tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-339158022024-03-05T14:58:38.050+00:00View From The StallsScottish Theatre Reviews - What we've seen at the theatre in central Scotland.Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.comBlogger469175tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-46300205175466566092019-10-01T23:26:00.000+01:002019-10-01T23:26:10.932+01:00"Fly Me to the Moon" - September 2019<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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So, it’s been a while. Although we’ve seen lots of "Disney on Ice" and "Walking with Dinosaurs" type shows, grown up theatre has been absent from our lives. But… sometimes being in a civil service type job has its benefits and our latest trial of a weekly “Wellbeing hour” for staff seemed the perfect opportunity to get back to the theatre. And in the unlikely event that anyone still has View From The Stalls in bookmarks (are RSS feeds even still a thing?) I figured I might as well put something up here for old times' sake.<o:p></o:p></div>
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Anyway, I headed along to Oran Mor for my first <a href="https://playpiepint.com/" target="_blank">“A Play, A Pie & A Pint”</a> in more than 5 years, and although some things had changed (the steak pie is now a scotch pie), many of the faces in the audience were familiar. Given this long term supportive audience, it’s no real surprise that some of the writers have learned what buttons to press. There have always been a few plays that relied on the Glasgow West End superiority complex a little too much, and for me, “Fly Me to the Moon” falls firmly in this category. Its laughing-at-not-laughing-with portrayal of two Glasgow wummin working as care workers left me deeply uncomfortable throughout - in a way that a few earnest lines covering their financial pressures could never overcome. Of course all professions and classes have their share of rogues and chancers, but here Francis and Loretta are held up to be examples of good care workers. And yet still they trudge on through one farcical decision, criminal caper or moment of stupidity after another. </div>
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As in the past, I can recognise when I’m out of kilter with the rest of the audience, and I’m happy to admit that the the Oran Mor audience seemed to lap it up. But that only served to make me feel even more uncomfortable. Location and audience matters. Put Marie Jones' play on at the Pavilion and I'm fine with the laughing-with response it would no doubt receive. But at Oran Mor my heart sank further and my arms folded tighter with every laugh around me, and I'm even less thrilled at the prospect of it entertaining an Edinburgh crowd next week.</div>
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I'm still hoping to get along to a few more PPPs because what else am I going to do with my "Wellbeing hour"? Yoga?</div>
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"Fly Me to the Moon" runs at<a href="http://playpiepint.com/plays/fly-me-to-the-moon/" target="_blank"> Oran Mor until Saturday 5th October</a> and at the <a href="https://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/event/ppp-fly-me-to-the-moon" target="_blank">Traverse from 8th to 12th October</a> </div>
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Image by Leslie Black used with permission (they never stopped sending us the weekly PPP images and programmes!)</div>
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</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-62960323726244747762016-08-09T21:41:00.000+01:002016-08-09T23:26:30.600+01:00"Hairy Maclary & friends" - August 2016<!--[if gte mso 9]><xml>
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<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqFy-J129RWDSHbzKcNrbmD1Rpn9R24cOU5mlx-buMcyEtTJT-gfz9VVesHBGnnSX6KMZqeDpVZ7SL1JzhU9OtY_bwl3pa4LrCFJ-_wGf77sN4B0GGWjtHmLDmu4L19d6CcCO/s1600/hairymaclary.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="margin-left: 1em; margin-right: 1em;"><img border="0" height="240" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgDqFy-J129RWDSHbzKcNrbmD1Rpn9R24cOU5mlx-buMcyEtTJT-gfz9VVesHBGnnSX6KMZqeDpVZ7SL1JzhU9OtY_bwl3pa4LrCFJ-_wGf77sN4B0GGWjtHmLDmu4L19d6CcCO/s400/hairymaclary.jpg" width="400" /></a></div>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br />Although Lynley Dodd’s Hairy Maclary
stories have never been among Miss Ritz’s favourites, we had good reasons for
taking her along to Nonsenseroom’s “Hairy Maclary & Friends”. Their <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=rosslyn" target="_blank">shows for grown ups at Rosslyn Chapel</a> were highlights of our Fringe trips for many years, and Waldorf had seen
their “Hairy Maclary” show with some friend’s little ones <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/hairy-maclary-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html" target="_blank">a few years back</a>. So we knew this would be high
quality stuff.</span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><br /><span lang="EN-GB">Unlike so many character based shows for children,
this one doesn’t take the puppet option (with the exception of Zachary Quack the duck).
As well as the two human characters, all of the dogs (and cat) are
performers in costume. Being so used to similar shows
operating with very small casts I was initially incredibly impressed by the
impossibly quick changes the performers were making - until it dawned on me
that this is a full company of seven actors – which eventually allows all of
the canine friends on stage at once.
For years I’d mocked one of the little ones (old enough to know better)
that had accompanied Waldorf previously for asking at the end “Were they real
dogs?” but I have to admit that from more than a few rows back both Hairy
Maclary and Muffin McLay are pretty convincing!
And the set is also several cuts above the usual efforts – with some
very cleverly created obstacles and an ingeniously designed multi-purpose picket fence.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">It’s a charming show to watch as a child or
adult – in part of course due to Dodd’s writing and characters – but also
because of the framework that holds the stories together. Miss Plum and Sam Stone the Butcher act as
our narrators and keep the youngsters in the audience fully involved while
calling back to old school panto routines to boost the nostalgia factor for the
adults. Our Miss Ritz really enjoyed it, but
I do have to issue a little parental warning about the show. At two-and-a-half, Miss Ritz can be a
sensitive little soul at times and she found Scarface Claw a little on the scary side.
She also gets quite emotionally involved so had a couple of quiet tears rolling
down her cheek when (spoilers ahead) Schnitzel von Krumm lost his comfortable
old basket. Of course the biggest tears
of the afternoon were when she didn’t want it to end, but fortunately the cast
recording CD made for an acceptable substitute (and we felt was well worth the £10 we paid for it).</span><span lang="EN-GB"> And although photographs were not permitted during the show, at the curtain call we were encouraged to take pictures which Miss Ritz will enjoy looking at later.</span></span><br />
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB"><br /></span></span>
<span style="font-family: "arial" , "helvetica" , sans-serif;"><span lang="EN-GB">Nonsenseroom have made an amazing success of this show with several runs at the Fringe and UK and
overseas tour, but I still miss those summer evenings at the Fringe and their freezing
cold Christmas shows at Rosslyn.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span><span lang="EN-GB">The Hairy Maclary tour has now finished but info on future tours will available on the <a href="http://nonsenseroom.co.uk/wp/" target="_blank">Nonsenseroom website</a>. They also have a new show at this year’s Fringe – <a href="https://www.assemblyfestival.com/event/355/" target="_blank">The Shark in the Park</a>.</span><span lang="EN-GB"> </span></span><br />
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</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-64181771768332044142016-08-07T22:13:00.000+01:002016-08-07T22:13:37.882+01:00Peppa Pig's Surprise! - July 2016This wasn't really in our plans as we weren't sure Miss Ritz was quite ready for a full-on large scale theatre experience that the Kings in Glasgow - filled with toddlers - would provide. But a couple of weeks before the show, Miss Ritz was recalling how she had enjoyed her trip to In The Night Garden, and coincidentally that afternoon Waldorf was offered tickets to Peppa Pig Live from a friend who had booked but was unable to attend.<span class="fullpost">
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Although all of her previous theatre trips had been to small scale shows, our fears as to how she would cope in a full Kings were unfounded. Although admittedly we did have good seats in the stalls - and I'm very glad we weren't in the Upper Circle! The show itself was fairly painless from a parent's point of view and was a pretty good replication of the TV show. Mummy & Daddy Pig were performers in costume while the other younger characters were portrayed by performers with puppets (think <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2012/07/avenue-q-may-2012-catching-up.html" target="_blank">Avenue Q</a> without the adult humour). A simple enough tale of a trip to the seaside, but all of the favourite characters make an appearance and there are plenty of fun songs (although the take home CD (£8) grates after 20+ plays in the car).</div>
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At around 90 minutes, the show is a bit longer than many aimed at the very young audience and does have an interval. While perhaps a little safe and unambitious, the show hits all the boxes required and Miss Ritz had an enjoyable time. Our one real disappointment was that photography was prohibited throughout, so Miss Ritz couldn't easily recall the day later - as she like to do.</div>
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More details on upcoming tour dates in at <a href="http://peppapiglive.com/home.php" target="_blank">Peppa Pig Live</a></div>
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Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-40345418473097160742016-08-07T22:11:00.002+01:002016-08-07T22:12:10.232+01:00It's been a while...<div class="WordSection1" style="font-family: Helvetica; font-size: 12px; page: WordSection1;">
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Yeah, so, it’s been a while (again). Turns out that even when we do manage to find the time to take Little Miss Ritz on occasional trips to the theatre, finding the time to actually write about it afterwards is near impossible. With that in mind here is a quick summary of what we’ve seen – and a promise that a couple of fuller reports on shows we've seen more recently will follow shortly. </div>
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<b>In the Night Garden Live – August 2015.</b><br />
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<span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 15px;">One of the things that we've come to realise when taking Miss Ritz to any kind of event is that the success of it is hugely dependent on so many external factors. A large element is simply what kind of a day she (or any other toddler) is having: a missed nap, a late lunch, a bad night... all can impact significantly. And while there's little a show can do to prevent any of those, there are a whole host of things on the periphery of a show that when handled well optimise the chances of a successful day, but when handled badly will threaten to turn even the best show into a nightmare. Fortunately, "In The Night Garden...Live" makes considerable efforts to make everything as easy as possible. Show times are spread throughout the day with limited crossovers between arriving and exiting audiences; car parking, queues and meet-the-characters are well organised; merchandise prices are restrained and there's plenty of space for buggy parking. A</span></span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">lthough I'd been filled with dread in advance of the show, any pain from the content was mitigated by the efforts made by the production to make this a memorable visit - for all the right reasons. It is superbly slickly run and the temporary ‘showdome’ provides a fantastic first theatre experience in a small-ish audience where everyone gets a good view. That said, it’s definitely worth paying extra for a premium seat (in the first few rows) and getting there early to sit in the front row (seats aren’t pre-allocated other than premium/non-premium). The show itself is a mix of performers in costume and puppetry - and it ticks all the boxes little fans of the TV show want to see. At 1½, Miss Ritz was at the younger end of the audience but she was entranced throughout – although some of the “mild peril” did have her cuddling in to us. Photography is permitted throughout the show, and even a year later she loves looking at the photos from the day on a tablet. We would happily have taken her back again this summer, but sadly it’s not returning to Glasgow for 2016 – and it’s not worth the trip to Manchester, Birmingham or London. </span><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">More info about this year's tour and to sign up for future tours see the </span><a href="https://www.nightgardenlive.com/" style="font-family: calibri, sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">website</a><span style="font-family: "calibri" , sans-serif; font-size: 11pt;">.</span></div>
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<b>How to be a Christmas Tree – Cumbernauld Theatre, December 2015</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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Aimed at under 5s this was delightful, clever and funny – for little ones and adults alike. This is exactly what I’d hoped all children’s theatre would be like: charming and silly enough for the kids but with a sprinkling of gags for the parents. No panto style innuendo – just smart cultural references, absurd comedy and subversion of the format. It’s simple concept was beautifully executed – although they did ‘cheat’ a little by avoiding mentioning the most significant element of the transition to between being a tree in the forest and becoming a Christmas tree. Although the use of chainsaws may have upped its rating from U to 12A! <span style="font-size: 11pt;">The 2016 show from Cumbernauld Theatre for under 5s is </span><a href="http://www.cumbernauldtheatre.co.uk/events/christmas-at-the-circus/" style="font-size: 11pt;" target="_blank">"Christmas at the Circus"</a><span style="font-size: 11pt;"> and we'll certainly be booking up.</span></div>
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<b>White – Tron, March 2016 (and touring again in October)</b><o:p></o:p><br />
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We'd heard so much about this show when Catherine Wheels launched it in 2010 that we considered borrowing nieces and nephews so we could go along. So now that Miss Ritz was at the right age for it, I was <strike>really keen to see it </strike> really keen for her to see it. Perhaps that raised my expectations too much, but I really didn't get what the fuss was about. It's definitely pretty to look at, and kept the young audience engaged, but I was left feeling that there must (or maybe should) have been more of a meaning or message to it - about diversity, tolerance and rebellion against suppression. But although these themes hoverred in the background they never seemed to crystallise. As a result, it just felt like a fleeting way to spend an hour, and although we talked about it for a couple of days afterwards I'm not sure Miss Ritz would even remember it now. But it's unquestionably widely and highly acclaimed, so this is definitely an instance where your mileage may vary. Info on the upcoming tour on the <a href="http://www.catherinewheels.co.uk/productions/white/about/#page-content" target="_blank">Catherine Wheels website.</a> <o:p></o:p></div>
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</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-63909691904949335702015-04-09T20:38:00.001+01:002015-04-09T20:39:24.135+01:00"Tall Tales" at the Tron (Jan - March 2015)<div>
<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwLMQZWHWyAHmJDiOy589XFEsFuPqyuHl2QWFpD9zf5ZHU3bnjDDypVlXwn-oRbPgBiAI3uv_runr-kHCh-Pw4mh66YTgV8XhMKU56fsUPkBHe_wCLo6akGC-_NVXKYfwXHrF/s1600/talltales.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjfwLMQZWHWyAHmJDiOy589XFEsFuPqyuHl2QWFpD9zf5ZHU3bnjDDypVlXwn-oRbPgBiAI3uv_runr-kHCh-Pw4mh66YTgV8XhMKU56fsUPkBHe_wCLo6akGC-_NVXKYfwXHrF/s1600/talltales.jpg" /></a>Since the arrival of little Miss Ritz we've kept an eye open for theatre events suitable for young children, but while there are many for those aged three and over, there are very few for under threes. The <a href="http://tron.co.uk/" target="_blank">Tron's</a> <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/tiny-tales--little-lost-tea-cup/" target="_blank">"Tiny Tales"</a> (for babies and crawlers) didn't really fit in with Miss Ritz' development timetable last year, so we went straight in to the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/tall-tales-little-lost-tea-cup/" target="_blank">"Tall Tales"</a> (for those walking independently up to 3 years old).</div>
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The block started in January just as Miss Ritz turned 14 months and although walking, she was very much at the younger end of the little ones attending. In our previous theatre reviews we always tried to give our thoughts in the context of our personal preferences, and I think it's only fair to try and do the same for the shows we'll see with Miss Ritz. We've been lucky that for the most part she's a pretty chilled, smiley little thing who loves being around other children. She loves her time at nursery and enjoyed various baby classes. Yet, I found that she and I struggled for the first couple of times times we attended "Tall Tales". She seemed a lot less confident than in other similar environments such as <a href="http://www.babysensory.com/" target="_blank">Baby Sensory classes</a> - there were a few tears and I couldn't really say she was enjoying it. Our third week was very much 'make or break' and our future attendance was in real doubt. Fortunately we had a bit of a breakthrough and there were no more tears after that. I can't say for sure what the problem was, but when fully booked the classes can feel 'busy' and my best guess would be that she didn't feel she had quite enough 'personal space'. But as the weeks went on she relaxed more and our Saturday mornings became the fun events I'd hoped they would be.</div>
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You may have noticed I've referred to them as 'shows' and 'classes' - so what exactly are the "Tall Tales"? Part of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/education/children-young-people/" target="_blank">Tron's Participation</a> programme, I'd best describe them as instructed storytelling. All the little ones must be accompanied by an adult who takes them through the weekly stories told by class leader Deborah and her assistant Catherine. Props are passed out to represent elements of the story - sometimes just balls or material, but on occasions basins of water (or even jelly!). Nothing too fancy - this is all about imagination after all. There are rhymes to repeat and actions to do, but - and this is a huge plus point for me - there is NO SINGING. I suspect that's one of the reasons that they attract a good number of Dads. And although it's all about getting involved, there's no individual 'audience participation' in the sense of everyone else watching (for children or parents). An added benefit is that by keeping the tales and props simple, they can easily be retold at home later.</div>
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Each story lasts around 45 minutes which is perfect for the attention spans of the small people and energy levels of the big people. Deborah and Catherine are great with the children - coping admirably with the inevitable unscripted interactions. They also remember the childrens' names from week to week (stories are booked individually rather than for a block so while there are 'regulars', others drop in and out). Miss Ritz and I didn't make it every week due to other commitments but we managed to see "Where's that Bear?", "Jungle Dance", "Little Chefs" (my favourite), "Little Chatty Ladybird" (her favourite), "Spring Time" and "On the Building Site". </div>
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My one disappointment is that they aren't filling my theatre-going gap. I'd hoped that they might be clever, ironic or self aware - giving a few laughs aimed for the adults along the way. Almost like mini-pantomimes. But those were unrealistic hopes on my part for something I had no right to expect. "Tall Tales" plays things straight - it's all about the little ones. As it should be.</div>
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The current block of stories has now finished. The <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/tall-tales-little-lost-tea-cup/" target="_blank">next set</a> starts at the end of April and with Miss Ritz now 17 months I think she'll get a lot more out of them. Each Saturday morning is a new story with tickets priced at £5 for each child - and they do sell out, so book in advance.</div>
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Image by John Johnston used with permission.</div>
Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-39753084056020687012014-04-10T19:56:00.000+01:002014-04-11T17:48:33.624+01:00View From The Stalls - The Next GenerationSo, it's been a while.<br />
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But, we're back. </div>
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Just a little different.</div>
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During our extended absence (and largely responsible for it) we were working on our own 'small scale production' - a little 'Miss Ritz' as it were <i>(Waldorf vetoed 'Miss Piggy')</i>. And whilst pregnancy followed by sleepless nights knocked our theatre trips firmly on the head, as she's now five months old, Miss Ritz made her theatrical debut this morning.</div>
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I'll leave it for Waldorf to share her thoughts on <a href="http://www.ipdiptheatre.co.uk/" target="_blank">Ipdip Theatre's</a> 'Head in the Clouds' <i>(it might take several days - some things never change!)</i> but hopefully it will be the first of many shows for young ones that we'll be seeing and commenting on in the months and years to come. </div>
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I don't expect that we'll ever get back to seeing as much theatre as we did a couple of years ago, but we hope that with our new perspective and interest in children's theatre, we'll be able to add something different to the online theatrical community once again. And we promise this won't turn into a 'Mommy Blog' as we even plan on getting out on occasion to see some grown-up theatre too. Eventually.</div>
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In the meantime we'd be delighted to hear any recommendations for upcoming shows suitable from 6 months up.</div>
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It's good to be back. Thanks for sticking around while we were away,</div>
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Statler, Waldorf & Miss Ritz</div>
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Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-73906527969348449662013-08-22T22:55:00.000+01:002013-08-22T22:59:51.494+01:00"Humans Inc" - Edinburgh Fringe 2013<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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'Futuristic-good-cop-rescues-bad-corporation's-secret-test-subject-while-falling-in-love-and-defeating-OTT-Bond-villain' plot aside, Humans Inc is actually a rather good show. Stylish, imaginative and with a bit of a swagger. I didn't even mind the elements that sailed perilously close to the dreaded 'Dance & Physical Theatre' section of the Fringe programme...<span class="fullpost">
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The seven strong cast deliver a very polished set of performances but there's a bit of a difference in tone that hampers the show as a whole. Jonathan Stephenson has a genuine stage presence and plays Isaac, our cop-having-a-bad-day with a level of sci-fi gravitas last seen circa Blade Runner, while the rest of the cast camp things up Galaxy Quest style. Individually, the performances are excellent but the contrasting styles didn't sit well for me. The exception being Lily Levin's gloriously dead pan take on Isaac's wife which comes closest to matching Stephenson's approach. I get that 'serious' sci-fi is a hard sell to an audience, but the creativity of the company displayed here suggests that <a href="http://www.thealchemisttheatre.co.uk/">The Alchemist</a> are capable of pulling it off.
