Company - Sheffield Crucible 17/12/11

Well I certainly ended my 2011 theatregoing experience on a high, with an impromptu trip to Sheffield to see one of my favourite Sondheim musicals, Company, at the Crucible Theatre.

There really wasn't anything I could fault about this production, it was just a delight from start to finish. They had brought together an incredibly strong cast, it was brilliantly staged, had a wonderful set that allowed a great use of the space, and it was both funny in parts, and incredibly moving.

I loved Francesca Annis' portrayal of Joanne, and her drunken rant of 'Ladies Who Lunch' was just a delight. Samantha Spiro made a brilliant Amy and her 'Not Getting Married' was quite literally breathtaking (how any actress gets through that song without turning blue is beyond me!), and Damian Humbley as Harry has a voice that could melt Sheffield steel! But all the cast were just a delight.

Daniel Evans' portrayal of Bobby was wonderfully observed. Initially you see him as quite a shallow character, but there was a really clear point in the production, during the bouncy 'Side by Side / What Would We Do Without You' where you saw the depth and complexity of his emotions laid bare and your heart went out to him.

By the closing number 'Being Alive' I had a tear in my eye, party because of the emotion of the song, and partly because I just didn't want the show to end. I make no apologies for gushing, it was a gush worthy production and a great way to round off the year.

And on a side note, I don't know why I haven't been to Sheffield for theatrical jaunts before. Its incredibly easy to get to on the train, Sheffield itself seemed lovely (in complete contrast to the impressions I got on my last visit to the city for a uni interview quite a few years ago - actually when I realised how many years ago it was I felt ancient!), the Crucible staff are some of the most helpful and friendly I have come across and the ticket prices were amazingly good value. Looking at their exciting 2012 plans I suspect I'll be back!

Hope you like the festive picture - I can't tell you how long it took me to balance the programme on that tree!

Beautiful Thing - Royal Exchange Theatre - 12/11/11

Bit more formal than my usual style this one, but I was supposed to be writing it for a proper reviewing / writing opportunity that had come my way that has sadly fallen through. Oh well, never mind, when one door closes and all that......

Jonathan Harvey’s Beautiful Thing, directed by Sarah Frankcom, is the latest offering from Manchester’s Royal Exchange. Set on a London housing estate in a hot summer in the early 90’s, it centres on two under 16 year old boys, Jamie, and Ste, gradually coming to terms with their sexuality and growing attraction for one another.

There is a lot to like in this production. The simple but effective set, and clever use of sound and lighting, conjures up the oppressiveness of the estate and the summer heat perfectly. The cast give some fabulous performances, the stand out one for me being Claire – Louise Cordwell as the tough but kind hearted single mum Sandra – sharp tongued and abrasive at times, but also displaying great compassion for others and a fierce love for her son no matter what. The scene that follows her discovery of her son’s sexuality and relationship with Ste is particularly powerful, as she struggles with her love for her son, and her fear of the implications of their situation for both Jamie and Ste.

The relationship between Jamie (Matthew Tennyson) and Ste (Tommy Vine) is affectionately portrayed, and Ste’s acceptance as normal of the violence regularly meted out by his family is particularly heart wrenching. Tara Hodge, as the sassy neighbour Leah, expelled from school and putting on an outwardly tough mask whilst actually having great depths of feeling for life, and Alex Price as Sandra’s artist boyfriend Tony and his awkward attempts to bond with Jamie, complete an excellent cast.

What’s nice about this play is that it doesn’t feel issue led, its about real people, with their own unique faults and strengths. At its heart is a simple story of life and love – a mother’s unconditional love for her son, her search for a loving relationship, fulfilling job and escape from the estate, Leah’s search for meaning in life through the songs of Mama Cass (with a little help from mind altering substances) and two young people discovering love for the first time.

The first act took time to get into its stride, as it established the various participants, and the character of Leah, whilst well portrayed, felt under –explored to me. Also the use of the choir, whilst providing a lovely ending to the play, was such a fleeting appearance, that it felt a little incongruous.

Overall though this was a heart-warming play, with realistic characters that you cared about, and it provided a nice contrast to the darkness of this season’s Royal Exchange productions that preceded it.

Good - Royal Exchange, Manchester 22/10/11

The Royal Exchange's latest offering is a revival of C P Taylor's play, Good, set in 1930's Germany, as a Professor Halder, a man with a complicated home life (ill mother, neurotic wife, captivating student), gets increasingly caught up with the Nazi party.

