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Science fiction isn’t normally my preferred choice of entertainment. But I’d go to the moon and back (well, maybe the stratosphere. I’m not brave enough to go further!)) to see again this latest creation from the pen of the Lyceum’s artistic director David Greig.

This man’s imagination and way with words never ceases to amaze me. Together with Australian director Matthew Lutton (the play premiered at Lutton’s Malthouse Theatre in Melbourne, Australia in June and features a few Australian technicians and an actor), he has produced a piece of theatre which incorporates everything a theatregoer is looking for: love, humour, psychological thrills, gore… and relationships. Only this production goes even further to investigate the last subject by introducing a planet with consciousness, and ‘visitors’ who come from the subconscious of the scientists inhabiting a space station.

Sounds deep? I suppose it is, but it’s presented in such a way that is enthralling and entertaining.

To be fair, it is an adaptation of an iconic 1960s novel by Stanislaw Lem, which was later made into a cult movie and a George Clooney remake. But none of that interests me. What does is how Greig, Lutton and the company of actors and technicians have created an other-worldly experience.

Behind Hyemi Shin’s clinical white set lies a whole different universe for us to explore.  But though Paul Jackson’s stunning light show bathes the stage in unearthly colours, the play’s characters are very much down-to-earth.

When Kris arrives to take her two colleagues back home, she cuts an authoritative figure as their commander, but the appearance of an old lover reduces her almost to that of a lovesick schoolgirl, and Polly Frame plays the part with gusto. Sartorius, on the other hand, is wary of the situation which is developing on the space station and Jade Ogugua’s reticence is palpable, while Fode Simbo, as Snow, is very much the lad about town with an Hawaiian shirt covering his uniform T-shirt.     

Apart from an enchanting child who makes several entrances and exits, this leaves Keegan Joyce as Kris’s former lover, Ray, who had died some time before. That he is a manifestation of her dreams is the core of the story. Developed from the planet, he is essentially an alien and Joyce’s inhuman portrayal, with his ungainly gait and irrational behaviour, is both subtle and extraordinary.

Hugo Weaving completes the cast as the station’s old commander who has recently died but left a series of videos which feature throughout the proceedings.

One aspect (of many) which I like about this production is the way the scenes are separated by a flat descending at the front of the stage, accompanied by what sounds like a rocket boost – an exciting and atmospheric addition to the production, thanks to sound designer Jethro Woodward.

This play will have you intrigued, gasping in horror, laughing and, if you’re anything like me, too choked to speak as the curtain goes down.I suppose you could say it's out of this world!

Solaris is at the Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh until Oct 5.
Box Office: 0131 248 4848 www.lyceum.org.uk
Image: Mihaela Bodlovic

I'd heard about all about the Woman in Black. The Evening Standard warned it was “guaranteed to chill the blood.” The Daily Telegraph declared it “the most brilliantly effective spine-chiller you will ever encounter". Perhaps more impressively, a teenage rugby player my son knows recommended it as terrifying and full of jump scares.

I was therefore intrigued to find out what makes Stephen Mallatratt’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s novel such a scary success. Capturing the imagination of young theatregoers without special effects and gore is no mean feat.

I was also keen to see the ‘leading lady’ herself. Would she be an invisible presence that’s merely alluded to, or actually appear?

The play is set in an empty Victorian theatre, so the Blackpool Grand gives the production’s chill factor a head start. The Grade II listed building is 125 years old and there have been reports of resident spirits, including a Victorian man called Charlie who’s said to haunt the Upper Circle after throwing himself off it, heartbroken over his unrequited love for a ballerina.

Woman in Black is a production where suspension of disbelief is vital. If you’re prepared to let yourself become immersed in the tale, under Robin Herford’s clever direction and with captivating performances from a cast of just two, you will undoubtedly be drawn in and on to the edge of your seat.

For the stage version, the novel’s plot is retold as a play within a play. The elderly Arthur Kipps (Robert Goodale) believes he and his family were cursed by the spirit of The Woman in Black when he was a junior lawyer. He hopes to escape her deadly clutches by telling his story and asks a young actor (Daniel Easton) to help him. However the actor is extremely critical of Kipps’ performance as himself, and so takes over the role of young Kipps, with the real Kipps playing the other parts whilst also narrating.

The story begins slowly, with comedic stops and starts as Kipps begins to (badly) read his manuscript, his lack of projection making us sit further forward. After the young actor steps in, things trundle along more quickly as he jumps on a train to the North East Coast to attend the funeral of Alice Drablow, a reclusive widow. From the remote town of Crythin Gifford, Kipps must travel on to the desolate Eel Marsh House, whose location is only reachable when the tide is out, and then only by horse and carriage along a causeway through the marshes.

The set is bleak but as smoothly adaptable as Goodale is to the various characters he blends in and out of. A giant wicker box serves as a train seat, a table and a bed. We can just about see furniture draped in sheets through a gauze curtain at the back. The sound effects heighten tension – and at points scare us out of our wits – using all the hallmarks of a hair-raising ghost story…the eery tinkling of a musical box, the creaking of a rocking chair, a voice echoing out of nowhere… 

And of course a locked door that holds the key to the past. 

If you don’t know the story’s ending you’re in for a shock as well as few jolts out of your seat. Do we actually see the Woman in Black herself? Find out for yourself, if you dare… 

Now entering its 30th year on the West End, The Woman in Black has opened its 2019 UK Tour in Blackpool where it stays until Saturday: www.blackpoolgrand.co.uk/event/the-woman-in-black

Further tour dates and locations are here: www.thewomaninblack.com/ticket-info/uk-tour 

Keith Ramsay,Georgia Louse,Rebecca Caine: photo Scott Rylander

It is 1900 Moscow/Rachmaninoff's mind in this fantastical production written by David Malloy and directed by Alex Sutton; a production that will leave you reeling,exhausted but exhilarated as the tour de force plays through. By the end of Act 1 I flopped into my seat, physically drained by the electric performances I had seen. At the close of Act 11 my head was swimming, but oh boy, it was with hedonistic delight.

Based on and inspired by the true story of Rachmaninoff's breakdown following the harsh reception in Moscow to his Symphony No 1, the high expectations of his talents and the demands he placed on himself, Rach (the alter ego to Rachmaninoff) meets with his hypnotherapist, Dahl,to work through his personal crisis and face the world once more. In order to rise like the proverbial phoenix he must first work through his neuroses and nightmares, living them to extreme.

Time is meaningless. Not only are we taken through the tedium of his day (current time) but we are transported to real time as we return to Rachmaninoff sitting silently by his baby grand piano, desperately trying to please those around him and himself. There, with fiancee Natalya, expectations are high. The agony of his mental anguish does not observe chronology; it is timeless.

