The Archives: A birthday treat

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice

11^th July 2009 at the Little Theatre, Sheringham

Cast

LV … Caroline Keiff

Mari … Fiz Marcus

Ray Say … Charlie Buckland

Billy … Brett Lee Roberts

Sadie … Donna Combe

Mr. Boo/Phone Man … Alistair Scott

---

Our viewing of 'The Rise and Fall of Little Voice' in Sherringham's Little Theatre came about enitrely by chance, after viewing Wicked for the first time, my sister had become quite into Caroline Keiff, who had played Nessarose, and whilst looking for information on her, I discovered her next two production,s The Rise and Fall of Little Voice and Legally Blonde. This immediately became my sister's birthday present, and I, never one to pass up on a free ticket, went along.

I hadn't seen the original film with Jane Horrocks before watchign the show, and in retrospect, and glad of this, as while it is a good film, I fear it would have affected my viewing. We arrived early, my parents disappearing to nearby Croma (but not before my mother had a chat with one of the rep's other directors Mr. Nicky Henson, who she recognised from Fawlty Towers) whilst we idled away the time in theatre bar. 

I have often said that I wish I could keep a recording of a few plays for posterity, and Little Voice would certainly be high on my list. Whilst the theatre was restrictive (the chairs clearly not designed for a gentleman as tall as myself) the cast managed to make the most of it, and there was not a single bad performancei n the bunch. Caroline Keiff is heartbreaking in the title role, but also an excellent mimic, performing songs by Judy Garland, Lulu and Shirley Bassey iwth great aplomb, whilst the grotesques of her mother and her neighbour Sadie are entertaining and repulsive at the same time. The comedy is continued by Alistair Scott as the toupee wearing emcee Mr. Boo and Paul Merton lookout Charlie Buckland, whose Ray Say was wonderfulyl sleazy and managed to genuinely surprise the audience as he emerged from the back of the aisles performign a drunken rendition of Roy Orbison's "It's Over". Finally, Brett Lee Roberts portrayed the usually thankless role of Billy, LV's equally shy love interest, but managed to create a three-dimensionally, empathetic character who brings the play to a touching conclusion.

Our own evening ended quite brilliantly, as I managed to arrange for my sister to meet her idol, something which I have never let her forget.

Theatre Notes

• The play was directed by Desmond Barrit, the theatre's patron and the former Wizard in Wicked, which he starred in alongside Caroline Keiff.

The Archives: Little Shop the First

Little Shop of Horrors

4^th July 2009 at the Little Theatre, Leicester

Cast

Seymour Krelborn … Mark Webb

Audrey … Victoria Nettleton

Orin Scrivello … Tom MacAuley

Mr. Mushnik … Neil Mason

Audrey II … Paul Beasley/James Watson

Crystal … Ria Turner

Ronette … Josie Tweddle

Chiffon … Sophie Bryant

Customers … Martin Bell

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As with Sweeney Todd, this was a production I'd been wanting to see ever since I watched the film, and as with Sweeeny Todd the opportunity was proved for me by the Little Theatre in Leicester. So once again, my sister and I made our way down, sat back and enjoyed the show.

Certianly an unconventional musical, the characters in Little Shop of Horrors must as a given, be good singers, but also must have the necessary balance of comic timing and (with the two leads) be able to generate the necessary amount of sympathy. This was not a problem for the cast of the Little Theatre production, Mark Webb and Victoria Nettleton made me wish that the film's happy ending had been retained, their tragic ends generating a great deal of sympathy (but unfortunately some laughter), while the supporting cast settle into their roles quite well, Tom MacAuley's Orin resembling something of a washed-up Elvis Presley impersonator while Neil Mason's Jewish stereotype of Mushnik went so far round the corner it became funny again, those his character's accent made his song difficult to understand at times. I would, later that year, witness a larger scale touring production of the show at the Curve, the jury is still out as to which one was better...

Theatre Notes

• Paul Beasley was the assitant director during my time at the Little Theatre's workshop, who I also auditioned for in Carrie's War (I didn't get it).
• Martin Bell would later appear in the Little Theatre's production of 'The Rain Maker' as Bill Starbuck. 

The Archives: Not tweed, but hardly an improvement...

