February 2017 – Page 4 – Theatre Things

Interview: Owen Calvert-Lyons, Ovalhouse Spring 2017

Published on February 3, 2017 by LizLeave a comment

“It’s a season of new beginnings – new artists, new works, new ideas,” says Owen Calvert-Lyons, Head of Theatre and Artist Development at South London’s Ovalhouse. This week sees the launch of his first major season since taking over last year, featuring an imaginative and innovative programme of shows that runs until the end of April.

“I had a number of ambitions for this first season,” Owen explains. “I wanted to signal a return to our roots as a  home for radical artists and radical ideas. I wanted to build a community of artists at all  stages of their career. I wanted to take a risk on some young artists – giving them the  opportunity to create work for our main stage. I also wanted to provide opportunities for a  whole series of artists to work with Ovalhouse for the first time, which is why my first season  is weighted towards experimentation – with eight new works-in-development.

“I think it’s a great season – there are shows that I can’t wait to see again  and shows which I’m desperate to see for the first time. I am really pleased that five artists  presenting work in my first season are graduates of our participation programme, which tells  me that we have a strong future ahead of us.”

With so many exciting shows to choose from, how does Owen go about putting a season together? “I start with a series of principles – ideas that I want to see within the season: radicalism,  diversity, politics, feminism, gender politics. Some shows I see at festivals – both JOAN and  Eurohouse were at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe – and I saw a work-in-progress of Focus Group  over a year ago and loved it. Other shows, such as Custody, have come to me more recently  but have an urgency about them which demands to be heard.

“Then there are the FiRST  BiTES – eight work-in-progress productions which we are testing out for the first time. All of  these start with an artist bringing us a great idea; an idea which just needs some time, some  resources and some love to start the journey towards becoming a great play. This season, I’ve also launched a regular strand of work for children and families. We want this work to  have the same principles as our work for adults, so our first two productions explore grief  (The Many Doors of Frank Feelbad) and gender politics (Moonshine’s Entirely Necessary  Adventure).”

Moonshine’s Entirely Necessary Adventure, 13th-14th February

Presented with the thankless task of choosing some season highlights, Owen tactfully rises to the challenge: “It’s impossible to pick a favourite, but I would recommend Focus Group – a dark and  unsettling journey into the world of Mister Kipling cakes, and JOAN – a beautiful re-telling of the  story of Joan of Arc. Lucy, who plays Joan, won The Stage award for her performance, and  rightly so, she’s brilliant. And Custody – Urban Wolf has been trying to get this play made for  the past two years; it explores the injustices by the police which he’s witnessed first-hand  in Brixton. He’s put together a great creative team, with a brilliant script from Tom Wainwright – it’s an urgent story and I’m really proud that we are going to bring it to an  audience.”

For first-time visitors, he has a few additional tips. “I’m still amazed when people say to me that they’ve never been to Ovalhouse – it’s a  hidden gem, right in central London. If you’ve never been before and want to dip your toe in,  then come for a FiRST BiTE show for just £5. Or if you’re feeling more adventurous, come to  one of our *Discuss nights, where you see a show, immediately followed by an audience-led  discussion over a glass of wine.

“I’m not sure we’ll ever be the sort of venue that pleases everyone – but this season has a  pretty broad appeal. If you’re ever unsure if there is a show for you, just call our box office -  we have a brilliant team who can talk you through the brochure and find a show that suits  your tastes.”

Ovalhouse’s Spring Season runs until 29 th  April 2017.

Review: Doctor Faustus at Theatro Technis

Published on February 3, 2017July 22, 2018 by LizLeave a comment

London’s most active amateur theatre company, The Tower Theatre, has been in business for more than 80 years – but shows no sign of getting tired. Their new production of Doctor Faustus at Theatro Technis is dramatic, intense and gripping, and while it may not have Kit Harington in his pants, at least in this version we can all keep track of what’s going on.