This complex and complicated depiction is created by the throbbing and pulsating beat that breathes through the two acts, echoing not only the constant panic of Rach but our own unease and rising hysteria. It cannot be said to feel comfortable, and purposely so. Observing the hypnotherapy session and the haunting repetitiveness of Dahl is gripping and terrifying but compulsive at the same time. We witness Rach's melancholy and fear and we imbibe it. 

Rach, brilliantly portrayed by Kevin Ramsay, is a deeply troubled soul reminiscent of the Romantics living in his own personal hell and unable to distinguish between reality and illusion. At times aware of his present, at others discoursing with Tchaikovsky, Tolstoy and Tsar Nicholas, each played spectacularly by Steven Serlin who assumes their characters with conviction, he verges on the brink of insanity but must work through these episodes in order to surface once again.

In two acts, with music, lyrics, book and orchestration by David Malloy and ingenious direction by Alex Sutton, this is a piece that challenges the concept of theatre as a means to dazzle, preferring to create something meaningful that can resonate in the minds of 'real people, living real lives in the real world'. Mental illness is currently high on our health agenda and it is expounded here. This is a living hell which is shown fully through the rolling eyes and energy off the Richter scale by Ramsay. Moving between the Rach/Rachmaninoff personae, it is a truly exhausting performance, no more so than when he enacts his terrifying illusions and fights his demons, realistically and crazily portrayed by Norton James whose gyrations on stage could almost be censored. Great stuff!

Preludes is an intriguing, stylized and high energy production devised with keen awareness by its creative team who demand much of our sensibilities. The minimalist staging (Rebecca Brower) in black with the haunting figure of the baby grand piano, the neon tubes in stark, vibrant colours (Christopher Nairne) and the throbbing, pulsating electric keyboards (Jordan Li-Smith and Billy Bullivant) hook us in immediately and we are held captive throughout. It is an exhausting spectacle which does not let up for the entirety. There are no stilted moments, our senses are sharpened.

Accolade must be paid to the dynamic cast who not only offer superb vocals but who give larger than life performances, undulating as demanded by the moment. Rebecca Caine as Dahl (the hypnotherapist) is ironically hypnotic and has a momentous moment that leaves us reeling. Georgina Louise plays Natalya with conviction and power, Norton James and Steven Serlin are dynamic in their different roles and Tom Noyce is subtly effective in his silence as Rachmaninoff. And of course Keith Ramsay who generously takes us with him on his journey.

Some might accuse Preludes  as being pretentious but I prefer to liken it to Lear's 'This way madness lies' or is it that this way genius begins!  At 2.5 hours (to include a 20 minute much needed break) this production is spectacular and whilst we may not leave humming the score, we take with us an evening of pure wonder.

Listings Information



Venue Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD
Performances Friday 6 September - Saturday 12 October 2019
Mondays to Saturdays 7.30 pm, Tuesday and Saturday matinees 3 pm.
Box Office www.douthwarkplayhouse.co.uk  and 020 7407 0234 no booking fees
Ticket Prices £27.50, £22 (concessions).
Twitter @swkplay #PreludesLDN

 
 

The multi-award-winning Finborough Theatre celebrates its
40th anniversary year in 2020 – and to mark the occasion, we will shortly be
unveiling a whole new look for our publicity, including a new logo, and a brand
new website.

The winter season at the Finborough Theatre features a
European premiere from the United States, a world premiere by our own
Playwright in Residence Athena Stevens, and another classic Finborough
rediscovery – unseen in London since 1945 – from Welsh playwright Emlyn
Williams. Alongside the season, we are also relaunching our Finborough Forum
discussion group, and two major playwriting competitions will also return to
the Finborough Theatre in 2020.

We would like to thank Bill Kenwright for his very generous
donation to the Finborough Theatre. His support has made this year's work
possible.

The season opens with the European premiere of Chemistry,
the acclaimed multi award-winning American play by Jacob Marx Rice, playing 29
October-23 November 2019. Steph struggles with chronic depression. Jamie just
over-achieved himself off the deep end. When they meet in their psychiatrist's
office, sparks fly and they stumble unexpectedly into a beautiful relationship.
But how do you trust someone else when you are already in a battle with your
own brain? An intimate, frank and uncompromising examination of the chemicals
we take and how they impact our ability to love.

For Christmas, we present the first London production in
nearly 75 years of Welsh playwright Emlyn Williams’ The Wind of Heaven, playing
26 November-21 December 2019. In the immediate aftermath of the Crimean War,
the mountain village of Blestin in rural Wales has no children and worships no
god since a disaster snatched away all its youth. Until a miracle allows one
small community to rediscover its lost faith, with startling consequences for
the village, and the world beyond...

The first production of the Finborough Theatre’s 40th
anniversary year is the world premiere of Finborough Theatre Playwright in
Residence and Olivier Award nominee Athena Stevens’s new play Scrounger,
playing 7 January-1 February 2020. Scrounger is a successful online
personality. Educated, ballsy, and with a huge network of online allies,
Scrounger is a woman who knows how to make change happen. That is, until an
airline destroys her wheelchair. Inspired by real events, Scrounger drives
towards the realities of how Britain is failing its most vulnerable and the
extreme cost paid by those seeking justice.

After two very successful years, we are also relaunching our
invitation-only group for playwrights, directors, designers and other creatives
connected with the Finborough Theatre, the Finborough Forum, with the generous
support of The George Goetchius and Donald Howarth Society of Friend’s Awards.

Two major playwriting competitions also return to the
Finborough Theatre in 2020:

The RADIUS Playwriting Competition opens for entries on 3
February 2020 and closes on 30 March 2020, with a prize of £500 and a staged
reading at the Finborough Theatre in June 2020.

The ETPEP Award 2020 is a playwriting prize for new UK
playwrights who work in the theatre industry, run by the Finborough Theatre in
association with the Experienced Theatre Practitioners Early Playwriting Trust
(ETPEP). Entries are now open, and close on 31 March 2020. The prize is £8000,
a staged reading at the Finborough Theatre in September 2020 and ongoing
dramaturgy and support from the Finborough Theatre.

Finborough Theatre Artistic Director Neil McPherson says:

“Our winter season – which includes the very first
production of our 40th anniversary year – features a European premiere from a
stunning new American playwright, a world premiere by our own Playwright in
Residence Athena Stevens, and another classic Finborough rediscovery from Welsh
playwright Emlyn Williams, unseen in London for 75 years.

In celebration of our 40th anniversary year in 2020, we will
also be unveiling a whole new look with a new logo, new designs for all our
print, and a brand new website; relaunching our Finborough Forum discussion
group, and offering the opportunity to enter two major playwriting
competitions.

