Review. Much Ado About Nothing. Reading Between The Lines Theatre Company. St James’Church, Reading. February 2015

Much Ado About Nothing has long been celebrated as one of Shakespeare's most popular comedies. The central relationship, between Benedick and Beatrice, is wittily combative and reluctant until love prevails.

Moreover, that ‘combative’ is appropriate to this here  as we are not in Shakespeare’s Sicilian Messina but in a more poignant post Afghanistan garrison town, ‘Messina-Upon-Thames’. The returning soldiers, weary from fighting, pass their newfound leisure time in devising schemes and sharpening their wits on each other. A contemporary setting is sometimes difficult to pull off but here it worked perfectly. It certainly added an edge to the play, a play that on the page relies on verbal dexterity and wit.  Without the reinterpretation and enthusiastic approach, it could so easily be dry and challenging.

Furthermore, choreographed by Sammy Fonfe and music by Benjamin Hudson it resulted in an exciting, modern and accessible production.

I have one concern though. The drama takes place ‘in the round’ making the most of St James’s Church. Yet, on several occasions, I was unable to appreciate some of the nuances or even at times fully hear some of the dialogue. Actors standing four-square in front of me blocked my view. For example when Beatrice, eavesdrops on Hero and Ursula I was unaware of her reactions to the ‘false sweet bait’ that they lay before her. How did she react? Was it with scorn or with baffled amusement?  It would have helped in my understanding, especially as I came relatively new to the work.

All the performances were spot on especially the protagonists, Max Roll’s Benedick, Dani McCallum’s Beatrice, Lucy Grattan’s Hero and finally Phil Dunster as Claudio. To be fair, the rest of the cast ably supported them including the ‘interns’, those ‘aspiring professional actors’ who took on the lesser roles.

This was the third Shakespeare they have produced and it is to their credit that the company are bringing professional theatre to Reading. Something we desperately needed. I am not the only one saying this and it was good to see that even The Guardian chose Much Ado as one of its ‘top tickets’ this week. Praise indeed.

This is an edited version of a review published in The Weekly Newbury News, February 12^th 2015.

Image © Ian Legge

P.G. Wodehouse’s Jeeves and Wooster in Perfect Nonsense at The Hexagon, Reading, 29th October 2014

There is no doubting the popularity of P G Wodehouse’s characters, appearing on our screens as far back as Dennis Price and Ian Carmichael’s Jeeves and Wooster to the later pairing of Stephen Fry and Hugh Laurie. However, it appears that last year Perfect Nonsense became the first theatrical outing for Wodehouse’s prevailing couple.

In this touring production, James Lance plays our guide and narrator, Wooster. Gordon Sinclair as Jeeves and, the play’s cowriter, Robert Goodale as Seppings make up the trio. The latter take on several comic roles including Gussie Fink-Nottle, Madeline Bassett, Sir Watkin Bassett, Dahlia Travers, Roderick Spode and Constable Oates. Some achievement and, as you can guess, it often goes deliberately and hilariously wrong.

Adapted, quite loosely from The Code of the Woosters, it is a play within a play. The often-incoherent plot is immaterial; it serves only as a hook upon which to hang a series of witty exchanges and engaging sight gags. Nevertheless, some brief explanation may be in order. Bertie has been encouraged to a one-man show relating an adventure of mayhem and misadventure at Totleigh Towers, the home of the imperious Sir Watkin Bassett. From the outset, it becomes clear to the ‘mentally negligible’ Bertie that he cannot go it alone but needs both Jeeves and fellow butler, Seppings, if he is to succeed in telling his tale.

I was immediately drawn to the Goodale’s characters especially his Roderick Spode, a ‘Big chap with a small moustache and the sort of eye that can open an oyster at sixty paces’. However, I felt Gordon Sinclair, in the latter half, came to dominate as the striking and hugely farcical Watkin Bassett.

I have always found Wodehouse a bit of a strain. My allegiance lies with his contemporary Evelyn Waugh. However, in the context of this production such an affectation is meaningless. The play stands on its own. Wodehouse’s characters stand only as props for skilled playwrights Robert and David Goodale to expand and build upon. In this, they were supremely successful.

Initially it seemed as it was going to be an evening of knowing smiles not riotously funny farce.  The audience seemed reticent. Although, I have to say, one nearby audience member was often in paroxysms of laughter. However, by the second half, I am happy to say, were the rest of the audience. 

This review first appeared in the Newbury Weekly News, 13th November 2014

Macbeth. Creation Theatre. 1st August -13th September 2014, Lady Margaret Hall, Oxford.

From the outset, it should be made clear that Creation Theatre’s Macbeth, adapted and directed by Jonathan Holloway, is not a ‘literal rendering’ of the text. In the programme notes, it specifically states that the production ‘re-imagines the play’ and crosses the line ‘between reality and imagination’.

The ‘stage’ is Lady Margaret Hall and its grounds. It is without doubt a striking backdrop. On the other hand, it occasionally overwhelmed. As such a large ‘space’, it took a while to concentrate the senses.

