THEGAYUK

Author: Paul Szabo

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Freedom Of Freewill, Doncaster Cast Theatre

    ★★★ | The Freedom Of Freewill, Doncaster Cast Theatre

    Doncaster has a rising star. Nestled amongst the urban redevelopment of the town centre, proudly placed at the side of a large open space is the Cast Theatre. There is little doubt that this impressive little theatre is going to be the centrepiece of Doncaster’s growing cultural scene. Providing a mixed programme of everything from comedy to jazz, modern dance to international acts, Cast also has one significant thing at heart – the community.

    TGUK was kindly invited along to a performance of “The Freedom of Freewill”, am abstract piece of contemporary dance, which was thought provoking and visually interesting; exploring the best and worst of human nature. Asking the question about what is freedom, and is one person’s freedom actually another person’s oppression, the show combined music, dance and visual imagery to confront the audience with images and themes which pushed at comfort zones and garnered a genuine reaction from the audience. The six young local dancers were talented and contorted into a number of shapes using their bodies, challenging the audience and forcing different viewpoints to be considered. The show is now embarking on a European tour, but it was a credit to the young performers and the production company, Urban Conceptz Theatre, who created and produced in association with Cast Theatre.

    That is where Cast Theatre is a little different. It nurtures local talent and offers an opportunity for all to be part of it – whether that is through one of their open auditions or simply as a welcome member of the audience. The venue itself is a modern and fresh looking building, all straight lines and right angles from the exterior, but inside, giving way to curved architecture and providing a visually interesting foyer, which extends the length of the building. One of the things that was immediately noticeable was the friendliness of the staff, who were more than helpful and polite. The foyer harbours a café, which provides three menus throughout the day and a selection of drinks, which is ideal for that pre-show tipple or some tapas to share with friends.

    Inside the theatre itself, it is a small and intimate venue, with very comfy seats and, for those tall ones amongst us, a generous amount of leg room. The modern interior was striking and the large tubular chandelier with its neon pink lighting looked perfectly in place. The sound in the auditorium, for this performance, was crystal clear, loud and full of bass, which suited the show perfectly. The air conditioning kept an ambient temperature, whilst never being invasive and the closeness to the stage drew you right into the performance.

    Cast was an absolutely delightful venue and one which genuinely deserves the support of the local community and those in its proximity. It is the equivalent of those little independent niche cinemas that have been springing up all over the country and its blend of independent productions of song, dance, theatre and music provide for one unique venue.

    Cast is a theatre which is a little different. It provides a performance venue for the community and specialises in its own productions, providing an opportunity for talent, both from the local area and beyond, to perform. They are one of the sponsors of Doncaster Pride 2014 and their venue will be the backdrop to this year’s re-launched Pride event. The team from Cast will be there on the day; alongside The Gay UK who will also be there; some come and find both of us and say hello.

    You can find out more about Cast’s upcoming productions by visiting their website (http://castindoncaster.com/ ); following them on Twitter (@castindoncaster) or on facebook (https://www.facebook.com/castindoncaster)

  • THEATRE REVIEW | West Side Story, Sheffield Lyceum And UK Tour

    ★★★★ | West Side Story, Sheffield Lyceum And UK Tour

    Set in the mid 1950s, two rival gangs battle it out for control of their little piece of the Upper West Side of New York. The Jets, local boys whose families have lived there for generations, are at loggerheads with The Sharks, the Puerto Ricans, who are trying to settle into their new lives. Tony, the former leader of the Jets meets with Maria, the sister of Bernardo who is the leader of The Sharks, and the two fall madly in love. But as their love grows, so does the rivalry between the gangs, leading to tragedy.

    This revival of the classic musical, based on Romeo and Juliet, is a thoroughly entertaining piece of theatre. The show has a gritty edge to it and a dark, dramatic and emotional story at its heart. The score, with music by Leonard Bernstein and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, includes Tonight, Maria and Somewhere, all of which still pack an emotional punch. The mood is lightened by the mischievous Gee Officer Krupkee, the flamboyant America and the whimsical I Feel Pretty, with the whole of the classic score being played beautifully by the live orchestra and expertly sung by the cast.

    Both Louis Maskell, who plays Tony, and Katie Hall as Maria, were in stunning voice, with Hall’s almost operatic qualities complimenting Maskell’s emotion filled vocals. Matthew Hawksley, making his professional debut, stood out from the crowd with his convincing performance as “Action”, comfortably conveying the characters frustration and pent up aggression and Djalenga Scott entertained as the feisty Anita.