We would like to thank Bill Kenwright for his very generous
donation to the Finborough Theatre. His support has made this year's work
possible. I look forward to welcoming you.” For more information, please visit
www.finboroughtheatre.co.uk or follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram.   – Neil McPherson, Artistic Director

 

Larner Wallace-Taylor and Michelle Collins: photo Ali Wright

The first major revival of Chloe Moss's play How Love Is Spelt, which first appeared at the Bush Theatre in 2004, makes its appearance at London's Southwark Playhouse (The Little studio) for a three week run, this time under the direction of Charlotte Peters and a new creative team. Featuring 20 year old Peta (Larner Wallace-Taylor) who has moved to London from Liverpool in order to find herself and inject interest into her life, this is a complex journey of self discovery.Through her interaction with strangers she meets along the way and her relationships, Peta yearns to create a new and more mature persona and shed the frustration of her lonely life.

We are in Peta's messy London bedsit (zone 2) in the morning after a drunken one night stand with cheeky cockney Joe (Benjamin O'Mahoney), still in his underwear and looking the worst for wear. This is an awkward encounter which exposes Peta's naivety, but  serves as a lesson in her development. When she moves on to mild mannered History teacher, Steven (Duncan Moore) she ups her game and behaves with more control, believing this will make her appear more mature and less childlike. Like a chameleon she changes her manner with each encounter, plagiarising odd phrases that she has picked up from those experiences and using them to colour her persona. Over a series of five scenes she is lover, friend and frightened young girl. A tender story of a lost soul desperate to find herself, this is a play of vulnerability, sadness and despair.

Despite the focus on Peta, we tend to learn more about Joe, Steven, Chantelle (Yana Penrose) and Marion (Michelle Collins) who use their brief time with Peta to project their own backstory rather than support and discover more about her. Each has little self worth, believing their lives have taken wrong turns; each is lonely and vulnerable. At the close of the 2.5 hour production, we have gained little awareness of Peta's past, only to say that she was desperately unhappy and intent on shedding her frustration with her past and find hope for her future.

The Little is a small studio space, seating a maximum of 120 and lending itself to an intimate up close and personal perspective, both by Georgia de Grey's set design of a shambolic and messy bedsit (mirroring the life of Peta) and the direction of Charlotte Peters. Disappointingly I still felt distanced despite the physical proximity of the performance. Undeniably there was commitment from the five strong cast who immersed themselves in their roles and whose dialogue, albeit somewhat dated, as well as their poignant silences, revealed their hopelessness. Michelle Collins, Nigel Boyle, Benjamin O'Mahony, Yana Penrose, Larner Wallace-Taylor and Duncan Moore performed with integrity and commitment in this series of vignettes which offered a keyhole observation of those who seriously undervalue their own sense of worth.

Listings Information



Venue: Southwark Playhouse, 77-85 Newington Causeway, London SE1 6BD.

Nearest tube Borough, Elephant and Castle

Performances Wednesday 4-Saturday 28 September 2019
Mondays to Saturdays 8 pm
Tuesday and Saturday matinees 3.30 pm
www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk for full schedule. No booking fees.
Telephone: 020 7407 0234 - no booking fees.

Ticket prices £22, £18 (with concessions)

Twitter @swkplay#HowLoveIsSpelt 

 

 

Seeing as sculptor, poet, novelist, film maker and performance artist Brian Catling wrote this, his  first play, after seeing a post mortem cast of Bobby Awl’s head in the museum of the Edinburgh Phrenological Collection, Summerhall’s  Anatomy Lecture Theatre seemed the ideal venue for the true story of a disabled street urchin who, in 19th century Edinburgh, was given up at birth by his parents for being less than human and, by the time of his death at the age of 22, had become famous.

As we sat at tiered desks like medical students, I could almost see before us a cadaver bring sliced open and its entrails extracted.

Casts of Bobby Awl’s head and skull add to the atmosphere but, sadly, the acoustics leave a lot to be desired and a lot of the echoing dialogue is lost. This is a shame as, although the production is meant to look like an amateur affair, the actors are heavyweights. Even Matthew Darcy, who shouts the odd word from the audience, has worked at the National!

Georgie Morrell, a BBC Audio Awards Best Debut Performance nominee, gives an assured performance as the narrator, and Maisie Greenwood (The Young Vic) causes some laughs as the incompetent blonde who can’t do a Scottish accent. But it is the RSC’s Ruth Everett who stands out. You can almost feel her discomfort when she fidgets wide-eyed as a nervous performer, but once she takes centre stage she’s a force to be reckoned with and holds us in the palm of her hand.

I felt that, given the play’s pedigree (its producers are Avalon and BBC Arts), I would have gained more from it, but because of the acoustics and a weird idea where sacks portray Bobby and other characters, I left dissatisfied. I would like to hear it again, however, with proper acoustics, perhaps as a radio play.

Resurrecting Bobby Awl is at Summerhall until Aug 25 at 4pm. Tickets £15/£14.
Box Office: 0131 560 1581 www.summerhall.co.uk
Image: Mihaela Bhodlovic

When something is inspired by true stories of scientists you’d expect it to be pretty dry; even heavy going perhaps. But Like Animals is anything but.

Using performers Kim Donohoe and Pete Lannon’s real-life relationship as a foundation, award-winning Ellie Dubois directs a funny and poignant investigation into love and communication in both humans and animals.

Kim and Pete are ideal for this show. Their love and communication for each other is evident. They are as one, they talk in unison and bounce off each other as they explore true, human-animal relationships, one with a parrot who learns to talk and the other with a dolphin who doesn’t!

There are moments of great tenderness and vulnerability but mostly it is greatly entertaining and very quirky.

Like Animals is at Summerhall until Aug 25 at 2.15pm. Tickets from £5.
Box Office: 0131 560 1581 www.summerhall.co.uk
Image: Mihaela Bhodlovic

Alec Newman (Archie O'Rourke) and Mark Hadland (Beezer): photo Piers Foley

Eugene O'Hare's The Weatherman, named for one of its characters, is his theatre debut at London's Park Theatre, under the direction of Alice Hamilton. This is one of two of his full length plays to be presented at this exciting venue.

The setting is a dingy London flat (not apartment), squalid and grubby where no money has been invested into its upkeep, a parallel with its inhabitants, Beezer (Mark Hadland) and Archie (Alec Newman). This dysfunctional pair share a tenancy and live out a hopeless existence, surviving on a sparring of words to face each day. Beezer, no stranger to drink and Archie, a troubled soul, are life's failures in the underclass of London's harsh society. They are not in work and have little money. Life is a series of endless queues, rejections and bleakness. As such they are easy prey to the violent control of dodgy gangsta landlord Dollar (David Schaal) who holds power over them and enforces a mystery package, offering no choice but the dangling of six months' rent free accommodation and a weekly pay packet. How can they refuse? So close your eyes - you've got to live, to pay the rent, to pay your bills!

