Shall I Compare a Play to a Full Price?: January 2013

Saturday, January 26, 2013

Birdsong Review

Birdsong

The Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke

2013 begins with a new production of Sebastian Faulk's novel, Birdsong. I saw it at the Haymarket Theatre in Basingstoke before it goes on tour for the next eight months. I have never read the book but was interested to watch an adaptation of a novel that has received a lot of praise.

In the trenches of No Mans Land a "sewer rat" tunneler, named Jack Firebrace (Tim Treloar) is discovered asleep on duty by Captain Stephen Wraysford (Jonathan Smith). With the possibility of a court-martial Jack later reports to Stephen, but the officer claims to have no recollection of the incident and instead asks to see what goes on in the tunnels underneath No Mans Land. While they are underground the tunnels are breached by a German explosion and Stephen is assumed dead. However, Jack finds Stephen barely alive and takes him to hospital. In hospital, Stephen drifts in and out of memories of his visit to the Azaire family in Amiens during 1910, during which he fell in love with the wife, Isabelle (Sarah Jayne Dunn).

I hear that the 2010 London production took the linear approach to the story from Stephen Wraysford's visit to the Azaire household and all the way to the trenches. Looking at reviews from critics and the public it was not entirely successful. Rachel Wagstaff, who wrote the 2010 adaptation, now returns to rewrite the adaptation and this is the result. To me it was a digestible one. Despite spanning many years before and during the First World War, the play continuously went back and forth between these two periods, which kept the story kept moving.

The play never felt saccharine or depressing, whilst including some tender moments, especially by the end. However the first act is long and there were some lulls in the pacing. Anyone who is unfamiliar with the book may also find the sudden transitions in time a bit disconcerting at first. Yet by the end the story was very satisfying and poignant.

The actors playing the two lead characters carried the production. Jonathan Smith played Stephen Wraysford, an honorable and resolute captain It is only when he begins to see the horrors of the war that he gradually becomes a broken man, and at one point he described the Battle of the Somme with torment. There was hardly a moment when Treloar's Jack Firebrace was not praying to God, desperate that he would survive his time in the tunnels and be able to see his family again. But he too had to suffer the lose of those dearest to him.

These two were supported by a strong cast. Sarah Jayne Dunn was a reserved and tortured Isabelle Azaire, and her relationship with the boyish Stephen Wraysfield felt believable. The love scene between Isabelle and Stephen was represented by a sensuous dance and their eventual reunion was filled with anguish. Malcolm James, as Rene Azaire appeared to be the good family man, but soon he reveals himself to be a pitiful, bullying husband to Isabelle. Poppy Roe played a small role until the second act as Jeanne Fourmentier, where she strove to relieve Stephen's pain. Many of the cast members played numerous roles but they did have their moments, including Charlie G Hawkins who played a frightened young soldier named Tipper who sang an affecting song whilst waiting to go over the top at the Somme.

The set showed the devastation of No Man's Land, though it was interesting to see how the setting could be transformed to a tranquil Amiens in 1910. I particularly liked how the sounds of artillery fire would gradually change to the sound of piano music. The transitions felt fluent, as though Stephen was shifting between a dream and reality. There were some impressive scenes that were created on stage, especially how the actors created the feeling of claustrophobia within the tunnels. Other nice additions were the accordion and violin accompaniments that would come out of the cold silence of No Mans Land.

This is quite an absorbing and touching play to watch. I have not seen the 2010 production, but I do think that this version works thanks to the flashbacks, which help to keep the story moving. Together with a strong cast and some great scenery, I would give this an enthusiastic Top Price.

Les Miserables (Film) Review

Les Miserables (Film)

Having seen the stage musical it is now time to review the eagerly awaited film adaptation. How does this fare in comparison to the stage version.

First of all I must point out that this is a film that focuses on the acting as much as the singing. Basically, DO NOT EXPECT THE STAGE MUSICAL! There is something special about hearing a singer onstage projecting their vocals to the audience, something which I feel cannot be conveyed in a film. Having seen the trailers I was interested in seeing Tom Hooper and the cast take this different approach that relies on performance as well as singing, and was hoping it would work within the medium of film. Would the emphasis on acting recreate the power of the musical through the medium of film.

Hugh Jackman showed that he can sing a lot of the songs. His What have I done was filled with both shame and anger, and he showed growing conviction that he had to give up his true identity in Who am I. However, whilst he does have the right vocals for the role he lacks range and his nasally voice increasingly become noticeable by the second half of the film. His low-light sadly would have to be Bring him home as he struggled to sing the high notes. However he does redeem himself by showing how age was catching up with Valjean as the final scenes culminated in an emotional ending.

