Showing posts with label Online Theatre


The Picture of Dorian Gray

Barn Theatre Digital

★★★★★

The Barn Theatre is back streaming up some magic so that their audiences can stay connected a year after it was announced theatres would close. They’ve had a remarkable journey and this time around they are joined by five venues from across the UK to co-produce an Oscar Wilde classic in the digital age. The Picture of Dorian Gray has been re-imagined by Henry Filloux-Bennett and directed by Tamara Harvey, plunging this classic novel into the current social media-obsessed world that we all experience today. 

The 94-minute production follows influencer Dorian Gray. In a profile pic-obsessed, a filter-fixated world where online and reality blur, he strikes up a deal for his social star to never fade and for the perfect self he broadcasts to the world to always remain. But as his mental health begins to decline, as corruption and murderous depravity start to creep into his world, the true and horrific cost of his deal will soon need to be met. 




Jam-packed with a stellar casting, 7 very well-known actors (Alfred Enoch, Emma McDonald, Stephen Fry, Russell Tovey, Joanna Lumley, Fionn Whitehead) bring the unforgettable characters within Oscar Wilde’s dazzling novel to life in a glitzy affair. The modern references to the pandemic are cleverly intertwined into the story, with some great transitions between the different characters and media sources to develop the storytelling for this style of production. Lady Narborough (Joanna Lumley) offers a stark realisation surrounding the influence of social media on a young person’s life and how that impacts their mental health. Her performance is the main thread that navigates us through Dorian’s story and she captures the flirtatiousness and wealth of her character through every second of the production. I thoroughly enjoyed how Lumley aligned the story to help question different themes throughout the storyline.  

The Picture of Dorian Gray flows rapidly through the story, especially as we start to build a relationship with Dorian himself. Our protagonist, the exceptionally vain character, played by Fionn Whitehead goes on a real journey as Dorian. We start to see how his youth and physical attractiveness are ever weakening into an individual who is extremely vulnerable and insecure. Witnessing this physical change in Dorian is striking and at times can be considered a little bit uncomfortable to watch. 

Lord Henry’s character carries a huge influence on Dorian Gray’s path, we see the charm and wit ooze out of Alfred Enoch’s performance. Enoch does a superb job in seducing Dorian into the conversation, he carries great sway and power which is portrayed so well within this format. 

The creative team have done an excellent job in ensuring the layers are built up around Dorian Gray’s story without it losing the main thread. The transitions between the characters and the atmosphere are an unforgettable experience you will thoroughly enjoy. 

This streamed production of The Picture of Dorian Gray is a great tool for understanding the effect that social media can have on a young person’s life. It allows us to dive into our own perspectives on the beauty that we may not often acknowledge enough. This production is captivating from start to finish! 



Hamilton
Disney+
★★★★★

Hands down probably the most anticipated release on Disney+ since its release in 24 March, Hamilton. Featuring the original Broadway cast, this 2016 recording was back when the show was in its element, before it went on to tour and even transferred here in the UK in 2017. This landmark musical from Lin-Manuel Miranda has made earthquakes since it began, Hamilton has received the most nominations for any musical, winning 11 of the 16 Tony awards in its history. The soundtrack which I have listened to repeatedly has become the highest-selling 'cast recording' album of all time.  Disney+ gave me the opportunity to see one of the most popular and most critically-acclaimed musicals ever made and see whether it lived up to its hype for me.

Hamilton tells the dramatised life of Alexander Hamilton, who rises from poverty in the West Indies to become Secretary to the Treasury in the first cabinet assembled in America. We experience his role in building the nation's government, his marriage, his fatherhood, his political downfall and finally his death. Hamilton is the origin story of a country but also with Alexander Hamilton's determination, it's a moving story from the start. 

What makes Hamilton more iconic is Miranda's blend of hip-hop, rap, and classic musical theatre, and the script's indirect linking of the US fight for independence with its current state of racial inequality, raised profound questions about contemporary America. Fusing all of these elements together within a musical makes it something remarkable and to be able to access it from home is incredible stuff. 




This musical also uses a multi-racial cast and features them as key figures in American history, which is a powerful element of telling this story. Hamilton has moments of joy and emotional ones too, the finale 'Who Lives, Who Dies, Who Tells Your Story' will stay with you long after the show has finished. 

