A tender, thrilling and thought-provoking show. Prepare to be amazed!
This liquid-like performance comes from Canada’s Agathe and Adrien, a charming double act that intertwines acrobatics, story-telling and gasp-inducing moments.The topic: gender norms. The challenge: changing perspectives. The pair take us on a journey to dismantle societal archetypes and in the process, place us in awe as we watch them tumble, fly and land gracefully upon one another. There is a poetic softness throughout the show which is touching, poignant and highly skilled.
Agathe and Adrien swap roles throughout which shows us no matter what size you may be, or gender- there is nothing stopping you from achieving whatever you seek. A woman can be tough and strong, just in the same way a man can be soft and vulnerable. When speaking to the pair, Adrien declared he too likes to be cradled. This is important for us to acknowledge. We live in a society that places strict rules on gender, how we perceive them and what roles we should fit into. This show gracefully turns that on its head, encourages us to break free from these social norms and see how life can be whatever you choose, regardless of your gender.
You can catch this magnificent show at the Assembly Roxy, Upstairs on these dates: Aug 2-6, 8-13, 15-20, 22-25. It’s not one to miss!
An abstract look at how grief, guilt and shame can change the way we see loved one. Will they make or break?
As you enter the theatre space, the set design gives a sense of walking into a minimalists arts exhibition. The stark white walls and bright lights accompany a large, red paper wrapped box that sits alone in the middle of the stage. On one side of the stage stands a clothes railing and on the other, a drinks trolley laid with a bottle of wine, glasses and a hammer.
A couple enters, they are both staring at the box. The woman, played by Sarah Lawrie, is already quite drunk, kicking the box, toying with it whilst she inspects it. The man, portrayed by Martin Edwards tells her firmly not to touch the box. “It’s not time yet” Neither of the characters appear to know what is in the box and the audience are left to wonder what’s inside the box and why is it here?
As the play continues we are led into the couples imaginary world- where the lines between reality and fantasy are dangerously blurred. Both Lawrie and Edwards have a good grasp on the script and the relationship. They worked well together and helped push the story through its twists and turns. The audience are taken on an emotional rollercoaster ride as the play examines the harrowing consequences of a mistake and how it can affect those we love the most.
Two elements of the show that felt out of place were the music and movement. They both felt a bit cliche, overdone and predictable. The piece began to take on a GCSE devised theatre quality rather than the slick, sophisticated piece it could have been. Instead of enhancing the key moments within a scene, it took us out of the world and away from the relationship. At times it felt like a tactic to entice an emotional response rather than aiding the emotional journey of the piece.
Overall I thought the piece did well. It is always interesting to see how grief, shame and guilt can impact a relationship and decide whether its make or break. However, with the disconnected nature of parts of the script, movement and music, the play failed to find a nice synergy and left audience members feeling robbed of a true connection with the characters in this story.
Absurdist comedy set in the Wild Wild West has some nice moments, good intentions but lacks attention to detail and clear direction.
The Good, The Bad, The (very) Silly follows the story of when “…an outlaw in the Wild West stumbles upon a peculiar saloon run by a wacky barman. As eccentric characters enter the saloon one-by-one, the outlaw and his new-found assistant must discover the truth behind the Saloon’s mysterious effects.”
Vering on the side of too silly, this show makes a good attempt at guiding the audience through the story but regularly gets lost in the chaotic nature of the characters and their side quests. If you’re looking for slapstick moments and larger than life characters then look no further and remember to stick ’em up.
First up to grace us with their presence is the owner of the saloon and barman, played by Luke Rose – who also directs this piece. His engagement with the audience was charming and pleasant as he pottered about the saloon, cleaned up, offered drinks and made a few quips. There was one moment where he climbed over an audience member and got very close and personal, potentially a little too close as the audience member looked uncomfortable. (For future shows it would be good to give the audience the option if they would like to be involved or not. Those who are a yes, sit at the front, those who are not so keen, sit at the back.) Luke does a good job at portraying the bumbling, child-like, sometimes overly comfortable barman and has a knack for physical comedy and delivers good comical timing. His attempts to make each guest that enters his saloon feel comfortable is endearing- even when he doesn’t always say or do the right thing.