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A fun bit of fluff to fill a gap in a schedule - and the venue in C-1 is as comfy as you're likely to get at the Fringe this side of 2440.<br />
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<a href="https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/humans-inc" target="_blank">Humans Inc runs at C Chambers Street at 18:10 until 26 August</a></span>
Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-35698471645502338592013-08-22T21:15:00.002+01:002013-08-22T21:24:51.077+01:00"Bite the Bullet" - Edinburgh Fringe 2013Back in the early nineties Sandy Nelson & Keith Warwick's fictional Proclaimers-esque duo "The Telltales" achieved minor chart success in the UK but were a surprise No.1 sensation in Japan. 21 years after their pop career fizzled out, they are reuniting to perform at a ceremony in their honour in Tokyo. The show cuts between the present day and pivotal moments from the group's past, featuring a number of songs along the way.<span class="fullpost">
<br /><br />Some shows at the Fringe have actors doing a very passable job of playing musicians, but Nelson & Warwick are undoubtedly the real deal - and should really be selling CDs post show in the foyer. But while the music is a strength, the show's desire to establish its 'muso' credentials works against it. This was my era and I struggled with some of the references. There's certainly a danger that cultural touchstones written for its original incarnation as part of Oran Mor's "A Play, A Pie & A Pint" in Glasgow simply won't transfer to the Fringe's more diverse audience. But that's a minor quibble - the music, comedy and characters are universal.<br /><br />
Nelson & Warwick may play up the comedy, but they are equally comfortable as the tone shifts to more serious considerations of friendship and their post celebrity lives. Kirstin McLean completes the cast with a fine performance in a number of roles including the band's manager Zara. With the exception of an unnecessary filler scene in Norway, the show is slick and tight; never feeling anything like its one hour runtime. <br />
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Bite the Bullet runs at the <a href="https://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/bite-the-bullet" target="_blank">Assembly Rooms until 25 August</a>.</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-49259542092976085032013-07-22T21:47:00.001+01:002013-07-22T21:47:30.412+01:00"Macbeth" (MIF / NT Live) - July 2013<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QlIXwAY6wczjzd0stkE2df-kiRQ3ZCZh4Wa9Ha9zDM2GmsxJnmaYTwFEZ-L6vW7vyctOoJBcs7meTEN3T6mNx_eU8q-2Va6ixYEIhsCYGC551G-VUvXDjRiMymTXdvL5yBgt/s1600/macbeth.jpeg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh4QlIXwAY6wczjzd0stkE2df-kiRQ3ZCZh4Wa9Ha9zDM2GmsxJnmaYTwFEZ-L6vW7vyctOoJBcs7meTEN3T6mNx_eU8q-2Va6ixYEIhsCYGC551G-VUvXDjRiMymTXdvL5yBgt/s1600/macbeth.jpeg" /></a>With tickets for the entire run at <a href="http://www.mif.co.uk/" target="_blank">Manchester International Festival</a> selling out in nine minutes, it's fortunate that <a href="http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/" target="_blank">NT Live</a> enabled us, along with thousands of others, to watch a live broadcast in cinemas around the UK and beyond. The pairing of Kenneth Branagh and Alex Kingston is clearly one that features on many "Macbeth" dream cast lists, and it would be convenient to put our general sense of disappointment down to overly high expectations. But in truth, despite <a href="http://www.whatsonstage.com/london-theatre/news/07-2013/review-round-up-branagh-returns-in-thrilling-mif-m_31232.html" target="_blank">glowing reviews just about everywhere else</a>, and some fine moments of spectacle, it was just a bit bland. There's a distinct lack of any stamp of creativity or new take on the play. Is it asking too much to want to remember the production in future as something other than 'the Macbeth where they traipsed through a lot of mud'?<br />
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There's no doubting Branagh's ability to deliver Shakespeare in a clear and accessible manner, and his ability to deliver a perfect tear on demand is truly impressive, but there seemed little behind the words to give insight into the character. For her part, Alex Kingston has no difficulty in bringing the text to life, but as a performance I found it largely forgettable - save the overcooked sleepwalking hysterics which stay in the memory for all the wrong reasons. As a classic treatment of Macbeth it would make for a great 'study text' for schools, but brings little new to anyone familiar with the characters - and even with co-director Rob Ashford's pre-show interview giving crib notes as to how they perceived the characters' motivations, I saw no real evidence of this once the play began. <br />
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Yet, there are some great performances elsewhere in the cast. I was just about on the verge of giving up on the play and joining Waldorf in her 15 minute snooze when Rosalie Craig as Lady Macduff revived my interest with a performance more affecting than any other on the night; closely followed by Ray Fearon's portrayal of Macduff's grief on learning of her fate.<br />
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I'm really glad we saw this, and can tick a 'Branagh Shakespeare' off our non-existent 'to-see' list (albeit virtually - although I don't think seeing it in the flesh would have been any more rewarding) but I can't say it made much of a lasting impression on me.<br />
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Macbeth has completed its run in Manchester, however <a href="http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout4-macbeth" target="_blank">recordings of the live broadcast are being shown in limited cinemas over the next few weeks</a>.<br />
Image by Johan Persson used with permission.<br />
</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-34303908004307226462013-06-17T19:57:00.000+01:002013-06-17T20:03:27.886+01:00"The Audience" (NTLive) - June 2013<div class="p1">
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<span class="s1">Although we’ve been absent from the theatre for several months, it was never far away from our thoughts. Indeed, at one point we came very close to booking up for a London trip with “The Audience” as the focus for our weekend, so when our trip fell through we were delighted to see that it was to feature as part of <a href="http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/" target="_blank">NT Live</a> and be broadcast to cinemas around the UK and beyond. We've seen a few NT Live shows in the past at the GFT and found the concept to work very well, and our concerns that that the intimacy might be lost in a large auditorium at the Cineworld were quickly dispelled.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Rather oddly, I was quite taken aback a little by the humorous tone of Peter Morgan’s play. I can’t quite pin down why, but I was definitely expecting a more serious, possibly even academic, series of imagined conversations between Elizabeth II and her Prime Ministers over her 60 years on the throne. Whilst Morgan’s writing certainly has its more sombre and political moments, it’s first and foremost a light hearted piece of entertainment. The Queen’s encounters with John Major, Gordon Brown and David Cameron evoke the gentle-but-sharp humour of “Yes Minister” while those with Harold Wilson show a more relaxed monarch with a genuine affection for the politician. During the interval Morgan when interviewed suggested that he couldn’t claim his imagined accounts were ‘accurate’ but hoped they were ‘truthful’, but I’m not entirely convinced there isn’t more than a little rose-tint being applied to all the characters featured here. </span></div>
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<span class="s1">The completist in me can’t help but feel a little cheated by the absence of some of those who have resided at No.10 including Ted Heath and Tony Blair. While Morgan would no doubt argue that he’s already covered the Queen/Blair relationship <a href="http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0436697/?ref_=sr_1" target="_blank">on screen</a>, on stage it felt like a missing chapter. Although Eden receives an uncomfortable grilling over Suez, and troubles with Blair are hinted at, it’s perhaps Margaret Thatcher who receives the harshest treatment over her approach to apartheid South Africa. Surprisingly, despite an impressive portrayal by Haydn Gwynne, the scene with Thatcher is a bit of a lull in the proceedings where sparks were expected to fly – leaving both Waldorf and myself glancing at watches for the first and only time of the evening.</span></div>
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<span class="s1">Of course, Helen Mirren is the star attraction here and she doesn't disappoint. It's almost breathtaking at time to watch the flash transformations between the eras and Mirren convinces entirely from the young novice finding her feet to the present day Queen who has seen-it-all-before. It's a very demanding role with almost no time off stage (if any - as this was NT Live she may have just been out of shot) and in addition to the segments with each Prime Minister, Morgan uses a nice conceit to bring the young Princess Elizabeth on stage to interact with her older self. </span><br />
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All in, this was a very enjoyable evening out at the 'theatre' and has given us a bit of our appetite for seeing some more 'proper' local theatre in the near future. <br />
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The Audience has completed its run at the Gielgud Theatre, but <a href="http://ntlive.nationaltheatre.org.uk/productions/ntlout3-the-audience" target="_blank">'encore' performances of the NT Live show</a> are available at cinemas across the country over the next couple of weeks.<br />
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<span class="s1">Image by Johan Persson used with permission.</span></div>
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</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-68838354400963943862013-06-17T19:55:00.002+01:002013-06-17T19:56:31.067+01:00Back again...So, it's been a while...<span class="fullpost">
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We continued to struggle over the winter with intermittent illnesses, family commitments and day jobs, but after a trip to the NT Live screening of "The Audience" we're hopefully, finally, going to get out to see some theatre. We've started looking through the Edinburgh Fringe programme and will be having a trawl through our local theatres' websites. </div>
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Thanks for sticking around while we 'disappeared'.</div>
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Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-34675549602470250012012-11-17T14:17:00.000+00:002012-11-18T08:32:00.969+00:00Theatre needs 'Games Makers' First off, let me be absolutely clear. This post is in no way a criticism of Front of House staff at the theatres we attend - they've never been anything other than welcoming and helpful. And we've also seen how effective they can be <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/10/days-of-wine-and-roses-october-2011.html" target="_blank">when needed</a>. But recent months have convinced me that they might be missing a trick somewhere along the line...<span class="fullpost"><br />
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Back in July and August we were fortunate enough to see a number of events at the Olympics and one of the elements that made London so special for those few weeks was the contribution of the <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-19201329" target="_blank">'Games Makers'</a> (for the sake of simplicity I'm calling them all Games Makers but I'm also including the large numbers of staff from London Transport etc. in this). This volunteer army helping spectators in venues and around London were given one of the loudest cheers of the evening during the Olympic Closing Ceremony and have been widely praised for their efforts. I can't claim to be an expert on these things, but to my untrained eye the reason the Games Makers made such an impression was their willingness to engage with spectators - to chat about the Games, to take photos or just share a moan about the weather.<br />
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I'd pretty much written off the undoubted success of the Games Maker role as a transient magical bubble that was lost with the ending of the games, but on Friday night I witnessed something very similar... in Glasgow. We were going along to see some of the <a href="http://www.trackworldcup.co.uk/" target="_blank">UCI Track Cycling World Cup</a> at the new Sir Chris Hoy Velodrome and as we'd been advised there would be no visitor parking we'd opted for the free shuttle bus from Glasgow City Centre. As I waited at the bus station for Waldorf to join me, the <a href="http://www.spt.co.uk/" target="_blank">SPT</a> staff organising the services were chatting away to those in the queue, giving helpful advice for the return bus schedule and talking about the event. They even offered to hold the bus a minute or two if needed as Waldorf was running (literally) slightly late. On arrival at the Velodrome a number of hosts in Games Maker style uniforms were greeting people and offering assistance, and later, while waiting for our return bus after the event we had a lengthy conversation with some G4S staff about how the event had been going.<br />
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We've seen approaching 400 shows over the last six years and I could count on one hand the number of times we've actually been engaged in a conversation about theatre by front of house staff. And off the top of my head I can only think of two occasions where it was more than a passing comment - once by a young usher waiting to go in to the Citizens Circle Studio and once by staff at the Pleasance during the Fringe. <br />
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Of course, theatres and companies make other efforts to connect with their audiences - the Tron staff mingle at <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/" target="_blank">'Patrons' events</a>, Nonsenseroom chat away with audiences after their <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2007/08/ballad-of-james-ii-edinburgh-fringe.html" target="_blank">'Special Performances'</a> at Rosslyn Chapel and <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2007/06/broken-glass-june-2007.html" target="_blank">Rapture</a> often greet people on their way into the theatre. Cumbernauld Theatre also tried hard with an <a href="http://www.northlanarkshire.gov.uk/CHttpHandler.ashx?id=1799&p=0" target="_blank">'Arts Ambassadors'</a> scheme while the National Theatre of Scotland run their <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2012/11/glasgow-girls-coming-soon.html" target="_blank">'Social Media Calls'</a> and often hand out audience comment cards. But that leaves a huge number of missed opportunities where audiences simply arrived to a welcoming smile and left with a flyer for another show. There's no shortage of moments before house doors open where greetings could be exchanged and shows promoted - <i>"I think you'll really enjoy this, I've seen it three times and am still laughing each night"</i>, <i>"If you like this you might like XXXXX which is on next month"</i>, <i>"Did you see their last show? Wasn't it amazing?"</i>. We don't think many people working front of house in theatres are there just for the money - they have a love of theatre and that passion should be cut loose and encouraged to be passed on to audiences. <br />
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It's a cultural change but it's one that can be made, and one that I think could make a difference. Other places already seem to do it. I'd noticed a while back that checkout staff in Asda were noticeably chattier than any other supermarket - it was almost impossible not to find yourself chatting to them. <i>"Oh those must be new, I'm going to have to try them myself"</i>, <i>"Have you tried the Honey flavoured ones of those?"</i> So much so, that I'm convinced they've been trained that way - and it's not just in one store. Admittedly at first I found it a little odd, but actually I've come to quite like it. It's the same thing that elevates a restaurant where the waiting staff have tried all the dishes and can happily make recommendations - <i>"The Cheesecake is delicious but is quite heavy - if you prefer something lighter the Lemon Mousse is always popular."</i><br />
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So, all the theatres out there, the next time you have a meeting with your front of house teams, maybe you could ask them how they would feel about interacting a bit more with audiences. I'd like to think at least a few of them are just waiting for a bit of encouragement. Some people will no doubt be sceptical about such an initiative, and in fairness I can't really blame them. I would never have thought that London's Games Makers would make a difference. But they most definitely did.<br />
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Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-51883954178998849332012-11-08T00:03:00.000+00:002012-11-08T00:26:50.664+00:00"Glasgow Girls" - November 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I doubt there's a greater compliment I can pay "Glasgow Girls" other than to say that at times it threatens to finally be the National Theatre of Scotland's 'next Black Watch'. It can't maintain that high level throughout, but there are moments, several of them, that left my spine tingling. And my only disappointment of the night was discovering when I got home that I couldn't buy the soundtrack.
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Cleverly, David Greig's book mocks the very idea of a musical based on a group of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Girls_(activists)" target="_blank">schoolgirls campaigning against the treatment of asylum seekers in Glasgow</a> - and some characters are happier than others to find themselves on stage. Considering that the cast all play multiple roles (and at times themselves) it sounds on paper as if it could get very complicated, very quickly, but helped by some superfast costume changes it hangs together seamlessly.</div>
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While the show as a whole certainly doesn't feel overlong, some scenes and songs don't serve the show as well as others. It's not that they weren't good - just that they dilute the truly great ones. There are also times in the high tempo songs that the lyrics become very difficult to pick out. It's frustrating for an audience when sounds levels aren't spot on, and a huge pity as the lyrics we did catch deserved to be heard.<br />
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From the playful "Opening Montage", through the earworm inducing "Glasgow Girls", the sinister "At It" to the devasting "It's No a Weans Choice" there is a massively diverse tone in the numbers, reflecting the contributions of the show's several composers (the Kielty Brothers, Soom T, Patricia Panther & Cora Bissett). My own favourite was Bissett's "From the 16th Floor" - an ethereal lovesong to Glasgow, while Waldrof preferred the Kielty Brothers' punchy "Ain't Done Jack" but there are many others that last in the memory.<br />
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The cast all meet the enormous challenges set by director Cora Bissett and choreographer Natasha Gilmore admirably and it seems unfair to single out individuals but the short turns by Dawn Sievewright as Tommy Sheridan and Myra McFadyen as the 'headmaster' were magical.<br /><br />
Along with some wonderful songs, a talented cast and powerful story, "Glasgow Girls" has three more things going for it - its humour, emotion and a clear affection for Glasgow. Despite the issues highlighted, it really wouldn't be a stretch to describe it as a musical comedy - there is no shortage of genuinely laugh out loud lines. But there will also be tears - including many prompted by a single line, not even spoken on stage, that had half the audience reaching for their Kleenex. Yet it rarely feels manipulative and avoids becoming mawkish. The worst accusation you could legitimately throw at it would be that it gives a rose tinted portrayal of Glasgow, but it does acknowledge the city's problems and maybe it's no bad thing once in while to focus on the positive aspects of the city.<br /><br />
And just to show that I was paying attention, there's one more 'release' we'd like to see...<br /><br />
<i>We, the undersigned, in recognition of our enjoyment of "Glasgow Girls" at the Citizens Theatre demand that the National Theatre of Scotland release, without delay, a cast recording of the soundtrack in order that we can continue our enjoyment. While we recognise and appreciate that a version of the <a href="https://itunes.apple.com/gb/album/we-are-glasgow-girls-single/id564301145" target="_blank">title track is already available</a>, that's really just teasing us... </i><br />
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<i>What do We Want? Glasgow Girls Soundtrack! When do we want it? NOW!</i>
<i><br /></i><br /><i>Waldorf & Statler @ View From The Stalls</i><br /><br />
Feel free to add your comments on the show and demands for a soundtrack release in the 'heckles' below...<br /><br />
Glasgow Girls runs at the <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/glasgow_girls/" target="_blank">Citizens until 17th November</a> and will be at the <a href="http://www.stratfordeast.com/" target="_blank">Theatre Royal, Stratford East in London from 8th Feb to 2nd March 2013</a>. The show is presented by the National Theatre of Scotland, Theatre Royal Stratford East, Citizens Theatre, Pachamama Productions, Richard Jordan Productions Ltd in association with Merrigong Theatre Company, Australia<br />
Image by Drew Farrell used with permission.</span>
Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-5335442932677288512012-11-05T20:13:00.000+00:002012-11-08T00:31:33.101+00:00"Glasgow Girls" - coming soon...<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Later this week we'll be seeing the new musical from the <a href="http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/" target="_blank">National Theatre of Scotland</a>, based on the group of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glasgow_Girls_(activists)" target="_blank">Glasgow schoolgirls</a> who fought a high profile campaign on the treatment of asylum seekers. But before it opened I got the chance to pop along to a <a href="http://nationaltheatrescotland.wordpress.com/2012/10/25/join-the-glasgow-girls-at-a-social-media-call/" target="_blank">"Social Media Call"</a> at the <a href="http://www.citz.co.uk/" target="_blank">Citizens</a> for a sneak peak and Q&A. We normally decline this type of invitation as we prefer to experience things as any audience member would, but this was just too interesting an opportunity to miss. And a quick check of our archives revealed that we'd only ever said nice things about those involved in the show...<br />
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After a chat with NTS Digital Associate <a href="https://twitter.com/NTS_Eve" target="_blank">Eve Nicol</a> who had kindly sent us the invite, I got to watch three scenes. Before talking about the content, I want to say a bit about how revealing it was to see this process. A sharp reminder that what audiences will see as fast paced, flowing pieces of theatre is the result of many hours of repetitive rehearsals and a lot of standing around waiting for other people to do their bits. So it was quite a big ask for them to have a group of bloggers and tweeters descend on them on the day of their first preview. Especially as they had to run through each scene twice to let us take photos and <a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-scotland-20154181" target="_blank">some amateur organisation</a> delayed things while they sorted out their sound.<br />
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Given that we'll be posting our thoughts on the full production in the next few days, it doesn't seem very sensible to comment much based on three short extracts. But what was immediately obvious was how full of energy the show is, and how wide ranging its musical influences are. I'm a little concerned that the combination of accents and high tempo songs made it tricky to catch the lyrics but I'm hopeful it will just take time to become accustomed to them. <br />
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Afterwards, in the Citz foyer, director Cora Bissett who is the driving force behind the show, was able to tell us how it came about and why it became a musical. As she answered our questions we were joined by the cast who shared their thoughts on meeting the real 'Glasgow Girls' and why they expect the show to engage a London audience next year.<br />
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It all made for a very enjoyable couple of hours, and I'm really looking forward to seeing it all 'properly', but I think it will make it just that bit harder to write our post about it. Actually, that's not true at all as I expect to be writing a wholly enthusiastic review. But it does worry me that in the unlikely event that I <i>don't</i> enjoy it I would find it that bit harder to write a negative review having met those involved and witnessed first hand their commitment and enthusiasm. Actually, that's not true either. I'd be fine writing the review - it's just that afterwards I'd feel really guilty about it. Then again, I could always just get Waldorf to write it up...<br />
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Thanks to Eve Nicol and all at the National Theatre of Scotland, the Citizens and particularly Cora Bissett and the cast. </span><br />
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<i>We've now seen the full show and <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2012/11/glasgow-girls-november-2012.html">posted our thoughts on it</a>.</i><br /><br />
<a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/glasgow_girls/" target="_blank">Glasgow Girls runs at the Citizens until 17 November</a><br />
Image by us (I'll take a camera next time if we get invited again!)<br />
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</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-1827981638250138342012-09-28T13:27:00.000+01:002012-09-28T13:46:42.631+01:00"Wonderland" - September 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;"><i>"Wonderland will be a dark, mysterious and magical new show" </i>says the <a href="http://www.vanishing-point.org/productions/wonderland/synopsis/" target="_blank">Vanishing Point website</a> of their show that take an audience into the world of pornography. And they are right - if perhaps not always as intended. The violence and nudity certainly qualifies it as 'dark', but I found it 'mysterious' to a point beyond confusing - bordering on frustrating. And 'magical' - well, yes, in a Paul Daniels kind of way: <i>I liked it, not a lot, but I liked it.</i></span></span>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">There's a place for leaving things open to interpretation and it can help ensure an audience actively thinks about a piece, but often there's a price to be paid in a resulting disconnection between audience and character. Wonderland's apparent non-linear timeframe, uncertain locations and the way its central character shifts between her Alice/Heidi personas (at times without clear signposts) left me so unsure as to the blurred lines between the in-show fiction and in-show reality that I was no longer willing to invest emotionally in Alice's fate for fear of being 'tricked'.</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">In Vanishing Point's previous productions <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2009/04/interiors-april-2009.html" target="_blank">"Interiors"</a> and <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/10/saturday-night-october-2011.html" target="_blank">"Saturday Night"</a>, watching conversations take place silently behind 'glass' added another layer to the shows. But despite the voyeuristic aspect being more pertinent to "Wonderland", it seemed to detract rather than add on the occasions it's used here. While I could certainly get the general drift of the conversations between Alice's parents, I was always grasping for the details and never quite getting them. And my inability to decipher the final conversation between Alice and her father left me feeling simultaneously cheated and inadequate as an audience member. Is it too clever for its own good - or just too clever for me?</span></span></div>
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">An odd choice of starting point doesn't help the show either. Why and how Alice came to be auditioning to join the pornographic industry is unclear - and is potentially the most interesting aspect. Similarly, how did her father find himself drawn into the darker side of the internet? Without seeing the seeds of their 'downfalls' the show lacks much of the 'this could happen to you' element common to most morality based fairy tales (or modern urban myths). </span></span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Wonderland" is at its best when highlighting the power balance between exploited and exploitee. Who really has the power? Who is left feeling ashamed of their actions? But my inability to settle on a 'real' version of events left even this up in the air. </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">"Wonderland" feels like a show with something to say - but I couldn't hear or understand it.</span><br />
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<span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif; font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">Wonderland is a </span><span style="font-family: Verdana, Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif;"><span style="font-size: 14px; line-height: 18px;">co-production with Fondazione Campania dei Festival - Napoli teatro Festival Italia and Tramway in association with Eden Court. <a href="http://www.tramway.org/events/Pages/Wonderland.aspx" target="_blank">It runs at Tramway until 29 September</a>.</span></span><br />
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Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-33162387157690790782012-09-27T00:44:00.000+01:002012-09-27T01:12:27.591+01:00"Jesus Christ Superstar" (Arena Tour) - September 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Our views on this 'Arena Tour' of "Jesus Christ Superstar" will be significantly coloured by the fact that we had very good seats at Glasgow's SECC - second front row just to the left of the stage. Your mileage may vary - <i>by up to 50 metres here and potentially more at other tour venues</i>. The stage design also means that there will be a high number of seats with varying degrees of restricted view - of both the stage and the large screen. What we saw from row B was a theatre show enhanced by clever use of a video wall. What much of the audience saw was essentially a rock concert viewed on a big screen. On the plus side of things, one of our great fears was that the sound would be so over-amplified that the lyrics would be lost - but despite sitting ten feet from one of the speaker banks we left with our hearing intact and in the main the levels were good.<br />
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We're not big Andrew Lloyd Webber fans but we both have a genuine fondness for 'JCS' - in my case largely due to its sympathetic attitude towards Judas. It's easy to take for granted how groundbreaking the show was when originally created by Webber and Tim Rice. A 'rock opera' based on Jesus Christ's passion and death? With a 20th century twist? Really? The show hasn't dated significantly but here it's given a 21st century setting reminiscent of 2011's protest camp at St Paul's Cathedral. As an updated theme it works well and also allows some nice references to social media.</div>
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Despite its title, the show - this production or any other - should really belong to Judas, and the casting of Tim Minchin in the role made this an absolute 'must see' show for us. Minchin's vocals have a real grunge rock element and while it may dismay purists who want to see the songs showcased it vividly displays the character's emotions. His "Jesus Christ Superstar" was surprisingly lacking in energy but his short rendition of "I Don't Know How to Love Him" was simply devastating.</div>
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The casting-by-reality-show of the role of Jesus was almost sufficient to put us off the show entirely, but Ben Forster proved that this can be at least moderately successful. "Gethsemane" was a highlight but in some other songs his vocals dipped beneath the music. And while I can often relate to Judas' actions, never more so than here - Forster's Jesus at times appears so smug and self satisfied it would be a pleasure to hand him over.</div>
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Melanie Chisholm's Mary Magdalene was a disappointment. While Minchin trades technical vocals for emotion, Chisholm charts the reverse course and delivers a fine vocal but one lacking in emotion. Even on the large screen I found it difficult to get any real sense of the character. Chris Moyles on the other hand exceeded our (admittedly low) expectations as Herod with a performance that was no more or no less than the role requires - and which benefits here from some nice staging. But there was no doubting that the performance of the night belonged to Alex Hanson as Pilate - beautifully expressive both vocally and facially, this was musical theatre at its absolute best. </div>
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The ensemble works well physically in the set piece numbers - particularly the opening 'riot' and as the mob outside Pilate's. But perhaps due to the effort of the choreography or there being simply too many of them at times the lyrics lacked clarity - especially in "Hosanna" and "What's the Buzz?"</div>
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In its strongest moments the show is spectacular and we don't grudge that we paid more for these tickets than any other - ever. But good as it was, it could have been even better. 90% of the audience may have given it a standing ovation, but while we certainly enjoyed it, we stayed firmly in our seats.</div>
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Jesus Christ Superstar has completed runs at the O2 in Greenwich and the SECC in Glasgow and continues its <a href="http://www.jesuschristsuperstar.com/tickets/" target="_blank">UK tour.</a><br />
Image used with permission.</div>
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Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-65126165780104524292012-08-25T09:32:00.000+01:002012-08-25T09:36:08.395+01:00"Jersey Boys" - August 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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As you’ll see, our experience of “Jersey Boys” was a little different from the nights out at the theatre that we usually write about at View From The Stalls. Firstly, although we’d heard good things, it wasn’t near the top of our ‘to see’ list - but for once the choice of show was out of our hands. Secondly, while we don’t accept press/complimentary tickets from theatres, our “Jersey Boys” tickets came as part of an Olympics trip won through Cadbury/Trebor and entirely unrelated to our witterings here – but we jumped at the chance to include a theatre trip as part of our weekend. And lastly – although on our London trips we do usually splash out on good seats, we don’t normally go for the VIP option with private bar area, champagne, canapés and a personal host for the evening!<br />
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My musical taste (as in <i>music</i> not <i>musicals</i>) doesn’t really go any further back than the late 80’s so I had my doubts about a musical based on Frankie Valli & the Four Seasons. Fortunately the show recognises the need to deliver a hook for younger audiences and helped by Madcon's recent version of Valli’s “Beggin'” and a French rap take on “Oh What a Night” we’re made to appreciate how the group's influence lasts to this day. And that generates sufficient interest until the characters themselves secure a significant level of emotional involvement.<br />
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For this isn't a jukebox musical where songs are shoehorned into what serves as a plot. All the performances are 'justified' - the characters don't burst into song in an outpouring of emotion. They only sing when the band is performing. The cast are all top notch, and it's worth noting that on the night we attended Dan Burton played Frankie Valli (usually played by Ryan Molloy) and we would never have questioned that this wasn't his usual role. The show doesn't shy away from the less happy times experienced by some of the group but handles them with sensitivity and avoids shifting the tone too dramatically. It also succeeds in delivering an upbeat ending that doesn't feel overly artificial.<br />
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Now, as for the VIP element of our evening – well that depends on who you ask. While I very much enjoyed the hospitality provided by our friendly and knowledgeable host, some aspects didn’t sit well with my ‘normal’ theatregoing self - in particular being escorted to our prime seats in the centre of Row G seconds before curtain up and making all those sitting in our row stand to let us pass. Especially when we did exactly the same thing after the interval. I hate people in the centre of rows taking their seats at the last moment and I hated being one of them – even just for one night. Waldorf on the other hand felt no shame whatsoever and loved the special treatment and the glances we received from others in the audience wondering who the VIP guests could have been – although I suspect the two thirds of a bottle of champagne may have helped her in this. And of course it all <a href="http://www.jerseyboyslondon.com/jerseyboys_hospitality.asp" target="_blank">comes at a price</a>, but even I can’t disagree that if you want a taste of how the other half / one percent live this is a very effective and memorable way to achieve it.<br />
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<a href="http://jerseyboyslondon.com/" target="_blank">Jersey Boys continues at Prince Edward Theatre in London</a><br />
Image by Brinkhoff & Mögenburg used with permission<br />
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</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-69611200964006778872012-07-17T23:23:00.000+01:002012-07-17T23:24:08.091+01:00"Avenue Q" - May 2012 (Catching up)<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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Adult puppet musical "Avenue Q" had been on our 'to do' list for a couple of years, but the timings never seemed to work for us on our London visits, and I resented paying 'London prices' when it previously toured to Glasgow. Fortunately, this time round we managed to track down a 2 for 1 offer - but after seeing the skill and energy involved we were left in no doubt that even at full price it would have been value for money.<span class="fullpost"><br />
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While it's not unusual for us to come out of a theatre saying that it was exhausting just watching it, it's literally true of this show, because 'watching' isn't quite as simple as you might think. The puppet stars of the show are animated and voiced by one or two operators visible on stage, and my initial thought was to ignore the performers and focus on the puppets. But I quickly realised that doing so was to ignore half of the show as the human operators use their own expressions and movements to complement those of their puppet characters. The trick is to be able to focus on the puppet characters and their operators simultaneously, and while we're not talking about something akin to 'magic eye' pictures, it's certainly an acquired skill - one that does take concentration.<br />
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And that wasn't the only element that I had to make a conscious effort over. The inclusion of the character of former child star <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gary_Coleman" target="_blank">"Gary Coleman"</a> - to make the other characters realise their lives could be so much worse - was for me, in desperately poor taste. Even more so, after a quick google during the interval revealed that Coleman was unhappy about it. To continue with the character after Coleman's death in 2010 is unforgivable - so much so that if I had been aware of the character's role beforehand I probably wouldn't have booked the tickets. Looking around online it seems I'm in a small minority offended by this - but it's such a dated cultural reference that I would have hoped that regardless of any sensitivities they would have reworked/updated it by now.<br />
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Nevertheless, if you're unperturbed by all that (or can simply put it out of your mind for a couple of hours as I did) there is a huge amount of fun to be had. While the emphasis is definitely on the comedy, it doesn't come at the expense of the musical numbers which are polished, memorable and impressively sung by the cast. Just remember that this is very much an Adult show with a capital A. If you are unsure if it will be to your taste, <a href="http://www.youtube.com/results?search_query=avenue+q&oq=avenue+q&gs_l=youtube.3..0l10.2735.5875.0.6666.8.7.0.1.1.0.127.587.6j1.7.0...0.0...1ac.BykgZmN9V2g" target="_blank">Youtube</a> may be your friend.<br />
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Avenue Q has completed an extensive UK tour. Future dates will be available on the <a href="http://www.avenueqthemusical.co.uk/" target="_blank">show's website</a>.<br />
Image by Nick Spratling used with permission</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-26348314213911689082012-07-12T22:58:00.000+01:002012-07-13T10:00:34.074+01:00"Stones in His Pockets" - July 2012<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;">
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I guess it's somewhat appropriate that a show that sees two actors inhabit 15 characters and has a significant change of tone between acts, has left me struggling with my own split personality. One part of me was happy to be swept along by two phenomenal performances from Keith Fleming and Robbie Jack who have taken a lightning change act to a whole new level. We've become used to seeing plays cut down or restaged to accomodate small casts, although the performances almost always involve a brief pause between characters, an additional prop or a quick exit/entrance. But here Fleming and Jack often morph seamlessly right in front of your eyes. The problem is that another part of me, while appreciating the skill involved, sees it as a way of covering over what is at times rather weak material.<br />
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In fact, the first half of the show left me pretty cold and feeling that it was over-reliant on the inherent amusement value of the performance style. I couldn't help thinking that had it been played with a 'full' cast I'm not sure I would have even broken into a smile. And that's the 'comic' half of the show. It's disappointing, as a show based on the events when a Hollywood production descends on a rural Irish community should be ripe for comic scenes more than capable of standing on their own merits.<br />
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Fortunately, I found myself enjoying the second act significantly more. It wasn't that it was funnier, but perhaps the more serious tone to it made for a more even script where I was no longer expecting to be laughing out loud. It also finally managed to generate a level of interest that I'd been previously missing as the balance of power shifted between film-makers and the extras. But even in its best moments I found the play frustrating in its simplistic treatment of drug use, one sided stance on cultural exploitation and use of media in-jokes and caricatures.<br />
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The performances will make or break any production of Marie Jones' play and Fleming and Jack make the absolute most out of it - their curtain call alone makes it worth seeing.<br />
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<span style="font-style: italic;">We received our tickets for the show through our membership of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/">Tron's Patrons scheme</a> which we thoroughly recommend for anyone who is a regular attendee at the Tron.</span><br />
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<a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/stones_in_his_pockets/">Stones in His Pockets runs at the Tron until 21st July</a><br />
Image by John Johnston used with permission
</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-48328012736314826022012-06-17T22:55:00.001+01:002012-06-17T23:07:35.579+01:00"Macbeth" - June 2012<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYn5-0b8ekgWIde2el89YX8yuciXV9tLiIEuXZuxER-3gOdg_c0VFw_-wc8GyHgEDATiIGapjEQF-IEHpdft9bIFKJ7aD58kS5_NS0LIseTFRFJMMH9cyi7UCj-tT_qJZrBXA/s1600/Macbeth2012.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear: right; float: right; margin-bottom: 1em; margin-left: 1em;"><img border="0" height="250" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjrYn5-0b8ekgWIde2el89YX8yuciXV9tLiIEuXZuxER-3gOdg_c0VFw_-wc8GyHgEDATiIGapjEQF-IEHpdft9bIFKJ7aD58kS5_NS0LIseTFRFJMMH9cyi7UCj-tT_qJZrBXA/s400/Macbeth2012.jpg" width="166" /></a>
It's fair to say that at 'View From The Stalls' we're unashamed fans of Alan Cumming. His performance in <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2007/08/bacchae-august-2007.html" target="_blank">"The Bacchae"</a> remains the most electric and charismatic that we've seen on a Scottish stage; we immensely enjoyed his solo show <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/08/alan-cumming-i-bought-blue-car-today.html" target="_blank">"I Bought a Blue Car Today"</a> at the Fringe a couple of years back; and we love watching him steal just about every scene on TV's "The Good Wife". So I'm absolutely stunned to be writing that 40 minutes into the National Theatre of Scotland's "Macbeth" we were both bored enough to be glancing at watches and horrified by the prospect of another hour of it. In the interest of balance it's only fair to report that 90% of the audience gave the show a standing ovation - but as we don't make any claims of objectivity I do also want to say that my shocked reaction to this audience response was an only-just-unspoken "You have got to be kidding me!"
