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| Created by Deborah Light , Chapter Arts Centre, Studio , February 23, 2013 |
| When confronted by a naked, giggling woman as you walk into the theatre you know the show you are about to see is either going to be attention-seeking or daring. Deborah Light’s innovative first full length piece of course fell into the latter category – original and thought provoking.With a cast of world-renowned female performers HIDE showed how much is possible in a stripped back space. With just their bodies and a few mobile studio lights these women explored the boundaries between our public and private lives – as the programme asks, ‘are they showing themselves? Or is this a show?’ Wonderfully timid Jo Fong physicalised the constant battle between a performer and their onstage psyche, telling us ‘this is a show’ whilst performing conflicted choreography that showed a performers struggle with nerves more than words could ever convey. Rosalind Haf Brooks on the other hand strived to make a connection with her fellow performers, even resorting to sniffing their clothes just to make contact. By turns equally humorous and touching in her pursuit for human interaction. Most of the text based content came from the beautifully androgynous Eddie Ladd who chronicled the stages of her life by describing what length her hair was at any given time. She revealed that she has not always been Eddie, but as a performer she needed to change her name to avoid having the same name as another. Each of the women contributed something new to the mix, each dancing in their own unique way and each bringing a different set of emotions to the performance. The fractured nature of the piece allowed them to disappear and reappear, transform and dissolve exploring the multiple layers of human nature. The lines between performance and life were completely blurred – what was a performance and what was truth didn’t seem to matter as the piece delved further into what’s underneath the surface of our external facades. Exciting and engaging, this is the kind of work that will encourage discussion and linger in your mind long after the event. Chelsey is a member of the Young Critics Scheme for further information contact guy.odonnell@bridgend.gov.uk |
All posts by Chelsey Gillard
YC Review Sexual Perversity in Chicago Chelsey Gillard
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| Living Pictures in association with Cegin Productions , Sherman Cymru, Cardiff , February 13, 2013 |
| Any men discussing their latest conquests are bound to exaggerate just a little, but middle-aged womanizer, Bernie’s story is so farfetched it has to be true! Robert Bowman (who also directed) revels in the delightfully dirty language of this aging Lothario and is certainly the driving force behind the breakneck speed of the production. Made up of thirty short scenes the action takes a whistle-stop tour of the singles scene in 1970s Chicago. The wonderfully understated set design by Jacob Hughes plays in the round, with brave members of the audience sat right next to the actors and the others looking down from the balcony. A set of filing cabinets serve a multitude of functions – bar stools, tables and from their drawers are revealed all the props required. Younger co-worker Danny (Ioannis Sholto) looks up to misogynist Bernie so much we already know any romantic attempts will fail. Yet he is soon moving in with Deborah (Lizzie Rogan), an independent and optimistic illustrator. Without much time to blink she is moving out again, going back to acid-tounged, school teacher Joan. Although the plot focuses on the brief romance of Danny and Deborah it is the older characters that have most impact. Joan and Bernie are both bitter about the opposite sex and are not afraid to be verbal about it. Quite why they are so damaged is never revealed but both steal the show with their sordid tales or schoolroom mishaps. The story ends pretty much back where it started, with two single men ogling ladies. Although a very clever dramatic and comedic device it leaves very little room for any character development. Combine this with the fact that none of the characters are particularly likeable and it leaves you feeling a bit cold – struggling to feel any empathy for these four sad singletons. Having said that the laughs come thick and fast, Mamhet’s dark comedy gives a hilarious snap-shot of the times. At its premier it was surely shocking and groundbreaking; nowadays you have to do more than say the C-word to get a reaction out of most. Perhaps the shock factor has been toned down but men and women never really change, the attitudes shown by these dysfunctional daters are just as common in 2013 as in 1970. Definitely worth seeing for the vibrant strength of the cast, the 70s disco tunes and Danny’s handle-bar moustache. An enjoyable and entertaining evening, that will certainly have you laughing if nothing else. For more info: http://www.livingpictures.org.uk |
Last Christmas**** – Young Critics Review
Last Christmas ****
Dirty Protest
Written by Matthew Bulgo
Starring Sion Pritchard
Directed by Kate WasserbergFor a lot of people, Christmas is more bitter than sweet, with loved ones who are no longer around missed more amid the happy chaos of the usual celebrations. It’s a time we build ourselves up so much to enjoy that, often, it’s a disappointment when it finally comes around (especially the staff Christmas do). And a time when, custom tells us, we should be with all our loved ones, but where distance and circumstance often pull us away from those we want to be with.
