The Scottish Falsetto Sock Theatre - 13th July 2013

Every year I make one mistake in booking over 100 tickets for the Edinburgh festival and in 2012 I booked two tickets to see The Scottish Falsetto Sock theatre forgetting I was now double-booked. Today,however, on a sticky, hot Cardiff Saturday I was happy to embrace the air conditioning of Chapter Arts Centre and finally catch up with the Sox.

The premise is simple,the show is two high pitched talking socks from a country whose capital is Edinburgh. Who knew?

July is a month where most performers hone their material in readiness for the Edinburgh festival in August. Some acts need it more than others and tonight's show fell into that category. This year's show is Sox In Space although a lot of time is spent exploring other genres, horror in particular. When we did head towards the astral plain the references were fairly generic.

But, what ultimatlely does an audience want? An hour of average comedy or a couple of moments of sheer brilliance. There is a lot ( perhaps too much) music but their parodies of David Bowie's "Starman" and Michael Jackson's " Earth Song" ( apparently his biggest hit, which I thought was Billie Jean) caused hysteria with DARKCHAT David and Anne. ( The latter hasn't stopped singing the former's song about a group of birds ever since).

The first 2013 DARKCHAT after the show caused a heated debate. One member called it " dull and boring" whilst two revelled in the 2 highspots. There is obviously plenty of work to be done but if they can tighten some of the more self-indulgent moments this can be another triumph for The Scottish Falsetto Sock Company.

Joe Lycett - July 13th 2013

Originally this Edinburgh preview should have featured Nick Helm. Sickness meant he was unable to attend and he was duly replaced by Joe Lycett. I suggest they couldn't have found a more opposite comedian if they had tried.

While Mr Helm is noisy, hairy, sweaty and in your face Mr Lycett is calm, collected and friendliness personified. Most Edinburgh shows have to have a pun title but for once "  If Joe Lycett Then You Should've Put a Ring On It" actually fits the bill.

This is a series of stories about how his life has changed by wearing a "Walrus ring" after being advised to harness his inner animal. Armed with this alter ego he has turned into a serial complainer (when justified) by email. Some of these tales are hysterical especially when large organisations get the joke and join in the fun. ( Who knew employees of the Sun had a sense of humour).

We are bordering on Tom Wrigglesworth campaigning territory here but Joe Lycett's indidivuality shines through and we can see why he has been nominated for Fosters Edinburgh Comedy Award Best Newcomer.

This is still work in progress in readiness for next month's festival but on this evidence he is definitely worth finding a place in your schedule for. You may even decide to create your own complaining alias.

Lloyd Langford - 3rd July 2013

If August is the month when comedy fans head to the Edinburgh festival ( other forms of entertainment are available), July is when comedians stage gigs to try out new material. The Cardiff comedy festival takes full advantage and previews can be seen throughout this month.

Starting the ball rolling was Lloyd Langford with "Galoot", defined as someone who is strange or foolish which perfectly describes his strange appearance ( check out his web-link below). Immediately the audience starts laughing and doesn't stop throughout the set. We discover why he hates Jessie J ( I'm sure you will too by the end), hear about other idiotic events and and why he has decided to take more chances with his life.
This is gentle humour although occcasionally he does unsettle you with an unexepectedly caustic remark.

After building up the show well he slightly falters at the end with a sexual anecdote I don't think fits into this
particular show. As he himself stressed this is work in progress so there is plenty if time to tighten this material before Edinburgh. Even so, this is still a highly enjoyable hour in its present form and can only get better.

So, if you get a chance to see Lloyd Langford on tour go.
If you get a chance to see Lloyd Langford in Edinburgh go.
If you get a chance to see any other preview shows (generally a lot cheaper than the finished product) go.
You won't be sorry.

The Bloody Ballad 19th September 2012

Every now and again I see a show I know little about. Tonight I was expecting some 1950's rock and roll style music and tales of gruesome events. That was virtually all I needed to know as I walked into the venue and was immediately transported into a mid-West diner with a band perfectly re-creating the 1950's sound.

We soon meet Mary, our host for the evening to explain the events leading to her blood-spattered state joint we were now locked in. This show is not for the faint-hearted as we hear about her molestation as a child, see her beaten up, not to mention a variety of bloody murders.

This sounds heavy and depressing but thanks to the writing and performances it is hugely entertaining and enjoyable. A question and answer session after the event emphazised how much impact Lucy Rivers had in the show which explained her extraordinary ease in dealing with this tricky material.

It was her performance as Mary which drives the evening. She rapports effortlessly with the audience drawing us into the events which otherwise would have left us cold and detached. She is strongly supported by all the cast, especially Oliver Wood who moves seamlessly from the infatuated lover to the cruel tormentor.

After the show Phil Mckenzie made the point that this show would be a big hit at the Edinburgh festival. As experienced reviewers ( for DARKCHAT) we agree completely. An extremely and unexpectedly enjoyable evening.

If you like good music, drama and something different head to The Bloody Ballads.

In The House - 20th April 2013

I picked this film because it happened to be on at the right place, at the right time. I came out exclaiming “Do the French ever make bad films?” I don’t see a lot of French films but I am never disappointed.

