Sleepyhead, Blue Room Theatre, Perth Fringe Festival 8-2-12

My second bit of Aussie culture blogging whilst on my jollidays (slightly delayed, blame the readjustment to real life!)

Sleepy head was a play being staged at Blue Room theatre which is an intimate performance space seating around 70 in the environs of the Perth Cultural Centre. Written by a western Australian playwright, Nathaniel Moncrieff, and first performed in Melbourne, it formed part of the Fringe festival programme.

It was a strange play, a dark tale about two sisters, Eleanor and Genevieve, living in the Australian outback with their abusive drunk of a father and follows events of a few days as the father abandons his daughters for a while, the threat of a dangerous stranger, and the appearance of a frightened, blood-soaked girl. All the main characters have been damaged in some way by their lives, the girl’s mother has died, although the full details of her death are not immediately clear, Genevieve is disabled after a traumatic event and spends most of her time wheelchair bound, taking solace in her dolls and her ‘imaginary companion’. Ellie is rebelling against life and her family, the father is struggling to cope.

Most of the play concentrates on the two sisters Gen (Louise Cocks) and Ellie (Amy Murray). They have a complex relationship, at times Ellie shows great compassion towards her sister, and at others she can be intolerably cruel. Both actresses gave strong performances of such complex roles, and I was particularly impressed with Louise Cocks as Gen.

This was an interesting play, and I think with a bit of fine tuning it could be excellent. The set was simple and the use of lighting and sound conveyed the oppressive heat and sinister threat brilliantly. However, the scene changes were unnecessarily complicated and clunky and broke the tension of the piece. And I found the character of Ellie slightly overworked which made it hard to invest in her character, or believe in the horrific events later in the play. But it was very dark and thought provoking and was well played by the small cast. And it was a great experience to see some ‘local grown’ theatre on the other side of the world.

Frisky and Mannish, Pop Centrelink, Speigeltent, Perth Fringe Festival, 5/2/12

Thought I would try a bit of holiday blogging!

I first saw Frisky and Mannish in Perth at the 2011Fringe. I came pretty late to the F & M party, before 2011 they had never been on my radar. My Australia based cousin Jen chose the show, and I had no idea what to expect. Anyway they were fantastic, and I googled them from Australia and discovered they were playing the Lowry in March, e mailed my pals and booked tickets to see them on my return home. I saw them twice in the UK in 2011, and was so excited when I found out that my trip to Australia this year was going to coincide with both the Perth Fringe and a repeat visit from F & M.

Whenever I try to describe F & M to others I struggle. Musical comedy duo seems to sell them short somewhat – I think the easiest way to see what they are all about is to check out their website which has plenty of examples of their work. What I can tell you is I have introduced a few people to them since I first saw them, and they have all become fans. They are talented, inventive, and very very funny.

This was their first date at the Fringe, having arrived in Australia less than 24 hours before, but despite what must have been horrendous jetlag they put on a hell of a show. Whilst this was a slightly truncated version of a show I had seen in the UK, they had added brand new material, including some stuff especially for the Australian audience (which cousin explained to me – and informed me that the Billie Piper reference may have been lost on most Australians!). The Speigeltent is a fantastically intimate venue and was packed on the night I was there which made for a great atmosphere. And F & M coped admirably with the small technical challenges that arose, incorporating them seamlessly into the show.

If anyone reads this in Perth during the Fringe then I strongly recommend you go and bag yourselves a ticket (and maybe discover a new career path in the process!). Also tell me, as I'm never convinced that anyone other than the 20 or so friends and family that have to read this blog ever read it! The rest of the festival programme is pretty amazing too, and I’m hoping I can get a couple more shows in before I have to return to the frozen wastelands of the UK.

The Crypt Project : New Depths Lowry Theatre, Salford 17/1/12

Well, Happystorm Theatre’s production of The Crypt Project turned out to be a fascinating night and one I will not forget in a hurry.

It was billed as a promenade performance, taking place under the Lowry Theatre, exploring elements of addiction and mental health. An email arrived on the day of the performance advising sensible shoes should be worn, adding to the anticipation and I really didn’t know what to expect.

Each performance was limited to an audience of 30. We met in the main foyer of the theatre and were then led back outside, round to the rear of the building and in through a service entrance. Our small group were then issued with hard hats, and further split into four teams who would be guided round the performance separately.

We spent the next hour being led through corridors, into under-stage spaces, into the theatre auditorium, onto and behind the stage. It was completely disorientating and an extremely intense experience. Sometimes we would pause to witness events, such as an exchange between two characters in a corridor, at other times you would catch glimpses of activity as you passed by. You could also hear other things happening that you never saw. From time to time characters would rush past you, or you would glimpse things happening in rooms or corners as you were led by, or sometimes the audience itself would become almost part of the performance. At one point I was sitting in the theatre, watching action on the stage, with an actor sitting next to me, observing and commenting on the events on the stage.

Each of the four groups went round separately but consecutively, occasionally joining with another group to witness elements of the piece, and all experiencing the ‘whole’ in a slightly differing order. It must have been a superhuman feat of logistics to organise, yet it ran like clockwork.

