Seeing Romeo and Juliet at the Sherman Theatre on the third of October changed my perspective on the play completely, I have studied the play for coursework in year nine and ten and I couldn’t have hated a play more than I hated this one, it absolutely did my head in! The language was pretty difficult for me to grasp and use for evidence in my essays, but after seeing it on stage, I wanted to go back in time and tell myself to hold on, and not judge it rashly. I’m not an expert on Shakespearean English, but the way the actors portrayed their characters in time with their lines made everything so much clearer and much more enjoyable.
My  favourite character in this play was Mercutio, who was played by Scott Reid. When I was doing the play in school, I didn’t really know much about any character I didn’t have to write a lengthy essay about, (I wasn’t really supposed to focus on anyone else) so seeing him as a bubbly and loveable character really was a nice change of scenery from two star-crossed lovers and their angst. Reid was phenomenal in this role, because he could use the space around in really interesting ways, I don’t think I ever saw him not using his hands or being completely still! (Unless he had to, during that one particular part in the party scene in the Capulet’s’ manor.) to me, personally, this is a sign of an actor who definitely knows what they are doing on stage. My drama teacher often says for us to “never just stand there” – always do something, even if it’s little – It was never boring to see him excitedly moving about! It even made me want to join in! His facial expressions when his character had been stabbed made me feel the pain he must have been feeling, and it made me want to jump up and reassure him. I remember that he pulled the coat he was wearing around him as he did this, which made my feelings of wanting to help practically double. When studying the play in school, I wasn’t swayed by him dying, but when I saw it on stage after noting all of this, I wished it hadn’t happened at all. I adored the fact that many actors had an accent. I loved that Mercutio had a Scottish accent, as it seemed to maximise his bubbly and fun personality.
I particularly loved the modernised representation of certain characters such as the Nurse and the servant, Peter. They went from simple servants to someone who you could just tell had been angry to have been cut off,  from rather bland to sassy and likeable . Every hip-swish and hand gesture was amazing and I’ll never forget them.
I loved the clothes that everyone wore especially the Nurse and Lady Capulet’s costumes. The pink tracksuit the Nurse wore (along with her fantastic accent) made me grin every time she appeared. A pink tracksuit like that was so much more enjoyable to see than a maid’s outfit! Lady Capulet’s costumes were great, too! I loved that in the very beginning fight scene she tried to use her high heel as a weapon! Her costumes especially in the party scene one was a lot more exciting than a corset and a dress with a thousand layers to it!
I loved the music that was played between and during scenes. The party scene at the Capulet’s’ was absolutely top, with  a very infectious beat, I couldn’t help bobbing along with the characters. I don’t know the names of the tracks of the songs used, if I did, they’d be sitting in a playlist on my iPod labeled “Fab Romeo and Juliet tracks!!” Dubstep in a Shakespearean play? Loved it!
The set designed by Kenny Miller was outstanding! The modern posters and newspapers, which had been put up, and stripped/ripped down made the set really look like a modern street, which was fantastic for the street brawls! I loved the almost-jail-cell, which doubled as a coat wardrobe. It made me smile. It looked so interesting amidst the rest of the set. The air of mystery was thick and fantastic with that thrown in the mix as well as everything else. I dare to think how much effort was put into creating it and how long it must have taken. I didn’t even expect the top to lift up and reveal a balcony set. (Even though I should have known about it! I studied the play!).
I loved the play and the direction by Rachel O’Riordan, if I could see it again and again I would be very happy. Every character was loveable in their own unique way and each and every single one touched my heart and left a mark there I’ll never forget. The way the cast performed made it a masterpiece; I’ll never forget Romeo and Juliet at the Sherman Theatre.

Photo credit Farrow Creative
Welsh playwright Gary Owen wrote this shattering triptych of vulnerable masculinity in 2001. Now, in 2014, it gnaws at the bone just as much. In fact, in this production by Waking Exploits, it may as well snap the bone off completely. Three accomplished actors deliver three similarly brash, shocking monologues in a strange hinterland spattered with empty bottles, shards of glass and a disused karaoke machine – a set designed aptly by Alison Neighbour that subtly reflects the shattered hopes of the characters.
 
First up is the eponymous Crazy Gary, equipped only with a tracksuit, a swagger and a murderous look in his eye. Gary – who is in no way based on the playwright (as far as I know) – makes sure we know he’s getting laid tonight. After carving an esteemed reputation at school as the bully, Gary now runs a mobile disco at the local pub. And no one gets in the way of his disco night. That’s common knowledge. But, of course, when it comes to the girl of his dreams, we find he’s capable of some ounce of compassion, although violence seems to be his only way of coping. Jordan Bernarde embodies the role brilliantly, conveying the character’s psychopathic hostility as well as his brittle spirit.
 
