Based on the film of the same name, Night of the Living Dead Live takes you back to 1968 and the zombie invasion.
The story starts with siblings Barbra (Mari McGinlay) and Jonny going to visit their father’s grave. Whilst in the grave yard the pair are attacked by the Living Dead. Barbra escapes but Jonny doesn’t and ends up as part of the Living Dead. Whilst escaping Barbra meets Ben (Ashley Samuels) and the pair hide out in an abandoned house, where Helen (Jennifer Harding) and husband Harry (Marc Pickering) are hiding in the cellar with their daughter Karen, and teenage couple Tom (Tama Phethean) and Judy (also played by Jennifer Harding).
The first half of the play up to the interval is the original story, with no survivors. This is commented on by chief of police Chief McClelland (Mike Bodie) and his sidekick Vince (also Phethean) where they come up with different scenarios as to how the group could have survived, including hiding out in the basement, which didn’t work as everyone turned on each other. The women being in charge, which didn’t work because they didn’t tell the men the plan. Someone sacrificing themselves, which didn’t work as everyone sacrificed themselves, and learning to work with each other,which included a song and dance routine about working together and trusting one a other, which didn’t work because McClelland shot them all. Meaning no matter what the group did, survival was not possible.
The scenery is impressive as it is the entrance hall to the abandoned house but later it acts as the cellar when the group try and hide down there. Any scene that is outside of the house, such as McClelland and Vince talking to one an other is done behind a wall in the house which is removed to show the outside world. The group also joke that Judy is never around, and Helen even says she is entrusting her daughter to Judy, who she has just met, which raises a laugh from the audience.
The cast all have similar make up done to make it look like it is in black and white, like the original film, which adds to the horror aspect. Because of this, the outfits are all black, white and grey as well.
All in all a good night out with a few scary aspects, blood and gore and lots of laughs.
Story House, Chester – until Saturday 20th April 2019
Reviewed by Julie Noller
5*****
Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat the musical that was written by Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber as the 60’s came to a close when they were in their early twenties, first performed in Edinburgh before it’s 1973 debut on the West End. Like fine wine it’s aged well and has become the musical of choice, both for theatre goers where it’s a must see extravaganza and performers on stage where names have been made, careers altered, chart topping hits and not forgetting we are now in the era of reality tv shows.
I first saw Joseph on the west end as I joined the queues eager to see Lee Mead following Any Dream Will Do the 2007 BBC reality show designed to choose the latest Joseph. I was keen to see how the touring version would compare after all regional theatres are often smaller, would the show be full of razzmatazz still? Honestly I need not have worried, it was a wonderful night full of show tunes, lights, typically British humour bringing to life the tale of Joseph from the Book of Genesis in The Bibles Old Testament.
If Fairy Powered Productions could sprinkle some of her magic dust and allow me a higher star rating then I would, I was beaming from ear to ear throughout. The wondrous applause throughout the entire performance highlighted the audience loved it just as much.
Like a mother with a family of squabbling children I found it impossible to choose my favourite character, yes we have our leading pair Trina Hill as Narrator, who brings experience along with compassion and warmth to the role. She is the perfect storyteller, vocally she was crystal clear, hitting those high notes. The joy of a smaller theatre meant I could see everything happening on stage from comedic sheep to Trina’s facial expressions. Jaymi Hensley is joining other prestigious names to play Joseph and his career, like that of Joseph, looks like it’s set to shine bright. Yes he may have come to the public’s attention as part of boy band Union J, who finished fourth on the X Factor in 2012. We are after all the generation of reality TV, that experience has done him no harm. He may still be honing his skills in theatre productions, but his voice is divine. He was cheeky when needed, sad and upset when called upon. Could go from quiet almost whispering to raising the rafters, quite easily he could have been singing to me only; the rest of the audience drifted away and my hairs stood on end. I needed no encouragement to get to my feet and applaud, I actually stayed on my feet and sang along for the ending medley.
