Shop of Little Horrors Review

Shop of Little Horrors

Pickled Image

Bath Spa University Theatre

Horrifyingly brilliant? Or hilariously disturbing? All words I did not think I'd be using to describe a performance in a POSITIVE way. I spent half of the show wrapped around my friend for security like Scooby Doo and Shaggy when seeing a m-m-m-monster! Pickled Image really excelled themselves in this comical twisted tale. My previous encounters with puppetry performances were lacking, the most memorable one being Avenue Q (how do you live up to that expectation?) but I was far from disappointed. I do not know how they managed to make us feel sorry for and root for a psychopath! Its an achievement and a wonder in its self!  An amazing piece of comedy that I would definitely recommend going to see. 

My Acting Student Notes:

Another performance proving the more skills and training you acquire the better. Puppets are awesome!

The Story Giant Review

The Story Giant

Marine Theatre Lyme Regis

By Shanty Theatre Company

Shanty Theatre are well known in Dorset for the ease in which they combine music with narration making their productions quirky, interesting and easy to follow. This is the third production I've seen from Shanty and as you can probably tell... I'm a bit of a fan! Everyone in their cast can play at least one musical instrument! In this particular production one of their actresses played four instruments as well as using vocals to create the music. Apart from one occasionally dodgy american accent these performers really excelled themselves in this family friendly production based on the book by Brian Patten.

I would definitely recommend this if you have small children. They are performing at the Marine theatre in Lyme Regis until August 28th and will also be coming to Poole and Dorchester Arts Centre later on in the year. 

My actors notes:

Another performance proving you should acquire as many skills as possible to become more appealing as an actor. They also used digital theatre well in this production. Using dicta-phones to playback as though their thoughts were being said out loud was a really clever way of getting into the characters minds in a comical way. Something that film has been able to trump theatre with for years. ACCENT WORK IS SO IMPORTANT AND LEAVES A LASTING IMPRESSION.

King John Unplugged

King John Unplugged

The Egg, Theatre Royal Bath

By Hammerpuzzle Theatre Company

Its no secret that Shakespearian drama's can be confusing for even the best of us, I strongly disagree with famous Downton Abbey writer Julian Fellows when he boldly insinuated in an interview recently that to understand Shakespeare you have to 'have had a very expensive education like his own'. Audiences all over the world, even in none English speaking countries, have been able to enjoy Shakespeare's plays. I was excited to see this adaptation to see the kind of productions I could be working on in a few years time, as two graduates from my own University were involved. The production was easy to follow and its strong use of music and puppetry made it entertaining for children keeping their attention. The use of costume and puppetry also made it easier for a smaller cast to stage this production while allowing the audience to be able to keep track of the characters. As well as having a few musical instruments in the piece the cast also used their voices to make musical interludes during scene or costume changes. This really helped the play run smoothly.

My actors notes: This performance proves to me that the more skills you have acquired the more appealing you are as an actor, every cast member played an instrument or could sing which added to the performance. The more adaptable the piece the better, I could quite easily see this as a street performance or at an outside venue. I am currently reading Peter Brooks 'The Empty Space'. He confirms for me that you don't need an expensive education or even to be English speaking to understand Shakespeare, he talks about touring with the Royal Shakespeare Company's cast of 'King Lear' in Europe and that the best received performances were in Budapest and Moscow where most people had little knowledge of the English language. 

Fallen Angels Review

Fallen Angels

By Noel Coward at The Theatre Royal Bath

Last summer I had the wonderful experience of seeing Private Lives, a Noel Coward play, starring the incredible Anna Chancellor and Toby Stephens on the West End. When I heard that another Coward comedy, Fallen Angels, was set to come to The Theatre Royal Bath I booked my ticket straight away. This quick witted comedy did not disappoint! Despite a slow start and an oddly placed curtain (for a scene change) that left us wondering after half an hour "Is it really the interval already?" this comical script soon had us back at the edge of our seats waiting for the catastrophic, punchline reveal of the characters old secret lover Maurice. The first production of this play was staged in 1925 and was deemed 'vulgar' and 'shocking' by critics due to it's storyline heavily involving female promiscuity and drinking. Despite all it's bad press it proved to be a hit and had a long run on the Globe stage.

The chemistry and sisterly bond between actresses Jenny Seagrove and Sara Crowe makes this performance an easy watch.  Yet another of Cowards plays proves to be timeless! Though it is set in the 20's (even then it was ahead of its time) it is easily related to modern day problems and life.

My student notes: The Theatre Royal Bath is an amazing theatre and I would love to work there one day. The comic timing and chemistry between Seagrove and Crowe was outstanding. At one point there was a loud sneeze from an audience member and the actor, Robin Sebastian, who was on stage with Seagrove at the time decided to acknowledge it with a 'bless you' in the middle of their scene. He did so in character and the audience was roaring with laughter. However Seagrove then followed this by saying out of character and directly at the audience 'you see what I have to work with here' from watching this I think when breaking the fourth wall in a play where the fourth wall is always there it should only be done in character so it does not take away from the scene. New aim in life: to play tennis with profiteroles.

Bluebeard Review

BLUEBEARD
Ustinov Theatre Bath

              This gripping play from new theatre company 'Gallivant' certainly had its audience members stomachs turning in their seats.  Each line delivered from actor Paul Mundell left us feeling uneasy and questioning our own views.  Mundell is brilliantly compelling and terrifying at the same time. He holds his audiences gaze and targets each person. The staging was simple but effective, the dingy setting and abstract lighting made it all the more frightening and dungeon like as he took us through his horrifying stories. The whimsical and poetic writing lulls you into a false sense of security and leaves you feeling slightly disgusted at yourself when you remember that he is describing abusing women. The company's twisted adaptation of this gruesome fairytale is chilling to say the least. There are distinct underlying themes concerning the pornographic imagery we see everyday on Facebook and other social media sites as well as making the audience question why society today is so obsessed with these 'Mr Grey' characters by describing the extremes Bluebeard's character is willing to go.

My student notes:
Paul Mundell is a very good example of someone who can clock his audience and hold moments of silence to the extreme. His vocal work was brilliant and didn't falter in the hour long performance once. The script was very well written and I really enjoyed the production.