Kneehigh Theatre's Rebecca, Lowry Salford 11/4/15

I was very excited to get a chance to see Kneehigh in action again as the previous two productions I have seen of theirs, Brief Encounter and Don John were remarkably crafted and very memorable experiences and I was intrigued as to how they would bring their unique touch to Daphne Du Maurier's well known tale.

From the moment the curtain went up I knew I was in for something very special. A gorgeous detailed and extremely clever set has been created which, with the help of the cast, magically transports you to the various settings of the play, from the beautiful but slightly faded glory of the Manderley house, to the wild lonely shores of the Cornish coast. There are even echos of the previous lady of the house built into the set, the wrought iron balustrades and vases containing Rebecca's initial representing the hold the first Mrs De Winter still has over the lives of the participants even from beyond the grave.

This being Kneehigh, you shouldn't expect a straight retelling of the book. Although the plot is well represented on stage, this 'play' is so much more than that, and actually quite risqué at times!  There is plenty of humour, especially with star turns from Katy Owen as Robert the servant ( who also does an excellent job of portraying the fragile young Ben waiting on the shoreline for his father to return from the sea) and Lizzie Winkler as Giles De Winter's sister Beatrice, who delivers some of the finest, and most death defying drunk acting I have seen. Cornish sea shanties provide an evocative element to proceedings as they are woven through the action. Puppetry is used to great effect and there's even a couple of fun dance numbers built into the narrative (tip - don't be tardy getting back to your seat after the interval)

Emily Raymond's sinister portrayal of the obsessive Mrs Danvers sent shivers down my spine, Imogen Sage as the current Mrs de Winter showed a nice journey from vulnerable innocent to something much stronger as the true nature of her 'love rival' and the manner of her death are revealed, and Kneehigh stalwart Tristan Sturrock is well cast as Maxim de Winter, still struggling with the ghosts of the past.

The whole ensemble cast are incredibly talented and hardworking, most appearing on stage throughout, providing music, cleverly creating scenes and expertly evoking the dark atmosphere of the story. 

I was totally captivated by this gorgeously atmospheric and beautifully crafted retelling of this well known tale. Kneehigh truly brought a little Cornish magic to the Lowry stage.

Oklahoma, Lowry Theatre Salford 21/3/15

Rodgers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma is one of those musicals where you will know most of the songs, even if, like me, you have never seen it all the way through on stage or screen before. This new production, currently on an extensive tour of the UK, had toes tapping and hands clapping throughout the Lowry's auditorium, and delivered a delightful slice of good old fashioned entertainment.

The cast is fabulous, Belinda Lang nails Aunt Emmer's spirited matriarch, the squabbling star crossed lovers Curley (Ashley Day) and Laurey ( Charlotte Wakefield) are an excellent pairing, national treasure Gary Wilmot brings perfect comic timing to the role of peddler Ali Hakim, Nic Greenshields adds a brooding menace as the loner Jud Fry and James O'Connell's exuberant lovestruck Will Parker is a treat. My favourite role though was Lucy May Baker as Ado Annie, the girl who just 'cain't say no'. Hilarious, endearing and such an amazing voice, she almost stole the show, although the whole cast are so good ( including yet another talented Strallen) and the production so slick it is impossible for any one performer to steal it.

The live orchestra delivers the wonderful and well known score brilliantly and really adds to the show (take note War Horse on tour!) and a clever set is used to its full potential in the complex and lively dance numbers, which include some innovative haybale-ography! The costumes are also beautiful, although it must be exhausting dancing in all those layers!

Not knowing the show I was quite surprised by some of the darker elements in the story ( who knew that encouraging someone to contemplate suicide was quite so entertaining!) but they were executed well, and the Dream Ballet that rounded off the first Act was especially menacing and expertly delivered by a hard working company. Act Two contains the big crowd pleasers The Farmer and The Cowman, and of course the one we were all waiting for -  Oooooooooklahoma, which sent the audience out smiling and humming. 

I would definitely recommend this joyful energetic show to anyone who wants to chase away the blues. Tour dates can be found here.

All Photos : Pamela Raith

The Picture of Doreen Gray, Lipservice Theatre, The Lowry 7/3/15

Me and Lipservice go back a scarily long way, they celebrate their 30th anniversary this year and the first time I was introduced to their quirky delights was at the Romiley Forum for Withering Looks, probably around 25 years ago. Blimey I'm old! I've seen that show three or four times, once supporting Victoria Wood I seem to remember, and most of their productions since and they never fail to raise a smile.

Their latest creation, The Picture of Doreen Gray tells a tale which will resonate with many in their audience, as radio and tv presenter Doreen is faced with the fickleness of the entertainment world towards ladies of advancing years, exploring whether it is better to be outwardly young or ultimately to celebrate what you are, enjoy life, and buy a pair of comfy shoes.

