NEWS: Applications now open for Tangle's Amplify 2021

APPLICATIONS NOW OPEN FOR TANGLE’S AMPLIFY 2021

 

SUPPORTED BY THE GENESIS KICKSTART FUND

 

Applications are now open for AMPLIFY, Tangle’s innovative talent development programme addressing the historic lack of opportunity for African Diaspora and Global Majority theatre professionals to progress careers in off-stage roles. AMPLIFY provides paid mentoring and workplace training opportunities for freelancers at any career stage who wish to undertake a step change. Produced by Tangle, an award-winning theatre company championing African Caribbean artistic excellence, and delivered in 2021 in partnership with a cohort of industry-leading professionals, AMPLIFY builds skills, nurtures new leadership, champions inclusivity, and promotes better sector representation. Applications close on Wednesday 7 July, 9am. To read our application pack and apply, please visit www.tangletheatre.co.uk/amplify

 

Launched in 2018, AMPLIFY has already offered multiple paid opportunities to freelance professionals across education, various technical roles and producing. A new iteration of the scheme, incorporating both online and work-based training, launches in June 2021, with each beneficiary supported by a mentor. AMPLIFY covers five art forms: Production Management, Stage Management, Lighting Design, Sound Design and Technical Producing / Construction. Successful applicants will self-design their own development programme, with support from Tangle and their mentor, who they will be encouraged to choose from Tangle’s cohort of industry experts. These include Mark Dakin (Technical Producing), Tony Gayle (Sound); Jai Morjaria (Lighting); Julia Reid and Alison Pottinger (Stage Management); Alysha Laviniere (Production Management) and Aidan Grounds (Producing). Both bursary recipients and participating mentors will receive a fee for their time.

Mark Dakin, Technical Director of the Royal Opera House and an Associate of Tangle, said: “The murder of George Floyd in 2020 propelled me to prioritise a shift in attitudes around inclusivity across the live performance sector. It is more than mere coincidence that I became closely involved with Tangle at that time, helping to curate AMPLIFY. One of few bespoke and authentic mentoring schemes in the arts that genuinely shapes itself around its beneficiaries, AMPLIFY is central to my ambitions to promote inclusivity in the arts. I believe it will help a new generation of creatives to achieve important next steps in their careers, whilst also encouraging a wider sharing of dialogues, good practice and knowledge across the sector.”

 

As part of the programme, Tangle will also launch THE AMPLIFY COMMUNITY, a safe-space, open forum for alumni, Associate Artists, partners and industry experts to work together in affecting meaningful sector change.

We are proud to have been granted the Genesis Kickstart Fund supported by the Genesis Foundation to expand our AMPLIFY programme into 2021 and beyond.

Anna Coombs, Tangle’s Artistic Director and CEO, says “Winning the Genesis Kickstart Fund grant will afford Tangle a vital platform to continue delivering its offstage skills development scheme for emerging technical theatremakers from diverse heritages and backgrounds. We are thrilled to be working with an eminent cohort of experts on developing the scheme, most notably Mark Dakin whom we’re delighted to welcome to Tangle as an Associate bringing his extensive technical knowledge to benefit our communities.”

THEATRE REVIEW: Hello And Goodbye - Elysium Theatre Company, online.

I did not know this play. I had never before seen a play by contemporary South African playwright, Athol Fugard. It sounded like a comedy. I was in for a very real surprise!

Elysium Theatre Company is only a few years' old, and they don't pull any punches with either their choice of material or the direction thereof. The company continues to go from strength to strength, and it really is almost impossible to find anything to criticise about their productions. Personal opinions, subjectivity aside; this company simply can do nothing wrong!

Filmed and streamed online - just in case the theatre world was either still in lockdown or live performances were restricted / interrupted by further pandemic chaos- this was a very canny option. Over the last 15 months or so I have seen innumerable online theatrical offerings from Broadway and West End filmings to Zoom first-time amateurs having a go themselves. I swore never to watch another blasted piece of theatre on my computer once the theatres started to open again... and then immediately broke my promise by watching this. And I am extremely glad I did. 

The play, a full two hours long, has only two performers, a brother and sister. The play starts with Johnny (Danny Solomon) sitting in the gloom of a dusty, sparce building. It is the 1960s, South Africa, and aphartheid is raging. His jagged delivery of his opening monologue setting the tone perfectly for the confrontations and revelations that are to come. The 'Hello' part of the title is the unexpected entrance of his estranged older sister, Hester (Hannah Ellis Ryan). These exchanges between the two are some of the most tersely measured and visceral I have ever watched on a computer screen. What they would have been like actually in a theatre audience I can scarcely imagine. Her leaving again is of course the title's 'Goodbye'. Solomon and Ryan both give Oscar-worthy performances.

I don't want to spoil any more of the plot since the action is very claustrophobic and the dialogue full of lengthy monologues. One can possibly liken some of the style of this production to that of Samuel Beckett (without the humour), and the direction by Jake Murray is precise and punctillious. Never once does it descend into melodrama or Tennessee Williams-esque mulch, which it so easily could have done; instead the action is sharp, focused and continually moving despite the apparent inertia. 

I have to admit to not liking the play.. not really my cup of tea at all; but I am very grateful for the opportunity of watching this and expanding my knowledge-base. I couldn't have watched a better interpretation of the play.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 25.6.21

THEATRE REVIEW: Vignettes - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

The return to seeing live theatre marks a genuine move towards returning to normality and to have an evening of six original short works provided added impetus to the fact that live theatre was back. This was a varied evening in every sense, with a mix of both emerging and established writers with considerably varied stories and backdrops. Every play had something to say and there was no obvious way of telling which plays were written by new writers.

‘Fresh Meat’ by Joanna Nicks opened the night with a two-hander giving a performer’s view of striptease. This included many insightful lines, notably that waitressing at TGI Fridays felt more demeaning than stripping in public and the interchange between an experienced, glamorous performer and a shy, self-conscious visitor was well handled. Above all, it showed how striptease could be viewed as professional and empowering entertainment rather than a seedy form of male exploitation.

‘Wildfires’ by Jan McEvery covered several dichotomies as three young people went out into the open with a would-be guru to try to make sense of the present world. This group were even cynical about The Guardian so clearly nothing was sacred! The writer caught the angst that many young feel of not being able to believe in or trust anything and the conflict came with one member of the group still having a certain confidence in ‘experts’. At the other extreme, a hanging memorial was destroyed after being mistaken for an observation camera and the dangers of total cynicism were well observed.

