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Review of the Year 2024 – The Fourteenth Annual Chrisparkle Awards

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Greetings again, gentle reader, to the glamorous showbiz highlight of the year, the announcement of the annual Chrisparkle Awards for 2024. This year was a record-breaker for me in that I saw 254 productions throughout the year – three more than last year; and that’s an awful lot of shows! Eligibility for the awards means a) they were performed in the UK and b) I have to have seen the shows and reviewed them in the period 10th January 2024 to 4th January 2025. Are you all sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin!

 

The first award is for Best Dance Production (Contemporary and Classical)

This includes dance seen at the Edinburgh Fringe, however none of the top three comes from that prestigious festival! These are the top three:

In 3rd place, the informal collection of dances by stars of the future in Birmingham Royal Ballet BRB2, Carlos Acosta’s Classical Selection, at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in May.

In 2nd place, the powerful Romeo and Juliet performed by Northern Ballet in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in September.

In 1st place, the irrepressible Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, performed by New Adventures at Sadlers Wells, London, in December.

 

Classical Music Concert of the Year.

We saw three classical concerts this year, all by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal and Derngate in Northampton. The award for the best goes to their Film Music Gala in November.

 

Best Entertainment Show of the Year.

This means anything that doesn’t fall into any other categories – for example pantos, circuses, revues and anything else hard to classify. Here are the top three:

In 3rd place, our local pantomime, Cinderella at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in December.

In 2nd place, the extraordinary spectacular extravaganza that is Robin Hood at the London Palladium in December.

In 1st place, the outstanding and uniquely successful Snow White at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, in December.

 

Best Star Standup of the Year.

Last year this award was combined with the Comedy Crate/Screaming Blue Murder award, but this year the committee decided to return to its previous practice of splitting them in two. So here are the top five performances by Star Standups in 2024:

In 5th place, the effortlessly compelling humour of Sarah Keyworth in her My Eyes Are Up Here Tour, at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in September.

In 4th place, the daring and groundbreaking comedy of Omid Djalili as part of the Mixed Bill Megashow at the Royal and Derngate in April.

In 3rd place, the return of the OG PC comedian par excellence, Ben Elton in his Authentic Stupidity Tour at the Royal and Derngate in November.

In 2nd place, the utterly hysterical and always reliable Sarah Millican in her Late Bloomer Tour at the Royal and Derngate in January.

In 1st place, a comedian with a unique place in the nation’s heart, Guz Khan in his Live Tour at the Milton Keynes Theatre in January.

 

Best Comedy Crate/Screaming Blue Murder Standup of the Year

In 5th place, the experienced and consummate comedian Richard Morton (Screaming Blue Murder – March)

In 4th place, the fabulous Maisie Adam (Comedy Crate Edinburgh Preview Weekender – July)

In 3rd place, the total superstar that is Jen Brister (Comedy Crate – March)

In 2nd place, the evergreen and always deeply creative, Paul Sinha (Comedy Crate – September)

In 1st place, for the second year running, the comedy powerhouse that is Tom Stade (Comedy Crate Edinburgh Preview – July)

 

Best Musical.

I saw fourteen musicals this year, by far the majority were revivals, which just goes to show how difficult it can be to find a new musical! Seven made the shortlist and here’s the top five:

In 5th place, a show that’s just going to grow and grow over the years, Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 4th place, a superbly enjoyable production of a favourite show, Hello Dolly at the London Palladium, in July.

In 3rd place, a show that has become synonymous with the kindness of the human spirit, the touring production of Come From Away at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in March.

In 2nd place, the amazingly successfully revitalised Oliver! at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in September.

In 1st place, despite a couple of criticisms of its updating, there is no finer musical than A Chorus Line, at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in July.

I must make an honourable mention of the wonderful Our Little Hour that ran for three nights at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in October. It’s impossible to compare it with the other huge productions here, but it fully deserved its five stars from me!

 

Best New Play.

Just to clarify, this is my definition of a new play, which is something that’s new to me and to most of its audience – so it might have been around before but on its first UK tour, or a new adaptation of a work originally in another format. Just like last year, we saw eighteen new plays this year, but I only awarded five stars to two of them; I’m definitely getting stricter in my old age!

