Review – Screaming Blue Murder, Screen 2 at the Filmhouse, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 15th September 2024

Posted on September 16, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Forgive me Father, it’s been four months since my last Screaming Blue Murder. And haven’t things changed since then? Sadly, not all for the best (frankly, not at all for the best), but more of that later. One aspect that remains as constant as the Northern Star, is the presence of MC Dan Evans, the host with the most; indeed, one sometimes wonders where we would be without him. As always, Dan got to grips with discovering the ins-and-outs of the audience members, including the young man who worked in the warehouse and his other half who worked in The Artichoke (don’t know it, but it sounds posh), and the man from Rugby who accidentally arrived a week early for a show in the Royal, but thought he’d take his chance with a spot of comedy instead.

Our first act was Becky Umbers, a diminutive New Zealander with a bright personality and a gurgly voice. I’m not being rude here – Ms Umbers devotes at least 30% of her act to various observations about her vocal tones; she readily admits even other New Zealanders can’t understand her sometimes. She has a nicely confiding style and some unique stories, all of which, you sense, are probably pretty much true. It’s with a certain degree of shame that she tells us of the road trip where – basically – she knocks down a kiwi; no, not one of her fellow citizens but a real kiwi, which is probably a worse crime as they’re endangered. Delivered with confidence and an endearing personality, it was slightly low on laughter, but that was probably due to the size of the audience (clue: it wasn’t a big audience.)

Next up we had Gbemi Oladipo, a lively Nigerian in a jumper almost as loud as him. He bursts forth on the stage with no holds barred and delivers a serious of sharply comic observations with attack and a huge sense of fun. He plays off the audience with ease and is quick to pick up on any verbal (or even visual) reactions anyone might have to his stories. I loved his material about the ignominy of dying on a Ryanair flight, and why, at his age, he’s decided it’s time for him to start drinking. He has a very engaging stage persona and we’d be very happy to see him again.

Our final act was… no, there was no final act. Since Screaming Blue Murder has transferred to the Filmhouse – temporarily we hope, whilst the Underground space is finally made safe from all that RAAC – it’s bucked the trend of most other comedy nights and gone from three to two comedians (but for no reduction in ticket price, I notice). To be fair, although Screen 2 is not the ideal venue for a comedy night, needs must and it has enabled Screaming Blue and other comedy performers to continue to come to the Royal and Derngate throughout this period; keeping the brand alive, so to speak.

But there are other signs that standards are declining. Nothing to do with Mr Evans or the acts who are appearing; but simple things like a confusion over when the show should start (7.30pm on the ticket, 8.00pm on the website), the music playing as you enter the auditorium was extracts from Madame Butterfly (we had that at my mum’s funeral – not very conducive to loosening one’s chuckle muscles), moving from Friday night (carefree) to Sunday night (a school night) and scheduling SBMs so that they clash with big names next door in the main theatre – Milton Jones had a full house in the Derngate at the same time. The audience at last night’s Screaming Blue numbered about 22, which is frankly pitiful; what’s worse is that it was probably the largest audience in there since the move to the Filmhouse.

Screaming Blue Murder has such a fine tradition of providing excellent value, top quality comedy shows that it’s a real shame that it’s suffering in this way. The one thing that would improve the experience would be for more people to attend, so come on, people of Northampton, Your Screaming Blue Needs You! But a return to three comedians would also be an improvement – it’s a standard structure for a comedy show with proven success. Get the basics right, and happy comedy nights will follow! Having said all that, we can’t come to the next show on 13 October, which is a shame because it features the superb Markus Birdman and Jenny Collier, so it will be a riot. But you should!

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 – Madagascar the Musical, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 18th July 2024

Posted on July 19, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

There was a very excitable buzz at the Royal and Derngate for the opening night of Madagascar the Musical, a stage spin-off from the successful 2005 film, which has been touring the world for the past six years. And although we didn’t have any children to bring with us to the show, the enthusiasm and enjoyment of those present was very contagious!