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We don't want to take anything away from what is an impressive performance from Cumming as he works his way through all the main players in what is more-or-less a one-man version of Shakespeare's tale. It's an immense challenge for any actor and he handles it remarkably well, but as a concept it absolutely killed the play stone dead for us. Without the genuine two-way interactions (and being able to see characters unspoken responses) it made it almost impossible for us to invest any emotion in them. All the characterisations are clear enough for those with a passing knowledge of the play - although those with no foreknowledge will likely struggle.<br />
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There could be some justification for the one-man aspect of the show through its setting in what appears to be a secure psychiatric unit but there isn't enough information given to the audience to make links between 'reality' and 'the play'. This isn't helped by the fact that I didn't really get any sense of 'the patient' having a damaged or fractured mind - just one that left him retelling 'Macbeth'.<br />
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Alan Cumming is arguably as big a star as Scotland currently has, and he deserves both respect and gratitude for his consistent willingness to work in Scotland. But I'd hope he wouldn't expect to be treated with kid gloves or given New York style automatic standing ovations. But that's what today (and some of the reviews elsewhere) felt like. <br />
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Macbeth runs at <a href="http://www.tramway.org/events/Pages/Macbeth%20by%20William%20Shakespeare.aspx">Tramway until 30 June</a> before <a href="http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=s51&venue_id=145&show_id=137&back=home_Macbeth">transferring to New York</a>.<br /><br />
Image by Manuel Harlan used with permission.
</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-36455926551159225942012-06-17T22:50:00.000+01:002012-06-17T22:50:55.746+01:00Catching up... And looking forwardCircumstances have limited our theatregoing so far this year, and although we've managed to see a couple of shows in the last few weeks we've found it difficult to find the time to post our thoughts on them. We're hoping to write up some belated thoughts in the next few days (including "Avenue Q") and we'll also be posting about the National Theatre of Scotland's "Macbeth" which we saw this afternoon.<br />
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We'd normally by now have posted our initial thoughts on the Edinburgh Fringe programme and which shows we are planning to see. However, this August we're a little distracted by a couple of planned trips to London for <a href="http://www.london2012.com/" target="_blank">dramatic events of a sporting</a> rather than theatrical nature (although we are planning at least one theatre trip while we are there). We're only away for a day or two, but we expect it to be sufficiently exhausting on mind, body and wallet that it will leave our Fringe coverage somewhere between negligible and non-existent. That said, we have booked up for Vanishing Point's <a href="http://www.vanishing-point.org/news-items/2012/03/information-on-our-new-show-for-2012-will-be-announced-in-march/" target="_blank">"Wonderland"</a> which forms part of the Edinburgh International Festival.<br />
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Further ahead, we hope to ramp our theatregoing back up again after the summer and will be paying close attention to the theatre programmes that drop through our letterbox. In fact, we've already booked what are our most expensive theatre tickets ever in the shape of the <a href="http://www.jesuschristsuperstar.com/" target="_blank">"Jesus Christ Superstar"</a> at the SECC in September. While the 'casting by TV show' element doesn't sit well with us, it's a show we have a lot of time for and Tim Minchin as Judas is a huge draw.<br />
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Thanks for sticking with us while our posts have been so limited - and we look forward to sharing our thoughts more regularly again as the year goes on.<br />
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<br />Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-71583836979608099062012-03-05T21:45:00.004+00:002012-06-17T23:01:49.659+01:00"Plume" - March 2012<a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr2VK63FGITaoZ8Y0ENLnM51EBf_bRAy-OIK56KWgCnSD3JqLC_SaKYm2Y_2GubuutO8NOsPsH1XAr413P6-yAMYbmN9sgipqMO2yPTzTneph_uhcI0zI9wbuAoy6r3V99blq/s1600/plume.jpg"><img alt="" border="0" id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5716532654485796690" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjCr2VK63FGITaoZ8Y0ENLnM51EBf_bRAy-OIK56KWgCnSD3JqLC_SaKYm2Y_2GubuutO8NOsPsH1XAr413P6-yAMYbmN9sgipqMO2yPTzTneph_uhcI0zI9wbuAoy6r3V99blq/s400/plume.jpg" style="cursor: hand; cursor: pointer; float: right; height: 200px; margin: 0 0 10px 10px; width: 300px;" /></a>For a play that has to have been largely conceived in 2009 (as it was a runner up in the Tron's Open.Stage playwriting competition), "Plume" remains remarkably topical. The events over Lockerbie on 21 December 1988 are burned into the memory of most Scots who were old enough at the time. I vividly remember the silence that fell over my group of high spirited school friends on hearing the news as we left a school disco. I can't even begin to imagine how it must feel for those who lost loved ones or were in Lockerbie that evening to have to live with the memories of that night. That's possibly why JC Marshall's play seems to have got in my head more than most.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />While the real world dramatis personae aren't named within the play, Marshall makes no attempt to distance it from the Lockerbie bombing and the subsequent release of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi on compassionate grounds. It's an approach that while adding to the weight of the work also seems to me to hamper it significantly as most of the audience will already have considered these exact circumstances and decided which side of the fence they stand on. Perhaps a fictionalised version would have left audiences more open to (re)considering their attitudes.<br /><br />Mr Peters (Sylvester McCoy), still grieving for the loss of his son William and infuriated by this latest act of (in)justice, and his former pupil Maller (Gemma McElhinney) each make their case for/against the bomber's release, but many aspects are dropped too quickly - particularly the suggestion that Scotland can make claim to being an inherently merciful and compassionate nation. A suggestion which doesn't exactly tally with the opinion polls of the nation at the time of Abdelbaset al-Megrahi's release.<br /><br />Marshall's choices for Finn Den Hertog's characters left me puzzled. Featuring William in flashbacks worked well but the use of his childhood imaginary friend, Alby, rather than just William's spirit/essence/ghost seems to add an unnecessary level of complexity. And the play's sustained 'bird' imagery didn't really work for me, feeling forced at times. Even with McCoy's compelling performance, his 'version' of what happened in the sky that night left me unmoved, although Waldorf was more convinced by it. <br /><br />For me, the play's strength actually lies away from its 'issues' and in the relationship between Maller and Mr Peters. Here we have the demonstration of faith, hopes and disappointments that really got to me and that draws the elements of the play together. It doesn't matter whether either individually or collectively we can act compassionately - just aspiring to do so, or having others believe in us is sometimes enough.<br /><br />Despite its flaws, I found "Plume" to be a powerful and emotional piece of theatre, just not in the way I expected it to be. <br /><br /><span style="font-style: italic;">We received our tickets for the show through our membership of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/">Tron's Patrons scheme</a> which we thoroughly recommend for anyone who is a regular attendee at the Tron.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/plume-28/">Plume runs at the Tron until 17th March.</a><br />Image by John Johnston used with permission.</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-779554221931479612012-02-26T19:45:00.002+00:002012-02-26T19:51:21.034+00:00Getting back up and running...Illness (our own and other people's) severely restricted our theatregoing in November & December. Nothing serious, but the potential blows from people sitting near us as we coughed our way through shows may well have turned out to be life-threatening. <br /><br />We missed two of the three Christmas shows we had booked ('Mister Merlin' at the Tron and 'Robinson Crusoe' at the Clyde Auditorium) but we did manage to get fit enough to enjoy 'Wicked Christmas' at the Citizens. We also made it to the National Theatre of Scotland's 'Staging the Nation' event at the Kings in Glasgow on the theme of 'Pantomime & Variety' which made for an entertaining afternoon.<br /><br />We'd hoped to recharge and reboot with a quiet January but events conspired against us. And with me spending more time in doctor's surgeries than theatres in February, it's taken until now for us to get our 2012 theatre trips up and running.<br /><br />We're looking forward to seeing "Plume" at the Tron this week and although work may get in the way, I'm hopeful of catching Oran Mor's 250th play - "The Jean-Jacques Rousseau Show". <br /><br />We've not really had the chance to look further ahead than that as yet but we'll try to post a preview of our plans in the next week or so. And we will eventually get round to writing up a Review of the Year for 2011.<br /><span class="fullpost"></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-25626314929521511612011-10-24T22:25:00.002+01:002011-10-25T00:25:41.602+01:00"Saturday Night" - October 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HxlR3FoVHClKGNwXo22FsjMffTSARdh6asoeLEHN0xvzJMi2R3W3IrSvcQzX6MrFwb78hvGD0VwM_iOEfg6DG5qzz4j6sxrAq2VkIxnzz6QlWRXmgx8Jz3p3MnjJI_s2nwS-/s1600/saturdaynight.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj3HxlR3FoVHClKGNwXo22FsjMffTSARdh6asoeLEHN0xvzJMi2R3W3IrSvcQzX6MrFwb78hvGD0VwM_iOEfg6DG5qzz4j6sxrAq2VkIxnzz6QlWRXmgx8Jz3p3MnjJI_s2nwS-/s400/saturdaynight.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5667172678893137954" /></a>Back in 2009 <a href="http://www.vanishing-point.org">Vanishing Point</a> gave us a very different theatre experience with <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2009/04/interiors-april-2009.html">"Interiors"</a> - a show where all the action took place behind a glass wall which allowed the audience to see, but not hear, the characters. "Saturday Night" pushes the concept further - we see more (three rooms instead of one) but hear less (there's no external voiceover this time round) - and the events are much more surreal. What hasn't changed is the way it absolutely captivates an audience.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />"Saturday Night" makes significant demands on the attention of its audience as they work out what to take from the silent interactions on stage - often in more than one room simultaneously. But all that effort doesn't go unrewarded. <br /><br />As the show is in part a puzzle, and in part open to interpretation, I'm not going to talk about the characters or the 'plot' - other than to praise what is a fine acting ensemble. I'll also add that it features the most oppressive sense of foreboding I've felt in the theatre for a long time - I'm not sure I'd want to see a Vanishing Point show where their main aim was to scare an audience. That's a lie. I'd love to see that show.<br /><br />So, and let me be clear about this, I thought this was a spellbinding and wonderfully entertaining piece of theatre. And in many ways that's where this post should end. My problem is that I'm not convinced the show 'does exactly what it says on the tin' or in this case, in the programme notes. The programme and publicity material suggest they were aiming to create a show where the audience would use their imagination to interpret what they saw on stage, and I don't think that was achieved to any great extent. The performances are so well crafted that there's rarely much room for interpretation in individual moments. Yes, there are some details that require leaps of imagination <span style="font-style:italic;">(did I see a pizza being ordered by phone after it had already arrived?)</span> but the central narrative is really only open to two possibilities. You either 'get it' or you don't . And if you don't, there aren't really (m)any alternatives that an imagination, however vivid, is likely to come up with. Leaving an audience divided ino those who 'got it' and those left thinking "what the hell was that?". And while the vast majority of those sitting around me in the theatre definitely 'got it', there were a noticeable minority who really didn't. I'm fine with that - I'm just not sure director Matthew Lenton and the Vanishing Point team would be. <br /> <br />Saturday Night completes its tour this week with dates at <a href="http://www.eden-court.co.uk/whats-on/shows/saturday-night">Eden Court, Inverness on 26th/27th October</a> and at the <a href="http://www.traverse.co.uk/whats-on/saturday-night/">Traverse, Edinburgh on 29th/30th.</a><br />Saturday Night is a co-production between Vanishing Point, Tramway, Teatro Nacional São João, Centro Cultural Vila Flor - Teatro Oficina, Sao Luiz Teatro Municipal.<br />Image by Joao Tuna/TNSJ used with permission.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-8293259705929761512011-10-20T22:53:00.001+01:002011-10-21T09:49:52.156+01:00"Juicy Fruits" - October 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRGD4bM9vTzcWG4y5Gy8Fd6Rgdtmk69gZIWQsTy8uWVQOL3HUmEabap3pRotTZcTkgBNQfNC_w9agp158E_nN-xoYAGgjy_ymU3yar9kiQWjsdDmxnwZrPUQ3N89-aMZ84Zcg/s1600/Juicy+Fruits.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhtRGD4bM9vTzcWG4y5Gy8Fd6Rgdtmk69gZIWQsTy8uWVQOL3HUmEabap3pRotTZcTkgBNQfNC_w9agp158E_nN-xoYAGgjy_ymU3yar9kiQWjsdDmxnwZrPUQ3N89-aMZ84Zcg/s400/Juicy+Fruits.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665690057104932114" /></a>It's been quite a while since I last made it along to Oran Mor's "A Play, A Pie & A Pint" lunchtime shows - and if I'm honest waiting one more week might not have been a bad idea. It's never a good sign when it's twenty minutes in and I'm glancing at my watch.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Leo Butler's play throws together two old friends meeting up for the first time in several years - Lorna is struggling as a new mum and Nina's finding it difficult to readjust to 'normality' after spending time saving the Orang Utans. But could there just possibly be more than meets the eye to Nina's decision to come home? Yawn. It's all a bit by-the-numbers, and even a coup-de-theatre that brilliantly moves the action to the jungle can't save the show.<br /><br />There are a few nice barbs thrown about between the friends, and Clare Waugh makes Lorna a believable anchor in what is otherwise a pretty 'out there' show. Denise Hoey avoids making Nina 'Central Casting cooky' and instead gives her an edge that creates just enough doubt that she intends to harm, rather than simply wake Lorna's baby when she shakes his buggy. But there are too many gaps in their character's motivations to allow us to relate to their choices.<br /><br />In fairness, others seemed to enjoy it more than I did, but at times I do feel the Play, Pie, Pint audiences can be generous to a fault.<br /><br />Juicy Fruits is a co-production with <a href="http://www.painesplough.com/">Paines Plough</a>. It runs at <a href="http://playpiepint.com/">Oran Mor</a> until Saturday 22nd October before visiting Edinburgh's <a href="http://www.traverse.co.uk">Traverse</a>, <a href="http://www.royalexchangetheatre.org.uk/page.aspx">Manchester Royal Exchange</a> & <a href="http://www.belgrade.co.uk">Coventry's Belgrade Theatre</a>.<br />Image by Leslie Black Photography used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-79638867933415775902011-10-20T21:40:00.001+01:002011-10-20T21:41:27.491+01:00"Days of Wine and Roses" - October 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWwBLypY5VqhYm9uOPtoCL6ETg6omoYSbfLhueIlQarxWaO48OhxdVWOXj-TAxuPpnHZ-fXbCpCtYB4q6jqwECrHkC4psBOZm0KuP4G-YILBI0ciJQXCC2abRGnfD5K4BWEFc/s1600/wine+and+roses.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjyWwBLypY5VqhYm9uOPtoCL6ETg6omoYSbfLhueIlQarxWaO48OhxdVWOXj-TAxuPpnHZ-fXbCpCtYB4q6jqwECrHkC4psBOZm0KuP4G-YILBI0ciJQXCC2abRGnfD5K4BWEFc/s400/wine+and+roses.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5665657271589199762" /></a>At a time when the role of alcohol in Scottish society is under increased scrutiny, the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/">Tron</a> & Theatre Jezebel deliver a devastating reminder of its impact on an individual level. So much so, that I wouldn't be surprised if the Tron notice a dip in post-show takings at the bar - on schoolnights at least. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The typical 'stage drunk' played for comic effect is almost totally absent in director Kenny Miller's production of Owen McCafferty's version of JP Miller's original play - we witness far more of the 'morning afters' than the 'night befores'. With a two hour runtime this could easily become heavy going for the audience. But the initial charm of the young Belfast couple goes a long way and Keith Fleming and Sally Reid's performances are compelling as Donal and Mona's lives fall apart. <br /><br />Kenny Miller's direction effectively evokes time and location, but the pacing may have benefited from moving the interval back a scene or two. On paper, it would be tempting to dismiss the play's recurring use of racing great 'Arkle' as a timeline for the couple's relationship as faintly ridiculous, but Fleming's delivery exudes so much love and belief in the horse that it adds greatly to his connection with the audience.<br /><br />I can't pretend that this is a fun night out, but it is unquestionably serious theatre of the highest quality.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">We received our tickets for the show through our membership of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/">Tron's Patrons scheme</a> which we thoroughly recommend for anyone who is a regular attendee at the Tron.</span> <br /><br />We'd also like to mention how impressed we were with the way the Tron front of house staff dealt promptly, professionally and sensitively with a medical emergency in the audience shortly before the start of the show.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/days_of_wine_and_roses/">Days of Wine and Roses runs at the Tron until 29th October</a><br />Image by John Johnston used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-12172544427051594602011-10-17T19:40:00.002+01:002011-10-17T19:42:13.655+01:00Getting back on the theatrical (pantomime?) horse...After having our Fringe plans for the last week of August decimated by coming down with a nasty bug/cold/manflu (delete as applicable / perm any 2 from 3), we were both left feeling under the weather for the entirety of September. And nodding off most nights before 9pm wasn't exactly conducive to our theatre plans. <br /><br />But we've finally got our energy and enthusiasm back and we'll have a few shows to post about in the next week or so.Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-82256542752760269972011-09-14T23:16:00.000+01:002011-09-15T22:49:25.180+01:00"Legally Blonde - The Musical" (UK Tour) - September 2011We often enjoy a trip to a musical on our occasional visits to London, but we tend to be wary about the touring versions of the shows. We've always been worried that they are scaled down versions with a second string cast, squeezed into spaces they weren't really designed for. Legally Blonde may just have changed that.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Its songs didn't leave us rushing home to buy the soundtrack CD, some of the lyrics may be of questionable quality, and the 'plot' is wafer thin. But none of that matters when it explodes with such energy, its cast are top class, and the whole show is fun - with an enormous pink and fluffy capital <b><span class="Apple-style-span"><font color="#FF3399">F</font></span></b>.<br /><br />Faye Brookes gives an impressive vocal performance, lighting up the stage as Elle and along with Iwan Lewis' Emmett ensures that the audience is cheering for the inevitable happy ending. Liz McLarnon is one of the production's main attractions and although her stage time as Paulette is fairly limited, she makes every moment count. A special mention also for Hannah Grover as fitness guru Brooke Wyndham and the ensemble for the magnificent choreography in "Whipped Into Shape" which is undoubtedly the greatest dance number I've seen in any show. And of course they are all upstaged by the dogs (and Waldorf says 'and the thighs').<br /><br /><a href="http://www.legallyblondethemusical.co.uk/tour/">Legally Blonde - The Musical on Tour</a> runs at the <a href="http://www.edinburghplayhouse.org.uk/prod-productions_details.asp?pid=2983&VenueID=93">Edinburgh Playhouse until the 17th of September</a> and then continues on a <a href="http://www.legallyblondethemusical.co.uk/tour/tour-dates/">national tour</a> including Birmingham, Manchester, Belfast and Aberdeen<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-56358661928073835982011-08-24T23:30:00.003+01:002011-08-24T23:37:05.151+01:00"David Leddy's Untitled Love Story" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiLfcS8RRL9MhP6a4e1JVDa2UBkDNzHSvUwHlrzZlKN4zN2KaqLavyXvg4CKXTbqolBPtyztgRj0i1oF7YwJX8UTFoxJzeXOyWgR8XrRHKMUTPIYOen1E9ZTMYn9f9KNmRW6P/s1600/UntitledLoveStory.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEixiLfcS8RRL9MhP6a4e1JVDa2UBkDNzHSvUwHlrzZlKN4zN2KaqLavyXvg4CKXTbqolBPtyztgRj0i1oF7YwJX8UTFoxJzeXOyWgR8XrRHKMUTPIYOen1E9ZTMYn9f9KNmRW6P/s400/UntitledLoveStory.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644555176560518482" /></a>It's been almost two weeks since we saw the show, but I've wanted to allow some time to reflect on it. The question isn't whether it worked for me or not - it didn't. What I've been desperately trying to do is work out <span style="font-style:italic;">why</span> it didn't work for me. And I'm not sure I'm any closer to doing that...<span class="fullpost">
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<br />David Leddy has shown before in "Sub Rosa" and "White Tea" that he can transport an audience a century into the past or halfway across the planet , but "Untitled Love Story" never gave me any sense of Venice. Yes, there are references to the church of Santa Maria della Salute and the Grand Canal but there was no sense of time or space created. Venice should have been the show's fifth character, yet its appearances are only fleeting.
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<br />The show's guided meditation elements break up an already fractured narrative and are an acquired taste. One, I'm afraid I grew tired of long before acquiring. Of course, that's <span style="font-style:italic;">my</span> problem and not the show's, but I doubt I was alone in the audience. What I can't fault are the performances from Keith Fleming, Robin Laing, Adura Onoshile and Morag Stark - yet I cared so little about their characters that only Laing's "Priest" managed to retain my interest to the end.
