Daniel Kitson – It’s Always Right Now, Until It’s Later - Royal Exchange 27/6/12

I first saw Daniel Kitson in Australia almost by accident. He was doing a show called '66a Church Road - A Lament Made of Memories and Kept in Suitcases', as part of the Perth Arts Festival and my cousin Jen suggested we go. Neither of us knew anything about him or his work, but we thought it might be ‘alright’, which with hindsight was somewhat of an understatement!

But this unassuming genius is all about understatement. He casually walks onto the Royal Exchange stage attaching his microphone, with no announcement or fanfare, tells us a story for ninety minutes, and then leaves with just a quick ‘ Thanks, I hope you liked it’ as he exits the auditorium.

It seems  almost a disservice to call Kitson a stand-up comedian, he’s much more than that, a master storyteller who has you hanging on his every word from start to finish. This show is billed as ‘A show about everything, and nothing’. In it he gives us glimpses of two ordinary people, Willam and Catherine, at various ordinary moments of their lives, and what came before and after those moments. William’s tale is told from death to birth, Catherine’s from birth to death, their lives are not linked, apart from one fleeting moment when they pass. And yet somehow the very ordinariness of their lives, the fact that they are like you or I or people we know, makes you realise how unique we all are.

Kitson packs so much detail into his beautifully crafted narrative, and delivers at such a relentless pace, the effect  as an audience member is quite mesmerising, you don’t want to lose concentration even for a moment in case you miss yet another well observed gem. He displays a great affection for his characters, and there is a lot of comedy in the piece, but also tenderness and sorrow.

I’m so glad I got to experience the magic of Kitson for a second time, and a bit closer to home on this occasion. He is an exceptionally talented performer who treats his subjects with warmth and humour, and it’s a privilege to be witness to it.

Once in a House on Fire, Lowry Quays, 1/6/12

Once in a House on Fire, written by Sarah McDonald Hughes, is based on the memoires of Andrea Ashworth. It tells the story of Andy, and her sisters Laurie and Sarah, growing up in 1970’s Moss Side with their Mother, Lorraine, and a succession of stepfathers, against a background of domestic violence and poverty. I believe it was first part of the Lowry’s ‘developed with’ strand, and this was a return visit.

The story is mainly told from the point of view of the three sisters and the bond they have that helps them to deal with the poor cards that are dealt them

Mother Lorraine (Francesca Waite – who also takes on the role of Sarah, the baby of the family) is driven by a need to love and to be loved, and to create a good life and future for her family.  But her loyalties are confused in the face of the abuse from the men in her life, and her optimistic determination is gradually eroded by her poor choices and misplaced loyalties. 

After the death of her first husband, she invests her hope of a new life for her family in second husband Peter (Thomas Aldersley),  who it becomes clear through some very powerful scenes is a violent and abusive man. When the family finally make the break from Peter, the new man in their life is the affable Terry (Matthew Ganley), a man who is almost pathetically grateful when the girls decide to call him Dad, and you think things might finally be turning round for the family, but a spell in prison brings out his darker side, and his jealousy of Lorraine’s attempts to gain more independence and security leads once again to abuse.

Through it, the sisters become the family unit, the clever and bookish Andy (Sarah MacDonald Hughes), dance mad Laurie (Emily Fleeshman) and baby of the family Sarah forming a tight bond, with Andy stepping into the role of mother and protector.

With the subject matter, there would be a danger that this play could be overly dramatic, but I thought it was nicely judged and very touching.  There were some extremely tense moments, such as the time you first saw the threatening side of Peter as he turned on his wife and then, in an unsettling scene, Andy, but there was also tenderness and humour. I loved the scene where Andy was at her friend’s house for tea with the ‘aspiring to be middle class’ parents Mr & Mrs Lee, which provided a good balance to some of the darker elements of the storyline. 

The play unfolds in a series of ‘snapshots’ of the family’s progression, and there were a few points where I was initially a little confused about the passage of time from one scene to the next, but I’m notoriously slow on the uptake so it’s not necessarily a reflection on the play!

All the cast were great, but Emily Fleeshman was a particular highlight for me, she conveyed the different ages of Laurie really well, and you had such empathy for her character, but she was equally as good in the other roles she took on particularly Mrs Lee and Andy’s teenage pal Wendy (although I am a little upset to find out that Yates Wine Bar may not have quite as sophisticated as I thought it was at 17!)

