Nutcracker (London Coliseum)
Dick Bird’s dazzling set design of the English National Ballet production of the Nutcracker (London Coliseum) is a picture postcard winter wonderland of Edwardian London but that belies what turns out to be something intriguingly portentous later on, in those moments when Clara goes on her fantastical journey. Still colourful and beautifully artistic but somehow suggesting a tenebrous happening. Magician Drosselmeyer, a Jack of many trades, creates the nutcracker which the young girl has her eye on. She only gets her hands on it once the festivities of Christmas Eve begin having first seen it in his store when “like a child in a sweetshop” she is overwhelmed by the choice on offer.
I have always found the story tinged with menace and mystique as the character of Drosselmeyer can be interpreted in many ways. Junor Souza dances the role with fabulous technique and outwardly he is a magical and fun character who conjures up all sorts of emotions but beneath the veneer is a puppet master capable of manipulating all those who enter his domain. A man of mystery and fantasy into which the young innocent Clara enters, emerging on the other side still a child but having dreamed the impossible dream of places and people that point to an exciting future. Delilah Wiggins danced Clara on press night with an innocent charm and alacrity before passing the baton on to Ivana Bueno who thrilled with her vitality and defiance. These are females of today and not those usually associated with the work.
The killer moment when she finishes off the nasty King of the Rats, is a wonderfully dramatic slaying and is the catalyst for a euphoric sequence where had she clenched her fist in victory would not have been out of place. Conversely there is a delightful and oh so sweet piece of choreography when from out of a box marked “May Contain Dancers” fall a posse of youngsters depicting liquorice allsorts. The eclectic choreography by Aaron S. Watkin and Arielle Smith is thrilling and erupts and blends so ecstatically with the magnificent Tchaikovsky score and the company dance with vim and vigour which segues effortlessly into the more nuanced and expressive sequences.
There are several other magical digital effects (Leo Flint video designer) that are projected onto a screen – this is a sign of the times with so many productions nowadays but here they are absolutely en pointe – and Sangeun Lee dances the Sugar Plum Fairy with twinkle toes, gliding across the stage, the apogee of imagination in a gorgeously imaginative show. You can’t beat tradition, especially when done like this. Once outside and seeing the lights on the Trafalgar Square tree we knew Christmas had truly begun.
Photo credit: Amber Hunt
Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (Apollo Theatre)
The last few minutes of Christmas Carol Goes Wrong (Apollo Theatre) see the cast of the show, they being the characters from the fictional theatre company known as The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society, standing around waiting for the review of their show to come in on their solitary mobile. In the real world they are of course Mischief Theatre who are well known for their ‘Goes Wrong’ brand, this being their latest creation, written by Mischief co-founders Henry Lewis, Jonathan Sayer and Henry Shields. Because I had so much fun on Saturday afternoon seeing Scrooge et all given a pasting (I’ve always thought this ideal material for a send up) I wanted to get this self indulgent nonsense out of the way – oh but they love nonsense so they will revel in the fact that I am talking about them in this way. “Any road up”, as my next-door neighbour would say, this comes at the end of a show that is two hours of a Dickensian spoof that lampoons, mocks, satirises, ridicules, caricatures and parodies the most famous novella ever written about the festive period. And we lapped it up.
It opens with auditions which are amusing but overcooked, the result of which is the exasperated Cornley theatre director Chris (Daniel Fraser), with a beautifully (un) disguised ego determined not to give anybody else the plum (pudding) role of Ebenezer Scrooge. Much to the chagrin of crap thespian Robert (Henry Lewis) who spots an opening which he tries to exploit by “incapacitating” Chris with various interventions throughout that often end in hilarious disaster, most notably when he appears as the Ghost of Christmas Present in a huge, wrapped box dressed in red and green, behaving like an elf on steroids. Chris’s assistant Annie (Nancy Zamit) thinks those auditioning are all great but then a van crashes into the theatre and six ‘actors’ have been cast for thirty-two roles. And then the ‘real’ play begins, and no sooner than you can say Tiny Tim, who is in fact a grotesque giant-sized horror puppet who later swallows Chris whole, everything goes wrong. Roles (confusion reigns), lines (those that are read out verbatim from previous meeting minutes are very funny), set (collapsing), lights (falling from the rig), all of this overseen by stage manager Trevor (Chris Leask) an unfailingly sardonic Scouser who also plays the silent Ghost of Christmas Future as (audibly) Scottish.
