dark and thought-provoking, delving into themes of power, corruption, and the consequences of unchecked desire.
Under the direction of Yuxuan Liu, Caligula and the Sea is hugely impressive in both technical aspects and staging. Fiona McKeon’s set design and visual aesthetic bring about striking visuals, from a forceful storm to a disappearing tide; it continually transports the audience to a world that is both familiar and otherworldly. The show's use of lighting (Hannah Bracegirdle) and sound (Aaron J Dootson) is particularly impressive, creating a haunting and evocative atmosphere that lingers long after the performance has ended. Also noteworthy is the use of puppetry, designed by Silverstone, that moves so well and adds an element of true interest to the show.
Whilst a lot of the show works, there are elements that need a fresh sweep over. The short running time means that in trying to cram in an epic story which spans many years, a lot doesn't have time to be properly explored and the nuances which work so well at the start, cannot be retained throughout. Beginning with Caligula’s exile, his rise to power and through to his eventual assassination, there's a lot to be seen and some of the more moving and effective aspects, such as Caligula's relationship with Cassius don't have time to be really developed. This means that there are some pacing issues and in attempting to say a lot of things, the show loses an overall moral or key plot point so the audience leave unsatisfied.
There's a lot of good in this show and with some edits it could certainly become a hit. While the play can be challenging at times, it is ultimately a rewarding and interesting show. Good performances and really strong theatrical elements make it a solid production.
Reviewed on Wednesday 1st March 2023
{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}
Shirley Valentine, Duke of York's Theatre | Review
Shirley Valentine
Duke of York's Theatre
★★★★★
From the audience at the Duke of York's Theatre, it's clear that Shirley Valentine is a much loved story and after seeing Sheridan Smith's performance, I think it's only going to receive further love and praise. The one woman show follows disillusioned mother and wife Shirley as she reminisces on her "unused life" and wonders how she can really find herself and her happiness again. The show is a glorious manifesto on being a woman and is so incredibly moving in all the best ways. It celebrates the small things and highlights hardships so many people go through in such a seamless and engaging way. You truly couldn't ask for more.
Sheridan Smith has had many star turns in her career and is a hugely celebrated actress for good reason and this production completely hammers that home. Smith is completely born for this role, giving into it and making the audience feel like she's truly lived the life she talks about; and also making the audience feel like they've lived it with her. There's no way to not sound overly gushy, because Sheridan is just that good; her performance is an absolute dream and truly couldn't be better.
Watching this show, it's quite amazing to realise that, without being condescending, it was written by a man. Willy Russell has completely nailed the female spirit and the entire script feels incredibly natural. For a show written over thirty years ago, it remains as fresh and sadly relevant as ever.
Paul Wills' set is completely fitting for the story and allows the story to shine, almost becoming a character of its own, especially given the personification of the kitchen wall. The simplistic staging works perfectly as does the gorgeous lighting design from Lucy Carter. Understated lighting changes parallel the emotions Shirley is feeling and work well to really emphasise the most emotive moments.
What's so wonderful about this show, and I'm sure why it resonates with so many, is that it's all about a normal person. There's no larger than life drama or swooping romantic relationships, instead there's a genuine character discussing real life issues. In a way it's sad that so many can relate to Shirley's feelings but hopefully this show will help people realise that they are not alone and that your life, however small it may feel, is a glorious, stage worthy one too!
Under Matthew Dunster's excellent direction, with Sheridan Smith at her absolute best, this is perhaps one of the most grounded and well performed productions in the West End and I just wish everyone could see it. Stunning, stunning work.
Photo Credit: John Wilson
Reviewed on Saturday 25th February 2023 by Olivia Mitchell
{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}
Tuesday 28 February 2023
Oklahoma, Wyndham's Theatre | Review
Rodgers & Hammerstein's Oklahoma
Wyndham's Theatre
★★★★
One of the most exciting and invigorating productions of recent time, Oklahoma at the Wyndham's theatre is truly a spectacle of theatre which uses a number of engaging elements to transform this old school show, into something which feels fresh and bracing.
Directed by Daniel Fish, the reimagined musical has lot of interesting moments and is a deliberately unsettling and provocative piece of theatre. This is a show which delivers some interesting social commentaries and has been updated to be relevant for contemporary audiences. As a commentary on mob mentality and societal positions, it's very effective and well done; and the plot/character change to the end completely turns the show on its head and leaves the audience to draw its own conclusions on right and wrong- a very impressive ending.
Among the changes, are those to the score which is totally switched up from how it's classically been heard. Daniel Kluger's arrangements allow the music to soar in a completely different way and make it sound as though it was written today. Hearing it like this, it's quite unbelievable that this is one of the first ever book musicals and even more so that it feels so relatable. One of the biggest differences is the vocal style of leading lady Anoushka Lucas as Laurey who in contrast to the usual soprano performance, sings the songs like the singer/songwriter she is; and really grounds the music in reality. Alongside Arthur Darvill who also plays the guitar on stage, there is an incredible level of vulnerability and angst shown throughout.
The rest of the cast are astounding and do an excellent job of interpreting the musical in their own way. As Ado Annie Georgina Onuorah is incredibly witty as well as being a vocal powerhouse, her rendition of I Can’t Say No is an absolute stand out and highlight of the show. Liza Sadovy is a powerful presence on stage and gives Aunt Eller a lot more autonomy than usual, especially in her romantic endeavours. As Will Parker James Patrick Davis is gloriously clueless whilst Stavros Demetraki is his own worst enemy. There's also a moving section with the dream sequence dance which Marie-Astrid Mence performs excellently. You couldn't ask for a better gelled, and talented cast.
Whilst there are humourous moments, the show could lean into the comedy more and have some more ramped up moments. The subdued moments work very well and the tension is continually built up but there aren’t any hugely contrasting moments of joy. The cast are unanimously strong but due to the stylistic choices of the show, there’s rarely a truly positively moment and at times it feels like the cast are constrained by the intense nuance and darkness.
The use of lighting (Scott Zielinski) is one of the most effective and exciting parts of the show. Beginning with the house lights up and the whole audience in plain view, the sudden changes to an eerie green hue and later on full blackouts, have an amazing influence on the story and how the audience feel about the characters. It’s quite incredible how a small lighting change can completely subvert a song and show it, both literally and figuratively, in a new light. The initial blackout which features Curly (Arthur Darvill) and Jud (Patrick Vaill) creates a theatrical atmosphere like no other. In a sort of asmr style moment, the full darkness, with even the fire exit signs turned off, means you can’t help but focus completely on the actor’s voices as they boom out via handheld mics. The already tense scene becomes completely unnerving for the audience and is a theatrical moment that will stay with audiences for a long time.
This is a very different Oklahoma to the one your grandparents know so you may want to consider that before booking (especially if planning on taking children) but for the boldness and pure invigoration that this show brings, it’s definitely worth seeing. A non-traditional production which is jarringly dark, Oklahoma will give you a theatrical experience like no other and is a stunning addition to the West End.
Reviewed on Saturday 25th February
photo credit: Marc Brenner
{AD PR Invite- tickets gifted in exchange for honest review}
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