But the package is a 12 year old Romanian girl, (Mara, played by Niamh James), who is being trafficked. Despite their position, both Archie and Beezer have sufficient conscience to know that this is morally abhorrent on any level and Archie, in particular, spirals downwards.

This black comedy with its influences of Beckett and Pinter covers numerous issues including political injustice and divide, corruption, criminality and human trafficking. A lot to ingest and certainly not a recipe for pleasant viewing, but it was O'Hare's intent to expose these and at the very least to arouse debate. Relief comes in the absurd and inappropriate delivery of welcoming gags, albeit non PC, delivered with brilliant, end of the pier comic timing by Hadland. Should we be laughing at all? Even that is of concern but then the entire play questions reactions and this is just another in the long list.

There is little action, and the few moments are vile and unsavoury. The play relies on its script and performance. We are in no doubt that Archie is living his nightmare and that Beezer can exist only through self delusion. Both Hadland and Newman give it their all. Schaal too convinces as a crime boss on the edge of a personal volcano and we sense his explosion. However, because of the nature of the staging and depending on where you sit, you may find yourself (as I did) with Mara's back to you for the whole performance. I can only suggest that she would have appeared vacant in her silent presence, such was the force of her helplessness and despair.

In two Acts, the first runs at a fair pace although there are a few uncomfortable silences. Our interest is upheld and we enjoy the gags. But where was Beezer in Act 2? With extraordinarily lengthy monologues of self revelation and self vindication by Dollar and Archie, his absence was sorely felt, appearing only at the close. Struggling to concentrate on the very wordy passages, we found it hard to empathise whilst acknowledging their situations. Nothing excuses the abduction of another human, in this case a young girl. But then this is an audience who is already committed to decrying those behaviours.

As suggested by Park Theatre, there is an age recommendation of 16+. It is a disturbing play and yes it covers those issues that O'Hare determined to expose but it took a long time to expound (2 hours and 20 minutes) and perhaps might have served better on radio than on stage.

Listings: The Weatherman

Venue: Park200, Park Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP
Dates: Running until 14 September 2019
Age Guidance 16+
Running Time: 2 hours 20 minutes including an interval
Performances: Mon-Sat Evenings 7.30 pm. Thurs & Sat matinees 3 pm.
Captioned performance: 10 September 7.30 pm.
Prices: £18.50 - £32.50; concessions £16.50 - £23.50
Booking www.parktheatre.co.uk or 020 7870 6876 
*10% telephone booking fee capped at £2.50 per ticket
  

The professional members of C theatre have you on their side right from the off… by being unprofessional!

The set disappeared when the horse bolted and half the actors are missing so those with the misfortune of being left to cope have to make do.

It’s all part of director Kate Stephenson’s production (or is it, as there were changes on the cast list with some actors playing more than one part?) and an uproarious beginning to what is a joyous romp through a truncated version of one of Shakespeare’s earliest plays.

Rachel Graham and Charlotte Tayler as twin servants Dromio get the ball rolling with a spirited performance full of warmth and humour, as misdirections, misconnections and mistaken identities abound in this 17th century farce, while Graham Elwell makes an imposing Aegeon, whose twin sons were supposedly lost at sea. Tom Huxley Golden makes a good job of playing both twins (just by changing his hat) but there’s a nice touch when they are both on stage together so he hauls someone out of the audience to take part.

The nip in the air was forgotten as the audience became involved in the fun and frolics of a sterling cast whose diction was loud and expressive above the noise of the distant traffic. If we were at all distracted it was by St Peter’s pretty garden which, if the sun’s out makes an ideal setting for a family picnic. If not, blankets and waterproof mats are provided!

The Comedy of Errors in the Garden is at St Peter’s Lutton Place until Aug 26 at 5pm. Tickets £8.50/£10.50.Box Office: 0131 581 5555 www.ctheFestival.com

The flyer promises a ‘Gothic bizarre tale of Victorian magic which is both sinister and haunting’, leaving the most sceptical unnerved and huddling together!

Certainly magician Kreestan Sennachie is an imposing figure with his flowing grey locks, but though his waistcoat and frock coat were in keeping with Victorian times, his jeans (though black) were not. And no-one could blame him for not conjuring (sic) up the required atmosphere in a hotel conference room. Scary it was not.

Sennachie’s magic is impressive, and his ability to get almost every member of his audience (including me) to help out, but his tale of Victorian Watt Kepler, who diced with the Occult, was laboured, and when he revealed that a club - eight members of which had been murdered – had stood on the place in which we were sitting, I didn’t feel it was a site-specific performance, more a flight of fancy. I was more taken in by his magic tricks.

The Graveyard Shift is at theSpace on the Mile until Aug 24 at 6.50. Tickets £8/£6.
Box Office: 0131 510 2382 onthemile@thespaceuk.com

Trudi Camilleri as Anna Edson Taylor: photograph Stephen Russell

I must confess that prior to my visit to London's Charing Cross Theatre, I knew nothing of Anna Edson Taylor who in 1901, on her 63rd birthday, set out to be the first person to survive a trip over Niagra Falls in a barrel of her own design, named Queen of the Mist; a daring and death defying feat in which she incurred only a few minor scratches and a bruised forehead. And yet she failed to draw long term recognition, interest or adoration from the public.

Words and lyrics by Michael LaChiusa (five time Tony Award nominated Composer, Lyricist and Librettist) Queen Of The Mist  offers an homage to and explores the story of the phenomenon that was Taylor. Having received critical acclaim earlier this year when it played its European premiere at the Brockley Jack Studio in London, it is now making its appearance at this delightful theatre, tucked beneath the arches at London's embankment.

So what motivated Taylor? It seems that despite her rather uneventful life as a teacher and now widowed she was looking for fulfillment, fame and fortune. Taylor was desperate to avoid the Poorhouse and to gain sufficient 'Greens' (dollars) to maintain her in her dotage.Yet this evaded her and she died penniless and alone. She was unable to maintain public interest in her story and simply did not own the personality demanded by them to endear her as a national treasure. Such was her disappointment in their reaction and her own frustration that all relationships were systematically destroyed, including that with her own sister, her manager and the press.