Matthew Bulgo’s one-man play explores the hard hitting realities of life that we like to pretend won’t happen; the ones we ignore hoping they’ll go away and, against a Christmas backdrop, the pain and tension of this exploration intensifies. Despite the occasional cliche, Bulgo’s debut is well written with great belly jiggling, guffaw inducing rants book-ending beautiful, stark, emotional moments that are thoroughly engaging, keeping the audience going and enjoying through each rise and fall. The language is striking too, both in its realism and its imagery; the descriptions of moments through camera angles encourage the audience to imagine it this way, just as the main character does, whilst adding to his slightly geeky (but mostly ‘average Joe’) persona.
Sion Pritchard’s delivery is, quite frankly, stunning. He is so deeply immersed in the character’s tight but loosening grip of emotions that it would be hard now to imagine anyone else in the role. The words sound like speech more than monologue, and his comic timing is spot on. He manages the harder moments with skill and a slowness that give credit to director, Kate Wasserberg who has clearly grasped the grief and anger and confusion of the character and moulded it into something manageable and interesting. His use of voice, of accents is impressive and add to the enjoyment and dynamics of each ‘scene’ as he describes it, from the prissy bitch at work to the beer chuggers back home in Swansea; his delivery allows the audience to feel and live the tension themselves.
A simplistic set, with the occasional, accidental twinkling snowflake reminding us of the time of year, lets us focus on him alone, and this is just what the play needs. Time and space to breathe and live.
One-man plays can fill you with trepidation; let this one fill you with the love, sadness and the sweet melancholy of Christmas.
Last Christmas is at Sherman Cymru, Theatre 2 December 13th-15th, 7.30pm
Tickets: £12 – Sherman Box Office 029 2064 6900
Written by Matthew Bulgo
Starring Sion Pritchard
Directed by Kate WasserbergFor a lot of people, Christmas is more bitter than sweet, with loved ones who are no longer around missed more amid the happy chaos of the usual celebrations. It’s a time we build ourselves up so much to enjoy that, often, it’s a disappointment when it finally comes around (especially the staff Christmas do). And a time when, custom tells us, we should be with all our loved ones, but where distance and circumstance often pull us away from those we want to be with.
Matthew Bulgo’s one-man play explores the hard hitting realities of life that we like to pretend won’t happen; the ones we ignore hoping they’ll go away and, against a Christmas backdrop, the pain and tension of this exploration intensifies. Despite the occasional cliche, Bulgo’s debut is well written with great belly jiggling, guffaw inducing rants book-ending beautiful, stark, emotional moments that are thoroughly engaging, keeping the audience going and enjoying through each rise and fall. The language is striking too, both in its realism and its imagery; the descriptions of moments through camera angles encourage the audience to imagine it this way, just as the main character does, whilst adding to his slightly geeky (but mostly ‘average Joe’) persona.
Sion Pritchard’s delivery is, quite frankly, stunning. He is so deeply immersed in the character’s tight but loosening grip of emotions that it would be hard now to imagine anyone else in the role. The words sound like speech more than monologue, and his comic timing is spot on. He manages the harder moments with skill and a slowness that give credit to director, Kate Wasserberg who has clearly grasped the grief and anger and confusion of the character and moulded it into something manageable and interesting. His use of voice, of accents is impressive and add to the enjoyment and dynamics of each ‘scene’ as he describes it, from the prissy bitch at work to the beer chuggers back home in Swansea; his delivery allows the audience to feel and live the tension themselves.
A simplistic set, with the occasional, accidental twinkling snowflake reminding us of the time of year, lets us focus on him alone, and this is just what the play needs. Time and space to breathe and live.
One-man plays can fill you with trepidation; let this one fill you with the love, sadness and the sweet melancholy of Christmas.