Our next character to fall (quite literally) into the scene is our Cowboy, Daniel Pirie. As the audience we are met with nothing less but a cliche of a cowboy as he saunters through the saloon. Mysterious, devious and after one thing. Gold. Daniel delivers classic cowboy in his mannerisms and vocal qualities, we believe him to be a real stone cold ranger of the Wild West. As the story unravels we see a different side to this cowboy which I feel Daniel did a good job in portraying. He flipped our prejudices which is always a pleasure to see in storytelling. Who is this cowboy really? Why is he here? And what does he need to do to move on?
Screams are heard from the other side of the stage as our next performer leaps into the action. Vilma Kitula offers a nice vibrancy to her multitude of characters but struggles to keep ahold of the accents thus making it sometimes confusing for the audience to know which role she was playing. Vilma’s best moment was when she came out as the inventor, she exuded a fun energy and tapped into a funny clownish nature. The intention for each of her characters is there, but may need more time and attention to detail to make each persona shine on their own.
The standout performance came from Cameron Harris. He brought great pace, a range of characters with individual personas and remained authentic and bold throughout. A particularly lovely moment is when he plays the alcoholic priest comforting our protagonist- words are shared and a revelation is born. Cameron held his own and allowed the audience to sit back and enjoy his performance.
Although there were some lovely moments, as a whole I feel the play struggled to keep us engaged throughout. The dropped physicalities and accents meant we were taken away from the world and ended up watching actors in costumes on stage. At times the absurdist side of the performance tipped too far over the edge and became chaotic and unfollowable. It will be up to direction to reevaluate the balance between impactful absurdist theatre versus adding in random moments of being silly for silliness sake. The actors did a good job with the script, which I also think is still in its developmental stages but with clear direction, clarity of story and character there is no reason why this play will not be a great success. Yeehaw!
A detailed and eye opening account of what it takes to put on a theatre show and shifts the limelight over to the hard-working staff responsible.
The National Theatre in collaboration with It’s Nice That havecommissioned three photographers to capture what goes on backstage before the curtain rises.
Laura McCluskey, Max Miechowski and Callum Su have each brought their own flair to this exhibition whilst capturing beautiful, rare moments and placing the limelight on the hard-working people backstage.
A short bio from each photographer was available to read detailing where they’re from, what they’ve achieved and how they’ve found themselves in this work today. It was wonderful to see the photographers at the opening exhibition, ask them questions about their work and see their friends and families in attendance. The atmosphere felt relaxed and welcoming.
The first of our photographers was Callum Su, a British-Chinese photographer born in Manchester and based in London.
“He has a sensitive approach in exploring landscape, details, portraiture and fashion. He uses photography as a way to document his voyage outwards into a new experience and inwards into a new consciousness. This often results in a suggested narrative behind his subjects.”
Callum was the only artist to shoot in black and white, giving his work a slight contrast to that of his peers. The use of light across his collection is direct and striking but still finds moments of softness. In particular, a photo of a young man with a shadow sweeping across his face whilst wearing a mic is visually captivating. I had fun imagining this moment taking place during a production of Hamlet where the young technician decides to come out from behind the stage, take centre focus and deliver a flawless soliloquy. Callum Su has an eye for detail and allows our imagination to run free, making his work thought-provoking and enjoyable to spectate.
Next up we have Laura McCluskey, “… a London–based photographer, director and visual artist working between fashion, portrait and documentary projects. Often capturing real-life and emotion as it happens, she finds inspiration in the beauty of the everyday and in human connection.”
Laura takes us away from the dramatic black and white and into a world of magical technicolor. We see elaborate costumes and props in place ready for their entrance, the arrows marked on the floor guide you to the stage but keep an eye out for the snake like wires that cluster together, their rainbow metallic colours entrancing and alluring. Laura has a talent for making inanimate objects come to life through her photography. She shows us that the world behind the stage is just as magical and exciting as it is on stage.
Last, but by no means least, is Max Miechowski.
