White Rabbit, Red Rabbit – The Gate Theatre – Review

White Rabbit, Red Rabbit – The Gate Theatre, Notting Hill

5pm, Sunday 1st July, 2012.

I was bought a ticket for this play by a friend and thank goodness I was or I would never have got round to seeing it and I would certainly have missed out.

Before I say anymore, I have to say that 1) I don’t want to say too much and give anything away for anyone who hasn’t but will see it and 2) I haven’t quite managed to get my own head round it yet so not sure how well I can write about it!

The concept of the writer, Nassim Soleimanpour, is to create a theatrical experiment in which an Iranian writer, a solo actor and a group of spectators can be brought together through theatre to discover some fundamental things about the nature of theatrical events… and life events for that matter.  He is not allowed to leave Iran (to get a passport, he would have to serve two years military service) and so he has created a script which needs to director, no set, it doesn’t even NEED a theatre yet it can address some of the issues around being a censored writer.  The script is performed by one actor who does not see the script until the moment they open a sealed envelope onstage.  They then have to read and perform its contents in the 70 or so minutes that follow.  What ensues is thought provoking, slightly disturbing and certainly ingenious. 

Arthur Darvill was the ‘poor actor’ performing this play on the evening that I went along.  His evident nervous energy and raw delivery was engaging and truthful.  His skinny physique and long legs helped give his performance an edgy and slightly exposed feel which worked excellently with Soleimenpour’s viciously gripping script.  Darvill’s honesty certainly helped the audience find their feet in a relatively alien theatrical situation in which the actor discovers the twists and turns as we do.  The only authoritative voice in the room was that of the playwright which highlighted questions around our relationship with authority and the seemingly blind way in which we follow it, the limits of our obedience and our desire for conformity. 

I have to say, I didn’t participate actively in the events on the stage, but as it happened I ended up with Darvill’s  (or rather, Soleimanpour’s) script.  The final participant decided he didn’t want to keep it and I thought I’d quite like to.  I thought it might help me understand better.  I didn’t get up on stage to read the end because I didn’t want to be on the stage when our dear actor came to his tragic end.  As I knew he must.   I didn’t want to be considered the cause.  Maybe that’s cowardly or maybe that’s wise.  And I’m not sure if that makes me a crow, or a Rabbit of whichever colour or what.  But as I left the theatre I was thinking about what I would have done if I was in any of the other ‘characters’ shoes and what I maybe should have done as a bystander. 

Basically, it made me think full stop and has kept me thinking ever since.  I’ve had the script on my bedside table and I keep flicking through it.  Mainly, to try to find some new meaning, something encoded into the words that will explain everything.  And also because I don’t want to forget.

The Reduced Shakespeare Company’s ‘Complete World of Sports (abridged) – Review

Recently, I took my mum to see the Reduced Shakespeare Company doing The Complete World of Sports (abridged) on tour at the Trinity Theatre in my home town of (Royal) Tunbridge Wells.  I wanted something light-hearted and easy-going that would cheer us up amid this truly horrid, wet, sports-match-cancelling weather.  This was an absolute hoot and refreshingly (for me) comic, ridiculous and self-confessedly silly.  The three company members (also the writers and directors) Reed Martin, Matt Rippy and Austin Tichenor sprinted their way through ‘every sport ever played on every continent in the entire history of the world in under two hours!’ (I quote from their production programme)

I would love to take a sneaky look backstage and see their props table as they presented the whole, manic marathon with an impressively extensive use of quick prop/costume changes that had the three ‘athletes’ practically (and often literally)  jogging (skipping, hopping, hurdling, swimming)  their way in-between bits.  It is a perfect piece of theatre for pulling in new audiences and engaging diverse groups as it is continually hilarious and surprising yet wonderfully simple in essence.  However, this was by no means a dumbed-down piece of buffoonery; it was jam-packed with witty, quirky and subtle references which not only forced me to pay attention but also had me laughing out loud.  The three performers were continually and actively engaging with the audience; not only getting (un)-willing participants on to the stage but also conversing with us as part of the comic dialogue.

