The Wasp

Leave a comment

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writer Matt Forrest

Hope Mill Theatre is gaining quite the reputation for both staging and hosting bold, daring and unique productions: the latest offering from The Theatre Collective, The Wasp is no different.

When Heather (Charlie Young) contacts old school friend Carla (Debbie Brannan) for a brew and a catch up, Carla has no idea what to expect. In the early stages of high school, the two were the best of friends, however that friendship soon turned sour with Carla turning on her friend, taking every opportunity to extract pain and misery on Heather. In the present-day Carla is in an unhappy marriage with four children and a fifth on the way. Heather on the other hand likes the finer things life has to offer, she has a nice house and money to burn. So, what possible reason could Heather have for meeting up with Carla?  Heather has a proposal for Carla that will change both of their lives for ever.

This daring two hander has a delicious evil streak running through it with a pitch black comedic script at its centre, sure there are some plot contrivances which at times push the boundaries of credibility but if you are prepared to go along for the ride then you won’t be disappointed.

I won’t go in too much narrative detail, so as not to spoil anything, (the less you know the better) however the plot is packed full of twists and turns as we see the balance of power between the two shifts throughout and just when you think you have the answer the questions get changed.

The two leads are outstanding: Young as the straight-laced seemingly well to do Heather turns in a captivating and riveting performance, whilst Brannan is terrific as the desperate Carla, willing to doing anything for a better life for her and her children. The two clearly relish sparring together, as they sling cutting remarks and stinging barbs throughout.

In addition, there is haunting, claustrophobic sound design by Dan Pyke that really ratchets up the tension. Throw all this into the mix and you have all the ingredients for a taut psychological thriller that will shock and captivate.

The Wasp is on at Hope Mill Theatre till 16th June. Tickets are available here.

The Nature of Forgetting

Leave a comment

The Nature of Forgetting, credit Danilo Moroni 5

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Tom is preparing for his 55th birthday; Tom also has early onset dementia. As he dresses for his party, with each touch of fabric threads of memoires begin to stir; we follow his minds recollections and failing retentions over the next 75 minutes through an exploration of memory, friendship, love and the fragility of human life.

Established in 2009, Theatre Re is a London-based international ensemble creating moving and incredibly poignant explorative theatre which pushes the boundaries of mime and physicality. The company move together effortlessly as beloved memories play out patchily while others remain strong, taking Tom right back to his school days, to sharing his first kiss through to enjoying his wedding day.

The Nature of Forgetting, credit Danilo Moroni 2

The fluid execution of each scene allowing the peaks and troughs of Tom’s life to play out in front of us. Tom’s mind may be weakening as shown through the stuttering and stalling of particular memories as scenes blur and frustrations rise where the simple becomes complex but the person at the heart of it remains.

Alex Judd’s beautiful composition becomes almost an additional character, stirring and atmospheric it flows beautifully through the fluid memories and punctuates the distorted, splintered recollections.

the nature of forgetting, credit danilo moroni

The show’s creator and director, Guillaume Pigé takes on the title role of Tom, delivering the complex choreography with ease. Timing here is everything and the small ensemble cast don’t miss a beat as this moving exploration of dementia as seen through the eyes of a sufferer offers a stage for soon to be forgotten memories.

Fast-paced and poignant, Theatre Re succeed entirely in delivering a thought-provoking and impactful piece of theatre. Tom may seem broken but his inner-strength and the person he was remain despite his failing, weakening mind.

Theatre Re have one more performance of The Nature of Forgetting at the Lowry on Wednesday 13th June at 1.30pm, tickets available here.

This is Elvis

1 Comment

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writer Matt Forrest

Elvis Aaron Presley is the undisputed King of Rock N Roll, which is just a fact. Presley is beloved by millions of people around the world: in the UK alone, he had 21 number one singles, a feat yet to be matched. However Presley wasn’t always top dog: during the mid 1960’s things we’re looking pretty grim for ‘Elvis the Pelvis’: a string of poorly received films, his last live performance coming in 1961, it would be fair to say that by 1968 Elvis wasn’t in a good place.