‘XYV’ by Ravi Thornton presented a dystopian nightmare, with an original take on the on-going debate about the true nature of gender. This future world appeared to have largely removed masculinity because of its tendencies towards violence and dominance but as this short piece showed, things don’t stand still. Several decades were covered over a few minutes and the transitions were well handled with the aid of off-stage voices and backscreens. This was an ambitious idea which succeeded in showing a progressive dehumanisation of people.

‘To Have And To Hold’ by Pegeen Murphy was a charming piece of retrospection as a champion dancer looked back on a thirty year relationship with her partner which has recently suffered a devastating blow. This piece had by far the largest amount of costumes and props and these well-used giving an element of glamour as the man and woman transformed into their competition look. The style was interesting, being effectively two interwoven monologues.

‘It’s A Pea Picking Privilege’ by Kobie Francois was the only period piece of the evening set some fifty years ago and showed a white mother’s interactions with her mixed race daughter. This was an interesting perspective for this present time when attitudes to race are under the microscope. The play chimed with the classic 1959 movie ‘Sapphire’ which graphically showed racial prejudices in the UK at the time and this play certainly caught not just racial attitudes of 1960’s Britain but showed some of the  practical difficulties at a deeply personal level.

‘Signs’ by Alex Keelan was the final piece and appropriately dealt with death and coming to terms with the loss of a loved one. An interesting take was on observing how a death can cause divisions on those left alive but the focal point of drama was on the desperation that can be felt in wanting to have contact with the dead. This was well handled without descending into melodrama or attempting to bring in the supernatural. This was an interesting piece which left open spiritual matters and ultimately brought the drama very much to the on-going story of the living.

This was a very enjoyable evening and well lived up to a definition of 'Vignettes': brief evocative description, account, or episode, covering many different angles and scenarios. Consistently good acting and sharp direction.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 25.6.21

BOOK REVIEW: The Thursday Murder Club - Richard Osman

Title: The Thursday Murder Club
Author: Richard Osman
Publisher: Viking (Penguin Books)

Who’d have thought four old codgers living in a retirement home could solve the murders of people living locally, when the police couldn’t?  Set in a peaceful retirement village, four improbable friends, thrown together only due to living out the end of their days together, meet weekly to discuss unsolved crimes; together they call themselves The Thursday Murder Club. They may be pushing eighty but they still don’t have the wool pulled over their eyes. There are four murders in the story and as it unravels they solve them all.  This is the synopsis of Osman’s first work of fiction.

The story is told through the narrative of Joyce the voice of gullibility and virtue, who excitedly relates the adventures of the four most unlikely sleuths living on the Kentish weald in middle England. The Thursday Murder Club of the title was set up to discuss unsolved murder cases. One of the original club members, Penny, had fallen seriously ill and was no longer able to attend, so the club decided to recruit new member, Joyce. The other, more experienced members all bring their own individual skill sets to the Thursday Murder Club. They are Elizabeth, a former intelligence agent who has never really retired, Ron, a staunch Trade Union leader and Ibrahim, a psychiatrist.

The first murder victim is a former drug trafficker who was bludgeoned to death in his kitchen; the second is one of the main suspects of the first victim; the third, a serial killer and the fourth is actually the motive as to why the first victim was going to die; his death occurred years before the story begins and is only hinted at during the beginning of the book.  Sounds complicated? Well, yes but those who appreciate murder mysteries but aren’t devotees of the more gruesome, bloody-thirsty variety of the genre will enjoy this intelligent but ever so slightly sedate work of fiction.

Apparently, the main buyers of murder mystery novels written by television celebrities are those of more mature years, and dare I suggest that Osman has maybe fashioned this story with the silver-haired market in mind. Rather than it being an Agatha Christie reboot (aka Agatha Christie - The Tuesday Club Murders, featuring Miss Marple), it compares more to the Ealing Comedies genre.  Is it condescending to suggest that Osman has intended to make it more popular with older readers?

The protagonists of this novel defy all the negative stereotypes of senior citizens who have been abandoned only to quietly live out their remaining days in a retirement home. They are a team of smart, active, mature human beings whose intelligence knows no bounds and who are always one step ahead of the local police.

The novel is easy to read, rather sedate, if not a little slow at times. There are the usual quips about senior citizens and the challenges of modern technology and the older generation getting away with murder (no pun intended) when it comes to law-breaking and coercing the local police to turn a blind eye about some of their antics.

The plot is somewhat devious, and there are some red herrings, sub-plots and other digressions which at times feel like padding and the ending doesn’t come as a massive shock but the setting is novel and contemporary.  Grief, dementia and death are dealt with discerningly as part of everyday life along with the relative emotions which accompany them.

The characters are slightly cartoonish, unbelievable at times, and somewhat irritating but I can’t help thinking that they are meant to be.  It is amusing due to the OAP rebellion and the unexpected twists and turns whilst at the same time being rather moving due to the subject of old age and death in families.

It is a witty story, (although I didn’t laugh out loud) albeit not a traditional thriller or whodunit. The story is charming but, for me not very compelling. It didn’t hold my interest for 100% of the story as I was expecting it to which was disappointing.  I can imagine the late Alistair Sim and Co doing it proud.

A follow-up novel or even a succession of Thursday Murder Club mysteries seems probable as there seems a lot more to learn about the four protagonists in the story, as well as PC Donna De Freitas and her boss, DCI Chris Hudson of the local police force who help solve the crimes.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard.

.............................................................................................................................................................

Further review / comment:

I too have read this book, and thoroughly enjoyed the easy read. I do agree with my colleague on some points, but I can most certainly state that I am not yet in my more mature years and silver-haired! 

The book is delightfully retrospective and the storyline and the characters are not meant to be multi-faceted. In fact, the novel is very filmic in many respects, none more so than that each chapter is rather short and would quite easily correspond with one scene in a film. Yes, I am certain that the Ealing Comedies of the past would have picked this novel up and adapted it on the spot. However, that is the novel's charm and delight, not its downfall.

It is a very confident and proficient debut novel, and was indeed very humorous too at times. Admittedly, I do rather have to agree with Pritchard that the denouement and ending was somewhat expected, coming as no surprise. I personally would have preferred a more Miss Marple-ish final twist, which never came. That being said however, I do also agree that there is much more to be wrought out of these Retirement Home-dwelling amateur sleuths; and is there a budding romance between PC De Feitas and DCI Hudson I wonder...?

Reviewer - Alastair Zyggu

DANCE REVIEW: Emergence Dance: Triple Bill - The New Adelphi Theatre, Salford. - Live-streaming online.

Live-streamed on the internet platform Vimeo, from Salford University's New Adelphi Theatre, Joss Arnott's company of university graduates performed a triple bill of new contemporary dance works. I think I would be right in saying that I have seen every Emergence show since Arnott started the company, and these three hugely complimetary pieces represent his strongest to date.

