Month: June 2019

Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester- until 16th June, 2019.

Reviewed by Joseph Everton.

4****

Scrolling through hundreds of Netflix documentaries that you’ve already seen leaves you with little option but to try yet another American documentary about the innocent behind put behind bars by a crooked justice system, riddled with dishonesty, racism, homophobia and classism. These shows capture the imagination, they’re all over Twitter, and Hope Mill have tried to harness some of the genre’s popularity in their new production, recreating a current T.V. phenomenon and putting it before a live audience. Based on interviews by with six former death row inmates who have since been freed by the state after having been incarcerated for up to 22 years, Joseph Houston, as director, brings The Exonerated to his own stage. The work of writers Jessica Blank and Eric Jensen and made into a film in 2005, The Exonerated has been turned by Houston into an on-screen Netflix-style documentary cleverly spliced with snapshots of crime scenes and trials acted out from the stage below.

In the audience, far from being snuggled up on the sofa with sleepy eyes, you chain watch this absorbing documentary through the barbed wire topped fences of a high security prison. Next, you’re transported into the court room, doubling as a jury, lights beaming down, casting judgement on the accused.

The show moves from story to story deftly, capturing the personalities of each of the exonerated. In the second act, imprisonment is described by each of the subjects in a harrowing fashion. It’s difficult not to feel deep sadness as Sunny (Pippa Winslow) compares life in her cell to ‘… being thrown to the bottom of a well’. It’s impossible not to be affected by recollections of rape, torture and the agonising loneliness that the six recount.

With a majority of the show being told on-screen by a different set of actors, The Exonerated was like nothing that I have ever seen before. To its credit, these scenes were so well acted that I might have believed that they real-life recollections, if not for the actors being credited in the programme. Delbert was the only one of the six that we got to know well on-stage, played excellently by Charles Angiama. He painted himself as a creative and Christian, with his potential taken by an unfair judgement.

The Exonerated was a compelling, bingeworthy documentary style production. I’d have bought the box set and, if it existed, I’d be more than happy to turn up at Hope Mill Theatre tomorrow night for another installment.

Ovalhouse – until 22 June 2019

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Urban Wolf and Tom Wainwright’s devastatingly intense play about the death of a black man in police custody is full of passion and rage, portraying the stark reality of police brutality and prejudice without reverting to tired tropes.

The play begins with the characters moving dazedly around in front of a shrine to the dead man, Brian. The characters then recite the words used to inform them of his death in a disjointed and repetitive chorus “There was a bit of a scuffle and I’m sorry to say, he passed away.” These vague words hide the fact that Brian was stopped and searched, simply for being a young black man driving a BMW, taken into custody and beaten, mocked and asphyxiated. Taking this far too common event as a starting point, Urban Wolf and Wainwright focus on the aftermath of the death and its traumatic effects on family and friends over the next two years. Director Gbemisola Ikumelo keeps the action pacy, while still allowing the characters quiet moments to connect with and spear the audience.

Beginning with the characters speaking directly to the dead man, describing what he was to them, and did for them, their grief is palpable. When the verdict of unlawful killing is reached, but no police officers are charged due to insufficient evidence, even though CCTV footage is available, the grieving process is stalled further. Brian’s brother, always in his shadow, becomes bitter and angry about his dead brother, mocking him as a sell-out coconut, while his sister rails against the system and begins a loud and vocal campaign for justice, their mother, losing her first born and favourite son, becomes convinced that Brian is trapped and cannot enter the afterlife, so returns to her Nigerian roots and obsessively gives offerings to the orisha to help him pass over. Brian’s fiancée, the woman he was going to spend his life with, is side-lined by the family as she isn’t quite one of them and doesn’t share all their memories.

