After the exhilaration of " The Dark Philosophers" and refreshed by some lovely haggis in the restaurant we were soon raring to return to Traverse One for " Ten Plagues".
You knew from the title that Mark Ravenhill's songspiel depicting one man's attempt to survive the plague in 1665 would not be a barrel of laughs. The choice of Marc Almond to bring these difficult songs to life was inspired as no-one can suffer musically like the former Soft-Cell lead singer.
Any fears I had that this idea couldn't sustain an hour's theatre were allayed as singer and writer beautifully conveyed the different emotions someone living through these extraordinary times would have experienced.
The occasional use of back projection helped to provide a kind of narrative but this is not just a historical drama. There is the underlying presence of the Aids epidemic made even more resonant by Marc Almond's own situation. We all knew he can sing but his voice now seems richer and fuller than ever. He has developed into an old-fashioned torch singer who is now one of the great interpreters of song.
Then just when you think your emotions have been wrung out there is an excellent and unexpected ending which will remain with you long after the show.
Another triumph for the Traverse.
Tuesday, 23 August 2011
Sunday, 21 August 2011
Bones - Thursday 18th August
At the Edinburgh festival you can easily forget there is a world outside of the Scottish capital. As we are all aware England in July was not a green and pleasant land, although this event has mainly been ignored by the comedians here.
The fires may be out, order has been re-established with the malcontents behind bars or back in their lives. But we are now in the period of recrimination and trying to understand what went wrong and how to avoid such scenes do not recur in this generation.
A lot of people who come up here want to forget what happened but for those who don't want to avoid difficult subjects " Bones" is a must. Based in Nottingham in 1998, Jane Upton's play revolves around Mark a 19 year old lost soul living in some god-forsaken flat with his mother. No money, no job, no future.
Just in case you didn't know what kind of play you are about to witness the opening line " I never knew how hard it was to kill a baby" sets the scene and certainly kept the audience on their toes.
This forty-five minute monologue isn't an easy watch. It is a fairly relentless state of the nation piece about how life and the system can trap an ordinary nice lad. Impressively the play doesn't moralise, preach, take sides or attempt to offer a solution. But it does attempt to un-demonise the so-called under-class and try to show readers of right-wing newspapers that not all young people are born purely to loot, rape, procreate and kill.
The play, however, only comes alive through the stunning performance of Joe Doherty. He is totally natural and believable and avoids the trap of stereo-typing Mark, allowing you to fully engage with the piece and the playwright. It was also endearing that after another rapturous response from the audience he looked sheepish and embarrassed about the deserved reaction.
Harrowing but recommended.
The fires may be out, order has been re-established with the malcontents behind bars or back in their lives. But we are now in the period of recrimination and trying to understand what went wrong and how to avoid such scenes do not recur in this generation.
A lot of people who come up here want to forget what happened but for those who don't want to avoid difficult subjects " Bones" is a must. Based in Nottingham in 1998, Jane Upton's play revolves around Mark a 19 year old lost soul living in some god-forsaken flat with his mother. No money, no job, no future.
Just in case you didn't know what kind of play you are about to witness the opening line " I never knew how hard it was to kill a baby" sets the scene and certainly kept the audience on their toes.
This forty-five minute monologue isn't an easy watch. It is a fairly relentless state of the nation piece about how life and the system can trap an ordinary nice lad. Impressively the play doesn't moralise, preach, take sides or attempt to offer a solution. But it does attempt to un-demonise the so-called under-class and try to show readers of right-wing newspapers that not all young people are born purely to loot, rape, procreate and kill.
The play, however, only comes alive through the stunning performance of Joe Doherty. He is totally natural and believable and avoids the trap of stereo-typing Mark, allowing you to fully engage with the piece and the playwright. It was also endearing that after another rapturous response from the audience he looked sheepish and embarrassed about the deserved reaction.
Harrowing but recommended.
Late Night Gimp Fight - 18th August 2011
There is an awful lot of comedy ( and a lot of awful comedy) at the Edinburgh fringe festival and generally its style dominates the time of day it appears. Free, gentle and sketch shows normally appear from lunch-time to early evening when the stage (literally) is left to stand-up and more aggressive and risque acts. This usually means that fans of sketch comedy are struggling to see anything after 8.00 pm.
This gap in the market was exploited last year by the arrival of " Late Night Gimp Fight". The title explains why they do not appear at the Pleasance Courtyard before 10.30 pm.