From my position, as a guest at the banquet, with other audience members, I found myself looking centre stage, towards the sound, only to turn right and see Laura Murray’s Lady Macbeth at a first floor window of the college. It was quite unsettling at first.

Nevertheless, as dusk fell, this no longer became an issue as the lighting directed us to the action. It achieved the sinister and ghostly elements that were lacking in the earlier scenes. With the production running until September, and the nights closing in, future audiences will be amply rewarded.

If there is to be a ‘star’ of the show, it has to be Ashley Bale’s seductive and ethereal lighting design. It both intensified and complemented the drama, sometimes touching, sometimes disturbing.

Finally, if you are going, do not expect to see ‘weird sisters, hand in hand’, cackling over a bubbling cauldron but something more theatrically and creatively inspired and more importantly, accessible. To some it may be disquieting, to others, exciting and innovative. 

This review was first published on The Flaneur website.

Oliver Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer presented by Creative Cow, at The Haymarket, Basingstoke.

A classic comedy of manners, Goldsmith’s She Stoops to Conquer has played audiences for over two centuries. The play is a boisterous tale about two young ‘blades’ , Charles Marlow and George Hastings and their attempts to woo  Kate Hardcastle and her friend Constance Neville.

However, as one would expect from a comedy it’s never going to be that easy if the two pending marriages are to conclude happily. What follows is what one would expect: an evening of devious plot twists, dissembling, comedy, and confusion. It keeps its 18th century setting yet brings naturalism and artifice to the stage. A nodding wink there, an aside there contributes to the fun.

Moreover, if it all gets too much, the programme has a synopsis for the faint hearted. The company were in fine form and although at times I found Hastings and Marlow wearying, it was not the case with the parents of Kate Hardcastle.

 In Katherine Senior’s Mrs Hardcastle, we had a vain and seemingly corrupt social climber bored by the country. In contrast, her husband, Mr Hardcastle (David Summer) who has matrimonial plans for his daughter is content in his rural ways. Although incensed by the behaviour of the two young men who mistake him for an innkeeper he holds it together amongst this gallery of misfits and caricatures.

Joe Bateman as the schemer, and not so dumb, Lumpkin provided the bawdy in response to the supposedly genteel household.

The set was simple and innovative and suiting the play and Creative Cow’s stated aims, to be simple, direct, and entertaining. They pride themselves on being able to present their work anywhere, adapting to ‘any space’. The set on this occasion consisted of four large gold picture frames, along with some minimal furniture. It subtly complemented the action, never distracting from the fertile language.

Sadly, if I had to find fault I would point out that it appears to be a rather lengthy production. Mistaken identities etc. can only be theatrically rewarding for so long. However, we are not looking through eighteenth eyes and it could the case that we overlook the finer subtleties and nuances of the play and only witness the farcical elements.Despite these reservations, it was still a rewarding and pleasing performance and a credit to the company.

This review first appeared in the Newbury Weekly News.

Spirit. A new album by Deborah Bonham on Spectra Records.

This I believe is Bonham’s fourth album and marks her move to US label, Spectra Records. Recorded in Chichester, England and Nashville, USA, mixed by Mike Poole, and co-produced by Glenn Skinner, it features twelve tracks. They vary in vocal and musical style but most definitely veer towards a late sixties, early seventies West Coast aesthetic.

The album opens with ‘Fly’, featuring mandolin, cello and soaring vocals. However, I felt some unease with this opener and questioned whether it should have been the introduction to the album. However, despite this, track two, ‘Painbirds’ blew me away. An outstanding track and one that must be brilliant live. For the remainder of the album one senses Debbie’s influences. The Eagles inform on ‘Take me Down’, with its distinct ‘Take it Easy’ vibe and The Byrds possibly inspire ‘I Won’t Let You Down’.

 Of the others, ‘ Stop Now’ with its superb guitar playing perfectly complements Bonham’s soulful voice and ‘Killing Fields’ with its  strong rhythm and a rumbling bass line further strengthens the album. ‘What it Feels’ sees special guest Robert Plant throwing in a fine piece of blues harp and ‘I Need Love’ displaying Bonham’s soulful voice at its best whilst the blues of ‘Good Times’ has some great haunting slide guitar. Final track ‘Lay Me Down’ shows the Nashville influence and is quite distinct from the earlier rockers yet it’s a fine ending to the album.

 Overall, an impressive album but I have to admit that it took a lot of listening to reach that point. Apart from ‘Painbirds’ nothing really struck me on the first few listens. I felt it patchy and lacking. However, in the end, she won me over and I now look forward to seeing her live.

This review was published on The Flaneur website 

Deborah Bonham's Official Website for news and tour dates.

Agatha Christie’s The Mousetrap 60th Anniversary Tour reviewed @The Hexagon, Reading, 10th February, 2014.

The Mousetrap is the world’s longest running play according to The Guinness Book of Records. It opened in London in 1952. It is both a country house mystery and a drawing room drama set in the post-war world.