Doctor Faustus, or to give Christopher Marlowe’s play its full title, The Tragical History of the Life and Death of Doctor Faustus, is the story of a bored German intellectual, who sells his soul to Lucifer in exchange for 24 years on Earth, the ability to use magic, and the devoted service of the demon Mephistopheles. The years pass, and Faustus becomes famous all over the world – but it’s only when his time begins to run out that he realises what a huge mistake he’s made.

Tower Theatre’s production, directed by Lucy Bloxham, is a relatively traditional interpretation of Marlowe’s text, featuring two central performances that wouldn’t look out of place on a professional stage. Jonathon Cooper is charmingly eccentric as Faustus, skilfully embodying every side of the character: the frustrated genius, the cocky celebrity and the terrified dead man walking. It’s hard to feel sympathy for a man who’s entirely responsible for his own downfall, but Cooper’s Faustus is just likeable enough that we can’t help hoping he’ll find a loophole as his final minutes tick away.

He’s joined by Tower Theatre veteran Robert Reeve as Mephistopheles, the demon charged with sweet-talking Faustus into giving up his soul, and then being his constant companion for 24 years until it’s time to collect on the debt. Dressed all in black, Reeve radiates a quiet authority, and it’s clear from his sly grin whenever Faustus isn’t looking who’s really in control of the situation.

The rest of the cast take on multiple roles, most memorably having a bit of fun with the seven deadly sins (in the case of Lust, played by Matt Cranfield, perhaps a bit too much fun). This and a couple of later scenes provide welcome moments of light relief in what is, let’s face it, not exactly the happiest of stories.

First-time director Lucy Bloxham makes effective use of the large stage area at Theatro Technis, with multiple entrances (including the one to hell, which is positioned alarmingly close to the audience) and a curtained off area behind which Lucifer himself appears to Faustus. There’s one slightly clunky set change in Act 2, which could benefit from something for the audience to look at while the furniture’s cleared away, but on the whole transitions between scenes are clean and efficient. And the clock that regularly appears to tick down the minutes until Faustus’ downfall is a nice dramatic touch, as is Adam Taylor’s lighting design, which creates a suitably hellish atmosphere throughout.

Once again, The Tower Theatre Company have made it clear that amateur doesn’t have to mean unprofessional or poor quality. Every member of the company volunteers their time and talent for the sheer love of theatre, and that passion shines through in this and every production I’ve seen. Who needs Kit Harington?

Can’t see the map on iPhone? Try turning your phone to landscape and that should sort it. I don’t know why but I’m working on it… 😉

Review: Necessity at the Bread and Roses Theatre

Published on February 2, 2017July 22, 2018 by LizLeave a comment

Brighton-based Broken Silence Theatre bring their latest production, Necessity, to Clapham’s Bread and Roses following a sell-out run at last year’s Brighton Fringe. Inspired by a real event, Paul Macauley’s play tells the story of Patrick and Mish, a young couple faced with an impossible decision when a letter intended for their next door neighbour is delivered to their flat in error. Their ensuing struggle to decide what to do with its potentially explosive contents, whilst carefully observing – and judging – their neighbours’ troubled marriage, reveals hidden tensions in their own relationship that they might have preferred to keep buried.

This suburban drama is quietly intense, with a few surprises along the way and a twist ending that simultaneously brings the story back to where it started and leaves us dangling off a cliff. It’s a story about appearance versus reality – both couples are doing what they think society expects of them: buy a house; get a job; have a family. But it turns out doing what’s expected isn’t always the secret to happiness, and both relationships bear cracks hidden only just beneath the surface, waiting to be uncovered by something as seemingly innocuous as a letter.

The characters are complex and surprising; there’s nothing predictable about this play. Alex Reynolds makes a brief but memorable appearance as the letter-writer, a vital role that lights the touch paper and leaves it to burn. Will Anderson, a new addition to the established cast as Stephen, captures the weary resignation of the henpecked husband – but our sympathetic view of him is marred by the early revelation of his secret past. And Vicky Winning is easy to hate as the stuck-up Veronika, although she too catches us off guard early on with a moment of kindness that doesn’t quite gel with the thoroughly nasty piece of work she ultimately turns out to be.

