Review: Pulse Fringe Festival: Ours Was The Fen Country – New Wolsey Studio, Ipswich

The fenlands of East Anglia are an unsettling area. The vast expanse of big skies and dark earth seeming somewhat unnatural to visitors. It’s an area that has undergone considerable change as man drained the land to create some of the most fertile land in the country.

Dan Canham and Silent House have used interviews with 20 fenland residents as the starting point for the latest project. It’s still in the very early stages of development, with the company having just had 2 weeks to develop the piece. Despite the raw state of the piece it already shows great potential.

Mixing verbatim techniques championed by such works as London Road, Canham and company mix live performance with actual residents’ testimony. Through words, movement and sound we hear of the challenges of living in such an exposed and remote setting.

Tales of houses crammed with 24 adults and 34 children, the struggle between traditional Fenlanders and those newcomers who want to drain the land, the distrust of outsiders and a sense of being trapped in the fens, all prevailing themes in this look at an isolated community.

There’s a reflection of the agricultural heritage reflected in the movement. Rhythmic foot stamping, suggesting working the land, ploughing and sowing seed forms the central movement motif.

Despite the toughness of life, there’s also humour here. Stories of Eel heads being used for finger puppets illicit one of several laughs.

There’s obviously still work to do to shape the structure and narrative drive but considering the short germination time, the finished product looks set to be a show to savour.

Originally written for The Public Reviews

Review: Pulse Fringe Festival: Under Stokes Croft – New Wolsey Studio, Ipswich

To begin at the beginning, so starts Dylan Thomas’s epic narrative poem Under Milk Wood, detailing 24 hours in the life of a small, fictional fishing village. It’s also an appropriate line in which to kick off Ipswich’s 12th Pulse Fringe Festival.

Bristol-based poet Jack Dean has updated Thomas’s epic poem to his home city. Where Thomas eavesdropped on the dreams of his characters, Dean has a furry orange monster capturing the city resident’s hopes and dreams.

It’s a part of the city that mixes affluent, aspirational housing but has also suffered civil unrest.

Thomas’s Polly Garter is replaced by new age mother, Woosie Susie, dispensing new age philosophy to her children while practicing yoga. The original ‘No-Good Boyo’ transforms into Jeremy ‘call me Jezo’ a BMW driving, foul-mouthed consultant who would stab anyone in the back to further his business.

Butcher Bynon of the original becomes Beardy Dave, a disillusioned Apple Store employee.

While the structure will be familiar to Thomas fans, this is no carbon copy. Dean uses the original as inspiration but conjures up his own unique world of savage urban poetry. Even without knowing the Bristol settings, the characters are instantly recognisable from any urban environment. Where it does fall slightly down is expecting a non-Bristolian audience to understand all the geographical references.

There’s cleverly integrated use of animation (by Hannah Jane Morley) that provides plenty of humour, in often otherwise bleak descriptions.

It’s an accomplished performance from Dean, who shows much promise as a poet and performer. There are occasional signs of nerves, and latecomers do threaten to distract him, but it’s soon recovered. The show could probably benefit from a slight trimming to the running time but, overall, it’s a clever idea executed with skill and passion.

Originally written for The Public Reviews

News: Theatre swaps stage for TV screen

A Suffolk theatre will be swapping the stage for the TV screen as it features in a BBC documentary.

The Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds will feature in Arts Troubleshooter, a two-part series which see arts expert Michael Lynch visit two arts organisations facing challenging times.

The second episode of the series will focus on the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds, with the first following the story of Northern Ballet in Leeds.

Michael Lynch and the documentary team arrived at the Theatre Royal just after the fthe appointment of Simon Daykin as Chief Executive in April 2011, and tracked a number of projects the Theatre undertook throughout 2011 and the beginning of 2012.

For Simon Daykin, the chance to work on the programme was an ideal way to support the theatre’s in house work;  “As a relatively small organisation, the opportunity to benefit from some additional expertise is always welcome. We were grateful to have Michael join us for his few months of filming, and found it useful to have an external eye looking over our operations throughout that time, and aid our thinking in how we can best continue to use the Theatre to enrich the lives of our community here in Bury St Edmunds and beyond.”