    But the ensemble pieces were where this show really excelled, with the set, which reflected the back alleys and fire escapes of the inner city, being deceptively versatile, opening up to create a generous dance space for the large and very talented cast to undertake the breath-taking dance routines. By going back to the original choreography by Jerome Robbins, the dance in this production is simply superb to watch – with the sequences assisting in conveying and moving forward the narrative; the standout scenes being the Mambo at the gym, and the Ballet Sequence.

    The lighting was also well designed, utilising colour washes and silhouettes alongside low level highlighting, providing a visually interesting interplay of light and shadow. The balance between vocals and music was fine – but the only quibble in terms of the production was the volume of the speaking in between the musical numbers was a little low, meaning it was sometimes difficult to hear what was being said.

    The show has everything to please both established fans and to introduce a new generation of theatre goers to this beautifully crafted piece of theatre. Some may find it heavy going, but for those who would like a little more narrative, character and drama from their musical theatre then this show is the one to see.

    West Side Story is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 12th July 2014 (http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/west-side-story-14/ ) before continuing on its national tour (http://westsidestorytheshow.co.uk/home ).

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Last Of The Duty Free

    ★★ | Last Of The Duty Free

    Following on from the popular TV series of the 1980’s, Last Of The Duty Free see’s David and Linda having both pulled the wool over their respective partners eyes and reunite at the hotel in Spain where they began their love affair all those years before. But with Robert and Amy both arriving at the resort, suspicious of their cheating spouses, an interfering newly married couple managing to get the wrong end of the stick with every situation they observe and Carlos the waiter still struggling with his sore feet, the scene is set for more romance, confusion and narrow escapes as David and Linda try to reignite their passions.

    The show reunites three of the four main actors from the original show; Keith Barron, Gwen Taylor and Neil Stacey all revive their TV roles, with Carol Royle joining them as Linda. The cast appeared to have slipped comfortably back into their old roles, with them all giving very natural performances.

    Written by Eric Chappell, who co-wrote the original series, the humour was gentle and subtle, generating chuckles, rather than belly laughs. The comedy was very non offensive, and played on comedy staples such as mistaken identity, near misses, misunderstandings over unrequited desires and battles of both wits and the sexes. In its style, the piece was very traditional and in perfect keeping with the original TV series and in a similar vein to other comedy series written by Chappell, such as Only When I Laugh and Rising Damp. The story was suitably simple and undemanding; allowing the audience to be transported back to their living rooms of the 80’s to watch the TV sitcom unfold live on stage. The play, thankfully, didn’t try to update itself and cram in numerous references to its modern day setting, remaining faithful to its roots, with only the briefest mention of mobile phones.

    The set was static and did have an essence of the purpose built hotel complexes associated with inexpensive package holidays, and the brief interludes of Spanish guitar music generated a holiday feel. Both the direction and the lighting were functional and the sound clear and audible.

    The Last of the Duty Free is curious a show. Whether you enjoy this play will depend largely on whether you enjoyed the original TV series and the classic sitcoms of the 1980’s. The play is unlikely to win over many new fans, and you do have to wonder why the show is revived 28 years after it ended its highly successful TV run. The play may be described as dated by some in terms of both its setting or writing, but equally, could be described as nostalgic by others, harking back to a style of inoffensive comedy and a more established style of conventional comedy writing.

    Last of the Duty Free is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum until Saturday 21st June 2014 before rounding off its national tour.

  • INTERVIEW | Kenneth Tindall – Designing The Architect

    There is one thing you can’t help but notice about Kenneth Tindall when you first meet him. He has a great big, beaming smile on his face all the time. And Kenny is a young man who has everything to smile about.

    Touted as “one to watch”, Kenny’s work is receiving critical acclaim and his reputation is quickly building as a creative powerhouse. He is one of the Principal Dancers for Northern Ballet, an international performer who has graced the stage at the International Ballet Festival of Miami and the International Beijing Dance Festival amongst others. His first piece of choreography won an international award, he has just premiered his second piece of work at the Royal Opera House Linbury Studio Theatre and his third piece, The Architect is in its final stages of rehearsal and development, in readiness for its world premiere in June 2014.

