UK Theatre Network

Rattle of a Simple Man

Reviewed at Darlington Civic Theatre

Ian Dickens Productions kicks off their 10^th Anniversary Summer Repertory Season with a charming production of Rattle of a Simple Man, starring Hannah Waterman and Huw Higginson.

Cyrenne is a worldly-wise London prostitute who picks up Percy, a gullible football fan from Manchester. His mates, knowing his lack of experience with women, bet him fifty pounds to spend the night with her and ‘go all the way.’ He accepts.

In 1962, when Rattle of a Simple Man was first produced and social taboos were much stronger, the piece must have seemed rather daring. In today’s world, where we are accustomed to seeing all manner of intimacy on stage and screen, does it still manage to strike a chord with the audience?

Well, the answer is a resounding ‘Yes.’

This is largely due to the performances of Hannah Waterman and Huw Higginson. Miss Waterman creates a multi-faceted character that is tough but tender, strong yet fragile. The cynicism and sarcasm of the self-assured, professional ‘hostess’ is merely the mask that hides the damaged little girl behind. Her performance has real pathos and is nothing less than magnificent. Huw Higginson is in no way overshadowed by Waterman and he, too, creates a character that is rounded and easy to engage with. He gives the bumbling Scoutmaster a  genuine warmth and his lack of guile is totally believable.

The chemistry between them is tangible as they play a game of sexual cat and mouse and the characters are so beautifully acted that the audience are soon willing them to get it together – not so that Percy wins his bet, but because it is obvious that he and Cyrenne are made for each other.

The conversation between the couple, as they awkwardly attempt to establish whether the bed will be used, reveals much about each character. As a result, it seems that Cyrenne and Percy have much more in common than they first thought.

The loneliness that each character experiences is most eloquently summed-up by Cyrenne when she is exposed as a fantasist and she admits: ‘They’re old friends, the people I invent, I laugh and I cry with them.’

This production of Rattle of a Simple Man is poignant and compelling, with production values that are second to none and performances that are first class. In short, it encompasses everything that good theatre should be.

Steve Burbridge.

‘Rattle of a Simple Man’ runs at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday 13^th June 2009.

‘The Contingency Plan’ is a new double bill by Steve Waters. Focusing on the relevant and alarming issue of climate change, they present an epic portrait of a near future England under the siege of devastating floods.

Each play can stand alone, but complement and dramatically enhance each other as a pair. In ‘On the Beach’, Waters wraps a scientific theme in a domestic cloak. The dislocated relationship between father Robin and son Will is exposed through the scientific discoveries Will makes about the impact of melting glaciers in the Antarctic, discoveries, his father himself made 37 years previously.

The language may be dense and technical at times, but the dramatic action carries the audience through, aided by a speedy pace delivered by Michael Longhurst’s direction. Geoffrey Streatfield plays the geeky yet ardent young Will with passion and Stephanie Street injects a sassiness to his civil servant girlfriend Sarinka.

It is the human moments that excel and grip us in the first play; such as the humour of the awkwardness of Sarinka’s first introduction to Will’s parents, as she clutches ungainly at a stung foot; or moments of the tenderness of Jenny, Will’s mother, who tries to assert her own feminine worth in a very scientific and male dominated world, whilst remaining ever supportive of and devoted to her husband.

The second play, ‘Resilience’ climbed much higher in gripping its audience over the subject of climate change. Set in a cabinet room in Whitehall around an austere mahogany table, following the aftermath of a serious flood in Bristol, the stakes already begin high.

Here Waters flips his focus away from the natural surroundings of the sea and her dangerous ambiguity, and onto the probably more dangerous element lurking in humanity. As the title suggests, this play is about the nature of human resilience, set against a political backdrop where personal superiority struggles for supremacy over public survival.

Susan Brown and Robin Soans both fully exploit the opportunity to play completely contrasting characters to the first play. Brown turns from a doting and caring wife to a hardened astute cabinet minister, and Soans’ quirky, bumbling scientist is transformed into his snide enemy, Colin.

The introduction of Christopher, Cabinet Minister for Climate Change, brings with it all the inappropriate humour one likes to expect (after such successes as ‘The Thick of It’) from a Tory minister, brilliantly played by David Bark-Jones, whose comic timing gives the play some much needed comic relief from the alarming implications it projects.