The entire cast appeared to be enjoying the performance immensely. Henry Metcalfe as Jacob, Josephs beloved Father during Those Canaan Days is wonderful, Andrew Geater as Pharaoh an Elvisesque character bringing an ancient king to life as a modern day king. Then there’s the brothers themselves, the simple touches across culture from cowboys, to dancing cancan girls and jazz singers.
You may be aware of the story of Joseph already, the favourite son of Jacob who was hated by his jealous brothers. Sold as a slave, his golden coat of many colours (yes you’ll be happy to hear that song is included how could it not be) ripped to pieces and dipped in goats blood. He finally makes his fortune as a dream interpreter of Pharaoh and even saves his brothers from the famine that has hit the land so hard.
Of course you should go and see this Bill Kenwright Produced and Directed musical, I can’t think of a single reason why you shouldn’t. Special mention should be to Chester’s own Stagecoach School who provided the Joseph Choir they performed magnificently and like the rest of the cast were thoroughly enjoying themselves which meant we the audience were enjoying ourselves.
Long may Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat reign both in spirit and our hearts. Like Josephs coat at the very end may your day be filled with a multicoloured rainbow that shines as long as the music does.
Glengarry Glen Ross by David Mamet , tells of a group of Salesmen all vying to make the leader board and their cunning, stories, and bragging rights, as they delve into the cut throat world of sales. Being in sales myself I found hilarity in many of the depictions of the central characters.
Scott Williamson played by Scott Sparrow, was well played he had a real wormy character about him, I wouldn’t trust him handling my accounts, he is the one that distributes the sales leads to the Salesmen: Roma, (Nigel Harman), Dave Moss (Denis Conway), George Aaranow (Will Johnson) and Shelley (Mark Benton). With the cast rounded out by the characters of Baylen ( Zephryn Taitte) and James Lingk (James Staddon).
I think all the roles were very well played, and really captured the spirit of the boastfulness and the roller coaster of emotions that comes with being in a high pressured environment. Tempers are regular flared and , when you’re up you’re up and when you on a bad streak the emotional toll that hits can be hard. All these emotions and feelings were very well acted out.
There was just 2 sets and both highly detailed, I think the only reason there is a break is to prepare for the set change because it is quite extensive, but for the first half you don’t need too much as there is nothing to interact with and in some ways it could have been a bit more basic to not distract from the main character monologues.
My only critical point in the acting was a few dodgy accents, wasn’t sure if this was a New York or Chicago, but either way I think it would have been fine with a British accent.
The idea of relying on your past figures and record in sales is a point that always comes up in real life, and this was very well portrayed in all their interactions you can tell easily who is selling themselves which I found very amusing, I think you don’t realise just how cut throat the business is until the very end of the play, but I will not spoil the ending.
You need to pay close attention as its so subtle yet so clever. I don’t think this will appeal to all audiences, as their is fairly static scenes, and this is mostly based on the verbal emotions and acting by the key players. What I will say is that if you work in a high pressured sales environment I think you would easily recognise the characters from your office in this cut throat business, every man for themselves!
The King’s was full of excited children and parents as well as grandparents for the opening night night of a well loved classic. Everyone knows the story of Annie and how she came about to be left in an orphanage in New York New York being looked after by Miss Hannigan (played by Anita Dobson) if it can be described as such. Annie (played by Ava Smith in this show) dreamed of her parents one day coming back to get her because she believed they would. Set in the 1933 America is in the great depression and many people are out of work and living conditions are dire for many Americans who have fallen into hard times with many living on the streets.
