Tag: Kent

Review: Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show at the Orchard Theatre

Published on by Liz4 Comments

I have to confess something… until last night, I was a Rocky Horror virgin. Richard O’Brien’s classic musical is not so much a stage show as a phenomenon with a life of its own, and seeing it for the first time feels a bit like stumbling into a club of which you’re not a member. There are weird outfits, private jokes and choreographed dance moves – and that’s just the audience.

Fortunately, initiation into the Rocky Horror club is not only painless, but a lot of fun. And one thing becomes abundantly clear from the first moment: if you love this show, you will love this show. It’s a classic of such epic proportions, with such a devoted following, that it doesn’t really matter who’s in it, or where you see it; unless something goes horribly wrong, a Rocky Horror fan – old or new – is pretty much guaranteed a good time.

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For the record, though, the touring production of Rocky Horror currently making a stop at the Orchard Theatre is of the highest quality, whether you’ve seen the show hundreds of times or you’re a slightly bewildered newbie. Slick, sexy and spectacular, it has a wicked sense of humour matched only by the increasingly cheeky responses being shouted by the Dartford audience, which the cast – particularly Norman Pace as the Narrator – handle with great aplomb.

Richard Meek and Lauren Ingram are perky and loveable as newly engaged Brad and Janet, who find themselves drawn into the bizarre world of Dr Frank-N-Furter when they get a flat tyre on a stormy night. Kristian Lavercombe is irresistibly creepy as Riff Raff, Dominic Andersen sets everyone’s pulses racing as Rocky and Sophie Linder-Lee’s Columbia is a brilliantly unhinged groupie. But the stage really belongs to Liam Tamne as Frank-N-Furter, the Sweet Transvestite from Transsexual, Transylvania; hilarious, seductive and quite, quite mad (not to mention a bit chainsaw-happy), he has both his guests and the audience in the palm of his hand from the start.

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Oh, and the songs. Well, we all know the songs, right? Dammit Janet, Sweet Transvestite, Hot Patootie… Even for a first-timer, they’re pretty hard to resist – and come on, who never did the Time Warp at their school disco? There were a couple of occasions when the band drowned out the vocals a bit, but by that point things had got so bonkers I’d long since given up on keeping track of what was happening anyway.

Don’t think of Rocky Horror as a musical. It’s an experience: one I’m glad to have had – and that I won’t soon forget…

Richard O’Brien’s Rocky Horror Show is at the Orchard Theatre until 11th June 2016.

Review: The Mousetrap at the Orchard Theatre

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The Mousetrap is one of those plays that brings with it a sort of legend. The world’s longest-running production has been playing to audiences in the West End since 1952, where it continues to this day, in addition to the national tour that now brings the play to Dartford. Much of its success, I suspect, lies in its air of mystery; as the curtain falls, audiences are kindly requested not to reveal the secret. And while there’s no way to know for sure, it seems most people do keep it to themselves – in a world where social media makes it far too easy to stumble on spoilers (Game of Thrones, anyone?) I’m amazed and impressed that I’ve never caught so much as a hint of the plot, let alone the identity of the murderer.

 

Photo credit: Liza Maria Dawson

So in keeping with that, there’s not much I can say by way of summary. A young couple, Molly and Giles, open a guesthouse on a snowy night. As their first guests arrive, news comes over the wireless about a murder committed the day before in London. And that’s about as far as I’m willing to go… but this is Agatha Christie, after all, so suffice to say there are secrets, plot twists and a spooky nursery rhyme, and by the end of Act 1 you can expect to be totally confused about who anyone really is or what’s actually going on.

Now let’s be honest – The Mousetrap isn’t Agatha Christie’s best story. It doesn’t have the creeping tension of And Then There Were None, nor does it feature either of the famous detectives Poirot or Miss Marple, and there are a few slightly frustrating loose ends left dangling at the end of the show. Even the author didn’t expect it to run for more than eight months, so the play’s enduring success is a bit of a mystery in itself. But there’s plenty to enjoy in this traditional whodunnit: an eccentric cast of characters; a set that’s as labyrinthine as the plot; a touch of humour; another touch of danger… and of course, the potential satisfaction to be found in correctly identifying the guilty party. (Not that I’d know – but I assume it’s pretty satisfying.)

Photo credit: Liza Maria Dawson

Like most Christie plays, the cast in Ian Watt-Smith’s production are very much an ensemble, working together to confuse and misdirect the audience. Oliver Gully is wonderful as the flamboyant architect Christopher Wren – no, not that one – and former Eastender Louise Jameson is thoroughly detestable as the stern and snobbish Mrs Boyle. There’s also an enjoyably bizarre turn from Gregory Cox as Mr Paravicini; both character and actor are clearly having fun in the role of the inevitable unexpected guest.

The Mousetrap is a clever and finely crafted story – but then we’d expect no less from the Queen of Crime. More than that, though, it’s an undisputed phenomenon, and for that reason alone this record-breaking play is a must-see.

The Mousetrap is at the Orchard Theatre until Saturday 21st May.

Review: Dick Whittington at the Orchard Theatre

Published on by Liz1 Comment

It’s Christmas time… and in the land of theatre, that means only one thing: panto season!

Dartford’s pantomime for this year is Dick Whittington, starring Eastenders favourite Shane Richie. On my way to The Orchard to watch the show, I realised I didn’t actually know this particular story… and I can’t honestly say I know it that well now either. But that’s not really the point of panto, as we all know. So here’s the gist – Dick Whittington and his cat save London from giant rats. Hurrah!