Our Day Out

Friday 27^th and Saturday 28^th March 2010

Cast

Mrs. Kay … Nadine Hossent

Mr. Briggs … Dan Creedon

Colin … David Stevens

Susan … Isabella Hill

Carol … Charlotte Whitaker

Reilly … Zak Jones

Digga … Brendon Moore

Jackie … Bethany Sly

Linda … Hazel Willock

Shopkeeper … Mary Harding-Scott

Milton … Milly Bianchini

Andrews … Jack Tudor

Zoo Keeper … Zebulun Samson

Les … Ross Bayliss

Girl 1 … Gabrielle Dowsing

Girl 2 … Georgia Whitehead

Headmaster … Billy Joyce

Bus Driver … Mark Wiselka

Bored Girls … Olivia Choudhury

                         Olivia Mellor

                         Alice Doyle

Maurice … James Cooper

Ronson … Richard Goodchild

Jimmy … Michael Noon

Kevin … Sam Smith

Little Kid … Harvey Bayliss

Parent … Matthew Green

Other Kids … Josh Chalk

                       Amelia Eatough

                       Chanel Foster

                       Kyrie Green

                       Ryan Green

On my second theatrical experience at The Little Theatre, I appeared in a play I had got some prior knowledge of, having had to perform an excerpt of it for my Drama class in Year 9. Once again, I managed to get the role I auditioned for and once again had to endure a rather peculiar coat (not tweed this time fortunately) and a different accent (Yorkshire rather than Irish).

This time the play was 'Our Day Out' by Willy Russell, with musical additions. I didn't quite see the necessity of said additions but as I got several lines, I wasn't about to argue, especially as I had to perform them whilst being swooned over by two teenage girls. While rehearsals pushed many of us to the breaking point, particularly with the year combining the senior and junior groups, the experience made me wish that I had been able to continue into the next year. Unfortunately a change of director (who also played Mrs. Kay in a last minute casting change) and an elevation of the admission fee meant that this was not to be.

The Archives: How they make a man sing!

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street

28^th May 2009 at the Little Theatre, Leicester

Cast

Sweeney Todd. … Steve Elliott

Anthony Hope … Michael Whitcombe

Tobias Ragg … Cronig Saunders

Judge Turpin … Tony Whitmore

Beadle Bamford … Mark Whitcombe

Mrs. Lovett … Helen Kirkland

Johanna … Cherise Smith

Beggar Woman … Sue Hubbard

Adolfo Pirelli … David Lovell

---

Ever since I saw the Tim Burton film version I had been longing to find a production of the stage show, especially after watching clips of the George Hearn 2003 concert on YouTube. Fortunately, within a few months, the local theatre put on an amateur production and I immediately purchased tickets.

Aside from being initially terrified (the chorus were suddenly illuminated standing in the aisles) I enjoyed every minute of this production. Well performed, well-sung and suitably dramatic without being overly theatrical, the show also managed to expertly handle the murder scenes in a small repertory theatre without the use of excessive (or even any) blood, using lighting effects and a trapdoor in the mukti-layered set. The demise of Mrs Lovett was perhaps a little unimpressive, but I suppose I shouldn't have expected too much. Performance wise I particularly enjoyed Sweeney himself (played by Steve Elliott) and his nemesis Judge Turpin (Tony Whitmore, who later told me hek new he had performed well when a man in the bar afterwards had said he had wanted to hit him midway through the production) and even the usually uninteresting performances of Johanna and Anthony managed to entertain, particularly in their frantic duet "Kiss Me". Now the show is coming to the West End with Michael Ball and Imelda Staunton, I wonder if the greater stage will make for a better show, or will the performances at the local theatre win out? Only time will tell.

Theatre Notes

• Tony Whitmore (Judge Turpin) later appeared as Horace Vandergelder in "Hello Dolly!" which also featured yours truly.

"Once you're standing on your own two feet, you will not retreat if you repeat...I'm Free!"