Ostensibly a story about Anna Edson Taylor, there are interwoven themes that raise their head. When desirous of fame and fortune, what might we do? Accused (unfairly) by Carrie Nation, a radical member of the Temperance Movement, of pulling a stunt and thereby deserving of no respect, her 'deed' achieved quite the opposite to her own objectives. Once fame is achieved, even momentarily, how may it be sustained? How might the fickleness of the public, greedy for sensationalism rather than integrity, be held before they move on to the next news breaking story? Hopes and dreams dissipate and disappointment was her reward. Only to repeat what I said earlier: how many people today recognise her name? 

It is such a delight to experience the versatility and flexibility of a small theatre, shown here where the traverse staging enabled the tiered audience on both sides to share the intimacy of the performance. A clever design (Tara Usher) where props and furniture could be moved with ease to create the separate settings, the space at no time felt cluttered despite its confined size. To begin, centre stage was held by the barrel itself, creating a majestic effect and then subtly moving aside to allow for movement and performance. In side alcoves and on a higher level was the band, led by Connor Fogel. All were in period costume and inclusive to the cast. An essential musical pulse, LaChiusa's exciting score, reminiscent at times of Sondheim, was played entirely to effect. Yes, there were shades of Assassins and Sweeny Todd but it held its own and is a score deserving of its London recording. Each number held its merits but I particularly liked 'There is Greatness In Me' delivered powerfully by Trudi Camilleri as Taylor and 'Charity' with Tom Blackmore, Conor McFarlane and Andrew Carter as panhandlers together with Camilleri.
 
Lighting Designer, Beth Gupwell, offered a subtle shading and, together with the terrific effects and balance of sound (Adrian Jenkins), the terrifying roar of the cascading water of Niagra Falls set the atmosphere. Amusingly the air conditioning offered occasional breezes which made the experience even more realistic and, with a stretch of imagination, transported you to the Falls as one of the spectators.
 
Directed by Dom O'Hanlon and with musical direction by Connor Fogel, Pint of Wine's 7 strong company filled the space with their strong presence. Ensuring that they reached the audience, they moved around the space to face both sides and to share their story. The ensemble, at times playing as a Greek chorus, took us with them on their journey but also played multiple roles to great effect. 
 
Voices, all accomplished, soared , none more so than Camilleri herself. A veritable powerhouse, this small figure grew in stature as she delivered each number and drew us in to her vulnerability. Resolute and immovable, she did not win the hearts of the public of the time but she certainly won ours. Complemented by the company of Will Arundel as her manager, Emily Juler as her caring sister, Emma Ralson as judgmental Carrie Nation, Connor McFarlane as 'man with bandaged hand', Andrew Carter as River Man and Tom Blackmore, playing movingly as the tragic young soldier, there was magic in performance.
 
Anna (Annie) Edson Taylor might have been hiterto unknown but tonight at this intimate theatre, Michael John LaChiusa and Pint Size Theatre Company gave testament to this determined woman and put her on a much deserved pedestal. Queen Of The Mist is an achingly haunting story of a ferociously determined individual who, through the skilful direction of Dom O'Hanlon, achieved greatness tonight.

Photograph Stephen Russell

Listings

Dates: 15 August - 5 October 2019: 
Evenings: Mon-Sat 7.30 pm; matinees Wed 2.30 pm and Sat 3.00 pm
Running time 2 hours 15 minutes including a short interval
Tickets   £10 - £32, concessions students/unwaged/over 60s
Box office 08444 930 650 (£3 levy on phone and internet orders)
 
https://charingcrosstheatre.co.uk/theatre/queen-of-the-mist

 

Marcus Brigstocke is a star of the Fringe - without even appearing onstage.

For in making his debut as a playwright and director the comedian and actor lays bare his years as a recovering addict and produces a show which is revealing, funny, tender and informative.

Like Ian Shaw’s The Shark is Broken, Brigstocke writes from experience. This means it feels real, and adding to the magic mix are father and son Bruce and Sam Alexander, who play... father and son.

Both are heavyweight actors and casting them is a mark of genius. There is a deep understanding between them; they are easy with each other, and their relationship brought tears to my eyes.

John (Bruce) has died and Benedict (Sam) has left his wake to go down to his father’s wine cellar and read a letter his father has left for him. In it John tells his son he has left him a special bottle of wine he wants him to drink it. Trouble is, Benedict is a recovering alcoholic. He has been dry for 23 years, and the dialogue consists of the two men (the father comes back from the dead for this conversation) discussing if and why Benedict should drink the wine.

Along the way, we hear about life, loves, addiction and the pros and cons of drinking wine.

It’s obviously a very personal piece of work for Brigstocke and he’s done an amazing job.

Dare I say...cheers!

The Red is at the Pleasance Dome until Aug 26 at 4pm. Tickets from £11 with concessions.
Box Office: 0131 226 0000 edfringe.com

What a privilege it was to be in the audience for The Shark is Broken.

The director is no less than Richard Burton’s nephew Guy Masterson, this year taking part in his 26th Fringe. But the real coup is the co-writer and star of the play, Ian Shaw.

For the show is set on the film set of Jaws, which starred Shaw’s father, Robert Shaw.

Earlier in the week I had heard him talking about how he penned, with Joseph Nixon, the play based on his father’s diaries. “He struggled with alcohol and his diaries were quite a hard read,” he had said.

This, of course, comes out in the story as the three stars of the film, Shaw, Richard Dreyfuss and Roy Scheider, are stuck on a boat in (if the sound effects are anything to go by) rough seas, because of problems with ‘the shark’.

Shaw - who had described his father as ‘old school’, Dreyfuss was more neurotic and brash, while Scheider was the mother figure trying to keep everybody happy - was, of course, in a unique position to write this play and the air of authenticity really comes across, especially as he, playing his father, looks so like him (a gasp went through the audience as he made his entrance). Duncan Henderson is also a double for Scheider both in looks and demeanour, and Liam Murray Scott, another lookalike, is certainly neurotic and brash as Dreyfuss!

This is a hugely enjoyable insight into the making of one of the most iconic of films and its stars. It’s almost like eavesdropping as they discuss Steven Speilberg (‘he may be just a kid but he’s crazy’) and the film (‘a retarded offspring of Moby Dick’), while opinions are aired and egos clash. Fascinating, not only for film fans but for those who appreciate fine acting, there is talk of a full version going to London and on tour. Don’t miss it!

The Shark is Broken is at the Assembly George Square Studios, Studio Three on alternate days until Aug 25 at 11am. Tickets are priced from £13 with concessions. 
Box Office: 0131 226 0000 edfringe.com
Image: Nick Driftwood

I don’t know what I was doing in 1999 but it wasn’t watching an American teen flick adapted from Les Liaisons Dangereuses.

However, the rest of the audience obviously knew of it. It was, apparently, a cult film, and everyone around me loved this new musical version premiering at the Fringe.

