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British politics appears to be undergoing a great shift, with the Labour party moving from a centre party indistinguishable to the Conservatives to a party of idealism and opposition posing radical left-leaning policies that spark and fires debate. This is what Henry Trebell and the National Theatre want to do in this new production of Harley Granville Barker's Waste and, whilst it doesn't quite work out, it is an admirable attempt. Roger Michell's production can be seen as a dry period piece that never takes off with no real mark being made. However, if you can get through what is admittedly a tough slog to the Fourth Act, you get a pay off with a stunning final image and an interesting investigation into the role of idealism in politics. Trebell is a man who wants reform and believes he can change the country and, even with support, he is crushed by his personal failings. From pigs to 'plebs', the issue of the personal invading the political is a relevant issue and Charles Edward's frankly unlikable Henry bears to mind both the idealism of Corbyn to the personality defects of the Conservative cabinet. Edward's manages this line well, keeping the audience from completely despising the man through his evident desire for change, meaning that the tragic finale has some pain to it. Sylvestra Le Touzel is a tough yet sad and ultimately dependent sister Frances whilst Olivia WIlliams is a outwardly strong yet emotionally vulnerable Amy. Hildegard Bechtler's design, like the ethnicity of the company, is too white and could do with some diversity in order for the audience to engage further with the drama. If you can withstand the dry and often nauseating language in this piece, you are likely to be rewarded in a play that, whilst entirely tame, still questions and addresses the place of ideas and personality in this political landscape.
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Firstly, it is a weird experience to sit in a theatre and, without expecting it, to hear a voice from your childhood. This is exactly what happened when I sat in the Dorfman to see an Evening at the Talk House. When an old man starts speaking and suddenly Rex from Toy Story is talking about how he wasn't a great actor, you become slightly scared, especially when there is no mention of the part in the programme (which, like most Dorfman programmes, is a pathetic excuse of a programme and is a rip-off at £3). However, it is not Rex but in fact Wallace Shawn in his own play which has premiered at the Dorfman theatre. It follows the character of Robert, played by Josh Hamilton, who meets with the crew of an old play at an old haunt called 'The Talk House'. Everything feels amiable enough until, piece by piece you start to understand the world they're in and the space and the play becomes more and more claustrophobic. The only production comparable to Ian Rickson's staging of Shawn's play is the hit of Hangmen at the Royal Court earlier in the year. Both McDonagh and Shawn have a similar aesthetic and both achieve the effect of making an audience feels incredibly uncomfortable. Shawn's play seems to be a critical standpoint on the role the privileged have in the decision making in the West. The characters in this play are very happy to sit around and discuss morality. Some are even happy to make decisions that make a large impact on people's lives. But it is left to those lower down the hierarchy to carry out the deeds. It addresses issues of scapegoating and it is incredibly powerful in the light of the recent atrocities in France. The Quay Brothers have created a set that alludes to the past and looks to the future whilst Neil Austin's lighting design creates a dim and grimy effect of a club fallen on hard times. Hamilton gives a wonderfully engaging opening monologue about the theatre at the beginning, playing almost a Nick Carraway- style role in the play, and his unreliability is fascinating to watch throughout. Performances are good across the board, notably Shawn as the not-quite-defeated Dick and Sinead Matthews as the mysterious waitress. This is an intriguing piece of theatre that is uncomfortable yet compelling to watch.
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Disney films are truly magical. They have a unique quality of fully transporting me to a safe, exiting and comforting world which, for all the Jafaars, Scars and Hades, there are the Aladdins, Simbas and Hercules' that save the day, creating a film that I can watch at any time and just feel warm and cosy. Julie Taymor has managed to do something truly special which is to create a timeless spectacle that contains the cosy feeling of the movies whilst also experimenting and challenging our notion of what theatre is. The Lion King isn't just your bog standard musical. Like Bend it Like Beckham, it fuses two musical cultures sublimely without being insulting or insensitive. Richard Hudson creates a world of colour and life through his scenic designs which doesn't need to be intricate or detailed to look truly stunning. Taymor's costume design is the true beauty of the show, with elephants, giraffes, antelopes, lions and a host of animals from the African savanna coming to life through intelligent design and construction. Elton John's music is timeless and is always just a joy to listen to. Performances are great across the board, especially from the young Simba and Nala who managed to maintain their enthusiasm and professionalism in an extremely technically difficult show to run. Unlike other long running musicals, I can't see this one from losing its power to take your breathe away in what is a musical that is in a league of it's own.