Because the groups were so small it was an incredibly intense experience, and a real privilege to be seeing quality performances at such close quarters.

There were four main characters – Daniel (Matthew Ganley) Frances (Susi Wrenshaw), Jeanette (Denise Kennedy) and William (Ian Curley) - as events unfolded you realised that all of them were dealing with mental health or addiction issues, some more immediately apparent than others, and you got glimpses into their lives, and what might have influenced those issues. But this wasn’t a linear story with a beginning, a middle and an end, and in my opinion it was all the more clever for that.

Daniel’s issues are the most immediately apparent, the kind of person you might avoid in the street, but as events unfold you start to see the complexities of his character and the interactions between him and Frances are extremely touching. The intensity and energy of Matthew Ganley’s performance was amazing to witness. Frances and Jeanette on initial impression are both confident professionals, but as the event progresses you see they are both extremely complex and vulnerable people. Susi Wrenshaw’s portrayal of Frances was extremely moving, especially in the ‘bathroom scene’ as her issues and vulnerabilities become clear. Ian Curley as William shows us a lonely man, struggling with life and past regrets, and of all the characters his left me with the most questions.

But the highlight performance of the night for me was Denise Kennedy’s Jeanette. When we first properly meet her, as part of her project team meeting, it was an extremely humorous performance, and one that I recognise all too well from my day job. However, when we next see her, as silent observers in her hotel room, her dramatic unravelling is shown in a quite breathtaking portrayal that had the audience gripped.

When we eventually emerged back out into the theatre foyer I had the sense of having experienced something very special that had my mind in complete overdrive for long after I had left the building. The cast, crew and creative team should be very proud of themselves, it was an extraordinary night out and I consider myself very lucky to have been part of.

A Round Heeled Woman, Aldwych Theatre London 14/1/12

“Alcohol doesn’t solve any problems………….but then again, neither does milk”

The above quote was one of my favourite lines from A Round Heeled Woman, which we went to see on its last night at the Aldwych Theatre in London, but it’s from a play littered with memorable moments.

The booking was a last minute thing, I was down in London for the Christening of my lovely niece and nephew, and we decided to go down to the half-price ticket booth at Leicester Square to see what was available. I had seen lots of people complimenting Sharon Gless’ performance, and I knew the play had good reviews, but other than that I really didn’t know anything about it. As the play started, and the lead character, Jane, is starting to engage in phone sex, whilst I sat next to my parents and brother and cringed, I did get a bit worried! But the tension was quickly broken with a very funny breaking of the 4^th wall and I was able to relax and enjoy what turned out to be a fabulous night out.

The play is based on a true story of Jane Juska, a lady heading for her 67^th birthday who takes out a personal ad in the New York Times Literary Review saying that she would like to have ‘a lot of sex with a man I like’. We then follow some of her encounters, whilst also learning more about her life now and in the past, her damaged relationship with her son, and a clever twist where her experiences are compared with those of her favourite Anthony Trollope character Miss Mackenzie through interactions with the lady herself and some of her suitors.

Sharon Gless was outstanding in the role. I have to admit I only really knew of her as Christine Cagney and wasn’t aware of what a varied and accomplished career she has had to date. Her character is the central focus of the play and is on stage the whole time. She’s got great comic timing, but that’s only one aspect of a complex role. She gave a very ‘real’ performance which was in turns funny, touching and heart-breaking, and which had the audience completely taken along on Jane’s journey, particularly as they were regularly addressed which lead to a very intimate feel to the play.

The rest of the cast take on a number of roles during the course of the play and were all excellent. Beth Cordingly’s Miss Mackenzie in particular managed to engage the audience so well that there were shouts of encouragement and cheers when life finally started looking up for her!

All in all this was a well-constructed and ultimately life affirming piece of theatre, that I’m sure spoke to many people, not just 66 year old women. It was lovely to go to see a play I have no preconceptions about, and for it to turn out to be such an unexpected treat.

You Can't Take It With You - Royal Exchange, Manchester 7/1/12

The Royal Exchange in Manchester can usually be relied upon to stage some seasonal cheer of the non-panto variety that will help to shake off any winter blues, and this year was no exception.

You Can't Take it with You is a revival of a 1930's American farce, centring on the eccentric Vanderhof household. Alice, the sanest of the bunch and the only one who appears to do real work for a living (as opposed to other family activities which include studying ballet - for a very long time!, playwriting, keeping snakes, making fireworks, painting, printing and sweet making ) falls in love with the bosses son Toby Kirby, and a party is arranged for the two families to meet. All the Vanderhoffs have promised to be on their best behaviour. Unfortunately the Kirby's arrive a day early in the middle of complete mayhem (or a normal day in the Vanderhoff household depending on your point of view).

All the cast were great, some taking on more than one role, one taking on five! I think my favourite characters were Sophie Russell's Essie, who practises her ballet moves at every opportunity, and Golda Roseuvel's Miss Wellington, a flamboyant actress with a passion for gin!

This was a gloriously mad production, even the scene changes were exuberantly choreographed, and it romped along at a cracking pace. It was also extremely funny, and ultimately very heartwarming. Just what was needed on a cold and damp post-Christmas Saturday!

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!