In 5th place, Apphia Campbell’s incredible one woman play inspired by the life of Nina Simone, Black is the Color of my Voice at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in February.

In 4th place, Mike Poulton’s riveting adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s novel about Mary Boleyn, The Other Boleyn Girl, at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in May.

In 3rd place, the thrillingly unusual and highly entertaining account of the Rolling Stones, Marianne Faithfull and the young Nigel Havers, Charlotte Jones’ Redlands, at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in October.

In 2nd place, a terrifying look at modern day democracy, David Edgar’s The New Real for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, in October.

In 1st place, Emma Rice’s stunning, heartwarming and endlessly fascinating adaptation of Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in April.

 

Best Revival of a Play.

I saw twenty-two revivals, leading to a shortlist of eight, and here’s the very closely fought top five:

In 5th place, the RSC’s laugh-a-second production of Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in June.

In 4th place, the immaculate acting and characterisations in Pinter’s still immensely powerful The Caretaker, at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in June.

In 3rd place, the joyful inventiveness of the RSC’s sensational Twelfth Night, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December.

In 2nd place, the RSC’s literally magical production of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in February.

In 1st place, the captivatingly hilarious and outrageous production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, for the National Theatre at the Lyttelton Theatre, London, in December.

As always, in the post-Christmas season, it’s time to consider the turkey of the year – and whilst it very nearly went to the ambitious but falling-short-of-the-mark Spymonkey’s The Frogs at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, the most disappointing production I saw all year was the RSC’s Othello at Stratford’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Now we come on to our four categories specifically for the Edinburgh Fringe. The first is:

 

Best play or musical – Edinburgh

I would normally have included musicals in with the “Best of the Rest” category, but I feel it is more appropriate to include them in the “Best Play” category. We saw 90 productions of plays and musicals in Edinburgh this year, 13 of them got 5* from me, and here are the top 5:

In 5th place, Sarah Cameron-West’s self-performed hilarious and memorable journey through heartbreak and beyond, KAREN (Underbelly Cowgate)

In 4th place, another extraordinary one-woman play, about how a celebrant can become triggered by their work, Catafalque, written by Amy Conway and produced by Scissor Kick (Summerhall)

In 3rd place, a hilarious play that made you look at a familiar story from a completely different direction, Galahad Takes a Bath, written by Jojo Jones and produced by Juggler’s Mistake (Zoo Southside)

In 2nd place, a moving and superbly structured musical based on a true story, Our Little Secret: The 23andMe Musical, written by Noam Tomaschoff and Ryan Peters and produced by Russell Citron (Gilded Balloon Patter House)

In 1st place, the brilliantly created, extremely funny and superbly performed look at living with Climate Change, Weather Girl, written by Brian Watkins (Summerhall)

 

Best Individual Performance in a Play or Musical – Edinburgh

As always, an impossible choice, and it’s as close as close can be. Nevertheless, here are the top five:

In 5th place, Lucas English for The Shadow Boxer (TheSpace @ Niddry Street)

In 4th place, Forest Malley for Galahad Takes a Bath (Zoo Southside)

In 3rd place, Jennifer Vuletic for MILF and the Mistress (TheSpace @ Niddry Street)

In 2nd place, Julia McDermott for Weather Girl (Summerhall)

In 1st place, Noam Tomaschoff for Our Little Secret: The 23andMe Musical (Gilded Balloon Patter House)

 

Best Comedy Performance – Edinburgh

A change from previous years, where this category was entitled Best Stand-up Comedy Show; this now includes sketch shows and otherwise undefinable comedy performances! We saw fifty-five comedy shows this year, but only six received 5* from me, and here are my top five:

In 5th place, boldly going where angels fear to tread, Garry Starr with his Classic Penguins show (Pleasance Courtyard)

In 4th place, the clever combination of brilliant comedy with a touch of sadness, Tom Greaves with his Fudgey show (Assembly Roxy)

In 3rd place, the irresistibly engaging Josh Jones with his Put a Sock in It show (Monkey Barrel at the Tron)

In 2nd place, the innately funny Robin Grainger with his beautifully structured Refurb show (The Stand Comedy Club 2)

In 1st place, the incredibly inventive and outrageously funny Emma Sidi with her Emma Sidi is Sue Gray show (Pleasance Courtyard)

 

