THEGAYUK

Author: Alex Da Silva

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Lovely Bones – The Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★☆ | The Lovely Bones

    – a chilling and sombre affair

    A lot of people celebrated Halloween dressed up in fancy and harrowing costumes while others chose to visit The Birmingham Rep to watch The Lovely Bones adapted by Bryony Lavery.

    This production was a visual marvel with versatile, complex sets and effects that made you jump. It was 1 hour and 45 minutes long without an interval, so you were drawn to the story and scarcely had a chance to breathe.

    Based on the novel by Alice Seabold, it depicted well the account by Susie Salmon as a ghost, and the frustration of the book though the intensity of the book was way more gripping. Adapting a novel with nail-biting tension and translate it to the stage was always going to be a big ask. This play, however, did a great job with multi scenes going on at once which helped cancel out really drawn out scenes which can happen when an adaptation is too literal.

    Charlotte Beaumont played Susie and she was very believable. Her growing anger and annoyance were superbly achieved. Mr Harvey played by Keith Dunphy was exactly how you would imagine him to be in the book, said my friend. His voice and slow movement made for a very sinister character – the audience felt on edge whenever he appeared on stage as he was getting away with murder, literally. Jack Salmon played by Jack Sandle was very captivating with his passionate and energetic portrayal. Karan Gill was a dexterous multi-part player and was brilliant at playing Holiday, having the whole auditorium in stitches with embodying typical characteristics of a dog. Abigail Salmon player by Emily Bevan performed her last speech with emotion and sincerity, but there was some inconsistency with emotion when finding out about her daughter, or it was perhaps the very fast changes of time that did not allow for Abigail’s grief to be fully explored. Pete Ashmore played Detective Fenerman, and he was brilliant in this role really adding to the frustration of the unsolved murder. As a teenager, it was not as convincing, for his voice was too mature. I struggled to imagine him as Lindsey Salmon’s boyfriend. Susan Bovell brought out the comedy in this dark story with her bad-mother act and stirring issues within the family. Her portrayal of Lynn was a great fete.

    The set, designed by Ana Inés Jabares-Pita, really was the highlight for me with chalk becoming luminescent and the ingenious mirror effect, so it looked as though Susie was looking down from heaven as the scenes unfolded.

    Running: 30 October – 10 November 2018

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Messiah, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★☆ | The Messiah, Birmingham Rep

    a naughty nativity that goes wrong\

    Hugh Dennis, John Marquez and Lesley Garrett present a hilarious version of the birth of baby Jesus with pleasurable modern references. The Messiah by Patrick Barlow gave Birmingham a night of gut-busting entertainment. The comedy and writing was really intelligent and versatile for the audience age-range – fantastic!

    The premise is a small theatre company puts on a nativity play, but the two main characters Maurice Rose (Hugh Dennis) and Ronald Bream (John Marquez) break out of character to deal with personal issues and have a full-blown domestic.

    Hugh was very clever with his comedy, the jokes landed, and his contrast to John’s foolish character, was sublime. The dryness of Hugh’s humour complemented his character perfectly. The tremendous energy of multi-part playing was very captivating.

    John Marquez was one of the funniest actors I have seen this year. His role as Mary was comedy genius; every time he put the cloth over his head the audience went wild with laughter, and every word he spoke was mirthful. Even though each character had very similar traits, John’s natural flair made each one comedy magic.

    Lesley Garrett was amazing with her heavenly vocals interluding between the madness of the two other characters. Lesley added a new layer of comedy singing when she wanted to and interrupting scenes with Hugh and John. It was incredible to see Lesley live like that.

    The Messiah is certainly a feast for the ears and eyes. Through revolving stages, versatile props and clever lighting, as well as the comedy mastery of Hugh and John, and with angelic Lesley, this show is one worth watching time and time again.

    Running: 18-27 October

  • THEATRE REVIEW | All You Need Is LSD, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★☆ | All You Need Is LSD

    A bonkers performance by the cast of Told by an Idiot and the Birmingham Rep. I am not sure how to describe this show, other than trippy?