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<br />And now I've got a problem. Because I'm not confident enough in my recollection of the show to comment much further. But then, perhaps that speaks more strongly about it than anything I could say.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/david-leddy-s-untitled-love-story">David Leddy's Untitled Love Story runs at St Georges West until Monday 29th August.</a>
<br />Image by Tim Morozzo used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-70272822982079844532011-08-24T20:18:00.003+01:002011-08-24T23:06:44.111+01:00"Remember This" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CgiJTP1LqbzjuU91QXWbQC3vdr-JLUtNbrGD59uipz7alQy-DtuzhF_d4MwttKx1VrrbAtphw8hR898h0Y6ZMSksLpoIUYMkHyco1agg5Zp4qswZUoSX8KWGpYh7VerXrq57/s1600/RememberThis.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh6CgiJTP1LqbzjuU91QXWbQC3vdr-JLUtNbrGD59uipz7alQy-DtuzhF_d4MwttKx1VrrbAtphw8hR898h0Y6ZMSksLpoIUYMkHyco1agg5Zp4qswZUoSX8KWGpYh7VerXrq57/s400/RememberThis.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5644546830853651810" /></a>For a variety of reasons (some relating to the play and some due to an on-coming head cold) I'll keep this one short and sweet. Written by Florence Vincent and Lizzie Bourne, "Remember This" is an engaging show with a well judged balance of light and dark. Annie Hardy's direction deftly handles a number of potential hazards, if perhaps signposting things from a little too early on. Daisy Badger gives a well crafted and considered performance as Helen while Paul Brotherston takes a more natural approach and brilliantly succeeds in making Nick the most believable character I've seen at the Fringe this year. In a supporting but crucial role, Emma Friedman-Cohen is tasked with a number of scenes that could make or break the show and sells them beautifully every time.
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<br />The Fringe is full of small scale personal dramas; few will pack the emotional punch of "Remember This"
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<br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Lastly, a bit of housekeeping. We have a policy of not accepting press tickets, but we're happy to take advantage of any offers available to the general public, and in this case I received a free ticket through the <a href="http://www.theatreninjas.co.uk/">Theatre Ninjas</a> website.</span>
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/remember-this">Remember This runs at Bedlam until Saturday 27th August
<br /></a>Image by Dan Harris used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-26041717267005433402011-08-23T00:01:00.001+01:002011-08-23T00:19:42.856+01:00"Viewless" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE55sHx35X0LqvlqJ-1mYZpM3IDeaEBGCmaZ3an_0-l669FF2S-uCsH5VUD4R7s0o_oJFM0hq2cTAaydj81lf7uNZT6zubpVf9wlhaBi1ZGj5ncH2W5mKYwRk6hyWH70NGnFaM/s1600/Viewless.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 198px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhE55sHx35X0LqvlqJ-1mYZpM3IDeaEBGCmaZ3an_0-l669FF2S-uCsH5VUD4R7s0o_oJFM0hq2cTAaydj81lf7uNZT6zubpVf9wlhaBi1ZGj5ncH2W5mKYwRk6hyWH70NGnFaM/s400/Viewless.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643820353301531874" /></a>There's a significant disconnect between the show and its <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/viewless">blurb</a> in the programme. What sounds like a fairly subtle, if humourous, take on witness protection is in fact an absurd comedy set in a fantastical realm a la <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wonderland_(fictional_country)">Wonderland</a> / <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Wonderful_World_of_Dissocia">Dissocia</a> / <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Neverwhere">Neverwhere</a> (choose your own pop culture reference). Sometimes daft (funny); sometimes daft (stupid). Often funny (ha ha); occasionally funny (odd). Always entertaining. Ultimately disappointing. <span class="fullpost">
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<br />There are some great set piece moments, but too often they feel like they have been bolted-on to get a laugh and lack any relevance to rest of the show. When it does focus the audience attention on the impact being placed in witness protection has on a person, it only serves to highlight wasted opportunities elsewhere.
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<br />Fortunately, the production has plenty of tricks up its sleeve to distract from its failings in the shape of superb sound and video effects. It also benefits greatly from three fine performances from Finn Den Hertog, Robbie Jack and Richard Addison.
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<br />"Viewless" may fail to explore the depths its subject deserves, but if you accept it for what it is, it will reward you with a slick and polished hour of entertainment.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/viewless">Viewless runs at Hill Street Theatre until 29th August (not 24th)</a>
<br />Image used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-80327659165888833362011-08-22T23:15:00.000+01:002011-08-23T00:06:19.965+01:00"Hairy Maclary" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd7NyZbRqWspbXN0xaAFUR1ETwFLIIIqcBdC3zOD_RVNtKyUsp-coJKTiEr4XbiKWU5jfxtqBFzkEye7-BHwoqZoEErkU03WwYL5FiE5aY6yQt7ubalvgUyHnKmK4wNLpPmQA/s1600/HairyMaclary.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 134px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiHd7NyZbRqWspbXN0xaAFUR1ETwFLIIIqcBdC3zOD_RVNtKyUsp-coJKTiEr4XbiKWU5jfxtqBFzkEye7-BHwoqZoEErkU03WwYL5FiE5aY6yQt7ubalvgUyHnKmK4wNLpPmQA/s400/HairyMaclary.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5643811525552221794" /></a>We tend not to review children's shows for the simple reason of not having ready access to small people. However a day out with some friends, who happen to have an almost 3 year old* and a 5 year old, gave us the perfect excuse to visit <a href="http://www.nonsenseroom.co.uk">Nonsenseroom Productions's</a> Hairy Maclary. As unashamed fans of their productions for an older audience we were keen to see what they produced for the wee ones.<span class="fullpost">
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<br />I think the show can be best summed up with some quotes from the target audience. "Excellent" said the 5 year old (although worryingly he did want to know after the show if they were real dogs - they're not), and our almost 3 year old* visitor wanted to "take the doggies home". Her mum is considering a repeat visit if it tours near her.
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<br />At an hour long we had wondered how well it would hold the attention of both big and small but there are no worries on that front. Nonsenseroom have put together a show that moves at a nice pace, intertwining 4 or so of the tales with songs and audience participation so there's always something new for the little ones to look at or be involved with. For our two guests there was rapt attention - even sitting near the back of the large auditorium. For the grown ups there's no attempt to work at two different levels, it's very much a children's show; but helping the little ones join in with the actions and songs certainly brings out your inner child. Apparently I can pant well...
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<br />Carrie Mancini and Mat Urey, as the main human characters, do a great job keeping control of an audience that certainly isn't into sitting quietly. Audience interaction is built in to give them plenty of chances to release that noise in a (semi)controlled manner. The 'canine' cast bound around the stage with such energy that makes you tired just watching them and the songs and music are catchy enough to earworm you for the rest of the day. It helps that most of the children and their adults are familiar with the books and the characters from countless bedtime retellings. I think the man behind me had them all memorised.
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<br />My one criticism would be the size/type of venue. Although it's a nice 'proper' theatre with good raking we had the children on our knees for whole show, as if they'd been in their own seats visibility would definitely have been a problem. I may be being too harsh here as our children had no problem joining in, but I did feel they would have benefited from being a little closer to the action.
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<br />And I can't stop singing "Hairy Maclary...from Donaldson's Dairy".
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<br />*Yes we know that makes her two, but she'd give us into trouble for not pointing out that she's very nearly three, apparently you want to be older when you're that age. And she's scary when she's grumpy.
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<br />Hairy Maclary has completed its run at the Fringe but now begins an <a href="http://nonsenseroom.co.uk/wp/hairy-maclary-friends/">extensive tour</a> including London and locations around the UK.
<br />Image used with permission
<br /></span>Waldorfhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/01758417017426813712noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-86794587357849454692011-08-14T18:30:00.003+01:002011-08-14T18:54:13.249+01:00"Handling Bach" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011Forget any assumptions you may have made about a play based on a fictional account of a meeting between composers Handel and Bach. A meeting that never happened. The most important thing you need to know is that Paul Barz's play (translated by David Bryer) is a comedy. And a very funny one at that. Music lovers will undoubtedly get more out of the piece, but we know even less about music than we do about theatre, and we enjoyed this immensely. Having had the misfortune to encounter the <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/06/yes-prime-minister-june-2011.html">stage version of "Yes, Prime Minister"</a> recently, it was a joy to see something here that approaches the charm and wit of the original TV series. Think of Handel as Sir Humphrey, Bach as Jim Hacker with Handel's deadpan servant Schmidt as Bernard and you'll get an idea of the show's tone.<span class="fullpost">
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<br />But it would be a mistake to dismiss it as inconsequential gentle humour. For part of the second act, the laughs take a back seat as Handel and Bach's initially polite chat develops into a 'frank exchange of views'. There's also a very contemporary discussion on the value society places on art and artists; and of the nature of celebrity.
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<br />James Bryce makes Handel a larger than life character, but it's clear there are layers to him that Bryce skillfully strips back as the evening progresses. As Bach, Simon Tate gives a wonderfully subtle performance: much of it with mere glances, while Andrew Dallmeyer completes the cast as Schmidt and is in danger of stealing just about every scene he's in. Bruce Strachan's direction in-the-round ensures a lively pace for what could otherwise be a rather sedentary piece and makes great use of <a href="http://www.rosslynchapel.org.uk/">Rosslyn Chapel's</a> acoustics.
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<br />As the play takes place over a dinner shared by the characters, we advise eating beforehand to avoid becoming too envious as they tuck into a veritable feast. A post show enquiry revealed that this is prepared for each performance by Mike Osborne & Cathie Owen; and that although most was exactly as it appeared, what had been passed off as 'oysters' on stage was in fact a rather less appetising alternative.
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<br />Seeing this show from <a href="http://nonsenseroom.co.uk/wp/">Nonsense Room</a> does require a bit of effort due to its location outside of central Edinburgh, but there is a good bus service and it can be combined with a visit to the chapel during the afternoon and a meal nearby before the evening performance.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/handling-bach">Handling Bach runs at Rosslyn Chapel until Saturday 20th August
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<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-40158770199184871452011-08-13T17:14:00.003+01:002011-08-14T00:06:30.722+01:00"Death Song" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWiDnUbABfzUu_XUNcg9lzN6nboeSqGJphSss-EmVNZKKdENcGN1CZ-TomSGvLah1og8r9SADNVbUYY9ng4ji3ePQ0SyLZBrd0ftz9gvARnGOz4f9lDuztDLU1iViQafyJHid/s1600/DeathSong.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 207px; height: 275px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjYWiDnUbABfzUu_XUNcg9lzN6nboeSqGJphSss-EmVNZKKdENcGN1CZ-TomSGvLah1og8r9SADNVbUYY9ng4ji3ePQ0SyLZBrd0ftz9gvARnGOz4f9lDuztDLU1iViQafyJHid/s400/DeathSong.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5640367015456369618" /></a><a href="http://youneedme.org.uk/">You Need Me</a> should seriously consider if the Fringe is the best way to showcase their work. For any theatre company bringing a show to Edinburgh there will inevitably be compromises that have to be made due to the performance space and tight running time. And You Need Me's shows are so lovingly crafted that it's distressing to see the finished product with metaphorical corners knocked off or chips to the paintwork. This is a beautiful piece of theatre, and it has the potential to be much more. In many respects it is simply <span style="font-style:italic;">too good</span> for the Fringe.<span class="fullpost">
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<br />In what has to be one of Edinburgh's smallest performance spaces (the usual 'toilet' and 'car' based shows excepted) the show shoehorns in a cast of five, a cellist and sound equipment. Although the cast are rarely (if ever) all on stage simultaneously, it only takes three to make things look cluttered - and in a show with such a focus on movement and physicality, anything affecting its aesthetics is unfortunate.
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<br />The difficulties created by the restricted space are mitigated by having the cast spill into and through the audience at times, and for those who watch them, it creates some wonderfully unexpected moments. But on looking round, it was clear that most of the audience continued to stare straight ahead at the stage - <span style="font-style:italic;">we suggest sitting at least half way up the raked seating as you'll then be able to view the scenes that spill up the aisle and at the rear without craning your neck too badly.</span>
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<br />The strict 'timeslot' also impacts on a show that feels somewhat curtailed - with a final reveal that seems more suited as a turning point in a longer show. And there is certainly the scope to build on the material here - indeed as it stands we are deprived of what could be one of the story's most powerful moments. We'll avoid talking about the plot here as its incremental storytelling could easily be spoiled by knowing too much in advance - and we'd urge caution when reading reviews elsewhere.
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<br />The ensemble cast give carefully constructed performances - Heriberto Montalban strikes the perfect note of helplessness and frustration during Juan's prison scenes with the underused Rosamond Martin's sympathetic teacher. Roger Ribo makes his character's interest in Juan's daughter Paulina suitably uncomfortable to watch, while the portrayal of the developing relationship between Paulina (Miren Alcala) and Juan's new girlfriend (Fran Moulds) is particularly touching. The cast's clever use of self-generated sound effects add a nice element to Greg Hall's musical accompaniment without becoming a distraction.
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<br />This isn't a show for everyone - its complex chronological structure demands effort from an audience, and it won't meet the 'fun night out' criteria of many casual Fringe-goers. However, for those who like their theatre to be artistic and intelligent, but with an honesty and simplicity that lacks pretension, I doubt there are many shows they will find as rewarding as Death Song. And despite my original comment about You Need Me needing to find better ways to present their work, if they keep coming to the Fringe, we'll definitely keep buying tickets.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/death-song">Death Song runs at Udderbelly's Pasture until 28th August (not 15th)</a>
<br />Image used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-21459771844220781562011-08-11T21:30:00.001+01:002011-08-11T21:33:36.510+01:00"After the End" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8GiOboLCNlKVDGkI0SFjFZKOKvErNOCR39O_ghKJ5-QL6cL6nAeDQcu8qSVMkzhyg_iLQX9tO-uxEIk4p-j58j0-91rfnizcZhk22BB_rofP5SJcpfV_Nq2sO4AQpK2VpTES/s1600/aftertheend.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 166px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgY8GiOboLCNlKVDGkI0SFjFZKOKvErNOCR39O_ghKJ5-QL6cL6nAeDQcu8qSVMkzhyg_iLQX9tO-uxEIk4p-j58j0-91rfnizcZhk22BB_rofP5SJcpfV_Nq2sO4AQpK2VpTES/s400/aftertheend.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639697206154349314" /></a>Dennis Kelly's "After the End" is perfectly suited to the Fringe. While many shows struggle to overcome the restrictions of their performance space, it doesn't require much of a leap of the imagination to turn a Fringe venue into a dark, underground, claustrophobic nuclear shelter. In fact, should the 'Bomb' go up on a day I'm in Edinburgh, I've mentally filed the nearby 'Pleasance Underneath' as the place to head for.
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<br />That's the situation facing Louise as she wakes to find herself in the fall-out shelter Mark has brought her to after a nuclear explosion that took place during her work leaving do. It was lucky for Louise that Mark's flat had this relic from the cold war - and that he'd kept it stocked up. All they have to do is wait two weeks for the fall-out to pass before emerging from the shelter to the devastation Mark has told her about. That shouldn't be too hard - after all, they like each other. But control freak Mark doesn't think Louise appreciates what he's done for her. And Louise doesn't like being told what to do. Two weeks is suddenly a very long time.
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<br />Tony McGeever and Helen Darbyshire give impressive performances that develop as each character lurches between moments of power and vulnerability. Kelly's writing feels like it wants to use the individuals to make a wider statement about society - contrasting the paranoid, untrusting Mark who feels undervalued by his peers, with the open and popular Louise. It doesn't quite work for me, largely because I think it leads to Kelly making the wrong choices for the play. His decision as to which character's position is vindicated misses the opportunity to really ask uncomfortable questions of its audience. The play also doesn't know when to end - the long walk back from the 'Pleasance Baby Grand' affords the opportunity to listen in on audience reactions, and there were a lot of comments that the show didn't benefit from its final scene.
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<br /><a href="https://tickets.dundeerep.co.uk/public/default.asp?interface=1">Dundee Rep's</a> show works fantastically well as a character study, and builds the tension well. Just don't spend too much time analysing it afterwards, or the fairly significant plot hole will start to irritate.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/after-the-end">After the End runs at the Pleasance Courtyard until 28th August</a>
<br />Image by Douglas Robertson used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-23276537367747253072011-08-11T20:40:00.001+01:002011-08-11T20:44:03.303+01:00"Cul-De-Sac" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnjEz-dp5UokB-_zJ-HUQ77fdTGTiP5XOawHnsgTI7Le93eEJmE8OEZbq1G_R1JuLCnPS1x0Mr7rp9zBHkT-jGlIipn5wgnilIUCPgOg6oV46iJj4SKJScZgV2-m7LTehogYs/s1600/culdesac.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 184px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhwnjEz-dp5UokB-_zJ-HUQ77fdTGTiP5XOawHnsgTI7Le93eEJmE8OEZbq1G_R1JuLCnPS1x0Mr7rp9zBHkT-jGlIipn5wgnilIUCPgOg6oV46iJj4SKJScZgV2-m7LTehogYs/s400/culdesac.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639682161540679826" /></a>There may be those that will argue that this is pretty slight stuff; that middle class suburbia is an easy target; or point to the audience's tentative response to some of the less politic views expressed by the characters. But none of that matters. What matters is that it's funny.
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<br />When Tim (Alan Francis) moved his family into the Cul-De-Sac in search of a better quality of life, he wasn't expecting just how far the influence of community idol Tony would impact on his family. We never meet Tony, but we learn all about him through Tim's new neighbour Nigel (Mike Hayley) and local GP Dr Cole (Toby Longworth). Francis and Hayley bring their obvious comic talents to the piece, but it's Longworth who gets the chance to really show what else he's capable off. "Menacing" doesn't come close to covering it - he wouldn't be out of place as a playful psychopath in the next series of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Luther_(TV_series)">Luther</a>. There's a great deal of skill in the writing too - including a gag that takes a long time to develop but pays off brilliantly with one of the funniest fight scenes you're likely to see at this year's Fringe.
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<br />I suspect word of mouth is already spreading about this one - on a wet Wednesday afternoon I bought the last ticket an hour before the show.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/cul-de-sac">Cul-De-Sac runs at the Pleasance Courtyard until 28th August (not 15th or 22nd)</a>
<br />Image used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-21282964045829536392011-08-11T00:35:00.003+01:002011-08-11T20:05:22.338+01:00"Rose" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IzDKBydYf-ADbQ7bIdMUmDbmirePRFhkPMp-hZbNmnexC0kOpTKiFu70UTrVabEXw024Etdz83uoBgSXfRmuCH1emokN9Q_SiubhDy0paNeLBIRdVy4cjGo2ViB7oWcyChV2/s1600/rosemalik.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 251px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1IzDKBydYf-ADbQ7bIdMUmDbmirePRFhkPMp-hZbNmnexC0kOpTKiFu70UTrVabEXw024Etdz83uoBgSXfRmuCH1emokN9Q_SiubhDy0paNeLBIRdVy4cjGo2ViB7oWcyChV2/s400/rosemalik.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5639676425197343442" /></a>This show is full of surprises. Firstly, it's a proper play. With a proper set. At the Fringe. <span style="font-style:italic;">At the Pleasance!</span> Secondly, despite being promoted as "starring Keira & Art Malik", the performance of Keira Malik quickly dispels any suspicions of 'stunt casting'. Lastly, and most importantly, it completely challenged my preconceptions of a show examining the tensions between 1st and 2nd generation immigrants within a family.<span class="fullpost">
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<br />Hywel John's play takes that already complex father/daughter relationship and adds an alcohol problem and a wife/mother who died giving birth. All this could easily overwhelm the characterisations, but John's writing carefully balances the 'issues' with moments that remind the audience these are people. And that they matter.
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<br />Art Malik gives the performance the audience is hoping to see from an actor of his standing, both as the young father and as his hospitalised older incarnation. As his daughter, Keira Malik gives a performance every bit as impressive. Her portrayal of the very young Rose is sensational, giving her clear childlike qualities without delivering a cartoon style interpretation of a child. Both actors enable the humour in the writing to come from the characters without forcing it or allowing it to dominate the play's tone.
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<br />This is very close to being a show audiences will leave raving about, but at the very last moment it loses its way and instead many (us included) were left a little confused by the final scene. A quick read of the script book and chat over a coffee and we think we understand it now - and in fact we were in danger of over-complicating things. As it would only require changing a line or two to provide the required clarity, we hope this might be addressed as the run progresses.<span style="font-style:italic;"> (We saw the show on Sunday 7th)</span>
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/rose-starring-keira-and-art-malik">Rose runs at the Pleasance Courtyard until 29th August (not the 16th)</a>
<br />Image used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-61025351927422134212011-08-10T00:05:00.004+01:002011-08-10T00:11:11.901+01:00"The World According to Bertie" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTx6BjQGh0A-R6G7s_Sau_5rF53whNKIHWWMuq-UbTprF3rRrUZbJ0b4YqX5AyDvO9N1U5vWZHEaNRo8UJQjoCKC1yejlvDAum8WDWXtEskznFNNoFw1ETNJRSNMoM-VtQeS8/s1600/bertie.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 218px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgLTx6BjQGh0A-R6G7s_Sau_5rF53whNKIHWWMuq-UbTprF3rRrUZbJ0b4YqX5AyDvO9N1U5vWZHEaNRo8UJQjoCKC1yejlvDAum8WDWXtEskznFNNoFw1ETNJRSNMoM-VtQeS8/s400/bertie.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638997689087158354" /></a>Those of you reading this review will almost certainly fall into one of two camps. One group who have read <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/44_Scotland_Street">Alexander McCall Smith's '44 Scotland Street' </a>stories and want to know how true this adaptation is to the novel. The second group needs to be reassured that your lack of knowledge of the books won't prevent you enjoying the show. Between us, Waldorf and I can answer your questions. It's been a while since she read them, but she confirms that Lydia Bruce and Sandy Burns' adaptation remains true to the spirit of the originals. And despite never having encountered the characters before, I absolutely loved it.<span class="fullpost">
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<br />While much of the credit for its success has to go to McCall Smith, adapting such a complex set of interlinking tales could very easily have gone horribly wrong. Bruce & Burns have clearly given much thought to their approach, ensuring that although the central focus is on young Bertie and his family, there's no shortage of stage time for the other characters' stories to be played out. I say 'stage', but that's not really correct. In director Warren Cooper's inspired concept for staging the show, the audience are seated on (surprisingly comfortable) stools while the scenes are presented all around them - with Bertie's bedroom situated right in the middle of them. It's a high risk approach, but it pays off beautifully - giving a real sense of place to each location. The production is also blessed with an impressive cast who pitch their performances perfectly for what must be an awkward venue to perform in.
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<br />This is a charming piece of theatre told with such style that seeing it is a memorable experience. For those of us who don't choose to finish our evenings in Edinburgh with some late night comedy, this is the perfect show to round off your day. And it deserves to have a life far beyond the end of August.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/world-according-to-bertie">The World According to Bertie runs at C Soco until the 29th August with performances at 19:20 and 21:00 each night (not the 15th) </a>
<br />Image used with permission
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-30543325210964030662011-08-08T23:25:00.000+01:002011-08-08T23:26:52.162+01:00"Showchoir! The Musical" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011Although we wouldn't class ourselves as Gleeks, we do enjoy our weekly dose of "Glee", and being quite partial to 'mockumentaries' we should be the perfect audience for the One Academy's "Showchoir! The Musical" (One Academy is a production company set up by the <a href="http://www.rsamd.ac.uk/">RSAMD</a>). So it's surprising that it left us a little disappointed. It's a good, solid, entertaining show but there is a definite 'sparkle' missing.<span class="fullpost">
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<br />Following the "Symphonic Sensations" on their path to glory, the mockumentary element works well and the technique of playing to the audience via large mirrors is surprisingly effective. Unfortunately, as the show progresses, the subjects featured on 'camera' become too wide-ranging with many unnecessarily adding to an already cluttered character set. The plot drags at times and script would benefit from a liberal amount of red ink.
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<br />But the writing's weakness is to the benefit of the cast who grasp the opportunity to play multiple roles with both hands and considerable skill. Vocally, the performances (intentionally or unintentionally) feel like a high school glee club made good rather than what we might expect from the RSAMD. It leaves us questioning the wisdom of featuring the cast in multiple full scale shows (the cast also perform daily in "Sunday in the Park with George").
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<br />In the main, the show is funny in a gentle chortle kind of way but rarely gains the laugh-out-loud moments the concept should be capable of delivering. For hardcore Glee fans this will fill an off-season gap nicely, and for those overwhelmed by the options available in the Fringe programme it makes for a safe, reliable choice. For those looking for something a bit special, this probably isn't the show you are looking for.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/musicals-operas/showchoir-the-musical">Showchoir! The Musical runs at C until 29 August (odd numbered days only)</a>
<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-41686042661610182332011-08-08T18:40:00.001+01:002011-08-08T18:42:52.176+01:00"Commencement" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a href="www.theatrem.com">TheatreM</a> provide an entertaining look at the unforeseen consequences when a group of students follow their teacher’s advice to “Think Global; Act Local”. They're starting a revolution.
