Category: Regional theatre

Review: King Charles III at the Marlowe Theatre

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Most of us Brits have only ever known one monarch during our lifetime. And it’s easy to assume it’ll stay that way forever, but of course we all know a time will come – probably not too far in the future – when things must change, and a new ruler will come to power. But then what?

King Charles III examines this question in unique and ingenious style, imagining the heir to the throne as he finally steps into the role that he was, quite literally, born to play. But when, within days of his mother’s death, he’s asked by the Prime Minister to put his signature to a controversial bill, Charles begins to realise what being a king actually means. As events spiral out of control, he struggles to balance scheming politicians with the expectations of the public and his own family, whilst remaining true to his own conscience and principles.

King Charles III

Mike Bartlett’s Olivier Award winning play is a fascinating glimpse into a possible not too distant future for our country. Though often light-hearted, poking gentle fun at the figures we all know so well (or think we do, at least), King Charles III is also a powerful political thriller that grips from the start – not least because its outcome could affect all our lives. As Charles discovers that holding power is quite different to waiting for it, black sheep Harry’s out meeting a new girlfriend, who might just make him see life a little differently – while golden boy William’s firmly under the thumb of a shrewd and ambitious Kate.

Robert Powell gives a commanding performance as the tortured, lonely Charles, a man desperate to cling on to what he sees as his God-given birthright, and with all the trappings of authority but none of the power to back it up. Richard Glaves gets some of the biggest laughs as Harry; his awe at the wonder that is Sainsburys is quite delightful, and Glaves’ performance captures all the frustration of a young man tied to an institution in which he has no significant part to play. After some initial misgivings, I also enjoyed Jennifer Bryden as Kate – particularly once she drops the saccharine sweetness and lets her inner Lady Macbeth out to play.

Most of the action takes place within the palace walls (with Harry the only royal to escape and venture into the world outside), and Tom Scutt’s majestic, towering set and Jocelyn Pook’s haunting choral music combine to provide a constant reminder of the weight of history and responsibility bearing down on the new monarch’s shoulders.

King Charles III is not at all what I expected… it’s better. This is a play that’s not just entertaining, but wonderfully inventive and incredibly relevant, raising important questions that could well affect our future in the years to come. For most of us, the monarchy is a decorative institution that exists mostly for our amusement. But it wasn’t always that way – and who’s to say it always will be? Obviously, chances are slim that the play’s an accurate depiction of how the future will play out – but it’s nonetheless a powerful reminder of the fact that, one way or another, the monarchy as most of us have always known it is on the verge of major change. So I guess we’ll just have to wait and see what happens next…

King Charles III is at the Marlowe Theatre, Canterbury, until Saturday 31st October.

Review: The Last Tango at the Orchard Theatre

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If, like me, your Saturday evenings feel a bit empty during the summer months – when you’re forced to leave the house for entertainment instead of the infinitely preferable option of curling up on the sofa with a cup of tea and Strictly Come Dancing for company – then you need to get yourself along to see The Last Tango. Strictly favourites Vincent Simone and Flavia Cacace are performing together in their third and final theatre tour, and if you think that means it might get emotional… well, you’re right.

The Last Tango, directed by Olivier Award winner Karen Bruce, is a dance show, but it also tells a story – and what a story it is. The show opens with George (Teddy Kempner) poking around in the loft. What he’s actually looking for we never discover, but what he finds is a host of memories of the love story he shared with his wife, which then unfolds as George looks nostalgically on. Over the next two hours, we’re swept along on the couple’s enchanting, exhilarating journey, as they and an energetic ensemble tango, waltz, rumba and jive their way through the years, to a repertoire of classic tunes performed by a fantastic live band and singer Matthew Gent.

The Last Tango - credit Manuel Harlan
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

Vincent and Flavia have been dancing together for 20 years (they were winning competitions long before they joined Strictly in 2006), and it really shows; they have the most amazing chemistry, particularly when it comes to their speciality, the Argentine tango. Everything we’ve learnt to look out for when judging Strictly contestants from the comfort of our sofas is there in abundance – beautiful arms, great shaping, intricate footwork (my friend was keeping an eye out for heel leads, apparently) and incredible storytelling. This is not just good acting; the closeness between the two is real, and that makes the story much more powerful to watch than if its stars were just two strangers pretending to care about each other.

There’s really nothing not to love about this show; even the story, which could have been shoehorned to fit the choreography, is an uplifting and enjoyable tale of enduring love that could quite easily stand on its own. It’s funny at times – my particular highlight is the moment Flavia pops out four babies without once losing her figure – and at others desperately sad; I doubt I was the only one who welled up when George had to leave for the war, leaving his brokenhearted bride behind. But throughout everything that life throws at them, the couple’s love for each other never falters – and if the end of the story feels a bit predictable, the journey to get there is worth every second.

Flavia Cacace - The Last Tango -
Photo credit: Manuel Harlan

Whether you’re a Strictly fan or not, it’s hard to deny that this is a pretty fabulous show. And though it may be the last we’ll see (in theatres, at least) of Vincent and Flavia as a partnership, it’s fair to say that with The Last Tango, they’ve ensured they won’t be forgotten in a hurry.