Now, let’s be honest. We all know what to expect from a pantomime. It’s a bizarre and extremely British tradition that’s pretty much impossible to explain to anyone who’s never experienced it (believe me, I have tried). But the good news is, once you’ve seen one panto, you’ve basically seen them all. You know there’ll be a TV star playing the hero; a man dressed in drag; a baddie who everyone boos at; lots of singing and dancing; a bit where all the main characters get scared off, one by one, by some kind of monster… It’s a time-honoured formula, and as long as we all keep laughing and shouting the right responses, why would anyone mess with it?

Malcolm Lord
Photo credit: Craig Sugden

Dick Whittington has all of the above in buckets (and yes, at one point there are actual buckets), but it also brings a few fresh ideas to the stage. The appearance of a giant kraken is impressive and unexpected – and it’s great fun to see how the children in the audience respond to it; two little boys in front of us clearly thought giving a huge sea monster the thumbs down was the right way to go. And I genuinely enjoyed the 3D section in the second half – which is saying something, because 3D doesn’t usually do it for me at all – even if it did mean the already astonishing noise levels went up yet another notch.

Whether you’re an Eastenders fan or not, Shane Richie’s a fantastic lead, who absolutely makes the show. He’s also a natural comedian; it’s often hard to tell which bits of the chaos are scripted and which are just him making it up on the spot. He’s joined by Pete Gallagher as the evil King Rat, and Malcolm Lord, who goes through countless outrageous costumes – sometimes several at the same time – as this year’s dame. (For those of us old enough to remember, Malcolm Lord played George the pink hippo in Rainbow. I used to love that show.) Illusionist Phil Hitchcock keeps the audience entertained with some jaw-dropping tricks, and Aaron Romano makes a late but very welcome appearance as a scantily clad Sultan Vinegar.

Shane Richie
Photo credit: Craig Sugden

The humour, as usual, is very much two-level; there’s plenty of slapstick and silliness for the kids, but also more than enough to keep the grownups entertained. The local gags are fun, but could be more varied; after the fourth joke about Temple Hill, it’s starting to get a bit old for anyone who doesn’t live there. And though the show often sails dangerously close to the wind – which, let’s face it, was inevitable in a story where the main character’s called Dick – it always manages to just about toe the line of what’s appropriate.

There are a couple of bits that could be slightly scary for younger audience members, although having said that, none of them seemed particularly phased, and the baby directly in front of us was totally chilled out throughout the show – so maybe I’m just being a wuss.

Pete Gallagher
Photo credit: Craig Sugden

I’ve been to my fair share of pantomimes over the years, and I have to say Dick Whittington is one of the best. The cast all look like they’re having a great time, and it’s a genuinely enjoyable show, with plenty of fun surprises. Of course it’s also totally predictable and a complete cheese-fest… but then that’s why we love panto. Right?

Dick Whittington is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, until Sunday 3rd January.

Review: Puttin’ on the Ritz at the Orchard Theatre

Published on by Liz1 Comment

When it comes to glamour, you can’t really beat 1920s Hollywood. Puttin’ on the Ritz is an entertaining celebration of some of the best-loved music of the era, featuring a talented cast of singers and dancers, and an appearance by guest stars Trent Whiddan (who danced with Pixie Lott on last year’s Strictly Come Dancing) and Gordana Grandosek.

With music from Irving Berlin, George Gershwin and Cole Porter, it’s not surprising that this is a show bursting with classic, toe-tapping tunes: I Got Rhythm, Cheek to Cheek, Top Hat, Anything Goes… we’re whisked from one to the next with ruthless efficiency, pausing only occasionally for an introduction by one of the singers (and just once for a spot of awkward banter with the audience; our finger clicking was quite good for a Tuesday, apparently). The dance ensemble, meanwhile, fling themselves with great enthusiasm into Charleston, tap, jazz, ballroom and more, all choreographed by Emma Rogers, who also directs the show.

The latest offering from producer David King is a lively and entertaining evening, with some impressive performances from its cast, and a seemingly endless array of beautiful costumes (once again, I want all the dresses). The show is very much an ensemble production, although Lucy van Gasse’s beautiful rendition of Summertime is a particularly memorable moment. The same goes for the hand jive at the end of the show, even if it does bear a strong resemblance to the one that concluded Spirit of the Dance, another David King production, a few months ago (including the double encore).

Trent and Gordana

Trent and Gordana are welcomed on to the stage a few times to perform alone; unsurprisingly, they’re brilliant, although it’s perhaps a little too obvious that they’ve been slotted into the programme (the guest stars vary throughout the tour, so I guess it’s easier that way). This doesn’t take away at all from the enjoyment of either their appearance or the show as a whole – it just feels a bit like two shows in one, especially since Trent and Gordana never appear on stage with anyone else until the curtain call. Fortunately, both shows are great fun, so having the guest stars there is basically just a bit of a bonus.

If you love Hollywood glamour, high-energy performances, gorgeous costumes and catchy tunes, you’ll enjoy this show. Puttin’ on the Ritz is a highly polished production, which packs an incredible amount into its two-hour running time – so there’s no hanging around, but this at least ensures we get a bit of almost all the classics. And whatever your taste in music, it’s pretty much guaranteed that your foot will be tapping by the time the curtain falls.

Puttin’ on the Ritz is at the Orchard Theatre, Dartford, until Saturday 14th November.

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.