Review – Romeo and Juliet, Northern Ballet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 19th September 2024

Posted on September 20, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Ballet at the RSC? Surely not Dame Judi and Sir Ian gracing us with their pas de deux? Although I understand Sir Derek Jacobi’s entrechats are to die for. No! I’m kidding. Northern Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet, a mainstay of their programming over the last thirty years, has been rescued from the disaster that occurred in 2015 when the costumes and sets were ruined by flood damage. Painstaking work by gifted people has restored and renewed them so that once again Massimo Moricone and the late Christopher Gable’s work can be enjoyed by fresh generations.

Their first port of call on their autumn tour is at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and it’s an inspired choice of venue. Unlike most theatres likely to host ballet companies, the RST has a thrust stage, so it basically has less width but more depth; and for ballet that gives the opportunity for the dancers to perform deeper into the auditorium and share their grace and skill more closely with the audience. The result is that, although the Royal Shakespeare is a large, grand theatre, the performance can take on a surprisingly intimate form; and that’s perfect for a project such as Northern Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet with its stunning choreography and its timeless, tragic love story.

Lez Brotherston’s sets look good as new, with their suggestion of the Romanesque grandeur of Verona; a central piazza with overlooking balconies and historic ruins yielding a usefully large bare area to fill with dancers. Those restored costumes are literally a sight to behold; the Capulets in black but still brash with colour, the villagers in their drab greys and browns, and the masked partygoers inspired by commedia dell’arte. In contrast, the pale, light simplicity of Romeo and Juliet’s costumes stand out, reflecting their innocence and youth.

Moricone’s choreography blends perfectly with Prokofiev’s score. It pulls no punches with the brutality of the Capulet regime but also allows the tenderness of the star-cross’d pair, whose love was doomed to fail, to come through; both in their ecstatic love dance that concludes Act I and their morning bedroom scene that opens Act III. It also gives Mercutio many opportunities to show off and play the joker, it has a star comedic moment for Juliet’s nurse in the letter-delivery scene, and a sadly funny portrayal of Juliet rejecting the marriage proposal of Paris. Twice. It also tells the story with absolute clarity, and you can’t always say that about ballet. The simple reconciliation at the end between the Lords Montague and Capulet confirms the pointlessness and devastation caused by their stupid family enmities.

There is an elephant in the room; or rather, it’s not in the room, it’s absent. For the first time Northern Ballet are using recorded music rather than a live orchestra. There’s no doubt it’s an excellent recording; but nothing beats the real thing. A live orchestra has one big practical advantage over a recording – it gives flexibility to the stage performance, allowing the conductor to pause for the audience’s reaction to a scene’s climax before continuing. This is especially important with classical ballet as you never know if a star turn is going to produce an unexpected thunderous round of applause. The last thing you want is for the dancers to be forced to continue before the audience is ready. With Prokofiev’s outstanding, sumptuous themes – not just the famous Montagues and Capulets march but his fragile motifs for Juliet, his Gavotte borrowed from his Classical Symphony, and so much more – a live performance of the music would have been the icing on the cake. However, I don’t need to tell you how underfunded the Arts are. Touring with an orchestra is not an inexpensive option; but music and ballet are inextricably linked. It takes a wiser person than me to balance this financial/artistic dilemma.

The dancers change roles regularly throughout the run, so you may see a different cast. However, at our performance the main role of Juliet was danced by leading soloist Saeka Shirai and she is exquisite. Her expressions, her enthusiasm, her grace, and her amazing pointe work are all just a joy to watch. She’s one of those performers who, when she’s on stage, in the words of Emily Dickinson, saturates sight; you forget to look at everyone else. Her Romeo was Harris Beattie who performs with effortless physical strength and superb technique.

Jun Ishii was Mercutio and Filippo Di Vilio was Benvolio, and the three of them performed some terrific trios, embodying a surprisingly convincing laddish bromance. Mr Ishii threw himself wholeheartedly into Mercutio’s cheeky insolence with a superbly crowd pleasing performance; surely he’s ready for promotion to junior soloist after this run. George Liang was a marvellously surly and acrobatic Tybalt, and Helen Bogatch stood out as a remarkably dour-faced Lady Capulet; there’s one matriarch you wouldn’t want to cross. And Dominique Larose gave us a wonderfully fussy and bustling Nurse, sweetly waddling around the stage and endearing herself to everyone.

Great to see this production again – I last saw it in High Wycombe in 1998! It continues at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 28^th September, before it travels on to Southampton, Canterbury and Newcastle. Northern Ballet’s other current productions, A Christmas Carol, Jane Eyre and Hansel and Gretel, begin touring in November. Will there be any more collaborations between Northern Ballet and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre? Let’s hope so – it’s the perfect staging for grand, yet intimate dance.

Production photos by Emily Nuttall

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Pericles, Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 10th September 2024

Posted on September 11, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

There aren’t many Shakespearean plays that one misses out on during a lifetime of theatregoing, but Pericles is likely to be one. I’d never seen this play before, and, indeed hadn’t looked at the text for at least 45 years. But there’s no doubt this is a fascinating play – rarely can the old phrase “from the sublime to the ridiculous” be so appropriate concerning the pen of our Beloved Bard.