The production takes you through the journey as seen by a child who hangs onto the hope that everything will be okay and emanates in the classic song Tomorrow as she holds onto a precious necklace given to her by her parents and encourages the children and adults around her that ‘the sun will come out tomorrow’ and everything will be okay. Annie’s future looks bright when Daddy Warbucks (played by Alex Bourne) welcomes her into his (a little hesitant at first) and realises that despite all his money and wealth he has been missing something very precious in his life, a family and he wants to adopt Annie to be his daughter. Morals are then brought into question when Daddy Warbucks sets out to find Annie’s real parents with the help of Franklin Roosevelt (played by Gary Davis) and thousands of couples claim to be the parents of Annie for the reward on offer.
There are non more corrupt than Rooster and Lily (played by Richard Meek and Jenny Gayner) who come up with a plan along with Rooster’s sister Miss Hannigan to claim Annie and the reward and skip the country…..without Annie who they plan to get rid of.
Like all good stories Annie ends on a positive note not just for herself and the children of the orphanage but also for all Americans as despite the hard times there are positive plans being put in place to make the country prosper.
So the moral of this classic production is remember that no matter how bad you feel life gets there is also a solution and it is not as bad as you think.
Trafalgar Studios until 25 May, then touring until 22 June, beginning at Richmond Theatre 27 May – 1 June
Reviewed by Claire Roderick
4****
Joshua Harmon’s scathing comedy skewers the hypocrisy and shallowness of diversity programmes in a system based on white (male) privilege. Sherri (Alex Kingston) is the admissions officer in a New Hampshire private school, while her husband Bill (Andrew Woodall) is the head. When their son Charlie (Ben Edelman) doesn’t get into Yale, but his best friend Perry does, the fallout has huge repercussions for the family. Perry’s father is mixed race, and both Charlie and Sherri think that this ticked more boxes on Yale’s admissions policy, making it easier for him to get in. Sherri is obtuse and discussing this with Perry’s mother Ginnie (Sarah Hadland), but Charlie launches into a spectacular rant about race and gender full of bitterness, bile, hate and self-pity that white boys like him always miss out. Filled with remorse and shame – his father congratulates Sherri that they’ve raised a Republican! – and with the dramatic self-assured certainty of youth that he can atone, Charlie makes decisions that shock and horrify his parents and they scrabble to save his future.
Harmon’s writing is clever and sharp, with lots of cringe-inducing lines of self-justification from Sherri as she realises that her career is built on visuals rather than actual change. At one point in an argument with her son we see the flip side of the old chestnut about liking a race, but here she’s shouting that she likes white people. The play begins with Sherri confronting Roberta (Margot Leicester) about the new school catalogue containing no photos of students of colour. Roberta is older and her family has been connected with the school for a century, and she is obviously there to represent the casual racism of previous generations, horrified and bemused that that words she’s always used are now unusable. But her analysis of students, counting each race in photographs, serves to highlight Sherri’s hypocrisy as she categorises by race, along with the myth of happy diversity in a school where only the most gifted students of colour need apply, while a rich daddy can open the door for the most unpromising white boy.
None of the characters are likeable, only sweet old racist Roberta, who will remind you of those dotty old aunts you see at family gatherings, and even though there are fantastic performances all round, you do feel that director Daniel Aukin could have given them a little more to do. Alex Kingston does the gradual descent from blazing certainty to self-doubt brilliantly, but Sherri could be so much more interesting. That’s my only gripe really – I loved the play, and it was wonderful watching the (predominantly white) audience squirm at familiar phrases that we hear in everyday life. Charlie’s willingness to make a sacrifice to help change the injustice of the system, set against his parents’ smug actions which don’t actually impact on them, and Sherri’s reaction when the policies she prides herself on prove to be damaging for her own child, all pose painful questions about the audience’s own privilege in a heavy handed but extremely entertaining way.
This piercingly provocative play is jam packed with antagonistic humour, forcing the audience to take a long hard look at themselves even as they are wiping away tears of laughter. If you’re in London, grab a ticket while you can – or you may be lucky enough to catch the play on its short 4 venue tour, starting at Richmond Theatre.