The play is a complicated construct, jumping between situations and conversations in a non linear fashion, and also portraying Halder's inner thoughts and fantasies, including his tendancy to hear music in odd situations. I found it quite challenging to get used to its style to start with, and as such it was only on later reflection that I really picked up on some of the key threads. In fact, I don't think it was really until the second half when I really settled in to the style and pace of the play. But it was very clever in the way it portrayed the way an essentailly 'good' man was gradually sucked in to the sinister plans of the Nazi party, and the way his attitude to his Jewish friend, Maurice, changed over time.

Adrian Rawlins, as Halder, gave a fantastically energetic and accomplished performance. The play revolves around his character and as such he is on stage the whole time, switching from scene to scene, and from inner thoughts to dialogue at a breathtaking pace. His increasing alignment with the actions of the Nazi party was very disturbing and believeable.

The set design was simple but clever, although I wasn't wholly convinced by the big red curtain if I'm honest, seemed like a lot of effort for very little payoff! And there were some excellent effects incorporated into the action.

All in all a disturbing play, with a brilliant central performance, but quite exhausting to keep up with at times.

The Resonance of Seclusion - Whitworth Art Gallery 5/10/11

Tonight I went to an Art Gallery, to see a play about an artist, see I'm becoming quite the culture vulture! And it was an absolute delight!

I first heard about the development of this play on twitter of all things as the writer and director, Liz Postlethwaite, is from one of my favourite theatres, the Library Theatre Company. Her own company, Small Things, was developing a play based on the life of Joash Woodrow (1927 - 2006), a reclusive artist from Leeds who created an amazing body of work that only came to light, and to critical aclaim, after he moved to sheltered accomodation in 2000.

Anyway, Small Things set up a twitter feed, and by following that I was able to get an insight into the development of this project from concept to staging, which I found fascinating. So once the tickets were available I was straight on the phone to book my place (which was then followed by badgering my pals to come with me, Louise took up the challenge!)

So on a dark, rainy October night, we were ushered into the atmospheric setting of one of the galleries at the Whitworth, for the performance, and what an experience it was. A small cast, and a very simple set with minimal props, and no real 'off stage' area, and yet we saw Joash's family upbringing, education, withdrawal and eccentricities, family relationships, passion for his art, and eventual recognition.

It's hard to describe what was so magical about the production. It was a touching story, beautifully told and cleverly staged, in a very atmospheric setting. As it progressed the audience were completely capitvated. I just found myself totally lost in it. It was well constructed, good characterisations, with some nice touches of humour and an obvious affection for its subjects.

It seems a bit mean, in such a small and good cast, to single out performances but I am going to anyway! Lowri Evans played a number of characters, and even without the costumes changes, they were so well observed that you would have known exactly who each were as soon as she entered. And Niven Garner potrayed the journey of Joash from, boy to old man, wonderfully. There was one point in the play, probably partially lost on the portion of the audience at the far end of the U shaped seating arrangement, where you literally saw Joash age before your eyes through subtle changes in stance, set of the face and movement, which was quite remarkable.

When the play ended I was really moved, and felt so glad that I had been able to be a part of it. I believe it may be developed further and have a life beyond the Whitworth. I hope it does, and I hope I can be part of its magic once more.

Wizard of Oz, London Palladium 14/8/11

A sunny Sunday morning in London town saw me head up to the Palladium to see if there were any tickets available for that day's performance of the Wizard of Oz. Whilst I am not a big fan of TV talent shows in the main, I was hooked on the BBC's 'Over the Rainbow', and had been quite keen to see the stage production ever since. A lovely member of the box office team sold me an excellent seat in the centre of the second row of the circle (the advantage of lone theatre visiting is that you often get great seats!) at a bargain price. Sunday is obviously a family day at the theatre (one advantage being no queue at the bar!) as I was surrounded by very excited small people ready for a bit of theatre magic!

The show itself was great fun, although at times the clever set design almost upstaged the cast. I assumed that for Sunday performances the swings would take the roles, but it was the main cast with Danielle Hope, the winner of the BBC show, in the title role. For someone in her first professional stage role she did excellently, although to be honest the rest of the cast is so strong that her's was not the most memorable performance. Hannah Waddingham, as the Wicked Witch of the West, blew me away, what an amazing and powerful voice that lady has! And the Tin Man, Scarecrow, and Lion (Edward Baker-Duly, Paul Keating, David Ganly) made a brilliant team. I however, was the only person in my bit of the auditorium who laughed when the lion stepped forward and declared himself 'proud to be a friend of Dorothy' getting some strange looks from my fellow audience members!

The actual staging of the show was very clever. There was a two piece central revolve that was also able to tilt and disappear below stage level, which meant it was able to seamlessly transform into the various settings. Characters swooped down from the full height of the auditorium (meaning at one point I was almost face to face with a witch), and it even snowed on me!

