Review – Come From Away, Curve Theatre, Leicester, 6th March 2024

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The very welcome return of Come From Away recalls two very different but world-shattering events. First, the terrorist attack on the Twin Towers, which is the unspoken catalyst for everything that happens in the show; and second, the Covid pandemic lockdowns, which paused the run of the show in London in 2020, and interrupted everyone’s lives, enforcing months of inactivity. Two experiences that the whole world could have done without; but two experiences that have shaped our world today and continue to have long-lasting after-effects, that may never go away for generations.

Come From Away celebrates the kindness and generosity of the people of Gander, Newfoundland, who gave shelter, food and support to around 7,000 displaced people who were making their way to New York by air at the time of the attack, thereby almost doubling the population of the town. When something as mind-blowing as the terrorist attack takes place, it puts lesser problems into perspective. Gander, for instance, was in the thrust of (comparative) political turmoil as the school bus drivers were striking, and there didn’t seem to be much “give” on either side of the argument.

But when a true crisis comes along, the drivers did not hesitate to transport their new guests to whatever housing could be provided for them. The Newfoundlanders shopped until they dropped for food, toiletries and other essentials, never asking for any payment. They even gave up their barbecue grills so that hot meals could be provided. Considering there was no way all this rescue work could ever have been planned, the citizens and administration of Gander achieved a most remarkable achievement.

The show has won a series of awards across the USA, Canada and Europe, and, frankly, it’s no surprise. A superb score, vivid characters, and a story of warmth and love that is irresistible to all, this is an inspirational show, possibly comparable only to A Chorus Line in terms of its positivity (and if you know how much I love A Chorus Line, you’ll appreciate that’s high praise indeed). The comparison continues when you consider that both shows are based on the true stories and testimonies of the real characters depicted on stage; and both shows dispense with an interval to maximise the build-up of emotion and inevitable conclusion, as well as unfolding the entire show with admirable brevity.

Beowulf Boritt’s beguiling set, primarily suggestive of the Canadian Forest but adaptable to all the different locations of the show, provides generous performance space whilst housing the super-talented musicians just slightly off-stage in the wings. Within the first few minutes your feet are tapping away to Welcome to the Rock and you’re fighting hard against the temptation to burst into I Am An Islander to the annoyance of your neighbours. As song after song emerges organically from the developing plotlines, one hour forty minutes passes in an instant as you lose yourselves in this absorbingly decent and selfless community.

The new cast for this extensive UK tour are uniformly superb and dovetail each other perfectly as a true ensemble production should. What continues to astonish me is how individual actors, playing many different roles, merge in and out of their characters with a mere doff of a hat or a flick of an ankle; how they keep control of who they are playing, I have no idea! If I were to pick one name out, I’d have to pick them all out, so take it from me they are all fantastic!

I remember that I loved seeing this show at the Phoenix Theatre in 2021, but my sense is that it is even better now, with truly committed performances and a score that ages gently like a vintage port. And it truly does help you to keep things in perspective. After Leicester it continues to twenty-six further venues, ending in Salford in time for Christmas and the New Year. Snap up a ticket while you can.

Five Alive Let Theatre Thrive!

Review – Miles Jupp, On I Bang, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 5th March 2024

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An evening spent in the company of Miles Jupp is always a convivial affair. We saw his Songs of Freedom tour in 2016, a delightful pot pourri of comic observations channelled through his suave gentlemanly persona, where his public school charm turned on a sixpence to deliver unexpectedly downright rude material. His new show, On I Bang, is a much more concentrated affair, telling one complete, true story: his brush with an alarming health scare in 2021.

Picture the scene: having had a pleasantly undemanding day on the set of a TV programme, delivering the words of Jed Mercurio to an eager creative team, he found himself in the unenviable position of suffering from the mother of all brain spasms – a veritable mental explosion of bright lights in his head and incapacity in his body. An undiagnosed brain tumour had started to work its magic and caused a seizure. Mr Jupp takes us through that initial horror and guides us through the next few months of his life, in hospitals, on an operating table and in recovery. And whilst he does create an atmosphere where you have a ghastly sympathy for everything he went through, it’s primarily an account of all the humorous aspects of that awful event.

