Edinburgh King’s Theatre

MAY 11th 2015

On our way to the King’s Theatre we kept our expectations fairly level, somewhere between an enthusiastic ‘It has to be good as Robert Webb is in it, it just has to!!’ and a solemn ‘How can anyone possibly improve on Fry & Laurie’s classic TV take?’.

It is always difficult to bring a fresh angle to plays and adaptations that are so well loved they’ve been done to death but this cast pulled it off with a flourish.

From the moment Webb stepped onstage in his roles as Bertie and narrator, he absolutely owned the role of Bertie Wooster, managing to combine moments of manic energy with the loveably vacuous demeanour of everyone’s favourite toff. His delivery was perfect and, once Wodehousian shenanigans were in full swing, the TV version vanished in a puff of smoke and laughter at this reincarnation. Webb is obviously a very clever man, to portray someone that obtuse with such acute aplomb.

The combination of dialogue interspersed with fast & furious set/prop changes (all of which were used as a complementary feature to the play itself and caused consistent amusement throughout) worked perfectly. Set & costume designer Alice Power is to be commended on this.

Jason Thorpe and Christopher Ryan had a much more demanding job as they played no less than three characters each, of both genders, requiring lightning-fast costume and voice changes but their consummate professionalism shone through- they never put a foot wrong, save for a brief moment of corpsing form Thorpe, which of course is no bad thing in an already rather surreal comedy, providing a moment of intimacy as the audience lapped up the chance to laugh with the actors and not just at them.

Thorpe lacked the height and solid, physical presence of other Jeeves actors however he shone in his various other guises as the socially inept, newt-fancying Gussie Fink-Nottle and most especially in a downright hilarious, absolutely inspired scene of him simultaneously playing the braying Sir Watkyn Basset and his not-so-innocent young ward, Miss Stiffy Byng- one to look out for!

Ryan speeds between between the long suffering, deferential Seppings the butler, Bertie’s eccentric Aunt Dahlia, whom he imbues with an air of the demented window-licker, the Scottish butler at Totleigh Towers (in essence a Scottish indentikit of Seppings, complete with ginger hair) and the lunatic Führer-like Spode, never once putting a foot wrong.

The beauty of P.G. Wodehouse was his ability to build a clever comedy of manners around the most ridiculous affairs and objects (in this case a cow-shaped creamer), giving us a ringside seat to the quirky strangeness of human interaction and often hinting at greater transgressions but never actually revealing them. This show had it all, and the lovely interior and perfect size of the King’s Theatre was the icing on the cake.

HIGHLIGHT OF THE SHOW: Slow motion scene involving cow creamer- simply inspired!

COULD HAVE DONE DIFFERENTLY: To see a woman play one of the multi-character roles would be a welcome and interesting twist .

Overall a funny, warm and engaging performance, ‘Perfect Nonsense’ was an all round success, even for those who are unfamiliar with the Jeeves & Wooster stories.

Reveiwer : Maya Moreno

Eden Court

Inverness

10th May

Having seen Dyad Production’s,  Female Gothic last year, I was looking forward to see this play about the iconic film star Marilyn Monroe, which imagines her recounting her life in her last hours before her death in August 1962, aged 36. While we can only speculate to what she may have thought about in her last moments, Elton Townsend Jones went to great lengths in his research to discover the real Marilyn beneath all the rumour and sensation.

On entering the theatre we were faced with a set, not to dissimilar to Tracy Emin’s “My Bed”. After sitting down, I realised there was a figure on the bed, which lay motionless until the audience settled and the lights went down and the white sixties telephone rings, no one is on the end, just an eerie crackling …..maybe death is calling?

Despite the fact Lizzie Wort only had a slight resemblance to Marilyn she managed capture her spirit, as she frolicked across the stage in her dressing gown, popping pills and candidly telling her story of marriages to Joe DiMaggio and Arthur Miller, tales of affairs and friendships, her career and the darker days of her childhood. Lizzie did an exceptional job of portraying this complex woman. Dyad seems to be the master of monologue as yet again this was a superbly put together production, with simple storytelling that kept me captivated for the whole hour.   FOUR STARS

Reviewer : Zoe Gwynne

Oran Mor

Play / Pie / Pint Season

16-22 May

£12

From out of the mini-country that is Glasgow comes this fine piece of native-born theatre, inking its way into the world along the pen of the award-winning Lou Prendergast. She presents us with the monologing Tommy, played by the talented & perfectly experienced Tom McGovern. Having been in & out of Barlinnie more than most folk go to Benidorm, Tommy is a hard-drinking, petty gambler & one of the characters Prendergast would have witnessed in her youth. Last year, her play Blood Lines brought the story of her gangster father to the stage, & this production seems a perfect spin-off off-shoot of that world.

