To most people London theatre is safe,expensive shows,generally revivals and if possible featuring someone from Strictly Come Dancing. Dig a little deeper though and you will uncover a thriving fringe scene.
Often you will find a play that doesn't deserve a wider audience but occasionally you will unearth a little gem. The Tristan Bates theatre is hidden away near Seven Dials and is a lovely intimate space,providing a nice relaxing bar, worth visiting even if you don't want to see a show.
Their most recent production was " Missing" by Barney Norris, produced by Up In Arms.
The play revolves around two brothers and their relationship. On the surface it is about normal sibling rivalries, the older more dominant brother Luke and his more introverted sleep-walking brother Andy.
The success of most plays normally revolve around the words the playwright uses, but "Missing" works because of what is left unsaid. Early on the ending is revealed so most of the play involves piecing together the clues from the scenes presented not in any chronological order.
This could be confusing but the crisp direction from Alice Hamilton and the peformances ensure the audience can easily follow the various scene changes. Intimate venues immediately put pressure on actors who are so close to the audience there is no hiding place, especially in a two-hander. I cannot praise Rob Heaps & Joe Robertson highly enough.The play has run for nearly a month which certainly helps to build a rapport and you truly believed they were brothers.
The former probably had he trickier role of Luke as he was constantly reacting to the antics of his younger sibling as well as providing occasional monologues to the audience.
However, I was mesmorised by Joe Robertson as the less socially adept Andy. From his opening sleep-sobbing scene I was convinced this was a teenager suffering the angst and insecurities that period can bring. His angry yet resigned half-dazed stare was extremely unnerving, revealing a youth who understood that his future ( or lack of it) was all mapped out for him.
This sounds like a heavy piece but it isn't. Barney Norris perfectly adds humour when necesary, a running theme of mixed tapes received roars of laughter of recognition from the enthusiastic and most importantly does not over-write the play. At just over an hour this was the perfect length, allowing the drama to unfold without an interval breaking the flow.
Sadly the play has ended its run but all involved are worth following in the future. Also, this would be a real asset to the Edinburgh festival if it could be produced there. A highly impressive evening.
Sunday, 26 February 2012
Thursday, 16 February 2012
Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead - 14th February 2012
For the first play in this year's "On The Edge" season Michael Kelligan chose Tom Stoppard's" Rosencrantz and Guildenstern are Dead". This play opened at the Edinburgh Fringe festival in 1966 and is sporadically produced nowadays.
Tom Stoppard was the king of the British theatre scene for the following twenty years. an impressive feat for someone born in Czechoslavakia. While Alan Ayckbourn dominated the "cosier" world of suburban life Stoppard was more intellectual. He is capable of the killer one-liner but you have to earn the laughs by following the often compex plots and thought-processes within.
This play follows the characters who appear intermittently throughout "Hamlet", so an understanding of that play is extremely handy. We were very fortunate that having seen Michael Sheen's stunning performance in the title role last month, the plot was fresh in our minds.
Other members of the audience were less lucky. A lot of people I knew struggled to follow what was happening, especially the opening over-wordy sequence which sent the gentleman to my right into a noisy sleep. He failed to return for the second half and there were other noticeable gaps after the interval.
"On The Edge" was founded in 2004 to produce drama for audiences with few theatrical frills, concentrating mainly on the text with the actors using the script when necessary. It is a credit to the performers and the playwright that almost immediately you forget it is not a fully staged production.
The acting is of a high order, especially from Jon Holcroft and Aled Herbert in the title roles. From an audience persepective, this was a long evening. Modern plays are generally ("Jerusalem" excluded) getting shorter and shorter. I feel this production could have benefitted from an earlier start and cutting of some of the wordier less plot driven scenes. A 10.30pm end on a Tuesday was too late.
Overall, though it was still good to see this over-looked play being given an airing in Cardiff. And for £4 "On The Edge" again provides astonishing value for money.
Next up is "The Custom House" by local playwright Kit Lambert. Sounds interesting.
Tom Stoppard was the king of the British theatre scene for the following twenty years. an impressive feat for someone born in Czechoslavakia. While Alan Ayckbourn dominated the "cosier" world of suburban life Stoppard was more intellectual. He is capable of the killer one-liner but you have to earn the laughs by following the often compex plots and thought-processes within.
This play follows the characters who appear intermittently throughout "Hamlet", so an understanding of that play is extremely handy. We were very fortunate that having seen Michael Sheen's stunning performance in the title role last month, the plot was fresh in our minds.
Other members of the audience were less lucky. A lot of people I knew struggled to follow what was happening, especially the opening over-wordy sequence which sent the gentleman to my right into a noisy sleep. He failed to return for the second half and there were other noticeable gaps after the interval.
"On The Edge" was founded in 2004 to produce drama for audiences with few theatrical frills, concentrating mainly on the text with the actors using the script when necessary. It is a credit to the performers and the playwright that almost immediately you forget it is not a fully staged production.
The acting is of a high order, especially from Jon Holcroft and Aled Herbert in the title roles. From an audience persepective, this was a long evening. Modern plays are generally ("Jerusalem" excluded) getting shorter and shorter. I feel this production could have benefitted from an earlier start and cutting of some of the wordier less plot driven scenes. A 10.30pm end on a Tuesday was too late.
Overall, though it was still good to see this over-looked play being given an airing in Cardiff. And for £4 "On The Edge" again provides astonishing value for money.
Next up is "The Custom House" by local playwright Kit Lambert. Sounds interesting.
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