Mr Jupp is a raconteur par excellence; he knows how to make an occasion out of a chat. It was good to see that he’d made an effort with his appearance – smart suit, nice pink tie, pocket handkerchief and all that; the man treats his audiences with respect, which we consequently return.  It occurred to me during the show that he is rather like a heterosexual Julian Clary; full of rather barbed sideways comments, delivered with deliberate, disarming charm, elegant savagery, and frequently fabulous.

He is a master of the passive aggressive remark, which he makes with effortless ease about all manner of people and things, certainly including his own kith and kin. He’s clearly in a happy place with his family, yet he shares his perils about having five children, a wife with a tendency to clutter, a mother who doesn’t know when to stop, and a father-in-law who always knows best.

His exquisitely structured monologue creates a bond between us, so that we completely understand his fears from the whole situation. Not just the life or death stuff, but the more hard-hitting aspects, like whether or not he can still drink alcohol, and the ignominies (not to mention pain) of administering an MRSA swab test and having a catheter removed.

They say that if you don’t know what to write about, write about what you know. If you’re going to suffer a life threatening health-based episode, you might as well make it work for you. Sometimes if you go to a comedy gig and the comedian is using you as therapy for something they’re trying to come to terms with themselves, it can be a tricky and uncomfortable event. That’s not the case here.Rest assured that Mr Jupp is perfectly at ease with everything he’s experienced and is completely in charge of his emotions; not that you would expect anything different from the product of one of the more minor prep schools in Berkshire.

A painstakingly beautifully written show, delivered with deft assuredness and a true feel for the comic potential that lurks under the surface of disaster. Miles Jupp has been banging on about this for a couple of months now, but his tour runs until May and still has several more dates in some of the UK’s most charming locations, although many of them are sold out so you’d better be quick. A brilliant night of comedy!

Review – Screaming Blue Murder, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 2nd March 2024

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Well hello again, old friend. Since the regular Screaming Blue Murder nights in the Underground were suspended due to the RAAC we have missed you very much. Now in the grander setting of the Royal Theatre, prior commitments meant we couldn’t attend the earlier Royal Screaming Blues, but at last we have put this right. A big phew all round! I must confess, I wasn’t sure how the Screaming Blue vibe would adjust to the Royal, but it works superbly – organisers take note, this is a very good combination of show and venue!

And it’s a welcome back to Mr Murder himself, Dan Evans, hosting the proceedings with all the sure-footedness of a mountain gazelle. Just because we’re now in a more formal venue, it doesn’t mean he can’t spy the characters in the first few rows of the audience. Thus we gained a certain degree of insight into phone-fiddler Lee and her ex-train driver husband, the Hunsbury Probation officer, the English teachers from Rugby who missed the last act to get their train, the Nottingham University trainee medics, and someone in telemarketing. That was all much more entertaining than it sounds. Dan was on terrific form with some blazing retorts and all the talk in the foyer and Gents’ toilets was how funny he was. Hope it doesn’t go to his head.

Our first act, and someone we’ve seen many times before, was the excellent Diane Spencer, a self-confessed vision of ginger pallor, whose strength lies in that marvellous contrast between an innocently posh exterior and not-so-posh nor innocent material. She gave us an excruciatingly brilliant routine about pole dancing and didn’t hold back on telling us the details of what can happen under her sheets. She has a wonderfully self-deprecating style and it’s easy to identify with all her stories. A superb start to the night.

Next up, and new to us, was Joshua Bethania, the funniest thing to come out of Bangalore since the last call centre excuse you were told. His delivery is quiet, gently paced and could be mistaken for laid-back; but in fact his set is exquisitely structured, with a wordsmith’s ear for le mot juste, and immaculate timing that nails every joke. Although his material is all from familiar territory, he puts a fresh spin on everything so that it feels completely original. Sometimes the languid approach by a comedian can fall flat on its face, but Mr Bethania uses it with such inventiveness that his act is a joy.

Our headliner was Richard Morton, another familiar face, full of attack right from the start, riffing off the audience with effortless ease, and giving us some truly funny musical parodies. His cost of living crisis version of Eddy Grant was (literally) priceless, and he ends with a hilarious reworking of a Tom Jones classic with which you can’t not join in. I reckon he and second-row-Rob will be besties after their comedy collaboration! You’re in the safest of hands with Mr Morton, guaranteed to make you shake with laughter.

