1927, Salzburg Festival, Théâtre de la Ville Paris and Young Vic co-production of Golem, Young Vic, London, 19th January 2015

The subject of this show is the subversion of the classic tale of Golem, the obedient clay man that interprets all instructions literally, into a narrative on our modern technological society. 1927 is a theatre company with huge creativity and the spectacle they have created which could have been a disjointed, distracted piece in their hands is a delightful, cheeky, coherent performance.

The scene is forever changing with a projected backdrop in the combined style of Graphic Novels and Silent Era movies. Exaggerated costumes and pale faces are highlighted or drained by the lighting and live music by way of drums and keyboard at the side of the stage enhance the feeling of entering some imagining of days gone by influenced by media portrayal.

The 5 member cast was simply superb. The characterisations were wonderfully distinct as all the actors (except the main protagonist Robert) took up different roles throughout. Whilst not laugh out loud at all times there were a few lines, looks and images which elicited an audible, collective chuckle from the audience. The humour reminded me of that in many comic silent films starring Charlie Chaplin or Harold Lloyd but with the added dimension of voice which was used exceptionally well (the characters of Joy and Robert in particular had wonderfully amusing voices).

I thoroughly enjoyed all 90 minutes of this show and if you are looking for something original and funny with a dark edge then you would be wise to book your ticket now. I personally can’t wait to see what this company does next.

Progress Theatre's production of The Three Musketeers by Ken Ludwig, Progress Theatre, Reading 16th January 2015

A light hearted play based on the Alexandre Dumas’ classic full of swash-buckling, sword fighting, romancing Musketeers and shadowy, cowardly villains that definitely cheers up a gloomy January. A sparse stage is used creatively to create the impression of shifting scenes with a few suggestive props and lighting. I especially liked the use of the back wall as a map of all the venues which lit up to indicate the location of the next scene to avoid confusing the King of France's Palace with Cardinal Richelieu's house.

After a slow start which had just a hint of panto, the show started to pick up pace once d’Artagnan (competently played as a naïve but earnest young man by Darko Baric) and his sister arrive in Paris and make the acquaintance of the infamous Three Musketeers. Porthos (Warwick Manning), Athos (Ian Belcher) and Aramis (Kevin Copping) were well portrayed with a believable camaraderie. Cardinal Richelieu's (Richard Tripp) understated and menacing performance worked well to balance the comic buffoonery of the King whom he plotted to control by removing the influence of the Queen. The ensemble scenes were particularly enjoyable beginning with a tavern scene in the first act where the Musketeers retire after fighting the Cardinal's men to unwind. Little groups positioned around the stage interacted whilst different couplings were promoted to the audience's attention. A similar technique was used in act two to create the atmosphere for the King's Ball. The excellently choreographed fight scenes deserve special mention.

Throughout the performance there were moments of conspiratorial humour with the audience, some light and quick, others quite blatant but no less amusing and the whole ensemble deserves praise for enthusiastically keeping the laughs coming. A funny and unorthodox Convent Mother Superior (played by Nanette Naude) provided laughter before the tragic climax towards the end and a nod to one Dumas' other well-known novels lightens the mood exactly when needed. I wouldn't recommend this show to those people who believe uncompromisingly in the sanctity of Dumas' work but I’d definitely recommend it to everyone with a sense of humour, especially if you’re looking for an alternative to pantomime to combat the January blues that the whole family can enjoy.

Progress Theatre's 9th Annual Writefest, Progress Theatre, Reading 15th October 2014

Progress Theatre’s 9th Annual Writefest showcasing the 7 winning submissions (of more than 50) of short plays. The programme again delivered a smorgasbord of plays exploring many contemporary themes. The compere, Anna Jennings, moved the proceedings forward introducing each of the plays with a touch of comedy. Here are my thoughts on this year’s offerings in order of viewing.

Revenge is a Dish Best Taken with Honey

Short and sweet. There were no surprises in the short and sweet piece by William Irvine but it had some great characterisations that were funny and well observed. It would have been improved in my opinion if “Clinton” had directed his examples of naughty one-liners at the audience rather than at his long suffering teacher and if these had become more outrageous, quick-fire and frenetic.

