Quick Round-up: Theatre

In the last 4 weeks I've managed to fit in 5 trips to the theatre, two as a volunteer at the Playhouse and three as paying punter at The Grand. Back on 15/03/12 was Chess (The Grand), a musical by Benny Andersson and Björn Ulvaeus (i.e. the BB in ABBA) and Tim Rice written during and set within the context of the Cold War. Happily I didn't need to know anything about the rules of the boardgame to enjoy the plot, which centred around clashes between the US and Soviet chess champions and some tricky political shenanigans, but it helped that I had an understanding of the historical context. The company, LAOS, handled the staging well with a central chess board/dance floor that changed colour and acted as a playing area for the characters to scheme around. The voices of the female cast were particularly impressive, and I discovered that 'I Know Him So Well' has its origins in the show. The show has made me want to visit the original concept album that preceded the West End musical. 

We returned to The Grand on 23/03/12 for Travelling Light, a new play written by Nicholas Wright, a name I'm not familiar with, although I was pleased to see he'd authored some of the excellent yet short lived The No. 1 Ladies' Detective Agency. The main draw for this drama was the fact that it was about the early days of cinema, a subject I have become more and more intrigued about. It also starred the talented, attractive Damien Molony, who we were enjoying so much in Being Human at the time - it also turned out we'd seen his professional debut in 'Tis Pity She's a Whore last year, so we've now seen all of his work. (Sir) Antony Sher also starred as the jovial Jewish merchant who funds Molony's nascent efforts at making a movie in their Eastern European shtetl - he was much better here than in the awful production of The Tempest we saw back in April 2009. The whole production was gripping from beginning to end, from the subject matter, setting and characters to the unexpected plot developments and semi-history lessons about movie making outside Hollywood.

The day after Travelling Light I flew solo (left Andrew at home) in order to volunteer at Swallows & Amazons (24/03/12). Unfamiliar with the story, I wasn't expecting much, particularly as I believed this would be a show for the kids. I was happily suprised to find that this semi-musical drama was actually rather fun and very inventive in the staging. A family of 5 'jolly hockey-sticks' type middle class kids in inter-war Britain go on holiday to an island and have a fantasy adventure as the Swallows, a gang of explorers who are out to defeat the nafarious pirate captain and rival sisters, the Amazons. It's a good natured affair, utterly inoffensive with a smattering of toe-tapping songs that didn't linger too long in the memory. Leaving aside the one black child among the siblings, an inclusive gesture that came across somewhat token (and the fact the character's named 'Titty'), there was nothing to gripe about. The scenery movers and props people provided many (intentional) laughs with their ways, like flicking water at the cast to simulate moving through a storm, or holding up toy boats within circles of cardboard to represent telescope sights. A fun, free night out, musn't grumble.

Helen Edmundson, co-writer of Swallows & Amazons, was also responsible for Mary Shelley (28/03/12), showing in the Playhouse's other theatre. This was a more adult show that delivered a biographical drama about the woman who, at the age of just 18, write the massively influential Frankenstein, along with her poet husband Percy Shelley and her famous family. The female-weighted cast delivered bravua performances that brought each family member alive and worked to show how Mary's experiences informed her signature novel. It was a play that I appreciated greatly as I watched, but one that hasn't stuck around in my head long afterwards. 

Finally, on 04/04/12, we had a group outing to see Sister Act, a musical for which I had high expectations, based on how much I enjoyed the movie and it's soundtrack (none of which was ported over into the stage version), and because of the potential for camp exuberance. I can almost say that I found the musical to be even more fabulous than the film! Set in the late seventies, the music was a soul/disco mix that never hit a bum note, and the expansion of the plot from the original's murder-witness-hides-out-in-a-convent, with bigger roles for the bad guy Eddie and an added love interest in cop Curtis, were beneficial and created a show that can comfortably inhabit the same world as the movie without feeling redundant. I'd go so far as to say the sheer joy that Sister Act engendered in my whole being puts it up there with The Lion King and Hairspray as a favourite musical. The 'star' names, Denise Black (seen before in Bedroom Farce) and Michael Starke (the narrator in Rocky Horror) were competent but the real star was Cynthia Erivo in the lead role of Deloris - she fairly belted out infectious numbers like Take Me to Heaven, Fabulous Baby!, and the beautiful Sister Act. She was ably supported by a host of singing nuns on show-stoppers Raise Your Voice and Spread the Love Around. I can't wait to get the soundtrack!