Mollie (Joanna Croll) and Giles Ralston (Henry Luxemburg) have turned their home Monkswell Manor into a guesthouse. Various bizarre guests arrive, trailing their baggage – both literally and metaphorically. It was a slow start and during the first two acts, I found myself admiring the set, a brilliant period wood panelled lounge, with roaring fire, warm lighting, and snow falling gently against leaded windows.

It is only with the arrival of the uninvited ‘Sergeant’ Trotter, that we get to the heart of the drama, with its twists and turns, and of course its red herrings. Classic Christie. Potter, played by Jonathan Woolf, unravels the lives of this disparate bunch of guests, uncovering their secrets and rattling their nerves. It leads, as one would expect, to the identity of the killer.

At the end, the audience is asked to keep the murderer’s identity a secret and it would be morally wrong for me to expose the ending. A crime in fact. Agatha Christie said of her play: ‘It’s not really frightening. It’s not really horrible. It’s not really a farce.’ Well, that’s certainly true and maybe why it’s starting to show its age. It lacks pace and the comedy is lacklustre. It’s not even as if it’s one of Christie’s best plays.

Despite my reservations, the audience loved it. Drawn I expect from Christie’s reputation and curious to know why this old warhorse has endured. Even Christie herself predicted it would only ‘last eight months.’ Nevertheless, here we are, more than sixty years on and it is still going. A mystery?  Certainly.

This review was first published on The Flaneur website.

Romeo and Juliet. Reviewed at Reading Minster 19th September 2013.

It must be quite difficult for a company to breathe new life into such an eminent play as Romeo and Juliet, as audiences are so familiar with the 'pair of star-crossed lovers'.

The young teen protagonists fall in love yet their warring families, the Capulets and Montagues, impede their progress. It is their tragic deaths, and not the power of their love, that overturns the feud. Audiences never seem to tire of it. Nevertheless, is it possible to look afresh at this hoary old warhorse?

Based on this frenzied production by Reading Between the Lines, it appears so. They have certainly achieved an element of originality by shifting the action to a dystopian 2023 where, as Director Hal Chambers says in the programme youth inhabits a world where ‘everyday is sex, dancing, fighting, posturing and narcotics.’ To achieve this, he has bolstered   the drama with electrifying physicality emphasizing the animalistic tribal rivalry staining Verona’s streets.

Sadly however, it is, to take Romeo out of context, ‘too rough, too rude, too boisterous’. Don’t get me wrong I do not mean that in any prurient way but refer to the constant and the harsh assault on the senses. The sound, composed by Benjamin Hudson, ‘one half of hip hop/noise duo Baconhead’, distracted from the lyrical splendour of the play, as did Lighting Designer Oliver Welsh’s barrage of strobe and laser.

However, on a more positive note, the cast played well as against the omnipresent spectre of death and the grungy urban set. The prologue had already defined the action and, we know that Romeo (Will Rastall) and Juliet (Emma Ballentine) cannot escape their fate. It concentrates the mind on the rather more satisfying aspects of the drama especially the more vibrant supporting roles. For example, the fine playing of Benedict Chambers’ bawdy Mercutio, belligerent Tybalt (Stephen Boyce), and Pearl Marsland’s garrulous Nurse each in their own way kept the drama from descending into maudlin romance.

Whether the decision to place the action in 2023 was the right one is not up for discussion here. Everyone will have his or her own opinion. Moreover, even though at times it rankled it did bring immediacy and topicality to the play. It will no doubt appeal to younger audiences, who I believe make up a good percentage of RBL’s supporters. If so, that’s a good thing for both the company and the future of professional theatre in Reading.

This review first appeared in Newbury Weekly News 26th September 2013

Reading Between the Lines Theatre Company

Murder in Play by Simon Brett, The Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke,23 May 2013

Written by Simon Brett, a writer of whodunits, Murder in Play is a comedy thriller with the usual oddballs and red herrings. The main plot device is ‘a play within a play.’ The play opens on  the final rehearsals of  'Murder at Priorswell Manor'.

Things are not going well. There is tension on the set. Then to top it all fiction becomes reality when a leading member of the cast is murdered, a lethal dose of parquet. It’s a wonderful opportunity for Sophie Lawton (Gemma Bissix) and Tim Ferner (Dean Gaffney) to play detective. The stage, a drawing room with all the essential exits, is set for a murder mystery.

There were strong performances all round, however firstly mention must go to Alison Mead as Renee. She remained superbly stalwart despite her treatment by her serial philanderer husband and Director, Boris Smolensky (David Callister). In addition, Katy Manning (Christa D’Amato, Mrs Puttock) and Richard Tate (Harrison Bracewell, Mr Papadopoulos) showed that both have a great talent for both verbal and physical comedy. Their entrances, exits, and subsequent stage play added the necessary comic touch to the drama. If anything, I thought Katy Manning was underused but I cannot argue with Brett’s script. That leads me to another point.

