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Theatre

REVIEW: ‘SNOW WHITE AND THE SEVEN DWARVES’ BY GEMMA TREHARNE-FOOSE

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
The New Theatre is billed as a top draw for Panto loving families and it was my first time to see what the New Theatre had to offer. I’ve been a Muni/Park and Dare Panto regular since a child and was used to a pretty raucous affair thanks to the likes of Frank Vickery, and his delightfully outrageous teasing and bitchy banter.
So despite being caught in an almighty downpour on the way to the New Theatre, my expectations were mixed for Cardiff’s premier pantomime venue. I knew it was going to be much blingier and higher budget than what I was used to but ticket prices aside, would it bring additional value?
I haven’t been a fan of Eastenders for years and (sorry Samantha!) my distaste for soaps and reality shows in general means I typically have low expectations for their actors and performers. I wasn’t sure how to feel when I found out that ex-Eastender Samantha Womack and real-life caricature of a preening prince (X Factor Famous Chico) would be top of the cast list.

But if you love Panto (as I do) or even have a begrudging respect for it as a traditional artform, you just have to go with it.
Samantha Womack as the Wicked Stepmother is bloody brilliant, she really is. Sorry for misjudging you Samantha! She was excellent at dissing the Cardiff crowd and there were plenty of us in the firing line. Her vocals are really strong, too – particularly during the famous Hocus Pocus movie version of ‘I put a spell on you’.
Thanks to choreographer Stephen Harris, the set list and routines were contemporary with an up to date song list. Kids will love the Ariana Grande opener, which gets you in the mood for the fun ahead.
I’m not going to sugarcoat it, Chico still isn’t my cup of tea – but as A-grade cheddar goes, he’s great for the role. I’m not sure we need to see quite so much of his pecs throughout the show and (sorry to be a spoilsport) the whole Step Mother lusting after a younger guy and repeatedly groping him thing doesn’t sit well with me, but…that’s probably overthinking it.
Mike Doyle…not enough is said about how great an entertainer he is. He is completely underrated in the Welsh media, but his turn as ‘Betty Berry’ and Shirley Bassey is first class. Even if you’re not sure about Panto and minor celebs, you must see Mike Doyle rinsing Shirley Bassey and of course- completely getting away with it. Again, while his whole performance is pure hammery (if that’s even a word), he is a truly fantastic singer. He even reminds us at one point: ‘I was trained by Stan Stennett, love!’
There are plenty of local/popular culture references which audiences will love. Snow White last saw her Father get on a bus to St Mellons (never to return), the magic mirror comes from Argos, Alfie comes from the magical kingdom of Bridgend, the royal carriage comes complete with a car alarm (well it is Cardiff) and the people of Lisvane are ‘too posh to join in’.

Special mention also for the fabulous ‘Magnificent Seven’ and their incredible vocals, Mike Coltman for the beautiful costumes and the overall set design (keep an eye out for the wonder of the Snow White cottage).
I did notice a marked difference in general audience participation between the Park and Dare and the New Theatre. The audience on my night was a little flatter than I was used to. BUT! There is a lot of added wow factor in this New Theatre production. The way the set is dressed, the musical repertoire, the size of the cast and the quality of the costumes will blow you away. This is festive bling 2.0.

2017 has been an absolute shocker of a year, but this show is a guaranteed way to blow off the cobwebs and let the New Theatre shower you with sequins and glitter. Let go of your apprehensions and scoff down this Christmassy treat so sweet it’ll make your heart sing and your jaw ache from laughing.

Theatre

Review Oslo, Harold Pinter Theatre/National Theatre by Sebastian Calver

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Following an impulse to escape the façade of filmic structure and actually learn something from “the craft” I ended up at the Harold Pinter Theatre in the most diverse auditorium I have ever experienced; culturally and demographically.
Very rarely do I attend a piece of theatre without an agenda to dislike it due to disproportionately high-ticket prices, however, tonight every penny and pound was well worth investing; Bartlett Sher’s production, for the National Theatre, was a lesson well taught on a difficult, sensitive and currently extremely relevant challenge; conflict. Sher’s direction utilised Brecht’s concept of the Verfremdungseffekt to scrutinise our judging behaviours towards what we all unintentionally practise as prejudice.

The face value of Rogers’ play concerning a peace deal between the Israeli and Palestinian governments is projected by Sher to have a much more powerful incentive than to educate the packed auditorium; but rather to reflect the severity of current conflicts that are erupting not only concerning Eastern Europe but all over the world and ever more recently our own door step.