A brilliant night of comedy. The next Screaming Blue Murder will be on 2nd May – can’t wait!

Review – Ben and Imo, Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 29th February 2024

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In 1952, Benjamin Britten was riding high. With operas like Peter Grimes and Billy Budd under his belt, not to mention the famous Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra, he was an obvious choice to compose an opera to celebrate the young Queen Elizabeth II’s coronation – Gloriana, based on Lytton Strachey’s Elizabeth and Essex. However, a composer – or any creative artist – is often not the best judge of their own work, and nine months before Gloriana was to grace the stage of Covent Garden, into Britten’s life stepped Imogen Holst. The daughter of Gustav, she was a composer and conductor in her own right, and her all encompassing passion was music, in all its forms and from all its angles. But she turned her back on her career in favour of teaching, support and assisting. At one point Britten suggests she should be designated as his amanuensis. But that’s too grand for Holst; she prefers the understated “musical assistant”.

Ben ImoWhat is it about creative geniuses that means they always seem to have a dark side? That’s one of the many questions posed in Mark Ravenhill’s thought-provoking and beautifully written Ben and Imo, an account of the nine months that led up to the first performance of Gloriana on 8th June 1953.  We see their shared love of music, the arduous and cantankerous creative process, the struggle to overcome obstacles, and above all, their mutual reliance (although both, you feel, would deny it). What we don’t see is their lives outside of these four walls, or this circular stage. There is a huge contrast, for instance, between Imo’s austere existence and the affluence of Ben’s society lifestyle, wonderfully demonstrated by the difference between his enviable Astrakhan coat and her dowdy outfits.

Ben ImoWe also don’t see the people who have shaped them into who they are: Gustav Holst, who had died many years before, and Peter Pears, Ben’s partner, always singing his way around the world. The play removes the protagonists from these prime influences, so that they are left to fend for themselves. The only other element that makes an incursion into the “Ben and Imo” environment is the sea off the Aldeburgh coast; a constant background reminder of the unpredictable power and destructive force it can wield.

Imo BenThis is not a portrayal of a harmonious relationship. Britten is one of those people who bring others into their lives because they need them for a purpose, and when that need has been fulfilled, they drop them. Holst, however, is the complete opposite; she’s loyal, nurturing, and generous. At first, Britten wants her to make all the decisions for him; later, he resents her for trying to take control. He attracts people towards him, but once a friendship is established and successful, he unexpectedly and without reason drives them away. He needs Imo’s encouragement, and she needs to give it to him. But when she envisages a plan to refine and develop his Gloriana score, he can’t abide the thought of her presence and so arranges for her to go to America for three months. In modern parlance, he catfishes, cancels, and then ghosts. No wonder Imo doesn’t know where she stands.

BenBen’s progress is marked by a series of seemingly petty victories, such as when the Lord Chamberlain backs down over his refusal to allow the appearance of a “pisspot” as part of Elizabeth I’s domestic regime. He has a splendid time trashing Dame Ninette de Valois, Frederick Ashton, Covent Garden director Lord Harewood, and others. This man is nothing if not a name-dropper. As well as the creative process in general, the play examines not only the tricks that are played within a power struggle, blaming others for failure, but also the concept of the dumbing-down of art, and the perils of royal patronage. The powerplay between Britten and Holst was always going to be the sticking point of their relationship, and the play’s wonderfully sudden ending seems to nail that question once and for all.

ImoSoutra Gilmour’s set places the piano at the heart of the play; no need for anything else on the stage unless it serves the piano – such as the stool and the supply of sheet music, or a few drinks to fuel the musicians. The piano is the ultimate visual indication that music is all.

Ben ImoErica Whyman directs two stunning performances by Samuel Barnett as Ben and Victoria Yeates as Imo. Mr Barnett truly inhabits Britten’s enclosed, reserved mind, giving of himself only when he needs to, and spitting out volumes of unexpected vitriolic fury when he doesn’t get his own way. He shows us Britten as both masterful and pathetic; both a genius and a lame duck. Ms Yeates gives us a superb study of a willing slave, insightful and practical, prepared to give up her own success and dignity for the sake of what she perceives to be the greater good. But there is always a point where the worm turns, and she provides all the genuine emotional reactions that Mr Barnett’s Britten refuses to indulge in.