Collectively the casting of the 2016 production are stellar and unforgettable. It was great to be able to experience Lin-Manuel Miranda take on the leading role as Alexander Hamilton in the show he was writer and lyricist for. He was superb and really captured the many levels of Hamilton's determined character to the more vulnerable sides. Phillipa Soo who plays Eliza Hamilton has an incredible vocal range and emotion in undertaking this character, her rendition of Burn is my favourite song in the show. Jonathan Groff delivers great humour elements in his role as King George III but the entire delivery of this unbelievably talented cast is something to really enjoy in this production. 

I absolutely loved every moment of this show and although I miss the theatre a lot, I feel very fortunate to be in a position where I can access some of this magic still. 

Watch Hamilton on Disney+ right now! 



I'm no stranger to One Dance UK's platform, U.Dance having being involved with it for two years, with Plymouth in 2015 and Salford in 2016. Every summer companies, their young people and professionals from up and down the country gather in a location to celebrate this part of the dance sector. 

U.Dance would be holding a range of activities for the young people throughout a weekend, including professional workshops, careers talks and then the opportunity to show their skills in an evening's performance too. It's here we see future dance professionals really strut their stuff and it's an event that has an incredible electric atmosphere like no other. This year they've not let the pandemic stop them in their strides, but in fact the U.Dance National Festival is transferring to an online format, all for FREE!



It will be held from 17-19 July 2020 and is aimed at dancers aged 11-19 years - up to 25 if the participant has a disability. Young people have the opportunity to engage with a vast range of opportunities available.  You can take part in the sessions for free, they include;

  • Daily Warm Ups from Dame Darcey Bussell, Kerry Fletcher & Natasha Khamjani and Khyle Eccles. 
  • Daily Masterclasses*
  • Career Chats*
  • Industry Spotlight Q&A*
  • Watch Parties 
*pre-registration is required for these sessions. 

It's a really exciting event in uncertain times that I would encourage young people to get involved with. U.Dance have also released two digital-type challenges that you can get involved with as well! If you are a young, aspiring dancer then this event is sure to ignite your engines and passion during this time.  

"This event will continue in the tradition of previous U.Dance regional events and national festivals, all the while being more inclusive and accessible than ever before, bringing high quality dance workshops and sector knowledge direct to young people all over the country. Whilst we are in a very trying period for the arts, it is important to remember that we will rebuild and grow again, and this celebration of dance will inspire and inform our next generation of dancers, dance makers and dance leaders.”

Andrew Hurst, Chief Executive of One Dance UK

 

“The U.Dance National Festival is a highlight of the year for many eager young dancers. At this challenging time, it is more important than ever that we recognise the many physical, mental and creative benefits of dance. U.Dance Digital 2020 aims to celebrate the diverse range and quality of dance taking place across the UK and to allow young people to come together to celebrate their passion for dance.”

Laura Nicholson, Head of Children and Young People’s Dance at One Dance UK

 

You can keep up with the latest news on U.Dance Digital and get registered onto the many fantastic events available to you by visiting their website

How have we managed to survive 4 months without the theatre, like over 100 days?! I'm really missing all of the little elements of a theatre visit that we took for granted under our noses. It's a really tough time for theatres right now and it's vital that we all get behind them over the next few months. For the past two months I have been really been getting to grips with theatre content being streamed online for the past 2 months and some of it is incredible! I wanted to share some quick thoughts on the shows I've seen over the last two months with you. 

The Midnight Gang
Chichester Festival Theatre

The Chichester Festival Theatre's 2018 production of The Midnight Gang was exactly the warmth of a show that I'm really missing. Taking on David Walliams' best-selling children's book is brought to life, resulting in a energetic and heartwarming story of fun, friendship and the importance of kindness. It definitely gave me the same level of production from another production of a Walliams' book, The Boy in the Dress which I saw at the start of the year. I loved how the characters on the children's ward of the spooky Lord Funt Hospital came to life, it definitely deserves a return to the stage in the future. 


Romeo and Juliet,
Matthew Bourne.

