Review of "Parade"

Parade

Presented by SEDOS

The Bridewell Theatre, Bride Lane, Fleet Street

25/11/2009 - 05/12/2009

* Beautiful, Thought Provoking, and Challenging Musical Theatre

SEDOS may be London’s premier amateur theatre company, but the work that it produces holds up to professional standards. This is a company that pushes boundaries and takes risks when selecting its performance material and that presents theatre well worth seeing. Certainly, this is the case with their newest production of “Parade”. A riveting production written by Alfred Uhry and composed by musical theatre prodigy Jason Robert Brown, this difficult piece confronts head on the issues of racism, violence, and legal injustice. Focusing on true events that occurred in Atlanta, Georgia at the turn of the 20th Century, “Parade” is at once dramatic, beautiful, controversial, and heartbreaking. And, although there are areas for growth in this particular restaging, the overall effort is an admirable one.

In 1913, Atlanta was still bitter over the loss of the Civil War, rife with race and class tensions, and seething with contempt for the North. When a young girl was found brutally murdered in the basement of the factory where she worked, it was the factory’s supervisor, Leo Frank, who was charged with the crime. Despite the lack of any clear evidence and his insistent pleas of innocence, Leo Frank was wrongly tried, convicted, and sentenced to death. That he happened to be a middle class, Jewish industrialist from New York did not go unnoticed and newspapers throughout the major cities of the North called for his life to be spared, but to no avail. This is the premise of “Parade”.


This is director Alan Pavis’ debut at the Bridewell Theatre, and he has cast and staged his production skillfully. Despite technical difficulties that delayed the opening night curtain, these issues were quickly resolved and the overall impression of the sound and lighting design was very good. Furthermore, Rachel Williams’ choreography utilized well both the available space and the performers’ varying abilities. Nevertheless, some dance sequences did seem out of place for the tone of the subject matter, particularly the chorus’ employment of “jazz hands” during the trial scene.


Perhaps the most important part of “Parade”, though, is its score. Often described as the Sondheim of his generation, composer Jason Robert Brown is famous for creating beautifully melodic, complex, modern musical theatre. To that end, Musical Director Matthew Gould has obviously worked a great deal with an already very gifted cast, and it has paid off. From Richard Ash’s opening lines to the last note of the piece, “Parade” is beautifully and emotionally sung. The only major issue, then, is the placement and volume of the band. Sitting upstage center, directly behind the area where most of the action takes place, the band frequently drowns out the singer’s voices and makes hearing and understanding the lyrics difficult. In a piece with so little dialogue and where the plot is driven forward by the music, missing even a single line can be disastrous.


As a cast, there are some notable performances and a few very good ones. Ben Fuiava, with his powerful and soulful voice, is exceptionally good as Jim Conley. Paul Wooller as Frankie Epps is fantastically charismatic, and Jason Thomas is excellent as the prosecuting attorney Hugh Dorsey. However, the crucial relationship of the piece is undoubtedly between James Franey and Pippa Lloyd as Leo and Lucille Frank. In the First Act, their relationship seems almost too hostile and restrained and it could benefit from a bit more tenderness and humanity. While the tragedy of their relationship comes from realizing too late how much they have taken their love for granted, there still needs to be some warmth between them from the start. When the warmth is found, however, Franey and Lloyd provide the production with its most resoundingly beautiful moment. The second act’s “All the Wasted Time” is breathtakingly good, and if there was no other merit to this production, it would be worth seeing for these few brilliant minutes alone. Thankfully, though, there is plenty of merit to “Parade”, and it promises an enjoyable, thought provoking evening. 3 Stars.


Playing through December 5th at the Bridewell Theatre on Bride Lane, Fleet Street. Review written by Megan Hunter for Fringe Review: http://www.fringereview.co.uk.

Review of "Secrets"

Secrets

Presented by Flexible Productions

The Cock Tavern Theatre, Kilburn

17/11/2009 - 05/12/2009

*The nature of secrecy is explored in an original work that draws inspiration from its actors’ real lives.

We all have secrets that we keep from others: the romantic entanglements that we’d rather not admit to, the illnesses we hide, matters which seem better kept within families, abuse of one form or another, or events from our past of which we are ashamed. The degree to which we choose to reveal these secrets often goes a long way towards defining our relationships and can provide us with closure or with further confusion. However, it is these secrets that follow us through life and which affect us when we least expect them to that help to shape us and to define our actions. This is the concept of “Secrets”, a devised play created in collaboration with eight actors and director Danielle Coleman, and which weaves the real life secrets of its performers into its storyline. The result of weeks of creative work-shopping and improvisational work, “Secrets” promises a uniquely different theatre experience and it delivers, not least of all because its revelations are highly personal. However, where it succeeds in honesty, it fails in overall consistency.

At nearly two hours in length and with eight separate sets of back-story to develop and expound upon, much of the detail in “Secrets” gets lost in the mix. Some scenes are deeply emotional and well fleshed out, particularly those concerning actress Helen Briscoe, while others desperately need further exploration and explanation. Director Danielle Coleman says that this play is about secrets, although not necessarily the revelation of those secrets. As in real life, we never know the full truth behind what is revealed to us, and often we are left to form our own conclusions about what to believe. While this concept does work at times, at other times we are simply provided with too little information about what is happening to form any conclusion at all. This results in confusion, but little else. This may not be a play about revelations, as such, but it still needs some.