HouseThere were just two elements to the staging that jarred with me and became an unnecessary distraction from the pure realism of the play. Perched on top of the piano is a model of Britten’s house; no one ever refers to it or touches it, so presumably only we can see it. Its little windows are lit, as if to show there’s someone living there. When the second act opens, we understand that the house has been flooded and that the electricity has been cut off; yet the little lights in the model house remain on. That just doesn’t make any sense to me.

Ben ImoThat flood is represented not only by the audience hearing loud lashings of rain and sea, but also by a little bit of water that trickles off the surface of the piano. Knowing how graphically the RSC can represent a storm when they want to (imagine Edgar on the blasted heath in King Lear), I’m afraid that little bit of rainwater dripping off the piano is hardly a deluge – it’s laughably pitiful.

Nevertheless, it’s a very well-written and structured play that grapples with some fascinating issues and aspects of humanity that some of us would prefer to remain hidden; and Samuel Barnett and Victoria Yeates are fantastic. Gloriana may well have been a flop – Ben and Imo makes up for that in spades.

Production photos by Ellie Kurttz

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Dvořák Symphony No 9, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 25th February 2024

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It comes a regrettable surprise that this was our first visit to a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra concert in Northampton for two years! And it was only four years ago that we last saw the RPO perform Dvořák’s New World Symphony – it is indeed one of the most crowd-pleasing choices for an orchestra to perform, as could be witnessed by the packed Sunday afternoon audience at the Derngate.

Our conductor for the programme was Shiyeon Sung, the first female conductor from South Korea to take up the baton at some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras. Whilst some conductors can approach the podium in a frenzy of excitement, Ms Sung adopts a pose of quiet dignity, sombrely turned out, guiding the orchestra with reserved authority. Continuing the international theme of the concert, the orchestra also welcomed a Guest Leader in the form of Swedish violinist Philip Zuckerman, a superb soloist in his own right.

Our first piece was Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No 3 in C Major; if you’ve never heard of the opera Leonore, that’s because Beethoven worked it up later to become Fidelio. The overture starts solemnly and relatively simply, with plaintive chords that build into a rush of excitement and joy. It’s very much an all or nothing kind of piece; it’s either an unassuming placid beat or a rip-roaring riot. The orchestra gave it a great performance; the trumpet fanfares coming from Stage Right were outstanding in their effectiveness.

Next up, we welcomed our soloist for the afternoon, cellist Zlatomir Fung, the RPO’s Artist-in-Residence for 2023-24. Looking for all the world like the happiest young man in all of Northampton, he beamed his way to the podium in preparation for performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto No 1 in C Major. Ms Sung abandoned her baton and conducted the orchestra with her hands only, coaxing out all the emotion of the piece, and Mr Fung produced a gorgeous rich tone from his 1717 Tecchler cello. The concerto demands great skill as it progresses from a stately baroque through to a beautiful central melody, rising to a stunning allegro finish, and Mr Fung demonstrated his amazing skill in abundance. A glorious experience to take us to the interval.

Finally we had the main dish of the day, Dvořák’s New World Symphony, No 9 in E Minor. Much more than just the Hovis theme, it’s a beautifully structured and exquisitely orchestrated series of wonderful tunes, inspired by Dvořák’s experiences in America. In another stand-out performance, Ms Sung helped the orchestra to bring out a brave delicacy in the second movement that you rarely hear, with the confidence to build in meaningful pauses that emphasised the beauty of its theme. And the fourth movement was delivered with such power and a sense of triumph that you had to hold back a desire to sing along! The whole orchestra gave a tremendous performance, and you have to congratulate the percussion for the perfect precision playing of possibly the most significant use of the triangle in all classical music!

It’s always a delight and a privilege to see the Royal Philharmonic on tour. They return to Northampton in May for a performance of Verdi’s Requiem – can’t wait!