Through the use of projected media images and live records we were transported from a piece of powerful political performance to the reality of the collateral damage on the streets of Gaza. The impact was further amplified as Mona, one of the Norwegian politicians, shares with us the impact it had on her as she “saw it. Two boys facing each other, one in uniform, one in jeans, weapons in hand, hate flowing between them. But their faces—and we both see this—their faces are exactly the same. The same fear. The same desperate desire to be anywhere but here.”[1)
The design of both the performance space and the play supplemented one another clearly to aid the storytelling. Despite not being a “well-made play” and transforming the Classical or Aristotelian unities; the majority of the story was shared in the same design of board room with minor differences to clearly define its different global locations; when a new location was introduced It would be so verbally by the Norwegian politicians whose story it was that was being told. This technique of storytelling in a single shared space via breaking the fourth wall encouraged me to believe in the storytelling even more, as I was seeing the events from the perspective of history, whilst hearing the events from the recollections of the Norwegian politicians who experienced it.
Regardless of being a contemporary spectacle at times, the play still adhered to a classical structure accurately climaxing in moments of extreme tension which was cleverly juxtaposed with moments of estrangement juggling with my hope – to ideally end in a resolution which would leave me feeling proud to be a part of the human race – however, this was not the case. Here is where the story telling became more important than whether the play was “a good one” according to the structural critics; the resolution was promised and upheld and peace was planned, however Sher once again brought us back to the reality of the current conflict reminding us this is not just a play.
(1) Oslo by J.T Rogers. TGC publication

Theatre

Review: The Grinning Man, Bristol Old Vic/Trafalgar Square Studio by Sebastian Calver

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 Based on the classic novel by Victor Hugo, Tom Morris’ direction of the Grinning Man; written by Carl Grose with score by Tim Phillips and Marc Teitler is a unique story told at the heart of the West end in Trafalgar Square neglecting the usual audience pleasing fairy-tale templates. The story was told with a huge variety of creative yet engrossing techniques and mediums from the use of clowning to the expert puppetry all supporting the story telling of the unique story which came alive through many a medium.

The Trafalgar studio was packed thrice the volume of when I saw the Philanthropist earlier this year and the reason was clear from entering the auditorium: Jon Bausor, set designer, had turned the Trafalgar Studio 1 into a fairground circus with posters and fliers lining the walls, bunting and macabre fairy lights littered the upper space – the closest thing to a portal out of London had been created!

As I sat in a packed auditorium amongst tourists, avid theatre goers and well-known actors, we were all treated with the same status by Julian Bleach playing Barkilphedro, the court’s clown introducing the folly along with the characters keeping within the rules of good ol’ Freytag’s structure – to my surprise, despite the leap from introduction into sung introduction, the story was still told clearly and the new medium didn’t distract from the storytelling and perhaps even furthered the narrative as the repetition of lyrics enhanced our knowledge of the given circumstances introduced.

The pace of the first act was perfect as it did not take too long until we were introduced to Ursus played by Sean Kingsley, whose band of performers and puppeteers retold the tale of the Grinning man leaving out guilty details which Ursus did not yet want to reveal to the audience or his performers; this idea of multiple worlds was manipulated effectively by Kingsley who acknowledged and appreciated from the get-go that he was telling the story not only to Trelawny visiting his “show” but also to us audience experiencing this show within a show and this was easily set up by Kingsley agreeing that “this will be a private performance, with the exception of you few on-lookers”. The exciting action to follow was sharp and snappy as the puppets of GrinPayne and Dea were made the vulnerable source of our entertainment as the story unfolded of how the past became the present in which the puppets were left to the show within the show and the actors took the present role of GrinPayne and Dea; this clarity of past and present gave the story an immersive experience as it was easy to feel sorry for the puppets and relate this to what the present characters had suffered.

Overall I think that the execution of the play was greatly entertaining and at times affected the audience in ways beyond ‘just a play’, however I think the second act lacked a new exciting force meaning that there was a hole between the climax and the resolution.
 
 
 
 

Theatre

Review: Heisenberg: The Uncertainty Principle, Wyndham’s Theatre by Sebastian Calver

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Heisenberg: the uncertainty principle
 Having researched briefly, and confused myself greatly on what on earth the Heisenberg principle was, I had a vague understanding that, at the very least the play would involve “momentum”. I also knew that there was some involvement from the cast and creatives from “The Curious Incident Of The Dog in The Nighttime”, however, I was unaware of how intimately different this play at Wydham’s Theatre would be!

After an initial uncertainty, if you pardon the pun, having met the character of Georgie and being overwhelmed by her insanity, I finally understood that mental instability was staring us in the face and Anne-Marie Duff portrayed this genuinely enough that I started seeing this insecurity in my own relationships. This mental state of Georgie was enhanced further by the minimalistic staging in which the size of the performance space was tailored, sometimes physically, by the shifting of walls to fit the discourse of the given circumstance creating a whole different atmosphere when Georgie and Alex played by Kenneth Cranham were in the park as to when they were in the bedroom – however I do think that at times  Anne-Marie Duff relied on these walls forgetting the imaginary given circumstance for example when shouting outside her place of work and neglecting the potential consequences.

