Get Your Coats On

10Aug2015

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)

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Editorial Rating: 5 Stars

10Aug2015

The Bookbinder (Assembly Roxy : 6- 31 Aug : 1340 : 50m)

Posted in 5*, Assembly Roxy, EdFestivals 2015, Theatre by Alan Brown

Photo. Trick of the Light Co. NZ.

“A great pleasure.”

We all know that Middle-earth is in New Zealand but does the Shire have a bookbinder? I hope so, for it seems a time-honored craft worthy of any self-respecting hobbit. Anyhow, this treat of a show comes from Trick of the Light company of Wellington, NZ.

From now on you can forget Tolkien, in fact the old Bookbinder would have you forget the writer and just have you concentrate on getting together the right pages in the right order. If, perish the thought, you start reading them, then you’re in trouble and might get seriously lost in story world; which, of course, is exactly what happens to our young apprentice, who falls down on the job, skimps the last few pages, sticks (‘tips’) them in, and trusts to Fate. She, however, does not give him an easy ride.

Ralph McCubbin Howell is the bearded Bookbinder and tells us the story. There’s just the old man’s voice at work, informed by the occasional kiwi aside, and the solemn turning of the pages of an impressive pop-up book, which the mystery author of the Edinburgh Book Sculptures would love. For me though it is the central conceit, that the world is a book whose fabric needs looking after, that is especially satisfying. Bind the book well, my child, and all will be well!

There’s an anglepoise lamp on the worktable, ink in the water, and an eagle’s nest on a lampshade; all manipulated to ingenious effect. Trick(s) of the light they may be but you – and your children – will find great pleasure in this illuminating tale.

Reviewer: Alan Brown (Seen 8 August)

Go to the ‘Trick of the Light’ company.

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10Aug2015

Flight (Assembly Roxy: 6 – 31 Aug’15, 1230, 50m)

Posted in 3*, Assembly Roxy, EdFestivals 2015, Theatre by Alan Brown

Photos. The Curbside Company.

“Sure-footed and affectionate “

Editorial Rating: 3 Stars: Nae Bad

‘The Unauthorised Story of The Little Prince’ says the flyer, which might – to a grown-up – suggest something naughty and sneaky under the radar. Fortunately, not. Relocated but not crudely transplanted this is still St Exupéry’s wonderful story where, in case you’ve forgotten, ‘All grown-ups were once children … but only few of them remember it.’ Flight hopes to take you to where the children are – wide-eyed and looking to learn.

Much of The Little Prince was actually written on Long Island, NY, and Flight has come in from Long Beach, California; so feel the sand between your toes and see wide horizons in the little space that is Roxy Downstairs ( … 2 seats in rows to the left of the aisle, 6 to the right). The vision thing is big in southern California but it’s for real on stage, down to earth: nothing adult, shiny and corporate. Flight would have us forget BMWs, lattes, suits and golf carts, and see instead singing birds rise against the coastal dunes and have the splash of the Pacific against your face. That’s the alternative point, Exupéry’s core text: ‘It is only with the heart that one can see rightly; what is essential is invisible to the eye’. It all happens along the coastline of Baja California in Mexico so magic stingray, wise turtle and badger – surprisingly! – are at home, joined by exotic zebra and wicked bottle (baobab) trees.

So what would, what can Flight ‘s writer Ezra LeBank show and tell? Well, as a master teacher of movement, there is a lot of accomplished physical theatre. Three expert performers: LeBank himself as Pilot and earnest Narrator; Cynthia Price as the brave Little Prince(cess); and Taylor Casas as the most supple of cacti – effortlessly fold and lift and turn through a busy story. The only props that I can remember are the blinking LED torches of the plane’s navigation lights. What I have no trouble recalling is the Little Prince rising and falling in the air bubble of a blue whale and the constant slightly puzzling play upon cactus rose and thorn.

Imagine, the Little Princess in her element .

What I missed was colour, even costume, which is probably my senior hangover from Exupéry’s own illustrations that are so integral to his famous book. A black backcloth with a slash of white could have been relieved occasionally. LeBank’s voice has the whole story to tell and although he manages this with marked clarity it does not, in Scottish terms, set the heather on fire. No doubt the company decided that once you provide one visual your audience starts looking for the screen rather than realising what matters. Desensitised schmuck that I am, I began to want to interrogate a seven year old, nurtured by character animation, to ask what he thought.

Portable, of necessity, rather than deep-rooted, ‘Flight’ is still a sure-footed and affectionate reshaping of an important and civilising story.

Reviewer: Alan Brown (Seen 8 August)

Go to Flight and Curbside.

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Pajama Men: 2 Man 3 Musketeers (Assembly Roxy, 7-30 Aug : 20.20 : 1hr)

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

“Ridiculous, but genius”

The Three Musketeers is one of my all-time favourite books, and as an epic tale of friendship and valour, I was intrigued as to how it would work as a two-man comedy in under an hour. As it turns out, it is hilarious.

I lost track of the number of characters they played between them after just a few minutes – men and women of all shapes and sizes, an array of animals, and people that could well have been animals.