However all that would change with the famous NBC ‘68 Comeback Special’ television broadcast which is where This is Elvis starts. The production opens at the NBC studios as we see a performer riddled with self-doubt and confidence issues only to make a triumphant comeback. Presley is back on the map and wanting to hit the road again, however the strangle-hold that his manager, Colonel Tom Parker, has over him forces Presley into undertaking a 57 show residency in Las Vegas, a situation Presley isn’t keen on. In addition to this, there are marriage problems, anxiety issues, and a certain degree of pressure from the Memphis Mafia, the nickname given to friends and associates of Presley.

This is certainly a production of two halves: the first being that of a musical, the second being a tribute concert, with the latter working out more than the first. Acts one and two provide a useful insight into the extraordinary pressure that Elvis put himself under, in addition to the external issues that were blighting him. Though done in a ham-fisted manner, they are essential to gaining an understanding of Presley. During the Las Vegas show-case finale we are treated  to one of the legendary Las Vegas’s performances with all the showmanship and charisma we associate  with the ‘King’, however the performance is punctured with a great deal of pathos as well.

Steve Michaels is outstanding in the lead role: an international award winning Elvis tribute act in his own right. His performance during the Las Vegas concert is outstanding: he has a fantastic voice and it really shows through as he belts out such classics as Jailhouse Rock, In The Ghetto, and Burning Love: which had everyone up on their feet dancing midway through the final act. However what set this aside from being a caricatured performance is the way Michaels injects some of Presley’s mannerisms and foibles in the performance; it really is a star turn.

Michaels is backed by a 10 piece band who are fantastic, with credit falling at the feet of musical director Steve Geere. The musicianship and talent on display is a treat to behold and in addition, the Las Vegas stage design by Andy Walmsley of bright neon lights, and Presley’s name up in lights add glitz and glamour to proceedings.

Overall, despite a slow start, and some clunky plot points that really could be handled better, this entertaining show providing an insight into some of the demons that blighted Presley’s towards the end of his life, but also an opportunity to remember him for the songs, and the charismatic, captivating performer he was. Elvis fans will love it and for those that aren’t familiar with his music this would be a great place to start. So best dig out the blue suede shoes and white jump suit and head on down to the Palace!

This Is Elvis is on at the Palace Theatre Manchester until 16th June tickets can be found here.

Leave a comment

KIDS_WEEK__logo_400x400

From 10am on Tue 12 Jun, you can get a free child’s ticket (age 16 and under) to one of 40+ London theatre shows, including Aladdin, Bat Out Of Hell, Wicked, Brief Encounter, and Les Misérables, throughout August when you buy a full-priced adult ticket via the Kids Week website.

There are 172,000 tickets available in total (this includes adult and child tickets) through Kids Week and you can book until the offer ends on Fri 31 Aug – some shows have excluded days and the offer will end once all tickets are sold.

Last year, 104,839 tickets sold within the first 24 hours, so you’ll need to go quick if you’re after a particular performance!

There are no booking or postage fees, and you can save £11.50-£80 depending on the show and seats you choose. You can also get 50% off for up to two more children per adult, so what are you waiting for!

Head to Kids Week for further information and to check out the available shows!

 

Northern Ballet | Jane Eyre

2 Comments

26100554537_84e513a073_k

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Writer Nikki Cotter

Jane Eyre has been reimagined many times, Northern Ballet’s challenge is telling this familiar story without a single word of Charlotte Brontë’s famous text being uttered. A challenge acclaimed choreographer Cathy Marston undoubtedly rises to as the key details of Brontë’s masterpiece unfold in this dynamic and visually stunning production.

Marston focusses firmly on the female characters within the piece; Jane is indisputably the heroine of the production as Abigail Prudames encompasses the passion and determination of the trailblazer through the most exquisite and precise of performances. Tested to the point of self-betrayal before her belief in love and the fierceness of her own integrity saves her, Prudames tells a story with every slight movement she makes, delivering elegance, drama and emotional depth.

