Get Your Coats On

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

15Aug2015

John Robertson – The Dark Room: Symphony of a Floating Head (Underbelly Cowgate, 6-30 Aug : 20.40 : 1hr)

Posted in 4*, EdFestivals 2015, Theatre, Underbelly by Steve Griffin

“Oddly enjoyable”

I’m a child of the 80s, and I’ll admit I had never heard of cult video game A Dark Room before I went along to this show. However, that didn’t really matter as after 10 odd minutes of adjusting to the madness and theatrical persona of host John Robertson I was able to follow along and feel just as involved as those to whom it was clearly a very important part of their growing up. By the end of the show, I was even able to recite the well-known lines of the script along with everyone else and feel like I had joined some sort of secret club.

The premise is very simple: audience members are invited/chosen to play a multiple choice video game where you select what you want to happen next in the story in order to complete the mission and stay alive. The twist is that you’re in a room full of people watching your every move, with commentary from a man on stage dressed as if he’s from another planet.

That may sound terrifying for some, but it’s all held together by the hugely charismatic Robertson (think Richard O’Brien from The Rocky Horror Picture Show), whose energy and passion for the game set an atmosphere that has fun at its heart. Leave those inhibitions at the door.

Somewhat thankfully, being very green to what was going on, I wasn’t selected as a contestant in the game. However, by a couple of rounds I would have felt able to partake without feeling like a complete prat. While there was a small sense of public humiliation for those taking the wrong path, the more overwhelming sensation was one of support, from both the crowd and Robertson as host. After all, he’s there to entertain and help the audience have fun, not to make people’s lives a misery.

While the characterisation and delivery of the “show” were very amusing, the selection of prizes available for those who attempted the mission gave additional cause for giggles. A semi-inflated seal, a small stone and a second-hand baby’s dummy were a selection of what was on offer during our performance. Sometimes, only completely naff will do, anything else would have seemed incongruent to the overall setup.

I can safely say, in all my years, I’ve never been to a show quite like this one, and I’m very glad I didn’t run for the hills after the first couple of minutes. If a friend invites you along, definitely take them up on it. While for the gaming geeks it may be the best thing they ever experience, for the average punter it’s still an oddly enjoyable hour.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 13 August)

13Aug2015

Wings in my Heart (Big Sexy Circus City : 7-30 Aug : 14.30 & 20.00 : 2hrs 30 mins)

Posted in 4*, Circus, EdFestivals 2015, Rated: Outstanding by Steve Griffin

“Visually and technically spectacular”

On entering the Big Sexy Circus City compound one is greeted by acrobats just casually performing to the queue of punters, while a tightrope walker works his way backwards along a wire overhead, occasionally stopping to balance on one leg. You know, how a normal night starts. When you enter the big top, it only gets more impressive.

While the opening few minutes take a little adjusting to (there’s fire, there’s water and there are people parading around dressed as various fairground attractions for no particular reason), it soon turns into a circus spectacle with amazing acts, unlike anything I’ve ever seen.

We’re warmed into the spectacle with a wonderful solo tap routine, accompanied in part by a drummer. The dancer starts in a small circle of light, and makes fun of chasing the light as it moves to continue his routine. A few minutes later he’s filling the whole stage with energy and playing a very enjoyable call-and-response rhythmic game with the drummer. Straight after this, there’s a breathtaking counter-balance rope routine, with two performers supporting each other’s weight while performing daring swings and tumbles. Their artistry on the ropes was incredible, while how they supported and propelled each other seemed to defy all laws of science.

Perhaps my favourite sequence followed directly after this, which involved a lot of balls suspended from the ceiling which swung like pendulums across the stage, with an intricate contemporary dance routine performed in between swings. How the performers managed to dodge them with such apparent ease was again a cause for wonder.

