So it’s been nine days since Team Family gobbled down fridge sandwiches on route to Stratford and it’s been nine days since I misplaced the programme so sadly I can’t play the individual call-out game for special services to acting by members of a cast, but I can tell you – Oberon has a commanding stage presence and wears a spectacular white trouser suit (different cut to Mephistophilis); Puck couldn’t have been cast better; and the Fairy Queen not only convinces but distracts with her enviable beauty. And the acting troupe (inside the acting troupe), who form to treat Theseus on the occasion of his marriage were outstanding, highly entertaining and had the audience eating out of their palms.

We all laughed – lots (not just Team Family, but the rest of the theatre congregation which excitedly was a high mix of lively younger folk). We understood and engaged – for the performers gave their all. And we were left jubilant, for nothing comes close to having a fabulous cast delight and absorb you.

Go see it and take children, as many as you can, for this is a wonderful production, which interests, thrills and engages all ages.

On until 16 July 2016.

(image sourced at google images)

by Christopher Marlowe – by the RSC
Stratford-Upon-Avon

It’s disturbing, creepy and convincing.

I could stop there, but I shan’t.

It’s a great cautionary tale and this production, currently running in the Swan, will keep your eyes firmly forward, for not only do the staging, costumes and music, keep you alert…whilst you travel down a very dark path…but the performance delivered by the ensemble is so unsettling that you dare not look away for you might miss the oh so comfortable Mephistophilis in his evilness (and fabulous white trouser suit), or the sheer torment and titillation experienced by Faustus as he maintains his contract with the devil.

The Director’s representation of the demon within us is unnerving and provides substantial material to discuss whilst driving home post production and lunching over a couple of glasses of wine (or water…your choice) the next day (and maybe some coconut and white chocolate dipped edible sticks).

From the starting scene of a mirror image, to the switching of speeches between both Faustus and Mephistophilis, you start to question where the evil really is and perhaps it could be in us all…(please not me)…It makes you pause…reassess…hopefully won’t give you nightmares…but is sure to make you delight in the power and impress of performance theatre and get you being a little less lecherous….for a minute at least.

Showing until 4 August 2016

(image sourced from google)

By Tessa Hadley

Just in case you haven’t heard, Tessa Hadley is a pretty fabulous writer and one that I continue to fall for the more I read.  She can not only make a story better just by being involved in the crafting of it, but she is capable of communicating it to you, vividly, holding you at each point, involving you without overwhelming you with unnecessary and unsophisticated ploys to trap the reader – like sentimentality or forcing you to sympathise with the characters. She just tells it how it is.

I picked up Clever Girl a couple of weeks ago and I intentionally avoided gobbling it down.  I wished to savour it and I’m glad I did, for this novel was always with me, and I could reflect on it whilst doing other things. I didn’t need to be reading it, to be enjoying it.

You follow Stella throughout, from when she’s small – when she thinks and sees and acts like any 10 year old – to when she’s older, experienced and softened.  For me it felt like you ended up with several stories in the big story, connected by the same the voice, but initially a younger voice which brilliantly evolves as she grows and learns through life.

Additionally, I found my relationship with Stella (yes, you’ll find it too), one where she was happy to share, unthreatened by my possible judgement.

The style is refreshing, frank and original. It’s not often that a character or person will do things and tell you things, which don’t hold them in the rosiest of lights, for fear of causing offence, or receiving in return a big serving of disapproval, but this doesn’t seem to bother Stella. She’s truthful, real and a modern day heroine.

Go find a copy, take on the pleasure of reading a cleverly constructed tale and see the world through Stella’s eyes.

(Imaged sourced at google images)

Team Family grabbed a bumper serving of delicious silliness thanks to Ben Stiller last night with his latest gift to the Big Screen. It’s a crazy, colourful, shriek-laughter, convulsion-making production with cringe-worthy performances, impressive cameos and some fabulously courageous outfit choices.

The action is instant and continual, and the storyline is in a league of its own making. For it’s original, audacious, unbearable, and compels you to clap loudly, squeal and foot stamp when the stupidity gets too much. So you’ll end up making a lot of noise.

Additionally, you won’t be disappointed, rather astounded by Justin Bieber; perhaps choke on chuckle tears as you recover from a scene between a Centaur and Naomi Campbell; and dream up ways that you too could look like Penelope Cruise – if only you had a red leather zip-up motorcycle suit, super thick fringe and perfect brown eyes.

And…Derek Zoolander’s so sharp it’s astonishing; Hansel’s internal and outward struggle with his Daddy issues not only instructs but entertains; and Derek Junior’s canary yellow jumper will leave you urgent for a more colour-filled clothes palette in your life.

It’s nutty, satirical and unique – go have a laugh.

Image sourced at google images

By Marina Carr
In the Swan – by the RSC

What an extraordinarily meaty bit of theatre this is and one that I’d be selfish not to share.