The songs you know from the film are all executed well, and there have been some new additions which really add to the show, rather than just padding it out. All in all, I, and all my small companions, had a very enjoyable afternoon at the theatre, but if you are a big kid reading this, I would really encourage you to also see Wicked, which will add to your whole Ozian adventure!

Much Ado About Nothing - Wyndhams Theatre 13/8/11

So, off to the Wyndhams Theatre with my pal Bronya for the much anticipated pairing of Catherine Tate and David Tennant as Beatrice and Benedick in Much Ado. I say much anticipated as I think I've had the tickets for about five months, but I wasn't convinced I was actually going to see Mr T in the show as the last time I booked a play months ahead to specifically see him (Hamlet) he very selfishly sustained a back injury a few days before, how dare he! Although, the RSC's Hamlet was a brilliant production, and his understudy, Ed Bennett, was fantastic as were the rest of the cast.

Anyway, Mr T made it to the stage this time, along with Ms Tate and an excellent cast. The setting for the play was 1980's Gibraltar, which was a great excuse for cheesy disco, dodgy eighties fashion and the odd rubics cube!

I think this is probably one of the most accessible, and fun, productions of Shakespeare I have had the pleasure to see. It stayed true to the text, but incorporated some hilarious slapstick (especially the Beatrice and Benedick 'eavesdropping' scenes, which I won't spoil here just in case anyone reads this who is going to see it), riotous stag and hen do's, dance numbers, and even a bit of eighties style 'hey nonny no' thrown in for good measure!

As for the cast, well T & T were a fabulous partnership, as expected, but the production had brought together a terrific ensemble - I was particularly impressed with Hero (Sarah MacRae, making her West End debut) and Claudio (Tom Bateman, who I was amazed to read in the programme was making his professional debut) - but all the performances were well realised and you could tell the cast were having fun with the roles.

All in all a production that was definitely worth the wait, an extremely enjoyable afternoon of Shakespeare, and dare I say it, worth every penny of the astronomical London ticket price! And I got to see David Tennant in a miniskirt and fishnets - what's not to like!

Top Girls - Trafalgar Studios 12/8/11

I went to this show knowing very little about it. I had seen an interview where Suranne Jones mentioned the eighties setting, and I knew it was by Caryl Churchill, and that's it really.

Trafalgar Studios have been renovated since I was last there, and you actually enter at stage level now, which gave me a bit of a shock as I thought I'd got lost in the theatre and taken a wrong turn! But it makes for a nice theatre space where you feel very close to the action.

The first act of the play is a fantasticly clever concept, although it took me a little while to realise what was going on! Marlene (Suranne Jones) is hosting a dinner party for some other 'Top Girls' from various points in history. It's realistically played out, guests talking over each other, trying to outdo each other's stories, more than one conversation going on at the same time, and the whole mood getting increasingly loud and raucous as the Frascati flows. The cast do an incredible job, the timing on its own must be a challenge, but each of them gave an finely observed performance and it feels wrong to single anyone out. However, I especially loved Olivia Poulet as Dull Gret, who initially does not have much to contribute 'lines wise' but had the audience in stitches. There is a lot going on in this Act, I would love to see it again as its quite a challenge as an audience member keeping up and knowing what to focus on. Its also a very moving piece, there are elements of high comedy, but also some extremely tragic stories unfold. Lucy Briers as Pope Joan, desrcibing the 'end' of her story in a very matter of fact way is quite shocking and you could hear the collective intake of breath from the audience!

The second and third acts were more 'normal' in terms of storytelling, looking at Marlene's life and background, although moving back a year in time between the two acts. Again there was a lot of comedy, but at its heart a some quite hard questions about what it is to be 'successful' and what can be lost. Suranne Jones as Marlene was fantastic, and the final scenes between her and her sister Joyce (Stella Gonet) were brilliantly played by both actresses.

I really enjoyed this play, it was unusual, clever, made me think, and had an very strong cast. If I lived nearer I would definitely be tempted to see it again.

London Town!

I'm on a jaunt down to London for a few days. Its been arranged around a show I already have booked - but being a complete theatre obsessive I am hoping to fit a couple more shows in whilst I'm down here. But which, that's the question! That's the problem with London, too many things to do and too little time (and funds!). I was talking to a London taxi driver a while ago and he was saying that he never went to see shows because they were so expensive, and I can see his point, some of the shows in London are priced so high its only tourists that ever go to see them. That's a real pity with so much fabulous entertainment on the doorstep. Manchester prices look extremely good value in comparison.

However, my top tip is the tkts booth in Leicester Square. This sells discounted tickets for many London shows, and often they are brilliant seats. I've randomly chosen shows from there a number of times and seen some amazing stuff, and quite regularly I've been in the first few rows, in fact Dominic West once fell off the stage at my feet! Ticket prices are generally (but not always) 50% off, quite a bargain.