Footloose

Saturday 21^st May at the Theatre Royal, Nottingham

Cast

Ren McCormack… Adam C. Booth (u/s/)

Ethel McCormack… Carys Gray

Reverend Shaw Moore… Steven Pinder

Vi Moore… Karen Ascoe

Ariel Moore… Lorna Want

Rusty… Jodie Jacobs

Urleen… Keisha Amponsa Banson

Wendy Jo… Tanya Robb

Chuck Cranston… Harry Neale

Lyle… Simon Campbell

Travis/Cowboy Bob… Simon Hardwick

Willard Hewitt… Giovanni Spano

Principal Clark… Michael Palmer

Normally I would have immediately passed up on Footloose, a cheesy American dance musical based on a cheesy American dance film. However, it held one redeeming feature for me, it had been the first musical I appeared in with my school and so held a special place in my heart. So, I decided to brave the unknown and attend the UK Tour in Nottingham.

I was, somewhat impressed. Whilst nothing removed the cheesiness from this production, it would perhaps have been unwise to try, as this only added to the enjoyment. I knew several of the songs even before appearing inthe show myself and perhaps it was because of this that they seemed the best performed, "Holding Out for a Hero" and "Let's Hear it for the Boy" being particular stand-out group numbers. Of the young cast, while the two leads performed admirably, the ones to watch out for were Giovanni Spano and Jodie Jacobs as the comically awkward duo of Willard and Rusty. Of course, it being the role I performed myself, I was focusing primarily on Steven Pinder as the Reverend, and while at times I wished I could pin his arms down to prevent his gesticulating, I was very impressed by both his singing and acting, and somewhat jealous that got to perform "I Confess" at the shows close (it didn't feature in our production). When the show finish and the encore called for the audience to stand and dance, I surprisingly didn't feel embarassed to do so, despite being on my own. 


So if you're in for a little innocent comic enjoyment, I can heartily recommend Footloose. Just don't expect to find yourself too challenged by the plot.

Theatre Notes

• Several roles were combined for this production, including Principal Clark and Coach Dunbar (leaving Eleanor Dunbar as a single librarian) as well as Wes and Lulu Warnicker.

The Archives: The beauty is...

The Light in the Piazza

21^st May 2009, the Curve Theatre, Leicester

Cast

Clara Johnson … Caroline Sheen

Margaret Johnson … Lucy Schaufer

Franca Naccarelli … Eliza Lumley

Giuseppe Nacarelli … George Cougas

Signor Naccarelli … Graham Bickley

Fabrizio Naccarelli … Matt Rawle

Signora Naccarelli .. Jasna Ivir

Roy Johnson … Charles Diash

Priest … Garth Badesley

---

A play I had no prior knowledge, at a theatre I had never visited before (The Curve, Leicester), going to see the "The Light in the Piazza" was a shot in the dark, but one I certainly enjoyed.

 The musical tells the story of Margaret Johnson and her daughter Clara, two American tourists who become entangled with an Italian family, the Naccarellis, when Clara falls in love iwth their son Fabrizio. But Clara is hiding her secret, and her mother refuses to let her marry for this reason. 

Though this play is a musical, I must confess that I cannto bring more than a single line of any song to mind. This is not to say that they were not well-written, sung or performed, they were just not particularly memorable. However, the characters did linger for quite some time, particularly the comic Naccarellis, seemingly a group of broadly-drawn Italian stereotypes (shrill, domineering mother, one layabout son, one a young dreamer) but as the play progressed the actors showcased their talents to reveal the depths behind their roles, particularly impressive was Graham Bickley as the patriarch, who shares a touching moment with Margaret as they take a walk in the moonlight to discuss their problems, while Jasna Ivir was a comedic gem as the mother. As an Anglo-Italian myself, I can certainly see reflections of my own family in these characters. The only comment on casting I would make is that while Clara is supposed to convince as being younger than her age, she almost convinces too much, making the reveal of her true age seem implausible.

So all in all, a memorable evening (my father leapt up onto the stage during pressn ight to take the page picture) with a show that impressed (though the Curve as a theatre failed to do so, resembling a car park/shopping centre more than a theatre). I only wish there was a British Cast Recording so that I could rediscover the songs.

Theatre Notes

• Matt Rawle (Fabrizio) is probably best known for playing the title role in the West End production of "Zorro".