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Drop the Dead Donkey – The Reawakening! Festival Theatre, Chichester, 22nd February 2024

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Unless you’re the super-youthful sort, you’ll probably remember Drop the Dead Donkey as the much-loved TV sitcom that ran from 1990 to 1998. Set in the studios of GlobeLink News, it was part newsroom-parody and part scathing satire; not only of the politicians of the day but also of the news industry itself. I remember it being highly popular; but for some reason Mrs Chrisparkle and I never watched it. So when it was announced that the old GlobeLink team were coming back to relive the good times in a UK tour, there were swathes of nostalgic delight around the country – but not chez nous. Nevertheless, our Chichester theatregoing companions Lord and Lady Prosecco, and Professor and Mrs Plum were keen to dip their toes in the nostalgia, and who were we to deny them that pleasure?

The premise is that Gus, the old GlobeLink boss, has taken charge at the brand new news channel, Truth News. Who better to staff the new station than all the old hands he used to work with? One by one we are reunited with editor George, deputy editor Dave, reporter – now newsreader – Damien, newsreader Sally, assistant editor Helen, and HR diva Joy. They are joined by intern “weathergirl” Rita and investigative journalist Mairead, and together they are tasked with getting Truth News off the ground and producing its first broadcasts.

This isn’t the first time a stage show has been created out of a television programme. Far from it. And usually, I have to say, it doesn’t do as well as the original. I remember seeing The Comedians at the London Palladium back in 1972; a ground-breaking TV programme as far as showing stand-up comedy was concerned, but it felt tedious watching it live. In recent years, there have been a couple of outings for stage versions of Yes Minister/Yes Prime Minister, TV series par excellence, but frankly dreadful on stage. Would the same fate befall a stage version of Drop the Dead Donkey?

The production looks great. Peter McKintosh’s set is the total embodiment of a brand spanking new flashy news set, all high-tech gadgetry and glistening chrome and steel. Peter Mumford’s lighting is spot on too, as are the costumes. A screen above the stage is used at times rapidly to scroll tweets of reaction to Truth News’ output – good and bad. It’s an effective device, but I was a little disappointed to realise that those tweets actually repeat themselves on a loop a few times – was it really so hard to create a few more well-constructed tweets to display?

Written by Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin, who also wrote the original sitcom, the show is updated regularly as real-life breaking news breaks. And there’s no doubt that the biggest laughs from the show come from some blistering up-to-date satirical jibes, deftly delivered by its talented cast. However, unfortunately, occasional blistering one-liners do not a play make, and the overall vibe of the show struck me as a bit lame. Without having the benefit of nostalgia to help my enjoyment of the show, I found it hard to warm to a set-up where the unsympathetic characters hugely outweigh the nice guys. Gus, Damien, Sally, Joy and Mairead are all genuinely awful people!And whilst there may be some Schadenfreude to be gained from seeing them get their come-uppance (if they do) it’s not enough to hang a play on. If the intention of the play is to mirror the birth and early days of GB News it achieves that pretty well; but I wonder if today’s news industry is so savage in its manipulation of our minds and peddling of its own agenda, that it’s almost beyond parody. Apart from seeing how the characters spark off each other, there’s very little in the way of “plot”; and I’m sorry to say I thought it had an embarrassingly weak ending.

Fortunately, the production is stuffed with superb actors who bring their characters to life and get every ounce of humour out of the situation they can. Robert Duncan brings delightful bluster to Gus, seemingly completely unaware of how ridiculously pompous he is. Jeff Rawle gives us an excellent George, willing but hesitant, turning everything he touches to dust; and Neil Pearson is full of attitude as the “changed” Dave, specialising in sarcastic asides. In fact, Messrs Rawle and Pearson provide a great double act, dishing out the best of the lines in the show with satisfying relish.

Victoria Wicks imbues the character of Sally with truly ghastly arrogance, as does Susannah Doyle for Joy, but with added sadism. Stephen Tompkinson’s Damien is a troubled soul who doesn’t want to be behind the desk in the studio, Ingrid Lacey’s Helen is a relatively calm oasis in a desert of bigheads, Julia Hills brings great ruthlessness to the character of Mairead and Kerena Jagpal earns our sympathy as the decent Rita having to work alongside this bunch.