The story was fuelled and propelled by the soft yet harsh, plummeting yet inching relationship between Alex  and Georgie. The relationship almost seemed to be unfurling real time rather than under the time pressure of 90 minutes; partially down to the slick unit/scene changes in which Alex and Georgie portrayed the passing of time and emotional developments in frequent every day movements.  Reminding us how ordinary they were and how much of their character’s live in so many unaware people.
The use of vefreundem’s effect was subtle yet very present in the every day,  relevant for example in the concept of a relationship differing overtly in age, even more so in the lack of subtext. It felt like a relationship was forming successfully as everything was being shared and “man’s” patience and acceptance was caring and understanding.
Overall, I think the play taught me how important it is look after what you have and don’t take things for granted. It has given me the impulse to go see a loved one just to tell her how much I appreciate and love her.
 

Theatre

Review Snow White and the Seven Dwarves New Theatre, Cardiff by Patrick Downes

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Let me start off by saying this one fact about me; I’ve never been to a pantomime before. I’ve seen them- ITV did a few about 10 years ago – but as for seeing one up close and in person, never before. Although I can remember something resembling a pant in the Park and Dare in Treorchy when I was about 4 years old, but in terms of being an adult I have no memory. So what to expect? Well, pantos are as part of Christmas as the Queen’s speech and James Bond on telly. They’re just good fun for all the family, and Cardiff’s production of Snow White certainly falls into that category. There’s childish humour, for the adults, and grown up humour, for the kids. A good pantomime is always the way to introduce theatre to young minds, and with a brilliant ensemble cast, this one does not disappoint.
A good panto always has the following;
A dame – played brilliantly by Mike Doyle (alrighttttttt)
A prince – It’s Chico time (You may remember him as having a number one single which knocked Madonna’s Sorry off the top of the chart)
The Wicked Queen – Harsh to say this but Samantha Womack played a blinder!
For every Wicked Queen, they have a henchman – Oh Alfie Thomas, the day you finished playing rugby, was a sad day, but the upshot is, you get to play on stage a role well suited for anyone who’s faced the All Blacks.
The faithful friend – Tam Ryan has this comedic role as his own. Warm and very funny – watch for his reactions when he’s not centre stage.
And good, I mean, if there’s an evil witch, there has to be balance, and Stephanie Webber as Snow White is as perfect as the version of the cartoon version of Snow White that we know and love, that you will get.
If I was to be slightly critical, it would be the sound mix on the night. The voice mics sounded too pitchy – but that takes nothing away from the performance of all the cast.
I’ve seen Sam Womack twice this year, earlier at Wales Millennium Centre when she played Morticia in The Adams Family, and then tonight as Queen Lucretia (Excretia – nice touch Alfie). Her singing voice maybe a shock to many, but for me, it’s just something I’ve come to love. Cracking version of I put a spell on you – nice little Hocus Pocus touch! She seems to revel in being bad – and she’s so good at it. Funny, yet evil.
Stephanie Webber as Snow White suited her brilliantly, as did Tam as Muddles. Mike Doyle is Panto Royality having performed for the past 27 years, he truly knows his art and is a master at it. If you want to see how it’s done – you won’t go far wrong watching him.
I could quite easily talk about each person, but I think where this panto mainly succeeds is the family feel of the performers. It doesn’t feel like a “one person topping the bill” kind of show. Everyone is equal, and everyone brings something special to the show – yes, even Chico with a song that probably no one under the age of 14 would remember – yes, “It’s Chico time” is from 2006 – where has that time gone!
So, my first proper pantomime, and no doubt not my last. Go and see Wales’ number one pantomime as it’s at the New Theatre till January 14th.
And in style of panto speak – what about a rhyming review?
They said see a panto, and say what you think
Hopefully, you’ll love and not think it stink
To Cardiff I went, parked by the museum,
Two twenty it cost, well worth it to see them
The theatre is old, and has lots of history
The entertainment it holds, is great, no mystery
The cast is fab, the dancing is tight,
It’s fun just to hear Mike Doyle say “Alright”
Tam is great, Tam is funny,
Comic timing a must, now where is my money?
Alfie’s hacka is a sight to behold,
The AllBlacks humpty, another story of old
Sam Womack’s voice, majestic, amazing, and strong I will say
She put a spell on us all, from the theatre to the bay
A review in some rhyme, might happen some day
Until it does, I’ll do things my way
Because a panto they say, is old hat, not very cool
Well, in Cardiff as such, they’re breaking those rules
It’s fun, joyful and oh very happy
Snow White’s time in the capital, won’t last long – so be snappy
Make sure you get some tickets to see,
Wales’ number one panto, recommended by me
REVIEW: @ImPatrickDownes
Music, Musical, Theatre

An Interview with Angharad Lee and Beatbox Tangent

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Hi Angharad and Beatbox Tangent great to meet you both , can you give our readers some background information on yourselves please?

