Chauntecleer and Pertelotte - Hen & Chickens Theatre Bar

Chauntecleer and Pertelotte By Dougie Blaxland
Director: James Bounds
Reviewer: Honour Bayes

Based loosely on The Nun’s Priest’s Tale, one of Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales, Chauntecleer and Pertelotte is a slickly performed, well written and directed piece, which for all these things still cannot convince of its reason for being produced. The basis of its parts and the sum of none, this show feels more like an actor’s showcase than a piece of theatre and the question has to be asked, why revise this tale?

It is the flighty story of Chauntecleer, a proud and sexual cockerel, who woes his innocent chick Pertelotte until she is his lascivious and fruity mistress. All is well with these horny birds until Chauntecleer is caught enjoying the attentions of the farmer’s wife, at which point Pertelotte takes a vicious revenge. Seemingly hell indeed hath no fury like a hen scorned.

Apart from learning this moral nugget however the audience has nothing more that it can take from this slight piece of work. This is not to say that the writing is not beautifully fruity and tootie and ripe, and with Lamb Lovelies and Bull Bolleckies’ dropping left right and centre, this is a script which is a pleasure to listen to. Furthermore Tim Dewberry and Annie Hemingway do masterfully with their roles, pluming and puffing and pecking and jutting elegantly as the birds, they are equally as focussed and precise in their human characters’ physicality. Vocally also they relish each line with glee and even if some of the accents which they lace these with are sometimes off key, it is clear that they are savouring the humpy pumpy rhythms of Dougie Blaxland’s script.

James Bounds moves his actors around the stage with confidence and élan, and the two performers play off each other with an assurance and stylishness belaying a strong external eye.

An admirable lesson in technique from all creative parties involved and yet teaching very little else, Chauntecleer and Pertelotte is all form and no content. At the end of the piece, this is a failing which is even mentioned by the performers themselves; on vocalising that nothing has been learnt, they seem to conclude that this is not an issue and that enjoyment is all that mattered. But through the very act of mentioning it they belay their worry that although an enjoyable piece of fluff, this production is as light on content as a feather and as such is not the successful piece of theatre that its creative components should have made it.

Goldilocks & the Three Bears - The Customs House, South Shields

Golidlocks & the Three Bears by Ray Spencer & Graeme Thompson
Director: Ray Spencer

Reviewer: Ian Cain

You don’t need to go down to the woods to be sure of a big surprise, just take a trip to The Customs House to see Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Affectionately termed ‘the little panto with the big heart,’ the venue has once again come up with a top quality festive family show. Packed with madcap mayhem, audience participation, sing-along songs, colourful characters and plenty of ad-libbing, this is pure, unadulterated, honest-to-goodness pantomime at its very best.

The plot revolves around the demise of Dame Dotty’s circus and the evil Baron Boris Bratwurst’s plan to trick her into selling-up, so that he can send the animals off to his fur factory. However, Goldilocks overhears the Baron discussing his plan with his henchman, Igor, and it is up to her – aided by Colin the Ringmaster and The Fairy Godmother - to thwart his evil scheme.

Co-writer and director Ray Spencer stars as Tommy, Dame Dotty’s simple son. This pairs Spencer with his comedy partner Bob Stott and the double-act provide much of the hilarity. These two go together like a horse and carriage and their stagecraft is a joy to behold as they veer away from the script and back again leaving young and old rocking with laughter.

Lucy Rafton plays a feisty Goldilocks, dispelling any misconceptions that panto heroines should always be simpering and sickly sweet. She looks great and delivers her musical numbers with aplomb. Indeed, this Goldilocks has girl-power! David Ducasse (Scooch) is Colin the Ringmaster, and he too presents a nice twist to the typical panto hero. His portrayal of Colin is as a bit of a ‘himbo’ – that’s a male bimbo, if you didn’t know – who has difficulty in voicing his true feelings for Goldilocks. However, with a wave of the Fairy Godmother’s wand and a bit of coaxing from the would-be object of his affections, he gets there in the end.