Also worth noting is the performance’s closing act, which I won’t spoil but is absolutely worth holding out for. Control and patience are brought new meaning with one performer and her selection of sticks…

Throughout this show the costumes, sound and lighting are all stunning. Each adds more depth to an already very sensory performance, and go to show how much love, care and artistry have gone into developing it. I’ll admit I didn’t really understand everything that was going on (there wasn’t a clear narrative or sense of development), but with a show as visually and technically spectacular as this, you really don’t need to. You can just sit and be in awe of spectacle, scraping your jaw up off the floor at the end.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 12 August)

12Aug2015

Ali Affleck’s Speakeasy Sessions, New Orleans Jazz and Blues, Moody Moonshine (The Outhouse, 10-12 Aug : 7pm : 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Music, Rated: Outstanding by Steve Griffin

“A masterclass in real grassroots jazz”

What I love about the Fringe is how often the most wonderful things can occur in the most bizarre places. In the upstairs room of a pub down a side street in the New Town I was treated to a real jazz feast by Ali Affleck and The Copper Cats Quintet.

The setup was nothing grand: six musicians squeezed onto a tiny stage and 50 or so seats for the sellout crowd. To open, the Copper Cats played a lively instrumental piece, giving us a glimpse into the talents of the individual band members, and then Ms Affleck took to the stage.

The setlist pleasingly contained precious few well-known numbers, so this was a masterclass in real grassroots jazz in every sense of the word. While it took a couple of songs for the group to really get going, something “clicked” in Affleck’s voice during the sultry A Good Man is Hard to Find, and the mood went up a notch. Her voice was deep and smooth and I wanted to just wrap myself up in it. It was a real privilege to witness a singer that channels Billie Holiday with so much charm and poise.

Later on, Affleck’s high notes sparkled in Electric Chair Blues, and this was the moment that I really felt like I had been transported to a basement jazz bar somewhere in old-school, downtown New Orleans. And that’s where I stayed for the rest of this gig.

The cheeky Diga Diga Doo showed off Affleck’s playful side, and He Likes it Slow was velvety, soulful and divinely decadent. Penultimate number Egyptian Ella – the band’s favourite – was a roaring romp of a tune that had all of us tapping our feet in time, and My Man was graceful, seductive and left us all wanting more.

While Affleck’s vocals were mesmerising, this was far from a solo show. Dick Lee on the clarinet was stunning in his riffs and runs, as was Colin Steele on the trumpet. Indeed, the band showed great togetherness and comradery (with a hint of friendly competition in trying to outdo each other in some of the improvised sections), so there was always something interesting happening visually as well as the stunning soundscape.

A real treat for all jazz lovers, catch them while (and where!) you can.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 11 August)

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars

11Aug2015

Ushers: The Front of House Musical (Momentum Venues @ St Stephens: 5 – 30 Aug. 21.30: 1hr 20mins)

Posted in 3*, EdFestivals 2015, Musical Theatre by Steve Griffin

“Performed with real gusto and joy”

I find it very hard to review this show as I had quite high expectations in going in to see it. And while in some ways it was truly fantastic, in other areas it unfortunately missed the mark, however much I willed it to wow me.

For the most part, and especially in all the group songs, Ushers is performed with real gusto and joy. The opening number is slick, energetic and sets exactly the tone one would expect from an off West End hit. The smiles and precise choreography indicate a company that’s well rehearsed and clearly love what they’re doing.

Rory Maguire as Ben impressed me the most vocally, with a deliciously sweet high register for the power notes. Ben Fenner as Gary came across as the most real, displaying great emotional depth, while Alexandra Parkes was infectiously hilarious as Rosie.

Essentially Ushers has everything you could want in a musical: big chorus dance numbers, full of pizazz; emotional ballads; a complex, multi-layered six part showpiece song midway through; a love story; bags of humour and a dash of homoeroticism. For the musical theatre geeks amongst us there were several other small treats, in the form of creative references to other well-known shows. From the casual name drop, to that riff from the end of Defying Gravity there was plenty to smile about. Yet while a lot of the constituent parts were there, it seemed to be everything holding it together let the show down somewhat.