Angharad: Hi I am a theatre director, educator, facilitator and lecturer. I studied and worked as a performer before turning my hand to directing. I have worked for many organisations throughout Wales, but am now a freelance director and Artistic Director of Leeway Productions. I am also a mam and the proud owner of cuddles the cat. I love Women’s rugby and until I broke my ankle a few months ago was scrum half for Merched Clwb Rygbi Cymru Caerdydd.


Hi I am Beatbox Tangent I  am a beatboxer from the UK, I currently live in Cardiff but I have performed  gigs; workshops and collaborations all around Wales. My love of art and music inspires me to create compositions that take vocal percussion to extraordinary heights.
https://youtu.be/DX8W4e1aV-I
So what got you interested in performance and the arts?
Angharad : I have always been actively involved in the performing arts since the age of 10. I guess my Welsh language education was quite enabling as I was steeped in the traditions of the Eisteddfod and therefore had plenty of opportunities to perform so to speak. It was a toss up between sport and the arts though as I was a nifty rugby and hockey player, but am glad I choose this path.

Angharad in Hen Rebel Theatr Genedlaethol Cymru

Angharad,  Beatbox Tangent has recently been involved in your 10 Minute Musicals initiative, can you please tell us more about this innovative project?
Angharad: 10 Minute Musicals is an innovative development programme to support musical theatre professional in Wales, with a particular focus on the writers and composers. Organised and delivered by Leeway Productions the development project 10 Minute Musicals is held three times a year at The Other Room in Cardiff and is also rolled out across the Regions as a part of our ‘Best of’ project.

We aspire to encourage and nurture new and existing creatives to write for musical theatre in Wales.International collaborations between artists is of huge importance to us. Over the next few months, we will be calling out to some more creatives who are keen to try their hand at writing a musical, and also, more established artists who may want to up skill and network with new creatives and artists. Creative participants can include composers, playwrights, librettists, poets, musician and lyricists.
10 Minute Musicals includes networking, development of current practice and examining and providing the support artists need when evolving, progressing and advancing their writing skills for this genre.
We encourage a continued conversation with creatives and believe that this creative development project is a great springboard towards casting a new light on how you usually work. Leeway Productions provide mentorship support throughout the process, and support artists as they find their way through what could seem like a daunting task. There is a sharing of your work at The Other Room as a culmination to the process and the participants’ hard work.
Thanks Angharad, as you mentioned 10 Minute Musicals has supported artists who wouldn’t think of writing for the musical theatre genre. Beatbox Tangent as you have mentioned you are a primarily a beat boxer do you think you have developed new skills through the process of being involved in 10 Minute Musicals?
Beatbox Tangent: I think I have to be honest. Collaboration is always an integral part of pushing your practice, so doing different activities and working creatively, especially with my partner on the project Rufus Mufasa has really pushed me as an artist and I’ve explored different avenues of creativity. Also, to break down those conventional barriers and really explore something new and using the Welsh language to do that has really opened my mind up to possibilities of language and music.
Musical Theatre as a form is rapidly developing and embracing new forms and styles. Musicals such as ‘In the Heights,’ ‘Hamilton’ and companies like ’20 Stories High’ are utilising a range of urban art forms in their work. Do you think this can bring new audiences to theatres which might be thought of as predominately white, middle classes cultural spaces?

Angharad: I don’t think we should burden artists with thinking about their audiences when we create work. I think that by activating all forms of culture to write for musical theatre, what willl happen is that the stories they want to tell will resonate with their communities, thus giving context and relevance to the work we create in Wales. We have a terrible habit in Wales of lifting existing models that work outside of our own communities and Country and imposing them onto our own landscapes. What this creates in a standardised approach to the arts. I am not personally interested in building mini London’s and mini England’s within our artistic infrastructure in Wales. We have a terrible obsession with critics outside of Wales, and 5 star reviews, but what about our audiences who are still terribly disenfranchised. So I guess the short answer to your question is, start with a story an artists wants to tell. Throw out all the pre existing models and build our own.
Beatbox Tangent: As an urban artist, I would say yes because the boundaries of Beat Boxing and vocal percussion are being pushed every day. Beatboxing has a very theatrical element to it. We have some great performers now, the likes of ‘Berry Wam’ from France who do all these covers of great commercial songs but some of them are classically trained, and you could easily take your whole family to see one of their shows. So yes, I believe it can pull new audiences in and ‘waw’ them. Beat Boxing is basically vocal percussion and what is musical theatre? It’s using the voice.