Director: Indhu Rubasingham;Designer: Richard Kent;Lighting Designer: Guy Hoare
Sound Designer: Alexander Caplen; Composer: David Shrubsole
Movement Director: Diane Alison-Mitchell; Casting Director: Sarah Bird
Celebrating one year since the re-launch as Kiln Theatre, Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham today announces the full cast for Samuel Adamson’s Wife. Rubasingham directs Richard Cant (Peter/Ivar at 58/Landlord), Karen Fishwick (Daisy/Clare), Pamela Hardman (Character Actress /Marjorie/Embassy Assistant), Joshua James(Robert/Finn/Ivar at 28), Calam Lynch (Eric/Cas) and Sirine Saba (Suzannah). The production opens on 4 June, with previews from 30 May, and runs until 6 July, coinciding with London’s Pride parade.
‘Nora slammed the door on a broken, obsolete system for us, and now a hundred years later we have this free, independent union.’
1959. 1988. 2019. 2042. Four couples intersect with a production of Ibsen’s A Doll’s House. When it comes to identity, gender and unrequited love, how do societal expectations and pressures change over time?
Samuel Adamson maps a constellation of four queer stories within four generations in one family. The world première of this captivating study of sexuality across the ages is directed by Artistic Director Indhu Rubasingham.
Artistic director of Kiln Theatre and director of Wife, Indhu Rubasingham said today, “I am very proud that Wife is receiving its world première at Kiln Theatre. The play explores the changes within the institution of marriage, from the 1950s to today to an imaginative future, and we are excited to ignite discussion around queer identities and the boxes society tries to put us in.”
Writer Samuel Adamson added, “I’m delighted that the world première of Wife is taking place at the Kiln, and that Indhu Rubasingham is directing the play. It’s a particular honour to be a part of the opening season of the beautifully refurbished theatre, which is such a welcoming space for communities – local, national and international – to come and share stories.”
Samuel Adamson’s plays and adaptations for the stage include Running Wild (Chichester Festival Theatre/Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), My Name is Frida (Hoard Festival, New Vic Stoke), Chekhov’s Uncle Vanya (West Yorkshire Playhouse), The Light Princess (National Theatre), Gabriel (Shakespeare’s Globe), Ostrovsky’s Larisa and the Merchants (Arcola Theatre), Frank & Ferdinand (National Theatre Connections), Decade (Headlong Theatre), Mrs Affleck (National Theatre), Some Kind of Bliss (Trafalgar Studios), All About My Mother (Old Vic), A Chain Play (Almeida Theatre), Southwark Fair (National Theatre), Fish and Company (National Youth Theatre/Soho Theatre), Ibsen’s Pillars Of The Community (National Theatre), Schnitzler’s Professor Bernhardi (Arcola Theatre), 24 Hour Plays (Old Vic), Ibsen’s A Doll’s House (Southwark Playhouse), Chekhov’s The Cherry Orchard (Oxford Stage Company/Riverside Studios), Chekhov’s Three Sisters (Oxford Stage Company/Whitehall Theatre), Drink, Dance, Laugh and Lie (Bush Theatre), Grace Note (Peter Hall Company/Old Vic) and Clocks and Whistles (Bush Theatre).
Richard Cant plays Peter/Ivar at 58/Landlord.His theatre credits After Edward, Edward the Second(Shakespeare’s Globe), Maydays, Hamlet, Much Ado About Nothing (RSC), Saint Joan (Donmar Warehouse), My Night with Reg (Donmar Warehouse/Apollo Theatre), Medea (Almeida Theatre), The Trial (Young Vic), War Horse (New London Theatre),Salome (Headlong), Troilus and Cressida, Cymbeline (Cheek by Jowl), Original Sin, The Country Wife (Sheffield Theatres), Other People (Royal Court Theatre), Pera Palas (Gate Theatre), The Canterbury Tales (Garrick Theatre) and Charley’sAunt (York Theatre Royal). His television credits include Taboo, Outlander, Bleak House and The Way We Live Now; and for film, Mary Queen of Scots, Stan & Ollie, Sparkle, (Past Present Future) Imperfect and The Lawless Heart.
