“Fiddler On The Roof” – 6^th February 2014

One of the biggest shows on television of the 1970s was Starsky and Hutch. In music teenage girls had the choice between Donny Osmond and David Cassidy and in this police drama they could either favour the blond ( later chart-topping), blue-eyed David Soul  or the darker, more serious Paul Michael Glaser. My wife’s teenage self was fervently in the latter group. Along with the late Pete Duell he saw her through the stressful teenage years.

Fast forward 30 plus years and her face on Christmas Day when she realised her former heartthrob was not only touring in one of her favourite musicals but was coming to Cardiff, was a picture. 

Even that didn’t match the delight when he actually appeared, receiving an old-fashioned round of applause from an audience that made this 50 something feel young. “Fiddler On The Roof” is one of the great musicals. Over 50 years ago this year Zero Mostel created the role of Tevya, a poor Jewish milkman in Russia at the turn of the 20^th century.

For me there are few better musical openings than “Tradition”. In this one number Jerry Bock and Sheldon Harnick explain Jewish life, past and present, although in Tevye’s eyes both should be the same.  Life, however is constantly changing and his first challenge comes from his oldest daughter, Tzeitel who wants to marry Motel the tailor for love rather than Laser Wolf for money and prestige. Whilst he comes to accept this arrangement he struggles to cope with his other daughters marrying a revolutionary student and then a Cossack.

This is a serious, heavy subject but the writing looks for the humour and the humanity in these situations. Here, Paul Michael Glaser comes into his own.  Amazingly, he played Perchick in the 1971 film, though he now looks like the perfect Tevya. He has always had a talent for light comedy and this quickly comes to the fore as he brings Tevye to life battling to come to grips as life changes around her. Unusually for musicals these are real people in real-life situations, so director Craig Revel Horwood needs actors who can sing. Also, in these days of budgeting restraints it is not possible to have a band so he prefers performers who can actually play instruments as well, a choice he made when we saw his “Chess”  a few years ago.

This made for a even more exciting evening with one of the highlights being Jon Trenchard’s version of “Miracle of Miracles” where he played his instrument in what shouls have been his singing breath break.

The ending is one of the most heart-breaking in musical theatre but in keeping with the Jewish philosophy they ultimately refused to be defeated and soon determined to try and remain upbeat.

Having seen and enjoyed “ Topel’s” Tevye revival in the West End in the early 1980’s I believe I loved this show more, or that may just have been watching my wife’s face as her younger self’s pin-up proved to be a great musical star.

This show is a triumph. If you have a chance to watch it on its national tour go. You won’t be disappointed.

THE WORLD'S END

THE WORLD’S END

Since living in Cardiff I have managed to see one play in Welsh, but only on a surtitled night. So, it was a first for me to watch a Welsh play in an evening there was no translation.

I can’t say I had high hopes for the show and only agreed to accompany Anne to the Sherman theatre to see “The World’s End” = “Fe Ddaw’r Byd I Ben” as it was more convenient than on a translated night?

Two American evangelists are convinces of the imminent end of the world leading Sarah to return to Wales to spend the remaining days with her family. At the same time her father kills himself (offstage) and we gradually discover that all the characters had troubles in some way.

Obviously not understanding the language was a problem. , but not such a disadvantage as I had been expecting. I knew that certain English words had no Welsh equivalent , “having a wank”, “pleasuring myself” etc and the scenes with the Americans were an unexpected bonus. However, it was generally quite easy to follow and the staging ( on two levels) was very impressive indeed.

It had been billed as a work in progress but it looked like the finished product to me. The acting was of a very high standard ensuring that the characters didn’t lapse into melodrama or caricature. For me, the star was Siw Hughes as the mother who had the audience roaring with unexpected rude speech and a hilarious drug taking scene. I lost a lot of the humorous lines but it was great watching the rest of the audience laughing hysterically.

For a new play it was quite long (over two hours) and definitely needs some trimming. They seemed to have a perfect ending with most of the cast standing on the kitchen table showing off their lovely Welsh voices in unexpected “Climb Every Mointain” and more traditional Welsh tunes but there were a few more plot explaining scenes to follow. That would be my only suggestion to change the final scenes and leave the audience with the visual memory of that table top moment.