The Deep Blue

This wasn't really a satisfying short play for two reasons. The first was a feeling of vagueness about the whole piece emphasised by the audience having to guess what “mental illness” was being portrayed when it rather seemed to me that none of the actors themselves knew. I must admit I first thought this was a piece about a man who could see ghosts, then thought the child/man “Jonathan” might be autistic before actually reading the program and realising it was some mysterious mental health problem probably related to depression given the title. I would have preferred it if “Jonathan” had made the curdling screams rather than a recording, to better connect the past with the present. Secondly, the piece did not have a story arc that I could make sense of and felt more like a scene taken from a longer piece. It was therefore difficult to empathise with any of the characters and the “it was just a dream” or in this case “figments of his imagination” ending was disappointing.

Yawn

I rather enjoyed this short, funny and truthful piece about two new fathers taking a moment to rest whilst walking their babies in the park. Whilst I guessed the ending from the second line in, I was not expecting the twists in the middle. I especially liked the moments when the two men unconsciously resembled babies themselves with large yawns and stretching. My only real criticism was that the repetition on comic effects (i.e. the 1^st Dad has a silly lullaby and then the 2^nd Dad also has one) sometimes stretched the humour & made the play longer than it needed to be but I suspect that this is a personal judgement (not least because of the laughter of fellow audience members around me).

No. 11

I really, really liked this. A very intense staging of a dark, strange yet compelling short play. The characterisation of “Gregor” was brilliant. I don’t want to say any more in-case it spoils the surprise for future audience members!

The Flood

Unfortunately, after a promising start, this piece left me unmoved. There were a few too many “Stage-School” techniques getting in the way of the storytelling for my taste. I think this would have been a much more powerful piece if the lighting effects and line repetition were all stripped away (with the exception of the spotlight on “Maureen” which was necessary). I didn't feel the menacing threat of the flood which was a shame because I thought it was a great metaphor for the overwhelming sense of loss “Rachel” was battling with throughout the piece. Otherwise a good story and solid performances.

Now

A thoughtful and interesting short play about the choices people make when they think they have no other viable options. I enjoyed the characters, performances and the story but was left feeling that I had seen an abridged version which had missed out some key scenes which would have given me more empathy and insight into the two men reaching out to the audience to be understood. This would be my pick to be developed further into a longer play.

Don’t Leave Me Alone

This was a play of two halves. In the first half we had some amusing banter between two male friends, one of whom seemed to have a serious social anxiety disorder. In the second half the “normal” guy’s girlfriend arrives and is left alone with the friend who turns out to have more social skills than he was letting on. The characters were good, the comedy was good and the story was good, but…I think there was a lack of believability in the second half which was due to the overly quirky character of the friend. I did believe him when he said nothing of much importance and no real romantic relationships had happened to him in the last 5 years. I didn’t believe him when he said he was in love. Despite that this was an enjoyable play and I liked the ending a lot.

Parrot's Beak Theatre's production of Too Far Right, Hen and Chickens Theatre, Camden Fringe, Tuesday 19th August 2014

Against the backdrop of Anti-EU campaigns and a new surge in nationalist sentiment in the UK, four young actors attempt to wade through modern Britain’s political landscape. This ambitious piece of theatre used a variety of techniques to move the discussion along. The most effective were the impersonation of political figures (both realistic and caricature), and directly talking to the audience. In this way the audience was brought into the discussion and made to engage without actually having to take a stance. Other techniques were less effective, especially a piece of physical theatre involving a representation of an EDL rally which did not have a clear meaning and left me no more enlightened as to the main message.

This was the main problem of the piece for me. I felt that lots of questions were being asked but without depth or direction. The transitions between theatrical techniques were not always smooth and it had the feel of a showcase. Perhaps this best reflects the way many young (and not so young for that matter!) people feel about politics at the moment but the lack of coherence and a strong ending left me feeling unsure what the point of this show was other than to say, apathy isn’t the answer but we don’t know what is. 

Reading Rep's production of Waiting for Godot by Samuel Beckett, Reading College, Thursday 14th August 2014

Waiting for Godot is arguably Samuel Beckett's most well known and best loved play. It is set in an empty space with nothing but a solitary tree. Reading Rep's production interprets this emptiness as a literal desert with sand on the floor which the audience must crunch over to get to their seats on either side of a promenade. The intimate nature of the space fits perfectly with the style of the play which suggests that we are all waiting for something and look merely for entertainment while we wait.

However, we do not have to wait long before Vladimir (Rick Romero) and Estragon (Kyle Fraser) enter the stage. Cast as tramps which is a usual interpretation of the pair, but not as old men, their soft Irish accents enhance Beckett's lyrical dialogue. The tenderness in their relationship is clear from the start with both actors playing the parts with conviction and skill. Fraser's often childlike portrayal of Estragon was especially compelling and balanced Romero's more serious Vladimir. I really enjoyed the physicalisation of Vladimir with slightly stooped shoulders and whole body tantrums.

