BARGAIN THEATRE

VIEUX CARRE

THE ONLY TRUE HISTORY OF LIZZIE FINN

“It’s 1892. Lizzie Finn is a celebrated dancer. Charmed by a soldier returning from the war, Lizzie becomes entangled in an intense and passionate affair.”

You could have fooled me.

Shereen Martin takes the lead as Lizzie Finn, unfortunately monotone and lacking patriotic passion of the Irish. The only demonstration of her “celebrated” dancing was a few Can Can moments during the first scene. Justin Aroth as her suitable suitor Robert Gibson starts out very much the same but grows throughout to fulfil his role, though this still doesn’t light the passion between the pair.

The relationship between Jelly Jane (Lucy Black) and Finn is delightful. Jane’s departure is touching, especially the defiance to allow her emotions to take control. Penelope Beaumont as lady of the house Lucinda Gibson is accurately stern and discerning, but her curious accent confused me geographically. Andrew Jarvis as Bartholomew Grady was captivating during the second act with his small, entertaining snippets of dialogue.

Karen Grogan was most definitely the shining star here as Tilly and later Teresa. Both parts she played with equal conviction and I remember her striking a similar chord in Playboy of the Western World. From her first entrance she was energetic and engaging, commanding the audience’s attention and I found myself constantly awaiting her return.

Short scenes capture your attention but are equally disjointed, with random blackouts and time lapses. Relationship developments happen over a matter of seconds, not allowing us to invest or care.

Candles encased in jars suspended from the ceiling provide constant flickering light against a black backdrop, a nice touch to the night time scenes but not flexible enough for other scenes. One member of the audience found herself counting them, instead of watching the performance, to see if any had gone out. A set of steps reminiscent of a sea front provide the set, again not allowing much room for movement or imagination.

Don’t get me wrong, the cast are talented but the material leaves a lot to be desired. I couldn’t understand why this story attracted anyone’s attention in the first place to develop it for the stage.

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REVIEWED: 29/06/12
By Frank Butler

27th June - 29th July 2012
Southwark Playhouse, London, SE1.

THE SUNNY SIDE OF THE STREET

Following on from the successes of Bewitched, Bothered and Bewildered and Classic Moments, Hidden Treasures at the same venue, director Tim McArthur’s third summer musical revue at Jermyn Street puts the work of Oscar and Emmy award-winning lyricist Dorothy Fields firmly in the spotlight with an impressive all-female West End cast.  Over thirty of her best songs from a career spanning five decades are loosely tagged to a story set in a pink hairdressing salon, which connects the daily lives of all five girls.  

Rosemary Ashe thrills with solos including ‘Blue Again’, ‘He Had A Refinement’ and the lovely music-hall-esque ‘A Lady Needs A Change’; she very much sets the standard.  Leanne Jones adds flair of her own though, with ‘Lovely To Look At’ and ‘Remind Me’, while Shona White’s ‘Make The Man Love Me’ is a passionately portrayed highlight.  When joined by Helen Hobson and Jane Milligan, the show really chimes as the company assemble for classic numbers such as Sweet Charity’s ‘Something Better Than This’, ‘If They Could See Me Now’ and ‘A Fine Romance’ from the movie Swingtime.  If barber shops had female quintets, I guess this would be among the best sounding.  A top hat and cane finale provides a fitting close to the sung-through presentation and allows the audience a great excuse to release their pent-up applause at curtain call.

Single piano accompaniment is perfect in such a compact venue, played brightly by musical director Sarah Travis who doubles as the salon’s feather-duster waving cleaner and even sings a few lines of her own as the evening progresses, the bubbly starts to flow and the ladies get merry.

This entertaining production both looks and sounds delightful.  If there’s a fault, it’s in relation to the hairdressing concept which is rather weak, and in that regard it’s no shampoo but lots of set (David Shield’s detailed design and costumes have a central theme, everything’s pink and it works well).  However, that is a minor matter which is amply offset by the very talented cast who provide a fitting tribute to the lady who, from very humble beginnings, left a songbook legacy that richly deserves the fresh look that this production affords it.

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REVIEWED: 21/06/12
By Gareth Richardson @BargainTheatre
 
19th June - 7th July 2012
Jermyn Street Theatre, London, SW1.

LITTLE WOMEN: IN CONCERT

Ten West End performers including two witches, one Nancy, an illegitimate French child and the mother of a dirty dancer will transport Louisa May Alcott’s Little Women from Orchard House, Massachusetts to London’s Playhouse Theatre.

Steven Luke Walker’s musical adaption will be hosted by theatre critic Mark Shenton, directed by Nicola Samer, associate director to The Ladykillers and produced by, up and coming director and producer, Paul Taylor-Mills.