Top Girls (WYP, 03/03/12)

basics...
Another volunteer placement at the Playhouse, with Andrew joining me in the audience. Top Girls is a feminist play in three acts, with an all-female cast playing various characters. Act 1 sees Marlene, an 80's business-woman, at a dinner party with female historical figures, including Pope Joan. Act 2 begins with a scene involving Marlene's simple niece, and continues at the central character's recruitment agency, where Angie turns up looking for help from her cool aunt. Finally, Act 3 flashes back a year to Marlene's visit with her sister and her first meeting with Angie in years.

brilliant...
The best thing about Top Girls was the opening act. It's odd and there's no explanation for why these 6 women find themselves chatting round the dinner table. Each shares some experiences of being a woman at the time they were alive, and the overlapping dialogue makes what is a fairly static scene come alive. There's humour too, mainly in the portrayal of Dull Gret, a simple woman from the Dark Ages who steals the cutlery and bread. Pope Joan's a hoot too, and her story is interesting, as is that of Lady Nijo, a geisha who seems to compete for how hard her life was with rather boring Izabella Bird. The cast and the staging were superb.

but...
If the whole play had carried on like the first Act, even with little plot development, then I would have been happy. Unfortunately when the story became less quirky and moved away from fantasy dinners my interest flagged. I really didn't understand what the whole thing was supposed to be saying. The random sequencing of the acts and the dull story of Marlene and her simple niece were obtuse to the point of boring. I'm sure there are better ways to explore the suffering of women than in this round-the-houses, need-to-study-the-text-in-depth-to-understand-it sort of play. 

briefly...
Aside from an inventive and memorable first act, Top Girls was too obscure in its feminist energies to work as a good piece of theatre.

Angus, Thongs & Even More Snogging (WYP, 24/02/12)

basics...
Almost a year after I watched the movie, Angus, Thongs & Perfect Snogging, an adaptation of the popular teenage girl's book Angus, Thongs & Full Frontal Snogging I found myself at the musical theatre production on a volunteer shift at WYP. Following much the same plot as the film, but with more musical interludes, the play charts Georgia's experiences in young love with sex god Robbie, love god Masimo and best mate Dave the Laugh. 

brilliant...
The evening started well with upbeat pop music playing as the audience entered, giving me something to do (dance on the spot) while handing out dance-move fliers and pointing people to their seats. It was like a night out, not an evening at the theatre - this even extended to posters permitting people to Tweet during the performance, which thankfully few people appeared to be doing. As with the film, protagonist Georgia walks a fine line between annoying and cute/funny, mostly straying to the latter side thankfully. Imaginative set design and use of props, breaking some of the 'fourth' wall, made for a fun, loose experience that I'm sure charmed the majority young, female audience. There was also plenty of bawdy humour and references that would go over the heads of the tweenagers, most of which I picked up on and laughed along with. The live music was excellent, very catchy, very poppy, and the whole thing was such a sweet confection it would be difficult not to get caught up in it all (unless you're a heterosexual male perhaps). The highlight of the whole show was a 2 minute, condensed version of Romeo and Juliet (or as the characters hideously call it, Roms and Julz *shudder*), the school play performed by Georgia and co near the play's end. I laughed so much at this I'd have been happy just to pay to see that.

but...
Some of the language irritated me - mainly the way Georgia added '-osity' to the ends of words unnecessarily, to create a language shared by her clique. These moments did feel like an older writer trying to be 'cool' and jarred a bit. I was pleased that most actors had Yorkshire accents though, as Louise Rennison, created of Angus... and co-writer of the stage version is from Leeds. It's churlish to say but Robbie in the play isn't half as hot as Aaron Johnson's portrayal in the movie, one of that adaptation's main plus points.

briefly...
A more pink and fluffy yet accessible night at the theatre I've yet to see. Angus, Thongs and whatever kind of Snogging (what's so offensive about the phrase 'full frontal'?) has an endearing story that clearly skews teenage girl but which contains humour and recognisable moments for all ages.

Waiting for Godot (WYP, 03/02/12)

before I begin...
Ok so I've been writing this blog for a few years now and it's only last week I even considered that other people might be reading it when I came across the 'comments' section and found some that were months old! I feel bad about not responding, especially where people actually asked me questions. It seems I never set the blog up to email me when I get a comment and I never thought to look, mainly because I write this blog primarily for myself. I've also signed on for the new-look layout of the blogger dashboard, which won't affect the look of the blog itself but will take a bit of getting used to behind the scenes. So, if you are reading this... hi!


basics...
On with the review then... Waiting for Godot was another of those free/volunteer shifts at the Playhouse, and another play I knew nothing about. Written by Samuel Beckett, the play is mostly a two-hander between Estragon (Patrick Robinson) and Vladmir (Jeffrey Kissoon) as they wait for their friend. Nothing much happens, twice, apart from a visit from a posh guy called Pozzo (Cornell S John) and his creepy slave Lucky (Guy Burgess).