Last Christmas is at Sherman Cymru, Theatre 2 December 13th-15th, 7.30pm
Tickets: £12 – Sherman Box Office 029 2064 6900
Re-Live, Abandoned Brothers, YC Review
Brave Veterans take to stage to raise awareness of PTSD
POSTED BY HYPERCRITICREVIEWS ⋅ JUNE 18, 2012 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT
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Re-Live: Abandoned Brothers
Chapter Arts Centre
14th June 2012
Every actor gets nervous before a performance. What if you forget your lines, what if a particularly moving scene threatens to overwhelm you, what if the audience don’t react in the way you expected? These fears are even more immediate for the ‘performers’ in Re-live’sAbandoned Brothers. Not trained to perform on the stage but trained for combat in our military services, these brave war veterans bared all onstage to try and raise awareness of the crippling illness that has dominated their lives for years – Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
These two real veterans stood in front of a sell out audience with just their wife and aunt there beside them for support. Occasionally a whispered reminder from wife to husband would help keep the performance on track. A hand placed lovingly on an aunt’s shoulder to guide her back to her chair evoking more emotion than the most convincing actor. It was clear that although these men had seen horrific things during their service tours these women still see equally as horrifying things in their own homes. A suicidal husband, unable to sleep, dosed up on sedatives, with night sweats and an alcohol problem. There is very little support available out there for these broken men and even less for their families who are often torn apart by this cruel illness.
It was hard to believe as one of the men told us he had not been outside for more than twelve months before the Re-live support group was set up. A natural born performer, witty, charming and charismatic, a strong and emotive singer. It was difficult to imagine this man home alone, with only a bottle of Jack for company.
The two men’s stories were expertly woven together with linking music provided by an acoustic guitar played live on stage whilst a projection screen showed pictures of the men’s past or art they had created as an outlet for their anxiety. Additional stories were included via voiceovers, these were just as moving as we heard from more men and women affected by PTSD.
Post Traumatic Stress Disorder occurs when someone is exposed to a traumatic event that their brain cannot process properly. They are forced to re-live the original trauma through flashbacks or nightmares. Other symptoms can include difficulty staying or falling asleep, anger, hypervigilance, avoidance of any stimuli that may be associated with the original trauma, becoming emotionally numb and depression. It is easy to see why so many sufferers turn to substance abuse and why their relationships fall apart leaving them alone and helpless.
In a post show talk more veterans with PTSD took to the stage and what followed was an illuminating and worrying debate. When asked who these veterans felt abandoned by; the forces, the government, society or the NHS?; the answer was hard to swallow. They felt abandoned by all four. As soon as they are diagnosed with PTSD the forces effectively wash their hands of any involvement with the veteran and leave the funding for their care to charities. The government are to blame for instigating the violence that they are forced to re-live. Society withdraws from them, afraid and ignorant. And often the NHS doesn’t have a clue how to treat them. There is nothing on their records to say they are a veteran so often a diagnosis can take months and misdiagnosis happens all too often. When they finally get to see a psychiatrist they are told they have “ten minutes”. How can you convey all of the horror of war and the subsequent years of suffering in ten minutes?
At first I was not going to review this production. It is not theatre in a traditional sense but more storytelling and I didn’t know where to start. I originally saw the performance as research for a role I am playing myself and didn’t feel comfortable reviewing real people who have been brave enough to re-live their trauma for a curious audience. Having had a few days to fully comprehend what I witnessed I feel obliged to write something of these inspirational men and women to continue raising awareness. Someday soon hopefully this awareness will turn into action. These broken families need more support, more understanding and more help. In England there are four residential centres for PTSD sufferers to go and share their experiences and receive treatment, in Wales there are none. Their biggest fear is the “tidal wave” of PTSD suffers that will hit Britain after the end of ‘The War on Terror’. Our soldiers continue to fight long after they have left the battle field and sometimes the condition can lay dormant in their minds for years.
I have been humbled by these courageous veterans and their relatives. Not just because they have had the guts to get on stage and share their harrowing trauma but because each one of them said that they would go back and serve their country time and time again despite the hell they continue to live in. I genuinely wish them the best of wishes for the future and I hope one day they will find some peace. Thank you Re-live for bringing this massively ignored problem into focus.
For more on the inspirational work Re-live do please visit: www.re-live.org.uk
For more info on PTSD visit the page on the The Royal Collage of Psychiatrists Website.