With more episodes and locations than your average picaresque novel, we follow the fortunes of Pericles as he leaves Tyre (where he is Prince) to sail to Antioch, where he hopes to marry the unnamed Princess of that city state. To win her hand, he must answer a riddle; failure to answer it results in death. Pericles solves it in an instant, but making the solution public also results in death – bit of a Catch-22 there, probably a riddle worth avoiding. Therefore he flees Antioch before he can be murdered. Next, he reaches Tarsus, stopping by to offer food to the famine-stricken city; shipwrecked on leaving Tarsus, he lands in Pentapolis, where King Simonides is allowing the winner of a jousting contest to marry his daughter Thaisa. Naturally our hero wins the contest, and Thaisa’s hand. But all is not well; sailing back to Tyre, they are shipwrecked (again) and Thaisa dies giving birth to a daughter, Marina. Following tradition, Thaisa’s body is placed in a coffin and cast off into the waters, never to be seen again. Or is she…?

That’s enough storytelling to fill a book and we’ve only just reached the interval. Pericles must be the direct opposite of Waiting for Godot, where, famously, nothing happens. Here, everything that could possibly happen, happens. However, the early scenes of the play – up till Pericles’ arrival in Pentapolis – are (there’s no point beating about the bush) absolutely awful. Not, I hasten to add, because of the RSC’s production, Tamara Harvey’s direction or the company’s acting; it’s simply the words with which they have to grapple.

It is largely believed that the play is a collaboration between Shakespeare and An Other Writer; Shakespeare wrote the good bits and AOW did the rest. The mystery man is likely to be George Wilkins, an innkeeper, criminal and pamphleteer, and an associate of the King’s Men acting company, hence his familiarity with Shakespeare and his work. The language in those opening scenes is flat but garbled; intractably impersonating the florid style of the silver poets who had gone before, but falling far short of the standard required. Fortunately, the use of judicious cuts combined with the happy circumstance that Pericles is one of Shakespeare’s shortest works, means we can get on with the decent meat of the play after about half an hour or so.

The average Collected Shakespeare will list the play as one of the comedies. But there is some tough material here: incest, kidnapping to be sold into prostitution, death during childbirth; frankly, not a lot to laugh at. However, these elements are balanced with some truly engaging scenes and performances, resulting in many feelgood moments and comic sequences. The highlight of the production is King Simonides’ not-so-secret machinations to engineer a marriage between Thaisa and Pericles, a blissfully funny performance by Christian Patterson. All the scenes set in the brothel prickle with danger and corruption; and if you love a happy ending, I can’t think of a bigger jump from despair to elation than that experienced by Pericles in Act Five.

Jonathan Fensom’s simple set is dominated by ropes, suspended and intertwining; a perfect choice for a play where so many scenes are set at sea. Claire van Kampen’s evocative music is delicately and moving played by Elinor Peregrin’s team of five musicians, strong on woodwind and percussion. The text has been smartly cut and revised so that what remains of Gower’s chorus-type introductions to each act have been given to Marina, even before the audience realises it is she who is speaking. There’s only one directorial decision that jars; the artificial and showy use of hands aloft by the background ensemble. Perhaps it’s meant to recreate the dumbshows of the original text; whatever, it just looks silly. Stop it.

Alfred Enoch gives a compelling performance as Pericles; a truly noble character who rises above all his misfortunes to remain magnanimous, honest and beneficent. Mr Enoch embodies these virtues throughout the play with his clarity of interpretation, physical agility and the sheer emotion of that final scene. As his long lost Marina, the ever-reliable Rachelle Diedericks is a chip off the old block, conveying the essence of purity and decency, pleading her case for survival with lucid clarity. There are also excellent performances from Philip Bird as the super-reasonable Helicanus, Christian Patterson as the excitable Simonides, Leah Haile as the modest Thaisa, Kel Matsena as the noble Lysimachus and Jacqueline Boatswain as the kindly Cerimon and a truly villainous Bawd, matched with an equally vicious Pander played by Felix Hayes.

An excellent opportunity to see a rarely performed Shakespeare; not exactly a masterpiece but containing some of his best characterisations and individual scenes. After Pericles leaves Stratford on 21 September, it transfers to the Chicago Shakespeare Theater from 20 October.

Production Photos by Johan Persson

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Pretty Woman, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 9th September 2024

Posted on September 10, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

I admit, gentle reader, that I had low hopes of this touring production of Pretty Woman The Musical. I have vague memories of seeing the film over thirty years ago, and it was enjoyable but, for me, not remotely memorable. Then when it was announced a few years ago that the film would be turned into a stage musical, once more I despaired at the lack of originality in writing new musicals; must they always be rehashes of movies? Doesn’t the world have enough recycled juke box musicals?

But that was the theatre snob in me talking. With no prior knowledge of anything to do with the stage show, I was surprised – and delighted – to discover this is not a juke box musical at all. All the songs (except Roy Orbison’s Pretty Woman, more of which later) are original and written by that highly successful singer/songwriter Bryan Adams and his regular co-writer, Jim Vallance.