Danielle Coleman has undoubtedly provided her actors with a safe and creative environment in which to reveal themselves. Furthermore, this is an enigmatic and talented group, and watching them play off of each other and explore is very entertaining. At the heart of “Secrets” is the idea that all if its characters are connected in some way, and often this connection is through psychologist Andrew Cleaver. Andrew Cleaver is particularly good in his role, with subtle intensity and expressions which betray far more than his dialogue allows. A s a play about character relationships, “Secrets” has some solid, buildable points; the relationship between Helen Briscoe and James Dutton, for example, is appropriately humorous and distressing, and its intensity is fascinating to watch. Additionally, as a teacher who confronts her own past as a schoolyard bully, Ishbel Nicol is believable and sympathetic, particularly in flashback sequences. And Shireen Walton is lovely as a daughter hiding a family secret. Perhaps the biggest disappointment in “Secrets” is that Shireen Walton is not allowed a greater opportunity to build on her character.

Ultimately, “Secrets” has touching moments, some well structured scenes, and a notable cast. However, as a fully formed production, it falls short. There is still a distinct feeling of this being a “workshop”; there are many good moments, but no consistent through line. At the end, there are just too many unanswered questions and too many loose ends. And while the final scene was crucial to the development of Helen Briscoe’s character, it was an odd choice to end the production and only added to the lingering sense of confusion over the point of the play. As it currently is, “Secrets” is recommended for some exceptional acting and the beginnings of an original and entertaining concept. With a little more work and a concise script editor, “Secrets” has the potential to be very good. 3 Stars.

 

Playing through December 5th at the Cock Tavern Theatre in Kilburn. Review written by Megan Hunter for Fringe Review: http://www.fringereview.co.uk.

Review of "The Faulty Towers Dining Experience"

The Faulty Towers Dining Experience

Presented by: Interactive Theatre Australia

Cafe des Amis, Covent Garden

31/10/2009 - 01/11/2009

*A lively and entertaining trip into the world of Fawlty Towers.

In the downstairs bar of Café des Amis in Covent Garden, a large party of diners is finishing their drinks and awaiting their seating arrangements. Suddenly, through the doors and to a round of laughter, bursts Manuel, a Spanish waiter with a big heart and a small grasp on the English language. He hands out single peanuts from a silver tray, pokes his head into the ladies’ restroom, and scurries around frantically. Following behind him and desperately trying to keep him under control are his employers, husband and wife team Basil and Sybil. When the seating plan has finally been located, the trio begins ushering their guests to their tables. This, of course, generates further confusion, as Basil directs patrons to the wrong places and Manuel unsuspectingly removes their chairs before they can sit down. However, the mayhem is met with further hysterics, signaling that this is no ordinary dining experience. This is the Faulty Towers dining experience.

Based on Fawlty Towers, the 1975 British sitcom by John Cleese of Monty Python fame, the Faulty Towers Dining Experience offers patrons a chance to step into the original series and participate in some of its better-known moments. Basil is as brow beaten by Sybil as ever, and Manuel causes an array of inadvertent, language-barriered chaos. Sybil’s alternating shrill cries and braying laughter permeate the room. Basil is appropriately snobbish and classist, abusive towards Manuel, and petrified of his wife. Moreover, Manuel is endearing and humorous, particularly during his frequent misunderstandings and innocent blunders. By the end of the evening, the chef’s false teeth will have turned up in one lucky diner’s soup, Manuel’s pet rat will have made an appearance, someone will have danced on the tables, and a fire extinguisher will have been dutifully employed. Undoubtedly, your laughter will have also brought you, gasping, to tears. This is predictable, slapstick, sketch comedy in the same vein as the television program, and it is utterly entertaining.


The Faulty Towers Dining Experience is performed by Interactive Theatre, an Australian theatre company based in Brisbane. The production is currently on tour and spent only two brief nights in London. With any luck, they will return for a longer run, as the cast and concept are terrific. Andy Foreman as Manuel, Michael Davoren as Basil, and Alison Pollard- Mansergh as Sybil are each superb impersonators. They do the utmost credit to their original subjects in the scripted moments, and they effortlessly play off each other during improvisation. In particular, Andy Foreman as Manuel is delightful. He crawls under the tables, tosses bread rolls, and escorts guests to the restrooms by hand, never flinching or breaking character for a moment. Indeed, the energy and commitment of the entire cast is infectious.


At £50 per person, this is perhaps a too expensive ticket. However, the price does include two solid hours of entertainment and a three-course meal. The logistics of performing in a restaurant dining room instead of in a theatre also mean that occasionally, some members of the audience miss bits of the action and the pace understandably slows. But this is inevitable, and the cast do their best to include everyone in the more pertinent jokes. Finally, as this is a dining experience, it is important to note that while the entertainment is excellent, the food is far from perfect. However, if you escape without thumbs or false teeth in your soup, consider yourself lucky. After all, you aren’t really there for the food, anyway. 4 Stars.

Playing October 31st and November 1st at Cafe de Amis in Covent Garden. Review written by Megan Hunter for Fringe Review: http://www.fringereview.co.uk.