Category: Theatre Reviews

BEFORE Amelia Bullmore wrote ‘Di, Viv and Rose’ she was better known as an actress appearing as long-term characters in the nation’s favourite soap ‘Coronation Street’ and the award winning crime series ‘Scott and Bailey’.

Watching this play at the Crescent Theatre it seems a pity that she left it so long before she decided to put pen to paper. Indeed, she offers up the rare and glorious opportunity of three meaty parts for women which this Crescent company trio grab with both hands.

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Unashamedly there is more than a nod by Bullmore towards Pam Gems’ 1976 acclaimed ‘Dusa, Fish, Stas and Vi’; it too concerns female bonding issues – here it is three co-habiting university students and how what happens in this formative part of their relationship is carried with them forever; sometimes as a crutch – sometimes a cross.

The story begins in October 1983 and carries right through to August 2010 – Spanning some 30 years and meaning that three, middle – 40-something actresses have to go back to being starry eyed 18-year-olds waving goodbye to family ties and teenage angst as they prepare to change the world whilst celebrating freedom and casting off of the shackles of convention.

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Rose (Katie Merriman) whose stepdad Charlie buys a house for them so that they can move out of their tiny flat, is to put it kindly a ‘free-spirited’ art history student who has sex with any boy she fancies – anywhere– in fact even if she doesn’t fancy them she still has sex! Her two fellow housemates are retro dressing, artistic and serious minded sociology student Viv (Liz Plumpton) and Di (Tiffany Cawthorne) an athletic lesbian taking business studies.

Yes the characters and plot are a little clichéd but such is the warmth that comes across the curtain line in infectious waves from the three actresses and the cleverly crafted journey they take us on, that disbelief is disbanded and replaced with a Cheshire cat smile. Rose may be promiscuous but she is a naively gorgeous one and so funny; Viv’s dedication is almost as large as her talent – she is the mother protector of the trio – whilst Di enjoys the biggest release of her pent of sexuality of all three- she also gets the best line when she says about life after University ‘It’s back to fish on Fridays and not being a lesbian’.

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Director Kevin Middleton in addition to enjoying a talented cast is served well by an outstanding set from its designer Keith Harris, which works in perfect harmony with the video projection, created by Kristan Webb and including the illustrations by Malgorzata Dyjak.

So remarkable are some of the transformations that they break out from the confines of a studio production.

I particularly liked the nightclub scene where the girls boozily bopped the night away alongside Prince, the icon that epitomised all things 80s. Jo Thackwray brings perfect layers of time frame movement with her spot-on costume designs.

Middleton certainly knows his craft, paying good attention to the fine brush lines. I loved the disjointedness of the early scenes and the unhurriedness of others – such as allowing long, side – splitting indulgent laughter from the girls which I found myself joining in with whilst thinking ‘that is how I remember some of my happiest memories too’.

To me, Bullmore has written a gem of a script – yes it’s flawed but it’s such a beautiful take on friendship and so well done that it’s nigh on impossible not to like.

Go and judge for yourself – hopefully like me you will come out feeling joyous.

Visit https://www.crescent-theatre.co.uk/theatre-event/?EventID=117131 for more information, times and tickets.

Review by Euan Rose.

JM BARRIE’S original tale of ‘The Boy Who Wouldn’t Grow Up’ is just about recognisable in this delightfully brash panto version by Alan McHugh at the Birmingham Hippodrome.

It is indeed ‘an awfully big adventure’ with household name stars dazzling on stage as well as those twinkling on the sky curtains.

There are spectacular sets, a kaleidoscope of colourful costumes, pacey dance routines, songs a plenty, tight cool band and a barrel load of special effects to bring a bevy of gasps.

Pantomime audiences come not only to be entertained, but also to play their part in this uniquely British theatrical experience by booing, cheering, hissing and whooping appropriately. They did this on cue from the dynamic Matt Slack as Mr Smee – the whirlwind around which everything revolves. This is Matt’s sixth successive year in the Hippodrome panto and the cheers that greet his entrance are rightly gladiatorial.

He offers up a perfect mix of pathos and crudity, he generates warmth; has a great singing voice and most of all gives us a charismatic, inclusive and generous performance – he acts to one and includes us all – a rare talent indeed.

We first meet Mr Smee on the rooftop of the Darlings’ family home in Brum (The setting for this production is moved from the rooftops of London to the Second City and why not indeed?)

Smee is some sort of family retainer/nanny to Wendy, John and Michael and when they fly off to Neverland with Peter Pan (an engaging pop star performance from Jaymi Hensley) and his fairy chum, Tinkerbell (a gorgeously stroppy outing from Kelly Gnauck) he follows them through the clouds on a Vespa scooter.