It’s a fairly faithful adaptation of the original film: rich executive Edward Lewis stumbles into a relationship with sassy but hard-up sex worker Vivian Ward because a gearstick in a car is just too much for him to cope with, and she knows how to work one. He pays for her to stay with him for a week at the Beverly Wilshire Hotel, he buys her some top quality outfits, she accompanies him to a few social events (where business deals are closed, of course) and all seems to be going well between them. But then he admits to his lawyer, Philip Stuckey, that she’s neither corporate spy nor business wild child, but a prostitute whom he picked up on Hollywood Boulevard. Stuckey’s no gentleman and instantly reveals to Vivian that he knows all about her. Betrayed, Vivian determines to return to her usual work and lifestyle; but surely it has a happy ending?

David Rockwell’s design creates a sense of Beverly Wilshire elegance with just some simple scenery set against vivid primary colour backgrounds, beautifully lit (or indeed, deliberately not lit) by Kenneth Posner and Philip S Rosenberg’s lighting design which creates atmospheric silhouettes of the performers to contrast with those luscious warm colours. True, the palm trees seem a little wobbly at times, but, you know, that’s the magic of theatre. Jerry Mitchell’s original choreography is fresh and quirky; elegant for the posh hotel setting and streetwise for the down-at-heel Hollywood Boulevard scenes. Tom Rogers’ costume design gives Vivian some outfits to die for – that red opera dress is surely a keeper – and Griff Johnson’s musical direction beefs out the songs with rocky pizzazz and a lightly humorous touch.

The score has a few forgettable songs but plenty of others that both light up the stage and linger in the mind: Vivian’s opening song Anywhere But Here, and Edward’s Something About Her both set up the story beautifully; Edward’s Freedom is a glorious piece of music, and the finale number Together Forever provides a great finish. Bizarrely, given all the original music that precedes it, the use of Pretty Woman as the post-curtain call number seems strangely anachronistic and out of place – and doesn’t come across with the same level of energy as the rest of the score. But I guess the title of the show means it’s compulsory! I must include a word here about the sound quality; sometimes in these big shows there’s some over-amplification and undesired reverb, so that you can’t hear the words. Not a bit of it in Pretty Woman – it’s as clear as a bell, performed at a perfect volume and a delight to listen to.

There’s a refreshing element of fourth wall breaking, primarily relating to the presence of Strictly Come Dancing alumnus Ore Oduba, who’s required to put in a lot of pretty nifty dancing; he gives a tremendous performance as the Happy Man (a kind of Hollywood Everyman character) and Mr Thompson, the Hotel Manager, regularly recognising that the audience has come to see a show and that they’re the ones performing it. There’s a very funny start to Act Two when one of the ensemble comes on stage to start a rousing performance of the song Pretty Woman, much to the crowd’s delight, only for Mr Oduba to intercede and put a stop to it. If you’re going to create artifice, you might as well revel in it.

Amber Davies is superb as Vivian; funny, cheeky, unpredictable and streetwise – yet, when the moment requires it, supremely elegant and classy. She has a terrific stage presence, and her voice is stunning. There’s an excellent chemistry between her and Oliver Savile, as Edward; again, he has a fantastic voice, and they harmonise perfectly. Natalie Paris brings power and comedy to the role of Kit, and there’s great support from Ben Darcy as a surprisingly evil Philip Stuckey, Lila Falce-Bass (on her professional debut) who gives us a crowd-pleasing opera-singing Violetta, and Noah Harrison, whose impish bellboy Giulio steals every scene.

The tour started almost a year ago, and after this week in Northampton, has just a couple more dates now, in Leicester and Sheffield, finishing at the end of September. Great commitment and performances from the ensemble and all the cast make this a thoroughly entertaining treat night out.

Production photos by Marc Brenner

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – The Spy Who Came in From the Cold, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, 3rd September 2024

Posted on September 6, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

I’ve come to the conclusion that the world consists of two types of people; those who understand spy stories, and those who don’t. Much as I would like to be part of that first group, I fear I’m one of the latter. I’ve never read a John Le Carré novel, and I never got into all that Tinker Tailer Soldier Spy stuff on TV either. So I am probably the wrong demographic to comment on Chichester’s new production of The Spy Who Came In From The Cold. But when did that ever stop me before?

Le Carré, of course, was a real spy (don’t worry, I’m not the first to blow his cover) so one can only assume that everything in the books – and indeed as portrayed in this stage adaptation by David Eldrige – is pretty realistic. Worn out agent Alec Leamas is given one last job by his control – to return to East Germany, where he had been “our man”, and pose as a defector. However his real job is to frame one Hans-Dieter Mundt, ex-Stasi officer and head of the Abteilung, as a double agent. Naturally, things don’t go according to plan.

Jeremy Herrin’s crisp production looks suitably bleak and comfortless from the outset, with Riemeck’s upturned bike representing its owner’s early departure from this world. George Smiley stands aloof for much of the play, observing the activity below from a balcony, where he has presumably gone to retire (clue – he hasn’t retired.) The sets and props are minimalist, allowing our imaginations to fill in the gaps. Ominous, frequently threatening background music composed by Paul Englishby adds to the unsettling atmosphere.

David Eldrige’s script assumes a basic knowledge of the world of Smiley, which I clearly don’t have. I appreciated and enjoyed the introductory scene where the various characters are introduced with their political backgrounds and how they feature in the story landscape. But terms like Praesidium and Circus and Abteilung meant nothing to me, and although you can make a good guess as to their relevance, I felt I was backfooted from the start, and mentally constantly running to keep up with my understanding of what was going on.