As a shameless sports fan (I was of course checking the results of both the Wimbledon and ODI cricket matches on my iphone during the interval) I was able to happily include myself in the mockery of all things sports obsessed, and maybe it does require at least some basic sports knowledge to understand the humour… but why would you choose to see this otherwise, really?

But in all honesty, anything that makes a theatre full (ish) of people laugh that loud must be worth seeing.  The RSC are on tour with this show until the end of August; I really recommend you try to find a date near you!

WARNING: this show includes synchronised swimming.

Julius Caesar – RSC – Quick Review!

I haven’t been writing much for the last few weeks.  Why?  Well, I’ve moved back home from Birmingham so have been revelling in home comforts (these include copious cups of tea, wonderful food, an attentive dog and poor internet connectivity!)

I have, however, still been going to the theatre!

On Thursday 18th June I popped over to Stratford-Upon-Avon to catch a matinee of Julius Caesar at the RSC.  Directed by the company’s Artistic Director, Gregory Doran, this was an African inspired and set production.  Shakespeare’s play of corruption and dissent transferred itself brilliantly into a contemporary African setting.  There was no straining for relevance whatsoever; the prophetic cause carried weight and the fear of protest felt quite at home when applied to a continent which is both steeped in folk-lore and constantly fighting for change.

The dominating set by Michael Vale, overlooked by a gigantic bronze statue of Caesar (which was pulled down after his murder), gave a sense both of enclosure and desolation and was used well by the cast.  The central discovery space, especially, which was flanked by steps either side allowed for a dominating central entrance to be undermined by placing actors on higher levels either side.

I was particularly taken by Paterson Joseph’s Brutus, which was sublimely detailed and continually straining against the ever-more inevitable turn of events.  He built up a fantastic and intimate relationship with Cyril Nri as Cassius as well as creating a more developed camaraderie with his boy servant.   Ray Fearon as a more-than-usually persuasive and charismatic Mark Anthony off set Jeffery Kissoon’s deeply troubled Caesar to allow the complex power struggle to be excellently realised.  Adjoa Andoh as Portia and Ann Ogborno as Calpurnia both provided a compelling female presence which was expertly crafted to exist alongside the dominating male egos.  The use of a large chorus allowed the crowd scenes to be realistically threatening whilst also managing to draw the comic moments out to great effect.

Having most recently seen Shakespeare in an array of foreign languages, from the yard at The Globe, it was nice to a) understand the language and b) have a seat!  I felt spoilt!

The Comedy of Errors: Roy-e-Sabs: Dari Persian – Review

The Comedy of Errors: Roy-e-Sabs: Dari Persian  

Thursday 31^st May, 7.30pm.

This play was so well fitted to this company: I think it’s a great play anyway with a fundamentally funny plot, lots of laughter and farce and, of course, a beautifully happy, wrapped-up ending.  For this company, it provided an opportunity for them to create a light-hearted and feel-good production without having to do anything clever or over-complicated.  The resolution of the plot meant that no matter what had gone before, the audience were sure to leave feeling satisfied. 

The company, Roy-e-sabs, doesn’t exactly have an easy existence in Afghanistan (to the extent that they were forced to rehearse in abroad rather than in their home country) and it must be an incredibly difficult situation in which to create theatre.  Bearing their situation in mind, this production was commendable.  Some of the acting, mainly from the female cast members, was a little unconvincing but then female actors in Afghanistan face immense problems and must find it very difficult to get technical training or experience or to watch other performances.  Despite these challenges, the cast had an excellent understanding of the potential for comic bodies in order to heighten a moment, with Abdul Haq’s emigré Arsalan (Antipholus of Syracuse) and Shah Mohammad’s servant Bostan (Dromio) entering from the yard as tourists visiting Kabul, complete with camera and baseball cap.  They were given new clothes in order to ‘blend in’ and even the slap-stick involved in putting on a pair of trousers was enough to establish them as confident comic actors.  By transferring the setting to Kabul, the actors were able to retain a clear sense of place and identity which aided their characterisation.  As well as their comic physicality, the delivery of the text, which they absolutely whistled through, was inherently comic; it’s incredible how much of the dialogue was funny even though I didn’t understand the words! 

