Theatre Things

Female led theatre company Plain Heroines “make funny plays about difficult subjects”. That’s an apt description of Kate Reid’s The 4th Country, which tackles the thorny topic of Northern Ireland’s past and present through the eyes of a family that’s been affected by both. But while it’s certainly funny at times, ultimately there’s not much to laugh about in this portrayal of a society still scarred by its troubled history.

Set in 2019, the play begins traditionally enough, as Shona (Aoife Kennan), a weary civil servant in the Northern Irish Department of Health, meets her new intern Melanie (Kate Reid) and succinctly sums up the current political situation: because of the lack of a functioning government since 2017, Shona and her colleagues are now effectively in charge of the country, whether they want to be or not. That responsibility begins to weigh even more heavily when tragic news arrives, regarding a young woman whose family connection to the Bloody Sunday massacre in 1972 guarantees a media storm.

And here is where events take an unexpected turn; the action freezes and the fourth wall disintegrates, leaving the audience thoroughly disoriented as the four actors begin to argue amongst themselves over how best to tell the story. Suddenly we find ourselves heading back five months with Niamh (Rachael Rooney) and Conor (Cormac Elliott), siblings whose close bond is about to be tested to its limits by events far beyond their control. But despite the efforts of outside forces – lawyers, journalists and yes, playwrights – to tell their story for them, these two characters persist in making their own voices heard, bringing the play to a stark and impactful conclusion that says far more in a few simple words than any dramatic denouement could portray.

Sharp, engaging performances from all four actors make for a fast-moving and entertaining production, shot through with a dry sense of humour that comes through in both their dialogue and their physical interactions. Though underpinned by a darker significance, the fraught relationship between Niamh and her brother’s English fiancée offers plenty of laughs, and her later encounter with Melanie at a bus stop somehow manages to be both funny and completely devastating.

A stereotype referenced in the play is that for many people outside Northern Ireland, the country’s name conjures up images of either bombs or leprechauns. What this play skilfully captures is the reality in between; a society where the explicit violence may be at an end, but the social and political shockwaves continue to be felt, even if their impact doesn’t always make it into the English news headlines. Reid’s writing contains enough exposition for the audience to follow the story, but in holding back some details, she both gently makes us aware of our own ignorance and presents us with an opportunity to go away and do something about it.

The 4th Country is at Park Theatre until 5th February.

It’s Christmas! And that can mean only one thing: every second theatre in London is showing their own adaptation of A Christmas Carol. So what if you fancy a festive show but you’re not in the mood for Dickensian drama? Well, I suggest getting yourself down to Leicester Square Theatre, where quite literally anything can happen, and no two performances will ever be the same, as the Shit-Faced Showtime team return with A Pissedmas Carol.

In essence, the show (written by Lewis Ironside, Issy Wroe Wright and James Murfitt, and directed by Katy Baker) is a fairly straight retelling of Dickens’ well-known story, but with a significant twist. Prior to the show, one member of the cast gets well and truly sozzled, and then proceeds to wreak havoc while their sober colleagues attempt to keep the story vaguely on track. This sometimes proves quite tricky, particularly when a throwaway comment from Tiny Tim’s by now decidedly inebriated mother takes the story in a new – and somewhat less feel-good – direction. There’s also a change to Scrooge’s family history, requiring both young and old Scrooge to instantly adopt an Italian accent, and a visit from Mystic Tweg, which results in an unexpected boob job for Scrooge’s niece Emily.

Most of the fun of the show lies in watching the rest of the cast react to whatever the drunk actor says or does, and then carry the jokes through the remainder of the evening. As with all good improv, it’s just as rewarding to watch very talented performers think on their feet as it is to watch a very drunk one try to derail the show. There are also moments (albeit quite few and far between) of relative calm when the troublemaker isn’t on stage, and we get an opportunity to enjoy the acting and vocal talents of the rest of the cast. Because yes, this is also a musical, featuring a number of modern Christmas hits written more or less seamlessly into the plot and performed incredibly well, given the circumstances.

If you’re easily offended, this might not be the show for you; expect very bad language, naughty jokes and – obviously – the celebration of drunkenness (the show has various mechanisms built in to ensure that the drunk actor remains as drunk as possible). But if you’re after something a bit different and very silly this festive period, you could do a lot worse than give Shit-Faced Showtime a try. It’ll be unlike anything you’ve ever seen before, or ever will again, and guaranteed to get you feeling festive. God bless us, every one!

A Pissedmas Carol is at Leicester Square Theatre until 15th January.

Another Christmas season, another annual Living Room Adventure from Sleeping Trees. Following the success of last year’s The Legend of Moby Dick Whittington, this year’s online offering from the comedy trio, Puss in Moon Boots, mashes up references from various well-known tales including Hansel and Gretel, Star Wars and Jack and Jill – and all without ever leaving the house.

Santa’s cat Puss is tired of being left behind every Christmas Eve while Santa and his reindeer head out with the sleigh to deliver all the presents, so he’s invented a rocket that will get the job done much faster. Or at least it would, if anyone would take him seriously. But then Santa gets ambushed by an asthmatic space villain who for copyright purposes is definitely not Darth Vader, and Puss has to step in and save Christmas, with the help of a robotic cow, David Meowie and some newly acquired moon boots.

Anyone who’s seen Sleeping Trees before will no doubt take such a bonkers plot completely in their stride. It’s all extremely silly and a lot of fun, especially for younger audience members who are actively encouraged to get involved by dressing up, shouting at the TV – well it is panto season, after all – and finally helping to steer the heroes home to safety. And while this is undeniably a show for small people, there’s plenty of humour for the grownups too. I don’t have any kids and I had a great time – and I didn’t have to clear up any mess afterwards, which is an added bonus.