The pair are interrupted in their wait by Pozzo (Stephen Macaulay) and Lucky (Brian Tynan). The physicalisation of these two was excellent and they provided energy and humour. Once again the accents were very fitting to Beckett's dialogue. Pozzo's African accent highlighted a different lyricism than Estragon and Vladimir's and his hearty laugh dispelled tension as easily as he could create it. When Lucky is commanded to “think” he delivers his thoughts with a classical elocution and a tremendous pace.

Having provided Estragon and Vladimir with entertainment the master and his dog (as Pozzo refers to Lucky) leave. As soon as they disappear a young boy (Ashley Cousins), who is a messenger from Godot, appears to tell the waiting pair that Godot will not come tonight but will surely come tomorrow. His accent is also fitting with a hint of Victorian London street urchin that emphasised his wide eyed innocence and ignorance.

The second half of the play is a reprise of the first with entrances and exits in the same order but each character except Vladimir having forgotten what transpired the previous day. There is still a great deal of humour in the second act, including some well done but not overly played nods to Laurel and Hardy but it is more poignant and hopeless. Perhaps some of the physical set pieces such as the scene with all four men collapsed on the floor could have been slicker. However, the struggle of those moments was fitting for this production which did not try to be a lesson in absurdist theatre but balanced the absurdity of the situation and the fully realised characters which found themselves in it.

Waiting for Godot is a very difficult play to get right given that it is a play in which nothing happens and so much depends on the portrayal of the characters of which nothing is known except the words they say. In my opinion Reading Rep's production definitely gets it right and I would happily watch this show again, seated on the other side of the promenade to experience a new perspective.

Teacup Theatre's production of Love Letters & Other Pointless Scribbles by Stephanie Claire, Lov'edu Gallery, Camden Fringe, Sunday 3rd August 2014

This show occupies a space somewhere in that indefinable realm of live art and interactive theatre. As we entered the small and intimate Lov’edu Gallery we were greeted by the smiling Stephanie Claire who served us cake whilst dancing along to one of her “break-up songs”. The 10 members of the audience were seated in a loose circle as if participating in a tea party in someone’s living room. Then Claire took us on a journey, figuratively and physically, through her memories of being in love, finding her passions in life and her family.

The story is framed by her memories of her grandmother who despite suffering Alzheimer’s could still be happy lost in her own world, something Claire could relate to. A clever and engaging use of props to illustrate the memories she chose to share with us, helped to both move the story forward and include the audience. Claire’s performance was convincing, honest and heartfelt throughout.

I felt this piece spoke more to the female members of the audience, who were in the majority, than the male. However, that is not a criticism as this was certainly a charming and enjoyable show with a positive message. If you aren't sure about interactive theatre then I would recommend Stephanie Claire's show as an excellent introduction to the genre.     

The Hardy Theatre Company's production of Where Nothing Arrives by Abram Rooney, Tristan Bates Theatre, Camden Fringe, Tuesday 29th July 2014

Two men sit in an empty room apparently waiting for something. The play starts with general banter, the sort of manly musings that you can hear in any pub after work. As time passes the banter adopts a more serious edge. Harder topics are discussed, such as the inevitable demise of us all, but none is pursued for long before the conversation twists in a new direction.

The two characters are well developed and portrayed. There is “Harry”, who at first seems more thoughtful and contemplative about them being in the room, and there is “Steve”, a typical east-ender with a bold stance and no-nonsense attitude. As time passes and the discussion focuses on Harry’s weaknesses, he begins to fall apart aided by a furtive ingestion of alcohol and drugs when Steve’s back is turned, whilst Steve reveals that he is the true deep thinker and philosopher of the pair.

This piece has moments of violence, tenderness and humour with believable and natural dialogue. Steve was played especially well and consistently throughout. Harry’s physicalisation was extremely good when he was acutely suffering the physical and emotional effects of the drugs although he seemed to recover remarkably quickly. The empty space is used to good effect as well, taking on dimensions determined by the characters so we develop a sense of surroundings as we learn more about the two men and the world they inhabit. My only real criticism of this piece is that sometimes the conversations were cut short too soon but this is tempered by the fact that there was a lot packed into one hour.

We never discover what they are doing in the room, nor what they are waiting for and we never get to hear the clue Harry repeatedly asks for. However, as the piece progressed I lost interest in why they were there and only wanted to know what they were going to say or do next.