All posts by Hannah Goslin

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Review A House Repeated, Battersea Arts Centre, By Hannah Goslin

October 26, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

(4 / 5)

A House Repeated

Battersea Arts Centre

In a transverse stage, little set but two chairs and two hospitable hosts, A House Repeated is unlike any other show I have experienced.

Described as a game show piece of theatre, it was as if we were transported into imaginary cluedo. Acting in two teams, we made decisions as a team when faced with choices of direction and actions. With no idea the outcome of this experience, we willingly engaged in a comedic yet creative piece of theatre that could have lasted for an hour up to several.

Unfortunately for this company, two audience members of an older persuasion were not so open and left very quickly. While it would seem this would disturb the piece, the hosts were understanding, the other audience members made this comical and this helped to return to the ‘normality’ that we had been involved in. This was nothing to do with the clever on stage interaction, but a naivety of these particular members to the different between our traditional theatre and the more experimental and immersive theatre that is challenged today.

Beginning in control, we were told mostly what options were available for our movement throughout our imaginary building, we were also told what the building looked like and so little was left to us to decide. We began hesitate, until we realised that the options given to us were not the only options, giving us the freedom to think more for ourselves, warming up to the concept. This is until we were given the chance to decide ourselves. Hilarity and a range of possibilities were open to us, giving us slight control to what we wanted to see and where we wanted to be. Anything was possible and it brought a lot of fun and laughter.

We were given the chance to be a team but let our imagination run – enjoying the mystery and the joy of such an interesting and fun performance art.

Theatre

Review The Comedy About a Bank Robbery, Mischief Theatre, Criterion Theatre by Hannah Goslin

August 19, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

(5 / 5)

Mischief theatre are a company to watch. After seeing their previous productions of ‘The Play that goes Wrong’ and ‘Peter Pan goes Wrong ‘ I am fully aware of what brilliance is to ensue.

I chose to bring my country parents to this production as I knew their love of Laurel and Hardy all the way up to their ‘controversial ‘love of Mrs Brown’s Boys, they would find this a treat.

Different to their previous works, this time they are not a ‘amateur company’ who’s shows keep going wrong, but the premise is a real storyline, with little elements of previous techniques of audience involvement, stage and prop ‘malfunctions’ and excellent acting and comic timing.

I find each time I see them that they up their game – where they find the constant energy to keep to such a fast paced storyline is excellent and they never miss a comic beat.

Mischief theatre will be broadcasting a live edition of Peter Pan goes Wrong on the BBC this Christmas – if you want to get as hooked on this company as I am, check them out on the TV and live!

Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Steel Magnolias, The Hope Theatre by Hannah Goslin

August 17, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

(4 / 5)

Steel Magnolias is a well known 80’s film with Julia Roberts – an almost cult film it could be suggested.

So it is perhaps unforgivable that myself and my friend have never seen it. I wonder whether the tears my mother sheds after each viewing was a slight put off to watching it. I don’t think I ever wanted to know the sadness.

In a very 80’s style hairdressers in a transverse set up, the styling, the costumes, the hair is all shining Pretty Woman, The Breakfast Club and Sixteen Candles.

The storyline is a great combination of fun, comical, relatable and sad. It would seem that not much happens – 5 women run through the year, trading stories, make up tips, tales of men…one may say it is all slightly un-feminist and stereotyped. But it’s all true – it’s all what small town women would talk about and what they would do.

We are drawn into their story very easily. It holds us and at times I wondered how such simple yet witty writing is keeping me from getting distracted. Of course the combination of comedy and reality hooks us but it’s only instilled this way by the wonderful and natural performances of each actor.

Steel Magnolias has you hooked and always crying, whether this is from laughing or because it has touched your heart.

Museums & heritage

Spending Time Credits at the Tower of London by Hannah Goslin

August 17, 2016 Hannah Goslin 2 Comments

Thanks to Spice Time Credits, I recently had a wonderful trip to the Tower of London.

My parents were visiting from Devon and I wanted to treat them. Since their last visit to the Tower 35 years ago, the history and memory was a bit vague and I, was a complete newbie.

We had no issues with accessing the Tower with our tickets- joining the free tour that happens every 30 mins which was full of comedy and excitement by our animated Beefeater guide and on such a gorgeous sunny day, the compound shone as bright as the Crown Jewels.

Without the use of these Credits, I doubt we would have accessed such a brilliant historical and cultural day out in the rare British sunshine. Thanks Time Credits!

Hannah earned her Spice Time Credits reviewing for getthechance.wales . All members earn when attending and reviewing a range of sport and cultural events.
Further information on the Spice Time Credit network can be found at the link. http://www.justaddspice.org/get-involved/get-started-with-time-credits

Theatre

Review Pigs and Dogs, Caryl Churchill, The Royal Court by Hannah Goslin

August 1, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

(5 / 5)

15 minutes. Not 2 hours and an interval. Not 1 hour straight through. 15 minutes is all it takes to pound you with intense and thought provoking truth.

