Archive for category St George’s West
Llwyth (Tribe)
Posted by Martin in Llwyth (Tribe), St George's West, Tony Challis on August 22, 2011
THEATRE
****
Llwyth (Tribe)
St George’s West
This is a show which will sweep you up with its energy from the start. You will find it surprising perhaps that most of the dialogue is in Welsh – though the cast keep swapping languages so you may find your self reading the subtitles when you don’t need to – I did! And there is a lot of dialogue quickly early on, and it can be difficult to read and watch at the same time – I am well used to subtitles but I found this trying.
It tells the story of a group of gay boys who are also rugby supporters. It is Welsh International night in Cardiff and Wales have lost – but the boys are still determined to have a good night out. They lubricate with alcohol at home, they go to a club, some of them end at a viewing point – the very good set serves for all.
The really original aspect of this for me was the use of the Welsh language; the situations the characters found themselves in, the exploration of their inner demons, their relationship problems, the way the gay life takes them further from their families than they wish, and the relations between generations have all been covered before.
But the big thing here is the enthusiasm, with which the cast belt along, and the singing and the national pride. Simon Watts as Aneurin is very strong and makes us feel for him in his family situation. Danny Grehan as Dada is a rounded character who eases difficult moments. Joshua Price as Gavin, the schoolboy who does not make his age clear and is invited back, is very effective and sings well.
This is a moving and involving show, which will carry you along – the time will pass quickly and thrillingly.
Orlando
Posted by Martin in Orlando, Rex de Vil, St George's West on August 20, 2011
THEATRE
****
Orlando
St George’s West
It is impossible to match Sally Potter’s cinematic interpretation of Woolf’s ‘Orlando’, let alone the novel itself. With goddess Tilda Swinton starring as the never ageing, sex shifting protagonist it’s a hard one to beat but this offering by Cryptic puts up a good fight, adapting Woolf’s novel into an hour long monologue complemented by an original soundtrack and visual effects.
The original text from which the script is adapted is considered one of the finest and most important works of modern literature and so the success of Cryptic Theatre’s translation lay with their casting of an actor able to do justice to Woolf’s masterpiece. Luckily Judith Williams performs well as Orlando, her delivery ensuring engagement with the audience and her command of the text suited well to the traits of Woolf’s character. My only criticism of her performance revolves around the changing of Orlando’s sex – when a woman William’s Orlando speaks at times with a grating caricature of a female voice that seems not only unnecessary but also a bit patronising, as if the script or change of costume wasn’t enough for the audience to recognise the adjustment. Despite this, there can be no question that William’s performance is impactful and skilled.
Craig Armstrong’s original soundtrack for the production utilises digitally affected sounds that provide an exciting contrast to the century spanning eras in which the action is set, evoking a timelessness for the production much like that of the ageless Orlando. Combining this with projection on to multi-layered fabric and advanced motion tracking technology, vast landscapes such as a frozen England and a sweltering Constantinople are effectively conjured and sustained, adding a fantastical quality in keeping with Woolf’s original text. I must admit though that at times the electronic soundtrack seemed a little too grave and ominous, this sense continued in the line ‘I am alone’ being adapted as the closing statement. In spite of its Woolfian melancholy I found the novel (and in fact Potter’s film) calming and strangely soothing – here I fear Cryptic’s version becomes at times too heavy and oppressive. It is refreshing however to see a text so centred around periods of history adopting contemporary and digital methods of sounds manipulation.
It’s not Tilda, and it’s certainly not Woolf – but it is thought provoking and inspiring. A definite recommendation.
Bosom Buddies
Posted by Martin in Bosom Buddies, St George's West, Tony Challis on August 17, 2011
THEATRE
****
Bosom Buddies
St George’s West
Jack Klaff is a phenomenally talented performer, with a vast range of experience. Here he challenges himself more than usual, by taking on more than a score of voices in one show. His big point is one of unity – the unity of humanity, and the threats to humanity’s existence caused by division.