    Despite his success, Kenny remains remarkably genuine and down to earth. He invited THEGAYUK to Northern Ballet to talk exclusively about his new piece, The Architect.

    Your new piece of work, The Architect, is premiering at The Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre in Leeds on the 18th June. The concept photographs of the piece look stunning – how did the piece come about?
    The Architect has been the longest process of research and development I have done on a performance piece. I have a collection of concepts, themes and creative ideas which are all sitting waiting in the wings – then something can suddenly set you off into fully realising one of those ideas and the inspiration for that can come out of nowhere. The Architect didn’t exist at all, until one day I picked up a children’s illustrated bible and flicked through the pages, stopping on the tale of Adam and Eve. This, coupled with hearing the song Wicked Game by Chris Isaac, seemed to come together and I became really interested in the notion of Adam falling from grace, the concept of being wicked or subjected to wicked behaviour, him realising the truth of his own infallibilities and about learning the truth of where you are from. I researched a number of religions and their individual versions of the creation of man, looking at both the similarities and the differences. The concept of learning the truth was one which has stuck with me since watching The Matrix and that led me onto considering the interplay between religion, science, technology and nature. But the most intriguing thing for me was a line from the Bible, which stated: “From dust, you came and to dust you shall return”. Life is an infinite loop and The Architect is about finding that out and exactly where you enter and exit that cycle.

    Is the concept of sin one which is easily defined?
    The piece allows you to consider the nature of sin and whether we are all born to sin and whether it is, in fact, acceptable to sin? For example, the piece can be interpreted as sexually charged. You can’t have a piece with two characters, regardless of their sex or sexuality, without there being some form of sexual tension.

    Does the physicality of dance enhance that sexual tension in any event?
    Yes, of course – dance is very intrusive in terms of performing. You have a physical closeness with those you dance alongside regardless of your sex or sexuality or their sex or sexuality. The five men that I am working with on this piece are all very sensual and they are all very comfortable with working with each other. You can’t have any awkwardness when you are working in such close physical proximity with others, especially when there is so much contact between your bare skin and their bare skin. All of the dancers in this piece are built like athletes – they are strong, toned and defined. The sculptures that they make with their bodies and with each other’s bodies and the way in which they physically interact are fascinating. But it is for the audience to determine for themselves what they take from this piece. The piece goes much deeper than eroticism, but that is a performance aspect available to the audience if that is what they seek or choose to take from it.

    So is The Architect a religious piece?
    No, not at all. The Architect is an abstract piece, not a narrative one. In the very early stages, I did away with the idea of a figure in the piece, either a representation of God or a God-like character. I wanted the piece to be based more on a foundation of an individual’s reactions to specific points and feelings. I also didn’t want there to be just one Adam. There is such diversity in Man, despite it being said that Man is made in the image of God. The mix of religion, science and nature seemed to encompass different aspects of a person’s inner conflicts –their faith and belief versus scientific fact versus their biological makeup and limitations. I wanted to find a creative way to have Adam born on stage, which I have been able to do, and this leads to allowing the self-realisation of someone who is born with an adults consciousness to be explored as they both rise and fall from grace.

    So how is this represented visually within the piece?
    All of the research has gone into the show on some level. When looking into the different concepts of Adam and Eve, I took inspiration not only from differing religions but from other sources. For example, Kundalini Yoga is based on the concept of a life force, coiled up like a serpent in the base of the spine which is reflected in the costumes, with a DNA strand design reaching up to the back of the performers – it’s the interplay between science and belief, between modern and ancient. But it is not just the costumes which represent the concepts visually.

    My first piece, Project#1, was a steep learning curve and one which I am immensely proud of. The piece was really stripped back, focusing solely on dance and movement, which allowed me to hone my craft in relation to the choreography itself. It allowed me to explore aspects of myself as a choreographer and to allow me to challenge myself in ways which have provided me with a set of skills, different to those of a performer, which I have carried through to my subsequent projects; The Architect included. My second piece, Luminous Juncture added the aspect of lighting, and I was fortunate to work with an incredible lighting designer, Alistair West, who showed me how to really use the interplay between light and shadow and helped me to understand the impact of light from the perspective of a choreographer and director. It allowed me to develop techniques of misdirection, which permitted the dancers to be able to move the piece forward without them ever having to leave the stage. Having built my confidence in terms of concentrating solely on the choreography on Project#1, it enabled me to free up some of the creative time away from the dance aspect of the second piece and to learn about and explore how to really enhance a piece of theatre using lighting. It is almost like learning in stages and I am fortunate that Northern Ballet is so supportive of me as not only a dancer but also as a choreographer. You don’t learn by repeating what you have previously done, so you have to add something else in, which ensures that in every piece you work on, you learn something new.