A highlight of the film would have be Fantine, played by Anne Hathaway. I'd go so far as to say that her degradation from factory worker to prostitute is tame in the stage musical in comparison to the film. This is partly due to the detail that Tom Hooper put into the mis-en-scene, but also Anne Hathaway was emotionally broken by the time the film get to a heartbreaking Come to Me. The audience sees her hair being cut off and a tooth pulled out and by the time the film gets to the Arrest she looks like a Gollum-like creature. Beforehand she filled I dreamed a dream with desperation, anger and despair as she breathlessly (acting) sang the lyrics. As I said the film adaptation relies upon acting and this is the best example, because it shows the song on a raw and personal, rather than theatrical, level.

The other highlight was Eddie Redmayne as Marius, whose singing was very impressive. His Marius was different from the child-like versions I have seen lately. Full of conviction, one could mistake him for the leader of the student uprising. When he fell in love he was in a world of his own. During his rendition of Empty Chairs at Empty Tables his voice was choked with grief.

Samantha Barks was brilliant as usual as Eponine. However her character was given less prominence than in the stage musical. The result was that while I was looking forward to hearing On My Own, my attention had already wandered from Samantha's character. If I did have a problem with the film, it is the way some of the songs were rearranged or cut down. A noticeable rearrangement was made of the songs On My Own, One Day More, and Do You Hear the People Sing. Whilst I liked the way the last two were presented, and the fact that Tom Hooper was trying to use Victor Hugo's original plot line, On My Own appeared to have been moved to a situation where it felt out of context.

Cutting down a number of songs also meant that some of them lost their impact. Drink With Me was cut down to just one verse and within a minute the film had gone straight into Bring Him Home, which was disconcerting. Elsewhere, the verses that established Eponine in Look Down (Reprise) were cut out which added to her seemingly reduced role.

I did not like Helen Bonham Carter in the film adaptation of Sweeney Todd. She seemed to put every effort into singing with her airy voice, and forgot to act out her role. However she has improved as Madame Thernardier. Whilst she still has the same tone of voice, she did put some effort into acting the boisterous Innkeeper's wife. She was better than Sacha Baron Cohen, whose attempt at a French accent was distracting. It was funny though to watch the pair's capers during Master of the House. The biggest disappointment is that Dog eats Dog was cut out, which left the characters looking like a pair of clowns.

Amanda Seyfried was good as Cosette, and so was Aaron Tveit as Enjorlas. He looked the part of a leader, but his tone of voice did not go with the image. Meanwhile, both Isabelle Allen and Daniel Huttlestone were lovely as the young Cosette and Gavorche. There were some great cameos from West End actors, including Colm Wilkinson's (original Jean Valjean) kindly Bishop of Digne, Frances Ruffelle (original Eponine) as a prostitute (she sings "Come on deary why all the fuss"), Bertie Carvel's dapper Bamatabois, Hadley Fraser as an Army Officer during the final barricade moments and Killian Donnelly and Alistair Brammer as two of the students.

There is no doubt that Russel Crowe was the weakest link of the film as Javert. He lacked firmness and authority in his voice in what is a commanding role and struggled with certain notes in his singing. I will say though that he did put effort into his singing, which was better than hearing Pierce Brosnan's awful singing in Mamma Mia. While I was not impressed by most of his acting he worked well with Hugh Jackman and showed some menace when confronting Jean Valjean.

When Tom Hooper was chosen to direct the film I thought that it was a good choice. Based on the his last film, The King's Speech, and the use of Victor Hugo's paintings in the 25th Anniversary Tour, I thought he would be able to show the world of 19th century France that the author lived in, and he exceeded my expectations. He put in a number of references to the book that the stage musical would not have been able to show, including the elephant statue and the outcome for Enjorlas. He even put in some nice touches of his own, including a sad moment with Javert and Gavorche.

I congratulate the use of live recording because it takes away the fake background sound that comes with the synced audio recording of the singing in other musical films. Tom Hooper does have a tendency to shoot scenes with close-ups of the characters, whilst positioning them off to the side of the screen. In a number of ways it does work because it allows the audience to focus on the details and expressions of the characters' faces.

At other times however it would have been better if the camera was not up in the character's faces, particularly during Empty Chairs at Empty Tables, so that the audience could actually see the empty room rather than the concentration on Marius' face. The barricade fighting could also have been shot better so that the audience could see the skirmishes clearly. Otherwise the editing meant that at times the film would jump around a lot which annoyed me at first, for example there was a noticeable continuity error during Look Down. There were also times when I thought that Tom Hooper's direction did not do justice to certain songs, particularly Javert's Soliloquy.

Nonetheless, this is a film that those involved with should be proud of. Is it the stage musical, no! Does that mean it is bad, no! This is a different take on the musical that I thought worked in a number of ways. The raw emotion is still there and there are some great performances to enjoy. Having said that there are still problems with the film that can not be ignored, which makes the film worth seeing, but do go in with an open mind.

Friday, January 25, 2013

Shall I Compare a Play to a Full Price? Awards 2012

Shall I Compare a Play to a Full Price? Awards 2012

As we go into 2013 it is time to look back on the productions I saw last year. What were the highlights of 2012. Which were laugh out loud entertainment? Which were depressingly awful? Which produced some interesting results? Which left me shocked? Here are the Shall I Compare a Play to a Full Price? Awards of 2012.