Suzanne Richardson ( Fiddler On The Roof; Beauty & The Beast) gives us a wonderful, magical archetypal Fairy Godmother. She works the audience well and has the kids chanting spells in unison with her for all they are worth. Although she may be a Fairy Godmother, Suzanne possesses the voice of an angel and provides some of the show’s best singing. Peter Darrant once again fills the villain’s shoes, a role that he has made his own, and relishes every moment of it. Clad in a flowing leather coat and the tightest, shiniest trousers I’ve ever seen, he basks in the badness of the bolshy Baron Boris Bratwurst (try getting your tongue round that bit of alliteration after one too many at the bar!) and ‘looks like a reject from Land of Leather.’

Graham Overton, as Igor, is the Baron’s hapless henchman and provides a perfect foil to Darrant’s Bratwurst. He brings to his performance an array of rubber-faced expressions and a funny voice that had the little boy in the seat in front of me in stitches throughout. Of course, tradition dictates that children and animals always steal the show and this panto is no exception. The babes were provided by South Tyneside Dance Workshop and each and every one of them is as cute as a button – and talented to boot! They worked their little pointe shoes off and were a big hit with the audience. That brings me to – yes, you’ve guessed it – the three bears. Named Bert, Gert and Squirt by the winner of a Customs House competition, they definitely have all the ‘bear’ necessities and brought ‘oohs’ and ‘aahs’ aplenty from the audience.

Add a brilliant puppet show from the amazing Kallini Puppets, at the beginning of the second act, and a rousing sing-along after the panto walk-down at curtain call and you have a traditional family panto that represents real value for money and sends you out of the theatre grinning from ear to ear. Whatever you do, don’t miss it!

Dick Whittington - Watford Palace Theatre

Dick Whittington by Joyce Branagh

Director: Joyce Branagh

Reviewer: Kevin O'Brien

Watford’s choice of pantomime this year is Dick Whittington and His Cat. The magic of this performance is hinted at even before you take your seat - even the programme is a triumph. As well as the usual pen-pics and photos of the cast, there are lots of puzzles, games and quizzes for the young and young at heart, which of course is what pantomime is all about. And from the moment the curtain goes up, Joyce Branagh’s production keeps this golden rule of panto at heart all through the evening.

Cleverly, the action takes place in 1908 - just as the Palace celebrates its’ centenary year. Dick and the Cat meet outside the newly-opened theatre (under its original name of the Palace Of Varieties) in a quite inspired opening. When Dick and the Cat travel to London to find fame and fortune, Dick also falls in love with Alice (Sia Kawa) who has taken them in as lodgers. When Dick departs to go back to Watford, Alice is distraught, the more so as her ambition of becoming a sailor has been thwarted by her hard-hearted father. Cue some really twisty but brilliantly engineered and narrated script and plot.

The use of music hall songs is a delight, mixed with some bang-up-to-date pop songs. So, from the Lambeth Walk to She’s So Lovely, the show covers ground on musical, comedic and all pantomime levels. Somehow Branagh balances the anarchy and silliness with a tight, hyper-professional show which whizzes past you.

The Palace has steadfastly avoided ‘big’ names in the past, and it’s really made for a much more rounded pantomime experience. Patrons might recognise Howard Coggins (Sarah the Cook) from TV adverts. He may well be on the way to making himself a bigger name on this evidence - his performance is fantastic, including hilarious and accurate impersonations. Regular Palace visitors may remember Dale Superville (Tommy the Cat) from the recent Watford production of Alan Ayckbourn’s Absent Friends. Superville really masters what is surely the most difficult role here. The cat costume is possibly the icing on the cake of what is a fabulous set and costume collection.

As the evening unwinds, there was no loss of interest from the audience. Disbelief is easily suspended when the standards are this high. Make this show part of your Christmas - you won’t regret it!

Photos: Manual Harlan

Peter Pan - West Yorkshire Playhouse

Peter Pan by JM Barrie

Music: George Stiles

Lyrics: Anthony Drewe

Book: Willis Hall

Director: Rachel Kavanaugh

Reviewer: Nicola Sharp Age 14

From the lighting of the first gas-lamp, to the fading of the final star, Peter Pan at the West Yorkshire Playhouse was a phenomenal success! Based on JM Barrie’s original play, this musical adventure had been tuned to near perfection.