Once again a community cast has been recruited for the show, which is a fun addition and makes for some exhuberant big numbers, (and also boosts ticket sales based on the excited waves from large sections of the audience at the matinee I attended!). The props and set are  very clever with some great use of projection tricks and sight gags, and the storyline is fun with some nicely observed characters. And of course Maggie Fox and Sue Ryding are as naturally comical as ever.

Whilst this production is no 'Desperate to be Doris', it is enjoyable, witty,  well paced, with plenty of laugh out loud moments throughout and a heartwarming message to impart. The audience thoroughly enjoyed themselves and there were smiles all round.

Right, now I'm off to get myself some comfy K shoes, and maybe a badger costume. Here's to 30 more years ladies.

Elephents, Perth Fringe Festival, Western Australia, 21/2/15

Oh Perth (the Australian one, not the Scottish one) I turn my back for two years and your Fringe Festival balloons, you now have hundreds of productions, all over the city and elsewhere, and navigating your overly complex website to choose a likely contender for me to drag my long suffering cousin and host Jen to is a bit of a frustrating lottery. Previous years have fielded the great and the not so great and I have to admit to some nerves as I took my seat for this production, Elephents,  billed as a surreal musical soap opera, which was mainly I have to admit chosen on the basis of location and the fact that it hadn't sold out!

My fears were not initially abated when the bewigged cast appeared on stage, wearing droopy elephant ears and I wondered what I had let us in for and whether my host would ever trust me with booking duties again. However, as the performance got underway I soon realised we had struck lucky!

An impressively talented cast of five take on a number of roles in this yes surreal, but also funny and sometimes very touching musical play. The world is dying, the zoo animals are in danger, relationships are forming and being tested, talents and ambition are being challenged and wallpaper is being chosen!
Each character has their moment in the spotlight, often accompanied by a few elephants in the room, and a simple, low budget but very clever design works well.

In the main musical accompaniment (and a great line in facial expressions) comes from constant elephant in the room Brett Smith, although the fine voiced cast of Gita Bezard, Adriane Daff, Jeffery Jay Fowler and Pete Townsend also join in from time to time (don’t you just hate people that can sing, act and play so well - it's like they stole all the talent from the rest of us!)
I couldn't explain this production, but what I can tell you is that it has an extremly talented cast and utterly charmed me from beginning to end. I was so glad to have had a chance to experience its uniqueness.
I believe that the theatre company behind this, The Last Great Hunt, based in Perth, are intending to bring a production or two to Edinburgh this year. Might be a good one to check out all you lucky Edinburgh fringe people (very like Perth fringe I'm sure just bigger and swap midges for mozzies!)

Scuttlers, Royal Exchange Manchester 1/3/15

Royal Exchange Theatre's latest offering is a new play by Rona Munro, Scuttlers, offering a glimpse into the gang culture of 1880s Manchester. The scuttlers of the title are the members of the gangs, regularly involved in skirmishes, with rival gangs and each other, and petty crime in a bid for power, status and respect, but also, as this play touches on, a need for belonging and a 'family' against a background of poverty, violence and overcrowding.

A striking and effective set has been created for this production, with a central feature representing the looms of the mills, which later rises to form an almost chandelier like structure 'looming' overhead, this combined with an excellent thumping soundscape, and dark oppressive lighting, and yes at one stage the famous Manchester rain, effectively set the mood for the piece and help to maintain the tension throughout.

As you enter the theatre space the workers are already hard at it in the mills, threads fall from the ceiling, machinery screams and clatters and there is constant movement. The Exchange has once again made use of a community ensemble for this production and it really adds to the piece as they are involved throughout, giving a sense of the overcrowding and chaos, and helping each scene to blend seamlessly into the next. The bar scene and rival gang face offs were particularly well choreographed, and with such a large cast in such an intimate space it had the effect of drawing the audience even more into the action.

Of the central cast the script gives the female characters more chance to shine, the male characters seemed to be less substantial, although this may have been deliberate as the natural path when creating this work may have been to focus on the 'leaders' and the female focus offers an alternative lens. The central trio of Theresa (Rona Morison), Polly (Chloe Harris) and Margaret (Caitriona Ennis) were excellently played. Theresa the 'mother' of the gang, spiky and ready to fight but with a protective core, Polly the androgynous 'tiger cub' constantly spoiling for a fight and wanting to be one of the boys, and the lost and vulnerable Margaret, escaping violence at home and looking for purpose and belonging. I was particularly pleased to see Ennis in the cast following her amazing performance in Angel Meadow last year and she didn't disappoint, perfectly balancing the complex and vulnerable character of Margaret, especially touching in her scenes with the nurse Susan (Anna Krippa) who sees the potential for something more in her.