Pigs and Dogs by the brilliant writer Caryl Churchil and directed by Dominic Cooke speaks about homosexuality in Africa and across the world and what this really means. Taking influence from the Anti-homosexuality act in 2014 in Uganda, the play takes quotes and facts from around Africa and other parts of the World about tribes and groups of people that have historically delved into traditions that would be labelled as ‘homosexuality’ despite the discrimination in society and law.

Simply the production only has 3 actors on stage who take sentences of the piece one after the other and bring across characters and their quotations. The performers do this extremely well and are quick and prompt, bouncing off one another. The characters and accents change from African, to American, to British and so on. The performers are brilliant at this and despite one actor being Caucasian, there is no sense of parody or comedy in his African characters. We forget that they are actors on stage, just engaged in the intense facts and shock at the naivety and cruelty of these discriminatory people. We even feel guilt and disgust at our own history and the laws which we once had in place against others.

15 minutes is all it takes to bring emotion, fact and truth to an audience. To be able to do that, is a total triumph and extremely worth watching.

Theatre

Review Rotterdam, Jon Brittain, Trafalgar Studios, By Hannah Goslin

July 31, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

(5 / 5)

Why is it that Transgender and LGBT movements are still considered taboo? We have had such horrors through history in regards to discriminating these persons, up to the Orlando shootings recently. Why are we still struggling to bring these stories to the forefront? We tell tales of every other type of person in the world but hardly ever of LGBT persons.

Enter Rotterdam – this play written by Jon Brittain looks at a lesbian couple and their troubles in acceptance – Alice has not come out to her parents with a real fear to do so and Fiona announces that she has always identified as a man and wishes to make the transition into Adrian. We see their relationship fall and the emotional struggles they face with this huge change. Comical interludes tend to be brought in by Adrian’s brother Josh and Alice’s co-worker Lelani who we realise also take on a substantial amount of emotion in this situation.

Rotterdam is an extremely clever play. It is filled with emotion and struggles, with us really feeling for the characters but is also hugely hilarious, being not afraid to take a comical spin on the rollercoaster, without being offensive and by taking a delicate and sympathetic approach on this realistic story.

I admit that I came away from the production in tears – all the performers did an amazing job to naturalistically and truthfully bring the pain, confused and uncertainty to the stage. It felt as if we really were involved in the story and always engaged. It brought ideas across that without being in the situation that you would not necessarily think would affect those who are. It questions whether changing gender makes you a different person and soon turns this around to show that it can physically but really the same person is there.

Rotterdam is an excellent production. Taking a very respectful approach to the story, it leaves you really thinking more about this situation that happens across the world. As the song says, ‘This could be Rotterdam or anywhere’.

http://www.atgtickets.com/shows/rotterdam/trafalgar-studios/#overview_tab

Dance, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Stars and Strippers, The Folly Mixtures, London Wonderground, By Hannah Goslin

July 29, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

(3 / 5)

The Folly Mixtures are a cabaret and burlesque troupe that are well known for their consistent and smooth performances using modern, remixed music, fire play and dirty comedy.

Tonight was of no exception. Listening to our compere between sections, the theme of America is picked upon satirically, with comparisons to us as Brits and our stereotypes. This is clever, at times improvised and makes us laugh at the irony of our own situation as well as the stereotypes of America.

With the performance, the different routines also pick upon stereotypes of America – the old 1950’s diner girls, baseball to even a poke at Donald Trump and the current election campaigns. We love all of these – bedazzled and glittered, the stereotypes are nothing but fun and gorgeous, high end and professional.

We are also introduced to our only male burlesque performer – Dave the Bear. While like the women, he is there to perform routines and for us to appreciate the human form, he is flirtatious with the male audience members, crude with his jokes but all of this is brilliant and comical.

My only issue with this performance is that Burlesque is known for its celebration of all body types – these woman have wonderful bodies, almost envious but very similar and lacking celebration of all women. I also find that the group performances get a little samey when solo performances would have been welcomed to showcase each performer and perhaps a little more comedy in these routines would have created a different dynamic.

Overall, the Folly Mixtures were beautiful, glamourous and skilled. A great night out none the less.

http://www.thefollymixtures.co.uk

Musical, Theatre

Review, Sh*tfaced Showtime, London Wonderground, By Hannah Goslin

July 29, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

(4 / 5)

The London Wonderground is always a favourite place of mine each Summer. It is a very versatile place full of comedy, cabaret and new and old exciting acts.

As the name suggest, Sh*tfaced showtime is going to be fuelled by alcohol, theatre and comedy. We are unsure what the ‘showtime’ part is going to be but this adds to all the fun and essence of surprise through the night.