The very cute Lou Prendergast

The story is set around trying to have a good Christmas for Tommy’s dying dad, with his ex-bird being invited along for good measure. McGovern brings these extra vocal parts into the story with expert changes of voice & mannerisms, & combining these skills with his phrenetic stage-presence really brings Prendergast’s vision to life. Colloquial as hell, as McGovern rattles through his lines we watchers really feel like we are in the heart of Glasgow, as indeed the Oran Mor theatre is.

Prendergast’s first effort at writing for the male voice is something of a triumph, pulling off all the nuances that are involved in the banter-driven patter of the modern man. Together with McGovern’s wonderful oratory skills, witty one-liners & a genuinely touching plot, this play is a true winner.

Reviewer : Damo Bullen

Eden Court – One Touch Theatre

Inverness

6th May

In her first Solo show, Fiona Geddes chose to write about her own personal experience of growing up with a mother who suffers from Schizo affective disorder. As a child, her situation seemed quite normal and within her family the word Schizophrenia was never ushered. With a simple set and clever use of lighting, Fiona uses direct address, but plays the role of her mother while recollecting child hood memories and also performs the role of three doctors who give varying advice about this mental health condition. There is lots of humour which provides some relief from sad and distressing scenarios from her childhood.

Though the story is based from her point of view as a daughter and carer, playing her mother does give some balance to the piece, but at times I couldn’t help but find it a bit one sided. While the play maintained a good pace, it did feel slightly too long. All in all though this was a honest, well written and performed piece that bravely tackles real issues.

Reviewer : Zoe Gwynne

Eden Court, Inverness

April 30th 2015 

This Comedy play by the well-known author Alan Ayckbourn.is probably the funniest of his Norman Conquests trilogy. We witness six characters & their tangling relationships over the course of a bank holiday summers weekend in a county house. The story follows the amorous Norman, his wife Ruth, her brother Reg and his wife Sarah, Ruth’s sister Annie, and Tom, Annie’s next-door-neighbour. This play centers mostly on Annie and her futile attempts at a romantic fling in East Grinstead with Norman and Norman’s attempts to woo anything with a skirt.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=CARG39s629I

The play was originally written and set in the seventies and for this production the set designers have perfectly reproduced a dining room of that time including horrific patterned carpets. Throughout Table Manners there I found many reminders of my parents’ observations life was in the seventies such as homemade wine brewed from various ingredients including carrots & food being made from a selection of tins as there were no shops open over the bank holiday weekend.

The play was well produced and well acted. Performances of note came from the misunderstood brother-in-law Norman and the long suffering Annie who had been left by the other family members to look after the aging mum (who you never see).I can recommend watching this wee gem : there is a smashing level of comedy throughout serving for an enjoyable evening’s entertainment.

Reviewer : Lucy Tonkin

Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

28th April to Saturday 9th May

*

*

We welcome to Edinburgh this remarkable play, which has been adapted from the 2003 award winning book by Mark Haddon, now acquired reading for GCSE. Directed by Marianne Elliott co director of War Horse fame, The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time is a story within a story. Christopher Boone is a young man who referes to himself only as “someone who has behavioural problems.” He has an exceptional brain, able to work out complicated mathematical problems and remember minute details. When he finds himself under stress he recites prime numbers. He dislikes strangers  and the colour yellow. Christopher is also not able to interpret human behavior and emotion and avoids human contact only touching a hand with his father as “sometimes he wants to give me a hug, but I do not like hugging people so we do this instead and it means that he loves me. ”

*

At exactly 7 minutes past midnight Christopher finds Wellington,  the dog of his neighbour, Mrs Shears, impaled with a garden fork. Immediately under suspicion he finds himself being questioned by a policeman his dislike of being touched causing him to lash out. He goes back home with his father  and is told to mind his own business.  His own detective work leads to the unlocking of long held family secrets that take Christopher on a terrifying journey both physical and emotional as he’s never left the street where he lives. Written as a first person narrative Christopher recounts the case, he has written it down in his book which Siobhan his life skills teacher has turned into a play.

*

*

The stage design by Bunny Christie is amazing : it’s like being inside a great big cube on which diagrams, maps, rail-tracks, sign posts and cascades of numbers flit across the walls in all directions. It’s an inspired representation of the sometimes chaotic workings of Christopher’s inner world. The physicality of the cast really bring his thoughts alive, while the sound and lighting also used to forceful effect both deafening and dazzling a complete assault on the senses : especially during Christopher’s train journey.

*

Borderline Theatre Company & Hirtle Productions

Eden Court – One Touch Theatre – Inverness

Borderline Theatre Company’s new presentation of The Straw Chair, which was last performed in 1988 has reawakened this script by renowned Scottish playwright Sue Glover (Bandages) and through its extensive tour of Scotland has brought it to audiences in the Highlands & Islands for the first time.

