on - 29.7.22
Reviews, news, interviews and previews of THEATRE, COMEDY, FILM, MUSIC, ART, LITERATURE in Greater Manchester and the whole of the UK.
Saturday 30 July 2022
THEATRE REVIEW: Skedaddle: A Space Opera - Salford Arts Theatre, Salford.
on - 29.7.22
Friday 29 July 2022
THEATRE REVIEW: 13 - NWTAC Theatre, Moston. Manchester.
on - 28.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: Waitess - The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford.
After a last minute change of plans I found myself
sauntering into the Alhambra on a miserable Tuesday evening to see a show I
knew very little about and had almost no expectations of. I'd heard good
things, but as this wasn't particularly a must-see show for me, I decided to
keep myself in the dark and throw myself into it with an open mind.
And boy, oh boy was I surprised.
'Waitress' follows young pie-making extraordinaire Jenna as
she navigates a particularly difficult period in her life – becoming a mother
in the midst of an abusive marriage, falling in love with an unavailable man
and trying to build herself a life where she can be happy…not just 'happy
enough'.
Despite having no prior knowledge of the show – the
background, the story and the songs were all completely new to me – everything I
had heard had been nothing but positive, so I expected it to be good,
but this was nothing short of extraordinary. I’ve been an avid theatre fan for
the best part of 15 years and never before have I heard a cast this strong, and
who fit together just perfectly.
Chelsea Halfpenny is an absolute powerhouse as Jenna –
right from the very first note, I couldn’t wait to hear more from her. It’s not
often you come across a voice so strong and powerful and yet so beautifully
soft in a way that conveys every emotion just so. Her rendition of 'She Used To
Be Mine' was a complete tearjerker, filled with raw emotion and passion that
it's so rare to find. She played the part beautifully and had incredible
chemistry with the entire cast – particularly with David Hunter as Dr Pomatter.
He was an absolute tour-de-force; charming, clumsy and awkwardly funny in a way
that made you feel like you could almost forgive him the whole cheating-on-his-lovely-wife
thing.
The characters, and the talented bunch playing them, was
really what made this show for me – it's a believable true-to-life story about
real people making real mistakes, and the flaws are what makes the characters
so much easier to relate to. It's also a great jumping off point for the show's
incredible humour; for a production with some darker and slightly more taboo
elements (domestic abuse and adultery are key themes for the leading lady) it
really knows how to keep things light. It broaches these complex, difficult
situations in such a gentle manner that the juxtaposition between these tense
moments and the bright, colourful hustle and bustle of the rest of the show
makes the moments that hit hard, hit even harder. Tamlyn Henderson played
Jenna's husband, Earl, absolutely remarkably and he really made you hate the
guy – although we didn't see too much of him, he definitely made an impact.
Playing the self-centred and emotionally desperate abusive husband can't be an
easy job, but his emotional portrayal was right on the mark. Although we never
see Earl hit Jenna, the moments of intense anger, the emotional outbursts and
the tense, long moments where you're never quite sure just how far he's going
to take it were handled beautifully.
Evelyn Hoskins as
the lovably eccentric Dawn and George Crawford as her adoring Ogie were a
laugh riot and had me crying with laughter on more than one occasion, as did
the sassy back-and-forth between Becky (Wendy Me Brown) and restaurant manager
Cal (Christopher D. Hunt)
'Waitress' really was a complete underdog for me, but it's
skyrocketed right to the top of my list of all-time favourites. The songs are
absolute earworms I just can't get enough of, I've recommended it to anyone who
will listen (and even some who won't) and I'm already planning to see it again.
I've got nothing but praise for this incredibly talented cast, and if you see
anything at all in the theatre this year, make it a big juicy slice of
'Waitress'!
Reviewer - Hazel Kaye
on - 26.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: Jersey Boys - The Grand Theatre, Leeds.
Whilst sitting in the auditorium there was a faint speaker playing
various Frankie Valli songs, people humming along, and a general buzz of
excitement, as there often is minutes before a live show begins. Then we popped into life with a lively rendition of ‘Oh What A Night (December 63)’ but in
French, as explained, it reached No. 1 in France in march 2000, where it stayed
for 15 weeks!
