MONSIEUR POPULAR at the Ustinov Studio, Bath

MONSIEUR POPULAR at the Ustinov Studio, Bath

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Farce is as old as Western comedy itself and perhaps finds its full flowering in the French theatre around the turn of the nineteenth century, when many of the usual devices such as extravagant plot are kept whilst stock characterization gives way to more nuanced treatment. Monsieur Popular is by one of the masters of the genre, Eugène Marin Labiche . . . Monsieur Popular is a delightfully tasty blancmange of a play, full of unpretentious fun and I would not be surprised to find it coming back to the main house in the not too distant future.

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BAD JEWS on tour

BAD JEWS on tour

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I originally reviewed this play on its first UK run at the Ustinov. Now back in the main house after a successful run in the West End and with a new cast this is not a reassessment but a fresh review. . . Undoubtedly deserving of its plaudits the play sparkles with rich characters and scintillating, raw dialogue, which entertains and amuses as it provokes. It could indeed, stand as a metaphor for society as a whole– are we not after all, in the broadest sense the members of the same family?

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AND THEN COME THE NIGHTJARS at the Bristol Old Vic

AND THEN COME THE NIGHTJARS at the Bristol Old Vic

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In folklore, Nightjars are emblematic portends of death. We hear the song of the bird at crucial junctures in this story. But despite the shadowy nature of the tale, Roberts’ writing always manages to dance along. These men are not two-dimensional . . . Bea Roberts’s piece leaves us with some hope, that even between two ageing and failing men there can be connection and resolve, even love. She is a writer who is equally at ease with farce and ferocity. Recommended

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Cheltenham Literature Festival 2015

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10th October – ANTONY SHER. Year of the Fat Knight: The Falstaff Diaries is Sher’s third book based on the journals he kept while preparing major roles. The other two were about working on Richard III for the RSC and the Primo Levi piece for the National. It is fascinating to see how an actor prepares a role and the daily processes through which he goes. It was not made clear whether the diaries are an aid to creating the character or are in some way cathartic after a hard day’s work at the coal face of Thespis. I suspect a mixture of the two.

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EVERY BRILLIANT THING at the Tobacco Factory, Bristol

EVERY BRILLIANT THING at the Tobacco Factory, Bristol

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Imagine writing down everything that makes you smile, uplifts you, pleases you, makes you momentarily happy. Now suppose you start the list aged seven (starting with ice cream) and keep adding and adding with everything that delights you and those around you, including first love and abiding love. Like much of what is good in life it is inclusive: so here we find ‘peeing in the sea when no one knows’, ‘the jangling sound of keys’, ‘the smell of books’ and ‘a hairdresser who listens to what you want’. . . To spin gold from a mere list is no mean feat and this show produces it by the yard.

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FIRE IN THE NORTH SKY at The North Wall, Oxford

FIRE IN THE NORTH SKY at The North Wall, Oxford

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The storytelling and music in the production are brilliant, but for me, the main strength lies in its rawness. In true storytelling tradition, the narrative doesn’t feel perfectly scripted – the words seem as though they might change to suit the audience or the storyteller’s mood. This feels very true to the spirit of passing on an oral tradition. I could imagine this performance would work equally well in front of a roaring fire in a pub, in a family living room over mugs of hot chocolate, or under the Northern Lights where Väinämöinen himself might stop to listen.

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