(4 / 5)

In my naivety and lack of French speech (despite learning it for quite the number of years), I spent most of the week in the run up to this review, completely mispronouncing it.

However, after this production, there is no mistaking the name of Tartuffe.

Tartuffe by Molière is a comical yet poignant play about the differences and priorities of the class system. Tartuffe is brought into a rich family, when the man of the house begins questioning life and everything underneath his roof. This affects his family and his general existence and we question who really is the villain of the piece.

Denis O’Hare, who plays Tartuffe himself is excellent. He is the quintessential homeless hippy yet never tries to be anything other than what the family members say he is. He is vibrant and hilarious and while we are geared to hate him, we kind of love him too.

He embodies this smelly and unhealthy man, and yet the way he is portrayed and allows himself to be portrayed to the point where we feel like we can smell, taste and feel everything he is.

The whole production is full of very well rehearsed and thought out moments of slapstick humour and action – it is fast paced and full to the brim with comedy that we are never uncomfortable or lacking a moment of interest in what is on stage. All the actors react and perform with complete perfection.

When we reach the end, our hilarity is cut short. We are suddenly reminded of the ‘moral story’ and things become dark and real. This echoes much of the writing at The Royal Court and feels like a shock change to the laughter we encountered previously.

For a very old play, Tartuffe is extremely poignant and has the great ability to hold us in comedy to then suddenly drop us into doom.

(2 / 5)

A night of one woman plays.

How could I resist my theatrical sisters and not see another solo show after another!

In Search of Applause features a struggling actress, a trained clown who falls into the comfortable and routine life of a relationship. She doesn’t really love him. He has money and they live an interesting lifestyle, but ultimately, he seemed kind.

Now with this premise, we expect some hard hitting shock to the system- is this about domestic abuse? Perhaps a Phoenix from the ashes moment? Unfortunately there is no such thing. And the hour or so feels unremarkable.

Maroussia Vladi, both the writer and actress of the piece is very good- don’t get me wrong. She has a presence to the stage; the narrative is interesting … but it felt unfinished.

If Vladi has indeed trained as a clown, this shows. And I don’t mean this necessarily negatively. She obviously has talent but some reactions and mime seemed a little too over the top and unnecessary – perhaps in a clowning piece it would have been perfect, but for this, it didn’t. I badly wanted to associate myself with her but I just couldn’t fight through the over-theatrical wall.

The moments she really broke down, let her guard lower for a moment- where the real anger and emotion lay was what I craved and while it was only a small amount over all and near the end, it was good and what we needed throughout.  

Vladi’s In Search of Applause is a nice piece of theatre – the idea is there, the talent is, but the two didn’t match quite enough for me to really enjoy it and feel a connection.

(3 / 5)

A black box theatre above a pub seems like the perfect setting for Rattled.

The stage is basic, there isn’t much to it, and this works well for a one woman show where the acting and the writing is imperative.

It is dark, gloomy, our focus over a bench and with a light that swings above. It begins with flashing of lights and a hooded figure thrashing around. When the lights begin, it’s a young lady and she’s found a car holdall with a baby in it.

The narrative continues with the woman speaking a monologue; looking back at her past, at her present and inputted with moments of anxiety and worry; some directed to and about the baby in the holdall.

Rattled is a play based on true events of a woman with post-natal depression. The series of events are mixed for theatrical effect, but Rachel Harper does a very good job of bringing realism and emotion to the character. Part of me felt uneasy and a little unconvinced at times when her character continued with nervous giggling – obviously this is for theatrical purposes, but after a while it became grating and unreal.

Harper, however, is very emotional and while this may not be her story, it is obvious that she feels connected to it – this certainly gives some backing to her acting and helps it to be as natural as possible. You wanted to hug her and tell her all is okay – you want her to stop talking to her baby as someone she doesn’t know. Ultimately, you want to help.

Rattled is a wonderful play and really in-depth and true. With some work and maybe a bigger stage, Rattled could be something special and really make waves.

(3 / 5)

I always feel a sense of joy when I head to the Peacock Theatre; their programming is always fun and whimsical. This is exactly what I experienced again,  on my trip this time.

A beautiful part of this production, was the initial entrance into the foyer and by the bar. A collection of Spanish speaking patrons mingling and speaking this delicious language which really set the tone for the show itself. 

Whilst in Argentina myself, I took a tango class with a short show afterwards and found this beautiful, sexy and interesting language to Tango. It’s fierce, it’s unapologetic and it has a feat of awe. 

And this show definitely hit those checkboxes. The staging is simple, with our first half in the typical 1940’s-1950’s costume, lustrous summer scene with only a bench and lamppost. The dancers have a conversation with their movement and there’s humour and plenty of elements that we all recognise – the loved up couple, the unrequited lovers, the males vs females. We enjoy the movement between them, the conversation through dance and it over all is a joyous beginning to the show. 

Our second half is more hot and steamy. The women are wearing less, the interaction is raw and fierce and it’s hard to take your eyes off them. The feat to which the woman are lifted and thrown across the male dancer’s bodies and across the stage left a few with gasps and awes. Feet moving and legs kicking at extreme pace; it is hard to ignore such ability and grace.

While a lovely show, and picking on all the elements of Tango, I didn’t feel too awe-struck or inspired. It was lovely to watch and interesting to see the skill involved but it didn’t feel too original. It felt very quintessential. 

Over all German Cornejo’s Tango Fire is something to be enjoyed. If you are ready for a show with little to complain about and sit for a nice evening, it’s a safe bet to take. You won’t come away disappointed.  But do not expect to come out speechless.