UK FILM & THEATRE WEEKLY
By Douglas McFarlane
UK FILM & THEATRE WEEKLY
- Meryl Streep wins BEST ACTRESS award at Golden Globes Tue, 01/17/2012 - 13:27 from UK Film Network
- My view on the BAFTA shortlist Tue, 01/17/2012 - 15:49 from UK Film Network
- ORANGE BRITISH ACADEMY FILM AWARDS in 2012 - NOMINATIONS ANNOUNCED Tue, 01/17/2012 - 10:57 from UK Film Network
- A Future For British Film - The full 66-page official film report mentioned by David Cameron Tue, 01/17/2012 - 11:49 from UK Film Network
- Corey Feldman and Edward Furlong to appear in UK film Tue, 01/17/2012 - 11:36 from UK Film Network
- Man in the Middle- Theatre 503 Sun, 01/15/2012 - 23:11 from UK Theatre Network
- SLEEPING WITH STRAIGHT MEN ABOVE THE STAG THEATRE Wed, 01/18/2012 - 19:11 from UK Theatre Network
- Greenwich Playhouse to close after 20 years Tue, 01/17/2012 - 11:28 from UK Theatre Network
- Sometimes I Laugh Like My Sister at the Finborough Theatre by Carolin Kopplin Mon, 01/16/2012 - 19:39 from UK Theatre Network
- Oliver Award-winning Our Country’s Good tours UK theatres Mon, 01/16/2012 - 16:43 from UK Theatre Network
- Murder on the Nile at the Theatre Royal Windsor Fri, 01/13/2012 - 16:10 from UK Theatre Network
Lysistrata - For Adults Only
By Douglas McFarlane
Review by Douglas McFarlane
Whew !
Have you seen Lysistrata ? It's a play that I've seen advertised on the Edinburgh Fringe and selected by many an ambitious artistic team to showcase their talents and win new audiences. Originally performed in Athens around 2500 years ago Lysistrata persuades the women of Greece to withhold intimacy from their husbands and lovers to force men to negotiate peace.
Think about that for a minute and imagine how that might be represented on stage. Yes, it's awkward, yes, it's adults only, and yes, it can be embarrassing depending on your company. So choose a close friend who is usually unschockable, and be prepared for a laugh.
As this is a family site, I can't go into much detail, other than to say that it is cringeworthy at times and really funny most of the time. The performers really push it to the limits and their "costumes", if you can call them that, were designed to shock the audience of white haired elderly couples, and groups of students alike. And they all roared with laughter.
It's a polished production with excellent lighting, sound and direction clearly in evidence in this one act play. The flow of the performance was to perfection with just enough one-liners and quick quips to keep it interesting, and each actor commanded your attention from the moment they stepped foot on stage. Despite their unusual costumes and naughty behaviour, they manage not to cross the line of indecency, somehow. Although that imaginary line we have in our heads, probably changes during the performance.
I would recommend going along, if only to watch a talented team of actors committed to their roles while wearing some of the most hilarious outfits. A personal favourite of mine was the parody of Gerard Butler's '300' performance when "Spartan woman" bounds onto the stage.
Actors Of Dionysys perform this classic at the Rose Theatre, Kingston and will be touring. Tickets can be purchased using the link below, or visit the official production site.
Ticket site:
https://uk.patronbase.com/_RoseTheatreKingston/Sections/Choose?prod_id=0010&perf_id=7
Production site:
http://www.actorsofdionysus.com/projects/current/lysistrata/
WIN WIN WIN TICKETS to theatre in Glasgow and London
By Douglas McFarlaneUK Theatre Network is delighted to bring another one of our great competitions for theatre tickets, courtesy of the nice people at Ambassadors Theatre Group.
GLASGOW
22nd November is the night when you and a friend have the chance to win two tickets to see Hormonal Housewives.
To win, send an email to editor@uktheatre.net with 'Hormonal Housewives' in the subject and the answer to this question:
Which famous Scottish TV personality is starring in Hormonal Housewives ?
