Guys and Dolls - Savoy Theatre

Knitted dice

I was very excited to see this production of Guys and Dolls as it starred Jamie Parker (as Sky Masterson), of whom I am something of a fan. Interesting to hear that he's been cast as Harry Potter in the upcoming stage play! Anyway, Guys and Dolls was everything I had hoped it would be: exuberant, fast-paced, uplifting and very funny. 

Listening to Jamie Parker sing is like having a shower in hot, gently melted dark chocolate. I found a few of his spoken lines difficult to understand with the New York accent, but his singing was sublime. He and Sarah Brown (Siubhan Harrison) made a believable, sympathetic duo and I enjoyed watching their romance unfold. I loved the Havana scene in which Sarah loses her inhibitions and is tossed around by various people in the dance sequence, including the excellent 'Havana Diva'.

I'd forgotten how much I appreciate the humour in G&D. I love Nathan's increasingly frantic search for a location in which to hold the craps game, and the bit where the gamblers pretend they're attending a bachelor party when the police inspector shows up. Big Jule, the notorious milk-drinking gangster from Chicago has to be one of my favourite characters; he has some very amusing lines (Lieutenant Brannigan: 'Where are you from, sir?' Big Jule: 'East Cicero, Illinois!' Lieutenant Brannigan: 'And what is your occupation?' Big Jule: 'I'm a scoutmaster!' Lieutenant Brannigan: 'Don't ever help my mother across the street!'). My favourite scene is 'Luck be a Lady Tonight', down in the sewers. The audience went wild for 'Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat', which was also extremely good and energetic. Excellent singing from the General of the Mission.

The gender stereotypes can be grating in this musical - the way the women are desperate to get married while the men aren't bothered - but the non-gender-stereotype-related humour more than compensates for this. Plus, it is set in the 50s. Plus, the characters, when played well, are endearing, which diffuses any irritating attributes. The character of Miss Adelaide always has the potential to be more irritating than entertaining, but in this production (as played by Sophie Thompson) she grew on me and was genuinely likeable.

I would strongly recommend!

photo credit: Knitted Dice Roll via photopin (license)

Next: The Nutcracker

Pride and Prejudice - Hampstead Parish Church (Guest post)

Elegant Regency figures

The much-awaited and much-delayed guest review of Pride and Prejudice has finally arrived. My sincere apologies for the long wait, o fans of Alice’s London Theatre Blog – especially those in Russia who must be particularly desirous of the comfort and homely succor that this blog provides now that the Winter Solstice is upon us. I actually saw this production twice in one day. While the main reason for this was a plethora of visiting friends and relatives, my enjoyment was only magnified by the repetition – a testament to its energy and depth.

As it happens, I very nearly auditioned for this myself, but chose not to in the end. When the cast was announced, I was filled with an overwhelming sense of regret, such that only an experienced am-dram acting diva can feel, because I knew it would be a fantastic performance that I could no longer be part of. My expectations proved entirely correct.

Hampstead Players’ stalwart Sarah Day was perfectly cast as the concomitantly virtuous and sharp-witted Elizabeth Bennet, as amused by the world’s foibles as she is quietly dedicated to reposting them. Jon Waters seemed equally sincere as the congenitally arrogant Mr Darcy, his stiff pride providing much of the production’s comedy.

Two more stand-outs for me, amongst this very large and strong cast, were Rosie Wheat as the conceited alpha female Caroline Bingley, floating about the stage in a graceful haze of obnoxious self-satisfaction, and Matt Williams, whose perfect timing and facial expressions made for a Mr Collins so deluded that he was as painful as he was hilarious to witness. Special mention also goes to Margaret Pritchard Houston who, in addition to creating many of the impressive costumes (well done to the Players for going all out on this, you really can’t have a Jane Austen play without the textile eye candy), managed to make her handful of appearances as a put-upon servant laugh-out-loud moments, without ever being distracting or implausible.