There felt in the final act that there was too much exposition as if desperately trying to fill in the plot holes. It was often confusing, talking of events that we had not witnessed. When was Ginette (Poppy Meadows) arrested for the crime? Who is Detective Inspector Bob Brewer? It felt awkward. It did not have the momentum of the earlier acts.

Many of the cast were in A Murder Is Announced that toured earlier this year. That had some of the same faults. Nevertheless, as I said, that is not the cast or the Director’s fault. Everyone here  worked together superbly performing in dual roles and delivered a great production, even though at times it was baffling, well to me anyway.

Nevertheless, it was entertaining and an excellent showcase for the younger actors who are probably more at ease in front of a camera than being on a stage.

Reviewed at The Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke part of Anvil Arts  for Remotegoat website.

Brought to the stage by Ian Dickens Productions Directed by Ian Dickens

A Murder Is Announced by Agatha Christie. The Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke. 28th February 2013.

Agatha Christie has managed to stay popular despite her anachronistic English village domain. Audiences and readers still adore her labyrinthine plots. Ian Dickens’ touring production of ‘A Murder Is Announced’ is the latest adaptation.

From the outset it is unmistakably the nineteen fifties and to be more precise, 1953. A notice appears in the Chipping Cleghorn Gazette stating rather oddly ‘A murder is announced and will take place… at Little Paddocks at 6.30pm’. This soon fires the curiosity of the villagers and Jane Marples. All gather at Little Paddocks, the home of Letitia Blacklock. At 6.30 precisely, the lights go out, someone fires a gun, and a murder has occurred.

A fitting introduction to an ingenious spider’s web of deceit and plot twists. Just when you think you have cracked it, there is another startling revelation to add to the complexity. Sadly, when it gets to this point, exposition too often gets in the way of dramatic tension. On a few occasions, there were forced efforts to get through as much dialogue as possible to clarify the narrative.

Despite this minor hurdle, all the actors worked well together. Of particular note were Katy Manning as Letitia Blacklock and John D Collins as Inspector Craddock. Both dominated the stage with dramatic presence. Geraldine Newman probably had the most challenging task in bringing anything fresh to the role of Miss Marples. As a result  she was so often overshadowed.

A functional stage set convincingly recreates the period detail as did  the musical extracts – ‘Knightsbridge March’, ‘Sleepy Lagoon’, ‘The Marching Strings’ and ‘Barwick Green’ – all quintessentially English pieces.

As one would expect from Christie the plot is ingenious and taut. Moreover, despite its focus on death, it is also witty, extremely gripping, and satisfyingly entertaining. It left the majority of audience guessing to the end. We see very little of this kind of work since the demise of ‘rep’. The fact that this house was full and the production is selling out demonstrates that there is a demand for these popular plays. I hope that we will see similar in the future.

From Agatha Christie’s Novel.

Directed by Ian Dickens and David North | Stage adaptation by Leslie Darbon

Brought to the stage by Ian Dickens Productions

Reviewed at The Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke part of Anvil Arts for The Flaneur

Birdsong Adapted from Sebastian Faulks’s novel. The Haymarket, Basingstoke, 24th January 2013

Dramatist Rachel Wagstaff is quite right in saying “Birdsong is in an incredibly powerful novel”. As a “literary novel”, it’s a haunting piece set across different times and locations. Sadly, this adaptation does not do the book full justice and leading inevitably to a disappointing theatrical experience.

The Amiens pre-war scenes where Stephen Wraysford meets and takes as a lover Isabelle Azaire lack credence and sexual charge. It was too brief and never satisfying. Both this affair and the factory strike had great dramatic possibilities – possibilities woefully squandered.

On the other hand, the visually stunning and superbly lit Western Front episodes captured the tedium, the fear, and the comradeship of soldiers living in death’s shadow Two years into the war and  still there. Tim Treloar as Jack Firebrace, the strong character, broke down as he learnt of his young son’s imminent death. He obstinately prayed to a god that, in reality, had abandoned him. It is an achingly heart-breaking moment. If only Isabelle (Sarah Jane Dunn) and Stephen (Jonathan Smith) could have reached such heights.

Undoubtedly, it is hard to translate the power of a book. A book is personal. This adaptation was an honest and valiant endeavour but I personally found it, at times, deficient and unmoving. Sebastian Faulks who, when approached about the possibility of dramatization replied, “Why try to make a sculpture from a painting?” Maybe he had a point.

Birdsong is adapted from the critically acclaimed novel by Sebastian Faulks.

Directed by Alastair Whatley | Stage adaptation by Rachel Wagstaff

Brought to the stage by The Original Theatre Company & Birdsong Productions Ltd

National Tour, 22nd January to 3rd August 2013

This review was written for and first published  on The Flaneur website.

Great British Folk Festival 2012 Skegness. 30th November 2012 – 3rd December 2012. Review first published in The Flaneur.

Now in its third year The Great British Folk Festival held at Butlin’s Skegness resort has now become an established part of the festival scene. Forget any preconceptions of the ‘holiday camp’. The images lampooned in programmes such as Hi-Di-Hi are outdated and have absolutely nothing to do with the modern first class visitor experience. Comfortable and welcoming Accommodation is included in the package, the stages skilfully managed, and the music takes in all aspects of  loosely defined ‘folk’ – a chance to want to have a good time while maybe unearthing something new. This is why GBBF wins.