Get the Chance works to support a diverse range of members of the public to access cultural provision. Access for diverse citizens is a key priority for a range of arts funders and organisations Are you aware of any barriers to equality and diversity for either Welsh or Wales based artists/creatives?
Beatbox Tangent: We are living in a very interesting time. We are living in a time where, how I like to describe it is a half light environment. We are living in the dark as well as the light when it comes to diversity and equality. We realise it’s important and relating this with music, and Welsh Culture, well…. actually, I believe the Earth is but one country and mankind is a citizen, so I believe I am a World citizen and although I have a nationality I belong to this earth. I think when it comes to arts and music it’s so important that you have that diversity. It’s like a man and a woman are two wings of the same bird and creativity doesn’t rise within one sex or culture. It’s a gift and as long as we have projects that bring different people together from every background I think we can create something so very beautiful and really expand Welsh Culture because we have so much to give.
Angharad: There are many, as there are barriers to a whole host of other provisions in Wales. I am currently working with D/deaf artists developing a musical and the infrastructure to support this kind of work is still very ambiguous and fragile. We have to work with artists who are deemed to have ‘protected characteristics’ (I hate buzz words by the way), in order to reach those diverse members of the public we seem to be forgetting about constantly. If the artists themselves are not represented then why would the audiences come and watch a story which is not relevant to them? Artists need more spaces at the heart of this cultural provision, within communities, to create work in order to reach out to a much more diverse audience. We are still so reliant on venues, and I believe this is a barrier in itself. There is such a drive for ‘excellence’ in the arts at the moment. Well, ‘rising tides raise all ships’ and I don’t know that giving so much focus to our venues helps with this little quote. I am such a believer in this quote and I am very concerned that the divide in this ever confusing world is growing and growing. The arts have a role to play here, because it is through storytelling we find truths and remind ourselves what humanity should look like.
There are a range of organisations supporting Welsh and Wales based artists and creatives, I wonder if you feel the current support network and career opportunities feel ‘healthy’ to you?
Angharad ; This is a tough one to answer as it’s such a complex time for funding in particular in Wales.The word ‘career’ in the arts is a dangerous one, because unless you work within an organisation, I don’t know that there is such a thing. Is there? I know of established artists who are still only earning about £13k a year, having worked for years and years. I’m not sure how this is sustainable to be honest, especially when kids come along, so then you get a fall out, and once again it’s all about ’emerging artists’ because all the established artists have had to take other jobs in order to survive, a vicious circle. So at a time when artists are ready to create outstanding work, they just can’t afford to do it. I have no answer, but this is a reality. I think venues have a duty of care towards artists, and Welsh artists, because they are the lifeblood. Jut to add to this also, because funding has become so fragile we don’t seem to be taking risks on those artists who create work that splits audiences right down the middle. That explores the extremes. I would much rather hate or love a piece of work rather than just sit through another piece which panders to the status quo.
Beatbox Tangent: I would like the help to be more visible. More transparent. At the moment, it’s hard to find those organisations. But it’s a learning curve. There are so many schemes at the moment, especially within education, and it’s great for me as a looper, beatboxer to have those opportunities to share my practice within schools, I just wish I could find the opportunities much easier.
If you were able to fund an area of the arts in Wales what would this be and why?
Angharad: I would give 10-20 freelance artists a paid yearly salary and give them the flexibility and trust to self regulate the work they do within certain communities in Wales. Simple. No box ticking.  I believe this could foster sincere change at grass roots and community level, because they would not be working towards prescribed objectives and would be able to shape shift and respond accordingly to what is in front of them. Artists like to make, I would give them absolute freedom to do just this.
I would also de-centralise our monster cultural epicentre in Cardiff, which consists of the Wales Millenium Centre, The Senedd, BBC Orchestra, Wales National Opera  it goes on and on. What’s that all about? Lol. It feels like a case of ‘ all the great and good may reside here’, and I don’t believe that is healthy at all.
Beatbox Tangent: There are more and more different types of creative art forms all making a contribution to Welsh culture and society. This will only increase through social media. I always feel in Wales though that people are not empowered and empowerment is necessary for them to feel confident about their practice. More funding is needed from different organisations to help creative practioners, empower other creative practioners. Thats why the Creative Practioner training is vital as you are linking up with other artists. It gives different artists the change to make connections. I am a beat boxer I might meet a skate boarder how can we work together to create something awesome? The Welsh Government really needs to understand that no matter what happens in our economy if its Brexit or something else, I don’t want to get political but the arts need to be at the forefront of everything in our society, money can be stretched, I believe everything that we have in our society is because of the creative arts.
What excites you about the arts in Wales?
Angharad: We are in a privileged position that we can foster relationships and networks which can be cohesive because we are such a small Country. Artists excite me. I have been working as a Creative Agent for Arts Council Wales for three years now and the artists I have come across are breathtakingly beautiful. There are art forms I had never even heard of and a generation who are creating and nurturing new and innovative art forms for themselves. I love this.
What was the last really great thing that you experienced that you would like to share with our readers?
Beat Box Tangent : The UK Beatbox Championships were incredible! Foe me personally getting the chance to work with Angharad on the 10 Minute Musical performances have been amazing. I am interested in pushing the boundaries in Beatboxing in Wales.
https://youtu.be/05SfjYBM46s
Angharad: I took my 10 year old daughter to see Slava’s Snow Storm at the WMC. A poetic, visual piece of brilliance when it comes to story telling. My daughter turned to me 10 minutes in and said ‘Mam, there are no words’. I explained that communication is not about words. It is about a visceral tempo rhythm one finds within the piece they watch. That communication begins with a buy in to a moment. She was confused. She kept watching. She came out and she cried. I asked her what was wrong. She said, ‘I don’t know. I just feel really sad’. That’s my kind of theatre. It hit her in a space and place she could not articulate.