Karen Fishwick plays Daisy/Clare. Her theatre credits include Romeo and Juliet, The Merry Wives of Windsor(RSC), Our Ladies of Perpetual Succour (Edinburgh Festival Fringe/UK tour/National Theatre/Duke of York’s Theatre – Olivier Award nominated for Best Supporting Actress), Glasgow Girls (Citizen’s Theatre), Caucasian Chalk Circle (Royal Lyceum Theatre), Dirt Under the Carpet (Òran Mór), Hello, Dolly!, Present Laughter, A Chorus of Disapproval, Lady Windermere’s Fan, Whisky Kisses, The Yellow on the Broom, The Admirable Crichton and Mr Bolfy (Pitlochry Festival Theatre). Her television credits include Badults.
Pamela Hardman plays Character Actress /Marjorie/Embassy Assistant. Her theatre credits include North by Northwest (Bath Theatre Royal/Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto), The Dresser (UK tour/Duke of York’s Theatre), Taken at Midnight (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Mother Clap’s Molly House (National Theatre/Aldwych Theatre), It Run’s in The Family, Funny Money (Playhouse Theatre), An Inspector Calls, Noises Off, Talking Heads, Lettice and Lovage, Equus, Quartet and Single Spies (UK tour).
Joshua James plays Robert/Finn/Ivar at 28. His theatre credits include Lady Windemere’s Fan (Vaudeville Theatre) King Lear (Shakespeare’s Globe), Life of Galileo (Young Vic), Mary Stuart (Almeida Theatre), Platnov/The Seagull, Here We Go, Light Shining In Buckinghamshire, Treasure Island (National Theatre), The War Has Not Started Yet (Theatre Royal Plymouth), Fathers and Sons (Donmar Warehouse), and Bring Up the Bodies and Wolf Hall (RSC). His television credits include McMafia, Black Mirror, Utopia, Whites and Identity; and for film, Darkest Hour, Criminal and Summer in February.
Calam Lynch plays Eric/Cas. His theatre credits include Much Ado About Nothing (Rose Theatre Kingston). His television credits include Derry Girls and Mrs Wilson; and for film, Dunkirk.
Sirine Saba plays Suzannah. Her theatre credits include The Winter’s Tale, King Lear, Holy Warriors, Anthony and Cleopatra (Shakespeare’s Globe), Goats, The Crossings Play, Fireworks, The Rise and Fall of a Lebanese Pop Princess (Royal Court Theatre), Why it’s Kicking off Everywhere (Young Vic), TheIntelligent Homosexual’s Guide to Socialism (Hampstead Theatre), Another World, Nation (National Theatre), The Invisible (Bush Theatre), Next Fall (Southwark Playhouse), The Winter’s Tale (Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), The Keepers of Infinite Space(Park Theatre), TheFearof Breathing (Finborough Theatre), Testing The Echo (Tricycle Theatre) and Baghdad Wedding (Soho Theatre). Her television credits include Unforgotten and Footballers Wive$: Overtime; and for film, I Am Slave.