Audiences can watch the outcome as Arts Troubleshooter is aired on BBC2 on Saturday 2 June at 8.15pm

News: Southwold and Aldeburgh Summer Theatre Season launched

The sun may yet to have made a meaningful appearance on the coast this year, but Southwold and Aldeburgh Summer Theatres are looking ahead to a bright summer, with the announcement of their summer season of plays.

Opening the season on July 11 is Dave Freeman’s farce A Bedfull of Foreigners, which will play in the town until 21st July before heading down the coast to play in Aldeburgh from 26th July – 4th August.

Other plays making up the season include Frederick Knott’s Write Me A Murder, Richard Harris and Leslie Darbon’s Two And Two Make Sex, Mark Simpson’s adaptation of The Curse of Dracula and Peter Shaffer’s Five Finger Exercise.

The Jill Freud Theatre Company have been presenting an annual professional  summer theatre season in Southwold since 1984 and expanded into Aldeburgh in 1995.

Alongside the main productions the company will stage a series of children’s theatre productions, poetry and one off drama.

Full details of the season can be found at www.southwoldtheatre.org

News: Corrie Bad Boy expects boos in Lowestoft

Lowestoft’s Marina Theatre is encouraging Coronation Street fans to book tickets to boo one of the Street’s biggest bad boys, announcing Nigel Pivaro will be leaving his character Terry Duckworth in Weatherfield to take on the role of Abanazar in the Suffolk venues’ pantomime, Aladdin, this winter.

The iconic character of Terry Duckworth has become synonymous with the Street, since his first appearance in 1983. His many wicked ways, from breaking his parents’ hearts, along with several girlfriends, to selling his own son, have made him the villain everyone loves to hate.

Pantomime producer Paul Holman, from Paul Holman Associates said: “Nigel is the archetypical soap baddie. He has so much experience to bring to the production of Aladdin at the Marina Theatre and we’re thrilled to have him on board.”

Life away from Coronation Street has seen Nigel has an extensive background in repertory theatre and has appeared in many pantomimes across the country, always playing the villain and always whipping up audiences into a barrage of boos and a hail of hissing!

Pivaro is looking forward to showing Lowestoft residents a true panto villian, “It will be an interesting pleasure to work in the historic sea faring town of Lowestoft, its residents are hardy, inventive and resilient from its fishing roots to leading the way in renewable energy. However my stage persona will not be undergoing any such transformation as I will be sticking to the script to perform one of the most dastardly pantomime villains known to man!"

Aladdin runs at the Marina Theatre, Lowestoft from 18 December to 6 January 2013. Tickets are on sale now, with special discounted pricing for early bookers, available at the Box Office or by calling 01502 533200.

Review: The Sunshine Boys - Savoy Theatre

Comebacks after acrimonious splits are becoming something of a showbiz trend. Take That and Steps just two examples of acts burying the hatchet for a return to the limelight.

Neil Simon looks at a more theatrical reunion. After 43 years of working together, legendary comedy duo Willie Clark and Al Lewis haven’t spoken for 11 years. Willie’s nephew (and agent) is determined to get the duo talking again, if only for the sake of a forthcoming TV documentary.

Simon’s 1972 play however, is beginning to creak as much as the ageing bones of the comics; the script itself contains a paper thin plot that never really tells us much about either men. We wait for a revelatory plot twist that never materialises.  For such a renowned wordsmith such as Simon, more is often said in the silences and pauses than the words themselves.

Those silences, furtive glances and subtle gestures prove to be the ideal material for Danny De Vito’s West End debut. From the moment the curtain goes up on the diminutive De Vito he commands the stage, perfect put down timing, his Clark is frustratingly unlikeable but somehow you can’t help routing for him.

Richard Griffith’s performance is less successful, somewhat overshadowed by De Vito. Griffith’s seems less sure with the piece and, as such, makes for a slightly uneven sparring partner for De Vito. Perhaps it’s intentional; in the piece we see the argument very much from Clark’s viewpoint, painting Lewis as the finger prodding, spitting menace, so Griffith’s more low key approach could be seen to redress that view. It’s a view however, that is left hanging in the air. We wait for some surprise revelation that would explain the split but it never comes.