In order to enhance the farcical, slap-stick feel, the production chose to include Dromio’s spherical kitchen maid, in the form of Shah Mamnoon Masqsudi in fabulously busty and camp drag.  In my opinion, this device helped the plot development as it not only raised the stakes, particularly for Dromio, but also added an extra complexity maintaining the formidable pace at which the performance raced along.  It also shows, more importantly, that the company are actively engaging with Shakespeare’s text and bringing their own special flare to their production.

In a similar vein, the musicians became involved in the action more than in the other productions, becoming characters that interacted rather than merely surveying the action.  This helped add a particular feel to the piece of camaraderie and ensemble which must develop when creating theatre in such challenging environments.  There was a sense that anyone available was used and new ideas were encouraged to evolve. 

Roy-e-sabs evidently rose to the challenge of staging Shakespeare’s most farcical of plays and brought light and laughter to the vast Globe stage, encouraging the audience to become emerged in the frivolity. 

Timon of Athens: Bremer Shakespeare Company: German – Review

Timon of Athens: Bremer Shakespeare Company: German

Thursday 31^st May, 2.30pm.

This is undoubtedly a play for our times (Greece building up debts it can’t repay, leading to financial ruin and turmoil… it seems fitting that a German company should stage it).  The contemporary issues at play certainly give this production a sense of urgency and relevance which resonates with the Globe audience.

It was engaging from the start: a huge circular green… thing on the stage dominated the view as I took up my place in the yard.  It seemed imposing and almost threatening.  It turned out to be a trampoline.  Obviously.  Which was used by Timon as a plinth from which to welcome his friends to ‘Timon Fest’.  By presenting his speeches from the trampoline Michael Meyer is Timon gave his character an inherent uneasiness and off-balance nature as he moved.  This device in Sebastia Kautz’ production also visually highlighted Timon’s  wasteful extravagance and its uncertain results.  (an interesting interview can be found here:   http://globetoglobe.shakespearesglobe.com/plays/timon-athens/interview ) Timon welcomed the audience as though we were extra guests at his party whilst Flaminius busied herself in the yard handing out programmes.

Meyer was the only constant in the casting as the other five actors all doubled up extensively and skilfully.  As with the Japanese Coriolanus, this had a strong impact on the protagonist’s character as well as stressing and highlighting certain qualities in the other characters in relation to the other roles played by the same actors.  The technical skill with which the cast presented the narrative, not to mention the faster than lightening costume changes, is credit to the company and helped underline the satiric nature of their production, and indeed the play itself.

For the opening scene, the cast were all attired in morning suits, prim and proper were it not that they all also wore flip-flops.  The dysfunctionality and extravagance of this particular footwear underlined the nature of the gathering, their superficiality and their lack of commitment to their friend and benefactor.  They also all ‘smoked’ cork cigars, adding pomp and ridicule to the party.  This clear visual concept set the tone of the play as a modernist, avant-garde and slightly absurdist production supported by strong actors and a clear sense of story-telling.

The Artist in the opening scene, for example, was creating a huge piece of ‘art-work’ on a giant tarpaulin draped over the trampoline; he was challenging creativity and the nature of art through the creation of something abstract and subjective yet unavoidably solid due to its sheer scale.  The Artist was called forward to perform at the party and presented a beautiful, lyrical and dance-like performance employing a brightly coloured, delicate butterfly on a long, almost invisible wire.  This was employed again at the end of the play by Flaminius (Erika Spalke) after Timon’s death representing both the fragility and beauty of his life.

Timon’s descent into madness as he flees into the woods outside Athen’s was starkly and bitterly depicted as a naked Meyer raved and ranted, literally eating mouthfuls of soil, observed by a distraught Flaminius.  His exposure and return to a childlike state brilliantly caught the essence of this tragedy as well as allowing the devotion of Flaminius to be exploited and highlighted.  Petra-Janina Shultz performed as a shamelessly unfeeling Appemantus, taunting Timon from the balcony through a megaphone as though announcing his fall to the world.  By employing a megaphone as a symbol of authority and threat, the character of Appemantus became the absurd and subverted voice of reason in Timon’s madness, seeming to rule over the events of the play.