40930168902_76033dbe91_k

Rochester is brought to life by a brooding Mlindi Kulashe, the chemistry between Prudames and Kulashe is electric, full of passion and intensity. Kulashe capturing the complexity of Rochester’s bruised soul effortlessly, the duo glide from awkward to playful with ease before passion and intensity takes hold.

Adding further layers to the piece is Hannah Bateman’s Bertha Mason, often described as the ‘mad woman in the attic’ she is wild, highly-sexualised and unpredictable as she prowls across the stage barefoot, bathed in red.

40262845224_7c0350ff27_k

The production feels fresh and inspired as the pace dances through Jane’s life from tragic childhood to complex adulthood, her search for fulfilment never wavering.

An ensemble of male dancers, known as the D-Men, symbolise Jane’s inner demons, creating a clear visual image of the orphan girls emotions and inner turmoil, a superb creative decision which visually portrays the constant tug-of-war between Jane’s intensely passionate feelings and her outer reserve.

Young Jane is portrayed to perfection by Ayami Miyata, agitation and frustration depicted in her defiant, energetic movements.

40930167052_05a0c53737_k

The adaptation does absolute justice to Brontë’s work, bringing the novel to effervescent life with incredible skill and creativity.

Phillip Feeney’s emotive score blends a mixture of both original and 19th-century music which compliments the contemporary feel of this piece superbly. Patrick Kinmonth’s set is sparse moving screens, muted in colour allowing the performers to really be at the centre of this piece, all lit to atmospheric perfection by Alastair West’s lighting design.

The fusing of the traditional and the contemporary ensures this is a performance packed with intensity as well as originality, a beautiful and expressive tribute to both Jane herself and author Charlotte Brontë.

On at the Lowry until Saturday 9th June tickets available here.

Summer Holiday

Leave a comment

summer-holiday-alexander-bean-david-heywood-michael-peavoy-luke-thornton-barbara-hockaday-greg-last-photo-by-richard-lakos_preview

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Marking the 1st of several site-specific productions as part of the Octagon’s Out and About Season while the theatre undergoes an exciting redevelopment, Summer Holiday based on the 1963 film starring Cliff Richard and The Shadows is a joyful, uplifting and enormously inventive production.

Telling the familiar story of Don (Michael Peavoy) his buddies and their exciting escapades on a double-decker bus round Europe, Summer Holiday is brought to life on the streets of Bolton in the most imaginative and innovative of ways as audiences are taken on an immersive journey filled with an infectious soundtrack delivered by a cast who literally burst with talent.

summer-holiday-isobel-bates-alexander-bean-david-heywood-robert-jackson-michael-peavoy-luke-thornton-sarah-workman-photo-by-richard-lakos_preview

The ambitions and brilliantly executed production directed by Elizabeth Newman and Ben Occhipinti starts with an opening scene in Bolton’s new bus interchange, as the crowd gathers the action begins. Audiences are then invited to join the cast on a fine fleet of big blue buses for a sing-a-long journey through the streets of Bolton over to Victoria Square where we find musical trio Do-Re-Mi, who soon decide to ditch their clapped out Mini and come along for the ride as together both cast and audience make their way towards the Octagon theatre for the remainder of the performance. The ambitious multi-site staging works wonderfully, it really does feel like an exciting adventure we’re all invited on and flows beautifully.

As the cast leave England behind there are scrapes and shenanigans, hilarious highs and luckily limited lows as this feel-good musical delivers fun with a capita F. One final addition on the adventure is American stowaway Barbara (Eleanor Brown), a highly talented pop star who simply can’t take any more of her pushy mother’s melodrama, inexperienced at life she soon finds her feet and the glorious gang is complete.

summer-holiday-sarah-workman-isobel-bates-photo-by-richard-lakos_preview

Summer Holiday is undeniably an ensemble production with many of the songs sung by Cliff in the film delivered as group numbers allowing for the most sublime of harmonies as the actor-musicians work their way effortlessly through a jaw-dropping array of instruments. Classic and catchy, the show is chock full of hits including The Young Ones, Bachelor Boy, Living Doll and of course title track, Summer Holiday, each and every one delivered to perfection by the hard-working, multi-talented cast who stay in character from start to finish, singing, dancing and playing musical instruments throughout the entirety of the show.