Friday’s line-up included Pie, Feast of Fiddles, The Fureys and Davey Arthur, The Travelling Band. All estimable talents however some of the other acts that day did not deliver. Fake Thackray would have been better suited to a smaller venue as would Oh Susanna. The Travelling Band sadly lost some of the The Fureys large audience. Although To be fair, the Fureys must be a hard act to follow. Meanwhile Feast of Fiddles dazzled the audience on the Centre Stage with their eleven fiddler players.

Saturday afternoon and Babajack shook the Centre Stage with an intense mix of blues, roots and folk. Becky Tate’s cajon (box drum) and   Trevor Steger’s semi-acoustic ‘winebox’ guitar invoked a past area of raw and unpolished blues and roots. Not for the faint hearted.

The session’s other bands and singers – Deborah Bonham, Shinjig, and The Billy Mitchell Band rewarded the audience in a more traditional style. In contrast, the band Moonshee took on a global slant with Sitar, tablas, fiddle and harp. OK so it’s not unique these days but nevertheless a band definitely worth catching.

Saturday evening was probably, for the weekend’s audience, the best with Show of Hands, Thea Gilmore, June Tabor and The Oyster Band, Merry Hell and Fay Hield and The Hurricane Party.

June Tabor’s reunion with The Oyster Band after a twenty-one year gap and now on tour was the highlight of the weekend. Tabor has a startling and compelling presence yet never overshadows the band. Their take on Jefferson Airplane’s psychedelic ‘White Rabbit’ was electrifying. The gig ended on a high with ‘Put Out the Lights’. Merry Hell – “Folk-rock with punk attitude” (their words) closed the evening on Reds with firm favourites Show of Hands closing Centre Stage.

Finally to Sunday afternoon on Centre Stage with a welcome diversion for tired heads – Animals and Friends with their   storming session of nostalgic R’n’B. Gallagher’s keyboards were much to the fore offering a driving rhythm through many of the old standards but were nicely contrasted by Barton’s deep booming voice. That evening saw amongst others Ashley Hutchings & Morris On, Steel Threads, Gigspanner, Gordon Giltrap, The Gathering and headliners ,The Albion Band on Centre Stage and on Reds Stage,  King Arthur’s Dream.

So over, for another year and clearly all of the above is both subjective and selective and not under any circumstances definitive. Therefore, I offer apologies to those missing their favourite artists or wanting a complete set-list. Overall, a fantastic weekend and already bookings are being taken for 2013!

If you want to see some of this year’s performances take a look at Peter Simmonds’ You Tube Site.http://www.youtube.com/user/SIMMO7TS

The Animals and Friends at The Great British Folk Festival, Skegness, 3rd December 2012.

Without doubt, The Animals were one of the most important bands originating from England’s R&B scene during the early ’60s, and second only to the Rolling Stones in bringing hard faithful R&B-to British audiences. I suppose it was some unease that I approached The Animals and Friends thinking that like so many of those sixties “resurrections” they would only appeal to the achingly nostalgic. However, I am glad to say that the band delivered a satisfyingly rock solid performance.

For this gig drummer John Steel, an original member of The Animals, was joined by Peter Barton on bass and vocals, Danny Handley on lead guitar and Mickey Gallagher on keyboards. It’s worth noting that Gallagher has historic connections with The Animals having replaced a departing Alan Price in 1965 – so no stranger to the band or the music.

His excellent playing was much to the fore offering a driving rhythm through many of the old standards but always effectively contrasted by Barton’s deep booming voice to great effect – especially on Sam Cooke’s “Bring it on Home” and Bennie Benjamin’s “Don’t Let Me Be Misunderstood” .

After that the numbers came fast and furious – Bright Lights Big City, “We Gotta Get out of This Place”, John Lee Hooker’s “Boom Boom” and ending with an passionate “House of the Rising Sun”.

That afternoon The Animals and Friends showed that they have the power to capture an audience with their coruscating mix of blues, rock, and soul. It’s great to see that they are taking it on the road throughout 2013.

Moreover, to add to that Animal magic the ‘legendary’ Steve Cropper will be guesting.

Article originally appeared in The Flaneur online magazine.

Twelfth Night performed by Reading Between the Lines at Reading Minster. Reviewed 25th October 2012 for Newbury Weekly News.

Twelfth Night is the last of Shakespeare's romantic comedies. It encompasses and refines many of the themes and elements explored in earlier works. We have a shipwreck and identical twins. However against a romantic idyll we witness the cruel prank played on the ‘geck and gull' Malvolio. It is a tale says Feste the Clown that were it 'played upon a stage now' would be condemned 'as an improbable fiction'.