The story began as soon as you entered through the theatre doors which had been wonderfully decorated like the children’s bedroom, as though leading you into Neverland itself. From the moment the lights went down, the musicians began to play and the actors appeared on stage, the magic began. The songs stuck in your head and you couldn’t help but try to hum along. The Storyteller (Alwyne Taylor) led us through the play, like a favourite aunt, her powerful, reassuring voice describing the familiar story you saw unfolding before you.

James Gillan as Peter Pan was fantastic. His part contained a lot of singing, dancing and sword-fighting with Captain Hook (David Birrell) all of which was totally convincing. Amy Lennox as Wendy Darling also played a strong role. She and James perfectly portrayed the differences between Peter’s and Wendy’s views of growing up. I also thought that although his part was relatively small, Jake Abbott (aged 8) playing Michael was excellent, warming the hearts of the audience as he clutched his trusty teddy bear.

The pirate crew was led by the well-known Captain Hook, who we all love to boo. He was eagerly followed by the trusty Smee (Martin Callaghan), who was so hilarious that you didn’t have the heart to boo him. With the 5 other pirates who followed his lead in trying to catch Peter, they performed numerous, hilarious songs.

There was another cheeky character the adventure wouldn’t be complete without: Tinkerbell, the little fairy everyone loves, darted around the stage magically, twinkling cherry-red. Her cute little voice charmed the audience immediately and she managed to rummage through toys, books and drawers without a stage-hand in sight! My whole family is still trying to work out how she did it! It must be magic!

The scenery was traditional and very effective, just how you imagine Neverland to be. The costumes were a work of art too but those of Nana and the crocodile were absolutely amazing! Nana, the Darlings’ doggy nurse-maid, had a fantastic and also amusing costume. But the crocodile was something else! At the cue of a tick-tocking clock, onto the stage in a large, green, patchwork costume plodded the crocodile, which must have been at least 12ft long! No wonder Captain Hook was so scared of him!

There were many memorable moments throughout the adventure, but one which stood out was Scene 3 - The Flight to Neverland. Stars filled the stage and Peter and the 3 Darling children flew through the air, filling the audience with wonder.

Unlike in a pantomime, there was very little audience participation. However, the enthusiasm with which everyone proclaimed “I DO believe in fairies!” showed how much the performance had touched everyone. I would definitely recommend Peter Pan to people of all ages and would love the chance to go again myself!

Photos: Catherine Ashmoore

Bothers Size - Birmingham Rep (on tour)

Brothers Size by Tarell Alvin McCraney

Director: Bijan Sheibani

Reviewer: Helen Chapman

This superb production of ‘The Brother Size’ by Tarell Alvin McCraney was performed at Birmingham’s Repertory Theatre. This play has travelled around the country visiting theatres all over in the UK. It was first performed in the United States, before coming to our shores earlier this year.

Although the basic script and some choreography remained the same, the new cast – Daniel Francis (Comedy of Errors and Twelfth Night, RSC); Tunji Kasim (Big White Fog, Almeida Theatre and The Cracks in My Skin, Manchester Royal Exchange Studio); and Anthony Welsh (who makes his professional debut in the show), brought their own flavour to this moving bit of theatre.

This emotive play is the story of how two brothers, who grow up alone in Louisina, struggle to start life afresh after the younger brother, Oshoosi, returns from a stint in jail. Ogun Size, the older of the two brothers, who has worked hard all his life, and constantly looks out for his brother, tries to protect Oshoosi from an ex-cell mate who, by the very gift of choice, is threatening to take his freedom away from him.

This Brechtian style play is not one that you can get carried away in. The excellent use of spoken stage directions not only helps the audience understand the scene better, but means that the audience feel like an integral part of the everyday life decisions that have to be made by the brothers.

The bare set, with only a chalk circle to outline the boundary, and the stark lack of props, meant that the actors had to perform skilfully throughout the play. The actors, of which there were only three, used their whole bodies brilliantly in the depicting of their different characters.

After the tuning one may have to do to pick up the very deep south American accent, and after the initial shock of the large amount of swearing used, the harsh realities that are being portrayed by these 3 young Americans are plain to see. The use of lighting and sound in this production help to bring the space alive. There was a harmony to this play like no other. The characters created their own rhythms that worked excellently with the sounds coming from drums at the back of the stage. This was a play with beat, even the very lines the actors spoke had rhythm.

