I didn't put on my play reading list the one play I am reading at the moment, which is "Passion Play" by Peter Nichols. I only got through the first act yesterday so wasn't able to get it ready in time for presentation at the Bench Artistic Panel as a possibility for next season. It is a 1980's play so I may still have another chance if there are second stages of selection needed. I believe there is only one production on offer for the 1980 slot and it may get turned down by the company so opening up the opportunity of a second bite of the apple for slowcoaches like me.
The subject matter is adultery and I was much taken by the sex war. Peter Nichols also uses the actor's training exercise of having a second actor portray the character's innermost feelings and thoughts. He does this for both the main male and female leads. I will let you know how I get on with finishing the reading and possible production.
Friday 30 May 2008
The Cherry Orchard
This is one of the clearest productions by Philip Franks of a Chekhov play I have ever seen. It also moves at a very brisk pace through its two hours on the stage, there are no “longeurs” that I have often associated with English versions of Chekhov classics in the past. The set by Leslie Travers is deliberately minimal and interior scenes are depicted by a few pieces of furniture – the grey of the nursery in Act 1, the plush red of the ballroom in Act 2. There is almost a proscenium arch effect upstage under which the nursery furniture is stored under sheets in the final Act and under which the majority of the party takes place screened off by red drapes. This allows the majority of the stage to be used as thrust. The cherry orchard seems to be the audience.
The play opens with Michael Siberry as Lopakhin preparing the house and us for the return of Madam Ranyevskaya after her five year self imposed exile in Paris. He does so brilliantly and with verve and vigour. This was the real star performance of the evening for me. I totally believed in this complicated and complex self-made man. His triumphs and setbacks were achieved with energy and subtlety. It was a thrill to see Frank Finlay as Firs, the head valet, on the Chichester stage – one of the heroes of the early days of the National Theatre and a theatre icon. Like all great actors (Anthony Sher and Derek Jacobi spring to mind here) he isn’t a big man but his presence fills a stage. Unfortunately for me, Mr Finlay didn’t ever capture my heart as the old man and the famous final scene went for naught. I know the actor is probably of the same age as the character but in fact appeared too sound in limb and mind to achieve the collapse at the end.
Then entered Diana Rigg as Ranyevskaya. This actress is up there amongst my favourites with Barbra Streisand (read review on “Funny Girl” previously) so it was with great anticipation that I waited to see her performance. Last year I made the mistake of criticising Patrick Stewart’s Scottish thane because of his age and he went on to Tony nominations for best Actor on Broadway so that shows you how much I know! However I did find Miss Rigg too old for the part. Ranyevskaya’s five year self-imposed exile in Paris is prompted by the death of her seven year old son by drowning on this very estate. If he had lived, he would now be twelve years old, and though I do not wish to be ungallant I could not believe this Ranyevskaya was young enough to be the right age for child bearing a dozen years before. I must admit that the characterisation is spot on and Miss Rigg makes what can be a tiresome and silly woman believable and interesting, although the hand gestures are a little too repetitive for my liking.
William Gaunt as Gayev, the empty headed brother of Ranyevskaya, and John Nettleton, as the ever-penurious Simeonov-Pischik, provide excellent support in the parts I could see myself playing. Maureen Lipman is imperious as the German governess, Charlotta, and made sense for me of what is usually an enigmatic part. It needed someone of her stature to make it work. Young Charlotte Riley as the daughter Anya and the youngest person at stage is delightfully fresh and optimistic.
The star performance for me though came from Jemma Redgrave as Ranyevskaya’s adopted daughter. Varya is the sensible one, the one who keeps the estate going despite her mother’s profligacy, and the one who is feared by the older serfs and peasants as the enforcer. This is not the position she would wish to find herself in and her relationship with Lopakhin is the only chance of escape. Miss Redgrave captures magnificently the desperation of the character and her dissolution times in with that of the Cherry orchard itself. Her performance made me feel whereas for most of the production I admired.
I did feel the sound effect for the chopping in the cherry orchard in the final act fell short of being a powerful and affecting one, which rather sums up my feeling about the whole production. If you are a Chekhov fan or even if you are new to Chekhov, this is a production worth seeing for the clarity of the story telling and the sureness of the pace with which it is performed.