There are time changes in the story too, which don’t help when you’re already somewhat at sea. Fortunately, I don’t feel too bad about that, because judging from the overheard comments of other theatregoers at the end of the show, I was far from the only one to have only a slight grip on exactly what happened; once I had read the Wikipedia synopsis of the book so much more of it made sense – but surely, that shouldn’t be necessary? However, there’s no doubt that the adaptation succeeds in emphasising the amorality of this spy world, and the double-crossing continues right until the very end.

Rory Keenan is excellent as Leamas throughout. Down-at-heel, down-at-heart, cynical through and through; he’s exactly how you would expect a world-weary spy to look and behave. Ian Drysdale is also great as Control – if this was James Bond, I think he would be M – effortlessly polite, ruthlessly persistent, concealing a vicious interior beneath a gentlemanly façade. The ever-reliable Philip Arditti is great as Fiedler, Mundt’s second in command, especially in the courtroom scene. And Agnes O’Casey is a very believable Liz, the proudly communist librarian who gets entangled in a love affair with Leamas.

For me it was a production that asked more questions than it answered. I’ve no idea why, for example, for most of the play some of the characters were seated at the back of the stage waiting for entrances whilst others weren’t. And although I was always engrossed by what was going on, that’s possibly because of the top quality acting and cat-and-mouse conversations rather than anything to do with the plot itself. If you’re a Smiley aficionado, you’ll love it; if you’re a Le Carré virgin, read a synopsis before seeing the show – it will help.

Three-sy Does It!

Review – Oliver! Festival Theatre, Chichester, 3rd September 2024

Posted on September 5, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

With the mighty Matthew Bourne directing and choreographing this year’s big summer musical at Chichester, it was never very likely that their new production of Lionel Bart’s Oliver! would be anything other than a smash hit. And there’s no point my keeping the suspense up that it might not be as successful as you would imagine – because it is! Every inch a phenomenal production: the timeless, riveting story, combined with the irresistible songs (Every 1’s a winner, as Hot Chocolate might have said), Graham Hurman’s awesome orchestra, Lez Brotherston’s (who else?) sets and a perfectly cast group of actors portraying some of the most memorable characters in English literature, what more could you ask? Prepare to enjoy one of those sensational theatrical experiences that you’ll remember for a very long time.

One of the most marvellous aspects of this production is the tremendous lighting design by Paule Constable and Ben Jacobs; constantly atmospheric, always helping the story along, mixing menacing darkness with illuminated beauty where you might not expect to find it. Fagin and Dodger’s long walk home at the end of the show, for example, into the slowly revealing lights of London, provides a superb final scene. And how clever and creative to represent the dog Bullseye simply by an ominous shadow following a wall to his master’s voice!

Matthew Bourne’s choreography, of course, fits both the characterisations and the space available perfectly, with deliciously ebullient actions for the Artful Dodger, slyly wheedling moves for Fagin, and athletically rumbustious movements for the chorus of workhouse boys and Fagin’s gang. All the kids performed immaculately, and with pinpoint precision; we were treated to the Wapping group of young actors at our performance – I’m sure the Bethnal Green and Limehouse youngsters are equally irresistible.

It takes a Fagin of rare quality to make you feel sorry for him; but Simon Lipkin’s performance is so outstanding that you genuinely do sense he has reviewed the situation and realises that the reality of his life has no future. An extraordinary stage presence, he gives us a Fagin who is totally believable, as much a victim as those from whom he steals; a Fagin low on cynicism but high on caring and protecting his workforce. The big finale scene at the end, including the deaths of Nancy and Bill (sorry, spoilers), and the reuniting of Oliver with Mr Brownlow, also includes Fagin losing his footing on the bridge which upsets his treasure chest so that his precious trinkets twinkle their way down to be swallowed up by the river; and even though you knew that every single one of those jewels was stolen, you still feel sorry for him. Amazing work.

Shanay Holmes is a vulnerable, affectionate, big-hearted Nancy with a luscious voice, delivering all her songs with power and emotion, none more so than the evergreen As Long As He Needs Me which painfully drives home her conflict about loving a violent thug who has no hesitation about beating her. Talking of whom, Aaron Sidwell is superb as Bill; wiry, fired-up, irrationally explosive and terrifyingly unpredictable. I’m an admirer of convincing stage combat, and you’ll never see it done better than by Mr Sidwell with the fiendish smack he gives Nancy; and when he nuts Fagin on the head, we all feel it.

Elsewhere, Oscar Conlon-Morrey gives us a vindictively prissy but also disgustingly smarmy Mr Bumble; Katy Secombe’s Widow Corney turns from simpering sex-kitten to vicious fishwife with one whiff of a wedding ring; Stephen Mattews and Jamie Birkett make a thoroughly gruesome pair of Sowerberries; and Philip Franks is a very warm and approachable Mr Brownlow – you can imagine that Oliver will definitely thrive with his parenting skills.

At our performance, we saw Rudy Gibson bring all the Artful Dodger’s legendary showmanship and bonhomie to the fore with a terrifically brash and extraverted performance; and our Oliver was Raphael Korniets,who convincingly plays up the wide-eyed innocence of his character and has a stunning voice to boot.