Gwydion Rhys then steps up to the mic and warbles us a ballad as Matthew D. Melody, the next in the troubled trio. Karaoke King Matthew, bearing a perturbed stare and a wailing singing voice, tells us of his newfound love Candy, his devotion to God and his unfortunate incident involving the mutilated corpse of a cat.
 
Finally, Sion Pritchard gives the last and most twisted of the monologues – the one that finally ties the three into a firm and unbreakable knot. Pritchard plays Russell who is desperate to flee the town that has tormented him so. His attention-seeking girlfriend, however, has other ideas and blackmails him into following her rules. Still haunted by a horrific incident from his schooldays – something that links the three men – it seems Russell does not have much choice.
 
All the characters seem ruled by the women in their lives. Gary’s violent manner is made to seem pathetic when his dream girl snubs him. The girl of Matthew’s affection seems detached and aloof from his desire. Russell too is forced and threatened by his clearly unhinged partner, piling on more guilt on top of what already burdens him. Does this make the play misogynistic? Or rather, is it a feminist text? Since the women clearly have the upper hand here.
 
Under Matt Ball’s direction, the actors participate in each other’s monologues, voicing minor characters, thus amplifying the connection we eventually discover between them. Although each character has done best to avoid each other for years, something of their spirit lingers. The projected motifs of tearful eyes and bloodied teeth either side of the stage thicken once again the knot that binds them.
 
It’s not one for the faint-hearted, the narrow-minded nor the easily offended, but it is one for those hard knocks out there who relish Welsh drama. As a play, it adds emotional depth to the stereotype. It’s violent, yes. It’s crass, undoubtedly. But the cruelty is only a front for something tender and helpless. Here is masculinity crying for its mother.

Chris Gordon and Sophie Melville, who play Romeo and Juliet.
On Thursday the 11th of September, I was invited to go and see a rehearsal of Romeo and Juliet at the Sherman Theatre Cymru, Cardiff. In my lifetime I’ve seen countless Romeo and Juliet productions, each one trying to bring their own stamp towards it. While some ideas work well, some productions were trying to hard to be unique therefore taking away the real essence of what the play was about. I was nervous and excited when entering the rehearsal space, as the company was only two weeks out of six into their rehearsal process. I believe it takes many months to master any Shakespearian play and the fact they’ve been given six is quite risky. Rachel O’Riordan, directing this production gave us an insight into her mind, showing us a snippet of how she will take on one of Shakespeare’s most famous plays.
 
The first scene we watched was Act 2 Scene 4 where the Nurse looks for Romeo in order to gain some confidence with him in terms of marrying Juliet. This whole scene is already filled with moments of hilarity and great characterisation. The relationship between the actors on stage and off is a delight to see. The atmosphere is filled with driven energy, so much lightheartedness and fun. Rachel provides a great working space for her actors so they can experiment on how they can expand their acting skills.
 
The second scene we saw was a complete contrast to the first. This scene, Act 3 Scene 3 is where Romeo is talking to Friar Lawrence and finding out he’s banished from Verona. The company ran through the scene once and then sat down with Rachel in the middle of them exploring every single line, every word. They discussed what the line would mean in Shakespearian times and why it would seem unorthodox to say it now. Rachel directed this scene brilliantly and showed me a deeper insight into the mind of Romeo. The collaboration between experienced actors who have been in the industry for many years and actors who are just starting out was mesmerising. They bounced of each other, learned from each other and therefore made the work so much more engaging. Rachel’s experience as a director demonstrated that she knew just how to motivate and engage the actors in her company.
 
The only thing I would have liked to have seen is a scene with Juliet. Personally I detest this character and generally the way people perceive her to be. I’ve often seen the character played to be whiny and just completely annoying. In the Q&A session I asked Rachel how she would direct the portrayal of Juliet in the production. It seemed to me that Rachel also shared some of my reservations of the representation of the character of Juliet on stage. When I asked Rachel she agreed that Juliet is a strong character and shouldn’t be played down. It’ll be interesting to see how Sophie Melville, playing this character will interpret this role.
 