This is an incredibly poignant play, a play that will make you think long after you have left the comfort of the theatre chairs.

Twelfth Night - Tricycle Theatre

Twelfth Night by William Shakespeare
Director: Sean Holmes
Reviewer: Honour Bayes

“If music be the food of love, play on, Give me excess of it…” Raucous, irreverent, joyous and above all musical, Filter have certainly taken Shakespeare’s most famous line from Twelfth Night to heart. A play performed at a gig is how they describe it, and I couldn’t have put it better myself as Shakespeare’s most loved comedy is dragged to life and laughs in the middle of a space scattered with mics, tables full of props and recording instruments, flutes, trumpets, drums and wine bottles and is laced through with tub thumping tunes.

Filter have succeeded in cutting Shakespeare’s script drastically whilst retaining the essentials needed to tell the story of Viola, a young woman whom is shipwrecked on the shores of Illyria and who, posing as a young man, begins to serve Duke Orsino with whom she falls in love. The Duke himself is in love with the grieving Lady Olivia, who in turn falls in love with the messenger Cesario (Viola in disguise). When Viola’s brother Sebastian appears on the scene even more confusion ensues concluding in a typically ‘all’s well that ends well’ fashion as Viola and the Duke are together and Olivia gets her Sebastian.

Filter do not make life so easy on themselves however, and with one woman (an excellent Poppy Miller) playing both Viola and Sebastian, this tidy conclusion is subverted to have her literally being both man and woman, at one moment kissing Olivia and then the Duke. Although at times this is slightly confusing, Filter are clever enough to touch on all the necessary reference points for it not to matter and by having one actor play two sexes in the body of one person, they succeed in bringing the ideas of gender that Shakespeare plays with radically up-to-date.

This is no serious critique of Shakespeare however and it is all the better for it. Indeed the most important aspect of this production is the sheer enjoyment that is brought back to a text that is a ‘classic’ but also bawdy and funny story of love, mistaken identity and also mischief. From the off as we walk in and are confronted by a table of instruments and lounging actors, musicians and even a stage manger, it is clear that this is going to be no stuffy revision of this Elizabethan text. At once we begin with a boisterously jazzy number moving swiftly into an audience participation moment with Orsino saying stiltedly ‘If music be the food of…of….go on’ prompting us to shout ‘…love, play on!’ which in all happiness the whole company obliges to do, each playing an instrument or object, powering from one set piece to another and creating a sense of giddy complicity.

Using Shakespeare’s language and a sequence of thrilling jazzy, folk and country songs as a scaffold to hang their bawdy brilliance, Filter take us through the twists and turns of this play with an ingenuity and boldness that small children have and adults are jealous of. Whether it be the maliciously puritan Malvolio (whose degradation at the hands of the other’s trickery is truly inspiring), the sprightly Duke in the form of Jonathan Broadbent, the wise fool played beautifully by Gemma Saunders, Syreeta Kumar’s darkly sexy and proud Olivia, Poppy Miller’s androgynous twins or the subtlety of Oliver Dimsdale as the constantly drunk Sir Toby Belch, this is a superb cast, all at ease with themselves and the play. In the midst of all of the revelry of this truly celebratory Twelfth Night they manage to bring a tenderness and believability to key moments within the story and an underlying note of truth is ever present in this whirlwind tale.

Ravishing songs, tender moments, dirty rock solos, the audience drinking tequila; there are so many truly delightful moments bursting through this piece that to mention all of them would turn this into an essay. Suffice it to say that in this panto season, Filter have created something which will bring all of the enjoyment of such fluffy stuff, whilst retaining the truth and brilliance of Shakespeare’s words and characters. With only a short run at the Tricycle, I recommend that you stop reading this review and go and buy a ticket now. It will absolutely be worth it.

The Story of Aladdin - Nuffield Theatre, Southampton

The Story of Aladdin

Director: Patrick Sandord

Reviewer: Jim Nicholson & the 1st Sholing Girl Guides.