The opening theme song in obligatory Gimp masks sets the scene and we are off into a sequence
of short sketches. Gradually though the early euphoria of the audience dwindles away to polite applause as we see a succession of dismal sketches. One about gladiators is poor but better than one regarding a confused terminal diagnosis that I last laughed at in the 1980's and I won't mention the sequence about milking animals.
Even the clever use of clips showing famous videos with " Late Night Gimp Fight" imposed over classic lyrics began to wear thin. But just when I was mentally preparing to adapt Mitchell & Webb's classic sketch about writing sketches into " Hit, Miss, Miss, Miss, Miss etc" they re-found their form.
An impressive fight scene & enactment of Saving Private Ryan's famous " Sssh" death scene stopped this slide and started the trend of good returning sketches. The video pen pictures of the performers improved the links and suddenly they produced increasingly rare comedy moments, hysterical songs, including a musically brilliant rap and a stunning version of " Riot Cell Tango" from Chicago about how they lost their virginity.
`
The best sketches were cleverer with more impressive word-play than I expected, proving you shouldn't tell a sketch group by its title. The highs they hit made the inclusion of some obviously weak material mystifying and rather annoying. This is a potential 5 star show which disappointingly shot itself in the foot.
This gap in the market was exploited last year by the arrival of " Late Night Gimp Fight". The title explains why they do not appear at the Pleasance Courtyard before 10.30 pm.
The opening theme song in obligatory Gimp masks sets the scene and we are off into a sequence
of short sketches. Gradually though the early euphoria of the audience dwindles away to polite applause as we see a succession of dismal sketches. One about gladiators is poor but better than one regarding a confused terminal diagnosis that I last laughed at in the 1980's and I won't mention the sequence about milking animals.
Even the clever use of clips showing famous videos with " Late Night Gimp Fight" imposed over classic lyrics began to wear thin. But just when I was mentally preparing to adapt Mitchell & Webb's classic sketch about writing sketches into " Hit, Miss, Miss, Miss, Miss etc" they re-found their form.
An impressive fight scene & enactment of Saving Private Ryan's famous " Sssh" death scene stopped this slide and started the trend of good returning sketches. The video pen pictures of the performers improved the links and suddenly they produced increasingly rare comedy moments, hysterical songs, including a musically brilliant rap and a stunning version of " Riot Cell Tango" from Chicago about how they lost their virginity.
`
The best sketches were cleverer with more impressive word-play than I expected, proving you shouldn't tell a sketch group by its title. The highs they hit made the inclusion of some obviously weak material mystifying and rather annoying. This is a potential 5 star show which disappointingly shot itself in the foot.
Colin Hoult - 18th August 2011
Colin Hoult first came to Edinburgh prominence in 2009 with his acclaimed " Carnival of Monsters". Last year he consolidated his position as the quirk-meister of character comedy with "Enemy Of The World" and an impressive tour-de-force song and dance performance in " Gutted".
This year he returns to the Pleasance Courtyard with " Inferno". Even as you take your seat ( front-rowers be prepared to be involved) you are greeted by some Brazilian chill-out mood music. Then you are aware of Mr Hoult wearing a natty blue cap, dancing and extolling the virtues of producer of this pleasant noise " Sant Germain" ( ?) while involving plenty of the audience.
Soon, this amusing interlude takes a darker form when this character reveals that his obsession with this perfomer led his wife to leave him and the general disintegration of his life.
This is the theme of the show, seemingly ordinary people turned into grotesques, including a Welsh poet angry that his bear poem has not received widespread acclaim, a Thor-like figure revealed as living in Leeds and an elderly woman in a home constantly asking for Billy. Much to the audience's amusement ( if not exactly mine) I had to come onstage and make this lady a cup of tea with butter and hundreds and thousands.
Determined to get as many people involved as possible the show climaxes with the first couple of rows creating a circle round the whole audience in a dramatic plea to the gods.
As you may have gathered this is a strange show. Not as funny as I expected but gradually I realised that isn't the intention. Pathos is the name of today's game. You may not particularly want to live next to these people but you care about their wellbeing.
Overall an impressive and unexpected hour.
This year he returns to the Pleasance Courtyard with " Inferno". Even as you take your seat ( front-rowers be prepared to be involved) you are greeted by some Brazilian chill-out mood music. Then you are aware of Mr Hoult wearing a natty blue cap, dancing and extolling the virtues of producer of this pleasant noise " Sant Germain" ( ?) while involving plenty of the audience.