brilliant...
I've read that this is supposed to be one of the best plays ever written. But then you shouldn't believe everything you read should you? I can see how theatrical, literary types would get excited by this as it borders on the pretentious. It is saved from this fate though by some terrific acting and surprisingly funny and kinetic performances. Having studied English Literature at school and uni I've since become tired of looking for meaning in texts and I'm much happier to watch something that doesn't require footnotes and background reading to enjoy. I think that Godot would have been less interesting to watch in this performance as the all-black cast speak with Caribbean accents and there's an edge to some of the dialogue that wouldn't be present with a white cast, for example Lucky's status as a slave and the leads' discussion about hanging themselves from a tree brings to mind lynching. Whether these associations are intentional or not is hard to say, it could be my own curious take, but either way they add more depth to a play that could have gone either way.

but...
Waiting for Godot is loooong. Not only does nothing particularly exciting happening, it takes 90 minutes each act to do so. And after a hard day's work I wasn't that fussed to have to do my volunteer thing til 11pm on a Friday night! 

briefly...
A bit too amibuous for my tastes, this was still a good night of theatre, with great performances from Robinson and Kissoon, sharing an easy chemistry as the two lead tramps.

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical (WYP, 27/01/12)

basics...
A truly unique performance, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical does exactly what it says on the tin: when the show opens the sole actor on stage is on the phone to a theatrical agent, telling him about his new musical, the setting, style and events of which are plucked there and then from the audience. Armed with this information, the lights go down and the 5 performers come on to present an inevitably funny musical set in the Antarctic, on a ship carrying a host of love triangles and treacherous characters... who sing numbers in the style of Ghost, Sondheim, flamenco, Noel Coward and Wicked.

brilliant...
Showstopper! is what live theatre is made for, a one-off show, made up on the spot by a crazily talented company of comedy improvisers with great voices. I laughed throughout and didn't stop marvelling at the creativity and gusto (and guts) that the cast combined to create a narratively satisfying piece of theatre. The two female cast members were particularly memorable as female cabin crew with dubious Eastern European accents and powerful sets of pipes. 

briefly...
I'll never see anything quite like it again. Although I will make sure I see the company next time they come back to the Playhouse.

December Round-up: Theatre

Annie (WYP, 30/11/11 & 19/12/11)

I've now been fortunate enough to see the musical Annie twice through volunteering at the Playhouse, and I'm due to see it again before the year ends. I'm not sure I want to see it anymore than that, however much I enjoyed it, but as it doesn't finish until Jan 21st I may just be out of luck. Starring Duncan Preston and Verity Rushworth and a whole host of little girls, not least the star of the show, Annie, the show is a non-stop spectacle featuring some fantastic songs (Hard Knock Life, Tomorrow, Ease Street and New Deal for Christmas being highlights) with exciting special effects, inspired comedy and a thrilling baddie in the form of buxom Miss Hannigan. I feared this would be a cutesy, sugary girls-only affair so I was very pleased to enjoy the rather simple story with the fascinating, and historically resonant, depression-era setting with the references to US politicians Hoover and Roosevelt (the latter of whom is a supporting character!) adding unexpected depth.

Top Hat (The Grand, 05/12/11)

The day after Melanie C we were back in Leeds and at the theatre to see the new stage musical version of the old Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie Top Hat, starring Tom Chambers as a dancer caught up in a screwball farce involving mistaken identities and featuring some amazing dancing. To be honest I'd almost forgotten about this show inbetween all of the things I've been up to this week, which isn't to say that I didn't enjoy it at the time. It was a sweet confection, lacking in edge but soaked in nostalgia for old Hollywood. The dancing was first rate, some of the American accents less so (I'm looking at you Chambers), but the whole thing was shot through with so much fun I couldn't help but be swept up in it's old-fashioned charm.

The Mousetrap (St. Martin's Theatre, London, 08/12/11)
In London for the night, before catching the Eurostar to Brussels early next morning, we hunted and ran through buckets of rain and made it to the theatre with nary a minute to spare to see the longest running drama in the history of the medium. Our third Agatha Christie play, following Witness for the Prosecution and Verdict, we picked The Mousetrap as our London show of choice because it's one of those you don't think about, plus it was cheaper than some of the bigger, gaudier shows - and now we learn it's to tour next year! The drama takes place over 2 days at the Monkswell Manor guest house and is as classic a 'whodunnit' as you're likely to see. Someone has already been murdered before the play begins, and one of the 8 characters, the owners and guests at the Manor plus Sergeant Trotter, is offed at the end of Act 1. Christie's genius comes in the addition of so many red herrings, double-dealings and suspicious machinations that your opinion of who might have done it changes from moment to moment. I won't spoil the ending, as the murderer requests after the cast take their bows, suffice to say that I honestly did suspect the person more towards the end, but it took some false starts to get there. There's nothing overly clever or show-offy about The Mousetrap, it's a confidently written, perfectly performed little drama that uses the longevity of the performance and the mystery of culprit to create a wonderful theatre experience.