The plot itself is a little predictable at times, especially in terms of the link between the rival gangs, and the final gang confrontation, although effectively staged, felt a little rushed. I also remain slightly undecided about the final scene that contrasts the history with the present, the point it was trying to illustrate was a little lost on me although it was nicely done.
The play moves along at a relentless pace with the tension maintained throughout, in fact I wondered if cuts had been made as it came in well short of the time advertised on the Theatre's website. The pace, staging, design and performances combine to deliver a very powerful and involving experience, and a refreshing addition to the Exchange's season.

Changi WWII War Trail, 11/2/15

Having really enjoyed one of the Original Singapore Walking Tours on a previous visit to Singapore, I was keen to try another and this one caught my eye. Organised and run by the Changi War Museum, for SGD 55  it promised an overview of Singapore's experience of WW2 including a visit to the museum and other places of note. And boy did it deliver.

Even the MRT ride out to the meeting point of Pasir Ris was interesting for me as after 9 visits to Singapore the furthest away from the city I have managed to venture has been the bizarre Sentosa Island, and the Botanic Gardens. This overground MRT ride gave me a glimpse of residential Singapore, and also the huge new stadium and vast expo.

On arrival I was met by our friendly and knowledgable guide, Sharuh, from the museum and we had a great chat about England, war museums, football stadiums and Coronation Street whilst waiting for the rest of the party to arrive.

The tour itself centres on the museum, but other key sites including a costal defence gun, and the beach are visited and lots of key sites pointed out with their history and significance explained such as the vast prison complex, the Japanese school and the various barracks. 

I learnt so much from this tour, I really had no idea of the scale of the impact on Singapore and its people during the war, the hardships and atrocities that took place, or the background to the conflict. Some of the stories were hard to hear, some incredibly touching, and there were many times when I was holding back the tears. But contained within all this horror there were also stories of bravery and humour in the face of adversity and the incredible resilience of the human spirit.

Sharuh was a fantastic guide, with an obvious passion for both the history and the need to respect and learn from the past whilst moving forward. As well as the main topic of the tour I also learnt lots about modern Singapore life, and would like to explore the Changi area more. Such an an absorbing and fascinating way to spend an afternoon.

At the end of the tour we were presented with a wonderful 40 page booklet to keep all about the conflict and the various significant sites in Singapore. 

This really was an incredible experience and such good value with a wonderful guide, I am so glad I took some time out to attend it and if you are in Singapore, as a visitor or a resident ( we had four young Singaporeans on our tour) I strongly recommend you check it out. 

Tour of Esplanade Theatres by the Bay, Singapore 10/2/15

As we all know, I'm obsessed with theatre, even when on holiday, so when in a very jet lagged state I passed this sign in the esplanade at Singapore it immediately caught my attention.  I duly presented myself promptly at 9.00 the next morning to have a tour. So promptly that initially all I could find was cleaning staff! As soon as I found someone to ask though the incredibly helpful staff went off to arrange a guide and the lovely Isni and her sidekick Benjamin soon arrived to show me round on my own little private tour!

The arts centre was built on reclaimed land and opened in 2002. It comprises a 1800 seat concert hall, 2000 seat theatre, 200 seat flexible studio, 200 seat recital studio and additional performance spaces, public areas and exhibition spaces. Whilst they do host touring companies and artists which can be more expensive ( Isni mentioned one concert where the top priced ticket was SGD 600!) , there is a heavy emphasis on making art and performance accessible to all with many performances being subsidised or free. There are also daily free recitals in the foyer. 

The tour itself was very comprehensive and informative, I learnt tons about the acoustics of the spaces and the soundproofing that ensures that even in a busy part of the city with constant traffic noise and the seemingly never ending Singapore construction racket,  the sound quality will always be first class.

The concert hall is a beautiful light airy space and reminded me very much of the Bridgewater Hall in Manchester, the theatre feels a lot more intimate but has a huge stage, similar size to the Lowry's Lyric, and like theirs has been designed so that large trucks can unload into a bay directly behind it. The Studio is a lovely flexible space that could host many types of performance. We also went up to the roof terrace, a public area that I had no idea existed even though I have walked below it many times! It's a popular picnic spot for families at the weekend apparently. 

I really enjoyed my tour which - a bargain at SGD 10, which included a very comprehensive booklet and free postcards!  There is a longer tour available to book that also takes you backstage but it's only available to larger parties sadly, not solo chicks from Manchester on their holidays! 

Thank you Isni and Benjamin. I can't wait to return and hopefully attend a performance in your lovely building.