Darker Impulses
Lord of the Flies
by William Golding, adapted by Nigel Williams
Leeds Playhouse and Belgrade Coventry at The Rose Theatre, Kingston until 22nd April, then on tour until 6th May
Review by Brent Muirhouse
Even though this reviewer sat in the relative cushioned safety of the stalls of Kingston’s Rose Theatre, and Lord of the Flies is a very well-known work of fiction, such was the brutality in this modern portrayal of William Golding‘s classic novel on stage, that nobody in the audience could have truly felt at ease. With an inclusive cast that was far more interesting for their diverse ethnicities, gender identities and backgrounds (something director Amy Leach rightfully talks about the importance of in the programme), the play reimagined the original story of a group of privileged British schoolboys stranded on a deserted island following a war-time evacuation, exploring themes of power, violence, and the dark impulses that seemingly lie within the human psyche.
Read more…Small Pleasures
Venus and Adonis
by John Blow, libretto by Anne Kingsmill
Ode on St Cecilia’s Day
by Henry Purcell, text by Nicholas Brady derived from poems by John Dryden and others
Richmond Opera at the Normansfield Theatre, Teddington until 16th April
Review by Patrick Shorrock
The Normansfield Theatre, with its gold leaf and beautiful floral paintings at the side of the stage, is an astonishing Victorian jewel to find in suburban West London. Inside, it’s a cross between Wigmore Hall and the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse (although the seats are much more comfortable than the latter!) It was the house of Dr John Langdon Down (after whom Down’s syndrome is named) who made it a place is where people with learning disabilities could be cared for and educated, which it still is.
It was an ideal setting for these two small English pieces from late 17th century, both overshadowed by the mighty Handel who followed them and produced works of greater substance. That said, they are not without their charms.
Read more…Dark, Disturbing and Powerful
Machinal
by Sophie Treadwell
Youth Action Theatre at Hampton Hill Theatre until 15th April
Review by Heather Moulson
When it opened in New York in 1928, Machinal featured a young actor making his Broadway debut, Clark Gable. The play was a runaway success. An early example of Expressionist theatre in the US, the play is loosely based on the trial of Ruth Snyder, who was convicted of murdering her husband. It created a lot of attention in an era when a woman’s role was confined to being a wife, mother, and homemaker.
With a bold painted set, designed by Tom Wright and Priya Virdee, of cogs and doors that symbolised turmoil, the production opened up to a New York office where the staff, like a Greek chorus, talked in a refrain as they bullied the secretary for being late.
Read more…Never Mind The Quality …
Quality Street
by J.M. Barrie
Northern Broadsides and New Vic Theatre at Richmond Theatre until 15th April then on tour until 7th July
Review by Patrick Shorrock
Old-fashioned, cheaply packaged, gaudily wrapped, and entirely lacking in nutritional value, Quality Street toffees were named after a well and truly forgotten play of J.M. Barrie, which Northern Broadsides have imaginatively disinterred and taken on tour.
Barrie’s play was hugely popular in its day and used by a Halifax toffee manufacturer as a marketing ploy. Now the well-known toffees – which retain a place in the nation’s affections, and, for reasons not entirely clear to me, are seen as a great treat at Christmas – are used to sell a play that nobody has heard of.
Read more…Old Father Farting
Terrible Thames
by Terry Deary and Neal Foster
Birmingham Stage Company at Tower Bridge Quay until 29th October
Review by Vince Francis
“Sir, when a man is tired of London, he is tired of life; for there is in London all that life can afford.” Thus quoth Dr. Samuel Johnson in 1777 and it has remained true ever since.
One of the opportunities London currently affords the Birmingham Stage Company’s production of Terrible Thames, part of the Horrible Histories series. As a life-long London lover, your intrepid correspondent will always leap to the challenge of a new experience in the great city, and theatre on a riverboat, courtesy of Wood’s Silver Fleet, felt like one to land.
Read more…Pan Cakes
Peter Pan
by Chris Cuming, adapted from J.M.Barrie
Reading Rep at Reading Rep Theatre until 29th April
Review by Nick Swyft
Curtain up and the music starts, and I thought this is going to be great. The music mixed sinister with magical to just the right degree. Added to which just about anything by J.M.Barrie is sure to be good, and I remember being enthralled by the world he creates in Peter Pan from a young age.
I was there with a selection of grandchildren, and was keen to find out if they reacted the way I did. The problem with children is that when questioned by adults, they tend to clam up, but you can always tell at the end if they really enjoyed it or not. All I got when I asked what they thought of it was a dutiful ‘good!’, so maybe I didn’t ask the right questions. It was nevertheless a good night out for them.
Read more…Multiverse of Possibilities
Constellations : A Preview
OHADS at Hampton Hill Theatre, 18th – 22nd April
Drama critic Thomas Forsythe discusses OHADS’ forthcoming production of Nick Payne’s acclaimed play Constellations with Director Wesley Henderson Roe
Wesley is a well-respected director with a string of hit shows to his name for many local societies. In addition, as a trained set designer he is much in demand for his scenery planning and building skills. He was awarded the Arts Richmond Accolade in 2013 for services to amateur theatre.
TF: Hello Wesley,it’s great to meet up with you again and to have the chance to chat about Constellations. I recall that the play had several nominations at the Olivier Awards about ten years ago, after it had had a fairly rapid rise from the Royal Court into the West End. What drew you to directing this play?
Read more…Back to the Good Life
Home, I’m Darling
by Laura Wade
Bill Kenwright Productions at Richmond Theatre until 8th April, then on tour until 13th May
Review by Andrew Lawston
The opening moments of Home, I’m Darling feature the classic 1950s song Mr Sandman. For a large part of the audience, the song recalls a key moment in the film Back to the Future, in which Marty McFly and cinema audiences are treated to an initially rose-tinted and glossy advertising vision of the 1950s, before the era’s uglier elements are reinforced. It’s a fitting opening to this play, in which a married couple have decided to embrace the stereotypical gender roles of the 1950s.
Read more…New Expression
For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When the Hue Gets Too Heavy
by Ryan Calais Cameron
The Royal Court, Nouveau Riche and New Diorama at the Apollo Theatre, West End until 7th May
Review by Denis Valentine
For Black Boys… is a multi-layered show with many different elements to it. Firstly as just a show and spectacle it is great fun to watch, with many funny moments and delivered in a way that at times turns the audience from observers into a one-bodied movement with its actors on stage. It is also delivered by six outstanding performers who excel in several different crafts, whether that be acting, singing or dancing, to deliver something that can at times be considered highly humorous but then cuttingly dramatic, relevant and poignant.
Read more…Bohemians Like You
La Bohème
by Giacomo Puccini, libretto by Luigi Illica and Giuseppe Giacosa
Ellen Kent Productions and the Ukrainian Opera & Ballet Theatre Kyiv at Richmond Theatre, then on tour until 7th May
Review by Andrew Lawston
Puccini’s beloved opera La Bohème comes to Richmond Theatre for one night only, produced and directed by Ellen Kent, and the house is packed. A production of an Italian opera, set in Paris, and comprising mostly Ukranian, Moldovan, and Romanian artistes, the show feels extremely timely. And it becomes even more so when you consider that a large section of the plot is driven by people who can’t afford to heat their rooms.
Staged simply but effectively against a painted backdrop of the Paris skyline, this is clearly a production which has been designed for touring, but the set across all four acts is richly detailed and vibrant. Familiar arias are sung with ferocious energy, as though being performed for the very first time.
Read more…