The Wild Bride (WYP, 19/11/11)

basics...
Last Saturday's stint of volunteering had me watching The Wild Bride, a tragi-comic drama from the Kneehigh production company about a young woman's experiences with her father, the devil and a princely suitor. 

brilliant...
I knew even less than I usually do when I go into a play, mainly because since I didn't choose and pay for the ticket I had done no research into the plot or company behind The Wild Bride. It's an excellent way to go into a performance, unhindered by any preconceived ideas or prejudices. As such I thoroughly enjoyed this particularly grim(m) fairytale, told in an imaginative, kinetic fashion with songs, jokes and even audience participation. The central female character was played by 3 different women at various stages of her life, and each brought new nuance to the part - Audrey Brisson's Girl was delicate, innocent and made you feel the pain when her hands were cut off; Patrycja Kujawska's Wild was a stark depiction of despair and madness that was complemented by innovative props work; and Éva Magyar's Woman showed a strong side, with enough life-taught mettle to refuse the devil. Stuart Goodwin's dual role as unfortunate Father and optimistic Prince were imbued with great humour - he and Stuart McLoughlin's Devil had the lion's share of the dialogue and narration to deliver opposite the mostly mute female trio and they were both magnetic. I particularly enjoyed Goodwin's Scottish, slightly camp Prince, and his mother, represented by an old Renaissance-style painting of a noble-woman, with arm holes for the actress behind. The humour was well balanced against the tragedy and bleak outlook for the Girl, and it stimulated an electric atmosphere in the audience. The Wild Bride ticked many boxes for me - drama, humour, music, and sheer exuberance of performance - so was an unqualified success.

but...
I was volunteering at the other side of the theatre to usual, where the view isn't great, so I didn't get to see the whole stage. It didn't impact much on my enjoyment though.

briefly...
A wild ride full of excitement and new ideas melded to a classic fairytale, simply wonderful.

Bill Bailey: Dandelion Mind (York Barbican, 12/11/11)

basics...
Bill Bailey brings his unique talents to a massive theatre/shed in York, with music, slide shows and plenty of laughs.

brilliant...
I'm so pleased that I've got to see Bill Bailey live as he's one of those comedians I can watch again and again, who is not offensive but has a satirical edge, whose comedy comes from a place of intelligence as well as the absurd, and who brings something fresh to the usual stand up routines - namely a gift for musical instruments. At this gig Bill played guitars of many varieties, the keyboard, French horns (including one that was unexpectedly flat, causing Bill to fall about laughing himself), and a Persian curiosity called an Oud - a half-onion looking thing that is not a bad guy from Doctor Who. From musings on the current state of 'Broken Britain' to slides showing paintings of Doubting Thomas and the wounds of Christ, from a French version of Gary Numan's Cars to a film about self scan supermarket checkouts there was never a dull moment and by the end of the evening I'd laughed myself hoarse. 

briefly...
Absurd, musical, intelligent, hilarious. A top night out.

Paint it White (WYP, 25/10/11)

basics...
Volunteering at the Playhouse has afforded me the chance to see a few plays I wouldn't normally have chosen for myself. Last time I was there I saw Paint it White, a piece about one man's love of Leeds United, from the 1960's to the present day, taking in all of the highs and lows and everything in between.

brilliant...
From a performance point of view, the 4 actors were very good. The youngest was particularly interesting as he was cute and had more varied parts to play, from a dim soccer fan to a camp Trisha TV alumnus. Some of it was quite funny. The trouble was...

but...
... I do not like football, and I have no interest in Leeds United. The audience, some in their football tops and clearly enjoying a rare excursion to the theatre, loved the show. Maybe if I had understood the references, the name checks and shared the experiences of following a sports team I would have had more fun. As it was I felt alienated, particularly at two borderline-homophobic comments. It was nice to see local Leeds landmarks name-checked, but that was as accessible as this got. I just couldn't understand the central character's obsession with this team or any team really. There's much more to life than football, and this guy bordered on the crazy, allowing football to ruin his relationships and dictate his working practices. 

briefly...
As a football-phobic snob, I wasn't really the target audience for Paint it White, so it's unsurprising that it didn't win me over. 

King Lear (WYP, 15/10/11)

basics...
The Shakespeare tragedy where an aged King gives his kingdom to his two evil daughters and then goes mad. With some bits about a bastard and other duplicitousness.

brilliant...
I saw this play as a (non-paying) punter rather than as a volunteer, and even with my full concentration it was a little difficult to get into. I've only read the play once at uni, and seen a Russian film version, but I was unprepared for how little I could remember about it. By the end of the long, 2.5 hr production I was up to speed on who everyone was, what their deal was and the main plot points - before that it was a bit touch and go! Lear, Tim Piggott-Smith, and the whole company were excellent, bringing some real power and emotional heft to the roles. The second act I found to be much more dramatically exciting, the set changed and it felt like everything kicked up a gear. There was a particularly memorable and gruesome eye-gouging sequence and some smashing duels, along with a triumvirate of different guises from Sam Crane's Edgar. James Garnon's Edmund, bastard son of the Earl of Gloucester, was moustache-twirlingly devilish and amusing as the main villain. 