The aerial trip is stunning enough as our historic troupe fly high up in the skies past stars and round planets, but to see Smee’s scooter twist and turn above our heads is a breathtaking aerial stunt reminiscent of those masters of Las Vegas illusions ‘Siegfried and Roy’.

On arrival at Neverland we meet the legend that is Captain Hook played by the legend that is Jimmy Osmond. He is perhaps more endearing than dastardly but we boo him just the same. He is at his best when indulging in clever word play. There is a quite wonderful rhyming word sessions involving him, Smee and the Magical Mermaid.’ Meera Syal brings magical, good fairy queen warmth to this role for which she is quite-rightly rewarded by getting to arrive in spectacular style via a flying seashell.

As well as the scripted gags these three principals revel in ad-libbing when things go wrong, like wigs and moustaches falling off. They are enjoying what is happening and that enjoyment is infectious.

Of course no panto would be complete without a slapstick scene – here Hook, Smee and the Mermaid are joined by Pan to give us a hilarious musical comedy routine involving frying pans, truncheons and buckets of water. Smee of course bares the brunt of most of the knocks, bumps and prods but he gets to wield the water over the audience as consolation.

There are some entertaining dance routines – my personal favourite comprised a row of dancing crocodiles. Joyous as this is, for a second you are left feeling ‘Is that it for Hooks nemesis?’ Oh no it isn’t! They are but the warm-up to a crocodile who is to crocodiles what Jaws is to sharks – he is massive and stretches from his twitching, armour-plated tail at the back of one of deepest stages in the world, to hover with mouth akimbo displaying rows of sharp teeth over the first few rows of the stalls causing the occupants to duck in terror.

Imogen Brooke as Tiger Lily makes a delicious if brief appearance as the Red Indian Princess – I would love to have seen her do more as what she does is quite memorable.

The speciality acts of ‘The Drunken Pirates’ and ‘The Timbuktu Tumblers’ compliment the action with fitting displays of gravity defying balancing and acrobatics.

Perhaps more could have been made of Nana the dog who just gets to wander on and off a couple of times without really anything to the story or the action – but this is a minor niggle amongst a box of delights.

From the principals through the ensemble to the babes provided by the Birmingham Stage School the whole company acts seamlessly as a team – which only goes to show that Director Michael Harrison and Choreographer Alan Harding have done their jobs well.

The audience left the theatre buzzing and contented – it was quite simply five stars to the right and then straight on to – Pantastic!

The show runs until January 27.

Visit www.birminghamhippodrome.com/calendar/peter-pan/#performances for more information, times and tickets.

Review by Euan Rose

WHEN DIRECTING, the golden rule is the most important person in the rehearsal room is the writer, even if he or she has been dead a few hundred years.

James David Knapp has a problem as not only is he directing ‘Alice in Wonderland’ in this Crescent Theatre production, but also he is working to his own adaptation.

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The vision we see on stage should be the vision he sees in his head.

There is no higher authority to check if it works until it is offered up to an audience; therefore I shall try to be charitable.

It is intelligently written but also oh so overwritten. The show opens with a damp squib when it should be a rocket.

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We are subjected to a long parental conversation about Alice’s schooling whilst all we want is to hurry up and get down the rabbit hole so we can have some fun.

At last the parents retire for the night leaving Alice (a hard working honest performance by Ruth Waterson) free to get out of bed. The naughty girl has gone to bed with her clothes on but then again might she only be dreaming?

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Down the rabbit hole she goes to a room with a tiny door and a tiny table plus a bottle labelled ‘Drink Me’ and a cake labelled ‘Eat Me’. When she eats and drinks alternatively spotlights are turned on the audience, which I presume are intended to mask the transitions, but are actually both blinding and annoying. It would have been so much better just to make a spectacle of the crew doing the change with some music and imagination.

The lighting for the whole of the first half is dim and moody, the costumes mostly dark and the dialogue for the most part, more insular than shared. This is more Underworld than Wonderland.

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The Mad Hatters’ Tea Party should surely be a splendid piece of slapstick, not homage to Harold Pinter – we need something to make us laugh!

The best bit of the first half is the scene coming up to the interval when at last the stage is flooded with colour and bright costumes as the Queen of Hearts is heralded.

Picture by Graeme Braidwood Photography. s

Act two is better – we get to meet some characters that actually raise a smile, namely the three gardeners delightfully played by Amelia Hall, William Stait and Ronnie Kelly.

Alice Macklin also applies herself with royal gusto as the Queen of Hearts. For me the croquet scene with the pink flamingos is the high spot.