For more reviews please visit: www.hypercriticreviews.blogspot.com
Bradley Manning YC Review
NTW’s Brave New Political Drama
POSTED BY HYPERCRITICREVIEWS ⋅ MAY 2, 2012 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT
1 Vote
The Radicalisation of Bradley Manning
National Theatre Wales
Watched via live stream
Performance at Connah’s Quay High School, Flintshire
28th April 2012
Bradley Manning is the new kid at school and “it’s your job to make sure his head doesn’t get flushed down the toilet until at least Thursday.” In NTW’s brave new production it always feels like Bradley is the new kid; scared, lonely and a little bit odd.
As only Tim Price’s third play the writer has taken on a tough and possibly legally challenging story. Based on the true events in the life of US soldier Manning’s life, this piece of fiction seeks to ask why would he allegedly release 250,000 secret cables and logs about the Iraq and Afghan wars to WikiLeaks?
Computer Geek
Manning is currently awaiting trial in the US after spending ten months in semi-solitary confinement at Quantico. But it is the ten years before this that Price is interested in; when he spent time in Wales with his mother, worked dead end jobs to try and fund a college education and eventually joined the army because after four years service they will pay for his tuition.
Another Dead End Job
Played throughout by all six of the very strong cast Bradley is never a fully sympathetic character. As we see him struggle with his sexuality, apparent issues with cross dressing and the divorce of his parents he always comes across as difficult and a little bit whiney. Having said this you can’t help but feel protective of the young boy entrusted with military secrets well out of his depth.
NTW are known for their unusual choices of performance venue and this production was no different. The action took place in school halls across Wales including the one that Manning attending during his time in the country. This was not the only performance outlet, in an attempt to create a ‘hyper-connected’ theatre event the live performances were streamed online to a dedicated website for anyone to watch free of charge.
Although this was a highly innovative and inspired idea that enhanced the impression of constant surveillance it wasn’t 100% successful. The usual online issues of firewalls, dodgy wireless connections and system failures left some audience members disappointed. Hopefully these glitches won’t put NTW off doing this kind of thing again; it really gave a different feel to the performance although nothing can compete with seeing the action live.
Constant Surveillance
In places the performances were genuinely touching (although perhaps stretching artistic license) especially as we see Bradley being put in the shoes of Welsh revolutionaries in history class. Other scenes were simply mind blowing as heavy metal introduced us to FOB Hammer, Bagdad and Lady Gaga provided the score for Bradley’s feeling of freedom as he copied the relevant files over to re-writable CDs.
Throughout it was thought provoking. In a talk with his father to ask for help with college fees his father asks “Do you want to be a man and join the army or do you want to be gay and work at Starbucks?” In reference to the army’s “don’t ask, don’t tell” approach to homosexuality.
The episodic structure gave glimpses into all the institutions that have let Bradley down all the way through his life. These transitions were seamlessly navigated by director John E. McGrath with the aid of Natasha Chivers’ superb lighting design. Brave, bold and what NTW is all about!
In the end we are left with the question “Is it Bradley’s actions or ideas that threaten?”
The Ensemble
All these people really deserve a mention and a huge congratulations:
Cast: Matthew Aubrey, Harry Ferrier, Gwawr Loader, Kyle Rees, Anjana Vasan, Sion Daniel Young
Writer: Tim Price
Director: John E. McGrath
Designed by: Chloe Lamford
Lighting design: Natasha Chivers
Sound Design: Mike Beer
Multi-Platform Design: Tom Beardshaw
Review and photos by Chelsey Gillard
Exclusive photographs taken at the social media call at Cardiff High School
For more information on why Tim Price chose to write about Manning read his interesting and informative blog on the Guardian website.
For more reviews please visit: www.hypercriticreviews.blogspot.com
A Second Serving of Mayhem from Cwtch Cabaret
A Second Serving of Mayhem from Cwtch Cabaret
POSTED BY HYPERCRITICREVIEWS ⋅ MARCH 4, 2012 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT
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Cwtch Cabaret
29th Feb 2011
Richard Burton Theatre, RWCMD
Stars: *****
Back for a second round of mayhem Cwtch Cabaret’s second tour showcased a whole new bunch from the wacky, weird and wonderful world of variety acts. With a new Cardiff venue in the beautiful Richard Burton Theatre (Royal Welsh College of Music and Drama) Cwtch have clearly taken a huge leap forward and somehow managed to put on an even more spectacular show than last time.
