The cheeky movie based on real life events takes a second national tour as a play with an A-list cast, a light-hearted yet poignant script and some brilliant ‘laugh out loud’ one-liners.

 

Life can be stranger than fiction, it is said.  Who could imagine, for example, that a group of women (who are not classic beauties by any means) could produce a nude calendar which might sell in its thousands to raise millions for a local hospital?  And wouldn’t it be even stranger if the connection between these pioneering women was the Women’s Institute – famed more for sponge cake sales and jam making than soft porn?  Life can be funny that way, and even funnier in the hands of scriptwriters Juliette Towhidi and Tim Firth, who’s clearly defined quirky characters and ‘knock em dead’ one-liners had the audience in stitches.

 

Staging appeared to be a simple reconstruction of a church hall complete with badminton court but was revealed to be deceptively complex as a hydraulic mechanism smoothly transferred the action to a sunny hillside – no mean feat!  Roger Haines’s direction was sympathetic to the underlying tragedy which contrasted delightfully with the natural comedy that the characters engaged to deal with the situation.  The expertly choreographed photography sequence gained maximum laughs while preserving the ladies’ modesty but proved to be even racier that the 2008 tour of the play.  Priceless!

 

So what of that A-list cast?  They turned in a 1^st class performance!  There was a great chemistry between the characters exuding an air of long term friendship.  The narrative naturally belonged to Julia Hills (as grieving widow, Annie) and Elaine C Smith (as her unwittingly self-centred friend, Chris) and both were convincing and comical as appropriate, proving breadth of character as both played different roles in the 2008 tour.  But the wider cast added real value, too, as they lightened the tone with infectious Northern humour.  Jennifer Ellison (Celia) raised some laughs as her character certainly fancied herself as a tasteful nude.  The witty girl-talk was shared by Denise Black and Jean Boht with Ruth Madoc as prudish Marie being the butt of many jokes.  This time around it was Rachel Lumberg as Ruth who stole the show for me with her clear character development and brilliantly timed comedic delivery.

 

 

LISTINGS:

King’s Theatre, Glasgow

Mon 16 – Sat 28 August

Mon – Sat eves 7.30pm

Thu & Sat mats 2.30pm

Tickets: £11.50 - £27.50

Box Office: 0844 871 7647 (bkg fee)

www.ambassadortickets/glasgow (bkg fee)

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE

 

A good  rogering to be had  by all!

Roger Allam plays Falstaff in the Globe premiere of

Henry IV Part 2

Part 2: 3 July – 3 October

 

Published by: Tremayne

 

Henry IV Parts 1 and 2:       Part 1: 6 June – 2 October

Part 2: 3 July – 3 October

 

Artistic Director, Dominic Dromgoole, is in his fifth season at the

Shakespeare’s Globe.

 

The full cast: Roger Allam, Jason Baughan, Patrick Brennan, Daon Broni, Phil Cheadle, Oliver Coopersmith, Oliver Cotton, Sam Crane, William Gaunt, Christopher Godwin, Sean Kerns, James Lainey, Danny Lee Wynter, Kevork Malikyan, Barbara Marten, Jamie Parker, Paul Rider, Lorna Stuart, Joseph Timms, Jade Williams.

 

Director: Dominic Dromgoole.

Designer: Jonathan Fensom.

Composer: Claire van Kampen.

 

Roger Allam (Falstaff) graces us once more with his presence in Part II of Henry IV but, this time around, is even more playful, with an obvious put-on heightened RP accent, intending to mock.

As a writer, and an inquisitive one at that, whenever I observe a play I look closely at the writing and look at whether or not it has been served well, its actors having played their roles truthfully and wholeheartedly.  Personally. I would say that Allam is such an actor but not all the actors in this production were.

 

There is a point in the production where one of the mistresses pukes onto the stage after undoubtedly having had a heavy session the night before.  Except for the second time her aim is far from perfect. She ends up missing the bucket and the remnants spray onto an audience member, much to the excitement of the other onlookers.

