This will be the final year of Manchester Library Theatre Company’s residence at the Library Theatre, partly due to the redevelopment of the building, and partly as they go in search of more spacious and modern surroundings.  As if to prove that they have outgrown their home of fifty-odd years, artistic director Chris Honer has mounted a production of Shakespearian proportions featuring singing, dancing, live music, new media and a cast of fifteen actors.

The Good Soul of Szechuan is one of Bertolt Brecht’s parables for the theatre.  Three gods come down to earth in an apparently fruitless search for a good person, and having finally found one - the prostitute Shen Te - reward her appropriately.  But the warm-hearted girl discovers that wealth makes it harder for her to be good, while her benefactors become increasingly disillusioned on their jaunt among the mortals.

Poppy Miller doesn’t seem especially vulnerable as Shen Te, but when she introduces us to her tough (male) cousin Shui Ta, rendered with convincing bravado and swagger, the contrast is entirely effective.

The episodic nature of the story introduces Shen Te to a wide range of comic characters, allowing for some memorable acting by the diverse and talented company.  Susan Twist is droll and dead-pan as Mrs Shin, China’s answer to Hilda Ogden; James Foster delivers a wonderful pantomime turn as the one-eyed, sartorially-challenged Mr Shu Fu; and Josh Moran’s Policeman gives some indication of how a gun-toting version of Z-Cars might have looked.  Nor will I soon forget the spectacle of the three gods (Olwen May, Natasha Bain and John Cummins) reduced to raggedy straw-stuffed scarecrows by the end of their world tour.

Michael Pavelka’s clever design with its moving corrugated-iron walls allows for slick scene changes, and the projected film of the gods’ heads (despite the image briefly summoning up memories of Superman’s parents in the Christopher Reeve film) is a fully-justified example of new media in a theatrical context.

The Library Theatre is famed for its interpretations of Brecht, and Chris Honer’s energetic production of David Harrower’s easy and colloquial translation fully does justice to this reputation.

 

The Good Soul of Szechuan is on until Saturday 28 November 2009

Prices: £10.00-£17.50 (concessions available)

Eves: Mon-Sat @ 7.30pm

Matinees: Sats @ 2.30pm; Thurs 12 & 19 @ 2.30pm; Wed 25 @ 2pm

Box Office: 0161 236 7110

www.librarytheatre.com

 

A classic Glaswegian play finds itself back home on this new tour, and received the welcome of an old friend in it’s Glasgow opening night audience.

 

Much of the appeal of The Steamie lies in the fantastic script by Tony Roper. As with his recent works (the wonderful Celts in Seville being of particular note) this play is observational, caustic and full of wonderful “parliamo Glasgow” terminology where the author has created well rounded characters whose appeal is not in their glamour or appearance, but their good humour and loyal natures.

 

The Steamie characters – Dolly, Magrit, Doreen and Mrs Culfeathers feel like old friends to most Scots, who have watched the televised version of this play many a Hogmanay on TV. This makes it a tough gig for any actress to take on these iconic roles, without trying to mimic the previous performances that are known so well. Leading the way on this front was Maureen Carr as Dolly. Excellent comic timing combined with an intelligent physicality brought this character believably to life, which is some feat considering the flights of fancy this character gets carried away with. Jacqueline Hughes, making her Scottish debut, was a sweet and naive Doreen, with a singing voice to match. Her lilting spoken voice worked well against the harsher tones of the older female characters, and helped create the imagery of the plans that she dreamt of, making this young actress one to watch for the future.

 

Kay Gallie, making a return to the role of Mrs Culfeathers, shows why she is in such demand in both TV and theatre. Knowing just how long to hold a comic pause for effect requires a lot of experience and Kay Gallie has that in spades. Her interpretation of the frail, hardworking older woman had the audience moved to tears, at times with sheer emotion and also with laughter. The “Top Dog” of this group is Magrit – Julie Austin got a lot of laughs here as she had a great delivery of the comic put-downs. It would have been nice if she had been asked to provide more light and shade in the role, so that the emotional sections hit home more. I think this is down to direction, as Alison Peebles seemed to be driving to make sure every laugh was “wrung-out” from this production. This did not make the comic bits seem forced, actually much the opposite, but this same interest did not seem to be shown to the sentimental or emotional moments of this clever play. David McGowan did try to make the most of the role of Andy, however his “drunk” scenes seemed to be a little too “Rab C Nesbitt” to be believable.

 

Dave Anderson’s songs still stand the test of time, again due to the classic Glasgow patter used in the lyrics – “ a swagger that wid dry a washin’” being a particular favourite of mine – but it didn’t really work to see some singing and non-singing cast trying to put these harmonies together.

 

All in all, it is great to see The Steamie back on the stage, but it does look like it maybe needs another rinse and a bit of an iron to get it back to it’s former sparkling glory. That said it is still a hugely funny and entertaining piece of theatre, and for Maureen Carr’s alone, especially during and after the “Galloway’s Mince” section, it is well worth the ticket price.