The cast give nuanced, focussed and heart-breaking performances, with Urban Wolf and Ewa Dina utterly believable as siblings. They are both dynamic and sharp, bubbling with fury and grief, but always slipping back into childish mockery that is tender and comforting. The comic timing is fantastic, especially in one argument where their foul-mouthed abuse of each other is punctuated by repeated apologies to their mother for their language. As their mother, Muna Otaru is gut-wrenching, proud and dignified at first, but gradually unravelling into confusion and ill-health. Rochelle James gives a shattering performance as Brian’s fiancée, conveying her emptiness and loss effortlessly as she mistakenly tries to find comfort with his brother, and then realises that she needs to move on and start a new life.

Fran Horler’s design is inspired, a brick wall with a head shaped hole, which becomes the focal point representing Brian throughout the play, opens to show a white tiled room that doubles as kitchen and mortuary. Movement director Sara Dos Santos has created some powerful and chilling sequences as the three cast members represent Brian speaking to his mother in an increasingly disturbing and ritualistic manner.

Custody is a play that MUST be seen, highlighting the injustices of our system in a dynamic, forceful and accessible production.

Wilton’s Music Hall – until 29 June 2019

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Joy Wilkinson’s bold and brilliant play about Victorian female boxers feels right at home in the atmospheric Wilton’s Music Hall. It’s 1869, and Owen Brenman’s exploitative but paternal Professor Charlie Sharp, scouting for new boxing talent to fight at his Angel Amphitheatre in Islington, sees orphan Polly Stokes sparring with her adopted brother, Paul. Sensing an innovative way to draw in the curious crowds, Sharp promises Stokes a title fight if he first boxes an exhibition match against Polly. The match doesn’t go quite to plan but is watched by three women who become inspired to fight themselves. The stories of the three women overlap at times, but Wilkinson has created four characters that each embody the plight of women in the 19th century, whatever their social standing.

Upper class Anna Lamb (Emma McDonald – haunting and heart-breaking) is stuck in an abusive marriage and dreams of freedom for herself and her children, nurse Violet (Celeste Dodwell – delightfully sharp) wants to train as a doctor and fight for female suffrage and empowerment, typesetter and prostitute Matty (Jessica Regan – full of warmth and melancholic wit) and Polly (Fiona Skinner – fiery but always vulnerable) who’s been fighting for love and survival all her life, all become contenders for the title of Lady Boxing Champion.

The brutally dynamic fight scenes are choreographed brilliantly, and the Rocky-esque training montage (accompanied by driving Irish music) involving all four women is charming and uplifting.

There is lots of fun to be had from a modern viewpoint as the women react to the men around them, but Wilkinson never avoids the harsh reality of a woman being viewed as the property of her husband, and the medical establishment’s view that any “hysteria” could be cured by mutilating women’s genitals. There are some truly shocking and devastating moments, mostly involving Anna and her husband, but the underlying misogyny of the age is always present, mocked despairingly by Matty as her intelligence and lost potential are revealed in her boozy monologues. The men are all flawed or downright evil (Wilf Scolding as Gabe Lamb is completely slappable), and it seems that only Sharp cares about the women, even though they are his meal ticket.

Thrilling and ferociously inspiring, The Sweet Science of Bruising is a real contender – grab a ticket while you can.

UNDERBELLY FESTIVAL SOUTHBANK – until 7 July 2019

Reviewed by Serena Norgren

4****

FLIP Fabrique, the Quebecois circus company, returns to London with their latest work Transit as part of the Underbelly Festival at the Southbank. Well, it is just a joyous experience with an amazing array of circus skills on display.

The troupe is small (only 6 performers, 5 men and 1 woman) but they clearly have a very tight friendship and an almost sixth sense of each other. Each individual has a particular skill set from the aerial straps to the amazing diablo work via hula hooping and skipping which they perform.

The aerial straps of Pierre Rivière with fellow performer, Cedrik Pinault, acting as his counterbalance in the wings was spectacular with an extraordinary level of timing and strength. The diablo work of Jeremie Arsenault with extreme tricks and culminating with spinning 4 diablos at once was mind boggling. Jade Dussault was both balletic and brave with 8 hula hoops spinning at one time. Jasmin Blouin brilliantly and hilariously performed 15 circus acts in 90 seconds. Their strongman, Jonathan Julien, involved in many aspects was particularly impressive with his human pyramid.