Mish and Patrick seem like a happy enough couple as they share relaxed, light-hearted banter after a long day – but it doesn’t take long for old tensions to resurface. Aspiring jewellery maker Mish wears her heart on her sleeve, and is easily the most likeable of the four main characters because of that; Cerys Knighton slips from joking around to anger to total heartbreak without hesitation. But perhaps the most intriguing performance comes from Tim Cook as Patrick, simply because it’s impossible to tell from one moment to the next if he’s a loving husband or a bit of a psycho. Or maybe both.

One little niggle: it was sometimes hard to keep track of the story’s timeframe. There’s a suggestion that the action’s taking place over a matter of weeks, but that’s hard to process when one minute the neighbours are enjoying a summer barbecue, wearing shades and complaining about the heat, and the next they’re wrapped up in jumpers and winter coats. It’s a small detail, but noticeable enough to be distracting (to me, anyway; these are the sorts of things I worry about).

Simply staged and sensitively written, Necessity is a play that touches several pressure points about modern life (career, family, class, the awkwardness of socialising with your neighbours) while still keeping us entertained and in suspense until the end. And while most of us will never find ourselves facing this particular scenario, the play nonetheless leaves its audience with plenty to think about.

Can’t see the map on iPhone? Try turning your phone to landscape and that should sort it. I don’t know why but I’m working on it… 😉

Interview: Carmen Nasr, Georgie Staight and Caley Powell, Dubailand

Published on February 1, 2017July 22, 2018 by LizLeave a comment

Carmen Nasr’s Dubailand won her a 2017 Channel 4 Playwrights’ Scheme Playwright in Residence Bursary at the Finborough Theatre, supported by The Peggy Ramsay Foundation. Opening on 5th February, this urgent new play explores the plights of Dubai’s migrant labour force as the life of an Indian migrant labourer becomes fatefully intertwined with that of a British expat with his eye on the big time.

“I grew up in Lebanon, where there’s a similar issue with the violation of human rights of migrant workers explored in Dubailand,” explains Carmen. “In Lebanon, this is especially prominent with Ethiopian, Sri Lankan and Filipino women who come over to work as housemaids in the homes of middle class families. Many of these women have their passports held by their employers, as a way to ensure they complete their employment contracts, as the family will have paid a large fee to a recruitment agency to process their visa and pay for flights. So they are essentially trapped, and have no legal rights. They are also paid a pittance, and many work seven days a week, and don’t ever get a proper break during the day, or annual leave. While my family never hired a maid, many of my school friends’ families did, and I witnessed this mistreatment on many occasions, so it’s something I’ve been aware of, on a very personal level, for years and have felt very strongly about.

“The difference in Dubai and the UAE in general, is that the same thing is happening, but on a massive scale, with many British and American companies turning a blind eye. This legal system of ‘sponsorship’ or Kafala as it’s called in Arabic, is what allows all this to happen. Workers are forced to complete their contracts, sometimes up to four years long, no matter what working conditions they are met with on arrival. Also, because they are in financial debt to their companies, who will have covered the cost of their flights and visa paperwork, their passports are confiscated until they have paid off their debts, which takes them much longer than planned or expected as they are usually paid much less than they were originally promised. They’re essentially trapped. This is a system used widely across the Middle East, and this is the same system used across the UAE to manage thousands and thousands of workers who come over from mainly India and Pakistan, to escape the poverty of their home countries.

“One day, I got an image in my head of a construction worker from India, standing alone on the top of a huge skyscraper in Dubai, still under construction, at night, surrounded by a sky full of stars, and the bright lights of the Dubai skyline in the background, and I wondered what he would have to say. That was the catalyst for the actual writing of the play. It’s a story that says something about the globalised world we live in today, about the world order that is being established and that we are actively taking part in, and forces us to take a step away from our own individual perspectives and examine it.”