The bizarre and surreal images of the second act aptly conveyed the unravelled world of the play whilst retaining a relationship with the audience.  The cast were constantly engaging with the spectators, delivering much of the dialogue as direct address, drawing us into the theatrical event.  On-stage the world seemed to be turning upside down and falling apart but the cast retained a strong sense of the constant and underlying tragedy of their play.    There’s no doubt that the production was steeped with references and symbols which, without the language, it was difficult to grasp onto.  It certainly felt like a deeply layered performance as bits and pieces of meaning made their way through to me.

This company made themselves at home in the Globe space and presented their take on this bleak tragedy with conviction and ease.

The Merchant of Venice: Habima National Theatre: Hebrew – Review

The Merchant of Venice: Habima National Theatre: Hebrew

Tuesday 29^th May, 7.30pm.

Ok, first things first: I am reviewing this production within its own right as a piece of theatre which I experienced in a few hours on a lovely warm summers evening.  I will let the activists and the politicians comment on the rest.  Before the production started, Dominic Dromgoole, the Globe’s artistic director, came on-stage to reiterate the above; “You’re not watching politicians or policy-makers,” he said. “You are watching artists who are here to tell a story.”  He also requested that the audience should not show frustration towards anyone who decided to disrupt the performance and not to let anger breed on itself, but rather to remain focused on the actors and the play.  Fine words, and a fine sentiment.  Certainly, the outbursts from protesters in the theatre were mostly met by a firm ‘shhhh’ from the rest of the spectators who then ignored the disturbance and continued enjoying the play.

So, anyway.  This is another soft-spot play for me, full of beautifully moving speeches and intriguing characters.  I think it’s one of Shakespeare’s most complex plays in terms of the number of opposing interpretations of just about every character that can be drawn from it continuously, even in a contemporary setting.  The cast burst onto stage looking superb in intricate, traditional-with-a-twist costumes which reminded me slightly of something out of a Tim Burton movie… sort of.  The women were in corsets with complex, almost mechanical looking attachments and study, extravagant hoops and bustles.  There was an energetic opening sequence of choreographed movement in which the cast wore red commedia d’ell arte masks and danced to lively, jig music.  This playful, ball-type scene broke down into a violent attack by the Christian Venetians on an old Jew, Shylock, as he made his way home.   This starkly contrasting opening excellently set up the tone for the rest of the play: always slightly on edge.

Once again, as with the afternoon’s play (Henry VIII in Castilean Spanish), I was impressed with the competence and technical skill of the cast; there were no weak links with every performer remaining utterly focused and engaging throughout creating complex characters and relationships.  Several of the characters were portrayed as darker and more sinister than I have seen before, particularly Antonio (Alon Ophir) and Portia (Hila Feldman) both of whom were at times surprisingly threatening and imposing.  Feldman’s entrance accompanied  by Rinat Matatov as a delightful and playful Nerissa, was striking as the strings of her corset had been exaggerated and abstracted to become long ropes which extended from her creating a sort of web with her in the centre.   These ropes encumbered her until Bassanio had successfully won her, at which point she shed them and was free to marry him.

This web-like image was repeated and developed in the court scenes which opened the second half as Antonio was intricately affixed to long ropes which were strung up to the gods and out to the middle tier of seats in a Vitruvian-man-esque contortion.  This device, which resembled some kind of torture device, was visually stunning and captured the threatening mood.  After Antonio’s release, Shylock was forced into the same device before having a crucifix wound round his wrist to symbolise his forced conversion to Christianity.

Jacob Cohen was a surprisingly timid, submissive Shylock, drawing on the sympathies of the abused Jew and focusing on his determined beliefs and solid morals.  His search for revenge was almost reluctant and when this was added to such a dark interpretation of Antonio, Shylock’s character certainly seemed most pitiful.  His delivery, especially of the better known speeches, was clear and engaging, effectively portraying his moral struggles as well as his determination for revenge.

Despite a keen grasp of the extensive tragic potential of this play, the production certainly didn’t skimp on the comedy, with a particularly hilarious performance from Tomer Sharon as Lancelot.  His physical comedy was superb, almost acrobatic yet his loyalty to Jessica was moving and sincere.  His scene in which he debates with himself as to whether or not to leave Shylock was excellently delivered and performed and seemed to unite the theatre in laughter, dispelling for a moment the threat of disruption.  His comic scenes helped to release some of the tension of the main plot as well as provide a coherent movement between scenes.