Best Play
Occasionally I was able to see fine works by some of today's playwrights. Despite my reservations for the novel, it cannot be denied that stage adaptation of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time was well paced and designed, whilst Luke Treadaway recreates an engaging recreation of Christopher Boone. Elsewhere, Richard Bean's One Man Two Guvnors would have to be the funniest play I have seen this year thanks to James Corden's Francis Henshall.

The year has been a time for me to expand my knowledge of theatre by seeing both well-known and unfamiliar plays. The Chichester production of Uncle Vanya was performed by a strong cast, in particular Roger Allam's title character, with some lovely naturalistic scenery to boot. Joining the runners up during December was the thought-provoking and at times emotional The Orphan of Zhao, which was supported by a stalwart cast under Gregory Doran's directing.

However this year's winner has to be Chichester's production of The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui. During the production I laughed but was equally stunned with shock by Bertolt Brecht's allusions to Adolf Hitler in his portrayal of the American gangster. Henry Goodman stole the show as he changed from beady eyed no-body to the domineering Hitler-esque leader. This is my favourite Brechtian play so far and it well deserves this year's award.

Best Shakespeare Play
Once again the RSC has achieved wonders. Despite their problems, two plays that stood out were King John and Twelfth Night, and are therefore my 'guilty pleasure' runners up. Maria Aberg directed an entertaining King John by giving it a party style setting, whilst Pippa Nixon stood out as an energetic and care-free Bastard. David Farr put Twelfth Night into an interestingly solemn setting, whilst the sub-plots were what held this production together, especially with Jonathan Slinger playing Malvolio.

Two productions that deserve a nomination are Julius Caesar and Measure for Measure. Once again Gregory Doran's directing has come up trumps in Julius Caesar, and whilst it was no radical interpretation of the play, he and the cast managed to present the play as though it had been set in Africa all along. Roxana Silbert and her excellent cast brought the world of Measure for Measure to life by emphasising the underlying themes of sex and using a simple set and lighting to give the audience a picture of a degenerate Vienna.

David Farr's The Tempest however would be my favorite Shakespeare production this year. The dark industrial setting he uses is a contrast to what is normally imagined to be Prospero's island. Yet amongst this imagery he represents Prospero's magic as eerily beautiful. Whilst Jonathan Slinger was an excellent Prospero, praise must also be given to Felix Hayes and Bruce Mackinnon as the hilarious Trinculo and Stephano, as well as Sandy Grierson for presenting to the audience a tender relationship between Ariel and Prospero.

Best Musical

Although I saw more plays than musicals this year, only a few of the latter really stood out. Plaudits must still go to UK Production's 42nd Street, because despite its lack of attention to a chorus girl's rise to fame, the musical had some striking moments. Furthermore, if there was an award I would give the production it would be for the best sound system. Even though it was the first time I saw the musical I was tapping along to the crystal-clear music. Next on the list is Cabaret, and although Michelle Ryan's Sally Bowles was the weakest part of the cast, Will Young would have to be the surprise performance of the year as Emcee. My enjoyment of this musical was completed by some fantastic dances and a lovely romantic sub-plot.

American Idiot is rather basic, and in some cases non-existent, in terms of plot. However, I could not pull my attention away from the loud, adrenaline pumping and crazy action that weaved its way through the whole musical. Elsewhere, Kiss Me Kate was an immensely entertaining musical on multiple levels, in terms of the different plot lines co-existing between sensuous songs and dances. All of which were performed upon a surprisingly detailed set within Chichester's Festival Theatre.

Yet there was one musical that is not only my favorite, but also the best production of 2012. I never thought anything could top Regent's Park Open Air Theatre's Crazy for You from last year so soon, and yet I had so much fun watching Wonderful Town. The musical was full to the brim with interesting characters and it managed to find time to give a number of them sub-plots that intertwined with the main characters. Not only that but this had the craziest ending to the first act I have ever seen, which included the conga, the Brazilian Navy, and the people of New York. Together with a fantastic cast, including Connie Fisher, Lucy Van Gasse, Michael Xavier and Nic Greenshields, this musical gave me more entertainment I have not seen in a while.

Best Director
Trevor Nunn gets a mention for putting together a strong cast and using Robert Jones' designs to bring the fictional theatre that Kiss Me Kate is set in to life on many levels. David Farr's continues to his somber style, when one would never bringing an interesting take to Twelfth Night and The Tempest, though he could still do with choosing some better cast members

Roxana Silbert made every effort to recreate Vienna in Measure for Measure, whilst thinking up some clever ideas for the cast to work with when acting the scenes. Jonathan Church included many of Brecht's techniques in The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui especially when making it a thought provoking play, and he was right to choose Henry Goodman as the crazed Arturo.