I was also particularly taken by Alice Lambert’s unique rendering of Mary Bennet. The middle Bennet is generally portrayed as something of a fool, clumsily attempting pompous sermonizing to compensate for her plainness. This Mary, though clearly not immune to wanting to fight her own amongst her sisters, stood out as naturally elegant and swanlike, serenely gliding about the stage and providing what to her seemed like genuine aid to her less enlightened fellow mortals, delivered directly from the higher plane of philosophical abstractions which fortune had made her mind’s natural terrain. The tragi-comedy came from her more earthbound sistren’s reaction to these convoluted and cluelessly timed pontifications, and Mary’s hurt and incomprehension at being constantly rebuffed.

The true star of the piece was of course Jane Austen’s dialogue and the fascinating world to which has created a window, and through which we can see a strange intermingling of graceful pleasures and stiff hierarchy, strong individualism embedded into family honour, where women are permitted and expected to dazzle and shine as honourable and “accomplished” persons in their own right, all with the ultimate goal of proving their price at their family’s stall at the genteel marriage market.

It was this world that director Jane Mayfield was able to summon to the 21st Century, through an excellent adaptation of the book, delightful sets, an engaging pace with fast transitions, and some wonderfully choreographed (credit to Cristina Bancora) ballroom scenes, providing just the backdrop to the verbal sparring that we all want and expect from a great Jane Austen adaptation. It had none of the modern intrusions and frothiness of the 2005 film adaptation, and all of the the verve and dexterous philosophising of the 1813 book. Well done!

by Nicolas Holzapfel

Next: Guys and Dolls

Othello - Bridewell Theatre

Tower Theatre company's image

This was my first experience of Othello in any form. I'd never even read it before. Not good for an ex-English student, I know. The Tower Theatre Company's compelling production proved an excellent introduction to the play.

The transformation of Othello (Ray Johnson) from sympathetic, loving bridegroom (albeit not without problems: prejudice and the disapproval of his father-in-law) to desperate, vengeful maniac was plausible and disquieting. The plausibility of his descent into jealousy was aided by Martin Maynard's believable performance as the manipulative Iago. Iago was played in a subtle, understated way, certainly not as a stereotypical villain. He came across an an 'ordinary bloke' who happened to be a sociopath. Which is how most male sociopaths probably come across, hence why it is difficult to identify them.

Amy Wackett was sympathetic as the innocent Desdemona and I really enjoyed Emily Carmichael's performance as the put-upon Emilia, wife of Iago. The development of Emilia's relationships with Iago and Desdemona were interesting to watch. It was a relief when Emilia defended Desdemona.

This was a very physical production with kisses, extended fights, bum slaps, stabbing, (spoiler alert) smothering, strangling...It was all performed to an impressive standard. Incidentally, Othello's physical manifestations of torment were uncomfortably reminiscent of my mental state towards the end of my last job but one.

Every part was well-played; one felt that even the unnamed characters had definite personalities and stories. I enjoyed the relationship between the messenger (Mai Le Dinh) and soldier (Ken Thomson) - was it a burgeoning romance? I also liked the serious, slightly pompous military attache (Nicolas Holzapfel).

The set was minimal, with three 'levels' and a basic 'house' with doors facing the audience on the second level. It had a metallic, forbidding feel to it, which suited the atmosphere of foreboding. The costumes worked well; while it was a 'modern dress' production they weren't strongly tied to any particular era and were different enough from contemporary fashions to allow one to easily imagine the action taking place in an alternative universe*. The costume colours tended to be dark and muted and were very well co-ordinated, particularly in the women's outfits. I loved Desdemona's purple get-ups. Even the shoes matched!

The use of mobile phones and iPads was innovative and amusing. A ringtone is heard. 'What trumpet is that?' Iago checks his mobile. It was all done in a suitably subtle way; there was no shoehorning of modern accoutrements or references.

My only 'criticism', if you can call it that, is that I would've liked to have seen more evidence of the fact that this was taking place in hot climes. I think more suggestion of the heat would have added to the atmosphere of tension.

*With the slight exception of the John-Travolta-in-Saturday-Night-Fever outfit that appeared in the second half.

Next: Not sure. I know I said I was expecting a Pride & Prejudice review...well, I'm not sure whether that's ever coming. Sometimes, like many of the characters in Othello, you just can't have what you want or expect.