This may be partly due to the stage being so vast that the more intimate scenes got somewhat lost in it. Also, while the writing had a fairly decent plot (packed with laughs), some of the individual storylines were quite difficult to believe, so even though the cast acting were their hearts out, it occasionally came across as somewhat disingenuous. I lost count of how many times a character left the stage to “count programmes”, while the Theatre Manager was so outrageous it formed too much of a dischord with the rest of the action.

Unfortunately the performance I saw was blighted with a few technical failures in the sound department, but to give the actors their credit they ploughed on regardless and by the end of the show all was forgotten. Indeed the cast’s overall demeanour – from the way they ushered us to our seats when the house was open, to selling their own merchandise, and everything in between – was slick, professional and vivacious.

Overall I think the company did the best they could with what they had to work with, and anyone who loves their musical theatre or has ever worked as an Usher will really enjoy this show.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 10 August)

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars: Outstanding

Doris, Dolly and the Dressing Room Divas (Assembly Hall: 6 – 30 Aug. 18.15 : 1hr 15 mins)

Posted in 5*, Assembly Hall, EdFestivals 2015, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by Steve Griffin

“This is the show I have been waiting for to blow me away. Wow, wow, WOW!”

I’m sure I’ve heard it somewhere that while 13 is unlucky, 14 is incredibly lucky. And with this being my 14th review of this year’s Fringe I feel like I’ve stolen absolutely everyone’s luck and struck gold.

The queues outside and the desperate scramble for seats inside Assembly’s packed Rainy Hall should have been enough to convey that Doris and her friends are already becoming the runaway hit of this year’s Fringe.

The idea is fairly simple – a dramatic and musical retelling of what the “stars” are like backstage, based on the experiences of their dressing rooms assistants. The dialogue is well written and delivered with great vitality by the three actors, while the harmonies in the group numbers are just exquisite. The plot is basic, but I don’t think anybody came for that.

For me, Gail Watson is absolutely the star of this show. To be able to pull off one impression with such style is hard enough, but she embodied Doris Day, Dolly Parton, and a wonderfully bitchy Julie Andrews. I honestly couldn’t tell you which was my favourite, but when Dolly sang I Will Always Love You at the end of the show I genuinely thought I was watching the real deal – it was superb. Watson is charismatic, emotive and a simply stunning singer, and I predict a very exciting future for her.

Perhaps the most surprisingly impressive turn of the night was Frances Thorburn as Joel Grey, as he appeared in Cabaret. Her (his) mannerisms were impeccably refined and she more than capably held her own in the duet, Money Makes the World Go Around. Her performance of Somewhere Over The Rainbow was also mesmerising, capturing every nuance of the original.

We’ve all seen the divas’ on-screen and on-stage personas. This show delivered the rip-roaring numbers, tantrums and idiosyncrasies that we all love, but also very moving glimpses into their backstage lives, their families and insecurities. In what managed to be a fantastically glitzy, giggly and gritty affair, this is, without doubt, the show I have been waiting for to blow me away. Wow, wow, WOW!

I’m notoriously tight-fisted when it comes to my five stars, but I have no choice than to throw them all at this spectacular performance.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 10 August)

Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

A Storm in a D Cup (Assembly Roxy: 5-30 Aug. 21.30, 1hr)

Posted in 4*, Assembly Roxy, Cabaret, EdFestivals 2015 by Steve Griffin

“Squirmishly enjoyable”

Amelia Ryan’s likeability is apparent before she even makes it to the stage. Fighting with the back cloths, she finally emerges from underneath the drapery, glass in hand, wrapped in a towel and wearing odd socks. Off to a cracking start.

She goes on to tell us how the show is made up from 100% true stories and very quickly reveals one of her family not-so-secrets. This is interspersed with a very cleverly re-lyriced version of What’s Going On?, and immediately the tone is established as an open-book cabaret show that’s funny and free.