The Archives: Wicked, first time around

Wicked

29^th February 2009 at the Apollo Victoria Theatre, London

Cast

Elphaba … Ashleigh Gray (understudy)

Glinda the Good … Dianne Pilkington

Fiyero … Oliver Tompsett

Madame Morrible … Harriet Thorpe

The Wonderful Wizard of Oz … Desmond Barrit

Nessarose … Caroline Keiff                                         

Boq … George Ure (understudy)

Dr. Dillamond/Frex … Andy Mace

Chistery … Matthew Boulton

I once had a great fondness for Wicked, though it has waned somewhat lately. I was initially introduced when my sister and I began to watch the excellent Pushing Daisies, and resulting research pointed on to Wicked, which actress Kristin Chenoweth had starred in (though in retrospect she was one of the most irritating thigns about said production). So when my sister paid for my ticket to see the show, I wasn't going to refuse.


One of the popular, new musicals, Wicked is certainly a very 'flashy' production, with a large Time Dragon attatched to the top of the stage, mainly for decoration, though it does move ocassionally, and outlandish costumes. Though my enthusiasm for the show has declined of late, I am glad to have seen it, as it introduced me to several excellent performers. 


Ashleigh Gray, the understudy for the misunderstood Elphaba, was phenomenal, far exceeding the regular Kerry Ellis, whose affected American accent and shouty delivery made me glad I had come on a night she was not present. When 'The Wizard and I', Elphaba's first solo number, was performed, we knew we were in for a good show, and by 'Defying Gravity', we were certainly proved right, it was one of those rare 'hairso n the back of your neck' moments. Complimenting Elphaba is the ditzy Glinda, played by Dianne Pilkington, who made the easily unlikeable role genuinely sympathetic and entertaining, as did Oliver Tompsett as the love-interest Fiyero, who is not as dim as he seems. Both these characters in an American production would be played straight as high-school students, here they are sent up outlandishly, both rich layabouts who turn out to have hidden depths. The cast was rounded out by Harriet Thorpe as the pantomime villain Madame Morrible, understudy George Ure as the shy better-when-Scottish Boq, Caroline Keiff as Nessarose again bringing empathy to a potentially dislikeable role, Andy Mace as Dr. Dillamond, stealing every scene he appears in and last, but by no means least, the fantastic Desmond Barrit as the misguided Wizard, who I have spent many days trying to find in another production.


We would attend another performance lateri n the year, but it could not match this initial visit, which cemented the names of the performers in our minds and made us eager for more of them. While Wicked is an acquired taste, it is certainly one worth trying. If only they had recorded the soundtrack with this night's cast...

Theatre Notes

• Andy Mace, George Ure, Caroline Keiff and Oliver Tompsett were in the original cast of the show and all performed as understudies at various points.
• Desmond Barrit had previously been nominated for an award for his performance as Pseudolus in A Funny Thing Happened on the Way to the Forum, which starred his successor to the role of the Wizard, Sam Kelly, as Senex.  

"Being deceived by art is one of the few pleasures available to the middle classes..."

The Ladykillers

Saturday 12^th November at Liverpool Playhouse

Cast

Constable Macdonald… Harry Peacock

Mrs Louisa Wilberforce… Marcia Warren

Professor Marcus… Peter Capaldi

Major Courtney… James Fleet

Harry Robinson… Stephen Wight

One-Round… Clive Rowe

 

Louis Harvey… Ben Miller

Mrs Jane Tromleyton… Beverley Walding

Mrs Wilberforce’s Guests… Janice Bradshaw, Judith Cain, Alison Gent, Margaret Gill, Gillian Patterson-Fox, Margaret Jones, Lace Akopjaro, William Troughton, Marcus Taylor

I had always been a fan of the original film, but I have to confess that it was the names involved that drew me to this production.  And seeing as you couldn't get tickets to the London production for love nor money, I managed to get three seats at the Liverpool Playhouse. 

My initial fears that the play would be too far removed from the film proved unfounded, Graham Linehan, the creative genius behind Father Ted and Black Books, has created here a piece that is true to the spirit of the original, yet with an approach of it's own, and he pulls off the dark comedy with aplomb. There is not a single faulty performance, Marcia Warren's moralistic yet dotty Mrs. Wilberforce is a brilliant foil for the gang, James Fleet a nervous delight as Major Courtenay, who may or not be a policeman, but is certainly a little too interested in women's clothing, Stephen Wight gets a much-more expanded role as the pill-popping Mr. Robinson, Ben Miller and Clive Rowe (both of whom were kind enough to sign autographs for me) are both threatening and entertaining at the same time, Miller's Romanian (perhaps a reference to his film counterpart Herbert Lom) idiom spouting Mr. Harvey casually discussing his first kills but becoming petrified when faced with a mob of little old ladies while Rowe is the closest thing the group has to heart (albeit a rather dim-witted one) as the former boxer One-Round, whose operatic death throes are a particular delight, leading Louis to quip 'If only he'd had a knife in his head sooner.' Last, but by no-means least, is Peter Capaldi in a tour-de-force performance, ably stepping up to the central role of Professor Marcus with sinister charm (and an indeterminable accent) convincing both when he is flamboyantly displaying his group's 'musical talents' and when he begins to lose his mind towards the end, coldly threatening the other members of the gang into compliance.

