Tough Time, Nice Time - Birmingham Rep

Tough Time, Nice Time

Writer:Jon Haynes and David Woods

Reviewer: Rob Yates

Tough time, nice time was written, created and performed by Jon Haynes and David Woods. It premiered at the Barbican Pit in february 2008 and is now touring nationally and internationally. The duo are the last remaining founders of Ridiculusmus which was formed in 1992.

The one act play is a graphic trip down memory lane for the two protagonists, both naked Germans in a sauna in Bangkok. Its a meandering discussion through gay sex and genocide, with cameos from the world of movies and celebrity. The vivid descriptions of unfortunate moments in their lives were sometimes compelling other times unsettling. Full of dark humour it was highly disturbing in parts as one couldn't help thinking that this could be a conversation that Jon and David have had themselves. There are occasional moments of light humour and surprise that serve to ease, however briefly, the mind of the audience who struggle to relate to the concepts. I couldn't feel any connection with the characters and so struggled to grasp the point.

Jon and David do an excellent job of utilising a bath as the full set for this show. As one can imagine there isn't much room for movement with two naked guys sat in a bath tub, but with a rapid dialogue and subtle changes of expression Jon and David ease the initial realisation that you are eavesdropping on two naked guys sitting in a bath tub. The rapid conversation ebbs and flows just like conversation between two strangers would, creating a sense of reality in the concept.

Tough time, nice time is an unusual act full of challenging concepts. If dark humour is your thing then you'll love this drama that encapsulates modern concepts of identity. A real challenge for the casual viewer, I couldn't help but laugh at the bizarreness of the show once I had left the theatre.

Runs until sat the 7th Nov

Our Country's Good - RNCM Studio, Manchester

Our Country’s Good
Writer: Timberlake Wertenbaker

Director: Marie Critchley and Jason Hudson

Reviewer: Ruth Lovett

Our Country’s Good is presented by the Northface Theatre Young Company which was established only this year and seeks to give 18-25 year old olds in Manchester the opportunity to perform in a professional environment and this is their first production.

Our Country’s Good is based on real life events, following the arrival of the first fleet in Australia and the Officer’s decision to stage the comedic play The Recruiting Officer with a cast of convicts, only two copies of the play, a leading lady facing imminent death by hanging and opposition from some servicing Officers who do not believe the convicts are civilised enough to stage a play and dismiss the idea as a waste of time. The success of the play constantly hangs in the balance and the cast and director 2nd Lt Ralph Clark (Jonny Booth) constantly face a multitude of hurdles which throw the project in to chaos at every turn.

Performed in the round in a studio setting, the performance moves on at a good speed with a minimalist set with just a few multifunctional props as much of the action takes places in a rehearsal setting. This production is quite raw with the set being designed to allow the audience to imagine the scenes described and the lightening design very simple. This is really theatre stripped back to the basics and not one for anyone who wants to be dazzled by incredible light displays or intricate set designs. The focus is on the material and the performances and leaves the actors no where to hide.

This is a young cast in their first production for Northface and they can all certainly be described as passionate and dedicated with some particularly accomplished performances, notably Andrew Lambe as Governor Freeman/Ketch Freeman, Keegan Peacey as Capt David Collins/Robert Sideway, Tom Russell as Midshipman Harry Brewer although his performance as Capt Campbell who likes the odd drinks at times, is at times too farcical and can detract from some of the more serious scenes. Amy Tickle as Dabby Bryant provides some quality comedic moments and is particularly adept at projecting her voice across the space which is a skill many seasons performers would do well to improve.

The entire cast deserves praise for the production as most of them double up on parts convincingly and keep the tempo of the piece upbeat yet perform the more somber sections with conviction and the required intensity. To be a little picky there are some accent issued which could be a little sharper as during some of the heated a exchanges between the officers when discussing the fate of some of the convicts, the words become a little lost due to poor annunciation however this is really a minor criticism which can be rectified.