    So in terms of pushing yourself as a choreographer, how are you doing that within the setting of The Architect?
    The set… I have never worked in this role with a set before and it is a huge step. I am working with Christopher Giles who is designing the set. He is also developing his craft, which is great, as, like me, he is interested in really pushing himself and rising to whatever challenge is put before him. I’ll approach him and say “can we do this” and he’ll say “not really, but leave it with me…” The set does make a really big difference. Not only does it impact on how the piece looks visually, it adds a number of different aspects that you really have to consider as the choreographer and director. Choreography is much more than simply putting the sequence of movements and steps together. When you are trying to create a visual piece, you have to look at how the piece is presented overall, how the costumes look in the bright light and in the shadows, how the shape of the body of the dancers is displayed and the visual impact of that. In The Architect, there is the added challenge for me of the set becoming part of the piece. It is about using the set so that in itself, it is entrenched as part of the piece as a whole, almost akin to another character, but balancing that with it never being intrusive. Working with the set and allowing the dancers to interact with and utilise it has been an enjoyable challenge for me.

    How has the piece evolved throughout its life?
    It really has been an organic process overall. I would say that I have had four or five ballets out of this piece already, but the creativity finds its own level.

    So presumably having the experience of being both a performer and a choreographer helps you in all aspects of your work, in essence, having the ability to see it from both sides?
    Absolutely. As a performer, having that creative input is important as you are able to use your own personal strengths to enhance the piece. Equally, as a choreographer who has conceived and nurtured a piece, you have to be flexible and not too protective about your work. A dancer’s most effective communication is through movement as opposed to verbalisation. When you choreograph a piece, you create the movements, you choreograph to your strengths, but you are not here to simply extrapolate that onto the dancers you are working with. You have to allow them to bring their strengths too. That, in essence, is what makes it work – it is you bringing the idea forward and allowing those working with you to be able to give their optimum performance. There can be a day when you just discover a gem just by having that flexibility – a little movement, a step or a routine – something that no amount of research, planning or preparation could have produced. That is one of the pleasures in doing an abstract piece such as this – you can veer off to an extent.

    Your debut project as a choreographer, Project#1, won the Production Prize at the 26th International Choreographic Competition in Hanover in 2012. You must have been incredibly pleased to receive such a prestigious award for your first piece of work?
    It was an absolute thrill and that is part of the reason, amongst many others, why I am so proud of Project#1. But you have to keep grounded and that grounding comes from family and friends. Any piece is open to criticism and to be honest, I, like most performers, do appreciate criticism as it helps you to develop as an artist, whatever role you take in a production. Provided it is not personal, then criticism is not a negative thing. You just have to remember not to let it get to you. You are putting yourself out there emotionally and creating what you think is the best performance or piece that you can create. Of course, it hurts when your hard work is criticised, but you have to remember that art is subjective. I take the view that you have to admire anyone who is putting themselves out there, who is experimenting and expressing themselves creatively – whether that is through music, dance, acting, art, writing or in any other way. The worst criticism I could receive is that I was not expressing myself creatively. You have to be strong to be in an environment where, from a very young age, you are constantly told what you are doing wrong. That is in an attempt to enhance you as a dancer, but the constant highlighting of your mistakes when you are in a world of insecurities about how you look, perform and develop – Well, it can be difficult.

    Do you think that the traditional view of ballet, being all tights and tutus, is slowly disappearing?
    This is a really exciting time to be involved in UK dance. The reality is that there are a core set of steps and skills. Strip everything back and you have those core skills. That is why dancers train so hard – to ensure that these classical and traditional steps are perfected. There will always be those classical steps and therefore; traditional ballet in that sense will never die out. But companies like Northern Ballet and Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures are really opening up the realms of storytelling and spectacle. The added contemporary twists on pieces based on classical techniques are helping ballet as an art form to progress. There will always be a place for what some people view as traditional ballet, but in reality, ballet is still there, but it is just dressed differently. Theatre is moving alongside advances in technology which only enhances what you are doing and helps to tell the story that you are telling. There is a real influx of exciting new choreographers and all major dance companies, even the more traditional ones, are pushing dance forward, taking influences from contemporary pop culture. I am really optimistic for the future of UK-based dance. There is a constant reinvigorating of this type of theatre which is really exciting to be involved in.