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<br />Brent Boyd’s writing is lean and focussed, generating plenty of laughs while making a point or two along the way. As with many 'issue raising' plays it does veer slightly towards the 'preachy' but it isn't a huge problem. The direction from Douglas Lowry and Anne Scarbrough is as slick as you are likely to see in any ‘black box’ space at this year’s Fringe - the large ensemble are perfectly drilled and the moments when our attention shifts to events elsewhere are adeptly handled. The core cast all give strong performances and succeed in creating a believable group of friends (with all the usual internal cliques and rivalries).
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<br />There is a danger that it’s too entertaining for its own good and risks smothering some of the more subtle issues raised. In particular, the students’ claims that the world is a worse place now than when the teacher was their age, don’t quite get the attention they deserve.
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<br />So many shows get the whole ‘darkly comic’ vibe badly wrong, but this one really delivers on both counts.
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<br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/commencement">Commencement runs at C in Chambers Street until 20th August (not 15th) at 1.15pm</a>
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<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-56514276151069441302011-08-08T18:30:00.001+01:002011-08-08T19:52:00.021+01:00"Beef" - Edinburgh Fringe 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnkEcKg-pCH-0BGRBX8pUSB4ieo-Blq9w81yR_Grcs5XQa7DOXeesKbY0SbZTNsPJKZBbRJ00W37DL9b6bBk5NMO-wbKfehna3ff3ApSPkRHVbnVisTdqday-7xcsGPJJ_q7D/s1600/beef.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 240px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhbnkEcKg-pCH-0BGRBX8pUSB4ieo-Blq9w81yR_Grcs5XQa7DOXeesKbY0SbZTNsPJKZBbRJ00W37DL9b6bBk5NMO-wbKfehna3ff3ApSPkRHVbnVisTdqday-7xcsGPJJ_q7D/s400/beef.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5638559808255024802" /></a>In the Fringe programme, "Beef" <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/beef">describes itself</a> as "A witty and radical reinvention of Noah's Ark."
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<br />Not even close. Even for regular theatre and Fringe-goers like us, this was hard going. God help a poor unwary soul looking to fill a gap in their schedule who falls for the publicity. This is the kind of show that gives the Fringe a bad name.
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<br />That sounds dreadfully unfair of us, but we have to report we have absolutely no idea what this was about. We got the 'strangers forced together by circumstance' aspect; we got the 'marriage in trouble' stuff; but the significance of the biblical flooding and the cow related prophecies (yes, really) left us bemused (and in Waldorf's case dozing off).
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<br />And it had all started so promisingly, with a pidgin english retelling of how the post-flood world had taken shape. But once we travel back to the events of that evening, things deteriorate sharply. Why has Mark been chosen to receive visions and lead the small group of survivors? What's his relationship with the pregnant Kate? Why have these people been saved? What's with the wooden boxes? Where did Seb come from? Who was broadcasting details of the group's location on the radio? Why is Friday dying? And why is she called Friday? All these questions and many more won't be answered.
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<br />There is one redeeming element in some effective use of movement and music - but it's nowhere near enough.
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<br />We don't like being so negative about a show, but sometimes it's unavoidable.
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<br />Beef, from <a href="www.newtheatre.org.uk">Nottingham New Theatre</a> runs at <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/beef">C Soco until 29th August</a>
<br />Image used with permission
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<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com3tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-33906335298226149372011-08-08T18:15:00.007+01:002011-08-24T23:50:54.150+01:00Edinburgh Fringe 2011The weather forecast is for rain, rain and more rain. It takes Waldorf an extra 15 minutes to wade through the crowds between her work and Waverley station. Hotel rooms are almost unattainable - and reasonably priced ones most certainly are. It can mean only one thing - the Edinburgh Fringe has started.
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<br />We'll use this post as a kind of index page for our Fringe coverage including links to previous posts and a list of shows as we see them.
<br /><span class="fullpost">
<br /><a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/06/edinburgh-fringe-2011-first-picks.html">Our Fringe 2011 Preview</a>
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<br /><a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2007/06/yes-its-festival-tips-time-again.html">Our tips for Fringe goers</a>
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<br />And here's what we've seen so far:
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<br />Showchoir! The Musical (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/showchoir-musical-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Commencement (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/commencement-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Beef (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/beef-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Rose (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/rose-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />The World According to Bertie (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/world-according-to-bertie-edinburgh.html">review posted</a>)
<br />After the End (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/after-end-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Cul-De-Sac (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/cul-de-sac-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />David Leddy's Untitled Love Story (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/david-leddys-untitled-love-story.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Death Song (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/death-song-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Handling Bach (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/handling-bach-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Hairy Maclary & friends (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/hairy-maclary-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Viewless (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/viewless-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Remember This (<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/08/remember-this-edinburgh-fringe-2011.html">review posted</a>)
<br />Dust (review coming soon)
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<br />We'd also point you in the direction of other sites that will be providing Fringe coverage. Do let us know if we've missed any..
<br /><a href="http://www.threeweeks.co.uk/">Three Weeks</a>
<br /><a href="http://one4review.wordpress.com/">One4Review</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.broadwaybaby.com/">Broadway Baby</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.fringereview.co.uk/">FringeReview</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.edinburgh-festivals.com/">Edinburgh Festivals</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.onstagescotland.co.uk">Onstage Scotland</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.edinburghfestivalpunter.co.uk">Edinburgh Festival Punter</a>
<br /><a href="http://alocalsguidetothefringe.blogspot.com/">A Local's Guide to the Fringe</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.fringeguru.com/">Fringe Guru</a>
<br /><a href="http://www.tvbomb.co.uk/">TVBomb</a>
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<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-854856284202179922011-08-04T22:50:00.004+01:002011-08-04T22:56:37.046+01:00"Prom Night of the Living Dead" - August 2011When the <a href="http://www.scottishyouththeatre.org/">Scottish Youth Theatre</a> selected Brad Fraser's musical "Prom Night of the Living Dead" as their main Summer Festival show, comparisons with Rocky Horror and Buffy were inevitable. Despite a cracking start with an ensemble number that sees the cast filling the Tron's aisles, it soon becomes clear that musically - and particularly lyrically - this isn't the strongest source material to work with. The humour in Fraser's dialogue is rarely as sharp as the Werewolf's claws; the lyrics are overly repetitive (and sometimes just awful); while parts of Ross Brown's new score for the SYT make little impression. It's very much to the credit of the cast that this turned out to be an enjoyable evening.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />There’s clearly a variety of experience and ability on stage – some of the cast are here as a confidence builder; others for fun; and a few have serious theatrical ambitions. The beauty of SYT shows is that everyone seems comfortable in their roles - there are no ‘startled rabbits’ and no I-should-have-got-a-bigger-part grabs for the limelight. So it's fitting that the show is at its best in its big numbers – the opening/closing “Come on Fate” <span style="font-style:italic;">(that's what we're calling it anyway)</span> and the title number are both brilliantly choreographed and performed, giving glimpses of what the show might have been. <br /><br />The main parts are all well performed with Kyrah Harder and Lauren Kate Robertson as our plucky heroines Fern & Dawn, Martin Quinn and Andrew Still as Lon / ‘Werewolf Lon’ making the most of some painfully written duets. As is often the case, the villain of the show gets the best moments – and Katie Barnett knows exactly what to do with them. Producing a gloriously over-the-top performance (without ever being in danger of taking it too far) she wouldn’t look out of place on any professional stage. Add in her pop-friendly vocals and it's clear Barnett is a name for the future.<br /><br />Mary McCluskey's direction moves things on at pace - impressive when working with a cast of over 40 - although the finale is a little frantic and left us slightly confused. I got grief at the interval for the fact that it took the second 'transformation' scene before I realised that Lon & the Werewolf were played by separate actors, but it just shows how well executed it was (and overhearing conversations leaving the theatre I know others didn't realise until the curtain call).<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Please note that in keeping with our long standing policy, we treat all youth/student/amateur theatre in the same manner as professional productions - to do otherwise would be patronising to all involved. </span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/prom_night_of_the_living_dead/">Prom Night of the Living Dead runs at the Tron until Saturday 6th August.</a><br /><br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-5014168005647987092011-07-28T20:55:00.001+01:002011-07-28T21:31:47.688+01:00"The Pitmen Painters" - July 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUzgfOwdeP6WTmCRQjcp6UM2Y7JNY_ZSNa-sS4goP1lfgtzn0l_5E9cqSqD9XqkbWnD3nwDiNUsAFy2PUkdO618Lt53Y7vudz4N0G1uWdeogUtb06ivp5CyEq4_Vc8i7k4kbk/s1600/pitmen.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 199px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhIUzgfOwdeP6WTmCRQjcp6UM2Y7JNY_ZSNa-sS4goP1lfgtzn0l_5E9cqSqD9XqkbWnD3nwDiNUsAFy2PUkdO618Lt53Y7vudz4N0G1uWdeogUtb06ivp5CyEq4_Vc8i7k4kbk/s400/pitmen.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5634493774334084066" /></a>At first glance, the basis of Lee Hall's play seems a simple one - a feel good tale about a group of miners in the 30's discovering they have a talent for painting. Before seeing it, I'd wondered where exactly the 'drama' or 'meaning' was going to come from. I'm not sure I've ever been more wrong. Two days later I'm still struggling to crystallise my feelings about the issues faced by the characters and the questions asked about our society - both then and now. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />The play is filled with clashes of values and ideas - the individual v the collective; price v value; patronage v patronise; and whilst the focus is on art, the arguments apply across many aspects of society. Although at times in the second act it can get a little wordy, things never feel forced or heavy handed. As Hall has his characters learn, the message in art (and in theatre) reveals itself through the a combination of the creator, the object and the observer. This is very much a play that rewards thought and reflection. The waters are also muddied by a shifting balance of power between characters, and motivations that are often left ambiguous. <br /><br />Of course, many of the themes of the play have a particular resonance for us - particularly Oliver Kilbourn's repeated pleas to be told if he was truly gifted as an artist or just 'good for a miner'. Despite a stringent policy at View From The Stalls of holding all productions to professional standards it's an issue we are very aware of when commenting on amateur or youth theatre.<br /><br />Almost the definition of an ensemble piece, the entire cast deliver impressive performances, but Trevor Fox as Kilbourn deserves a special mention for the subtlety he brings to the character in his later scenes with Lyon. Max Roberts' direction is simple but hugely effective at evoking time and place; his use of projected images allowing the audience to see the paintings 'up close'.<br /><br />The gentle banter makes for an entertaining evening, but it's the quiet thoughtfulness of the play that will stay with me. <br /><br />"The Pitmen Painters" runs at the <a href="http://www.atgtickets.com/1070/654/Glasgow/Theatre-Royal/The-Pitmen-Painters-Tickets">Theatre Royal, Glasgow until Saturday 30th July</a> and then continues on a <a href="http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/1950/on-tour-west-end-amp-nt-live/on-tour-west-end.html">national tour</a>.<br />Image by Keith Pattison used with permission.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-35356482263309175502011-07-26T23:05:00.003+01:002011-07-28T21:29:34.681+01:00Come on Glasgow - "The Pitmen Painters"Just back from seeing <a href="http://www.atgtickets.com/1070/654/Glasgow/Theatre-Royal/The-Pitmen-Painters-Tickets">"The Pitmen Painters"</a> at Glasgow's Theatre Royal and we're very disappointed in Glasgow. Yes, we've had some lovely summer weather, and yes, we don't get that too often. But come on, this is a high profile show with a strong reputation that has been well received wherever it has played. It deserves a theatre that is more than half full. We've had a quick check on the ticketing website and it looks like most of the performances currently have similar ticket sales. <br /><br />It will be tomorrow night before we get the chance to write up our thoughts on the show (now posted <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/07/pitmen-painters-july-2011.html">here</a>), but we just wanted to quickly highlight that this is a high quality piece of theatre - and maybe encourage a few more people to get along to see it. It would even be worth some of those from further afield making the trip through (Edinburgh people - we're looking at you!).<br /><br />"The Pitmen Painters" runs in Glasgow until Saturday. Tickets available <a href="http://www.atgtickets.com/1070/654/Glasgow/Theatre-Royal/The-Pitmen-Painters-Tickets">online</a> or by phone on 0844 871 7647.Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-23354166778380234302011-07-25T20:25:00.003+01:002011-07-25T20:41:17.155+01:00A 'Thank You' to The List <blush>On Thursday morning I returned to my desk in the office to find a post-it, which simply read "Have you seen The List?". I'll admit to being a little concerned that I was about to be escorted out the of the building for having spent too much time reading the Guardian theatre blog. So I was relieved when my colleague pulled her copy of <a href="http://www.list.co.uk/">"The List"</a> from her drawer and flicked to their article on <a href="http://www.list.co.uk/article/35773-the-best-scottish-websites/">"Scotland's Best Websites - The top 30 websites made for and by Scots"</a>. And there we were - right at the very top of the page. Okay, it was in reverse order, so we were No. 30 - but we were there. We're flattered, shocked and a little amused - so a big 'thanks' to the folks at The List for thinking us worthy of a mention.Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-42007320680851387382011-07-17T21:30:00.004+01:002011-07-26T17:29:23.953+01:00"Casablanca - The Gin Joint Cut" - July 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsTIeN65ebITxjd5R1_e0ijjy1HdJK5a6yzAqGlOjpiMwlAxUjiHxLTcfi80dfqtTUlXHkTc6I7Ui7tc4KY80lFp4FcavB8LjdtMoxZ64173pejNOtfpuxew71HGFB3Ju_PG_/s1600/Casablanca.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhYsTIeN65ebITxjd5R1_e0ijjy1HdJK5a6yzAqGlOjpiMwlAxUjiHxLTcfi80dfqtTUlXHkTc6I7Ui7tc4KY80lFp4FcavB8LjdtMoxZ64173pejNOtfpuxew71HGFB3Ju_PG_/s400/Casablanca.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5630417577565523282" /></a>While there is plenty of theatrical silliness in Morag Fullarton’s cut down version of Casablanca, told with a multi-tasking, quick-changing cast of three, what struck me most was how much respect is given to the original. Despite the fact that I’ve never seen the film, I’ve absorbed enough of its cultural impact over the years that I’m familiar with its most iconic moments, and as writer and director, Fullarton ensures these are played almost entirely straight. In fact, it’s straight enough to make me think I’d quite happily watch a full length, full scale, ‘serious’ stage adaptation of the film. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />The cast have been set a Herculean task – having to bring both the characters and the film cast to life. Gavin Mitchell and Clare Waugh are not just Rick Blaine and Ilsa Lund – they’re Humphrey Bogart’s Rick Blaine and Ingrid Bergman’s Ilsa Lund. Jimmy Chisholm has been landed with the most demanding set of multiple roles and carries each off with brilliance – including one moment where he seems to exit the front of the stage and almost simultaneously re-emerge as another character at the rear of the stage. And on top of all that, they also have to play ‘themselves’ and several more characters in the B Movie and short films that are an inspired ‘additional featurettes’. <span style="font-style:italic;">(A comparison of published running times suggests the ‘Fringe Version’ may not include these ‘additional featurettes’ so if you can get along to the Tron it’s probably a better option).</span><br /><br />Fullarton's direction drives the show on at considerable pace and the comic momentum built is simply irresistible - crammed full of visual, aural, physical and theatrical gags with each and every one hitting the mark. Barry McCall's sound design also adds greatly to the show - both in atmosphere and with a number of perfectly executed sound effects. <br /><br />'Casablanca' is one of those very rare shows that I have no hesitation in recommending to absolutely everyone and I'm certain it will be a huge hit at the Fringe. I simply can't imagine anyone coming out of this without a huge grin plastered all over their face that will last all day long. <br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">We received our tickets for the show through our membership of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/">Tron's Patrons scheme</a> which we thoroughly recommend for anyone who is a regular attendee at the Tron.</span><br /><br />Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut ruins at the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/casablanca_the_gin_joint_cut/">Tron until 23rd July</a> and then at the <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/casablanca-the-gin-joint-cut">Pleasance Courtyard from 3rd to 29th August</a> as part of the Edinburgh Fringe. <br /><br />Image by John Johnston Photography used with permission.<br /><br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-76123054013972114522011-06-26T23:10:00.003+01:002011-07-17T23:06:53.938+01:00Edinburgh Fringe 2011 - First PicksAs always with our Fringe previews, what follows shouldn't really be taken as recommendations - while some of our choices are based on experience with the companies, many are simply shows that we think might interest us based on the blurbs in the <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/">Fringe Programme</a>. Your mileage may vary. <br /><br />But before we get to that, we do have reviews already for a couple of productions that are now being revived for the Fringe. We <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/06/one-million-tiny-plays-about-britain.html">adored</a> the Citizens <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/one-million-tiny-plays-about-britain">"One Million Tiny Plays About Britain"</a> and Mark Thomas gave us an <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/04/mark-thomas-extreme-rambling-april-2011.html">entertaining and thought provoking evening</a> with his <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/comedy/mark-thomas-extreme-rambling-walking-the-wall">"Extreme Rambling"</a>. The Tron's <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/casablanca-the-gin-joint-cut">"Casablanca: The Gin Joint Cut"</a> was <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/07/casablanca-gin-joint-cut-july-2011.html">a fantastic night out</a> and should feature near the top of anyone's list of must-see shows. <br /><br />We've managed to put together quite a considerable list of shows - it was so much easier than last year when we found the pickings to be rather on the slim side. The downside of that is that with so many shows it will be harder than ever to schedule them all - and budget will certainly play a part too. So sadly it's inevitable that while we'd like to see all these shows, some will be 'lost along the way'. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />We'd wanted to see Dundee Rep's production of Dennis Kelly's <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/after-the-end">"After the End"</a> but couldn't schedule the trip to Dundee, so it was good to see them taking it to Edinburgh. We also missed Fish and Game's <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/alma-mater">"Alma Mater"</a> at Scotland Street School last year so it's another show we're hoping to fit in - we love its idea of using technology as part of the performance.<br /><br />We like the sound of <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/commencement">"Commencement"</a> with its schoolgirl revolution while the Comedian's Theatre Company are always worth seeing, so <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/cul-de-sac">"Cul-de-Sac"</a> is high on our list of shows to fit in.<br /><br />Having given us <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/08/sub-rosa-edinburgh-fringe.html">"Sub Rosa"</a> and <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2009/08/white-tea-edinburgh-fringe-2009.html">"White Tea"</a> in recent years we're more than willing to indulge David Leddy - even if his 'innovative meditation' in <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/david-leddy-s-untitled-love-story">"Untitled Love Story"</a> sounds a little outside our comfort zone. Similarly You Need Me have been pushing our boundaries since we first saw <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=%22you+need+me%22">one of their shows</a> three years ago. After a year's absence we're really looking forward to seeing what they have in store for us with <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/death-song">"Death Song"</a>.<br /><br />Long time followers of our Fringe coverage may have noticed that any show describing itself as "darkly comic" will catch our attention - but woe betide a show that doesn't live up to that billing. The first of those shows attempting the equivalent of a chocolate fondant on Masterchef is <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/ducks">"The Ducks"</a> which looks at youth unemployment. <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/pushing-up-poppies">"Pushing up Poppies"</a> set in a WWI trench also attempts the task, but should benefit from having Kieran Lynn as a writer - I've really enjoyed some of his <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=kieran+lynn%27s">other plays</a>.<br /><br />While for many Fringe-goers (and the press critics) the Traverse is their main hub for the first week, previous bad experiences and high ticket prices make us wary of booking up. But <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/golden-dragon">"The Golden Dragon"</a> with its promise of "whisking you away from your local takeaway to East Asia and back" is enough to convince us to take a chance.<br /><br />The prospect of <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/handling-bach">"Handling Bach"</a>, a show about a fictional meeting between composers Handel and Bach wouldn't normally get a second glance from us, but Nonsenseroom have more than <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=nonsenseroom">earned our trust</a> over a number of years. As always with their shows out at Rosslyn Chapel we particularly recommend booking up for one of their 'special evenings' on Saturdays 13th & 20th which include a light buffet and tour of the Chapel. The Chapel is a bus trip out from the city centre but the effort should be well rewarded. <br /><br />I've been wanting to see Fin Kennedy's play <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/how-to-disappear-completely-and-never-be-found">"How to Disappear Completely and Never Be Found"</a> for several years so I'm delighted to see The Outsiders staging it - so much so that we're prepared to break our usual rule of avoiding anything in a 'hotel venue'.<br /><br />We've enjoyed a<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=maran"> few of Mike Maran's storytelling shows</a> over the years and we're looking forward to seeing his tale of the Italians who made their home in Scotland in <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/italia-n-caledonia">"Italia'n'Caledonia".</a> A different take on immigration/integration also caught our eye in the shape of <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/rose-starring-keira-and-art-malik">"Rose" </a>which focuses on the struggle between 1st and 2nd generation middle eastern immigrants starring father and daughter Art & Keira Malik.<br /><br />A comedy based on a search to cast a dog in a film could well be awful but something about <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/lights-camera-walkies">"Lights, Camera, Walkies"</a> makes us want to give it a chance. Similarly unusual is <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/tour-guide">"The Tour Guide"</a> which appears to take place on an open top bus around the city.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/monster-in-the-hall">"The Monster in the Hall"</a> was a big hit for the Citizens/TAG last year and it's great to see them taking it to the Traverse, but unless we can take advantage of a 2 for 1 offer that whole "Traverse ticket price" thing might be a problem. Of course, the Traverse isn't the only place where prices can make us think twice about a show - Steven Berkoff's <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/oedipus-by-steven-berkoff-after-sophocles">"Oedipus"</a> at the Pleasance is another show with higher prices than we'd like. Also at the Pleasance but with a much more attractive price tag is <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/one-under">"One Under"</a> - a tale set on the London Underground from PartingShot. <br /><br />Cumbernauld Theatre's<a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/viewless"> "Viewless" </a>is set around a witness protection programme and as we enjoyed their previous take on <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2008/04/wasp-factory-april-2008.html">"The Wasp Factory"</a> we reckon this is worth a look. Of course when it comes to relying on a company's reputation few shows are in better standing than<a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/what-remains"> "What Remains"</a> from site-specific legends Grid Iron. But seriously - at up to £19 a ticket we're already left wishing we'd booked up before the 2 for 1 offer sold out.<br /><br />And rounding up the shows that Waldorf and I plan on seeing together is <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/world-according-to-bertie">"The World According to Bertie" </a>- an adaptation of an Alexander McCall Smith novel.<br /><br />But that's only the beginning, we've each got shows that we just can't persuade the other to see, so we've got our individual lists too...<br /><br />I'm not sure that <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/antony-and-cleopatra">"Antony and Cleopatra"</a> would normally make my list, but I've enjoyed reading director Claire Wood's <a href="http://cmfwood.blogspot.com/">Play Thing</a> blog on her efforts to put it together, so I'd like to see how it turns out. <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/dust">"Dust"</a> seems certain to gain plenty of publicity with being set on the day of Margaret Thatcher's death and featuring Arthur Scargill (as a character - not the real one!). Staying with politics/history (although going a little further back) is <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/trials-of-galileo">"The Trials of Galileo"</a>. I'm also hoping to see <a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/remember-this">"Remember This"</a> from Edinburgh University Theatre Company as I really enjoyed their <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/08/wild-allegations-edinburgh-fringe-2010.html">"Wild Allegations"</a> last year.<br /><br />Rather unusually, and possibly inspired by her new Edinburgh based job, Waldorf has managed to find herself a substantial number of shows she hopes to see on her own. It remains to be seen just how many of her ambitious list can be fitted in to long lunches or early finishes (and she may wait for early reviews). Realistically I'll be amazed if she manages more than a handful and god knows when she'll get round to writing them up, so if these are <span style="font-style:italic;">your shows</span> please don't count on a review you can use. Anyway, here is what caught her eye...