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If only there were a couple of songs, some dances and a few maroons going off to add some magic.

The company will no doubt gain luster and up their game over the run but currently this seasonal offering is a lost opportunity to show the Crescent at its best. Roll on the Wassail!

The show runs until next Saturday, December 15. Tickets are £17 adults (£16 concessions) and £15 for children.

For more information and times, visit https://www.crescent-theatre.co.uk/theatre-event/?EventID=116330

Review by Euan Rose

THEY came in their droves, fans of all ages of one of the most popular sitcoms ever – ‘Benidorm’- to see the actors that had given them so much pleasure on the small screen come to life on the Alexandra stage.

Even more poignant is this live show, as the TV series has aired its final ever episode.

There was a pre-curtain buzz in the audience that was infectious, the excited chatter you experience on a packed plane leaving a cold climate and taking off in search of sun, sea and sangria. Yes we are off to sunny Spain – Y’Viva Espana!

Mark Walters, the designer does a grand job in helping the transportation process with his clever staging – that plus cracking warm lighting from the LD Ben Cracknell and the Alexandra Theatre management whacking the central heating to almost shorts and bikini temperatures.

With the oh-so-familiar Benidorm theme tune completing the transformation, we land at the three star Solana Hotel to find a worried Sherrie Hewson as manageress Joyce Temple-Savage reeling from the news the hotel is set to be taken over and everyone’s job is on the line.

Worse still, undercover guests have been sent in report back to the board. Could it be that young Perkins couple snooty Sophie (Tricia Adele- Turner) and her downtrodden husband Ben (Bradley Clarkson)?

Joyce thinks so and lays on the seven-star treatment in the hope of a good report.

The plot is simple, who wants anything complicated tonight anyway – rather let’s enjoy what writer, creator and – in this production – actor (he plays Gay Derek), Derren Litten has created – an adult pantomime. It is brash, bawdy and sometimes downright filthier than ever made the pre-watershed TV screen, but it oh so deliciously funny!

As each of the familiar faces make their entrance they are greeted with wild whoops and applause from the audience like they were the matinee idols of old. There’s half lothario/half gigolo Mateo toned and played to Spanish smarmy perfection by Jake Canuso.

Also the hugely talented, unmissable duo of queen of camp Kenneth (Tony Maudsley) and his permanently stressed out sidekick Liam (Adam Gillen).

Janine Duvitski is at her outrageous best as swing-ding enlister Jacqueline and Shelly Longworth brings us a big warm glow as Sam. These plus some newcomers talk, cavort, sing and dance us through one memorable evening all brought together by director Ed Curtis.

Park your political correctness at the door, put all thoughts of BREXIT out of your head and just enjoy yourself.

Book soon as tickets are becoming a rarity.

The Benidorm stage show runs at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham until December 29.

Visit https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/benidorm/alexandra-theatre-birmingham/ for more information, times and tickets.

Review by Euan Rose

THE Wizard Of Oz at The Rep was both over the rainbow and out of this world.

This is one humdinger of a show and the best seasonal fare the REP has proffered in years. Even if like me you a hardened ‘Wizard of Oz’ watcher, you’ll be enchanted by this new take.

Angela Davies’s design makes Dorothy’s original Kansas house transform itself into everything from the wicked witch of the west’s castle to the Emerald City and back again in seamless transitions.

This is clever, making it all one possible dream. She is supported by Nick Richings’s lighting design where he uses an intense and vivid spectrum of colours to not only point beacons of light towards us in a kaleidoscopic cacophony, but also pencil outlines every piece of scenery. Of course this needs to be witnessed first hand to fully appreciate both the magic and the cleverness of this approach.

Dorothy is played to petulant and feisty perfection by Chisara Agor. Also on ‘Team Dorothy’ is Kelly Agbowu as the Lion, who may be in search of courage but brings the house down with the power of her vocals along the journey.

Ed Wade who makes a nicely laughable and lovable scarecrow and completing the trio, Dillon Scott-Lewis as an athletic tin man – once oiled of course. Having only recently graduated from Guilford School of Acting this must be a huge role for him and he rises confidently to the challenge.

Shinay Holmes performs a lovely warm double as Glinda the Good Witch and Aunty Em whilst Jos Vantyler is her polar opposite in character, but equal in talent, as the hateful Miss Gulch and the evil Wicked Witch of the West. Lorna Laidlaw also gives us a delicious double as Professor Marvel and the Great Oz herself.