Jim
Every newspaper tells us that kids have changed and when four year old Lauren, up on stage to help make a cake, is asked what she wants for Christmas and replies “a Nintendo DS” you think they may be right, but during the two and half hours of, almost, traditional panto as us “olduns” remember it, reality is there and the kids, parents and grand-parents alike laugh at the bad jokes, groan at the puns, join in all the songs and are ready to warn those on stage exactly what is happening behind them. These Nintendo gadgets will never last as long as the good old British Panto.

This version of Aladdin has been adapted and directed by Patrick Sandford, the Nuffield Theatres Artistic Director, and as he says in the programme he does not claim “writers” credits as actors, both past and present, have contributed hugely to the show. That said, when a panto has no television comedy star name homing in on their own “catchphrases” it has to live or die by the script and abilities of the director and this Aladdin certainly “lives”.

We know we are in China Town in 1956 and throughout are treated by a small band to some well known songs, that fit particular scenes, as well as some songs written specifically for the show. Katie Melua’s "Nine Million Bicycles in Beijing" and the timeless "Slow Boat to China" are just two numbers that help settle us into our oriental habitat for the evening.

Widow Twanky (Matthew Callum) is unquestionably our star and even Jordan would need a couple more operations before she could stand, without embarrassment, side by side with our “heroine”, her physique ably supporting two Madonna style wicker cones that could easily double up as wastepaper baskets. We find out her deceased husband was named Franky (Twanky) and that she had invested all her money in an origami company that had since folded.

Persil and Omo are everywhere as her laundry hosts a lunch visit from the Emperor (Michael Magnet) and his beautiful daughter, the Princess Jasmine (Amanda Wilkin), who is the centre of attention for the “head over heels in love” Aladdin (Alton Letto) but, as you would expect, the meal is far from a trip to “the Ivy” and it’s not long before the request for the table to be spruced up with a flower results in an unexpected (well expected really) flurry of “Homepride” from above and I am sure none of the guests will ever order soup in a restaurant again.

Another star turn and a crowd favourite is Wishee Washee (Michael Cole), who reminds me very much in looks and delivery of a young Tim Vine, and he has a similar “naff but loveably funny” style and rapport with our audience especially as they guard his goldfish for him.

The Genie of the Lamp (Michele Moran) has a lovely singing voice and it is easy to see why she regularly stars in cabaret performances in London’s Venue and Jermyn Street theatres.

The baddy Abananzer, played with some style by Chook Sibtain, is finally caught and arrested by keyboard playing policeman/musical director Matt Devereaux who arrests him under “the Prevention of Naughtiness Act” and assures us of the impartiality of the Metropolitan Police at all times, except when deciding if the left side or the right side of the audience were loudest when singing “We Wish You a Merry Christmas”.

All in all a real fun night out for all the family and my only complaint was the lack of stage time for the lamp which could have done with more rubbing (oooohhh matron!).

Nicki Age 11
I saw Peter Pan last year and Cinderella the year before and tonight’s show was even better than either of those. Widow Twanky was fantastic and “her” awful singing just made her funnier and funnier, in actual fact it was so bad there must be chance of success on “the X Factor”. Princess Jasmine had a very nice singing voice and with each dress change she looked more and more stunning. Aladdin had some great outfits as well.

It was a very funny show and the young kids on stage really helped carry the story along, and looked really good when they did their Tai Chi dance routine. Oh and mum I want a Nintendo DS as well.

Libby age 13
The flying carpet stunt was really clever but I could see the hands of the people carrying it, they could solve that easily with a half a dozen pairs of black gloves. Their belts were too shiny as well. But that would be my only minor criticism.

I thought that Abananzer was a really scary character although when he sung (Nobody Loves You When Your Down and Out) you could feel sorry for him, but minutes later he was back to his baddest. Widow Twanky was the star for me as well and told no end of funny jokes.

The ending with Wishee Washee's goldfish growing the size of a whale was really enjoyable as well. It was a really good show.

The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe - Birmingham Rep

The Lion, the Witch & the Wardrobe by C.S Lewis

Dramatisation: Adrian Mitchell

Director: Ian Brown

Reviewer: Helen Chapman

Even for someone who was never enchanted by Narnia as a child, the West Yorkshire Playhouse’s production of the Lion the Witch and the Wardrobe didn’t fail to transport me into a fantasy world where wardrobes lead to new worlds, beavers can talk and children can rule the land.