Linehan claims to have been inspired by the theatrical production of 39 Steps, and its influence can be clearly seen with the set pieces, particularly the heist which is performed with remote control cars on tracks that cross the stage. There is also a touch of Monty Python about the characters, particularly Mrs. Wilberforce's friends, several of whom are clearly men (the actors understudies) in classic 'Pepperpot' disguises. The staging also deserves mention, producing several moments taht really leave you scratching your head in amazement as to how the effects were acheived. My only criticism of the piece is that in some places the darkness lost its humour, such as with the fate of Mr. Robinson, although this did exhibit a brilliant sinister moment as Marcus and Louis listen to the murder takign place whilst at the same time coldly barring the door, prevent any escape.

So, The Ladykillers moves soon to London, about which I am conflicted, for while such an excellent piece deserves a long run, I worry that once its excellent cast are replaced, it will lose the vital ingredient that make a good show almost perfect.

A Hour Upon The Stage: "Call it sad, call it funny, but it's better than even money..."

Guys & Dolls: A Musical in a Weekend

19^th April 2009 at the Y Theatre, Leicester

Cast

Sky Masterson … Luke Barrow

Sarah Brown … Aimee Southin

Nathan Detroit … Ethan Tattersall

Adelaide … Charlotte Hurst

Nicely-Nicely Johnson … Jak Skelly

Benny Southstreet … David Stevens

Lieutenant Brannigan … Devan Fulham

Arvide Abernathy … Stephen Leach

Big Jule … Jason Wilson

Rusty Charlie … David Griffin

General Cartwright … Amy Washington

Angie the Ox … Bradley Setchell

Agatha … Rheanne Thomas

Mimi … Jane Hearst

Harry the Horse … Catherine Moran

Some days after 'The Match Girls' came my first venture into a musical I had actually heard of (admittedly only by way of The Simpsons and Mark Hamill's rendition of "Luke Be a Jedi") was quite challenging due to the performance brief- learn the script in a matter of weeks, with only a three-day weekend with which to block, rehearse and perform. And yet, we managed it. The director, musical director and choreographer were all professionals, while we most of us had limited experience (save for our Nicely-Nicely, whose tap dancing was nothing short of spectacular - he has since made his way to the West End stage). The only minor hitch was my microphone initially not working, Sky's forgetting o the words to Luck Be a Lady (though he recovered and continued admirably) and the fact that several of our male parts had to be played by women (you don't get many men in the youth theatres of today). A challenge, but highly enjoyable, and this time I didn't make the mistake of destroying the script.

Notes

I later worked with several of the cast members on other projects: Luke Barrow (Sky- The Crucible, our A-Level project which I can't remember the name of and Back to the Eighties), Charlotte Hearst (our dry run of The Crucible, in which she played Elizabeth) and Bradley Setchell (Back to the Eighties). I also worked alongside Stephen Leach (Arvide) during my short stint at the Leicester WAVE.

The show is partly uploaded here:
Part One 
Part Two 
Part Three

The Archives: "O brave new world, that has such people in't!"

The Tempest

The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford

Cast

Gonzalo … Ivan Abrahams

Alonso … Jeremy Crutchley

Spirits … Nkosinathi Gaar

                 Alex Halligey

                 Thami Mbongo

                 Omphile Molusi

                 Chuma Sopotela

Ariel … Atandwa Kani

Caliban … John Kani

Ferdinand … Charlie Keegan

Stephano … Elton Landrew

Antonio … Lionel Newton

Sebastian … Nicholas Pauling

Prospero … Anthony Sher

Adrian/Francisco …Royston Stoffels

Trinculo … Wayne Van Rooyen

Miranda … Tinarie Van Wyk Loots

I don't quite recall why our school decided to take us to see "The Tempest" as it had no connection to any of our curriculum. However, always eager to see a Shakespeare I've yet to experience, I went along. 