    It was a historical, educational, thought-provoking play through deranged comedy and insane multi-part playing, with hallucinogenic elements.

    Turns out that LSD is the least dangerous form of abuse with alcohol being number 1, so you can imagine that this performance was a socialist fete where politics around drugs took a lead role. The constant changing of characters with accents and costumes was formidable, a very dextrous cast. Especially, Jack Hunter who must have spoken with the greatest number of accents, that I was not sure what Jack’s native accent was. George Potts was insanely brilliant, with effervescent energy with speech, movement and action – playing Doctor Who was genius, and that was when this show really picked up. Even though I am not a Doctor Who fan, it was great to see the portrayal by George. Annie Fitzmaurice played the author Leo Butler with such relish that when she spoke it was just comedy gold. My favourite line was: “If tripping off your tits is a sin, let him cast the first stone.”

    Sophie Mercell did a great job at playing Dr Hoffman the creator of LSD, who happened to come about it by accident. Her Helen Mirren impersonation was outstanding too.

    What was really fresh about this production was the gender-neutral casting, almost intentionally the opposite – dad was played by a female actor and mother played by male actor, and so on. It was great to delve deep into your imagination to see this as a possibility and it was a great achievement.

    I’ve never done hard drugs, but this was a very good sell – my plus one had actually tried LSD and said it was very relatable what he saw on stage.

    All You Need Is LSD plays at the Birmingham Rep

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Rebus: Long Shadows

    THEATRE REVIEW | Rebus: Long Shadows

    ★★★☆☆ | Rebus: Long Shadows

    Ian Rankin’s novel series came alive on stage via the adaptation of Rona Munro. It was an atmospheric and sombre affair.

    Rankin’s novels first featured the character of John Rebus in Knots & Crosses where he was merely 40 years old, and he grew older, bitter and more cynical as his life progressed in the subsequent novels, Black and Blue, Exit Music, In A House Of Lies, etc. Putting Rebus on stage was not Ian’s original conception but a fan of his books, producer Daniel Schumann’s. Ian chose Rona as he wanted her take on this robust and clout-packed character.

    Not an adaptation of any of the 19 novels, Rebus – Long Shadows is a unique story bringing together the three protagonists of his series: Rebus (Charles Lawson), Clarke (Cathy Tyson) and Cafferty (John Stahl). The promise was to excite the book fans while giving the newbies a real taste of whodunnit. Centred around two murders that happened ten years apart, but a vivid haunt for Rebus, physical ghosts, and on the ground too, make for an unsettling mystery.

    Charles Lawson, who most will know as Jim McDonald in Coronation Street (ITV) really embodied Rebus in a sombre, tired portrayal, but with spouts of energy in a man who had decades of unfinished business. I never read the books, but Charles portrayal is the image I would have had in my mind. His multi-faceted performance created powerful moments as the murder mystery unravelled. In some parts, Lawson was like Lear of the murder realm.

    Cathy Tyson did a good job as Siobhan Clarke, but as a whole it was not a totally captivating performance. Her portrayal of Clarke was not a secure one, and I am not sure her decades’ bond with Rebus was consistently convincing. John Stahl was exactly what Cafferty was described as, and it was very enjoyable watching his dangerous and playfully performance.

    Neil McKinven played everyone else, but most importantly, murderer Mordaunt, and Andy. It was a very energetic multi-role play, and Neil used comedy very well. However, sometimes it was hard to distinguish between characters, and I think it was due to costume changes that didn’t change much and how quick he was back on stage. The murdered ghosts of Angela and Maggie by Dani Heron and Eleanor House respectively was a well synchronised vocal and physical performance adding more mystery to the narrative.

    The set was fairly simple. The furniture for Rebus’ home was always seen in other scenes which took away from the illusion. However, there was a really nice moment with purple lights shining against the wall of Cafferty’s home making his apartment look very ostentatious, very different from Rebus’.

    Charles portrayal of Rebus is well worth the visit of die-hard fans, but perhaps you had to read the books to be fully immersed.