As it hits its 40th year, the play does seem to have lost pace, the middle scene in the TV studio harking back to a comedy style that, while dated at the time of writing, now seems incongruous with the rest of the piece.

Thea Sharrock’s direction gives plenty of space for De Vito and Griffiths to spar but en route loses focus slightly. Hildegard Bechtler’s beautifully detailed set provides a sumptuous backdrop but it all feels somewhat languid and in need of an injection of pace. For a play about two exponents of split-second comic timing, Simon’s script does seem to run out of energy. It also feels that the star draw of De Vito has pushed the show into too large a venue – what is for the majority of the piece a two hander is lost even in the middle of the stalls, let alone the upper levels.

Although De Vito dominates, there are fine supporting performances from Adam Levy as his put upon nephew Ben and Johnnie Fiori as the non-nonsense nurse.

There’s a growing sense of pathos in the piece, as in much of Simon’s work but this is a production with occasional bright patches rather than wall to wall Sunshine the title may imply.

Caveat: Review of a preview performance.

Feature: The top 10 theatre debate

There’s nothing like publishing a top ten list to get a debate raging. As soon as the list hits the page (or screen) people start to disagree and produce their own lists.

So when Michael Coveney listed his ten favourite theatres, it was only a matter of time before other contenders started to be proposed. Mark Shenton soon followed with his proposals and Rev Stan has now shared her ten favourite venues. Never one to miss a trend, here are my top ten venues.

How have I selected them? A mix of architecture, atmosphere and productions all play a part. Seat comfort is also a key consideration and one that has seen several, otherwise strong contenders, drop off the list.

In no particular order:

1) West Yorkshire Playhouse – Leeds

Two wildly different spaces that can conjure up the epic and the intimate, WYP also combines well thought out public areas and an exciting programme that mixes classics with new work.

2) Marlowe Theatre – Canterbury

Often when a theatre is rebuilt it loses some charm. The Marlowe is a rare exception, a well-designed modern theatre that thinks about artists and audiences.  Add in some of the most comfortable (if orange) seats and it’s one of the finest theatres in the South East

3) Southwark Playhouse – London

The only theatre were the smell is instantly recognisable. Two versatile  spaces that lend themselves to adventurous programming. Where else would you get a musical based on caving?

4) Theatre Royal Drury Lane – London

There’s a lack of West End theatres on this list, mainly because often the Victorian playhouses never designed good spaces for audiences. The Lane though holds a special place in national and personal theatre history and even though it needs a bit of TLC still impresses in  scale, history and design.

5) New Wolsey Studio – Ipswich

There are a couple of venues that if I ever won the lottery I’d love to buy and run. This 100 seat studio space is top of the list. The converted chapel is ideal for small scale shows and perhaps currently doesn’t show its real potential.

6) Norwich Playhouse – Norwich

Despite the venues heightist website, suggesting tall people sit in back row, this small venue works well for a variety of genres and the onsite bar has one of the best atmospheres of any theatre in the county.

7) Royal & Derngate Theatre – Northampton

There’s a real surprise here. The modern atrium that links the Royal and Derngate theatres reminds visitors of a mini National Theatre, but step through the entrance doors to the Royal and you get a traditional theatre hiding behind a modern façade.

8) Courtyard Theatre – Stratford Upon Avon

Thankfully being resurrected, if only temporarily, for the World Shakespeare Festival, The RSC's Courtyard has more atmosphere in this temporary venue than many long serving theatres ever struggle to find.

9) Crucible Theatre – Sheffield

Thrust stages can be difficult but thankfully the Crucible and its varied programme seems to have mastered the stage. It’s also one of those rare venues where the foyer seems to have been given equal thought to auditorium.

10) Young Vic – London

OK, technically three venues but all three are worthy of inclusion. Highly adaptable, it often seems that as much thought is given to changing the configuration as to programming, but it makes for exciting engagement between play and audience.

Of course we shouldn't get hung up on just traditional venues. There's great work being produced by companies who perform in non traditional spaces, or indeed the open air - but that's another list!