The production is being brought to the Finborough by a team including director Georgie Staight and producer Caley Powell. “Dubailand attacks an important ethical issue which doesn’t seem to be being addressed in the way it should be. The reaction we’ve had from so many people of ‘I had no idea this exploitation was happening’ is incredibly telling in itself,” says Georgie, who’s co-artistic director of Flux Theatre, a company dedicated to bringing socially engaging theatre to new audiences. “The success of the script lies in the way Carmen tackles an important ethical issue with humanity, truth and humour. Our loyalties to certain characters constantly shift, leaving the audience to make certain choices.

“I hope audiences will take away an awareness of an issue they may not have tapped into. A reflection on their own lives in turn. And hopefully an enjoyable 90 minutes of new writing and a new writer to keep their eye on.”

Caley adds, “I was instantly intrigued by this play. Reading the script I learnt so much about a side of Dubai I didn’t really know that much about, the migrant labour force and the treatment of the construction workers. What Carmen does so well is juxtapose the lives of these Indian construction workers with a team of British expats, particularly Jamie, who’s new to the country and is enjoying being introduced to the glamorous life of Dubai. The play shows that Dubai is sold as a better life to everyone, whether it’s an Indian construction worker given the opportunity to make money to send to their families back home, or British expats that move to Dubai to live in lavish apartments, earn lots of money and enjoy the glamorous lifestyle – but this play exposes the darker side of the country and is a shocking, heart breaking piece of theatre that will hopefully move you.”

Since its first staged reading in 2015, the play’s had quite a thorough re-write, and been through several drafts. Carmen explains, “While the form and shape of the play has remained essentially quite stable throughout the re-writing process, the voice and journey of Amar, a construction worker from India, has become more nuanced and layered with each draft. Having been unable to access and speak to construction workers on my research trip to Dubai, Amar’s voice took a lot of sensitivity and exploration to fictionalise and construct.”

Caley’s particularly excited about working with a female-led team. “As a producer I’m always actively seeking female led projects. I’m part of the organisation The League Of Professional Theatre Women that seeks to promote women in the arts; although progress has been happening with women in theatre I want in any way that I can to help women bring their projects to the stage and help them get their stories and ideas heard. I enjoy working with a group of women to create projects, for example on Dubailand we have a female director, writer, producer, stage manager, designer and our cast is a 50/50 split between male and female roles – but plays like this are still unfortunately a rarity in the industry.

“We want everyone to feel as though they have contributed to creating this project. We have an amazing team and it’s been a pleasure watching them all work and create the piece together. I hope people will come to see the play and it will lead to more work for everyone on board!”

Carmen agrees: “As a writer, collaborating with a group of theatre practitioners on a play, is all about achieving a production in which a little bit of everyone’s experience and perspective and personality is gently woven into the final production, which is what makes it feel alive. The goal I guess is to produce something that is a result of a huge group conversation, rather than purely the vision of one member of the team. This is what Georgie, as the director, is crafting so beautifully.

“I hope that the audience will go away from the theatre, and think about the play again the next day, or week, or month. Even if it’s just on one occasion.”

Tickets are selling fast – book now for the world premiere of Dubailand at the Finborough Theatre on Sundays, Mondays and Tuesdays, from 5th to 21st February.

Smile! A Fundraising Concert for Nathan

Published on February 1, 2017 by LizLeave a comment

On 12th February, the Orchard Theatre in Dartford will be hosting Smile! – a fundraising concert featuring a stellar cast of West End performers, in support of seven-year-old Nathan Box. Nathan has a rare brain tumour called Hypothalamic Harmartoma, which causes him to have more than 25 seizures daily and is having a devastating effect on his everyday life and development. He recently appeared on ITV News – this video contains some upsetting footage.

The good news is that Nathan’s condition is curable; the bad is that the necessary treatment’s only available in Texas. His family have successfully raised the £100k they need to pay for the treatment itself, but now need to find an additional £50k to cover flights, accommodation, extra tests, scans, travel insurance and any added costs they may encounter when Nathan’s in the States.