In case you don’t know; four special friends live at New York’s Central Park Zoo – Marty, the zebra, Gloria the hippo, Melman the giraffe, and, star attraction at the zoo, Alex the lion. Marty pines for a lost life in the wilds of Africa, rather than being clamped behind bars in a zoo – not that his other friends are bothered by it at all. However, when the penguins decide to escape to Antarctica, Marty decides he’d like just a day of freedom and so makes a break for Grand Central Station with the intention of visiting Connecticut. When the others follow him, they end up captured and sent on a ship – and when they get off, they’re in Madagascar! Julien, king of the lemurs, allows them to stay at his encampment, but the adventure does not stop there…

From an adult point of view it’s all too easy to pick holes in the story, but I’m sure this is not an issue for the show’s target audience – which I would estimate to be around 4 to 10 years old. And there’s still plenty for everyone to appreciate. Tom Rogers’ vibrant, colourful set gives a good sense of the different locations and allows loads of space for the characters to get some good singing and dancing in. The costumes are also colourful and good fun, and there’s some enjoyable puppetry representing the penguins, the chimp and the lemurs.

The show does highlight a few important messages that you’re never too young to appreciate. I particularly enjoyed the opening, which started with the Born Free theme but then showed Marty being incarcerated in the zoo against his will. And there’s a recurrent theme about how valuable good friendships are, and the importance of trust and loyalty. Even when the starving Alex can’t help but look at Marty as a potential meal, and though Marty is terrified by the danger he knows he is in, he nevertheless continues to be loyal to his best friend. It’s all rather charming really.

The characterisations are very entertaining; Jarnéia Richard-Noel’s Gloria is a fun-loving, boisterous hippo but with a streak of common sense, Joshua Oakes-Rogers’ hypochondriac Melman is obsessed with his health and avoids aspartame, Francisco Gomes’ earnest Marty is honest, decent and loves to party, and Joseph Hewlett’s Alex is the vainest of lions but incredibly friendly and polite; giving Marty an “Alex the Lion” t-shirt on his birthday is just typical of the man. Lion. I mean lion.

And then there’s Karim Zeroual’s hilarious presentation of King Julien, wearing a deft costume that initially denies common sense but allows him to move it move it with the best of them! Which brings us on to the music, an essential element of the fun of the show, together with the excellent dancing and choreography.

I confess I didn’t have much hope for this show, but it exceeded my expectations enormously. We came away with a smile on our faces, a spring in our step, and memories of a few very funny scenes. And, by the sound of the uproarious reception it received at the end, we weren’t the only ones. I know comparisons are odious, but if you compare this show with, say, Shrek the Musical – this one comes up tops for production values, performance and message.

Madagascar the Musical continues at the Royal and Derngate until Sunday, then on to Nottingham, Southend, Glasgow, Aberdeen and Southampton. It’s lots of fun – and the youngsters will love it.

Production photos by Phil Tragen

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Birmingham Royal Ballet BRB2, Carlos Acosta’s Classical Selection, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 25th May 2024

Posted on May 26, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Almost thirty years ago (gasp!) the Royal Ballet started their occasional touring production of Dance Bites; regular visitors to the Swan Theatre, High Wycombe (our nearest decent theatre at the time) over a period of four years we enjoyed the likes of Darcey Bussell, Adam Cooper, Jonathan Cope, Deborah Bull and the two Billys (Trevitt and Nunn) performing short, stunning pieces, largely choreographed by the new young stars of the day. They were fantastic nights out, and the memory of them remains a true pleasure.

Fast forward to today, and Carlos Acosta has put together a programme of twelve short pieces for his Classical Selection tour, performed by some of the younger members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet – BRB2, a name modelled, no doubt, on the fantastic NDT2, the youth department of the Nederlands Dans Theater who have always been at the forefront of showcasing their young dancers. So we were very much looking forward to seeing what BRB2 can do – and it was a thrilling performance.

With a combination of recorded soundtracks and live music from Jeanette Wong on the piano and Antonia Novais on the cello, the dancers covered a whole range of styles from the ultimate classic Swan Lake to modern interpretations of Edith Piaf and Jacques Brel. The first half of the show was devoted to traditional classical ballet – with just a hint of modernity; the second half to contemporary dance – with just the occasional hint of classicism. It’s a superb blend.

The presentation of the show is refreshingly unstuffy. I’m a big fan of going full pelt on classical ballet, with several dancers modestly surrounding the main performer and graciously recognising their talent, pausing for a round of applause every few minutes. It’s stylised, rewarding, and unique. But the presentation of this show is the complete opposite – and it really works. The curtain rises to reveal a long barre at the back of the stage, towards which the dancers unceremoniously make their way, change out of their day clothes and do a gentle warm-up, whilst chatting to and supporting each other. Then a curtain falls in front of the barre and the first pair of dancers emerge to perform their piece.