Best of the rest – Edinburgh

From a shortlist of eight, here are my top five:

In 5th place, the amazing magic and entertainment of Pete Heat: Bogus (Pleasance Dome)

In 4th place, the terrific cabaret combination of Frances Ruffelle and Norman Bowman in The Scot and the Showgirl  (Pleasance Dome)

In 3rd place, a true tour de force by Sarah Louise Young in I Am Your Tribute (Voodoo Rooms)

In 2nd place, fantastic music delivered with a message for the world, Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret (Pleasance Dome)

In 1st place, and I still don’t know why she hasn’t been given her own chat show, the incredibly entertaining Mhairi Black: Politics isn’t For Me (Gilded Balloon at the Museum)

Unlike last year, I didn’t award any Edinburgh shows the dreaded One Star review. However, there are still several contenders for this year’s Edinburgh turkey, of which I feel I must draw to your attention two; FUFC (TheSpace on the Mile) had a powerful message about prostate cancer but was poorly written and acted, and almost the opposite, Nerine Skinner’s The Exorcism of Liz Truss (Just the Tonic at the Caves) boasts a brilliant impersonation of Liz Truss but dull material that goes nowhere.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical.

Time to get personal. Here’s the top five:

In 5th place, Jenna Russell as Irene in Hello Dolly at the London Palladium in July.

In 4th place, Georgina Onuorah as both Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, in December, and as Lois in Kiss Me Kate at the Barbican Theatre, London, in July.

In 3rd place, Kat Ronney as Rose in Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 2nd place, Molly Lynch as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in December.

In 1st place, Imelda Staunton as Dolly in Hello Dolly at the London Palladium in July.

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical.

Here’s the top five:

In 5th place, David Seadon-Young as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in December.

In 4th place, Marley Fenton as Danny in Grease at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in May.

In 3rd place, Jordan Luke Gage as Cal in Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 2nd place, Layton Williams as Seaman/Iceberg in Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 1st place, Simon Lipkin as Fagin in Oliver! at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in September.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Play.

Seventeen in the longlist, and six in the shortlist, and here’s the top five:

In 5th place, Apphia Campbell as Nina Simone in Black is the Color of my Voice, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in February.

In 4th place, Martina Laird as Rachel Moss in The New Real, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, in October.

In 3rd place, Freema Ageyman as Olivia in Twelfth Night, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December.

In 2nd place, Jodie Whittaker as The Duchess in The Duchess, at the Trafalgar Theatre, London,in November.

In 1st place, Sharon D Clarke as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, at the National Theatre Lyttelton, in December.

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Play.

Twenty-one in the longlist and ten in the shortlist, each of whom could easily deserve the award, However, here is the top five:

In 5th place, Luke Thompson as Berowne in Love’s Labour’s Lost, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon in April.

In 4th place, Hugh Skinner as Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest, at the National Theatre Lyttelton, in December.

In 3rd place, Ncuti Gatwa as Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, at the National Theatre Lyttelton, in December.

In 2nd place, Ian McDiarmid as Davies in The Caretaker, at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in June.

In 1st place, Mathew Baynton as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in February.

 

Congratulations to the winners, commiserations to the losers and thanks for your company again throughout the year, gentle reader. Here’s to another year full of artistic excellence!

Review – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, RSC at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 13th February 2024

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What better way to spark up a cold and wet Midwinter Night’s Theatregoing than with a jolly Midsummer Night’s Dream? A tonic for the senses and a giggle for the soul – and let’s face it, we could all do with some of that nowadays. However, Shakespeare’s early hit isn’t all beer and skittles. Egeus threatens his daughter Hermia with all the force of the Athenian law if she does not give in to his demands that she marry his choice of suitor, Demetrius, rather than her choice, Lysander. If she disobeys, then it’s the option of death or get thee to a nunnery (wrong play, but you get my drift). Not many giggles in that.

OberonMeanwhile, things are not that harmonious in the Land of the Fairies either. Oberon and Titania have quarrelled over an Indian changeling whom Oberon wants as a page, but Titania wants to keep because his mother was one of her worshippers. Like Egeus, Oberon chooses to wreak revenge and punish his Queen by making her love someone (or indeed, something) that she wouldn’t normally choose to love – the first thing she sees when waking up from a drug-induced coma – thus humiliating and ridiculing her. Not many giggles in that either.