Anyway I did some reasearch on the train on the way down and had a shortlist by the time I got to the tkts booth and saw what was available. I plumped for Top Girls in the end mainly because Suranne Jones is in it and I know she is a fabulous actress. I remember about six years ago going to see 'A Few Good Men' in London that she was starring in. It was one of her first big stage roles after leaving Coronation Street and I thought it might be 'stunt casting' to increase ticket sales. But her performance in that was pitch perfect and I've been a big fan ever since. Other than that I knew nothing about the play, but that's sometimes where the best theatre experiences start.......

Perspective

I know that this blog is mainly supposed to be about the arts, but in view of the scenes across the country in the last few days, including Manchester last night, I feel like I want to write something so indulge me blog readers (if there is anyone other than me!)

I, like many people, sat horrified looking at pictures of what was going on in 'my city' last night, and the thing that shocked me the most I have to say is the age of a lot of the people involved. Young kids out on a wrecking spree, smashing property, stealing - it was all very upsetting and scary. I don't know what the answers are for these problems, its certainly not simple, and I'm not informed enough to even be able to suggest where we start.

But the one thing that I think is really getting lost in all this, scary as it seems, is that the trouble was caused by the minority and it really is not typical of young people, or of the citizens of Manchester. This is a city I am still proud to call home and it has so much going for it.

Even this year I have seen that first hand so many times. I volunteered for the Manchester Shine nighttime marathon in May, lots of great volunteers, many of them young people, gave up their time to make that happen. And 10K people walked 13 or 26 miles across Manchester at night to raise funds for Cancer Research, many of whom had personal experience of the way cancer touches lives, it was an awe inspiring night.

In June I helped out with the preparations for the Manchester Day Parade, where community groups were working with artists to realise their own ideas for entries in the parade. I had the pleasure of working with three different community groups over the two weekends, many of them young people, who were funny, creative, and taking a real pride in helping to make their ideas become a reality. I even joined in with one group on the parade which was great fun. I was able to talk to them and their leaders about the type of activities they get involved in, and it was brilliant to see the way they were all supporting each other. And witnessing the people of Manchester come out to support the event in their thousands was awe inspiring.

In July I worked on the Manchester International Festival and many of the volunteers I worked with were young people - who were hard working, articulate, great to be around and talented. I also got the chance to chat with many kids and families who visited the two shows I worked on, who came from all walks of life, and it was a pleasure to meet them and talk with them.

I also know there are countless brilliant things being done for and by young people in our area every day. Some of the ones I know about through my arts connections are work that the Royal Exchange are doing with young people as part of The Truth About Youth programme ; The Norfox young actors company at the Library Theatre Company, who are just about to put on their latest production in Manchester, and The ReClaim project, a leadership and mentoring project based in Manchester, one of whose participants was on the news tonight being asked for her views on the riots and was really impressive. And that's just the tip of the iceberg.

I suppose what I am trying to say is just because we see all this shocking stuff on the TV, we need to keep in mind that these acts were undertaken by a very small minority and we shouldn't write off all the brilliant things that 'my' city and its people have to offer, which far outweigh the depressing minority.

The King's Speech

I have a huge pile of unwatched DVD's in the house including five series of The Wire (watched 1

one so far), a Being Human box set and The Complete BBC Shakespeare (watched three so far). Anyway I finally got round to reducing the pile slightly by watching The King's Speech tonight (well actually it came with a free DVD of 'The Madness of King George' and I've never seen that so actually the pile hasn't physically shrunk at all!)

I really enjoyed this film, excellent performances from the leads, Colin Firth, Geoffrey Rush and Helena Bonham Carter, and beautifully shot, although Guy Pearce as Edward never really convinced me. Glad I finally invested the time in watching it.

As You Like It - Royal Exchange, Manchester

So after a solid week of theatre you would think I need a rest, but no, its time to return to my favourite theatre, the Royal Exchange for spot of Shakespeare - As You Like It, directed by Greg Hersov.

I was a bit worried that, after a week of one hour plays, three hours of Shakespeare might be a stretch too far for me. However the time whizzed by as I watched this energetic, innovative and refereshing take on the work. Bunny girls, wrestling, audience participation, gorgeous sound and music and a fabulous ensemble cast - what's not to like.

All the cast are excellent in their roles, but special mention goes to Cush Jumbo as Rosalind. I saw her in Pygmalion at the same theatre a while back and she was brilliant then, but in this role she is simply outstanding. The energy and agility she brings to the part is quite breathtaking. I don't know really how to describe it but she simply sparkles on stage. If awards don't follow it will be a complete travesty.

