Archive for category Hill Street Theatre
Hex
Posted by Martin in Hex, Hill Street Theatre, Martin Walker on August 14, 2011
THEATRE
*****
Hex
Hill Street Theatre
Strangetown Theatre Company’s new work, ‘Hex’ starts conventionally enough – with an entertaining tête à tête between Gwen (Sarah MacGillivray) and her husband, Toby (Ben Clifford).
As they argue over the merits of mystics, mediums, psychics and other charlatans, it becomes clear that something odd is happening in their home. Gwen’s trying to find a way to fix it, she’s a true believer; indeed, she embraces any idea that is vaguely supernatural. Toby is a skeptic, who appears to be losing his patience with the array of fakes that Gwen invites into their front room.
Tonight their visitors are Siobhan (Beth Godfrey) and 6 (Coleen Garrett). They practice orthodox superdimensional retrotranscendental quasi-quantum thaumaturgy – apparently. They claim to be magicians. They say that they can help the couple with their, as yet unknown, problem.
To give any more away would be remiss. Suffice to say that the major comic twists delivered in this highly original work by Tim Primrose and Sam Siggs are inspired. Their script is rich with layered ideas, callbacks and brilliant one-liners. You will be pressed to find a funnier play at the Fringe. Indeed, the audience laughed longer and louder than many shows I’ve seen this year listed under ‘Comedy’ in the Fringe Programme. It’s also strikingly intelligent. I really didn’t want ‘Hex’ to end.
There is a lot of talk about discovering hidden gems this Fringe. I can’t claim ‘Hex’ as mine, as the play performed to a full house the night I was there. And it’s already been endorsed by SF/Fantasy legend Neil Gaiman.
Just go and see it.
Confessions of a Mormon Boy
Posted by Martin in Confessions Of A Mormon Boy, Hill Street Theatre, Tony Challis on August 12, 2011
THEATRE
****
Confessions of a Mormon Boy
Hill Street Theatre
This one contains all advertised – Mormon childhood, marriage, children –while all along fighting his gay identity, then excommunication, hardship, prostitution, drugs. All told with great verve and energy, and with very engaging humour. It is impossible not to warm to this man – no wonder his clients were so generous.
The story of his desire to be straight, to follow what he had all his life he had been told was the “right way” was affecting. The later gay life was told exuberantly – whatever this guy does, he does thoroughly, it is clear. He held the audience rapt throughout, which was quite an achievement as he overran to 95 minutes when I saw him – he courteously saw us out, but you felt time was pressing. Steven Fales clearly loves performing, and he gave of his all throughout, but his show is long for one of its type with no interval, and it may be even sharper if he could bring himself to shave a few minutes of it.
But don’t let this put you off. This is a hugely enjoyable show, and the larger the audience and the bigger the audience response the better things will be. I would suggest you go along and decide to act American for the evening!
52 Man Pick-Up
Posted by Martin in 52 Man Pickup, Charlotte Monk-Chipman, Hill Street Theatre on August 6, 2011
THEATRE
*
52 Man Pick-Up
Hill Street Theatre
Billed as having ‘Refreshing honesty, and unbelievable energy’; I can’t help but see the irony, that I was bored, and exhausted watching her. Her delivery was hurried and remained at a constant pace throughout so that her words just fell out of her, like her breasts did over the top of her trashy costume. The show claimed that ‘Desiree Burch masterfully mixes language, presence and razor wit’, but there was nothing intelligent about the comedy.
I felt ambushed (although a little impressed) by her cleavage as she reeled off the 52 sexual encounters, each represented by a playing card, and ranked according to experience. She attempted to make a game of her heart-ache using card games and encouraging the audience to participate, so I would say that it is a show to watch after a few drinks, as my fellow audience members demonstrated. The negative experiences she has had in her life weren’t funny, and the way that she described and performed them wasn’t clever, it was pitiful. This loud and proud character was flippant but at times I could hear her voice crack a little when she spoke so boldly about the men who have hurt her and made her feel worthless. Rather than allowing potentially poignant moments to alter the pace, she degraded herself and despite the busty, brazen façade she did not appear as a strong independent woman, and displayed the opposite of female empowerment.
Performing was clearly therapeutic for her, but i found it un-relatable, and undignified. Nevertheless, she should be praised for her bravery as she made herself completely vulnerable, even if she did just appear to be gagging for an upgrade to a tarot pack.