I know it’s a cliché, but this is almost the definition of a curate’s egg. Some people were weeping with laughter, others sat in stony silence. If you were a fan of the sitcom, I reckon you’re probably going to be in for a good night. If you weren’t – well, you wouldn’t go to the show anyway! And if you never saw it, I reckon its 50:50 as to how much this show impresses you. The performances are great, it’s the writing that’s debatable. It’s doing amazing business anyway; there was hardly a seat unsold at last Thursday night’s show. The tour continues to Cambridge, Brighton, Milton Keynes, Leicester, Bath, Leeds, Birmingham, Nottingham, Bromley, Norwich, Liverpool, Newcastle, Woking, Cheltenham, and Canterbury, returning to Richmond in June.

3-starsThree-sy Does It!

Review – Black is the Color of My Voice, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, 22nd February 2024

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Apphia Campbell’s Black is the Color of My Voice first appeared – perhaps bizarrely – in Shanghai, eleven years ago. Since then, it’s been performed all over the UK as well as in America and Australia, including successful runs at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. Inspired by the life of Nina Simone, who died 21 years ago but whose memory lives on in her outstanding recordings, this is an irresistibly compelling performance that impresses from the start.

Apphia Campbell takes us straight to the heart of her character Mena Bordeaux, heavily influenced by her childhood and her God-fearing parents, reminiscing on how she started to play the piano at the age of 3 without any teaching, and how she was encouraged to develop and grow provided she didn’t play the Devil’s music (spoiler: she did!) She first encounters racial prejudice when she is refused a place to study classical music, and the fury she feels as a result only makes her more determined to attain success. She becomes involved in the Civil Rights movement and appears alongside Martin Luther King, whose assassination devastates her. She is also trapped in a cruel, violent marriage. But she never ceases to strive for equality, using the power of her voice to change minds.

A bed, a table, a photograph and a suitcase of memories is all it takes to stage this stirring and emotional one woman’s examination of the life and career of someone who touched millions of hearts through her music and her activism; and this simplicity of presentation makes the content of the show appeal directly to the audience without unnecessary trappings and distractions.

Ms Campbell’s performance captivates your attention throughout. Not only does she convey the emotion of the story, but she also has a superb singing voice which fills the auditorium with disarming ease; a rich, passionate tone that suits the Nina Simone material perfectly. The writing is heartfelt and beautifully worded; if I have a tiny criticism – and it is tiny – it is that the play starts and ends at roughly the same place, with Mena Bordeaux’ hands outstretched towards a vision of her beloved daddy, which gives a static but false impression that we haven’t moved on throughout the past 75 minutes. But we have; one comes away from the show wanting to know much more about both Nina Simone and the Civil Rights movement – I felt ashamed to admit how little I knew about both.

The tour continues to Birmingham Rep, and then visits Adelaide, Melbourne and Sydney in Australia before returning to Leeds and Manchester in April and Stratford East in June. An electrifying and inspirational journey through one woman’s life. Don’t miss it!

Five Alive Let Theatre Thrive!

Review – Phil Wang, Wang in There Baby!, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 20th February 2024

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Another of these shows that were postponed due to the presence of RAAC lurking at the theatre, this is (at least) the third time that Phil Wang has played the Royal and Derngate, but, shamefully, only the first time we’ve seen him. A familiar face on Have I Got News For You and similar TV treats, does he spin the same comedy gold that he shares on television? All will be revealed…

But first, the warm-up act, and the imposing figure and voice of Ed Night; new to us, and he looks like he’s probably about 15 but awfully tall for his age. In fact he’s been doing comedy for ten years and has already had four Edinburgh shows – and you can tell the confidence and experience. He clearly has a very fast brain and the ability to connect well with the audience. It was a shame, then, that he started his set with some very dubious material about mental health and an old joke about OCD that didn’t appeal to me at all and also didn’t hit home with the crowd. However, as he warmed up, so did his material and I loved his observations about Scooby Doo and the way he completely abandoned his prepared material to investigate the presence of three shiny bald heads in the front row. There’s a lot of good comedy in Mr Night – he just needs to ditch the iffy stuff.

On to the main event, and Wang in There Baby, Phil Wang’s most recent tour show that started last March and just has one more airing on 23rd February at London’s Eventim Apollo, no less. Performing in front of unfurled, Chinese-influenced, banner flags artistically announcing his name, his quiet unassuming style and relaxed physical presence lull us all into a sense of security – not a false sense, as Mr Wang never leads us down surprise garden paths or tricks us into believing something that he then proves to be untrue. You sense he’s a truly honest performer!

