CYMBELINE

CYMBELINE

Shakespeare's Globe at the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse
16.01.2016


Could this be the year of Cymbeline ? The RSC's production of the “rarely performed romance” [their words] – with a female Cymbeline – opens in April; the great Globe itself has Matthew Dunster's version, rebadged as Imogen, in September. In the meantime, in the candle-lit Jacobean space, Sam Yates' colourful production stresses the knockabout fun as well as the weirdly tragic.
It is very much Imogen's play – here she's Innogen, an old typo redressed – excellently done by Emily Barber, especially compelling when disguised as the youth Fidele. Her Posthumus is Jonjo O'Neill, her evil step-mother done with gleeful gusto by Pauline McLynn, who also appears impressively as the deus ex machina Jupiter, stretching the authenticity of the production to its limits in a wonderful moment of stunning stagecraft. Joseph Marcel makes a grave monarch in the title role.
There is blood, and pathos, but much comedy too, especially in the OTT dénouement. An impressive ensemble – Globe stalwart Brenda O'Hea is outstanding as the exiled Belarius, Trevor Fox an engagingly blunt Pisanio. Not without its disappointments: there is much more to the doltish Cloten than we get from Calum Callaghan, and Fear No More the Heat of the Sun, though credibly performed as a gauchely improvised eulogy, has little magic here – elsewhere Alex Baranowski provides some marvellous music, plangent cello to the fore.

THE WICKED WITCHES OF OZ

THE WICKED WITCHES OF OZ

Little Waltham Drama Group

in the Memorial Hall

17.01.16

How to keep the village panto fresh and entertaining for everyone ?
This is one good idea: a new script with an ingenious twist on a familiar tale, and a keen young director to bring it to life.
“I don't think we're in Waltham any more ...” Dorothy [Karen Allen] and her unlikely farm hands, not to mention Toto the pantomime dog, are transported to the Emerald City in search of brain, heart and wardrobe.
A lot of fun on the way: Axe Factor, Witch Factor and a sprinkling of local jokes. Music too: Showbiz, Les Mis, The Wiz. Blues Brothers, Fats Domino and much more, though not the ring-fenced Rainbow, represented only by some cheeky snatches of pastiche.
Excellent panto performances from Jenny Broadway as Aunt Em and the first witch, Momby, Viv Abrey cackling away as the green and warty Edna, Mike Lee as a bearded Wizard and Ken Little as a frisky Toto, though he would have benefited from another seasoned ad-libber to spark off. Nice character work from Kate Farrell as Munchy from Down Under, Ryan Chapman as the front-loader Tin Man, Ash Cobden as Aslan, Alex Lee as a likeable Scarecrow and Tash Wootten as side-kick Drip. Colourful chorus numbers from the Maids with neon hair, the Munchkins and the Crows in their boaters and giant specs, led by the brooding presence of Martin Final's King Crow.
Children of all ages in Aunt Em's garden had a great time joining in the mercifully short community singing, and enjoyed the fruity chews from the sweetie baskets in the traditional Waltham walk-about.
The Wicked Witches of Oz, penned by Peter Nuttall, is directed by Stuart Goodchild assisted by Jo Lee, with choreography by Kim Travell and musical direction by Chrissy Gould.

photographs by Peter Travell

MUSIC FOR THE NEW YEAR

MUSIC FOR THE NEW YEAR

The Brentwood Philharmonic at Brentwood Theatre

10.01.2016

The Brentwood Phil is one of the Mayor's charities this year, and this concert of orchestral pops raised much needed money for a new set of timpani.
Interspersed with genial, informative chat from conductor/arranger John Hawkins, we heard two pieces of Debussy, a jokey metronomic Beethoven and Grieg's marching Trolls, featuring two of those gleaming new timps.
The full symphony orchestra give their next concert on February 13; in the intimacy of the Brentwood Theatre they fielded two dozen players, led by Charles Clark – forces for a Palm Court or a theatre pit. And appropriately, they began with Sullivan's overture to Iolanthe. There were salon favourites, too: McDowell's Wild Rose, and Ketelby's Persian Market. And a splendid arrangement of Ezra Read's fast-moving fantasia Fire Fire, with plenty of work for trumpeter Colin Handley.
To finish, Viennese encores, including the Blue Danube – recalling the traditional New Year greeting from the Musikverein, which I endorse here with the necessary amendment: Die Brentwood Philharmoniker und ich wünschen Ihnen - prosit 2016!

JUSTIN AND THE ARGONAUTS

JUSTIN AND THE ARGONAUTS

Common Ground Theatre Company at the Wolsey Studio, Ipswich

09.01.2016


Ipswich is well served for alternative pantos – besides Aladdin [starring Paul Daniels and Debbie McGee] at the Regent, we've been offered the rock'n'roll Sword in the Stone at the Wolsey, Holy Mackerel at the Sir John Mills, and now Justin and the Argonauts, ending its tour in the Wolsey Studio.
This year's offering from Common Ground is a typically off-the-wall, on-a-shoestring show, packing in loads of Greek mythology, tons of puns and groan-aloud gags, plus some catchy songs by director Pat Whymark.
All very enjoyable, even if still a little rough at the edges. The cast of five, all of them masters of the shameless style, is held together by newcomer Matt Jopling, who plays the narrator and hero, the weedy 1930s schoolboy Justin whose Aegean cruise somehow turns into a romp through the ancient world of gods and monsters.
The others all play countless roles. Julian Herries is the Ancient Greek Heracles, as well as Zeus, the old thesp Pelleas, a Gorgon, a Yorkshire Prometheus and many more. Lorna Garside is the tomboy Atalanta and Medea, Alice Mottram Hera and Acrustes, and Joe Leat is excruciatingly funny in a host of juicy character roles, including the groundsman [at Peggy Mount School], an Irish Centaur, a sulky Orpheus and a tiny Eros.

Running gags include lunch box delicacies and the “Interval” - the strait between Scylla and Charybdis. Lion wrestling, pickled onion jar opening, the golden fleece hairpiece, the squid and the kraken, all ensure a pleasurable quest round the wine-dark sea, an evening of merry myths and surreal silliness.

THINGS TO COME - CHELMSFORD THEATRES

THINGS TO COME - CHELMSFORD THEATRES

Civic and Cramphorn Theatres' Spring Season 2016

A busy season this spring for our Chelmsford theatres.
Drama highlights include Pinter's black comedy The Birthday Party (8-9 March), Andrew Lloyd Webber and Don Black’s West End and Broadway hit musical Tell Me On A Sunday (6 March), starring Jodie Prenger. Both classic pieces too rarely revived.
Smaller tours too, with the long-awaited return of Jubilant Productions with Romancing Miss Bliss (13 February), a wry look at the secret lives of those who write Romantic Fiction. Wilde Without The Boy (27 February) is a dramatisation of De Profundis, Oscar Wilde’s searing letter to his lover Bosie, John Godber is back with The Debt Collectors (19 April) and The Best Thing (29 April), is a swinging 60s story of unconditional love from the Vamos Theatre company – full mask and wordless.
Music of all kinds – Dillie Keane, Maddy Prior, Blake and the ever-popular D'Ukes. Not to mention those touring tributes, to, amongst other, Billy Fury, Elvis, ELO and Simon and Garfunkel. And the enterprising M&G Concert series continues with the Philarmonia Symphonic Brass, the Northern Chamber Orchestra and the Orchestra of the Swan, with guitarist Craig Ogden.

To find out about all the shows on at Chelmsford City Theatres and to book tickets visit www.chelmsford.gov.uk/theatres or call the Box Office on 01245 606505.