Theatre

Review Awful Auntie at Theatr Brycheiniog by Roger Barrington

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)
 
The Birmingham Stage Company’s brilliant adaptation of David Walliam’s 2014 bestselling book Awful Auntie, captivates  both children and adults.
Following on from their sellout tour of another Walliam’s book. Gangsta Granny, the BSC is embarking on an eighteen-month tour of the UK which featured a run during the summer at The Garrick theatre in London’s West End.
Cast with David Walliams
The show, endorsed by Walliams, is faithful to the book, and is fast-paced and funny, with an ingenious set design.
The story has twelve-year old Stella Saxby awakening in a bed, and being unable to move any part of her body. Casting away the bedding, she reveals that she is covered head to toe in bandages. Her screams arouse her Aunt Alberta, who tells her that she has been in a coma for three months and that she and her parents were involved in a road accident, resulting in the death of both mother and father, thereby leaving Stella an orphan.
Awful auntie 1
However, Stella soon realises her awful auntie has a nefarious plan to wrestle the stately home Saxby Hall, that now belongs to Stella, into her hands, but doesn’t know where the deeds are hidden.
Auntie has a Great Bavarian Owl named Wagner, (Get it?), who acts as her henchman – or should that be henchowl? Stella encounters a ghost called Soot, a  sweep who succumbed to his burns when someone lit a fire when he was up the chimney. There is a crazed ancient butler named Gibbon and an Inspector Strauss who is called to investigate Stella’s suspicions about her auntie.

AWFUL AUNTIE CREDITS

Story adapted and directed by Neal Foster
Set and Costume Designer: Jacqueline Trousdale
Lighting Designer: Jason Taylor
Composer: Jak Poore
Stella Saxby – Georgina Leonidas
Aunt Alberta – Timothy Speyer
Gibbon – Richard James
Wagner – Roberta Bellekom (puppeteer)
Soot – Ashley Cousins
Detective Strauss – Peter Mistyyoph
The star attraction of this show is the set design.  Four revolving doors and staircases create an impression of travel through the mansion, and a reference should be made to the stagehands, who work hard to render seamless scene changing within the fast-paced story.
Composer Jak Poore’s jaunty musical rhythm is exactly right to complement the actions unfolding on stage.
The cast possess rich cvs of their previous stage and film work, and it is easy to see this by their acting expertise on Stage.
Georgina Leonidas, you may recognise from her film portrayal of Harry Potter’s fellow Gryffindor Quidditch player, Katie Bell, in both parts of the Deathly Hallows stories. She plays a believable twelve-year old, innocent initially but becoming more savvy as the story develops.
Stella and Auntie
Awful Auntie Alberta is played in grand pantomime dame fashion by Timothy Speyer who maintains staying in character without going over the top, with commendable skill and constraint.
Richard James’s Gibbon has some of the funniest scenes and on occasion reminded me of Groucho Marx in his movements.
Ashley Cousins plays Soot in a Cockney accent that is consistent throughout, together with a youthful vitality  to enable him to portray Stella’s aide, confidant and friend in a credible way.
Roberta Bellekom’s consummate puppetry skills enable Wagner to be at times a villain and at others a cute pet.
Peter Mistyyoph plays Inspector Strauss in a mysterious way. See this show and you will know what I mean.
Anxious Stella
All is put together by Neal Foster’s faithful adaptation and brilliant direction. David Walliams commends Foster for having a similar sense of humour, which results in his capturing the essence of the author’s work. He had previously directed the Gangsta Granny adaptation to universal acclaim.
This is a visual treat for children. A school formed a large percentage of the audience for the performance that I viewed, and there was not a restless child among them. They left excited and contended with what they had just watched.
At times, the humour is a little risque and there are a couple of scenes that young children of a nervous disposition might feel uncomfortable with.
A scene where auntie is trying to break down a door with an axe to get at Stella, is accompanied by “Here comes Auntie”, reminding us of the famous passage in Stanley Kubric’s The Shining.
Awful Auntie is a first-rate children’s show with an engaging story-line, excellently performed and a visual delight on stage.
Brecon is my hometown but I had moved away, many years before Theatr Brycheiniog emerged in 1997. This was the first full-scale production that I had ever seen there and  If this is the  calibre of work that they present , then I am looking forward to many happy returns in the future.
http://www.brycheiniog.co.uk/
The show concludes its Brecon run on the 10th of December and  resumes it’s nationwide tour in the New Year. Venues and dates can be found here:-
http://birminghamstage.com/shows/awful-auntie/tour-info
 