Bottom and TitaniaExcept, of course, there are; loads of them, as it’s Bottom the weaver whom she first sees, but not before Oberon’s impish partner-in-mischief, Puck, has transformed him into an ass. Bottom is one of the troupe of rude mechanicals who are rehearsing a play for Theseus’ and Hippolyta’s upcoming nuptials, thereby creating a link between the court and fairyland. Anyway, I shouldn’t be telling you the plot – you either already know it or, if you don’t, for heaven’s sake, this play has been performed since 1596, where on earth have you been all this time?

BallsDirector Eleanor Rhode’s production largely dismisses the danger lurking beneath the surface of Hermia’s and Titania’s predicaments and goes straight for the funnybone. The production relies heavily on three Ms: modernity, music and magic – and it’s a winning combination. The costumes are contemporary, and the characterisations distinctly 21st century. Will Gregory’s incidental music is more than just incidental music. It’s instantly arresting, powerful, tuneful and, frankly, worthy of an album release.

LightingAnd the magic is, well, magic. John Bulleid has created a genuinely magical landscape as the setting, from puffball lighting all around the stage that changes colour with the moods, to vibrating seats, plastic balls descending from the Gods, darting lights, twirling flowers in the ether, characters that levitate or disappear beneath the stage, and much more. Perhaps the biggest surprise of all is that none of this feels gimmicky. It takes you in and treats you to three hours of a magical environment that feels completely in keeping with the play.

Theseus and HippolytaThere’s also plenty of magic from the excellent performances. The evening starts with a hilarious scene between Bally Gill’s Theseus and Sirine Saba’s Hippolyta; him, awkward, bumbling around the stage, eager to please like Rishi Sunak in pinching shoes, and her, serious, judgmental, realising that if there’s a job to be done round here, she’d better do it herself. I don’t think I’ve ever seen that scene performed with such instant appeal and humour whilst still giving a direct insight into their relationship. The power is reversed in their characterisations as Oberon and Titania, where he is master of all – and everyone – he surveys, and she is subservient – until she gets her hands on Bottom, so to speak.

Lysander and HermiaThe change-partners foursome of Hermia, Helena, Demetrius and Lysander are all played with an eye to the humorous potential with a particularly physically comic performance from Ryan Hutton as Lysander, hurling himself (literally) into amorous enthusiasm while Dawn Sievewright’s Hermia battles against a progressively heavier rucksack. Boadicea Ricketts’ Helena adopts an Only Way is Essex style – the only thing missing were the occasional wotevs or you go gurl. Neil McCaul plays the gruff Egeus with disciplinary strictness – although his facial expressions during the Pyramus and Thisbe debacle are a sheer delight. Adrian Richards steals all his scenes as a Philostrate who’s the ultimate MC; I’m sure in his spare time he introduces boxing matches.

Snug and QuinceHelen Monks makes a great Peter (or in this case Rita) Quince, enthusiastically shepherding her team of budding actors and shaping them up to performance level – and providing hilarious stage management during that final scene. Laurie Jamieson, Mitesh Soni, Tom Xander and Emily Cundick give brilliant support as the thespian tradesmen; Ms Cundick’s appearance as the Wall will live on as a comic highlight for many a moon. For our performance, Premi Tamang, who normally plays Starveling, took on the role of Puck and was marvellously mischievous throughout, and everyone puts in a terrific and committed performance.

BottomBut the evening belongs to Mathew Baynton as Bottom. He makes the over-ambitious wannabe star truly shine with his brilliant physicality; and portraying Pyramus with pompous, Nureyev-like grace is a stroke of comic brilliance. Be prepared for a wonderfully over-the-top death that has you cringing in your seat. It is probably the funniest Pyramus and Thisbe I’ve ever seen.

PuckA feast of technical delights, with superb lighting, sound, visual and magical effects. They chose to accentuate the comedy – and boy did they hit the target. This dream of a Dream runs until 30th March – do not hesitate to buy your tickets.

 

 

 

Production photos by Pamela Raith

Five Alive Let Theatre Thrive!

