Tag Archive

‘A searingly honest portrait of motherhood’: MUM – Soho Theatre

In Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by Louise Penn11th November 2021Leave a Comment

Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s new play is a raw and physical exploration of how motherhood can be tough, and how some mothers can be failed by the system set up to protect their children.

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‘Humorous then utterly heart-rending with much to say to all of us’: MUM – Soho Theatre

In London theatre, Opinion, Other Recent Articles, Plays, Reviews by Ian Foster2nd November 2021Leave a Comment

Following on from the brilliant Emilia, Morgan Lloyd Malcolm’s new play Mum is a powerfully bracing experience at the Soho Theatre.

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‘Intriguing revival’: MASKS & FACES – Finborough Theatre (Online review)

In London theatre, Online shows, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by John Chapman29th July 2021Leave a Comment

This is Masks And Faces (full title: Masks And Faces or Before And Behind The Curtain) his 1852 play set in the world of the theatrical profession which the Finborough rediscovered and produced in 2004 and is now being presented as a recorded Zoom reading.

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‘Possesses an up-to-the-minute urgency’: LIVING NEWSPAPER #3 – Royal Court Theatre (Online review)

In London theatre, Online shows, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Ian Foster6th April 2021Leave a Comment

The third edition of Royal Court’s Living Newspaper moves online only, with some seriously fierce political writing this time around.

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‘Big ideas & goals underpin the writing’: WOLFIE – Theatre503

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Laura Kressly8th April 2019Leave a Comment

Despite Wolfie at Theatre503 being the first play from Ross Willis and certainly not a flawless one, it demonstrates a laudable ambition and sense of scale.

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‘A dark tale that positively throbs with excitement’: WOLFIE – Theatre 503

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Aleks Sierz29th March 2019Leave a Comment

Ross Willis’ dazzle-bright debut play Wolfie is wild and wonderfully imaginative: innovative fringe theatre triumphs again.

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THE DIVIDE PARTS 1 & 2 – Edinburgh & Old Vic Theatre

In Edinburgh Festival, Festivals, London theatre, Plays, Regional theatre, Reviews, Scotland, Sticky, Touring by Thom Dibdin14th August 2017Leave a Comment

★★★☆☆ Long time coming:
The official Festival’s flagship production of Alan Ayckbourn’s The Divide at the King’s contains multitudes.

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NEWS: Cast & dates announced for Alan Ayckbourn’s The Divide at Old Vic

In Edinburgh Festival, Festivals, London theatre, Native, News, Plays, Press Releases, Regional theatre, Scotland by Press Releases11th July 2017Leave a Comment

The Old Vic today gives a sneak preview of what’s to come in 2018 at The Old Vic during its bicentenary, with dates and full casting announced for the year’s first production: the London transfer of Alan Ayckbourn’s new dystopian family drama The Divide.

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NEWS: Winners announced in 2017 #AlsoRecognised Awards

In Awards, London theatre, Musicals, Native, News, Plays, Press Releases, Sticky by Press Releases31st March 2017Leave a Comment

Several shows in the running for this year’s Olivier Awards, announced next Sunday 9 April, are also recognised this week in the third-annual Also Recognised Awards – in some notably different categories.

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LOW LEVEL PANIC – Orange Tree

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Ian Foster19th March 2017Leave a Comment

Dialogue heavy but conversationally acute, we eavesdrop on these women in their bathroom, sharing confidences, fantasies, stories of what it is like to be a woman in a society that continually objectifies their sex.

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LOW LEVEL PANIC – Orange Tree Theatre

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Aleks Sierz23rd February 2017Leave a Comment

The late Clare McIntyre’s Low Level Panic has a great title for a 1980s feminist drama. In three words she presents the emotional landscape of her play: uncertain, edgy, angsty.

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IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT – Touring

In Opinion, Plays, Regional theatre, Reviews, Touring by Johnny Fox8th April 2016Leave a Comment

It can’t be too good dodging the dog-shit streets of Splott. It can’t be too easy dodging Effie, the loud-mouth, aggressive inhabitant who has saved us all. Every single one of us. We owe her. And she’s about to tell us why.

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IPHIGENIA IN SPLOTT – National Theatre

In London theatre, Opinion, Plays, Reviews by Aleks Sierz5th February 2016Leave a Comment

New Welsh monologue focuses on the sacrifices demanded from its young female heroine, but what are its politics?