Many of the circus acts performed are familiar but done at such a level and with no safety nets or ropes showing this talented lot’s skills off in a breathtaking and very exciting way. The real show stoppers were however the acts where the whole troupe performed together – the “spitting sweets” ballet, the multiple skipping rope tricks done as an ensemble to name just a few with the show ending on some amazing trampoline work.

Over and above the camaraderie and fun, the athleticism, bravery and energy of every single member shone through. It wasn’t perfect but that added to the deliciousness of the experience. The most marvellous start to the weekend and absolutely worth a visit, with or without kids.

Hull City Hall – 7th June 2019

Reviewed by Catherine McWilliams

5*****

Opera North’s concert staging of Aida filled Hull City Hall with glorious music, emotion and sublime storytelling. This was a large scale performance with over 90 musicians on stage in the orchestra and a chorus of 60 and yet the production was so intimate that you felt every nuance of emotion with the singers.

Aida is a tale of love, set against the backdrop of war. Radames (Rafael Rojas) is a Captain in the Egyptian Army and is in love with Aida (Alexandra Zabala) an Ethiopian Slave, but Egypt is at war with Ethiopia. To add further complication Amneris (Alessandra Volpe), an Egyptian Princess is also in love with Radames and Aida is also an Ethiopian Princess. When Aida’s father Amonasro (Eric Greene) is captured he persuades Aida to find out secrets of battle from Radames, which leads to tragedy.

Director Annabel Arden and conductor Sir Richard Armstrong have produced a magnificent piece, the singers inhabiting the very front of the stage with the orchestra and chorus behind them. There is a limited space available for the singers but this adds to the intimacy of the experience. The orchestra is quite simply superb and the chorus magnificent, at one point the unaccompanied singing of the chorus gave me goosebumps. The music at times filled the City Hall and at other times it would have been possible to hear a pin drop, providing mood, light and shade and colour, this is a performance to be felt as well as listened to.

The singers were sublime, their voices soaring, becoming their character with every ounce of their body and drawing the audience in feeling their passions and sorrows with them. Each playing their part and interacting to make the audience feel this was real, the emotion poured off the stage. The limited props were so very effective as was the backdrop with projections of war zones.

Alexandra Zabala is outstanding as Aida, her voice is stunning and the subtitles were not needed to show how she was feeling or what was happening. She had a wonderful connection with Rafael Rojas (Radames) and an equally tortured one with Alessandra Volpe (Amneris).

Rafael Rojas made a wonderful Radames, torn between his love for Aida and his love for his country, his horror at his betrayal of his country was palpable. His voice was wonderful and his duets with Alexandra Zabala were beautiful, the final duet simply heartbreaking.

Alessandra Volpe as Amneris was in turns coquettish, loving, angry and despairing and oh so believable, she breathed her character and we felt it all with her. Her voice is simply superb.

Eric Greene made a wonderful Amonasro, it was so clear he loved his country with a passion but his daughter equally so. His duet with Alexandra Zabala when he was persuading her to find out the secrets of battle was superb, the emotion as he argued for his country unbelievable.

This is a review by someone who is not an opera goer and who was worried that this would be just singers in front of an orchestra – how wrong can you be. It was going to be in Italian too, but it turned out that that didn’t matter a jot, there were some subtitles but the sheer brilliance of the singers meant that it was clear what was happening and how they were feeling.

This is an intimate experience, an emotional experience, full of powerful magnificent music, voices blending and soaring and of tragedy, a tragedy that left me a wrung out wreck! Absolutely amazing.

Catch this performance if you can, I am now going to see when I can see an Opera North performance again.

THE ROCKY HORROR SHOW TO SEE JOANNE CLIFTON AND DUNCAN JAMES TIME-WARP INTO NEWCASTLE

It’s just a jump to the left! One of the world’s favourite rock ‘n’ roll musicals – The Rocky Horror Show – is bringing fun and frivolity to Newcastle Theatre Royal this summer with Strictly Come Dancing’s Joanne Clifton and Duncan James from pop phenomenon Blue starring in the much-loved and outrageous production (Mon 5 – Sat 10 Aug 2019).