Runs until sat 7th Nov

The Grapes of Wrath – West Yorkshire Playhouse

The Grapes of Wrath

Writer: John Steinbeck
Adaptor: Frank Galati
Director: Jonathan Church
Reviewer: Agnes Frimston

"With many eyes turning to America, it felt like the right moment to look at it again”. Director Jonathan Church certainly chose an apt time to revive Frank Galati’s adaptation of Steinbeck’s novel surrounding the dispossessed and unemployed Joad family. As they travel from Oklahoma to California in their battered truck, driven off their farm due to bank foreclosures, their increasingly desperate search for employment, accommodation and stability cannot help but resonate in today’s economic climate.

As Church states, “there's this notion that we're not all protected, that we need to provide for our families, find a job, find somewhere to live, things that we used to take for granted. That's what this play is about." And Frank Galati’s adaptation, although a little reliant on soliloquy in places to forward the narrative, stays true to the sentiment and atmosphere of Steinbeck’s novel.

The play represents the struggles of an entire nation through the depiction of an individual family; and in doing so, is completely reliant on presenting a realistic family unit. On the whole, the cast gel together well, oiled by a few stellar performances. Oliver Cotton as Reverend Jim Casy provides the moral backbone with his pointed switch from religious to political faith, and also the acclaim of having the finest eyebrows of the piece. Christopher Timothy as Pa Joad, whilst occasionally struggling with the rigours of the Oklahoma accent, is believable as a father struggling with his responsibilities and opportunities, and Damian O’Hare as Tom Joad manages to get increasingly militant without alienating or irritating the audience.

The clear gem however, is Sorcha Cusak as Ma Joad, whose wonderful performance keeps the audience both sympathetic and interested in a character that is ostensibly rather 2-dimensional. Her captivating performance is almost a drawback when I found myself watching her in the background over the other actors’ conversations.

Yet the most striking part of this performance is Simon Higlett’s set and Tim Mitchell’s lighting. The sloping wooden boards emphasise the feeling of an uphill struggle, whilst the 1930s billboards promising prosperity and new beginnings are a constant reminder of the ridiculous extremes of contemporary American society.

Seeing as almost the entire first half of the play depicts the family’s journey, it is an impressive feat on the part of the set designer to keep the audience interested without reverting to gauche trickery. It is a shame that in some places, the set far outshone some of the actors’ performances. Still, it is a tricky accent to master...

Runs until sat 14th Nov

The Winter's Tale - The Minerva Theatre, Chichester

The Winter’s Tale
Writer: William Shakespeare
Director: Simon Godwin
Reviewer:Steve Turner

Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale has been known as one of his ‘problem plays’ as it does not fall easily into either the tragedy or comedy genre. It has also been labeled a dark comedy and perhaps this gets closer to the heart of the work. The first half of this adaptation, acts 1 and 2 of the original work, is most definitely dark, tragic and full of rage, whilst the second half, acts 3 to 5, begin with a much more light hearted comic tone and continue with this theme until the ultimately uplifting finale.

The lighting and simple coloured backdrop convey the mood of the piece in an understated and subtle way, which together with the simple terracotta style flooring and minimal set dressing allow us to focus on the dialogue which is wonderfully delivered by the whole cast. In the intimate surroundings of the Minerva Theatre the cast draw us in with their asides and their direct speech to the audience, and with the seating on three sides of the stage the effect is to bring us closer to the action. At first it seems a little strange to hear someone in evening dress speaking the language of Shakespeare but the natural way that the cast deal with the archaic phrases soon makes it seem quite normal to speak in this way.

Simon Godwin’s direction of The Winter’s Tale sets the play in 1930s Italy, and from the outset we are aware of the decadent carefree lives that Polixenes (James Buller) and Hermione (Amanda Ryan) live as the lounge around sipping champagne whilst Leontes (Vince Leigh) tries in vain to persuade his good friend Polixenes to remain with them for another week. Only when his wife Hermione changes Polixenes mind does Leontes begin to suspect that his wife is being unfaithful to him.

Vince Leigh is impressive as Leontes, a role that requires him to be sympathetic and caring and yet capable of foul rage and extreme temper as to strike fear into his friends and foes alike. His ability to suddenly erupt in a fury and just as suddenly subside into self pity was marvelously conveyed.