<br /><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/bawbees-and-ducats-or-a-funny-thing-happened-on-the-way-to-the-piazza-by-alan-richardson">Bawbees and Ducats or A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Piazza</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/belt-up-s-the-boy-james">The Boy James</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/bluebird">Bluebird</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/can-t-stand-up-for-falling-down">Can't Stand Up For Falling Down</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/dish-of-tea-with-dr-johnson">A Dish of Tea with Dr Johnson</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/end">The End</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/even-in-edinburgh-glasgow">Even in Edinburgh / Glasgow</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/find-me">Find Me</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/4-3-miles-from-nowhere">4.3 Miles from Nowhere</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/free-time-radical">Free Time Radical</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/g-host-city">(g)Host City</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/girl-who-thought-she-was-irish">The Girl Who Thought She Was Irish</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/go-to-your-god-like-a-soldier">Go to Your God Like a Soldier</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/historians">The Historians</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/i-malvolio">I, Malvolio</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/ink-1">Ink</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/laramie-project">The Laramie Project</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/laundry-boy">Laundry Boy</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/me-myself-and-miss-gibbs">Me, Myself & Miss Gibbs</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/minute-after-midday">Minute After Midday</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/mourning-party">The Mourning Party</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/one-thousand-paper-cranes">One Thousand Paper Cranes</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/private-peaceful-by-michael-morpurgo">Private Peaceful</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/release">Release</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/simon-callow-in-tuesday-at-tescos">Simon Callow in Tuesday at Tescos</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/taketh-me-away">Taketh Me Away</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/toll">The Toll</a><br /><a href="http://www.edfringe.com/whats-on/theatre/your-last-breath">Your Last Breath</a><br /><br />And do feel free to let us know what your tips are...<br /><br /> </span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com4tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-62976674359252197512011-06-23T21:24:00.003+01:002011-06-24T10:00:07.206+01:00"Yes, Prime Minister" - June 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqD3xwoGyiwACusBYKo5dliQWrMJcIUMeNM_8K3yBxgwxIdCj3ZQbRHYSPncMrhxL2C5TzzEU4r_Tr3OMKI4d1vYYyHTuUbuE1zc6rNfZLNZ9foer0xNl7Dznyw5SJ_pnSRyc/s1600/yesprimeminister.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEjDqD3xwoGyiwACusBYKo5dliQWrMJcIUMeNM_8K3yBxgwxIdCj3ZQbRHYSPncMrhxL2C5TzzEU4r_Tr3OMKI4d1vYYyHTuUbuE1zc6rNfZLNZ9foer0xNl7Dznyw5SJ_pnSRyc/s400/yesprimeminister.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5621508314388986146" /></a>Although she's taken a back seat from writing reviews these days, Waldorf always contributes to what ends up in our thoughts here. After seeing "Yes, Prime Minister" she surprised me by offering to write our comments on it. Turns out her plan was simply to say "Give it a miss and watch the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Yes-Minister-Prime-Collectors/dp/B000HXDM0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308852396&sr=8-1">DVD box set</a> instead". But by then I'd already had to make a conscious decision not to leave at the interval - and the main thing that kept me there was the fact I was going to be writing about it here. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />When I'd first heard about this stage version of the much loved TV show I was sceptical. It was hard to imagine these characters played by anyone other than Paul Eddington, Nigel Hawthorne & Derek Fowlds. Even with the original writing team of Antony Jay and Jonathan Lynn I struggled to believe it would work. And then the reviews came in - all very positive - for both the London and touring casts. We simply couldn't dismiss it anymore.<br /><br />But almost as soon as the show started we knew we'd made a dreadful mistake. This was horrible. Simply horrible. It would be understandable if our disconnection from the show was due being unable to accept these new faces as the well known characters, but that wasn't the case. Yes, the central performances from Richard McCabe, Simon Williams and Chris Larkin were overcooked, but the real problem was in the writing. Sir Humphrey no longer has his aura of supreme competence and Jim Hacker appears to have the upper hand for most of the evening. Hacker and Bernard have lost all the charm and likability of the originals leaving Hacker a pretty vile little man and Bernard a cliched upper class twit. It's as if they have been B'stardised into their <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_New_Statesman">New Statesman</a> equivalents.<br /><br />The plot, such that it is, also seems terribly misjudged. The (comparatively) grounded reality of the TV show has disappeared and the replacement is almost beyond farce. The suggestion that they should comply with a foreign representative's request to provide him with an underage prostitute is at best in bad taste; to attribute that request to a "Kumrani" politician and include discussion of Islamic attitudes is likely to cause considerable offence. <br /><br />In the interest of fairness, many in the audience at Glasgow's<a href="http://www.ambassadortickets.com/Theatre-Royal-Glasgow"> Theatre Royal </a>clearly enjoyed the evening. Although the reception to the first half was generally rather flat, by the curtain call it had won most over. And don't forget that there are plenty of excellent reviews of the show with only one or two feeling as we did.<br /><br />For us it was totally lacking in humour, cleverness or subtlety - everything that made the original so wonderful.<br />Give it a miss and watch the <a href="http://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Yes-Minister-Prime-Collectors/dp/B000HXDM0U/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1308852396&sr=8-1">DVD box set</a> instead.<br /><br />"Yes, Prime Minister" runs in Glasgow until Satuday 25th June and then continues on its <a href="http://www.yesprimeminister.co.uk/">national tour</a>. <br />Image by Manuel Harlan used with permission.<br /> </span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com7tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-10458303347024497642011-06-20T17:12:00.002+01:002011-06-20T17:25:26.039+01:00"5 Minute Theatre" - 24 hours of theatreJust a quick point in the direction of the <a href="http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/">National Theatre of Scotland's</a> "5 Minute Theatre" which starts at 5pm on Tuesday 21st June and runs until 5pm on Wednesday 22nd June. 24 hours of individual pieces of theatre, each lasting five minutes, will be streamed on the website <a href="http://fiveminutetheatre.com/">fiveminutetheatre.com</a><br /><br />I think we'll be limited to watching some of the Tuesday evening pieces, but hopefully some or all of them may be made available to watch after the initial event.Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-77084503330199227542011-06-13T23:18:00.001+01:002011-06-13T23:20:26.418+01:00"Fair Friday" - June 2011I'm too young to have witnessed the mass exodus from Glasgow 'doon the watter' each July, but as a child I spent the odd day cycling round Millport and remember fondly a trip on the Waverley. So the <a href="http://citz.co.uk/learning/community_company/">Citizens Community Company's</a> "Fair Friday" rekindled memories while also giving an idea of just how significant an event it must have been in its heyday.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Combining true tales, moments of comedy and traditional Glasgow songs it was clear to see it resonating with sections of the audience old enough to have experienced the reality for themselves. It was pretty incredible to see so many people singing along to songs that I'd never heard of - it certainly made me wonder about other parts of Glaswegian culture I've missed out on.<br /><br />As with all youth, community and amateur shows we share our thoughts on them in the same manner as we do professional shows - we don't believe in making 'allowances'. Indeed, one of the things that influenced that 'policy' was the high standard that the Citz Community Co have delivered over the years - their <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=%22wicked+christmas%22+community">"Wicked Christmas"</a> shows are a regular highlight of our year. And with that in mind, we did feel that "Fair Friday" was not as polished as previous shows - while still clearly well received by the audience. The songs were a great success, however some of the scenes lacked impact and perhaps due to there being so many entrances and exits there were a couple of stumbled lines.<br /><br />One of the enjoyable things about seeing the group's shows year after year is seeing familiar faces develop, but it was also good to see a number of new faces this time around. It's to the credit of all involved how successful the company has been over a prolonged period. And we've already booked up for <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/wicked_christmas1/">this year's Christmas show</a>.<br /><br />Fair Friday has completed its run at the <a href="http://www.citz.co.uk">Citizens</a>.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-35681550890485828942011-06-12T22:42:00.002+01:002011-06-12T22:49:17.318+01:00"Dunsinane" - June 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5svVNA2mRPmMym3E00Y53f2dom_0nic3VuQ6e3ftQlBe6ADEqde_Qfsx3rHTcFprRfO0Rzhzif4rZQlIGCmn1D_t_K98ME_5vdOD7IUBxEvZN0AnlNuhydlJF4qgd4RtNkZC5/s1600/Dunsinane.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi5svVNA2mRPmMym3E00Y53f2dom_0nic3VuQ6e3ftQlBe6ADEqde_Qfsx3rHTcFprRfO0Rzhzif4rZQlIGCmn1D_t_K98ME_5vdOD7IUBxEvZN0AnlNuhydlJF4qgd4RtNkZC5/s400/Dunsinane.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5617449850445308386" /></a>After spending an evening doing a 'first pass' of the Edinburgh Fringe programme, I can't escape the irony that a sequel to Macbeth with political allegories for present day conflicts is exactly the kind of show I'd run a mile from. Yet Dunsinane is the best piece of theatre I've seen in months. But then, in fairness, those Fringe shows don't have the pedigree of a writer like David Greig attached to them - or the logos of the RSC and NTS on their adverts.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Despite being aware that the play had been well received on its initial run in 2010, I'd avoided reading much about it in advance - so its comedic tone and contemporary language came as a bit of a (pleasant) shock. Although I must confess that my puzzlement as to how exactly Lady Macbeth ('Gruach' as she is here) was still around, did require a pre-show check of her fate in Shakespeare's tale. But I needn't have bothered as Greig quickly explains her 'resurrection' with a rather ingenious bit of <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Retroactive_continuity">'retcon'</a>.<br /><br />He also creates a wide scope for the play, letting the audience engage with both the high level political machinations and the soldiers whose lives are affected by them. Jonny Phillips excels as Siward, the English general tasked with securing the throne for Malcolm (and a peaceable neighbour for England). Even when his character crosses all kinds of lines, Phillips gives him a nobility that keeps the audience with him. Siobhan Redmond's Gruach coalesces her character's playful and steely aspects beautifully while Brian Ferguson gives Malcolm enough ambiguity to leave us wondering if the weak King is in fact a master manipulator. Tom Gill gives a wonderfully engaging performance as the young soldier (who also serves as narrator) and Alex Mann as Egham delivers many of Greig's best lines with a perfect sense of comic timing. And I could go on - the whole supporting cast deliver in every role.<br /><br />The contemporary 'message' about the dangers of nation building bleeds through the play, and there are only one or two occasions where it feels slightly heavy-handed. Waldorf felt the final scenes didn't provide the ending the piece deserved, but for me it worked well. So much so, that as a whole I don't think I've seen a better 'traditional' 'proper' 'on-a-stage' piece of theatre. Ever. <br /><br />And that's probably where this post should end. But that would ignore a significant element of how I felt about Dunsinane. An aspect that required me to make a conscious decision to flick an 'ignore' setting in my head during the show in order that I could enjoy it. <br /><br />Much of the humour, particularly in the first act, is at the expense of Scotland and the Scots. It's genuinely laugh-out-loud funny and the Scottish audience enjoyed the opportunity to laugh at themselves. And that's where I have a problem. For despite the <a href="http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/">National Theatre of Scotland</a> 'badge' this is a revival of a <a href="http://www.rsc.org.uk/">Royal Shakespeare Company</a> production that ran in London at the start of 2010. Which leaves me feeling rather uncomfortable at the thought of a 'London' audience enjoying laughs at the savages up north. Perhaps I'm being overly sensitive - I'd certainly be interested to hear if anyone else had similar concerns.<br /><br />But even with that caveat, I'm pretty sure that in a week/month/year my memory of Dunsinane will simply be of a wonderful night at the theatre.<br /><br />Dunsinane has completed its run at the<a href="http://www.lyceum.org.uk/"> Lyceum</a> and the <a href="http://www.citz.co.uk">Citizens</a>. It runs at the <a href="http://www.rsc.org.uk/whats-on/dunsinane/">Swan Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon until 2nd July.</a><br /><br />Image by Richard Campbell used with permission.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-8332204288951456922011-05-13T21:39:00.002+01:002011-05-13T21:44:22.349+01:00Website ProblemsAs many of you will be aware Blogger has had some <a href="http://news.cnet.com/8301-1023_3-20062428-93.html">serious difficulties in the last few days</a>. While View From the Stalls doesn't seem to have been down at any time, Blogger took the decision to 'roll back' the system and temporarily remove posts made during a time period of several hours. As a result it removed our post about the announcement of the shortlists for the Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland for most of today.<br /><br />Fortunately it appears that normal service has now been resumed.<span class="fullpost"></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-54228023529312732582011-05-12T19:53:00.000+01:002011-05-13T21:25:17.361+01:00Critics' Awards for Theatre in Scotland shortlistsCongratulations to all those on the shortlists for the <a href="http://www.criticsawards.theatrescotland.com/">CATS awards</a> 2010-2011 which were announced today. Disappointingly, despite seeing rather a lot of theatre in the last 12 months we only managed to see two of the productions recognised. While we are delighted to see <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/11/roadkill-november-2010.html">"Roadkill"</a> feature deservedly in 5 categories we're a little surprised it didn't also get the nod for John Kazek for Best Male Performance. The only other nominated show we saw was Molly Taylor's charming <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/03/love-letters-to-public-transport-system.html">"Love Letters to the Public Transport System"</a> which appears in the Best New Play category.<br /><br />Other shows with multiple nominations include Dundee Rep's "Sweeney Todd", Stellar Quines/Lyceum's "Age of Arousal", the National Theatre of Scotland's "The Strange Undoing of Prudencia Hart" and the Traverse's "The Three Musketeers and the Princess of Spain".<br /><br />We can't comment on shows we didn't see - other than to say that they must have been brilliant to edge out some of the shows we did see. There are two in particular that we expected to feature in a few categories this year that the critics have overlooked entirely - the Citizens brilliant <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/06/one-million-tiny-plays-about-britain.html">"One Million Tiny Plays about Britain"</a> and the Tron's outrageous <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/07/valhalla-july-2010.html"> "Valhalla!"</a>. <br /><br />The full shortlist is available at the <a href="http://www.criticsawards.theatrescotland.com/Shortlists/10-11.html">CATS website</a> and the winners will be announced in a <a href="http://www.criticsawards.theatrescotland.com/index.html">ceremony on Sunday 12th June</a>.<br /><span class="fullpost"></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com1tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-1655498269675370942011-04-10T22:25:00.002+01:002011-04-11T15:20:00.256+01:00"Falling/Flying" - April 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dIZmTvfOMiLhS17gXw2HXq03dYKFYq-S2JhKsbmDaKzFn6nWR73rqJMbDME6g5DJKReChyiN9ULMmlCMEQ05q43KPj-UPtmz8sYhjPK_1N3pjK2MCqXEnV22lnoYP3txSFku/s1600/fallingflying.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEh2dIZmTvfOMiLhS17gXw2HXq03dYKFYq-S2JhKsbmDaKzFn6nWR73rqJMbDME6g5DJKReChyiN9ULMmlCMEQ05q43KPj-UPtmz8sYhjPK_1N3pjK2MCqXEnV22lnoYP3txSFku/s400/fallingflying.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5594330462127463490" /></a>Stef Smith's 'monologue' in two voices allows us an insight into what it means to live the life of a transgender woman. We witness her early realisation of how she wanted to live, the prejudice she encounters, and then finally watch as her hard won identity is stripped from her by illness. But this isn't as bleak as it sounds. There is plenty of humour as 'he' and 'she' share memories and the overwhelming feeling is of adversities overcome and a life lived to the full.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />John Paul Murray and Gordon Brandie give compelling performances as the 'male' and 'female' voices and make a real connection with the audience - it really matters that we're there to listen to her/their story. For the most part Ros Philip's direction works well, but although they add a nice touch, the projection elements seem unnecessary and out of place in what is otherwise a pretty pared back production. The moments when the actors play other characters in her life aren't always as clearly realised as they could be - in part due to a narrative that jumps around a little too much (also resulting in it being difficult to get a sense of the timeframes involved).<br /><br />"Falling/Flying" is a touching personal tale but with its complex structure, poetic language and movement the volume of the theatricality risks drowning out the intimacy of the story.<br /><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/falling_flying-3/">Falling/Flying has completed its run at the Tron.</a><br />Image by Chris Amos used with permission.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-30641021145705197132011-04-08T00:20:00.003+01:002011-04-08T15:55:03.862+01:00"Project Branded" - April 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyacmASxXecOsf6RsxVgFuOaCgKRb9FQSwRhf4Pw63LqHsDmi3oulf4-mAwWL8glOiCJLoY6MAoDy90tsVvvAVa_7r0DswHaF1yymmpglotS8OL98peSedgaWTCl9rR0chKq_c/s1600/branded.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgyacmASxXecOsf6RsxVgFuOaCgKRb9FQSwRhf4Pw63LqHsDmi3oulf4-mAwWL8glOiCJLoY6MAoDy90tsVvvAVa_7r0DswHaF1yymmpglotS8OL98peSedgaWTCl9rR0chKq_c/s400/branded.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5593226128151812370" /></a><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/education/workshops/">Tron Skillshops</a>, the Tron's drama group for 13 to 17 year olds, brings us a look at where society may be headed with "Project Branded". With its group of close friends refusing to conform to the state's new programme designed to restrain teenage impulses it's like a mash up of "Skins", "A Clockwork Orange" and "We Will Rock You" - which isn't a bad place to start.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />This is the first time we've been along to a Tron Skillshops production so it's worth outlining our approach to youth drama. Along with amateur and community theatre, we don't make any allowances and treat all performances exactly as we do fully professional shows. We believe that to do otherwise would be patronising to all those involved.<br /><br />So, with that in mind, let's get the negatives out of the way right at the start. Most likely due to first night nerves, there were some quiet voices, a fair number of stumbled lines and a couple of horribly hesitant moments. And similarly, during the chorus/dance/movement segments there wasn't always the polished execution there might have been. <br /><br />Fortunately, there was a lot of good stuff on display here too. The band of 'Outlaws' fighting the system make for a believable group of friends with Grant McDonald's "Ryan" and Ebony Blair's "Jess" making particularly strong impressions. Jack Kennedy gives an assured performance as Project Branded's "Head Advisor", clearly enjoying the character's almost <a href="http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/GLaDOS">GLaDOS</a>-like personality. Directors Lisa Keenan & Gillian Crawford have given the show a well thought out structure that keeps things interesting - and all involved deserve credit for giving the show quite a ballsy finish. Hopefully as the run progresses the cast will gain in confidence and experience and be able to showcase the full extent of their talents.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">We received our ticket for Project Branded through our membership of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/">Tron's Patrons Scheme</a> - which we thoroughly recommend to all regular attendees at the Tron.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/project_branded/">Project Branded runs at the Tron until Saturday 9th April</a><br />Image by John Johnston used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-27979743705268514102011-04-05T23:05:00.001+01:002011-04-05T23:10:35.689+01:00"Mark Thomas - Extreme Rambling" - April 2011<div class="separator" style="clear: both; text-align: center;"><a href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJVkMOtEOAKbDsDozBQtYfwWSly9rjFs0PdaPIpSsEhVLIl2er9ICPtvJD-OSAX6dfPG6jzZ69abCUb9KCyjcFQjZhIA91w8mHQd-Q_6L1QTIjrKzufwol49fnMt2ilfB1rCv/s1600/MarkThomasV2.jpg" imageanchor="1" style="clear:right; float:right; margin-left:1em; margin-bottom:1em"><img border="0" height="200" width="185" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgEJVkMOtEOAKbDsDozBQtYfwWSly9rjFs0PdaPIpSsEhVLIl2er9ICPtvJD-OSAX6dfPG6jzZ69abCUb9KCyjcFQjZhIA91w8mHQd-Q_6L1QTIjrKzufwol49fnMt2ilfB1rCv/s200/MarkThomasV2.jpg" /></a></div><br />
Since the shocking revelation at the weekend that I have parents who think Michael McIntyre is funny, my mind has been tormented by the possibility that this may be the result of a genetic flaw and that later in life I may succumb to the same mental frailty. But fortunately, last night I had my fears banished – I just don’t believe anyone who found Mark Thomas as funny as I did could ever tolerate watching McIntyre’s ridiculous grin for more than 60 seconds without putting a foot through the TV.<span class="fullpost"><br />
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This latest piece of political comedy saw Mark tell the packed Citizens Theatre of his escapades on an attempt to walk the full length of the Israeli-built wall which divides Israel from Palestine. As with all comedy gigs there's a danger of any review spoiling half the fun - so please forgive us for not providing any details of the evening. But here's everything you need to know: Mark Thomas is a comedy genius - not a word we use lightly. What he delivers is a carefully constructed retelling which has been crafted and polished for maximum impact; yet his obvious fire and passion make it feel fresh and spontaneous. Along with the rest of the audience we spent 95% of the evening grinning and laughing. But Thomas has an ability, like no other performer I've encountered, to shift to a more serious point and kill the laughter stone dead as we take in the shocking detail he's just dropped on us. So often we've seen audiences at other performers fail to appreciate such shifting tones, but Thomas has such control over his audience that we follow his lead as single unit.<br />
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With impeccable timing, a self deprecating attitude and an ability to bring characters to life, Thomas is a comic and theatrical performer at the absolute top of his game. For anyone even a little sympathetic to his views on politics, human rights and civil liberties, I doubt there is a more entertaining night out available anywhere. <br />
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<a href="http://www.markthomasinfo.com/">Mark Thomas - Extreme Rambling</a> has completed its two night run at the <a href="http://www.citz.co.uk">Citizens</a> as part of the <a href="http://www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com/#">Magners Glasgow International Comedy Festival</a>. It continues on an <a href="http://www.markthomasinfo.com/section_gigs/">extensive UK tour </a>including dates in Inverness and Aberdeen.<br />
Image used with permission.<br />