but...
As I say, it took me some time to get into Lear - normally when watching Shakespeare, even one I'm unfamiliar with, I find after a short adjustment period I attune to the language and I'm away. I don't think this production helped by going at a fair speed, and then dressing the characters in a similar way to make it hard to distinguish Regan from Goneril or their husbands from each other. I also didn't think it was quite clear why Cordelia had decided to be so awkward at the beginning, and then buggered off til the very end. The Fool was also prominent in the first half and then disappeared - these grumbles of course are probably more issues with the source - Shakespeare did occasionally drop characters, or combine them so that actors could play dual roles. 

briefly...
A powerful lead performance in a production that would have benefited either from an edit or a few pauses for breath. 

Dons of Comedy (WYP, 09/10/11)

basics...

Last Sunday I was supposed to be volunteering in the cloakroom at the Playhouse but once there found they weren't going to open it, so instead I just stayed and watched the show. As part of Black History Month, the show Dons of Comedy was on for a one-off performance. It was a stand up comedy show with compere and the following acts: Felicity Ethnic, Curtis Walker, Felix Dexter, and Slim.

bah...

Clockwise from top left: Walker, Ethnic, Dexter, & Slim

The only act I'd heard of previously was Dexter, who had been in Bellamy's People and on a couple of panel shows, so I was looking forward to him. He was funny, but nothing particularly special. The best of the acts was Walker, he was more consistently funny. My problem with the first three acts was that skin colour was a massive part of it, which I suppose is understandable. It's like gay comedians who do a majority of gay jokes, it's funny for a spell, but you wonder whether without that edge/difference from the mostly straight, white (male) stand up scene is enough to sustain an act. And I also wonder how progressive a black or gay comedian is when they continually use their difference to get laughs - comedy should transcend these labels. I had particular trouble at this night with Felicity Ethnic, who we were warned by the compere, would be speaking in Jamaican patois. Turns out he wasn't joking. I felt like I was watching a Shakespeare play I didn't know, trying to understand the language and catching a few words hear and there. This didn't seem fair to an audience that although predominantly black had ticket-buying white audience members who I'd imagine struggled to understand as well. At least I could tell what the others were saying. I was pleased to note that the final comedian, Slim, didn't appear to be doing the whole 'black people do this' routine, and was telling non-racially motivated jokes. Unfortunately they weren't very funny, and a very long, supposedly true tale about him breaking his cock during sex went on far too long and had no punchline. The strangest thing was that members of the audience were hooting and hollering and going into paroxysms of laughter over this stuff!

briefly...

I was clearly the wrong target audience for this show, however I did enjoy what I could relate to and understand.

Ed Byrne: The Crowd Pleaser Tour (City Varieties, 29/09/11)

basics...
My first visit to the newly refurbished City Varieties in Leeds was also my first there ever. It's a small theatre, oddly long, but just right for a stand up comedy show, which is precisely why we were there, for a couple of hours in the company of Ed Byrne.

brilliant...
It's not just the fact he's Irish and mates with Dara O'Briain that made Byrne remind me of the Mock the Week host, it's also the way both come across as intelligent and geeky alongside the big belly laughs. I really enjoyed the fact that Byrne isn't offensive, but neither is he bland, he's got something to say about religion and obesity, yet he articulates his points in such a way as not to be mean spirited, and with no concomitant affect on the comedy. I laughed all the way through - the audience participation bits were particularly funny and let Byrne show his skills as an improviser. A thoroughly enjoyable evening.

briefly...
Intelligent, occasionally extremely geeky observational comedy delivered with aplomb.

The Go-Between (WYP, 14/09/11 & 25/09/11)

basics...
Both the second and third shows at which I was a Playhouse volunteer, The Go-Between is a brand new musical adaptation of the book by LP Hartley (apparently, I've never heard of it) in which a 12 year old boy acts as a messenger between a high society lady and her bit of rough farmer lover. Needless to say, it doesn't end well.

brilliant...

The Go-Between is a charming production, that wins out mainly on the performance of the young Leo, Jake Abbott, who is rarely off stage in a role that requires singing, acting, and quite a bit of running around. I was less keen on his co-star for the two shows I saw, played by John Cairns, but I think that was more because his character Marcus is less likeable and more obnoxious than any fault in the acting. The adult cast provided solid support, particularly in Sophie Bould's Marian, the female portion of the central love triangle - hers being the best voice and one of the more interesting roles. There is good use made of the limited stage space, even with a grand piano and pianist present all through. 

but...
The story is supposed to be a reminiscence of youth by the much older Leo (played by... I don't know, his name's not in the programme!) and apparently everything that happened that summer when he was 12 has turned him into a disfunctional old man. We see plenty of him commenting on the action and moping about and making ominous exclamations about how he should have left things alone... but I never really understood (or cared) for older Leo and what his problems were. Young Leo's story was much more wonderful and had a great deal of depth. I was also a little disappointed that this 'musical' was really a sung play, with no particular songs. It felt like it would have worked just as well if not better as a straight forward play. 

briefly...
If I'd had the choice I wouldn't have watched this twice, but each time the charming child performances held my attention, they really did shine.