Gregory Doran however gets my vote as Best Director. I believe he is the best Shakespearean director at the moment based on his latest productions, including this year's Julius Caesar. He also proves his worth when directing The Orphan of Zhao. Watching a documentary on the DVD recording of the former production, he said that he likes to tell actors why he chose them to play their part, which gives them the confidence to explore their character. This clearly can be seen in both productions as the cast of each play the characters both believably and at times touchingly. Lastly, Doran never radically changes the plays but as in Julius Caesar the changes he makes allows the new settings to remain believable. I really look forward to seeing what he does as the new Artistic Director of the RSC.

Best Actor in a Play
There is no shadow of doubt that James Corden was the best part of the hilarious One Man, Two Guvnors. He interacted with the audience on numerous occasions and performed many entertaining stunts. Paterson Joseph played a Brutus that was both endearing and flawed in Julius Caesar, and it was engaging to watch this affect the events that occur in the play. Roger Allam was a perfect choice to play a weary title character in Uncle Vanya, who acted an adolescent in front of Yelena and broke down in despair at the end. Henry Goodman did brilliantly when transforming into a leader that alluded to Adolf Hitler, whilst performing some hilarious moments, including the actor scene.

Jonathan Slinger however has proved himself one of the best Shakespearean actors we have at present. Having seen his Richard III, Richard II, Macbeth, and Lenny in The Homecoming, I never imagined him playing Malvolio and Prospero. Yet together with David Farr's murky settings, his Malvolio stood out as a neurotic and by the end a tragic character in Twelfth Night. More importantly his Prospero in The Tempest was both dark and humble, and his final monologue was very touching. He is therefore my favorite actor this year and I look forward to his Hamlet in 2013.

Best Actress in a Play
Meera Syal was an energetic Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing and showed her feistiness in her confrontations with Benedick. Lara Pulver's Yelena was an allusive character at first but soon became desperately overwhelmed by the attention she was getting from Uncle Vanya. Kirsty Bushell meanwhile stood out during the What Country Friends is This trilogy, particularly when transforming from grief-stricken to a spirited Olivia in Twelfth Night. Jodie McNee stood out in Measure for Measure as a tender Isabella who was steely in her determination to save her brother.

However, my favorite actress is Michele Dotrice who gave a stellar performance as Mrs Wilberforce in the stage adaptation of the Ealing Comedy, The Ladykillers. She played Mrs Wilberforce, a kindly and upstanding old lady. It was engaging to watch her being fooled by the miscreants who took up lodgings in her house to plan a heist. In the second act her despair shone through as she realised what was happening whilst the gang plotted to get rid of her.

Best Supporting Actor in a Play
One could not help but see the different points of view during a controversial turn of events in Uncle Vanya, particularly with Timothy West playing a pragmatic Professor Serebryakov, who had no choice but to face reality. Whilst James Corden was the highlight of One Man, Two Guvnors, praise must also be given to Oliver Chris for playing the jolly guv'nor, Stanley Stubbs. Joseph Kloska presented a colourful angle on Vienna's society within the city prison during Measure for Measure. He also produced a hilarious monologue where he alluded to the idea that the audience were criminals. In joint second place are the hilarious Bruce Mackinnon and Felix Hayes for playing the clown characters in the What Country Friends is This trilogy. These parts were the Dromino brothers in The Comedy of Errors, Sir Andrew Aguecheek and Fabian in Twelfth Night, and Stephano and Trinculo in The Tempest.

Ray Fearon however gave an outstanding performance as Mark Antony in Julius Caesar. During the play he changed from a young man in casual clothing to a charismatic leader. His highlights were his impassioned "Dogs or war" and a brilliant "Friends, Romans Countrymen" monologue. I never thought much of the latter until now. Ray gave a raw performance that was fiery, personal and anguished. He deserves to be Best Supporting Actor in a Play

Best Supporting Actress in a Play
Many actresses brought an emotional side to the productions they were in. Deborah Finlay brought a personal edge to Timon of Athens as the mother figure, Flavia, who showed her concern for Timon's finances. Dervla Kirwan was in a small role as a modest Sonya in Uncle Vanya but she gave a touching ending with Roger Allam. Amongst all the allusions to Hitler, Lizzy McInnery came on during The Resistable Rise of Arturo Ui shouting for help during an attack on her family. She then played another grieving widow Betty Dullfoot. Nicola Walker in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time had a long scene where she produces a monologue, trying to show her despair to Christopher Boone, who is unable to understand what she means.

However I have got to give the award to Pippa Nixon for playing the Bastard in King John. As the Bastard she was quite a zestful character and therefore easy to connect with as the action turned to her point of view at times. Her relationship with Alex Waldmann's King John was a highlight of the production, and she gave a moral edge to the play, especially when deciding to let Arthur go free.

