MORT
Brentwood Performing Arts Group

17.06.11

Terry Pratchett has been eye-balling the Grim Reaper recently, though this typical tale of the Discworld dates from happier times in 1987.

BPAG's version [no credit for the adaptation] skated over much of the wit, the wisdom and the word play. They threw everything at the entrance of Death – smoke, strobe, music and a nice echo for the doomladen voice of sinister, cowled Michael Gardener, whose boneless drunk was a physical highlight. His dimwitted, gauche but frightfully keen apprentice was well characterized by Michael Boosey. Chloe Harding was suitably petulant as Princess Kali.

The most successful scene was the careers guidance comedy sketch where Death is advised by Reece Learmouth's clueless consultant.

Elsewhere, the production, directed by group members Kristen Brown and Connor Thompson, suffered from frequent scene changes, slow cues and inaudibly garbled performances.

They're hoping to tackle Rocky Horror next time. Before then, they might explore other groups' work and methods, and acquire the basic skills that any performance demands. Maybe then their audience will look up more often from updating Facebook, and reward their efforts with laughter.

Ironical image of the evening: the Grim Reaper himself standing at a rain-swept Stage Door, desperately drawing on a pre-show cigarette ...

BEETLEJUICE

Brentwood Performing Arts Group

07.07.10

Tim Burton's fantasy/horror/comedy does not sit well on a small stage. And despite some good ideas, some promising performances and a lot of chutzpah, BPAG's adaptation only fitfully amused or amazed. Not helped by American dialogue in Essex accents. No writing credits on the programme. Your performing licence, if you have one, will stipulate how the creators [Michael McDowell, Larry Wilson, Warren Skaaren] should be acknowledged. If you don't have one, I should have thought you risk legal action against you and the theatre.

Even in 1988, the movies could do wonders; cardboard, a wisp of smoke and a flash of strobe just don't cut it, I'm afraid. Although the illuminated model town was impressive.

Reece Learmouth was the Keaton character [Michael, not Buster] the undead “bio-exorcist” who drives the plot; Michael Gardner was a lively interior designer, and Mark Ballard was Adam Maitland, the unsuccessful ghost who brings in Beetlejuice to save his old home. These three also directed; I couldn't help thinking that a firmer, and more objective, hand might have brought some much needed discipline to the show. I liked Steven Mead's lugubrious janitor, Lloyd Williamson's hoarse Juno and Kristen Brown's sulky, suicidal teen.

The Bicycle number brought a real buzz with it – a little more music would have made the scene changes [more than 20 of them] more bearable. Also hard to bear, for this critic, are self-congratulatory speeches, flash photography in the audience and auditorium chairs on stage ...