The rest of this talented company work solidly in harmony and in a multitude of roles to bring us a night of joy. As such Rhys Batten, Jade Davies, Luke Fraser Yates, Zak Nemorin, Kerri Norville, Elisha Sherman, Emily Squibb and Thomas Vernal are all worthy of mention.

Toto starts and ends as a real dog – I watched Rio (one of three adorable ‘Totos’) play the role on Press Night. In the middle, an almost human dog puppet takes over – brilliantly operated by Ben Thompson who is also the puppet captain.

Samuel Wyer designed the life-like puppets and spectacular costumes– that includes the Munchkins, the talking trees, the enchanting giant poppies and the absolutely terrifying giant ghouls.

There is flying, there is fighting, there is new clever funny dialogue, great singing, a super band and never once in this fairly long show does the evening drag.  My only one criticism is that the curtain call is too quick – the audience were getting to their feet to give a standing ovation as the curtain closed. No doubt this will addressed – after all, it’s thoroughly deserved.

Director Liam Steel has taken L Frank Baum’s classic tale to somewhere beyond a land that we dream of  – this is a must see show for all the family and the wizardry is indeed wonderful.

You can embark on that journey along the Yellow Brick Road into Birmingham until the January 13.

Visit https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/the-wizard-of-oz.html for times, ticket prices and more information.

Review by Euan Rose

THE THREE Artistic Directors of ‘Imitating the dog’ Theatre Company state it has been about ‘as challenging as it can get‘ to devise and stage Joseph Conrad’s ‘Heart of Darkness’. That’s true of writing this review too as I attempt to put into words the glorious bombardment of the senses I experienced whilst watching it in the REP’s Studio.

The opening is an interview with Franz Paul Stangl, an SS commander in Nazi Germany who was part of the infamous T-4 Euthanasia Program, (one of many spine chilling roles performed by Matt Prendergast) – a close up of his face on an overhead screen captures his unrepentant arrogance and removes any comfortable barrier that might exist between actor and audience. Besides setting the theme of genocide and internment, this is also an introduction to Simon Wainwright’s production and projection design. Through his vision we are taken on the most incredible journey.

A huge panoramic green screen backdrop is revealed, initially proffering a black and white photograph of Conrad staring out and challenging us to understand his message. There are three further square screens suspended above the acting area, sometimes used individually, sometimes collectively. Stage-wise the set is simple – props tables reside either side of the stage, there are two practical movie cameras on dollies, some flexible metallic acting blocks and the odd chair. So much is to come from really so little.

Conrad’s 1899 novella is acknowledged to be one of the most important works ever written about the impact of colonisation and with the world stage shifting to seeing emerging nations repeating the same patterns it is undoubtedly of the same relevance today. It also inspired such diverse works as Raymond Chandler’s detective series and the Francis Ford Coppola’s ultimate anti-war classic ‘Apocalypse Now’.

This production concerns the timeless lust for power depicted in the novella and sets it in a forsaken Europe where there is only despair, horror and more horror. The main character of Marlow in both Conrad and Chandler’s stories are white and male whilst here Marlow is black and female. Keicha Greenidge proves she is every inch a feisty, comic book hero match for any male Marlow contender. Keicha’s is a powerful, multi-dimensional performance. The close up on screen final shot of the tears rolling slowly down her cheeks will haunt me for days.

The rest of the flawless, tight-knitted charismatic cast comprises Morgan Bailey, Laura Atherton and Marven Macbeth in a liquorice allsorts collection of roles – all superbly delivered.

There are some other very clever creative touches – some of the discussions the artistic creators had are incorporated into the production in ‘the story so far sections which are clever and relevant. as too are the audible stage and camera directions. There are inventive scenes where an actor speaks the words in perfect sync among others. Martin Sheen in scenes from ‘Apocalypse Now’, which have a double relevance to the play, and the use of hand-props green-screened into the action, is pure artistic genius. For example, a simple round wheel hand held on stage by an actor sitting in a chair becomes a moving truck travelling along roads where an enemy waits in ambush. A special shout-out for the technical manager and lighting designer Andrew Crofts who choreographs the magic effects from the gallery.

No doubt this show will have criticism from theatrical purists who will say film belongs in cinema and live acting on stage, but I believe here the two work in alchemy and harmony to create a unique artistic environment, which draws on the strengths of both disciplines whilst diluting nothing.

I would happily watch this production several times and hope to catch the 2019 tour somewhere on its travels. It’s only a short run.

Heart of Darkness by ‘Imitating the dog’ Theatre Company runs until Saturday, November 24. Catch it if you can!

Visit https://www.birmingham-rep.co.uk/whats-on/heart-of-darkness.html for more information and tickets.

Review by Euan Rose