Best Actor in a Musical
Kristopher Harding was great as the underdog steam engine, Rusty, in Starlight Express and sang a wonderful rendition of the title song. Gary Wilmot's Sammy Shaw was cheeky and charming and there was not a moment when he was not producing puns during Radio Times. In 42nd Street, Dave Willets was a commanding Julian Marsh who sang his songs with relish. Will Young was the surprise performance of the year. It was clear that he was having a great time playing an entertaining and nasty Emcee.

Alex Bourne gets my vote as Fred Graham/Petrucio in Kiss Me Kate. He was quite the overpowering leading man who would do anything to prevent his divorced wife from leaving in the middle of the musical version of The Taming of the Shrew. He was also bombastic when he brilliantly sang his songs, including Wunderbar and Where is the life that late I led.

Best Actress in a Musical
During 42nd Street, Jessica Punch was very good in presenting Peggy as a naive girl starting out in the chorus line on Broadway. Cynthia Erivo had a strong voice when singing wannabe diva, Deloris Van Cartier, in Sister Act and she performed some sensational songs with the nuns. Faye Brooks too was fabulous as the ditsy but enduring Elle Woods in Legally Blonde. Although I expected a bit too much from her, Hannah Waddingham was very impressive as the shrewd Lilli Vanessi in Kiss Me Kate, and sang most of the songs perfectly.

Despite this it is Connie Fisher who deserves this award. Following an operation on a throat condition that changed her vocals she has made quite a comeback. Not only did the role of Ruth in Wonderful Town suit her vocals but Connie gave a vigorous and funny performance as the plain yet headstrong character. I hope she does just as well in any suitable roles in the future.

Best Supporting Actor in a Musical
Iwan Lewis was relateable as laid back but helpful Emmett Forrest in Legally Blonde. Edward Baruwa performed a touching performance of the song I could be that guy whilst playing the bashful Eddie in Sister Act. Although the romantic plot was underwritten, Michael Xavier as Bob Baker led an excellent performance of the song, What a waste during Wonderful Town. Together with Clive Rowe, David Burt was a stalwart gangster and the pair gave a fantastic Brush up your Shakespeare.

Wonderful Town had an excellant cast of weird and eccentric residents of Greenwich Village, New York. Nick Greenshields stood out as the stout-hearted giant of an American Football player, Wreck. The sub plot where he and his bride-to-be, Tiffany Graves, have to tell her strict mother that they are engaged was truly absorbing. There was also a wonderful moment when Nick showed his character's passion for American Football with aplomb during Pass the Ball. Based on this I have to give the award to this actor.

Best Supporting Actress in a Musical

Marti Webb did well to play ageing singer Dorothy Brock in 42nd Street and her singing was enchanting. Holly Dale Spencer presented a nervous Lois Lane in Kiss Me Kate, but transformed into an enticing dancer with Adam Garcia's Bill Cahoun or during the ensemble dance numbers like Too darn hot. Sian Phillip's Fraulein Schneider gave a sincere rendition of So What in Cabaret, and later she and Linal Haft's Herr Schultz provided a touching relationship when singing It couldn't please me more. Lucy Van Gasse was a juvenile but alluring blonde as Eileen Sherwood, and together with Connie Fisher the pair produced a touching duet of Ohio.

Yet Niki Evans stood out as Irish beautician Paulette Buanulante in Legally Blonde. Her first scene included a solo song where she passionately showed her character's longing to go back to Ireland. Later in the musical the relationship between her character and a USP delivery lad had the young female audience whooping with delight. She also lead a riverdance that came out of no where in the highlight song of the musical, the Legally Blonde Remix.

Best Set
There were some very clever and atmospheric designs in a couple of productions. The rural estate in Uncle Vanya was nicely detailed, and there were some small but beautiful moments including the time when it started raining outside the windows. Measure for Measure had a simple set but it helped the underlying sexual themes. There were some clever moments, such as when the criminals clambered from below the stage, and the leather whips at the back were raised to represent the gates of Vienna. Although a lot of the set was shown in darkness to convey Brecht's idea of a simplistic set, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui had some unforgettable moments from Aruturo's first appearance to the shocking ending. Congratulations to Robert Jones for creating a detailed and multi-layered creation of a fictional theatre in Kiss Me Kate, especially within the Chichester Festival Theatre.

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time deserves this award for some brilliant designs. The set itself was simple at first sight, but the production then used projections on the floor to show what Christopher Boone is thinking. Lighting, movement and props were also used to create Christopher's imaginations, including floating through space. At other times the stage would reveal compartments and spaces beneath to imaginatively create some scenes, including a tense moment in the Underground.

Best Lighting

Aided by David Farr's direction and the set the lighting in The Tempest created some eerily beautiful imagery to show Prospero's magic. Within the Chichester Festival Theatre, the lighting helped to show a layered world during Kiss Me Kate and establish a change in scenery. The Orphan of Zhao included some colourful and stylistic imagery that established the play's Chinese setting. Wonderful Town meanwhile used colour to give a fun and and elaborate edge to the songs.

