REVIEWS Archives - Page 385 of 417

4Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Romeo & Juliet – The National Theatre

Faint heart never won fair lady, so it is only right that under the direction of Simon Goodwin, the National Theatre, following in the wake of Zeffirelli’s 1968 tour de force and Luhrmann’s wonderful 1996 translation, have boldly reimagined Shakespeare’s classic tale of love to serve up a Romeo & Juliet fit for the 21st Century. Filmed over seventeen days in an empty Lyttelton Theatre, the contrast between scene and unseen spaces offers the perfect parallel for a play which whilst on the surface is a love story, at its heart is riddled with tension, twists, and turns. The Prince (an assured Adrian Lester) provides the authoritative voice of calm and reason after Tybalt (David Judge) and Benvolio (Shubham Saraf) clash before the respective heads of their families, Lord and Lady Ca...

An Elephant in the Garden – The Barn Theatre

4Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

An Elephant in the Garden – The Barn Theatre

The Barn Theatre continue their lockdown streaming with another riveting piece of theatre. Simon Reade directs this gripping adventure story set in the harsh times of 1940’s Germany. Lizzie and her family are seeking shelter from the calamities of the Second World War... and it looks like they have to take an elephant along for the journey. It’s hard to believe that Michael Morporgo could write another great animal-integrated war tale, after the huge success of War Horse. And, even more surprisingly, this one is based on a true story. When her father is enlisted, Lizzie’s mother finds work at the local zoo where she befriends the young elephant, Marlene. When their whole town erupts in flames, the family flee to find safety, and encounter numerous shouts of “Is that an elephant?!”...

Jack and the Beanstalk (Online) – St Helens Theatre Royal

3Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Jack and the Beanstalk (Online) – St Helens Theatre Royal

Once upon a time there was a theatre called the Theatre Royal in St Helens, who always delighted the people of Merseyside with a seasonal pantomime. Suddenly, a devastating pandemic stopped the Theatre Royal in their tracks. Finally, a canny production team saw a solution to their big problem… A pantomime at Easter? It always seems a little improbable because a pantomime is so quintessentially Christmas. But when reality is as crazy as ours, Jack and the Beanstalk is the much-needed slice of the ‘old normal’ we all need. And it is no mean feat. The Theatre Royal and their production team have dared to do what some regional theatres fear to risk, and it has paid off. The story follows the same old tale we all know and love; cash- strapped Jack sells off his mother’s beloved cow in ret...

2Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Open Mic by Rob Drummond – Soho Theatre

The concept of an Open Mic night online is brilliant. Streamed live via TicketCo from the Cabaret Space at Soho Theatre, Rob Drummond acts as compere with people participating over zoom. Excited faces beam out – some who will be taking part – others who have just turned their camera on for laughs. Me, I just watched via livestream on the TV. Like you would expect on an Open Mic, the variety is broad. From singing to spoken poetry to comedy, the quality is variable, and so are people’s internet connections. ‘Squeeze’, an original song written and played by Ian, was the highlight for me. Catchy and upbeat, it was probably the most fun thing about this show. Billed as a ‘fun night’ I would have to say ‘awkward’ was the most frequent emotion I felt. Drummond’s unstable and downbeat a...

2Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Now or Never – The Barn Theatre

The Barn Theatre present an ambitious ‘one-shot’ song cycle for their latest lockdown offering, Now or Never. Matthew Harvey has written a collection of songs exploring how seven characters face a potentially life changing world event. His aim was to look at individual responses to global adversity without referencing the pandemic. Whilst he has managed to do this to an extent, the spectre of COVID-19 and its long-term impact looms large over the production, as characters decide to travel more, love without reservation, embrace adventure or quit that soul-destroying job. The songs are well sung by a talented cast (with standout performances from Irvine Iqbal, Ahmed Hamad and Eloise Davies) and Creative Director Ryan Carter provides the innovative approach as the audience are...

2Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Flavour Text – Chronic Insanity

Flavour Text is a new interactive online theatre piece by Nottingham-based company Chronic Insanity that invites the audience to participate in an internet-wide treasure hunt on their laptops. Part of Chronic Insanity’s 12 shows in 12 months, it is directed and designed by Joe Strickland and is produced by Charlotte Holder. The show is experienced across numerous different websites, online forums and chat threads that help you uncover the truth about several people who have gone missing in and around Bermondsey in South East London. Described as “the written equivalent of a found footage film” by the creative team, this show asks you to put aside your conventional notions of “online theatre” and instead, put on your detective hat as you wade through a series of hidden clues, discreet co...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – SHAKE Festival

1Apr

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – SHAKE Festival

For one night only, SHAKE Festival presented a confident, rehearsed reading of Shakespeare’s much beloved romantic comedy, ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ starring Rebecca Hall (Titania/Hyppolita), Luisa Omielan (Bottom/Pyramus) and Dan Stevens (Oberon/Theseus). Set in a mystical woodland surrounding Athens, and loaded with a dizzying fizz of magic, love, and poetry, one of Shakespeare’s most accessible plays was brought into our homes live via Zoom and served a delightful and welcome addition to the many online productions that have graced our computers and devices during lockdown. Given that the play explores inner desire, passions, sexuality and gender, tonight’s reading maintained a somewhat traditional and straightforward delivery of the work. That said, Director, Jenny Cannon Hall ...

29Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Hairy Hands FM – Chronic Insanity

Hairy Hands FM is a new immersive audio experience by Nottingham-based company Chronic Insanity that seeks to recreate a century-old urban legend inside your room. The story is derived from the real-life sightings of a pair of mysterious ‘Hairy Hands’ that motorists blame for causing numerous road accidents in Dartmoor, Southwest England since the 1920s. Combining binaural sound design with an interactive web app design, the 20-minute experience invites audiences to tune in to a fictional local radio station wherein something dark lurks about and the radio host asks for your help to put away this mythical creature once and for all. Written and directed by Joe Strickland with Hannah Parsons on production and sound design, this show was commissioned by New Creatives – a talent development sc...

Inside – Orange Tree Theatre Live Stream

28Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Inside – Orange Tree Theatre Live Stream

In the first of two instalments of a series curated by OT Literary Associate Guy Jones, Inside looks at the lives of three women who feel that they have been forgotten by the world. In a world premiere livestreamed from Orange Theatre Company’s auditorium, the three 30-minute plays are part of the Orange Tree Theatre’s digital project, OT On Screen. The first of the three plays is written by Deborah Bruce called Guidesky and I and we walk in the shoes of Diana (Samantha Spiro). Diana is a mature single woman who is feeling the affects of the long lockdown, having recently lost her mother. We find Diana leaving her flat to go and clear out her mother’s house, having also lost her job recently. Her frustration is vented on Guidesky 125, who is the online customer s...

28Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Testament – Via Brooklyn Theatre Co

It is doubtful that the words “thank the Lord for COVID” have been uttered many times across the last year, but without the pandemic it is unlikely that UK audiences would have been lucky enough to witness this current New York production of British Writer Tristen Bernays’ breathtaking play, TESTAMENT. The piece was originally written in 2017, but has been adapted for film by Lucy Jane Atkinson, and is presented online by US theatre company Via Brooklyn. TESTAMENT is a powerhouse production of biblical proportions and truly testament to how the world may have adapted to life living in a lockdown, but how humanity has remained unchanged for thousands of years. It shows us just 4 individuals and a therapist on a stage. Simple enough as a concept, but it examines deeply the basic human nee...