He’s excellent at contrasting the two cultures that he knows about – his Malay/Chinese upbringing on the island of Borneo, and the southern English teenage years and adulthood that followed. He’s also a choice wordsmith; developing very cleverly prepared sequences with le mot juste for every occasion. This allows him to tackle some quite challenging subjects but always with delicacy and lightness of touch: no better example than his singing along to Kendrick Lamar hip-hop tracks replacing the n-word with something more suitable.

Phil Wang’s gift is to take a genuinely tiny idea and expand it into something hilarious for a prolonged exploration. For him, big oaks truly do grow from little acorns. The simple observation that Brits don’t reheat rice, for instance, flourishes into a good fifteen minutes’ worth of classic cultural comedy. There’s a brilliant examination of how the contrast between British and American pronunciation of the same word can have a joyfully funny effect. At his best, Mr W is a great example of the less is more approach to comedy, and that’s often quite hard to find. And whilst I wouldn’t exactly call it a family show, it’s very refreshing to come across a comedy performer who rarely goes anywhere near a swear word.

Having seen him once, I’m sure this won’t be the last time!

Review – Pierre Novellie, Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Nice Things? Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 18th February 2024

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Do you ever get the feeling that some things are just Not Meant To Be? Pierre Novellie’s performance of his Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Nice Things? tour was originally scheduled for last November in the Underground but postponed due to the ongoing fight against the RAAC in the building. Moved to February, it then had to be transferred first to the Royal, and then to the relatively unlikely venue of Screen Two at the adjacent Northampton Filmhouse. A stand-up show in a plush, luxury cinema screen? Surely the vibe won’t work. Update:  a good comedian will make this venue work absolutely fine!

Then, seven minutes before whatever is the stand-up equivalent of Curtain Up, the fire alarms sound. Evacuation from the building; not only Screen Two, but also Screen One and the Derngate auditorium, where one can only assume the pyrotechnics of The Greatest Hits of Motown got a little out of hand. Very well marshalled and looked after by the R&D staff by the way, top marks to you all. False alarm; we all returned to our seats. Thus Pierre Novellie’s show battled on bravely, fifteen minutes late in an unconventional venue. Then it became clear that his microphone didn’t work properly. Mr Novellie’s rich dulcet tones were coming across all tinny and that would have been tough for an hour and twenty minutes. Then he tried dispensing with the microphone completely – fine for us in the third row but perhaps not so great if you were at the back. Ten minutes later a replacement microphone was found. Result – success! And then the show could really get going. But that was a difficult start for Mr N and a less experienced comic could well have been thrown by it all.

But not Pierre Novellie. He has a smart, confident air about him without ever suggesting anything pompous or condescending; naturally likeable, he gets a very good rapport going with the audience which quickly overcame any of the shortcomings of the venue. Why Can’t I Just Enjoy Nice Things? was his Edinburgh Fringe show from 2022, and he explained that our performance would be its final outing.

The title of his show echoes the internal questionings that try to explain and rationalise what’s going in his head. He’s a 60% man; that’s the percentage at which he tends to appreciate things. To him that’s an honest and perfectly decent satisfaction level; the same as six out of ten, or three (maybe three and a half) stars on an advertising billboard, signifying a completely agreeable experience. But, as he points out, that’s a score that’s of no use to anyone. He also knows that when you’re asked, in a romantic setting, what are you thinking about, the last thing you must reply is the truth – i.e. nothing, which is absolutely what nearly all men are thinking about most of the time.

This is intelligent, sophisticated comedy, full of great observations and reflections covering a wide range of subjects that include the crying-laughing emoji and Berlin’s notorious P*ss Goblin (Google it if you dare). He has a beautifully narrated experience of attending a performance of The Play That Goes Wrong seated next to the audience member from Hell, and a unique way of defining the public that manages to exclude us from it so that we remain on “his side” of the argument throughout. I also loved his account of how accurately you set your morning alarm when you go to bed really late – and the downside of so doing; it’s something that everyone can recognise.

It’s a superbly crafted show elegantly delivered using pinpoint perfect language selected to have the maximum effect. Mr N is truly on the up-and-up; he’s already touring again with last year’s Edinburgh Fringe hit, Why Are You Laughing? I think the answer to that question would be obvious.