Review: The Winter's Tale - Theatre Royal, Norwich

Shakespearian scholars may have to revise their thesis for, if we are to believe Ed Hall’s vibrant staging of The Winter’s Tale, Delia Smith’s now infamous Carrow Road touchline cry of ‘let’s be having yer’ is in fact a long lost line from The Bard. Then again, any production that also includes the line ‘take it away, saxophone sheep’ tells you this isn’t any normal Winter’s Tale.

To keep the football metaphor, it is in many ways a game of two halves. Act one, set in a slick Sicilian court, is a more traditional affair. Modern dress, yes, and set against a chrome clad, minimalist set but played very much low key. As Leontes falsely accuses his wife Hermione of infidelity, he loses both her and their daughter, Perdita.

For a while we think that Propeller have abandoned their normal anarchic style but, post-interval, the action shifts to a wild and debauched Bohemia, complete with rock ‘n’ roll and singing sheep. It’s during this wild festival scene that loveable rouge Autolycus integrates Delia’s words, one of many interactions with the fortunate, or unfortunate, ladies of the front rows.

Among all the revelry there’s a sense that this is perhaps the final fling of youth, a last chance to party before having to face the realities of adulthood and sure, as the party ends, we return to the formality of court.

Hall’s production, despite the odd addition, focuses heavily on delivering a clear text. On the whole it succeeds, with Leontes’ final reconciliation with wife and daughter played out with almost brutal clarity. If there is any issue with the production it is that the ingenuity of the polar opposite of styles often serve to highlight why some see this as one of Shakespeare’s ‘problem’ plays. Is it a play or actually two plays? The tragedy of Sicilia and the ribald comedy of Bohemia. Both very well performed and directed but sitting somewhat uncomfortably with each other.

There are fine performances throughout the all-male ensemble. Robert Hands’ Leontes balances rage and regret beautifully, while Richard Dempsey as his wronged Queen is an impressive study in dignity even when betrayed.

There’s fine comic work from Tony Bell’s ageing rocker Autolycus, including a well-timed scene seeing him rob Karl Davies’ young shepherd of almost all of his clothes.

Purisits may frown upon the interpretation and Beyonce numbers may not feature in many editions of the Complete Works but, at the end of the day Shakespeare himself was a storyteller, and here Propeller fulfil that remit – they take a well-known tale, not without its issues, and breathe new life into it. As a rallying cry to experience a bold and brave Shakespeare, as Delia herself would say ‘let’s be having yer’.

Originally written for The Public Reviews

Review: HighTide Brunch Plays - The Cut, Halesworth

A leisurely Sunday morning. Coffee, bacon rolls and new writing. What could be better? HighTide have assembled a team of writers either based in, or inspired by the area, to write a series of micro plays. Given rehearsed, script in hand, readings, the series of ‘Brunch Plays’ allows an audience to see the germ of an idea in an informal setting.

Tracks by Shiona Morton is set on a small station on the East Suffolk Line. It’s a quiet Sunday, an unmanned station but for Ryan the chance conversation with a passenger gives him the only entertainment on an otherwise dull day. Morton captures perfectly those one sided conversations we’ve all witnessed on public transport, the talker and the reluctant listener. There’s also an evocative picture painted of the train line offering hope of escape from the town but one that, for Ryan at least, is possibly a step to far into the unknown.

One of the characters in Berri George’s Footpaths states that ‘you can’t move around here for writers’ – possibly an accurate summary of Halesworth this weekend but that wry observation aside, this tale of a chance meeting in a cabbage field turns into an examination of lost love, lost dreams and the desire to escape. There’s a feeling here that the piece could easily be expanded into a longer piece and that we are only scratching the surface of the story.

John Barton’s The Rules Of The Game is possibly the strongest of the four offerings. Packed full of witty one-liners, and well-drawn characters, this tale of a couple reuniting hides a much darker heart under the wit. There’s strong imagery and clearly defined characters despite the short length. The sense of wanting to return to a safer, secure, childhood setting is beautifully observed and again could easily be envisioned as part of an expanded work.

Rounding of the first weekend of Brunch Plays, Karis Halsall’s Bizarre will ring all to true for anyone who has ever had experience of the impenetrable rules of parish council hierarchy. In a village hall the Christmas bazaar is underway but a newcomer’s blatant breach of established rules and regulations is ruffling feathers. Halsall showcases real comic flair, with plenty of twists and turns en-route to a comic climax.

