tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6 2008-06-30T12:24:01Z Behind the scenes after the final curtain call... Movable Type 3.36 tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2808 2008-06-30T12:14:35Z 2008-06-30T12:24:01Z

The Phantom of the Opera Review by Naima Khan From the don of musical theatre today’s production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ at Her Majesty’s Theatre is still phenomenal. My experience with musicals does not extend much past...

theatrebuff The Phantom of the Opera Review by Naima Khan From the don of musical theatre today’s production of ‘The Phantom of the Opera’ at Her Majesty’s Theatre is still phenomenal. My experience with musicals does not extend much past a Billy Elliot matinee and a brief encounter with Bas Luhrmann’s Moulin Rouge. The world of baritones, tenors, and sopranos, is not a world I’m familiar with. So two and a half hours of the stuff was not something I was prepared for but The Phantom of the Opera was the perfect introduction. There’s not a lot of hard core opera, it’ musical theatre at its best. The seamless set changes, the infectious music and endearing characters draw the audience into the world of late 19th century Paris. I have two housemates who are made about this musical. They banged on about it for weeks after they’d seen it for the first time; so I was a bit sceptical. Could it really live up to the hype? I invited them along last minute knowing they’d be the ones to show me how to truly appreciate it in all its glory. As we waited between the pillars of her majesty’s theatre, to the side of Londoners in suits leaving work and tourists walking around much slower than most of us appreciate, we also got to see the truly unspecific demographic who responded to the Phantom’s allure. Grandparents with teenage grandchildren, ladies in pearls and heels with clutch bags, tourists in baseball caps lugging shopping bags up the stairs to the Royal Circle as equally as excited and curious. ]]> Related Links Buy The Phantom of the Opera tickets]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2757 2008-06-17T17:37:30Z 2008-06-17T18:31:56Z

David Mamet's, "Boston Marriage" The Sturdy Beggars Theatre Company Friday 6 June 2008 Review by Tim Kernutt Is it the second coming of Oscar Wilde? No, it is David Mamet at his scriptwriting best. And judging by the performance of...

theatrebuff David Mamet's, "Boston Marriage" The Sturdy Beggars Theatre Company Friday 6 June 2008 Review by Tim Kernutt Is it the second coming of Oscar Wilde? No, it is David Mamet at his scriptwriting best. And judging by the performance of David Mamet', "Boston Marriage", directed by Alex Andreou, the Sturdy Beggar's Theatre Company are certainly an ambitious, talented and passionate bunch. Playing to a packed audience in the cosy Pacific Playhouse near London Bridge, the play impressed everyone with its perfect take on Mamet's saucy storyline. Mamet's scripting of "Boston Marriage" was said to be in direct response to certain criticism of his writing, which people had told him was male-centric. In fact, some people went even further and told him that he did not offer good roles for women at all. "Boston Marriage" was a direct face-off to his critics, and interestingly the title of the play refers to New England women at the turn of the twentieth century - often feminists or intellectuals - who lived with one another, sometimes without men. The women were often independently wealthy and even though the relations between the women co-habiting were sometimes sexual, this was not always the case. But if not sexually connected, invariably the women would at least be emotionally tied. ]]> Related links: Sturdy Beggars official site.]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2638 2008-05-23T14:35:07Z 2008-05-23T15:36:20Z

Michael Jackson - Thriller Hammersmith Apollo 16 May 2008 Review By Tim Kernutt Ask anyone aged under forty to provide a soundtrack to their lives, and it will undoubtedly include a song by Michael Jackson. The man is a...