Review – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Bridge Theatre, 13th July 2019

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Last year the Bridge removed all its stalls seats for a gloriously exciting promenade production of Julius Caesar. This year, they’ve only gone and done it again – for Nicholas Hytner’s new production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, an old perennial favourite that can withstand the tests of time and whatever bright inventive ideas an innovative director can throw at it. Over the years, Dream has learned to stand on its own two feet; I’ve never yet seen a production that I didn’t like, because there’s always so much fun to be squeezed out from squabbling lovers, ruthless fairies and a starstruck weaver. It lends itself to updating too; I was just a bit too young to have seen the famous Peter Brook production, but that concept of aerial fairies has never quite gone away.

It’s always a pleasure to write about a production that gives so much joy, happiness and sheer delight. Mr Hytner’s version is a dream of a Dream. Inventive, cheeky, bang up-to-date; playing with the storyline but still respectful of the original and its characters. Before the show started, I noted that the programme gave the factual, but enigmatic statement: “around 300 lines have been reassigned”. I hadn’t read any reviews in advance, so didn’t know what to expect; and if you’re in the same position, gentle reader, and don’t want a big surprise to be spoiled, I will completely understand if you now X me out at the corner of the page and read no more. Because the surprise is a thing of beauty.

“I jest to Oberon”, Puck normally explains, in his introductory speech, to the unnamed fairy at the beginning of Act Two. Instead, “I serve Titania”, says this Puck, with an accent straight up from the Black Country, looking like a cross between the late lamented Rik from The Young Ones and Keith from The Prodigy. By serving Titania rather than Oberon, that means she’s going to play a trick on him, rather than the other way round. So it’s Oberon’s eyes who receive the Love-in-Idleness treatment, and who therefore becomes besotted with Bottom when he awakes. And how does that make Bottom feel? You’ll just have to see this production for yourself to find out.

Bunny Christie comes up trumps as usual with a superb set, full of trickery and surprises; a Perspex box for Hippolyta’s first appearance (she has been captured by Theseus at war, after all); an Athenian forest liberally sprinkled with brass bedsteads for the lovers’ sleep-out adventures; and a range of fabric trapezes for Puck and the fairies’ general use (see Para 1, Peter Brook reference.) Hermia and Helena appear in monastic grey, in contrast with their suitors’ sharp suits; but no one’s as splendidly clad as Theseus/Oberon, which strangely adds to his slight fragility and insecurity. Grant Olding’s original music is both haunting and happy; and if ever there was an award for the Best Ever Use of Johnny Nash in a West End Play – this is your winner.

There’s the always thorny decision to be taken when it’s a promenade production; do you stand or do you sit? At two hours forty minutes, plus the interval, depending on your level of fitness, it can take it out on both the feet and the back. And there will always be moments when you’re simply in the wrong place at the wrong time, and you just won’t see what everyone else sees. I know that Hippolyta did a great visual reaction in the first scene from the guffaws from the audience; but another of the characters was right in my way so I’ve no idea what she actually did. But for every naff moment like that, there’s the chance of a golden moment; we were right there when Helena was spoiling for a fight against Hermia, and when Oberon was going to get it on with Bottom; and Snug and I exchanged thumbs ups when Pyramus and Thisbe was chosen as the entertainment for the Duke’s nuptials. The best seated position is almost certainly the front row of Gallery One; but, despite all its complications, you can’t beat the thrill of being up close and personal with the cast in the pit. And the party end to the show is by far best enjoyed by the promenaders. Those in the seats looked on like they’d been left out of the invitations, whilst we were chucking enormous moon balls at each other and boogying with Puck and Demetrius.

Whilst there are serious aspects to the play – Egeus, after all, is preparing to have his daughter killed if she does not bend to his will as to whom she should marry, and Theseus is on his side in this matter – this production concentrates unashamedly on the humour. Not only from the role-reversals of Oberon and Titania, but also with a beautiful mesh of modern-day asides alongside the Elizabethan text. Seeking a calendar, Bottom borrows a mobile phone off a member of the audience (and you can guess how well that can go down). Theseus and Hippolyta critique the mechanicals with a modern twist; the preferment of Pyramus and Thisbe is shown in X-Factor terms; oh, yes, and there’s that Johnny Nash moment, as well as Beyoncé and Dizzee Rascal. Not like the Athens I’ve visited at all.