Matthew Bourne delivers some of the most striking dance productions and it's no different when it comes to re-imagining Shakespeare's classic love story, Romeo and Juliet. The contemporary style bursts with energy and Bourne's trademark storytelling is what sets his work apart from everyone else. This re-imagining is set in the white-tiled Verona Institute, where groups of young people are drilled and drugged into conformist submission. The familiar sounds of Prokofiev's score is given a re configuring by Terry Davies, but it aligns perfectly with the storytelling and the energy throughout the piece. I felt really fortunate to be able to see this on my TV screen and it still gave me goosebumps! 

Wise Children

Emma Rice does a fantastic job in this joyous production of Angela Carter's Wise Children which I really enjoyed watching. The show is set in Brixton and around twin chorus girls, Nora and Dora Chance who were both born and bred south of the river. They are celebrating their 75th birthday and this story follows their story in show business, family, forgiveness and hope. There's show girls, Shakespeare, sex and scandal, music, mischief and mistaken identity. I love how many different elements are intertwined into this production and I enjoyed the staging of it too. 

Cats the Musical,
Andrew Lloyd Webber

I don't actually remember when I last sat and watched Cats, so having it streamed as part of The Show Must Go On was the perfect opportunity. I believe Cats is a musical that very much divides the theatre community but I actually quite like the 1998 film. Gillian Lynne's choreography in this show is sublime and timeless, aligned with the unforgettable score too. It was nice to enjoy more of a "classic" musical during this time. 

A Piece of String
Mercury Theatre

This show was perfectly released aligned with VE Day back in May. A Piece of String is a new musical set simultaneously in the 1940s and in the present day. It is centred around Jane's father,  Edward who comes back from the Second World War with a secret that would change his life forever. A Piece of String really does have the most beautiful score and a heart-rending human story at the heart of it. It was a show that gave me lots of goosebumps..and tears!

EXO,
Motionhouse

I'm no stranger to the exhilarating work from  Dance-Circus company, Motionhouse so I was delighted to see they had made some of their previous works available through a dedicated YouTube channel. Oxo is a stunning outdoor spectacle that features two amazing performers, a JCB digger and a driver. This 20 minute display of strength and beauty literally takes your breath away in this performance.  It's really worth watching for yourself! 

Small Island
National Theatre

Probably one of the most important pieces of theatre I'm going to lay my hands on is Andrea Levy's epic novel, Small Island. Thanks to the National Theatre we've revisited the 2019 production and it definitely has struck a cord with me as a viewer. Small Island tells the stark realities interwoven and troubled histories between Jamaica and the UK, from World War 2 through to 1948, taking on the perspectives of two heroines, across two countries. Parts of this show were really emotional and raw for me, the adventure really sucks you in and the set design does an effective job in transporting you through the twists and turns in the story too. 

Alegria,
Cirque du Soleil

News has recently been released that this wonderful company have cut '3,500 jobs to avoid bankruptcy' so it's more important than ever to get behind them. I love Cirque du Soleil's work, I've seen two productions of theirs in the past and they're incredible. Alegria is one I haven't seen but thanks to their 60-minute specials on YouTube, you can get a glimpse of what these guys do! It's one of the most iconic shows from the company, watch the incredible acrobats transport you into a world like no other in this production. 

Reasons To Be Cheerful,
Graeae Theatre Company

Graeae Theatre  are an inclusive company whose diversity and forward thinking presents a joyous production with Reasons To Be Cheerful. I have admired this style of work for years so being able to enjoy it from my home is really quite something. This 2017 production has music by Ian Dury and the Blockheads. It's a coming of age story whose music really helps keep the energy pumping through this production, with some fantastic snippets of humour too. It does have a nod to highlighting the welfare system and the brutal cuts that has happened in recent years. I had a feel-good experience from this production.

The Last Five Years

A production filmed in isolation? That's exactly what I saw recently with Jason Robert Brown's The Last Five Years. It's really like this show is made for a lockdown situation. Lauren Samuels and Danny Becker did a superb job in bringing the story of doomed lovers Cathy and Jamie to life, with Samuels making a directorial debut. I see her TikTok's are paying off ;)! Lauren Samuels' vocals in I'm Still Hurting are really gorgeous and the transition through the story is swift but easy to follow. This show made me really intrigued and curious by how we can shift theatre through new mediums moving forward. 