Alam manages to keep up the humorous mode, peeing into a bedpan as he approaches the stage.  I give an inward sigh as, up to this point, Part II has been rather monotonous in the delivery of its speeches.

Kevork Malikyan from channel 4 The Inbetweeners fame, who plays Sir John Coleville in Part II, shows great promise and has a certain presence on stage.

Paul Rider’s interpretation of the Archbishop of York is priceless in the scene where he admits to having consumed too much alcohol at supper.  This is made apparent when he struggles for the words to roll off his tongue.

In summary, I felt  some of the characters played in Part II were a lot stronger, as well as much more camp. Sam Crane (Pistol) pulls this off with finesse.

Neither Part of Henry IV is better than the other. My only suggestion would be, where possible, to try to see each part back-to-back as I was lucky enough to do, or with little gap in between.  After watching Part I, I assure you, you will be gagging for more!

 

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE

 

A good  rogering to be had  by all!

Roger Allam plays Falstaff in the Globe premiere of

Henry IV Part 1

Part 1: 6 June – 2 October

 

Published by: Tremayne

 

Roger Allam, a firm RSC and National Theatre actor, takes on the role of Falstaff in the Globe’s Premiere of Henry IV Parts 1 and 2.

 

Part 1: 6 June – 2 October

Part 2: 3 July – 3 October

 

Artistic Director, Dominic Dromgoole, is in his fifth season at the

Shakespeare’s Globe.

 

The full cast: Roger Allam, Jason Baughan, Patrick Brennan, Daon Broni, Phil Cheadle, Oliver Coopersmith, Oliver Cotton, Sam Crane, William Gaunt, Christopher Godwin, Sean Kerns, James Lainey, Danny Lee Wynter, Kevork Malikyan, Barbara Marten, Jamie Parker, Paul Rider, Lorna Stuart, Joseph Timms, Jade Williams.

 

Director: Dominic Dromgoole.

Designer: Jonathan Fensom.

Composer: Claire van Kampen.

 

 

An ostentatious display opens Henry IV Part I as the actors make good use of the playing space. I find this is often the case with performances I have seen  at the Globe. They smoothly weave themselves amongst the audience and into the main area of the stage, all the time cleverly allowing  people to take up their seats.

 

The historical portrayals can prove to be quite confusing and it is when you see them  performed that they begin to make sense.  The backstory to Henry IV Parts Iand II is in Shakespeare;s Richard II. Henry Bolingbroke, Duke of Lancaster, later Henry IV, forces the abdication of King Richard with the support of the powerful Percy family, the Earls of Northumberland and Worcester.  Richard is subsequently murdered. At the end of the play, Henry promises to make a pilgrimage to the Holy Land’.

 

Roger Allam, who plays Sir John Falstaff,  reminds me of a cross between Oliver Reed and Brian Blessed, with his continual strong presence immediately setting us at ease.  A quality actor who is not set off course when the heavens open  wide but,  instead, takes it onboard as his given set of circumstances..  As the heavy downpour  envelops us, he gives a quick glance, a glimmer of reality appears on his face as if  to say, ‘can you believe this!’, which goes down a storm, quite literally!

The performance he gives is very different from the one given by Michael Gambon in the 2005 version of Henry IV Parts 1 and 2. that was put on at The National Theatre, and I question whether or not I  preferred  Allam’s interpretation instead.

Jamie Parker is a delight to watch as Prince Hal and makes smooth transitions through the different changes in mood of his character.

Finally, Kevork Malikyan  plays multiple roles but  stood out for me the most as the Servant.  He is, of course, instantly recognisable to many from the hit Channel 4 sitcom, The Inbetweeners.  Notably a natural mover, he shows this  in a dance-up which occurs at the brewery.

And when the back-drop curtain falls behind Roger Allam as he exits the stage at the end of Part I, I felt truly uplifted and thrilled .  A thoroughly capitivating performance by Roger Allam.

 

 

Booking: Phone 020 7401 9919 or 020 7087 7398

In person: Mon-Sat 10 am – 6 pm (8 pm on performance days).