The performance is musically directed by Niall Bailey with a cast led by Gina Beck, Nikki Davis-Jones, Sarah Lark, Lisa-Anne Wood and Shona Lindsay with guest appearance from Samantha Barks. The cast will be supported by a specially formed GSA ensemble.

Little Women is a much loved and respected story of domesticity, work and sisterly affection with a score that Nicola Samer believes brings it “into the modern world whilst retaining a classic musical theatre sound…[and] anyone who comes to see this concert will be able to relate with one of the characters”.

The one off performance is in aid of The Gingerbread Charity who support single parent families.

“Everyone has their own Little Women story.”
Nicola Samer

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Book tickets here: http://www.atgtickets.com/Little-Women-Tickets/15/3534/
Or call: 0844 871 7631

June 24th 2012
Playhouse Theatre, London, WC2.

THE HISTORY BOYS

Having seen both the National Theatre UK Tour and the West Yorkshire Playhouse productions of The History Boys, I couldn’t help but have high expectations when I arrived at the Greenwich Theatre Sell a Door’s version. I am sad to say this production did not live up to my high expectations and I felt it made one of Alan Bennett’s greatest works into a very laboured affair. I should probably make no secret of the fact that The History Boys is one of my favourite plays and so I may be more easily disappointed than others. But the fact is, I was disappointed.

The script itself is an actor’s dream with endless witty one liners, fierce debates and above all, wonderfully crafted characters but unfortunately it seemed this cast just did not take advantage of Bennett’s writing and just trundled along at a pace that can only be described as a slow fizzle. As always there are exceptions and today it was Amanda Reed as Mrs Lintott who brought the script to life – although it is interesting to note that she did play the same role in the West End transfer and UK tour.  As a group ‘the history boys’ were charming enough but the majority of the characters lacked personal depth. I spent most of the time willing Chris Aukett in particular to make much more of his role as Timms – the part played by James Corden in the original production. Credit absolutely must be given to Lawrence Murphy who had clearly done the leg work in making his performance as Posner go that extra mile. He created some very touching moments as the gay Jew from Sheffield (Bennett’s words – not mine!)

As eccentric English teacher Hector, Richard Rycroft approached the part with a much harsher tone than I had seen it played before. At times this worked but the role also demands a great sensitivity which allows the audience to see the relationship between teacher and student develop and flourish – a sensitivity that Rycroft didn’t have. It was for this reason that I was left feeling very cold at the end of this production. Rycroft made Hector seem like just any old teacher: something the character certainly is not.

In the play’s second act, Rudge (Alasdair Hankinson) boldly claims that history is “just one fucking thing after another” and despite the line gaining a few laughs from the audience, I couldn’t help but feel it was also reflecting my feelings towards the production as the last few scenes became somewhat monotonous. My guest actually turned to me and asked if it was nearly over.  There was little creativity in the direction and there is only so many times an audience can watch a group of boys troop on and off stage through a door or see the Headmaster trying to squeeze around the edge of the set to sit in one of the two chairs which were meant to represent the staff room.  Despite a few glimmers of life, The History Boys made for a very disappointing evening of theatre.

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REVIEWED: 19/06/12
By David Coverdale

18th - 24th June 2012
Greenwich Theatre, London, SE10. 

SPINACH

A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM

I like to think I know my Dreams, having seen some stunning productions in the past – so I was excited to see that Regent’s Park would be staging it this year in rep with Ragtime, having never been disappointed by their productions in the past. Sadly, this production did not live up to previous expectations by any means.

We’re welcomed by a caravan, mobile home and crane - the land of the gypsies.  This does work with mixed success, it’s one of the few ways of having a modern day set-up where a father could possibly just about get away with killing his daughter.  The setting also gives a good excuse for some harmless fighting between the two chaps at the top of the show.

Costumes were well thought out on the whole; fairies were wearing woollen dress, the lovers modern day and the mechanicals in high-vis jackets, as you do. Hermia’s costume is a continuous attention seeker, clearly far too short a dress for Hayley Gallivan to be comfortable with (I lost count of the adjustments) and becoming increasingly ripped throughout her forest dwelling.

This production was built on gimmicks, the worst of which being act 5 as a whole – we are now watching a Channel 4 documentary, complete with an exaggerated wedding dress for Hippolyta and a lot of dancing. I realise the cast are capable of singing (for they double as the Ragtime company), however past 10pm on a chilly evening we do not really need to hear 10 or so minutes of song pertaining no bearing to the play at all.

The one advantage of a long production is the ability to see James Farncombe’s striking lighting design, one thing outdoor productions generally overlook and I’m pleased to say this one didn’t.