The play opens with Michael Siberry as Lopakhin preparing the house and us for the return of Madam Ranyevskaya after her five year self imposed exile in Paris. He does so brilliantly and with verve and vigour. This was the real star performance of the evening for me. I totally believed in this complicated and complex self-made man. His triumphs and setbacks were achieved with energy and subtlety. It was a thrill to see Frank Finlay as Firs, the head valet, on the Chichester stage – one of the heroes of the early days of the National Theatre and a theatre icon. Like all great actors (Anthony Sher and Derek Jacobi spring to mind here) he isn’t a big man but his presence fills a stage. Unfortunately for me, Mr Finlay didn’t ever capture my heart as the old man and the famous final scene went for naught. I know the actor is probably of the same age as the character but in fact appeared too sound in limb and mind to achieve the collapse at the end.
Then entered Diana Rigg as Ranyevskaya. This actress is up there amongst my favourites with Barbra Streisand (read review on “Funny Girl” previously) so it was with great anticipation that I waited to see her performance. Last year I made the mistake of criticising Patrick Stewart’s Scottish thane because of his age and he went on to Tony nominations for best Actor on Broadway so that shows you how much I know! However I did find Miss Rigg too old for the part. Ranyevskaya’s five year self-imposed exile in Paris is prompted by the death of her seven year old son by drowning on this very estate. If he had lived, he would now be twelve years old, and though I do not wish to be ungallant I could not believe this Ranyevskaya was young enough to be the right age for child bearing a dozen years before. I must admit that the characterisation is spot on and Miss Rigg makes what can be a tiresome and silly woman believable and interesting, although the hand gestures are a little too repetitive for my liking.
William Gaunt as Gayev, the empty headed brother of Ranyevskaya, and John Nettleton, as the ever-penurious Simeonov-Pischik, provide excellent support in the parts I could see myself playing. Maureen Lipman is imperious as the German governess, Charlotta, and made sense for me of what is usually an enigmatic part. It needed someone of her stature to make it work. Young Charlotte Riley as the daughter Anya and the youngest person at stage is delightfully fresh and optimistic.
The star performance for me though came from Jemma Redgrave as Ranyevskaya’s adopted daughter. Varya is the sensible one, the one who keeps the estate going despite her mother’s profligacy, and the one who is feared by the older serfs and peasants as the enforcer. This is not the position she would wish to find herself in and her relationship with Lopakhin is the only chance of escape. Miss Redgrave captures magnificently the desperation of the character and her dissolution times in with that of the Cherry orchard itself. Her performance made me feel whereas for most of the production I admired.
I did feel the sound effect for the chopping in the cherry orchard in the final act fell short of being a powerful and affecting one, which rather sums up my feeling about the whole production. If you are a Chekhov fan or even if you are new to Chekhov, this is a production worth seeing for the clarity of the story telling and the sureness of the pace with which it is performed.
Wednesday 28 May 2008
Current playscript reading list
Over on my personal blog page, “Boanerges”, I said I would list my current playscripts reading list and so here it is below.
“The Wind in the Willows” is the Bench Christmas production 2008. I am auditioning and helping with a dance for the auditions on Monday June 10th and Thursday June 13th. I would like a part.
Irish writers do dominate. I will try and do thumbnail impressions of the plays as they are read.
Alan Bennett : The History Boys; The Wind in the Willows
Kate Atkinson: Abandonment
Gregory Doran: Merry Wives the Musical
Brian Friel: Making History
Simon Gray: Little Nell
David Hare: My Zinc Bed; The Permanent Way
David Harrower: Dark Earth; Knives in Hens
Derek Hines: Gilgamesh – The Play
Robert Holman: Jonah and Otto
Kneehigh Theatre: Tristan & Yseult
Greg Kotis: Urinetown;The Musical
Martin McDonagh: The Beauty Queen of Leenane; The Lonesome West; The Lieutenant of Inishmore.