“Max Miechowski is a British photographer based in London. With a focus on long-form projects, his practice centres on themes of connection and community. Often rooted in portraiture, his work explores the intricate, at times conflicting, relationships between people and place.”
His work is bold, authentic and cinematic. We become flies on the wall as we catch candid glimpses of the busy bees backstage. Max shared that he used a long lens for this shoot as he wanted to stay out of sight and out of mind. This technique has allowed us to see people in their natural state without feeling observed. Max said he enjoyed catching people in the moment, without it feeling posed or preempted. Another reason for using a long lens is because his subjects are used to being hidden, unlike the actors on stage these people prefer to stay away from the limelight and tend to stay where they feel at home in the shadows. Max has given us the opportunity to experience another world and shares with us his findings on these remarkable creatures in a way that feels like we are at the cinema.
This exhibition is a perfect opportunity for us to understand and witness what goes on behind the stage and how much time, hard-work and effort it takes to put on a show. We are so used to applauding the creatives that appear on stage, however we must remember that if it wasn’t for these diligent, caring and dedicated people backstage, the show would not go on.
A charming tale of two sisters reuniting after twelves years. But are they able to come together again and let go of the past, or will it repeat itself?
*Some spoilers below*
As we enter the Jack studio, we see the stage with minimal set. Two chairs, a table and a few taped up boxes. As the lights go up, two figures enter the stage, it is raining and cold, one figure expresses how they are cold and would like to come inside. This conversation goes on for a while, until finally, the other character lets them inside. Once indoors we discover the two characters are in fact sisters who haven’t seen each other for twelve years.
As the story continues we see Jess, played by Emma Riches, continue to push Sarah, portrayed by Lisa Minichello, for conversation. It is uncomfortable and awkward as the two attempt to navigate this bizarre reunion. The back and forth becomes repetitive with Jess failed attempts at small talk and Sarah responding with “I don’t know’ for the majority of the conversation. It is clear the shock of not seeing her sister for twelve years has affected Sarah and she is not sure how to compose herself.
As time passes and the rain continues to pour, we see Jess try to liven up the mood between the two. In a funny moment, she reaches into her backpack and pulls out multiple bottles of booze. She ends up pulling about 15 bottles of spirits whilst also saying, “I’m not an alcoholic.” Initially this gag was funny, but I feel like the longer it was dragged out the more ridiculous it became and therefore the less authentic it was. We understand that Jess may be an alcoholic, but it didn’t need to be milked so much.
The two have a lovely tension between each other which explains the time they’ve spent apart whilst highlighting their deep rooted relationship as sisters. There are some lovely moments where they reminisce together and remember how they used to be. However they are pulled back into reality with one sister having looked after their sick mum whilst the other left without a word.
As the drinks flow and Jess offers a bag of drugs to help lift the mood, we see how the pain between these two has affected them deeply. The use of light and music helped elevate these feelings however I feel that the music was overused and began slightly eggy. The conversations become repetitive with Jess trying to invite her sister to open up and Sarah still not feeling comfortable with her sister showing up out of the blue. The actor’s did a great job with the script, however I feel like they were not helped with the repetitiveness of the dialogue. At times it felt like nothing was happening between the two and the small talk became repetitive and slow.
The show has some lovely moments of showing their relationship however I felt like this was lost in the repetitiveness of the dialogue and the forceful nature of the music. Even though the script has been cut from one hour fifty five to a ninety minute piece, part of me feels that there are more cuts to be had to make the story flow and connect to the audience more.
Sparks was a touching portrayal of two sisters rekindling after some time. The direction was smart and helped the audience connect with the two characters. There could have been some more nuances found by the actors. All in all a lovely show and one which I believe with some more work can be something thought provoking.
A sharp psychological romance that will have you wondering, do you truly know the person you share your bed with?
As the lights go up, we meet Clara, (Saskia Mollard) – a young woman, defeated, broke and lonely. She is fed up with living in survival mode and decides to change her circumstances for the better. She enlists herself into a programme where you swap out your healthy organ in exchange for someone else’s no matter what condition the other organ is in. Clara convinces herself that it is about the money and puts her moral judgments to one side.
