Harry Mottram Theatre Review: hold on to your bonnets for a trip to Planet Jane Austen in a brilliant production of The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged) by Schoolhouse Productions

Byharrymottram

Oct 16, 2024 Alma Theatre, harry mottram, Jane Austen

Review: The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged). The Alma Tavern and Theatre, Bristol.

It is a truth universally acknowledged that a play whose only male actor drops out at the last moment is in need of a quick stand in. Enter Nina Bright dressed as an upper-class Regency chap. Knowing nothing of the works of Jane Austen Nina quickly gets the picture of privilege, misogyny and entitlement that is the norm for the likes of Darcy, Wickham and Collins in Pride and Prejudice as sensible Persuasion fan Jaleelah Galbraith (Jal) and extrovert Pride and Prejudice champion Emma Giles fill in the plot and characters with the speed of a phaeton and two horses on the King’s highway.

Blind Date, Single Ladies, Dungeons and Dragons, the number of modern references in the high speed comedy The Complete Works of Jane Austen (Abridged) come at you as fast as Lydia hopping into bed with Wickham. Along with super simple comic synopses of the novels mashed up with the TV, film and stage adaptions and we are on planet Jane Austen. Originally written by Americans Jessica Bedford, Kathryn MacMillan, Charlotte Northeast, and Meghan Winch the fast-paced romp is one part slapstick, one part a play within a play, one part Austen-esque sketches and above all a tribute to the genius of the Hampshire writer.

The cast of three all took on the characters of Austen’s famous ‘big six’ novels (and their hats) with Nina Bright playing all the men. Set in the basic black box stage at the Alma Theatre in front of a packed audience with just a large rug, a chaise longue and a desk and chair to give a touch of Regency authenticity the cast were in period costume including for the two women in their revealing Empire line gowns. Which as Emma explains are the reason the novels have been filmed so many times. Without constricting corsets fashionable in Victorian England, the females could breathe, express their opinions and show their cleavages to advantage – or their ‘great tits’ as Emma said.

The chemistry between the trio is what made the production so enthralling as if you strip away some of the dialogue, it’s the facial expressions, adlibs, physicality and movement that captivates. There’s the expressive and ebullient Emma (with a sexy Lydia Bennet hiding inside her) who in one minute is near to orgasm thinking about Colin Firth emerging from the lake at Pemberly and in the next is praising every Janeite’s favourite: the witty and intelligent Elizabeth Bennet. In contrast, Jal went to verbal war with Emma over the merits of Anne Elliot in Persuasion – the grown up and mature intelligent heroine who she portrays in a moving monologue – and a sequence that was in contrast to the high energy of some of the previous scenes. Nina as the token man also represented those who have no knowledge of Jane Austen or Georgian society or as Emma puts it: “This is Regency England, not Fishponds on a Saturday Night.” And Nina’s many excellent characterisations including her neat switches between dull Mr Collins to saucy Wickham was aided by wearing various hats – or as Jal remarked ‘never underestimate the power of a good hat’.

Highlights included the novel Emma, presented as TV’s Blind Date in which Harriet is an airhead and dull but safe bet Robert Martin is a potato; Lady Susan who seduces married men and is ‘frighteningly beautiful’ as she sits at her desk with a come-hither expression; Northanger Abbey which Nina loved as it was like ‘Dungeons and Dragons’ with its secret rooms and dark mysteries; and Mansfield Park with its heroine Fanny Price – the poster girl for introverts.

Yes, hold on to your bonnets for a trip to Planet Jane Austen in just 80 minutes. A tight script, visual jokes, physical theatre, plus all the novels’ main characters, and some of Austen’s most quotable quotes this was a brilliant five star Schoolhouse Production directed by Anna Friend with pace and aplomb and was lapped up by an audience of 100% Jane Austen fans.

Harry Mottram

The play runs to Saturday, 19th October, 2024.

For more information on Schoolhouse Productions visit their Instagram account at https://www.instagram.com/almaschoolhouse/?hl=en

Jane Austen (1775 –1817) lived in Hampshire and died at the age of 41. Before modern diagnosis it is unclear of what Jane died from but possibly cancer.

For the record I reviewed the play on Tuesday, 15^th October, and it over ran by 10 minutes. Which wasn’t a problem as it was so enjoyable. There is no interval by the way.

Tickets and more info at https://www.tickettailor.com/events/almatheatrecompany/1294126?