Soon, this amusing interlude takes a darker form when this character reveals that his obsession with this perfomer led his wife to leave him and the general disintegration of his life.
This is the theme of the show, seemingly ordinary people turned into grotesques, including a Welsh poet angry that his bear poem has not received widespread acclaim, a Thor-like figure revealed as living in Leeds and an elderly woman in a home constantly asking for Billy. Much to the audience's amusement ( if not exactly mine) I had to come onstage and make this lady a cup of tea with butter and hundreds and thousands.
Determined to get as many people involved as possible the show climaxes with the first couple of rows creating a circle round the whole audience in a dramatic plea to the gods.
As you may have gathered this is a strange show. Not as funny as I expected but gradually I realised that isn't the intention. Pathos is the name of today's game. You may not particularly want to live next to these people but you care about their wellbeing.
Overall an impressive and unexpected hour.
Jessica Fostekew - August 17th 2011
The Edinburgh Fringe festival is a magificent, huge, sprawling beast. But with over 2,400 shows ( mostly comedy nowadays) how do you choose? Reviews, you-tube clips, awards, venues, cost etc? Well, this reviewer decided to go down the lesser used route of accompanying a friend to see the daughter of someone she works with. It may not work for everyone but it worked for me.
Venues this year finally seem to have discovered that not suffocating your audience in sweltering conditions helps to keep the laughs coming. But the unexpected appearance of a fan on my seat was a welcome bonus.
Jessica Fostekew then bounded on stage to explain why she had named her show "Luxury Tramp". We are in familiar self-annecdotal territory though she quickly pointed out this was not a show about lady parts and food, nicely referencing but not naming this year's Queen of Edinburgh.
Instead we heard how her attempts to try & please all the people all the time led her into therapy " not just for mental people". We got to meet more of her family, literally as her Nana was in the audience, ensuring any potentially raunchy material was whispered or mouthed. We learned about her street-savvy young nephew who would only get involved in the show for £2000 and her mother who on discovering an unexpected teen-age smoochy party had occurred in her house threw out the testosterone fuelled youths while offering them lifts home.
This amusing show also contained my favourite line of the week ( impressive as I watched 41 shows) regarding a kebab. To hear it complete you need to rush to buy a ticket.
It was good to see Jesscia Fostekew effortlessly fill an hour's material alone after seeing her with Dan Thompson in " Pecker and Foosh save the world " as part of the Free Fringe in 2009.
Good fun and this hot reviewer got a free fan!
Venues this year finally seem to have discovered that not suffocating your audience in sweltering conditions helps to keep the laughs coming. But the unexpected appearance of a fan on my seat was a welcome bonus.
Jessica Fostekew then bounded on stage to explain why she had named her show "Luxury Tramp". We are in familiar self-annecdotal territory though she quickly pointed out this was not a show about lady parts and food, nicely referencing but not naming this year's Queen of Edinburgh.
Instead we heard how her attempts to try & please all the people all the time led her into therapy " not just for mental people". We got to meet more of her family, literally as her Nana was in the audience, ensuring any potentially raunchy material was whispered or mouthed. We learned about her street-savvy young nephew who would only get involved in the show for £2000 and her mother who on discovering an unexpected teen-age smoochy party had occurred in her house threw out the testosterone fuelled youths while offering them lifts home.
This amusing show also contained my favourite line of the week ( impressive as I watched 41 shows) regarding a kebab. To hear it complete you need to rush to buy a ticket.
It was good to see Jesscia Fostekew effortlessly fill an hour's material alone after seeing her with Dan Thompson in " Pecker and Foosh save the world " as part of the Free Fringe in 2009.
Good fun and this hot reviewer got a free fan!
Sunday, 7 August 2011
4 Dogs & A Bone
"Nobody knows anything" William Goldman once famously wrote about Hollywood. Not only is this double Oscar-winning screenwriter name-checked throughout John Patrick Shanley's play but it remains the premise for this seventy-five minute play.
The piece opens in the office of producer Bradley discussing the progress of his latest film with
wannabe starlet Brenda. Naturally the film is in trouble, he wants cuts to save money and she is cunningly trying to get herself a bigger part. Cut to a seedy bar where we meet the previously unseen but mentioned writer and lead actress. More drama unfurls as he gets drunk to recover from the sudden death of his mother and being yet another insecure actress she wants him to re-write the script to increase her part further.