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Greg Doran's history cycle is completed by Alex Hassell returning to the role of Hal post-adolescence as a serious and focussed Henry, signalled by the death of Falstaff at the beginning of the play. Doran really needs to drop the apparent reverence for Shakespeare as it is resulting in academic and dated productions that make no attempt to engage or excite an audience. There seems to be little change here with some soliloquies feeling like a drab recital of verse and even the highly comedic scene between Katherine and Henry feeling laboured and a touch plodding. On the other hand, the ponderous nature of this cycle of history plays suit Henry V better than Henry IV. Alex Hassell lacked the youthful energy that a good Prince Hal must have but is a greater Henry because of it. His tone may not be quite right for the big speeches yet his detached and aloof style of acting works in showing the isolation of the king. The older actors are the better ones here, injecting life into the play. Oliver Ford Davies is wonderfully comic as the chorus and he sounds like he has properly understood and interpreted Shakespeare's text unlike many of the cast. Jane Lapotaire is also a delight as Queen Isobel. Paul Englishby's music is probably the finest in straight theatre at the moment, with his Te Deum here creating extremely powerful theatre whilst his continuation of Prince Hal's theme from Henry IV is rousing and special to listen to. His music is the highlight of the evening along with Stephen Brimson Lewis' design which both exposes the mechanics of the operation for chorus scenes and has a sense of grandure and elegance which makes the evening special. This play show signs of breaking free from the restrictive and dated staging of Shakespeare, creating an evening not without it's exciting moments.
Gershwin is a true genius and he is put at the heart of this concert given by the Royal Philarmonic Orchestra for the start of a new series entitled' From Paris to New York', with three of the six pieces being by the extraordinary composer. The evening started with his 'Strike up the Band overture', followed by Prokofiev's Piano Concerto No.3 and Gershwin again for his Variations on 'I Got Rhythm'. The latter two featured piano from Boris Giltburg and just watching his fingers dance on the piano was a wonder to behold. I think he knew his talent, as he gave multiple curtain calls and an encore which I wasn't desperate for. The evening resumed with Bernstein's symphonic dances for West Side Story. There is no more emotionally intelligent and musically rich piece than this, taking well-loved musical numbers and interpreting them so that an orchestra can convey the pure emotion that Bernstein's legendary musical captured so well. 'Somewhere' is treated almost as a string quartet that gradually builds to the RPO's full orchestral majesty whilst Mambo is just joy to listen to. After an interesting, if not stunning, rendition of Stravinsky's Suite No.2 for Small Orchestra, the finale of Gershwin's 'An American in Paris' started. This piece introduced me to the power and wonder of classical music. Alexander Shelly successfully brings out the bustle and movement in the piece and each theme never tires and it is truly riotous (as much as is possible in a concert hall). This is a very promising start to what is looking like an entertaining series.
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My English teacher tells our class that 'it is better to write a lot about a little than a little about a lot.' This, for me, is the downfall of Ben Powers adaptation of three D. H. Lawrence. Perhaps it would be truer to say that Powers has constructed a play that investigates a lot about a lot. Running at three hours, the plays about families in mining village Eastwood never really merge together and remain three separate stories which need three separate productions to make them interesting rather than long-winded and tiresome. Despite this, Marianne Elliot has staged it in a way that tries to engage and emphasise the brilliance of Lawrence. Bunny Christie's set neatly conveys the background of mining with the dirt, grime and darkness of the show with each house, whilst similar, has their distinctions to show the family's place in the social hierarchy. For me, the main family which the piece concentrates on is the Gascgoine family yet the Holroyds and Lamberts get a pretty even share of the running time. It centres around the role of women in mining towns and their role extremely well, putting Lousie Brealey, Anne- Marrie Duff and Julia Ford in the main roles, each with their own struggles which each actor pulls off with feeling and emotional depth. The male characters are mostly unsympathetic characters and, even when they show feeling, their thoughts are usually driven by egoistic and physical means which may be an unfair representation of society but serves the play very well. This is a struggle to sit through and not entirely satisfying but undoubtedly intelligent and interesting interpretation of Lawrence's plays.