The first of the three pieces was also the shortest, being devised and choreographed by Becky Namgauds, and titled, 'On A Warm Spring Night'. Like all contemporary dance, the narrative of the piece is very much open to personal interpreatation, despite the dancers having a very clear understanding of the "actual" story they are performing. The first five minutes of this piece was the most interesting and successful in my opinion. It consisted of a tribal rhythm set by the dancers' own voiced breath, a ritualistic camp-fire dance, intensified by the use of warm back-lighting. The breathing became louder and quicker, almost sexual, as the seven dancers writhed on the floor. I have to admit to feeling slightly lost and at odds once the American country music singing kicked in (was it Tom Waits?), I was unable to interpret the dancing from here on in and the movements made by the dancers seemed at odds with the vocals and tempo of the music being played.  ('Driving my car down to Geneva...") That notwithstanding, the dancers were fully convicted in their interpretation and it was a very solid and interesting opening piece setting the tone for the two pieces to follow very nicely.

'Dissents Cry' choreographed by Ken Edward Turner was the second piece. A longer and much more involved piece of ballet in several interconnecting sections. To my mind this was the most successful and also the most visually satisfying of the three pieces. I loved the creative use of lighting in both this and the final piece, but there were a couple of times in all pieces where the ligthing was so dim that I was unable to see anything. Was this due to it being on my computer screen I wonder?

'Dissents Cry' had a very 1930s socialist worker feel to the whole. Indeed it started off with the dancers in boiler suits (?) lit by a single white spotlight, monotonously dancing a very machine-like unison rhythm. The music was modern, but composed in minimalist form which helped also to create this illusion. I loved the elements of marching that seemed to pop up every now and again, and also the lovely juxtaposition between a solo dancer breaking momentarily free and then a unison piece to overtake that moment of freedom. Again, I was making up my own narrative as the piece went along, and in my mind I was really rooting for the individual to win against the oppression... but by the end of the piece, when all was bright white lights and an urgent fast tempo, I have the feeling that the oppressor might well have won.  Imaginative and emotive choreography.

The final piece was choroegraphed by Joss Arnott himself, and was the longest of the three pieces. 'Wild Shadows' was performed after a short interval. The opening reminded me very much of a bright moon shining across a still lake on a cloudless night whilst a wild animal was momentarily caught by the moon's glow casting her shadow across the meadow. It was a lovely image which was soon to be dispelled as one by one a full series of white backlights came on across the rear wall in succession, and the music picked up in pitch and intent and one by one the full company of dancers came almost menacingly onto stage surrounding the first dancer. I was also wrong with my idea about 'shadows'... they were not literal shadows, but were actually the nymphs or wild creatures our imagination conjures at night, as every slight noise or rustle of a branch can be and in our imagination, is, a creature with evil intent. 

Arnott's style takes much inspiration from Hofesh Schechter, at least in this piece. His unison steps, sometimes using folk-based rhythms, coming to an abrupt halt, heightening the tension between still and flowing. His tribal and animalistic ideas and dance steps, combined with a throbbing, unremitting beat and creative use of lights, stage spacing and fog, make for thrilling viewing.The final long unison section is almost a 'dance-off of the shadows' and the mood intensifies, the music becomes louder and the steps more frenetic, until finally the whole piece ends in a whirlwind of screams and drum beats. 

Three different but, as I mentioned at the start, hugely complimetary pieces, from Joss Arnott's Dance Company in this their latest tour, Emergence: Triple Bill.  Thrilling, eciting modern choreography combined with the energy and exuberance of youth, and creative LX. What more could you ask for? 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 23.6.21

NEWS: The biggest fun night out comes back to Manchester as The Palace Theatre is set to host Jim Steinman's 'Bat Out Of Hell'

                                                             photo shows original West End cast.

BAT OUT OF HELL – THE MUSICAL RETURNS TO MANCHESTER GUARANTEEING THE BIGGEST FUN NIGHT OUT!

Award-winning Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical, featuring Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf’s greatest hits,
will be rocking into Manchester Opera House from 11 September 2021. Tickets for the tour are now on
sale.

The show, which blew audiences away in the UK, Canada and USA and given Jim Steinman’s
masterpiece Bat Out Of Hell is the highest selling album of all time in Australia, will be performing
throughout Australia in November 2021, and the production is looking forward to working with Paul
Dainty President and CEO of TEG DAINTY.

Casting is to be announced.

Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical wowed critics and public alike when it played limited seasons at
Manchester Opera House, London Coliseum and London’s Dominion Theatre from 2017 to 2019. The
musical also ran successfully in Canada, Germany and at New York’s City Centre in 2019.
Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical won the Radio 2 Audience Award for Best Musical at the Evening
Standard Awards and was nominated for 8 WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical.
Producer Michael Cohl said today, “We’ve all been through a lot these past 15 months and we now need a really good night out with friends and family. Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical will give you the most fun night you can have in the UK and Ireland this year (with your clothes on)! People will once again be able to dance and sing along to these great Steinman songs. This musical was Jim Steinman’s life-long dream and he was incredibly proud of the love the show received from critics and audiences alike. This tour will be in memory of Jim.”

Bat Out Of Hell became one of the best-selling albums in history, selling over 50 million copies
worldwide. 16 years later, Steinman scored again with Bat Out Of Hell II: Back Into Hell, which
contained the massive hit I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That).

For the stage musical, the legendary and award-winning Jim Steinman incorporated iconic songs from
the Bat Out Of Hell albums, including You Took The Words Right Out Of My Mouth, Bat Out Of Hell, I Would Do Anything For Love (But I Won’t Do That) and Two Out Of Three Ain’t Bad, as well as two
previously unreleased songs, What Part of My Body Hurts the Most and Not Allowed to Love.

In Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical, the electrifying rock songs of Mr Steinman propel an epic story of
rebellious youth and passion as Strat, the immortal leader of The Lost, has fallen in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler Falco.

The UK & Ireland Tour of Bat Out Of Hell - The Musical has book, music and lyrics by Jim Steinman, direction by Jay Scheib, choreography adapted by Xena Gusthart, with musical supervision and additional arrangements by Michael Reed, set and costume design by Jon Bausor, original costume
designs by Meentje Nielsen, video design by Finn Ross, lighting design by Patrick Woodroffe, sound
design by Gareth Owen, orchestration by Steve Sidwell, original casting by David Grindrod CDG and UK Tour casting by Anne Vosser.