Originally written for The Public Reviews

Review: HighTide: The Adventure - The Printworks, Halesworth

Some reviews are difficult to write, not because there isn’t anything to say about a production, but, because the fact that the element of surprise is so central to the success of the piece, that to say anything that would weaken the whole experience.

So it is with Bad Physics’ The Adventure. Forget sitting in a theatre to watch a play, here you are active participants on a wild adventure that without your help is doomed to fail. Inspired by the Famous Five it’s a jolly jape as we follow the clues and pit wits against an unseen foe as we race to save the day.

To give anymore away would, as said, spoil the fun. Suffice to say it’s a full on adventure requiring bravery, wit and courage as the cast lead co-conspirators through the journey. With members of the public taking such a key role in the action each journey is going to be slightly different but the cast (Bettrys Jones, Adam Jackson-Smith, Brendan Murphy and Oliver Ryan ) work hard to maintain the flow of the story, demonstrating impressive improvisation skills when faced with the inevitable unpredictability of enthusiastic youngsters.

This is billed as an adventure ‘for children, their parents and for adults who don’t want to grow up’ and indeed the adults have just as much fun as their younger counterparts. There are the enviable scary moments so those adults may want to take a child with them for protection but this is a theatrical experience all can enjoy (though perhaps not for very young children).

This is a work in progress showing of the piece still in development but on this showing it’s hard to see much further work being required to finalise the show.

Ticket holders need to leave their preconceptions at the door, suspend belief and jump into the deep end to fully enjoy the experience, but enter into the spirit of the piece and you’ll have, to pinch one of Peter Pan’s catchphrases, an awfully big adventure.

Originally written for The Public Reviews

Review: HighTide: Clockwork - The Cut, Halesworth

With an expanding ageing population and lengthening life expectancy, the subject of how we care for the elderly is a subject close to many. Of course, the experience and expectations change over time and in Laura Poliakoff’s Clockwork we jump forward 80-odd years to see what sort of future today’s 20-somethings face in old age.

In a bleak, grey, run-down hospital ward of the future, two 100-somethings muse from their wheelchairs about the past. Clad in the Adidas tracksuits of their youth, reminiscing doesn’t come easy as the passage of time and dementia cloud the memory. Despite technological advances that have seen memory chips become available for the uploading of neural patterns, the line between real and false memory is blurred. There’s also a clear line between state care and private, with an burgeoning elderly population stretching resources. It makes for a bleak and isolated life, an isolation heightened when one of your key memories may not be all that it seems.

Poliakoff lays some intriguing issues on the table in Clockwork; how we care for the elderly, dementia, NHS resources, and even a hint of euthanasia but, at times it seems that less would be more. Some areas are touched upon and then abandoned, leaving the audience to draw its own conclusion. While this is an effective device if used sparingly, here it often seems more of a notebook for potential story arcs.

There is much to enjoy, however; the sparring between patients Mikey and Carl and their long-suffering nurse, Ruth, otherwise known as Troll Face, work well and Poliakoff’s dialogue is full of dark humour.

There’s impressive work from the entire company; Kern Falconer and Russell Floyd as the reluctantly ageing pair Mikey and Carl, Rachel Atkins (Troll Face), Shomarri Diaz’s community service worker Etienne and Matilda Ziegler’s Sarah.

Richard Kent has created an immersive design that places the audience at the heart of the institution and Steven Atkinson’s direction keeps the action flowing with pace.

There’s potential but it’s a script that would benefit from some revision to flesh out some of the concepts further. There’s real potential for a look at the impact of dementia but the issue is never fully embraced. In its current form, the ending also seems somewhat unsatisfactory, uncertain if it’s real or imaginary. The drama itself is strong enough that, in many ways, this denouement proves unnecessary and distracting.

Clockwork is a promising full length stage debut from Poliakoff and one that, with a bit of tinkering, could be ticking over for a while yet.

Photo: Bill Knight

Originally written for The Public Reviews

Review: HighTide: Mudlarks - The Cut, Halesworth

The black mud on the foreshore of the River Thames conceals many secrets. Across the centuries the mud has swallowed up the unwary, depositing their remains and belongings years later for treasure seekers.