 
 
 
 
 

Roger Barrington
 

Art, Literature, Theatre

An Interview with Artist and Illustrator Emily Jones

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The director of Get the Chance, Guy O’Donnell recently met with Artist Emily Jones. They discussed her training,  being named runner-up in the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize 2017 for graphic short story: Dennis and June and her most  recent work for Sherman Theatre, Cardiff.
Hi Emily great to meet you, can you give our readers some background information on yourself please?
Hello, I grew up in Tyneside but I’ve lived in Cardiff for many years now. I studied illustration for children’s books at art college as that’s the branch of illustration I’m really passionate about. Although, I do enjoy drawing cartoons of Donald Trump and other political figures that I find ludicrous! Being an illustrator isn’t my full time job as I prefer the balance of being able to draw and paint when I want, without the worry or pressure of relying on it for an income.

So what got you interested in Illustration?
I had two lovely teachers in primary school and they encouraged me to draw. They made me realise that you could draw pictures for a living. I loved picture books in particular and I had my favourite illustrators who I aspired to be like. I think I’ve always been fascinated with images and how someone has created them.
How has your career as an illustrator developed?
A few years ago, I began renting out an art studio so I had the space to work in a more professional manner rather than just working at home in front of the TV. This really changed things and along with posting my work on social media, I have slowly but surely become busier and better.

Your personalised pet portraits are particularly popular with your work appearing in 1000 Dog Portraits by Rockport Publishers? Can you tell our readers how you got involved in pet portraits? Do you have a favourite animal to illustrate?
I painted my partner’s dog Scooby and it all started from there. I showed the painting to a few people and before long I was being asked to paint their cat or dog. I think painting pets is a great way for any artist to get commissioned as it’s artwork that is really accessible for people to buy. I love painting all sorts of animal but the more animated the creature is, the more fun I find it to be.

Over the last three years you have been commissioned by  Sherman Theatre to produce images for the seasonal productions The Princess and The Pea, The Emperor’s New Clothes and this year you have designed the posters for Hud y Crochan Uwd / The Magic Porridge Pot and for the first time the main stage Christmas production The Wind in the Willows . Can you tell us how you approach illustrating such popular classics for the stage?
Well I begin by doing a lot of research on how other artists have illustrated these classic stories. I then do my best to create an image which is original as well as instantly recognisable. The images have to grab attention of both children and adults and hopefully it will make people want to see the show.

The image for Hud Y Crochan Uwd/The Magic Porridge Pot, Sherman Theatre. 

Your Wind in the Willows illustration has been developed into an animated trailer this year. Is this a first for you?

Yes it was and it was brilliant to see the image move! The artwork I create for Sherman Theatre is always created in separate layers. This enables the designers to move around the different components to fit whatever format the advert will appear; be it posters, flyers, web-banners etc. Of course, this also enabled the designers to create an animated trailer which is just awesome!
Do you have any illustrators or artists that inspire you?
There are tons! Quentin Blake has always been there as a favourite, as has Edward Gorey. They are experts at depicting characters with seemingly simple pen lines. Shaun Tan’s work is incredible and I wish I had a fraction of his talent! I love Júlia Sardà, David Roberts, Isabelle Arsenault, Alex T. Smith, Michael Sowa, Mateo Dineen, Rebecca Dautremer. They are a just a few! I study their work and try to figure out how they do what they do. They make me feel totally inferior but at the same time, inspire me and enthuse me to create my next best piece; which is definitely a good thing.

Images by Júlia Sardà, Shaun Tan, Edward Gorey and Quinten Blake

Congratulations on being named runner-up in the Observer/Cape/Comica graphic short story prize 2017 for your Graphic short story: Dennis and June. This work is in a digital medium can you discuss how this differs from your painted work?
I recently bought a Huion Graphics tablet so I can draw and colour digitally. It makes illustrating in this comic style so much faster. When I heard about the graphic novel competition, I knew I’d have to create it digitally as painting the way I do, takes so long. Plus, the comic style suits the story much better. Creating digital work has a freedom to it. Mistakes can be easily erased and colouring is instant but physically painting an image will probably always be my favourite way to illustrate.