Sundays 10 am – 5 pm ( 7 pm on performance days.)

On-line: www.shakespeares-globe.org

Tickets: £5 - £35.00

Dirty Dusting is a fabulous night out. It is brilliantly funny, and will have you howling with laughter.

Dirty Dusting follows the story of 3 elderly (but not it spirit) cleaners who are being made redundant due to their age. Not able to survive on their pensions, they come up with a rather naughty plan of how to make money, and make best use of the office during their last weekend. Step forward the Telephone Belles, Glasgow's newest sex chat line.  

Sharp and witty writing from Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood; and the comedy skills of the four-strong cast make this a night out to remember.
Janet Michael really stands out in her role as Gladys. The comedic innocence she brings to the role is simply wonderful. 
Barbara Rafferty appears as Elsie, alongside her husband Sean Scanlon as Dave, the office manager. Both give excellent performances in their own right; but together their chemistry shines through and really adds something special to the production.
Understudy Carol Andrers filled the role of the third risque cleaner; replacing Gwyneth Guthrie. Unfortunately, her performance was not as strong or believable as the others. 

Dirty Dusting had the audience doubled over with laughter. It is an entertaining story well told, and is definitely worth a visit. 

Mon 7 - Sat 12 June
Mon- Thurs eves 7.30pm
Fri & Sat 6pm & 8.30pm
Tickets £11 to £23
Box Office: 0844 871 7648 (bkg fee)
www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

It usually takes a long time for a play to become a “classic” but Alan Bennett’s The History Boys has already gained that title – and from this new production it is easy to see why.

 

When the original production has won three Olivier Awards, six Tony Awards amongst countless others, it gives this new cast a lot to live up to – and they do. And not only do the cast come up to the award winning standards of their predecessors, but so too do the production team. Janet Bird has created a fantastic set that is deceptively simple but extremely versatile. Christopher Luscombe’s deft direction is apparent in many highly charged scenes. Moments of silence or stillness are used to great effect to create the right levels of tension.

 

To get these effects across to the audience however takes more than directorial skill, it needs accomplished acting talent. Gerard Murphy is a delight to watch as Hector the enigmatic and irreverent General Studies teacher who seems to be more of a friend to the boys than a teacher, despite his misdemeanours and advancing years. His joyful moments with the boys are great fun, and his moments of sadness genuinely moving. The combination of Bennett’s skill in writing the character and Mr Murphy’s performance make the audience sympathetic to a character which they should genuinely be disgusted with. These sensibilities are tested with many of the characters, who either instigate or turn a blind eye to behaviour which is deemed reprehensible.

 

Exceptional performances from James Byng (Posner) and Ben Lambert (Irwin) both playing out different forms of unrequited love alongside the energy of Kyle Redmond-Jones as their object of affection, the cocksure Dakin provides many more moments of tension and angst. Alongside the musical talents of Rob Delaney (Scripps) on piano, Byng’s voice adds to his character’s melancholy with a performance of “Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered”. However as with all Alan Bennett plays, the highlights are in the dry wit and humour. A French lesson where the entire scene is spoken in French ends up with the class physically portraying a “maison de passé” (brothel!) and being interrupted by the headmaster! Even with a poor understanding of French (it has been a long time since school for me!) the whole scene made perfect sense. The less academic of the boys Rudge (Peter McGovern) also provides another Alan Bennett classic with his definition of History as “one fucking thing after another”. With the addition of an elegant and witty performance from Penelope Beaumont as Mrs Lintott, the only female influence in the play, we are given a diverse group of characters with which to laugh and learn.

 

As a play that will no doubt soon find itself studied and quoted as much as the plays to which it refers within itself, I’d encourage everyone to see this production of what has earned the right to be called a modern classic.

 

Listings Info

 

Mon 10^th – Sat 15^th May

Mon – Sat Eves 7.30pm

Thurs & Sat Mat 2.30pm

 

Tickets £12-£27

Box Office: 0844 871 7647                  www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow

Back again after two successful runs last year, the latest JB Shorts show - six brand new ten-minute plays written by top TV writers - returns to the basement of Joshua Brooks on Princess Street.