Naturally it’s not long before she first calls an audience member to the stage for assistance. It’s clear she’s well practised at this, and while she doesn’t always get what she wants, she knows when she’s beaten and swiftly moves on rather than making a scene. Thankfully ours was quite an obliging crowd, though hilarity ensued when she unknowingly attempted to coerce a teenager on stage to help her reenact an anecdote from her days of being an exotic dancer. Luckily, he owned up and she moved on…

While many cabaret shows draw on the artist’s life story for creative inspiration, one does often wonder how much mileage that has, and what their next show might look like if this one is so self-effusive. A Storm in a D Cup is somewhat guilty of this, but Ryan points out how this show also aims to be educational for others in terms of how to avoid the “storms” she’s weathered. A bit thin, but pleasant all the same.

One of the most enjoyable moments was Ryan’s peculiar rendition of the Cell Block Tango from Chicago. For this she borrows three new audience members to keep rhythm for her, while she flaunts about sharing stories of former lovers, again, adapting lyrics cleverly to fit the song. Watching three slightly uncomfortable people trying not to be distracted while keeping rhythm was squirmishly enjoyable.

While Ryan’s storytelling and likeability were spot on and thoroughly engaging, at times I felt let down by her singing voice, which seemed to lack punch in the upper register. While closing number As We Stumble Along played to her strengths in personality, a huskier, more soulful approach to some of the songs I feel would have been more powerful.

Overall this show was heaps of fun. You’re never quite sure what’s going to happen next, but absolutely worth the ride.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 9 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy archive.

The Orchid and the Crow (Assembly Roxy, 6-30 Aug : 16.10 : 1hr 15 mins)

Posted in 4*, Assembly Roxy, EdFestivals 2015, Rated: Outstanding, Theatre by Steve Griffin

“Utterly compelling”

It’s becoming an alarming trend that there’s one show every year that I see in the opening weekend in Assembly Roxy Downstairs that leaves a bit of an emotional mess. Last year it was Mary Lou Quinlan’s The God Box, this year it is The Orchid and the Crow.

One of the great things about my job is that sometimes you turn up at a theatre and have no idea what to expect at all. And when Daniel Tobias slightly awkwardly walked on stage delivered a few questionable funny lines, picked up a guitar and started performing a rock song (not my personal taste), I thought it was going to be a hard slog. However, after a dodgy first few minutes it turned into the sort of show where one’s cup floweth over with emotion.

To put it bluntly – this is one man’s deeply honest cancer survival story, which also explores his identity as a non-Jewish Jew and the stories we tell each other “just because”. It’s frank, it’s personal, and it’s incredibly well-delivered.

Tobias starts the show, with a discussion of his atheist Jewish (yes, you read that correctly) identity, admitting how is family were “crispy fried bacon Jews”, before giving a potted Biblical history of Abraham. He then sang the hilarious Show Me You Love Me, which was about circumcision. Yes, you read that correctly too.

There were a few songs scattered throughout the performance, and while I wasn’t particularly mad on Tobias’s singing, the recitative in Italian describing the operation he had to remove his tumour was absolutely mind-blowing. Performed while wearing nothing but a surgical gown and with the English lyrics projected on screen, it was a hard-hitting yet beautifully delivered account of his toughest moment and was the absolute highlight of the performance.

Tobias’s storytelling is utterly captivating without being overly theatrical or self-indulgent. He knows how to deliver highs and lows, pace and pause. Being a cancer survivor he can also tell the story without getting caught up in the emotion, but deliver facts and anecdotes clearly and with conviction.

The show has some gloriously comic moments and these are perfectly balanced with the hard-hitting and emotive messages. It’s not just a story, it’s a well-developed and impressive full theatrical piece, well worth a watch. Bring tissues.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 9 August)

Visit the Assembly Roxy archive.

The Oxford Gargoyles (C : 5-15 August : 13.00 : 50 mins)

Posted in 4*, C Venues, EdFestivals 2015, Music, Rated: Outstanding by Steve Griffin

“A flawless vocal performance”

It seems somewhat incredulous that I last saw the Oxford Gargoyles at the Fringe nine years ago. And I guess what’s most pleasing is the evolution in style since then – from what was previously a supremely talented but somewhat serious choir, to a much more risky and fun-loving bunch, with the same level of musical talent.