We’re walked and talked through the story of The Four Lovers,
wait, no, The Variatones - who knows?, and after several failed attempts to break the
music scene, friend to the group, Joe Pesci (George Salmon), yes, that Joe
Pesci, introduces them to Bob Gaudio (Blair Gibson). Neither party seems really
interested until a young Frankie Castelluccio (Michael Pickering) slid into his
mesmerising falsetto, and the rest is history. The Four Seasons were born. We
follow their epic rise to superstardom, the highs and the lows of life on the
road, family troubles, friendships on edge, the ever-present need for more hits
until the realisation that guitarist Tommy Devito (Dalton Wood) is three
quarters of a million dollars in debt using band funds, after some shady deals
and an all-too-familiar celebrities' allergy to paying taxes. The band vow to pay off Tommy’s debts, as he
gets whisked off to Las Vegas for ‘safety’, bass player Nick Massi (Lewis
Griffiths) quits the band, leaving Franky and Bobby left to clear up the mess.
Working every waking moment, Frankie eventually digs the band out of the
million-dollar hole, and we end the show in 1990, just as the band get inducted
to the Rock and Roll 'Hall of Fame'.
The cast of this show
were all excellent singers, which seems like it would be a given, a show about
a boy band, but its not always the case. The four principals all blended together wonderfully
and had that classic '60’s doo-wap sound that I was hoping for. Not only that,
when it came to the acting side of the gig, they all were first rate, being
able to switch on a dime, from global superstar to husband in trouble with the
wife, or being a tough guy switching to play ‘um-chucks’ on a guitar whilst
singing about loving you, it was all so seamlessly done. Pickering’s falsetto
was brilliant, if not a tad piercing at points, but that is to be expected from
the style of the music. The supporting cast were all strong in their roles,
most of which played several characters during the performance.
Sergio Trujillo. Take a bow. The choreography was stunning. Which is a sentence I didn’t expect to be
writing from this show, but my word. I was blown away. The moves were sharp,
they were well executed, they were over the top, and they were so tight that it
was flawless. All while singing, miming an instrument, and performing to camera
at points. Brilliant, brilliant work.
The costume department had quite an amount of work to do,
but the changes weren’t really full changes, as my wife pointed out, the
principals kept the same trousers on, and just switched shirts and blazers
(roughly) 50 times during the show. In fact, the rest of the cast did have a
lot of changes, so I imagine the costume department will have an articulated
lorry just for themselves on this tour, there were so many.
The band. This is an interesting one, as unlike most shows,
most of the band were actually in the wings, as they made several cameo
appearances throughout the show, as The Four Seasons's backing band, but the
drummer, Stephen Fawbert, was onstage for the whole show, set up on a remote-controlled plinth, he was guided around the stage, and featured at the back of
every scene, song and piece of action, only being hidden by a drop-in tab when
he wasn’t in a scene. I think there was only 2 minutes where he wasn’t on stage
during the show, and that’s when his drum kit was the scene of a conversation
between Gaudio and Valli. Then he came flying back out to accompany the
following song, so a highly worthy mention to him. Bravo.
The lighting was generally befitting of a group of low lives,
huddled around a street lamp (which didn’t have a bulb in it) mostly dark and
dingy lighting, except when we were backstage at a Four Seasons's gig, and we
were all woken up by the blinders at the back of the stage. And then for the
rest of the show there wasn't anything nothing spectacular. The sound was great, a good mix
between band and singers, and every word of dialect was crystal clear.
This tour is fabulous. If you get the opportunity to see
this show as it travels the country, I would strongly encourage you to make
every effort to get yourself into a theatre and watch it as you will be
entertained greatly for a couple of hours and you’ll leave the theatre with so
many tunes whizzing around your head that you’ll end up (much like I did)
making your own Four Seasons mega-mix on the journey home. The work that
director Des McAnuff and team have done is spectacular and you’ll be a fool to
miss it!
Reviewer - Simon Oliver
on - 27.6.22
Tuesday 26 July 2022
GASTRONOMY REVIEW: Emperor Chinese Restaurant, Llandudno.