Work of this calibre, coupled with a comparatively short time commitment, attracts actors that Manchester’s top theatres would envy: JB Shorts 3 includes Chris Hannon (Lunch Monkeys), Vicky Binns (Molly from Corrie), Anthony Crank (Shameless) and Peter Slater (Ideal), while local luminaries Caroline Clegg and Noreen Kershaw are among the directors.

As usual there is an eclectic mix of style and content.  Backlash by James Quinn (currently gracing the stage of the Library Theatre) is a spoof party political broadcast satirising the anti-political correctness brigade; Lindsay Williams’ Quixotry exposes the fraught world of Scrabble tournaments; and Andrew Kirk uses multimedia technology and a bunny-girl outfit to put a relationship under pressure in I’m Mad, Me. 

After the break (featuring some very disturbing invisible theatre) S.H.A.G.G. by Dianne Whitley imagines what might happen if Russell Brand hosted a sex addicts support group in Chorlton-cum-Hardy (very convincing turn from Marvyn Dickinson as the tousle haired host who seems to be mainly addicted to himself), followed by the Trevor Suthers comedy Shakespeare’s Monkeys, a surreal piece which is dominated by Antony Bessick’s astonishing physical performance as a semi-simian zookeeper.

The finale, and my favourite, was Peter Kerry’s Truncheons and Blackberries which had sharp writing from the off, fantastic acting all round, a nice touch of farce and enough meat in the concept for a full-length play.  Peter Slater and John Catterall are a pair of memorably dim PC Plods, Verity Henry is their sexy but foul-mouthed Deputy Chief Constable, and Annamarie Bayley is a top Daily Mail columnist who inadvertently uncovers an explosive secret.

The fast-paced format of JB Shorts makes it a winner with audiences because even if one sketch isn’t to your taste another will be along in ten minutes (a much better service than the Eccles tram, I can tell you).  Here’s looking forward to JB Shorts 4.

 

www.jbshorts.co.uk

Till Saturday 27 March (not Sunday) @ 7pm

Tickets £5 on door

 

Joshua Brooks

106 Princess Street
Manchester

Lancashire M1 6NG

The Hobbit

Darlington Civic Theatre

There’s no doubt that bringing J.R.R. Tolkien’s epic fantasy novel, The Hobbit, to the stage is an ambitious project. Creating the sights, sounds and atmosphere of Middle Earth in a theatre is, indeed, no small task. However, it is a task that producer Vanessa Ford has taken on under the direction of former thespian Roy Marsden.

Bilbo Baggins (Peter Howe), a quiet and contented Hobbit, has his life turned upside down when he is chosen by Gandalf the Sorcerer (Christopher Robbie) to join Thorin Oakenshield (Andrew Coppin), exiled King of the Dwarves, on his quest to reclaim their kingdom and treasure. The adventurers battle through the Misty Mountains, wind, rain, hail and thunderstorms, narrowly escaping Trolls, Goblins, Wolves and Giant Spiders until, finally, Bilbo alone must face the guardian of the treasure – a fearsome dragon named Smaug.

Glyn Robbins’s adaptation doesn’t flow seamlessly and at times seems somewhat disjointed. This is compounded by David Shields’s set design, comprising of two rotating podiums, which make the wobbly sets associated with the soap opera, Crossroads, seem positively sturdy by comparison. Furthermore, on numerous occasions, it was impossible not to notice the varying pieces of technical equipment, including machinery and ropes, that were responsible for producing the ‘sparkling new magical effects’ mentioned in the programme notes, thus dispelling any sense of magic that could have been created by a slicker crew.

On the plus side, one cannot fault the enthusiasm, energy, commitment or talent of the ensemble cast. Credit should also be given for Abigail Hammond’s costume design, Mark Bloxsidge’s sound design and John Harris’s lighting design, all of which contributed to creating the atmospheric setting of Middle Earth.

Regrettably, their efforts alone cannot make a silk purse from a sow’s ear and this production is ultimately let down by the technical side of things. Indeed, I have seen school Nativity plays with better production standards.