An image from Dennis and June you can read the full story at the link above

If any of our readers are aspiring illustrators what advice could you offer them?
Draw as often as possible. It seems obvious but you have to practice. Drawing from life is a brilliant way to improve your skills and develop your style. Having a recognisable style is important and it’s something I haven’t mastered yet. But the more work I do, the more I learn and develop. I just wish there was more time in the day to draw!

What do you have planned for the future?
Well, I’ve been having various successes in illustration competitions and I’m hoping this will lead to greater things in the publishing world. I have a couple of children’s books to work on, more images for children’s theatre and when I find the time, I’ll create another graphic story.

You have also designed the images for the 2018 Sherman Theatre Christmas productions  Hugan Fach Goch/Little Red Riding Hood and Alice In Wonderland. As a Wales based artist what does the support of Sherman Theatre mean to you personally?
I’ve created images for The Sherman for a while now and it’s always a proud moment seeing my artwork representing their shows. The Sherman has given me huge confidence in regards to my ability as an illustrator and I hope to work with them for years to come.

Image for Hugan Fach Goch/Little Red Riding Hood

Image for Alice in Wonderland

Thanks for your time Emily.
You can check out more or Emily’s work at the link

Theatre

Review Flossy and Boo : The Alternativity, The Other Room, Cardiff, By Hannah Goslin

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Photo by Llyr Attala 
out of 5 stars (5 / 5)
What do you think about when it comes to Christmas? Religion, commercialism,  Santa and his Reindeer, Scrooge?
Christmas sees a lot of theatre come to the stage, but usually it’s the wholesome, profound meaning conclusion for children or we delve into religion. Where is the room for an adult production?
Flossy and Boo have hit the nail on the head. This comical duo has been asked by the almighty man of The Other Room to put on a Christmas production – however, they do not know what Christmas is or a play for that matter.
A hilarious, slapstick and musical production ensues with the idea that we will reach a nativity production but first we must see the concept behind Christmas – the duo’s research.
Purely at random, we the audience are in control of the schedule, picking from a stocking the topic. Flossy and Boo use this technique a lot in their work and I am a big fan – it shows real talent and skill to be able to produce a show where you never know the order.
Music is always a key part of their work and their comical original music always comes as a surprise to the rhyming and the road it will take. A favourite of mine was a American Southern acoustic number where the use of the floor, a tambourine, guitar and beautiful voices were all they needed.  It was strong, powerful and a lovely addition to their more gentle, folk music.
And we cannot leave without a note on the set and props – thought was put into every aspect not only making it homely but complimenting each topic – things became creepy when needed, others warm and fuzzy and each bit was there for a reason.
Great thought is put into each any every part of their work and when things may go awry, these two are amazingly skilled that it becomes part of the production. We feel welcome, we feel like friends and this Christmas, we laughed, tapped our toes and smiled at something very different and totally brilliant.
 

Musical, Theatre

Review Miss Saigon, Wales Millennium Centre by Patrick Downes

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Cameron Mackintosh’s acclaimed new production of Boublil and Schönberg’s legendary musical Miss Saigon – a recent smash hit in London’s West End – is now embarking on a major UK tour, and has stopped off in Wales Millennium Centre for their annual Festive offering.
Previous Festive shows include The Lion King, Phantom of the Opera and Mary Poppins, and this year they bring the winner of a record-breaking nine Whatsonstage Awards 2015 including Best Show.
From the same partnership that brought Les Misérables, brings this epic love story that tells the tragic tale of young bar girl Kim, orphaned by war, who falls in love with an American GI called Chris – but their lives are torn apart by the fall of Saigon.
For the sheer spectacle, this production needs to be seen. For the lighting, the sound and the effects are some I’ve rarely seen outside of London, you soon realise this is something special.
The cast brings such depth to the story, which without realising, the first twenty minutes feel so much shorter – such is setting the story up. Red Concepcion’s Engineer is brilliant – a slightly comedic but evil twist on a character – The American Dream brought the house down. It’s such a stand out moment.
Sooha Kim as Kim brings the vulnerability to the role, and with an amazing voice. Her duet with Ashley Gilmour (Chris) on The Last Night of the world, is another stand out moment.
Be warned, it’s not for younger people – the themes are quite adult, and there’s some swearing in the first 20 minutes – and it’s also dotted through the rest, but it’s not without reason.
For me being a little bit of a theatre techy, I spent most of the evening in awe at the sets, lights and sound. It’s one of the best I’ve seen in Cardiff. The helicopter scene is probably the most impressive piece of set and engineering I have ever seen on a stage! You find yourself completely immersed into the sights, emotion and sounds of the end of the Vietnam conflict. If musicals were football leagues, Miss Saigon would be Chelsea.
The word triumph is often used to describe musicals, and in this case, it’s spot on.
Don’t dare Miss Saigon this Christmas
You can catch Miss Saigon at Wales Millennium Centre till January 6th 2018.
Review: @ImPatrickDownes

Patrick Downes