    And what is next for Kenny Tindall?
    I still love working with Northern Ballet and don’t see that changing for the foreseeable future, but I am enjoying developing my skills in other areas. I have just choreographed a music video for an upcoming artist and I have so many concepts for pieces which I would like to explore and develop. The film industry is a real appeal to me, as is the West End, but once The Architect has had its premiere, I will settle for a bottle of wine and a good film.

    The Architect will receive its world premiere as part of Northern Ballet’s mixed programme from 18th – 21st June 2014 at the Stanley and Audrey Burton Theatre. For information and tickets visit northernballet.com/?q=mixed-programme-2014. You can read more about Kenny’s work at www.kennethtindall.co.uk

    You can also follow him on social media; either on twitter at @Tindallkenny or Facebook atwww.facebook.com/KennethTindallChoreographer

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Buddy Holly Story – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★★ | The Buddy Holly Story – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    In this rock ‘n’ roll spectacular, the greatest hits of Holly’s all to short career are featured, including Rave On, Peggy Sue, Heartbeat, Every day, Raining in My Heart and True Love Ways and it was wholly refreshing to see a show based on the songs of one artist which wasn’t just a run of the mill jukebox musical, as the songs actually formed part of the story as opposed to just being shoehorned into a flimsy narrative. Pleasingly, the show focussed generally on the more upbeat numbers, as opposed to the slower ballads, which gave the show a real energy.

    The actors and musicians were wholly impressive, with a relatively small cast filling out a number of roles. Their musical ability was second to none, with many of the performers playing a number of musical instruments and undertaking absolutely cracking renditions of the classic songs, all played live on stage. Glen Joseph, in the title role, really came to life in the musical numbers, especially in the latter half of the second act, when his confidence and talent shone through. Lydia Fraser sang spectacularly, and Will Pearce impressed as Ritchie Valens with his performance of La Bamba

    In terms of its presentation, the show is very basic, with a largely static set and a lack of spectacular song and dance numbers. But the show is not so much about the visuals, but all about the music, and the onstage cast simply couldn’t be faulted in terms of their musical prowess. The first half of each act was narrative driven; and the latter half was more focussed on the musical performances. With the musical numbers performed either as scenes in the recording studio or as concert performances, the songs flowed naturally through the story and still sounded absolutely superb, despite them being written nearly 60 years ago. Those who are not so familiar with Holly’s music will be surprised at the number of songs they will recognise.

    The show could have done with a slightly more dynamic set and staging, and the volume of the music far outweighed the vocals during some of the numbers, but those quibbles aside, the show was tremendously entertaining and infectious with the temptation to tap your feet and sing along proving absolutely impossible to resist. The whole theatre was up on their feet during the closing scenes and encore; and the standing ovation that the cast received was well deserved.

    As a rock ‘n’ roll musical, Buddy is hard to beat.

    Buddy – The Buddy Holly Story is currently playing at the Sheffield Lyceum until the 14th June (http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/buddy-14/ ) before continuing on its national tour (http://www.buddythemusical.com/ )

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Tonight’s The Night – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Stuart is an awkward youngster in love, who works alongside his best friend, Rocky, and the object of his affection, Mary.

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  • Happy 75th Birthday To Sir Ian McKellen

    Happy 75th Birthday To Sir Ian McKellen

    Sir Ian McKellen is a talented man. He has the ability to grace stage and screen with ease and is one of the best actors of his generation, switching effortlessly between blockbuster movies, independent films, TV series and a variety of stage roles. But he is also a crusader in terms of gay rights, being one of the founder members of Stonewall, actively campaigning for equality and gay rights and is a prominent and prevalent presence at Pride events around the world. He starred in the first gay sitcom involving two men living together, has achieved lifelong ambitions performing as a pantomime dame and treading the cobbles on Coronation Street. He even appeared in the music video for Heart by the Pet Shop Boys.