Measure for Measure however was an interesting case. Although the set was rather simple, with leather strips hanging at the back, they were used rather cleverly with the lighting. By lighting the stage and the area behined the strips with different colours, depth was brought to the scenery. It was easy to imagine the strips seperating two different rooms whilst the Duke listened on a conversation. Their length helped establish the buildings of Vienna during the heat of the day, the depths of a dank underground dungeon, or a luscious garden, which I liked. This combination between the lighting and the simple set justifies this award.

Best Theatre
The Salisbury Playhouse produced some satisfying productions, especially an interesting Epsom Downs and an entertaining Stepping Out. The National Theatre put on a wonderful The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time, a top-notch Timon of Athens and Antigone. However it showed a number of productions that were average at best, such as The Comedy of Errors and Travelling Light, as well as one of my least favourite productions. The RSC put on a great number of productions as usual during the year. A good number of which were respectably good, with only one bad production of Troilus and Cressida. There were however enough to recommend, particularly with Gregory Doran directing The Orphan of Zhao and Julius Caesar, as well as a perfect performance from Jonathan Slinger in The Tempest

Chichester Festival Theatre however produced a good number of different plays by different playwrights, and a musical to boot for their 50th Anniversary Festival. I rated a lot of the productions highly, including the fantastic Kiss Me Kate, the beautiful Uncle Vanya, and the surprisingly shocking The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui. Antony and Cleopatra was acceptable, and I could not care less for Heartbreak House. Yet for the most part I came back from Chichester having enjoyed a fantastic theatrical experience, and I look forward to seeing what this year's festival has in store.

Worst of 2012
I was lucky enough to see only a few productions that were below average. I would have recommended anyone to see Troilus and Cressida just to see how amazingly bad it was, with both weird and laughable acting and stylistic choices being made on both the Wooster Group and RSC's behalf. I did not think much of South Pacific and the touring version of the 2008 Broadway revival did nothing for me, with average performances, a colourful but simplistic set, and the lack of a sound system let down the music. The Young Person's Shakespeare's latest offering could have done something interesting with King Lear, yet they did a minimum amount to a rather boring production. Despite a good cast, Derek Jacobi included, George Bernard Shaw's Heartbreak House has not aged well and it was like trying to translate a different language when trying to understand what the characters were talking about.

However I would rather do that than see a poor contribution from the National Theatre, which is The Last of the Haussmans. Once again some good actors, Rory Kinnear and Julie Walters, were let down by the script. This new play was written by Stephen Beresford, who created a dysfunctional family who reluctantly have to look after their mother. This familiar story may have worked if Beresford had developed his characters at all. The only character that changed at all was the granddaughter, Hope, who disapeared during the middle of the play to visit her estranged father and came back to relate what a happy time she had. One wished that the play had focused on her. Other problems included revelations that come out of nowhere and jokes that acted as filler for a play that went on for too long. This is the only production that I recommended should be avoided this year.

Best of 2012

Best of 2012*

* The list only includes productions that started in, or continued their runs/tours into, 2012. It excludes productions I have seen before and long running West End productions, which are Jersey Boys, Sweeney Todd, Blood Brothers, Matilda, and Les Miserables

Thursday, January 10, 2013

Les Miserables (London Production) Review

Les Miserables

Queens Theatre, London

Having recently seen for the second time the London production that has lasted 27 years, as well as a school production, an amateur production, the last tour, and a concert (as well as owning both anniversary DVDs), it come as no surprise that this is my favorite musical of all time. We all know by now that the songs are emotional and by the end the musical has one in tears. I even heard newcomers at the performance I saw saying how they were mesmerised by it. But having seen the London production, how does it currently fare?

First of all Geronimo Rauch was an excellant Jean Valjean. Having played the role in a Spanish version of the 25th Anniversary Tour, one has to tune into his Spanish accent but soon his vocals come into play when he gave a powerful rendition of the songs, particularly in What Have I Done and Who am I, before giving a poignant Bring Him Home. It was great to see Sierra Boggess play Fantine, and though she struggled slightly with the low notes, she sang a heart-wrenching I Dreamed a Dream.

Tam Mutu was a very expressive Javert, though at times he did give some exaggerated gestures. He may had been trying to show how Javert was in an emotional turmoil as he began the Soliloquy, but he did not need to run back and forth across the stage. Coming off her Over the Rainbow success, Danielle Hope proved to be an impressive Eponine and she gave a strong On My Own. Craig Marther was very good as a young and spirited Marius, though his singing was erratic at times. Linzy Hateley was a lively Madame Thernardier, producing moments of some panache

However the cast was not entirely strong. There is no doubt the musical is long, and at the two-thirds point of the first act the rest of the characters are being introduced, and to me it is necessary that they are played well to keep up the momentum that has already been created. Sadly that was not the case with Thenardier and Enjorlas. Though Adam Linstead was on as understudy in place of Cameron Blakely, his Thenardier was not funny. He did have a jolly look on his face but Master of the House only made me chuckle. Liam Tamne meanwhile was not charismatic as Enjolras, and it was rather unbelievable that his character would lead people in a revolution that would most likely result in their deaths. His singing was just good, though I was not looking forward to the high notes that he struggled to hold.