The RSC's production of the 'The Tempest' featured a cross section of actors, with the majority of the spirits being played by actors of African origin, notably John Kani as Caliban, who gave a performance that was at times loathsome, comical and, towards the end somewhat pitiable, the final address not being presented to the audience, but from Anthony Sher's Prospero to his slave, finally releasing him onto the isle he claimed as his birthright. And speaking of Anthony Sher...

One of those actors you can't study Shakespeare without hearing of, Sher proved why he holds legendary status upon the stage, commanding every scene he is, though he is ably matched, particularly by Atandwa Kani as Ariel. Providing light relief are the odd troop of humans who find themselves washed up on Prospero's isle, with Elton Landrew and Wayne Van Rooyen performing an entertaining double act as the King's jesters (though I could not for the life of me place where their accents were supposed to be from). The staging of the production was also well done, the magical effects not overshadowing, but rather complimenting the performances, never taking away attention from the human conflict.

The only complaint I would have about this production os one that remains constant whenever I see an adaptation rather than an original, the obvious undertones that were intended to echo throughout the play, namely the race and slavery themes. Fortunately, they did not overwhelm the show and it was not difficult to ignore this niggling problem and enjoy the excellent performances.

"Nothing too arty, I'm sick of this, I want a party."

The Misanthrope

Wednesday 18^th May 2010 at Upper Brown Street, Leicester

Cast

Alceste… Jamie Moore

Jennifer… Rachael Stevens

John… John Kearns

Covington/Courier… Sam Varney

Ellen… Sidra Bramble

Julian… Rajan Kaushal

Alexander… Chadrac Tshibangu

Marcia… Lesley Emery

This performance was one I attended with my family to support my elder sister, who played the female lead Jennifer. I confess to having never heard of the original Misanthrope by Moliere, let alone this "remastering" by Martin Crimp, so had no idea what to expect, save for snippets I had gathered from my sister in rehearsals.


Alceste, the titular Misanthrope of the piece, is a playwright involved in a tempestous relationship with Jennifer, whose debaucherous behaviour is distancing him from her. The backstage politics of the piece are played out over a series of nights between a series of showbiz caricatures, including the witty agent Covington, who seeks to make his break as a writer, the reporter Ellen, willing to lie and cheat for a good story, and Jennifer's dependable agent Alexander. Sounds promising? Well...


Crimp's decision to have the entire piece in verse format serves to alienate his audience, which is unfortunate given the potential this piece has. The cast nontheless give it their all, with entertaining performances particularly from Lesely Emery's grotesque Marcia and Rajan Kaushal's Julian, a teen idol who swaggers his way onto the stage and elicits a laugh without even opening his mouth. The straight roles are handled well, with John Kearns making the most of his limited time as Alceste's friend (also called John), while Jamie Moore's Alceste is suitably vicious, but his delivery occasionally came across as rushed, no doubt another problem caused by Crimp's rhyming scheme. Finally, I can say without fear of sounding biased that my sister handled her leading part very well, despite the verse and her fear of being typecast as prostitues (this is the third time in a row).


In conclusion, perhaps the wrong play to pick for an amateur drama course, but after attending The Misanthrope, I think I can safely say that some of these young people may not be amateurs for much longer...

An Hour Upon The Stage: "Made entirely of tweed..."

The Match Girls

Cast

Kate … Isabella Hill

Polly … Mirijana Buac

Mrs. Purkiss … Rachel Cockshaw

Old Min … Eloise Clarke

Maggie … Ellie Parker

 

Jessie …Charlotte Parker

Winnie … Jacoba Williams

Dot … Milly Bianchini

Beattie … Katie Williamson

Nell … Hazel Willock

Louie … Olivia Choudhury

Frances … Amelia Eatough

Annie Besant … Sarah Nibloe

George Bernard Shaw/Albert … David Stevens

Pauala Westerby/Lizzie … Nicole Wesley

Scots Girl/Abigail … Karolina Cybulski

 

Foreman Mynel/Tom … Ryan Green

 

Mr. Potter/Harold … Brendan Moore

Joe … Adam Stead

Perce … Mark Wiselka

Bert … Billy Joyce

Lottie … Bethany Sly

May … Shannan Brown

Alice … Chanel Foster

George … Joel Cruden

Arthur … Josh Chalk

Charlie … Jack Macdonald

Freddie … Jack Tudor

Jas … Daniel Creedon

In February of 2008, I made my first appearance in professional theatre, having recently joined the Leicester Little Theatre's Youth Group. Despite having no knowledge of the play prior to performing it, I thoroughly enjoyed the experience.