Duncan Macmillan: Monster
Conor McPherson: Port Authority; Dublin Carol; Shining City
Owen McCafferty: JP Miller’s Days of Wine and Roses
Moliere: Don Juan
Wallace Shawn: The Designated Mourner
Polly Teale: Jane Eyre
Over on my personal blog page, “Boanerges”, I said I would also complete my internal debate about choosing plays for production. That will be my next posting, unless I get round to uploading some of my “Tales from the Green Room: a personal history of the Bench Theatre” before then. There are also reviews of “The Cherry Orchard” (Chichester Festival Theatre) and “Brassed Off” (Theatre Royal, CCADS) due this week as well.
“The Wind in the Willows” is the Bench Christmas production 2008. I am auditioning and helping with a dance for the auditions on Monday June 10th and Thursday June 13th. I would like a part.
Irish writers do dominate. I will try and do thumbnail impressions of the plays as they are read.
Alan Bennett : The History Boys; The Wind in the Willows
Kate Atkinson: Abandonment
Gregory Doran: Merry Wives the Musical
Brian Friel: Making History
Simon Gray: Little Nell
David Hare: My Zinc Bed; The Permanent Way
David Harrower: Dark Earth; Knives in Hens
Derek Hines: Gilgamesh – The Play
Robert Holman: Jonah and Otto
Kneehigh Theatre: Tristan & Yseult
Greg Kotis: Urinetown;The Musical
Martin McDonagh: The Beauty Queen of Leenane; The Lonesome West; The Lieutenant of Inishmore.
Duncan Macmillan: Monster
Conor McPherson: Port Authority; Dublin Carol; Shining City
Owen McCafferty: JP Miller’s Days of Wine and Roses
Moliere: Don Juan
Wallace Shawn: The Designated Mourner
Polly Teale: Jane Eyre
Over on my personal blog page, “Boanerges”, I said I would also complete my internal debate about choosing plays for production. That will be my next posting, unless I get round to uploading some of my “Tales from the Green Room: a personal history of the Bench Theatre” before then. There are also reviews of “The Cherry Orchard” (Chichester Festival Theatre) and “Brassed Off” (Theatre Royal, CCADS) due this week as well.
Thursday 15 May 2008
Run! To the Minerva, you MUST go!
I loved the 1968 William Wyler Oscar winning adaptation of the 1964 Broadway hit “Funny Girl”, starring the incomparable Barbra Streisand. I loved the concept and I loved the songs and the singing of the leading lady.
Yet here I am in 2008, forty years later, saying get yourself across to the Minerva Theatre in Chichester – Fanny Brice is back in town! Tiny Samantha Spiro (5’2” of dynamite) is wonderful as the eponymous Funny Girl. She takes on the feisty Jewish girl and produces a marvellous heart wrenching but ultimately uplifting performance. Her voice may not match the great diva but she sings the great anthems “Don’t Rain on my Parade”, “People” and “I’m the Greatest Star” with passion and commitment. You believe in this Fanny. She is actually funny in the comedy sequences, she is a triumphant Broadway star in the dance sequences and backstage and she is in love with her incredibly handsome but no-good man. You will not see a better musical theatre performance this year anywhere.
At times this does feel like a one-woman show and Miss Spiro does have to carry most of the emotional weight. A wonderful cast and a chorus line of eight gorgeous dancers with very long ladder length legs are on hand to support her. Rose Brice, her mother, is a wise cracking, wiseacre of a Jewish momma, warmly played by Sheila Steafel. I loved the songs, “Who Taught Her Everything?” and “Find Yourself a Man” but these were especially sold on me by the performance of Sebastien Torka as Eddie. He is Fanny’s longstanding friend, who helps get her launched on her career, and who is the one to caution against Nicky Arnstein, the good looking gambler.
Mark Umbers certainly is a good looking heart throb and he sings well. The Best Beloved fell for him during the evening and none more so in the beautifully recreated restaurant scene. The sophisticated gentleman in the “height of nonchalance, providing beds in restaurants”, woos the feisty, prickly and bad tempered Fanny (“You Are Woman, I am Man”). She is introduced to the delights of posh food and high living but discovers pate is only “chopped liver” after all.
The set is marvellous in a design by Mark Thompson. I particularly liked the way the theatre is stripped back to the bare black walls for the back stage but the white roses for the Long Island mansion, the red ottoman for the restaurant and the same ottoman stripped for the railway station are simply done but most evocative. Special mention must go to Stephen Mear, the choreographer, who produces some marvellous thrilling dance sequences. The musical direction of the unseen band is wonderful by Robert Scott and one has to thank Jason Carr for his orchestrations and his informative notes in the programme. The director, Angus Jackson, doesn’t allow his cast to put a foot wrong. He drives the show through its two and three quarter hour length without making me once conscious of time or haste.