    Rebus: Long Shadows is on at Birmingham Rep until the 6th October 2018

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Lost And Found, Birmingham

    ★★★★☆ | The Lost And Found, Birmingham

    The Lost & Found recently refurbed the whole of bar and restaurant area, and when I entered, there was a lot to catch the eye.

    When I arrived, Jack offered us a friendly reception and took me round to see the new Bookcase bar. He also explained how it is for private hire. The upstairs terrace bar was a stunning new addition where folks could a have drink without needing to book. This is named The Gallery which is adorned with leaves etched into the ceiling.

    Jack showed us to our table and I had a great view of the whole bar. The bar has changed its position towards the back creating more room for diners and drinkers to take a more centre-stage. I also noticed more room between tables, so there is more of intimate feel with each party. The cosy, Victorian feeling never left.

    I cannot help but get excited when I think of the cocktails we had. My first drink was TO BETTY’S FOR TEA containing Masons Dry Yorkshire Gin – Tea Edition, Briottet Crème de Bergamote, Teapot bitters, Egg white, Lemon juice & sugar syrup, Milk & cream (£8.95). Served with a chocolate digestive, said the menu, but I think they ran out of chocolate ones today, but it’s just as well I like plain digestives too. This was a feast for the eyes as well as for the palate – it was like drinking cheesecake. Dunking my digestive was definitely a good shout, thanks Jack! My lady friend, Danni put my manlihood to shame with her OLD FASHIONED cocktail, persisting of Bourbon/Rye whiskey/Rum of your choice, Angostura bitters, Orange peel, Maple syrup (£8.95). She said the advice for sweet whiskey was a good one. She must have liked it, she ordered it twice!

    For starters, I had the SMOKED SALMON gin & tonic pickled cucumber, lemon cream cheese and malted brown bloomer (£8.50), and Danni had the LIGHTLY DUSTED SQUID Asian slaw, sriracha mayonnaise and charred lemon (£7.50). My salmon was a work of art – colourful, symmetrical, and so much fun. Though petite in size, it sure satisfied the first bouts of hunger; while my friend’s starter was a mixed bag. The portion was very generous, and I had to help her finish – this is not a bad thing! However, as much as the salad was scrumptious, the squid was very tough and rubbery resembling mini boxing gloves. It was hard to cut and chew; don’t know if it was an old animal or overcooked? A small shame as the rest of the dish was dreamy.

    We both opted for steak mains. I had 8oz FILLET served with confit tomato and your choice of peppercorn sauce, Béarnaise sauce or garlic butter (£24.00). I went with peppercorn sauce as I always do, and a side of Fried potatoes, garlic mayonnaise & rosemary (£3.50) while Danni had the 8oz SIRLOIN STEAK served with confit tomato with garlic butter (£18.00) and a of Blistered green beans, chilli, garlic & sesame seeds (£3.50). Both steaks delivered in flavour and presentation, and it had us feeling very full by the end. The fried potatoes were very moreish too. But, there is always room for pudding, is there not? Jack described some dessert options and warned they are not what you would expect. True he was. EARL GREY PANNA COTTA with blackberries and mini shortbread biscuits (£7.00) was a delicious, neat pudding. Small portion but it was accompanied by a very tasty and citrusy cocktail called Haymans Old Tom Gin for an extra £3. However, the star of the show was Danni’s MILLIONAIRE’S SHORTBREAD with dark chocolate, sticky whisky caramel, honeycomb and a rich chocolate ice cream shortcake (£8.00), it was a field day for the senses. I use the field pun unashamedly since the dessert resembled a wild brook. It was beautiful to look at and very tasty too.

    Meanwhile. my second cocktail was a palate-boggler, still not sure what to make of it; it was called SANTIAGO SWIZZLER, containing QuiQuiRiQui Matatlan Mezcal Espadin, Velvet Falernum, Briottet Crème de Mûre, Damson plum jam, Plum bitters and Lime juice (£8.50). I didn’t recognise many of the ingredients, but I took a gamble. Danni didn’t like the taste of it, and I asked Jack about it who said it is a very popular drink during Christmas time, but almost extinct from the menu. I don’t think I would have it again, yet intrigued by its eclectic bursts of flavours and colours.