Overall through this insight into the rehearsal process it is clear Rachel has spent a great deal of time trying to figure out exactly how she wants to create her directorial vision of Romeo and Juliet. I’m excited to see this production and you should be too. There are many great actors in this production and they all bring their own personal edge to the characters we know. Rachel O’Riordan has great directing skills and I have a lot of faith that she will do this play justice.
 
Romeo and Juliet plays at the Sherman Theatre Cardiff on the 2-18 of October.
 
http://www.shermancymru.co.uk/performance/literature/romeo-juliet/

Pictures by Kirsten McTernan
Described by Guardian critic Michael Billington as ‘a startling debut that spluttered and fizzed like an out-of-control firework’, Crazy Gary’s Mobile Disco starts its Welsh tour this week at Chapter in a revival by Waking Exploits. Chapter – famed for showcasing new works alongside old – is the venue where Gary Owen’s stage debut made its first appearance in February 2001. Since then, Owen has found much success as a playwright, now writing for Sherman Cymru, National Theatre Wales and the Royal Court, establishing himself as one of Wales’ most daring and definitive literary voices. This production, however, will bring the play and its writer back to their roots; back home, where they belong.

The play, set in small town Wales on a night out, concerns three very different but similarly flawed men whose masculinity is in crisis. Each one is desperate to shed those innate reputations that still haunt them from their schooldays – ‘the geek, the gimp and the bully.’ Owen essentially provides a voice for these men, unleashing a lifetime of frustration through a relentless tirade of visceral, abrasive monologues.

Waking Exploits have previously been lauded for their ground-breaking, innovative and ambitious projects, performing works by contemporary masters such as Caryl Churchill, Dennis Kelly and Simon Stephens. Also on board is director Matt Ball, formerly the two-year Creative Associate for National Theatre Wales and five-year Artistic Director for Camden People’s Theatre. Its cast will include Jordan Bernarde, Gwydion Rhys and Sion Pritchard. In other words, it is sure to be a good’un.

Gary Owen himself has said of the project, “It will be brilliant, but slightly weird, to see this play being done in Chapter again. It’s been done loads – every year, there are a couple of productions somewhere in the world – but seeing the play that started my career, at the venue where it was first produced, is going to be a huge pleasure. And slightly unsettling.”
After picking up the library’s copy of the play, I am quite pleased to say that I devoured it in one sitting. Coupled with the expertise of the creative team behind it, I expect this production will do it the justice it deserves.

With Scottish Independence elbowing Page 3 girls and royal foetuses out of the newspapers, this steamy Scottish sex farce by Johnny McKnight seems an appropriate diversion. Birds of Paradise and Random Assembly have brought their box of tricks to the Sherman to test how Scot humour translates to the Welsh. And, in all honesty, there’s not that much of a difference.
The focus of Wendy Hoose covers two attractive, sexually frustrated 20-somethings – Laura and Jake – who decide a one night stand is in order after sexting over a hook-up app (undoubtedly Tinder). When Jake arrives, finding Laura’s door wide open, he sees the buxom lassie, ready and waiting, in bed. After some of Jake’s wince-worthy dirty talk and clumsy undressing, he begins to make his move. Once the duvet is peeled, however, he finds he’ll be getting a lot less than he bargained for. Jake decides to ring a taxi as soon as possible but a forty-five minute wait leaves him stranded. That wait turns out to be a remarkably enlightening one.
McKnight’s wildly filthy one-act breaks every taboo in sight. It is more ground-breaking though than purely destructive. The laughs come thick and fast and are made accessible to those both visually and aurally impaired. A sign language interpreter, an acerbic audio describer and some uncouth emoticons all compliment, enhance and satirise the action, despite occasionally upstaging it.
For such a bawdy, rib-tickling script, it requires a pair of actors with dazzling stage chemistry. James Young, as the brash but gawky Jake, brings us a common chauvinist crossed with a hopeless, stumbling romantic, winning the audience’s compassion as well as their uncomfortable sniggers. Amy Conachan, alluring and seductive, shows no reticence in her performance and boldly establishes that she has the upper hand when it comes to ‘getting one’s leg over’.
Two-handed plays have the tendency to be a dull affair, often merely focusing on the couple’s relationship and nothing else. However, armed with its ‘twist’, it explores themes both in and outside of the bedroom. It reveals harsh and clandestine truths on modern attitudes to body image, sexism and the difference between sex and love. Though the crass language and frank sexual content may shock some, what lies underneath is a sincere, candid portrait of our perception of others and ourselves.
Wendy Hoose is at the Sherman Theatre until 13th Sept 2014.