Basically this is familiar Hollywod territory. No-one can be trusted, everyone is obsessed by money, being over-shadowed by fellow actors, having their script decimated whilst lying, cheating and doing whatever is necessary to get themselves on top.
We are not a million miles away from David Mamet's " Speed The Plow" here and again we have the problem that when surrounded by all these grotesques it is hard to care about any of them and their predicament. The only saving grace was the writer but by the end his innocence and naivety has (for no real reason that I could follow) joined the others in their relentless quest for power and control.
Despite these reservations there is still much to enjoy here. The dialogue is crisp and increasingly funy. The battle of the two desperate women is hysteriacally bitter, especially when Collette deliberately misinterprets Brenda's chanting mantra and when the producer suffers worsening pain from the boil on his bum.
But the main reason for coming is the quality of the acting. Despite a hesitant start Daniel O'Meara played Bradley convincingly as a particularly manic Al Pacino ( which as any film goer knows is very manic indeed).
Amy Tez and Laura Pradelski both beautifully capture the differing insecurities that their particular actresses possess. But amongst these horrible characters the role of the writer Victor is vital. Joe Jameson is completely convincing as the innocent lamb trying to avoid being eaten by the pack of scavenging wolves surrounding him. He is the sole character you identify with although he is ultimately and ironically let down by the playwright.
The biggest credit I can give them all is that their accents were so convincing I was surprised to discover in the programme that none of them were actually American! I must also congratulate the Phoenix Artists club on creating such an accessible space. I used to frequent "Fino's" and " Shuttleworths" in the late 1980's & was pleased to have a reason to return after all these years. It is good to have "fringe" venues right in London's glittering West End.
This may not be a great American comedy but it is still worth watching in great surroundings.
The piece opens in the office of producer Bradley discussing the progress of his latest film with
wannabe starlet Brenda. Naturally the film is in trouble, he wants cuts to save money and she is cunningly trying to get herself a bigger part. Cut to a seedy bar where we meet the previously unseen but mentioned writer and lead actress. More drama unfurls as he gets drunk to recover from the sudden death of his mother and being yet another insecure actress she wants him to re-write the script to increase her part further.
Basically this is familiar Hollywod territory. No-one can be trusted, everyone is obsessed by money, being over-shadowed by fellow actors, having their script decimated whilst lying, cheating and doing whatever is necessary to get themselves on top.
We are not a million miles away from David Mamet's " Speed The Plow" here and again we have the problem that when surrounded by all these grotesques it is hard to care about any of them and their predicament. The only saving grace was the writer but by the end his innocence and naivety has (for no real reason that I could follow) joined the others in their relentless quest for power and control.
Despite these reservations there is still much to enjoy here. The dialogue is crisp and increasingly funy. The battle of the two desperate women is hysteriacally bitter, especially when Collette deliberately misinterprets Brenda's chanting mantra and when the producer suffers worsening pain from the boil on his bum.
But the main reason for coming is the quality of the acting. Despite a hesitant start Daniel O'Meara played Bradley convincingly as a particularly manic Al Pacino ( which as any film goer knows is very manic indeed).
Amy Tez and Laura Pradelski both beautifully capture the differing insecurities that their particular actresses possess. But amongst these horrible characters the role of the writer Victor is vital. Joe Jameson is completely convincing as the innocent lamb trying to avoid being eaten by the pack of scavenging wolves surrounding him. He is the sole character you identify with although he is ultimately and ironically let down by the playwright.
The biggest credit I can give them all is that their accents were so convincing I was surprised to discover in the programme that none of them were actually American! I must also congratulate the Phoenix Artists club on creating such an accessible space. I used to frequent "Fino's" and " Shuttleworths" in the late 1980's & was pleased to have a reason to return after all these years. It is good to have "fringe" venues right in London's glittering West End.
This may not be a great American comedy but it is still worth watching in great surroundings.
The Hired Man - 5th August 2011
I must start by saying " The Hired Man" is one of my favourite musicals. I can remember shivering in the long closed Astoria Theatre watching Howard Goodall play piano on the day it closed in 1985. A few years later I was at the Palace Theatre when the cast re-united for a charity performance.
I was therefore pleased to see it was to be revived at the Landor Theatre, Clapham. However, this excitement was tempered with apprehension that a poor production would destroy fond memories or perhaps I'd discover it didn't fulfil the expectations of a 21st century audience.