    I have met Sir Ian on a couple of occasions and he is one of the nicest people I have ever had the pleasure to talk to. When I worked with a LGBT Youth Group, we took them on a trip to London Pride. Walking just behind us in the march was Sir Ian McKellen. We slowed our pace slightly, and soon found ourselves marching alongside the man himself. He was gracious and friendly and spent some time talking to the young people in our group and posed for photographs with them. One of them even tugged on my sleeve and whispered to me “Bloody hell – Gandalf’s gay!” But that was the impact of his kindness and his humanity – he provided those young people with an empowering experience of their first Pride that they will never forget.

    So to celebrate his 75th birthday, here are 6 of his best performances and films.

    Gods & Monsters
    Gods and Monsters tells the true story of James Whale, the gay Hollywood director of Universal Picture’s Frankenstein. Living in his Hollywood mansion, Whale develops an uneasy and obsessive relationship with his straight, muscular gardener (played by Brendon Frasier). The film is rich in character development and an interesting period piece on the way in which gay men in Hollywood in the 1930’s conducted their lives.

    Tales of the City
    Appearing in 3 episodes of the cult TV adaptation of Armistead Maupins popular literary series, McKellen appears as Archibald Anson Gidde. The series follows the lives, loves and adventures of friends, Mouse, Mary Ann and their eccentric landlady, Mrs Madragil. Set in 1970’s San Fransisco, the series deals with the free loving of both the straight and gay community.

    Walter
    Ian McKellen plays the title role in this made for TV movie, which was originally show on the opening night of Channel 4 in 1982. McKellan puts in a genuine and touching performance as a young man with learning disabilities whose parents spend the majority of his youth trying to get him to “be normal”. As his parents die, he finds himself at the mercy of social services bureaucracy who place him in an institution, where he experiences the inhumanity of both his fellow inmates and the staff. A truly heart-breaking film.

    The X-Men Franchise
    McKellen plays Magneto, a mutant with the ability to create and control magnetic fields. He is the anti-hero of the piece, as he attempts to prevent the mutant population from being persecuted in the same way that his Jewish family were in the concentration camps. Whilst his motives are genuine, his methods are not always the same. The X-Men films are action packed, have great special effects and continue to thrill audiences. X-Men – Days of Future Past has just been released at the cinema, further cementing the franchise’s popularity.

    The Lord of the Rings Trilogy
    The Lord of the Rings films are already considered modern classics, with the final instalment – The Return of the King holding the joint record for the most Oscars won by a film (11 in total). The story follows the battle between good and evil as a young hobbit travels across Middle Earth to destroy a mystical ring. McKellen plays Gandalf, a kind, worldly wise and powerful wizard who sets the Hobbits off on their journey and who goes on the battle evil across the land. These films are beautifully put together, with high quality production values, lavish costumes and are a perfect example of epic storytelling.

    Apt Pupil
    Based on the Stephen King novella of the same name, in this thriller, McKellen plays a Nazi war criminal, Dussander, hiding in suburban America, whose past is uncovered by a high school student, Todd Bowden (Brad Renfro), a young man who has an unhealthy interest in the atrocities conducted by the Nazi’s during the second world war. Bowden blackmails Dussander, threatening to turn him in to the police, but Dussander blackmails Bodwen about exposing his dalliances with Nazism. Their dark relation becomes increasingly menacing, as they bring out the worst in each other leading to murder. Sadomasochism, homophobia and homoeroticism are all explored in this film, which has a dark, disturbing edge to it.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | One Man, Two Guvnors – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    ★★★ | One Man, Two Guvnors – Sheffield Lyceum and National Tour

    Francis Henshall is a con man finds himself in trouble when he ends up working for both an underworld crime lord and a slightly dim toff, without ever letting on that he has two jobs. But the two “guvnors” are not quite what they seem and there is a link between them. Comedic chaos ensues as he is both helped and hindered by a variety of characters and as he tries desperately to keep his bosses apart. But with love beckoning, the promise of a good meal and an increasing number of jobs to complete, will he get the girl?

    Presented by the National Theatre, the show was a comedic blend of old fashioned physical comedy, a script packed to the brim of one liners and traditional British farce, all of which had the audience laughing out loud. The comedy was very much traditional British humour – being, at times, reminiscent of the late 70’s comedy performers like Morecombe and Wise and Benny Hill, with the show moving from clever wordplay to slapstick to saucy humour with ease. The over the top characters were boisterous and fun and played heavily on exaggerated stereotypes with success.