Once again hosted by the beautifully mismatched pair of Chris Lynham and Kate McKenzie, they perfectly fanned the flames of madness and magic that made the night so spectacular. This duo never get boring, they are always exciting and unpredictable. The pure enjoyment they get from performing spills over into the audience and creates an atmosphere of fun and frivolity that you can’t resist. Chris’s offbeat satire on film noire was intelligent and hilarious, you can never predict what he will do next.
The most varied and versatile performer of the night was multi-award-winning Australian Jess Love, graduate of Melbourne’s National Institute of Circus Arts. Her first act, “The Majorette” delivered high-energy, body-bending skipping tricks. As “Maureen the Cocktail Queen” she presented new take on comedy burlesque, with a custom built bra that incorporated a fruit juicer she captured the audience with her kooky charm and charisma. Her final act was certainly one of the highlights of the evening, taking us on a trip to the land of the outright odd. A strangely feminine young man enters upstage and starts to perform a confused striptease, only to reveal a passion for wearing women’s underwear. If this wasn’t mind boggling enough, our confused young man then begins to hammer a nail into his nose! This fusion of off the wall burlesque and side show was completely original and gorgeously gruesome. Overall a delightfully talented young woman who will not fail to entertain.
Jess Love (From http://www.jesslove.com.au/Welcome.html)
Petra Lange is an aerial artist like no other. Punky Petra violently destroyed the delicate, gentle stereotype with her emotionally intense rope performances. Her “Tango” was confident, sensual and just simply beautiful. She performs with her heart, providing a story through her acrobatic skills and emotional performance. Her second routine on aerial silk or tissu, was overflowing with confidence, rebellion and in your face attitude! As she plunged from the top of the rope to stop just before hitting the stage the audience let out a huge gasp, equally dangerous and enchanting she is completely individual and spellbinding.
Showcasing inventive card tricks and imaginative juggling skills Luke Wilson is the perfect showman. He elegantly framed his magic act with chat to the audience and natural, nerdy charm. Although he had to compete with an audience comedian who stated their name was “Dave Id” he still easily wowed the audience with his impressive sleight of hand. To keep his juggling act relevant to the 21st century audience he performed to a polished blend of British and Oriental music that perfectly complemented his routine. Using one to five clubs and his whole body to keep them airborne he proved why he is a visiting Professor of Juggling at Stockholm’s University College of Dance and Circus.
Luke Wilson (Fromhttp://www.lukewilson.de/ Photo by Matt Hennem)
Treading the tightrope of controversial comedy was Frank Sanazi. Fuhrer of the “Fatherlounge” he reinvented Sinatra’s classics to fit his extreme right (or extremely wrong) agenda performing “Mein Way” and “Feelin’ Guten”. The songs were painfully funny and his interaction with the audience showed a comedian of true talent. His tongue in cheek performance made it impossible to take offence at the leader of the Iraq Pack, whose other members include Osama Bing Crosby, Dean Stalin and Saddami Davis Junior. As his website says “He may not be a real nazi but he’ll still give you one helluva gas!”
The true variety and high speed pace of this season’s tour meant the fun was non-stop. With hardly a second to regain their breath the audience were alternately crying with laughter or gasping in admiration. Once again I encourage everyone to visit the Cwtch Cabaret website and get tickets for their next tour in May, when I’m sure they will offer up another first-rate serving of the brilliant and bizarre.
Reviewed by Chelsey Gillard
From more info on Cwtch Cabaret and all the artists mentioned please visit: http://www.cwtchcabaret.co.uk
For more reviews visit : http://www.hypercriticreviews.blogspot.com
Love and Loss through the eyes of the only Welsh Prime Minister
Love and Loss through the eyes of the only Welsh Prime Minister
POSTED BY HYPERCRITICREVIEWS ⋅ MARCH 5, 2012 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT
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The wizard, the goat and the man who won the war
Richard Burton Theatre, RWCMD
2nd March 2012
Stars: ****
To create a one man show about a politician who has been dead for 67 years that is still relevant to a modern audience would be a challenge to any writer or director. Thankfully D.J. Britton took David Lloyd George as his inspiration; the only Welsh speaking prime minister (although he was born in Manchester) whose private life and flirty charm make him an exciting and interesting man to study.
Brought to life by the utterly brilliant, BAFTA-winning actor Richard Elfyn, we got to see all the sides to the man the media called the Welsh wizard, the Goat (for his reputation as a flirt) and the man who won the war to end all wars.