 

Listings Info:

 

Mon 2^nd – Sat 7^th November

Tue – Sat eves 7.30pm

Wed, Thurs & Sat Mat 2.30pm

Audio described performance Thu 5 Nov 7.30pm

 

Tickets: £10 - £25

 

Box Office: 0870 060 6647          www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

THREE MINUTE HERO                    COCK TAVERN THEATRE

 

A three minute hero is a singer who connects with a whole generation of music fans with a breakthrough number that has a universal message. Phil Setren’s, new play of the same title is based on a promoter’s dream to find such a talent, and explores the clash of the commercial hit making music machine with Muslim cultural beliefs and art.

Dave is an aspiring music promoter who follows his very slim copy of ‘How To Make It In Music,’ guide to the word. He hires a girl band called Hot Goddess, who fail to make the grade but provide him with a big music industry learning curve. He then meets a young Muslim singer called Ash who is in the queue at the X Factor auditions. Simon Cowell’s team fail to see any ability in Ash, but Dave sees his potential and becomes his promoter. All is going well until Ash’s traditionalist brother Raz objects to Ash selling out to the commercial western market and it’s ‘corrupt’ values.

The first half of the play is a rather predictable tale of promoter creates untalented girl band, the girls fall out and the band collapses. Despite strong performances from the actresses and the occasional funny line, the tired storyline and uninspired writing offers little originality. It is not until the second half with arrival of Ash and his brother that the dialogue really comes alive, and dramatic tension is created. Indeed the writing in the second half feels so much more advanced, that it is hard to believe it has been written by the same author.

With the themes in the latter half of the play, Setren has so much original material that this potentially could be a whole drama on it’s own.

Julie Osman’s capable direction keeps the play moving, and there is great sound design by Matt Lee Newby.

Paul Egan is perfectly cast as the eternally optimistic Dave, and Ramanvir Grewal and Anil Kumar are compelling as the brothers.

Three Minute Hero runs at the Cock Tavern Theatre until 14^th November.

                                                                                                             OLIVER VALENTINE                                                                                      

50/50   Daring Pairings The Factory

The Factory together with Hampstead Theatre, for a select number of nights are presenting an interactive and slightly unorthodox theatre experience.

The company has collaborated with writers to develop short plays where dialogue can be played by any actor male or female. The actors need to know all the parts in the play and the audience can select what order they see them. Writers working on this project took their inspiration from any period in the last 50 years and were required to focus on character only, no special effects, props, costumes or stage directions allowed.

It was an exciting and daring prospect, and I felt myself hold my breath in the hope that no-one would forget any of the lines ( which nobody appeared to do).

Featured plays included Underwater Love by Paul Jenkins, Tomatoes  by Peter Rumney,The Poll Tax Riots by John Donnelly, 1975 by Federay Homes and  Assistance by Stephen Bloomer.

Themes varied from a clandestine meeting  in a hotel room in  Underwater Love to a charity workers determination to hear atrocities from the affected in Assistance.

 Underwater Love by Paul Jenkins was the most entertaining of the five and the audience had the opportunity to see the play twice. Both Colin Hurley and Alan Morissey brought interesting revelations in each of their roles as the two hesitant lovers, and then again in the role reversal showed excellent comic timing in their performances.
The Factory has assembled themselves a talented troupe of actors and their residency at the Hampstead theatre is one not to be missed.

Friday 30 October 9.30pm, Friday 6 November at 2.30 and 9.30pm, Saturday 7 November  at 9.30pm
Hampstead Theatre

Peter Hall sets this successful revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s  social comedy “Bedroom Farce” in the 1970s – a distant age without mobile phones, ipods or even the internet. Three bedrooms, side by side, fill the Rose Theatre stage and allow us a peep into the lives of four married couples.

The elderly couple Delia (Jane Asher) and Ernest (Nicholas Le Prevost) are getting ready for their yearly dinner at a fancy restaurant.  Delia tries to discuss their son Trevor’s marital problems but Ernest is more interested in the leaky roof.  Jan (Lucy Briers) is off to a housewarming party whilst her husband Nick (Tony Gardner) is grounded with a bad back.  Malcolm (Daniel Betts) and Kate (Finty Williams) are playing childish pranks on each other whilst waiting for their first guests to arrive. Chaotic Trevor (Orlando Seale) and his unstable wife Susannah embark on a journey of destruction by successfully ruining their party with a savage fight culminating in Trevor kissing Jan. A distraught Susannah disrupts Delia’s and Ernest’s romantic dinner in bed and Trevor rushes to Jan only to fall asleep on Nick’s bed, making Nick’s night pure agony.

Prepare yourself for a highly entertaining evening with an outstanding cast in Ayckbourn’s exploration of marriage and beyond.