As Clara’s treatment continues, she meets a sweet young man, Tom (Tobis Abbott) who offers up charming conversation, makes her smile and has a real impact on her. The two begin a wonderful relationship and within two months Tom is asking Clara to move in. Clara struggles at first to accept this offer saying she doesn’t need a ‘carer’, however as time goes on her heart gets worse, the promise of being cared for when she has little money and nowhere else to go is really her only option and she agrees to move in with Tom.
As the relationship moves forward it becomes clear that these two need each other. Clara is increasingly pessimistic about her heart and makes frequent comments about death and when she will die. Tom is the antidote, he attempts to quell this negativity by giving her a more positive outlook on her situation. Instead of a ‘bucket list’ it is a ‘list of things we can do together whilst we’re living here…sort of thing’ Clara begins to soften towards Tom, she allows him to take care of her and starts to form a loving attachment to him. One evening, they play blind karaoke, talk about their past, Clara allows him to be more intimate with her and touch her scar and Tom opens up about his heartbreaking and dysfunctional relationship with his Dad. It is in these moments that our two charming actors shine.
Like with any relationship, unless there is trust and communication at its foundation, the cracks will start to show. Clara continues to push Tom for more details about his past, who his friends are and his relationship with his dad. Tom is reluctant, but tries to soothe her with promises of meeting his friends in Bristol. Clara is not convinced and decides she wants to take some of her independence back. She attempts to go to a hospital appointment alone but is met with difficulty as Tom insists he goes with her. Clara gives him an ultimatum, ‘either you let me go alone or I move out.’ Tom allows her to go alone, but when she comes back later that evening, he confronts her saying he was worried where she was and that she turned her ‘Find my friends’ off.
As she enters the flat, Clara’s energy has dropped. She has discovered through the medical records whose heart she is carrying. It is Tom’s father’s. We feel the horror and disgust rising in Clara as she discovers Tom has been keeping many secrets from her and those ‘skeletons in the closet’ he told her didn’t exist, start tumbling out. Tom reveals that his father died after the surgery and that this heart, the one in Clara’s chest, is the last piece he has left of him. Sickened by this, Clara attempts to leave, Tom pleads with her, promising that he will look after her, get her some food and that will sort this whole thing out. His demeanour has changed slightly to that of a more forceful nature and Clara begins to realise he won’t let her go. Door locked and Tom casually ordering them a takeaway sends Clara into fight of flight mode. When his back is turned, Clara reaches for his dad’s penknife, secretly hiding it away. She takes it out in a last attempt at freedom. Tom backs down and allows her to have the keys to the door. However when her back is turned, he grabs for her and they enter into a scramble. As she tries to escape, Tom launches himself at her and runs head on into his father’s blade.
The play ends with Clara under the spotlight, going through the events that ensued and how the paramedics found them ‘tangled’ together and could only save one of them. She comments on how she feels more connected to Tom, to her heart and that they will all heal together. This came across as a strange change in personality at first, however it is common in those who share organ transplants to take on the characteristics of their donor. Maybe this is why Tom felt so drawn to Clara, she has his father’s heart and he wanted to protect that heart, whatever the cost.
I enjoyed the play’s use of props which were found in medical bags along the outside of the stage paired with lighting and sound to indicate a shift in the scene, place and time. The discarding of the bags on the floor was careless, created a mess and could be seen as a foreshadowing for Clara and Tom’s spiralling relationship. Both Saskia and Tobias delivered their lines with ease and clarity, their on stage chemistry was natural and charming. Overall, the stakes needed to be higher in the later scenes where Clara realises she has become trapped and is now fighting for her freedom. But one moment that did stand out which was beautifully chilling was when Clara discovers the door is locked and Tom is casually ordering souvlaki over the phone. ‘Oh I forgot to order you a drink!’ Hands up to Josh Maughan for the direction on this piece, it is slick, well rehearsed and keeps the audience on their toes. It has the potential to be a real stand out psychological thriller for stage. I’m excited to see where it goes.