When it’s over, they take their applause, and then we see them make their way back to the freshly revealed barre, clearly discussing how the performance went. This structure continues throughout the first half; in the second half, the barre is occasionally removed for a blue background that provides the scenery for a few short dances that merge into each other. At the end, they all return to the barre, pack up their dance bags and drift off into the wings. It’s a very unshowy approach, very much in keeping with the youth of the performers. And don’t worry, you do get the chance to give them a final big round of applause at the end.

The first dance was the pas de deux from Rhapsody, choreographed by Ashton, and danced superbly by Alisa Garkavenko and Mason King; then came the pas de deux from La Sylphide danced with charm and grace by Sophie Walters, and a bravura performance from Tom Hazelby. Next came the Act II pas de deux from Swan Lake, with Maïlène Katoch exquisite in her balance and expression, faultlessly supported by Alfie Shacklock: for me the best partnering of the first act. Alexandra Manuel and Oscar Kempsey-Fagg then performed Dying Swans. Not just the traditional Saint-Saëns/Fokine swan but accompanied by an Acosta-choreographed contemporary addition; I was uncertain of this duet at first but quickly realised how clever the updating of it is. The first act finished with the return of Alisa Garkavenko and Mason King in the pas de deux from Diana and Actaeon; both on terrific form and with some crowd pleasingly elegant and dynamic solos.

After the interval, the mood changed with the return of Alexandra Manuel and Oscar Kempsey-Fagg in Ben Stevenson’s End of Time, performed to the third movement of Rachmaninov’s Cello Sonata in in G Minor. Simply but stunningly staged, it was another immaculate performance of a truly powerful dance. The mood then changed again as the set became an Argentinian nightclub with Gustavo Mollajoli’s crackingly exciting A Buenos Aires, a cunning combination of tango with classic and contemporary styles, rivetingly performed by Maïlène Katoch and Tom Hazelby. Then Ariana Allen performed a truly eloquent solo to Edith Piaf’s Je ne regrette rien, followed by an (almost) show-stealing dance by Jack Easton as Brel’s drunken antagonist in Les Bourgeois, combining brilliant dance with comic characterisation.

The final three pieces were a simply romantic dance to the second intermezzo of Bizet’s Carmen, choreographed by Carlos Acosta and movingly danced by Alexandra Manuel and Oscar Kempsey-Fagg; then a more challenging modern piece choreographed by Will Tucket entitled Mirrored, danced by Frieda Kaden and Jack Easton to music by Ravel. The finale came with Jorge Garcia’s joyful Majisimo, with four couples dancing to several styles from across Spain in a combination of classical and contemporary choreography – a true crowd pleaser to finish.

It’s a terrific way to expose the younger dancers to a variety of styles and audiences, and they all thoroughly earn their stripes! These are not ballet stars yet; but many of them will be. If I were to highlight the dancers whom I think have the full potential to make it big, I would plump for Alexandra Manuel, Maïlène Katoch, Jack Easton and Tom Hazelby; but everyone gives an immense performance and show the Birmingham Royal Ballet to be in the rudest of health! Their tour continues to Canterbury and Peterborough – very well worth catching!

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – The School for Scandal, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 21st May 2024

Posted on May 22, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

I’m probably prejudiced from the start, gentle reader, but I hereby confess that Sheridan’s School for Scandal is one of my favourite plays of all time. Aged 26, Richard Brinsley Sheridan was already an old hand at writing plays of comic genius when it first appeared at London’s Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Pshaw, there was never any doubt that Drury Lane would host the play – egad, he owned the theatre!

Looking back at the history of theatre, there’s a long drought between the Restoration Comedies of Congreve, Wycherley, Etherege and Vanbrugh, until you reach the gems of Wilde and Shaw at the end of the nineteenth century. Sheridan is really the only feast to be found during that famine, and I unhesitatingly propose The School for Scandal as his best play (yes, even better than The Rivals!) This text has been decently edited to remove a few unnecessary and unwanted characters and given just a tiny hint of updating, nicely in keeping with the original.

Sixty year old Sir Peter Teazle has married – finally, at last – the desirable and irresistible young Lady Teazle. And since then, his life has been nothing but misery. Lady T has got herself involved in a social scene full of meddlers and chattermongers, headed by the catty Lady Sneerwell and boosted by the likes of Crabtree and his odious nephew Sir Benjamin Backbite. There’s nothing they like more than seizing on some tasty morsel of gossip and ensuring that everyone in London knows about it. And if there are no tasty new morsels to share – they’ll just invent something anyway! It’s not hard to see where the gutter press started.