As the 'notoriously abused’ Malvolio Adam Napier drew out all the complexities of the character and quivered with rage and later madness as he slowly crumbled. Although exploited by the malicious triumvirate of Maria, Sir Toby Belch and Sir Andrew Aguecheek his dreams mark him out as a socially ambitious man rather than a domestic tyrant. It is quite touching and his key speeches met with audience approval.

Unfortunately Joe Marsh as the intemperate parasite and exploiter Sir Toby does not elicit the same understanding. He has a casual sense of malevolence despite his waggish nature. As Director Hal Charles says we are in 'uncomfortable territory'.

However although bitter and cruel it is in a dramatic sense fun to watch. It offers a much-needed contrast to the cross dressing nonsense and the courtly moping lovers that fill the rest of the story.

In terms of staging, the Reading Minster was exploited to the full – the beautifully lit nave, aisle and even pulpit were used to great effect, coolly representing all locations. Entrances could be made effortlessly and dramatically helping the action to move at a cracking pace. To the delight of the audience Aguecheek arrived by bike cycling the length of the nave to arrive at the basic stage – a carpet and an abandoned dinghy. The production team are all to be commended however Composer and Musical Director Rosalinde Steel is singled out for her terrific direction. Music flowed seamlessly whether in scenes of contemplative reflection or rousing late night revelry. Acoustics as one would expect from a church were excellent.

RBL is a professional theatre company in Reading sourcing local talent and serving the community. They launched earlier in the year with "Off the Block” that commissioned four new works. This was the first step in their aim to deliver a mix of new writing, classical and modern theatre to Reading.

They have now ticked the classical box with this production, a production that was both exciting and moreover accessible. It is a rare opportunity for a local audience to see a professional Shakespeare production.  

This first appeared in Newbury Weekly News.
Reading Between the Lines

The Dumb Waiter by Harold Pinter. Reading Rep, in residence at Reading College’s Performing Arts Centre. 9th July -21st July 2012. Reviewed 12th July 2012 for Newbury Weekly News.

Despite a recession and drastic cuts to Arts funding Reading has seen two new professional theatre companies take-off this year.  Reading Between The Lines came earlier in the year with their first production Off the Block lauded as a “brilliant and heroic birth”. Now we have Reading Repertory Theatre with their inaugural production, Harold Pinter’s The Dumb Waiter directed by Paul Stacey Reading Rep’s Artistic Director.  

Two armed hit men, Gus and Ben, kill time in a windowless two bedded basement room in Birmingham while waiting for their superior, the unseen Wilson, to tell them of their intended target. And to complicate matters, a dumb waiter in the upstage wall keeps rumbling and surreally delivering food orders that the men have no chance of satisfying.

Gus from the start is insecure and restless. He tries to elicit answers from the calmer Ben. It is only later that we understand Ben’s reticence in responding to Gus’s demands. Gary Richens as Ben offered a staid controlling factor in contrast to Rick Romero’s frenetic Gus. Although there was opportunity, neither actor resorted to caricature.  It illustrated the underlying importance that gesture and attitude can play in drama. From the outset, the contrasting attitudes establish a tension that is to escalate before reaching the final revelatory conclusion.

The performance play runs at just over an hour and at first felt painfully slow. However, it gained pace and delivered a gripping and, at times, very funny play. This production had humour in spades and it was a delight to hear an audience so appreciative of Pinter’s skill.

On the other hand, the tension did carry elements of Pinter’s sense of menace. The small theatre space in itself felt confining and mirrored in some way the room that held Gus and Ben. An expected feature of the evening came from the heavy rain hitting the sixty-seat theatre’s flat roof and unexpectedly augmenting the oppressive gloom of the protagonist’s predicament.

It was an excellent and ambitious start for the new company whose aim is to be ‘a regional theatre with a national reputation’. Maybe it’s too early to comment but I really hope they can achieve their goal in what must be a very demanding economic environment.

Furthermore, they have announced that we can look forward to further productions this year and next with performances of A Christmas Carol, Osborne’s Look Back in Anger and Strindberg’s Miss Julie. 

Whatsonstage Review

Creation Theatre's The Merchant of Venice at The Said Business School Rooftop Ampitheatre, Oxford, OX1 1HU Until end August.

As a 'comedy', The Merchant of Venice has possibly attracted more modern critical comment than any other of his plays has. Much of this hinges on the characterization of Shylock, the usurious Jew, resolved to extract vengeance on the wet melancholic Antonio. It is clearly then, an awkward play to stage.

So how do you present the recalcitrant lead as other than a negatively cheap caricature of the moneylender yet remain true to the dramatic themes? An actor must be aware of not playing him too villainously by emphasising his 'Jewishness' and resulting in a fusillade of moral outrage. It is a challenge facing any production.

Glad to say, Creation succeeds in confronting the complications, achieving a gratifying fusion of romance and tragedy. No longer is it just about Shylock but more an examination of late sixteenth century culture and mores with all its subtleties and complexities, however fantastical. 