The mechanicals were a real low point, director Matthew Dunster seemingly didn’t direct their scenes, the usually excellent rehearsal barely raised a snigger from the audience. The sung-through final performance was another lovely chance for the actors to demonstrate their vocal talents but completely illogical (especially to the tune of “So Long, Farewell” and “It’s Not Unusual” amongst others). Also, why this had to be followed by a medley of various cultural hits I have no idea.

It really felt as if the play was just there to facilitate the gimmicks. I’ve barely scratched the surface of those here but they include a graphic mating scene between Bottom and Titania (the latter ending up topless).

Some people clearly enjoyed the performance, personally the text in itself is rich enough to sustain the comedy. However, I do not think that any of the laughs in this production came from the script. It’s a shame – Dream outside in these gardens could have been a wonderful experience, I couldn’t have left quick enough.

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REVIEWED: 07/06/12
By Daniel Whitley @DanielWhit

In rep until 5th September 2012
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, London, NW1.

6 CHARACTERS IN SEARCH OF A DIRECTOR

THE MYSTERY OF EDWIN DROOD

Let me start this review with one fact about me – I do not like audience participation. At least, I didn’t think I did. When I was handed a song sheet on my way into an auditorium full of cast members leading a preshow sing-a-long of Music Hall classics, I thought I was in hell. Admittedly I did not make any attempt to join in the preshow but by the interval I was too caught up in belting out songs about father decorating the parlour and some girl with long hair that my drink remained untouched – a first time for everything!

It must have been the charming first act of endless laughs and wonderfully drawn characters which caused me to let down my ‘anti-participation barrier’ as I found myself booing and cheering along with the packed out house at the show’s new home – The Arts Theatre, Leicester Square. It was very pleasing to see a theatre (albeit a smaller one) buzzing with a large crowd after spending far too many of my recent outings in sparsely populated auditoriums watching disheartened casts try their upmost to make the best of an empty midweek show.

I liked many things about this production but the one thing which left me most satisfied was the use of its ‘star name’, Wendi Peters. Yes, she may have her face and name on the poster but when it came down to her performance, she was a member of the cast who worked just as hard as anyone else and looked in her element taking part in the rousing company numbers which complimented and, to my mind, made the production. Despite her having quite an impressive theatrical background, most people will remember Peters from her days in Coronation Street and nothing made me happier to see a soap star returning to the stage who actually has the talent to carry a part. She is a revelation in the double role of Angela Prysock/Princess Puffer.

The production itself transfers brilliantly into the Arts Theatre. The cast make full use of two staircases leading from the stage to the auditorium and also appear regularly in the balcony making sure that the audience are completely involved regardless of their seats. The sound of the show really benefits from the larger sound system with the cast perfectly in balance with the brilliant orchestra under the baton of James Cleeve.

There are excellent performances overall from a very hardworking cast. My one grumble would be Daniel Robinson as Clive Paget/John Jasper who, despite seeming an incredibly talented performer with a lovely voice, didn’t quite grasp the ‘Music Hall’ style of acting as the rest of the cast did. Stand out performances for me were from Loula Geater as Janet Conover/Helena Landless and Tom Pepper as Nick Cricker/Deputy; both of whom I struggled to peel my eyes from during the scenes and production numbers.

The ‘audience vote’ towards the end of the show really makes the evening and adds such a unique touch of fun to the piece. Talking to other audience members after the show I was very pleased to hear that the ending is actually different every night, the vote is not just a very well-acted diversion!

All in all, a very enjoyable evening and a production which deserves so much more than just 35 performances in town. I whole heartedly recommend it – I will definitely be returning before it closes.

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REVIEWED: 22/05/12
By David Coverdale @davidcoverdale9

18th May - 17th June 2012
Arts Theatre, London, WC2. 

DENIAL

WHAT THE BUTLER SAW

Doctors, doors and dilemmas provide the backbone of the latest farce to hit the West End, but is there room for another comedy in the marketplace already shared by One Man Two Guvnors and Noises Off? Add recently closed The Ladykillers to the list and it’s evident that Theatreland has had it’s fair share of laughs in recent months. Perhaps as a distraction from the gloomy weather and economy.

Written in 1967, Joe Orton’s final play takes us to an examination room in a private clinic where we meet randy psychiatrist Dr. Prentice trying to seduce an unsuspecting, young, blonde secretary Geraldine Barclay (Georgia Moffett). They are interrupted by his fur-coat, knickerless, nymphomaniac wife and from there are set on a downward spiral of pandemonium, particularly as a Ministry inspector chooses to pay an unannounced visit at such an inopportune moment. It’s all a bit Carry On Doctor and very far-fetched but nonetheless provides much merriment. With clothes swapping aplenty, it’s not so much the goings-on that cause concern, it’s more what’s coming off that matters here!