After a slightly bizarre introduction, the show opened with gospel number from Disney’s Hercules: That’s the Gospel Truth, which although impressive, perhaps had a slightly too complex arrangement that to the average punter would probably have sounded quite chaotic. Indeed, this was a theme that, being harsh, was true throughout their 50-minute set: amazing vocal talent that was sometimes lost behind some very complex arrangements.

What I imagine the group would hail as their “money song” was the most bizarre mash-up that I have ever heard including (among others): Stanford’s Evening Canticles in C, G and B flat; Stevie Wonder’s Signed, Sealed Delivered; Bach’s Magnificat; and even some 90s rock thrown in for good measure. Again, vocally very impressive, and I’m sure music geeks will go nuts for it, but for the layman it is quite difficult to enjoy properly with so much going on.

In saying that, this is a vocal group that absolutely knows is niche in the a capella market, and their songs were in the most part performed in their very individual style. A beautiful, soulful rendition of Let It Be, and a much simpler mash-up of jazz classics including Beyond the Sea were very distinctive to the Gargoyle’s sound. The haunting and simple Blame it on my Youth was perhaps my favourite of the evening though, going to show that they’ve still got all their old tricks, as well as having learnt some new.

The show closed with a song that I never thought I would hear from an acapella, especially a jazz acapella: Shania Twain’s Man, I feel Like a Woman. This number perhaps most evidently summed up the gutsiness this group now has, incorporating humour, original arrangement and a flawless vocal performance. It was delivered with real panache and was a great way to close the show.

For me it’s great to see so much freshness and originality alive and well in university a capella groups, and I hope the Oxford Gargoyles keep up their good work.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 9 August)

Editorial Rating: 5 Stars

Promise and Promiscuity: A New Musical by Jane Austen and Penny Ashton (Assembly George Square, 6-13 Aug : 14:40 : 1hr 10 mins)

Posted in 5*, EdFestivals 2015, Theatre by Steve Griffin

“An energetic, professional and immensely likeable production”

I knew about two minutes after this show started that it would be my first five star review this year. Firstly, the number of characters portrayed by solo performer Penny Ashton was incredibly impressive, I counted at least eight. From heroine Elspeth to her silly sister Cordelia, her pedantic mother and even her repulsive cousin Horatio, this is a tour de force in character acting from New Zealand’s answer to Sheridan Smith.

Each character was ripe with detailed facial expressions, physicality and accents, and Ashton even managed to have an incredibly convincing conversation with herself while performing both sides of a regency dance – not many actors out there can pull that off.

However, Promise & Promiscuity isn’t just incredibly acted, perhaps its real strength is the writing. The plot combines narratives, characters and even dialogue from some of Austen’s best known works to form a moving new story that speaks directly to a 21st century audience. Hapless Elspeth is forced to hide her talent for writing to please her mother’s wishes of finding a husband, whom she believes prefer their women not to outsmart them. And of course Elspeth must marry well to secure the family’s home and future, yuddah yuddah…

But this isn’t just another one of those tales of girl meets boy who’s out of her league and ends up marrying him despite his family’s objection; this is an intelligent, well researched and hugely comical reworking of the classics that’s bang up to date. Scattered throughout are many well-placed references to modern culture – from well-known etiquette teacher Kimberline Kardashian to the ongoing battle for gay rights. It also includes some wonderful period put-downs: “You peevish, dismodious puck-worm” in particular had me giggling well into the next scene.

Lest we forget, this show is also a musical, which includes such delights as Bon Jovi lyrics sung to Mozart – a surprisingly pleasant mix. While there weren’t as many songs as might have been expected, lyrics were always perfectly matched to well-known classical pieces, and always in keeping with the mood of the relevant scene.

Overall, it’s Ashton’s personality that shines through to make this production really magnificent. From the way she ushered in some latecomers as if it was all part of the act, to the way she recovered after taking too large a mouthful of “tea” on stage, right down to how each character had their own bow at the end. It’s an energetic, professional and immensely likeable production that had me smiling throughout.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 9 August)