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Tuesday
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By Michael Bhim. Produced by Robert Wisepart. Directed by Michael Kingsbury.
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performance date: 26 Nov 2016
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venue: White Bear Theatre
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 Everyone thinks Monday is the lowest point in the week but actually, according to this new four hander by Michael Bhim, if your life really is collapsing, Tuesday is far harder to get through. Edward (Thomas-Jan Johnston), the only character who’s in every scene, is living a comfortable, contented middle class life in a flat in Kilburn – except that he’s not. Eventually it transpires that it’s all a sham. His wife and their daughter left him months earlier, he has lost his teaching job and won’t have the flat much longer.
Johnston, whose character is initially colourlessly in denial, is an outstanding actor who – over the 90 minutes this play lasts – gradually reveals a deeply fractured, pitiful tragic man whose situation is so ordinary that we can easily identify with it. Jermaine Dominique as his school friend, Brian, cries, threatens, falls, shouts, hits out physically and verbally and makes a wonderful job of getting slowly drunk. His practice as solicitor is rapidly sliding away from him and he too is the star of his own tragedy. The subtext is pretty overt. The two men play deftly off each other and the quality of listening, always the mark of good acting, is high. In the second scene Kate Burdette drops in as Nic, a former colleague and friend. Deeply hurt, she confronts him in icy distress from a distance. Then his estranged wife turns up to collect possessions and although there’s realistic and truthful banter she makes it clear that she’s moving on, pleading meanwhile that he visit his daughter. Both women are impressive actors although the structure of the play make their scenes feel episodic – almost as if the play were written for the convenience of the director needing to call only certain actors in to rehearse particular scenes. The point is, I suppose, that whoever calls on Ed, and they come one by one, everyone is abandoning him to his failed life but the effect is unnecessarily bitty. In short Tuesday is an interesting hour and a half of theatre which showcases some excellent acting but there are problems in the play itself. The text of Tuesday is published by Bloomsbury under its Methuen Drama imprint. First published by Sardines http://sardinesmagazine.co.uk/reviews/review.php?REVIEW-The White Bear Theatre-Tuesday&reviewsID=2647 |
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Candide
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By Leonard Bernstein, Richard Wilbur and Hugh Wheeler
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society/company: Sedos
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performance date: 24 Nov 2016
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venue: The Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, London, EC4Y 8EQ
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 Photo by David Ovenden
It’s hard to believe that Voltaire never met Leonard Bernstein. Somehow they collaborate across two centuries with Hugh Wheeler (book) and Richard Wilbur (lyrics) acting as link men. The result is an irreverent, apt, ever topical musical take on Voltaire’s famous Enlightenment satire on wealth, class, politics and philosophy. And it’s in excellent hands with Sedos which, as usual, achieves a near professional standard. Stephen Russell is a mercurial Voltaire, sparkily narrating the story and morphing into a convincing Pangloss. The latter, of course, argues against all common sense and experience that everything – even murder, rape, earthquakes, the Inquisition and public burnings – is always for the best. An impressively convincing actor, Russell has a fine authorial and authoritative voice. Mark Siddall’s lanky, fresh-faced Candide is a joy to watch too as he is buffeted naively from episode to episode in innocent pursuit of Cunegonde (Emma Morgan) and his fine tenor singing voice blends well. Morgan is outstanding as his love interest and her Queen of the Night number drooling over the spoils of forays into upmarket prostitution is a real showstopper with high notes like crystal stabs. Congratulations too to Francesca Canty who is standing in as the Old Woman at short notice because of illness. Her performance is highly entertaining especially in the We are Women number with Morgan, Candide, though, is an ensemble piece and every single cast member adds value. It’s a good choice for a large, talented non-pro company too because there are lots of roles which emerge from the ensemble so there’s plenty of opportunity for nearly everyone. Director Michael Smith makes interesting use of tableaux against Roger Harwood’s simple set which comprises two moveable white sails and some wooden packing boxes in various sizes. The whole concept is minimalist and physical which rachets up the humour when, for example, Candide kills both Cunegonde’s lovers with a single poke from a plastic dagger. Matt Gould and his splendid thirteen-piece band are upstage in full view which is a good idea given the generous size of the Bridewell’s playing space. It means the musicians and singers are physically close to each other so that everything is very coherent. And that togetherness allows us fully to appreciate the inimitable Bernstein score with its debt to Bach, Sullivan, Mendelssohn Mozart amd more overlaid with his own trade mark syncopated rhythms and striking harmonies. A jolly good evening’s entertainment, then. All credit to this production and all who sail in her. First published by Sardineshttp://www.sardinesmagazine.co.uk/reviews/review.php?REVIEW-Sedos-Candide&reviewsID=2644 |
SEDOS production of Candide
The word “amateur” seems to be disappearing. Pity because I’d really like to think that everyone working in this industry, paid or not, is in it for the love of it. Otherwise what’s the point? As it is companies such as Cambridge Operatic Society (CaOS) have long since dropped the A-word from their names because of negative connotations. And that’s a trend amongst “community” or “non-professional” companies all over the country.