On holiday in Antibes, France to celebrate his 50th wedding anniversary to his wife (whilst sending his mistress back to England) this fictionalised portrayal of the great man was firmly rooted in fact. He was indeed there for his anniversary and he also had a mistress called Frances; but how he felt about these two women and how he juggled the two amid all his political duties is explored through Britton and Elfyn’s beautiful collaboration.
Elfyn danced around the bare stage, with only a bench for set. With minimal props, a walking stick became an umbrella, a golf club and even a beautiful young woman to dance tenderly with. He addressed the audience as the sea and touchingly pondered if it was the same sea that caressed the shores of his beloved home in Wales. His performance was so absorbing, so truthful and so engaging he even had the audience singing along to the Welsh classic ‘Myfanwy’ in a parody to the story that Lloyd George would get the members of his cabinet around the piano to sing at Number 10.
Richard Elfyn as Lloyd George (photo by James Davies)
It wasn’t all light-hearted though as he began to question himself. How could a man who claimed to be a protector of the poor, who established the beginnings of the welfare state, risk so much to gain more personal wealth? How could a womaniser claim to be a champion of non-conformist Christianity? Did he abandon Wales or did Wales abandon him? And how could one normal man from a small town in Wales deal with the guilt of losing of a child to a preventable illness?
This was a truly inspirational piece of theatre, perfectly crafted and brought bang up to date with witty asides about The News of the World and brothers competing in politics. Underneath all the showboating was a true sense of the man who did not care for a Union Jack but desperately longed for the Ddraig Goch of home. My only worry is that it is a Welsh piece at home in Welsh theatres and I’m not sure how it would travel, with its use of the Welsh language and patriotic passion that only those who have lived here can truly understand.
Lyrical and absorbing, quite how Elfyn kept the one man show so engaging I will never know. The role of ‘Hamlet’ is notorious for being challenging but in this production Elfyn had over twice as many words as the ill fated prince, and was certainly twice as likeable.
Reviewed by Chelsey Gillard
For more reviews please visit: www.hypercriticreviews.blogspot.com
A Provincial Life, YC Review
Heritage Vs Happiness
POSTED BY HYPERCRITICREVIEWS ⋅ MARCH 9, 2012 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT
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A Provincial Life
National Theatre Wales
Sherman Cymru
Stars ***
National Theatre Wales have once again worked their magic to bring legendary director Peter Gill back to his home city of Cardiff to direct for the very first time. This re-working of Gill’s 1966 adaptation of Chekov’s short story gently tells the tale of Misail (Nicholas Shaw), a bourgeois young man, who wants to labour for his bread despite his privileged upbringing. Shunned by his father we follow him as he tries to build a life for himself and help those less fortunate in 19th century Russia.
Through their marketing strategy NTW have continuously pointed out the lavish set and costume design and it’s easy to see why – Alison Chitty’s design was superb. Huge bleached wood panels provided a blank yet imposing canvas that could be moved to suggest different spaces. Each scene was beautifully introduced by the chorus placing the furnishings of the rich or poor households in simple but effective choreographed sequences. These features perfectly framed the play as a whole and set the slow, almost dreamy state. The farmhands scything crops perfectly in time with Terry Davies’s haunting music was particularly poignant.
Performances from the 15 strong cast were impressive, in particular Alex Clatworthy as Misail’s unpredictable wife brought a real spark and energy to the production. Comic relief was delivered in the form of Misail’s rather odd collegue, Ivan (John-Paul Macleod). Lee Haven-Jones (Boris Ivanov Blagovo) and William Thomas (Andrey Ivanov) added true warmth and depth as Misail’s real friends.
Definitely a slow burner, if you are a fan of punchy dialogue and fast paced action this may not be the show for you. Although many of the themes are relevant to today’s youth, who are also striving for change, the production lacked a certain fire and passion that you would expect in a tale of revolution. Perhaps for a plot that emphasised the need to work for what you have it was a little too cerebral. This lack of gusto meant the end – although touching – fizzled out and was rather unsatisfying.
Although Misail sets out to help those less fortunate it is those very same people who are helping him by the end. This intelligent production forces you to ponder what is really valuable in this life – wealth and power or compassion and community?