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La Bohème is by far and away the greatest opera in the world (in my opinion). It is romance, laughter and pure, raw emotion. What Benedict Andrews has interpreted it to be is verismo opera with hard drugs and having almost no sensitivity. He takes a metaphorical battering ram to Puccini's delicately crafted opera, creating possibly the worst interpretation this opera has seen. In Act One, Che Gelida Manina takes place whilst Rodolfo and Mimi are taking heroine, meaning that Mimi sings Mi Chiamamo Mimi whilst Rodolfo is practically unconscious. Act Two is a bustle and a confusion. This is always a difficult act to stage as there is so much going on (we have certainly been spoilt with the clarity of the Royal Opera's production) but Andrews really messes it up. The third act is the best of them as it strips back the chaos and is rather sweet and puts the music first. However, the final act is back to the apartment and the tragic denouement is almost completely lost (I did cry a bit, it is almost impossible not to). Xian Zhang's interpretation of the score is capable but doesn't quite capture the full life of Puccini's masterpiece. Corinne Winters is a marvellous Mimi, capturing her emotional range however Zach Borichevsky doesn't quite get around the character of Marcello and a voice crack at the high note of Che Gelida Manina doesn't make him appear to be any better in the role. Rhian Lois treats Musetta delicately and well, despite Victoria Behr trying to put her in a box and stereotyping her as a 'slut'. I take real opposition to directors and creatives who try to pigeon hole characters to a label and I am glad that Lois has created something greater than her creative team has envisaged for her part. The rest of the cast, whilst acceptable, are nothing to really remember and, whilst there are some redeeming features, it is hard to imagine La Bohème being treated any worse than the ENO have done here.
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There is no better way to see Shakespeare than at the National on the Olivier stage. As You Like It is a prime example of this. Prolly Findlay has created a truly definitive production of this play that truly sets the standard for modern adaptations of Shakespeare. The duke's court is some sort of environmental office which is brightly coloured and busy. Here, Orlando is a cleaner who beats the wrestler in a wrestling match held inside the office. The change from office to Arden is one of the most extraordinary things you will ever see in a theatre. Calling it awe-inspiring sells it short. Lizzie Clachan shows off the amazing abilities of the Olivier whilst also not stealing the limelight from Shakespeare's text. Orlando Gough's music is disjointed yet oddly catchy, adding to the atmosphere which the company helps by creating woodland noises and becoming sheep in one quirky sketch. Performances all round are as good as you get. Rosalie Craig makes the transition from musicals to straight theatre magnificently, maintaining her unique charisma in an utterly magnetic, compelling and strong performance as Rosalind whilst Patsy Ferran is as delightful as always in the part of Celia. Joe Bannister makes the most of an unforgiving and blandly written Orlando, injecting life into the part. Mark Benton is a jaunty Touchstone whilst Paul Chahidi brings his brilliant comic timing to the part of Jaques, whilst at the same time making the part oddly moving. This is a far more thought through and entertaining production of Shakespeare's comedy than the rather lame Globe production earlier this year, and is sure to last long in the mind.
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Amongst the commotion of Dench-mania, the excitement of the Winter's Tale has somewhat sidelined the Terrence Rattigan double bill it is in rep with. Getting you home on time isn't the only delightful thing about these two one act plays which together last 1 hour 40 minutes. Both are tear-inducing for totally different reasons. All On Her Own is a monologue from Zoë Wanamaker who plays a polite bourgeois lady who has a conversation with her dead husband. It plays like a horror movie, highlighting the loneliness and desperation of the character. This totally contrasts with the sharp and witty comedy Harlequinade that just delights in it's own silliness. Based around a touring theatre company, marital, professional and personal relationships are challenged in this farce about the problems yet joy of theatre. Branagh is genius in the role of Arthur Gosport, with Miranda Raison matching his skill in the role of his wife. The star of the show for me, however, was Hadley Fraser who, faced with the possibility of getting a line, becomes hysterically funny, whilst also showing off his unmatchable tenor in a final number which left me with a grin from ear to ear. It is unashamedly old fashioned and self-obsessed and is all the better for it.