The Spiegeltent isn’t the best place for sound but, nevertheless, an enthusiastic and talented cast belted out 90s classics as evil step-siblings Kathryn and Sebastian set out to corrupt the naive Cecile.

They are all rich kids, doing everything, especially sex, to excess, and some scenes are pretty explicit but, despite its content, or because of it, the audience thought it was a lot of fun. 

I’m not a great fan of American teen flicks but I did warm to the performances, especially Evelyn Hoskins. As Cecile she starts out a little child but when she discovers sex she is delightful in a different way. Scott Hunter is also a firm favourite, camping it up for all he is worth as macho Gary’s secret lover.

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical is at the Assembly George Square Gardens until Aug 25. Tickets are priced from £14 with concessions.
Box Office: 0131 226 0000 edfringe.com

If the EastEnders’ Fox family want to know where Kim’s errant husband is, he’s at the Edinburgh Fringe!

But in Ryan Calais Cameron’s powerful new play actor Richard Blackwood is no wide boy, just a British ex-serviceman going about his business - until he is assaulted, and then set upon by police, with tragic consequences. Just because of the colour of his skin.

Based on true events surrounding the death of Christopher Alder in 1998, it’s very much a play of two halves.

It starts out with Alder preparing for a night on the town. Here, Blackwood gets to practice all his skills - as a singer, presenter and, occasionally when his quick-fire delivery is a little too fast, a rapper! He is also a consummate actor, strutting his stuff as he delivers Cameron’s comic lines with great timing, playing an assortment of characters, including women, and engaging with the audience.

The mood changes dramatically in the second half; the dialogue is dark; Blackwood throws himself about the stage as if being beaten by unseen hands. It’s painful to watch, as is the actual footage of the police assault on Alder shown on a back screen.

It left us all shaken and stirred.

Typical is at the Pleasance Courtyard (Beneath) until Aug 25 at 4.30pm. Tickets are priced from £10 with concessions. 
Box Office: 0131 226 0000 edfringe.com
Image:Jonny Birch

I found it difficult to get my head round Cleopatra coming back from the dead to be interviewed for a podcast in actress Sheila Atim’s first foray into playwriting.

Not only that but she sings the blues, plays guitar and laughs at the idea that she was killed by an asp - now all those myths are shattered!

Nevertheless, the performances are so strong that I would be happy just for the actors to recite the phone book.

As it is, contemporary immunologist Kate Williams is interviewing Cleo (as she likes to be called) about the things that matter most to her. As time goes on it turns out that each of the women believe in different things and tensions rise. Kate has her own problems and becomes distracted, and the interview turns into a bitter fight which Janet Kumah as Williams, and Paksie Vernon, deliver with conviction and passion.

As for Vernon’s singing, I would happily pay to see her perform in her own music gig.

In sharp contrast, radio producer David provides some light-hearted, down-to-earth moments to lighten the darkness.

Anguis is at the Gilded Balloon Teviot until Aug 26 at 3pm. Tickets are priced from £12 with concessions
Box Office: 0131 226 0000 edfringe.com
Image: David Monteith-Hodge

Apparently, the Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers have been going 25 years - which must be around the time I first saw them, in Slough. I’ve been a  fan ever since.

Their drumming, taken from an ancient Japanese art-form, is hypnotic. There may be no words spoken in this piece of theatre but it is the drum beats which speak to us.

Beat Grrrls is making its premiere at the Fringe. Consisting only of women, who in times gone by were not permitted to play the sacred Taiko drums, this show turns this stereotype on its head and features gentle, more feminine pieces as well as the usual heavy stuff.

Whatever they play, however, it requires a lot of skill, discipline and strength (I bet they don’t have bingo wings!). Their moves are at times balletic and they show great showmanship - or should I say, showwomanship?

Based in Scotland, the drummers are an international lot - from Croatia, Hungary, Scotland, and from Chinese and Japanese parentage, but then the language their drums speak is universal.

Mugenkyo Taiko Drummers: Beat Grrrls is at the Assembly Rooms until Aug 24 at 5.30pm. Tickets £13 with concessions.
Box Office: 0131 623 3030 assemblyfestival.com

It’s no surprise to discover that Joyce Falconer has played Maw Broon in The Broons.

The formidable mother figure swops her home in Auchentogle and her eight children for the household of Monsieur Orgon in Liz Lochhead’s wonderfully irreverent rhyming version of Moliere’s famous comedy.

Falconer retains her pinny and her headscarf to play an expressive Dorine, Orgon’s servant, who goes up against house guest Tartuffe, as the conniving hypocrite uses his clerical collar to charm Orgon while trying to seduce his wife.

Directed by Tony Cownie, it’s performed in Scots (though Sassenachs and the rest of the world attending the Fringe should be able to understand it) by a stellar cast including Outlander regular Grant O'Rourke as Orgon and Nicola Roy as his elegant wife. But it is Andy Clark who steals the show in the title role, his cringeworthy portrayal putting even the best performance of Burns’ Holy Willie to shame.

An hour well spent!

Tartuffe is at the Assembly Rooms until Aug 25 at 5pm. Tickets £10-£14.
assemblyfestival.com /0131 623 3030.

Musik has been described as a cabaret and as a musical (by Jonathan Harvey and Pet shop Boys Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe).

While it can be classed as both, it is really a full-on dramatic performance, a tour de force, with Frances Barber making the show her own.

It may be her solo show debut, but it knocks spots off many other contributions to the Fringe, and deserves its immediate transferral to London’s Leicester Square Theatre in September.

In this hour-long celebration of all things outrageous, Barber reprises the role she played in the 2001 production Closer to Heaven. Now Billie Trix has her very own show, and Marlene Dietrich and Lotte Lenya wouldn’t have had a chance with her around.

Billie may be a dried-up, drug-addled icon and rock star with Barber’s gravelly voice does justice to the Pet Shop Boys’ songs, and her tremendous presence, looking almost like a Goth with her black clothes, Fenella Fielding-style make-up and silver crucifixes, proves Billie is still a force to be reckoned with as she takes us from post-war Berlin through New York to a telephone box in Soho Square, unashamedly name-dropping as she goes, and blaming the likes of Andy Warhol, Madonna, and the Beatles for stealing her ideas.

You never know what she’s coming out with next as she downs a bottle of Jack Daniels and snorts cocaine. Where did ‘I flipped back the flaps of my hijab’come from, for example? It’s anarachic but it’s also raw, gritty and sad.

A curse to her mother, Billie nevertheless declares ‘I am a gift to the world’, and Barber is certainly a gift to the Fringe. As a singer she can also claim the title of one of the songs, Ich bin music – I am music!