Golda Rosheuvel puts in an impressive performance as Paulina notably in the scene where she confronts Leontes with his newborn daughter, matching his rage and fury and evoking the sympathy of the audience for the plight of her mistress.

John Hodgkinson in the tragic role of Antigonus and the comic role of Autolycus encapsulates the essence of the play, the former role earnest, loyal and ultimately tragic (his demise is accompanied by Shakespeare’s famed stage direction ‘exit left pursued by a bear’), the latter role light and comic and very much playing to the audience.

The creative team and cast involved in this production make The Winter’s Tale look nothing like a ‘problem’ play bringing us a wonderful evening of emotional highs and lows that hold the attention from beginning to end.

Runs until Sat 7th Nov

Julius Caesar - RSC at Theatre Royal, Newcastle

Julius Caesar
Writer: William Shakespeare
Director: Lucy Bailey
Reviewer: Ian Cain

Lucy Bailey directs an edgy and visually impressive production of Shakespeare’s Roman tragedy that has much to boast about, keeping the audience very much on the edge of their seats throughout the entire performance of just under three hours.

The RSC are renowned for the boldness of their productions and the staging is always stunningly simplistic, yet thoroughly original. ‘Julius Caesar’ is a classic example of this.Ancient Rome is recreated by projecting the same crowd scene onto six gauze screens, which looks infinitely more successful than it sounds when described, and William Dudley is to be congratulated for its overall effectiveness. Much of the rest of the stage is kept starkly bare, allowing the focus to stay rooted upon the action of the performers.

Sam Troughton gives a compelling performance as Marcus Brutus, the honourable man who is embroiled in the plot to assassinate Julius Caesar by powerful persuasion from Caius Cassius, a series of forged letters, his own misgivings that Caesar may be growing too powerful, and a misguided belief that the death of the leader would benefit the republic. John MacKay instils an earnest persuasiveness into his Cassius and it is easy for the audience to see how and why Brutus joined the assassination conspiracy, which is to take place on the Ides of March.

However, the night before the deed is due to be done, Calphurnia (Noma Dumezweni), Caesar’s wife, wakes from a prophetic nightmare and begs Caesar not to go to the Capitol. Dismissing his wife’s pleading, the arrogant Caesar (Greg Hicks) goes ahead with his arrangements and is subsequently stabbed to death.

At Ceasar’s funeral, both Marcus Brutus and Mark Antony (Darrell D’Silva) address the crowd and public opinion quickly turns against Brutus, Cassius and their fellow conspirators, forcing them to flee Rome in fear of their lives.
Mark Antony and Octavius (Joseph Arkley), Caesar’s nephew, amass an army and set out to take on the forces gathered by Cassius and Brutus. Meanwhile, at Philippi, Brutus is continually haunted by apparitions of the murdered leader and begins to regret his involvement in the plot. After meeting on the battlefield, the conspirators and their supporters are, ultimately defeated, and both Cassius and Brutus take their own lives.

The corruption, intrigue and betrayal of the events of Ancient Rome in 44BC are a heady mix that is completely absorbing. The technical aspects of this production are absolutely outstanding: Sarah Dowling and Philip D’Orleans have done a fantastic job in carefully choreographing the movement and fight scenes, respectively and Fontini Dimou’s costume design is a marvellous fusion of period and contemporary. The lighting, by Oliver Fenwick, and sound design, by Fergus O’Hare, add an increased sense of drama to pivotal scenes.

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‘Julius Caesar’ is a worthy production that represents all that an evening at the theatre should be.

Runs until Saturday 7 November 2009.

Dial M For Murder - Richmond Theatre

Dial M for Murder

Writer: Frederick Knott
Director: Lucy Bailey
Reviewer: James Higgins

Frederick Knott wrote the original stage play in 1952 and two years later also wrote the screenplay for Warner Brothers. Alfred Hitchcock directed the famous film version starring Ray Milland and Grace Kelly. A recent revival of a much loved but slightly dated old title this new production is presented by Fiery Angel in association with The West Yorkshire Playhouse.