Former Strictly champion Joanne thrilled Newcastle Theatre Royal audiences in 2017 as she triumphed as Kansas girl Millie Dillmount in Thoroughly Modern Millie. Joanne will play the role of Janet and has been winning rave reviews for her portrayal of the squeaky clean college kid who, along with her fiancé Brad, meets the enigmatic Dr Frank‘n’Furter by chance when their car breaks down outside his house whilst on their way to visit their favourite college professor and go on an adventure that they will never forget.

Donning the infamous corset and heels to play the instantly recognisable character, Blue star Duncan James said: “I’m just loving every minute. Frank is such an iconic role; it’s an honour to play him.”

Comedian Steve Punt – best known from The Mary Whitehouse Experience which also starred David Baddiel and Hugh Dennis – will play the role of The Narrator alongside James Darch (An Officer and a Gentleman, Wicked, Mamma Mia!) as Brad.

Directed by Christopher Luscombe, the smash hit show features all of the famous musical numbers which have made The Rocky Horror Show such a huge hit for over four decades, including “Sweet Transvestite”, “Science Fiction / Double Feature”, “Dammit Janet” and, of course, the timeless floor-filler, “The Time-Warp”.

The Rocky Horror Show is a guaranteed party, which famously combines science-fiction, horror, comedy and music while encouraging audience participation meaning, of course, getting dressed in the most outrageous fancy dress.

The Rocky Horror Show first began life in 1973 before an audience of just 63 people in the Royal Court’s Theatre Upstairs. It was an immediate success and transferred to the Chelsea Classic Cinema, before going on to run at the Kings Road Theatre, 1973-79 and the Comedy Theatre in the West End, 1979-80. In 1975 it was transformed into a film called ‘The Rocky Horror Picture Show’. This film adaptation took over $135 million at the Box Office and is still shown in cinemas around the world more than 40 years after its premiere, making it the longest running theatrical release in cinema history. The theatre show has been performed worldwide for 45 years in more than 30 countries and translated into over 20 languages.

The Rocky Horror Show plays Newcastle Theatre Royal Mon 5 – Sat 10 Aug 2019 with evening performances at 7.30pm (Mon – Thu) and 8.30pm (Fri & Sat) and matinees 5.30pm (Fri & Sat). Tickets from £19.00 can be purchased from the Theatre Royal Box Office on 08448 11 21 21 (Calls cost 7ppm plus your phone company’s access charge) or book online at www.theatreroyal.co.uk

The Royal Exchange Theatre, Manchester- until 6th July.

Reviewed by Joseph Everton

5*****

Tanika Gupta’s adaptation of Harold Brighouse’s Hobson’s Choice takes the tale from an 1880s Salford cobbler’s shop, crosses the Manchester border and tells the story of Ugandan Asian, Harry Hobson, played by the wonderfully funny Tony Jayawardena. Hobson has escaped the tyranny of Idi Amin, attributing his good fortune to Ted Heath, and has become a pillar of the Manchester Asian community, a self-made man, tailor and tory. The show takes advantage of the innovative stage of the Royal Exchange theatre, where the audience are immersed in the story; almost a part of the family or a fly on the wall in the shop.

The shop in question is revealed in Hacienda style, with the Hobson daughters distracted from their unwaged jobs by acid house on the radio. We then follow Harri Hobson, having anglicised his real name, Patel, struggling with the task of controlling his subjugated daughters who crave freedom and a break from tradition. Together, guided by eldest of the siblings, Durga (Shalini Peiris), they set plans in motion to break free of their father. From the very beginning, the excellent script delivers laugh after laugh, with never a moment wasted.

Timid tailor, Ali Mossop (Esh Alladi), is a standout character. Passport snatched away from him and hidden by Hobson, the tale follows his progression from meek and subservient with a flair for tailoring, to a confident business owner, shaped by the ambitious daughter of Harri Hobson, who he marries begrudgingly at her behest but comes to love. Esh Alladi’s performance brought about the biggest laughs in a show that was full of them.