Set against a Thirties dockland backdrop with suitable musical punctuation it neatly balances the excesses of Shylock and his enemies, leaving neither party blameless. Shylock may indeed be appear ruthless man but derided mercilessly by the merchant Antonio and furthermore destroyed by the loss of daughter Jessica (Fiona Sheehan) who can blame him? His desire for 'a pound of flesh' is the bitter result and to his credit, Jonathan Oliver's portrayal of Shylock is caustic yet dignified. His crushed pride at the treatment he receives from the court after the defeat is intense and tangible. 

On a lighter note and in contrast to the Venetian political arena, a romantic sub-plot endures in the idealised marginal world of Belmont. Overseen by Portia (Leila Crerar) and her confidante Nerissa (Louise Callaghan) it offers an opportunity to emphasise the comic aspects. The best illustration of this is the handling of the casket scenes. We witness the outrageous self-regard of Portia's two failed suitors Gabriel Fleary's Morocco and Scott Brooksbank's Arragon. Their superb capacity for physical and verbal comedy punctuates the darker realms of the play. Both are far more effective than Shakespeare's 'official' clowns Lancelet and his 'sand blind' father. 

Overall, Creation's open air and 'weatherproof' production directed by Natalie Abrahami is a rewarding and gripping contemporary reading. It is imbued with the right amount of comic elements so that we can reclaim it, as I guess it was meant to be, as a 'dark comedy'. 
It is still however an unsettling illustration of an unforgiving Renaissance society and something we have to accept however unpalatable to our modern sensibilities.

David Stockton for Remotegoat website.

The Merchant of Venice Review 5 stars

The Merchant of Venice Review 5 stars

Troika Theatre's Taming of the Shrew, Oxford Castle Courtyard, Oxford.

The Taming of the Shrew's elements of cruelty and violence have become the subject of considerable controversy. With such a misogynist text and a vein of unremitting cruelty running through the play it begs the question of how a company can make this harsh feast palatable to an informed modern audience. Troika Theatre believes it can.

As with most contemporary readings, their production dispenses with the "drunken tinker" sub-plot (the "Induction" that sees the action as a fantasy, a play within a play) and dives straight in with the arrival of Lucentio (Ben Bateman) and his servant Tranio (Ashley Harvey). Such swiftness allows little time for moralizing or hand wringing and offers up a 'comedy'. We forget that we are watching a world dominated by greed and lust. If we had time to reflect, we would be enraged rather than amused by Petruchio's treatment of Katharina. 

As "bonny Kate, and sometimes Kate the curst" Monica Nash takes a vigorous approach making the farcical sub plot of Bianca and her suitors look vapid in comparison. At the start, she may be unlikeable and sour but through an arresting performance, she grows on us.

Moreover, when she meets Petruchio, played with wit and cocksure insolence by Adam Potterton, we see she has met someone as unconventional as herself. Despite his objectifying of her, he offers an escape from her undeserving father, Baptista.

All this action is set in the "sixties" judging by the dress and the music. Sadly, in order to conform to this style it meant the axing of Biondella's comments on Petruchio's outrageous dress as he returns to Padua. Not for us "a new hat and an old jerkin; a pair of old breeches thrice turn'd" but slippers, silk pyjamas and dressing gown. Nevertheless, the minimal staging and period design worked and did not detract from the acting. In addition, I am glad to say the acoustics were good. A couple of years back in the same venue, I found myself straining to hear the nuances of a play's language. Had I not known the play I would have been completely baffled.


Finally, despite reservations about the validity and the moral tone of the play, I enjoyed this performance. Credit goes to all the cast and the Director (Rachel Johnson) for turning a work defined by George Bernard Shaw in 1897 as "altogether disgusting to modern sensibility" into a well-rounded and humorous drama.

Off the Block, South Street Arts Centre,Reading, 26th April 2012

"Reading Between The Lines" is Reading's new professional theatre company whose ambition is to bring "accessible, exciting theatre to the people of Reading" and to launch the company they came up with this audacious and courageous concept "Off the Block" by commissioning four new works by four different writers. Each writer had only 24 hours to create his or her piece inspired by the ending of the last. The actors were to receive their scripts for the first time only hours before opening.

The strict timetable saw the first writer Bea Roberts accepting her 'starting block' i.e. her 'inspiration' at 7am on the Sunday. The following morning she passed her 'ending point' on to the next writer and in turn, this was 'relayed', with the final writer meeting the deadline of 7am on the Thursday. On that day, the directors received scripts at 7.05am; the actors arrived for rehearsals at 9am and finally, the audience took their seats at 7pm.

It all seems such a daunting task for a new company if you factor in the four writers, the four Directors, the 16 actors and the four Assistant Stage Managers. If the concept had failed, it could so easily been a disastrous and demoralizing debut. However, it worked and the whole company deserves the credit for that.

As an opener, a short piece "On Hold" written by Chris Lambert that engaged the talents of the four young ASMs 'recruited' from various local theatre groups. It is also worth pointing out that Chris Lambert had won his place as part of a local writing competition Find a Reading Writer with his winning entry "The Stranger" - the final piece of the evening.