The UK & Ireland Tour of Bat Out Of Hell – The Musical is produced by David Sonenberg, Michael Cohl & Tony Smith, with executive producer Julian Stoneman.
Website: www.BatOutOfHellMusical.com
Twitter & Facebook: @BatTheMusical

11 September – 2 October 2021 Manchester Opera House 0844 871 7615*
www.atgtickets.com/venues/manchester On sale 21 June

*Calls cost 7p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge

THEATRE REVIEW: These Hills Are Ours - The Mill Arts Centre, Banbury.

It was with some anticipation that I walked the few hundreds of metres from Banbury Station to this pleasant canalside venue – my first experience of live theatre in 2021 awaited. Social distancing requirements had reduced the capacity here to about 40, all in individual “bubbles” according to the size of the party booking and despite the competition offered by an England football match all seats appear to have been sold. Not only was this my first live theatre this year, the same was true for most of the audience and for our two performers. Quite an emotional moment.

Premiered almost a year late in December 2020 and originally set to tour from January 2021, 'These Hills Are Ours' is a collaboration between writer Daniel Bye and former Chumbawamba lead singer Boff Whalley. Friends, united by their love of running, Dan and Boff take us out on to the peaks and fells of the north of England to explore in words and music what it means to be free to roam the wilderness and commemorates those whose struggle and sacrifice against the land-owning powers made it possible for us to do so.

The looming presence of Roseberry Topping – which at 320m doesn’t qualify as an actual mountain – was visible from pretty much everywhere. Dan went as a child growing up on Teesside whilst for Boff on the other side of the Pennines in Burnley it was Pendle Hill (higher, but still not an actual mountain) which inspired him to get out into the hills and both men fondly recall childhood day trips to these peaks. It’s clear from the outset that the love of wilderness runs deep in each of them. As adults, they enjoy running from the centre of the town they’re in to a peak overlooking it, escaping as they do so the shackles of urban life.

Whilst Dan takes the lead as storyteller, Boff’s folk-style songs add an extra dimension to the performance. Contrasting the sinuous wave forms of analogue sounds (the rolling hills) with the stepped and artificial ones produced by his digital effects pedal (the cityscape), he weaves charming and clever lyrics with music which is sometimes wistful, sometimes haunting, always evocative.

There was a time, Dan reminds us, and it wasn’t that long ago, when the idea of ordinary Working Class people being able to roam the hills of England freely was quite unthinkable. The division of the land between 200 barons under William The Conqueror set the scene for a situation which has endured for almost a millennium, such that today 90% of the land is owned by 0.06% of the population. In 1932 the Mass Trespass saw hundreds of ramblers, led by Benny Rothman and other members of the Young Communist League, converge at the top of Kinder Scout in the Peak District in defiance of the landowners and gamekeepers. Rothman and five others were imprisoned but the subsequent public outcry resulted in a law change allowing the right to roam.

As a tribute to them, and to celebrate their bravery and their achievement, Dan and Boff set themselves the challenge of running the 88 miles from Dan’s home in Lancaster to the top of Kinder Scout. Unfortunately Boff broke his toe and so was repurposed to providing support from his campervan while Dan did the actual running. Here Dan’s storytelling skills go into overdrive as he recounts the run and the rollercoaster of emotions he experienced without resorting to hyperbole or falling into self-pity.

So we feel the thrill of watching wild hares boxing in a field, amazement at the surreal sighting of a fleeing (we can only guess from what) ostrich a bit further on, the relief at reaching Boff’s van and the kind ministrations of coffee and beans. We also taste something of the despair of being alone on the peaks on a wet March night when the enormous vistas of daytime are reduced to what can be seen from the light of a head torch. You’ll have to buy your own ticket, of course, to find out how this pilgrimage ends.

Power never gives up anything without a struggle and there are still vast areas that are off-limits to ramblers. There is always a threat that the rights we do have could be withdrawn at any time so the serious message behind this witty and entertaining performance is clear: use it or lose it. As Boff’s final song puts it “these hills are ours… to share”.

A feature of the production is the offer to the audience to join Dan and Boff on a run early in the morning following the performance. Being built more for comfort than speed myself I didn’t, but I do hope some audience members took them up.

'These Hills Are Ours' is directed by Katharine Williams with set design by Syeda Bukhari and is an ARC Stockton production. It is on tour now until July 15th and then again in the autumn.

Reviewer - Ian Simpson

on - 18.6.21

NEWS: MIF announces huge free programme of theatre and events in Manchester.

MANCHESTER INTERNATIONAL FESTIVAL ANNOUNCES HUGE FREE PROGRAMME OF GREATER MANCHESTER TALENT ON FESTIVAL SQUARE

• Festival Square, the hub of the Festival in the heart of the city, returns 2-18 July in a new COVID-19 safe seated format in Cathedral Gardens with a free daily programme of Greater Manchester talent.

• With over 100 performers from Greater Manchester, highlights include: Abnormal Sleepz, Akemi Fox, Blanketman, Caoilfhionn Rose, Cheddar Gorgeous, Chloe Foy, Ellysse Mason, Honeyfeet, Kat Brown Sugar, LayFullstop, Lovescene, Matthew Halsall, Pip Millett, Porij, SheBeKeke, Swing Ting, The Untold Orchestra, OneDa and lots more.

• Following a public callout for Manchester-based performers earlier this year, 30 acts from Greater Manchester have been selected to perform during the Festival alongside hundreds of artists from across the region and beyond.

• Residents from across Greater Manchester will take over Festival Square for Our City Our Festival on Saturday 3 July - a free day-long event of music, conversations, performances and participatory activities, celebrating the diversity and talent within Greater Manchester communities.

• From 12-2pm every Saturday and Sunday there will be free family activities on Festival Square including family friendly gigs and craft workshops.

          

• Artists including Afrodeutsche, Norman Jay and Lou Rhodes of Lamb will play and discuss the music that has had an impact on their life, in MIF’s Records of Reflection series.

• As part of the Festival's online offer MIF have partnered with United We Stream to broadcast live performances direct from the Square.

           

Rivca Burns, Festival Square Producer at MIF said, “Festival Square is back once again as a showcase of what Manchester has to offer the world. Being able to bring such a wide array of incredibly talented and diverse musicians to our three stages in Cathedral Gardens this year is such an honour and a true reflection of this city. We hope that Festival Square will provide a safe and free space where anyone feels welcome to reconnect and celebrate.”

John McGrath, Artistic Director of MIF said, “Safety has been at the heart of our planning from the outset and we’re delighted to be able to invite audiences to come together on Festival Square with Covid-19 measures in place for a safe and joyous celebration of the extraordinary talent from Greater Manchester and the UK. We’re also delighted to partner with United We Stream to extend our reach to those who can’t be there in person.”