Michael Peavoy and Eleanor Brown as Don and Barbara make for a fine pairing as cupid comes calling, but the ensemble feel of this piece doesn’t stop with just the soundtrack as love strikes all over the Bolton bus in the most wonderful and heart-warming of ways.

summer-holiday-barbara-hockaday-greg-last-photo-by-richard-lakos_preview

Special mention must go to Barbara Hockaday as ever-demanding Stella, Barbara’s pushy mother and Greg Last as Jerry, agent to Barbara and eternally at the beck and call of the force of nature that is Stella. The pair are outrageously funny and bounce off each other brilliantly, as for their Latino inspired busking scene, well it’s worth the ticket price alone!

Summer Holiday is a feel-good theatre at its absolute finest, bursting with life and boundless energy it is a joyful journey through the beautiful heart of Bolton that will thrill young and old alike. Artistic Director Elizabeth Newman wanted to inspire audiences to join the Octagon theatre on the road as the redevelopment begins, if this is a taste of things to come then sign me up for a season ticket!

On until Saturday 23rd June, tickets available here.

Marx in Soho

Leave a comment

BobWeick-MarxinSoho_preview

“Remember to be radical simply means to grasp the root of the problem. And the root is us”

2018 marks 200 years since the legendary Karl Marx was born, in celebration of this, Iron Age Theatre in association with Juniper Productions have brought renowned historian activist Howard Zinn’s timely one-man show, Marx in Soho, on a 6 week UK tour, stopping at Chetham’s library, where Marx and Engles frequently visited in 1845, with an additional two night at the Kings Arms in Salford.

Zinn’s work is delivered convincingly by Bob Weick in this engaging one-man play. Marx has been granted a return from heaven in order to attempt to explain his ideas and ideals to a modern audience. He had hoped to arrive in Soho, London where he once lived, however much to his irritation he lands in Soho, New York.

MARXinSoHoFinalHi-Res_preview

Zinn’s script takes Marx’s political theory and mixes it with warm and nostalgic recollections about the people he loved which comes across in a subtle tenderness as he recollects his favourite memories. Just as convincing are his passionate discussions about the injustices faced by the working class, made strikingly clear as he argues that the problems of yesterday, political corruption, war and poverty are just as apparent today.

Weick is engaging and charismatic with a well-judged wry humour and a real clarity in his delivery. The setting could not be more perfect, the baronial hall at Manchester’s Chetham’s library further adding to the engaging authenticity of this piece.

Thought-provoking, impassioned and relevant theatre.

Catch Marx in Soho at The Kings Arms Salford on Saturday 9th and Sunday 10th June tickets available here.

 

Aspects of Love | Cast and Creatives announced

Leave a comment

Aspects

An exciting cast and creative team has been announced for Hope Mill Theatre and Aria productions hotly-anticipated, intimate revival of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s romantic classic Aspects of Love, which runs as the award-winning Ancoats theatre from Thursday 5th July until Thursday 9th August.

The talented company of 10 includes both Olivier Award nominees and West End regulars as well as young talent making their professional debuts will be directed by Jonathan O’Boyle whose recent credits include Pippin (Hope Mill Theatre/ Southwark Playhouse, London), Hair (Hope Mill Theatre/The Vaults, London) and Resident Director of An American in Paris (Dominion Theatre, London).

Making up the cast is Kimberly Blake (Half a Sixpence, Barnum) who plays Giulietta, Jason Kajdi (Our House, Assassins), in the role of Hugo, Felix Mosse (The Rocky Horror Show) as Alex, Julia J Nagle (An American in Paris) as Elizabeth/ensemble, Minal Patel (The Secret Garden, Bend it Like Beckham) as Marcel, Jerome Pradon (Jesus Christ Superstar, Pacific Overtures – Olivier Award Nominee 2003) as George and Kelly Price (That Day We Sang, A Little Night Music – Olivier Award Nominee 2010) in the role of Rose. Making their professional debuts in the production are Rosie Cava-Beale, ensemble, Jack Churms, as Jerome/ensemble and Eleanor Walsh as Jenny/ensemble.