This week I’ve seen two shows in which the performers were paid and two in which they weren’t. First came a Shakespeare Schools Festival four-play evening at Broadway Theatre in Catford. I was expecting to see two half hour plays (Macbeth and Measure for Measure) by own old secondary school, Sydenham High School but it was a lovely surprise to find “my” primary school, Rathfern, there too with A Winter’s Tale. All these youngsters are skilfully lead through the playmaking process by their teachers with support form SSF and the confidence, and team work in evidence was – as usual – remarkable. Amateur? Yes, but these kids were in a “proper” professional theatre having an experience which will stay with them for life so don’t knock it.
The next night I was off to the slick, entertaining, thoughtful, revival of Baddies the Musical at Unicorn Theatre where – obviously – the performers are earning their living. It was a completely different theatre experience from the previous night but not better or worse – just another thing.
On Thursday I saw one of SEDOS’s outstanding productions at Bridewell Theatre. Now SEDOS (Stock Exchange Drama and Operatic Society, long since open to people from all walks of life across London) never disappoints. Their Candide – with a thirteen piece band – certainly bears comparison with many a pro show. Stephen Russell is a mercurial natural as Voltaire/Pangloss and Emma Morgan hits every one of Cunegonde’s ridiculously high notes with gleeful, witty panache.
Finally, on Friday, I was at Michael Bhim’s angry new play Tuesday at the newly refurbished White Bear in Kennington. Four pro actors thrilled me with the quality of their acting although I was less taken with the play which I found structurally bitty. An interesting, varied week, then.
Amateur companies often have “resting” pros in their casts and professional companies – witness the RSC’s enlightened, imaginative Dream for the Nation tour last summer in which local amateurs played the Rude Mechanicals at each venue – are increasingly willing to work with people who have day jobs too.
The boundaries are blurring and a good thing too provided, of course, that unscrupulous producers don’t capitalise on the trend by not paying skilled trained actors for whom this is their only source of income.
What a good idea to open a concert whose main work is Ein Deutsches Requiem with Schicksalsleid. The choir is already there and it creates a valuable opportunity to hear a live performance of something which doesn’t get too many outings although, as James Morgan told the audience at the beginning, Schicksasleid is one of the finest things Brahms ever wrote. This rendering of it was eloquent, mellow and nicely paced – and it clearly showed how well The Dome works for a large, impressively competent, choir such as Brighton Festival Chorus. The acoustic is warm but also allows for an incisive edge against which Morgan’s tempi were well judged.
Morgan is a perky and insouciantly witty presenter as well as a conductor and he treated us to an unadvertised education workshop on the Requiem between Schickalsleid and the interval, drawing attention to some of former’s most interesting moments. I’ve sung it many times but still learned from this entertaining 15 minutes. The best was the “historical re-enactment” of the first performance when a piano marking was omitted from the timpani part so the player played forte throughout the third movement which put the public off so much that Brahms didn’t risk a second performance for a whole year. Morgan gave us a sample of what this would have sounded like and it was very funny.
And so to the marvels of the Requiem itself with its seven movements, musical and narrative symmetry and emphasis on comforting the living. Morgan has a real gift for bringing out the detail, such as the double bass pedal in the opening, allowing the harp to dominate briefly where it’s appropriate, letting us enjoy the contra-bassoon and making sure we noticed the beautiful pizzicato passages in the central fourth movement. The final, peace and resolution-bringing movement was particularly fine with some enjoyable flute work.
Leigh Melrose, bass, has some of the clearest, best articulated German diction I’ve ever heard in any account of this work. His style is dramatic with plenty of passion particularly in the third movement. It was a cutting edge performance. Soprano Sarah Tynan has a mellifluous tone and managed to temper the anguish with sweetness in the fifth movement – her big moment
There was excellent singing from the choir too with nearly all entries tidy and very little strain even on demanding high notes. And Morgan’s dynamic control was well observed so that there were some moments of real Verdi-style tension.