Also deserving plaudits is Ian Bartholemew as Touchstone the clown who delivered an excellent performance throughout, although the highlight for me was towards the end of the play as he got the audience involved, and also managed to make clever reference to the bloke in the front row who had spent the whole play with his head buried in a book (I'm guessing the play text), barely glancing up - this earned a huge round of applause from the rest of the audience - to me it felt incredibly disrespectful to the cast for an audience member to do that, and to his loss he missed some amazing performances as a result.

All in all a wonderful afternoon in the Forest of Arden and I left the theatre with a smile on my face and a great respect for everyone who had been involved in the production, another winner from the Royal Exchange.

24:7 Keep It Simple

Well it seems only appropriate that my last visit to the 2011 24:7 theatre festival should start with a series of 'lasts'.

A last minute phone call (to tell me I had become an Auntie!), led to a late last minute jog across Manchester to the Midland hotel. Arrived with about a minute to spare and raced down to the venue, to find myself in the middle of a conference! Ran back up the stairs to find there had been a last minute change of room and I was the last audience member to arrive. Quick dash up a floor, greeted at the lift doors and escorted to the performance space where they were holding the production for my arrival! At last I sat down, lights dimmed and the performance started!

Today's offering was Keep It Simple by Dick Curran, who wrote last year's excellent Islanders. It was about a family coming together on the eve of the daughter's wedding - the happy couple Sabena and Gawain, bride's mum Kate and her partner the safe and dependable Doug, and bride's dad Ted, an unreliable but charming poet. The main focus is on the interaction between Doug, Ted and Kate over the course of that night and the following morning.

It was an amusing play, with some nicely observed set pieces, and fine performances from the cast, especially Dennis Jobling as Ted and John Sumner as Doug. I particularly related to the part where Doug and Ted were reminiscing about how things had changed since they were young, when you had one phone in the hallway and TV stopped at midnight - which kind of gives away my age bracket! And the initial powerplays between Dad and stepdad were funny, but also very realistic. But as a whole the play didn't quite hang together for me, and certain plot devices felt a little clunky and superfluous. Maybe a few 'tweaks' before taking it further, but it definitely has a life after the festival.

Despite my minor criticisms, it was an enjoyable hour, and a pleasant way to round off my 24:7 experience. Well done to all concerned.

24:7 The Rainbow Connection

Well after all the drama and moral questioning of yesterday I needed a bit of light relief, and that was delivered by today's lunchtime offering, The Rainbow Connection by Joanne Sherryden. Early indications were good (the lady on the bar at the venue told us people had been enjoying it a lot!).

Its a story of two neighbours, Joe (Anthony Crank) and Shelly (Danielle Henry), who become best friends. Both of them are avoiding facing up to something in their lives, but through their developing friendship, and occasional fall-outs, they both find the courage to face their fears and move on.

Its a sweet tale, nicely told, the cast get some great laughs from the audience (the 'morning of shame' being a particular highlight!), but there are also some very touching moments, especially as the background the Joe's accident and his agrophobia become clear. At times I felt the pace could have been stepped up a little, but this is a minor quibble on what was overall a fun and moving show.

24:7 Future Shock

Oh my, I'm still recovering from today's lunchtime offerring as part of the 24:7 festival - Future Shock by Richard Stockwell. Such an intense experience that had me thinking all afternoon.

The play is set in the far future. Laura (Alice Brockway) entered stasis for hundreds of years in order to wait for her lover. However, due to the banks making a mess of the economy (hmm, surely not!) the money has run out and she is woken 100 years too soon. Over the course of the next 48 hours, in her interactions with 'the Nicoletta' (Christine Clare) who is responsible for the facility, and a legal adviser Stampfer (Phil Minns) she has to come to terms with her situation, her 'options', and the world she has woken to.

Its a fascinating concept, excellently explored and realised by the writer and the cast. There are some interesting touches, such as the way that language and society has changed in this 'new' reality, the true value of a life and how we judge what it is to 'live', and what we would do if all those things that make up our life, are suddenly taken from us. Whilst it is set in the far future, it feels very realistic, and the moral questions that Laura raises have a relevance that engages the audience. The final 'choice' that Laura has to make is heartbreaking, and pitched perfectly by the cast. All the performances are great, but Alice Brockway blew me away with the energy and emotion she put into her portrayal of Laura.

Yet another fantastic 24:7 experience!

24:7 The Crimson Retribution

One of the things I love about the 24:7 theatre festival is going along to a play having very little idea as to what to expect, and finding a real treasure. Last year that was Islanders, this year I suspect it will be The Crimson Retribution.

