Monday, December 23

REVIEWS

Sitting – BBC4
REVIEWS

Sitting – BBC4

Originally written for the stage, ‘Sitting’ finds itself in the new home of television, courtesy of BBC4. The three merging highly naturalistic monologues really do find a home here. In fact, they are just as home here as they would be on stage.   The concept of sitting for a portrait is somewhat a little laboured. Indeed, we are led to believe that a painting is one of the most intimate depictions of a human soul. The ‘sitting for a portrait trope’ is used throughout literature, film, plays and television. Thus, the trope no longer feels as revolutionary as it once did. Perhaps the original Fringe run revelled in the novelty, but here, the concept feels a little stale. As you can imagine with a portrait scene- nothing much happens. Nothing apart from the occasional munch o...
Talking Gods V: Icarus – Arrows and Traps Theatre
REVIEWS

Talking Gods V: Icarus – Arrows and Traps Theatre

The final episode of Talking Gods from Arrows & Traps Theatre, tells the story of Icarus, his father and the deep, dark secret which haunted his life. Written and directed by Ross McGregor, this is story family, and what happens when something alters your view of your closest relatives. Icarus (Adam Elliott) is a well-spoken journalist and new father. The piece opens with him reminiscing about his scientific and loving father, who recently passed away. The funeral was busy, and Icarus spent much of it ensuring his mother didn’t become overwhelmed. Wanting to be a part of the real world, Icarus goes straight back to work, reporting on Zeus’ trail for various sexual assaults. Interviewing Hestia, he is discomfited by her omniscience. As she hints at the dark secret Icarus’ father k...
Talking Gods III: Pygmalion – Arrows & Traps Theatre
REVIEWS

Talking Gods III: Pygmalion – Arrows & Traps Theatre

The third episode of Talking Gods from Arrows & Traps Theatre, tells the story of Pygmalion. Written and directed by Ross McGregor, this is a modern retelling of the story of a man who falls in love with his own creation. Pygmalion (Edward Spence) is a reclusive, award-winning game designer, who spends most of his time with Ratbag (Richard Baker), his sentient but virtual assistant. Editing his latest game, it quickly becomes clear that he is a perfectionist. Many people do reach out to him, including numerous nymphs sending over dating profiles and his mother trying to establish regular contact, but Pygmalion is determined to avoid any difficult conversations or conflict, and so responds by deleting the many messages he is left and ignoring news broadcasts. He does watch old vid...
Saving Britney: Prologue – Old Red Lion Theatre
REVIEWS

Saving Britney: Prologue – Old Red Lion Theatre

Hot on the heels of the recent television documentary Framing Britney Spears, this collaboration from Fake Escape and the Old Red Lion Theatre is a prologue for a live show opening in the Islington space in mid-May. It opens with a shadow puppet introduction which made me think back to the Barbie dolls which populated the film Superstar: The Karen Carpenter Story (1988), although the words were borrowing heavily from Romeo and Juliet. This tells, very quickly, the story of the rise of Britney Spears from a child artist to a woman who is denied her financial and professional independence. As a one-woman show, Saving Britney: Prologue focuses on Shereen Roushbaiani as Jean, a moderator on a Britney Fan Group. She is around thirty-years old, seems to populate a room full of Britney memo...
Talking Gods II: Orpheus – Arrows & Traps Theatre
REVIEWS

Talking Gods II: Orpheus – Arrows & Traps Theatre

The second episode of Talking Gods from Arrows & Traps Theatre, tells the story of Orpheus and Eurydice. Written and directed by Ross McGregor, this is a modern retelling of a tragic love story of one man for himself and the woman he spends his life with. We are reminded that the Greek Gods are alive and well in our world, and then we meet Eurydice (Charlie Ryall) who tells us that her relationship with Orpheus (Christopher Neels) has left her a shadow of her former self. Blue lighting creates sharp shadows which emphasise the mood as she walks us through a depressive state where tiredness never abates and then we see Orpheus himself, sitting a few feet in front of her. They are on a train and, of course, he isn’t allowed to turn around and look at her. Orpheus is a rock star wit...
Shrek the Musical – Netflix
REVIEWS

Shrek the Musical – Netflix

When William Steig’s 1990 picture book ‘Shrek!’ was adapted for the screen in 2001, the subverted fairy tale became an ogre-whelming success. A musical version came to Broadway in 2008, which has now been made available to watch on UK Netflix for the very first time. Centred around the story of the first Shrek film, the unsociable ogre (Brian d’Arcy James) is outraged to find his swamp taken over by fairy-tale creatures, banished there by Lord Farquaad (Christopher Sieber). Travelling to Duloc, Shrek agrees to rescue and deliver Princess Fiona (Sutton Foster) to the knee-high ruler to get his home back. James’ commanding voice compliments the titular role, and he demonstrates his singing talents by making Act One finale ‘Who I’d Be’ a standout, but his Scottish accent is painfully un...
Talking Gods I: Persephone – Arrows & Traps Theatre
REVIEWS

Talking Gods I: Persephone – Arrows & Traps Theatre

The first episode of Talking Gods from Arrows & Traps Theatre, tells the story of Persephone. Written and directed by Ross McGregor, Nicolle Smartt plays Hestia, Demeter and Cora, in a series of interweaving monologues retelling the tragic story of Demeter and her daughter for a modern audience. The show opens with the audience being told that the Ancient Greek Gods are alive and well among us, and even have their own social media accounts. We first meet a tearful Hestia, Goddess of Home and Hearth, who is giving evidence in Court where Zeus is being held in shackles. As he is no longer worshipped by the masses, he has become weak and his wrath has burnt out. Hestia is nervous and unsure of her place in the world, having been a minor player in the Greek myths, but is still revolt...
Romeo & Juliet – The National Theatre
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
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
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...