Fortunately, from the opening bars from the four piece orchestra and the evocative first scene unleashing wonderful voices I could relax, we were in safe hands.
The show tells the story of John and Emily Tallentire with all of life's ups and downs. But 'The Hired Man' is much more than that. It opens up the virtually unknown world of farm labourers at the turn of the century touting themselves for hire.
The premise may be historical but the problems are timeless. A man immerses himself in his work so his wife is tempted by the affections of another. A job market where the number of applicants far outweigh the vacancies allowing the bosses to exploit their workers, though unions promise much but deliver little. Families are destroyed as men are sent away to fight a war no-one understands. Sounds familiar? 'The Hired Man' shows that little changes.
When it opened in 1984 it survived only a few months despite good reviews, though a show about mines and unions was unlikely to prosper during the miners' strike. Nearly thirty years later on its opening Friday night the Landor Theatre was sparsely attended which is a shame as this show is as good as the previous productions I have seen. In many ways it is better, as this intimate space allows you to join the characters on their physical and emotional journeys.
The whole cast is outstanding but the three leads are exceptional. Joe Maxwell and Catherine Mort make their characters utterly believable and as well as possessing glorious voices you fully understand the reasons for their actions. Similarly, the charismatic Ian Daniels makes you care about Jackson Pennington who could easily become the villain of the piece.
Director Andrew Keates helps by adding little touches to keep the action real. Casting men who look as if they have worked on farms & in a pub wrestling scene the women instinctively grab the glasses to avoid breakages etc.
Melvyn Bragg's book was based on his grand-father experiences but everything is brought to life by Howard Goodall's music and lyrics. Written at the age of 26 his understanding of universal truths and human emotions is extraordinary.
My only regret is that this masterpiece is never likely to receive the commercial success it deserves. There is as much drama and a score to match 'Les Miserables' which has run ever since 1985. Oh well, you have until the end of the month to head to the Landor Theatre to prove you are a true theatrical officienado as well as having a great night.
Prove there is more to London than over-priced, over-amplified, soul-less jukebox-musicals. Go!
I was therefore pleased to see it was to be revived at the Landor Theatre, Clapham. However, this excitement was tempered with apprehension that a poor production would destroy fond memories or perhaps I'd discover it didn't fulfil the expectations of a 21st century audience.
Fortunately, from the opening bars from the four piece orchestra and the evocative first scene unleashing wonderful voices I could relax, we were in safe hands.
The show tells the story of John and Emily Tallentire with all of life's ups and downs. But 'The Hired Man' is much more than that. It opens up the virtually unknown world of farm labourers at the turn of the century touting themselves for hire.
The premise may be historical but the problems are timeless. A man immerses himself in his work so his wife is tempted by the affections of another. A job market where the number of applicants far outweigh the vacancies allowing the bosses to exploit their workers, though unions promise much but deliver little. Families are destroyed as men are sent away to fight a war no-one understands. Sounds familiar? 'The Hired Man' shows that little changes.
When it opened in 1984 it survived only a few months despite good reviews, though a show about mines and unions was unlikely to prosper during the miners' strike. Nearly thirty years later on its opening Friday night the Landor Theatre was sparsely attended which is a shame as this show is as good as the previous productions I have seen. In many ways it is better, as this intimate space allows you to join the characters on their physical and emotional journeys.
The whole cast is outstanding but the three leads are exceptional. Joe Maxwell and Catherine Mort make their characters utterly believable and as well as possessing glorious voices you fully understand the reasons for their actions. Similarly, the charismatic Ian Daniels makes you care about Jackson Pennington who could easily become the villain of the piece.
Director Andrew Keates helps by adding little touches to keep the action real. Casting men who look as if they have worked on farms & in a pub wrestling scene the women instinctively grab the glasses to avoid breakages etc.
Melvyn Bragg's book was based on his grand-father experiences but everything is brought to life by Howard Goodall's music and lyrics. Written at the age of 26 his understanding of universal truths and human emotions is extraordinary.
My only regret is that this masterpiece is never likely to receive the commercial success it deserves. There is as much drama and a score to match 'Les Miserables' which has run ever since 1985. Oh well, you have until the end of the month to head to the Landor Theatre to prove you are a true theatrical officienado as well as having a great night.
Prove there is more to London than over-priced, over-amplified, soul-less jukebox-musicals. Go!
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