All in all, a touching play, nicely staged and with some well-judged performances.

The Boy Who Kicked Pigs, Lowry Studio, 22/6/12

As the seasonal summer driving rain and biting wind pounded Salford, a little bit of dark magic was being performed within the confines of the Lowry Studio.

Tonight’s show was another in their ‘developed with’ strand, which provides support to emerging artists, writers and companies, allowing the development of new work and sending it out into the wider arts world like a proud parent! 

In my opinion it’s an incredibly  important activity, in a climate where mainstream arts seems to be relying more and more on tried and tested formulae, and this piece was an extremely good advert for the quality of work that can be created if a few chances are taken.

It is an adaptation of a cult novel by Tom Baker (yes that Tom Baker), about a nasty 13 year old, Robert Caligari, who ultimately gets exactly what he deserves. A joyfully warped tale combining darkness and comedy with an impressive deftness of touch.

Kill the Beast were formed specifically to mount this project, and a truly collaborative approach to the adaptation of the book and development of the piece was taken, with the Director, Clem Garrity, and the cast, working together on the script and the staging, which is possibly what contributes to such a fast paced yet tight production.

The design is glorious, shades of grey in both set and costume design, and simple but effective use of subtly animated back projection, together with minimal but versatile set, combine to produce an atmospheric feel, almost like it has been produced by the mind of Tim Burton’s evil twin (the one they keep locked in the attic)

The script is sharp, witty and surreal, the dialogue cracks along at quite a pace and is delivered by an excellent cast of four taking on all the parts and delivering them with glee.

The cast themselves are quite brilliant, they work together so well, delivering what are at times incredibly complex and rapid scenes flawlessly and with pin sharp timing. My particular favourites were the neighbours gossiping, which combines sharp dialogue, precise choreography and excellent rhythmic delivery, and the motorway scene, switching between the groups of protagonists at such a rate, and yet never losing it’s impact or comic touch.

David Cumming’s portrayal of the central character, Robert Caligari, is a delight, the physical embodiment of this evil little horror is wonderful to watch, making you feel he truly deserves his final comeuppance. Natasha Hodgson’s portrayal of the sister Nerys, is wonderfully well observed, as is Phillip, the work experience boy. Zoe Roberts, and Oliver Jones make up the cast and both excel in their various roles. I really can’t praise the cast enough, they worked together so well both in terms of characterisation, and comedic timing.

I wish this production well as the Lowry waves it off into the big wide world (although I hope it comes back to visit!). It was the perfect antidote to the soggy and stormy arrival of ‘summer’, beautifully judged, gruesomely warped, and very very funny. If you are quick there are two performances left and you will not be disappointed.

Manchester Lines, 15/6/12, Number One First Street, Manchester

Manchester Lines is the second in a series of ‘site specific’ productions that the Library Theatre Company is undertaking whilst it is temporarily homeless. This production utilises the fifth floor of a modern office building in Manchester, which will in time hopefully be adjacent to the new home of the combined Library Theatre and Cornerhouse, who are joining together to create a brand new Arts Centre in Manchester.

 I’m a bit torn on blogging about it, as I think the less you know about the production and what will unfold, the more magical an experience it will be. I went along with very little prior knowledge, and it turned out to be one of the most unique, thought-provoking and uplifting pieces of theatre I have seen.

Manchester Lines is set in a lost property office, overseen by the ‘keeper of lost things’ Eugene, and through a series of scenes, presented in a non-linear format, we get a glimpse of the lives of the people who visit it, the things we lose, and gain through life’s journey, the way disparate lives can cross in unexpected ways, and ultimately the value in believing in the good of people. 

The experience starts as you arrive at the venue and are escorted in the lift to the fifth floor, from there, by way of a corridor filled with curious ‘lost things’ you enter a lost property office, filled from floor to ceiling with a wide variety of items that the audience is free to have a look round. The attention to detail is impressive, although after having seen Hard Times last year, I was not surprised at the quality of the set.  Clever use of sound, emanating from the shelves, all adds to the atmosphere. Then the audience settle into the seating scattered around the space, feeling as if you really are part of the scene, and the action begins.

The play itself is a mix of straight scenes, dance and sung poetry, as the various characters connection with the lost property office, and each other, unfold. It is quite mad at times, at others deeply moving. The language, especially the poetry, is beautiful, and the cast all give excellent performances.