Review – Till The Stars Come Down, National Theatre Dorfman Theatre, London, 15th February 2024

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Sylvia and Marek are getting married – and we’re invited to the wedding. The morning is the usual race against time for all the women to get their hair done, check their outfits, and maybe even start on a few early cheeky glasses of something sparkly. It’s a great opportunity for a family reunion for Sylvia and her sisters Hazel and Maggie, especially as Maggie left the area suddenly a few months ago. They’re still missing their mum – none more so than their dad Tony. Marek, Sylv’s intended, is of course Polish, but they’re fine with that; after all, Brexit is a thing of the past now. Isn’t it?

But old sins cast long shadows, they say; and in these ex-mining communities people still remember the wrongs done by not only the Thatcher government of the 1980s but the scabs who undermined the strike. Fortunately, it’s a happy occasion! What could possibly go wrong at a family wedding? As you’ve probably guessed, gentle reader, quite a lot. Passions run high, old enmities are exposed, prejudices are teased out, and it can only take one little misjudged event to push a whole family over the edge. When someone takes it on themselves to deal out summary justice, it becomes a no-turning-back moment for everyone.

Beth Steel has written earlier plays based on East Midlands communities – she is from Nottingham originally – and as my own hometown of Northampton just counts as East Midlands too, Till The Stars Come Down was strangely calling my name. Unexpectedly classical in structure, the play – largely – observes the unities of the French tragedians, by all taking place on one day, having basically one action (the wedding) and occurring in one place (you could argue that isn’t quite the case here.)

Ms Steel’s writing exquisitely fills in the details of these larger than life characters, as truths, lies and everything in between emerge over the course of two and a half hours. She has a knack of giving a character a simple, seemingly innocent line that instantly makes us realise a whole new side to someone that we thought we already knew. The play is bound by a gritty realism that does not hold back from showing us the tougher elements of life; and the characters’ irrepressible strength and resourcefulness comes out in some genuinely and unexpectedly hilarious scenes and conversations. For me, the only times the play doesn’t quite succeed is when it drifts away from realism, such as the scene (cleverly staged though it may be) when some of the characters represent the planets and stars revolving around each other.

Bijan Sheibani’s production is beautifully and simply staged on set designer Samal Blak’s big green block of astroturf, with minimal props or scenery apart from a few tables and an electric fan. It’s a great example of how effective it can be to suggest a scene with just the basics, allowing our imaginations to work harder. Paule Constable’s lighting design constantly astonishes with its surprise effects – you’ve never seen a glitter ball make such an impact.

The cast are uniformly excellent and work together to create a true sense of ensemble. There isn’t one role, nor one performer, who dominates the proceedings; the play is written so that every single character is, at some point of the procedure, the most important person there. Lorraine Ashbourne is great fun as the bossy Aunty Carol, picking fights over the seating arrangements, the embodiment of living life to the full, no matter the consequences. Lucy Black’s Hazel is a seething mass of anxieties and heartbreaks that are never far from the surface, and Lisa McGrillis’ Maggie is a study of someone trying to come to terms with both the past and the present whilst still giving off confident vibes. Sinead Matthews presents Sylvia as an optimistic fiancée and happy newlywed who only wants the best for herself and Marek.

Alan Williams’ Tony is a man brought down by the experiences of a lifetime yet carries on undefeated; Derek Riddell’s John also puts on a brave face despite his internal torments; and Philip Whitchurch’s Pete does his best to water down Carol’s excesses whilst refusing to give way to his principles of the past. Marc Wootton’s Marek is a contented self-made man who can neither understand nor forgive the barely concealed racism that he faces. There’s excellent support from Ruby Stokes’ Leanne, trying to make sense of the family issues as she understands them, and, in the performance we saw, Bodhi Rae Breathnach was excellent as the young Sarah, a child in an adults’ world, mixing playtime with the horrors of reality.

Superb performances in a highly entertaining and frequently shocking play. The final scene is so full of almost uncontrollable emotion between the three sisters that, as the lights came up to signify the end of the show, the actors were all mouthing to each other you okay hun as part of their return to the real world, before they could turn to the audience to take the applause. Remind me to resist the temptation to attend any more weddings. Till The Stars Come Down continues at the Dorfman until 16th March.

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!