Sir Peter’s old friend Sir Oliver Surface has returned from many years in the East Indies. His two sons, Joseph and Charles, have lived very different lives in his absence; Charles has spent his fortune on wine, women and song and is up to his ears in debt, but Joseph has (ostensibly at least) devoted his life to books and learning, and being a pillar of the community. A man of sentiment, as Sir Peter insists. No one has a word to say against him; but can anyone truly be that good? After a whirlwind of liars revealed, mistresses exposed, and all levels of trickery and deceit practised, can Sir Peter and Lady Teazle’s marriage survive? You’ll have to watch the play to find out. Tonight we’re gonna party like it’s 1777!

Except that we’re not, as Seán Aydon’s production takes us to a London somewhere in the 20^th century, where the newspapers are distinctly tabloid, the costumes are 1950s and the telephones are 1970s – an excellent device for doing away with minor servant roles, i’faith. The scene is set even before you enter the auditorium, if you care to read the wonderfully created programme which takes the form of an issue of Town and Country Magazine, which – inter alia – includes the revelation of Lady Frizzle’s muffler catching fire, has an advert for Charles Surface’s equestrian breeding business and an exposé on Sir Peter’s domestic arrangements.

It’s an essentially playful production, with the characters of Sneerwell, Joseph, Charles, Snake, Weasel, Careless, Bumper, Backbite, Crabtree and Mrs Candour all portrayed with cartoonish fun. It treads a tricky balance to stay on the correct side of caricature, but, fortunately, it succeeds. On the other hand, Sir Peter and Lady Teazle, as well as Sir Oliver, Maria and Rowley are played straight, which emphasises the genuine disaster that those people could potentially face if they’re caught out in this cut-throat society.

Sarah Beaton’s set design is immensely simple – expensive looking drapes surround a largely bare stage – just a chaise-longue and a couple of stools; a swiftly revealed screen arrives just in time to secrete Lady Teazle in her hour of need, and the closet in which Sir Peter hides is just a bit of curtain. Don’t forget the three vital telephones pitched high on pedestals, which visually stresses the importance of chatter in this play. The costumes are superlative, full of primary colours as though you’d just done a raid at Benetton – but much, much more exclusive, of course. Peter Small’s lighting brightens and fades with the varying fortunes of our protagonists so effectively that I genuinely don’t have a clue what colour those drapes really are.

At the heart of the production is an elegant, understated and authoritative performance by Joseph Marcell as Sir Peter Teazle, very much the still point in the turning world, trying to keep up with all the events unfolding around him. With the rest of the cast doubling up on roles, there are tremendous comic performances from Garmon Rhys as the irrepressible Charles and the frequently hysterical Backbite; and Alex Phelps as the super-sleazy Joseph and the completely-out-of-it Bumper. Lydea Perkins gives us a Lady Teazle who is both refreshingly honest and cynically manipulative; and a very different portrayal as Mrs Candour, bent double with both age and duplicity.

Northamptonshire’s own Emily-Jane McNeill is a strikingly elegant and scheming Lady Sneerwell, and also plays Careless, Charles’ drunken pal, as cheerfully corrupt and yet strangely supportive. Ayesha Griffiths’ Maria is aloof and hard to impress, and also gives a brilliant comic turn as Weasel, a sharp-suited EastEnders geezer. Guy Dennys gives excellent support as the all-purpose factotum Rowley and the Sam Spade-like sneaky investigator Snake. Tony Timberlake’s Crabtree provides an excellent support foil for Mr Rhys’ Backbite, and is excellent as Sir Oliver, the only character who truly goes on a journey of discovery in the play.

Tilted Wig’s production started its tour in March at Keswick’s Theatre by the Lake and has arrived at Northampton ten venues later. Two more venues await – Darlington and Oxford. Heaps of fun, terrific comic performances – and the baddies get their come-uppance! A slick, smart, thoroughly entertaining show, and it’s great to see Sheridan on stage again.

Production photos by Robling Photography

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Verdi Requiem, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 19th May 2024

Posted on May 21, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

It’s always a grand occasion when the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra comes to Northampton – even more so for this concert, as they were performing alongside the formidable Northampton Bach Choir and members of the Daventry Choral Society. As a result, there was barely a seat to be found and the pre-concert vibe, in the foyers as well as in the auditorium, was truly buzzing.