The comedy was also employed to bring, for the first time, gondolas onto the stage!  The cast mimed a gentle punt along a Venetian canal which helped remind the audience of the water-logged and therefore enclosed setting.  The mainly male cast worked well together to create this image and the sense of ensemble was solidified.

The cast were all also used as musicians, playing a variety of instruments from guitars and accordions to drums and triangles.  This ensemble feel reached its height in the final scene as the pairs of lovers are reconciled- albeit into less-than perfect relationships.

The opening motif and choreography was echoed at the end as the cast danced and played creating a carnival atmosphere.  This brought the production back to where it had started… and this really is my only qualm with it.  Nothing changed.  The characters that were good at the beginning were good at the end, and worse, those that were bad at the beginning were still bad.  As Antonio left the stage on his own, Shylock entered and did a full circuit of the stage, hunched and shuffling as ever.  These two opposing characters had no moment of recognition, reconciliation or remembrance, they simply continued on their set path.  I felt, therefore that this production missed some tricks and didn’t commit to resolving the characters’ tensions, but rather implied an unchanging and fixed existence.  I would have preferred to see a stronger sense of change and development, particularly from a company which is evidently brave in its theatrical and creative work.

Over all, however, I thoroughly enjoyed this production and think the actors did incredibly well to continue performing with such focus considering the disturbances.  This remains one of my favourite Shakespeare plays and this cast will certainly stick in my memory.  Politics aside, this was a superb evening’s entertainment.

Henry VIII: Rakata: Castilian Spanish – Review

Henry VIII: Rakata: Castilian Spanish

Tuesday 29^th May, 2.30pm

We’re now into the final full week of Globe2Globe, honestly it has flown by!  And thank goodness there has been some sunshine; it was getting pretty miserable when my shoes were barely drying out between shows!  Tuesday was another beautiful day for me to see two productions, Henry VIII and The Merchant of Venice.

This was a beautifully slick and polished production with excellent acting from the whole cast.  In fact I often found myself completely absorbed by the supporting actors, watching their reactions and movements.  I have found with some of the productions in this festival, the general ‘background acting’ has been disappointing, with cast member littering the stage and gormlessly surveying the action or the audience.  The Globe stage is such as exposed and intimate space that if an actor switches off for a moment then the energy can really suffer.  This cast were certainly switched on; constantly aware of the events in their world and adapting and surviving within it.

The world of the play was a very traditional Tudor court with 16^th century costumes, complete with a pipe organ!  This impressive instrument was mounted up in the balcony and provided much of the music, combined with some recorded sound.  The sombre, liturgical mood that this created helped to ground the production in an historic setting.  The costumes were well-made and effective, not overly complicated yet signifying clearly the distinctions of character, rank and religion.  I personally am not a huge fan of ‘traditional costumes’ unless they’re made using original practice techniques… it just makes me cringe a bit when you can clearly see the zips and hems… but my own preferences aside, these were not distracting and they clearly worked within the concept of the production.

The men of Henry’s court all gave strong performances, with Buckingham’s (Julio Hidalgo) speech to the people before his execution delivered from the pit to the groundlings.  Fernando Gil was an imposing and confident Henry, portraying an assertion of his position in an almost arrogant, self assured manner which worked effectively within a cast of strong performances.  His manipulation, especially by Wolsey (Jesus Fuente) seemed to almost bounce off his impenetrable dominance as he recovered from each blow ready to face the next.

There was an energetic and stylised dance section marking the masque-ball scene (no canons to burn the Globe to the ground this time round!) which was wonderfully choreographed and executed with grace and elegance by all involved.  This meeting between Anne Boleyn and the King was electrifyingly focused as the two danced an intimate duet.  Sara Moraleda created a playfully flirtatious Anne which wonderfully offset her predecessor Katherine, yet she managed to portray the hints of the Queen to be as she boldly tried on Katherine’s stately head-dress (and of course, who should enter the stage at that moment but a furious Katherine!)