Live music highlights on Festival Square include: folk-pop artist Chloe Foy (Wed 7 July) who returns to Festival Square after a stand out performance in 2019; R&B artist Akemi Fox (Mon 5 July), folk-hop band Honeyfeet (Sun 11 July), soul singer Pip Millett (Mon 5 July), R&B artist TYSON (Tues 6 July), and post-punk songwriter Billy Nomates (Tues 13 July).

The Untold Orchestra will present a tribute to Nina Simone’s Four Women (Fri 2 July) in a unique piece exploring the experiences of Black women within the creative industries and society at large, and will be joined by DJ Paulette, poet Shirley May, vocalist Yemi Bolatiwa, dancer Maisha Kungu and contemporary circus performer Seren Marimba.

Residents from across Greater Manchester host a takeover for Our City Our Festival, (Sat 3 July) a free day-long event of music, conversations, performances, participatory activities and more celebrating the diversity and talent within Greater Manchester communities. Performers and curators include men’s community choir Chorus of Others, music and performing arts youth group KYSO and Muslim community radio station Heritage Radio alongside performances presented by MIF’s Neighbourhood Organisers, selected from their local areas.

Manchester’s legendary spoken word night One Mic Stand returns (Sat 17 July) with ten spoken word artists including Ella Otomewo, Billie Meredith, Isaiah Hull, and Jardel Rodrigues.

Bringing together spoken word and music, Dave Haslam presents a showcase of Mancunian record label Griot City Records in The Griot City Experience (Sun 4 July) including DJs and performers Werkha, SheBeKeke and Reece Willams. Dave Haslam also presents two further nights of specially curated artists from Manchester and beyond including Lounge Society, Blanketman, (Mon 12 July) DJ Mark Rae and Lovescene (Wed 14 July).

Also curating this year, legendary Manchester DJ and producer Mr Scruff presents a night of performances (Fri 16 July) from across the UK including Rebecca Vasmant and Secret Night Gang, ending the night with a special B2B DJ set with hip hop pioneer Mikey D.O.N. Gender queer dancehall vocalist and producer, Grove brings their Black, queer and feminist sounds to Manchester as part a curated line up by DJ and broadcaster Jamz Supernova (Fri 9 July). And in an epic Festival Square finale (Sun 18 July) Manchester creative agency Big People Music presents Misha B and Abnormal Sleepz performing with the Big People Music Orchestra plus special guest DJ sets from some of Manchester's best.

Across four nights BBC Music Introducing selects four of Manchester’s rising stars: singer, songwriter and producer Caoilfhionn Rose (Thurs 8 July), electro dance music quartet Porij (Sat 10 July), singer songwriter Ellysse Mason (Sun 11 July) and R&B artist Femi Tahiru (Thurs 15 July). Also presenting some of the finest young emerging talent in the city, multi award winning online radio station Reform Radio and long-time collaborators Thirty Pound Gentleman present nine performances from afrobeat to French electro, over three days (9,13,17 July).

Fabaret returns (Sat 17 July), curated by Greg Thorpe, supported by Superbia (Manchester Pride), with a celebratory showcase of Manchester-based LGBTQ+ artists including drag legend Cheddar Gorgeous, dancer and choreographer Jason Andrew Guest, performance duo Tom Yum Sim and spoken word artist Taylor Le Fin.

Bringing the party atmosphere, Manchester’s infamous LGBTQ+ club night Homoelectric also returns for one night only (Sat 10 July) with DJ sets from residents alongside performances from House of Ghetto. The legendary DJ Mix-Stress of RebeccaNeverBecky presents a night of forgotten Sunday jams in her new concept Queer Latifah (Sun 11 July) in collaboration with DJ Deb Jump. And Manchester record label Swing Ting host a take over (Thurs 15 July) with MCs, DJs and live performances from residents and special guests including Tai Chi Rose, Tarsza and Samrai.

Further DJ sets include DJ Paulette (Fri 2 July), Konny Kon (Sunday 4 July), Kat Brown Sugar (Tues 6 July), Jane Weaver (Wed 7 July), Matthew Halsall (Thurs 8 July), Kath McDermott (Sat 17 July) and High Hoops (Sat 17 July).

And for the first time, select performances on Festival Square will be live in people’s homes all over the world via United We Stream, Greater Manchester’s world leading cultural streaming platform set up by Stream GM to support the city region’s night time economy, cultural organisations and charities.

Marie-Claire Daly, StreamGM Co-Founder said, “Festival square is always one of the highlights of the Festival, giving people the opportunity to come together and enjoy amazing talent from Greater Manchester and beyond in a fun, relaxed way. StreamGM is thrilled to be partnering with MIF to bring the brilliant Festival square line-up and atmosphere into peoples’ homes across the globe.”

Manchester International Festival (MIF) will take place safely in indoor and outdoor locations across Greater Manchester from 1-18 July. It features a vibrant programme of original new work from across the spectrum of visual and performing arts and music by artists from over 20 countries.

Find out full details at mif.co.uk

DANCE THEATRE REVIEW: Future Cargo - The Lowry Theatre, Salford.

Performed in and on a large lorry parked outside the theatre in the open air, Future Cargo is an original piece of devised movement-based theatre which involves the audience wearing headphones to listen to the music and other extraneous noises necessary for our understanding and enjoyment, although the four performers themselves do not speak throughout this 50 minute piece.

An ideal piece to tour with in our COVID times, as audiences can more easily social distance when outside, and the company of four already have their transport.. it's also their stage.

I have to admit to only partially understanding the story, or at least my interpretation of the story. Perhaps there are multiple interpretations, as is so often the case with modern dance-theatre. However, what I think is a 'given' is that the driver of a large lorry becomes lost and is unable to call for help on his radio. At the same moment aliens, who may or may not have been hiding in his lorry all along, start to come to life and start to assess their new and unfamiliar surroundings. They try on human clothing, marvel at simple human items such as a water-dispenser, and look on in wonder at plants and birds. The lorry driver then decides to go for help, and climbs a hill (to the top of the lorry). However, after that, the storyline obfuscates beyond my understanding, and so how or why one of the aliens transforms into an astronaut ostensibly walking on the moon whilst the lorry driver descends into the truck to become an alien, was lost on me.

The lorry's interior, once the side opens up for us to view is a large blank sceen which changes colour, and in front of this a conveyor belt upon which the aliens stand, move, dance, dress up etc passing along the full length of the truck before curving sharply behind the screen to reappear on the other side. It was a nice effect, it worked surprisingly well. Although having to watch just that for almost the entire length of the show was certainly pushing the boudaries of my patience and acceptance. 

