Paradise in the Vault Archives

William Kite Has Memory Issues – Paradise in the Vault

16Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

William Kite Has Memory Issues – Paradise in the Vault

With an ageing population, it is becoming more likely that your life will be, or has been touched by a diagnosis of Dementia. You’ll have experienced first-hand, its ripple effect on all the lives it leaves an impression on. For the affected individual, the advocacy provided by family and friends is paramount to ensure that they’re receiving the care they need, and that they’re kept safe and feel supported. Dottyb / Robot Parrot Productions present a snapshot of the barriers faced by advocates in seeking the necessary assessments and appointments for their loved ones. Such as the long wait times on the phone, lack of communication between agencies, feeling at a loss with all the various barriers, feeling powerless as their loved one’s care needs slowly increase as the disease tak...

7Aug

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

Scotland

Beach Babe – Paradise in the Vault

Beach Babe is an entertaining, thought-provoking dark comedy about love, grief, and the afterlife. A young couple find themselves stranded on a rubbish-filled beach in Wales with no recollection of how they got there and no way of leaving. The young ‘woman’, played wonderfully by Julia Tidmas Goodall, is heavily pregnant but, due to the nature of their situation, is never able to give birth. Her partner, ‘man’, tries to inject optimism into their predicament, even if he does not feel it himself. The Starving Creatives’ media pack described ‘man’ as ‘the human embodiment of a golden retriever.’ An apt description, and one Nicholas Holloway channels expertly in his performance. Throughout the play, more information about the reality of the situation and the nature of the beach is revealed. I...

18Aug

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Puppets – Paradise in the Vault

Two estranged brothers, Conny (Freddie Mitchell) and Lonny (Alex Davies), are thrown together in the basement of Lonny’s pub. We watch as they get to know each other again, fighting, sharing, and grieving together as only siblings can. One minute, the brothers fly at each other in a rage, hurling words like weapons. This alternates with expressions of tenderness and compassion. The dynamic between the two actors is a marvel to behold, and I wonder if they are brothers, or at least lifelong friends in real life. They listen and react to each other beautifully. This is a masterclass in actor chemistry, and I strongly recommend that every actor goes to see this production. The script, by writer/director Barney Watts, is breath taking. Every word has power, and the ...

Sheldrake on Shakespeare: Live! – Paradise in The Vault

11Aug

By Danielle FarrowNo Comments

Scotland

Sheldrake on Shakespeare: Live! – Paradise in The Vault

This show does not live up to expectations. The main show information promises ‘anecdote, insight, performance, analysis and laughter’ and the website states there will be ‘live performance of some of Shakespeare’s greatest moments. There weren’t. During the show mention was made of how this piece means getting to play great roles without having to audition. Entertaining moment… no great roles played. No roles played at all. Anecdote, insight, some analysis and some laughter, mostly of the dry chuckle variety, were delivered as James Sheldrake talked about Shakespeare and the ideas he has developed over 8 years of teaching. Sheldrake has some performance experience in Shakespeare plays and the one moment he moved to the back of the stage - a small section of an old Edinburgh vaulted ...

7Aug

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Apple of My Eye – Paradise in the Vault

This is the musical story of the life of Steve Jobs, founder of Apple, set in a subterranean vaulted space (it’s chilly and slightly creepy, is this a horror?). Lit quite effectively by the steady blue light of four appetisingly shiny apple Mac computer screens, arced around to face the audience. As a self-confessed computer nerd, I’m intrigued to hear the story, get the information, read the data and the motivations that created Steve Jobs. And to some extent Joel Goodman’s script delivers this, albeit in a (perhaps appropriately) mechanical and monotone way. Using the computer screens as a power-point backcloth to Stephen Smith’s musical monologue is a clever device. However, I am struggling to understand why Smith is using a radio head mic down here in this tiny space with a s...