Dangerous Corner

 

Review by Paul Towers, 29/4/24

Dangerous Corner by J B Priestley

Directed by John Ghent

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre until Saturday 4^th May 2024

“the plot twists will make you gasp”

In 1932 JB Priestley had yet to gain widespread respect as a playwright. Dangerous Corner was his first attempt at a full length stage play.

Deliberately creating a one set play Priestley used a theme that he returned to again and again. Disharmony amongst families and friends due to secrets and lies.

In middle class middle England Freda (Joy Brankin-Frisby) and Robert Caplan (John Moulding) are throwing a dinner party for close friends and colleagues at Robert and Gordan’s (Stuart Bryan) publishing firm. Gordan’s wife, Betty (Rachael Humphrey), along with Freda, is friends with Olwen (Kat Lenthall), another guest. Of the friendship group the last is single Charles Stanton (Paul Beasley).

To add some much needed comedy Angela Hill’s Maud Mockridge, local celebrity author, is almost channelling Madame Acarti.

It would be a very suburban and cosy evening except for a single unguarded observation. An unusual looking box of chocolates are remarked upon and this opens a veritable Pandora’s Box of secrets and lies.

It is difficult to say much more if I don’t want to give away any spoilers. Suffice to say the plot twists will make you gasp.

The acting, as usual, is spot on and the set by Gem Greaves is a beautiful Art Nouveau sitting room. John Bale’s costumes are lavish, especially Maud’s turbaned concoction.

Dangerous Corner runs at The Little Theatre until Saturday 4^th May

Pics: Poyner & Mee

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

Blood Brothers 2024

 

Review by Paul Towers, 23/4/24

Blood Brothers by Willy Russell

Directed by Bob Tomson & Bill Kenwright

Produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd

At Curve til Saturday 27 th April 2024

“ the perfect piece of musical theatre”

Set in 1960’s Liverpool Blood Brothers is Willy Russell’s contribution to the nature vs nurture debate. First created as a school play (and still used as a prescribed play for GCSE English Literature) it was then sent to London’s West End in 1983 for a short run. Five years later it was revived in London and ran for 10,000 performances until 2012. Since then it has toured extensively and has become a cult classic, as was witnessed at last night’s Press Night when hordes of very vocal young audience members showed their delight in the well deserved multiple curtain calls and standing ovation.

Very simply Blood Brothers tells the story of twin boys, Michael and Edward, separated at birth to be brought up at opposite ends of the social scale and how one soars while the other fails.

The boys’ mother, Mrs Johnstone (Niki Colwell Evans) falls pregnant at the drop of a hat and as a single mother finds that having twins to add to her brood would be beyond her means. The woman she cleans for, Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley) is desperate for a baby so a deal is struck whereby she takes one of the twins when they are born. So Edward (Joe Sleight) is taken to live in middle class luxury while Mickey (Sean Jones) languishes in the poverty of his birth home.

Superstition says that if twins are separated at birth then they should never be told. If they find out then they will both die. Nonsense of course but both women abide by it.

Coincidentally the boys come into contact with each other and become best friends. To try and avoid the curse Mrs Lyons persuades her husband (Tim Churchill) to move away. Unfortunately the Johnstone’s street is due to be demolished and the Council rehomes them on a brand new estate which is near the Lyon’s new home.

To add to all their worries the boys both fall in love with the same girl, Linda (Gemma Brodrick) and it causes their blood brotherhood to be fractured and ultimately leads to their deaths.

Sean Jones as Mickey brings a wealth of physical comedy to the role, especially as a 7 year old, but is equally effective as the broken adult Mickey as he descends into depression.

Blood Brothers is, to my mind, the perfect piece of musical theatre. It has a beautiful story, hummable songs and a moral. The text, lyrics and music by Willy Russell are in turn hilarious and poignant. Niki Colwell Evans’ Mrs Johnstone breaks your heart as she mourns the loss of both her sons in the final number. The set by Andy Walmsley and lighting by Nick Richings are astounding.

There are very few seats available for the rest of the run. Call the box office. You may be lucky.