The whole show knocks your socks off; there isn’t one misjudged moment nor a hair out of place throughout the whole performance. The Chichester run is now completely sold out, but the production will be returning to the West End at the Gielgud Theatre from 14^th December.

Five Alive Let Theatre Thrive!

Review – The Baker’s Wife, Menier Chocolate Factory, London, 1st September 2024

Posted on September 2, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Apologies for being late to the party with The Baker’s Wife, as Edinburgh Fringe duties kept me away. One of Stephen Schwartz’s more obscure musicals, it’s based on a 1938 film, La Femme du Boulanger; and, to be honest, I knew nothing about either the original film or the 1976 musical. The Baker’s Wife never made it to Broadway nor did it reach the West End until a lukewarm production in 1988 directed by Trevor Nunn. Re-invigorated with a new production by Gordon Greenberg, can the Menier succeed with this show where others failed to make the mark?

We’re in a Provençal village in 1935, where the baker has died four weeks ago and the village is bereft of bread. Can you imagine a French village with no bread? It would be like Hemel Hempstead without the roundabouts. Fear not, mes amis, because a new baker, Aimable, is ready to move into the boulangerie with his wife. His beautiful young wife, that is; Genevieve. He’s hopelessly in love with her; she’s in love with being in love, having a married name, desperate to please him. But does she actually love him? Hein, c’est ça le rub, n’est ce pas? When she leaves him for the Marquis’ besotted assistant, Dominique, all the rise goes out of Aimable’s dough and he loses the will to bake. But will the other villagers put up with that? Absolument pas!

You’ve heard of the old phrase, you shouldn’t judge a book by its cover? Here’s one of those times where the cover is immaculate, but the book is nondescript. Paul Farnsworth has truly gone to town to recreate a French village in the heart of Southwark Street. Boules in the square, French road names, café tables with coffee and cognac, accordions gently playing; you couldn’t wish for a more idyllic Provençal setting. To increase that sense of la vie française for theatregoers, some seating is at cabaret tables, in the heart of the action; we sat at Table J and although there are a few scenes where some of the action on stage is blocked, that sense of being a villager more than makes up for it.

And there’s a cast of West End stars to take your breath away. Clive Rowe plays Aimable and his rich, sensitive voice delivers his songs with a genuine sincerity and power. Opposite him, the wonderful Lucie Jones brings energy and cheekiness to her songs, including a brilliant epiphany moment in Meadowlark. The delightfully squabbling couple of Denise and Claude who own the café are brought to life with the always amazing Josefina Gabrielle and the comic genius of Norman Pace; they are matched by the problem pairing of Liam Tamne’s brutal and critical Barnaby and Finty Williams’ submissiveHortense – the underlying sense of domestic violence is delicately but clearly portrayed in these two excellent performances. With Joaquin Pedro Valdes’ persistent Dominique, Matthew Seadon-Young’s pious priest, Michael Matus’ bombastic Marquis and Sutara Gayle’s perpetually offended Therese, as well as a superb wider ensemble, you’ll be hard pushed to find a better-performed show in the whole of London. And let’s not forget Dustin Conrad’s terrific band who play Schwartz’s score with a true feel for its romantic French style.

Such a shame, then, that the story is so slight and unadventurous, and the music is so forgettable. Yes, there are a few numbers that stand out; the opening song If It Wasn’t For You is an amusing introduction to the characters of the villagers, Bread is an entertaining homage to that irresistible smell and taste of fresh bread, and the epiphanic Meadowlark is a powerful cry of assertiveness. But so many of the songs and tunes are immediately forgettable, sadly. And whilst the story does have interesting observations about the nature of forgiveness, both between an unfaithful couple and decades-long family feuds, you can’t help but feel that the show has a very narrow and blinkered vision; other than to make us feel ever-so-French, which it does immaculately.

Despite its faults, there’s no doubt that, in terms of production and performance values, this is one of the best that the Menier has ever hosted; and it’s 100% worth going to see for the spectacle and atmosphere alone. Just don’t expect to remember any of the songs.

Three-sy Does It!

P. S. Sitting in seat J1 had its perks. As the audience were taking their seats, not only did Ms Gabrielle ask me most politely to slightly move my chair so that her entrances and exits could be more gracefully executed, but also Mr Pace (in full character as Claude) said to me bonjour monsieur, to which I replied, bonjour monsieur, comment ça va? To which he replied Ah, vous parlez français, monsieur? And I came back with Oui, monsieur, comme un anglais, to which he replied, Ah, moi aussi! You had to be there.

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 – It’s a Wrap!

Posted on August 30, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Phew – What a Fringe! We arrived on 30^th July and we left on the 27^th August. During that time we saw 158 shows, which was four fewer than I had planned but was thirteen more than last year; and last year we also saw thirteen more than in 2022, however I can’t see that record being broken next year. With Oasis currently scheduled to have three concerts during the Fringe, I can’t even see how half the performers will be able to afford to be in Edinburgh!