Artistic Director of Kiln Theatre Indhu Rubasingham directs. Her work for the company includes HolySh!t, White Teeth, Red Velvet (which transferred to New York and later to the Garrick Theatre as part of the Kenneth Branagh Season) and Handbagged (winner of Outstanding Achievement in an Affiliate Theatre – also West End, UK tour and Washington DC). Other productions for Kiln Theatre include The Invisible Hand, A Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes, Multitudes, The House That Will Not Stand, Paper Dolls, Women, Power and Politics, Stones in His Pockets, Detaining Justice, The Great Game: Afghanistan, Fabulation and Starstruck. Other theatre credits include Ugly Lies the Bone, The Motherf**cker with the Hat (Evening Standard Award for Best Play), The Waiting Room (all National Theatre), The Ramayana (National Theatre/ Birmingham Rep), Belong, Disconnect,Free Outgoing, Lift Off, Clubland, The Crutch and Sugar Mummies (Royal Court), Ruined (Almeida), Yellowman and Anna in the Tropics (Hampstead Theatre), Secret Rapture and The Misanthrope (Minerva, Chichester),Romeo and Juliet (Chichester Festival Theatre ), Pure Gold (Soho Theatre), The No Boys Cricket Club and Party Girls (Theatre Royal Stratford East), Wuthering Heights (Birmingham REP), Heartbreak House (Watford Palace Theatre), Sugar Dollies and Shakuntala (Gate Theatre), A River Sutra (Three Mill Island Studios), Rhinoceros (UC Davis, California) and A Doll’s House (Young Vic). Her production of The Great Wave is currently running at the National Theatre in a co-production with Kiln Theatre.
WILLY RUSSELL’S EDUCATING RITA STARRING STEPHEN TOMPKINSON Alhambra Theatre, Bradford Monday 6 – Saturday 11 May 2019 Captioned performance: Fri 10 May, 7.30pm, Audio Described performance: Sat 11 May, 2.30pm Call the Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk
A major new stage production of Willy Russell’s EDUCATING RITA is coming to the Alhambra Theatre in Bradford from Monday 6 to Saturday 11 May. Starring Stephen Tompkinson as Frank and introducing Jessica Johnson as Rita, the play will be directed by Max Roberts.
EDUCATING RITA tells the story of married hairdresser Rita, who enrols on an Open University course to expand her horizons. She encounters university tutor Frank who is a frustrated poet, brilliant academic and dedicated drinker, and he is less than enthusiastic about teaching Rita. However, Frank soon finds that his passion for literature is reignited by Rita, whose technical ability for the subject is limited by her lack of education, but whose enthusiasm Frank finds refreshing. The two soon realise how much they have to learn from each other.
The play was commissioned by the Royal Shakespeare Company and played at the Warehouse Theatre, London in 1980, starring Julie Walters and Mark Kingston. Julie Walters reprised her role in the BAFTA, Golden Globe and Academy Award-winning film opposite Michael Caine.
Born in Liverpool in 1947, Willy Russell left school at 15 and became a women’s hairdresser and part-time singer/songwriter before returning to education to retrain as a teacher. Russell’s other writing credits include the Olivier Award-winning musical Blood Brothers, and the hugely successful play Shirley Valentine, which won the Olivier Awards for Best New Comedy and Best New Actress, and a Tony Award for Best Performance by a Leading Actress in a Play. The play was adapted for film and nominated for a host of BAFTA and Academy Awards. Willy Russell continues to be one of the most celebrated writers of his generation with works constantly in production throughout the world as well as in the UK.
Stephen Tompkinson’s television credits TV’s Torvill & Dean, BBC’s The Split, five series of DCI Banks, four series of Trollied, seven series of Wild at Heart, six series of Drop the Dead Donkey (British Comedy Award Winner for Best TV Comedy Actor) and three series of Ballykissangel, and his films include Phil in Brassed Off. His theatre work includes Spamalot, Rattle of a Simple Man and Arsenic and Old Lace in the West End, Cloaca and A Christmas Carol (Old Vic), Art and Tartuffe (National Tours).
Jessica Johnson’s theatre credits include Call Me Mary Poppins, Goth Weekend, Kings and Queens, Each Piece and Anti-Gravity at the Live Theatre, Newcastle. She previously played Rita in Rebecca Frecknall’s 2017 production of Educating Rita at the Gala Theatre, Durham. Her television credits include Wire In The Blood (ITV), Coronation Street (ITV) and Cuckoo (Channel 4).