For those of you whom have yet to encounter me, here’s one for free – recollecting and retaining aren’t my great points – either is pronunciation of anything greater (and including at times) one syllable words…so you can just imagine my exceptional pleasure when I sat down to discover that Hecuba (the play, the character and the production) was 20x better than watching England versus Wales; and by far the best thing I did in September. And…here I type 2.5 weeks later about my encounter and its stayed with me, every inch of it and I’m better for it.

Why?

It’s forceful and the audience can’t escape from it.  You are compelled to sit up, listen, watch and learn.

It turns your stomach, shocks and isn’t scared to seek out and show the complexity of human thought and behaviour.

It’s also tender.

Sub-text is shared potently by the playwright’s command of 1^st, 2^nd and 3^rd person narration.

And with little reliance on props and the set – you actually engage further – and your imagination has a field day.

Ahh…and the actors.  When you beg your local theatre to get this production (if Stratford Upon Avon isn’t convenient), demand the original cast come to. And that includes the Director and the rest of the creative team. It was so superbly executed.

And you know it’s great when you come home and do Research
…with some of it resulting in me crazy-grinning in a lecture room this past Monday, inwardly skipping and being blown away by Marina Carr. Sadly, I didn’t have the courage to tell her how fabulous she is, but I did get to learn a little about her approach and passion for the subject. Her ability to deliver ‘the continual present’ in her drama is no small feat and listening to an actual playwright read their creation, is a huge gift. I know…I’m very lucky to have been there and am very grateful to her.

Hecuba runs until January 2016.

(image sourced via google images)

By Dorothy Whipple

(image sourced from Publisher’s Website)

I shan’t remain tight lipped any longer for it’s clear this book needs to be shared…along with a feast of others that are defined as The Persephone Originals – but more on those later.

It’s immediate and fabulous.

Chapter One introduces Mrs North, perhaps the most detestable creation in literature, but then you move to Chapter Two and you meet Louise Lanier and you reassess, for Mademoiselle Lanier takes being self-centred and narcissistic to previously unreachable levels – which obviously encourages the page turning and your disinterest in anything else until you have completed the tale.

You won’t go bouncing around the house afterwards, but you will be amazed and impressed but Whipple’s ability to read and write character.  You’ll also do an incredible amount of thinking whilst reading and afterwards, about the decisions people make.

Affairs – yes the kind of relationships I wish to avoid – do provide excellent reading material and previous to exploring the one which is recorded in the book, I had pretty strong views on them. Now…I’m questioning them. Not in a ‘Are they good or bad’ sense, rather the outsider’s opinion. You see, Mr North (abhorrent Mrs North’s son) finds himself in the thick one, and generally I’d think ‘Well good riddance’, but then you start to realise he’s not happy, never really was and is incapable of fixing it. I can’t say I was entirely sympathetic, but I did want to have a word and let him know he could make better choices…and therapy is an option.

I’m not saying ‘Gee I really feel for husbands that run off with the younger version of Not Me’, but it got me thinking pretty seriously about point of view.  Specifically telling stories in a different way, and how opinion can really sway things.

Then I thought, what the heck why not do some writing exercises, so I did and now I’m thinking, oh what the heck you can too (if you like).  Don’t be alarmed, they are brief and fun. Just do a little visualising and get going.

1. Describe the ‘other woman’
2. From whose point of view did you write this from?
3. Change the point of view (maybe to her mum’s, lover’s, friend’s…)
4. How does the wife feel about the ‘other woman’? (maybe she’s relieved, disinterested…)
5. How does the man involved in the affair feel ? (over the moon, embarrassed…)

OK…so maybe you didn’t do the writing but I hope you did the thinking.  And now I’d highly recommend clicking on this link and ordering a copy http://www.persephonebooks.co.uk/someone-at-a-distance-classic.html.
And whilst it’s happily resident in your shopping bag, go and experience further online happiness by navigating around the rest of their catalogue before you click confirm sale.

By John Ford
RSC
Stratford-Upon-Avon

Dear Reader, It’s with freakish amounts of excitement that I disclose to you this:

Love’s Sacrifice is a paragon of exceptional theatre.

From the language which is rich in bawdiness and passion and intent, to the characters who are devious, besotted and crazed – this production doesn’t just make you sad, or nervous, or horrified – it also makes you laugh and gripped and determined to make sure more people see it, stage it, read it and recognise that this play needs to be out there at a theatre near you.

I had the great fortune of seeing it put on by the RSC last night and I have been creepishly animated ever since. Cogitating the maths; weighing up the pros and cons of reducing my wine intact in a bid to fund seeing it, many more times. Put simply, I’m fixated and need to share.

The cast are convincing and I feel it would be impossible to impress upon them how blown away I was by their brilliance. The energy, anger, venom and distrust – was uncomfortable and I couldn’t get enough.