The Grinning Man
Bristol Old Vic 

The Grinning Man is hands down becoming one of my favourite shows of 2020 and I experienced it during lockdown. The Grinning Man, based on the novel by Victor Hugo entitled The Man Who Laughs is this haunting but heartwarming tale that will stay with you forever. It tells the story of a horribly disfigured boy whose mouth is sliced at the edges by an unknown perpetrator into a huge, bloody gash. He meets a lost baby, a lone wolf, and the man who adopted them. His life is haunted by a terrible secret, he is a person desperate to hide whilst his love, a sightless girl longs to be discovered. The Grinning Man has epic staging, fantastic snippets of breaking the fourth wall and beautiful lyrics. It's really a show I won't be forgetting in a hurry! 



Have you been watching some great theatre at home recently? 



enjoyed this post? save the pin; 

We all know we're itching to get back to "normality" and enjoy all of the things we took for granted before. The West Midlands Culture Response Unit (WMCRU) have been working behind the scenes to develop a response to the virus from over 100 arts organisations in the West Midlands to the Covid-19 crisis in the short, medium and long term for the industry.

Midsummer Festival is going to be a free one-day festival celebrating the arts and culture from the West Midlands on Saturday 20th June. On the day, West Midlands theatre, dance, music, artists and venues will mark the Summer Solstice with a wide range of live, archived and pre-recorded activity for you to enjoy. The festival will also provide some never seen before stuff from companies like the Royal Shakespeare Company, ACE Dance and Music and the Birmingham Contemporary Music Group


The festival, inspired by the annual Midsummer celebrations across the region, the day will feature work influenced by Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream and will respond more generally to nature with open air events in a wide variety of settings across the city. This will include a live performance of short excerpts at Compton Verney, which was the setting for the 1968 film adaptation starring Dames Judi Dench and Helen Mirren. 

Some of the performances you can look forward to being streamed throughout the day include;
  • WILD from daring dance-circus production from Motionhouse
  • A series of Rural Recordings from Pentabus Theatre including Here I Belong by Matt Hartley and Crossings by Deirdre Kinahan. 
  • Rosie Kay will deliver a poem of dance CITY-BREATH-WATER, a response to the beauty and harshness of the city of Birmingham.
  • The award-winning dance and music company Sonia Sabri Company will showcase some of the best highlights of their performances. 
  • Royal Shakespeare Company will provide a workshop on how to create your own fairy bower at home inspired by the wonderous woodland bed of Titania, queen of the fairies. 
  • The day will end with a celebration at the Midsummer Vogue Closing Party hosted by DanceXchange Vogue Tutor Jason Andrew Guest. 
To experience the Midsummer Festival on Saturday 20th June, you can access it through http://www.makeitwm.com/






The theatres are opening up their archives with a fantastic range of productions during the pandemic lockdown in the UK and it's the perfect time to engage with the industry. I have been using the time to watch productions I had missed during their run or opening my mind to new productions, it's been a great experience for me individually.

Credit: JESHOOTS.COM

I have over a page worth's of shows to get through as well as others being added to it regularly, so I'm looking forward to filling my time with productions right now. Instead of writing individual reviews on the shows that will probably take me a while to write, or are written before the availability to watch them runs out; I thought I would just share with you a round-up of the theatre I've been enjoying at home during March and April. 


THE WIND IN THE WILLOWS
One of the first musical productions I watched in isolation was this new musical based on the much-loved novel by Kenneth Grahame. I missed this during it's run in London a couple of years ago. Our favourite characters are back for this show and with a stellar cast line up including Denise Welch as Mrs Otter and Rufus Hound as Toad to name a few. It centres around Toad's insatiable need for speed. It's a really uplifting, warm musical and the soundtrack is wonderful too. The set design is superb and there are some unforgettable characters in this show.
This musical isn't available to stream for free anymore but you can watch it for a small fee, visit their website here

EUGENIUS! 
This new musical by Ben Adam and Chris Wilkins had two runs at The Other Palace in 2017 and 2018, was released to raise money for Acting for Others at the tail end of March. It's a fantastic, fun and electric musical that follows nerdy kid Eugene who dreams of making a superhero movie. It did well during it's run, nominated for five WhatsOnStage Awards including Best New Musical, Best Actor and Best Actress. It's a really easy musical to follow along with, has catchy songs in it and infectious energy around it. I really enjoyed this show!
You can still watch this show here