theatrebuff Michael Jackson - Thriller Hammersmith Apollo 16 May 2008 Review By Tim Kernutt Ask anyone aged under forty to provide a soundtrack to their lives, and it will undoubtedly include a song by Michael Jackson. The man is a living legend, mostly - it has to be said – for the right reasons. So a West-End production on the musical life of Michael Jackson is hard to say no to for anyone born in the 1970s or 1980s. Luckily I fall into the latter category. However, it appears I am showing my immaturity through lack of intelligence as I did not realise that a West-End production could be held in Hammersmith. Call me crazy, but I believed that the West-End stretches to Leicester Square, not Hammersmith. It was lucky for the promoters of the night that the Hammersmith Apollo was chosen as a venue, as it can hold quite some crowd. And that crowd was as diverse as the various festivals over UK's summer, the stage as glitzy as Vegas, the atmosphere positively charged, the stage set for Wacko Jacko to show-off his full repertoire of songs, and the audience filled with screaming girls shouting, "We love you Michael, we love you Michael!". The small hitch being, of course, that Michael Jackson was no-where to be seen. This was a night for Michael Jackson without Michael Jackson, and the screaming girls could have screamed until their voice-boxes collapsed and still not heard even a whimper in response from the man who is an icon of the late twentieth century. ]]> Related Links Buy Michael Jackson tickets Buy Theatre tickets]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2625 2008-05-19T15:42:51Z 2008-05-19T15:56:48Z

Derren Brown ‘Mind Reader - An Evening of Wonders’ Garrick Theatre Review by Adam Walker With a title like that, Mr Brown had a lot to live up to. The stage dressed in baroque 1930’s velvet curtains and fake foliage,...

theatrebuff Derren Brown ‘Mind Reader - An Evening of Wonders’ Garrick Theatre Review by Adam Walker With a title like that, Mr Brown had a lot to live up to. The stage dressed in baroque 1930’s velvet curtains and fake foliage, gave way to a small chest like box roped to the tip of the proscenium arch. This later became the focus for what was about to be preceded by two-hours of old skool ‘mind reading’. Derren emerged to a thunderous applause, in an audience populated by the extremes of generation. And this is where his appeal lies; from the under 16’s to the over 55’s, magic and illusion is a universal intrigue – which might explain this, his second nationwide tour, his residency on Channel Four, and his growing empire of books and DVDs. But for one night, of only thirty-two performances, Derren Brown was our personal master of psychology. ]]> Related links: Derren Brown tickets. West End theatre tickets.]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2602 2008-05-12T11:39:18Z 2008-05-12T11:52:57Z

Never Forget Savoy Theatre First Night Review Review by Zarina Raja As an original Take That fan – although obviously excited - I was apprehensive about the re-enactment of the creation of the best boy band to emerge in...

theatrebuff Never Forget Savoy Theatre First Night Review Review by Zarina Raja As an original Take That fan – although obviously excited - I was apprehensive about the re-enactment of the creation of the best boy band to emerge in the UK. Seated amongst reams of hyper, middle-aged, women, I felt oddly at home. A tinkling excitement wrapped itself round the Savoy theatre as if we were about to witness the real Take That. As a gorgeously old-school TT song pumped through the Savoy – possibly It Only Takes a Minute Girl, I was too excited to take note – the crazed women in my row let out a cackling and infectious whoop of delight. If anything, Never Forget managed to carry the ecstatic atmosphere that a real TT concert has. ]]> Related Links Buy Never Forget tickets ]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2586 2008-05-07T16:19:30Z 2008-05-12T10:55:23Z

Your Line or Mine? The Mayoral Elections! Landor Theatre, Clapham April 27 2008 Review by Tim Kernutt Sunday-Funday is a term that has been in vogue for the last few years, and clearly Abandon Theatre has caught the fever as...

theatrebuff Your Line or Mine? The Mayoral Elections! Landor Theatre, Clapham April 27 2008 Review by Tim Kernutt Sunday-Funday is a term that has been in vogue for the last few years, and clearly Abandon Theatre has caught the fever as well as their Sunday evening comedy improvisation show, "Your Line or Mine", was about as entertaining a Sunday evening as you can possibly get. However, judging by the reaction of the audience, several people were unceremoniously and horrifyingly cast back to drama class at school. If the audience members weren't up to the improvisation task, the cast-members certainly were and their physically and mentally challenging performance was rewarded by the crowd's overwhelmingly positive reaction to the fare on offer. Whilst being a show based on traditional theatre sports is by no means new – cast your minds back to "Whose Line is It Anyway?" – the talent of the cast-members was impressive. Unfortunately, the size of the crowd did not do the performance justice, but such is the comedy circuit. ]]> Related links: Landor Theatre's official site. Abandon Theatre. Landor Theatre on Seatwave. ]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2584 2008-05-07T11:37:21Z 2008-05-08T09:05:46Z