Hamlet (WYP, 10/09/11)

basics...
It's only a few short months since I last saw a production of Hamlet at the Playhouse, but I found myself at another last weekend - a ballet version no less. I saw this in my new capacity as a front of house volunteer at the theatre, which means in return for standing around for a bit showing people to their seats at the beginning and during the interval, I get to sit and watch a play for free! 

brilliant...
I'm sure the dancing was excellent, and there were some genuinely exciting bits. However...

but...
I didn't hate the show, but as my last trip to the ballet taught me, I'm not a fan. I like words. And I know Hamlet - this was a very strange version. It was set in Nazi occupied France rather than Denmark - I only worked this out at the end when Fortinbrass liberated the country as the beginning 20 mins was a confusing mess. At least it was to someone who knows the play and didn't recognise what was going on or who was who. I also don't remember Ophelia getting gang-raped and then murdered in the play... I'm all for new interpretations of Shakespeare but being a ballet was new enough without causing more confusion by playing with key elements of the story. 

briefly...
Probably great if you like ballet. I don't. I enjoyed it more because I didn't have to pay to see it. Ballet really is just posh mime.

The Pitmen Painters (23/08/11, The Grand)

basics...
Written by Lee Hall, who was responsible for both the movie and stage versions of Billy Elliot, The Pitmen Painters has a similar north-east, mining town setting, although this time the events are based on a real group of painting pitmen from the 1930s and 40s.

brilliant...
I found this play at utter delight from beginning to end, with many moments of laugh-out-loud humour and earthy, believable characters. It was also incredibly informative and thought-provoking about the class system, politics of the period and above all else, the appreciation of art. Hall's approach to art much more accessible than that espoused by Alan Bennett in The Habit of Art, and it opened my mind to ways of creating, interpreting and thinking about culture that I hadn't thought of before. The cast were exceptional, with strong Geordie accents helping the humour along. I particularly enjoyed the culture class comedy between the 5 budding artists and their posh tutor, Robert Lyon. My favourite line involved a posh patron exclaiming that she likes modern art, to be told that she'd like the group's work then, as they were only painted that week!

briefly...
A hilarious and touching portrait of painting pitmen, with the added bonus of challenging approaches to art production and appreciation.

Agatha Christie's Verdict (20/08/11, The Grand)

basics...
Last year we saw The Agatha Christie Theatre Company's excellent production of Witness for the Prosecution, so we were eager to see their next show. Where Witness was a courtroom drama with a few twists thrown in, Verdict is a pretty straight-forward character drama. There's a murder, but we see it happen, so it's not a whodunnit, or even a whydunnit, the tension comes in the second act when another character is mistakenly put on trial (off stage) for the crime. 

brilliant...
Not heavy on plot, Verdict's success is in the fully-rounded cast of 10, including a German academic, his wheelchair bound wife, her sister and a couple of Professor Hendryk's students. The script is witty and initially led me to believe that the play could be a whodunnit, neatly setting up motives for several characters, before romantic jealousy leads a young student to poison the professor's wife. From here the drama intensifies around the court case of the deceased's sister, who also happens to have an unconsummated but reciprocated love for her widowed brother-in-law. It's hard to describe how the characterisations make the play shine, but the actors really brought the whole piece alive, and did so on an impressive library set.

but...
Focussing on the characters means that there's not that much exciting drama, and as I went in expecting a mystery I was a little disappointed at how straight it all was. The very end was rather odd too, and a little flat. 

briefly...
An absorbing character piece that's oddly twist-free. 

Evita (Leeds Grand, 11/07/11)

Our last theatre trip of the season, and the last thing we've got booked until November, Evita was an excellent way to end a great run of shows at the Grand and WYP. I'd been looking forward to this one for a long time, as I thoroughly enjoyed the Madonna-starring film version and have listened to the soundtrack numerous times since. 