Following Aspects of Love at Hope Mill Theatre is The Return of the Soldier that runs from Thursday 6 to Saturday 29 September and A Christmas Story The Musical that runs from Friday 26 October to Saturday 1 December.

Tickets available here.

 

Interview | Natasha Hodgson | Kill the Beast

Leave a comment

KTB 1

Lowry associate artists Kill the Beast return to the Salford venue next week with their new show Director’s Cut before they head off to Edinburgh Fringe for a summer of hilarious and a teeny bit haunting comedy japes.

Opening Night caught up with one fifth of the ‘Beast’s’ Natasha Hodgson to hear a little more about their latest offering and what exactly Lowry audiences can expect from the award-winning troop when Director’s Cut opens in the Aldridge Studio on 7th June.

Welcome to the worst film never made. Thankfully, there’s only one scene left to shoot… 

The fire has been contained, the wigs have been sterilised, and the star has been replaced after “The Accident”. Surely, nothing else can be waiting in the dark…

Director’s Cut, a madcap mash-up with a generous sprinkling of spoof horror introduces us to a 1970’s lead actress determined to take her revenge from beyond the grave, will she manage to stop filming on the most truly terrible and blisteringly bad movie she ever made?

Natasha Hodgson described to us where the idea for Director’s Cut came from. “We were chatting in a lovely sunny garden one day about our favourite horror films (classic sunshine chat) and how amazing, iconic films never seem to manage iconic sequels. We started talking about Rosemary’s Baby (one of our favourites) and imagining what a terrible sequel to Rosemary’s Baby – Rosemary’s Toddler? – might look like. And what if, whilst filming this terrible sequel, the spirit of the original film came back to wreak vengeance on this terrible follow up!”

Like previous shows The Boy Who Kicked Pigs, He Had Hairy Hands and Don’t Wake The Damp, Kill the Beast’s signature style of fast-paced action, original music and brilliantly bonkers comedy will lend itself perfectly to this silly yet sinister escapade. Natasha explained “I play a couple of characters, but my favourite is an older actor called Judy Goose, she’s been in the industry forever, and although she’s done a whole host of arthouse films, she’s always most excited about her adverts for Simpkin’s Soapy Scrubbers (“for wives and for mothers”) because of their big, fat pay-cheques. You’ll also learn that she’s a dab-hand at dealing with a dead body. But you’ll have to see the show to find out which one…”

KTB

Here at Opening Night we are enormous fans of Kill the Beast’s deliciously dark humour and inventive staging, Natasha confirmed while the humour remains there will be some new and rather exciting changes to the staging of this new production, “Our hearts belong to ridiculous, dark and silly jokes, and that’s always going to be at the forefront of everything we make. However, we’re ditching the projections this time around, in favour of actual AV screens – it makes ghost trickery a lot more fun. We’ve done three shows with projected sets, and this time around we wanted to build something solid from scratch – we’ve got a real life 70s film set on stage, and we can’t wait to cause catastrophes within it.”

Now in their sixth year as Lowry associate artists Natasha explained just how important the support from The Lowry has been, “We feel so, so lucky to be supported by them, and if more theatres provided the sort of 360 care and help that they do, the emerging theatre scene would be able to take a lot more risks, and make a lot more fantastic stuff. But hell, it’s a hard time for the arts. It’s a hard time for a lot of stuff. Best thing we can recommend? Come see a silly, fast-paced comedy about a vengeful, opinionated ghost. That will probably sort everything out.”

Director’s Cut opens at The Lowry on Thursday 7th June and runs until Saturday 9th tickets priced at £12 (£10 for concessions) can be found here. here.