Tell Me…Lies Arts Theatre 7 May 2008 Review by Zarina Raja Tell Me…Lies is a production depicting mental illness. The play itself stays away from dramatic scenes of madness by subtlety locating mental illness in the life of Abi. It...

theatrebuff Tell Me…Lies Arts Theatre 7 May 2008 Review by Zarina Raja Tell Me…Lies is a production depicting mental illness. The play itself stays away from dramatic scenes of madness by subtlety locating mental illness in the life of Abi. It reveals the everyday tussles that one may face when they are confronting mental illness. The play centres around Abi and Emma, two bereaved sisters, who are struggling to come to terms with the death of their mother. Emma - the sister with a successful career, boyfriend, and the ability to process her grief - is torn between wanting to help Abi and getting frustrated with her irrational and sometimes selfish behaviour. From the audience’s point of view, Abi is desperately trying to get back on track after her mother’s death. It appears that she has two friends to help her out, Fleur and Matt. Fleur, however, is not the person that we think she is. ]]> Related links: Tell Me... Lies official site. The ArtsTheatre. ]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2485 2008-04-17T16:45:44Z 2008-04-17T17:04:12Z

Harper Regan National Theatre 16th April Review by Kate Spieg Harper Regan, as both play and character, pulled no punches, was not afraid to shirk round any of the issues of grief, racism, paedophilia and love. Set against a...

theatrebuff Harper Regan National Theatre 16th April Review by Kate Spieg Harper Regan, as both play and character, pulled no punches, was not afraid to shirk round any of the issues of grief, racism, paedophilia and love. Set against a minimal and effective backdrop, desolate London scenes and echoing sound effects of snippets of conversations, we followed Harper Regan and her family in their journeys over three days. In the opening and slightly wooden scene, Harper is begging her boss for time off to go and see her estranged dying father, who interspersed refusing her request with pontifications on his enthusiasm for ‘these immoral last days of the enlightenment’ where you can ‘get anything you want from the internet’. The audience was gradually drawn into Lesley’s compelling performance, following her as she left her husband and daughter, job, and financial crisis, without a word of explanation, and headed North to be at her father’s side. She was too late. And was a 2 day trip to Stockport turned into an epic including a stabbing in a pub at 11am, an elicit encounter with a strange man in a hotel room met on the internet, and the discovery from her mother after a gap of two years that her father was not the hero she’s always thought him to be.]]> ‘When you think you know what’s happening, that’s when it’s dangerous’ The complexity of family relationships was subtly explored through the gradual revealing of Harper’s husband’s arrest 2 years previously in a child pornography scandal, in which photos were discovered on his computer and he was put on the Sex Offenders register, unable to find work. Fiercely defended as innocent by his daughter, Harper’s parents cut off all contact with their family, and the elephant in the room took over. Conversations between Harper and her teenage daughter were as close to the bone as only a mother and daughter relationship can be, with occasional insights so cleverly scripted as to make you catch the eye of the person sitting next to you in the darkness. How we live in a godless world, in which people live by, and rely on the internet, googeling all the news they need, where sixth-formers don’t speak to each other, and family feuds can fester for life-times and more…were all explored in this play. Despite the slight over-sentimentality of the ending, the possibility of redemption alongside and acceptance of the imperfectness of humans was both powerful and clear. Harper summed it up; ‘Do you know what’s poison?. Regret, regret, fear and jealousy’. Related Links Buy Theatre tickets ]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2482 2008-04-17T10:28:24Z 2008-04-17T21:31:59Z

THE LITTLE MERMAID Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Broadway at 46th Street Review by Katie Spain “How do mermaids pee?” It was a question that plagued my childhood years and one that Disney’s animated film didn’t answer. After all, Disney doesn’t ‘do’ bodily...