CS Lewis’s famous and much loved The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe although chronologically following the Magician’s Nephew in the Chronicles of Narnia, it was the first to be published in 1950. Since then it has enjoyed success and popularity for all ages, and has now been brought to life on stage.

The story begins with the Pevensie family children, Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy, being evacuated to a big house in the country as London suffers the effects of the Second World War. At the house, Lucy the youngest of the four discovers the magical world of Narnia whilst hiding in a lone wardrobe, which begins her journey and that of her siblings, in the land where it’s always winter but never Christmas. Amy Brown gives a superb performance as Lucy, showing genuine innocence and wonder at all she sees and a keenness to do what’s right. The relationships between the brothers and sisters is endearing, and whilst arguments happen, and harsh words are spoken, there is an overriding sense of love and protection, especially from Peter and Susan, the oldest of the four.

Being betrayed by Edmund who is then captured by the White Witch, the rest of the family are left with the challenge of defeating the witch to bring Narnia back to its former glory. Not left alone, the children are helped by Mr and Mrs Beaver (who incidentally are brilliant) and ultimately by Aslan, the true King of Narnia. Louis Decosta Johnson gave a powerful performance as the lion, balancing authority over his people with a genuine concern for their welfare, demonstrated ultimately by sacrificing his life for Edmund.

The mystical nature of Narnia is created by a fantastic set, transformed effectively from the inside of a grand house, to the middle of a snow scene, to a beaver’s dam, and back to the house. In addition, Stephen Snell excelled as costume designer. From the audience, there was so much to look at on stage, with the costumes bringing each character to life and adding a real presence to the stage. It was also a treat to have live music that combined with some lighting and sound special effects kept the audience on their toes – I have to admit jumping out of my seat on more than one occasion!

All in all, this was a great evening, living up to expectations and perfect as a pre-Christmas night out.

Photos: Robert Day

Hansel & Gretel - Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne

Hansel & Gretel by Stephen Sharkey

Director: Erica Whyman

Reviewer: Ian Cain

The festive season has already got off to a fantastic start in the North East, with Northern Stage’s production of Hansel & Gretel. Stephen Sharkey’s stylish adaptation of the fairy tale by The Brothers Grimm is given a strong local twist through North East settings, dialect and music, which works well. Billed as ‘an entertainment in two acts showing the tyranny of appetites, natural or otherwise, with songs and dances for the amusement and instruction of the young,’ this production is a welcome and refreshing alternative to the traditional pantomime.

Sharkey presents a version of the tale that is faithful to its roots as a folk story, told to European children for centuries, yet which is also relevant to a contemporary, twenty-first century audience. Scott Turnbull and Lisa McGrillis are both excellent as Hansel and Gretel, perfectly depicting the mannerisms and characteristics of the two children right down to the last nuance. Their beloved mother, Gretchen, has died and is ‘buried under a cherry tree in Hexham’ and their father has remarried. Tony Neilson cuts a forlorn figure as the father who tries his best but never comes up with the goods, whether it be work, money or food. His portrayal of the hapless, hen-pecked husband and doting Dad is tender and touching. Libby Davison relishes her role as the wicked stepmother and her performance skilfully combines cruelty and comedy, dominating every scene she appears in.

The magic and mystery heightens when Hansel and Gretel become lost in the woods and encounter the wood folk, who turn out to be a group of goblins who work for a wicked old sorceress, known as The Beast Of Kielder Wood. Pat Dunn is devilishly delightful as the cannibalistic old witch and she makes the most of some great moments, particularly the scene in which she greedily devours Hansel. Laura Norton gives a convincing performance as Blackie the Cat, moving with the grace, agility and litheness of a feline. Steve Hawksby is suitably majestic, wise and benevolent as Saint Nicholas, complete with flowing, fur-trimmed, traditional green robe.

Vicky Elliott gives a star turn, personifying The Moon, and bearing slightly more than a passing resemblance to Bette Davis in Whatever Happened To Baby Jane? She spends almost the entirety of the play perched on a swing, watching over Hansel and Gretel. Her performance is a highlight, although I did feel that she was slightly under-utilised.