Musik is at the Assembly Rooms (Bijou) until Aug 24 at 9.40pm. Tickets from £15 with concessions.
assemblyfestival.com/0131 623 3030Image: TheOtherRichard

I must apologise to Ben Hart for sitting in the front row.

Normally I never sit there for fear my note-taking will distract the performer, but I wanted to get as close as possible to Ben to scrutinise his movements (though I needn’t have worried as his every move was videoed onto a back projection).

My eyes never left his hands and my jaw never stopped dropping! This is one remarkable young man. What a showman! This really is a must see show. Like me, you’ll never get your head round what you are seeing and you’ll leave thinking life can never be the same again.

Although the winner of the Magic Circle’s Young Magician of the Year has been selling out at the Fringe for a few years, the first time I saw him was on the last series of Britain’s Got Talent. I’m not always that bothered about magicians but, even through the small screen – well, I’ve got a bigger telly now – his personality came across.

On stage, and only inches away (be still my beating heart), he is the consummate performer while still retaining that boyish charm, a cheeky grin. But he is enigmatic. Dressed in his distinctive woollen suit and Doc Martens he is of this age but not. And at the end of the show he quickly disappears (not literally, I might add), so he remains a mystery.

To disclose the contents of his mind-blowing show would undoubtedly spoil things for those of you not lucky enough to have yet seen it. But it is impossible to fathom how he does what he does. He uses random members of the audience to help him, and in case you think he has a plant here and there, he’ll give an object to one person and then ask them to pass it on.

In a nutshell, his skill is extraordinary, his theatricality astonishing. He really isn’t of this world – but then he does say that he imagined the show, and all its components, in an out of body experience!

Tickets are hard to come by and he’s now doing an extra show, so if you don’t catch him at the Fringe he’s shortly taking a show called Wonder on tour.

Ben Hart: The Nutshell is at the Gilded Balloon Teviot until Aug 25 at 5.30pm. Tickets from £10.50 with concessions.
edfringe.comBox Office: 0131 226 0000/edfringe.com

I wasn’t expecting to see the North Star when I booked for Hannah Raymond-Cox.

What I did expect was an account of her search to belong, and it does that in spades.

What I didn’t expect was for it to be so educating – but then that’s the Fringe for you!

I didn’t know that polari was a secretive language widely used by the British gay community from the 1900s to the 1970s, based on slang words derived from a variety of different sources. And I wasn’t aware of any such words during Raymond-Cox’s 50-minute story.

What I was aware of was just how engaging, self-aware and self-deprecating she is and though my attention span when it comes to poetry can sometimes be somewhat short, I became fully immersed in her journey from her difficult schooldays, and her first venture into a gay bar at the age of 18, to her male flat mate declaring his love for her.

The show has a good pedigree. It is directed by BBC Slam Champion Sophia Walker and is hot off a sell-out UK tour.

Raymond-Cox’s delivery is seamless, her story compelling, but it says something about our society when so many gays feel they have to publicly declare their sexuality - almost as if they are looking to belong.

Polaris is at the Scottish Poetry Library most days until Aug 24 at 5pm. Tickets £8 plus concessions.
edfringe.com/polaris

Christopher Biggins is Mr Showbiz. With his larger than life personality, broad grin and distinctive laugh he lights up wherever he happens to be.

There aren’t many celebrities of his ilk at the Fringe this year so watching this classical actor turned pantomime dame and presenter is a treat. He’s a natural and generous host, chatting easily with and showing genuine interest in his guests.

To date (Aug 9) he has welcomed 27 surprise guests onto his show. 

Not all are appearing at the Fringe. Philip Henderson,  City Officer to the Lord Provost for the last 25 years, gave us a real and entertaining insight into welcoming to Edinburgh the great and the good (Nelson Mandela, Nancy Sinatra…) - as well as the Royal Family - while also running Scottish nights at The Jam House.

But it was his other guests the day I was there who made me wish I could see this show every day, for Biggins brought out in them so many interesting facts about their Fringe shows that I ended up booking for all. Well, for a start, who could not be drawn to a show about the making of the iconic film Jaws, co-written by engaging actor Ian Shaw, son of one of the film’s stars, Robert Shaw?

Of course, Biggins is first and foremost an entertainer and he’ll have you in stitches as he regales you with anecdotes and gossip, and tales of his time in I’m a Celebrity… Get Me Out of Here!, which he won in 2007.

Late Lunch With Biggins provides a lot of laughs and offers the best of the Fringe’s performers, thus helping you to navigate your way round this gargantuan festival (and don’t we need that!).

And remember, you won’t know who you’ll be seeing, so it’s always going to be… Surprise Surprise!

Late Lunch with Biggins is at the Pleasance Dome most days until Aug 25 at 2.40pm. Tickets from £11.
Box Office: www.pleasance.co.uk

You’re in for a jolly jape if you make your way to the very west end of Rose Street this Fringe.

Gender bending is the order of the day as the all-female cast play a variety of aristocrats plus one cool valet who welcomes audience members as they arrive as if they were gentry.

Lord Wiggins is set to inherit Rhodesia if his marriage to Emily Rhodes goes ahead. But their romance is faltering, and it’s up to Eddie Spangler and his valet Jeffrey to sort things out. 

Benjamin Alborough’s knockabout Edwardian comedy is an absolute hoot, a sort of grown up Famous Five adventure with melodramatic performances and cardboard cut-out props.

The comic timing is superb, the humour anarchic and the energy and enthusiasm infectious.

Cream Tea and Incest is at the Gilded Balloon Rose Theatre until Aug 25 at 12.45pm. Tickets are £9.50 with concessions.
Box Office: 0131 622 6552

The University of Edinburgh’s newest café and lounge may not be as exciting as some of the locations in which the Grid Iron Theatre Company has performed (such as Edinburgh Zoo, a boat builders’ island in a Norwegian fjord or a working cancer hospital in Jordan), but for The Brunch Club it is perfect.

For writer and director Ben Harrison’s latest creation is set in just such a place.

As part of induction week, a group of young people between school and college meet up to make new friends and explore new interests. They each have their own personalities, and fiercely so, but they are stereotypical of certain groups, mainly because of their upbringing, and really want to belong. As they spend time together their insecurities manifest, but ultimately they discover they are not really that different, friendships are made, and The Brunch Club is formed.

Ben Harrison’s new work is drawn from more than 100 young people from across Scotland and performed by The Network Ensemble, a production company for emerging creative talent trained in Scotland and part of the Pleasance Futures programme.

The cast members are drama graduates and so should certainly be able to empathise with their characters. So convincing are they that you would think they are playing themselves, but it is only at the curtain call that their masks fall and you realise they really are acting very well indeed.