    Each cast member put in a good performance throughout the show, but the night undoubtedly belonged to Gavin Spokes who put in an excellent performance as the lead character, Francis Henshall. His physical comedy, clever ad libs and delivery of the script combined with his natural charisma were a winning combination. However, closely following him was Michael Dylan with an absolutely hilarious, scene stealing performance as Alfie, the decrepit elderly waiter. It was clear that the cast were thoroughly enjoying themselves and their improvised comments, laughter and interaction with the audience only added to the anarchic atmosphere.

    The set was well constructed and detailed, with the scenery being changed behind a gold curtain whist a talented four piece beat combo, The Craze, performed a handful of songs, sometimes joined by various members of the cast. These musical interludes were enjoyable and helped to pace the show as a whole. The sound was clear and allowed the audience to hear clearly what was being said, which was important given the swiftly moving dialogue. Overall, the production values were of a high standard, which is no less than anticipated from this National Theatre Production and the show was surprisingly funny, with the riotous latter half of the first act being the pinnacle of the show, having the audience in absolute fits of laughter.

    If any criticism were to be levelled at the show, it is perhaps that it was a little long (with a running time of two hours ten minutes) and whether it would stand repeated viewings is uncertain, but the show was certainly laugh out loud funny and worthy of a watch.

    “One Man, Two Guvnors” is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/one-man-two-guvnors-14/ until the 24th May 2014 before continuing on its extensive national tour http://www.onemantwoguvnors.com

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Boeing, Boeing – Sheffield Crucible Theatre

    ★★★ | Boeing, Boeing – Sheffield Crucible Theatre

    Bernard thinks he has the perfect life living in Paris. He is engaged to three Air Hostesses, and uses the flight timetables to keep them apart and make them think that each of them is his one and only. As the three women in his life fly out to America, Germany and Italy, he ensures that his love life runs smoothly. But when the flights don’t adhere to the timetable one evening, Bernard finds his perfect life falling apart, as each of his three fiancés turn up at the home that they think they share with Bernard. With the help of his best friend, Robert, and his long suffering maid, Bertha, can Bernard keep them apart and maintain not only the facade, but also his love life?

    Sheffield Theatres present this revival of this 1960’s based, comedic, farcical play by Marc Camoletti. The feel of the piece was very reminiscent of the sitcoms of the late 70’s,having shades of the more subtle comedy of George and Mildred and, by contrast, bearing a very strong resemblance to the physical style of comedy in “Fawlty Towers” – the chaotic, panicked and increasingly complicated means of attempting to keep an escalating situation under control. There were also hints of more recent sitcom “Miranda”, with people entering and exiting the stage in quick succession.

    The cast of six held the audience’s attention with good delivery of the script’s one liners and some great comic timing. Notable cast members were Joseph Kloska who appealed with an animated performance as Robert, the nervous, flustered and naïve best friend. Lizzie Winkler was excellent as the intense German air hostess, Gretchen and Julia Deakin delivered all the best lines with an understated performance as Bertha, the long suffering and sardonic maid.

    Sheffield Theatres ably demonstrate why they have twice been awarded Regional Theatre of the Year with another quality production. The 60’s based set was simple but looked impressive, with its orange patterned wall paper and olive green sofa being very sixties chic. The stage was very well lit and the use of bold colour in both the set and the lighting looked impressive. The sound in the theatre was crisp and easily audible, and the costumes were great, in particular the air hostess uniforms, which looked absolutely beautiful, rounding off the high production values of the show.

    The show was a smart blend of physical comedy and a witty script and the audience found the whole thing very funny, with plenty of laughter echoing around the theatre throughout the evening.

    Boeing Boeing is currently playing at Sheffield Crucible Theatre until 7th June 2014. Details, trailer and booking details can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/boeing-boeing-14/

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Brassed Off

    ★★★  | Brassed Off

    Set in 1992, Brassed Off tells the story of a small Yorkshire mining town as their pit faces closure, unemployment looms, families struggle and communities rally round to campaign to keep the pit open. But as the saying goes, “where there’s muck, there’s brass”, here in the form of the colliery brass band; whose elderly band leader, Danny, has a dream of taking them to the Royal Albert Hall as finalists of a national competition.

    When Gloria, a beautiful young fugal horn player, arrives back in her home town from London, the band welcome her with open arms and the affable Andy falls in love with her. But she isn’t necessarily what she seems, and with the threat of the pit closure growing ever closer, the boys start to wonder why she has a National Coal Board logo on her briefcase.