Despite not understanding over half the dialogue I still enjoyed this play a lot more than many plays I had seen in English.

An unexpected delight.

THE PLAY THAT GOES WRONG

I first became aware of Mischief Theatre in 2013 when 1 saw & loved “The Play That Goes Wrong”last August. We laughed so loud and so long it was an obvious winner of DARKCHAT’s Best Shows award.

We therefore duly headed to Pleasance in Islington in December to see their follow-up “Peter Pan That Goes Wrong”. This, again, was enjoyable but I felt it occasionally struggled to sustain the full ninety minutes.

Although I was delighted to see that it had deservedly been granted a national tour I was apprehensive that it would be not be as tight as the hour long show. I therefore  didn’t book any tickets but was delighted when some friends had 2 spare tickets in the front row.

This is one of those shows that starts before the curtain rises with members of the backstage crew wandering amongst the audience and one unsuspecting member being ushered on stage to assist in various tasks.

The first half is basically the Edinburgh show. Co writer Henry Shields sets the scene of the potential shambles to follow with a highly enjoyable monologue as Cornley Polytechnic embarks upon ;”The Murder at Haversham Manor”.

We are now in true Amateur Dramatics territory. A clanky company puts on a clanky murder mystery and as you can guess from the title anything that can go wrong doe go wrong. I do think it helps if you have an understanding of what goes on behind the scenes in these companies. Having been involved in them myself I am fully aware of the potential pitfalls of dodgy props, dodgy actors, missed sound cues, missed lines etc.

This all sounds like genuine farce territory but in the capable hands of Mischief Theatre it became an art form. Belly laugh follows belly laugh and there is something comforting about knowing what is about to happen and hearing roars of approval from the audience behind.

By the time we reached the interval my chest was aching from having laughed so much and I wonder where we would go from here. I needn’t have worried as the insertion of a missing dog and a set on two levels ensured there would be no let up in the humour.

There is no point trying to list all the great jokes and set-pieces but my favourite is a ninety minute set-up for a 3 second music joke. I loved this show the first time I saw it but amazingly I enjoyed it more the second time and this time I have to say it is arguably the funniest show I have ever seen. There can be no higher praise than this.

If you missed it in Cardiff but have the chance to catch it omn tour don’t miss it. You will regret it forever.

The Silent Toy Soldier - The Weston Studio - Millenium Centre - December 2015

THE SILENT TOY SOLDIER

HIJINX THEATRE , WESTON STUDIO – MILLENIUM CENTRE , December-10-15

The run up to Christmas is predictably hectic with parties, present buying, food shopping etc. However, this reviewer always eagerly anticipates the email inviting him to the latest production from Hijinx theatre. I know that however stressed and tired I am entering the auditorium I know that I when I leave I will have been thoroughly entertained and I will walk out with a bounce in my step. It would be easy at this time of year to produce a simple crowd-pleasing show but that is not the Hijinx way. Their new director, Jon Darfydd-Kidd has taken ETA Hoffman’s tale “ The Nutcracker & The Mouse King” and given it that Hijinx twist. The plot revolves around a young baker turned into a wooden Nutcracker following a curse from the Queen of Mice. Not only does the Mouse King then declare war on the Nutcracker but the naughty mice start to kidnap the happy souls of Jamburg. Although he is not a soldier these folk expect the Nutcracker to protect them and when he refuses he is banished to with a variety of lively characters. But, he develops cunning plan. The joy of “The Silent Toy Soldier” however, is not the plot but the performance and the staging. The atmosphere of the piece is beautifully enhanced by talent musicians from South Wales University, Caerleon who also provide unexpected cameos. The plot may be a little complicated but two helpful narrators steer us through proceedings. One of the many joys of a Hijinx/ Odyssey show is that you can clearly see the enjoyment of the performers ( I must single out Blue Balmforth for his infectious enthusiasm throughout). Huge praise must also go to the design team who produced a large array of eye-catching costumes, not only adding colour and life to the stage but also clearly defining each character. In contrast to Mack & Mabel in the Main House “ The Silent Toy Soldier” does have a happy ending. As usual I left invigorated and now fully in the Christmas mood. I believe this is the 4th Hijinx show I have seen and even though my expectations are now quite high, this show excelled them. So, a big round of applause from me to everyone involved and I wish you all a happy festive period.