 

 

 

Play Your Gender

Leave a comment

392342-play-your-gender-0-230-0-345-crop

Writer Matt Forrest

The Doc ‘N Roll festival is well under way this bank holiday weekend, and we were fortunate to attend one of the 11 documentary film premiers being held this weekend: Play Your Gender from  Canadian director Stephanie Clattenburg. Arguably more intriguing than the film, was the Q & A after the screening with film/theatre producer Alison Surtees, musician Jaheda Choudhury, Dr Katie Mikestone (a sociology lecturer at MMU), and sound engineer Yvonne Ellis.

The film takes a look at the under-representation of women in the music industry: from producers to sound engineers, there is a clear discrepancy between men and women with just 5% of women working as producers today.

Award winning producer Kinnie Starr aims to find out what the barriers are preventing women succeeding in this area. The film offers a great deal of insight into this area, with interviews from various female musicians who offer their opinions and what they are doing to change this.

A key scene in the film is a moment when the line-up of various festivals are shown and then decimated when only the female singers/musicians are shown. The film certainly has good intentions and hopes to engineer change. It is well worth catching for anyone with not just an interest in music but also a passion for equality.

However, for me, the highlight of the night was the Q & A with the panel who offered their experience on subject matter. They discussed and challenged aspects of the documentary which led to a lively, engaging and insightful discussion.

This has certainly set the bench mark high for the festival and if all the other sessions live up to this high standard, then those lucky enough to attend are in for a treat. Thought provoking, insightful and highly entertaining, you really couldn’t find a better way to spend your bank holiday.

Ticket details can be found here:

http://www.docnrollfestival.com/film-schedule/

 

Doc’n Roll Festival

Leave a comment

Writer Matt Forrest

The Bank holiday weekend is upon us once more: with the inevitable heavy bank holiday traffic threatening to spoil our precious long weekend, it may be worth avoiding the jams and going for a different sort of ‘jam’ by taking in some great films packed with killer tunes!

From the 23rd May through to the 28th May, the great city of Manchester will host the Doc’n Roll film festival for the first time ever. This is a film festival like no other as it highlights some tremendous music documentaries from across the globe, regardless of your taste in music, the festival promises something for everyone.

Boasting 11 premiers at three venues across the city, this festival will provide music lovers not only with a chance to see some insightful and groundbreaking films, but also offer opportunities to quiz the musicians and directors behind the projects with several post screening Q & A sessions.

Unlike most music festivals, there are no headliners here, just an eclectic mix of films and artists spanning various musical genres: from Ella Fitzgerald to Badly Drawn Boy, Iranian Techno to Heavy Metal, the festival promises to leave you informed and entertained. There are also films taking a look at the vibrant 1960’s Liverpool music scene which gave birth to The Beatles, as well as a look at the infamous Ealing Club in London, a venue nicknamed “The Cradle of British Rock”.

Opening night will be attending several screenings throughout the weekend, one that we are certainly looking forward to is Play Your Gender, an insightful look at the lack of female representation in music production.

So this bank holiday why not get yourself down to HOME, Gulliver’s, and Plant Noma and catch some amazing films featuring some interesting stories, talented musicians, and some great music! Here is a full list of the all the events and where they are happening:

19:00 WEDNESDAY 23RD MAY – 3MT – 39 Oldham St, M1 1JG

** Manchester Premiere **

Walking In The Opposite Direction: Adrian Borland & The Sound

Director Marc Waltman, Netherlands, 2016, 96 mins

18:30 THURSDAY 24TH MAY – HOME

** Manchester Premiere **

L7: Pretend We’re Dead

Dir. Sarah Price US, 2016, 82 mins

18:30 FRIDAY 25TH MAY – PLANT NOMA – Dantzic St, M60 0AB

** Manchester Premiere **

Raving Iran

Dir. Susanne Regina Meures, 2016, Switzerland, 84mins

 

18:15 FRIDAY 25TH MAY – HOME

** Manchester Premiere **

Play Your Gender + Q&A Your

Dir. Stephanie Clattenburg, Canada, 2017, 80mins

Q&A (music industry panelists TBA)