Reviewed by Chelsey Gillard
Runs at the Sherman Theatre until 17th March
Box office Phone: 029 2064 6900
For more reviews please visit: http://www.hypercriticreviews.blogspot.com
Christmas hits City Road
Christmas hits City Road
POSTED BY HYPERCRITICREVIEWS ⋅ DECEMBER 11, 2011 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT
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Dirty Protest: Office Christmas Party
Various locations on City Road, Cathays
1st December 2011
Personally I feel the first of December is a little too early to be getting festive, but then I am known to my friends as ‘The Grinch’. Luckily for me Dirty Protest’s Office Christmas Party wasn’t all tinsel and cheesy pop songs, instead they showcased five intriguing new plays that tried to dig deep and find what really bothers us during the holidays.
After being welcomed into Cathays Conservative Club with the offer of chocolates and party blowers the first event proceeded in front of a packed audience. A Cold Coming focussed on Carrie, a bar tender whose evening has been disturbed by the arrival of a corpse and a pizza. Before his death the deceased asked Carrie to find a priest to read his last rights. In an odd yet convincing mix between dark humour and high drama three very different priests arrive, but all are too late. The relationship between the three holy men, although perhaps a little clichéd, was very amusing as they argued and discussed the benefits of holding a zumba class in the church hall. Although the heart of this piece was a debate around religion and forgiveness it never became too heavy or self-important. This was definitely one of the strongest pieces of the evening and it perhaps would have been better at the end of the night to bring the audience together for an exciting and intriguing climax.
The audience were then split into three groups and I had the pleasure of being part of the Dirty Elves for the evening. We were taken to CF24 hairdressers where we met Sabrina and her staff as they closed up shop before their Christmas party and one member of staff isFoiled after being caught stealing. This piece relied a little too much on the ditzy blonde and outrageously camp hairdresser stereotypes but this wasn’t too much of a problem as there was a lot of humour and given such a short performance time it helped the audience to connect to the characters instantly. Unfortunately in theatre sometime lines are dropped and cues are missed but in this performance it happened a little too often to be completely forgiven, Dirty Protest like working to tight deadlines and perhaps this section could have benefitted from a little more rehearsal time.
Next up was a trip to Ambala Indian Restaurant, which somehow still managed to serve customers as the performance, Mistakes Have Been Made, took place. In this one man show, the audience became the employees listening to the smooth talking yet untrustworthy manager giving his Christmas speech. It soon becomes clear that all is not well with the company, the recession has hit but the employees are hitting harder. With wide spread disobedience and malicious prank playing going on throughout the company, the management are worried. This script was brilliantly witty with a strong undercurrent of violence that cumulated in two “employees” bundling the Boss into the toilets and giving him a bit of a beating. This was definitely the piece that worked best within the restrictions of the evening; the audience didn’t feel like invisible voyeurs in someone else’s space and the plot was small but perfectly formed.
Within the cosy and atmospheric setting of Milgi’s yurt there sat a sad and lonely santa, who wanted to reach out to the woman he loves before he literally disappears. Before I Go was a melancholy piece dealing again with the effects of the recession and in some ways talked about the restrictions we put on ourselves because we are worried about what society will think of us. This script was intriguing and I was really willing it to grab hold and not let go but it never quite reached its potential. I don’t know if it needed to be longer or just more developed but there was never a moment that I really felt empathy for the tragic character John. Having said that I do think it was well acted by Sion Pritchard and I really can’t put my finger on the missing link.
The last performance for my group took place in a bus stop on City Road. Inside, the slightly disturbed Mary is waiting for a bus. At first she seems like a bit of a social outcast, a bit different, one of those people who like to be on their own. Soon it becomes clear she is completely off her rocker as she plots The Demise of Photocopy Boy. Poor photocopy boy is going to pay the ultimate price for flirting with this black widow. This piece took us into the region of the surreal and although the plot was a little unbelievable as a real life situation, Hanna Jarman played the role of Mary so well that you could really imagine her dark side breaking through the socially awkward exterior.
Overall the night was enjoyable, but I felt there was something missing. Logistics were handled well considering the massive audience numbers and the need to move between five different venues. All the plays were daring but some didn’t quite hit the mark. In some ways the event felt like we were seeing five plays in the development or prototype stage rather than fully formed performances. Despite my criticism I do have to applaud Dirty Protest for their innovation, they really are bringing theatre to the masses with accessible plots and unconventional venues. I’m really looking forward to seeing what they do next, what will they change and how will they grow? Keep your eyes open because I really think this company are going to hit Cardiff with something spectacular in the near future.