After the two Co-Producers brought us a playful The 39 Steps with much theatrical tomfoolery last year, this new play brings no laughs just spine chilling reality. Director Lucy Bailey's authentic new adaptation is of Knott's original darkly gripping thriller not the more well known film version, though there are clearly a couple of nods to Hitchcock in parts of the play. The set (designed by Mike Britton) is authentic but with a modern angle, as the room within the Maida Vale flat rotates to allow the audience a unique goldfish bowl take on the action without detracting from it. The lighting (Chris Davey) is clever too and used creatively to highlight the characters that are outside the main room. Over the top of all this Mic Pool (Sound Designer) floats a cool dark sound track of Jazz, with tingling suspense and chill, to stunning effect.

Tony Wendice (Richard Littern) is the jealous ex Tennis professional who suspects his wealthy wife Sheila (Aislín McGucklin) of having an affair and is planning a dark deed that will see him inherit all her cash. We hear how his meticulous plans, thought through to the last detail will be skillfully executed with no room for even the slightest error. Even the best laid plans can fail however, leading to shocking improvisation and skulduggery of the highest order. Max Halliday (Nick Fletcher) is Sheila's close companion who Tony pretends to befriend and Captain Lesgate (Daniel Hill) an old acquaintance with a big shiny car for sale. Des McAleer is very convincing as wise Inspector Hubbard who is much underestimated, Aislín McGucklin is compelling as the emotional wife that is left at wits end but it is Richard Littern who impresses most, superb as the polite calm and calculating schemer, bringing great charisma and a touch of evil to the role.

Dial M for Murder is an unusual beast, and not remotely your average whodunit, especially as we know the villain from the start and what he has in store for his victim. What it does have is clever twists and turns that keep the audience guessing until the end. This is not a contemporary adaptation but a play that is dated and stuck firmly in the 1950's, which is all part of its charm. If you wish to be transported back in time for a tale of intrigue and chilling suspense then pick up the dusty old phone and dial M for Murder.

Photos: Manuel Harlan
Runs until 7th November

The Land of Yes and The Land of No - Lowry Theatre, Salford

The Land of Yes and The Land of No
Choreography: Rafael Bonachela
Music: Ezio Bosso
Lighting: Guy Hoare

Reviewer: Laura Asbury

Rafael Bonachela’s latest work, ‘The Land of Yes and the Land of No’ arrived at the Lowry last night for one night only – and what an ephemeral pleasure it was. A pity their stay in Manchester was all too fleeting, as this transcendental new work was one not to be missed. Bonachella has spent much of the past year researching for the piece, examining the world of “signs and symbols that shape our everyday movement.” One-way, No Entry, Warning, Stop. He uses these signs as a stimulus for the production of pedestrian movement, the dancers embodying directional gestures to signify institutional reference points one mechanically conforms to in society. However tedious these functional devices are on the Contemporary dance circuit, Bonachela moves beyond the cliché, by employing a threatening undertone that weaves a gentle thread through the matrix of his choreography, whereby carefully constructed solos and duets explore the sympathies, frailties and spirit of human nature.

The most striking image is Amy Hollingsworth’s first entry; a body appears stage left, convulsing, gripping its chest, irregular spasms of delicate gesture giving way to sinuous phrases of dexterous fluidity. She seems perplexed, troubled, wary of her route; her hand clasps a heel as the leg violently kicks from its casing, as the head leads the tailbone on a reckless journey of breathtaking motion. One of the world’s most intelligent and thoughtful dancers, Hollingsworth glides the floor like a cheetah, taking dangerous gravitational risks, always moving with sheer intent and integrity.

A semiotic discovery through movement, the six dancers exhibit internal confusions and frustrations conveyed through ornamental, decorative gesticulation of the limbs, which is disrupted by weighted contact, laborious breaths and a passive docility of the body that leads to astounding violent and tentative manipulation of each other. Beautifully scored by Ezio Bosso, the music provided a string-based ostinato, its temporality filtering through the grains of the dance text: simple melodies seeping inside dark, intimate duets. Bosso makes attentive uses of silence within his rhythmical phrases, stillness in the score often punctuating the dancers to tangentially disperse away from the nucleus of unison phrases.