First published by Lark Reviews http://www.larkreviews.co.uk/?cat=3
What a success the Marlowe Theatre is, five years on from its rebuild. I’ve seen its main space full for pantomime, Philharmonia concerts, West End-style touring shows and much more. And of course a Glyndebourne tour guarantees a very excited buzz and hardly an empty seat.
A rather abrupt, very punctually launched, overture led smoothly – once musicians and audience settled – to Leporello’s entrance unaccountably clad in grubby, baggy singlet and underpants in this somewhat bitty 1950s take on the story. In many ways Brandon Cedel, as Leporello, is a mercurial cross between Prince Harry and David Tennant, and the star of this show. His immaculately controlled, impassioned, chocolate-rich bass voice works well for both his serious, vexed moments and for lighter spots such as the famous conquest list aria. And he’s quite an actor.
I last saw Duncan Rock (title role) as Don Giovanni, four years ago in a production in a gay nightclub at Charing Cross in which all the roles except his were gender-reversed. He was interesting then but his interpretation, voice and acting have all matured in the interim. The deceptively simple Act 1 seduction duet with Zerlina (good – especially in the later number in which she woos back Bozidar Smiljanic as Masetto) is exquisitely sung and his sensitive Act 2 serenade is an utter delight.
Andrii Goniukov is suitably imposing as Il Commendatore and Ana Maria Labin is a very creditable Donna Anna with the right level of pain and revenge in her voice most of the time. There’s some fine work in the pit under Pablo Gonzalez with mandolin playing from Francisco Correa for the serenade as an especially noteworthy moment.
As for the production itself – Jonathan Kent, who directed the original production and Lloyd Wood who directs this touring revival often stray perilously close to gimmickry. Why, for instance, do we have a fire at the end of Act 1? If it’s meant to prefigure Don Giovanni’s eventual descent then it’s painfully laboured. The set (designed by Paul Brown) makes so much use of the revolve that it quickly begins to feel unnecessarily fussy as it swings repeatedly to reveal different scenes. Much of the action is played in quite small contained spaces within on-revolve mini-sets. And if there’s an artistic or narrative reason for raking so steep within them that I was reminded of rock pools at the seaside as performers teetered rather alarmingly up and down, then I have failed to work out what it is.
In general though, it’s an enjoyable evening. I’ve seen Don Giovanni done in many quirky settings and eras and, actually, the material is so strong that the details of how you present it don’t matter much. Whatever you throw at the piece – provided the singing and playing is right – the music will carry it. That’s Mozart for you.
First published by Lark Reviews: http://www.larkreviews.co.uk/?cat=3
It was what he carefully calls the “literature of theatre” that triggered George Peck’s lifelong commitment to drama. Speaking with characteristic, reasoned thoughtfulness, he says: “I suppose I was about 16 or 17 when I realised that the fiction that was inspiring me was a vicarious, enclosed world. In theatre, it’s different. It’s a living language and that fascinates me.”
So he went to the University of Oxford (“I was lucky enough to go…” he says with gentle modesty) to read English. While there, he worked as an actor with director Yvonne Mitchell …
Read the rest of this article via The Stage https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/interviews/2016/george-peck-drama-schools-shouldnt-be-focused-on-empire-building/
Stage schools are often unfairly stereotyped by the media and teaching unions as places where the spoiled brats of pushy parents receive an inadequate education.
In truth, the opposite applies. As every pro knows, theatre is a very tight discipline and training in it – whether full or part-time and irrespective of age – requires hard work, stamina, dedication and …
Read the rest of this article via The Stage https://www.thestage.co.uk/features/2016/dont-knock-stage-schools-they-promote-a-valuable-work-ethic/
You know you’re winning with an early years show when the young children in the audience call out in cheerful, uninvited vociferous recognition of the characters on stage. Based on the 1977 picture book by from Janet and Allan Ahlberg which has achieved iconic status over at least two generations, Burglar Bill stars the nimble, natural Chris Yarnell as Bill, in his inevitable stripy t shirt. He sleeps during the day and burgles at night; in between he does little turns based on some of his loot. One hat leads to a gondolier moment and another to a bit of vaudeville …
Read the rest of this review via The Stage https://www.thestage.co.uk/reviews/2016/burglar-bill-review-at-yvonne-arnaud-theatre-guildford/