From the get-go this work grabs your attention, mixing cleverly choreographed comic book action, comedy, and a strong and innovative storyline to excellent effect. This is a sharply paced piece, and the cast work incredibly well together. As well an as at times very funny script, there is a lot of cleverly observed but more subtle humour (who knew a comic book hero could drink tea so annoyingly!), and how noone gets hurt during the impressive fight sequences (Kapow! Crunch!) is beyond me.

Its a real tour de force from the cast and its hard to pick anyone out for special praise, but Paul Sockett in the title role (as well as a couple of nicely observed extra characters) was a particular highlight, giving an amazingly focussed and humourous performance, worthy of the best action hero!

This play and its cast deserves the sell outs it is currently playing to, and I sincerely hope it has a life beyond the festival. I would definitely go and see it again

24:7 Steerage

Another day, another play as part of the 24:7 theatre festival. This time I hike over to the Midland Hotel in my lunch hour to see Steerage. Slight wobble as I enter the foyer and have a flashback to the last time I was in this hotel, 24 years old and picking up an exam award, and the awful realisation of how long ago that was!

Anyway, back to the play! I'll steal a bit out of the playbill to explain what it was about "set inside a shipping container it tells the story of ten year old Immy, and her teenage brother Zead, hiding among the cargo. However, the children discover they are not alone. Two strangers, Tamir and Ibrahim, travel alongside them. As Immy faces increasing conflict within the container so she retreats into her own imaginary world"

The room used at the Midland is quite low ceilinged and claustrophobic, but that really works for this production as it feels like you are also hiden in the shipping container observing the unfolding drama. Its an unusual construction, adding haunting music and beautiful puppetry to the mix to depict Immy's inner world. There are some very powerful performances on display, but the one that stays with me the most is Catherine Dowling's depiction of Immy - you believed she was a child, really felt her emotions and as the tension ramped up to a flashpoint I almost wanted to shout out "stop it, can't you see how scared she is". And yet, by the end of the play, she was the most graceful and controlled character on stage.

When I left the performance I was still mulling it all over in my head. Its not perfect, but it is a beautiful and affecting play and I think it will stick with me for a long time.

24:7 The Shadow of Your Hand

So for my second show of the 24:7 festival "The Shadow of Your Hand" by Michael Stuart. A two hander starring Steven Pinder (oooo it's Max Farnham off of Brookside!) and Rosie Fleeshman from the renouned Fleeshman dynasty!

Really interesting play, extremely dark at time, but also very very funny. Steven Pinder plays a blinder as the socially inept advertising executive Steve, and Rosie Fleeshman was very impressive as the mysterious and mesmerising homeless girl he invites in. The play explores power, and how the balance of power can shift in an unexpected fashion.

From what I saw of the play, it was a clever piece of writing excellently performed. However, the venue (Sachas Hotel) quite frankly sucks! There was no raised stage, and a lot of the action takes place when the characters are either sitting down or on the floor, so despite being only three rows back, I spent large portions of the play basically listening to a play rather than getting the full benefit of the performances. And that was a real pity because when I could see then both actors excelled in their roles. I would actually love to see it again with an uninterupted view to properly experience the play. Rosie Fleeshman in particular, gave a well judged and unsettling performance, and is definitely following in the family footsteps.

So in summary play and performances 9/10, venue (lack of sight lines, water dripping through roof, icky damp smell 2/10)!

24:7 No Place Like Home

The first play of my 24:7 experience this year was the festival opener No Place Like Home by Rebekah Harrison. This was set in a womens refuge as a new resident arrives with her two children and we gradually learn the stories of the residents told over a few days.

It was a well constructed play, lots of ordinary day to day life mixed in with the gradual awareness of what these women have been through and the effect on them and their families. A little bit of comedy, and a lot of very powerful scenes and good performances from the cast (despite a few dodgy sound cues, which we will put down to first night nerves!). The one bit that didnt really work for me is the sections where the son would step outside his role and do short movement / dance / acrobatic pieces, I just didnt 'get' that and felt it actually detracted from the narrative that was unfolding. But all in all it was a great start to the festival for me, a very moving play, and a great acheivement for the cast, writer and crew.

24:7 Theatre Festival

So, hot on the heels of MIF11 (blog to follow - so much fun for this volunteer, but no time to blog!) comes Manchester's very own theatre festival the 24:7 Theatre Festival. I only got wind of this festival last year, despite the fact that my employers are one of the main sponsors and also a venue!

This years festival consists of 13 plays, performed a number of times at 3 venues in the city centre over 8 days. There are also other activities like rehearsed readings, acting skills workshops, music, comedy etc. As I understand it, the festival started 8 years ago and was inspired by the Edinburgh fringe, coupled with a desire to have a platform for new writing nearer to home.