ROCKY HORROR SHOW LIVE
This outrageous musical is definitely one to get you up dancing during isolation! The 2015 production was filmed in celebration of the 40th anniversary, there's a whole host of celebrity guests throughout the show that add to the chaos. It's one of my favourite feel-good musicals so I was thrilled to be able to watch this one.
You can still watch this show here

TREASURE ISLAND
National Theatre is bringing some of their gorgeous productions in the homes of the country during this tough time and they're such a delight to be able to watch. One of them I watched in April is the 2014 production of Treasure Island. What a gorgeous retelling of the Robert Louis Stevenson, I was gripped instantly by this show and felt so lucky to be able to watch it from my home. The staging of the Treasure Island in this production is incredible and really carries the wow factor. I liked the way in which each actor interpreted their characters, especially Jim Hawkins and Long John Silver. 



FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS
Such a beautiful production this one! Flowers for Mrs Harris is based on the novel by Paul Gallico about a charlady's dream of owning a Dior gown, it stars Clare Burt, Joanna Riding and Gary Wilmot.  It's not a big song and dance musical but it definitely packs emotional drive to draw the audience in. I love how simplistic the staging is in order to execute the job with this show though. Brought to us by Chichester Festival Theatre who have loads of great performances online right now. 

US AGAINST WHATEVER
Something different that I watched whilst at home in April, Us Against Whatever brought to us by Hull Truck Theatre. This cabaret-style piece shines a light on the places we keep in our hearts from the award-winning company, Middle Child. There are mentions of Brexit and some modern references into sexuality and relationships that bring this show a lot of strength. I really enjoyed their interaction with the audience in this piece, with karaoke on stage during the interval! Such a good performance and a company I'd love to see more work from in the future for sure. 

THE PHANTOM OF THE OPERA
Iconic man in the musical realm, Andrew Lloyd Webber has been allowing people to enjoy some of this most popular shows of all time every Friday night. It's become a proper affair in my home; I pour myself a drink, turn off my phone and make it like a real night in the theatre. In April came the 25th anniversary special of The Phantom of the Opera at the Royal Albert Hall in 2011. This was the last musical I saw in the theatre before lockdown so what a treat, and how wonderful this show is! I've found a real love for this show over the months and this anniversary performance was just as powerful and beautiful. Ramin Karimloo and Sierra Boggess are incredible in this show too! 

LOVE NEVER DIES
During April I also enjoyed watching the sequel to The Phantom of the Opera, Love Never Dies. The musical follows on ten years after the original musical, with the Phantom disappeared from the Paris Opera House to New York, where he now lives amongst the joy rides and freakshows of Coney Island. The production stars Ben Lewis and Anna O'Bryne in the leading of a cast of 36. This show is just as beautifully staged and powerful as it's foundations, I couldn't keep my eyes off it. It wasn't at the same love for me as The Phantom of the Opera but it's still a fantastic musical, I hope I'll be able to see it during its UK Tour when all of this pandemic is over.


Did you watch any theatre at home in March and April?
Read this later, save the pin;



Henry V
Barn Theatre
★★★★

Who would have predicted that the way we witness theatre would shift so much in 2020? We're living in a developing pandemic, meaning our favourite traditional forms of escapism have been swept from under our feet in the click of the fingers. Theatres and companies are facing a really unpredictable time and are engaging in new ways to connect with their audiences during the upcoming weeks. Arts Council England did recently unveil an "emergency £160 million response package for the cultural sector", but of course as audiences/thespians, it is our responsibility to continue immersing ourselves into theatre in whatever capacity we can.  

One theatre getting stuck in and the first show I am reviewing digitally is Barn Theatre's Built by Barn production of William Shakespeare's Henry V. This free event is in aid of the Theatre's #SAVEOURBARN campaign to save the theatre which is looking at a £250,000 loss and potential permanent closure as a result of the pandemic. Both of the programme and soundtrack are available to the general public should they wish to contribute a donation at their discretion. 