Eugene, the central role, is excellently played by John Bramwell. This is a man who takes pride in his job, has a gentle northern humour, and great compassion for the people who walk through his doors. All the cast were fabulous, giving great acting and singing (and even dancing) performances. Anne Kidd as Jessie gives an extremely touching performance that nearly had me in tears on a couple of occasions as her story unfolds. Mother and son team Pauline (Claire Brown) and Louis are nicely judged, playing off each other well, but equally impressive in their individual scenes. I was particularly impressed with the young actor playing Louis (Marcquelle Ward), he had great energy and timing.

For me the stand out performance was that of Bettrys Jones playing Anna. This was a powerful portrayal of a complex and potentially unlikeable character, perfectly pitched and quite mesmerising.

The ending of the play is unexpected and extremely moving, many of the audience, myself included, lingered long after the ‘official’ end of the action, almost as if we didn’t want to break the spell that the proceedings had cast. 

I’ve long been a supporter of the Library Theatre Company, and sad though it was that they had to move out of their old home never to return, the quality of work that they have been producing since they left the Central Library is amazing, especially the ‘site specific’ work, and I would definitely recommend people to go and see this production if they can get a ticket. It really was a memorable, emotional and unique experience.

Manchester Day Parade, 10/6/12

East Manchester Academy

I’ve just finished a spot of volunteering for the Manchester Day Parade 2012, and the parade itself was a wonderful end to an enjoyable and rewarding experience.

The first Manchester Day Parade took place in 2010, with Walk the Plank, a brilliant arts and events company, engaged to produce it. I volunteered, and enjoyed it so much they’ve not been able to get rid of me since!

The Parade website has lots of information about the event and its background (and you might stumble across a video with a bit of me on!) but at its heart it is a celebration of the spirit and diversity of Manchester, with people from all walks of life involved in its creation. Each year has a theme, the year was The Sky's the Limit, and community groups work with artists to turn their ideas into some amazing creations.

My Nest!

As a volunteer, my involvement started in May with attendance at a couple of Mas Camp weekends, where some of the artists, community groups, and volunteers, work on elements of the parade. I really enjoy the making side, so have always asked if there is any extra help needed outside these weekends, and this year did quite a bit of ‘extra’ volunteering in evenings and weekends. It’s so interesting to see everything start to take shape and to get involved, and you meet such a great mix of people. Towards the later stages of preparation, I mainly helped one of the artists, Brian, as he had a lot of work on making costumes for three separate groups, and constructing an 18 foot air hostess! Many of the costumes used lots of colourful florists ribbon, which I loved working with, and so much of my time at the workshop was spent in what I came to term ‘ribbon corner’. In fact Jan, one of the project managers, did suggest I was making a nest out of florists ribbon, and I have to say, that’s not a bad idea!

It all comes together on Parade day, which is the first time you see all the elements of the parade assemble. Many have been made away from the workshop, for example, with the community groups, so it's only on the day when the sheer scale of it becomes truly apparent. I somehow managed to be appointed volunteer team leader at the workshop, although I’m not sure how much actual leading was taking place from me (apart from sneakily cherry picking a few people at registration who I knew would be good!) The real organisation on the day is done by the production team, and ‘my’ volunteers were fabulous, getting stuck in where they were needed with little intervention from me , moving stuff up to the parade start, and even getting involved in some last minute making (including creating balloon structures and emergency superhero finishing!)

LGBT Youth

The busiest time for me was as Brian’s groups started to arrive, as I was helping get them into their costumes, especially as the largest group with the most complex costumes, the lovely ladies from the East Manchester Academy, were not arriving until nearly 1pm. Although this was slightly crazy, as I had helped with many of the elements of the costumes, it was great to see them be worn, and by the skin of our teeth, and with lots of people pitching in to help, we managed to get everyone up to their starting positions in time and in costume.

Flying High!

During the parade I helped to marshal, it was a wonderful atmosphere, the sun came out, the crowds were huge and seemed to be enjoying themselves, and my group, the Manchester Carers, looked beautiful as they danced through the streets.

Superheroes of the future

With a couple of my former MIF buddies, Michelle and Alison, who had also volunteered (mainly through my badgering), I ended the day with a well earned drink, bizarrely on a beach in Castlefield, and we all agreed it had been a great day. Looking back at the many photos on the internet (some of the best I've seen are here), I’m so happy to have been part of it once again, and proud of my involvement. Fingers crossed there is a 2013 parade, and they let me back!