Samantha Bond as the whisky-loving, Doctor’s wife has revelations of her own as she is being chased by a bell-boy (Nick Hendrix) who has taken ‘revealing’ photographs of her during a recent encounter in a linen cupboard. Somehow, he is persuaded to don a peroxide wig, leopard-print dress and pose Bet Lynch-style as Miss Barclay, who by this time has gone missing. Cue a police sergeant, together with talk of incest and white golliwogs and there you are, all the ingredients for chaos are complete. Except I’ve forgotten to mention the naked man; how could I forget the naked man and the policeman’s helmet? Confused? You will be!

Omid Djalili plays the Ministry official Dr. Rance with tremendous energy and though he does need to settle a little, his is the central comedic role around which everything else hangs, giving Tim McInnerney a lot to play off and thus, in turn, the delightful Samantha Bond. In fact, there is enough there to write a book and that’s exactly what Rance says he will do, but all in good time. Speaking of which…

The plot is very hectic, calling for lots of nipping on and dashing off so timing is crucial and director Sean Foley has just about managed it. I should stress that I visited during previews and it was looking quite tight.

So where does the butler come into all this? Well he doesn’t exactly, except that we, the audience get his view, we see what he would have seen had he been there! Except he wouldn’t have been there because butlers don’t often work in madhouses, but who cares? For this is no time to apply logical reasoning, that’s the preserve of Dr. Rance whose irrational theories only lead to the calamity that all of the characters find themselves plunged into; and who knows where that may lead!

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REVIEWED: 07/05/11
By Gareth Richardson @BargainTheatre

16th May - 25th August 2012
Previews from 4th May
Vaudeville Theatre, London, WC2.

HIS GREATNESS

Tennessee or not Tennessee? That is, maybe, the question but it matters not really, the story was however inspired by him. An unnamed yet famous playwright, basking in dated glory, facing the 1980s Vancouver premiere of his new play is shored up by his ever-faithful yet acerbic assistant who cocoons him in a protective world, shielding his employer-cum-lover from the perils that threaten to knock him into reality. Three’s a crowd it seems, when the arrival of a fresh-faced rent boy threatens to tip the assistant off his self-built pedestal. But they have been here before, he has seen off countless so-called muses over the many years of his engagement, so there’s nothing to fear this time. Or is there? Does he still have the will to endure his boss and all that entails? Actually, which one is most reliant on the other?

We’re not quite in the realm of Norma Desmond in Sunset Boulevard here, but the relationship between her and Max, the husband-cum-butler, are vaguely similar. Matthew Marsh plays the central ‘Playwright’ with conviction, beautifully displaying his character’s foul-temper for instance, when pressurised during a telephone interview with a radio presenter. He hangs up when she displeases him, much to the despair of his companion. Described simply as ‘The Young Man’ Toby Wharton, who shone in the Finborough’s acclaimed production of The Fog earlier this year, persuasively takes to the naive escort role. It is Russell Bentley though, fresh from Tennesee William’s A Streetcar Named Desire at the Liverpool Playhouse, who is most convincing as the ‘Assistant’. This new play, I assume, is not supposed to be about him, but he makes it so, for Canadian writer Daniel MacIvor ensures this is a battle of wills between the trio.

All of the characters are strong in entirely differing ways. The Playwright has his ego, reputation and fame as he is, afterall, the breadwinner. The Assistant is supposedly safe in the knowledge that the Playwright cannot function without his guidance, while the Young Man has the cocky confidence of a newcomer, who sees his chance to compete with, and perhaps replace the Assistant in the Playwright’s affections. The whole story is concentrated over just two days in the life of the three gay men.

Despite all the pieces being in place, this play did not quite do it for me and I don’t exactly know why. I felt the same with Plague Over England at The Duchess and the reason for that was equally enigmatic. Jean-Marc Puissant’s hotel room design is transverse, with the audience sat either side works exceedingly well; Ezra Axelrod’s Songs From An American Hotel take note! The chandalier-drop sidelights alone are worthy of their own mention. Che Walker’s direction can’t be faulted either, but somehow I didn’t warm completely. That’s not to say that others around me felt the same and I feel it’s only responsible to point that out. This is not a play about Tennessee Williams’ life, but I didn’t expect it to be. It is a lesson, perhaps, in how the building of artificial protection on rocky foundations, either for yourself or others must, at some point, only lead to despair.

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REVIEWED: 05/05/12
By Gareth Richardson @BargainTheatre

24th April - 19th May 2012
Finborough Theatre, London, SW10.