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

Opening Night, a new musical

 

Review by Paul Towers, 10/4/24

Opening Night by Ivo Van Hove, music & lyrics Rufus Wainwright

Directed by Ivo Van Hove

Produced by Wessex Grove and others

At The Gielgud Theatre until 18 May 2024

Having today announced that the show will close 2 months earlier than scheduled I am not completely surprised.

Opening Night, starring Sheridan Smith and Hadley Fraser is taken from the 1977 film by John Cassavettes’ film of the same name.

Myrtle Gordon (Sheridan Smith) is a successful Broadway actress rehearsing a new play, The Second Woman. A functioning alcoholic, as opening night looms Myrtle’s confidence falters and she starts to fall apart. There are three men in her life, personal and professional. Manny (Hadley Fraser) is her hard nosed director, Maurice (Benjamin Walker) is her ex whom she has never got over. He is also her leading man. David (John Marquez) is the producer and the only one of the three sympathetic to her fragile mental health. The trigger for her sudden decline is the tragic death of a fan (Shira Haas) at the stage door who gets run down just after Myrtle has signed an autograph for her. In her worsening state Myrtle conjures up the dead girl, Nancy, as her only friend.

Sheridan Smith has, in the past, had her own mental health demons to fight and this seems to be rather close to her truth. But maybe that is why she took the job. It certainly shows off her acting talents as she veers from crisis to crisis both on and off stage in the show.

The reason for the early closure has been publicly admitted to being for financial reasons. It has been reported that swathes of audience members have been leaving mid-performance. I can understand how the script could be confusing to some as one scene is played again and again, which is what happens in a rehearsal. Also, it is marketed as a musical but it is not a conventional one and, with Sheridan Smith starring, maybe audience expectations were for something lighter.

As a seasoned theatre-goer my only gripe was the ending. The final scene was of Myrtle and Maurice sat face to face in what was lit to look like the set for the Broadway show. But the conversation was as if they were in an empty room or an apartment. And as the upbeat tone of reconciliation was in stark contrast to the rest of the play, it was incongruous. It felt like the playwright suddenly felt the need to tie up some loose ends and send the audience home in a feel-good mood.

www.delfontmackintosh.co.uk/theatres/gielgud-theatre

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

Unfortunate the musical

 

Review by Paul Towers, 8/4/24

Unfortunate – The untold story of Ursula the sea witch – book & lyrics by Robyn Grant & Daniel Foxx, Music by Tim Gilvin

Directed by Robyn Grant

Produced by Wildpark Entertainment, The Vaults & Dianne Roberts

At Curve til 9^th April 2024

“hilarious and pulls no punches”

In Disney’s Little Mermaid Ariel’s aunt, Ursula, has a small and villainous role in the story. Many feel this is a criminal oversight and so the authors of this Untold Story have set out to put matters right by placing Ursula front and centre stage in her own story.

While dipsy Ariel (Drag Race’s River Medway) still does all the stupid things that result in her losing her voice when she ventures on land, it is the bodacious Ursula (Shawn Hamic) who tears up the stage as the ‘baddest bitch in the Ocean, the undisputed Queen of Villains’.

Ariel’s father, Triton (Thomas Lowe) probably one of the campest supposedly straight guys, is in love with Ursula (nobody said this story was straightforward!) and is torn between his heart and his destiny to rule Atlantica.

Supported by a myriad of puppetry sea life the soundtrack is like a rock opera most of the time with original music that often contains echoes of the original Disney songs. Very clever. The set, designed by Abby Clarke (who also created the puppet designs and costumes) is a ship side on. Choreographer Melody Sinclair puts the ensemble through their paces, especially with the quick changes they need to make.

The script is hilarious and pulls no punches, especially when Ursula is raging against the various injustices heaped upon her. Shawn Hamic’s vocal talents are awesome and her unashamedly bulky stage presence and potty mouth makes her perfect for the role.

While there are still a few seats available for tonight’s final performance at Curve be warned Unfortunate is not the Disney-fied saccharine kids’ story of The Little Mermaid . This is a grown-up, X rated, in your face joyous rendition of the wonderful Ursula’s back story.

Pics: Pamela Raith

www.unfortunatemusical.com

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk