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Theatre

Review National Theatre Wales, The Cost of Living, Swansea Grand Theatre by Charlotte Hall.

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

National Theatre Wales latest production consisted of three part theatre experience called ‘The Cost of Living’. The first part, which only 50 people that have paid for the main part, could come to, if they wanted to, was a discussion with politicians and council leaders where they heard the public’s opinion, on the cost-of-living crisis and what people in power can do to help (which I didn’t attend, therefore I can’t comment on that part). The third part was protest music by Minas, but I will not comment on this because I am going to discuss the piece of theatre.

Credit Kirsten McTernan


The second part K and the Cost of Living was a theatre performance, which is an adaptation (by Emily White) of the play The Trial by Franz Kafka. The narrative tells the story of an innocent man who is arrested, but is still allowed to live his life. He doesn’t really get the chance to prove his innocence and at the end of the play he is killed. This adaptation was very similar to the original (although I have read, not seen, the original play) and it was an interesting take on it. I thought it was a good adaptation, and was well-modernised, but there were some things that were confusing and that didn’t make it a 5-star performance.

Credit Kirsten McTernan

Eerie music was played before the performance, and then at the start of the play, they brought up the curtain a little bit. Then we had two people crawling towards the centre of the stage, drawing chalk on the floor, the curtain went down, and the music restarted. Then the curtain came up a bit more than the last time and there were two more people. The curtain came down, and the next time it came up all of the actors were on the floor, and the others joined in to do interpretative movement, which was like they were puppets and their body parts were moving outside of their control. They made it as if nothing had happened and the lights were still on between the curtains going up and down, which was a very interesting start, but it didn’t seem to have relevance to it.

Credit Kirsten McTernan

There was a diverse cast and several actors played the role Josef K, the main character, which I thought was a lovely modern turn to it. They had actor Gruffudd Gyln to play Josef K, then a transgender character, played by actor Joni Ayton-Kent, then another character played by Lucy Ellinson, and the last Josef K was played by Kel Matsena. That added another modern twist and showed people from different backgrounds which represented National Theatre Wales themselves because they are a diverse organisation. It does potentially sound confusing, having four actors playing one character, but the way that they made the transition made it very easy to know which was Josef K. It was at significant part of the story that the whole cast came together to dance and the one in the centre was swapped for the next Josef K. All the actors multi-rolled, and it was very well executed, they were all excellent actors. Sound and lighting was used very powerfully to demonstrate their points, but I felt the parts of movement weren’t necessary and were a bit show-offy, something to add to make it ‘more modern’.

Credit Kirsten McTernan

In terms of the main narrative, the company made a theatrical point of having the power cut off, and the landlady (Mrs Grubach) shouting to one of the tenants to put money in the meter. There was a protest before Josef K goes to work in the bank, with ‘enough is enough’ and ‘freeze the prices not the poor’ on placards. At another point Josef K gave a signature to a petition, but that was pretty much all the references to ‘the cost of living’. I felt the main point of the adaptation was to show how the government and people in power don’t understand, and show prejudice against working class people or minority groups, and about how we give all of our information away through data with our technology. It felt like the company had toyed with the phrase ‘the cost of living’, to mean
something different, being that the price you must pay for living is to have a lack of freedom and prejudice and inequality against you. This felt out of touch with what was advertised and instead this production was a modern take on what life is like.

NTW wanted people who actually struggle with the cost of living to see the production, but the cheapest price for a ticket was £8.00, which doesn’t reach their supposed target audience.


I thought the adaptation of The Trial was well done and the actors were brilliant, however I don’t see the connection to the cost of living, as in struggling to find money to eat and choosing between heat and eating, I think it was falsely advertised in that way, and there were parts that I felt were put in just to say it was modern, but didn’t really fit well with the rest of the production such as the dance/ movement sequences.

Opera & classical

Review Hansel & Gretel, Mid Wales Opera, Riverfront Theatre, Newport by James Ellis

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Photo credit Matthew Williams Ellis

out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

From Bristol to Newport, I got around this week for reviews and other endeavours. I’ve a soft spot for Engelbert Humperdinck’s take on the Brothers Grimm story of Hansel and Gretel and Mid Wales Opera seemed up for the challenge. 

With their last night in Newport, things felt pretty tight for this showing, though a brief hiccup in the overture for the horn was as clear as day. This reduced orchestra had an easy time with the scores thanks to its approachableness and clarity. Conductor Jonathan Lyness kept it all together like a fine gingerbread house, compelling and fun. Written by the composer’s sister Adelheid Wette, David Pountey’s winking translation works well from his time with English and Welsh National Opera (the latter the bench mark from Richard Jones superb staging.) The easy fall back upon setting this in the 1980s are as standard now, though this family could easily be set now with raising gas prices, inflation and general hardships. Director Richard Studer has made safe decisions here: we see miners, milk and a mother’s anxiety at a tempestuous time for UK history, one now miring our own. Sets also by Studer come into their own with the out-house for the father, later turned into the garish Witch’s house, featuring acidic wallpaper and contraptions of the era.    

It’s easy to show the dark nature of the German fairy tale, the first two acts doing a good job in mood. Wales is blessed with great singers and here was no exception. Charlotte Badham and Ayls Mererid Roberts are fine leads, though the former has been given a costume which gives the appearance of a slubby middle aged man, as apposed to a boy. Phillip Smith as the Father is in proud voice which roars everything he vocalises, a fine highlight. Rebecca Afonwy-Jones as both the Mother and Witch gets to show off drama and fun in these roles, near Wagnerian and then almost light Offenbach offerings. You can tell she enjoyed herself as the Witch, easy to fall into as we the audience are through the woods concerning plot and pacing and just get to enjoy ourself in the second half. Siân Roberts is both the Sandman and Dew Fairy, a milkwoman who offers up milk to the kids then later offers the witch an axe, with a sweet voice I found rather charming.  

Photo credit Matthew Williams Ellis

The real joy comes in the Evening Prayer and Pantomime in the opera, as the siblings realise they are lost in the woods and will have to get some kip. The singing here shines thanks to the hushed leads, if a little more push might have really sold it. The miners seen here are Corws Y Plant, later the children who escape the clutches of the witch. They have a sort of night ritual surrounding the children, though the blocking of this moment leading up to it is flat. At the end they too get to sing and have a jolly old time, joining in with the absurd, retro dance moves seen at the start of the evening. 

You can never go wrong with this one hit wonder from Humperdinck. It remains endlessly charming. 

Mid Wales Opera’s latest production will be Berlioz’s Beatrice & Benedict on tour around Wales in autumn 2023. 

Photo credit Matthew Williams Ellis

Opera & classical

Review Black Angels: Manchester Collective & Harrga, Strange Brew, Bristol by James Ellis 

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Photo credit: Chris Payne 

out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

After their Bag of Bones delight, the Manchester Collective are unstoppable in their scope and creativity. In tours all around the UK, it would be a delightfully morbid night in Bristol at Strange Brew that they offered up another stellar concert.

As if were weren’t treated enough we had a warm up act that of Harrga. Dali se Saint Paul and Miguel Prado remain a fascinating duo. Sat in the front row, their sonic offering was not blazing loud, more a sort of political upset in sound, It worked well, Dali appearing more busy in their vocal work, though Miguel helped create the crumbling, formulated noise. Dali has a resounding voice, proven in little moments of opera and French, there is a pressure in the work as if we are hearing a manifesto or a protest of some kind. My plus one had seen them before and spoke well. They were a fine addition prior to the Collective’s feature event. 

Starting off with Carrot Revolution by Gabriella Smith, the piece could only be described as The Straight Story on acid. It remained quite thrilling, it’s country vibe brought smiles and head bopping jerks. The String Quartet No. 2 from Edmund Finnis was next and had a soft, sensuality to it, the string quartet much more subdued in moments in the mostly enticing thing. Moor Mother’s DREAM CULTURE had a volcanic presence to it, a strange urban fiver permeated the work and proves the value of the composer in perhaps soundtrack form. It deserves more listening time (we got to digest it before an interval) and also the collaboration with Harrga proves elaborate more tingly music making.   

Respite would heard the second movement of Schubert’s 14th String Quartet, better known as ‘Death and the Maiden’. It has to be said that this was performed exceptionally well. The kinetic energy between the four players. It was as if the work has never been done before, their emotive grip never wained the tenderness and passion abound forever. With no pause, they burst into the main event: George Crumb’s Black Angels. Here everything came into its own from the recently departed American composer in his best known piece. There is everything in this: shouting, glasses filled with water, German, thimbles, tam-tams and more delights. A fairly dense offering, the Collective made it all their own, the sheet music massively presented in front of them. Even the Schubert we just heard is quoted, touching moments unfurl with a mock viol-consort sees them play high on their instruments. I found the water glass moments incredibly moving. 

I’m already thinking of their new event: Rosewood with guitarist Sean Shibe featuring John Cage, Julius Eastman and new work as well. I can’t believe my luck! 

Black Angels continues on tour to London. 

Theatre

Review Edith, Crowded Room, Theatr Clwyd by Donna Williams

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In December 1922, twenty-eight-year-old Edith Thompson was put on trial for inciting the murder of her husband, Percy Thompson. Just two months earlier, twenty-year-old Frederick Bywaters had stabbed Percy as he walked home. The prosecution claimed Edith told him to do it, using love letters sent to Frederick from Edith as evidence. Edith was found guilty, but this verdict inspired a petition signed by over a million people.

The bizarre ‘love-triangle’ between Edith, her husband and her lover, Freddy, is an intriguing tale and there is even a website ‘dedicated to the memory and innocence of Edith Jessie Thompson who died aged 29 at Holloway Prison on 9 January 1923’ filled with transcripts, press coverage, copies of the love letters and reams of photographs- one particularly odd addition, showing Edith between Freddy and her husband, Freddy’s head on her hip and Edith embracing it. It’s certainly worth a glimpse if you’d like to find out more- https://edithjessiethompson.co.uk/

One hundred years later, using the real court transcripts, Crowded Room re-examine the sensational case of one of the last women to be executed in this country. The judge opens the proceedings: “You should not forget that you are in a court of justice trying a vulgar and common crime. You are not listening to a play from the stalls of a theatre.” How very apt then, that we ARE in fact listening to a play from the stalls of the theatre and although we cannot turn back the clock and give Edith Thompson the treatment she may have deserved back in 1922, we CAN re-examine as onlookers and let it teach us a lesson- one of justice, hope and change.

Verbatim theatre is a form of documentary theatre, making use of real people’s words and testimonies. Actors performing this style often speak of a sense of responsibility and loyalty to the real people that they are playing, and the importance of delivering an authentic performance. This is certainly felt throughout this production and during the post-show discussion. It is clear from the outset that a huge amount of research has been done in order to represent this story and its characters, authentically. Although of course, we are talking about people living in the 1920s, so access to video footage, social media, television interviews etc. don’t exist, which must’ve made this all the more challenging for Crowded Room.

Crowded Room are an award-winning theatre company specialising in true stories and they do this exquisitely. Working with women from HMP Styal, they have created a fantastic piece of theatre which emerges the audience in this trial and transports us back to a time when only one woman sat on the jury, when there was no such thing as DNA testing and when the only way of keeping up with the news was in a newspaper or on the wireless.

From the moment the play begins, we are invited to become the jury, to make judgements and decide for ourselves whether we would have sent Edith Thompson to the gallows. When the cast say ‘all rise’, they mean it! Would the verdict be different a hundred years later? The set is simple but effective- a chair for each actor and screens to display character names, locations, days, interviews and Edith reading some of her love letters aloud- a nod to the contemporary in order to provide clarity for the audience. Although the cast seem to be bringing the story into the modern day with the use of technology to drive the action, some modern music choices and up to date fashion, the language of the piece takes us right back to the 1920s, due to the majority of the script being taken directly from transcripts of the time. There feels no need to bring this piece into the modern day as many of its themes and topics are still relevant today.

The piece is structured as the trial would have been and even includes ‘recess’, rather than an interval, during which the house lights are brought up and the actors seemingly come out of character to take a drink or look at their mobile phone. This was a time to reflect as an audience. However, these were also moments to ‘keep-watch’ as the cast still had ‘something to say’ throughout these instances of pause. Ear defenders are donned, possibly signalling the need for calm within the courtroom or to block out the opinions of us, the jury. Or to symbolise the lack of real listening or communication throughout the real trial? During one recess, the actor playing Freddy sits casually and uses their mobile phone- as a twenty year old man would today. What would Freddy’s WhatsApp messages read if he had been able to send them a hundred years ago? All of these little details get the cogs whirring!

With only five in the cast, each has more than one role to play, and all do it wonderfully- though not with costume changes or entrances and exits, but by cleverly adapting their body language, tone of voice and/or accent. This is so brilliantly done that there isn’t room for doubt- we know who’s who throughout. This is also done with a touch of comedy, an important addition to this otherwise serious plot.

It is an interesting time for this tale to be re-told because, believe it or not, it was announced at the beginning of this year that Edith Thompson’s case is to be reviewed as a potential miscarriage of justice. It has been referred to the Criminal Cases Review Commission and a government spokesperson has said it would provide closure to Edith’s family.

To find out more about Crowded Room’s production of Edith, visit their website-
http://www.crowdedroom.org.uk/edith.html

Theatr Clwyd, Mold
Friday 17th to Saturday 18th of March 2023

Cast:
Edith: Ivy Corbin
Freddy: Peyvand Sadeghian
Percy: Mark Knightley
Prosecution: Rosie-Marie Christian
Defence: Harriet Madeley

Creatives
Writer: Harriet Madeley
Director: Madelaine Moore
Producer: Danica Corns
Stage Manager: Tsiala Corboz Werntz
Set & Costume Designer: Sascha Gilmour
Video & Lighting Designer: Luca Panetta

Dance, Film & TV

Review Peaky Blinders – The Redemption of Thomas Shelby,Ballet Rambert, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff by Barbara Michaels

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Peaky Blinders – The Redemption of Thomas Shelby

Ballet Rambert, Wales Millennium Centre, Cardiff

Writer and Creator: Steven Knight, CBE

Choreographer and Director: Benoit Swan Pouffer

Composer and Orchestration: Roman GianArthur

Reviewer: Barbara Michaels

out of 5 stars (3.5 / 5)

No need to stress if you didn’t watch the TV series.  Ballet Rambert’s Peaky Blinders is in a class of its own, unique both as a production and as a dance form. Although danced in the main in contemporary dance style with more than a touch of street dancing – razors, knives etc – choreographer and director Benoit Swan Pouffer uses classical dance moves too. Not only uses them but dares to improvise, building on to the traditional with innovative use of classical ballet moves – with a dancer even performing a plié in mid-air.

Beginning with a brilliantly depicted scene from the battlefields of World I, the ballet moves through the life of one Tommy Shelby down the years, showing through him the ways in which those who fought in this horrendous war were affected throughout their lives even in they survived – a living death, as it were.  As it moves on through the post-war years, Tommy’s life segues into a violent world full of murders and gang warfare, with knives and razors flashed – the latter hidden in and the raison d’ètre for – the peaked caps that gave the gang its name. This historically accurate production is not for the faint-hearted, but is well worth taking a deep breath and immersing oneself in what it portrays through dance form.

Creator Steven Knight, who wrote the original script for TV and together with Pouffer, adapted it into dance form, uses a live band on stage throughout for gunfire, air raid sirens and a plethora of music and sounds which works well in tandem with ever-changing themes composed and orchestrated by Roman GianArthur. Natasha Chivers’ lighting aids and abets, of particular note being the scene with searchlight beams and in the second half where an opium-fuelled Tommy descends into a living hell.  Benjamin Zephaniah’s voiceover is both necessary and succinct, while set designer Moi Tran’s clever sets lend an authentic and atmospheric touch throughout: a colourful carousel lends a light touch for one scene. Having the dancers on two levels gives additional scope but at this venue means that audiences in stall seats are unable to see the dancers’ legs!  Ben Zephaniah’s voiceover is both necessary and well done but pre-recorded vocals – recordings of different tracks which, despite being relevant, are over-loud for much of the time.  

The love story between Shelby and his long-time sweetheart disappears and resurfaces throughout lending a necessary lightness of touch, as does a great scene in the second half with dancers dressed in costumes by costume designer Richard Gellar reminiscent of photos of Marilyn Monroe in her early days (a la Moulin Rouge or Talk of the Town for those old enough to remember these iconic London night spots!)

Ballet Rambert is justifiably famed for the high standard of its dancers, and this production underlies this with memorable moves executed with skill. Mention must be made here, in addition to the expertise of the dancers – notably Naya Lovell, Simone Damberg Würtz and Caiti Carpenter -of Musa Motha who, despite losing a leg to cancer when he was just ten years old, does not let that factor deter him in any way, resulting in a performance that is a privilege to watch not only for its depiction of the role but its perfection of technique.

Runs until Saturday March 25th at Wales Millennium Centre Cardiff, then touring.

Festivals, Theatre

Review, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE, Adam Scott-Rowley, Vault Festival, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

Theatre is very much a powerful tool to highlight topics of the time, to create political commentary and express the injustices and emotions of people. With the last 3 years adding to the feeling of the world getting seemingly worse, there’s something to be said of a production that makes these comments but encourages us to see the humility of it all.

Adam Scott-Rowley’s, YOU ARE GOING TO DIE, does just this. Featuring Scott-Rowley completely in the nude, he vulnerably cycles through different ages, different people, thoughts and attitudes to give a holistic view of our world, of growing older and of experiencing oneself in a climate slowly getting worse. He creates highs and lows of comedy vs reflection, of matter of fact hilarity vs deep emotion which is poignant and effective; a emotional and thought provoking rollercoaster.

The action is already started as we take our seats; Scott-Rowley sat on a lit up toilet, with music and lights that make you feel as if you are entering a Berlin rave club, there’s this feeling of voyeurism on him while the audience chatter and wait for the start. There is something amazingly powerful of watching as the audience slowly come to the realisation that a production has started without this being clear.

Scott-Rowley is able to contort his body and facial structure to create different characters and scenarios – you rarely find that you truly know who he is or what his natural form is as he so amazingly transforms. He creates characters we know or see in modern world, or frighteningly creates people we know we have been or will become. There’s a tongue and cheek to it at times, but it is subtly and easily transformed into serious commentary. Abstract, with little dialogue and heavily leaning of physical theatre, some makes you laugh and intends comedic effect, some is beautiful and a work of art in itself and some is grotesque and full of truth. There’s a fluidity and seemingly subtle transition to the different “scenes” (if you could call it that) and a return to different characters, adding to a sense of monotonous repetition of life but also hitting home humorous but entirely serious points of who we are in a world going up in smoke.

YOU ARE GOING TO DIE is a physical theatre masterpiece. It is entirely absorbing, entertaining, humorous but hitting really poignant spots in every audience member.

Art, Festivals, Theatre

Review, OMELETTEMACHINE, Tommaso Giacomin, Vault Festival, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

If you are not familiar with the style of Bouffon theatre, then you are severely missing out.

Myself having trained in this art and a huge fan of Red Bastard, was so pleased to see and be invited to a show using this type of theatre, so little seen or experienced in modern theatre, while being the right genre to grace our stages.

A brief outline of Bouffon; grotesque creatures are made with costume and physicality, to comment on taboos of the world. These clowns address these topics without barriers and put them almost uncomfortably into your face, leaving you not knowing whether to laugh, cry or be thought provoked.

OMELETTEMACHINE, loosely based on Shakespeare’s Hamlet, addressing issues around family trauma, of power and mental violence and to some degree, of capitalism. A clowned chicken meets egg is forcibly made to work in his father’s butchery, unable to leave and tortured to massacre fellow chickens. He is unable to leave, and if so, commits punishments of almost cannibalism with “rotten” egg eating, smashing of eggs and chopping of chicken meat.

This production is very powerful; Bouffon aims to make the audience uncomfortable and Giacomin does this in spades. He isn’t afraid of addressing the audience, bringing them into the folds of his torture. This is through direct interaction, through the use of raw meat and blood-like liquid, through the beginning projection of live chicks in a factory. Real blades are used, unceremoniously chopping at raw meat; raw chickens still in tact and grotesquely danced on stage or come through the audience on a electric toy car. It’s these elements of surprise that are comedic but make you uneasy. It entirely and fantastically achieves what it is meant to, really making you think. And if you’re vegetarian like myself, there’s a barrier of disgust but admiration for the boundaries that are being pushed to make comments on these topics. A sense of “working for the man” comes to mind when Giacomin uses repetition to advertise his father’s butchers, with monotonous and repeated tasks and conversations. There’s the family trauma but also a sense of working for something and someone you are against.

Giacomin has the style of Bouffon on instant look; plumped up with padding and contorted physicality, he is comedic and difficult to look at, moving his face into an almost unrecognisable clown. When we reach the end of the production, he lays himself bare, releasing the shackles of his costume and returning to his natural features and this is when you truly realise the lengths he has taken in his bodily and facial contortion to create the character. If we had not seen him undress on stage before us, you would almost think they were two different actors. He is childlike, to meet the idea of his father’s control yet somehow uncomfortably adult, with the mixture of the two creating a feeling uneasiness. He is full of emotions of anger, of fear, of borderline mental illness and it makes it subtly chaotic, your body itchy with uncomfortability but entirely thought provoked. This is a triumph of Bouffon.

OMELETTEMACHINE is brilliant – it is everything that Bouffon is meant to be and leaves you laughing, uncomfortable and yet with a profound thought on family relationships and the capitalist world.

Festivals, Theatre

Review, The Messiah Complex, Bag of Beard, Vault Festival, By Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (5 / 5)

I love when you go to a production and come away having seen perfection.

The Messiah Complex, by Bag of Beard, is the Utopian, almost post-apocalyptic-world story of Sethian, interned in a mental asylum for his faith and the actions that lead him towards this situation. We see flashbacks of what happened along with what led to these, analysed within the controlling and manipulative asylum, equally flawed and equally cult-like. The story makes it hard to side with anyone within the story, both deeply poisoned in their thinking, but also very similar in their approach to life. A world where it is illegal to have faith, believed to lead to crimes, war, disease but those who control this belief, themselves, have arguable opinions and actions themselves. Two cults against one another.

The Messiah Complex in its aesthetic and narrative very much made me think of The Royal Court Theatre and their productions – greeted with Sethian already in a trance, he is surrounded by a square of light with projection images running behind him – very abstract and visually appealing, creating an atmosphere instead of waiting for it. The narrative being easily believable yet also wide enough a concept to be almost futuristic.

I could not distinguish a “better” performer in the production. All very different characters, all were entirely formed, believable to the point of feeling intrusive; we could have cut the fourth wall away and be looking directly into the house, the cell, their world. Sethian is kind, he is clearly in love and at the same time, clearly influenced and mentally affected by this. His wife Sophia is likeable, but clearly powerful and influential, convincing Sethian with her looks, her love, her mind to believe in the religion, the cult and he will do anything to satisfy that. The nurse, also entirely influenced, if not also brainwashed by the government and information of the time, has a level of authority and vacancy of emotion, but at the same time is frustrated and wants to help – she is human despite her initial appearance.

All three interact with one another impeccably, their relationships clearly formalised well and this gives levels to the production, feeling the real emotion and connections. The Utopian but entirely possible story line is visualised easily before our eyes and gives you a trembling feeling on inevitability; the emotions shown especially by Sethian adding to this realism.

The Messiah Complex, while only at their first run of the show, is already perfection. It has the right levels of fiction to potential fact, easily supported by the clearly skilled and full embodiment of the actors of their characters and the story. It is heartbreaking but also quite frightening in its realism. This is a play not to miss and meant for a larger stage for sure!

Festivals, Theatre, Uncategorized

Review, Acid’s Reign, Relish Theatre, Vault Festival by Hannah Goslin

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out of 5 stars (3 / 5)

I am sad that, with this likely the last Vault’s Festival, I haven’t had the chance to visit as much as previous years. But how intriguing, to come across two pieces of Queer Theatre, touching on similar themes.

Acid’s Reign is a drag show come informative theatre, highlighting in a cabaret yet theatre narrative, the impact of various pollutants on the World and how it is slowly being destroyed. When I say that there are similar themes, Queer Planet and Acid’s Reign both touch on nature and the element of same sex or a-sexual animals that is not taught in biology class. It was interesting that these were approached for different reasons, but also really great to see different genres of Theatre taking up the political and educational baton with their shows.

Acid’s Reign uses various Drag Queens and Kings to feature as representations of nature – Acid (Joshua Oakes-Rogers) themselves are the “bad guy” that faces support towards redemption, representing a younger character to highlight generational attitudes towards the environment. They are witty, funny, and time of corpse-ing or loss of lines is hilariously well managed, creating layers of comedy and enjoyment that was unintended. They want to build a series of clubs because the World is beyond repair and this is where Mother Nature, played by Son of Tutu (Everybody’s talking about Jamie, film) begins a Christmas Carol style story of different “ghosts” visiting and trying to change Acid’s mind. Son of Tutu holds the stage, certainly embodying the Mother image but also had incredible comedic effect, even in the background.

Scarlett Harlett (Ru Paul’s Drag Race UK) plays the insatiable A-shell, Queen of the Sea, with her wall-shakingly amazing singing voice and continuous innuendo, her character reminding me of a dirty old Hollywood star meets Patsy from Ab Fab. For me, she stood out the most. Maybe some as a Drag Race fan, but I also felt she really commanded the stage and was always on point, even if not at the centre of the story.

Jamie Fuxx brings some masculine energy as our Drag King, Land, bringing yet another incredible singing voice to the mix and some hilarious tongue n cheek dirtiness to the stage. They slot into the cast impeccably, adding to the cacophony of different voices and characters.

Finally, Air is represented by audio, apt in what it is represented. The characters are enveloped with this, as if air can move and embody different persons and helps to culminate the activity and story. Acid is redeemed, and along the way we have been given nuggets of educational facts, some known, some unknown, tinged with comedic effect but also clearly affecting Acid in their solemn response and over all change of heart. We equally come away entertained, but thought provoked.

Acid’s Reign has a cast of incredible talents, all with their own approach and techniques but all with incredible voices and typical comedy skills from Drag/Cabaret shows. But something was missing for me. Perhaps it was just that the show needed a clear format – is this a traditional Cabaret show, where there’s an element of improvisation and crowd inspiration. Is this a musical and therefore represented by the songs that are changed slightly for the message. Or is this a straight play, with the addition of song, trying to bring a message and sticking to a written script. There’s nothing to say that any of it needs to be put in a certain box and cannot be more than one of these things, but at times it felt like too much was trying to be achieved and so lost the spark and perfection of a fully formed production. This clear path may come as a result of many productions, of working on it over years, and we may just be at the beginning of its development.

Acid’s Reign is a brilliant show – it is funny, it is informative, it is entertaining and a feast for the eyes. However, likely still in its infant stage of production, there is so much potential for the show, with the ability to open an important theme to an ever increasing audience as Queer Theatre and Drag comes more mainstream.

Film & TV

Review, Y Sŵn, a Swnllyd/Joio/S4C film, by Gareth Williams

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out of 5 stars (4 / 5)

What a fascinating film Y Sŵn is. No sooner has its writer, Roger Williams, struck gold with cult horror Y Gwledd than his Midas touch turns to the marking of forty years of S4C with this: a striking production that is as offbeat and realist, telling the story of how the Welsh TV channel came into being. Featuring an all-star cast of Welsh natives who perfectly attune themselves to playing key public figures of the time, it successfully immerses itself in the optimism and rancour of Margaret Thatcher’s first-term as Prime Minister. Full of energy and a bursting palette of colour, it truly marks itself as a distinctly British yet uniquely Welsh film.

The aesthetic right from the get-go resembles that of Killing Eve. In big bold letters, we are introduced to CARDIFF. The year is 1979 and there is a rich seam of colour which paints a positive picture of urban Welsh life. Ceri Samuel (Lily Beau) works at the Welsh Office, taking us into a shiny Mad Men-style series of corridors and meeting rooms where we are also introduced to key players in the civil service and government. The clever contrast between the ebullient colour of the former and monochrome presentation of the latter quickly marks out the heroes and villains of the piece. It also represents the vitality and strength of a nation against a stuffy and outmoded political leadership. Other forms of pop art appear throughout to give the film a slightly off-kilter, comedic edge. This sets it apart from the more fictionalised social realism of films like Pride to become a self-referential melodrama that nevertheless manages to maintain a sense of seriousness in respect of the story it wishes to tell.

The fine balance between dramatic and comedic forms is supremely kept by the onscreen talent. Assisted by the magnificent make-up and wardrobe departments, each character stands at an acute junction between verisimilitude and caricature. Willie Whitelaw is perfectly realised in the bushy eyebrows pinned and preened on Mark Lewis-Jones’ face. Sian Reese-Williams ensures a finely-pouted, drably-accented portrait of a scruffy-haired Iron Lady. Rhodri Meilir could turn up his pristine English act no more as Welsh Secretary, Nicholas Edwards. They play the part of authority figures straight enough to make them believable whilst subtly exaggerating them to undermine the abuse of power which leads to their attempts to back down on a manifesto pledge to establish a Welsh language television channel. In contrast, Carys Eleri plays Ceri’s superior with an effervescent humour that makes her a sympathetic character. Eiry Thomas plays devoted wife Rhiannon with enough emotional heart that belies her stereotypical dress. And Rhodri Evan brings a warm smile and gentle demeanour to troubled protagonist Gwynfor Evans to ensure his battle against the political might of Downing Street and Whitehall is portrayed with sufficient weight so as not to become a trivial matter. This is an important story albeit told in a highly imaginative way.

Rhodri Evan (Gwynfor Evans) and Sian Reese-Williams (Margaret Thatcher)

Y Sŵn represents the very best of Welsh filmmaking, in both its content and production. The ending is a surprising yet interesting one, paying homage as well as subverting an oft-derided formula. Its effect is heart-warming, in such a way as to instil a sense of pride in Welsh identity, complete with self-deprecation and humour. It also speaks to the small budget with which it was made, creatively used and referenced in the 4:3 home-movie ratio. You wouldn’t know it though from its professional and glossy finish. Y Sŵn is a real labour of love which stands among the best in contemporary British cinema.

Y Sŵn is showing in selected cinemas throughout March 2023. Click here to find out more.

Reviewed by
Gareth Williams