Although it is very much an ensemble piece there are a number of absolute stand-out performances. Oliver Chris is a very majestic Theseus who adores the sound of his own stentorian voice; the kind of authority figure who doesn’t walk, he sweeps; yet he retains a slight air of doubt, perfectly seen when Theseus talks to Bottom in Act Five and wonders if he remembered him from some vague encounter…? Gwendoline Christie is superb as the statuesque, no-nonsense Hippolyta and a most mischievous Titania. David Moorst is a fantastically agile and attitude-filled Puck; not one of the usual cutesy fairy characters, you could easily imagine this one beating you up behind the bikesheds if you got in his way. Perhaps funniest and most endearing of all, Hammed Animashaun is unbeatable as Bottom; a big kid who’ll sulk his way into the best parts, with a fantastic, larger-than-life chuckle and a huge heart to spread the positive energy of this play.

Isis Hainsworth and Tessa Bonham Jones are excellent as Hermia and Helena, Miss Jones taking every opportunity to mine the humour out of the character, and Miss Hainsworth feisty and fighty; as their suitors Paul Adeyefa and Kit Young make an enjoyable double act as the brash Demetrius and Lysander. In another sex change, Felicity Montagu turns in a brilliant comic performance as Mistress Quince, and all the other rude mechanicals make for a dream team of comedy; far and away the funniest portrayal of Pyramus and Thisbe (plus its rehearsals) that I’ve ever seen. And the supplementary fairies are all beautifully played with their face sparkles and acrobatic antics; butter wouldn’t melt when they’re in the sky, then they come down to earth and are – shall we say – delightfully human in their provision of comfort to Bottom the Ass.

Purists will be aghast. But the rest of us will absolutely love it. It’s playing at the Bridge right up until the end of August. That’s three shows this year that I’ve wanted to see again before we reached the interval; Company, Man of La Mancha, and now Midsummer Night’s Dream. So, how can I fit in another visit…?

Review – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Michael Grandage Company, Noel Coward Theatre, 2nd November 2013

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Our fourth visit to the Noel Coward theatre in the space of a year and the fourth different production of Midsummer Night’s Dream we’ve seen in the past few years. It’s another triumph as far as the Michael Grandage season is concerned, as it’s a dream of a “Dream”, played for merriment and pleasure to a packed house by a talented and committed cast who have a whale of a time doing it. The more I see this play, the more I enjoy it, especially its high jinks scenes of mistaken love between the four young lovers, but I also really enjoy the scene where Titania falls in love with Bottom, and the rehearsal scenes by Quince and his crew, culminating in their final performance of the notable tragi-comedy “Pyramus and Thisbe”. Gifted actors and directors can create splendid comedy out of these scenes and that’s certainly what Michael Grandage has achieved with this production.

But I’m getting ahead of myself. You’d guess from the way that the Athenian Court is dressed in the opening scene that we’re somewhere in the early 20th century – smart, stylish but not overly vivacious in appearance. Fairyland, on the other hand, is like the set from “Hair”, with its inhabitants in a perpetual stage of inner peace and hallucination brought on by their wacky baccy. With this play, the more up-to-date the setting, the more you feel you can relate to the characters, which in turn sharpens the humour. However, none of this really matters, because the essence of the story is timeless; as Jenny Wren sings in “Barnum”, “love makes such fools of us all”.

Padraic Delaney and Sheridan Smith make a very mild mannered, democratic almost, Duke Theseus and Hippolyta. Mr Delaney (an excellent Babbybobby in The Cripple of Inishmaan, the previous Grandage play at this theatre) listens fairly and tries to be constructive in determining Egeus’ complaint about his daughter Hermia’s intransigency in whom she will agree to marry; Miss Smith meanwhile politely takes a backseat and won’t dream of interfering in matters of state; but both giggle like naughty young lovers when they think no one is watching. As Oberon, Mr Delaney is a very mischievous king of the fairies, not as angry as sometimes he is portrayed; and Miss Smith is an enchanting Titania, extremely laid back and content with the company of her pot-fuelled posse.There’s almost something of Edwin Drood’s Princess Puffer to her characterisation. It’s no secret; I am a little bit in love with Sheridan Smith (who isn’t?), and it only takes a certain smile to get your toes tingling. Gavin Fowler’s Puck is a cheeky chap – he and Oberon make a right pair of lads in their “love-in-idleness” “let’s anoint everyone’s eyes with love potion” games. He’s not really how I would imagine a merry wanderer of the night to look – he’s more the kind of guy you’d share a few pints down the pub with. But it works as a partnership. Leo Wringer brings just the right level of proper decency mixed with a touch of savage spite in his brief appearances as Egeus.