Most of the shows have some lunchtime performances which is brilliant for me, especially the ones based near where I work. I can pop out at lunchtime, see a play, and be back at my desk in just over an hour. Great way to spend a lunch hour for a theatre obsessive like me. There are also early evening performances, and if you are really dedicated you could see three plays in one evening.

As it is I have booked for 7 shows so far and I will try to blog about them as I go. I might add a couple more as the week goes on. The first show I saw was tonight, and it had the added bonus of finally meeting my fellow Hard Times blogger / tweeter Laura, who amazingly has already booked for 12 of the 13 shows!

Manchester Day Parade 19 June

Well what an amazing day that was! 2,200 people involved in the parade, around 60,000 watching it, lots of energy, smiles, fun, laughter - and made me so proud to be part of it.

The volunteers assembled at the Castlefield visitor centre (current home of MIF volunteer HQ) on sunday morning bright and early and were assigned our roles. I had specifically requested being based for the morning at WOW as I had done quite a lot of work down there already, so after a quick briefing I led a happy band of volunteers down there to get stuck in. One of our first tasks was helping to transport the huge and very unruly (it was quite windy!) dragonfly to its starting position at Liverpool Road. Unfortunately, ahead of us a steam train had derailed (well lost a wheel) and we ended up in a traffic jam for a while as the tech teams administered emergency repairs. Just behind us in the jam was a 9 foot horse - we were getting some very strange looks from passing motorists!

After that it was just all hands on deck with whatever needed doing. One artist had stayed up all night finishing her rocket ship so I got some food for her, and I was also asked to decorate a trolley that contained a PA system (I was quite proud of the results of my emergency 'make' but sadly forgot to take a picture). Then the volunteer coordinator came and found me and asked if I would pop up and see the stage manager for the Lancaster Bomber section that I had worked on before. I went up there assuming that I would be marshalling that section, but on arrival was given a boilersuit and biggles hat and went on wing duty!

Walking round with the parade was amazing, so many people lined the route, lots more than last year. It actually got quite tricky at times as it was so windy that we had to keep tight hold on the wings. And people spilling into the road made for some dicey moments as I tried not to decapitate the public! Looking at the photos later though the bomber was brilliant, and I was really proud of my part in making that happen.

The route is about two miles long, and the kids did really well as it must have been tiring for them. We had a band right behind us which helped keep the energy up. As we returned to the starting point the sun came out, giving us a perfect end to our parade.

The only problem with being in the parade is that you don't get chance to see all the entries, so I did a lot of internet searching when I got home. There were some amazing sights - huge footballers, a rocket, the striking dragonfly, a 'chinese dragon' train being just a few of them.

A wonderful day for Manchester, and for all the people around Manchester who had worked so hard in making it happen.

Hard Times - Preview Blogging

Gosh - Well I've got a bit behind again haven't I? I have had a busy old time, and quite a few things to blog about, so expect a few updates over the next week in an attempt to catch up.

Right then, where to start? Well in my last update over a month ago I promised to post my second blog for the Library Theatre here - so here it is......

Hello again! They let me come back and tell you all a bit more about Hard Times.

Monday night saw me attend a preview of the show. The experience starts as you approach the building. Murray Mills is an impressive sight in the evening sunshine, rising up above you. At your allotted time on your ticket you are escorted into the Mill down some steps and are immediately plunged into the sights, sounds and even smells of Coketown. You are free to move around in this area and can observe the townsfolk going about their lives. This brilliantly sets the scene for the play. It’s dark, dusty and oppressive. You see glimpses of poverty, disease, revelry and despair. Bits of machinery left over from Murray Mills’ former life lie abandoned, adding to the atmosphere.

After a while we are taken up to the main performance area. This is a long gallery with a number of ‘sets’ and we do have some time to look around before the performance starts. The detail is amazing, clocks tick in parlours, someone has been practicing their alphabet in the schoolroom, paperwork lies on desks. The set designers and builders, lighting and sound have done an amazing job. It all helps to create this feeling that you are an integral part of the play.

The scenes of the play transfer between various sections of the large performance space and the audience moves freely to surround the action. As an audience member it was a very intimate experience, almost like you are an invisible observer, eavesdropping on developments. I remember there was one scene where the haughty Mrs Sparsit (Lynda Cooke) is peering through some trees to spy on a meeting between two characters, and I felt like I was across the other side of the clearing secretly watching her watching them.

One of the things that struck me, seeing the play in full, was that the sections I saw at rehearsal just gave me a snapshot of the overall journey each of the characters take. For example, the Louisa I saw at rehearsal seemed very cold and unemotional and a bit unlikeable. Across the course of the play I came to understand why she behaved in that way, how she had been shaped by her upbringing, and by the treatment of her loved ones, and then saw the complexities of her character emerge as she fights to understand her conflicting emotions. Alice O’Connell gave a wonderful performance as Louisa, and I was on the verge of tears at one point seeing the level of her pain and confusion.