The Alma Tavern and Theatre is in Clifton in Bristol. See https://www.almatavernandtheatre.co.uk/

In Bath, The Jane Austen Festival ran from 13-22 September 2024, and will return again next year. The Jane Austen Centre is in Gay Street, Bath. See https://janeausten.co.uk/

About Harry Mottram

Harry is a freelance journalist and editor, a playwright and occasional actor. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc

Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk

Mobile: 07789 864769

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++

Harry Mottram Theatre Review: Toby Thomson’s adaption of Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s fable The Little Prince at Bath’s Egg Theatre is a triumph (with its echoes of the horrors of Nazi occupied France)

October 6, 2024

Theatre Review: The Little Prince. The Egg, Bath.

Written in 1942 while in exile in Canada and the USA Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s The Little Prince is in part modern science fiction inspired fairy tale, part morality play and part anti-Nazi symbolism. Although in the original novella it may seem more a simple fable examining the differences in children and adults’ ability to imagine and examine the world through the heart rather than the eyes. The background however is inescapable – Antoine de Saint-Exupéry’s experience of crashing his aircraft in the Sahara, surviving for days without food and water in the extreme heat of the sands of the desert and of his time in World War Two of viewing the horrors of Nazi occupied France from afar.

Bathonian Toby Thompson’s adaption held the attention of the near packed audience of primary school age children for the hour-long dramatized story telling – with limited but enjoyable interaction with the young theatre goers. An achievement in its own right since the actor and poet paced the story with quiet and reflective sequences as he contemplated loneliness and friendship with sudden action scenes as he engaged in at times comical conversations between the Little Prince and a series of characters on the planets of our solar system and between children and grown-ups. There was a pompous King who couldn’t make anything happen (Pétain’s Vichy Government), a talking rose (his wife, Consuelo de Saint-Exupéry and possibly the long suffering French public), a drunk (those who had given up after the fall of France), a fox (who could only think of eating – preferably chickens) and a wonderfully self-important man who was the only contemporary character – a selfie obsessed online influencer and celebrity – empty of thought other than in his quest for more followers and not true friends. (I think we all know the type.)

Somerset and Bristol based Nik Partridge directed Toby with a subtlety and a thoughtful pace so the themes of friendship, loneliness and loss – and of questioning everything – were clear and concise, in a poetic script often spoken in rhyming couplets adapted from the orginal by Toby. The story was dedicated to Saint-Exupéry’s friend Léon Werth who spent the war in France, often alone and hungry, which reflected the writing process. The production was enhanced by Anisha Field’s stage design of office desk, piano, lamps and graphics on the floor and projected on a huge backdrop; plus the music of Alex Hearne and sound effects of Bethany Ley which gave an added dimension to the unfolding story from bird song to the sounds of the desert. It is a story of the pilot who is lost in the desert who meets a visiting interplanetary prince who tells him of his travels around the solar system and the what he learnt from his experiences. It’s a plea for peace, for understanding and friendship and that ‘one sees clearly only with the heart’.

With essential props such as a model plane, sand poured from a mug, and Toby’s costume as a retro aviator and a green scarf for the prince this was a brilliant and nuanced performance that so perfectly fitted the Egg’s stage, in a production that was both magical, thoughtful and entertaining for adults and small children alike.

Harry Mottram

The play ran from 26 September to 6 October, 2024.

For details of more shows at The Egg visit: https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/whats-on/

About Harry Mottram

Harry is a freelance journalist. Follow him on Facebook, LinkedIn, Twitter, Instagram, YouTube etc

Email:harryfmottram@gmail.com
Website:www.harrymottram.co.uk

Mobile: 07789 864769

++++++++++++++++++++++++

Bath Voice Theatre Review: a committed performance by Kes Joffe as Christopher, in The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Mission Theatre, reminds us all to listen to those who are different

JANUARY 24, 2024

Review: The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time at Mission Theatre

Nobody apart from Christopher’s teacher Siobhan, nobody listens to him. His dad lies, his mother can’t cope with him, the police misunderstand him and Mrs Shears shouts at him. Set in the 1990s before mobile phones and the internet were standard props The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time has a curiously dated feel with its references to adult top shelf magazines, Georgette Heyer novels and society’s indifference to those considered to be ‘on the spectrum.’

Stepping into the role of the protagonist Christopher Boone, Kes Joffe gave a committed and believable performance as the boy with high functioning autism who is determined to find the killer of Wellington, his neighbour Mrs Shear’s pet dog. His melt-downs, his confusion with adults who speak in idioms, his frustration with officialdom and his inability to understand the motivations of his parents were sensitively handled by this talented young actor. It was an outstanding performance.

He was ably supported by Sam Fry as Ed – Christopher’s doing-his-best-but-not-quite-good-enough dad – who looked and sounded the part of a plumber who could repair overflowing toilets with ease. And Christopher’s mother Judy, played by Antonia White was suitably unprepared and unable to care for her son – although she comes good eventually. It was Christopher’s parents’ failed relationship and the reason for its breakdown which lay at the heart of this adaptation of Mark Haddon’s 2003 novel by playwright Simon Stephens that Christopher’s dog murder investigations uncovers – revealing the dual narratives of the smash hit book.