The show is directed by Hal Chambers and although the story is historical, this production has been developed to be as current as possible and something that a younger audience can relate to. What a better way to do that moving forward then gaining them access to a digital performance of their production. The premise for that is very much here; the recognizable characters, the familiar storyline and traditional Shakespeare speech used to bring Henry V to life. The production does a superb job in using striking music and projection to transition through the different scenes and atmosphere within the storyline.



The newly crowned King Henry V is played by Aaron Sidwell, an actor known for starring in Eastenders and Wicked. In Barn Theatre's production, he portrays the focused, fearless and committed to the responsibilities of becoming king. Sidwell brings the iconic long monologues with a real sense of intensity and power that oozes through the screen well. Sidwell really does a great job at portraying a familiar character.

The staging is quite simplistic with the use of scaffolding set and military fatigues from Emily Leonard but it plays an important role in showing modernisation of the story. Lauren Samuels plays a good 'Kate' as well as other roles within the production. She knows how to transition between the male and female roles well, not forgetting to give a nod to the class divide in the story.

To be honest, Shakespeare's work isn't something that appeals to me on a personal level. However, I enjoyed what this production from the Barn Theatre had to offer and it gave me a new insight into the work and how we can approach it in a modern context.

I think Barn Theatre has done a superb job using different video footage to bring their production to life to the many households up and down Britain desperate to keep theatre very much alive right now. The addition of interviews with the cast in the interval was a really effective way of understanding the creative process more. The show must go on and the Barn Theatre are making miles already in achieving this!

You can watch the Henry V production for yourself over on Youtube, here.



It's no news that Peter Pan is one of my most loved stories of all time, it's especially magical around this time of year. Over the years BBC has been developing more and more in the ability to bring the best of live theatre to the comfort of your own home. It's a fantastic way of showcasing the best of the West End and beyond, to those who may be unfortunate to access theatre for themselves, especially over the Christmas period. This year BBC aired the production of Mischief Theatre's Peter Pan Goes Wrong on New Years Eve, it's available on BBC IPlayer for the next 30 days I believe if you want to watch it after reading this review.

This is a company whose premise centres around amateur theatre group Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society putting on a production of Peter Pan. A company which is already obtaining a pretty impressive stack of success to it's name. Firstly producing The Play That Goes Wrong, which after two years is still running at the Duchess Theatre. They also have Peter Pan Goes Wrong playing at the Apollo, followed by The Comedy About a Bank Robbery in the Criterion. This showing that the company is very much dominating this style of theatre and is receiving great response in doing so.

This production of Peter Pan Goes Wrong had it's running time reduced by 40 minutes for the TV recording, the company didn't want it to be just another stage show filmed like the one's we've seen before. It's running time was perfect and worked well in staying to the Peter Pan storyline. The complete set itself was rebuilt and relocated in one of the sound stages at Pinewood Studios.



The production has a definite sense of rush in the cramming of every joke from their stage show into the one-hour slot. However the array of gags and slap stick type comedy we endured was and the rate as which they were played by the cast were so exceptionally high that I am surprised that the cameras managed to capture all of that it did, even those parts that if you were sat in the stalls you may have missed otherwise.

The actors physical comedy was such a pleasure to watch, you applaud their ability not to fall apart into barrels of laughter during the entire performance. One of my highlights was the ever changing costume change for Mrs Darling and Tinkerbells's character, she definitely deserved a well needed rest up after this production! It is safe to say that nothing in this play is supposed to go according to plan, it's every production's nightmare to say the least and they touch on absolutely everything you can think of. I particularly enjoyed watching Peter Pan flying through the window and completely taking the window frame out in the process, very smooth sailing!

It was such a delightful and belly laughing performance and I really enjoyed it!

There was really nothing you couldn't enjoy from this production, and it was such a delightful thing to sit and watch before celebrating the New Year!

If you haven't seen a production by Mischief Theatre then I can guarantee after watching how hilarious, innovative and brilliantly creative they have been with this production of Peter Pan Goes Wrong, you'll want to see them live yourselves. am definitely keen to seen more and more of their work live and so glad that BBC were able to produce this for us on their Christmas TV Schedule.

You can catch Mischief Theatre's The Play That Goes Wrong in Curve Theatre, Leicester 20-25 March 2017. 



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