Similarly, the snapshot of Tom (Gareth Cassidy) I saw in rehearsal, made me think he was a bit of a loveable rogue. But, when seen in the context of the play, in the way he treats his sister and others, he is an unpleasant and extremely selfish character, constantly focussed on his own gain, and not caring who he hurts along the way.

This truly was an unforgettable night at the ‘theatre’ for me and I am so glad I had the chance to experience it, I only wish I could do so again. I noticed on the Library Theatre’s website they had given you their top tips for enjoying your visit to Hard Times, so, in a blatant act of plagiarism, I thought I would round off by giving you Alison’s Top Tips for a Good Time at Hard Times

• Make the most of Coketown – some of the people in our intake did the ‘museum walk’ - down to the end of the walkway, glancing at the tableaus, then gathering at the far end near to exit door and just watching what was going on there. You’ll miss a lot doing that. Take your time, revisit some of the areas you have already seen, especially once the mill workers return from their toils. Things change, people move about, there is so much to take in just hang about and absorb it.
• Once you enter the main performance space there will be a little gap before the main action starts. Have a good old nosey round, take in the detail, it’s amazing.
• Flat comfy shoes are good! As are comfortable and practical clothes. You might want to perch on a bench, lean against a pillar, sit on the floor – you want to be able to concentrate on the action, not worry about snagging your best silk!
• Use the space, surround the action. There is plenty of room for everyone to see, you don’t have to watch things from a specified place.
• Don’t be all reserved and dawdle from scene to scene, keep up with the action or you might miss something. But equally keep your eyes open, sometimes there may be characters away from the main point of focus that you might want to keep an eye on!
• And finally, give yourself a massive pat on the back for being lucky enough to secure a ticket for this amazing event, they are like gold dust. If this is the standard of the site specific work the Library Theatre Company have in store for us we are all in for a treat. I hope you all love it as much as I did.

Hard Times at Murray Mills

Hello blogosphere! Or maybe just me – not really sure who reads my self- indulgent ramblings. I have this week discovered the dichotomy of blogging – when you have things to talk about, it probably means you have very little time available to update your blog!

Loads has been going on this week, but I suppose I better try and start chronologically. I told you in a previous blog that I had been given the opportunity to be a guest blogger for the Library Theatre Company’s production of Hard Times at Murray Mills in Manchester. I observed a rehearsal a few weeks ago and blogged about it, and then this Monday I got the chance to attend a preview of the show and see how it all came together. It was a fabulous experience, as you can read in my Blog on the Library’s website. I’ll publish it here in a separate post, but I would encourage you to go to the Library’s site as there were four other bloggers and we all picked up on different aspects of the production.

I’ve been to see a few ‘promenade’ performances in the past, but this was different as you were not herded around, the action started, and the audience were free to surround it as they felt fit. It really made for an extremely involving experience, I felt completely immersed in the action, and the setting of the Mill really added to that. I would encourage you to go and see it but tickets are like gold dust. On the day tickets are available and if you are in Manchester it would really be worth a visit to the Midland Hotel to try to get some.

I was really nervous writing the blog as I didn’t know whether I would be able to find an angle to talk about that would be of any interest to others. I hope I did it justice, it really was a unique night at the ‘theatre’.

Parade Preparations

Well as I mentioned in my last post, I was off to the depths of Castlefield last weekend to volunteer at the WOW workshop which was getting some of the entries ready for the Manchester Day Parade, on Sunday 19^th June.

The theme this year is Voyage of Discovery, and everything has to have a connection to both the theme, and to the city. Walk the Plank organise these weekends for a few of the artists and community groups to get together and work on their entries, although there is also activity happening around the community as well. Last year there were 1700 people involved in the parade I think, and this year it is nearer 2000. Looking at some of the designs that were posted up in the corridor it looks like it is going to be even bigger, more colourful, and noisier than last year.

I had a bit of a nosey round the workshop and some of the things I saw being prepared were a huge Gulliver, a massive headless torso that I think might have been going to be a footballer, Amnesty candles, a massive dragonfly, some dark satanic mills and a gigantic recycling monster!

The main group I helped out with, Chatterbox, with the help of their artist Sarah, are making a large and colourful Lancaster Bomber. I did a lot of drilling (great fun) and securing, and was let loose with a glue gun. I have decided I want both a power drill and a glue gun now! I also helped make a frame for a steam train, and parts of a humongous dandelion seed head (out of plastic bottles!). The whole weekend was great fun and I’m hoping to go back and help again before the actual parade.