Charting the life and death of Eva Peron, who became First Lady of Argentina in the 1940/50s, the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice score features non-stop music and singing to tell an extraordinary true story of ambition and Latin American politics. The large ensemble cast was lead by three wonderful leads, in Susie Griffin (Eva), Earl Carpenter (Juan Peron) and Mark Powell (narrator Che) who were barely ever off stage, particularly in the case of Griffin and Powell. The staging was exceptional, particularly in the use of simple staircases that moved around the stage to evoke varying settings

Act I

1. Junin July 1952 – Crowd
2. Requiem For Evita – Chorus
3. Oh What a Circus – Che and Crowd
4. On This Night Of a Thousand Stars – Magaldi
5. Eva Beware of the City – Eva, Magaldi and Family
6. Buenos Aires – Eva and Crowd
7. Good Night and Thank You – Che, Eva, Magaldi and Lovers
8. The Art Of The Possible – Perón, Generals and Eva
9. Charity Concert – Perón, Che, Magaldi and Eva
10. I'd Be Surprisingly Good For You – Eva and Perón
11. Another Suitcase in Another Hall – Perón's Mistress and Men's Chorus
12. Peron's Latest Flame – Che, Aristocrats, Soldiers and Eva
13. A New Argentina – Eva, Che, Perón and Crowd

Act II

1. On The Balcony Of The Casa Rosada – Perón, Che and Crowd
2. Don't Cry For Me Argentina – Eva
3. High Flying Adored – Che and Eva
4. Rainbow High – Eva and Dressers
5. Rainbow Tour – Perón, Advisers and Che
6. The Actress Hasn't Learned The Lines (You'd Like To Hear) – Eva, Aristocrats and Che
7. And The Money Keeps Rolling In (And Out) – Che and Crowd
8. Santa Evita – Children and Chorus
9. Waltz For Eva and Che – Eva and Che
10. She Is A Diamond – Perón and Officers
11. Dice Are Rolling – Perón and Eva
12. You Must Love Me - Eva
13. Eva's Final Broadcast – Eva
14. Montage – Eva, Che, Perón and Chorus
15. Lament – Eva

Every one of the many songs has a purpose in telling Eva's story, and each is memorable, with stand outs being Buenoes Aires, Peron's Latest Flame, Rainbow High, And the Money Keeps Rolling in, and of course, Don't Cry for Me Argentina. Watching this show I finally understood that the 'crying' in this song is not weeping, rather shouting, with Eva advising the adoring public not to shout for her and idolise her since she's one of them. It's a sentiment that fades as Eva gets more power and influence. I learned afterwards that You Must Love Me was actually written for the movie and has since been inserted into the theatrical production, which perhaps explains why its inclusion here is rather shorter than I remembered.

The production was so full of energy and emotion, dark as well as light - it opens with Eva's funeral and a mournful requiem - and tells a complex story that bears repeated viewing as it's easy to miss the odd line here or there or to read more into some of the action. Evita leaves me wanting to learn even more about this fascinating character, and wanting to listen to the soundtrack album over and over again!

Footloose: The Dance Musical (Leeds Grand, 28/06/11)

The night after seeing The Wiz we were at the theatre once more (The Grand this time) for another musical. This one we'd only booked the week before, taking advantage of a 2 for 1 offer on tickets. I'd hesitated to book this earlier as I've never seen the 80's movie on which it's based, and I'd just lumped it alongside Flashdance/Fame/Dirty Dancing as one of those movies women bang on about but I suspect probably aren't very good if you didn't catch them when young and female. 

I was surprised then to find Footloose (subtitled, The Dance Musical) was a really enjoyable show. While not as joyfully uproarious as The Wiz it still left me buzzing and singing the many top songs, the best of which were taken directly from the movie, and which I'm familiar with from student disco nights. The plot tells of how Ren (stupid name) moves from Chicago to Bomont, a small town where everyone knows everyone and dancing has been banned by the town council. Naturally Ren likes to dance and you can tell where it's all leading within 5 minutes. The predictable nature of the plot doesn't do anything to detract from the fun song and dance numbers, and there's a bit of humour thrown in the mix too.

Act 1

1. Footloose - Ren McCormack and Company
2. On Any Sunday – Reverend Shaw Moore and Company
3. The Girl Gets Around – Chuck, Travis, Lyle, Ariel
4. I Can't Stand Still – Ren
5. Somebody's Eyes – Rusty, Urleen, Wendy Jo, and Company
6. Learning to be Silent – Vi, Ethel, and Ariel (after revison)
7. Holding Out for a Hero – Ariel, Rusty, Urleen, Wendy Jo
8. Heaven Help Me – Rev. Moore
9. I'm Free / Heaven Help Me - Ren McCormack, Reverend Shaw Moore, and Company

Act 2

1. Still Rockin' – Cowboy Bob and his Band
2. Let's Hear it For the Boy – Rusty and the Girls
3. Can You Find it in Your Heart? – Vi
4. Mama Says (You Can't Back Down) – Willard, Bickle, Garvin, Jeter, Ren
5. Almost Paradise – Ren and Ariel
6. Heaven Help Me (Reprise) – Rev. Moore
7. Can You Find it in Your Heart? (Reprise) – Rev. Moore
8. Footloose (Finale) – Company

One of the hottest numbers was Holding Out for a Hero, which love interest Ariel and her mates belt out in a diner, along with a host of hot, mostly topless hunks, dressed like straight Village People. It was a heck of a performance. I also really liked Mama Says, a funnier number from comic relief Willard, who also got to show off some killer dance moves during Let's Hear it For the Boy. The whole thing ended like a party remix, in much the same vein as Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat with a number of hi-energy reprises of the show's most popular songs. It was a fittingly energetic end to a non-stop sing and dance 'classic'.