The place is clean, and the service is prompt and polite, but the food leaves much to be desired.
THEATRE REVIEW: Chicago - Venue Cymru, Llandudno.
Monday 25 July 2022
THEATRE REVIEW: The War Of The Worlds - The Rotunda, Buxton.
The premise of Ross Ericson’s adaptation is that he is telling the whole story to a dead person, which his character feels is strangely appropriate, as if something has died within himself. Ross’s character certainly gets animated when giving various recollections, aided by a video back-screen and excellent sound effects, but for the most part he speaks in the measured tones of someone recollecting a long past event. This is realistic because recent traumas have the ability to seem both immediate and distant because of the shock to the system, which a Martian invasion is likely to have induced.
An interesting touch is that in several sections, typically in recounting action events, the sounds Ross speaks over are continuous, whether a panicked crowd or Martian construction work, which give an added vitality as well as giving more credence to his quieter contemplations. Lighting is also used to good and varied effect, from full stage to just parts of Ross’s face illuminated by a small lamp in almost total darkness.
There is much that will be familiar, from the tunnel-building artillery man to the ship, ‘Thundercloud’; but there are several other anecdotes which are very human, having nothing to do with aliens and not to be found in the big screen versions. At times there is even contemplative science as Ross ponders how Martians seem to have evolved to the point that they virtually have no bodies, and wonders if this is the ultimate destiny of mankind.
This is a very thoughtful, and in many ways surprisingly gentle, take on a familiar story. The human quality of one man coming to terms with so much trauma and devastation coming from nowhere could apply as much to a rural farmer in present day Ukraine as to an Englishman in Victorian London during a world war. Ross's presentation is compelling, well thought-out and a compelling take on a familiar tale.
Sunday 24 July 2022
THEATRE REVIEW: The Trials Of Galileo - The Rotunda, Buxton
Tim Hardy’s representation of Galileo really brings to life one of the greatest scientists. Hardy really looks the part, being the right age, with a full beard and wearing a great, realistic costume - but it is his skills as an actor that make the show so credible. We see Galileo go through a range of emotions as he attempts to reason with his inquisitors, coupled with Hardy providing alternate voices for lawyers against him. It is not surprising to learn that Hardy is on the staff of RADA in addition to having a varied television and film career.
Young’s script aims to bring over the human elements of the story rather a transcript of a courtroom drama. Accordingly, Galileo frequently uses modern phrases and even expletives. This is a device which can fall flat if badly handled but judicious blending of eloquent language and colloquial phrases help us to fully empathise with Galileo rather than see him locked away in another time zone. The telling of history is accurate but the situation is relevant for today. Remember the suicide of scientist David Kelly after his attempts to reveal the truth of government cover-ups?
For a one-man show, there is a generous amount of furniture and props including an impressive telescope and a document-strewn desk. Sound effects are used sparingly but the noise of running water and church bells are very effective. Curiously, a photo backscreen is used for exterior Vatican scenes (which works) but a white backdrop elsewhere. It might have been more consistent for another photo image to have been used for the main courtroom section but that is a minor point.
‘The Trials Of Galileo’ is both an acting masterclass and an interesting lesson from history, skilfully presented with pace and feeling.
Reviewer - John Waterhosue
on - 21.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: A Spoonful Of Julie - The King's Arms Theatre, Salford.
on - 23.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: Bessie At Midnight Alone - Underground Venues -Buxton.
Bessie is a prostitute with a reasonable amount of self-esteem who views her job as a profession that is not too dissimilar to that of an actress and no less respectable; in effect, just another part of the entertainment industry. The play is not set in any particular time-period but the costume of the hooped-frame normally worn under a wide dress together with Bessie holding a small lantern and the existence of a police force seems to suggest a Victorian backdrop. This element certainly adds to the feeling of suspense, with images of Jack the Ripper murdering lone harlots on misty nights but this tale is certainly not set in Whitechapel but actually somewhere in the north of England. North of England humour is in fact one the hallmarks of the show.