Review by Chelsey Gillard
For more info on Dirty Protest click here.
For more reviews click here.
To see what the other Young Critics thought click here.
NTW, The Village Social, Review
NTW Grand Opening of Year Two : The Village Social
POSTED BY HYPERCRITICREVIEWS ⋅ NOVEMBER 7, 2011 ⋅ LEAVE A COMMENT
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The Village Social
Neath Little Theatre
Stars:****
As we enter “the dark half of the year” NTW invite all sorts of ghosts, ghouls and mythological beasts onto the stage in the first production of their new season.
In a small town hall, in the fictional village of Cae Bach the local town committee try to run the annual Autumn Social. The theme this year is “Autumn Glamour”, resulting in the tragic gold foil decorations proudly hung among tapestries and murals with the town’s name proudly embroidered upon them.
From the moment the audience enter the front door they are part of the action, buying raffle tickets where first prize is rather odd and very gory. Invited in by foot stomping-ly good folk music that is later described as a passageway into other worlds, it is obvious that the night’s entertainment is going to be unforgettable.
The town committee, led by the brilliantly ‘David Brent’-esque Lawrence (Darren Lawrence), take to the stage to welcome us and apologise that tonight’s entertainment, spiritualist medium Madame Isis, is going to be late – her Sat-Nav has broken down and the spirits are not reliable guides. To keep things going super-keen local historian Lisa-Jên (Rebecca Harries) delights in telling the audience local myths and legends; including that of the stag god who with the original godly inhabitants of Wales danced and frolicked the night away until they were chased away to the underworld by human settlers. The stag’s antlers were trapped above ground and over time turned into a beautiful yew tree, that was until recently Cae Bach’s crowning glory, that is until it was mysteriously burned down.
This unsettling undercurrent of violence continued as Madame Isis eventually shows up, only to reveal each and every member of the committee’s secret desires and bad habits; beautiful blonde Yvonne (Carys Eleri) has the most terrible smelling wind, her husband Dave (Oliver Wood) longs to dress up as a woman. Soon a pattern emerges and it is clear to see that the members of the committee each relate to one of the five myths told earlier. After a disagreement with the townsfolk Madame Isis disappears in true panto style in a puff of smoke, but not before she curses the town, saying the gods want Cae Bach back!
Descending into further madness and hilarious chaos, health and safety conscious Jean (Sue Rodrick) declares she is feeling funny – she grabs and brandishes a spear from the stage decorations and leaves the social, only to return with the dismembered head of next door’s dog proudly worn as a hat. This theme continues with each committee member being transformed with riotously funny results; Yvonne comes back as the stinky, sack wearing monk, Papa Begw; Dave shows up in a tutu and dances just like Little Missy who danced herself to death (or according to some beautifully non-politically correct historians Little Missy was actually an epileptic boy); and in an almost pornographic and highly amusing moment Lawerence and Lisa-Jên are revealed as secret lovers!
Unfortunately after all the hilarious and gruesome antics of the night, the production takes a sharp and jarring u-turn to become overly serious, Lawrence’s son Dion (Gwydion Rhys, who also had the stand out performance of the night as Madame Isis) tells us of his ill-fated mother and the evening ends in tragedy. In a weird way I hardly questioned the odd transformations and surreal goings on, yet when a brutal moral tale was force fed to the audience I was left a little confused. The rushed ending left me slightly disappointed; it didn’t fit in the otherwise brilliant production.
NTW gave every person in the hall a brilliant -if rather odd- night out, everyone laughed until their faces hurt, the memorable musical numbers will be hummed for days on end. On the night I attended it was a sell out, with the audience ranging from nosy old women to curious youngsters, and even if not every one of them understood the production in its entirety I truly believe each of them enjoyed it. Yet somehow it felt as if the production was just a warm-up for what’s to come. Having said that, if this is a harbinger of the year ahead it looks like NTW are going to blow last year’s productions out of the water and continue to bring new, exciting theatre to Wales.
Reviewed by Chelsey Gillard
Runs until 12th November at a number of venues
For venue specific booking information please visit: http://nationaltheatrewales.org/whatson/performance/ntw15#bookinginformation
For really great photos of the production : http://www.flickr.com/photos/nationaltheatrewales/sets/72157627958153740/
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