For three teenage Essex lads, the twists and turns of the mighty Thames offer both hopes and frustration. The shipping that sails by, the twinkling lights of Kent on the opposite bank and the lure of London upstream all offer hope of escaping a mundane life. However, tides soon change and the actions of one night will change the course of all three lives irrevocably.

Wayne, Charlie and Jake end up on the foreshore after a night of crime forces them into hiding. As the waves lap the layers of their misdemeanours become clear. What starts off as petty crime soon takes a darker turn as the consequences of their actions become clear. Ringleader Charlie, bravado bolstered by inhalant abuse, shows no remorse but, for the more naïve Wayne and for Jake who has plans to escape this dead-end lifestyle, the consequences are more acute. As the night becomes darker so does the tension as events slowly spiral out of control.

Vickie Donoghue’s debut full length play is an astonishing achievement, capturing what seems to initially be an innocuous event that plays out night in, night out across the country but slowly, like the Thames mud, unearths constantly shifting detail that alters the course of the evening. It’s a subtly shifting landscape as the dynamics between the lads ebb and flow and it’s a landscape that, despite the grim and grimy setting, is beautifully drawn. Characters are wonderfully conceived, with Donoghue capturing the language of South Essex youth perfectly.

We have Charlie, outwardly the bully of the piece. A 16 year old that one could easily see soon heading for a life in and out of prison. Full of cocky bravado and a permanent sneer, a confidence in part fuelled by the aerosols he sniffs from a plastic bag. That bravado though is somewhat of an act, and attempt to impress both his peers and the local girls. James Marchant’s performance is pitched perfectly. Arrogant to the extent you want to slap him but also somehow vulnerable, a trembling post inhale mess that struggles to coherently explain why a girl sending him abusive texts gives him hope of a relationship.

Mike Noble’s Wayne is the innocent of the group. Clad in an oversized bobble hat, Liverpool football club t-shirt and parker, there’s the sense of an oversized child here. Somewhat simple, so desperate for the sense of belonging the group offers that even the taunt of a prison strip search and induction hold no fear as long as the trio remain together. Noble’s portrayal is impressive, moving and devastating as he reveals the true desolation and loneliness of a life that will be forever shattered after the night’s events.

Jake (Scott Hazell) is the dreamer of the trio, education and study his chance to move to a better life. Hazell shows real torment over the actions that unfold that night and the realisation that his chance of university and a new life is ebbing away is beautifully conceived.

Staged in traverse, Amy Jane Cook’s evocative foreshore set brings out an unlikely beauty in the industrial detritus and Will Wrightson’s direction makes full use of the long stage, without ever turning it into the sometime tennis match that traverse causes. Wrightson builds the tension throughout and as the stark light of dawn breaks the piece moves towards its gripping conclusion, beautifully and gut wrenchingly delivered by the young cast.

Donoghue’s piece pulls no punches and is dark, harrowing and in moments totally bleak but there are undercurrents of humour, beautifully observed detail on friendship, dreams, poverty and relationships here as well. It’s also totally compelling and gripping – a perfectly captured slice of teenage life that packs a real emotional punch. This is that rare thing, a debut play that captures contemporary life so well and takes the audience on such a journey that it’s hard to think of how a second play can beat it – a tantalising prospect to look forward to though.

Photo: Bill Knight

Review: The Lady In The Van - Arts Theatre, Cambridge

Love thy neighbour, they say, but when your neighbour turns out to be a vagrant who lives in a van first outside your house and then in your garden it makes that love difficult.

Though this may seem a wonderful fictional creation by Alan Bennett, The Lady In The Van is surprisingly one of his most autobiographical plays.

For 15 years, Miss Shepherd lived in a series of dilapidated vans in Bennett’s Camden garden. Miss Shepherd is a troubled soul, if we believe her often rambling utterances she’s been both a concert pianist and a nun. Now she’s a walking rag heap, filthy, malodorous and in desperate need of a bath; given her religious convictions it’s appropriate that she literally stinks to high heavens.