The piece selected was "The Match Girls" by Bill Owen and Tony Russell, a piece about the strike of 1888, wherein match cutters and dockers mount a strike in order to combat a wage docking made in order to fund a statue of William Gladstone. To continue their strike, they gain the support of influential activist Annie Besant and her accomplice, the young George Bernard Shaw (played by my good self, in a suit made entirely of tweed). As my first experience with full rehearsals, musical numbers and dressing droom etiquette, it was quite intimidating at first, but I conquered my stage fright and by the end of our three performance run, felt ready for three more. Which was just as well, as in just a few weeks my next performance would begin....

The Archives: "What a piece of work is a man" (Or Time Lord)

Hamlet

8^th September 2008, The Courtyard Theatre, Stratford

Cast

Hamlet … David Tennant

Claudius/The Ghost … Patrick Stewart

Gertrude … Penny Downie

Polonius … Oliver Ford-Davies

Laertes … Edward Bennett

Ophelia … Mariah Gale

Reynaldo/Dumbshow Poisoner … David Ajala

Horatio … Peter De Jersey

Rosencrantz … Sam Alexander

Guildenstern … Tom Davey

Marcellus … Keith Osborn

Barnardo … Ewen Cummins

Francisco … Robert Curtis

Player King … John Woodvine

Player Queen … Ryan Gage

Lucianus … Ricky Champ

Prologue … Roderick Smith

Dumbshow King … Samuel Dutton

Dumbshow Queen … Jim Hooper

It was clear from the moment this production was announced that this was going to be a star vehicle. And this production of Hamlet boasted not just one star, but two, and they were no doubt the reason we had to buy tickets almost a full year in advance. And was it worth it? Well...


David Tennant was quite the revelation in the central role, harnesssing the manic energy from Doctor Who to create a Hamlet who convincing both in his brooding over his father's death and his feigned insanity upon the Ghost's revelation, cackling with delight as he led away, tied to a revolving chair. The second 'star', Patrick Stewart, is far more subtle. His villainy, unlike most Shakesperian antagonists, is not evident until right near the close, the jovial uncle persona remaining a convincing mask throughout. Also effective were Oliver Ford-Davies as the bumbling Polonius, Penny Downie as the Queen, and Mariah Gale, surely a rising star as the tragic Ophelia, whose love for Hamlet drives her to suicide. The decision as to where to place the act break was also handled well, a cliff-hanger arising as the first half ends mid soliloquy, Hamlet's dagger poised to stab his praying uncle. The dramatic murder of Polonius is also particularly well handled, Hamlet firing off stage shattering the glass to reveal the eavesdropping old man.
While this production does draw in viewers because of its two stars, they are by no means it's only merits, and so I left Hamlet having thoroughly enjoyed the experience, the Bard's longest play seeming to go by in minutes.

The Archives: "To die upon a kiss"

Othello

The Arts Centre, Warwick

Cast

Othello … Patrice Naiambana

Iago … Michael Gould

Desdemona … Natalia Tena

Cassio … Alex Hassell

Emilia … Tamzin Griffin

Roderigo … Marcello Magni

Brabantio … Hannes Flaschberger

Duke of Venice … Clive Mendus

Montano … Matthew Wilson

Bianca … Cath Whitefield

Gratiano … Glyn Pritchard

Lodovico … Robert Vernon

Fool … Miltos Yerolemou

Military Clerk … Flora Nicholson

Soldier … Osi Okerafor

                   Caleb Roew

I attended this second performance of Othello, again with the school, because of my fondness for the playrather than any need to study it. While it did not quite match my previous experience of the performance, it was nontheless an enjoyable piece with some interesting innovations.