Our conductor for the evening was Adrian Partington, whom we last saw conducting Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man two years ago; Mr Partington obviously has a penchant for big punchy pieces of music, as well as a fondness for conducting the Northampton Bach Choir. As conductor of the BBC National Chorus of Wales for over twenty years, what he doesn’t know about conducting choirs isn’t worth knowing. It’s a familiar sight to see a conductor waving his arms around to get the best out of an orchestra, but it was also a joy to see Mr Partington keeping the choir on perfect track simply by enunciating the words towards them. It looked for all the world as though he was lost in his own silent disco.

Verdi’s Requiem constitutes a big beast of a classical night out – 83 minutes (but who’s counting) of passion, fire, attack, emotion – and a whole lot of sung Latin. Helping the RPO and the choirs to deliver this beauty were four fantastic soloists – Hye-Youn Lee (Soprano), Annabella-Vesela Ellis (Mezzo-soprano),Joseph Buckmaster (Tenor) and Ossian Huskinson (Bass-baritone). A forceful presence one and all, standing or seated either side of the conductor for the whole performance, rendering (to my ear at least) faultless vocals of purity and power.

The Requiem is noted for its tremendous Dies Irae, which was performed with dynamic strength and sensational musicality, trumpets a-blazing and the choirs at full pelt. It took your breath away.Other highlights included a perfect blend of soprano, mezzo and chorus for the Agnus Dei, and a particularly stunning finale led by Ms Lee in the Libera me section. The orchestra, led by Duncan Riddell, continually soared with their astounding playing, and the 83 minutes went by in an instant.

At my estimation, there were probably about 200 people on that stage, including the choirs, soloists and orchestra; that means that my £23 ticket bought the musical services of each of those people at a rate of about 8.5 pence for the evening. Amazing value! And it’s truly admirable that all those people were able to come together at the same time with the same purpose to produce such extraordinary music. A massive enterprise indeed, and one that was superbly successful.

Three new concerts with the RPO in Northampton have recently gone on sale; see you there in November for a Film Music Gala Night!

Review – Nell Gwynn, BA Acting Third Year Students at the University of Northampton, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 16th May 2024

Posted on May 19, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Seizing my first opportunity to watch the skills of this year’s Third Year Acting Students at Northampton University, I settled down for the matinee of Jessica Swale’s Nell Gwynn in the Royal on Thursday afternoon. A challenging choice indeed, with comedy at the forefront even before the show starts, with the Gwynn sisters offering their oranges in the bar and in the aisles, and rowdy theatregoers cat-calling from the stalls. I had to make my way past one of these reprobates to get to my seat and they certainly helped to create that lawless Restoration vibe on which the play thrives.

It’s the story of the one and only Nell Gwynn, plucked from the shadows of wayward fruitmongering by the renowned actor Charles Hart to break the unwritten rules of the theatre at the time and become an actor (or indeed, as the show puts it, an actor-ess). Outrageous to think that a female could possibly portray a woman on stage; how on earth would they know how to go about it? But Nell is a big success, and catches the wandering eye of the King. Abandoning her family she lives the highlife, much to the annoyance of her fellow actors, taking the notion of a rehearsal as merely a serving suggestion. She becomes an influential figure at Court, but, because she is still essentially the commonest of commoners, is instantly a nobody again when King Charles pops his clogs. Nevertheless, she still has the last word.

With plenty of lively characters and a witty, anarchic script to relish, there is a lot here into which the Acting Students can get their teeth. Heading the cast is Charlotte Biseker as Nell Gwynn, and what a terrific stage presence she has! A powerful voice, and an excellent feel for the comedy, she gives a performance full of commitment and versatility, leading the cast in several musical numbers. As her sister Rose Gwynn, Rose George makes a strong contrast by mining all the seriousness of the story and attempting to keep a check on Nell’s flighty attitudes. She commands the audience’s attention throughout.

The King is played by George Pavey with rumbustious confidence and excellent presence – there is a hint of the James Corden about his style and that can only be A Good Thing. With a much quieter approach, but equally successful, is Henry Rutter as Hart, giving an intelligent and sincere performance. A small point: Mr R does have a tendency to talk through the laughter of the previous line; experience will solve that!

With three parts to grapple with, Tobias Bradley does an excellent job of giving us three distinctly different characterisations. His Edward Kynaston, the actor whose nose Nell puts fully out of joint, is a crowd pleaser full of over-the-top outrage; I wonder if perhaps a little less hysteria and a more stylised foppishness might give the performance more light and shade. Nevertheless, it’s a total tour-de-force.