The Rose Theatre, Kingston

1 Oct – 28 Nov 2009

See Tickets - 0871 230 1552

www.rosetheatrekingston.org

David Thacker’s artistic directorship at Bolton Octagon continues with Ghosts, featuring four actors from his previous production of All My Sons.

Ibsen’s 1881 play, with its themes of adultery, incest, venereal infection and moral hypocrisy was considered scandalous in its day, and is still pretty hot stuff over a century later.

Wealthy widow Mrs Alving has built an orphanage in memory of her late husband, and old family friend Pastor Manders has come to finalise the arrangements before the grand opening.  With the Alvings’ artist son Oswald just returned from Paris, the scene is set for a happy domestic interlude.  However Mrs Alving’s apparently comfortable home-life is about to be revealed as a whited sepulchre, hiding secrets which have the power to destroy all that is dearest to her.

The programme records the great lengths director David Thacker, translator Erik Skuggevik and the whole cast and have gone to in order to develop the script for a freshly minted “Lancashire version” of Ghosts.  However anyone expecting some resemblance to a Blake Morrison/Northern Broadsides collaboration will be disappointed, with not much specifically localised apart from a servant remarking “bloody hell” and “bugger”; nevertheless it is an admirably clear reading of the text.

I don’t think I have ever seen anyone look as at home or relaxed on stage as Margot Leicester, whose Mrs Alving practically curls up like a kitten and purrs at Pastor Manders, her frisky youth still all too evident to the straight-laced priest.

George Irving as Pastor Manders, a man who has ever but slenderly known himself let alone anybody else, convincingly portrays the gullible cleric and subtly mines the character’s inadvertent comedy in Act 2. 

Oscar Pearce’s bohemian Oswald makes an astonishing impact on his first entrance, the crumpled white linen suit and red waistcoat a huge contrast with the dark repressed world of his northern homeland, and the character’s gradual decline through the play is deeply touching.

If there is a flaw in this production it is the large table which sits in the middle of the tiny in-the-round space, creating a barrier between the actors as they play out powerful confrontations, dramatic confessions and heartbreaking revelations.  But overall the intimacy of the venue and the intensity of the piece overcome this obstacle to create a unique theatrical experience.

 

Ghosts is on at Bolton Octagon until Saturday 21 November 2009

Tickets: from £9.00

Evenings: Mon-Sat at 7.30pm

Matinees: Fri 30 and Sat 31 October, Mon 2, Wed 11 and Sat 14 Nov @ 2pm

Box Office: 01204 520661

www.octagonbolton.co.uk

 

Special event on Sat 14 November @ 10am - Investigate: Who Needs Translators?

The process of translating plays is investigated by director David Thacker, translator Erik Skuggevik and the actors from Ghosts, alongside playwrights working today and scholars including Brid Andrews of the University of Bolton.

Tickets: £5 for workshop, £15 including matinee ticket

It probably says a lot about the tone of last night’s show that Halloween was only briefly mentioned once, by Grizzly Bear’s Ed Droste. While London Symphony Orchestra’s performance with Antony and the Johnsons (performed in this hall a year ago) was given a bit of levity by their cover of  Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’, there was no such relief this year. Indeed, Antony Heggarty’s triumphant shows with the LSO seem an appropriate benchmark for last night’s, and on balance the feminine crooner’s show surpassed the Grizzly Bear’s.                       

            While Nico Muhly’s arrangements for Antony and the Johnson’s songs was integral to the performance, tonight the orchestra often seemed surplus to requirements as in the inevitable highlight of the set, ‘Two Weeks’. The sense of anticipation as Daniel Rossen moved to the electric organ for the only time all night was tangible, the opening chords got a cheer, Grizzly Bear played a note perfect rendition of the album version all on their own bar some extra piano from Muhly, and the rest of the set was a bit of a come down. Before this, the mellifluous coda of ‘All We Ask’ demonstrated the Bear’s vocal abilities and provided a golden opportunity for memorable orchestration that wasn’t taken at all.  At the premature end of the following song, a slightly flummoxed looking Droste explained ‘…we had an orchestral ending worked out for this song, but you started clapping  too soon… so we stopped.’  I would have doubted him had the audience not done exactly the same thing during the best song of enjoyable/forgettable support act St. Vincent’s set!

            When the orchestra were allowed to open up I thought they frequently sailed a little too close to the wind, taking songs like ‘I Live with You’ into inappropriate ‘James Bond theme’ territory, but these moments of band/orchestra interaction were fleeting. Luke Turner’s embarrassingly gushing Pseuds Corner programme notes identified Muhly’s selfless ‘appreciation’ for Grizzly Bear’s music, but on the grounds of tonight’s performance perhaps he should reconsider any ‘surrender of the ego’ and make his orchestrations more prominent.

The Barbican’s contemporary Music programme continues with Richard Bona Band and Hindi Zahra on Monday 2^nd November, see www.barbican.org.uk for details.