Whilst this interpretation of The Hobbit works on some levels, it falls desperately short on others and I suspect that the legendary Tolkien is spinning in his grave at this very moment.

Steve Burbridge.

This production runs at Darlington Civic Theatre until Sunday 21^st March 2010 and is also touring to Truro, The Hall for Cornwall; Northampton, Derngate; Cardiff, New Theatre; Dartford, Orchard Theatre; Derry, Millennium Forum; Nottingham, Theatre Royal; Aberdeen, His Majesty’s Theatre and Belfast, Grand Opera House.

 

 

 

Journey’s End

The Gala Theatre, Durham

Based on R.C. Sherriff’s own experience in the trenches of World War One, Journey’s End is a powerful and poignant production that starkly illustrates the futility of war. Set within a claustrophobic dugout where time creeps to a standstill as soldiers await their orders, the story centres around the young, talented and war-weary Captain Stanhope (Christopher Harper).

The first thing that strikes you, as you enter the auditorium, is the stunning set that so effectively recreates the dark, dank, rat-infested dug-out. No detail has been overlooked in Victoria Spearing’s magnificent design. Credit should also be given for Alan Valentine’s superb lighting design and Dominic Bilkey’s equally successful sound design, both of which brilliantly evoke the hellish atmosphere of the Western Front.

The play, for the most part, is dialogue-based as we are introduced to a series of officers and soldiers. There’s the avuncular, pipe-smoking, level-headed Osbourne (Graham Seed), the put-upon cook Private Mason (Adam Best), the cowardly Hibbert (Rhys King) and the fresh-faced Raleigh (Tom Hackney) who is an old schoolmate of the whisky-swigging Stanhope.

Raleigh’s hero-worship of Stanhope’s school-days prowess at rugger and cricket now manifests itself in his admiration of his leadership skills on the front line.

Each of the men must face the hardships of trench-life and deal with their fear in their own way. The older, more experienced men reminisce about gardening, trips to the theatre and walking in the New Forest, whilst the younger men attempt to hold on to the notion that war is an adventure that has the potential to transform them into heroes

In essence the point of the piece is to convey the message that war destroys not only the lives of men, but also their minds and souls, too. Stanhope must continue to motivate and inspire his men to make the ultimate sacrifice for a war he no longer understands and for a cause he no longer remembers.

Journey’s End is very much an ensemble piece and it would be difficult and probably rather unfair to pick out one actor over another. Each and every performance is consummately delivered. Indeed, this is a profound piece of theatre that highlights the heroism, humour and tragedy of warfare.

Steve Burbridge.

Runs at The Gala, Durham until Saturday 13^th March 2010.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Girls seeking a testosterone – free night out are in for a treat at the King’s Theatre this week as “Hormonal Housewives” takes to the stage.

 

Very much in the mould of the incredibly successful “Vagina Monologues”, Hormonal Housewives offers the talented trio of Carol Smillie, Julie Coombe and Shonagh Price the opportunity to don pink, put down men, laugh at themselves, laugh at men, have a dance and enjoy the company of other women.  Predictably, when the target audience are women, the conversations, sketches and laughter revolve largely around men.  It was possibly the predictable nature of the topics and punch lines that proved to be a shortcoming in the production as some sections raised only chuckles rather than belly laughs.  Writers Julie Coombe and John MacIsaac redeemed themselves, however, with some excellent observational items and development of good physical humour, particularly in the courtroom and keep fit sketches.

 

The audience certainly enjoyed the entertainment on offer, although they proved reluctant to participate in fanning the cast with programmes in a children’s party inspired game.  Y-chromosomes were in short supply in the auditorium – it seemed that any men in the audience had lost a bet (or were VERY dedicated theatre goers) – but the audience proved that they could have a great time without the aid of their husbands and boyfriends.  This was largely due to the enthusiastic performances on stage where Julie Coombe, in particular, delivered the comedy with great gusto.

 

All in all, the show was a good target for a girlie night out.  The tour continues to Inverness, Dundee and Aberdeen.