Among the smaller roles, there’s another superb comedy performance from Kitty Jackson as Nancy, who shows superb comic ability through the character’s cheekiness and effervescence – she brightens up the stage whenever she appears. Harry Unwin gives a superb supporting performance as the long suffering Lord Arlington, very believable as he treads the delicate balance of sucking up to the King but also looking after affairs of state.

Alex Hayes has good stage presence as the director Killigrew, his patience wearing nicely thin whenever his troupe is difficult with him; Kate Dillingham gives good support as Ned and Nell’s justifiably cantankerous Ma; and, last but not least,Ines Dias gives an amusing portrayal of the uncertain and out-of-place playwright John Dryden.

Nell Gwynn is a good choice of play for this cast, its rowdy eccentricity requiring strong comedic skills tempered with a few scenes of genuinely emotional drama. The students acquitted themselves extremely well and I could certainly see how – with the right role at the right time – any number of them could go on to have a successful career in the theatre. Great work!

Four They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Grease, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 14th May 2024

Posted on May 15, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

I’ll be honest with you, gentle reader; the last time we saw Grease in 2012 we were impressed by the production but absolutely hated the story, and I was genuinely apprehensive about revisiting the show. Maybe a lot has happened over the last twelve years; or maybe Nikolai Foster’s touring production simply hits the nail on the head in every single department. Either way, this Grease is a total stunner.

I don’t need to remind you of the story. Danny and Sandy met on their summer vacation and had a bit of thing. However, when they discover they’ve both ended up at Rydell High School, Danny realises Sandy will cramp his style and drops her; and Sandy’s innocent personality doesn’t fit in well with the other girls. But will she end up being the one that he wants? Do musicals like this always end up happy ever after?

Whilst Danny and Sandy are the dish of the day, there are many other side salads to enjoy, like the growing relationship of Roger and Jen, the on-off couple Kenickie and Rizzo, the adventures of Frenchy the wannabe beautician, the jockeying for position within both the boys’ and the girls’ gangs, and, of course, the dance competition. Frankly, the plot is fairly thin but is fleshed out with a variety of strong characters and big musical numbers.

And this is where this production completely excels. The whole presentation is superb. Colin Richmond’s set and costumes, Ben Cracknell’s lighting and Tom Marshall and Richard Brooker’s sound design all work miracles, and this is without doubt one of the best looking and sounding musicals I’ve ever seen on the Derngate stage. The clarity of amplification is spot on – so often in other productions it can be too loud or distorted, but this is 100% perfect. Arlene Phillips’ choreography is vivacious and joyful, an excellent mix of 50s/60s styles with contemporary musical theatre. And Charlie Ingles’ eight person band behind the scenes does a brilliant job of capturing all the excitement and emotion of the iconic songs, both from the original stage show and the later successful film.

But I think the true excellence of this production stems from Nikolai Foster’s vision for the show. Many of the excesses that dogged the previous production – overtly sexual dance routines, the characterisation of Sandy as a victim, the whole notion of the Teen Angel being an unnecessary star turn – have been pared away. This production has gone back more to the 1971 original; some of songs have been dropped, others reintroduced, and the order in which they appear has been slightly reshuffled. As such, it feels like you’re watching something completely new – even though you’re still going to get your full quotient of all the songs that everyone knows and loves.

The production also manages – somehow – to steer our attention away from its essential misogyny and other sleazy aspects and concentrate on the vulnerability and development of the characters. The bad-boy/bad-girl nature of the Burger Palace Boys and the Pink Ladies is downplayed. This makes them more nuanced and – as a result – more likeable. Although there’s no sense of childishness about the show, you still get the feeling that these kids are exactly that – kids, not young adults on the verge of a life of disappointment but hopeful hearts with all their dreams still intact.

To crown it all, Nikolai Foster has created an amazing ensemble who deliver uniformly wonderful performances throughout the show. You’re going to have to look to the finest West End or Broadway casts to find a comparable ability to sing and dance at this level without the suggestion of the tiniest weakest link anywhere. In fact, two of the understudies, Imogen Malone as Betty Rizzo and Sergi Ibanez as Roger, were on duty last night and gave sensational performances. Ms Malone’s song There Are Worse Things I Could Do, combined with her brilliant stand-up row with Sandy were definite highlights of the show, and Mr Ibanez exuded sincerity and charisma as his character Roger gained the confidence to ask Jan (a delightfully endearing performance by Emerald B) to the dance.