The play constantly shifts between light and dark, with Bessie being something of both a raconteur and comedian. The delivery is often very reminiscent of Frankie Howerd with rhetorical questions asked and the actor then reacting as if the audience has somehow given answers. The humour however gives way to violence with the audience confronted with the dangerous aspects of life as a street harlot.
Janelle Thompson is wonderfully expressive throughout and her style matches the conversational style of the script. This includes several very credible impersonations of other people in Bessie’s life from a policeman to a nun to a client. There is no point in which the pace slacks except possibly towards the very end, where story gets overtaken by observation.
A very interesting theme in this play is the motivations behind certain religious actions. Two men who physically attack Bessie do so with seemingly ostensive objections to her ‘immoral’ lifestyle but the suggestion is that their actions are more a reaction to their own lack of any sexual experience. On the other hand, the nuns offer genuine Christian compassion with judgement, but behind this is the fact that a number of nuns have had plenty of sexual and relationship experience in former lives so they have genuine empathy for Bessie.
A thoughtful portrayal of an engaging character by a consummate actor with many interesting observations; well worth seeing.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 20.7.22
Wednesday 20 July 2022
THEATRE REVIEW: South Pacific - The Opera House, Manchester.
on - 19.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: Lizard Boy - Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester.
Tuesday 19 July 2022
STAND-UP COMEDY REVIEW: Garry Starr: Greece Lightning - The King's Arms Theatre, Salford.
In essence, the show comprises of Starr presenting himself as a Greek (despite having a suspiciously Australian accent) and undertaking a range of quick impersonations of characters from Greek mythology using a wide range of props and devised costumes. Music is frequently used to good dramatic effect and the presentations are generally very funny. What really sets the show apart is the level of audience involvement.
Right from the start, audience members are picked out to aid Zeus’s thunderbolts by raising ‘zap’ signs on cue (naturally enough to the sound of ‘Greased Lightning’) which is innocent enough and a reasonable devise to break the fourth wall and warm the audience up. From there on, things get progressively wilder as audience members are brought on stage to act, dance, box, throw projectiles or squirt water as the performance floor progressively becomes covered with debris. Think of one of the craziest TV game shows where the show host is a comedian and then add mayhem!
Perhaps Starr’s greatest ability is the extent to which he is able to turn unsuspecting audience members into enthusiastic performers. With his stall set out early on in the show, it is clear that nothing is going to be taken very seriously, although behind the buffoonery, Starr is a consummate showman, constantly assessing audience reactions and spotting comedic opportunities. He seemingly has the ability to bring out the extrovert in almost anyone. There is something of the Kenny Everett in his mannerisms and the way he somehow makes the absurd seem normal.
The language remains clean throughout but considering there is full-on close-up nudity, it is surprising there is no content warning on any show publicity but then in a curious way, there is something innocent even about the naked Garry Starr. Greece Lightning is unquestionably a highlight of the Fringe Festival, and it is not hard to see why it has so many awards at other festivals. It is an extremely funny show and one in which the whole audience is intimately involved, even for those just watching. It really is a show not to be missed.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 18.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: Earwig - The Empty Space, Salford.
The use of projections was very clever and well designed by Laura Crow. The comical insights told via the projector were almost like another character, creating an instant relationship between audience and screen. And well done to the technician Tim Cooper for succeeding in making a complex array of sounds and slides fit so seamlessly into the 60-minute play.
Directed by Catherine Cowdrey and Samantha Vaughan, they utilised the small performance space and despite the staging being minimal, their use of movement and mime told Marigold’s story effectively and emotionally. It is no easy feat to successfully engage an audience and have them emotionally invested in the characters in such a short time frame, but Cowdrey and Vaughan, along with a superb cast, achieved this seemingly effortlessly.
The cast of three comprised of Laura Crow as Marigold Webb, Jessica Ayres as Mrs Meadows and Bryony Varden and Ben Hynes as Thomas Dollman and Nicholas Webb. The cast had a strong dynamic and complimented one another’s performances. Ayres and Hynes switched between their two characters seamlessly and with no confusion from the audience. All five characters were realistic and dynamic. A great first performance from Crow, Ayres and Hynes. A lot of work has gone into this new production, with some of the cast even learning sign language and displaying it with ease.