Here’s a quick reminder of the 4 and 5 star shows we saw, by star rating and in date order of when we saw them:

5 STARS:

Mhairi Black: Politics Isn’t For Me

Goose’s Quizzes Elimination Game

Casting The Runes

Tarot: Shuffle

Catafalque

Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret

KAREN

Our Little Secret

The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return

Robin Grainger: Refurb

It’s The Economy, Stupid

For The Love of Spam

I Am George Massey

Emma Sidi is Sue Gray

Pete Heat: Bogus

The Book of Mountains and Seas

MILF and the Mistress

Galahad Takes a Bath

1 Moment in Time (Sean Alexander)

I Am Your Tribute (Sarah-Louise Young)

Garry Starr: Classic Penguins

Josh Jones: Put a Sock in It

Werewolf

Weather Girl

The Bookies

The Scot and the Showgirl

Tom Greaves: Fudgey

4 STARS:

Shellshocked

Sell Me I Am From North Korea

Will Sebag-Montefiore: Will Of The People

Reginald D Hunter: Fluffy Fluffy Beavers

Liam Farrelly: Flipbook

Cabaret of Filth

House of Life

Glitch

Arturo Brachetti: Solo

1 Hour of Insane Magic (After Dark)

Kavin Jay: Unsolicited Advice

Heckling Masterclass with Diploma (Ben Clover)

SILENCE! The Musical

Ascension

Daliso Chaponda: Feed This Black Man Again

Malion

The Last Laugh

A Jaffa Cake Musical

Colin Hoult: Colin

The Shadow Boxer

Rob Auton: The Eyes Open and Shut Show

Pillock

Come Dine With Me: The Musical

Rhys Nicholson: Huge Big Party Congratulations!

Dead Mom Play

The Shroud Maker

N.Ormes

Jack Goes To Therapy

The Gentleman of Shalott

Alexandra Haddow: Third Party

Lads of the Flies

Ajahnis Charley: Thots and Prayers

Dan Tiernan: Stomp

Dissociation

Fifty Minutes to Save the NHS

Martin Rowson: Shred the Front Page

Randy Feltface

If I Live Until I Be a Man

Yes We’re Related

Tales from a British Country Pub

Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act

Nick Schuller: Still Dry White

Chloe Petts: How You See Me, How You Don’t

Finlay Christie: I Deserve This

Joe Wells: Daddy Autism

Lessons on Revolution

One Man Poe: The Black Cat and The Raven

Ryan Cullen: Cullen in the Name of

Leni’s Last Lament

Ghost Light

A Montage of Monet

Naughty or Neurodiverse – Magic from Another Planet (I Am a Mentalist – Angus Baskerville)

Sam See: And I Can’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore

Shower Chair

Notice Box

When Vincent met John

Crime and Punishment

Michael Porter: Love and Brain Damage

Milo Edwards: How Revolting! Sorry to Offend

The Grim

With All My Fondest Love

The Dreamer – Live

An Act of Grace

It’s a Mystery!

September 11 1973: The Day Salvador Allende Died

All The Fraudulent Horse Girls

Stuart Laws Has to be Joking?

Best in Class

The Ghost of White Hart Lane

Kelly Bachman: Patron Saint

What the F*ck Happened to Love and Hope

Phil Henderson: Space Cowboy

Ben Miller: Volcano

Annaliesa Rose Sings the Peter Allen Songbook

Joby Mageean: Titty Icarus

Di(n)e

100% My Type on Paper

Little Deaths

Moscow Love Story

Black Velvet (38 more than last year)

Congratulations to all these great shows. I’m fascinated to discover that, although we saw 13 more shows than last year, I’ve awarded 4 stars to 38 more shows than last year – but 10 fewer 5 stars than last year. Also – unlike last year – no 1 star shows, hurrah! And as to working out which of them are the absolute best – you’ll have to wait until the Chrisparkle Awards for 2024 are announced in January!

And thank you, gentle reader, for sticking with me throughout this busy month! My viewing/reading statistics continue to climb upwards and are about 50% higher than the numbers who checked out my reviews at the 2023 Fringe – so thank you very much for that! And remember – reviews are only what one person thinks, they’re purely a personal reaction. And star ratings are even more unreliable!

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 Reviews (final day) – Moscow Love Story, Black Velvet, The Scot and the Showgirl, and Tom Greaves: FUDGEY

Posted on August 26, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Moscow Love Story, Pleasance Courtyard.

With the help of cassette tapes from 23 years ago, Paul Jenkins relives the time when he moved to Moscow to teach English for a year and to spend the time embracing Russian culture, food, music and getting to know the people. It had been well over ten years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and things were very different in Moscow from the Communist era, with a much greater Western influence; for every pickled cucumber seller, you’d find a Gucci handbag on sale. While he was there, Paul met Angie, a student from Manchester, and they had a riotous time together, trying different experiences – in retrospect, not all of them advisable – as well as falling in love. Moscow Love Story demonstrates that you should never deny the experiences of the past, even if you wouldn’t choose to do them today. A fascinating structure for the show, and Paul Jenkins brings his memories to life with a riveting and engaging performance. I found the story spellbinding!

Black Velvet, Bedlam Theatre.

Llew goes to visit his mum’s grave for a catch-up chat with her; he brings his tea and biscuits – they could be in for a long session. Just as he’s settling down he realises a young Irish girl, Aoife, has been sleeping rough behind the grave. Neither is best pleased to realise that they’re not alone, but a series of turbulent conversations sees them both accepting and learning from each other. Grief takes many forms, and this play not only considers the effect when one’s parent dies through suicide, but also examines the unusual problem of a child losing a parent to early-onset Alzheimer’s. A tough and moving problem indeed. Engaging, at times troubling, and always thought-provoking, it’s immaculately performed by Charles Ison and Christina Knight, whose Irish accent is phenomenal! Very impressive throughout.