The cast all come with their own box of tricks and attributes and adding to those previously mentioned Greg Tannahill looks as if he is permanently on the verge of a nervous breakdown as Jonathan and Sasha Frost brings glorious, pouting ruby red lips as the narrator as well as the stoical Sandra. Sayer’s monotone as dimwit Dennis, who has to read all his lines from various parts of the set and props, is repetitive but always funny and Matt Cavendish’s Max, who has serious elemental ego problems coupled with cry baby charm makes up the gang. There, I’ve mentioned them all, which will keep them happy…I hope, unless something else goes wrong.
Fundamental to all of this is an innovative and misbehaving set and designer Libby Todd ticks all the boxes from backstage at Cornley to Scrooge’s place, colourful greeting card effects of Dickensian Street scenes and of course bits that malfunction, collapse or get up to mischief throughout. Matt DiCarlo directs with zest and finesse and the whole ensemble, including the technical team, deserve enormous credit for creating another delightful piece of trademark entertainment. My companion, who loved the show, was convulsed with laughter when seeing Zamit as the Ghost of Christmas Past, with the attached body piece chucking her fake legs akimbo. At the interval I explained to the gentleman next to her that she had followed me into the theatre and was an unknown – which of course makes her perfect for the next auditions at Cornley
Back to the review they were waiting for, I wonder what the verdict was…
Christmas Carol Goes Wrong – www.theapollotheatre.co.uk
Snow White
The last time I went to see a pantomime our prime minister was John Major. Major by name and minor by nature. There I’m already in the swing of it. Today I was in Woking to see Snow White and the Seven Dwarves (New Victoria Theatre) to give the show its full title. Despite my years of avoidance, I generally found them dull and childish, this afternoon’s performance was a scream and even though you may find bigger and better shows elsewhere (though this would give ‘em a run for their money) you won’t find any camper than this and to quote my companion – an infamous drag queen – “its camper than Christmas and a row of tents.” I rest my case. And in this production the high priestess of camp, deliberately or inadvertently, is Lesley Joseph in the role of Queen Dragonelle; the clue is in the name. She can be nasty, grand and very funny but all done in the best possible taste.
She even outcamps Rob Rinder who in comparison was a lightheartedly funny and in the role of Mirror Man gets lots of opportunities to send others up and enjoy his vanity. But if truth be told the ‘stars’ are upstaged by Aaron James in the role of Muddles the Jester. He oozes cheek and charm in equal measure and the rapport he strikes up with the audience is infectious, the kids loved him. He works particularly well with Rinder – the riddle scene is a hoot – but he has the extra pizazz that you need in a panto and when he has to ad lib after the occasional mistake, which I’m sure are deliberate, it is effortless and very funny. Congrats also to the rest of the cast who are a talented bunch with great energy.
Add in colourful and sparkly sets and costumes and you have all the right ingredients for a lovely family pantomime. And of course there are lots of opportunities for the audience to shout out, sing along, boo, hiss, clap and cheer. In a recent interview Joseph said, “I love doing pantomime because it embodies everything I adore about live theatre…For me it’s all about breaking that fourth wall.” They do that especially well. It’s good to be back…oh yes it is!
Snow White’ – https://www.atgtickets.com
Photo credit: Ian Olsson
Fawlty Towers – The Play
I’m a great believer that much of life is about being in the right place at the right time, planned or serendipitous. With all the kerfuffle in the press recently about the alleged use of inappropriate language used by one of our prominent politicians when at school fifty odd years ago, which triggered a wider debate about TV programmes broadcast during the same time and whether comparisons between the two are reasonable, I could not have chosen a better time to go and see a theatrical adaptation of Fawlty Towers – The Play (G Live), currently on tour. Those of us of a certain age will remember the twelve episodes of the TV series broadcast between 1975-79, precisely the same time as the incident above. So how would it, or more precisely its content and use of “controversial” language and behaviours, be received today? If last night in Guildford is anything to go by the answer is simple, hysterical laughter, granted that most of the audience were of the “Baby Boomer” generation.