Early on we meet Einstein’s daughter, whom he had adopted, and who cannot believe she could have been given away – Einstein is seen as an outsider, even at his death, and we see a competition of ideas between him and his friend, Nils Bohr, who was much more into unity – perhaps with a capital U. Many other 20th century figures appear, especially revolving around the 1962 nuclear stand-off – the Cuban Missile crisis.
Jack Klaff involves you in these debates and issues, leading the viewer along a fascinating path, and drawing the whole into a satisfactory unity eventually. It is a true feat to convey all of this in one show – and we are left wondering how we have survived this tempestuous 20th century – and hoping we may survive (as a species) this current one. It is a pity that the timings at the fringe are so fierce – I noticed Jack Klaff looking at his watch several times towards the end, and he is not the only performer, this Fringe, that I have noticed feeling the need to do that!
This performance could well benefit from a more relaxed and reflective showing. I can imagine it working very well on radio. But if you want your grey matter stimulated to a degree rare on the fringe, and to be left with much to contemplate, as well as seeing a master craftsman of the stage at work, get along to this show.
Heroes, Heroines and Villains
Posted by Martin in Brett Herriot, Heroes/Heroines and Villains, St George's West on August 10, 2011
OPERA
***
Heroes, Heroines and Villains
St Andrew’s and St George’s West
Edinburgh Studio Opera return to the fringe with a daring performance of opera’s best-loved arias and scenes.
Opera is often overlooked in terms of the fringe as it’s seen to be a major part of the international festival. It’s good to see there are quality companies producing accessible opera with in the fringe. A 21 strong company perform a selection taken from Dido and Aeneas by Purcell alongside Nixon in China by Adams the most modern of the operas to appear at the lunchtime session. We are then treated to an extended excerpt from Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel from 1893. The company performs Act 3 Scene 3 in the witches’ kitchen to great aplomb with Susan McNaught reveling in the role of the witch oozing nastiness. This is followed by Janacek’s Cunning little Vixen with Brendan Glen excelling in the role of the cockerel before the company move on to Le Nozze di Figaro with the Finale in the countess Bedroom getting loud approvals from the audience. To close the show we are treated to a simply outstanding performance of Rodolfo’s Apartment from Puccini’s La Boheme. Laura Reading is quite simply breathtaking in her delivery and is for me the star of the production. The company’s finale is taken from Bizet’s Carmen is a rousing and well executed finish to the 50 minutes.
Unfortunately the venue doesn’t allow for dramatic lighting and set but excellent costumes, tight direction from Michael Richardson which ensures the venue is used to its best and makes for a delightful lunchtime’s opera production.
Alma Mater
Posted by Martin in Alma Mater, Charlotte Monk-Chipman, St George's West on August 7, 2011
THEATRE
**
Alma Mater
St Georges West
I expected a great deal more from this show and I would describe it as an art Installation piece, rather than theatre (as it is billed in the fringe programme). With only one audience member per session, the show commenced at the click of a button on an ipad and headphones.
You are given a solitary experience in a white washed room, with a 20 minute film that features no speech. The experience was only partly interactive, and I didn’t feel it was ambitious enough. Tracking a video feed that panned around a similar room to the set (with the ipad), is an Innovative concept, but it lacked continuity and the clever illusion of the children walking around the room was shattered by slight discrepancies in the room, such as bed posts missing. During the event I felt uninspired and It didn’t really make me feel anything. It was just there, and I was locked in time and space hoping for a much more drastic transformation to occur as it has been described as ‘a portable time-warp’.
I expected to be much more involved, but having been told to sit down by the child on the screen gesturing to the stool (as you are instructed to obey this on the door), I was sat down for long lengths of time simply watching the screen, and felt disappointed that there wasn’t more focus on tracking the events on the screen against the surroundings, thus it lacked a sense of liveness. They did manage to transform a white wash stark room into an environment that felt warm and friendly however, as admittedly the children were heart-warming, and did bring a smile to my face. Either Alma Mater; which derives from the Latin meaning ‘mother Godess’ or the Christian Virgin Mary figure, brings out the maternal instinct in its audience, or I have a hormone imbalance.