Max Roberts is Emeritus Artistic Director of Newcastle’s Live Theatre. Under his direction, the Live Theatre has become one of the country’s most successful theatre companies with an outstanding reputation for developing new work. His Olivier Award nominated production of Lee Hall’s Cooking With Elvis transferred to the West End’s Whitehall Theatre (now Trafalgar Studios) before touring nationally. He also directed The Pitman Painters, which transferred to the National Theatre and won Best Play at the Evening Standard Theatre Awards before opening on Broadway.
EDUCATING RITA will have set and costume designs by Patrick Connelan, lighting design by Drummond Orr and sound design by David Flynn.
EDUCATING RITA is produced by David Pugh & Dafydd Rogers, and co-produced by Theatre by the Lake.
Please call the Box Office on 01274 432000 or visit bradford-theatres.co.uk for more information.
Almost unheard of in the UK, the shamisen is a traditional three-stringed Japanese instrument that has become increasingly popular around the world. In the final concert in this year’s Avex Recital Series, celebrated shamisen player HONJOH Hidejiro is proudly welcomed back to London’s renowned Wigmore Hall after blowing audiences away during his spectacular debut.
Characterised by its long neck and guitar-like body, the shamisen’s energetic and versatile nature makes it the perfect instrument to use for a range of genres including jazz, folk and rock music. With Hidejiro’s utterly unique blend of visceral musicality and virtuosic technique, Hidejiro was the first shamisen performer to receive the prestigious Idemitsu Music Award.
This concert will comprise an incredible programme of works that have been specifically written, or newly adapted, for the shamisen. In addition to performing the world premiere of Ryuichi Sakamoto’s new composition, Hidejiro will perform Dai Fujikura’s newly composed Neo; a passage which follows the classical style, it has also been crafted to induce an adrenaline rush in the listener as the exhilarating melody relentlessly chases and looms upon them.
With a new and captivating approach, the lively repertoire continues with a kabuki-style piece in Hamlet to be or not, combining Hamlet’s Soliloquy with vocals and an exaggerated recitation. The music follows the style of gidayubushi and the traditional puppet theatre music, often used in popular dramas. Initially written to be performed in Japanese, Hidejiro has chosen to chant and sing the original English script.
Showcasing the global appeal of the shamisen, Hidejiro will perform Jiva – a rhythmic and ethnic piece reminiscent of Indian music. With its geometric allure, it fuses the acoustic function of “Sawari” with “Javari” which refers to the power of sound encompassing a force of life. With Hekitan No.2, audiences are urged to use their imaginations and to picture a scene that is held dear inside your heart, perhaps a Japanese garden, or a landscape painting.
HONJOH Hidejiro comments, The significance of music as an expression of the moment requires that it adapts flexibly to a multitude of different scenes and people, but to make this possible an unparalleled musical talent is crucial. The shamisen had been a unique and global presence for the people since as far back as the Edo era, and has a history of assimilating its surroundings and cultures with a flexible and accepting attitude. In these rapidly changing times when artists are constantly transcending linguistic boundaries with the medium of expression, I felt inspired to test how much of Hamlet’s inner conflict I could convey through a candid musical performance of shamisen and chants. It’s exciting to perform new compositions and work closely composers, such as Dai Fujikura who is unique; I have never met anyone so enigmatic and modest despite his brilliance. Do not miss the cutting-edge music of the Japanese traditional instrument!
Commenting on his adaptation of the well-known piece, Neo, renowned composer Dai Fujikura says, Until now, I have never written for the shamisen. My attraction to the shamisen was the concept of adding ‘noise’ to the sound, which is unthinkable in western classical music. I loved it. I immediately thought of it as a bit like distortion with an electric guitar, so I treated this piece like a guitar solo in a rock concert. I hope you are cheering and screaming when he finishes this piece, like you would in a rock concert.