Bonachela invites the audience to, in his words, “feel something… it is up to you how you read it”. Whenever I hear these acts of artistic excuse, I can’t help but feel somewhat short-changed. Of course the very essence of Contemporary dance allows one to engage in art/dance/life outside-the-spoon-feeding-box, however this Post Modern rule must not replace the need for critical, choreographic profundity. Interestingly, Luke Jennings, a novelist from the Guardian, commented on a lack of profound subject matter in British choreography, stating that Bonachela needs a “road-to-Damascus moment” in order to find internal inspiration. A truly spectacular technician, Bonachela has a wonderful ability to craft the most intensely powerful physical richness, but whether his ideas are complex enough to penetrate beyond the superficial appreciation of technique, is highly debatable.

Performance was at The Lowry 3rd November 09 for more information on the tour click here

The Good Soul of Szechuan – The Library Theatre, Manchester

The Good Soul of Szechuan
Writer: Bertolt Brecht
Adaptor: David Harrower
Director: Chris Honer
Reviewer: John Roberts

The Library Theatre over the past decade has gained a name for itself in carving out excellent and well thought out productions of some of Brecht’s most classic plays, and so in 2009 it is time for The Good Soul of Szechuan to take its place on the intimate and perfectly formed Library Theatre stage.

Set in the Szechuan province of China, three God’s descend on the town to find someone who really does have a good soul, and thus restore the God’s faith in the human race. Whilst searching the province with the help of the local water seller the God’s find a night’s lodgings with local prostitute Shen Te and for her hospitality she is rewarded with enough money to buy a Tobacco shop. Shen Te’s good nature is put to the test by the locals and finds herself being taken advantage off, not wanting this to happen she invents a cousin Shui Ta to take control and bring a sense of normality back to the land, but this doesn’t run as smoothly as one would hope and she is faced with several voices of opposition and attack from more than one side.

Brecht is never an easy playwright to understand and grapple with, we are usually forced to watch a production that asks more questions about those watching the piece than are usually answered in the play itself. Naturalistic characters are pushed aside for a more stylised and stereotypical approach so as we alienate ourselves from any emotional pull of the characters, so we can stay neutral and observe and make our own minds up on the moral outcome of the piece.This production uses a new translation by David Harrower, which was premiered last year at The Young Vic in London, although it loses some of the intricacies and lyrical nature of Brecht’s original it still carries the same strong message and morals, which seem timely and relevant to the society of today

So with all these factors to consider, does this latest production by the Library Theatre’s artistic director tick all the right boxes, in most cases the answer is a well rounded yes, it may not be a production that breaks boundaries and it certainly isn’t a production that I will rave about in years to come, but it provides an evening’s worth of entertainment and a talented cast to watch.

The strongest point of this production is the set designed by Michael Pavelka, who’s red and grey corrugated metal village, really gets across the poverty of Szechuan with an almost timeless apocalyptic feel. The set also looks atmospherically eerie when lit by the fantastic design by Nick Richings.

Cornelius Macarthy as Wang the water seller is in excellent form throughout gaining a good rapport and connection with the audience throughout. Kieran Hill is admirable in his portrayal of Yang Sun, the broke pilot who will do anything to get the money to get a job in Beijing. Olwyn May, Natasha Bain and John Cummins work well as a small tight knitted ensemble of the three God’s but the stand- out performances of the evening come from Susan Twist (Mrs Shin/Old Prostitute) and James Foster(Carpenter/Mr Shu Fu), who slip perfectly into the over the top and slightly grotesque performances required to bring the much needed humour to the production.

However the production is let down by Poppy Miller as the lead characters of Shen Te/Shui Ta, she never really looks comfortable on the stage and her performance is so disjointed and almost monotonous that it never feels fully complete or as thought out as the rest of the cast. Honer’s direction is clear and concise throughout however the pace of the production felt at times overly laboured and lagging and could really do with some sharp adjustments to bring the running time into a production that runs under two hours.