LONDON
The Rose Theatre in Kingston Upon Thames, have a family ticket (worth £70 - two adults, two children) to attend The Snow Queen for any of the following performances: Fri 2 Dec 7pm, Sat 3 Dec 7pm, Mon 5 Dec 7pm, Tue 6 Dec 7pm, Wed 7 Dec 7pm.
Email editor@uktheatre.net with Snow Queen in the subject, and
give the answer to the following question.
Who is the author of the classic fairy tale "The Snow Queen" ?
Standard competition rules apply. Judges decision is final. Both competitions close on November 5th 2011. Entry to both competitions is free and the first winner to be picked at random from a list of correct emails, will win the prizes on offer.
Click on our site for more details of these shows and others. www.uktheatrenetwork.com
Carol Smillie leads cast in comedy 'Hormonal Housewives'
By Douglas McFarlane
Following last year’s sell-out tour, Carol Smillie once again leads the cast in the hilarious comedy Hormonal Housewives, which embarks upon a limited tour of selected venues in Scotland in November 2011.
“Carol Smillie is a beautiful mover and a good actress...Julie Coombe has moments of comic genius.” The Scotsman
Join Carol Smillie and friends in an evening of excessive laughter as they battle against weight gain, weight loss, mood swings, wine, PMS, men, going to the gym, men, waxing, stretch marks, men, chocolate, upper-lip hair, chocolate, men, chocolate...and all of the other joys of being a 21st Century girl!
Julie Coombe and Shona Price also return to join Carol Smillie on stage. Hormonal Housewives is written by husband and wife team Julie Coombe and John MacIsaac.
“The gales of laughter proved that the audience loved it.” Edinburgh Evening News
You can catch this hilarious show at the following theatres in November:
EDINBURGH, Festival Theatre, Wed 2 - Sat 5 Nov. www.festivaltheatre.org.uk.
DUNDEE, Caird Hall, Tues 8 & Wed 9 Nov. www.dundeebox.co.uk
AYR, Town Hall, Fri 11 & Thurs 12 Nov. www.ticketweb.co.uk
INVERNESS, Eden Court Theatre, Mon 14 & Tues 15 Nov. www.eden-court.co.uk.
ABERDEEN, His Majesty’s Theatre, Wed 16 - Sat 19 Nov. http://www.boxofficeaberdeen.com.
GLASGOW, King’s Theatre, Mon 21 - Sat 26 Nov.
2012 dates
below
MORE ABOUT CAROL SMILLIE
Carol was born on the 23 December 1961 and is the youngest of four. She began her career as a student at the world famous Glasgow School of Art before trying her hand at modelling. She spent the next decade as a highly-successful model and got her first major break into television as the highly-publicised hostess on Wheel of Fortune, an ITV quiz show.
Offers quickly flooded in and she was snapped up by the BBC travelling the world to present The Travel Show for BBC2 and then BBC1's Holiday, Summer Holiday, and Holiday Swaps quickly followed before she was chosen to become the face of The National Lottery for three years.
However, the show she will always be known for is, of course, BBC television's Changing Rooms, the flagship DIY programme which changed the face of British television as we know it today. The programme earned Carol invitations to Buckingham Palace & Downing Street, an Indie award, a National TV Award, a Bafta nomination, not forgetting Ronni Ancona's alter ego 'Smillie Smillie Carol Smillie' and, of course, the big red book on This Is Your Life.
Carol is now one of the UK’s most sought after presenters for television programmes, award ceremonies, corporate events, advertisements and charity work.
She has fronted shows like Dream Holiday Home (C5), A Brush With Fame (ITV1), took part in Strictly Come Dancing (BBC1) winning 5th place and even went full circle by hosting her own quiz show Postcode Challenge (STV). She has also guested on countless shows including Friday Night With Jonathan Ross, Have I Got News For You and Who Wants To Be A Millionaire?
She has published her own book 'Carol Smillie's Working Mum's Handbook' and pre and post natal fitness DVD ‘Changing Shape' as well as a column in Woman's Own and 'Perfect Pets' for The Sunday Times.