The Last Tango is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, until Saturday 31st October.

Review: The Importance of Being Earnest at the Orchard Theatre

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The Importance of Being Earnest is one of Britain’s best-loved plays, so much so that there are currently two major stage adaptations for us UK theatre lovers to choose from – one in the West End, and a new touring production with an all-star cast that includes Nigel Havers, Martin Jarvis and Siân Phillips.

Oscar Wilde’s classic farce, set in 1895, pokes fun at the frivolous and hypocritical attitudes of Victorian society, through the story of two young men, Algernon and Jack. Both, in a bid to avoid any serious responsibility, and to continue living the carefree existence to which they’ve become accustomed, have invented fictional alter egos – but when they both fall in love, the friends’ lies begin to catch up with them, with hilarious results.

Nigel Havers in The Importance of Being Earnest
©Tristram Kenton

In a fresh and funny twist, Lucy Bailey’s production frames the play with additional material by Simon Brett, which sees the Bunbury Company of Players, an enthusiastic but disorganised am dram group from the Home Counties, attempt the dress rehearsal of their favourite and much-performed play, The Importance of Being Earnest. It’s a bit like Oscar Wilde meets The Play That Goes Wrong, only with slightly less disastrous consequences; despite a few mishaps and diversions, not to mention more than one spectacular tantrum over cucumber sandwiches, these actors do ultimately manage to pull off a successful, if slightly unconventional, performance.

Funnily enough, my only real complaint about this framing of the story is that there isn’t enough of it; from unpromising beginnings, the Bunbury Players suddenly get rather good, and the second act is played almost entirely straight. It’s still very funny, of course, as the characters’ lies begin to trip them up and mayhem ensues, but that’s what’s supposed to happen – personally, I would have enjoyed a few more moments of unintended chaos.

Christine Kavanagh in The Importance of Being Earnest
©Tristram Kenton

The main joke is the age of the actors, who are, for the most part, far too old to play Wilde’s characters, and yet do it with such enthusiasm and energy that somehow it actually works. Nigel Havers and Martin Jarvis in particular make a charmingly mischievous comedy duo as Algy and Jack, and Christine Kavanagh perfectly captures the girlish excitement of teenage Cecily, despite being a good few decades older than her character. Siân Phillips, meanwhile, brings a little dignity to the proceedings as Lady Bracknell; her character gets all the best lines, and she delivers them with great style.

The dress rehearsal takes place in Bunbury founding member Lavinia’s beautiful home, which, as it turns out, was built in the 1890s when the play was being written. Before the action begins, it would be easy to assume that William Dudley’s magnificent set is that of a straight production – if not for the confusing sight of a laptop glowing cheerfully on the upstairs landing. This, it turns out, is just one of many little modern details, like the drinks cabinet, which contains a TV on which Lavinia’s husband George is dying to watch the cricket.

Sian Phillips in The Importance of Being Earnest
©Tristram Kenton

This new production is a unique and irresistible take on a classic play. The excellent cast not only give great performances, but are also clearly just having a great time – and their enthusiasm is more than a little infectious. I really enjoyed the comic opportunities offered by the inventive am dram twist, and of course we can’t forget the main event, which is Oscar Wilde’s brilliant and very funny script. All in all, The Importance of Being Earnest makes for an evening of fun and laughs, and you can’t ask for more than that.

The Importance of Being Earnest is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, until 26th September, before continuing its national tour.

Review: Blood Brothers at the Marlowe Theatre

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As musicals go, this one probably needs little introduction. Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers began life as a school play, and opened in the West End in 1983, before running for 24 years from 1988. I still remember it as the only show that’s ever caused me to openly sob throughout the curtain call, and I’m sad that I only got to see it once before it closed in 2012.

But hurrah! Blood Brothers is back, and embarking on a national tour, which kicked off at Wimbledon last week, before transferring to the Marlowe in Canterbury. Directed by Bob Tomson, it stars Marti Pellow (who old folk like me remember from his Wet Wet Wet days) as the narrator and Maureen Nolan as Mrs Johnstone, a struggling single mother who agrees to give one of her newborn twins away to her wealthy employer. The two boys grow up in very different surroundings, but somehow keep finding each other, with ultimately heartbreaking consequences.

Blood Brothers

But in case you think that all sounds a bit depressing, never fear, because Blood Brothers is also one of the funniest shows I’ve seen in ages. It’s set in Liverpool, with a cheeky Scouse personality, and doesn’t take itself too seriously – the script is happy to acknowledge the fact that the same actors are playing more than one part. But perhaps the most enjoyable aspect of Blood Brothers is the way it has adult actors playing the characters throughout their lives, beginning at age 7 (nearly 8). It sounds like it shouldn’t work, but it totally does – the cast capture brilliantly all the mannerisms of children, and after a while you completely forget they’re grown ups in kids’ clothes. And then when they do grow up, and graduate from toy guns to real ones, you find you really care what happens to them.