And…nothing beats a thrust stage…being that close to the action really lends to the immersion.

 (images sourced from google images)

by Arthur Miller
RSC   Stratford-Upon-Avon

(image sourced from google images)

Dear Mr Edward Norton in case you are reading and before I start, I do confess I saw this particular theatre delight in ‘preview’, and though prior to taking my seat I did start to query the sense in this decision (post watching your terrific performance in Birdman), I can happily report now however, it was one of the best decision I’ve made. Not only did I secure the opportunity to be entertained by some of the best stage actors out there, I did so at a reduced price.

Now to my principle driving home post production pondering.

1. Why has it taken me so long to discover Arthur Miller?

I mean I studied ‘The Crucible’ at school, loved it and had the hots for John Proctor, and then as luck would have it, saw ‘A View from the Bridge’ at the Young Vic last July, (loved that too), though sadly it’s only these three that currently mark my Miller education/appreciation/experience dance card. Shocking I know.

Alas there is good news, Wikipedia has just advised me that I have approximately 33 more plays to explore.

So why do I like Miller so much and in particular Death of a Saleman?

• The interactions between the characters and their thoughts/opinions not only feel authentic, but the dialogue fits it to a tee.
• It’s great to spend time examining personal insecurities (though best not my own).
• Walt Loman – you want to shake him and say pull yourself together man, but you also want to put your arms around him and just sit quietly.
• The futility of the dream, the ultimate job a man can do, is excellently explored and exposed for what it really is.
• The relationships – not only between the family members who all have concerns and things they hide from each other and themselves, but also the constant kindness of Charley.
• Exploring certain aspects of life built on invented truth and thinking I know people like that…maybe I’m like that…
• And the setting – for I’ve always been intrigued to learn more about this time in history and the effects of the Depression.

So what makes the RSC production super great?

1. Casting Harriet Walter as Linda and Antony Sher as Willy Loman
2. The use of space on stage available to the actors.
3. The sheer talent and ability of all the acting team. You feel the anguish and are brought close to the raw emotion of the action.
4. The affective roller-coaster you the audience are strapped to through-out.
5. And the tapas and churros I had just prior to the show in the Circle Bar.

It’s such a fabulous production and very wisely it will transfer to the West End post its Stratford season.

Go find a ticket.

I hope you haven’t been too alarmed by my silence and it’s not that I haven’t been cheering in the audiences of great RSC productions (The Jew of Malta, Death of a Salesman) or turning the pages on some fabulous collections of short stories (The American Lover, Married Love, Difficult Loves…hmm, theme maybe?… Katherine Mansfield’s Selected Stories and The Collected Stories of Lydia Davis), it’s just, I dare say, I’ve discovered a very powerful and oh so tempting pastime.

Yes, you guessed it…Procrastination.

It’s become my coffee buddy; my it’s alright to head back to bed buddy; that non judgemental, ideal friend buddy…however… with Easter Resolutions all the rage these days, I’m going to say thanks for those great days of achieving butt all, though now it’s time for me to get writing, reviewing, sharing and possibly offering up some ideas for your pleasure seeking time.

I’ll return…just after I’ve had a coffee.

By Tom Morton-Smith
Performed by the RSC
Swan Theatre, Stratford-Upon-Avon

Keen to push the tight barriers of my limited knowledge, and always up for entertainment, it was only logical to head off with Team Family to Stratford-Upon-Avon last Saturday to do my usual: listening; learning; impressed by the action on stage watching; interval ice-cream eating; gawping, cheering; and in the car home reflecting.

And the Royal Shakespeare Company’s latest inclusion to their Winter Season just typifies why everyone should be rushing off to purchase theatre tickets.

Oppenheimer ticks all the boxes and can place an extra two ticks next to thinking and learning ones.

So I didn’t come away with a PhD in physics, however I did start pondering some important stuff, specifically the creation and manufacture of deadly weapons – so not my usual Saturday evening deliberations.  Furthermore, this play really gets you thinking about Integrity – your own, other’s and how adoption or neglect of it can really shape your’s and other’s lives.

Putting aside the big questions – this play also introduces some really fabulous characters.  Some you’ll abhor (well I did) and some you’d love to have over for dinner. The writer (and players) deserve a big shout out here, for the dialogue/storyline’s absorbing and the characters so ‘real’.

Oh and the staging, two thumbs up.  There’s chalk, there’s blackboards and there’s a lots of clever scribbling and thinking out loud.  There’s also a great interval scene, where you’re in a bar and the singer and accompanying pianist makes you wish you could step back into the early 40s and stay a while.

I must also own up, I couldn’t really keep my eyes of the lead – John Heffernan – for when he talks, you listen. He grabs your attention and you can’t not pay attention.

It runs until the 7^th March 2015

(Image sourced via google images)