Having seen the London production after so long most of the staging remained seamless with the help of the revolving stage. My only quibbles would concern the gates of Valjean's house being moved into position in the middle of Building the Barricade. Also the main set took rather a long time in my opinion to start transforming into the barricade, even when Eponine had finally gone off stage following On My Own. I did have a problem with the sound system. I was not expecting something on the same level as the concert or the tour but I was sitting four rows from the stage and the audibility of the music still felt a bit underwhelming.

Once again the musical brought tears to my eyes and I am glad I saw it again. However, whilst this is the best musical of all time, if I was going to see it again I would wait until cast has changed. There are some performances that range from good to excellant, but whilst Blakely's understudy was on, Liam was ineffectual as the leading character of a sub-plot that provides some of the stirring moments of the musical. This should still be seen at a Top Price.

Matilda Review (SPOILERS)

Matilda

Cambridge Theatre, London

I first saw this musical in its original home at Stratford-upon-Avon. Since then I have come to love it and was therefore anxious to see it again. Please be aware, in case I spoil your enjoyment of this musical, that I will be going into a lot of detail as to why I love this musical. Click Read More to see the review, but for those who would prefer not to know too much of the story, I will sum up that this is for me the best Roald Dahl adaptation ever. The cast was excellent particularly Hayley Canham as Matilda and David Leonard as the psychotic Miss Trunchball. Despite the simplistic set there is enough spectacle to amaze the audience. Although there are two small moments that bothered me near the end, This would be one of my favourite musicals of all time, which I have only given to two others, and I would rate this a

Premium Seat

P.S. I would recommend seats F12 and F15 in the Stalls. Although they are premium seats they are worth every penny just for one special moment in the musical.

The Orphan of Zhao Review

The Orphan of Zhao

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

The last production I saw at Stratford was an adaptation of the first Chinese play that was translated into English, The Orphan of Zhao. I was excited to see this because it was being directed by my favourite director, Gregory Doran, who earlier this year directed the excellent production of Julius Caesar.

The current Emperor (Stephen Ventura) and his favourite minister, the corrupt Tu'an Gu, are committed to the pursuit of pleasure, to the point where they begin shooting arrows at their subjects. Three of the Emperor's counselors despair of his excesses and two, Gongsun Chujiu and Wei Jiang (Patrick Romer and Philip Whitchurch decide to leave. The third, Zhao Dun (James Tucker), decides to stay with his pregnant wife, who is the Emperor's daughter (Lucy Briggs-Owen). Tu'an Gu plots against Zhao and eventually has him and his followers killed. Knowing that her newly born son would be killed, the Princess gives him to a visiting doctor, Dr Cheng Ying (Graham Turner), who secretly smuggles the boy away. He now has to keep the orphan alive, so that the boy can grow up and revenge his father.

The story was both mesmerising and harsh. During the play the audience gets to see many characters die or sacrifice what they held dear, so that the Orphan would live. By the second act the play began to ask the question, was it worth it? It heightened the emotional trials the characters had to face during the first 20 years of the orphan's life. The play itself was beautifully written. The beginning and end of each act were taken up by some lovely ballads, and one could not wait to hear the next. Certain characters would also have an almost poetic monologue that begun with them introducing themselves, which was interesting to watch.

Once again Gregory Doran has proven to work well with actors. Joe Dixon lead the cast as a bullish, sneering and sly Tu'an Gu and he carry's out the character's awful deeds with glee. Graham Turner plays Dr Cheng Ying, who has to suffer the most trials when hiding the orphan, and Graham clearly showed how mentally crippled the character became as the play progressed. Both he and Nia Gwynne as the Doctor's wife provide a lot of the most poignant moments in the play. Jake Fairbrother plays the Orphan as an innocent young man who is filled with conviction as he learns his true story. Patrick Romer, Lloyd Hutchinson, and James Tucker plays the emperor's counselors, Gongsun Chujiu, General Han Jue, and Zhao Dun, all of whom have to endure many trials because of the Emperor.

The set included some detailed Chinese architecture, including lanterns, frames and round arches. Against the Swan Theatre's red brick back wall at the back, the lighting provided some warm, colorful and striking colors to create a stylistic recreation of China. There were some moments that stood out, including the executed heads that were ominously hanging from above, and a moment I will not describe but will have you flinching in shock. The early scenes included Tu'an Gu's dog, The Demon Mastiff, which was shown as a terrifying puppet being controlled by three actors. One thing that did become pointless was the repetitive showering of red petals that occurred every time someone died.

Like Julius Caesar, Gregory Doran has directed a well acted production with production values that help illustrate the world of the play. Together with a well written script the production was a thought provoking and emotional play. This should be seen at a high Top Price.