Heading the cast are two big stars in the waiting. Marley Fenton is a very engaging Danny, naturally living up to the character’s top-dog status, with a strong stage presence; he’s an extraordinary song-and-dance man of the future. Similarly, Hope Dawe is outstanding as Sandy, steering the character away from the Goody-Two-Shoes aspect of her personality, but portraying someone who is as positive about who they are as any of her contemporaries. Her truly sensational rendition of Hopelessly Devoted to You is the stand-out moment of the show; not, as it can be, a declaration of useless victimhood and self-obliteration, but a mature acceptance of the way things are. Both Mr Fenton’s and Ms Dawe’s voices are fantastic throughout and their harmonies are sublime.

But all the performances throughout are pitch perfect; every single member of the cast pulls it out of the bag and makes it a night to remember. I had every expectation of sitting grumpily through this show; instead, I was beaming from ear to ear and was among the first to be on my feet at the end. The tour still has an extensive run through the summer; once it leaves Northampton, it goes on to Ipswich, Liverpool, Norwich, Newcastle, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Aberdeen, Birmingham, Truro, Bradford, Milton Keynes, Eastbourne, Blackpool, Nottingham, Cardiff, Canterbury, Bristol, Oxford, Dartford, Manchester, High Wycombe, Southampton, Southend and finally ending up at the Lyceum in Sheffield in November. Catch it if you can!

Production photos by Marc Brenner

Five Alive Let Theatre Thrive!

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

Posted on May 3, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

In the last of the Screaming Blue Murders to be held in the Royal theatre (for a while at least), our indefatigable MC Dan Evans held court as usual over a grateful Northampton audience, getting to know those foolish enough to book Rows A or B. This included the Abington nurse who was out for a good time no matter what, the threateningly tattooed Liam and the splendidly named Harrison who described himself as a “stay-at-home son” – good line, that. We also discovered from the man sat directly in front of me that a pair of ordinary Cheaney shoes will start at around £400. Of course we talked shoes. This is Northampton!

First up, and someone we’ve seen twice before, it was the unpredictable silliness of Paul F Taylor, a naturally funny guy who treads a fine line between the surreal and the stupid; a tactic which can pay off fantastically well sometimes, but occasionally might miss the mark. He gave us his excellent routine about how one of our hands is a reliable type and the other is a useless hanger-on; and I really loved his imagining of how dogs got the worst end of being domesticated pets in comparison to cats, and it’s all down to the expert legal team the cats hired. An unexpected heckle sent him slightly off course, but he ended up with an intricate mime routine which at times I found too difficult to follow, and at others all too easy; you had to see it to believe it. A truly inventive comedy brain, it didn’t entirely go to plan but the bits that did, were brilliant.

Next, and in a change to the scheduled line-up, came Kate Lucas, blessed with a voice that’s all sweetness and light, with a guitar that she’s not afraid to use. We’ve also seen Kate twice before and she never fails to mine good belly laughs from her unexpectedly savage lyrics delivered to gentle folky tunes. It’s amazing quite how bitter and vengeful a tone you can adopt whilst playing what is essentially a lullaby. I remembered a couple of these songs from her previous visits to Northampton – including when she was Tez Ilyas’ support act – but if you haven’t seen her before she’s an absolute treat.

Our headliner, and new to us, was Darius Davies; a confident, edgy performer full of attack and presence, and not afraid to stir some hornets’ nests on stage. Intelligence and a quick wit such as Mr D possesses usually put an audience at ease in the knowledge that they’re going to have a good time. But Mr D challenges us with tricky routines, like getting us all to call out Allahu Akbar, or referring to a section of the audience as autistic; boldly tackling racism and prejudice where angels fear to tread. More than once he really took us out of our comfort zone, and rather like Mr Taylor at the beginning of the evening, some of his material landed on fertile soil and some on stony ground. But he has a very winning way about him and commands great interaction with the audience. Maybe the formal setting of the Royal Theatre isn’t quite the right environment for his act; but it was very enjoyable nonetheless.

Next show is on June 16^th in the luxurious surroundings of Screen 2 of the Filmhouse; and a sensational line-up is promised! There’s still time to bag some excellent seats, so don’t delay!

Review – Shrek the Musical, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 23rd April 2024

Posted on April 24, 2024 by therealchrisparkle

Another casualty of the RAAC problems discovered at the theatre last year, Shrek the Musical finally lands at the Royal and Derngate, six months later than expected. Kudos to all involved for making it happen; the theatregoers of Northampton will not be deterred from seeing shows just because of some aerated concrete used forty years ago!