As this play continues at the Manchester Fringe and then moves on to the Edinburgh Fringe the cast alternates between the three mentioned above and a second set of actors (Robyn Greeves, Beth Nolan and Adam Martin-Brooks). I am almost compelled to view the play again with the alternate cast and enjoy some no doubt new and different elements that they will surely bring to the performances. A wonderful new play with a fabulous soundtrack, revealing very important insights into life as a deaf person in the 1920s. A joyous and emotional piece of theatre, not to be missed.
Reviewer - Megan Relph
on - 18.7.22
GASTRONOMY REVIEW: Ithaca Greek Restaurant, Buxton
Monday 18 July 2022
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: The Chrysalids - Underground Venues Studio, Buxton.
The studio attached to Buxton Opera House is the idea festival venue, seating around people with a reasonable performance area and full theatre facilities. The production of ‘The Chrysalids’ by REC Youth Theatre’s Senior Company was very much a studio presentation with no sound effects, almost no music and just a couple of benches and a small table for staging. With just a black backcloth, the atmosphere was dependent upon the acting and this young cast went a long way to bringing over the tense post-apocalyptical world of John Wyndham’s novel.
Reviewer - John Waterhouse
on - 17.7.22
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: The Hunchback Of Notre Dame - Z-Arts Theatre, Manchester.
This evening, Manchester Musical Youth welcomed an eager audience to the Z-Arts theatre in Manchester to watch their rendition of 'The Hunchback Of Notre Dame'. And what a rendition it was!
If you’re unfamiliar with the story of the hunchback; we follow two brothers in fifteenth century Paris. Frollo, played by Basit Khan, and Jehan, played by James Gadd, share their remarkable bond on stage with us. We see the cathartic Frollo cave to the pressures of caring for Jehan’s child who in turn we discover is Quasimodo, our tragic hero. Throughout the play we see Follo's arrogance and greed, his disgust for the gypsies of Paris, and his lust for the beautiful Esmeralda consume him, until his fateful end. An ending that Khan executed perfectly!
Khan was able to not only take on the challenge of portraying this monstrous villain but consumed his audience throughout the entire piece! His portrayal of Frollo was nothing short of perfect and he had the audience gripped on his every word. Stylistically Khan’s depictions of the character were astonishing; the character's racially driven motivations, covert lust for power, and desire of Esmeralda shone in every move, gesture and mannerism he performed, all whilst his character was rationalising the work of God - true to Victor Hugo’s original intentions.
Spectacularly playing opposite this we have Matilda Collard as the beautiful Esmeralda. At first I took a little to warm to her character however as I sat and watched Collard perform, I naturally found myself empathising with her kind soul. I thought her portrayal of the young gypsy was elegant, bright and courageous. Two moments throughout I found myself welling up at her delivery of the character; the first during her initial meeting with Quasimodo and the second during her final moments on stage. Both moments implemented beautifully to show the kindness and compassion of the character.
Two of my favourite characters on stage were played by the wonderful Amèlie Hassouna-Smith and John Richmond. They were the perfect double-act! A Bonnie and Clyde of the fifteenth century! Their energy was infectious and their wicked cheekiness left me wanting more! I wanted them to succeed in their pick-pocketing endeavours, yet hated them when they turned on Quasimodo - a true telling of the talent these young people have to be able to turn the audience like that!
Captain Phoebus de Martin had my heart throughout! Bless, Oscar Downing! His portrayal of the character was heartwarming and charismatic! I was truly in awe of how long his character was suffering and he didn’t break once; his overwhelming love for Esmeralda was shown in his every move. He wasn’t the only one though, Billy Burrows played our loveable Quasimodo! A different love for Esmeralda, a pure and innocent untainted by lust or greed. Burrows allowed the audience to watch his tragic love story whilst also doing the character of Quasimodo justice!
'The Hunchback Of Norte Dame' would not have been as brilliantly powerful as it was without its ensemble! The elegant statues, the beautiful gargoyles, the soldiers, the gypsy dancers, the congregants, the storytellers! Each and every one of these very talented young people performed superbly last night! It was phenomenal! I could only describe listening to them sing as listening to angels sing because it felt so angelic!