</span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-71753689937223567812011-03-20T22:24:00.002+00:002011-03-20T22:28:15.931+00:00"Frankenstein" (NT Live) - March 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tIUKb9emBPY6mjB2xM3vQ-xQQkVtNLueghfzmbMGkG3EFE__g19J3zhMV7LXq2riPAOv7sD1kw7Ve_0cZ-mnicQnZf0iq6uhBQ2WwNjSYYO8Dsl_UyTHy_Q8FQdRr-zrwuhR/s1600/Frankenstein19.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 193px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEi3tIUKb9emBPY6mjB2xM3vQ-xQQkVtNLueghfzmbMGkG3EFE__g19J3zhMV7LXq2riPAOv7sD1kw7Ve_0cZ-mnicQnZf0iq6uhBQ2WwNjSYYO8Dsl_UyTHy_Q8FQdRr-zrwuhR/s400/Frankenstein19.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5586292456549644946" /></a>The National Theatre's production of "Frankenstein" starring Jonny Lee Miller and Benedict Cumberbatch, directed by Danny Boyle has been one of London's hottest theatre tickets in recent months; so we weren't alone in being grateful for the opportunity to see it on the GFT screen as part of the NT Live scheme. The demand for tickets was inflated further through the <s>gimmick</s> high concept decision to have Miller and Cumberbatch alternate roles on a nightly basis between Frankenstein and the Creature which left many wanting to see both versions. And although we really enjoyed it, I'm just not sure it merits a return visit. <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />We won't rehash the debate about how well the whole NT Live thing works as we've covered all that before when we saw <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2009/06/phedre-nt-live-june-2009.html">"Phedre"</a> - it suffices to say that we're wholeheartedly in favour of it as a way of enabling us to see productions we would never get the chance to see. I'll just add that in some respects Boyle's direction of the show seemed well suited to the cinematic transfer but some of his more striking moments probably really have to be experienced first hand. <br /><br />By the time we saw the show, we knew we would be seeing Miller as Victor Frankenstein and Cumberbatch as the Creature - which Waldorf had already decreed to be 'the wrong way round'. However, the show changed our opinions on that - but perhaps not quite as you may expect. And that was only the start of our disagreements about this show. <br /><br />I quickly found Cumberbatch's creature to be lacking in subtlety - perhaps due to the camera zooming in for a performance designed to be viewed from a distance. Waldorf on the other hand loved his performance and was distinctly unimpressed by Miller's portrayal of Frankenstein, who I had thought excellent. And it wasn't enough for either of us to simply see the 'reverse' casting - I wanted to see Miller play both roles simultaneously and Waldorf wanted to see Cumberbatch do the same. But that might be an ask too far even for a director of Boyle's talent.<br /><br />We also couldn't agree on the production's prolonged opening sequence as the creature is 'born' and gradually gains control of his body. For me this was unbearably long and I just wanted it to start already while Waldorf found it an important part of the character's development. <br /><br />Our other significant disagreement was over the colourblind casting of Victor's family. I'm all for playing individual characters against 'expectations' as to their race but they should retain the relationship between characters. Without explanation of adoption or a step-relationship it was impossible for me to accept them as a family unit, particularly given the accents involved, which left me struggling to feel the pain the characters are put through. Waldorf again disagreed - not caring about the racial identities and more concerned by what she considered a poor performance by George Harris as Frankenstein Sr.<br /><br />In fact, just about the only thing we do agree on is that we both really enjoyed it. And to cap it all Waldorf has just disagreed once more with my earlier statement and insists it would be worth a return visit - although sadly time won't permit one. It might not have succeeded in connecting with either of us emotionally but as a piece of spectacular storytelling it's hard to beat.<br /><br />There is an <a href="http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/63286/productions/frankenstein.html">NT Live broadcast </a>featuring Miller as the Creature and Cumberbatch as Victor on 24th March which will also be shown for a number of 'repeat' performances. The production at the <a href="http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/62808/productions/frankenstein.html">National Theatre runs until 2nd May </a>but advance tickets are sold out - a limited number of day tickets are available.<br />Image by Catherine Ashmore used with permission.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-5992247235202866682011-03-19T22:37:00.002+00:002011-03-19T23:45:19.246+00:00"Love Letters to the Public Transport System" - March 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMXKq0stUfuk9dl0mVd4lobZr4IcJ1Rano36pmxMCYQuejLJva_CHRxh8I_TVP0cMZcG8zSvmlCd-LzJ-m562cjXaKRLLpIa4n2c3Ssga8iXRYHWvSpHoBkmExMJIc8w-bue6/s1600/LoveLetters.JPG"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhzMXKq0stUfuk9dl0mVd4lobZr4IcJ1Rano36pmxMCYQuejLJva_CHRxh8I_TVP0cMZcG8zSvmlCd-LzJ-m562cjXaKRLLpIa4n2c3Ssga8iXRYHWvSpHoBkmExMJIc8w-bue6/s400/LoveLetters.JPG" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585923233594272082" /></a>Molly Taylor's re-telling of her quest to thank a number of train and bus drivers who got her to the right place at the right time, combined with the public transport related stories of others, is a delightful piece of theatre. The peg on which the concept hangs may be a little shaky - one of the central tales only really involves a coincidental meeting on a bus - but the beauty here is in the telling. It's a long time since I've seen a performer in the Citizens Circle Studio hold an audience's attention the way Taylor did. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Despite that, its charm and confessional quality did leave me with a nagging doubt - and revealed a difference in attitude between Waldorf and I towards theatre of this kind. Large parts of the play are presented as autobiographical, and while I was happy to take things at face value I couldn't help doubt the spark of inspiration for the piece. The Molly Taylor we met last night - or at least her stage persona - just didn't strike me as 'cooky' enough to start shooting off letters to anonymous public transport employees. Unless of course the idea of creating a piece of theatre based on it was there from the very beginning. Such premeditation wouldn't invalidate what followed, but for me it would somehow take a layer of sheen off of it. <br /><br />Unusually, Waldorf was more sceptical than I, questioning not just the motivation but to what extent the events presented were based in reality - so far as to doubt if any letters were actually sent (even though the replies appeared to be produced on stage). And interestingly, that wouldn't matter to her at all. It didn't need to be real - none of it. <br /><br />Fortunately we can both agree that regardless of what level of dramatic license she has employed, Taylor is a wonderful storyteller who is equally at home making an audience laugh as tugging their heartstrings.<br /><br />Love Letters to the Public Transport System is presented as a work in progress as part of the <a href="http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=home_LoveLetters">National Theatre of Scotland's Reveal season</a>. It has concluded its runs at the Traverse and the Citizens. <br />Image by Drew Farrell used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-87186135053909161052011-03-19T22:36:00.004+00:002011-03-20T00:01:10.982+00:00"Count Me In" - March 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdET_o6De-thp8GBS1sfhmbnHhwuqdzpC5NvCyEvC3TCCPabYzsEspuQtJFyjPXHCEsJUTBi6Eq0ZZGhsV4hUPTNviBzP7Wxq16OACLoVRWFYQqWyU8dYmIm3KiHmk1RFzTLPM/s1600/countmein.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhdET_o6De-thp8GBS1sfhmbnHhwuqdzpC5NvCyEvC3TCCPabYzsEspuQtJFyjPXHCEsJUTBi6Eq0ZZGhsV4hUPTNviBzP7Wxq16OACLoVRWFYQqWyU8dYmIm3KiHmk1RFzTLPM/s400/countmein.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5585924677830594930" /></a>Gary McNair's "Count Me In" is one of those shows whose success (or otherwise) really depends on what the artist wants to achieve. If he's aiming to inform and provoke his audience then it probably has to be regarded as a failure; but if it's all just an excuse for a fun evening then it's a big success.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />McNair's main problem in any attempt to educate his audience is its self-selecting make up. The vast majority of those choosing to see a show about the political system will have sufficient interest/understanding of politics that there is unlikely to be much here that will be new to them - and some will be frustrated by his inaccuracies. While his insistence that in Westminster elections we don't vote nationally for a Prime Minister but vote for a party may be de facto correct for many voters, it ignores the reality that we vote only for an individual person in a constituency - and one who is capable of changing their party allegiance at will. To be fair, McNair makes no claims to be an expert and is on journey of learning himself - but that's a fairly big mistake to make.<br /><br />Most of the show is pitched at too basic a level for the majority of the audience - when he drops 'gerrymandering' into his illustration of varying constituency sizes it seems like we're about to go down a more interesting road but it's instantly discarded. And we get no mention of party funding, political broadcasts, media partiality etc. We don't even get the contrast between the various voting systems used in the UK in the Scottish Parliament, Welsh Assembly, European elections etc with the question as to how they can all be 'the best' system. It's also disappointing that we're given a largely Anglicised version of the development of British democracy. <br /><br />In a couple of weeks, <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/mark_thomas_extreme_rambling/">Mark Thomas</a> appears at the Citizens - a comedian/activist who manages to highlight the absurdity of the detail and complexity of the systems that run our society, and although McNair's previous show on finance, <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/02/crunch-february-2010.html">"Crunch"</a>, showed he's capable of that, "Count Me In" falls considerably short.<br /><br />But what it lacks in substance it makes up for, at least in part, in entertainment value. McNair's self deprecating approach works well and the electronic voting pads add the novelty factor = if perhaps not used to their full potential. His audience interactions are handled well, but at times he would benefit from a stand-ups killer instinct to shut-up an audience member enjoying their moment in the spotlight a little too much. What he does have, is a brilliant eye for a well crafted routine - particularly the creation of his 'digital assistant' (although she is then allowed to drone on far too long). There's no doubt that "Count Me In" is entertaining, but the overwhelming feeling we were left with was of a missed opportunity to really attack the flaws that exist in UK politics. <br /><br />Count Me In was presented as a work in progress as part of the <a href="http://nationaltheatrescotland.wordpress.com/2011/03/07/count-me-in/">National Theatre of Scotland 'Reveal'</a> season. It has now concluded its runs at the Traverse & Citizens.<br />Image by Drew Farrell used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-76799937283623691522011-03-16T23:14:00.004+00:002011-03-16T23:48:32.105+00:00"Gagarin Way" - March 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuywb4XQ2nsCAGTPlfHMi-V8J4hr70hZTj8ZAw47VANJDb9hJE2T-co61HYeLrzaOEnekDSUCfTmb_JJJgOl0e4gWj9Mxq8EMzNFFRo9AU7JrFVZ-qi_4wRP1ZKSnkGPAgbzX9/s1600/gagarinwaysm.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhuywb4XQ2nsCAGTPlfHMi-V8J4hr70hZTj8ZAw47VANJDb9hJE2T-co61HYeLrzaOEnekDSUCfTmb_JJJgOl0e4gWj9Mxq8EMzNFFRo9AU7JrFVZ-qi_4wRP1ZKSnkGPAgbzX9/s400/gagarinwaysm.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5584828821372387202" /></a>How good was this show? That's an easy one to answer. Due to scheduling difficulties we had to drive two hours through snow and sleet to St Andrews to see it at the<a href="http://www.byretheatre.com/"> Byre Theatre</a>. And two hours through mist and rain back home again. But even with a dodgy sat-nav inspired detour to Dundee, we don't grudge one minute of the drive. It was <span style="font-weight:bold;"><span style="font-style:italic;">that</span></span> good.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Yes, you could make a case that the political or social commentary aspects of Gregory Burke's play are overshadowed in turns by humour and violence. But when the laughs are so genuine and the brutality isn't out of character you really just have to hold on tight and enjoy the ride. Burke has created characters and circumstances which, while not believable in any real sense of the word, are certainly recogniseable - and director Michael Emans has put together an excellent cast to portray them. Jimmy Chisholm convinces as the activist who finds himself in over his head; Finn Den Hertog gives accidental witness Tom a nice balance of naive optimism and insecurity; while Dave Anderson manages to make us care what happens to Frank - despite spending much of his stage time unconscious. But it's Jordan Young's performance as Eddie, the driving force behind events, that makes the biggest impact with his character's fast paced dialogue and raw energy. It's a commanding performance and one that leaves you nervous of encountering him on the street outside after the show.<br /><br />Emans never allows the pace to flag - even in the moments when little is happening - and from the very first bars of the Kaiser Chiefs track used to open the show the audience knows it's in for a great evening. <a href="http://www.rapturetheatre.co.uk/">Rapture Theatre</a> have been one of our favourite theatre companies since we first saw their shows back in 2005 - and Gagarin Way just serves to remind us why we enjoy their work so much.<br /><br />Gagarin Way still has several <a href="http://www.rapturetheatre.co.uk/onliner2.asp">Scottish dates to play on its tour</a> including the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk">Tron</a> in Glasgow and ends with performances at <a href="http://www.greenwichtheatre.org.uk/cms/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=434:gagarin-way&catid=7:playingnow&Itemid=1">Greenwich Theatre</a> in London.<br />Image by Eamonn McGoldrick used with permission<br /><br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-44508066868183612482011-03-13T23:20:00.003+00:002011-03-14T11:33:30.784+00:00"King Lear" - March 2011It's from one of the UK's foremost theatre companies, stars one of the country's most esteemed performers and has garnered five star reviews left, right and centre. So why did the <a href="http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/index.php?plid=114&show=info">Donmar Warehouse</a> production with Derek Jacobi as King Lear leave us unmoved and, quite frankly, disappointed? <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Don't get me wrong, this is in no way a bad show, it's just safe and unimaginative. I'll admit that I am a sucker for directors that play around with Shakespeare - either in setting or a complete re-interpretation but while I'm not averse to productions taking a classic approach I do need them to put some kind of stamp or character on it. With the quality of the cast and production team involved here - and yes, the ticket price - I wanted something more than I could expect to see from any local theatre. And we just didn't get it.<br /><br />Jacobi is of course the main draw, and as both the 'angry' Lear and the 'old, frail' Lear his performance is pitched perfectly but I found his 'mad' Lear badly misjudged. The scene where Lear reunites with Gloucester was cringeworthily over the top - much closer to someone faking madness than a genuine and moving failing of the mind (only one step short of <a href="http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=wibble">Blackadder's 'wibble' moment</a>) . Watching a performance of King Lear with <s>elderly</s> <s>older</s> parents and grandparents (like we did here) should increase its impact. Given that it didn't resonate with us, even under those circumstances, it's difficult to consider it an overwhelming success. King Lear should have no difficulty in finding a relevance in the modern world.<br /><br />Gina McKee and Justine Mitchell give fine performances as Goneril and Regan; revelling in their misdeeds, but Pippa Bennett-Warner's Cordelia has so little stage time she struggles to make an impression or give the character any real definition. Ron Cook succeeds in making the Fool hugely sympathetic - his affection for Lear shines through the verbal barbs and the scene where he appears usurped by 'Poor Tom' was the one moment in the play to generate any real sense of emotion. Alec Newman's Edmund and Michael Hadley's Kent are also particularly noteworthy amongst a strong ensemble cast. <br /><br />I'm struggling to work out if our response was out of kilter with the rest of the Theatre Royal audience - there was certainly prolonged applause but not the standing ovation that might have been expected for the pairing of Jacobi & Lear. Perhaps we should adopt the attitude of Lynn Phillips, a friend who saw the show earlier in the week - "It's culture - you're not supposed to enjoy it."<br /><br />King Lear has completed its run at the <a href="http://www.ambassadortickets.com/Theatre-Royal-Glasgow">Theatre Royal in Glasgow</a> and continues its <a href="http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/index.php?pid=187">UK tour</a>.<br /><br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-58238876407594080242011-03-06T22:01:00.001+00:002011-03-06T22:01:39.064+00:00"Lear's Daughters" - March 2011The timing of XLC Theatre's "Lear's Daughters" fitted in perfectly with our plans to see the <a href="http://www.donmarwarehouse.com/p187.html">Donmar Warehouse's touring production</a> of Shakespeare's play the following week, and having enjoyed several of their shows previously we made our first trip of the year to the <a href="http://www.citz.co.uk">Citz Circle Studio</a>. And this prequel certainly provided an interesting take on the characters.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Written by Elaine Feinstein and The Women's Theatre Group, I'm finding it difficult not to feel that the choices made for the characters are more in the interests of advancing a political agenda than in creating a work of theatre of value in itself. But what Feinstein has delivered is a very lyrical script which the cast perform well. There were a couple of moments early on when some of the semi-monologues came over as more recited than spoken with real meaning, but once we get into the main part of the play all five cast members give impressive performances. <br /><br />Caitlin Cummins Duffy, Skye Cooper-Barr and Rehanna MacDonald as Goneril, Regan and Cordelia handle the transition from young children to womanhoood effectively. As The Fool, Vasso Gergiadou holds the show together and appears very comfortable getting up close with the audience. Miriam Sarah Doren makes her character(s) sympathetic but the fact that we're unsure if her billing as Nurse/Nanny was a single character is indicative of a wider lack of clarity in the script and David Lee-Michael's direction which left us with a number of plot points on which Waldorf and I disagreed on our understanding of. And we're also now disagreeing as to how much of this was intentional ambiguity.<br /><br />Sadly we couldn't see a credit in the programme for the costumes - and it's a pity as they were fabulous. "Lear's Daughters" was an entertaining night, and it will be interesting to see just how much it colours our view of "King Lear" when we see it later this week.<br /><br />Lear's Daughters from XLC Theatre in association with Langside College has completed its run at the Citizens.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-10357239899935679462011-03-06T21:59:00.001+00:002011-03-06T22:01:01.855+00:00"The Belief Project" - March 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBspbIBaMy2EcelvPLpPWqLMfvHmUp5iBZfNOafdZ5dJSx6HV9UK8rWlLJUxGERQqX4ODcuG_3SbbQW7cYteJG7AWngy3ZwKBvBtwHsK7BcGeyhxpuwx8iCl9xXWbHt52OQDK/s1600/BeliefProject.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 250px; height: 167px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhDBspbIBaMy2EcelvPLpPWqLMfvHmUp5iBZfNOafdZ5dJSx6HV9UK8rWlLJUxGERQqX4ODcuG_3SbbQW7cYteJG7AWngy3ZwKBvBtwHsK7BcGeyhxpuwx8iCl9xXWbHt52OQDK/s400/BeliefProject.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5581059254242657698" /></a>Perhaps it was the show's title; or maybe the philosophical sounding <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/the_belief_project/">blurb on the Tron website</a>; or the worrying director's note in the programme which described it as "an experiment to explore the effect our beliefs can have on our lives". Whichever it was, we were expecting something unconventional, rough round the edges and quite possibly a bit, well, pretentious. So it came as quite a surprise to find that it was actually accessible, polished and relevant.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The story of a young couple crumbling under the pressure of their hopes, their past and society's expectations in the face of the current financial climate is horribly true to life. The characters of Kim and Mark, and their lodger Scot are all fully formed and complex - while some things are black and white there are also plenty shades of grey here. And it's only at the very end that it strays into sensationalist territory.<br /><br />Amy Conway's performance as Kim is close to heartbreaking and Richard Gadd makes Mark at times funny and even sympathetic despite the unpleasantness of the character. There's no specific programme credit for a fight director, but I have to say that the violence here is either the best or worst I've ever encountered in the theatre - it's either beautifully choreographed and executed or Amy Conway is taking a real beating every night of the run. Dòl Eoin completes the cast with a strong performance as the lodger they take in to make ends meet - and acting as our narrator. Eoin also contributes the musical elements that form an integral part of the show. <br /><br />Waldorf took the view that as a whole the show was overlong at two hours (including an interval) and that the same could have been achieved in 75 minutes. I'm not sure I'd have been taking that much red ink to the script (written by Stephen Redman in collaboration with the cast) but there are certainly moments that added little to it - most notably the two scenes that are most overtly about belief.<br /><br />"The Belief Project", either by accident or design, makes an excellent companion piece to <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2011/03/staircase-february-2011.html">"Staircase"</a> which has been playing in the Tron's main theatre - and in truth I think "The Belief Project" is the better of two - and certainly the most current. And while it had a considerable audience in the Tron's Changing House studio space, were it to be billed/marketed more conventionally there is a much wider audience for this show out there.<br /><br />The Belief Project from <a href="http://www.flatratestate.com/">Flatrate</a> has now completed its run at the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk">Tron</a>.<br />Image used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com5tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-62176670374704150052011-03-01T22:10:00.001+00:002011-03-01T22:34:41.563+00:00"Staircase" - February 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihk9Va91OtPOO7PMl22o-8ioUrGFyxf_qxSw72sqdLmmcY3TlGpkpAGoH4d68dSFE9TW3ImIA5OuP-2ShT9Cj642wmTV1_o39CLwcI5_HpuZafiTKOsbshkwkDaZSQ2QrOvWt/s1600/staircase.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiihk9Va91OtPOO7PMl22o-8ioUrGFyxf_qxSw72sqdLmmcY3TlGpkpAGoH4d68dSFE9TW3ImIA5OuP-2ShT9Cj642wmTV1_o39CLwcI5_HpuZafiTKOsbshkwkDaZSQ2QrOvWt/s400/staircase.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5579232706183111778" /></a>Charles Dyer's play sees Charles and Harry reach a crisis point in their relationship when Charles finds himself facing prosecution for a drunken incident - just as he is about to be reunited with his long lost daughter. And tensions rise further as Harry accuses Charles of trying to sweep their relationship under the carpet. As a comedy, black or otherwise, "Staircase" misses the mark - while a play set in the sixties is clearly going to have a period feel, here the comic lines seemed dreadfully dated. Or maybe you just have to have lived through the sixties to appreciate it (the older couple sitting next to us certainly found parts of it hilarious). But then, for me, the play's strength lay elsewhere - as a consideration of an abusive domestic situation. And on that level it worked rather well.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Andy Arnold gives Charles the sense of unpredictability and lightning quick mood shifts so often at the heart of domestic abuse, with Benny Young making Harry a textbook battered wife. They certainly managed to transfer that element of being 'on edge' to me in the third row. And in fairness the anticipation of where things were heading may have been in part to blame for my inability to appreciate the attempts at humour. Part of me is left disappointed that this aspect of the play is overshadowed by both the comedy billing and a final plot twist, when the abusive relationship seems both more interesting and contemporary. <br /><br />Arnold and Young both give strong emotional performances, but due to the accent and fast paced delivery we did struggle to catch some of Charles' dialogue. Arnold also directs effectively and what could be a very static two hander maintains a considerable level of energy throughout. Special mentions also for Kenny Miller's clean design and Karen Bryce's atmospheric lighting.<br /><br />"Staircase" serves as an interesting reminder of just how recently lives were destroyed by society's attitudes to homosexuality, but it's difficult not to feel that a more contemporary consideration of the issues might have been more worthwhile.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">We received our tickets for the show through our membership of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/">Tron's Patrons scheme</a> which we thoroughly recommend for anyone who is a regular attendee at the Tron.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/staircase/">Staircase is a 'Tron Stripped' production and runs at the Tron until Saturday 5th March.</a><br />Image by John Johnston used with permission<br /><br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-81465668160622170932011-02-23T23:09:00.001+00:002011-02-23T23:12:00.413+00:00"Smalltown" - February 2011<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GpnZgg6_p4ecoflNPdOKkyfVHfzcN-OTzWWHQQZXkRoHXP83jaJcThGZ01dOV3WhC9Ef60p0zBVHc9UirgVw4Wcg5cPwoaGu1v95gb61JiLVNsiQUt_-Wsd575Tx8A8PraKV/s1600/smalltown.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEj1GpnZgg6_p4ecoflNPdOKkyfVHfzcN-OTzWWHQQZXkRoHXP83jaJcThGZ01dOV3WhC9Ef60p0zBVHc9UirgVw4Wcg5cPwoaGu1v95gb61JiLVNsiQUt_-Wsd575Tx8A8PraKV/s400/smalltown.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5577024250296104210" /></a>On reflection, it shouldn't have come as a surprise that a show comprising three parts by three writers would result in three differing opinions. But while you may have expected our views to be split on the success of each element of the show, that isn't how things turned out. In fact, the three opinions that we arrived at on Friday night can be pretty much summed up as follows: Waldorf hated pretty much all of it, while I thought it had some moments but wasn't great. The third opinion? Well that would be the rest of the audience who appeared to love it. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />The overarching premise for "Smalltown" sees a toxic new brand of bottled water cause havoc across Ayrshire and each of the writers is responsible for the story set in their respective hometowns. While every audience will see the main part of each tale; they are then asked to vote to as to which one they wish to see the conclusion of. <br /><br />Douglas Maxwell's Girvan based segment gets the show up and running and establishes the chain of events that have brought the towns to the brink of disaster. To his credit, Maxwell seems to have the most to say with his piece - an ambition sadly missing in the two later parts. He takes a look at the impact growing up in an isolated town can have and the tensions that can arise between those who leave, those who stay, and those who return. He also throws in some nice gags, but the more clever/subtle ones tend to get smothered by performances that really ham things up.<br /><br />DC Jackson sets his tale in the same universe as his 'Stewarton Trilogy', featuring a character from "The Ducky" and name-checking others. In fact there's more connection to his previous works than there is to the Girvan and Ardrossan elements of "Smalltown". While the bottled water is once more the cause of the town's problems, there's nothing to move the story arc onwards or suggest anything of the bigger picture outside young Ruby's bedroom. It's also questionable exactly how the teenage angst on display here is so different from the country's more urban areas (effects of the toxic water aside). And it's difficult not to feel that the nudity and puppet sex is a rather cheap and easy way to buy laughs. Perhaps it's due to a busy competing workload, but Jackson's piece has a 'phoned in' feel about it.<br /> <br />Fortunately Johnny McKnight's zombie filled Ardrossan based piece feels much more polished - although again the setting is somewhat incidental. It also benefits from performances from Julie Brown and Anita Vettesse that seem much more considered and subtle than in the earlier pieces, and McKnight's snappy one-liners gave me my first genuine laughs of the evening. Had we only seen 'Ardrossan' it would have made for an enjoyable evening, but it wasn't strong enough to carry the baggage of the other two parts. In fact, Waldorf was so disinterested by the first half of the show that if there hadn't been the prospect of a 'new voice' after the interval she would have been campaigning for an early exit.<br /><br />Disappointingly we were deprived of seeing the conclusion of McKnight's piece - despite it appearing to me to have the edge in an admittedly close audience vote. Instead, we got the conclusion of Maxwell's Girvan, which although amusing failed to capitalise on the more thoughtful elements of its tale.<br /><br />But while "Smalltown" may not have been for us, please do remember what we said right at the start - everyone else in the theatre genuinely seemed to be having a great time.<br /><br />Smalltown from <a href="http://www.randomaccomplice.com/">Random Accomplice</a> has completed its run at the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk">Tron</a>, but continues to <a href="http://www.randomaccomplice.com/index.php?id=29">tour Scotland until 26 March</a>.<br />Image by John Johnston used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-61749454684746389972011-02-23T23:04:00.002+00:002011-02-23T23:08:26.217+00:00Blog re-fresh - UpdateWe've taken longer than planned to finalise our redesign and still have a little tinkering to do - and things may still 'break' from time to time. Hopefully we'll be able to apply the update before too long, but until then, normal service will be resumed...<span class="fullpost"></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-62360619504689853322011-01-05T22:50:00.001+00:002011-01-05T22:53:27.889+00:00Blog re-fresh/downtimeWe're working on a long overdue redesign of the site and hope to apply the new look shortly. As part of the testing/update process there may be some downtime for the site over the next couple of weekends - 8th/9th and 15th/16th January. There's also the possibility of elements of the site 'breaking' or looking a bit strange between now and when the new look goes live.<br /><br />We'll try to keep any interruptions to a minimum, but apologies for any inconvenience.<br /><span class="fullpost"></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-45774368752211884192011-01-05T00:25:00.008+00:002011-01-05T21:53:51.998+00:00Spring 2011 PreviewLazy post-New Year days in the house are ideal for looking ahead at theatres' 2011 seasons. We've already received some programmes in the post and most now have details of their shows online. Details are pretty sparse, so there will be other productions that attract our attention nearer the time if a cast seems particularly strong, but we think this will be fairly close to what we actually see this Spring.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />January looks like a quiet month for us, but The Tron gets us up and running in February with a couple of shows. <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/staircase/">"Staircase"</a> would have been on our list anyway but the fact that it features Benny Young and Tron artistic director Andy Arnold certainly elevates our level of interest. Random Accomplice's <a href="http://www.randomaccomplice.com/index.php?id=29">"Smalltown"</a> is not only credited with three writers - DC Jackson, Douglas Maxwell and Johnny McKnight, but it also allows its audience to choose an ending for the show. We think it may turn out to be one of the highlights of the year - either that or an unmitigated disaster. In March <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/the_belief_project/">"The Belief Project"</a> sounds a little on the serious side but we don't mind getting a bit philosophical now and again. Waldorf is keen to see <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/age_of_arousal/">"Age of Arousal" </a>from Stellar Quines but I need a little more convincing. But there's no persuasion required for Gregory Burke's <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/gagarin_way/">"Gagarin Way" </a>which <a href="http://www.rapturetheatre.co.uk/">Rapture Theatre</a> are touring - the play has a strong reputation and Rapture have repeatedly shown an ability to put together fantastic casts for their shows.<br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/whatson/season-brochure/">Click for full details of the Tron's Spring Season.