Writers are always observing for material for their prose and Bennett is fascinated by this wandering soul but, what starts as writer’s curiosity develops into genuine concern and compassion for Miss Shepherd and a real urge to protect her from both the wider world and perhaps, more importantly, herself.

Bennett also draws deep on the parallels with his relationship with his mother, a pivotal figure in his life and someone who suffered herself from mental illness. It makes for a deeply personal and moving account, full of Bennett’s trademark observation of human nature mixed with dark humour and pathos.

Bennett portrays himself as two characters in the play, Alan 1 and Alan 2, the artist and the real man. It’s a brutally honest device that shows Bennett, warts and all.

Director Sarah Esdaile for Hull Truck manages the duality well, not only the inner conflict between the two Alans but also the two parallel worlds of Bennett’s conventional home and Shepherd’s more eccentric lifestyle.

As the dual Alans, Paul Kemp and Sean Mckenzie work well together, merging into one character with two distinct personalities. Conveying an uncanny likeness to Bennett without turning into a parody, one soon forgets you are watching two actors.

At the heart for the piece, however, is a truly mesmerising performance from Nichola McAuliffe as Miss Shepherd. Clad in filthy rags that eerily evoke a nun’s habit, here is a woman torn apart by her visions of the Virgin Mary, Nikita Khrushchev, and Mother Teresa. Every movement is considered and detailed, every vocal inflection and look reinforcing the inner demons of this mentally troubled woman.

It would be all too easy to turn Shepherd into a grotesque figure of fun but, despite the absurdity of the situation, McAuliffe embodies her with a quiet dignity and respect. Miss Shepherd of course would not be complete without her van, or more accurately a procession of vans. Each decaying hulk lovingly daubed in ‘crushed mimosa’ paint and ingeniously staged in Ben Stones’ design.

While The Lady In The Van is a dramatisation of a real event and a remarkable woman, there’s also a much wider look at the issues of mental health and provision of care here. One can’t help feel that, while Miss Shepherd was lucky enough to find a safe harbour in Bennett’s garden, there are many more who aren’t so lucky.

In the end, though, The Lady In The Van is a celebration not only of Alan Bennett’s unique and perceptive ability to capture accurate human nature but also a tribute to a troubled by remarkable Miss Shepherd.

Originally written for The Public Reviews

Review: Bedroom Farce - New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich

To sleep, perchance to dream. Though in Alan Ayckbourn’s Bedroom Farce there’s little chance of sleep. In three bedrooms, across one night, recriminations and repercussions keeps the occupants awake most of the night.

In one, Kate and Malcolm are getting ready for a housewarming party, a second sees Jan getting ready to attend that party, while husband Nick is confined to bed with a back injury. In the third Delia and Ernest are getting ready for their anniversary dinner. Delia and Ernest’s son, Trevor, is also attending the party with his wife Susannah. Trevor and Susannah’s marital difficulties will become the catalyst for an interrupted night in all three houses.

Bedroom farce, first seen in 1975, is typical Ayckbourn fare, taking the everyday and injecting it with dark humour. The title farce is somewhat misleading, there’s no split second timing in and out of doors here, just a subtle reveal of the overlap between all four couples. It’s also a subtle comedy, lines here are more likely to get a titter rather than raucous laughter.

Foxton’s three bedroomed set impresses, clearly delineating the generational and income differences between the houses. Delia and Ernest ensconced in floral furnishing – despite their leaking roof. Bedbound Nick is surrounded by boutique hotel luxury while Kate and Malcolm’s messy room shows signs of various mid-progress DIY projects.

Peter Rowe’s production makes full use of the set but sometimes misses the dramatic beat. Direction though often seems languid and in need of an injection of pace. While the comedy should grow naturally out of the situation, here it often seems stifled and self-conscious. At times the company seem uncomfortable with their characters and lack conviction in the power of the material.

There’s nice chemistry between Christopher Ettridge and Susan Bovell as Ernest and Delia, while Barnaby Power and Chloe Howman hint at the underlying fragility of Nick and Jan’s relationship.