The Merry Wives of Windsor Review

The Merry Wives of Windsor

Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

Of all the plays, The Merry Wives of Windsor has to be my favorite Shakespeare play. Although I keep hearing that it is not the best play he had ever written, I just love the fact that this is a farce that includes Falstaff, two plotting wives, a laundry basket, jealousy, romance, and humiliation within the English town of Windsor. A perfect alternative to pantomime at Christmas. This production was therefore the one I was most looking forward to during the RSC's winter season.

This a great production performed by a stellar cast. Desmond Barrit was brilliant as the fat knight, Sir John Falstaff. He was quite the bombastic knave, and it was clear that age was catching up with this weary character (if one is to assume that the play is a direct sequel to the Henry IV plays). Returning to the role of Mistress Ford after performing in the 2006 musical adaptation is Alexandra Gilbreath, and together with Sylvestra Le Touzel as Mistress Page the pair make for a bawdy couple of wives.

John Ramm meanwhile presented Master Ford's jealousy with aplomb. Anita Dobson was good as Mistress Quickly, though her tone of voice did drag after a while. The rest of the cast did well in playing a diverse variety of Windsor residents, from ruffian to lover and French to Welsh. They were however rather overshadowed by director Phillip Breen's elaborate decisions in presenting Windsor.

Being set in a typically English town, the play would seem to demand that the set be adorned with timber framed Tudor building and anything that defines England. Director Phillip Breen though goes further in this present day setting by fitting in pubs, rugby posts, telephone boxes, sign posts and what not. The problem with this is that on a thrust stage these elaborate sets feel cumbersome and at times the scene changes take too long. What is more his staging of scenes occasionally feel awkward, particularly at the end.

He also had a tendency to stop the show at times for laughs. For instance, Falstaff's first wooing scene was taken up by an unnecessary music sequence. The sub-plot about the humiliation of the Host of the Garter Inn was even blown up into one extended joke, where the inn was given a German themed make-over.

Despite these problems it had been a long time since I had seen the play and I was eagerly anticipating the production. In all seriousness the cast used every effort into overcoming the issues with the set to bring a riotous Merry Wives of Windsor. Go and enjoy it at a low Top Price.

Boris Godunov Review

Boris Godunov

Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon

I returned to Stratford-upon-Avon to see three of the productions currently being shown as part of the winter season. Following on from their earlier 2012 theme, What Country Friends Is This, the RSC had put together another theme, A World Elsewhere, comprising of three translated versions of plays that come from different parts of the world. Two are based on people who lived during Shakespeare's time, such as the title of this play, Boris Gudonov. This is also the last production to be directed by Michael Boyd before he steps down as the company's artistic director.

A noble called Boris Godunov (Lloyd Hutchinson) is a noble who reluctantly takes over the throne of Russia after Tsar Fyodor and the young rightful heir, Prince Dmitry, died. But rumors spread that Boris actually murdered Dmitry in order to take the throne for himself. As a result a young monk, Grigory Otrepiev (Gethin Anthony), decides to pose as Dmitry. He secretly escapes to Poland, in order to gain support and lead an army to take Russia. Boris meanwhile is plagued by the murder of Dmitry and fears his possible overthrow.

The plot was the most engaging in the first act, because it followed the adventures of a young Grigory Otrepiev who has to escape the country undetected. During the second act however the play gets bogged down in politics, as Grigory finds support in Poland. A dozen more characters are introduced, causing the plot to loose its momentum. Furthermore, the playwright overemphasises the play's connections to Shakespeare's Macbeth and Richard III by making several direct references to the plays, which became tiresome after a while. Whether or not they were inevitable it felt like the play was making winks at me.

The cast tells the story of Boris Godunov with a light hearted tone. At the beginning they all cross the stage as if in the middle of a party - dancers, lovers, priests and artists all - whilst Boris Godunov stands in the middle of all this with blood on his hands (Macbeth reference). Lloyd Hutchinson plays Boris Godunov as though the character has justified his actions and yet cowers at his conscience, to the point where he hugs an audience member for comfort.

James Tucker played Prince Shuisky as a sly, cunning follower of Boris Godunov. Joe Dixon stands out as a boisterous and outspoken Afanasii Pushkin and during the second act he describes the return of the supposedly alive Prince Dmitry with aplomb. Gethin Anthony played Grigory Otrepiev and goes on a journey from apprehensive monk to charismatic leader. The ensemble also had their moments playing the impoverished people of Russia.

The set is a basic one with the back comprising of a wooden structure with a second level for the actors to stand upon. One lovely moment though was a scene where Gudonov's son, Fyodor, was painting a map of Russia on a large cloth. Coats were hung at the back like a changing area The climatic battle also involved an interesting dance where the actors displayed different regimental uniforms by turning their coats inside out Michael Boyd is still using the same artistic choices he made in the The Histories Cycle, including the use of percussion instruments to provide the music, which at times was rather loud.

The first half is worth a Full Price, and the production has a great cast to boot. The second act, however, slows the show down considerably to make this production worth a Bargin.