‘Resiliance’ succeeds in bringing relevant, controversial ideas into life in a way that is terrifyingly gripping for the audience to watch.  Tamara Harvey’s superb direction gets the audience totally involved, especially when with the characters we are shrouded in darkness. Excellent writing coupled with first-rate acting and we are simply swallowed up in the action, rather like the ominous fate of British land against the formidable seas.

In ‘The Contingency Plan’ Steve Waters powerfully brings to life important global issues in such a way you’ll find them hard to ignore.

The Contingency Plan at The Bush Theatre
Box Office: 020 8743 5050
Online: www.bushtheatre.co.uk

Press Night Thursday 7 May - On The Beach 4pm; Resilience 7.30pm
Signed performances 9 May 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Audio Described performances Saturday 16 May 2.30pm & 7.30pm
Captioned performances Saturday 23 May 2.30pm & 7.30pm

Jolson & Co: The Musical

Reviewed at Theatre Royal, Newcastle

The life of legendary performer Al Jolson is being played out on the stage in the sensational bio-musical, Jolson & Co.

 Known as ‘the world’s greatest entertainer’, Jolson was arguably the most successful star of the first half of the twentieth century. By 1920, he was America’s most famous and highest paid entertainer and he took the leading role in the first ‘talking picture’, The Jazz Singer in 1927. His life, however, was born of humble origins.

Asa Yoelson was born in Lithuania in 1886, the fourth child of Moses Reuben Yoelson and his wife Naomi. When he was eight the family emigrated to America, and by the time he was eleven he had been bitten by the showbiz bug and was singing, with his brother Hirsch, for coins on street corners.

Allan Stewart gives a breath-taking performance as Jolson in this stylish and sophisticated production. His voice is exquisite, full and powerful as he belts out Jolson’s biggest show-stoppers.

The show cleverly takes the format of an interview between Jolson and radio presenter Barry Gray at Broadway’s Winter Garden Theater in 1949. Significant events in his life are reconstructed in the form of flashbacks, revealing to the audience that it was not entirely made up of only glamour and glitz.

Indeed, Jolson’s personal life provides plenty of dramatic content and Stewart’s skilful performance reveals a man who needed constant reassurance from his adoring public, a man capable of loving an audience of thousands and yet unable to give himself to only one woman. Indeed, Al Jolson, it seems, was seduced by his own fame, wealth and success and spiralled into an egotistical, domineering control freak.

Only three performers appear on stage throughout this high-calibre show – Stewart, as Jolson, and his co-stars Donna Steele and Christopher Howell, who both play in excess of eight roles each.

Miss Steele is a talented actress, singer and dancer who is compelling to watch. She plays Jolson’s mother, three of his wives and Hollywood actress Mae West, too. Every character is successfully honed and so carefully drawn that you really are not conscious of the fact that they are all being portrayed by just one actress. Likewise, Christopher Howell plays a multitude of male characters, also with great aplomb.

Credit should also be paid to Chris Hayward who, as Head of Wardrobe and Costume Supervisor, adds an authoritative air of authenticity with a fabulous array of costumes and shoes.

Designer Morgan Large has provided a simple but highly effective stage that, rather than detracting from the drama, subtly enhances it

The inclusion of musical numbers including ‘Babyface’, ‘My Mammy’, ‘Swanee’ and ‘California, Here I Come’ gives the audience plenty of opportunity for tapping their feet and singing along, and concludes the show on a happy, nostalgic note. Miss it at your peril!

Steve Burbridge.

Jolson & Co: The Musical is at Theatre Royal, Newcastle, until Saturday 18^th April 2009.

Ken Stott, Arthur Miller, Dorian Gray, Chitty Citty Bang Bang, Quadrophenia and that's just for starters...

This spring looks set to be an amazing time for all Scottish theatre goers as the King’s and Theatre Royal will be playing host to some phenomenal productions!

At the King’s there’s still time to book for the devilishly brilliant musical

The Witches of Eastwick (28 Apr – 9 May) starring Glasgow’s own Marti Pellow. Other season highlights include Quadrophenia (2- 6 Jun), a brand new production based on the iconic movie with music by Pete Townsend; Roald Dahl’s The BFG (1 – 5 Sep) a whizzcracking show which will excite Dahl lovers young and old; The Silver Darlings, directed by Kenny Ireland, (8-12 Sep), an epic adventure based on one of the most cherished Scottish novels of the 20^th Century; Chicago (5 – 10 Oct) will razzle and dazzle its way on stage with Gary Wilmott and Eastender’s Emma Barton (Honey Mitchell) and of course the ultimate classic adventure story Chitty Chitty Bang Bang (20 Oct – 14 Nov); this fantasmogorical award-winning musical is in Glasgow for 4 weeks only and stars Barbara Rafferty as Baroness Bomburst. Finally it’s never too early to book for the King’s panto and this year we present Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs (4 Dec – 17 Jan), with a brand new script and never before seen sets and costumes.