The story is based on Lady Grange (Selina Boyack) who was banished to a number of Scottish Islands including Hirta (St Kilda) by her unfaithful husband Lord Grange for being a problem wife. Imprisoned on this remote rural island, a far cry from her civilised life in Edinburgh she descends into madness and drink, her only comfort is a straw chair which she carries around with her. The arrival of the newly married minister Aneas (Martin McBride) and his teenage wife Isabel (Pamela Reid) provides a hope of getting a message to the outside world of her abduction and an unlikely friendship is struck up between Lady Grange and Isabel

Selina Boyaks imposing performance of Lady Grange as a wild, unkempt, outspoken, drunk and sex obsessed woman full of anger and frustration is in contrast to the austere Aneas who’s only initial concern is converting the Pagan inhabitants to Christianity. It is his young, sheltered wife Isabel who has the compassion and understanding to realise that Lady Grange is in most need of their help. The grounded character Oona (Ceit Kearney), who is an islander, paid to look after Lady Grange provides a balance between these opposing parts.

This is in no way a fast paced drama, but the characters slowly unfold and develop, it depicts how living on the beautiful but harsh environment of Hirta changes them, we watch Isabel caught between being the dutiful wife and standing up for her own convictions and how Aneas softens and is somewhat converted himself by the lives and values of the islanders. The evolving of the friendships and interaction between Lady Grange, Isabel and Oona, especially when they all get “intoxicated” on stolen brandy, not only provided humour but signifies how these strong females are striving for freedom and liberation in a time when women had little rights and were constrained by society.

 Reviewer : Zoe Gwynne

Kings Theatre,

Edinburgh

21-25 April 2015

Rachel Wagstaff’s powerful adaptation of the acclaimed 1993 Sebastian Foulkes novel, does justice to the memory of the fallen of WW1. The challenges of bringing a novel which follows the ‘sappers’ – the tunnellers’ whose job it was to tunnel underneath the enemy to lay mines – have been overcome by a superb production team.

The story is set in France during WW1 on the Western Front and follows the lives of a group of sappers in the awful conditions that they survived in a century ago. Living 80ft underground they were sleep-deprived, undertrained, and in constant threat of tunnel collapse, being blown up by enemy mines and being trapped until the oxygen ran out and they were asphyxiated.

The Officer in charge is Stephen Wraysford a man increasingly realising the futility of war as he witnesses all humanity being washed away in tunnels dripping with blood that seeps in from the shell-holes on the battlefield above. The use of flashbacks takes us back to Stephens’s life in Amiens, before the war, where he fell in love with a married Frenchwoman Isabelle Azair, played by Emily Bowker. These changes are handled with skill by the cast. Through watching the human casualties mount up Stephen rediscovers his own humanity as he finds himself trapped underground with Jack Firebrace (Peter Duncan) in the final scene.

The production captures the constricted and torturous lives the men lived. It manages to communicate their longing for family, and the close bonds that necessarily take the place of family on the front lines. The Set Design (Victoria Spearing) and eerie lighting design (Alex Wardle) add enormously to the atmosphere as does dramatic use of explosive sound effects. The stage design manages to cope admirable with the necessity of scenes as varied as tunnels, trenches and pre-war Amiens. A violinist and singing Cartwright character (James Findlay) adds occasional lamenting elements at appropriate moments of pathos.

Birdsong is an impressive and poignant production. The 12-strong cast put in strong performances, often doubling as other minor characters (my only gripe being a couple of wobbly accent) and even the programme is a wealth of information, not just on the show but also in historical context of WW1 – there is an excellent information pack available for download on the shows are welcome additions when dealing with such a monumental human tragedy. FOUR STARS

Reviewer : David McCaramba

Eden Court, Inverness

Sat 18th April

*

*

When I went to review this I had no idea what to expect I had invited my husband as I thought he would enjoy the subject matter of space. On going into the performance we were given head phones, this made me worry a bit to what I had taken him to.

*

There was no reason to be concerned, as on sitting down and putting the headphones on you are totally drawn into the world that is being created for you on the stage. I had read briefly the program which explained the performance would be telling two stories along side each other one about refugees fleeing from Mozambique to get to Spain, while the other story was detailing the 1st human going into space.  I wasn’t sure how this could work as the stories seemed too far removed from each other but the theme of human endeavor brings them both together, they are both life changing events driven by hope and dreams.

*

*

The audience and myself were totally drawn into this performance from start to end. In the beginning it is sound checks you hear, but even this draws you in, and each sound makes you want to see what happens next. Both stories are told through dialect and music with minimum actions. At a point in the play the performers want to convey the illusion that the performance is paused they do this by silence and standing dead still for what feels like minutes. It is a joy to watch how talented they all are.

*
The stories are told beautiful through the medium of speech, music and the projection of images on a large screen. If you have a chance to go and see this I would highly recommend I will be looking out for work by Kai Fischer in future a very talented director.

*

Reviewer : Lucy Tonkin

The King’s Theatre, Edinburgh

Tues 14th -Sat 18th April