Written by John Cleese and Connie Booth, the original Basil Fawlty and Polly Sherman, they have unashamedly, and brilliantly, made this a compilation that could be titled ‘The Best of Fawlty’ cleverly weaving the most popular episodes into a somehow coherent narrative that ends in hilarious pandemonium. In doing so, and Cleese was adamant that he would not have adapted it for the stage unless allowed to do so, they have broadly used the original script and setting, as a result the show delivers just under two hours of superb entertainment. However, it did make me giggle when I read the publicity which says it is not suitable for children under 5. However, if you’re 6, 7 or 8…
The setting is superbly recreated by Liz Ascroft’s design. That hotel reception and now infamous dining room where much of the madness happens, the stairs and the upstairs bedroom which all contribute to the authenticity. Meanwhile the notorious hotel sign has a mind of its own. And the characters are dressed in ‘period’ costumes with Mia Austen’s Sybil looking as though she has borrowed from the wardrobe of Mary Whitehouse.
Of course the cast have to match up too, and in the case of a re-creation have the added pressure of being compared to the originals. Fear not, they were handpicked by Cleese, a process that must have been great fun for him and casting director Anne Vosser. Danny Bayne brings all the eccentricity and physicality to the role of Basil, up and down like a demented giraffe and yes he does goose step which is of course all part of the unforgettable ‘war’ episode, actual title “The Germans.” Austen nails Sybil in voice and deed, a nemesis to her husband and a confidante to her unseen phone friend with whom she has long boring, gossipy conversations punctuated by that inimitable cackle. Paul Nicholas is spot on as the bonkers Major, an elderly gentleman in a world of his own, seemingly oblivious to the madness going on around him. When he speaks to the moose head attached to the wall it is a perfectly plausible conversation. Jemma Churchill meanwhile is brilliant as the permanently annoyed and argumentative Mrs Richards, with the kind of voice that makes you want to gag her. Joanne Clifton does well with the morsels given as Polly but it is a character that gets swallowed up and overshadowed – the straight woman to all the loony tunes around her. Then of course we have the put upon waiter from Barcelona, Manuel, about which so much could be said, but just revel in a fantastic comic interpretation by Hemi Yeroham. The cast are seventeen in total and are all excellent.
A cast of characters that make those “on the spectrum” look perfectly sane, all of whom go about their business accompanied by the Fawlty’ theme tune which is like the hotel equivalent of “medication time” in One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest. And the moral of the story is…when watching ‘historical’ shows like this, don’t overthink how it can and may be misinterpreted and criticised, instead just sit back and enjoy a production that is superbly written and performed and crisply directed by Caroline Jay Ranger. Guildford folk you have until 20 December.
Fawlty Towers – https://trafalgartickets.com/g-live-guildford/en-GB
HMS Pinafore
Pick any Gilbert & Sullivan work and you will find an operetta full of wit, satire, innuendo and clever social commentary about the shenanigans in Victorian society. Plots often involve mistaken identities, the folly and foolish behaviour of the upper echelons, romances that are beyond ridiculous, and much more, which make for spiffing entertainment. They do tend to divide opinion in the operatic cognoscenti with the purists tending to poo poo (FYI – Nanki- Poo is son of The Mikado) while newbies, and others, delight in their irreverence and clever songs. Cal McCrystal’s English National Opera (ENO) production of H.M.S. Pinafore (London Coliseum) opens with a dance of sailors cavorting with mops as though their sweethearts which then develops into a full-scale mop romp (choreographer Lizzi Gee) and similarly act two begins with the a chorus line of sailors tap dancing even though most of them can’t tap. You then know for sure this is a tongue in cheek G & S comedic special.
What I haven’t mentioned is that prior to a note of the overture being played John Savournin (Captain Corcoran) appears from behind the curtain to provide us with an amuse bouche (non-edible). This is in fact an excuse to introduce Mel Giedroyc. I know the name but have not a clue what she does. In this production she takes on the non-speaking roles of Cabin Boy and Aunt Melanie. Four years ago, when McCrystal first staged this, he included one Les Dennis in the cast who Ms Giedroyc reveals as a stowaway later in the show. Now maybe I’m “celebrophobic” (I struggle to define the word celebrity) but mildly amusing as Ms Giedroyc is, as the show progressed and she made more and more irksome interventions – the interval chat confirmed she had caused a Marmite effect – I longed for an uninterrupted period of G & S Victorian tropes which on their own are enormous fun. After all this is not a pantomime – there are plenty of excellent ones all round the country – oh yes there are.