At the

Theatre Royal we are delighted to announce we are one of only three British tour dates for Arthur Miller’s A View from the Bridge (2-6 June). This electrifying production boasts an outstanding cast featuring Scotland’s own Ken Stott and Hollywood star Mary Elizabeth Mastrantonio. A View from the Bridge is currently storming the West End and we are thrilled to be the theatre bringing this production to Scotland. Our series of drama continues with an exciting co-production by two of Scotland’s acclaimed companies, the Dundee Rep Ensemble and the National Theatre of Scotland with Peer Gynt (23 – 27 June). A raucous and radical interpretation of Ibsen’s classic Peer Gynt takes its audience on a truly wild and theatrical journey.

Other not to be missed shows include the stunning

Imperial Ice Stars with Cinderella on Ice (9 – 13 Jun); the much-loved family musical Annie (4 – 8 Aug); West End sensation Tim Flavin in Singin in the Rain (1 – 5 Sep); Matthew Bourne’s Edinburgh International Festival sell-out hit Dorian Gray (29 Sep – 3 Oct) and later in the year don’t miss one of the most popular Scottish plays of all time, The Steamie (2 – 7 Nov).

To

DOWNLOAD copies of both the King’s Theatre and Theatre Royal brochures please log on to

Hit West End comedy lands in Glasgow for a flying visit as part of it’s UK Tour.

When flight changes on a visit to London meant that I missed this play on it’s West End run (little realising the irony), I was more than delighted to see it touring to Glasgow this year, and went along with high expectations. These expectations were dampened slightly by the rather bare and dirty front cloth, which had me hoping that more care had been taken with rest of the production out on tour. However, once the curtain went up and the performance began, we saw we were in for a treat.

Martin Marquez, as Bernard gave a very enigmatic and charming performance, and looked far more handsome than his “sleazy barman” image from Hotel Babylon. His brother John (here playing his cousin!) however stole the show. His slow progression from the stuttering provincial cousin, to unintentional ladies man was a delight to watch. The naturalness of his nervous tics were in stark contrast to the physical humour played out during the second act of this farce, and as with all comedy, playing it for real makes it seem all the funnier.

Onto the ladies, and the three mistresses gave great performances too. Not only do these three ladies look stunning, but they have the intelligence to handle good comic timing, most notably in the rather wordier first act. Sarah Jayne Dunn made the transfer from Hollyoaks to Hollywood, as the glamorous and fiesty American Gloria. Thaila Zucchi, of TV’s Balls Of Steel, showed exactly that as the forthright Italian Gabriella. The gutsy German, Gretchen, was excellently characterised by Jospehine Butler, and although neither of the european accents were entirely convincing, the performances definitely were. However, top of the tree for performance was Susie Blake. Her deadpan delivery as downtrodden domestic servant Bertha was poetry in motion. The timing of movement and putdowns showed another layer to this versatile actress.

The set design was simple and clean, which is ideal for a door slamming farce such as this, with the odd splash of colour to break up the white, and help focus the action. The randomness of the Curtain Call Choreography was entertaining and intriguing and for some strange reason, fitted into the whole evening of enjoyable theatre that was Boeing Boeing.

All The Fun Of The Fair

UK National Tour

Reviewed at Sunderland Empire Theatre

All The Fun Of The Fair, as the title suggests, is set against the backdrop of a travelling funfair that is struggling to survive in the late seventies. Starring David Essex as funfair owner Levi Lee and featuring almost all of his hits, it was always going to be something rather special.

Without giving too much of the plot away, the story opens with Rosa, the funfair’s resident gypsy clairvoyant reflecting upon a series of dramatic events that form the framework of the story.

Louise English, as Rosa, is no stranger to show-stopping musicals and has graced the stages of the West End often, receiving rave reviews for her many accomplished and polished performances. In All The Fun Of The Fair, she delivers the performance of a lifetime; phenomenal isn’t adequate enough a word to describe it. Her solo performance of ‘A Winter’s Tale’ is richly seductive, with diction that is as clear as a bell and the entire audience seem to fall under the spell of this mysterious gypsy fortune-teller. Miss English bestows Rosa with a hidden vulnerability beneath the feisty exterior that pays testament to her extraordinary talent as an actress and gives the character added depth of emotion.