Let us start with the good. Michael Gould, while not matching the devious cunning of Neal Foster's Iago, was a more everyman villain, convincing as the humble ensign, we can see why Othello and Cassio put their trust in him. Also effective was Tamzin Griffin as Iago's wife Emilia, Marcello Magni as the comically gulled Roderigo, and Miltos Yerolemou providing traditional Shakesperian comic relief as a Fool.


Of course, Othello is always a challenge, and while Patrice Naimbaia brought gravitas to the role, he struggled to elicit much sympathy for the great man's plight. Natalia Tena's Desdemona was a more fiery interpretation than most, but she ocassionally struggled with the verse. She also preceded a love scene with Othello by dancing topless, which seemed rather gratuitous, though appreciated by the students in the audience.


However, the play did introduce an interesting device by introducing the spirit of Desdemona's father Brabantio come to her the night she dies and recount the story of her mother's maid and the willow song. As the texts are nearly five hundred years old, it is refreshing to see new slants put on familiar pieces. 


So, once again, Othello provides entertainment, but leaves us rooting for the anatagonist, which begs the question, 'Did Shakespeare write his villains too well?'


Theatre Notes

• Natalia Tena made her first filmed appearance in About a Boy and is perhaps most known for portraying Nymphadora Tonks in the Harry Potter series.
•  Miltos Yerolemou also portrayed the Fool in the RSC's production of Twelth Night at the Courtyard Theatre.

All for one... and free for all!

Monty Python’s Spamalot

Friday 15^th April at De Montfort Hall, Leicester

Cast

King Arthur… Phill Jupitus

Patsy… Todd Carty

The Lady of the Lake… Jessica Martin

Sir Bedevere/Dennis’s Mother/Concorde/Guard… Robin Armstrong

Sir Robin/Mayor… Samuel Holmes

Prince Herbert/Historian/Not Dead Fred/Minstrel… David Langham

Sir Dennis Galahad/The Black Knight/Prince Herbert’s Father… Simon Lipkin

Sir Lancelot/The French Taunter/Knight of Ni/Tim the Enchanter… Graham MacDuff

God… Eric Idle

Ensemble… Philip Catchpole

Ensemble… Rachel Knowles

Ensemble… Kit Orton

Ensemble… Amy Papa

Swing… Tim Bonser

Swing… Paul Bullion

Swing… Persephone Fitzpatrick

I attended this touring production of Spamalot with my fellow Python fan Jake, without knowing a great deal about the show. Of course I had seen 'The Holy Grail' on numerous occassions, but I was unsure how Spamalot would measure up. Fortunately, I was not disappointed.

After some initial furoar upon realising we had arrived at the theatre sans tickets, we took our seats only to notice that the music playing for the overture was the Liberty Bell theme, the opening credits music from Monty Python's Flying Circus, the first of many mythology gags to be found that evening. Most of the joy of the show was to be found watching familiar gags unfurl before your eyes, so much so that you were almost disappointed when they were broken up by unfamiliar musical numbers. Aside from the original Python songs, the only number from the piece I had knowledge of beforehand was the amusingly titled 'You Won't Suceed on Broadway (If You Don't Have Any Jews). While I had enjoyed this number from the original production, I could not see how they would make this work this side of the pond. I was pleasantly surprised to see the number replaced with a ditty entitled 'You Won't Suceed in Showbiz (If You Don't Have a Star)' which featured cameos from the likes of Ozzy Osbourne and Susan Boyle. 

And speaking of stars, what of the actual performers? Phill Jupitus puts his own slant on the role of King Arthur (and I'm sure we can forgive his brief moment of corpsing when confronted with the Knights Who Up Until Recently Said 'Ni') while Todd Carty gleefully gives his all to 'Always Look on the Bright Side of Life' in the expanded role of Patsy, Arthur's trusty manservant. The third 'star', Jessica Martin, has probably the gutsiest voice in the cast, which she uses to great effect in the amusing second act numer 'Whatever Happened to My Part'. Supporting players fill the reminder of the roles effectively, with honourable mention to the closeted Sir Lancelot (Graham MacDuff), the aptly titled Sir Robin the Not So Brave (Samuel Holmes) and a fun little recorded cameo from Eric Idle as God. An amusing evening all around.

Theatre Notes

• Phill Jupitus, whilst most famous for being a team captain on Never Mind the Buzzcocks, also portrayed Edna Turnblad in Hairspray.