Aliens, in this case, wear silver morph suits, and despite the visual repetition, the four cast members were creative, consistent and totally invested in their presentation. It's innovative and unique, and the piece was devised and produced by Frauke Requardt and David Rosenberg in association with The Place (London). Future Cargo is their fourth collaboration.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 19.6.21

THEATRE REVIEW: For The Grace Of You Go I - Theatr Clwyd, Mold.

The title, 'For The Grace Of You Go I', is of course a twist on a time-served saying and the play itself gave a fresh and contemporary take on a number of well-known influences. The central story concerns life imitating art as Jim, a depressed pizza production worker, is inspired by an old Finnish movie in which the hiring of a hitman is employed as a means of suicide. There was more than a nod to ‘The French Lieutenant’s Woman’, with key aspects of the movie progressively recreated in Jim’s life raising the constant question as to whether Jim would imitate the film to its ultimate conclusion.

Stylistically, the play opened in an almost Brechtian manner as the fourth wall was instantly broken with the announcement that a film was about to be made, with the impresario/director enthusiastically played by Rhodri Meilir even apologising to the audience for the sparseness of the set (which was actually quite arty, being composed of three primary colours). From this jovial and friendly entrance, the three members of the cast then went into character. Meilir made a convincing transition into a pizza worker who had come to find life meaningless and hopeless with Darren Jeffries giving strong support as his cocky mate, Mark. Remy Beasley made a good completion of the trio as confident co-worker Irina.

'For The Grace Of You Go I' is essentially a black comedy looking at the very real issue of mental illness and depression which so many sufferers bottle up and hide. An early joke obliquely comparing Boris Johnson to Adolf Hitler gave some trepidation that the play might just be another vehicle for Woke politics but this was happily not the case as the story focussed purely on the three characters. The interactions had both drama and comedy although a lot of the humour had a very poignant feel. For example, what might be more natural for a depressed pizza maker to send out cries for help than by writing brief, angst-filled messages on pizzas using mozzarella?

Technically, there was a very ambitious and original use of multi-media. A rail-mounted camera running the full width of the stage created the concept of filming, but the backdrop included several screens of varying sizes as well as projections onto the back bright-coloured screens, suggesting at times the whole ‘film’ was being filmed on ‘green screen’. This enabled mirror images to be created of scenes from the movie ‘I Hired A Contract Killer’, with scenes from our story unfolding on stage, sometimes with the theatre cast and film actors even speaking the same dialogue simultaneously. Another effective touch was that of the central figure of Jim viewed on stage with a large-scale close-up of his face projected onto the back screen, emphasising his inner anguish.

'For The Grace Of You Go I' was a powerful production with some unexpected twists at the end and managed to give an air of hope whilst at the same time depicting how some people end up completely going under by secreting their inner mental conflicts. Well-acted with a pacey story and many interesting and original features, this is a play well worth seeing, providing comedy and spectacle whilst leaving lingering thoughts on the inner turmoils of those around us and perhaps even ourselves. Very much a play for today handling an important issue in a realistic and sensitive manner.

Reviewer - John Waterhouse

on - 18.6.21  

BOOK REVIEW: Greenbank Primary School: First Aid Brought To Life - Malcolm Sweetlove.

TITLE: Greenbank Primary School: First Aid Brought To Life

AUTHOR: Malcolm Sweetlove
PUBLISHER: Cranthorpe Millner Publishing.

Greenbank PrimarySchool: First Aid Brought To Life is a narrative non-fiction book which relays medical information contained within a story. It is a First Aid handbook, written for 10-12 year olds and is delivered in a delightful way. The main aim of the book is to increase life-saving knowledge and actions in young people and to improve statistics of life-saving and morbidity.

It tells a story of a fictional town, Humphrington, a school called Greenbank Primary and the Matthews clan interacting with family, friends and their children’s teachers in medical emergencies. The range of topics covered are relevant to all ages; from a parent having a seizure or a severe asthma attack to more minor emergencies such as nosebleeds and stings in children. A whole range of incidents are covered where a youngster could make a tremendous difference to the outcome of a medical emergency and goes further to encourage young children to learn how to give cardiac resuscitation in order to preserve life until expert medical help is in attendance, something most adults may be nervous of doing.  Considering that UK success rates for survival outside of hospital for cardiac arrest are less than 10%, knowledge of such in those of a young age is to be applauded and could save many lives. Simple key actions are outlined which can be applied in the event of minor injuries such as severe wounds and broken limbs and more major incidents such as choking, drowning and concussion. The subject of making a 999 or 112 call is also covered, an essential, I think in any primary school curriculum.

The information is presented via engaging scenarios in an appealing manner with humour whilst conveying realistic situations. The subject of First Aid may be viewed by some as being not particularly exciting but this enlightening book delivers solutions to medical situations in an amusing way mirroring genuine circumstances and providing practical solutions.

Realistically illustrated by Maggie Kneen, with an activity section for the reader at the end of each chapter, this informative book will help contribute to youngsters’ interest in being proactive in serious medical situations and additionally be a useful resource for teachers.  The teaching of the basics of First Aid to primary school children, in the format of a story, is a brilliant idea and being relayed through the teachers and pupils in a school setting in an ideal way to introduce and educate youngsters about the importance of life skills training.

Author, Malcolm Sweetlove is the former Head Teacher of Special Needs at Withins School, Bolton and his book is due for publication in June 2021.

Reviewer - Anne Pritchard.

GASTRONOMY REVIEW: The Goose And Gander - Little Scotland, Blackrod, Bolton.

My companion and I visited this rural pub restaurant in the surprisingly-named hamlet of Little Scotland near Bolton yesterday. Called The Goose And Gander and proudly advertising "Country Kitchen", it sounded and looked like the perfect choice for our late lunch.

The dining area was roomy and comfortable. COVID precations of course had been taken, but one felt that they hadn't had need to move tables any further apart than they already were: plenty of room, and the whole had a very relaxed and easy feel to it. My companion rightly remarked that it was the sort of place you wouldn't feel out of place in whether in formal evening wear or jeans and a t-shirt. The lighting was good, no annoying background musak, and the bar area was separated just enough to make the two areas distinct and allowing neither to overpower the other.

We both had extremely good thoughts about this venue - and after being pleasantly greeted in a very unrushed manner, and read the comprehensive menu; all of which seemed very appetising, we agreed on sharing a starter of scallops, and we would then follow this with roast rump of lamb for my companion and pan-fried duck breast for myself.

The two wairesses in attendance were unfussy, polite, happy to help and also happy to leave us alone too. And although I did feel the hairs on the back of neck rise when one of them addressed us, on a few occasions, as "you guys!", it did not bother my companion, so I let it pass.