Photos: Gerry Murray

Runs until Sat 28th Nov

Entertaining Angels - Chichester Festival Theatre

Entertaining Angels
Writer: Richard Everett
Director: Alan Strachan
Reviewer David Griffiths

First presented at Chichester festival theatre on May 9th 2006, this current touring production of Entertaining Angels stops off for a week in its spiritual home.A crisp and witty beginning hinting at a light hearted evening develops a much moodier edge as the story unfolds. By the end one was left wondering quite how to define it.

Grace played by the immaculate Penelope Keith is the central character, unless of course you include the ghost of her former husband Bardy (Benjamin Whitrow). She is struggling to come to terms with his untimely death and is being assisted in the process despite her best efforts by her missionary sister Ruth (Polly Adams) and her daughter Jo (Carolyn Backhouse). Grace's agitation at these arrangements appears to be centred on the arrival of the new vicar (Claudia Elmhirst) and the necessity of her leaving her beloved vicarage.

However we are soon aware that much stronger forces are at work and all parties by the conclusion have gone through a period of pain and soul searching. Saying any more would give away the central theme but despite some great comedy moments don't attend if you are expecting an evening of Penelope Keith doing what she does so well. This one definitely has a dark edge to it.

There's no doubt that the audience were assisted in their desire to listen in on what was unfolding by a straightforward but clever set design by Paul Farnsworth. Whilst I was fortunate to be seated near to the stage and couldn't help feeling that some of the audience may have struggled to hear all the dialogue despite the theatre's good acoustics.

Much as I tried to avoid it I found myself focussing on the performances of the small cast and couldn't escape the conclusion that experience in this case is all. Penelope Keith and Benjamin Whitrow ably supported by the eccentric character of Polly Adams were so polished and utterly believable. One could easily imagine a lifetime of banter between Grace and Bardy and Ruth's brand of missionary eccentricity.

However the characters of the daughter and new vicar were a little less believable and I came away with the feeling that they were actually trying too hard to match their illustrious colleagues. Overall it was an interesting evening and worthwhile for some fine performances but I concluded that the humour and anger in this play at times made uneasy bedfellows.

runs until Sat 7th Nov

Horrible Histories Frightful First World War - The Opera House, Manchester

Horrible Histories – Frightful First World War
Writer: Terry Deary
Director: Phil Clark
Reviewer: Lee Astbury

Despite several car crashes, and back logs of traffic due to the on field war between Manchester United and CSKA Moscow at Old Trafford, The Birmingham Stage Company took admirably to the frontline on time and with a heavy and talented artillery gave everything they had to keep the theatre full of families and school groups highly entertained.

Terry Deary’s Horrible Histories series has become a firm favourite amongst children, bringing a unique and entertaining look at some of the most important moments throughout history, they have been turned into a successful animated television series and for the past few years brought vividly to life by Birmingham Stage Company.

For this recent tour Birmingham Stage Company bring to life ‘The Frightful First World War’ and ‘The Woeful Second World War,’ and it is the former that we had the pleasure of seeing at the Manchester Opera House last night.

Angelica (played with real gusto by Penny Lambert) is a 12 year old girl, who upon finding a very dry account of the First World War in a history book, she takes out her Laptop and Googles it instead, she is then whisked away almost akin to the Wizard of Oz to 1914 and right in the heart of the World War. It is here that Angelica is given a rude awaking to the harsh realities of life for a soldier on the front line and we receive some interesting facts including how a urine drenched handkerchief could save your life.

Phil Wilmott’s direction is always sharp and maximises every availability to show you the horrors of the war, but still manage to find the humour and fun that a production needs to keep its audience entertained, and Terry Deary’s script is laden with witty one-liners and jokes galore. There is also great audience participation especially during the cookhouse scene.

If that wasn’t enough then the show really kicks into its weaponry when in the second half we are given 3D glasses to enjoy the show with live ‘Bogglevision’ (designed with real flair by Jacqueline Trousdale) really immerses you into the action and is truly outstanding from bullets whizzing past your head, shells exploding and a certain rat who managed to get almost everybody screaming.

With a highly talented cast and a production that packs so much information and energy into a delightful two hours, you can guarantee that you will leave the theatre in awe at what you have experienced...Highly Recommended.

runs until Sat 7th Nov