    What I always love about The Lost & Found is the atmosphere- the music was on point with the swing-style beats. The service is always on point and overall the food was delicious, fun and unexpected, with minor errors in cooking with one dish.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Kite Runner, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★☆ | The Kite Runner,  Birmingham Rep

    Gritty, raw and a history lesson like no other.

    The Kite Runner, by Khaled Hosseini, is a sensational book and it made critical acclaim as a film too, so expectations were always going to be high. Adapted by Matthew Spangler, The Rep play version created a new window to look through the melodrama and tragedy surrounding the life of Amir.

    The story centralises itself around Amir, a well-to-do Pashtun boy, and Hassan, a Hazara who is the son of Ali, Amir’s father’s servant. Hassan is the fastest kite runner the town has ever seen, and he teaches Amir the art, all so Amir can impress his stone-faced father.

    This must have been a hard concept to attempt to translate from a novel page to a main house stage, but Barney George’s design painted a very raw picture. The set moulded itself to suit outside and indoors with little effort. Fluid scene changes via media projections, and a curtain in shape of a kite which was used to shield viewers from hard-to-watch moments. Live percussion, performed by Hanif Khan, brought a mystical layer to the melodrama. The sound effects were also harrowing in parts.

    What made this production special was the cast of The Kite Runner. Raj Ghatak, as Amir, really helped us see the character come to life through language, enacting young and older Amir, as well as punchy speeches with sincere conviction. Jo Ben Ayed stole the show, with his portrayal of Hassan, formidable dexterity in playing a young boy while showing mature emotions. Jo’s characterisation contributed to the emotional experience felt in The Rep auditorium. The unrelenting loyalty to Amir was masterfully achieved by Jo. The boys’ fathers Baba and Ali played by Gary Pillai and Rez Kabir respectively, enhanced the sense of tradition and honour. Both actors shone, adding a darker tone to the narrative. Assef was a sickly and revolting character, played expertly by Soroosh Lavisini.

    Soroosh’s movement and speech was skin-crawling and made it hard to watch, but this was a true depiction of the nasty and malevolent personality.

    This production is close to three hours long, but through gripping action, efficient set, light, sound and everything else involved, The Kite Runner left us with the feeling we could have watched more.

    The Kite Runner runs at the Birmingham Rep until the 24th March 2017

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★ | The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Birmingham Rep

    REVIEW | The Hundred and One Dalmatians, Birmingham Rep

    tail-waggingly brilliant.

    The Hundred and One Dalmatians, a childhood favourite, presented by the Birmingham Rep, had fun, laughs and tasty treats of darkness. The puppets, designed by Jimmy Grime, were a show-stealer. The way in which they moved and looked was so real – you had to blink to realise they were not real.

    A very commendable performance for all the artists who held/manoeuvred the animals. The dogs looked bizarrely realistic, with the heads at the right scale of the real species – most realistic was the Afghan Hound. The puppetry/dog handlers were incredibly agile, mixed with exquisite acting and singing really enhanced the narrative. Oliver Wellington (Pongo) was particularly impressive with his dextrous movement and voice. The way he showed the jovial and clumsy nature of Pongo was a good connect to pet owners in the audience, receiving many laughs. Equally, Emma Thornett (Missis) did very well with the emotional scenes with the movement adding superbly to the drama. The astute projection of the dog’s feelings by Emma onto Missis was incredibly captivating. You could hear the emotion in the artist’s voice and felt naturally compassioned while watching the puppet.

    The second duo who really entertained were the Badduns: Jasper (Lewis Griffin) and Saul (Luke Murphy). The two men hired to do the deed with the puppies were hilarious and really lifted the show. The actors’ mastery of comedic timing, audience interaction, and versatility of movement raised the level of brilliance. Lewis, in particular, gave every bit of himself with Jasper, leaving no stone unturned in making the kids and adults laugh.