The Wiz (WYP, 27/06/11)

The last WYP show we've got booked for this season, The Wiz was a phenomenally upbeat way to start the summer. It was incredibly infectious both in getting my toe tapping and in making in laugh a whole heap, I came out grinning from ear to ear. I enjoyed the flop movie version, which starred Diana Ross and Michael Jackson, and so I was eager to see the show live on stage. This co-production by WYP and Birmingham Repertory Theatre completely blew the movie out of the water. 

Opening in contemporary Leeds, Dorothy is a young teen who is more interested in her mobile phone than communicating with her Aunt Em. A freak storm takes her off to Oz where she meets... well everyone knows the basic story of The Wizard of Oz, but The Wiz adds a fresh sound featuring an all black cast (aside from some of the ensemble) alongside a grungy, New York style Oz. Setting Dorothy's hometown in Leeds makes for some pretty funny revised dialogue, and the Wiz cannot fathom why the young girl would want to go back there... and then it's later revealed he's from Bradford! 

Wayne Robinson's floppy scarecrow showed off an amazing voice, and Horace Oliver was funny as the Tinman, while Clive Rowe's Lion was cuddly and a big ole Mummy's boy. The sets and costumes were all top notch and the story zipped along the yellow brick road at a fair rate of knots, song after song with barely time to pause for thought, but that's to the show's credit and really added to the energy of the whole thing. 

The songs in this production ran as follows:

Act 1

1. The Feeling We Once Had – Aunt Em
2. Tornado Dance – Company
3. He's the Wizard – Addaperle, Dorothy and Munchkins
4. Soon as I Get Home – Dorothy
5. I Was Born on the Day Before Yesterday – Scarecrow, Crows and Dorothy
6. Ease on Down the Road – Dorothy and Scarecrow
7. Slide Some Oil to Me – Dorothy, Scarecrow, and Tin Man
8. Mean Ole Lion – Lion
9. Be a Lion – Dorothy and Lion
10. So You Wanted to Meet the Wizard – The Wiz and Ensemble

Act 2

1. No Bad News – Evilene and Ensemble
2. If I Could Feel – Tinman and Ensemble
3. Funky Monkeys – Monkeys
4. Brand New Day – Dorothy, Scarecrow, Tin Man, Lion, and Ensemble
5. Y'all Got It! –The Wiz and Ensemble
6. Believe in Yourself – Glinda and Ensemble
7. Home – Dorothy

Each of the character's songs had amusing choreography, with great work by the busy ensemble as crows, munchkins, or stylish citizens of Oz, while the best numbers were the impossibly danceable Ease on Down the Road and the glorious Brand New Day. I find it hard to find fault with this show as produced and I am not convinced that Andrew Lloyd Webber's recent revival of the 'regular' version of the story could be any better.

The Sound of Music (14/06/11, Leeds Grand)

A number of years ago I was coerced by an ex into being an extra in an amateur dramatic production of The Sound of Music in which he was playing Rolf (or as I spell it in my head, Muppet-style, Rowlf). I got to wear a tux and watch the Von Trapp children sing So Long, Farewell, and later, dressed as a Nazi, I got to run around the auditorium blowing my whistle and flashing my torch, searching for the Von Trapps after the second So Long, Farewell. Other than knowing that particular song quite well I have never seen the film or actually watched the stage show all the way through ever since then. Until last week. 

I have to say that I was very surprised with how much I enjoyed the show, it was funny, full of great songs (nearly all of which I know in some form or other) and there was a really positive feel to the whole thing. I also like the adult themes and the dark side of the story, set against the Nazi takeover of Austria, in the shadow of WW2, where Captain Von Trapp is so crushed at the death of his wife he shuts out his children and music. It's really quite tragic, but then Verity Rushworth's perky Maria Rainer comes on the scene suddenly everything doesn't look quite so bleak. 

My favourite songs were those sung by the children and the nuns, the group numbers. The children were very cute, and the nuns had great voices, particularly Mother Abbess (Marilyn Hill Smith) who knocked everyone else flat with her operatic Climb Ev'ry Mountain to close Act One. The big-name draw of the musical was Jason Donovan, playing the role of father of 7 Captain Von Trapp. It's a curious choice of role, particularly coming off the back of the extravagant Priscilla Queen of the Desert, and one which he pulled off well, acting wise. In terms of singing, Donovan did not really have a strong voice, he sounded fairly weak in comparison to Rushworth and co, but then he only gets about 2 and a half songs, so the addition of a big name in this part seems odd. It's for these reasons that we didn't hang around for an autograph afterwards! After seeing the stage show I'd be happy now to visit the classic movie - I think a great enough distance of time has passed since my Nazi days.