I always love the bickering and romantic and/or sexual confusion between Hermia and Helena, Lysander and Demetrius, and this winsome foursome are no different. Susannah Fielding’s Hermia is rather precious and spoilt, and with a hilariously surprising proclivity to turn nasty in a fight; Katherine Kingsley’s Helena is delightfully furious at how she is treated by the others whether they appear to be in love with her or not, and has an unsurprising proclivity to turn nasty in a fight. There’s not a lot of character difference between Sam Swainsbury’s Lysander (a sensitive Cartwright in Privates on Parade, the first play in this season) and Stefano Braschi’s Demetrius (whose versatility brought alive several minor roles in Peter and Alice, the second) – they even wear the same Athenian standard issue underpants. Nevertheless, all four turn in exceptional comic performances, and their lengthy scenes in the forest are stuffed full of physical comedy that must be choreographed precisely within an inch of its life for it to look so slick.

And then, of course, there are the rude mechanicals. Confession time: I am not a particular fan of David Walliams; that’s not to say I don’t like him but Mrs Chrisparkle and I have managed largely to avoid Little Britain and his other TV comedy roles. However, I have to say, his Bottom is officially fabulous. Very camp, he plays him as the forest’s biggest luvvie and it works a treat. The whole performance is crammed with comedy gesture that is never quite over-the-top and would be completely appropriate to an old acting ham like Bottom. Whether it’s constantly running his hand over Flute’s face, taking odd words and giving them a life of their own (“some man or other must present WALL!”), eyeing up his colleagues in a not entirely platonic manner whilst they’re not looking, or encouraging some enforced(let’s not beat about the bush) fellatio in Pyramus’ elongated death scene, his performance is a total joy from start to finish. As Miss Smith is diminutive, Mr Walliams is tall and imposing – visually, they make a very nice comedy juxtaposition. Richard Dempsey has an effective line in intellectual geek in his portrayal of Peter Quince, and the other mechanicals all make the best of their traditional dimwit characters and acting performances. I make a very appreciative mention of Jack Brown, the understudy appearing in the role of Flute, who made an almost attractive Thisbe and brought the house down with the sheer stupidity of his final scene – great stuff.

All the Grandage season plays have been absolutely top-notch so far and this is no exception. Unashamedly funny all the way through; I can’t recommend it too highly. We haven’t booked to see Jude Law in Henry V – but I do hope that Mr Grandage puts together another similar season in the near future.

Review – A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 24th April 2013

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The programme notes for this new production of Midsummer Night’s Dream include a quote from Samuel Pepys, who in 1662 described it as “the most insipid, ridiculous play that I ever saw in my life…nor shall ever again”. Well he didn’t know much about theatre, did he? Although I must confess I was a little disappointed when I first heard that this play would be in this year’s repertoire, only because we’ve already seen it twice very recently, and this would become the third time in three years – and indeed, we are also booked to see the Michael Grandage production in London in November. However, this new offering at the Royal and Derngate is such a funny, warm-hearted production, that within about four seconds of its starting I was hooked and after five minutes I remembered that you simply can’t have too much Midsummer Night’s Dream.

This production is directed by Gary Sefton, who, along with the R&D’s ex-artistic director Laurie Sansom, has provided us with some of the most memorable plays in Northampton since we’ve been here. Travels with My Aunt, Diary of a Nobody and A Christmas Carol all had his hallmark combination of clear story telling and inventively comic staging, with an emphasis on revealing the characters’ own funny little ways. And now we can add his Dream to his Northampton canon; a tight, pacey, eight-strong production that takes a few liberties with Will’s script – and why not – which make the story easier to follow and play it for laughs.