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Tam O’Shanter, Tales and Whisky

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★★★★☆ Charming

Traverse: Wed 25 Jan 2023
Review by Hugh Simpson

Tam O’Shanter, Tales and Whisky, Stolen Elephant’s Burns Night presentation at the Traverse, is an accomplished and enticing celebration of the poet.

What a relief it is to see a Burns-based show that actually features the poems and songs so heavily rather than yet more rehashing of his biography. There are generous helpings of verse, not only Tam O’Shanter, but also Death and Dr Hornbook and the Address to the Deil, along with several musical interludes from Duggi Caird and Douglas McQueen Hunter.

A scene from an earlier staging of Tam O’Shanter. Pic AMD Studios.

It’s not all Burns, with ghost stories from the Scottish folk tradition – including The Witch of Fife derived from the narrative poem by James Hogg – adding to the Gothic tone.

The script is (somewhat cheekily) credited to ‘Andy Dickinson (and Robert Burns)’ and Dickinson himself performs, with Shian Denovan, Catherine Bisset and Emilie Patry.

Minimal staging from the design of Polly Morris and effective yet unobtrusive sound design from Dominic Brennan, together with Emily Ingram’s surefooted direction, contribute to an unfussy and thoroughly pleasing presentation.

highlight

Unsurprisingly, the poem celebrated in the title provides the highlight. Denovan’s rendition is exceptionally fine, possessing a raw energy and marvellous pacing. The other poems and stories are also effective, in a stripped-down staging that is as close to storytelling as theatre, and all the better for it.

A scene from an earlier staging of Tam O’Shanter . Pic: AMD Studios.

Dickinson’s linking material gives the piece coherence, although there are too many lame jokes about cold weather and haggises, while some of it may have too much flavour of the school playground.

While the whole thing hangs together, the structure is by no means perfect. This is clearly one of those shows made up of discrete elements slotted together that could be almost any length. In this case, extending a previously shorter show to full length does cause problems, as it takes a while to pick up again after the interval.

While Denovan is outstanding, Bisset is less well served, remaining onstage throughout but having comparatively little to do, particularly in the first half. Patry, meanwhile, only appears for one segment and then disappears again.

compelling

The music, meanwhile, is not always seamlessly integrated into the whole, with some of the introductions to the songs verging on the apologetic. The performances themselves are compelling, although the vocals are affected by overuse of reverb.

The more homespun elements of the production tend to work in favour of the production rather than against it, creating an inviting atmosphere. What comes across most here is the immediacy of the presentation and the commitment to the material, which cannot help but draw the audience in.

Running time 2 hours 10 minutes including one interval
Traverse, 10 Cambridge St, EH1 2ED
Wednesday 25 January 2023
3.00 and 8.00 pm
Run ended

Company website: https://www.stolenelephanttheatre.com

ENDS

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Array ( [post_title] => Tam O’Shanter, Tales and Whisky [post_content] => ★★★★☆ Charming

Traverse: Wed 25 Jan 2023
Review by Hugh Simpson

Tam O’Shanter, Tales and Whisky, Stolen Elephant’s Burns Night presentation at the Traverse, is an accomplished and enticing celebration of the poet.

What a relief it is to see a Burns-based show that actually features the poems and songs so heavily rather than yet more rehashing of his biography. There are generous helpings of verse, not only Tam O’Shanter, but also Death and Dr Hornbook and the Address to the Deil, along with several musical interludes from Duggi Caird and Douglas McQueen Hunter.

A scene from an earlier staging of Tam O’Shanter. Pic AMD Studios.

It’s not all Burns, with ghost stories from the Scottish folk tradition – including The Witch of Fife derived from the narrative poem by James Hogg – adding to the Gothic tone.

The script is (somewhat cheekily) credited to ‘Andy Dickinson (and Robert Burns)’ and Dickinson himself performs, with Shian Denovan, Catherine Bisset and Emilie Patry.

highlight

A scene from an earlier staging of Tam O’Shanter . Pic: AMD Studios.

Dickinson’s linking material gives the piece coherence, although there are too many lame jokes about cold weather and haggises, while some of it may have too much flavour of the school playground.

compelling

Running time 2 hours 10 minutes including one interval
Traverse, 10 Cambridge St, EH1 2ED
Wednesday 25 January 2023
3.00 and 8.00 pm
Run ended

Company website: https://www.stolenelephanttheatre.com

ENDS

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