The Shrek story is one of continued success and popularity across the decades. The original 1990 children’s picture book became a smash hit film in 2001, with several sequels and spin-offs, as well as this stage musical which first hit Broadway in 2008, then conquered the world in the subsequent years.

The story’s appeal is obvious. Shrek the ogre is an anti-hero, set in his ways and reasonably content with his lot living in a filthy swamp. It’s what he was born to! But when the evil Lord Farquaad banishes all the fairy tale characters and they set up camp adjacent to Shrek’s swamp, he loses his cool. Befriended by a donkey, he heads off to Duloc, Farquaad’s fantasy palace, to sort it out with the big (little, actually) man. Farquaad promises him that if he rescues Princess Fiona from her tower, where she is guarded by a dragon, and brings her back to him so they can marry, he’ll move the characters away from his home and he can live in peace again. Farquaad is too cowardly to do it for himself of course. I’m sure you know all this already.

Like Sondheim’s Into the Woods, it takes the fairytale world which we all knew as children and brings it into a modern context. The characters we grew up loving are now refugees, exiled by a tyrannical leader and at the mercy of the elements. I don’t need to tell you how easy it is to relate this twist to the state of the world today. For this show to work, that subversion of everything we have always taken for granted ought to pull us up short and slap us in the face; whilst all still being conveyed as part of a light-hearted musical show aimed at kids, primarily designed to entertain. There’s no doubt, it’s a clever concept.

This current touring production has many strong aspects but also many aspects that detract. I’m going to accentuate the positive. Antony Lawrence is excellent as Shrek; gross and imposing at first, but we quickly warm to him as a caring character, and for a big chap he’s surprisingly nimble on his feet. On the subject of dancing, Joanne Clifton’s Princess Fiona makes the best of all her choreographic options and gives a lively performance, although a little too Violet Elizabeth Bott for my liking – you can just imagine her saying she’ll scream and scream until she’s sick. Talking of which, Nick Winston’s choreography for the show is outstanding, and the ensemble do an excellent job of filling the stage with superb dancing.

Brandon Lee Sears gives probably the best performance of the evening as the Donkey, cavorting himself into all sorts of asinine (literally) poses in a hilarious and endearing manner. Mind you, for me, the donkey was always the star of the film, and Eddie Murphy’s voicing of the part is one of the best cartoon interpretations ever. But Mr Sears more than meets that challenge. The scene between him and Mr Lawrence when the two characters finally reaffirm their friendship was genuinely affecting.

Cherece Richards, who plays the dragon standing at the front of a three-woman puppet operating team, has a powerful and charismatic voice. But here come two insuperable hurdles where this production fails. The sound quality is, frankly, awful. Especially in the group singing scenes, barely a word can be identified from the tinny and shouty noise bombarding you from the stage. Consequently it’s impossible to appreciate or assess the music and lyrics. There’s a scene towards the end of the second act where the fairytale characters decide to stage a coup against Farquaad which includes an argument between Pinocchio and the Gingerbread Man. I know this because I read the synopsis on Wikipedia. However, during the performance I had absolutely no idea any of this was occurring. The words were indecipherable!

And then there’s Lord Farquaad. In the film, he is a duplicitous, spoilt, evil figure; but hilariously funny, responsible for almost as many laughs as the Donkey. When I saw this show in 2018, Farquaad was played by Samuel Holmes, who co-directs this production, and he brightened up the stage every time he appeared. Sadly, for some reason, the role has been reimagined in this show. James Gillan’s performance has reduced the character to a mere prancing fop. There’s no sense of evil, or manipulation; and whilst you feel he is still meant to be a tiny chap (in so many ways), the production does not present him in that way. Few of his lines landed; and his despatch at the end by the angry dragon, which ought to be a moment of great cheering and celebration, was about as stunning as the arrival of a rail replacement bus. Hugely disappointing.

It’s a shame because the whole cast put a massive effort into the performance, but a lot of it goes to waste. Many of the characterisations that are meant to be funny – Farquaad, Pinocchio, Gingy – are just irritating. There were many children seated around us for the show and they were brimming with excitement and expectation at the beginning, but none of them bothered to get up for the I’m a Believer finale, which I think speaks volumes. If only they could tone the noise down and make the words clearer, it would be a much more entertaining show. I’m awarding this one more star than it strictly deserves simply because Brandon Lee Sears is so good. After its week in Northampton, the production moves on to Canterbury, and then spends six weeks at London’s Eventim Apollo in the summer.