"The Vigilant by Bea Roberts, Jim Rastall's Melanie, Angus Barr's Imposters and finally "The Stranger" swiftly followed. Each play was unique and explored a number of dramatic techniques - physical and verbal comedy, farce, tragedy and even surrealism in the writing of Chris Lambert. Moreover, where we saw comedy we were aware of the underlying tensions and terrors that haunt us. 

By restricting everyone to a timetable, it generated freshness and spontaneity that showed through in the actor's delivery. It was all new and untainted by preconception.

Furthermore, it was a brilliant and heroic birth for the new company and, given the time constraints, well produced. One could sense the enthusiasm by all those involved in the five pieces. 

All they need to do now is raise the finance to fund their next production in October. Based on this performance they deserve your respect, your loyalty and your money.

by David Stockton for remotegoat on 28/04/12
See more production shots at Ian Legge, Photography 

The Hound of the Baskervilles – Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke, 28th March 2012. An Oldham Coliseum and IMITATING THE DOG production.

It appears that we now find ourselves in the middle of a Sherlock Holmes revival with two recent Hollywood ‘blockbusters’, an acclaimed  television series and most interestingly, Anthony Horovitz’s novel ‘The House of Silk’. Undeniably, these and many others have taken liberties over the years with Doyle’s original but they certainly endure, entertain and can still pull in an audience.

This current adaptation of Conan Doyle’s 1901 novel The Hound of the Baskervilles by Clive Francis turns out to be remarkably faithful to the original to the extent of omitting Holmes for much of the narrative. Don’t forget that Holmes had been dramatically ‘killed’ in 1893’s The Final Problem as a result of Conan Doyle’s personal displeasure so may explain his absence in this tale.

So we see very little of Gwynfor Jones’ sullen Holmes but a lot more of Doctor Watson. It however shows a flaw in the writing/acting as Watson comes across in this relationship, not as an exasperated friend and emotional prop to Holmes but more as a servant at his disposal. In the original stories, this was never the case. Moreover, while we are at it – please ditch Holmes in a deerstalker – it never happened.

As the reliable narrator, Leigh Symonds’ Doctor Watson takes centre stage, aided by Amy Embank, Steven O’Neill and Robert Simpson, and drives the plot against the rather stunning effects of film and projection. Conceived by Theatre Company IMITATING THE DOG these visuals however, ‘stunning’ could so easily be an example of ‘form over content’.

However it’s good to say that this twenty-first equivalent of ‘smoke and mirrors’ did not entirely overpower the five actors.  Moving smoothly and with conviction between IMD’s interior and exterior worlds of smoggy London, 221b Baker Street, Baskerville Hall and, most eerily, ‘Grimpen Mire’ they  attempted to realise Director Kevin Shaw’s aim of combining ‘the power of live performance’ and ‘revolutionary theatrical techniques’.

Whether it fully achieved this aim is debatable. However, it is early days on the tour and I believe the odd inconsistency will dissolve away and the actors and the narrative flow will become greater than the technical wizardry that often dominated this performance. 


An edited version appeared in The Newbury Weekly News, April 5th 2012.

Our Country's Good. The Haymarket Theatre, Basingstoke, Thursday 26th January 2012. Now on tour till 26th April 2012.

Timberlake Wertenbaker's Our Country's Good concerns a group of English convicts and their hated naval gaolers sent to the 'new colony' of Australia in the late 1780s. It follows Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark's attempt to put on a production of George Farquhar's Restoration comedy The Recruiting Officer with his motley crew of captives or as Major Robbie Ross RM calls them 'vice-ridden vermin'. It's a noble endeavour that meets resistance from Ross (Adam Best) who holds the view that the theatre 'teaches subordination, disobedience, and revolution' and that it is absurd to think otherwise.


However, the intellectual and perceptive Governor, Captain Arthur Philip (Aden Gillet), maintains that the convicts are there to 'create a new society'. Their involvement in theatre would act as a humanising force and offer hope of redemption in a barbaric world. He further claims that theatre is an 'expression of civilisation'.


Nevertheless, even in this cruel world there is humour. For instance the rehearsal scene that ends Act 1. The convicts display a range of misconceptions about acting and despite their apparent sincerity results in some of the best comedy, especially Jack Lord as Robert Sideway who steals the scene. His display of grandiose theatrical affectation, attributed to having once seen David Garrick, lifts the spirit and lets the humanity shine through. You begin to see these convicts as worthy of opportunity.


It is probably not an easy drama to produce given that it has twenty-two roles and, in this performance, only ten actors. However, The Original Theatre's production shows the actors' skill as they seamlessly move from one character to another, doubling, and in the case of Philip Whitchurch and Rachel Donovan even trebling. Never once do we doubt or question their dramatic authenticity as they rapidly and emotionally switch roles.


On a simplistic level, we have a play debating intellectual arguments for and against theatre but more importantly, we have a play that questions human frailties and cruelties. This satisfying and entertaining performance does not aim to answer all the questions but gives the audience enough evidence to make their own conclusions.


On tour until 26th April 2012. For further details see The Original Theatre Company website.