Tag: Theatre Review
All the latest breaking news on theatre in the UK. Browse THEGAYUK’s complete collection of news, articles and commentary on LGBT+ theatre in the UK.
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THEATRE REVIEW | The 39 Steps National Tour
★★★ The 39 Steps | A murdered spy, a misty Scottish moor, a dastardly plot and a daring escape (coupled with a stiff upper lip and rather attractive pencil moustache) are the order of the day as dashing hero, Richard Hannay, uncovers the secrets of The 39 Steps in this knockabout comedy.
Based on the book and the Hitchcock film of the same name (and with more than a few nods to the Hitchcock legacy, including a cameo from the man himself), The 39 Steps is a classic spy thriller which finds our hero, Richard Hannay, falsely accused of the murder of a seductive spy, leading him to go on the run to Scotland and to uncover a dastardly plot to smuggle secrets out of the country.
This playful, tongue in cheek production takes a gentle comedy sideswipe at the spy films of the 30’s and 40’s with a knowing smile and an approach which displays a genuine affection for the source material and the genre as a whole. But the twist with this production is that the 130 characters that adorn the stage are played by just four actors, who give a whistle stop tour of the major plot points and protagonists at breakneck speed.
In a style that is not too far removed from the deadpan delivery of the “Airplane” or “The Naked Gun” films and with just a hint of “The League Of Gentlemen” – the rapid delivery and scattergun approach to the stream of gags ensure that if you don’t find the last joke funny, there is another on the way in a few seconds. The cast play their roles with a completely straight bat, taking the narrative deadly seriously and seemingly oblivious to the chaos and ridiculousness that surrounds them.
The use of mime, limited props, quick change costumes and clever staging compel the audience to use their imagination to an extent, but by buying into the premise and presentation, the audience is well rewarded. It was hard to fault the physical performances of the cast who were clearly so well-rehearsed that the switching between characters was second nature; and who were all clearly thoroughly enjoying themselves on stage.
As with all comedy, not every joke hit the mark, but there was a fair balance of comments, actions or situations which led to a smile, a groan, a guffaw or a belly laugh. Despite a few of the repeated gags starting to nudge their way towards outstaying their welcome, the main criticism of the show was that it was sometimes difficult to hear the script, either as a result of quiet diction from the actors, the fast paced nature of the script or due to their indeterminable caricature accents, but these issues were soon passed and soon forgiven as the next comedic moment rolled along.
Happily, the show stays on the right side of silly fun, delivers a joke-per-minute ratio which far exceeds most productions over the course of the show’s 100 minute running time and rightly retains its reputation on its tenth anniversary tour.
The 39 Steps plays at Sheffield Theatres until 20th February 2016.
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THEATRE | Bug
Bug | James Norton and Kate Fleetwood star in the 20th anniversary production of Tracy Letts’ Bug.
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THEATRE REVIEW | Alright Bitches
★★★★★ Alright Bitches | Winter blues getting you down on your knees, feeling the cold-finger from old Jack Frost or just in need of some sun, sand and seamen?
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THEATRE REVIEW: Of Mice and Men
In 1929, the Great Depression took place when New York witnessed its Wall Street Crash, leaving 15 million Americans unemployed. ★★★★
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THEATRE REVIEW | 5 Guys Chillin’
Five gay, short-sporting, horny promiscuous guys with gobs of liquid G, copious consignments of crystal meth, in a smog of monotone club beats opens up a whole production-line of tinned STI’d-worms. ★★★
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THEATRE REVIEW | Hairspray – Sheffield Theatres & National Tour
Tracey Turnblad is not your average 1960’s American teen. She is a big girl, with a big heart and even bigger hair. ★★★★★
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THEATRE REVIEW | The Solid Life of Sugar Water
This is a story that describes events between a couple who go through hell and back again while having disabilities.
★★★
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THEATRE REVIEW | A Raisin in the Sun, Sheffield Theatres
- With the current controversy around the lack of diversity this year’s Academy Award nominees, it seems somewhat timely for Sheffield Theatres, Eclipse Theatre Company and Belgrade Theatre, Coventry to present “A Raisin In the Sun”, a landmark play in Black theatre and one which explores issues of racial politics and social attitudes through the eyes of the Young Family. ★★★
Set in 1950’s Chicago, the family await the receipt of a cheque for $10,000, a life insurance payment from the patriarch’s recent death. Each of them harbours their own ideas about how the money can be used to transform the lives of all of them and release them from the crammed apartment they all share. The tensions in the family are exacerbated by Walter’s propensity to drink, Benetha’s desires to go into medicine (despite the duel disadvantage of her sex and skin colour) and the challenges of a family all trying to do right by each other.
Ashley Zhangazha gives a very strong performance as Walter, bringing across the characters mixture of frustration, enthusiasm, desperation and ultimately his misguided attempts to better himself for his family’s benefit. There is a certain vulnerability within the character which draws the audiences sympathy and whilst his actions are questionable, his motives aren’t. Equally, Angela Wynter’s portrayal of Mama is just as accomplished; with her melodic intonation becoming somewhat mesmerising and softening the matriarchal figure.
The director, Dawn Walton, steers the production with solid confidence and garners performances from her small cast which allow you to instantly warm to the family, despite their individual flaws, fantasies and motivations.