Stifled rant over let’s get back to the traditional G & S; the production looks and sounds like it should (set and costume design by takis) with the ship dominating centre stage. At one point on when it seemingly goes into automatic mode revolving uncontrollably causing mayhem and dizziness all round, we rejoice in the inanity, even more so as deliberately daft anagrams are attached to the stern, one being ‘Fish Opera.’ The story, when it has space to breathe, is of course that of lowly Ralph Rackstraw (Thomas Atkins) who falls hook, line and sinker for Josephine (Henna Mun) and she too for him, but alas she is the intended of the elderly and fusty Sir John Porter (Neal Davies) – who actually has an eye for handsome sailors – and also happens to be the daughter of Captain Corcoran. There, in one sentence you can see why no personality embellishments are needed. On the other hand the updated jokes and contemporary references work well even if one or two get lost on the capacious stage.
Savournin is en pointe with his dancing, sings confidently and one raised eyebrow captures Corcoran’s personality while Atkins is as crisp as a cox (apple) in character and voice. Mun has a sweet tone with slightly unassured top notes and Trevor Eliot Bowes’ Dick Deadeye has strong tonal quality even if his characterisation is hammed. Then again this is G & S. The ENO orchestra conducted by an enthusiastic Matthew Kofi Waldren come up trumps with excellent support and the terrific chorus give the show everything it needs. Finally, the flag waving “For he is an Englishman” sees the appearance of our erstwhile ex-prime minister with blond mop getting stuck on a zip wire while waving a couple of union jacks. But the jingoism evaporates with the company waving flags from all the nationalities that make up the ENO. Diversity and inclusion critics would be infuriated. Down with “Woke” I hear them exclaim. A funny, camp and witty production, when left to its own devices.
H.M.S Pinafore – www.eno.org
By Barney Efthimiou
Photo credit: Craig Fuller
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed production of Twelfth Night
The Royal Shakespeare Company’s acclaimed production of Twelfth Night has been brought from Stratford-upon-Avon to the Barbican, where it runs until 17th January. It’s a comedy with more serious possibilities, which is appropriate for our times when there is the hint of ‘misrule’ and a confused social order, not to mention the relationships resulting from cross-dressing….after all, Shakespeare gave it an additional name – ‘What You Will’. In this production, the comedy is uppermost.
The stage reflects the initial mood, which is sombre, when Viola, the steely young survivor of a shipwreck, arrives. She is mourning her presumed-drowned twin brother and decides to pretend to be a young man to gain employment in the strange Court of Count Orsino. Within the Court circle, the aristocrat Olivia, also in mourning, is surrounded by a drunken group of wastrels.
The resulting attractions, rivalries and disappointments upend the conventions and drive the action. How can Olivia’s sudden passion for Viola, the boy/girl, be safely resolved? How can Viola, a new servant, pretending to be a man, cope with the attraction she feels for the aristocratic Count? Feste, the clown-like jester, an anarchic presence, links the development of the emotional relationships with the verbal and sometimes slapstick comedy provided by feisty servants, drunks, and Olivia’s pompous steward, Malvolio.
The sudden safe return of Viola’s lost twin, Sebastian, brings confusion but also allows a happy resolution of the awkward relationships. As usual in Shakespeare’s comedies, it ends well for most, apart from the expulsion of the sad old drunks and the degradation of haughty Malvolio. Samuel West as Malvolio, Gwyneth Keyworth as Viola and Freema Ageyman as Olivia, all perform brilliantly, whilst Michael Grady-Hall as Feste provides a joyous comedic link throughout, sometimes whilst flying! This production is not set in any particular period of time, and delights in an eclectic range of costumes.
Strangely, a large church organ forms the dramatic stage set for much of the action and contributes to the occasional excellent songs (by Matt Maltese). Overall, a marvellous evening.
Twelfth Night – https://www.barbican.org.uk
Photo credit: Helen Murray
