REVIEWS Archives - Page 408 of 417

Showstopper! The (Socially Distanced) Improvised Musical: ‘The Balloon Where It Happens’

29Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Showstopper! The (Socially Distanced) Improvised Musical: ‘The Balloon Where It Happens’

Tonight, I watched a premiere of a new musical about two couples who travel back in time when their hot air balloon is caught in a freak thunderstorm during a 30th wedding anniversary celebration. This is a musical about recognising what you have, and about living your best life. With catchy songs based on the musical styles of Hamilton, The Boy Friend, Les Misérables and even the Muppets, I discovered just what happens when you have the chance to change your past. And who wrote this new work? Well, we did! We – the audience that is. The Showstoppers have been wowing people with their genius since 2008, improvising a brand-new musical at every performance based on suggestions provided live by their audiences for settings, musical styles and plot twists. I’ve been intending to see thi...

29Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Scotland

Caitlin – ZooTV

This disconcerting dance theatre piece from the Welsh ensemble of Light, Ladd and Emberton was first produced for the BBC’s #DancePassion series in 2019, and now receives a showing on the Zoo TV platform for the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Caitlin was the wife of poet Dylan Thomas, known for his hard drinking and passionately lyrical poetry. After his death, she attended Alcoholics Anonymous meetings, and this is where we find her, in a circle of empty chairs. Just one other chair is occupied by the husband who caused her so much pain and distress with his infidelities and desertions. As she and Dylan fight through the ups and downs of their tempestuous marriage, this dance sequence takes on an edgy, jagged tone with explosions of stylised violence and physical battling. It is a powerful...

The Complete Works of Shakespeare*…*but just the Deaths (and the gory bits too) – The Space UK

29Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Scotland

The Complete Works of Shakespeare…but just the Deaths (and the gory bits too) – The Space UK

Even though the title may be a tad too long, I could have carried on watching this play for much longer than its 45 minutes. Taking their name from a quote in Macbeth, the Cream Faced Loons have done a remarkable job to stage this wonderfully refreshing take on Shakespeare’s plays in a digital environment. Before the pandemic ‘the Loons’ liked to perform in site specific locations such as castles and parks but have adapted their style to You Tube and it showcases their versatility and unique take on the Shakespearean classics. The challenge is to perform all 10187 deaths that appear in Shakespeare’s 37 plays. That seems rather a lot I hear you say, but all is made clear later on in the show. Will you take up the challenge to tick off the deaths as the show goes o...

28Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Scotland

The Beat Goes On – The Space UK

With the Edinburgh Fringe Festival not going ahead this year, there has been a huge gap in the diary of both Fringe lovers and artists. Wonderful venues such as The Space UK have not been able to host their usual Fringe events, so they have put on a digital festival instead. This festival offers a real mix of comedy, theatre, dance and cabaret. The Glummer Twins definitely come under the heading ‘comedy’. The Glummer Twins are a duo (as the name suggests), ‘The Beat Goes On’ is their reflection on how the last six months of lockdown have been for them. The duo was formed by David Harmer and Ray Globe who were once a part of a comedy group called ‘Circus of Poets’ which also included Ian McMillan and John Turner. This 25 minute performance is packed full of...

27Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Godspell – Hope Mill Theatre Online

Like the show itself, I’m going to wear my heart on my sleeve from the very beginning. I’m so glad I liked this production, because to dislike Godspell would be a very sad thing. Conceived and directed by Michael Strassen, if ever there was an illustration of how to make lemonade when life hands you lemons, this 50th anniversary production is it. The pandemic which makes this version necessary is incorporated into the piece and sits so comfortably, it could have always been there. Whereas on stage Godspell is very much an ensemble piece, of necessity in this presentation there is more focus on the songs and the performers. And what performers. The cream of west end stars are lined up for us. I doubt a live version would pull so many together and I doubt a live version would allow us ...

Jury – Park Theatre Company Script Class

26Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Jury – Park Theatre Company Script Class

This brand-new play written by Martin Murphy has been crafted during lockdown and draws on the situation within our legal system where, due to COVID, cases have been put on ice awaiting a decision to resume. To try to tackle the backlog, a digital replacement via Zoom has been introduced and a high-profile case is being tried by jury. Park Theatre have turned what is usually a script class, into a theatre company under the direction of Amy Allen. The pressure is on for the jurors to reach a verdict within 45 minutes. The twelve jurors have heard evidence in a criminal trial and have then try to reach a unanimous verdict. We, the viewer, do not get to hear the evidence, but we rely on hearing the jury discuss the minutiae of the case. This has been classed as a...

Until the Ad Break – Maverick Charles Productions

26Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Scotland

Until the Ad Break – Maverick Charles Productions

Maverick Charles Productions’ Until the Ad Break, written by Hugo Lewkowicz and directed by Emily Fitzpatrick, is a clever and surreal look at life in lockdown adapted from their previously sold out show, 21 minutes. Taking place during a lockdown recording of daytime magazine show, The Hello Show, the opening of the play is reminiscent of This Time with Alan Partridge, as we hear about the evils of quinoa and listen to the co-hosts, Dale Maxton (Bradley Pascall) and Francine Quick (Ellie Stewart-Dodd) bicker while off-air. But there is a twist. This episode of The Hello Show has begun 21 minutes before the apocalypse. Hysterical weatherman, Gabriel Spring (Emily Fitzpatrick) brings warning of fire and brimstone rather than the usual sunshine and showers and there’s a special guest a...

25Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Being Posy – Four in a Bed Theatre

Being Posy is a coming of age performance by 18-year-old Posy O'Rourke, filmed in her bedroom and accompanied by self-written music. She explores the themes of coming out and growing up in a light-hearted and friendly way, which resonates with the audience despite some of us being well past our teenage years! Posy jumps between monologuing to the camera and singing with an array of instruments in a style reminiscent of Eliza Doolittle. I'm not sure how this would translate to the stage, but it feels fitting in a bedroom setting, and similar to a YouTube vlogger. It's fresh and honest, and at just under 12 minutes long, an easy watch. Posy certainly has a lot of potential at her young age and has successfully adapted to the online theatre challenges of this year's EdFringe. Althou...

21Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Scotland

Defying GraviTT – Online@theSpace

One of the best things about fringe festivals is that you get to experience a range of shows that cannot quite be boxed into one category. One day it might be jugglers or the circus, the next a political rant or an intense two-hander about the restaurant provision for vegans. As shows have gone online during the current pandemic, they have attained an additional status from performers isolated from others by necessity, not always from choice. Boundaries have increasingly become blurred as creators experiment. In Defying GraviTT, The Fabulous TT aka Tish Tindall brings her wry observational skills and musical prowess to a one-person show which considers lockdown from the perspective of “a menopausal madwoman”. Part video diary, part song cycle, part cabaret, Tindall’s piece has ton...

The Plague Thing – Putney Theatre Company Online

21Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Scotland

The Plague Thing – Putney Theatre Company Online

Putney Theatre Company are an amateur company who encourage a feeling of community. The theatre company was originally two separate companies Group 64 which is their youth theatre section and Putney Players (previously Putney Amateur Dramatics Society) but they merged in 1999 to enable them to pool resources and work together. In this short vignette lasting 6 minutes, we hear from Enid (Carol Hudson) who lives in a care home and new lockdown rules have been introduced due to the pandemic. She is no longer able to go the community lounge, but must stay in her room, even for meals. As she states, “This is it – my room, my life!” Enid has dementia and her eyesight is not what it was, so she struggles to even watch TV. Just from this short statement we b...