Ti Green has designed what appears to be quite a stark set at first, but as the play progresses you realise it has a life of its own, and the cascading sheets of coloured material that fall from heaven make an excellent visual contrast with the barren darkness beneath. I love the way the set changes at Puck’s behest; walls move, windows descend to his whim, like some mystic orchestra conductor. Although Oberon is the boss I get the feeling that Puck is in charge of this particular Dream. Colin Ryan appears at first as a very Puck-like Philostrate, Master of the Revels, and with a sinister smile he assumes blue surgical gloves to start his “operations”. It was Mrs Chrisparkle who pointed out to me that the blue streaks that appear on the characters faces and bodies once they are out in the wilds of fairyland show that they are under his influence – basically, they’ve been Pucked; a round of applause to her for that insight. Jon Nicholls’s effective music is at times eerie, at times sweet and really enhances the sense of otherworldliness.

The opening scene of this play can sometimes be a bit heavy handed with exposition, but here it’s as fresh as a daisy and crystal clear as to what’s going on. The characterisation is so instantly appealing that you can’t wait to see how these four (potential) lovers sort their relationships out. It’s also a delight to meet the rude mechanicals, the parts doubled up by the actors you’ve already met in the previous scene, with a female Quince, a scouse Flute, a falsetto Snout and an earnest and enthusiastic Bottom. A very regal Titania, a noble Oberon and real young fairies with genuine fairy-dust complete the cast. There were just two directorial decisions we didn’t quite agree with – Mrs C didn’t really like Bottom’s ass projectiling a dump; mainly because for the rest of the scene the actors ended up kicking it around the stage. And I wasn’t that keen on seeing Bottom’s bottom as he walked up the stairs and offstage – yes it’s a laugh, but quite a cheap one and doesn’t add to your understanding of the character or the play.

Apart from that, everything works like a midsummer night’s dream. Silas Carson’s Theseus is authoritative but kind, dispensing his ducal wisdom and gently mocking the idiotic rural actors. His Oberon is more generally decent than others I have seen, and when he realises his joke on Titania has gone too far he really seems to have trickster’s remorse. And I loved his beginning of Act Two entrance. Amy Robbins as Hippolyta has a great line in charmingly elegant teasing and her reactions to the ghastly Pyramus and Thisbe really made us laugh. As Titania she is both temptress and harridan. When she was tearing strips off Oberon, I thought, you really wouldn’t want to get into an argument with her; but her erotic appreciation of Bottom’s ass was the most convincing and delightful I’ve seen.

Naomi Sheldon gives a wonderful comic performance as Hermia, the nice little rich girl who has an eye for a bit of rough. There’s a fantastically funny fight scene where she accidentally gets involved, and her physical comedy that follows is just brilliant. She’s also very funny as Mistress Quince, the long-suffering director; traces of Wigan in her clipped accent I thought, and the very embodiment of Wall (isn’t that usually Snout’s gig?) Frances McNamee’s Helena is part sexy secretary, part oafish desperada throwing herself at the uninterested Demetrius and generally being run ragged round the forest; a terrific performance. Her Snug reminded me of a mid 1980s Victoria Wood creation, all introvert and tea and buns for one, until she lets rip as the lion. Well roared, lion.

Oliver Gomm’s Lysander is a brilliant comic creation – shifty, snide, and totally lacking in the good grace that Egeus demands for his daughter. When he falls under Puck’s spell and turns his affections towards Helena, he does it with such sudden comic energy it takes your breath away. His Flute sounds like a rustic Steven Gerrard and does a memorable comic turn as Thisbe, with a ridiculous drawn-out death scene that warrants its own round of applause.Charlie Archer as Demetrius represents all the dull respectability that Lysander isn’t, smug and toffee-nosed but never a caricature, and also bringing superb physical comedy to the role. Stripped to their Long Johns, Lysander and Demetrius have a brilliant boxing scene, and it’s comedy magic. As the high-pitched Snout, Mr Archer plays a hilariously simple soul who can just about portray moonshine, barely.

The role of Egeus is purely functional and doesn’t have much in it to make an actor shine, but as Bottom, Joe Alessi has enthusiastic attack, great comic timing and makes a superb, rather loveable ass.And finally Colin Ryan’s Puck is slippery and ethereal, dispensing joy and mystery wherever he goes; he looks perfect for the part and gives an eloquent Irish lilt to Shakespeare’s poetry. What you take home with you after this show is a feeling of satisfaction, of intelligent physical comedy, and above all the memories of a lot of laughs, and you can’t say fairer than that.