Framed as a play within a play, unlike the novel written in the first person, the story had a second narrative with Christopher’s teacher Siobhan (played by an excellent Tania Lyons) as she reads his ‘book’ – and whose calm and reasoned voice helped to sooth him and educate him in how to deal with his emotions and the world around him. Thank goodness for professional mentors and teachers.

An ensemble supporting cast moved coloured boxes and lightweight planks into various configurations to represent trains, homes, streets, gardens and rooms in director Ann Ellison’s thoughtful production.

Jane Lawson as angry Mrs Shears doubled up a an even angrier shopkeeper, while Christine Anderson delighted as kindly (and one of the few understanding adults) as Mrs Alexandra, and Roger Ellison as not-very-understanding-adulterer Roger added support with various minor roles.

Jonathan Taft enjoyed himself in several parts including the Duty Sergeant and the Ticket Seller while Joshua Tenn made a very good impression as a more-tea-type-of-vicar who dodges difficult questions. Claire Rumball as Mrs Gascoyne and Ethan James as an unhelpful policeman added to Christopher’s confusing world in which adults simply don’t get him – as to him they seem rather dense.

The Mission Theatre is known for its unusual space as a former chapel but Hayley Fitton-Cook’s lighting did much to create different moods and locations from an underground train in London to a garden – all helped by the sound created by Toby Lewis Atwell and Alexa Garner – although those who are affected by flickering lights should be aware there are sequences of flashing lights. Music played by Philip Glass was both evocative and an emotional background to Christopher’s uncertain journey.

Director Ann Ellison’s production is long at more than two and half hours – although first night shows usually over run as the cast get used to a live performance. I’m sure some of the extended sequences such as tube station scene and the chase sequence will tighten up as the week progresses as sometimes less is more as an audience can quickly grasp a point the drama is making without it being overly lengthy.

The set design combined with the structured movements of the cast did however convey the black and white mindset of Christopher as he struggles to understand the workaday world of 1990s Swindon and London and his imperfect parents. A creative and unusual production enhanced by strong performances – especially from Kes Joffe who brought Simon Stephens’ adaptation of Mark Haddon’s mystery novel’s protagonist and mathematics genius to life.

Harry Mottram

The play runs to Saturday 27^th January, 2024, at 7.30pm nightly, with a Saturday matinee at 2pm.

For information and tickets visit https://www.missiontheatre.co.uk/whats-on

++++++++++++++++++++++

Bath Voice Theatre Review: last night of Sleeping Beauty at the Theatre Royal seen from the Gods using binoculars

Byharrymottram

 JAN 7, 2024

JANUARY 7, 2024

Weird I know. I wanted to see the last night of the Theatre Royal Bath’s pantomime Sleeping Beauty directed by Jill Williams from the Gods. That’s the back row of the Grand Circle which in layman’s’ terms is about half a mile from the stage – thank goodness for binoculars.

For just over £10 a ticket the back row of the Theatre Royal Bath means an oxygen mask is essential, as by the time you have ascended the millions of flights of stairs you may not only be short of breath but suffering a nose bleed. But like ascending the highest peak in Bath at Alexandra Park you have splendid views of all the rows of seats in front – and there in the distance is the stage. Even without a show it’s a fabulous sight. Below are the boxes and expensive seats with a variety of heads to inspect, the impossibly steep stairs, the balcony and curves of the seating – which to be fair give generous space for those of us with long legs – so unlike a certain auditorium up the road in Bristol. Mentioning no names. It’s a symphony in velvet and crimson and gold.

Pantomimes are one of those things that can create a social divide. For some they are the theatre for the commoners or the great unwashed, only for those who go to the theatre once a year. A show filled with vulgarity and glitter– just like so much of TV and social media these days. What rubbish. For others a pantomime is a guaranteed two or more hours of high class entertainment of comedy, dance, song and storytelling that is part of British theatrical tradition. You pays your money and you makes your choice. Panto is the theatre of tradition and of professional entertainment in a space the Ancient Greeks, Chaucer and Shakespeare would have recognised.

Theatre Royal Bath’s production of Sleeping Beauty was excellent – I’m not saying five stars – but the late Chris Harris would have approved of it. I’ve seen better pantos there and I’ve seen worse elsewhere, but the last night seen from the Gods was life affirming with its message of good overcoming evil in such a jolly frightfully nice sort of way. The script was a bit iffy in places and the story unlikely – but even if that was found wanting – the performances were superb.