The play looks at the issues of change on both a personal level and of the community at large. Written in 1959, Lorraine Hansberry’s script certainly reflects the mood of the time, leading to it being the first play written by a black woman to be produced on Broadway. The family comes across as a metaphor for the civil rights movement and social consciousness of a society on the cusp of change, with a mixture of methods and reasons for wanting to improve their situation for the better in the face of blatant challenge and prejudice.
The theme of the play remains relevant – motivation, money and moving forward – and steadily builds towards an emotional denouement, despite a handful of somewhat intrusive scene changes and a slightly overlong scene between Beneatha and Joseph Asagai towards the end. The play is a straightforwardly presented production which allows the script and performances to speak for themselves.
A Raisin In the Sun is currently at Sheffield Theatresuntil 13th February 2016. 0114 249 6000.
by Paul Szabo | @IAmScubamonkey
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THEATRE REVIEW | Wonder.Land at The National Theatre, London
Alice’s Wonderland has had a major upgrade to version 2016 and it’s good. ★★★★
Wonder.Land comes to us via Rufus Norris, Blur’s Damon Albarn, who wrote the score, and playwright Moira Buffini, who have taken Alice and Wonderland and brought it right up to date for 2016. If you liked the original then you will not be disappointed, if you can get past the online element to the new wonderland. The usual characters survive such as the mad hatter, the rabbit, the twins and of course the Cheshire Cat, but as you have never seen them before.
Alice or Aly, played by Lois Chimimba and brilliant, is a teenager growing up in a suburban city dealing with a mother’s attention focused on baby brother Charlie, the feeling of responsibility for her parents’ separation and being bullied at school. Her only means of escaping the life she hates is a new online game ‘Wonder.Land’ where she can be who she wants and find answers to the ‘who are you’ question which is asked throughout.
It’s in this online world where Alice creates her online avatar persona, who is the complete opposite of herself, and follows the white rabbit through various online levels, meets other like minded gamers and battles against the red queen, who happens to be Aly’s head teacher in the real world with a hint of Cruella De Vil thrown in the mix.
The songs, which are easily recognisable as written by Damon Albarn, are great, each character having their own unique song that is the personification of that character. From the sad and desperate songs of Alice and her mother, the hypnotic and soothing song from the caterpillar and the mad and hectic song of the hatter all play their part in this wonderland on stage.
The staging itself is a mix of contemporary theatre, digital displays, weird and wonderful costumes and characters that all fuse seamlessly into one. The real world is grey and dull, even down to the costume which is in complete contrast to the colourful online world, and when they collide on stage, almost creates a hallucinogenic experience for both the stage characters and audience alike (not that I know what such an experience is like of course).
The only downside were the three school girl bullies who, when combined, reminded me a bit too much of Catherine Tate’s “am I bothered” sketches and I wasn’t sure if I should of laughed at their bullying or not.
That aside it was still worth a watch.
The modern musical story creates laughs, wonder, glitter, self driving sofas, and a baby throwing up, yes I did say a baby throwing up. So if you are a fan of Alice in Wonderland then you will not be disappointed by this modern take on the classic if you dare enter Wonder.Land at The National Theatre.
Also, for those who like that bit extra for their money, turn up a bit early for the fully interactive wonder.land things to do from entering the magical garden, creating your very own avatar to a musical tea party.
Wonder.Land plays at The National Theatre, London until 13 March 2016, 020 7452 3000
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THEATRE REVIEW | Macbeth, Birmingham Rep
When a story is often told, there is a risk of it getting old, however, with Carrie Cracknell and Lucy Guerin’s Macbeth told the same story but through a completely new lens. It was Stargate meets Resident Evil bent of Macbeth. It had moving chambers and symbols that lit up, just like in the pyramids of the former film, and it had the underground facility feel of Resident Evil, with dim lights, almost appearing like they were trapped in the sewers. ★★★★
Having watched Macbeth the film starring Michael Fassbender, expectations were always going to be high. With this production, you just didn’t know what you were going to get, which made it so much more exciting, and John Heffernan’s Macbeth was his own, and it was genius.
The marvel that was the set made the show start before the actors had even walked on, as the tunnel type design, by Lizzie Clachan, let your mind loose imagining what would be happening first. The set is worthy of stealing all awards for a production’s visual masterpiece.
When the show did start, and through to the end there were no disappointments with the visual of this Macbeth, as every scene was coloured differently with physicality that was otherworldly. Particularly the witches of Macbeth, played by Ana Beatriz Meireles, Jessie Oshodi and Clemmie Sveaas, who stunned the senses with their movement, voice and visual shapes they created as an instrument of telling the story. I was glad to see them throughout the performance.
John Heffernan owned the show with his careful, precise, yet troubled portrayal of Macbeth, where the transitions of the character were strategic and well thought out. There were no exaggerations or contrivance, and there were plenty of shades of Macbeth oozing out of Heffernan, and I particularly loved the end where his last soliloquy was quiet and understated, giving it more a solid effect, as it drew people in to listen.
Unfortunately, Anna Maxwell Martin’s Lady Macbeth was not on the same level. The way she spoke was too quick, making it hard to understand what she was saying, and also overly predictable with presenting herself as mad throughout, not showing much depth to the character. The mad scene became expected and obvious.
Overall, a stunning visual and an outstanding version of Shakespeare’s Macbeth that needs to be seen all over the country and beyond.
Macbeth plays at The Birmingham Rep until 30th January, 0121 236 4455