    Cruella De Vil (Gloria Onitiri) was excellent and as cruel and devilish as I had hoped. I am sure Glenn Close would have really enjoyed her performance too. Her appearance was perfectly fitting to the role; her voice was harrowing and malevolent, creating darkness so subliminally. My favourite moment of the whole show was when Cruella sang ‘Skin It’ and hitting the last note with such deep and menacing tones really was a goosebumpy moment.

    Mr and Mrs Dearly played by Morgan Philpott and Nadi Kemp-Sayfi respectively were great too. Morgan showed good variety with playing the Sheepdog. I think the puppets drowned them out a little though, and sometimes the puppet actors speaking for the dogs, mixed with Mr and Mrs Dearly talking, created a distraction and was not always sure who was talking, or where to look.

    This show has to be watched, and though there were heavy Christmas overtones, it is a classic I would watch all year around.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | The Lost and Found: Bottomless Brunch, Birmingham

    ★★★★★ – BOTTOMLESS BRUNCH LAUNCHES AT THE LOST & FOUND

    The weekends are for great nights and slightly late mornings, and of course good food to awake your spirits, as well as supping on some alcoholic beverages at lunchtime and forgetting the week. The Lost & Found take this occasion seriously with their Bottomless Brunch bonanza.

    The choices of Bellinis, Mimosas, Bloody Marys, in any order, are a delightful motivation to get out of bed on a Sunday morning. From 11 AM to 3 PM, you can indulge yourself in as many Prosecco glasses in a two hour booked period. The Bellinis were moreish with a raspberry floating in each glass – having one of my five a day (in abundance). What is lovely about the brunch food menu is that there is something there for any appetite. From delicate porridges to hearty breakfasts, one can take pleasure in eating rich, tasty and well-presented dishes. The hearty ‘English breakfast’ was incredibly delicious with tasty sausages and poached eggs cooked to perfection. My plus one opted for a bun-less ‘Bacon & cheeseburger’ with a fried egg and skinny fries, and according to him the dish was oozing with flavour and juices, and it definitely did not need a bun.

    What contributed to the superb event was the Victorian backdrop and out-of-time ambience that The Lost & Found encapsulates very well. The mood is just terrific for a Sunday brunch and chill. Josh looked after us again, and I must say his dedication and attention to detail rivals any other host I have met. Josh took time to explain to us how the menu worked, putting us at ease when making a decision, as well as letting us know in advance that due to staff shortage the meals may take longer than we might expect. Also, Josh made sure we were well and truly Bellini-ed and I was left feeling very fuzzy and cosy sitting comfortably in the booth.

    For just £22 per person, you are getting a very good experience with endless drinks for two hours, plus good quality, top-notch food and with an ambience that provides an escape for a weekend.

  • RESTAURANT REVIEW | Smashburger, Wednesbury

    ★★★★ | Smashburger, Wednesbury

    Smashburger launches the first site in the Midlands, and what a messy affair it was!

    The method of smashing is a unique way of enhancing flavour into the burger as the meat is cooked in its freshly pressed juices. The result is a delicate, intense and a full-flavoured burger inside your soft bun. According to General Manager Colin, the ingredients are prepared and cooked fresh every day, and the burgers are almost smashed to order. Situated at the heart of Gallagher Retail Park in Wednesbury, this restaurant is certainly worth a sharp right on your way out.

    The Beef Bacon Cheeseburger, made with Applewood smoked bacon and American cheese, mustard, ketchup, pickles and red onion served on a multi-grain bread is probably one of the best burgers I have had in my mouth. The bread was soft and complemented the burger beautifully soaking up the juices and sauce oozing out of the burger. There is no way to avoid running mustard/ketchup sauce down your hand as it is a truly messy encounter. The sour pickles married well with the tangy mustard and galvanised the whole meal – Fourth of July happened in my mouth. My plus one had Spinach, Cucumber & Goats Cheese Beef Burger on a brioche bun which was very well presented and it had plenty of fresh vibes to it.

    What was very impressive about Smashburger was the excellent customer service experienced throughout the joint. Chloe was particularly pleasant and very hospitable offering us to try the churros at the end which was an offer you could not refuse. The atmosphere was very busy but the staff bantered and looked after every customer with genuine care.