theatrebuff THE LITTLE MERMAID Lunt-Fontanne Theatre Broadway at 46th Street Review by Katie Spain “How do mermaids pee?” It was a question that plagued my childhood years and one that Disney’s animated film didn’t answer. After all, Disney doesn’t ‘do’ bodily functions. What he does do however, is a cracking storyline and enchanting characters. I’m old enough now to realise that mermaids don’t lower themselves to toilet matters, so the latest questions to burn my brain ran along the lines of “Will the stage adaptation of The Little Mermaid live up to the film?” and “Will the tails look tacky?”. A recent trip to The Big Apple provided the perfect excuse to find out. There’s something about Broadway; even when your inbound flight is late and you have to make a mad dash to the theatre. Yes, even when your only salvation is a packet of wet wipes in the back of a yellow cab, you feel a rush when the lights of New York’s theatreland hit your face. After years pounding London’s West End, my first brush with Broadway was all the more exciting. I regressed from my mid-twenties straight back to childhood. I know all the words to The Little Mermaid, I’ve watched the Disney film more times than I’d like to admit and I still think Prince Eric has the most gorgeous eyes in cartoon world. When I was twelve I wanted to be Ariel, I cowered when I heard King Triton’s booming voice and Ursula’s tentacles gave me the chills. So, it was with a skip in my step that I joined the kiddies running towards their seats. ]]> Related links: West End theatre tickets. ]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2481 2008-04-17T09:35:48Z 2008-04-17T09:51:07Z

Gone with the Wind New London Theatre Opens April 22 following previews from April 5. Review by Angela Lord Gone with the Wind breezes onto the London stage in an ambitious re-working which aims to breathe new life into this...

Seatwave Gone with the Wind New London Theatre Opens April 22 following previews from April 5. Review by Angela Lord Gone with the Wind breezes onto the London stage in an ambitious re-working which aims to breathe new life into this classic by setting it to music. The story follows the fortunes of feisty heroine Scarlett O’Hara as she weathers the storms whipped up in the wake of the American civil war. American Jill Paice makes a superlative Scarlett – an elfin beauty, slight but strong, with a voice clear as a Southern belle. I have to admit I was taken aback to learn that Darius Danesh has been chosen as the male lead. Darius from Pop Idol? The poseur who didn’t win, but went on to have a hit single with Colourblind? Yes, that’s the one. ]]> Related links: Gone with the Wind tickets. Sign up for our free newsletter. ]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2480 2008-04-17T09:28:46Z 2008-04-17T09:34:40Z

Hamlet Tobacco Factory Bristol Until May 3rd Review by Sophie Pollard Jonathon Miller guest directs the first production of Hamlet by the Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory (SATTF) company this month in Bristol. Miller’s vision of the quintessential revenge tragedy...

Seatwave Hamlet Tobacco Factory Bristol Until May 3rd Review by Sophie Pollard Jonathon Miller guest directs the first production of Hamlet by the Shakespeare At The Tobacco Factory (SATTF) company this month in Bristol. Miller’s vision of the quintessential revenge tragedy remains true to the text with an abundance of intrigue, death and madness. In the Tobacco Factory’s intimate setting, Miller deliberately avoids a modern set design for this production, instead opting for only three pugh’s at the stage centre. This gives the audience (and actors) little chance for their concentration to slip during the shows four hour run, allowing attention to focus on the rich poetic language that is beautifully delivered. ]]> Related links: Tobacco Factory. Theatre tickets on Seatwave. Sign up for our free newsletter.]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2466 2008-04-09T12:35:56Z 2008-04-09T12:52:02Z

7 Deadly Sins New Players Theatre Review By Zarina Raja Sorry, but what? I don’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. The concept of 7 Deadly Sins is great – but the actual...

theatrebuff 7 Deadly Sins New Players Theatre Review By Zarina Raja Sorry, but what? I don’t know what I was expecting, but it certainly wasn’t what I got. The concept of 7 Deadly Sins is great – but the actual production itself didn’t convince me. 7 Deadly Sins depicts wrath, sloth, greed, pride, envy, lust and gluttony through a range of tongue-in-cheek-songs and snippets of an adult version of Punch and Judy. The Tiger Lilies are a hugely popular three-piece band that put on various Punked up Cabaret shows and have embarked on world-wide tours, scooping up various awards and a dedicated fan base along the way. With this in mind, I was expecting something gloriously dark, fantastically Punk and highly creative. It was – kind of – but it just wasn’t any good. What with The Tiger Lilies being so popular, I must have completely missed the point. The heart of what the Tiger Lilies represent seemed to sail straight over my head – just like the fake s*** that was thrown into the audience during the performance. I kid you not. Oh, did I mention that the drummer then proceeded to eat his fake excrement? ]]> Related Links Buy 7 Deadly Sins tickets]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2397 2008-03-26T10:30:43Z 2008-03-26T10:47:43Z