 

Hormonal Housewives
Mon 1 – Sat 6 March
Mon – Thu eves 7.30pm
Fri & Sat 5.30pm and 8.30pm

Tickets: £9 - £24
Box Office 0844 871 7648 (Bkg fee)
www.ambassadortickets.com/glasgow (bkg fee)

SHAKESPEARE GLOBE PRESS RELEASE – 15 February 2010

 

WORLD PREMIERES

 

Published by: Tremayne

 

Shakespeare’s Globe and its 2010 theatre season host two world premieres, Howard Brenton’s new play – Anne Boleyn and Bedlam by first female playwright at the Globe, Nell Leyshon.

“…for years I’d wanted to write a tale about The Tudors.  …sex and religion at such a high level…”

(Howard Brenton).

 

Anne Boleyn is a dramatisation on aspects of her life and the legacy of her husband, Henry VIII,to whom she was second wife .  A sexually charged woman who took it upon herself to improve the state religion was in, and for the better.

“…anything Tudor-related is gold dust to us at the moment, think to T.V. adaptations…”

(Dominic Dromgoole – Globe Artistic Director).

 

Nell Leyshon’s writing is described by Dominic Dromgoole as ‘a still and beautiful incapsulation of that Somerset life that’s passing’.  Her new play Bedlam is a fictional take on a London hospital for the mentally insane and looks at the common link between art and insanity.

“…mental illness wasn’t understood, you were either high or low.”

(Nell Leyshon).

 

SHAKESPEARE’S GLOBE 2010 THEATRE DIARY:

Macbeth by William Shakespeare

23 April – 27 June

Directed by Lucy Bailey

 

Henry VIII by William Shakespeare

15 May – 21 August

Directed by Mark Rosenblatt

 

Henry IV Parts 1 and 2 by William Shakespeare

Part 1: 6 June – 2 October

Part 2: 3 July  - 3 October

Directed by Dominic Dromgoole

 

WORLD PREMIERE

Anne Boleyn by Howard Brenton

24 July – 21 August

Directed by John Dove

 

The Merry Wives of Windsor by William Shakespeare

14 August – 2 October

Directed by Christopher Luscombe

 

WORLD PREMIERE

Bedlam by Nell Leyshan

5 September – 1 October

Directed by Jessica Swale

 

Tickets are available through the box office:

020 7901 9919/020 7087 7398 or

Online: www.shakespeares-globe.org

 

Q&A SESSION

• The development of The Winter Theatre

“…we retain a shell.  We’ve built up an understanding of The Blackfriars, the indoor theatre in Shakespeare’s day, combined with some of our own designs…”

(Dominic Dromgoole)

•Writing for the Globe

“The Globe loves storytelling.  Being an experimental theatre, it is a psychological window where audience’s brains can open up”.

(Howard Brenton)

•Ticket prices

The Globe continue to sell stand-up tickets for just £5.

“We’ve got the most democratic mix of audience.  I doubt we’ll ever reach the equivalent to New York where a free theatre pass has been made available.

(Howard Brenton)

•Nell Leyshon – First Female Globe playwright

“I wanted to improve the complexity found within plays, which resulted in me writing harder.  For a penny, on a Sunday, during the 18^th century you could observe the mentally ill and poke them with a stick.  I didn’t want to write an historical account.  I wanted to have some fun and not be held by history”.

• Themes of the world premiere plays: religious turmoil from Howard Brenton vs. binge-dinking by Nell Leyshon:

“I’m very interested in religious conflicts.  You don’t set out to write a play with addressing the nation though.  Otherwise you’d go mad like Sir Bernard Shaw!”

(Howard Brenton)

“You couldn’t go to a West End Theatre for fear of being stabbed”, Nell Leyshon who makes a comparison between theatre back in the 18^th century and now.

 

•Sum-up by Artistic Director, Dominic Dromgoole

“The extraordinary story of the Globe goes on.  It’s little short of a miracle that it’s becoming reachable on your laptop from the top of The Himalayan Mountains”.