The tragically righteous Katherine of Aragon (Elena Gonzalez) was nobly portrayed, appearing with great grace and magnitude through the central doors in a sombre black Tudor gown and head dress.  Her waiting maid, Beatrix (Alejandra Mayo) excellently supported the emotional weight of the queen’s role, especially in the final scenes as Katherine weakens.  The production came to centre around Katherine as her treatment from the King drives her to madness.  The final scene of the infant Elizabeth’s baptism was movingly joined with Katherine’s visions so that the sequence became nightmarish, desperate and powerful and displayed Katherine’s utter isolation.

This moving and haunting ending was then rounded off, in true Globe fashion, with a closing jig.  Aside from the less-than-traditionally-made-traditional-costumes this was more or less the sort of production that you may expect to see in a Globe season; everything ran like clockwork and the actors performed with skill, detail and passion.  This production stood out for me due to the technical ability of the actors allowing the cast to simply work their magic and tell us a story.

Antony and Cleopatra: Oyun Atolyesi: Turkish – Review.

Antony and Cleopatra: Oyun Atolyesi: Turkish

Sunday 27th May, 1.30pm

I gathered from some friendly Turkish girls standing next to me in the yard that the actors starring in this play are the Turkish equivalent of Sir Patrick Stuart and Dame Judi Dench (or Sir Ian McKellen and Dame Helen Mirren if you prefer).  My point is several of the cast are big stars of stage and screen in their home nation, including Zerrin Tekindor as Cleopatra and Haluk Bilginer as Antony, along with many others.  Firstly, I think it’s great that they are involved in this festival as it added a lot of excitement for the audience, and secondly, you could tell they were stars; they radiated charisma.

This is certainly a play that has to be carried by its leads and on the whole I felt that these two were up to the task.  Both had excellent stage presence, demanding attention yet performing with great subtlety and skill.  Cleopatra is always going to be a difficult part to play; aside from being so iconic, demanding and melodramatic she’s also complex and intricate.  Tekindor was excellent as the beautiful queen, looking splendid in a full length white gown, ornate jewellery and intricate, bold eye makeup.  She had strength and menace whilst providing vulnerability where it was needed, capturing well Cleopatra’s manipulative nature.

Bilginer was a commanding Antony, clearly showing the two sides to his character depending on whether he was in Egypt or Rome.  He coped well with the political complexities that his character has to face, made more difficult, I found, by the way the script had been cut which, to someone who knows the play well, seemed to be more confusing than helpful.  The changes particularly affected the role of Enobarbus, making his character more or less redundant, having no real effect on the other characters.  Kevork Malikyan played the part well, delivering his comedic lines earlier in the play with great intonation but after his defection from Antony his soliloquies lacked the support of the plot and so were not as compelling as they are in the full text.  I lost most of the sense of the dilemma which he faces and the grief that his decisions cause him.  In Ceasar’s camp there were also some great performances which meant the scenes in Rome, which can sometimes drag, were still interesting and clearly portrayed.

The relationship between Antony and Cleopatra was instantly conveyed by the opening which had Antony playfully and lustfully chasing Cleopatra as her serving maids created a barrier between them.  This highlighted her power over him whilst giving credit to the view held by Antony’s rivals that his affair with the Egyptian queen is not a serious or healthy one.  It made for an energetic start, accompanied by recorded traditional Turkish music.  Throughout the play there was also live music from some of the cast which was used to good effect and was blended well with the recorded sound.

Onur Unsal, as Messenger, Eros and Seleucus, gave an excellent performance throughout, dealing equally well with the comic and tragic scenes.  His ability to perform convincingly in such contrasting scenes as his comic beating by Cleopatra and his suicide before Antony helped support the lead roles and develop the plot whilst also helping him stand out as a memorable performer.  The supportive roles, including those of Charmian (Gozde Kirgiz), Alexas (Evrim Alasya) and Menus (Muharrem Ozcan) among others were also strong and the actors performed with superb emotional commitment.

The battle scenes, which mostly happen out at sea and so pose a potential problem for theatrical staging, were cleverly portrayed by having Antony and Menus brandishing shot-put like devices which sprayed water as they swung them round their heads.  This captured effectively the confusion of the sea-battles as Cleopatra was seen to flea between the two men. I thought this device worked well but it did feel ever so slightly out of place in an otherwise naturalistic and conventional production, it would have been nice to see a bit more bravery.