Blood Brothers is an unusual musical, in that it only actually has a few songs, which are repeated throughout the show, with slight variations. Each character has one or two themes – Mrs Johnstone tells the story of her family through the recurring Marilyn Monroe, while the Narrator warns the characters of their impending doom with The Devil’s Got Your Number, and the twins, Mickey and Eddie, wish themselves into each other’s shoes with That Guy. However, that said, there are a few standalone numbers – Eddie’s wistful love song to Linda, I’m Not Saying a Word, is particularly poignant, especially given what happens next.

Blood Brothers

I was intrigued to see Marti Pellow on stage, having heard mixed reviews of his recent performance in Evita. His Narrator prowls the stage with intense eyes and moments of almost violent aggression as he reminds the two mothers of what they’ve done. Compared to some of the other characters, the Narrator doesn’t have a huge amount to do vocally, but this is a character who’s all about presence, and Pellow certainly delivers on that front. Meanwhile Maureen Nolan reprises her role as Mrs Johnstone, which I always think must be one of the most emotionally demanding parts to play, calling as it does for extremes of happiness and devastation. Like Niki Evans, who I saw in this role before, Nolan looks shattered at the curtain call, as well she might; her closing scene is one of the most powerful in musical theatre.

But while these may be the ‘headline’ members of the cast, there are plenty of other standout performances: Paula Tappenden is brilliant as the well to do Mrs Lyons, descending into madness as a result of her own made-up superstition. And I doubt there was anyone in the theatre who didn’t leave a little bit in love with Sean Jones, who plays Mickey, the ultimate cheeky chappy. Joel Benedict and Danielle Corlass complete the trio of inseparable friends who ultimately – and perhaps predictably – find themselves embroiled in a love triangle.

Blood Brothers
Picture: Lorne Campbell / Guzelian

If you’ve seen Blood Brothers before, you’ll know it’s brilliant. If you haven’t, I urge you to seize this second chance to catch it. It’s a story about family, and the enduring debate over nature versus nurture. And despite being written in the 1980s, it still feels very contemporary, with its questions about class and poverty. With great music and memorable characters, this is a show not to be missed.

Blood Brothers is at the Marlowe Theatre in Canterbury until 26th September.

Review: An Inspector Calls at the Orchard Theatre

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If there’s a more timely production touring the UK right now than An Inspector Calls, I don’t know what it is. J B Priestley’s 1945 play is a well-known story, studied by many of us as a school text – and yet it’s anything but academic, particularly in today’s political climate, where the question of social conscience and collective responsibility is a topic of daily conversation.

Stephen Daldry’s award-winning production, first performed in 1992 and now in its 25th tour, takes us immediately out of the Birlings’ lavish dining room and into the streets of Brumley, where children play in the rain until they’re shooed away by the family’s maid, Edna. As the prosperous family sit down to celebrate the engagement of their daughter, Sheila, in high spirits and confident that all’s right with the world, a mysterious figure appears, and stands, motionless, in the street outside. This is Inspector Goole, who will, over the course of one evening, force each member of the family to confess their part in the downfall of a young woman, Eva Smith, who’s just drunk disinfectant and died horribly in the local infirmary.

But this is a story – and a production – that’s about far more than one family, or one unfortunate young woman. Ian MacNeil’s incredible set establishes the enormous distance between the Birlings and the rest of society, with the opening scenes taking place behind closed doors as we, along with the children, stay locked firmly outside. Gradually, though, the Birlings are drawn out of their home and into the cold, wet street, to answer for their actions in a court, not of law, but of social conscience. And in turn, the play forces us as audience members to consider the impact of what we do on those around us, and the need to look out for each other as fellow human beings, no matter who we are or what our background is.

An Inspector Calls

In this particular revival of Daldry’s production, Liam Brennan leads the cast with ease; his Inspector Goole is a quietly imposing figure, prone to occasional bursts of passion that are all the more effective for their rarity. Tim Woodward is full of bluff and bluster as businessman and patriarch Arthur, as he tries to justify his actions, while Caroline Wildi is brilliantly despicable as his wife Sybil, the only member of the family who appears to feel no remorse at all for her part in Eva Smith’s death.

As the family’s world begins to crumble around them, there are a few moments that do feel unnecessarily hysterical – including one particularly memorable incident in which Arthur screams in the Inspector’s face for no obvious reason (nearly giving the lady next to me a heart attack in the process). And Sheila’s horrified reaction to the photograph of Eva Smith, which sees her collapse in a muddy puddle before running, screaming, from the stage, feels a shade too dramatic to be believable.

But these moments are rare, and easily upstaged by some hugely powerful scenes – not least the moment that a crowd of silent onlookers appears out of the mist to hold the family to account, while the Inspector makes his final, desperate appeal, to us as an audience, and to society as a whole.

An Inspector Calls

70 years after it was first performed in Moscow, An Inspector Calls is as relevant as it’s ever been. By choosing not to set the play in the Birlings’ safe, contained dining room, but forcing them instead to confront the real world they’re used to looking down on with disdain, Stephen Daldry cuts straight to the heart of Priestley’s political message. And it’s a message that will – and should – stay with us long after we leave the theatre and go back to our lives:

“We don’t live alone. We are members of one body. We are responsible for each other.”

An Inspector Calls is at the Orchard Theatre until 19th September.