“In The House” revolves around a literature teacher who sets his class the innocent task of writing about their week-end. Unwittingly, this encourages Claude to tell his story about how he has finally managed to gain entry at the house of a schoolmate. These two pages of prose encourage a respectable couple to encourage this pupil to turn life into a novel. It is so fresh and inventive that it could be Woody Allen at his peak, a fact referenced when they are shown queuing to see “Match Point”.

Like the writing and directing the performances are impeccable. You know that Miss Scott-Thomas will produce another impeccable bored, middle-class woman but she is up-staged by Ernst Umhauer making his film debut as the troublesome youth. The revelation, however, is Fabrice Luchini who with one raise of his eyebrow in the opening sequence explains this is a teacher (during a headmaster pep talk) who has heard it all before and is clearly disenchanted in his job.

You could therefore clearly understand why he was intrigued by the raw talent of a pupil and was prepared to take unethical risks at help Claude became the writer he was failed to be.

Possibly you can accuse French cinema of being obsessed with middle-class life but when films are as classy as this, who cares. An unsung masterpiece.

Peter And Alice 20th April 2013

For ten years Michael Grandage oversaw excellent productions as Artistic Director at the Donmar Warehouse. He is now involved in 5 shows at the Noel Coward theatre, featuring the cream of British theatrical talent. Having seen the two previous West End productions of “Privates On Parade” I was more keen to see the only new play of the season “Peter And Alice” by John Logan.

Following on from the success of “Red” based upon Mark Rothko he has now turned his attention on the meeting of Alice Liddell Hargreaves and Peter Llewellyn Davies. These are the two real people that two of children’s literature favourite characters are based upon, “Alice in Wonderland” and “Peter Pan”.

This extraordinary premise is turned into a scintillating drama where the protagonists reveal the pleasures and pain of unexpectedly and unwillingly being chosen for immortality. The casting of Judi Dench and Ben Wishaw is truly inspiring. They both effortlessly recapture their youthful selves which led to their appearances in print as well as showing how each dealt differently with their unsought notoriety. The scene where Alice reaches her hand to claim the lost Peter is truly heart-breaking.

This is theatre at its best. Sensibly running at ninety minutes without a break it ensures the momentum built up is not deflated by the imposition of an interval. Oddly enough both performances and writer were involved in the most recent James Bond film “Skyfall”, but here we are in completely different territory.

The writers involved Lewis Carroll and James Barrie are both well played by Nicholas Farrell and Derek Riddell with Ruby Bentall and Olly Alexander impressively creating the bewildered “Alice In Wonderland” and “ Peter Pan”. But the evening belongs to the lead actors.Remaining on stage throughout Miss Dench belies her age with as good a performance I can recall seeing from her (and I have seen countless over the years). In contrast Ben Wishaw re-states his claim to be amongst the best actors of his generation with a welcome return to the stage.

There is a reason why House Full signs are showing outside the Noel Coward theatre. Grab a ticket while you still can.

Frankenstein - 3rd November 2012

If you ask about theatre in Stratford Upon Avon most people will mention the Royal Shakespeare Company. Right, but also wrong. If you want a large scale production of a Shakespeare play you should head to the recently refurbished Shakespeare theatre but, if, you prefer your entertainment more intimate, yet of a similarly high quality you should check out the "Tread The Boards" company, based in the Attic Theatre. They have been producing impressive versions of classic stories for many years, the latest being Mary Shelley's 'Frankenstein'.

Perfectly timed to coincide with Halloween you enter a small space and see a figure draped in a sheet on a slab. Immediately director John-Robert Partridge leads you to assume this is the monster then surprises you by unveiling Victor Frankenstein recovering on a ship having been rescued from the icy wastes of the Pole. We are now in flashback mode as he reveals the tale of how he appears in this wretched condition.

This adaptation is more truthful to the novel than most recent productions yet it seems obvious that you would want to use such great material. It  is truly one of the great stories showing the possible consequences of science meddling with nature. Two hundred years later and nothing has changed.

A good plot is a start and a director's vision can only take you so far as the success of a play ultimately revolves around the actors. Here, the "Tread The Boards" company are very fortunate indeed. All the cast are exemplary ( amongst the supporting roles Jennifer Hodges breaks your heart as the doomed Justine) but Mr Partridge is blessed with two outstanding performances in the lead roles.

Rich Bunn makes you understand the tricky title character, from inquisitive student, lover,obsessed scientist to horrified widower seeking refenge. Most horror films concentrate upon the monster as a pure figure of fear but he is actually one of literature's great tragic figures which Adrian Daniel Varney portrays beautifully.

The pacing of the piece is captured perfectly with the tale unfolding before us without any dull moments and just as impressively the director avoids any aspects of melodrama with all events seeming natural and realistic.

Last year I saw the Danny Boyle version at the National Theatre and I can honestly say I preferred this more intimate version. Obviously, they do not possess the resources of the subsidised London theatre but tonight proved that imagination is just as important as finances. The simple premise of plunging the venue into pitch darkness and allowing the actors to roam amongst the audience was truly terrifying.

Cox's Yard is in the process of being taken over and the future of The Attic theatre is uncertain. This is therefore the prefect time to discover Stratford's hidden gem and support this impressive company ( starting with Dick Whittington next month).You won't be disappointed!