Tickets for Smile! cost just £30, which is a bargain price to see a cast of over 100 including the likes of Lyn Paul (Blood Brothers), Simon Lipkin (Avenue Q), Dean Chisnall (Shrek The Musical) and Hugh Maynard (Miss Saigon), along with a live 42-piece orchestra led by the current musical director of Blood Brothers. The performers are all giving their time for free and every penny collected from ticket sales will go to Nathan. And thanks to an anonymous donor, all the money raised by the concert up to £20k will be doubled, meaning the family could raise as much as £40k in one night.

For anyone who can’t make it to the concert but would like to show their support, there’ll also be a sponsored seat scheme. This again costs £30, and every sponsored seat purchased is donated to Ellenor Children’s Hospice, allowing a child in their care a free night out at the theatre.

This promises to be a spectacular night of musical theatre, for a really good cause. To book tickets visit the Orchard Theatre website, or to purchase a sponsored seat, call the Ticket Office on 01322 220000.

Or find out more and help spread the word by following Smile For Nathan on Facebook, Twitter or Instagram.

Here’s the full cast list so far:

LYN PAUL– New Seekers, Blood Brothers, Taboo, Cabaret

HUGH MAYNARD– John in Miss Saigon (West End & DVD), Sweeney Todd in Sweeney Todd, A Christmas Carol, The Lion King, Notre Dame De Paris, Follies, We Will Rock You, Dancing in the Street, Sister Act and many more!

SIMON LIPKIN– West End Productions of Avenue Q, Rock of Ages , Guys and Dolls along side Rebel Wilson, Spamalot, Assassins, Disaster Musical as well as many more!

DEAN CHISNALL– Shrek in Shrek- The Musical ( Theatre Royal Drury Lane West End & UK and Ireland Tour), Love Never Dies (Adelphi), La Cage aux Folles (Playhouse), Never Forget (Savoy and tour), Evita (Adelphi), The Women in White (Palace)

JOE SLEIGHT– Wicked (WestEnd) ‘Cover Boq’, Midsummer Nights Dream (Middle Temple Hall London) ‘Puck’, Blood Brothers (UK Tour) ‘Perkins’ & ‘Peter Pan in Peter Pan at the Wycombe Swan’

JENNA LEE JAMES– Scaramouche, Meatloaf and KillerQueen in ‘We Will Rock You’, of whom she is the ONLY person in world to have played all 3 female leads. Narrator in ‘Joseph’, Mary in ‘Tonight’s The Night’ & Alternate Donna in ‘Mamma Mia’

PAUL WILKINS– Marius in Les Miserables (West End, Asia, Manila, Singapore & Dubai)

MICHELLE PENTECOST– Grace Farrell – Annie, Vava – Paraside Moscow, Elphaba – Wicked, & Eva Peron – Evita

NANCY HILL– Grease (West End), Tracy in Hairspray, Sweeney Todd (ENO) with Emma Thompson

LAURA HARRISON– Lucille Frank in the Hope Mill Theatres production of ‘Parade’, Donna Marie/Miss Jones Cover Mrs Lyons in ‘Blood Brothers’, Tiger Lily in ‘Peter Pan’, Audrey in ‘Little Shop of Horrors’

JODIE BETH MEYER– Understudy for Jodie Prenger in Tell Me on a Sunday, Petra in A Little Night Music, High School Musical (UK Tour), Aspects of Love (UK Tour), Pirates of Penzance, Svetlana in Chess and Eponine in Les Miserables (Channel Island tours)

MELANIE BRIGHT- We Will Rock You (UK Tour) The Who’s Tommy (English Theatre Frankfurt and European Tour) Quasimodo (King’s Head) The Gypsy ‘Acid Queen’ in Tommy (Winter Gardens) and Les Misérables (Queen’s Theatre) where she understudied and played the role of Fantine. Film includes Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (Warner Bros) and Delilah in Samson and Delilah.

DEAN KILFORD– Perkins and Understudy Eddie – Blood Brothers (UK Tour), Dandini/Buttons- Cinderella, Dick Whittington- Dick Whittington, Sunday Night at the Palladium & is the current host and commentator for The Non League Show!

All images used with permission from Nathan’s family.