</a></span><br /><br />Across the Clyde at the Citizens their co-production with the Lyceum about Marilyn Monroe doesn't really appeal, so our visits there won't really kick in until March. NTS Reveal brings a set of new works (including rehearsed readings) but we found it quite tricky to work out all the combinations of the individual plays - we've settled on a <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/reveal_double_bill_count_me_in_love_letters/">double bill</a> of "Love Letters to the Public Transport System" and <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/02/crunch-february-2010.html">Gary McNair's</a> "Count Me In" (NTS Reveal also visits the Traverse). XLC Theatre company have put <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=xlc">some great shows</a> on at the Citz in the last couple of years so we'll be heading along to see <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/lears_daughters/">"Lear's Daughters"</a> which appears to be a prequel to Shakespeare's play. And in a nice piece of programming the National Theatre of Scotland bring David Greig's acclaimed 'sequel' to Macbeth - <a href="http://www.nationaltheatrescotland.com/content/default.asp?page=home_Dunsinane">"Dunsinane"</a> to the Citz in June (following a run at the Lyceum). Having enjoyed his<a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2009/08/mark-thomas-manifesto-edinburgh-fringe.html"> "Manifesto" </a>at the Fringe in 2009 we're looking forward to Mark Thomas's new show <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/mark_thomas_extreme_rambling/">"Extreme Rambling"</a> which is part of the <a href="http://www.glasgowcomedyfestival.com/Home.aspx#">Magners Comedy Festival</a> which has a considerable presence across Glasgow in March/April. The Citz Community Co don't seem to have a main stage show planned for the Spring but we're looking forward to going 'Doon the Watter' with them in the Circle Studio in <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/fair_friday/">"Fair Friday"</a>. And lastly, the Citz have given us a bit of a dilemma with <a href="http://citz.co.uk/whatson/info/after_the_end/">"After the End"</a>. It's definitely my kind of show but at the moment I'm finding myself more drawn to <a href="http://www.dundeerep.co.uk/p2s262.html">Dundee Rep's site specific production</a> of the same play later in June - and I just can't see us booking up for both. <br /><span style="font-style:italic;"><a href="http://citizenstheatre.blogspot.com/2010/12/spring-2011-brochure.html">Click to view the Citizens full season brochure. </a></span><br /><br />Published programmes for <a href="http://www.thearches.co.uk/">The Arches</a> and <a href="http://tramway.org/">Tramway</a> are limited at the moment and the new season of <a href="http://playpiepint.com">'A Play, A Pie & A Pint'</a> at Oran Mor is due to be announced shortly.<br /><br />Regular readers will know that it takes something special to get us along to the Kings or Theatre Royal in Glasgow due to expensive tickets and uncomfortable seating - but surprisingly we may well be booking up for three shows. We booked some time ago for <a href="http://www.ambassadortickets.com/2151/654/Glasgow/Theatre-Royal/King-Lear---Tour-Tickets">"King Lear"</a> featuring Derek Jacobi but are also tempted by the touring productions of <a href="http://www.ambassadortickets.com/2243/653/Glasgow/King's-Theatre/Avenue-Q-Tickets">"Avenue Q"</a> and <a href="http://www.ambassadortickets.com/2225/654/Glasgow/Theatre-Royal/Yes-Prime-Minister-Tickets">"Yes, Prime Minister"</a>.<br /><br />The production of "King Lear" can also be seen in a number of cinemas on 3rd February as part of their <a href="http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/61893/productions/donmar-warehouses-king-lear.html">National Theatre Live programme</a>, and we're planning to see the <a href="http://www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/63286/productions/frankenstein.html">NTLive performance of "Frankenstein"</a> directed by Danny Boyle on 17 March. We've seen a <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/search?q=nt+live">couple of NTLive shows previously</a> and despite small technical issues it's actually a great way to see a show you wouldn't otherwise be able to see.<br /><br />With a main season that's largely also available in Glasgow, there isn't anything for us at the <a href="http://www.lyceum.org.uk/">Lyceum</a> this time round, but we're considering making trips through to Edinburgh for <a href="http://www.traverse.co.uk/shows_80days.htm">"Around the World in 80 Days"</a> and <a href="http://www.traverse.co.uk/shows_gregory_church.htm">"The Interminable Suicide of Gregory Church"</a> at the <a href="http://www.traverse.co.uk/showsall.htm">Traverse</a>. I'm also keen to make the trip to Perth Theatre for their production of <a href="http://www.horsecross.co.uk/whats-on/2011/feb/10/death-of-a-salesman-49429/">"Death of a Salesman"</a> which has always been a favourite play of mine. <br /><br />I'm not sure we're going to be able to make this last one work as it's a one-night-only thing, but <a href="http://www.alhambradunfermline.com/listings_detail/136/">Kim Shepherd</a> made a huge impression on us in an amateur production of <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2007/06/we-will-rock-you-june-2007.html">"We Will Rock You"</a> a few years back, so we're hoping to get through to Dunfermline to catch her 'evening of song' at the <a href="http://www.alhambradunfermline.com/listings/">Alhambra</a> on 22nd January. UPDATE - this has now been cancelled, but hopefully will be re-scheduled.<br /><br />As always with our previews, these aren't really recommendations, just a note of the shows that interest us and that may also interest you. Do let us know if you think there's anything we've missed...<br /><br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-73636451414391279062010-12-31T00:05:00.002+00:002011-01-05T21:53:30.058+00:00Review of the Year - 2010We managed to see over 50 shows in 2010 – a bit of a drop from the last couple of years. While that may reflect that there were fewer shows that grabbed our attention, it’s also due to the fact that we had fewer available evenings this year. Time constraints also curtailed my trips to “A Play, A Pie & A Pint” at Oran Mor and we really struggled to find much to interest us at this year's Edinburgh Fringe. Even so, we were unable to fit in a number of shows we had been really keen to see this year such as Grid Iron’s “Spring Awakening”, DC Jackson’s “My Romantic History” and the NTS’ “Beautiful Burnout”. Of course, that still leaves us with a lot of great theatre that we did get to see…<br /><span class="fullpost"><br />Back in March the Citizens production of <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/03/backbeat-march-2010.html">“Backbeat”</a> left me with the feeling that it didn’t quite manage to gel its separate elements, but ten months later it remains one of the most striking shows I saw – full of visual style and featuring some excellent performances – particularly from Isabella Calthorpe. The Citz also gave us their brilliantly entertaining <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/06/one-million-tiny-plays-about-britain.html">“One Million Tiny Plays About Britain” </a>with its energetic cast, and their Community Company’s harrowing <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/05/grapes-of-wrath-may-2010.html">“The Grapes of Wrath”</a>. It was also at the Citz that we caught the ingenious and delightful <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/05/event-may-2010.html">"The Event"</a>.<br /><br />The National Theatre of Scotland’s production of Douglas Maxwell’s <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/03/miracle-man-march-2010.html">“The Miracle Man”</a> formed part of their ‘tfd’ season aimed at teenage audiences and was a wonderful piece of theatre for those of any age - a perfect balance between hilarity and heart-wrenching moments.<br /><br />I was particularly disappointed not to see more of the Tron’s Mayfesto season of ‘political’ theatre as the one show I managed to see – <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/05/address-unknown-may-2010.html">“Address Unknown“</a> provoked a surprisingly powerful personal response and featured fantastic performances from James MacPherson and Benny Young. In a much less serious moment, but still packing an emotional punch, the Tron’s outrageous production of <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/07/valhalla-july-2010.html">“Valhalla!”</a> left us laughing all the way home. <br /><br />The Tron were also involved in what was unquestionably the best piece of theatre we saw in 2010. It’s had plenty of plaudits in places much more significant than our little blog, but we need to add our own recognition of what <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/11/roadkill-november-2010.html">“Roadkill”</a> achieved. Written with restraint by Stef Smith, creatively directed by Cora Bissett and performed by a wonderful cast it was a flawless piece of theatre that took audience ‘engagement’ to a level I didn’t think existed. <br /><br />John Kazek’s performance in Roadkill was the finest we encountered this year – transforming chameleon-like from vicious pimp through concerned policeman to a loving African father. Marianne Oldham’s quirky portrayal of <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/10/girl-in-yellow-dress-october-2010.html">“The Girl in the Yellow Dress”</a> at the Citz also made a big impression, while Richard Magowan showed the impact a genuine stage presence can have as Sky Masterson in Theatre Guild Glasgow’s <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/09/guys-dolls-september-2010.html">“Guys and Dolls”</a>. Another performance that really impressed us was Joanna Tope in <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/02/promises-promises-february-2010.html">"Promises Promises"</a> and we were completely won over by Janette 'Krankie' in <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2010/12/aladdin-december-2010.html">"Aladdin"</a>.<br /><br />Thanks to all those involved in the shows we've seen this year, and also to all of you who have shared your thoughts here. We'll be back in a week or two with our plans for the first half of 2011.<br /> </span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-31211243456765372312010-12-30T23:25:00.003+00:002010-12-31T11:12:51.547+00:00"Flo White" - December 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbDDOS5cwZX4dHiScySSN_yMOyYeoxM9GH20tL2julASlV2hTsR7DNhL76mvnpVskg82v6mgL1h8c_pcfuHHzx7FPR8nUNgFJdaJKTgfeBs3-hdHNqWRFvpFeOXiR3s5MebJK/s1600/flowhite.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgUbDDOS5cwZX4dHiScySSN_yMOyYeoxM9GH20tL2julASlV2hTsR7DNhL76mvnpVskg82v6mgL1h8c_pcfuHHzx7FPR8nUNgFJdaJKTgfeBs3-hdHNqWRFvpFeOXiR3s5MebJK/s400/flowhite.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5556802702993415842" /></a>We were sceptical, but last year’s <a href="http://www.viewfromthestalls.co.uk/2009/12/ya-beauty-beast-december-2009.html">“Ya Beauty & The Beast”</a> at the Tron made us believe we could fall in love with their post-modern panto. Sadly it appears even fairy dust has a limited lifespan, and there is not to be a “happily ever after” ending, for despite a sci-fi setting this is very much a traditional panto. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />If a panto should be judged on how the children in the audience respond, then "Flo White" is a resounding success. From its first moments the kids are fully committed and involved in the show – particularly impressive in what can be a lull between Christmas and New Year. It makes a particularly good choice for a Christmas outing for parents who get a little nervous around the innuendo that can overwhelm a panto – it's all pretty clean fun here. And although the Tron can’t compete with the 3D effects in Aladdin at the SECC, their own animations work very well indeed and make a nice addition to the show. <br /><br />But a great panto knows how to balance its appeal for children and adults alike – and it's here that "Flo White" falters. Even adults who enjoy traditional panto might find themselves struggling at times – almost every scene feels just a little too long and cumulatively it becomes a problem. Do we really need two song-sheet moments? Two characters that require to be greeted every time they appear? A time killing audience interaction scene? An overlong and pointless game of bingo? Even a custard pie throwing scene gets tiresome. Only the 'Barry White' and 'Take That' gags have sufficient legs to justify them running through the show. <br /><br />Alasdair McCrone and Anita Vettesse put in great performances as panto dame Flo and evil villain Hingeroan but at times both characters feel too large for the show more suited for a Kings-style 'spectacular'. Darren Brownlie's robot Mr Brockie goes down a treat with the kids and Derek McGhie makes the most of a limited role. Star of the show may be Sally Reid's excellent Snow White but it was good to see Fiona Wood given the chance to showcase her impressive vocals as So Shy.<br /><br />It's a pity that the show didn't quite hit the mark for us, but we can certainly understand why many in the audience, including adults, loved it.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">We received our tickets for the show through our membership of the <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/development/individual-support/">Tron's Patrons scheme</a> which we thoroughly recommend for anyone who is a regular attendee at the Tron. And particular thanks to the Tron for rearranging our tickets when the snow prevented us attending the opening night.</span><br /><br /><a href="http://www.tron.co.uk/event/flo_white/">Flo White runs at the Tron until Saturday 8th January.</a><br />Image by John Johnston used with permission.<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-35581136106198523152010-12-21T23:33:00.001+00:002010-12-21T23:34:25.247+00:00"Aladdin" - December 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtcuCp4zF5Dz3Gi05wSGqn91htjU9fmvjswy0XS9chAiIgfWEx0Irk_zydfbgfDJMx4OuKPsiCqX6gIVYdMuAxUGbf41gDvMmM8YaqKEuGE1yBKxk9XRop_xdk6Y1hQ5Il6Nj2/s1600/AladdinSECC.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 300px; height: 200px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEgtcuCp4zF5Dz3Gi05wSGqn91htjU9fmvjswy0XS9chAiIgfWEx0Irk_zydfbgfDJMx4OuKPsiCqX6gIVYdMuAxUGbf41gDvMmM8YaqKEuGE1yBKxk9XRop_xdk6Y1hQ5Il6Nj2/s400/AladdinSECC.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5553281758029882226" /></a>When I learned that Panto producing behemoth <a href="http://www.qdosentertainmentpantomimes.co.uk/">Qdos</a> was attempting to muscle in on the Glasgow market, I found it difficult to see what they hoped to bring to the city that it didn’t already have. And although we’re no fans of most of the existing pantos, each has its own niche. So, my initial response was an urge to resist this commercial interloper – particularly after I read about their national sponsorship deal which involved incorporating <a href="http://www.comparethemeerkat.com/home">Churchill</a> the dog into every one of their pantomimes. But when they announced all round entertainer John Barrowman as their leading man we succumbed to the draw of a star name. And even the later casting of the Krankies wasn’t enough to dampen our enthusiasm. The question remains though – does Glasgow need another Christmas show? And if so, is "Aladdin" it? <br /><span class="fullpost"><br />There’s no denying that bringing Glasgow-born Barrowman home is a major coup. Glasgow has always had a tradition of creating its own pantomime stars – most recently the late, great Gerard Kelly. But even back in the days of Rikki Fulton and Stanley Baxter they didn’t have the same profile John Barrowman has <a href="http://www.imdb.com/name/nm0057882/">achieved</a> both nationally and internationally. And from the response in the audience it was clear who most of them (us included) had come to see – and we didn’t leave disappointed. In an age when many celebrities and 'stars' have obvious limits to their talents, it’s great to see one live up to the hype.<br /><br />But what of The Krankies? Well, they very quickly overcame any reservations we had with some clever in-jokes, impressive physicality and some perfectly played contrived corpsing. We're never going to be huge fans of their humour, but we can recognise that they are absolutely brilliant at what they do. And any similar scepticism about the use of a “3D Genie” vanished just as quickly once we reached the first of several 3D scenes. The effects are stunning – much, much more effective than I had expected them to be. Waldorf may have sat calmly in her seat but I’ll admit to flinching as something flew past my face - and others in our party visibly jumped. The effects provide a huge WOW factor to the show, as does a beautifully executed scene that sees Barrowman flying above the first few rows of the stalls.<br /><br />The script on the other hand could do with a little more polish. It could be sharper at times, and there isn’t really any concerted effort to make us care about the characters or hide the fact that this is a Barrowman/Krankies vehicle. And while you can argue it’s just giving the audience what they came to see, it’s a waste of a strong supporting cast who appear capable of delivering much more. I’d also have to say that some of the gags based on John Barrowman’s sexuality would have given me concerns - were it not for the fact that he is so clearly the star of the show and has presumably given his approval to the script. <br /><br />The show appropriates a number of pop songs jukebox-musical-style rather than using an original score. To me it felt like a shortcut too far, but it certainly gets the audience going and no one else I’ve discussed it with had any objection to it. Nor did I hear anyone object to the short scene featuring <a href="http://www.comparethemeerkat.com/home">Churchill</a>. Yes it felt ‘dropped in’ but by that time I could see where my ticket price had gone – if it requires a financial top-up from an insurance company then I can live with that (but do allow us to register mild disapproval by being a little mischievous with our weblinks).<br /><br />Whilst star names, high production values and technology all contribute to the show’s success, its biggest asset may actually be the venue. We may have seen it at its best in Row D of the stalls, and the lack of significant raking does give me some concerns, but we felt the Armadillo really worked for this kind of show. It has comfortable seats with plenty of legroom – and even the sweet stall prices weren’t ridiculous. If you were to put the same show on here and at the Kings, I would pay an extra £5 for the ticket without hesitation – and in truth probably another £5 without grumbling too much about it (but I would still moan about the £6 SECC car park charge).<br /><br />But I do worry about what that means for Glasgow's theatres, and with the terrible weather it might be difficult for anyone to quantify the impact Aladdin has had on the other theatres. On a more positive note, I generally believe that theatre-going is a habit and that the more you see, the more you want to see - so if people have been lured in by Barrowman and the 3D genie, perhaps they’ll consider seeing other shows (now or throughout the year). <br /><br /><a href="http://www.qdosentertainmentpantomimes.co.uk/glasgow.html">Aladdin runs at the Clyde Auditorium (the 'Armadillo' at the SECC) until 9th January</a><br />Image by Keith Pattison used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-46314621507181540452010-12-21T00:05:00.001+00:002010-12-21T00:22:37.570+00:00"12 Days of Wicked Christmas" - December 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7srJdOefy7njUKk2SbwOtprJtN1d45EJRsMT-_RSfk1_9q-a-e5NPg5bWJjlyDX0LdcA_IZIi2YfAQriOtMsHSdKMKddJ2Nlpohctx5XDl95QDUT8sVAm9NdilFUeYJ41n_YC/s1600/12dayswickedxmas.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 160px; height: 240px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEg7srJdOefy7njUKk2SbwOtprJtN1d45EJRsMT-_RSfk1_9q-a-e5NPg5bWJjlyDX0LdcA_IZIi2YfAQriOtMsHSdKMKddJ2Nlpohctx5XDl95QDUT8sVAm9NdilFUeYJ41n_YC/s400/12dayswickedxmas.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5552918878397360914" /></a>The <a href="http://citz.co.uk/learning/community_company/">Citizens Community Company</a> can always be relied on to produce a dark and cynical alternative to the saccharine sweet shows that abound each Christmas. We might not quite be talking Frankie Boyle territory, but this is <span style="font-style:italic;">not</span> a family-friendly show.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Comprising sixteen short segments written and performed by the company, some are more successful than others and I think perhaps there was more of a variation in the quality of writing than in previous installments. But while that may be true of the script, I felt the performances clearly showed further development from the already high levels we have come to expect. Particularly noticeable was the inclusion in several scenes of significant audience participation - all handled very skilfully. <br /><br />And don't ever let anyone tell you that the Community Company are anything less than professional. During the performance we attended they had to contend with a number of audience members who had to leave the Circle Studio mid-scene - walking <span style="font-style:italic;">through</span> the performance space. There also appeared to be a medical incident taking place just outside the studio that resulted in several more comings-and-goings as audience members offered assistance. Yet the cast were completely unphased by it all and remained entirely focussed. <br /><br />We enjoyed the whole evening, but of course, we had our favourites. Judith Hastie's "The Turkey's Lament" provided a highly entertaining look at Christmas from the Turkey's viewpoint and Neil Bratchpiece gave us a very un-Disneylike "Beauty and the Wee Man". But the comic highlight was Kat Lamont's "Barbie Dolls" which gave us mental images of a new line of dolls that will stay with us way beyond Christmas.<br /><br />One of the strengths of these annual "Wicked Christmas" shows is that not everything is about getting laughs. Although the audience seemed unsure quite how to respond to it, Robert Tamson's "Ghost" was actually an emotionally powerful monologue, and Marjorie AM Ferry's "Father and Son" was an insightful look at the generation gap.<br /><br />But "12 Days of Wicked Christmas" just isn't enough - we're hoping next year they give us a "Wicked Christmas Advent Calendar" with the full 24!<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">12 Days of Wicked Christmas has now completed its run at the <a href="http://www.citz.co.uk/">Citizens</a>.<br />Image by Tim Morozzo used with permission</span><br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-50658639387159245372010-11-21T22:30:00.002+00:002010-11-22T05:17:03.559+00:00"Roadkill" - November 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFTnqDpkgmD5VbBKIQuLa-zL2-Swsy8Ajddlln5WB00D_SQCut-K3ljkPXfhuKfAmfKrmpXGm4fI5VEyij9cbMLZdieqwiZtKJktXeWwjj4Exnr2NN1YbgA6Du27fcrAUGCdK/s1600/roadkill.jpg"><img style="float:right; margin:0 0 10px 10px;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 200px; height: 300px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEhrFTnqDpkgmD5VbBKIQuLa-zL2-Swsy8Ajddlln5WB00D_SQCut-K3ljkPXfhuKfAmfKrmpXGm4fI5VEyij9cbMLZdieqwiZtKJktXeWwjj4Exnr2NN1YbgA6Du27fcrAUGCdK/s400/roadkill.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5542125318995673154" /></a>This was our third attempt to see "Roadkill". We missed out on tickets for its pre-Fringe run at the Tron, and then despite tipping it as a show to see in Edinburgh we found the entire run sold out by the time we were able to plan our schedule. Even this time round, we had checked in advance with the Tron when tickets were going on sale and phoned first thing on the morning they were released - and availability was already limited. But there's no doubt about it - it was worth waiting for. While its inherent nature and limited audience capacity mean it will never become a cultural phenomenon in the manner of "Black Watch", make no mistake, "Roadkill" is a piece of theatre of that level of quality. Please be aware that our comments on the show give more away about the plot than we normally try to do.<span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Although staged in a flat in Glasgow's southside, the performance began as soon as we boarded the bus taking us from the Tron to the 'venue'. It's a brilliant way of introducing the characters as we meet young Nigerian Adeola on her arrival in Glasgow. And it's partly the wonderful naive optimism she displays in that short trip that makes it so difficult for the audience to watch as she is forced into the sex trade. <br /><br />When watching a great piece of theatre, I often find particular scenes or lines being indelibly burned into my memory. But that isn't the case here. Instead, what has stayed with me is the almost uncontrollable urge to scream at Adeola to tell John Kazek's police officer of her plight. And I do genuinely mean uncontrollable - I was actually concerned the shouts in my head were going to escape through my mouth. We often talk about theatre being 'engaging' - for me "Roadkill" took the word to an entirely new level.<br /><br />But although many of the play's scenes are disturbing and distressing, the brilliance of Stef Smith's writing is that it knows when to pull back. So many 'issue' based plays would take things to such an extreme dramatic conclusion that it would lose that vital, and horrific, realisation that what we are seeing is an everyday occurrence. Similarly, I think many writers would have been unable to resist the temptation to have the police officer Adeola encounters be less than genuinely concerned for her welfare. Indeed I think it's this lack of the dramatic that keeps the play grounded in reality and gives it a real power to affect its audience.<br /><br />And of course, three magnificent performances help a little. Mercy Ojelade's transformation as Adeola is heartbreaking, but for me the real strength in her performance was actually to make it believable that this young girl would find the strength to escape. As 'Auntie' Martha, Adura Onashile brings out the complexity of the character as both abuser and abused while John Kazek is chameleon-like in several male roles.<br /><br />Much of the credit for the show must also go to director Cora Bissett and her team responsible for the video elements of the production. With projected footage displayed on the walls, ceilings, a TV, and even a cast member, this is by far the most impressive incorporation of video footage and animation I've encountered in theatre. It's used ingeniously to bring Adeola's nightmarish experiences to life in a way we can just about comprehend and tolerate.<br /><br />Although we could probably guess that such exploitation goes on close to home, it's very easy not to think about it. And while I'm not sure quite how successful it may be as a 'call to arms' for individuals to help those affected, anything that can raise the profile of the issue politically should be welcomed. And importantly, it never feels like the artists themselves are exploiting those living the lives of the characters it depicts, or comes across as preaching to the audience.<br /><br />Roadkill is a co-production from <a href="http://www.ankurproductions.org.uk">Ankur Productions</a>, <a href="http://www.corabissett.co.uk/pachamama">Pachamama Productions</a> and Richard Jordan Productions in association with the <a href="http://www.traverse.co.uk/">Traverse Theate Company</a> and <a href="http://www.tron.co.uk">Tron Theatre</a>. It has completed its current run of performances.<br />Image used with permission<br /></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com2tag:blogger.com,1999:blog-33915802.post-49178190282774551542010-11-14T17:10:00.005+00:002010-11-15T10:31:09.101+00:00"The Wee Man & Muckers" - November 2010<a onblur="try {parent.deselectBloggerImageGracefully();} catch(e) {}" href="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyd1JmqUB4o4e5Ro2PiyCDFVZbzqHvkOolDc7GpWY18sfD5tDS8ics8W8wGfBleVbKJt950NCQvlbWi-KJBxQMaTMG-9AWlnoEJ8SPVVM1xzWrhAV2uLTsa-QK8xh_bldG754/s1600/weeman.jpg"><img style="float:left; margin:0 10px 10px 0;cursor:pointer; cursor:hand;width: 167px; height: 250px;" src="https://blogger.googleusercontent.com/img/b/R29vZ2xl/AVvXsEiyyd1JmqUB4o4e5Ro2PiyCDFVZbzqHvkOolDc7GpWY18sfD5tDS8ics8W8wGfBleVbKJt950NCQvlbWi-KJBxQMaTMG-9AWlnoEJ8SPVVM1xzWrhAV2uLTsa-QK8xh_bldG754/s400/weeman.jpg" border="0" alt=""id="BLOGGER_PHOTO_ID_5539721908937819202" /></a>Neil Bratchpiece's appearances as Glasgow ned "The Wee Man" in<a href="http://citz.co.uk/learning/community_company/"> Citizens Community Company</a> shows over the last couple of years have been some of the funniest moments we've had in a theatre. So when we saw that he was headlining a one-night only comedy evening at the <a href="http://www.citz.co.uk">Citz</a> we quickly booked up. <span class="fullpost"><br /><br />Compere for the show in the Citz Circle Studio was Joe Heenan, and despite a tendency to go a bit local-radio-dj in his audience interaction he delivered some strong material and worked the crowd well. So much so, that we agreed entirely with the unusually insightful heckler at the end of the show who observed that Heenan was the best act of the night. He was... and by a considerable margin.<br /><br />The first act on stage was Bratchy, and if we were to be generous we could describe his routine as a carefully constructed rambling one. But in truth it felt more like a performance thrown together with little thought or preparation. Next up was Julia Sutherland who delivered a slick and polished set, but one that was pretty short on laughs. Fortunately things improved with the appearance of Mikey Adams who, despite his protests, appeared perfectly comfortable working with an audience on all four sides and generated some good laughs.<br /><br />Following an interval, and some more good work by Heenan, we got the much anticipated arrival of "The Wee Man". But sadly, a character we've seen work brilliantly in sketches, rarely translated to the stand-up format. Without being able to spark off of other characters, Bratchpiece's writing lost much of its sharpness and attempts at audience interaction were met with mixed success. And incomprehensibly, given that Bratchpiece is familiar with the performance space, a significant part of his set involved displaying a set of images on a pad in the corner - leaving half the audience straining to see the detail and a good number unable to see them at all. His delivery of a comedy rap was also hampered by his decision to lose the microphone - making it impossible to catch many of the lyrics. As a result, what should have been an opportunity to showcase Bratchpiece's obvious talent just highlighted the limitations of the character and a need for greater effort in both the planning and the execution of his performances. <br /><br />Disappointing.<br /><br /><span style="font-style:italic;">Image used with permission.<br /></span></span>Statlerhttp://www.blogger.com/profile/05983866226623322962noreply@blogger.com0