    Based on the film of the same name, Brassed Off was a poignant play about the struggles of a community fighting to maintain its livelihood. The play had some genuine laugh out loud moments in the first act, but as the story unfolds and the situation of the lead characters becomes more desperate, the second act took a more downbeat turn, with a few laughs here and there, but a lot of sad developments to the story. It was a credit to both the cast’s performances and to the writing that you felt such sympathy for the characters as their lives and community were being slowly torn apart.

    James Robinson was most notable for his portrayal of Andy – with a natural performance of his character’s cheeky jack-the-lad persona. The remaining cast gelled well together and the sense of camaraderie and community on stage came across as genuine and believable. There were also some very well written roles for the female characters, in particular the determined Rita, excellently portrayed by Helen Kay. Unfortunately, some of the speech was a little quiet at times making it difficult to hear; meaning some of the audience missed out on some of the sharp dialogue.

    The brass band performed on stage, played by a combination of the actors and members from a local band, and did a fine job with some uplifting and moving numbers. The play was heavier on the narrative than the music and the only criticism to be levelled was that perhaps the band didn’t play enough throughout the show and especially towards the end.

    The play had a strong political message about the erosion of the coal industry and the impact on small communities. That said, despite the elements of comedy, this was a play whereby, regardless of your political leanings, you left the theatre feeling emotional as a result of the plight of the likeable characters and the empathy garnered towards them as they struggled through. The play did such a good job of drawing you into the lives of the on stage community, that even the upbeat ending seemed bitter sweet. Overall, Brassed Off was an emotional piece of well written and performed drama.

    Brassed Off is currently at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until Saturday 10th May 2014. Further details and booking details can be found at www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Dirty Dancing, UK National Tour

    ★★★★ | Dirty Dancing, UK National Tour
    Set in the 1960’s, Frances “Baby” Houseman goes to Kellermans holiday camp with her family. She befriends the staff of the camp and develops a crush on charismatic dance teacher, Johnny Castle. But when Johnny’s dance partner cannot perform at a show at a local hotel, Baby steps in to ensure that they do not lose their jobs. But as Johnny and Baby rehearse, they fall in love and learn more from each other than just the dance moves.

    Based on the hugely popular film of the same name, Dirty Dancing hits the stage in this national tour. For the main, the show follows the story of the film very closely, particularly during the first act, with the bulk of the script being comfortingly recognisable from the film version. There are some additional scenes, particularly during the first half of the second act, which develops the story and which expands on both life at Kellermans and further explores the relationship between Baby and Johnny.

    The main cast members were surprisingly like their cinematic counterparts, in particular, Roseanna Frascona who played Frances “Baby” Houseman, throwing herself into the role whilst Lewis Kirk gave the best performance of the evening in the lead role of Johnny Castle, demonstrating some of the better acting and dance moves. The chemistry between the two leads worked well, although overall, the acting from the entire cast was not of the highest quality, and gave the impression that the cast were chosen for their ability to dance or sing as opposed to them being good all-round performers. That said, cast member Robin Lake’s singing voice stood out for his show-stopping version of In the Still of the Night. But the attraction of this show is not so much the quality of the acting but the dancing. All of the routines and set pieces were well put together, well executed and all handled more than competently by the cast, with many of the routines lifted directly from the movie.

    The show was packed full of all the songs you know and love from the film soundtrack, with combination of the orchestra performing on stage and some pre-recorded tracks. The soundtrack included Hey Baby, Love Man, Hungry Eyes and (I’ve Had) The Time of My Life along with the instrumentals such as De Todo Un Poco and Johnny’s Mambo. The set was versatile and effective, using backdrop projections and colour washes to separate out the scenes and locations and the scene changes were slick and undertaken smoothly and simply.

    But where the show really succeeds is in its ability to bring the movie to life and recreating it on stage. All of the familiar lines, plot points, dance routines and songs are there and there is something very comforting about watching such a faithful recreation of the movie. The show was fun and the feel-good ending had the crowd on their feet, shouting and cheering. For those who have not seen the film, the show is a good introduction to the world of Kellermans. To established fans of the film, the show will be hard to beat.

    The show is currently playing at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until the (tickets and information can be found at http://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/event/dirty-dancing-14/ ). The show then continues on its extensive national tour, details of which can be found at http://www.dirtydancingontour.com/