She is very much in demand in the corporate market as a host for company conferences and award ceremonies, and was chosen to host the Duke of Edinburgh's 80th birthday celebrations at the Royal Albert Hall.
This is Carol's second foray into the world of comedy, having tread the boards with two sell-out tours of Vagina Monologues, and the Hormonal Housewives tour 18 months ago across Scotland which proved to be even more popular.
She is married to restaurateur Alex Knight and they have three wonderful children Christie, Robbie and Jodie.
Cool Hand Luke - Top price tickets at just £28 until 19th November
By Douglas McFarlane|
In a powerful new adaptation for the stage the
drama unfolds beneath a scorching Florida sun where Boss
Godfrey watches the chain gang and keeps his eye on Cool
Hand Luke. War hero, trouble-maker, inspiration to his
fellow inmates. And just the man Boss wants to
crush… Top price tickets at just £28. Save over 40%. Valid for all performances until 19 November. |
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Oran Mor's Lunchtime Theatre, Glasgow
By Douglas McFarlane
This week's play at Oran Mor's Lunchtime Theatre, Glasgow,
is a co-production with Bewley's Cafe Theatre, Dublin . Further
details can be found at www.playpiepint.com.
Leslie Black Photography www.leslieblackphotography.co.uk
Urgent Casting for 18 year old to star in Hollyoaks
By Douglas McFarlaneThe Casting Director of Hollyoaks has contacted me to help him find a really exciting young actor to play a new regular character in the show, a stunning looking 18 year old bad boy type. Filming will be in Liverpool from 14 September onwards.
If you are suitable, interested and available, then please email me a covering note with your CV and photos.
Castings will take place from 31 August to 5 September in London and Liverpool.
The full character brief is as follows:
18 years old.
The epitome of the good looking bad boy, but a bad boy with charm and a twinkle in his eye. He has an eye for the ladies and can smooth talk his way out of any situation. But he has an anger inside him. After a difficult upbringing, he's fresh out of Young Offenders and wants answers about who he is and where he fits in in life. He can look after himself and has a tendancy to act without thinking. Despite these flashes of aggression, he has a good idea about what's wrong and right and can be a loyal friend and a good laugh. Never overly academic, he has a passion for music and dreams of being a DJ. Any accent is fine for this role. Must be able to play 18 convincingly. This character has some huge, challenging stories already written for him, and the role will be a great opportunity for a young actor to show and explore their range.
Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain at Richmond Theatre
By TREMAYNE Miller
The Ukulele Orchestra of Great Britain
© Writer: Tremayne
Ukuleles are commonly associated with music from Hawaii where the name roughly translates as "jumping flea", perhaps due to the action of one's fingers playing the ukulele resembling a "jumping flea". According to Queen Lili'uokalani, the last Hawaiian monarch, the name means “the gift that came here”, from the Hawaiian words uku (gift or reward) and lele (to come).
On the Orchestra’s personal website I got to read how they came to form. I quote:
‘Some say it was at Bobby's Club in Hastings, some that they were all moonlighting BBC radio announcers. The truth is that when two or three ukulele players are gathered together the gravitational force means that other ukulele players start to come into the orbit. Very soon you are awash with pluckers.’
For this review I intend to concentrate mostly on Act II and summing up the performace as a whole. Act II opens with The Good, The Bad & The Ugly, with the Bass Ukulele player of the group whistling along impressively A great number, which was well thought out and choreographed.
In Cecil Sharp number George Hinchliffe, the leader of the pack, you could say, shines, and is in his element as he sings The Blues, so soulfully, incorporating into it the theme tune to ‘Shaft’. Certainly one to tap your feet along to!
Gnarl’s Barkley’s- Crazy is next as we move into a more pop based ukulele playing. An eclectic mix to reach every audience member, no matter their age. Lilting vocals allow for a slight twang to immerge, complimented exquisitely by each style of ukulele to come in during the chorus.
We are then introduced to the youngest, or should I say, newest member of the group, John Tee, who it turns out joined The Orchestra 26 years ago!