My observation though is this: the food we were served was in no way "country kitchen". It was this exact phrase emblazoned on the side of the building which caught our attention and why we patronised the venue. However, they seem to employ (award-winning according to their website) chefs who like the cordon bleu fine dining experience just a little too much. Both dishes had sqush puree. (tiny - and I mean tiny) globules of orange dotted around the plate. One had a similar effect in green (pea puree), and the scallops were served on top of yet another odd looking mulch (brown shrimp and shellfish bisque). The presentation of the dishes looked like an entrance exam for 'Master Chef' more than the country kitchen cousine we were hoping for. 

There is a huge tendecy amongst chefs in general these days to not want to actually cook anything. The rawer the better it seems. I know a few decades ago, the British were ridiculed wordwide (and with good reason) for overcooking absolutely everything, but sadly the pendulum has swung too far in the opposite direction now, and 'al dente' is more likely to mean 'to the dentist' (with a broken tooth from trying to eat a sprig of broccoli!). Yes, sad to report, but the vegetables which weren't liquidised beyond recognition were almost raw and inedible. 

When we ordered the main course our waitress said to my companion, "The lamb is served medium-rare, is that OK?", rather than asking her how she would like the meat to be cooked. And in fact, I never got a choice.. it was chef's decision seemingly. The lamb when it arrived was much closer to rare than medium, and I had to send my duck back to the kitchen to be cooked. And even after it came back from a second cooking, I really ought to have sent it back again or better still just gone into the kitchen myself and put it back in the frying pan for another 10 minutes!

The chef's choices of accompanying sauces and potatoes was also a little ill-advised too. Gratin potatoes seemed to be the order of the day, and were served with both mains. Dauphinoise would have been excellent, but the addition of cheese - especially when paired with duck - simply was not a flavour combination which worked, and the cheese was strong and overpowering.  Also, whose idea it was to mix both redcurrant jelly and mint sauce together I have no idea, but again, a combination which simply doesn't compliment itself let alone what it is suppsoed to be a condiment to.

However, food concerns aside, the ambience and atmosphere of the estamina is lovely, and the staff were smiling, helpful and curteous. It's just a shame that their current chefs seem to have more than just honest-to-goodness home-cooking "country kitchen" in mind. 

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 18.6.21

THEATRE REVIEW: Hushabye Mountain - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester (online).

If LGBTQ Theatre is your thing, then this play, by Jonathan Harvey, is an absolute must-see. Harvey's script is sharp and well-observed. Caustic and sarcastic and doesn't pull any punches. It is quite Quentin Crispesque in places. 

This production by Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester (co-produced by Stream.Theatre) is a live recording made on the 5th June, and is availble for you to watch and enjoy online too until June 20th.

The play is set in the late 1990s when AIDS was very much at the forefront of fear for every homosexual worldwide (parrallels can be drawn perhaps between AIDS then and COVID now), and tells the story of Danny, a young man who has died from AIDS in hospital and is now in limbo, waiting to be allowed into heaven. Whilst there, the play uses montages / vignettes of his past life intermingling with his present situation and the people he has left behind, and we learn about him and his life through his lover Connor, Connor's brother and wife, Lana, who also happened to be Danny's soulmate, and of course through Danny's mum, Beryl, as well as a few others along the way.

The play, when written would have been quite ground-breaking one imagines; however, today we are not really shocked by any of this (yet we are supposed to be). The play should be a paean to love, the power of love, friendship, and acceptance, but somehow, either due to the lack of happy ending or the flatness of the screen, it left me feeling rather deflated, rather than hopeful and optimistic. 

Fantasy and reality intermingle. Trance-like states become the norm, and drugs and hallucinations are the reality.... or are they...??? Surreal juxtapositions. It is also extremely camp. And the set and design in general go a long way to help this image. However the performances themselves are firmly placed, rock solid. [despite the obvious and overt theatricality here and there.... but we forgive that, it IS a play afterall!] Nathan McMullen puts in a really credible and sympathetic performance as Danny; with Layton Williams as the very relatable lover Connor. Jodie Prenger plays Danny's mother with real sang-froid. The company is complete with Amy Dunn (Lana), Harrison Scott-Smith (Ben), and Matt Henry (Lee). These are all seasoned performers and the quality of their acting is second to none. There is a great ensemble feel to the piece and had it been live then I am sure the chemistry between them would have been palpable. 

A couple of things though didn't work quite so well for me. First of all the choice of music (perhaps a problem with the play's title..??), but 'Hushabye Mountain' will always be the lullaby in 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' and nothing else, and so for director Bagnall to use this song in his production was a rather obvious, but perhaps also ill-advised choice. The play also started with Prenger singing 'Feed The Birds' from 'Mary Poppins' as Danny gains his wings and starts to ascend the steps of heaven. Both these song choices seemed wrong in a play about AIDS. 'Mary Poppins' and 'Chitty Chitty Bang Bang' are essentially children's musicals, and the connection between those and the subject matter on offer in Harvey's play could not be further apart. 

The other thing which I found rather distracting was the filming itself. Hope Mill Theatre's acting space had been turned into what was effectively a film studio for this recording. The camera followed or panned accordingly and it felt extremely filmic. This in general was absolutely fine. But sometimes the shots were a little out of focus. Was that deliberate? And at other times we seemed to be able to see characters not involved in the scene picking up props or donning items of costume on the sidelines. Again was this deliberate? I wasn't really quite sure on either count to be honest.

However, what is certain is that this is a very bold, brash, hard-hitting play, which certainly deserves to be seen and appreciated, if only for the quality of the acting. The message of the play, especially in our COVID time, does little or nothing to inspire sadly. 

Reviewer - Chris Benchley

on - 11.6.21

MUSIC REVIEW: Debut single from Stephen Donald: Man In The Moon.

At the age of 16, Stephen Donald (perhaps best known as Carl Banks on Brookside), wrote the lyrics to this song, after "pondering about the nursey rhyme of the same name"; and now, some 40 years' later, Donald has taken those lyrics and collaborated with some very high profile music friends to create his debut single.

To mention just a few who have helped Donald with the arrangement, playing and backing vocals, are David Stevens (keyboardist with The Foundations), Trevor Murrell (Wham etc), Randy Hope Taylor (Jamiroquai, Sade etc), Tim Cansfield, Ian Thonpson, and Caroline Stevens. 

Donald spoke of the music as an antidote to our times of lockdown and isolation. It's a "feel-good happy song", and it most certainly is. The catchy tune and repeated phrases (both musically and vocally) help us to immediately relate to the song, and it is certainly one you can't sit still to.. you have to bop and tap your feet! Yes, it's a throwback retro song to the heady days of the late 1950s / early 1960s, replete with all the monikers of that era... a female close-harmony backing chorus, a catchy refrain, banal but happy lyrics (not designed to make you think too much, just put a smile on your face), and an upbeat contemporaneous dance beat. 