Reviewed by: David Cox

Shadow Boxing - 27th July 2013

One of the most innovative ideas in recent years has been the rise of site specific theatre. Take an audience out of cosy seats immediately creates an element of unease, anticipation and the feeling that you are part of an event.

Broken Souls opening production is an adventurous revival of James Gaddas piece "Shadow Boxing" which has appeared previously at the Edinburgh festival. The audience are coached from Chapter Arts Centre to Llanrumney Boxing club with a video of the classic fight between  Micky Ward and Alturo Gatti playing which certainly got us in the pugilistic mood.

Having been warned not to step inside the ring or stand behind a punch bag we were free to wander around the gym whilst Alex Harries burst in and tells his story. He is Flynn a talented boxer whose rise to the top is floored ( apologies for the pun) by a personal secret ( which came as a real surprise to me).

A good night at the theatre probably needs two of the three following, good acting, good writing and good production values. When you have all 3 you can feel very fortunate indeed which is what everyone who embarked on the journey felt. James Gaddas's script is tight and involving ( which you would expect from an actor) and impressively poetic.

This, however, is a play which solely revolves around the actor. This is no holds barred, in your face acting (literally). The actor has to be physically fit as we watch sweat pour off him as he unveils his punishing training regime. He must also be totally focussed as he weaves around the audience and trust me there are few more terrifying moments than when he talks directly in your face and makes unremitting eye contact with you. Fortunately, Alex Harries possesses all these attributes (including astonishing breath control) and made the complex Flynn come alive.

This is the joy of site specific theatre. When it works ( and it doesn't always) it gives you a personal connection with the actor and character you cannot re-create in the theatre.For a first production this was enthralling, innovative and a (literally) breathtaking show. Congratulations to all concerned.

Nat Luurtsema - 10th July 2013

More familiar from being part of sketch comedy troupe “Jigsaw” Nat is also pursuing a solo stand-up career.

As you would expect in July she is touring her Edinburgh show in preview form and duly arrived with notes, voice recorder and a bottle of water. It wasn’t a large audience on this hot Cardiff Wednesday but she quickly won us over with stories explaining why she is single and how she is coping in her 30’s.

This is personal insight territory especially when she explains in some detail her relationship with a comedian she names. Obviously, this is work in progress and doesn’t flow naturally yet but she has a good rapport with the audience especially when deciding whether our laughter was strong enough for her to drink her water.
A lot of modern comedy is anecdotal and can be quite bland. Tonight, however, I felt I was in the presence of an unusual personality who wasn’t worried about portraying herself in a less than favourable light. Funny and undoubtedly will improve by next month.

Head to Laughing Horse at the Counting House in Edinburgh and you won’t be disappointed. (And amazingly it’s free).

Matthew's Passion - 25th July 2013

Plays about sufferers of Asperger's Syndrome seem to come along like buses. Nothing for ages, then two arrive together. The big current London theatical success is the National Theatre's production of " The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time", while the Welsh offering is "Matthew's Passion" which recently ran at the Sherman Theatre.

Matthew is a sufferer struggling to focus in the real world, instead showing more interest in birds, especially the migration habits of swallows. He lives in a stifling environment, his father being an-old fashioned vicar and his mother struggling to cope with her role as a vicar's wife. Desperate to encourage Matthew to connect with people they engage Martin a travelling musician. In true play fashion this decision has wider implications than they could have expected.

This isn't a play that believes in subtlety. Within five minutes of the start I guessed everything that would unfold and frankly found the first half dull and obvious. Increasingly I feel short plays should run without an interval but here I felt the break worked. It allowed the cast to inject some much-needed pace life into proceedings.

It helped that they finally gave the great comic actress Ri Richards a chance to show her talent creating some much-needed laugh out loud  moments. Immediately, though we are brought down to earth with a rivetting dramatic scene between Matthew's parents with Bethan Morgan hitting every emotional nerve possible.

Overall, I felt the playwright was wrong to centre the attention on a struggling marriage rather than concentrate on the more interesting subject of Asperger's syndrome and led to an evening where the acting was of a higher quality than the writing. I may be being unfairly critical however, having just watched and loved "The Curious Incident Of The Dog In The Night-Time".