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The National Youth Theatre are in rep at the Ambassadors, giving the young people there a fantastic experience of a run on the West End. Whilst Evan Placey's play about consent is deeply flawed, this production does demonstrate the ability of British up-and-coming talent. It follows a teacher, played by Lauren Lyle, who, whilst teaching sex education, is confronted by a former student (Oscar Porter- Brentford) who accuses her of grooming and having sex with him. The first half is an interesting addition to the debate and consent, showing that there are no easy answers. The different strands are relatively engaging and, whilst a few bits need tweaking to ensure that the pace remains consistent, it is a solid piece of writing. The second half feels almost like a different play and seems to contribute next to nothing to either the debate or the narrative. It depicts the event argued over in the first half in pretty much the way I had imagined it in throughout the first. In fact, it detracts from it and seems to only demonstrate the actors' ability to perform in two totally different aesthetics. I wanted Placey to be as challenging and inventive as he was with Girls Like That but, despite wonderful and dynamic acting from a promising ensemble, the play as a whole falls flat.
This piece on dementia or a similar degenerative brain disease already was at a disadvantage in my mind as it had to follow a truly special production on the same subject at the Royal Court. Both plays address the issue in similar ways, even though Florian Zeller's play seems to be a more traditional and common form of the disease yet this doesn't detract from the impact, if anything creating a shorter gap between fiction and reality. Miriam Buether's set design is a tad alienating in the expense and emptiness of it yet none of it is a problem to an emotionally charged, intentionally confusing and upsetting play about the deterioration of Kenneth Craham's André from a strong and often unpleasant father to a distressed and alone patient. The play is intended to filter the world through André, even though at times it breaks his own rules by giving time without him. You don't who his daughter is and what the real truth is and achieves in a similar way to Nicola Wilson's play an insight into the mind of someone with dementia. Craham is extraordinary as the central character, being unsympathetic and yet compelling to watch. Claire Skinner does a fine job as his daughter who is tired and feels almost abused by her fathers increasing dependence on her whilst Nicholas Gleaves has the malice and decisiveness in Pierre that spices up the play, with the rest of the cast enhancing and adding depth to a highly emotional, clever and sophisticated play.
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The American based 'The TEAM' have brought their 2013 play to the Royal Courtand it is quite a play. A road trip with Teddy Roosevelt and Elvis Presley through the mind of a meat factory worker needs a leap in imagination. On the way the play tries to cram as many themes and ideas in as possible, mixing pre-recorded film with fights and a complex and multi-layered set from Nick Vaughan. This perhaps is the sticking point to the piece. You can't really tell what the play is trying to say as a result. Kristen Sieh and Libby King are electrifying as Brenda and Ann and their idols Roosevelt and Presley, inhabiting the characters with real physicality yet I just couldn't 'get' any of their characters. It may be just the gap of the Atlantic meaning that references are lost or certain expressions or emotions are misinterpreted but, whilst I could admire and respect the ins and outs of the play, it did not strike my emotions or give me a chance to connect, yet giving me life plenty to think about and the puzzle 'what is Roosevelvis really about?'
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I am still shaking and am brought to tears from Nicola Wilson's play about early onset Althzeimers. It is a truly remarkable quality in a production to bring an audience to tears and be so engrossed in a piece of fiction and I am amazed every single time drama does it to me. Wilson has created a superb insight into Meghan's life with fragmented memories and jumbled or misconstrued information that confuses you. Lucy Morrison stages this fluid and haunting production with a clinical, if-not special design from Andree D Edwards. The performances, however, are what set this drama apart from the rest. Alice Felgate and Ted Reilly are wonderful as the concerned children whilst Vanessa Babirye is an understanding but intimidated love interest of Ned. Monica Dolan is sensational as Megan. The intellectual and forceful character shown in her younger self (portrayed well by Rosalind Eleazar) regressing to a child-like shell of a person is deeply traumatic to witness due to an engaging and truly exceptional portrayal of this delicately constructed character. The rest of the cast are fantastic as well. The past twelve months have seen some of the best new drama produced at the upstairs space and this piece from a new playwright stands out of the multiple superb productions as something truly special.