    There was a problem with the fryer as a couple of items of the meal were slightly over-fried, particularly the Haystack Onions, and the Churros also were overly cooked on the outside and undercooked on the inside. It was not a happy ending, but I would read this book again! I would like to think it was a one-off blip.

    The service was second to none. The quality and concept of the burgers through smashing was ingenious. The highlight for me of it all was the Oreo Hand-spun Shake – O.M.G! The best chunky shake I have had – it is going to take a lot to beat that!

  • THEATRE REVIEW | I Knew You, The Rep

    ★★★ | I Knew You, Birmingham Rep

    I Knew You, written by Steven Camden, aka Polar Bear – the renowned spoken-word artist, comes to The Door with a delicate yet powerful domestic tale.

    Growing up in a non-nuclear family is more custom in this generation, but what is not often seen, is the repercussions of a family break up. Through the stories of Angela (Lorna Laidlaw) the mother; Nathan (Brenton Hamilton) the son; Patrick (Roderick Smith) the father, we see the nucleus of the family drama.

    The writing is sublime with poetry ringing alongside the emotional speeches. Lorna showcased comedy and emotion very well, carrying the story – very good crescendo of emotions as the story progressed. Brenton did a great job with anger, but a little one-dimensional with the less climatic stuff. Roderick was a good choice for the sullen Patrick, giving the audience a good look-in to the other side of the argument, but a little lacklustre in the final speech. What was nice about the production was the feeling of provenance with actors hailing from Birmingham, with local accents adding to the comfort.

    The play was only fifty minutes long, and I am wondering if story beat opportunities were missed as the story appeared to be presented in chunks, in places, and the build-up of the drama was lost with a very sudden ending at Patrick arriving in the house.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Jane Eyre, Birmingham Rep

    ★★★★ -Jane Eyre, Birmingham Rep

    A rollercoaster of emotions that kept on plunging.

    Charlotte Bronte’s Jane Eyre is plagued by circumstances from which she has no power over; from childhood abuse, to later mistreatment in the Lowood School for orphaned girls, Jane suffered for the greatest part of her life. The National Theatre and Bristol Old Vic came together to create a haunting masterpiece that was seen last night at The Birmingham Rep. The rawness of emotion and the simplistic style of setting captured the audience’s attention and tugged on heartstrings.

    The acting and the synchronicity of movement were astonishing in Jane Eyre. The ensemble pieces were performed to such a high standard, even the breathing was in sync. Nadia Clifford, who plays Jane Eyre, was formidable in her captivating portrayal of Jane’s life. Nadia embodied Jane Eyre with so much sincerity and passion, it was as though Nadia had been through similar tribulations. Her movement and voice, as well conveyance of emotions throughout the play, were so strong and authentic. Nadia stole the show.

    Every cast member showcased uniqueness and dexterity with multipart playing, while acting, moving and singing. I particularly enjoyed Paul Mundell’s representation of Pilot, Mr Rochester dog. Paul used a device which he smacked against the side of his leg to simulate tail wagging which was a fresh take to a human portraying a dog without costumes or gimmicks. Paul’s canine mannerisms and movements really contributed to the sophisticated and brilliance of this production. Evelyn Miller was a fierce multipart player, portraying different characters so uniquely that, if it was not for the small-ish cast number, I don’t think I’d recognise her. She was soulful and powerful in delivery and the characters were really earnest. The queen of playing a plethora of characters was Hannah Bristow. Hannah played five characters and she was brilliant with everyone. Her portrayal of Helen Burns was very touching and emotional. Lynda Rooke was really great at playing the revolting Mrs Reed and then playing a sweet and homely Mrs Fairfax – great contrast of characters. The music trio were not only pleasing to the eye, but they were supremely talented both vocally and with playing different instruments – and acting too! I also really enjoyed Melanie Marshall’s angelic and demonic vocals as Bertha, creating an eerie and surreal atmosphere.

    Jane Eyre is a powerful novel, and seeing it live on stage is an experience that is unforgettable. Thank you, National Theatre!