15:30 SATURDAY 26TH MAY – HOME

*** World Premiere ***

About A Badly Drawn Boy + Q&A

Dir. THE MITCHAM SUBMARINE, 2018, UK, 72mins

Q&A with the director

18:00 SATURDAY 26TH MAY – HOME

** Manchester Premiere **

Manchester Keeps On Dancing + Q&A, plus After-Party

Dir. Javi Senz, 2017, UK, 90mins

14:30 SUNDAY 27TH MAY – GULLIVERS

** Manchester Premiere **

Suburban Steps to Rockland: The Story of The Ealing Club

Dir. Giorgio Guernier, 2017, UK, 89mins

17:00 SUNDAY 27TH MAY – GULLIVERS

**Manchester Premiere**

The Doom Doc

Dir. Connor Matheson, UK, 2017, 90mins

19:30 SUNDAY 27TH MAY – GULLIVERS

** Manchester Premiere **

DEATH by Metal

Dir. Felipe Belalcazar, 2016, Canada, 109mins

16:00 MONDAY 28 MAY – HOME

** Manchester Premiere **

Pure Love: The Voice of Ella Fitzgerald

Dir. Katja Duregger, 2017, Germany, 52mins

Tickets for all shows available at: http://www.docnrollfestival.com/films/

Brighton Rock

1 Comment

BR 1

Reviewed by Matt Forrest

Opening Night verdict ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

It’s 80 years since Graham Greene’s novel Bright Rock first saw the light of day. It spawned two film adaptations, one in 1947 launching the career of Richard Attenborough and the other coming in 2010 featuring Helen Mirren. It has become something of a cult classic and a much-loved staple of British literature and film.

Director Esther Richardson and the Pilot Theatre company have brought a fresh and unique version to the stage, that despite a few plot niggles, is hugely entertaining and well worth a watch. The plot focuses on the murder of Charles ‘Fred’ Hale, who arrives in Brighton on a special assignment from a newspaper. It’s in the resort that ‘Fred’ bumps into local gangster Pinkie, a teenage sociopath with a grudge to settle. As Fred tries to survive the day in Brighton, he encounters the kind-hearted Ida Arnold, who takes a shine to Fred, however Pinkie catches up with his prey and soon Fred is no more.

BR 2

However what Pinkie doesn’t reckon on is not just the determination of Ida to find out the truth, but also the involvement of Rose, a sweet natured, innocent waitress who holds the key to Fred’s demise. An encounter between Pinkie and Rose leads to a somewhat unconventional love and eventual marriage but will this be enough to save Pinkie from the long arm long arm of the law, but himself as well.

There is a great deal to admire in this production. Jacob James Beswick, is outstanding as Pinkie; he has a swagger full of menace, as he prowls around the stage like a Jackal and his performance really anchors the production. In addition, he is supported by a fine cast with Sarah Middleton as Rose, and Gloria Onitiri as Ida, with the latter demonstrating a beautiful singing voice.  In addition, there is a hard working ensemble cast who play various roles and work their socks off.

BR 4

The play explores numerous themes including right and wrong, as several characters’ moral compasses go off in various directions. What is interesting is the relationship between Rose and Pinkie, and how they try to remain truthful to their Roman Catholic upbringings. However, one plot strand that I feel is underdeveloped is the relationship between Ida and Fred, this isn’t explored nearly enough for you to invest and believe in Ida’s crusade to seek justice for a man she hardly knew.

What stood out for me was the look and feel of the show. The set design by Sara Perks looks fantastic, this in conjunction with a truly atmospheric musical arrangement from Hannah Peel, adds a sense of danger to proceedings. In addition, the production contains some intricate fascinating choreography from movement director Jenifer Jackson, which again leaves a feeling of menace, as various cast members linger around the pier and emerge from the shadows, it really does create an intimidating foreboding atmosphere.

BR

This is a bold, slick production that certainly looks fantastic with a central performance that will linger in the memory for some time to come.

Brighton Rock part of the Week 53 festival is on at the Lowry till 26th May tickets available here.