Manchester Musical Youth (MMY) have put on a show that could have easily have been on the West End or Broadway! It was astonishing and left me speechless and emotional! Dave and Kimberly Holden’s vision was that of a masterpiece! A traverse staging, the immersion of the audience who were sitting so intimately close to the stage, the lighting, the band! Everything was incredible and such a pleasure to watch! they even harmonised in Latin!! It was beyond perfect!
I still think this review hasn’t done them the justice they
deserve for how magical it was!
Reviewer - Caroline Bleakley
on - 16.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: The Coffee Shop Musical - Foundation NQ, Manchester.
on - 16.7.22
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Wolf Moon - St.Anne's Parish Centre, Buxton.
CHILDREN'S THEATRE REVIEW: Oliver - St. James's High School, Farnworth. Bolton.
Young Oliver expelled from the workhouse by Mr Bumble & Widow Corney played respectively by Elliot Whitehead & Abigail Faulkner, were a fantastic paring of witty pomposity! Their characters brought humour and a domineering presence to their roles which were executed wonderfully. A quick set change and Oliver is welcomed into the undertaker's household where Jolie Smethurst and Emma Higham gave us a wonderful performance that gave me greedy, selfish, uncaring vibes, similar to that of Monsieur & Madame Thénardier from the iconic musical Les Miserables.
On to the poverty-stricken streets of London, Oliver is woefully blessed with an encounter with arguably a theatrical favourite that is The Artful Dodger! Skyla Redford stepped beautifully into this role as the perfect casting! She was cheeky, cunning and charismatic! Her renditions of ‘Consider Yourself’ and ‘I'd Do Anything’ left the audience with a buzz. Throughout the show she gave the perfect amount of confidence and character and left us wanting more. Big shoes were left to fill with the character of Fagin! However Lily Moro stepped up to the plate and delivered! An iconic role in itself, Fagin, arguably another audience favourite, teaches Oliver the ropes of pick-pocketing and Moro did this brilliantly in her performances of ‘You’ve Got To Pick A Pocket Or Two’ and ‘Be Back Soon’. Her vocals showed how incredibly talented she is! And her characterisation was beyond remarkable! Such big shoes to fill that were filled in a dazzling way!
As a child I was always petrified by the character of Bill Sykes and watching this show at the age of 26, I was terrified once again as Alex Farrar played his character eerily well! His towering frame and villainous performance was suited perfectly to the character and the shock of Nancy's Death gave me chills!
The star of the show for me was the wonderfully talented Hollie Daley, her vocals were astonishing and her embodiment of Nancy was truly remarkable! Her ‘Oom-Pah-Pah’ and ‘As Long As He Needs Me’ could be compared to that of a West End performance! She really is a talent!
Overall this couldn’t have happened without the
fantastically talented chorus and ensemble! They complimented each of the main
characters with tenacity and confidence! Each student worked their socks off
and it was very clear to see! Directed by the brilliant Johanna Hassouna-Smith, St James's School show is always a delight to watch and one for the
calendar each year as they go above and
beyond! It’s so refreshing to see the arts coming back to life after such a
challenging year for the performance industry through the talent of these young
people! - ‘I’d do anything’ to watch it again!
Reviewer - Caroline Bleakley
on - 15.7.22
THEATRE REVIEW: Romeo And Juliet - Grosvenor Park, Chester
Approaching the tepees in
Grosvenor Park on a balmy summer evening was a perfect segue from the real-life
working week to a magical world. Bunting, festoon lights and warm smiles greeted the audience, who
arrived with blankets and picnic baskets. The theatre itself is an open air, arena style and unlike many park
productions there is stepped seating and back supporting cushions
provided. Duly fed and watered - nursing
a glass, bathed in sunsetting rays - the audience were brought to attention by
the entrance of the company. They were a strong and demanding presence – with
eye contact, sheer purpose but no words, they silenced the crowd, took a
collective breath, and began, toppling us into 1950's Italian café society with
a rendition of ‘When Two Tribes Go To War’ (yes, really - and it worked!) The
music (arranged by ME+Deboe and delivered by the cast members) was particularly
skilful throughout – acoustic, folk-inspired adaptations of an eclectic but
effective mix of popular hits punctuated the action, enhancing emotions and
moving the story along.