The Scot and the Showgirl, Pleasance Dome.

A cabaret-de-force from the incredible Frances Ruffelle and Norman Bowman (the Showgirl and the Scot in reverse order), telling the story of their relationship through an inspired selection of songs from the shows and other popular music, accompanied by the terrific Kate Shortt, Nick Anderson and Ryan McKenzie. So many musical highlights include a spiky Country House duet from Follies, a stunning performance by Beausy of Burt Bacharach’s A House is not a Home, a fantastic Man That Got Away by Frances Ruffelle and – to make the hairs on your arm stand up on end – Frances gives us a tear-inducing On My Own from Les Miserables – she was the original Eponine, after all. A truly quality of hour of emotional musical power – I loved every minute of it.

Tom Greaves: FUDGEY, Assembly Roxy.

We all know a Fudgey. He teases, he boasts, he charms and he bullies. He’s got great mates, but only if he can get the better of them. He oozes confidence, but it’s built on a precipice of fragility that only he needs to know about. And who is Fudgey? He’s the product of an archaic educational system where a boy goes to boarding school at the age of seven to make a man of him; ignoring the fact that at seven you’re neither a man, nor do you need to be one. Tom Greaves’ blisteringly funny but heartbreakingly painful Fudgey propels a boy who can’t even pronounce Maid Marian correctly into the realms of sporting hero and misogynistic smartarse. A mixture of superb physical comedy, clowning, brilliant crowd interaction and – let’s not deny it – outright therapy, Fudgey is a stunning show that develops in the mind and the heart long after you’ve gone home. Amazing work – highly recommended.

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 Reviews – Seconds to Midnight, 100% My Type on Paper, Sameer Katz: Whether Conditions, Dr Dolittle Kills a Man (and Reads Extracts from his New Book), Lorraine Hoodless: DINK, and Little Deaths

Posted on August 25, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Seconds to Midnight, Pleasance Courtyard.

What would you do if you knew a nuclear attack was on its way and you’d be dead in seven hours? Apart from send a few hurried messages to my nearest and dearest I reckon I’d just give up, get drunk and go back to bed. But not Eddie and Jo. Besties, queer, but not in a relationship with each other, they’re trapped in Eddie’s house and fed up with playing family games. They recall the loves they lost, the parents, a few fun times, and how they met. Not a lot actually happens in Jessica Tabraham’s Seconds to Midnight, and I must confess it didn’t hold my attention throughout. However, there are two good performances from Elise Busset and Cosimo Asvisio – and it does make you think what you would do under the same circumstances.

100% My Type on Paper, C Arts C Venues C Alto.

Sammy and Clyde are on a first date. Very awkward, very tentative, and very nervous. He tries to make light of it with some ill-conceived jokes; she can barely hide her disdain at his appallingly clumsy approach. As the first meeting gets played out in different ways, and the characterisations change, the play’s director steps in and tries to make Sammy and Clyde act it out differently – again and again and again. A very clever and at times hysterically funny play by Lola Annesley, 100% My Type on Paper examines the elements that make up the perfect date and whether the audience might want something different from the participants. Deconstructing dating – and very nicely done.

Sameer Katz: Whether Conditions, Laughing Horse @ The Counting House.

There aren’t many Indian men who, unmarried and with no children, would have the courage to have a vasectomy. But of those that have, I doubt any of them would have told their parents. That’s just not the usual run of events! But Sameer Katz did (have a vasectomy that is, definitely didn’t tell the parents), and that bold decision is just one aspect of his slightly unconventional life – he’s a comedian, not a doctor, after all. With a very relaxed, quiet style, he gives us his comic observations on safe topics like not finishing his PhD, and dangerous topics like suicide. There is an edge to some of his material that is perhaps more probing than downright funny, but it’s still an enjoyable hour of confidently delivered material from a Californian/Indian perspective.

Dr Dolittle Kills a Man (and Reads Extracts From His New Book), Underbelly Cowgate.

Depending on one’s age, everyone has their own Doctor Dolittle to cherish. When I was young I remember that many of my schoolfriends had the original Hugh Lofting books. I can only assume they belonged to their parents! My own Dolittle memories are of Rex Harrison, Richard Attenborough and the push-me-pull-you. Today’s Dolittlers will mainly associate him with Eddie Murphy – much to this Dr Dolittle’s annoyance. Aidan Pittman plays the eponymous speaker-to-animals as he takes us on a journey across continents and through jungles, on the quest of finding the [expletive deleted] ruby. This is an immensely silly show, crammed with physical comedy, which Mr Pittman performs with huge commitment, attack and a lot of tongue-in-cheek. It’s the kind of show you either get completely or which totally goes over your head, depending on your own personal level of outright silliness. I will be honest: it wasn’t really my cup of tea, but many of the audience were hooting with delight throughout. Oh, and he does, genuinely, kill a man.

Lorraine Hoodless: DINK, PBH’s Free Fringe at the Southsider.