The premise of the show is for a group of classically trained musical theatre performers to put on a 1 hour version of a production [in this case, Pirates of Penzance] while one performer is ridiculously drunk. The audience are invited to participate when we believe that the performer is becoming sober and this is where our host intervenes to give ‘one more drink’ for which we eagerly chant.

Watching a person on stage becoming hilariously drunk, you would think that this would be uncomfortable. It is not. It is full of hilarity, as we watch her attempt to keep to the performance but get distracted and all the frivolities we associate with intoxication. We as the audience find this all very comical as outsiders but we can all relate to this state. Despite this, her singing and performance ability at times is very accomplished and is evident her talent despite bringing a lot of comedy with her distractions.

The other sober performers are also very talented and skilled and in their own right, bring a fantastic version of Pirates of Penzance. There are times where the performance goes off course due to our drunk performer and they do well to bring it back to the narrative or to go along with the diversion. Their trust and interaction with one another is genius and makes you feel safe that despite the uncertainty of what could appear on stage [or even off stage].

Sh*tfaced Showtime is genius. To be brave enough to go ahead with such a concept is admirable and executed with sheer perfection and brilliant talent.

Literature, Museums & heritage, Theatre

Review, Romeo and Juliet, Everyman Theatre Cardiff, By Hannah Goslin

July 26, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

De Ja vu ensures when I arrive once again for the second time that day at the Everyman Theatre, this time for Romeo and Juliet.

The basis for the staging is the same as before, with the added props and different lighting. It does become a different scene and clever recycling of the set. As before in Peter Pan, performers had head mics, this performance has a microphone at the front of the stage that picks up the entire area. This does dip in and out with parts being louder than others – a slight lack of consistency. This is where the performers should have compensated for this potential eventuality with their own voices. The lighting itself was below average. It felt as if the technician was testing the lighting on the night itself and times when the sky was dark, the staging was not sufficiently lit or had drastic changes in light that felt uncomfortable and a little annoying – taking attention away from the performance.

The cast were a large range of abilities and ages. Feeling as if I am pulling away from supporting my fellow young performers, it felt as if the older performers were the best- whether this comes from experience or more understanding of the play. Others seemed to lack understanding of the text, evident in their stunted execution. At all times performers were on stage, watching the scene intently if not in it but this was only effective when it was consistent – I found myself being drawn away by performers who lost concentration and looked bored as their eyes drew away from the performers.

Marketing the show, we expected to see a traditional dressed production – which is hard to get wrong in performance. This performance had taken a modern approach to the performance and this was fine for what it was. The producers could have worn any clothes and it would have been the same. An abstract and metaphorical approach was taken at times, using basic physical theatre to represent parts. Again this lacked consistency – we either wanted an emotional and real interpretation or a physical theatre piece. It unfortunately did not seem to gel in this case.

Romeo and Juliet unfortunately felt confused and lacking a clear path. While the performers seemed to work hard, it did not always pay off and I came away feeling a little uninspired.

(1 / 5)

Literature, Music, Theatre

Review, Peter Pan, Everyman Theatre Festival

July 23, 2016 Hannah Goslin Leave a comment

Image by Natalie Johnson-Rolley

It seems that this year is the year of open air theatre. In the heart of Sophia Gardens we await to be transported by the boy that never grew up across the skies of Cardiff to Neverland.

With a cast of young performers ranging from very small to older groups, this large cast has the great task of a 1 hour production of the Disney rendition of this great story.

Our main characters are as happy and go lucky as we expect them to be – their singing voices very accomplished for such young actors. They are confident and in keeping with their characters. The role of the Dad and of Hook is played by an adult male- a very tasteful decision in showing the patriarchal hold of women at the time with his demands of Wendy becoming a lady and to also show the difference between children’s freedom and adult restriction. The highlight of men vs women running throughout the play and especially with the song entertaining lyrics of brave men, soon to be changed by Tiger Lily and Wendy to Brave girls is a lovely boost and message for growing girls and young women.

The ensemble all evidently worked very hard for their parts – doubling up for different characters and adjusting well to show the difference from Pirates to Indians to Lost Boys and Fairies with ease and skill.

There is an element of pantomime with the production- the costumes are bright and stereotypical but this is Disney and relatable to the children of the audience -some very young. The use of a clever prop flying high in a snake like fashion over the stage for the crocodile was inventive and really enjoyable to witness.

It did feel as though the smoke machine operator was a little over enthusiastic- at times the stage was disguised and us audience too with an abundance of smoke that it was hard to see the performers and how hard they were working.

Overall this is a lovely and humble family show. A condensed version of the Disney film, it’s entertaining for all families of all ages.

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Creating opportunities for a diverse range of people to experience and respond to sport, arts, culture and live events. / Lleisiau amrywiol o Gymru yn ymateb i'r celfyddydau a digwyddiadau byw