The final scenes which contain Antony’s botched suicide, his death and then the suicide of Cleopatra were moving and gripping and really solidified their relationship and the depth of their pain.  The deaths were not overplayed or exaggerated but treated with the subtlety and finesse which these two actors had demonstrated throughout.  The cast captured the tragedy and solemnity of the final scenes and certainly did the play justice in a very traditional interpretation.

Whilst standing in the groundling queue for this production, a couple of young Turkish men appeared with a large banner stating that the AK Party (Turkey’s current political party in power) should keep their hands off the theatres.  These two protesters were there to highlight their belief that the AKP is stifling the development of the arts in order to influence the people and encourage a more orthodox religious state.  They then proceeded to have a very loud and animated argument over the wall of the Globe theatre with the cast and a man I assume was the director.  It seems this festival is highlighting all sorts of complex arguments over the role that theatre has to play in our lives.

The Winter’s Tale: Renegade Theatre: Yoruba – Review.

The Winter’s Tale: Renegade Theatre: Yoruba.

Friday 25^th May, 7.30pm

From the country that has given us the wonderful theatrical and literary minds of Wole Soyinka and Chinua Achebe, I was expecting some great things.  Soyinka has certainly put Nigerian theatre on the international map and his work is both inspiring and innovative.  Of course, that doesn’t necessarily mean that everything else that comes out of his county will be.

For a start, it was a blazing hot day and a gorgeous English summers evening, plus Nigeria isn’t exactly known for its harsh winters, so the wintery tale was never going to sit particularly comfortably with the company.

It started promisingly, with the entrance of Antigonus holding the baby Perdita.  This should come in the middle of the play, just before the long fifteen year gap, and I immediately got excited that they were going to do something incredibly clever with the structure.  As it turned out, they simply slapped the beginning three acts into the middle of the latter two.  The rather tragic story of Leontes’ distrust in Hermione resulting in the death of his son and wife and the loss of his daughter was performed in full as though Camillo was telling the story of how he came to leave Leontes’ court.  This could have been a really interesting device, drawing on Nigeria’s great story telling traditions but instead it just made the first half really long and a bit segregated.  I felt that if they were going to play around with the structure then they should do something with it so that it had a point.  This just seemed to be done for the sake of it which is less effective.

However, had the acts been in the right order they wouldn’t have been bad.  There were some good performances from Kehinde Bankole as Hermione and Idiat Abisola Sobande as Paulina.  These women both had good stage presence and characterisation.  Bankole especially conveyed well the injustice she is subjected to and defiance and poise with which she faces it which can often be a difficult balance.  The young lovers, Perdita (Oluwatoyin Alli-Hakeem) and Florizel (Joshua Ademola Alabi) made a sweet couple and Adisa Moruf Adeyemi did a good job filling in the bit parts, even if his costume changes did somewhat hold up the pace.

I found the costumes a little disappointing.  Oluwole Oguntokun had obviously made a conscious decision to set his production within a traditional Nigerian setting, with the kings as heads of tribal communities yet the costumes were not really traditional enough to make this visually effective.  The Kings, Leontes (Olawale Adebayo) and Polixenes (Olarotimi Fakunle) wore cotton tops and trousers/shorts in red and blue respectively which over simplified their opposition.  Both these men were incredibly tall and muscular in build and looked a little silly in costumes that seemed to be slightly too small.  Leontes carried an axe and Polixenes a hunting rifle, which rather impeded their characters as their hands were always full.   Perdita and Paulina both wore strange garish fur dresses, in the shape of more traditional African clothing but the bizarre fabric was a bit distracting (Perdita was in lime green and purple!).

The energy from the cast was mostly constant and good, and there was clearly a lot of comedy as there was a huge amount of laughter from the Yoruba speaking audience.  The length of the first half, at nearly two hours, did mean that it started to drag a bit, but the second half was only just over half an hour and was far more engaging.  The final scene in which Hermione appears as a statue and returns to life was given a slight twist as, seeing the confusion around her, she decided to return to her plinth and remain as stone.  This had comic value but I’m not sure what else it was trying to achieve.  It meant that the play ended essentially as a tragedy as Leontes and Perdita, having celebrated their reunion and the return of their wife/mother, then had to mourn her again.