First and foremost were the supporting troupe of dancers who gave the production star quality. How can anyone resist the charms of The Dorothy Coleburn School of Dance members who danced the way into our hearts as they took charge of scene after scene, filling the stage with happiness. Principal dancers Mercedes Brown, Elizabeth Lundy, Mathew Michaels, Kitty O’Gara, Megan Reidy and Liam Wetherell occupied the stage with grace, energy, high kicks and Strictly Come Dancing energy. Worth the tenner ticket money on its own.

Sleeping Beauty herself was played by Maisie Sellwood who held the show together with her stage presence and strong voice as she failed to listen to the audience and allowed herself to be pricked by the spindle operated by badass Carabosse (Emma Noman) who threated to take over the show with her charismatic panto baddie persona. I was unconvinced by Princess Rose’s love interest Prince Vincent (Eastenders’s Neil McDermott) who must have been a decade or more older than she and who despite his credentials – tight breeches, a good voice and a handsome face – may have had one eye on the 10.35pm train back to London. Love, they kept pronouncing, trumps all but perhaps not quite in this case – although they would have looked good on a dating App.

Fairy Snowfall played by the sparkling pavlova with a cleavage Sarah Jane Buckley sprinkled plenty of good will as she flew into the stage on wires. Brimming with happiness and a willingness to fight the evils of Carabosse with fairy dust she was what every pantomime (and indeed the planet with its ills of war and poverty) needs. A world class ambassador of goodness.

Jon Monie as Lester the Jester and son of the panto dame Nanny Nora (Nick Wilton) kept the audience onside and asked four youngsters onto the stage ‘what was their favourite Christmas present’? Fortunately, he didn’t get any left field answers but rather items which I and many adults had no idea what they were – it’s all Greek to us oldies. A football or a doll would have done for us back in the day.

Nick Wilton with his or her succession of outfits filled the role of dame with professionalism while his opposite number of David Pendlebury as The King also ruled the stage with authority and a voice that said I know what I’m doing – and they both did it very well.

The overall impression of the last night was a cast who knew the show back to front – but who made no lazy last night in jokes – but kept the production totally full on to the last song and dance. Full marks to the writer Jon Monie who put the show together although more local references and topical notes would have gained more laughs.

From where I was sitting some miles from the stage, the voices were clear and concise, the jokes brilliantly terrible, and the lights, sound, music and action just right. Yes, there’s a lot to be said for sitting in the cheap seats.

Harry Mottram

The show ran from 7th December 2023 to 7^th January, 2024.

Although the show is over there is The Circle in the Main House next week. Details at https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/whats-on/

Please note the theatre asks for no photos or videos to be taken of the show – so the photo I took is before the show began giving a view from the back row of the Grand Circle before most people arrived.

Bath Voice News Theatre Review: a confusing and uneven visit to Neverland with Wendy – a Peter Pan Story at the Egg Theatre

JANUARY 5, 2024

The Egg Theatre in Bath has seen so many superb shows for children and young people but sadly Wendy: A Peter Pan Story is not one of them. Excellent in places, stunning and entertaining at times it was also lumpy, shouty, unsubtle and with dialogue that was at times incoherent with the cast unnecessarily mic-ed up. Thank goodness for electronic captions projected above the stage.

The cast however injected plenty of enthusiasm and movement – which was one of the best parts of the show – with some strong musical set pieces by Jack Drewry with fine choreography by Deepra Singh. Liana Cottrill as Wendy was brilliant, combining a sense of youthful adventure with her more serious home life side sorting out the family’s groceries and her mum’s prescription. Peter Pan was given a more muscular persona by the vibrant Joseph Tweedale while Alice Lamb in charge of the coiled puppet Tinkerbell gave the fairy an aggressive and bullying persona. Captain Hook lost some of the pirate’s wicked wit as comedy villain with Rozelle Gemma, but her portrayal of Mum was just right. And JoAnne Haines as Jon Michael was the essential tantrum enthused boy.

Reinvented as a sort of computer game, it meant much of the charm and magic of JM Barrie’s original 1904 play of Peter Pan was lost by a combination of James Baldwin’s playground inspired script and Jenny Davies’ uneven direction that tried to do too much. However, the mainly school age children in the audience remained transfixed with nods of recognition in some of the bullying scenes and vocalisation of the teenage insecurities.

Production values were high with captivating graphics, strong sound and evocative lighting and the set by Anisha Fields was perfect with its fridge freezer and to-do list on the door. Plus, we did get some traditional sword fighting between lost boy Tootles, Peter Pan, Wendy and Hook. But so much was jettisoned for the 21st century computer game version such as flying children and real mermaids that the overall feel was a show stuck on the ground rather than flying off to Neverland.

Harry Mottram

The show runs to 13 January 2024.

Tickets and information at https://www.theatreroyal.org.uk/events/wendy-a-peter-pan-story/

+++++++++++++++++++++++++++