The production values are first-class. The forest set is eerie, evoking a sense of darkness and danger and the witch’s candy-covered caravan is absolutely magical and spectacular. Neil Murray should be commended for his imaginative design which cleverly integrates gothic darkness and magical enchantment. Ian Scott’s lighting design skilfully reinforces these moods. Alison Stringer and her wardrobe team are to be congratulated for their wonderfully understated costumes which also contribute to the style and tone of the piece.

Tim Dalling’s musical composition and Debbi Purtill’s choreography are perfectly teamed and the result is inspirational. The incorporation of folk dances being performed to accompaniment from an accordion, fiddle and the Northumbrian pipes, really adds a sense of authenticity. Erica Whyman’s direction has pace but is not rushed and the piece retains the attention of even the smallest child throughout.

As said before, this is not a typical pantomime – more of a seasonal play – so don’t go to Northern Stage expecting audience participation and custard pie fights. However, what you will experience is a well-crafted, enchanting and uplifting play that will leave you feeling more than just a little festive. Highly recommended!

The Ballad of Crazy Paola - Arcola Theatre

The Ballad of Crazy Paola By Arne Sierens

Translator: Stephen Greenhorn

Director: Nadia Latif

Reviewer: Honour Bayes

Studio 2 in The Arcola Theatre has been carpeted within an inch of its life. It gives the impression of a comfortable if slightly frumpy aunt’s front room, a 1000 miles away from the ragged punk posters which paper the entrance to this bizarrely suffocating space. It is here, where present day reality and past tattered dreams clash, that the eponymous Paola and Raymond bring to life the overwhelming image of Serge, Paola’s old flame and Raymond’s half brother who has left them both with permanent memories and scars.

Raymond has come to teach Paola’s son to play the drums and as each lesson progresses he slowly starts to tease joint memories of Serge out of an initially reluctant Paola. Soon a torrent of memories is unleashed, perceptively mirrored in Lorna Ritchie’s overflowing compartments which hold the debris of family life and are pushed underneath the carpeted living room floor. However hard a flustered Paola may try to push them back in, her belongings and her memories remain present. Slowly and painfully what emerges are both the towering memory of Serge and also the fragile shadows of Paola and Raymond’s younger selves in a piece which effectively evokes the brittle but exhilarating punk era in the midst of the safely carpeted and oh so adult 21st Century.

Holly Atkins as Paola and Anthony Shuster as Raymond play this duality with complete fluidity, successfully creating people whose current identities are fringed with the indelible mark of their youth. Atkins is both the flat shoe wearing, multi-tasking mother and also the stiletto wearing groupie, her school concerns for her children tempered with the acidic and prickly force of her younger ‘crazy’ self. Shuster’s Raymond oozes with frustration at a brother who was always somehow better than himself. With every wounded or longing word he shows the helpless observer that young Raymond was and that he ultimately always will be; watching the carnage unfold, despising it and yet clearly desperate to be part of it, he is still unable to touch Paola even now.

Although it is a testimony to Arne Sierens’ play that Serge is a dynamic force within this piece, sadly the emotional connection which each performer has with this absentee persona is strangely not present in Atkins and Shuster’s on stage interactions. The most powerful moments are during monologues of memory when Paola or Raymond speaks of Serge and their relationships with him. Their battles for these memories in real time are slightly stilted however and although at moments whilst tossing and turning memories and questioning realities they fall successfully into Sierens’ undulating language, director Nadia Latif seems unable to help them to completely lift these duets off the page and create something alive together.

Our constant focus on performers such as Pete Doherty and the outpouring of interest in Richey James when he was officially declared dead earlier in November, clearly show that we are still obsessed with the idea of a destructive rock idol and the rock and roll hedonism of the punk aesthetic. Arne’s play brings to life multicolour violent and vibrant memories which shimmer before our eyes and two intriguing and well drawn characters to take us back to those vital times. But ultimately in the true spirit of rock and roll this play dies too young, leaving us on a tearful Paola and a frustrated Raymond, one tragically different from the past and the other tragically the same, and very little else. It lays bare it’s protagonists but does nothing with them once they are exposed. This play is a brilliant flavour of the times and at 1 hour as punchy and vibrant as any punk album but in the end The Ballard of Crazy Paola is unsatisfyingly short lived.