Well done, Jonathan Church and Alan Finch, for another great opening to another great Season at Chichester. The last two seasons have been marvellous and this one promises to be just as good. I would just echo Michael Billington and say Jule Styne’s “Gipsy”, the story of Gipsy Rose Lee and her fearsome mother, Rose, would go down a storm. (I want to do it myself at the Bench if I can find a musical director). Especially if the musical is done in the Minerva – doing a full-scale musical in the smaller auditorium was a masterstroke.
If you are still reading this review, you shouldn’t be here now! You should be phoning up the box office 01243 781312, going online at http://www.cft.org.uk/. You only have until June 14th to join “People (who need people are the luckiest people in the world) and who have seen glorious Sam Spiro as the fearless ugly duckling in this Cinderella meets Prince Charming of a musical delight.
Yet here I am in 2008, forty years later, saying get yourself across to the Minerva Theatre in Chichester – Fanny Brice is back in town! Tiny Samantha Spiro (5’2” of dynamite) is wonderful as the eponymous Funny Girl. She takes on the feisty Jewish girl and produces a marvellous heart wrenching but ultimately uplifting performance. Her voice may not match the great diva but she sings the great anthems “Don’t Rain on my Parade”, “People” and “I’m the Greatest Star” with passion and commitment. You believe in this Fanny. She is actually funny in the comedy sequences, she is a triumphant Broadway star in the dance sequences and backstage and she is in love with her incredibly handsome but no-good man. You will not see a better musical theatre performance this year anywhere.
At times this does feel like a one-woman show and Miss Spiro does have to carry most of the emotional weight. A wonderful cast and a chorus line of eight gorgeous dancers with very long ladder length legs are on hand to support her. Rose Brice, her mother, is a wise cracking, wiseacre of a Jewish momma, warmly played by Sheila Steafel. I loved the songs, “Who Taught Her Everything?” and “Find Yourself a Man” but these were especially sold on me by the performance of Sebastien Torka as Eddie. He is Fanny’s longstanding friend, who helps get her launched on her career, and who is the one to caution against Nicky Arnstein, the good looking gambler.
Mark Umbers certainly is a good looking heart throb and he sings well. The Best Beloved fell for him during the evening and none more so in the beautifully recreated restaurant scene. The sophisticated gentleman in the “height of nonchalance, providing beds in restaurants”, woos the feisty, prickly and bad tempered Fanny (“You Are Woman, I am Man”). She is introduced to the delights of posh food and high living but discovers pate is only “chopped liver” after all.
The set is marvellous in a design by Mark Thompson. I particularly liked the way the theatre is stripped back to the bare black walls for the back stage but the white roses for the Long Island mansion, the red ottoman for the restaurant and the same ottoman stripped for the railway station are simply done but most evocative. Special mention must go to Stephen Mear, the choreographer, who produces some marvellous thrilling dance sequences. The musical direction of the unseen band is wonderful by Robert Scott and one has to thank Jason Carr for his orchestrations and his informative notes in the programme. The director, Angus Jackson, doesn’t allow his cast to put a foot wrong. He drives the show through its two and three quarter hour length without making me once conscious of time or haste.
Well done, Jonathan Church and Alan Finch, for another great opening to another great Season at Chichester. The last two seasons have been marvellous and this one promises to be just as good. I would just echo Michael Billington and say Jule Styne’s “Gipsy”, the story of Gipsy Rose Lee and her fearsome mother, Rose, would go down a storm. (I want to do it myself at the Bench if I can find a musical director). Especially if the musical is done in the Minerva – doing a full-scale musical in the smaller auditorium was a masterstroke.
If you are still reading this review, you shouldn’t be here now! You should be phoning up the box office 01243 781312, going online at http://www.cft.org.uk/. You only have until June 14th to join “People (who need people are the luckiest people in the world) and who have seen glorious Sam Spiro as the fearless ugly duckling in this Cinderella meets Prince Charming of a musical delight.
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