As always, all the characters, male, female, spaceman, cat, cow… are played by Joshua George Smith, James Dunnell-Smith and John Woodburn, who along with co-writer and composer Ben Hales and director Kerry Frampton have once again turned an ordinary home into a film set in a whole host of creative ways. Despite the ingenuity of some of the effects, the backdrop is always recognisable as a living room, or a bathroom, or a kitchen, making this a brilliant way of showing children that if they have a great idea they don’t have to look far to make it a reality. As Puss himself might say, determination and self-belief are the most important things – and Sleeping Trees have both these things in abundance.

Last year, making a film without leaving the house was necessary because – well, nobody was allowed to leave the house. This time around, live performance is once again possible, and in fact Sleeping Trees also have a live show, Sleeping Beauty and the Beast, happening right now at Battersea Arts Centre, but I’m glad to see the online format hasn’t been abandoned. Already, just two years in, there are running jokes developing (mince pie, anyone?), and hopefully that’s a sign that the Christmas Living Room Adventure is going nowhere.

Puss in Moon Boots is available online until 10th January – tickets cost just £5 and let you watch as many times as you like (sorry parents).

The title of this fascinating theatrical memoir is more than just a nod to one of the many amusing anecdotes found within its pages. How many of us theatre lovers, hand on heart, could name the wig designer working on our favourite productions? In her autobiography My Name Is Not Wigs!, Angela Cobbin MBE sets out to challenge that, taking us on a journey through her years working with the biggest names in theatre, and revealing what a critical part she and her colleagues play in bringing some of our best-loved characters to life on stage.

Beginning her career as a hairdresser in the 60s, Angela moved on to design wigs for the models at Madame Tussauds, and was eventually headhunted to join the National Theatre. Since then, she’s worked on countless productions in the West End, on Broadway and all over the world, as well as in TV and film (including a stint working on Spitting Image) – and her memoir drops names right, left and centre as she recalls getting sassy with Ian McKellen (it’s fine, he deserved it), watching Judi Dench play backstage pranks, and having doors held open for her by Luciano Pavarotti (even if she did think he was a stage hand). There’s a real sense of community in the stories she tells, and it’s thrilling to get a small insight into what goes on behind the scenes – though it’s perhaps less heartening to realise just how much success in the theatre can depend on knowing the right people at the right time.

It’s also fascinating to learn more about the world of wig creation and often hasty application. We can all appreciate a good quick change, but how many of us spare a thought for the costume, hair and makeup team left behind in a perspiring heap when the actor walks back onstage after a 90 second turnaround? More importantly, these pages offer an opportunity to see wig design through the eyes of someone who understands it to be an art form in its own right, and to appreciate that it’s far more than just “doing hair”; it’s a crucial detail with just as much power to make or break a production as any other aspect of design.

The book is a very easy read, which strives to explain the intricacies of both hair and show business in a way everyone can understand. Many specialist terms are followed by a “translation” in brackets, allowing the readers to picture each scene even without knowing all the right terminology (there are lots of actual pictures too, which also help). There’s never a dull moment, which keeps those pages turning as we dart from one star-studded anecdote to the next, and Angela is a compelling narrator; it’s clear early on that she takes no nonsense from anyone, which generates more than one humorous story, and that she’s never been afraid to take a risk in the pursuit of her passion.

Whether or not you’ve ever had any interest in wigs, My Name Is Not Wigs! is a great read, shining a light on an often-overlooked aspect of the showbiz world, and the amazing life of a woman who’s been a key part of that world for decades. An interesting, enjoyable book, and definitely recommended for anyone with a love for theatre and the arts.

My Name Is Not Wigs! is available to buy via Amazon.

Theatre Things received a free digital review copy of My Name Is Not Wigs! as part of the online book tour.

Rose is a successful career woman who wants a baby but not a relationship. Adam’s a deadbeat musician who had a bad childhood and therefore has zero interest in procreating. When she returns from six years working in America to find he’s accidentally overstayed his lease in her flat, the two of them must find a way to live together despite their differences.

If you think this sounds like the start of every romantic comedy ever – you are 100% correct. Love Dance by Andy Walker follows the rom com formula to a T, but that’s what makes it fun to watch. We know exactly what’s going to happen, so we can just sit back and enjoy the ride. That said, there are a couple of plot twists that will strain the credulity of even the most hardcore rom com fan. Where usually we’d have a Big Misunderstanding, here we have Massive Ethical Misconduct that feels incredibly out of character, and the play’s ending happens so fast and so perfectly you can practically blink and miss it.

But Love Dance is still a great night out, and that’s thanks largely to two strong performances from Derek Murphy and Jacoba Williams. The pair have an easy chemistry that allows the audience to quickly overlook the characters’ differences and imagine the two together long before either of them catches on to what’s happening. And while they’re both imperfect they’re also very likeable, which makes it easy to laugh at them but also root for them, both as a couple and individually.

All the action takes place in Rose’s modern one-bedroom flat (designed by Humphrey Jaeger), but there’s enough variety in the script that this never gets stale; without leaving the living room, the two manage everything from doing yoga to going dancing to “driving” to the beach. There’s only one moment in the whole play that takes place outside the flat, but it adds nothing to the plot and feels like a misstep from director Lesley Manning in an otherwise pretty seamless production.

Love Dance is a lot of fun – it’s silly and it knows it, and that makes it an effortless play to watch and enjoy; it was certainly well received by a raucous audience at this particular performance. The storyline isn’t perfect, and could certainly be slowed down a bit at the end to give us time to adapt to what is oddly both an entirely predictable and yet still somehow surprising twist in the plot. But it’s entertaining, funny and completely unchallenging, and sometimes that’s exactly what you need from your theatre.

Love Dance has just announced an extension, and will now run until 4th December at Chiswick Playhouse.