The remaining two couples are somewhat more problematic. Richard Elis gives a nicely observed physical performance but would benefit from toning down his Malcolm, whose manic rage seems at odds with the low key nature of the remainder of the company. Leanne Jones’  never really gives a glimpse beneath the surface of Kate, or what drives her and at times suffers from projection issues. There are similar issues with Sophie Roberts supposedly neurotic Susannah and disturbed husband Trevor (Tom Turner), both of who struggle to give depth to the roles, despite some well observed comic moments. It makes for a slightly unbalanced piece, with some comic touches at the expense of character development.

It’s by no means a failure of an evening, and there’s much fun to be had in the absurdity of the situation and the growing overlapping of chaotic lives. Ayckbourn’s script still offers a wry look at the truths that hide behind bedroom doors and there are many moments of uncomfortable recognition for the audience.

Photo: Mike Kwasniak

News: Theatre Royal says tell us what you think

‘How can the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds enrich life and change lives?’ That's the question that the Suffolk venue is inviting the public to discuss at an open-day in June, as it gives attendees the chance to shape the future of the theatre.

The theatre is putting itself in the hands of the public by holding an open day discussion posing only one question: How can the Theatre Royal Enrich Life and Change Lives through Theatre and Performance?

On Friday 1 June, the Theatre will be hosting a day of discussion, inviting along any individual who wants the chance to express their opinion and discuss how the Theatre interacts with the community of Bury St Edmunds and beyond.

Head of External Relations Chris Grady explains: “We’ll start with a single open question about which we all have opinions, experiences, and—I hope—passion. The structure of the day allows for many different conversations to happen, and many different topics to be explored – all sparked by the one central question."

Grady hopes all those interested in the future of the Georgian Playhouse will take the opportunity to share their views: "I urge all in the community to join us if you possibly can. If you care for the theatre and want it to thrive and survive, then we want to hear your voice.  I hope to welcome you to Open Space on June 1st.”

The venue is hoping that a mixture of staff, volunteers, theatre-goers, and general public will make for lively and interesting discussions.

The  discussions will take place at the The Guildhall in Bury St Edmunds on Friday 1st June between 10.30 and 4.00. Further information and registration is available from Emma Haley at the Theatre on 01284 829936, although people are also welcome to just attend on the day.

News: New Wolsey Theatre seeks cast to tread the boards with The Bard

The New Wolsey Theatre has joined forces with the RSC Open Stages and is holding open auditions for an ambitious production of Romeo And Juliet to be performed at Ipswich Town Hall in September.

Open Stages is a project that embraces, develops and celebrates amateur theatre. Over 260 amateur companies have signed up to produce RSC Open Stages productions across the UK from the Isle of Skye to the Isle of Wight, with over 7200 people taking part. Productions are due to be performed everywhere from castles to village halls, from beaches to ball rooms, with many being performed in the hundreds of successful amateur run theatres around the country.

In Ipswich, The New Wolsey Theatre plans to produce a large-scale community Romeo And Juliet at Ipswich Town Hall from 11 to 15 September as part of the project.

New Wolsey Associate Director Rob Salmon explains; “In our production, Romeo has been brought up to be a fighter. One fateful night he drunkenly stumbles into a party held by the family of his own father’s sworn enemy, searching for the girl he came in for, he encounters another girl altogether, Juliet. The story that follows may be the one we all know, but reimagined in the modern world with a cast of characters drawn from cultures and communities where men still use violence to defend their honour, and strong women still have a defined role in the home.”

This is a professionally produced production that uses an amateur cast of actors from Suffolk and the wider region.  Salmon will direct a cast of 40 in this unique production for which open auditions take place on Sunday 17th June at New Wolsey Studio in Ipswich from 10:30 – 1:00 for 16 – 25s, and 3:00 – 5:30 for 25 and overs.

“We are looking for cast of adults with a passion for theatre, aged 16+ and available to rehearse the play on Sunday’s in July and for a 10 day rehearsal period in late August, the production will then run from 11 to 15 September. Auditionees don’t need to prepare anything; it’s a workshop audition where they will work mainly as a group, then they’ll be given a short speech to work on that they will perform to the audition panel. It’s going to be a really exciting day” says Salmon.

Budding actors can sign up to audition by emailing creativelearning@wolseytheatre.co.uk  by Wednesday 13th June.