David Essex inhabits the role of Levi Lee effortlessly and dominates every scene with a stage presence that is tangible. His performance as the fairground owner has an edge that exudes sexiness and danger and the women in the auditorium lapped it up.

Paul-Ryan Carberry, making his professional debut as Jack, grabs the role with both hands and gives a fine performance.

The fairground set is amazing and has an air of authenticity that is increased further by carousel horses, dodgem cars and motor bikes – you can almost smell the hot dogs and taste the candy floss!

There is always the danger that musicals based around the hits of an artist or group simply crowbar a story around the music and lack any real plot – not in this case. All The Fun Of The Fair seamlessly combines a thrillingly original storyline with some fantastic pop classics.

Steve Burbridge.

For more information and tour dates/venues visit www.allthefunofthefairmusical.com

Look Back In Anger

Northern Stage, Newcastle upon Tyne

More than half a century after making its debut on the West End stage, Look Back In Anger is being revived by Northern Stage but the play, which was extremely influential in the 50s, now seems stale and irrelevant.

Hailed as one of the first of the ‘kitchen sink dramas’ and, arguably, introducing theatre-goers to the concept of ‘the angry young man’, it was undoubtedly a trailblazer.

Today, though, audiences are more discerning. With the advent of television drama, soap opera’s in particular, we have been offered a multitude of gritty, hard-hitting plays and serials. This has enabled us to decide for ourselves which, we feel, reflects reality most successfully.

John Osborne’s play, although hugely influential in its own time, nowadays appears dated and plodding. The central character, Jimmy Porter, has no qualities which might encourage an audience to engage with him. He is bullying, belittling and boorish. That alone is bad enough, but director Erica Whyman has completely miscast the role with Coronation Street actor Bill Ward.

To begin with, Ward is the wrong age – Jimmy Porter is supposed to be a man in his twenties yet Ward is in his early forties. This does significantly diminish the possibility of audiences suspending disbelief and it also affects the success of the character, too. Ward does little to help himself, either. For some reason, his diction is strange and sometimes unintelligible.

Rob Storr, as lodger Cliff, was equally unsuccessful and delivered a performance that contained as much charisma as a slice of Ryvita crispbread. His lines were delivered in a dull, lifeless and monotone manner that made the dialogue seem even less pacey.

Nia Gwynne, as Alison, did manage to convey some emotional depth in her portrayal of Porter’s put-upon wife. It was only Laura Howard who added any real interest to the piece and she did her level best to breathe life into a dying beast of a play.

I, personally, would question the decision to revive such a depressing production in the midst of an economic recession and, perhaps, the fact that the theatre was fairly empty may be an endorsement of this. Not the most enjoyable three-and-a-quarter hours of my life, by any stretch of the imagination.

Steve Burbridge.

Look Back In Anger runs until Saturday 21^st March 2009

You Couldn’t Make It Up

Live Theatre, Newcastle upon Tyne

Tuesday 24 February – Sunday 1 March 2009

Tues – Sat at 7.30pm, Sun at 4.00pm

If there’s one thing that is guaranteed to get Tynesiders talking, then surely, it is ‘the beautiful game.’ Whether you’re a supporter of The Black Cats or The Magpies, here in the North East, we take our football very seriously.

Live Theatre, renowned for being an innovative and experimental venue that doesn’t shy away from presenting productions which may be considered too risky by other theatres, presents You Couldn’t Make It Up, a fascinating and satirical look at the recent media circus surrounding the trials and tribulations of ‘The Toon Army.’

The play which is written by a father and son collaboration, Michael and Tom Chaplin, draws upon verbatim testimony from local and national journalists, football pundits, ex-players, ex-managers and fans, as well as speculative imagination, via re-enacted scenes, to provide a commentary on the saga that has encompassed St James’ Park in recent times.

The cast of four, comprising Mark Benton, Bill Fellows, Laura Norton and Davie Nellist are consistently excellent throughout and, despite the fact that this is a script-in-hand production, they each inject passion and conviction into their performances.

Initially, we are introduced to them as a group of season ticket-holders. However, during the course of the play, they each play a variety of roles to provide a fascinating, informative and entertaining look at the current, seemingly, hopeless situation.