Although hinting at the darker side of the Hobson’s lives and characters, Hobson’s Choice is a real celebration of the diversity of Manchester and an example of how it is possible for ‘great things to grow from small’

MARIANNE ELLIOTT &

MIRANDA CROMWELL’S

ACCLAIMED YOUNG VIC PRODUCTION OF DEATH OF A SALESMAN TRANSFERS

TO THE PICCADILLY THEATRE

Arthur Miller’s iconic play comes to the West End this Autumn

Starring Wendell Pierce & Sharon D Clarke

200 tickets available at each performance for £15

Limited Season begins at Piccadilly Theatre on 24 October 2019

Elliott & Harper Productions and Cindy Tolan are thrilled to announce the transfer of the highly acclaimed, sold-out Young Vic production of Arthur Miller’s Death of a Salesman to the Piccadilly Theatre from 24 October 2019 to 4 January 2020. 

Tickets for Death of a Salesman at the Piccadilly Theatre go on general sale on Thursday 13 June 2019, with 200 tickets available at £15 at each performance.

Following her recent award-winning successes on Company and Angels in America, Marianne Elliott co-directsDeath of a Salesman with Miranda Cromwell, who worked as Associate Director on both shows. Together, they bring a unique vision to one of the greatest plays of the twentieth century, seen through the eyes of an African-American family.

Wendell Pierce, who is best known for his roles in The Wire and Suits, will reprise his revelatory performance as Willy Loman with the Olivier award-winning Sharon D. Clarke reprising her heart-rending performance as Linda Loman.  Full cast to be announced.

Joining directors Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell on the creative team are designer Anna Fleischle, lighting designer Aideen Malone, sound designer Carolyn Downing, composer and musical director by Femi Temowo; with fight direction and additional movement support by Yarit Dor and casting by Charlotte SuttonCDG.

Arthur Miller (1915-2005) was born in New York City and studied at the University of Michigan.  His plays include All My Sons, Death of a Salesman, The Crucible, A View from the Bridge, After the Fall, Incident at Vichy, The American Clock, Broken Glass, Mr. Peters’ Connections, and Resurrection Blues. He received the Pulitzer Prize for Drama in 1949. Other works include the novel Focus, the screenplay The Misfits, the memoir Timebends, and texts for the books In Russia, In the Country, and Chinese Encounters, in collaboration with his wife, photographer Inge Morath.Newly published collections include CollectedEssays and Presence: Collected Stories.

Listings:

Elliott & Harper Productions and Cindy Tolan 

present the Young Vic Production of
DEATH OF A SALESMAN 
By Arthur Miller
Directed by Marianne Elliott and Miranda Cromwell

Piccadilly Theatre
16 Denman Street,

London,

W1D 7DY

Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough – until June 7th before continuing national tour

Reviewed by Sara Garner

5*****

This is the latest work by Wild Card Theatre group, set up by friends in 2015. Their goal was to support and develop stories that promote social change and support emerging artists.

Electrolyte is the current production written by James Meteyard, who also stars in it.

On entering the theatre we hear music being played and find a stage set as if preparing for a concert, with all the actors warming up.

The feel of the performance is very informal, familiar and inclusive.

James Meteyard introduces himself and the other cast and explains that he will we be playing the part of Jessie. Olivia Sweeney who usually plays Jessie was unable to perform. I did wonder what impact this would have but any concern was soon put to rest.

Chris Georgiou doubled up on his roles, which he did wonderfully and without conflict.

The narrative of the piece was in almost musical poetry style with various genres of music being played by the cast throughout including House, Jazz, Drum n base and others.

We are introduced to the group of friends more specifically Jessie and their hedonistic lifestyle. We realise that Jessie is suffering grief and depression as a result of his father’s suicide. Despite the help of his friends we watch Jessie’s mental health on a downward spiral.

The shattering twist in the story was a shock to us all and a very powerful scene.