The play ended with a very lively free-style music session as the actors took their bows and then remained on stage for a while dancing.  They clearly had a lot of energy and enthusiasm for performing.  Generally I thought the production fell a bit flat and missed out on some good opportunities but it was by no means the worst production of the festival and did have some really strong points which made it an enjoyable way to spend an evening.

The Taming of the Shrew: Theatre Wallay: Urdu – Review

The Taming of the Shrew: Theatre Wallay: Urdu

Friday 25^th May, 2.30pm

This review is going to have to be a quick one: I’ve finally got a chance to enjoy the sun (spending most of my time at the mo either on the train or in the theatre) and I don’t want to waste it by wittering on for too long!!

Another gorgeous sunny day in London, another brilliant production at the Globe.

The play opened with the musicians playing the national anthem of Pakistan followed by an incredibly energetic opening bhangra jig from the whole cast, which also closed the show.  It struck me that it may have been interesting to hear some more national anthems during this festival as it highlights the pride with which the company present their offering.  It was clear from their animated performance that the cast clearly enjoyed the lively reception that they received.  Judging from the laughter throughout the play, there was a large number of Urdu speakers in which always helps the atmosphere.

It was the characters’ relationships in this play that I found so interesting.  The actors did excellently to convey the many complexities that exist, especially those between Kate (re-named Qurat for this production and played by the beautiful Nadia Jamil) and her father Mian Basheer (Salman Shahid), sister Bina (Karen David) and of course taming suitor Petruchio (renamed Rustam, played by Omair Rana).  Bina’s suitors were also well played, especially Umer Naru as a charmingly sweet Lucentio (renamed Qazim).

The action was narrated and the characters manipulated by a narrator figure played by Maria Khan who also filled in some of the other bit-parts, most comically the Pedant with a ridiculous false beard!  The function of the narrator can be useful but I did at times find her presence a little distracting as she was on stage more or less the whole time without having very much to do.  It may have been nice to use her in a more specific way or create more interaction between her and the other actors, though she did do a lot of communicating with the audience.

Nadia Jamil led the show with a brilliantly playful Kate, providing us with just enough coarseness and strength to convince us of her father’s concerns while still remaining jokey and humorous, even pitiable, so that we felt her humiliation keenly in the later scenes.  A lovely, typical-sibling relationship was set up between Jamil and Karen David as Bina, who was blatantly favoured by her father and used that to really wind Qurat up! Yet this was rarely malicious and I felt that care had been taken to keep this production firmly in the comedy bracket.  Certainly, Qurat’s behaviour and treatment both veered towards violence but this was conveyed as never truly cruel and more as part of the natural way her relationship with Rustam developed- a sort of love/hate relationship!

There was a sense that, very early on, Qurat had figured out what Rustam was trying to do and so was submitting to him partly to prove to him that she could be mild and obedient, thereby proving him wrong.  And by the time he was attempting to convince her that the sun was the moon she very definitely was playing along, enjoying the jest and encouraging him.  In the final scene in which Rustam bets the other men that his wife is the most submissive, Qurat seemed to help him in order to win the bet and beat the other couples.  Their relationship was beautifully and tenderly portrayed by both and was truly heart-warming.  Far from undermining the play I felt that this was a wise interpretation for this production.  To delve too far into the darker motives and relationships may not have come across, or been received so well through the language barrier.

The suitors to Bina were all well matched and worked the potential comedy well, creating distinct flaws in their characters which helped determine Mir (originally Tranio, played by Ahmed Ali) and by default Qazim as the clear favourite.  These scenes could have proved a little tedious or confusing but the actors used the space well, as well as acknowledging the audience, to keep the pace up and to make the story telling clear.

Overall I thought the leads were technically strong and excellently supported by an enthusiastic cast which made for a lovely light interpretation of this difficult play.  The jig at the end was a really great way to finish and I left the theatre buzzing!

Sorry this was a short one! I’m seeing Anthony and Cleopatra tomorrow (Sunday) but have got a day off on Monday so will get my The Winter’s Tale and Anthony and Cleopatra reviews done then 🙂