Club Tropicana the Musical is set in the 1980s and loosely revolves around the story of Lorraine (Karina Hind) who calls off her wedding to Olly (Cellen Chugg Jones) and then goes off on her honeymoon to the Club Tropicana with her two best friends. Of course in musical land nothing is that simple so throw in the jilted bridegroom turning up at the same hotel, some unrequited love, a rogue Spanish worker and a possible hotel inspector, mix it all up with fabulous 1980s music and some cracking dancing and you have a fantastic night out at the theatre.
Written by Michael Gygnell, Mark Goucher and Gavin Kalin’s production of Club Tropicana The Musical is an affectionate tribute to the 1980s, when anything seemed possible and if you were young life was fun and vibrant (and that was just the neon clothes!). The story is full of humour and kitsch and asides about what might be in the future, which the audience knows has come to pass. It moves on at a pace, with one song often moving swiftly into the next one. This young cast is full of verve and have cracked the 1980s dancing beautifully, the choreography is spot on, but I hadn’t quite realised how much dance styles had changed! Costumes that are absolutely right and a wonderfully cheesy backdrop took us right back to the 1980s.
Joe McElderry as Garry, the Entertainments Manager at the hotel, had the audience in the palm of his hands from the minute he walked on the stage. He was clearly loving every minute of the performance and his timing was superb as chaos reigned. His voice was always beautiful and Relax was one of my favourites, but it has to be said that the rendition of Making Your Mind Up will stay with me for a long time, for all of the right reasons.
Kate Robbins as Consuela owned the stage as the anarchic Spanish hotel cleaner/dogsbody. She uses all of her body to create the character and had the audience hooting with laughter just by the way she sat down. Of course there were some impressions along the way but these were performed as Consuela performing them – sheer brilliance. Her singing voice is wonderful and who knew that the Minder theme tune I Could Be So Good For You would work so well as part of a musical.
The musical numbers were performed superbly by all the cast, particularly Cellen Chugg Jones (Olly) and Karina Hind (Lorraine), the duet of Take On Me was stunning. Neil McDermott as Robert and Amelle Berrabah as Serena gel well as the hotel owners and Emily Tierney plays Christine wonderfully. Rebecca Mendoza (Tracey) performs a wonderfully funny version of The Lion Sleeps Tonight.
If you want serious theatre then this isn’t for you, if you are offended by some slightly dodgy jokes this isn’t for you either. This is a frothy vibrant cocktail of fun and fabulous music, providing a fantastic night out at the theatre. Monday nights at Hull New Theatre make for a hard audience, so how wonderful to watch the entire front stalls rise as one to give the cast a well-deserved standing ovation. Hull loved you – and we all went out buzzing with enjoyment and with one or two songs playing in our heads!
Churchill Theatre, Bromley – until 20th April 2019
Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes
5*****
When you get a phone call just before half 5 asking if you can review Rocky Horror Show that evening there is only one answer, “let me grab my fishnets”. Despite the short notice and the return journey to the venue being longer than the show it is impossible to say no to Rocky Horror Show.
Laura Harrison (the Usherette and Mangenta) starts the show off by singing Science Fiction/Double Feature with the audience cheering and singing along. Joanne Clifton and Ben Adams bring Janet and Brad to life respectively with Kristian Lavercombe playing the role of Riff Raff, a role he has played for over 1000 performances. With Miracle Chance as Columbia and Rose Chisari as Eddie and Dr Scott. Callum Evans plays Rocky and his background in gymnastics is used to advantage during the show with Evans incorporating gymnastic moves into various dance routines. Stephen Webb’s Frank N Furter is one of the best incarnations of the character I have seen but the true star of the show last night was Philip Franks as the Narrator. Franks took the heckles from the audience and had them laughing at his responses, especially after he encouraged the audience to come back in a few weeks to heckle Anne Widicome in the same way.
Despite a few technical hitches throughout the show the actors carried on as if it were completely normal. The audience participation made the show what it is and it is impossible to see the same show twice. All in all a good night out to a show that should be made compulsory viewing.