We focus next on one of the two female Ukulele players who is very encouraging to other female Ukulele players, or aspiring ones interspersed in the audience. She then goes on to do her solo, a rendition of Avril Lavigne’s – Teenage Dirtbag. She has a most distinctive voice, a combination of the two female singers from Fleetwood Mac and Jazz Singer, Sam Brown, who has guest starred with Jools Holland and his band.
In the song they coin The Limehouse Blues, the youngest member of the group can be seen sporting what must be the tiniest of Ukuleles. How he manages to play it is a mystery to me! One word comes to mind, and that word is ‘talent’. The song that follows is by Grace Jones.
The play list of songs has a definite running order, even when the band make it appear otherwise but as a more melancholic number reaches its end, a more cheery one kicks in to replace it.
So as to avoid periods of lull, short and sharp comedic skits are inserted between each song, enabling the pace to be kept at an all round high. They appear to be well scripted and thought out, the gap also allows for the musicians to quickly familiarise themselves with the next piece they’re about to play.
As for the encore, the orchestra, who I look on as more of a band as they are so few in number, come back onto the stage uttering the words, ‘we can’t get out that way! This is not in the least in a moaning, cynical way but in a no qualm, not a care in the world kind of way. Then what is referred to as a Yorkshire folk song kicks in, which becomes Wuthering Heights by the multi-talented Kate Bush. And what a great rendition it is! The audience, some I can only assume are their followers, can hardly contain their excitement on realising where the song is going. Even when you are not familiar with the types of songs they play, you feel really excited just at the thought of, ‘how will they put their own spin on this one?’ And if you were not an avid fan, or familiar, with the Ukulele before, you are sure to leave at the end of one of their performances with the biggest urge to not only see another of this Orchestra’s performances but also to learn how to play a Ukulele yourself. At least for me, those were the very thoughts in the forefront of my mind!
Performers:
The performers in The Ukulele
Orchestra of Great Britain are: Dave Suich, Peter Brooke
Turner, Hester Goodman, George Hinchliffe, Richie Williams, Kitty
Lux, Will Grove-White and Jonty
Bankes.
For up and coming Concerts be sure to check out their website at: http://www.ukuleleorchestra.com
Guilty Secret at The Mill at Sonning
By Clare Brotherwood
Jeffrey Holland is best known for his comedy performances: from
TV credits as Spike in Hi-De-Hi; You Rang M’Lord and
Oh, Mr Beeching to, on stage, Dad’s Army, Run for Your Wife, Travels
With My Aunt, ’Allo ‘Allo and Goon Again in which
he recreated the Peter Sellers characters. Not to mention almost
40 seasons as pantomime dame!
So it is a surprise to see him playing a villain in the world premiere of Roger Mortimer-Smith’s thriller Guilty Secret.
I always admire The Mill for inviting the press along on the first night of any production, and for Jeffrey Holland to be taking on an unfamiliar lead in a world premiere deserves praise indeed, especially as he has such a wordy part in a play which piles bluff upon double bluff and ends up not at all like you’d expect.
Wordy is an understatement. During the first act Holland’s role as George, a cold, ruthless kidnapper, is practically a monologue. No surprise then that he fluffed a couple of lines, but then it was the first night, he was playing out of character, and it was quite a feat!
His performance is chilling, and in stark contrast to his sidekick Lennie, played convincingly by Neil Andrew, whose lack of ability to grasp what is going on provides more than a few laughs. Into the mix comes spoilt heiress Charlotte, whom George kidnaps, hoping for £5m from her business tycoon father. And Katie Beard looks and plays the part perfectly.
The start of the second act belongs to Philip Childs in another convincing performance as a detective – and another monologue, but though the plot is complicated, Anthony Valentine, the director and no mean actor himself, makes sure everything moves along at a cracking pace, culminating in a glorious climax.
Not to be forgotten is Dinah England’s splendid set and Matthew Biss’s lighting. The play is set in February in a lonely farmhouse which comes with loads of atmosphere, appropriate car lights and a view through the window which is so realistic that when the door was opened I could swear I felt the cold air rushing in.
Guilty Secret runs at The Mill at Sonning until 16 July. Box office: 0118 969 8000
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