I think most people know what a DINK is (double income, no kids); but did you also know you can have SINKs, PINKs, and even GINKs. Perhaps you’re a DINKWAD – Lorraine Hoodless has just attained that dizzy status – or a SINKWAC? I think our nearest is a NINKWALD – no income, and our dog died years ago. This is a fun examination of the benefits of being a DINK – the freedom to do what you want, to go where you want to go, and to spend all your money on yourself! There is a serious side to all this too, depending on whether your DINK status is by choice, or if life forced it on you. And if there’s a lesson to be learned from all this, it’s that it’s best not to assume one way or the other the reasons why someone is DINKy. Lorraine Hoodless has a friendly, welcoming style on stage, is open to loads of audience participation (not the scary type, but the neighbourly type), and her material is very relatable and recognisable. There’s a hilarious sequence when she’s recounting how difficult it was for her partner to play his part in the IVF procedure (NB: it really wasn’t). She delivers her comic observations with a lively warmth and excellent timing, and there’s genuinely something for everyone in this show. Good fun and unexpectedly educational too!

Little Deaths, Summerhall.

It’s 1997, at school. Charlie and Debs meet for the first time. It’s a slightly awkward moment but you can tell that theirs will be a perfect friendship. From the heartbreak of Geri Halliwell leaving the Spice Girls to the stresses of one of them moving to New York with a job opportunity, and from helping each other through their first periods to welcoming a baby into their midst, they’ll always have that bond between them. Won’t they? Amy Powell Yeates’ Little Deaths explores the many little deaths that a profound friendship encounters over the years, yet Charlie and Debs inevitably overcome them. Beautifully written and constructed, with two fantastic and mature performances by Olivia Forrest as Charlie and Rosa Robson as Debs. A truly heartwarming play.

The Edinburgh Fringe All Month Long – 26th August 2024

Posted on August 25, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

After today’s shows, that’s it for our Edinburgh Fringe 2024 experience. Let’s take a look at the last batch of shows.

Here’s the schedule for August 26^th.

11:40 – Moscow Love Story, Pleasance Courtyard. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

“Moscow 2001. Echoes of Soviet Russia linger and young Putin is flirting with the West, when two rebellious souls lose themselves in a vodka-fuelled romance. Bringing audio diaries made on an old Walkman to life, Moscow Love Story is an untamed exploration of love and memory, paralleling personal boundaries with geopolitics in a world on the brink of transformation. Developed with support of Alma Alter Theatre Laboratory, Bulgaria and Sherman Theatre, Cardiff. ‘Jenkins weaves a substantial, ambitious play of ideas’ **** (Telegraph, for First Person Shooter).”

And a fascinating sounding play to start our last day, I’ve always found ex-Soviet or Iron Curtain countries exciting to visit, and I’m hoping this play can give some of that vibe together with an exploration of that “vodka-fuelled romance.”

14:00 – Black Velvet, Bedlam Theatre.

“’You know, I never liked flowers for graves. They’re just this morbid reflection of death, as if this place needs any more of that…’ When Llew arrives at the graveyard with flowers for his mum, the last thing he expects to find is a feisty, possibly feral girl hijacking his night. Llew can’t stand her cynicism and Aoife thinks he’s an eejit, but the two are apparently stuck with each other, with nothing in common but grief. As heart-warming as it is heart-wrenching, a new dark comedy about time moving forward when it feels like everything should stop.”

A graveside is an interesting location for a relationship to develop; if this is well-written and well-acted it should be highly entertaining and insightful.

15:50 – The Scot and the Showgirl, Pleasance Dome.

“Starring Tony Award-winner Frances Ruffelle and West End leading man Norman Bowman. The Scot and The Showgirl is a true(ish) wee musical thingamajig about a perfectly imperfect relationship that began 28 years ago at Edinburgh Waverly train station. She, a Broadway icon and Edinburgh Fringe survivor. He, a shy Scottish musical theatre lover. Together, with their crackin’ band, they celebrate their quirky romance in a touchingly funny song cycle – from Brigadoon to Broadway and from Scotland to Sondheim via Costello, Bacharach, The Proclaimers and more. Expect love, laughter and tartan. World Premiere.”

Some mid-afternoon cabaret, Frances Ruffelle is always an amazing performer and it will be interesting to hear their interpretations of show tunes and Scottish pop. Yay to Bacharach and Sondheim – not so yay to the Proclaimers (unless it’s Letter to America!)

17:55 – Tom Greaves: FUDGEY, Assembly Roxy.

“A brutally funny dark comedy about boarding school. Through the character of Fudgey: your quintessential, tone-deaf man in a suit (you know, the “harmless” type… until you find them running the country), award-winning, Gaulier-trained Tom Greaves explores the complexities of his own privilege in this mind-bending, tour-de-force debut. As Fudgey’s reality hits breaking point, Greaves embodies a carousel of personalities and puppets in an anarchic and virtuosic performance, ultimately facing Fudgey’s past to find his own (Tom’s) future. Strap in for a thrilling ride of laughter, tears and transformation. ‘Funny, clever, and disturbing’ **** (TheatreAndArtReviews.com). **** (MervsPOTFringe.com).”

We all know how disastrous some of those “harmless” types can be! Here’s hoping indeed for a tour de force to end our Edinburgh experience for this year.

Check back later to see how we enjoyed all these shows!