The play deals with grief, guilt, delusion, failing mental health, recovery through the care and friendship of others and finally hope. We are reminded at the end that we are merely specks of dust and dreams

The actors play instruments throughout the play either as specific performances or to underscore the emotion of the current narrative. Robyn Sinclair plays Allie Touch, a singer songwriter and her voice is just beautiful.

We saw the pace of the narrative crescendo and decrescendo which perfectly represented Jesse’s mental health decline and eventual recovery.

The performances by all the actors was superb with James Meteyard just incredible as Jessie. The role worked just as well as a man than as a woman. The music staging and lighting fantastically emotive.

My only regret was that there weren’t enough bums on seats. I would recommend this show to anyone and everyone (over the age of 16).

London Palladium – 31 May 2019

Reviewed by Catherine Françoise

3***

Sergei Polunin’s mixed programme at the London Palladium which received very mixed reviews was followed by the UK premier of Rasputin, the Russian peasant who became a powerful mystic with great influence in the court of Tsar Nicholas II because of the belief that Rasputin could heal his son’s debilitating illness. The story of an outsider who came to have such influence and the tragedy that ensued is dramatic ~ perfect for Polunin. Unfortunately choreographed by Yuka Oishi who also created Paradox and Sacré in the mixed programme earlier in the week, the same strengths and weaknesses evident in the choreography there, were repeated here.

Rasputin is a strong story and with a wonderful exhilarating new score from Krill Richter full of crashing drums and pulsating rhythms that scream ‘danger’ it should have kept us more engaged throughout than was the case. The problem is the dance doesn’t always follow the energy and huge drama of the score with far too much walking around, overreaching outstretched arms and melodramatic contorted faces to fill the music or the space. Strong storytelling Dance Theatre is no longer the poor relation of classical ballet and too many brilliant choreographers abound for such self-indulgence. Oishi’s work has brief moments of exhilaration and some beautiful duos and trios, but much of her work is simply far too boring and slow to express this huge dramatic story. There is a noticeable flutter for the few brief moments when Polunin jumps and spins and delivers some breath-taking fouettés en tournant in the way that only he can, but he doesn’t do this very often needs to do far more than occasionally simply jump, charismatic though he clearly is. The stage lit up whenever Johan Kobborg appeared as evil Prince Yusupov. Royal Ballet trained, Kobborg is a commanding dancer also brimming with charisma, nuance and stunning technique but not so full of self-importance. Polunin is allowed to be self-important and egocentric of course ~ this is why people pay several hundreds of pounds for ludicrously expensive tickets and even more to ‘meet and greet’, but it is pretentious and wearisome to simply strut around the stage without doing much actual dancing. When Polunin and Kobborg actually danced together in a powerful duet in the first half as the Prince tries to get rid of Rasputin’s influence on the family, the audience are gripped and transfixed. More of this choreography and dance was required throughout. Alexey Lyubimov and Elena Ilinykh beautifully and poignantly convey the desperation of The Tsar and Tsarina trying to save their desperately sick son, danced with great conviction and spirit by young Djordje Kalenic who deservedly received one of the loudest cheers at the end of the evening.

Giant chess pieces, occasionally moved or lit differently, are the only pieces of set on stage designed by Otto Bubeníček, but at times looked a little dwarfed on the vast Palladium stage. Beautiful and dramatic lighting design by Konstantin Binkin is beautiful, powerful and dramatic.

Polunin is well suited to the role of Rasputin. I look forward to seeing him in this again, hopefully revised with less bland repetitive choreography and more creative, energised dance.

Personally, I still adore Polunin the dance artist and would hope that he rises above the personal nastiness of social media and some reviews, takes on board the considerable constructive criticism that is offered by many and concentrates on dance rather than political and social commentary. I would also love to see him work with other choreographers who might perhaps be able to reign in the self-indigent strutting and preening and deliver more subtlety and Dance! His creatives and company dancers in both programmes are all wonderful artists thoroughly deserving of the standing ovations they all received.