Othello Sturdy Beggars The Pacific Playhouse Review by Katie Spain Before I bombard my keyboard with a review of Sturdy Beggars’ production of Othello, I want to share an observation. There are two types of people in this world: 1....

theatrebuff Othello Sturdy Beggars The Pacific Playhouse Review by Katie Spain Before I bombard my keyboard with a review of Sturdy Beggars’ production of Othello, I want to share an observation. There are two types of people in this world: 1. The type who adores the work of Shakespeare in all its mighty forms. 2. The type who studied it in their youth, hated it, and stubbornly continue to do so. I’m tempted to add a third slice to the society pie – the type of people who have never come across Shakespeare. The more I think about it, the more absurd it seems. Most people don’t realise it, but our lives are steeped in the playwright’s literary observations. It’s there in advertising, in modern-day movies, in the quotes we use to impress our mates, and in the people we meet. If only Shakespeare could have observed the domestic I had with my boyfriend after leaving the three-hour marathon that was Othello. I’m sure there’d be a play in it. ]]> Related links: Sturdy Beggars' official site. Othello on Seatwave. The Pacific Playhouse. Playing for ten nights - from the 20th to the 29th March - 7pm The Pacific Playhouse, 5-6 Playhouse Court, 62 Southwark Bridge Road, Borough, LONDON SE1 0AT ]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2387 2008-03-19T17:37:07Z 2008-03-19T17:47:58Z

The Immodest Tease Show Koko, London 18th March 2008 Review by Katie Spain Where’s an espresso martini when you need it most? Unfortunately, Koko doesn’t ‘do’ martinis… well, not usually. The last time burlesque beauty Immodesty Blaize pointed her tasselled...

theatrebuff The Immodest Tease Show Koko, London 18th March 2008 Review by Katie Spain Where’s an espresso martini when you need it most? Unfortunately, Koko doesn’t ‘do’ martinis… well, not usually. The last time burlesque beauty Immodesty Blaize pointed her tasselled bosoms in my direction was at the Pigalle Club in central London. It was opulent, it was intimate and I came out raving about the beauty of curves. I expected the same from her larger scale ‘Immodest Tease Show’ at Koko. By the looks of the never-ending line of people, the punters did too. You’ve got to hand it to burlesque fans – they go the aesthetic distance. Shiny metallic trousers, sequins, glitter, perfectly sculpted hair (and that was just host Julian Clary!). Meanwhile, we decorated ourselves with finery in the hope to light that Immodesty fire within. ]]> Related links: Immodesty Blaize official site. Tickets for concerts at The Pigalle Club Tickets for concerts at Koko. Review of Immodesty Blaize at The Pigalle Club.]]> tag:theatrebuff.seatwaveblogs.com,2008://6.2385 2008-03-19T09:50:38Z 2008-03-19T09:58:25Z

Taming of the Shrew Tobacco Factory, Bristol Feb 13th – Mar 15th Director: Andrew Hilton Review by Sophie Pollard Shakespeare’s ‘play within a play’ serves up forbidden fruit by the bucket load in the first instalment of this year’s Shakespeare...

theatrebuff Taming of the Shrew Tobacco Factory, Bristol Feb 13th – Mar 15th Director: Andrew Hilton Review by Sophie Pollard Shakespeare’s ‘play within a play’ serves up forbidden fruit by the bucket load in the first instalment of this year’s Shakespeare season at the Tobacco Factory. The forbidden apple, Bianca, has a myriad of suitors desperate for her hand in marriage yet she is forbidden to wed until her rotten apple of an elder sister Katherina marries. Bianca’s suitors hastily set about finding a man fit for the task to tame Katherina with plenty of traditional Shakespearean misdemeanours along the way. The ‘Taming of the Shrew’ houses a complex narrative to say the least, yet Director Andrew Hilton’s vision makes perfect use of actors, costume and props to make this production accessible to all. ]]> Related links: The Tobacco Factory Theatre tickets on Seatwave.]]>