There are too many to mention for a Fringe review, but the oldest of the characters (and, I suspect the actors), Jamie McGregor adds gravitas as a knife-wielding bully. As he paced around the performance space I really felt intimidated.

This study of current archetypes also features an all singing, all dancing trip down the years from the 1940s through Teddy boys and hippies, mods and rockers,  punks and emos in a colourful, fast-paced entertainment.

The Brunch Club is at the Pleasance Pop-Up: Levels EH8 8FQ 9 until Aug 24 at 8.15pm. Tickets £12 with concessions.
Box Office: 0131 556 6550/www.pleasance.co.uk
Image: Robin Mitchell

Yet again the Traverse Theatre is breaking new boundaries with innovative entertainment.

The story of Frankenstein’s monster has been around 200 years but, never in her wildest dreams (and she certainly must have had some!) could Mary Shelley have imagined her story being presented in this way.

There is certainly nothing monstrous about this mid-blowing production – except perhaps for the monstrous amount of talent on stage.

Battersea Arts Centre’s Beatbox Academy is a young collective which has performed at the Royal Festival Hall, Latitude Festival and on BBC 2’s Gareth Malone’s The Choir. Now they are making their Scottish debut at the Fringe with a show which is nothing sort of extraordinary, a celebration of the voice in so many guises, from remarkable tongue-twisting vocal gymnastics and soundscapes to singing and rap.

Through a series of chapters they breathe life into the monster – by just breathing, rapping Shelley’s story in language for today. The effects they create with their mouths and microphones are unbelievable. But there is also some beautiful music (Pachelbel Canon is in there!), and superlative singing from Aminita Francis and Nadine Rose Johnson, better known as Glitch, plus some sharp choreography. ABH Beatbox’s vocals are particularly incredible, and sound engineer Marcello Coppola must be congratulated for helping to deliver such a slick show.

There is more. It begins with co-director Conrad Murray teaching the audience to beatbox – kick drum, snare and hi-hat. He has results in no time at all! There’s also a special appearance by the YLT Crew from Leith, four of 300 local youngsters the BAC Beatbox Academy has been working with.

Of course, as with most things these days, the show has a message, such as when ego drives the body it’s bound to crash!

This is a relaxed show, not that anyone would want to come and go or move about, and photos and videos are encouraged. Advertised for 14 years and over, one tiny tot was present when I was there, and in a quiet moment (and there weren’t many. Ear defenders are available, by the way!) he or she shouted 'Wow!' to everyone’s amusement. It certainly has lots of wow moments and deserved it's standing ovation.

Frankenstein: How to Make a Monster is at the Traverse Theatre until Aug 25 at various times. Tickets £22 with concessions.
Box Office: 0131 228 1404/traverse.co.uk
image: Lara Cappelli

Jessye Romeo, Alvaro Fore, Claire Lebowitz King and Lana Joffrey   photo Tomas Turpie

Nominated for the Amnesty International 'Freedom of Expression' Award 2014, Bianca Bagatourian's The Time Of Our Lies explores the personal history of Howard Zinn, considered one of the most influential thinkers of the 20th century whose legacy of his time as a serving soldier in the United States army haunted him, in particular the bombing of Royan in Southern France which claimed the lives of near on 3000 innocent civilians. His lifelong regret was not so much his active duty but his blind participation in the belief that by doing so fascism and tyranny would be defeated, his acceptance of lies and his unquestioning obedience. Zinn dedicated his life to researching ethical issues including race, class, war and history and is perhaps best known for his work A People's History of the United States upon which this piece is based.

Presenting songs and stories, using Zinn's own words and recollections, Bagatourian's The Time of Our Lies is a platform for the accounts of individual soldiers and civilians, reminders of the horrors of war, civil rights protests and dissent and the plight of all those innocent victims of political deceit and injustice. Although Zinn's work is more widely studied in the United States, the message is universal. Globally are the effects of the manipulation by those in power who seek their own ideals and exert their influence on a willing and accepting populace who are keen to allow the narrative of political figures to fit their own agenda and give it meaning. Decisions made by those who are uninformed and follow blindly will rebound strongly on future generations. There is no defence in ignorance; dissent is the strongest form of patriotism.

Directed by Che Walker the minimalist set avoids distraction and ensures focus on the harrowing war sounds of Sheila Atim's sound track, the flashing blood scarlet lighting of Arnim Friess and the agony in the performance. The focus is intentionally on the narrative, which is directed at the audience. At times the raw honesty is suffocating and I could not draw my eyes away from the tears of Trang Le as she recounted the horrors of Vietnam. Each account is only a few moments but its effect is intense.

The message is clear. What we believed to be democracy has turned tables. In reality it is exploitative and uses to advantage the reluctance of those who do not challenge.

In total the running time of just over one hour is sufficient to present this scandal. The seven actors in this ensemble piece convincingly present their range of characters. There is no romanticism, no high tech,simply the purity and honesty of the narrative taken first hand by Zinn in his writing. This is realism and it is highly effective. To vote for a government, one must first understand the history and then question.

Daniel Benzali was to have played the role of Howard Zinn but due to his indisposition this is now played by Martina Laird at all evening performances. Despite the very short notice, and perhaps more reliant on the script before her, she was nevertheless convincing in her presentation as lecturer/teacher and her guidance was clear and delivered.The ensemble includes Alvaro Flores, Lanna Joffrey, Trang Le, Claire Lebowitz King and Jessye Romeo. Under the guidance of Maureen Flemming their physical depictions and movement confirm the poignancy which renders you in deep thought as an observer. 

Perhaps not the most comfortable of evenings and knowing very little about Zinn before I arrived, I am now resolute in finding out more about this radical historian who gave selflessly of himself. The Time Of Our Lies is a battle cry for democracy, transparency and inclusion and reaffirms Zinn as a moral compass for the United States. In his own words: 'We don't have to wait for some grand Utopian future. The future is an endless succession of presents and to live now as we think humans should live, in defiance of all that is bad around us, is itself a marvellous victory'.


(At matinees the role of Howard Zinn will be taken by Che Walker and Ann Mitchell.)

Listings: The Time Of Our Lies

Venue: Park 200 Theatre, Clifton Terrace, Finsbury Park, N4 3JP
Dates: 30 July - 10 August 2019
Age Guidance: 12+ (but I might suggest older)
Access performances: Audio Described: Friday 9August 19.30; TouchTour 18.00
Performances: Mon-Sat evenings 19.30, Thurs & Sat Matinees 15.00
Prices: Standard £18.50 - £32.50, concessions £16.50-£23.50
Under 16s £15 - £20
Booking:www.parktheatre.co.uk or 020 7870 6876 - 10% telephone booking fee capped at £2.50 per ticket