‘Romeo And Juliet’ is possibly
the best known theatre performance of all time – retold and reinvented over and
again in its 400+ year lifetime. This
version felt fresh, light, and contemporary, the costumes were glamorous
recreations of 1950's fashion, right down to Juliet’s underwear. The original text was padded and embellished
with beautiful physical moments including dance, street fights and personal
business which allowed air to move between the dialogue and heightened the
anticipation of the audience. Much of this unscripted action subtly encouraged
the focus to fall sharply on the lovers. No-one could pretend that the unravelling fortunes of the rebellious
pair come as a surprise – but this production approached the significant
moments confidently and with a deft touch. They weren’t rushed or over-emphasised, delivery of the famous lines was
as natural as the rest – portraying a playful, sincere pair of teenagers. The
balcony scene was a delight, filled with teasing, smiles and kisses - with
great use being made of the blurred barriers between performers and audience
that in-the-round staging offers. Samuel
Awoyo’s Romeo celebrating his romantic success with a casual fist pump cemented
him as a modern-day, relatable hero.
The dialogue throughout was
delivered in a relaxed and natural style - particularly by Awoyo and by Eddy
Payne (Benvolio). Payne’s was a superb performance
– he brought out the best in his fellow actors and his delight in his craft
sparkled. He was often the centre of
comedy in the first act, enlivening the party scene and teaming up with Haylie
Jones’ Mercutio to taunt Romeo. Another source of comedy was Nicola Blackman’s
portrayal of Nurse – a sassy, outspoken, unabashed Caribbean woman with a
twinkle in her eye. Her adlib moments
with the audience were saucy and full of merriment. In fact, much comedy and interactive audience
teasing was brought out of Act 1, occasionally at the expense of the story but
always with a joyous sense of mischief. Not least of these was the drunken procession at the end of the party
scene where limbs and prosecco went flying, dousing audience members in
passing. This meant that the performance
became very much a play of two halves as we re-joined the story after the
interval to witness the Friar and Nurse desperately attempt to choreograph a
dance to evade destiny.
The second act was a more serious
affair with less inter-play or ad-libbing. It was here that Joelle Brabban, as Juliet,
came perilously close to stealing the night. Thanks to her beautiful interpretation in Act 1 of an innocent feisty
teenager willing to fall in love with abandon, not just Romeo but everyone in
the audience was in love with her. The
moments that followed her first ‘death’ were entrancing – Lady Capulet and
Nurse transformed Juliet’s bed to her bier (a simple but incredibly effective
staging choice) while the company transformed the stage to a beautiful burial
ground scattered with fairy-lit, white crucifixed headstones. By now the real-world sun had almost set and
the simple stage lighting, mingled with the twilight to elicit an ethereal
beauty fit for the tragic finale. Romeo’s fight with Paris before he entered
the tomb gave us a final frisson of violence to offset the pathos. There was a palpable sense of fear for the
place which brought a newfound admiration of Juliet’s courage to have played
dead amongst the bodies of her ancestors. Awoyo and Brabban handled these
closing moments with finesse. Their
fear, grief and loss were never overplayed and in turn their deaths were
performed with poise and emotion.
As the action dissolved into the
curtain call, the cast accompanied their bows with the by now, distinctively
styled ‘Everybody Wants To Rule The World’ and the audience applauded, cheered,
and stood to render their thanks for a wonderful performance.
This was my first visit to
Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre – on the strength of it, I am already booked
for their adaptation of Little Women. Here is a company with a beautiful venue, a strong cast, and a clear
vision of how to entertain an audience – long may they prosper!
Reviewer - Justine Sutcliffe
on - 15.7.22
AMATEUR THEATRE REVIEW: Peter Pan Jr - The Arena, Middleton. North Manchester.
on - 15.7.22