Further, Donald's articulate and easy-to-listen-to vocals make the song easy to understand, whilst his effulgent persona breaks through. 

Yes, this is definitely the year and the time for a happy song. More like this please!

The track will be available on all digital platforms from 2nd July.

Reviewer: Alastair Zyggu

on - 11.6.21

THEATRE REVIEW: Atalanta Forever - The Piece Hall, Halifax.

It's opening night, and the first live production for Mikron Theatre Company (or indeed the vast majority of us) since March 2020, and understandably we were all a little nervous, but excited. It's an open-air production, performed in the grand courtyard of Halifax's Piece Hall (an architectural masterpiece in itself), and despite having brought coats, hats, blankets etc, it was surprisingly blowy and as the evening porgressed the clouds threatened rain (fortunately we suffered only a few ineffectual drops which only added to the gritty atmosphere of the play).

It seems that there was a lot riding on the success of this evening's production: not only was it opening night and press night, but the writer (Amanda Whittington), and director (Marianne McNamara) were also in attendence. The nerves and apprehensions seemed to be getting the better of our four intrepid performers at the very start.. it was a little uninspiring and shaky. Mind you, the opening song and historical information about women's football didn't truly inspire or help to gear us all up. I have to admit to being a tad disappointed at first - I am absolutely no fan of football nor do I know anything about the sport, and so my heart sank when I at first (wrongly) thought that the opening sequence was going to be the tenure for the entire play.

Fortunately as the four performers got into their stride and started to enjoy themselves, the play got better, a lot better. And the  writing was infused with just enough comedy for the director to skillfully work this into her plan for the piece making what will become after another couple of runs, giving the show time to 'bed in', a hugely enjoyable, slick and entertaining couple of hours (even if like me, you are a footballophobe!).

The play starts just after the First World War with many contemporary references and mores dominating the storyline (with the very occasional, but clever, 'aside' to us, the audience, adding a modern reference too just for good measure). And what makes this play perhaps a little more special is that it is based on a true story.. there really was an Atalanta Sports Club and Women's Football Team in Huddersfield in the 1920s, and the historical references added to this play were all factual.

A couple of things for me worked less well than others. Pitting a kazoo against a trombone for example didn't really work, and the second act opening song was once again a little slow and downbeat to truly enthuse. However, Rachel Benson, Thomas Cotran, James McLean, and Elizabeth Robin all worked excellently together. I believe the phrase is 'they had good chemistry'! And for the whole show gave everything they had.. high energy levels, and oodles of talent to effectively portray several different characters each, in a series a interconnecting and chronological vignettes; singing, playing instruments, and acting, battling the elements as best they could (although they were upstaged part way through the second half by a rather noisy sparrowhawk...!) to provide with ease and charm, a theatre-starved and eagre audience with this historical and entertaining tale. 

This was my first Mikron Theatre production, and I verily enjoyed it. It will most certainly not be my last. Congratulations one and all.

Reviewer - Matthew Dougall

on - 9.6.21

THEATRE REVIEW: The Ballad Of Corona V: The Remix - The Big House Theatre, London.

I will cut to the chase straight away with this review: if you are able to get to London in the coming weeks and are itching for some stimulating, highly original theatre, then get yourself to the Big House Theatre in Islington. ‘The Ballad of Corona V - The Remix’ investigates with thought-provoking fire in its belly, the many facets of what we have all gone through in the past year and a half, leaving an indelible impression on its audience members who are lucky to have been witness to the show.

The Big House has a multi-faceted uniqueness which, as far as I know, has not been replicated elsewhere. First and foremost it is a training and performing facility for young people who have been in the care system - offering a range of support alongside dynamic workshops and professional performance opportunities - all housed in a large, characterful multiple-roomed space AKA ‘The Big House’. 

Superbly crafted and scripted by David Watson, and directed by the company’s CEO Maggie Norris, the audience are propelled on a journey through the House to experience what are effectively five immersive plays, using Norris’s favoured ‘promenade’ staging. The plays are stand-alone but equally interlinked exploring the many aspects of the collective and individual experiences of the Coronavirus: this ‘ballad’ being a mix of heightened naturalistic and at times surreal set-pieces that bring home exactly the surrealist or even apocalyptic nature of what we have all recently experienced in varying degrees.

Each ‘play’ deserves a review in its own right - but to encapsulate: the journey starts with a meeting of six characters who lost their lives in different historic tragedies, from the Grenfell fire to World War 1, greeting the arrival of an NHS nurse who, with the absence of PPE has tragically succumbed to Covid 19, with a Coronation celebration-style welcome. We are then confronted with ‘Corona’ himself: a gun-toting, deeply unstable character in cowboy get-up - reminiscent of a Coen brothers villain - brilliantly and disturbingly played by Taureen Steele. Next we watch a bizarre encounter between a drug dealer disguised as a postman and an upper-middle class advertising executive - not quite cutting the mustard with the rainbow images drawn with her daughter and ‘clap for carers’ as the only way she knows of doing her bit. Then there is a visit to St Thomas’s Hospital ICU where we are faced with a Covid-comatosed Boris (with a suitably bumblingly manic interpretation by Samuel Kyi), juxtaposed with a desperate young woman attempting to see her dying mother. And in the final scene we witness the harsh realities of living in a hostel during lockdown - trying to make fleeting connections with other human beings and dodging scrapes with the police. All of this is cleverly interspersed with the technology we have all been so heavily reliant upon: face-time and the dreaded ‘Zoom’ meetings opening up several of the scenes to enable greater character interaction through their (and our) only means of communication - quite literally.

With Maggie Norris’s objective to ‘enable care leavers and at risk young people to fulfil their potential’ - this production holds a very strong message about what this really can mean. Through not only her vision and driven commitment, but also her amazing skills of both nurturing and skillfully directing these young people, she has created a theatre that showcases experimental, relevant and stimulating work that aspires to (and pretty much achieves) an impressively professional standard. And with the brutal statistics attached to care-leavers’ life chances (ie: almost 40% in neither employment, education or training post 19) this drives home both the urgent need for greater support for this significant sector of our society; and notwithstanding, the extraordinary power of drama and theatre as one of the most effective ways to do this. 

With absolutely all due respect to the many brilliant companies in London and beyond who are gallantly trying to get back to business, ‘The Ballad of Corona V - The Remix’ is as exciting and cutting-edge as anything you are likely to see this year. 

Reviewer - Georgina Elliott

On - 8.6.21