Mark Benton, known to many for his roles in Northern Lights, Early Doors and the Nationwide advertisements, hits the back of the net (pardon the pun!) with his portrayal of Mike Ashley. He utilises that dry sense of humour and deadpan delivery to maximum effect and, in doing so, just about steals the show.

The production is staged on a starkly effective set, consisting only of four black and white chairs and two overhead television screens, which depict significant images and statistics to illustrate the dialogue.

Max Roberts’ direction is subtle and understated, allowing the script and performances to shine at their brightest.

Whether you’re a season ticket-holder, an armchair pundit or an intrigued football novice, such as myself, You Couldn’t Make It Up will ensure that you become caught up in the controversy besieging the Tyneside institution that is Newcastle United Football Club.

Steve Burbridge.

“So did y’ hear the story of the Johnstone twins?”

Well, if you haven’t you must! The phenomenon that is Blood Brothers has been captivating audiences for 25 years now and, although this musical is celebrating its silver anniversary, it can only be described as pure gold. Willy Russell’s moving tale of two twin boys who are separated at birth and grow up on opposite sides of the social-class spectrum, only to meet up again with devastating consequences, has established itself as a contemporary classic around the globe. From the West End of London to South East Asia the multi-award winning musical plays to sell-out theatres every night.

Having seen the show several times before, the characters and plot are familiar to me but, despite that, Blood Brothers grips me each and every time with its poignancy, humour, tenderness and tragedy.

The role of Mrs Johnstone is surely one of the most coveted in musical theatre and the struggling single mother “with seven hungry mouths to feed and one more nearly due” has been played by such well-known actresses as Barbara Dickson, Petula Clark, Kiki Dee, Stephanie Lawrence, Helen Reddy, Carole King, Lyn Paul and Marti Webb. However, it is the Nolan sisters who seem to have a well-earned monopoly on the part. Having seen her siblings, Linda and Bernie perform as Mrs Johnstone, Maureen Nolan had a lot to live up to as she donned the cross-over pinny and care-worn expression. And boy, did she do herself proud!

Nolan presents the audience with the quintessential ‘Mrs J’ – maternal, understanding, compassionate, earthy, warm and darn sexy, too. In addition to a phenomenal acting performance, she delivers her musical numbers with meaning and conviction and her voice is clear, rich and full of emotion.

Sean Jones, as Mickey, and Simon Willmont as Eddie are outstanding. It can’t be easy to convincingly play a seven year old child but both of them achieve it admirably, capturing every childhood nuance accurately. The transition to teenager, then man, is equally convincing. Both actors display great skill with the many poignant scenes that they share and the contrast between ‘posh’ Edward and ‘scruffy’ Mickey manifests itself perfectly in their performances. Jones makes the most of Mickey’s comedic qualities without ever over-playing them and Willmont gives Eddie an endearing vulnerability.

Anna Sambrooks plays Linda, the girl both boys fall in love with. She, too, gives a fine performance throughout, especially in the scene where she tries to persuade Mickey to stop taking the anti-depressants that have transformed him into an empty shell of a man. But her finest moment comes at the finale when she is gut-wrenchingly emotional.

Robbie Scotcher plays the significant role of the Narrator, a spectral figure who personifies the moral consciences of Mrs Johnstone and Mrs Lyons, and his performance is as strong and sinister as it should be. His ominous presence hovers around like a dark storm cloud on a sunny day and his strong and powerful voice is hauntingly beautiful.

The strong supporting cast includes Tracy Spencer and Babette Bell who play Mrs Lyons and Donna-Marie respectively. Daniel Taylor is bad-boy Sammy and Tim Churchill is Mr Lyons.

Blood Brothers is a production that goes from strength to strength, its appeal growing over the years rather than diminishing. It is so powerful a play that it can be watched time and time again without losing any of its emotional impact or social relevance.

Wherever it is performed, Blood Brothers receives a standing ovation from an approving audience and last night was no exception. This production is heart-warming, tear-jerking, uplifting, devastating and, above all else, brilliant!

Steve Burbridge.

 
Performances

Monday 19^th January 2009 – Saturday 31^st January 2009

Evenings at 7.30pm

Matinees at 2.00pm (Thurs)

                        2.30pm (Sat)

Running Time

2 hours, 50 minutes (including interval)

Tickets

£13.00 - £36.00

Telephone:   08448 11 21 21

www.theatreroyal.co.uk