It sounds ridiculous, and in many senses it was, but it is also genius. They kept the plot fairly accurate (give or take a few creative embellishments) and it was – remarkably – quite easy to follow. But that is coming from someone who already knows the story – for those who don’t, I can imagine it looked like two idiots in pajamas running around with multiple personality disorder.

My absolute favourite of the characters portrayed was the slithering swamplike Cardinal and his range of repulsive yet hilarious noises. This was also the most clearly defined character in the performance, with strong physicality, accent and language. Other highlights for me were how the personalities of Athos, Porthos and Aramis (the real musketeers) were distilled into very simple caricatures, and how Allen and Chavez could jump between them seamlessly.

What really kept the show alive was the fact that throughout, the two actors always seemed to be keeping each other on their toes, with various, seemingly improvised, Family Guy-esque capers into similes and side stories. There were just enough of these to keep variety and energy, without them detracting too much away from the plot and purpose of the piece.

The pair were more than ably supported by musician Ignacio Agrimbau, who also seemed to semi-improvise sounds and music to support the action, given the selection of instruments he had in front of him. This was always done very effectively, and moments where actors and musician interacted were also very amusing.

What could be seen as a good or bad thing, or indeed just a thing, was that Allen and Chavez never once seemed like they were actually “acting”, more just capering around as if having fun in their own spare time. They were very knowledgeable and confident in what they were doing, very in tune with one another, and the piece flowed with the ease of a stream of consciousness or children in their own fantasy world. The apparent effortlessness gave it an incredibly professional feel and it was easy to engage with from the get go.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 8 August)

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Editorial Rating: 3 Stars

ErictheFred (Assembly Roxy, 8-30 Aug : 21.45 : 55 mins)

Posted in 3*, Assembly Roxy, EdFestivals 2015, Theatre by Steve Griffin

“Lynam is very expressive and engaging, oozing with energy and charisma”

This show is an insight into the life of a performer whose memories still haunt him, and he begins to envision what could have been. It’s a fairly simple concept, which to me is a bit too drawn out and unoriginal, and I would have liked a few more twists or developments to take the piece somewhere new.

There’s no dialogue – it’s just actor Chris Lynam alone with a menagerie of props and projections. He begins standing on stage dressed as a ballet dancer, and in frustration he tears off his costume and throws it away. Then, as if decreed from above, a new costume flies in, which he puts on, and transforms himself into a clown for the rest of the performance. It was never made particularly clear how or why this transformation took place, but as the show progressed, it seemed to become an unimportant detail.

Throughout this performance Lynam is very expressive and engaging, oozing with energy and charisma, and from very early on we are drawn in to his world and visions. Through the twists and turns he suffers, the clown’s physicality and facial expressions are strong enough to portray each emotion and it is a very capable performance.

What makes the show stand out is the interaction with various technical elements. The whole show is seen from behind a projection screen, onto which various scenes and “thoughts” are projected throughout. In addition, there is a vast array of props which enter and exit of their own accord, adding to the sense of mysticism and imagination.
At the end of the show there are two shock moments (which I won’t spoil), that add a fresh dimension to what until then had become a quite tired and monotonous format. It’s a shame moments like these did not come in sooner to give the piece more variety and sense of surprise.

To me, the problem with shows that have a high reliance on technical aspects, especially at the Fringe, is that one never feels quite at ease that everything will go to plan. And while nothing major went wrong in this performance, there were numerous occasions when there was an air of hope as opposed to confidence that the right thing would fly in and fly out at the right time, which prevented me from becoming fully absorbed in the work. But perhaps towards the end of the run these details will be more ironed out.

Overall, a very strong solo performance, but I was left feeling a little bit with the sense of “So What?”.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 8 August)

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Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

Danza del Caribe: Itara (Assembly Roxy 5-31 Aug : 17:00 : 1hr)

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

“Full of vibrancy, dynamism, risk and sexual energy”

I knew little of Cuban dancing before this show, so I was very intrigued to find out more about it, and the comparative differences to traditional dance from other countries and regions. However, as expected, it was a performance full of vibrancy, dynamism, risk and sexual energy.

This show was split into three distinct sections, of which, the first, entitled Sulkary, covered the theme of relationships and fertility. To me, this was the strongest and clearest in terms of narrative and accessibility – it started with the three female dancers alone on stage, with motifs of flexed feet and hands, depicting a sense of discovering identity. They were soon joined by three male dancers, each carrying a huge pole, who brought an air of dominance to the stage. When the two groups joined together, a real sense of tenderness through bodily contact became apparent, and three couples emerged and broke off.

The following two sections were both energetic and colourful, with daring lifts and complex unison and canon sections. However, it was less obvious what was going on, and although the movements were impressive it was slightly more difficult to engage in these parts.

The costumes (of which there were many throughout) were bold, intricate and full of the Caribbean spirit. They really added to the sense of “show”, and with a smoke machine in almost constant use, the overall visual was never anything short of spectacular.

The band, and in particular its female lead singer, were incredibly deft at setting the tone of each piece quickly and with such a richness as to really transport the audience to the depths of Havana. The main instruments were traditional drums, which kept up a pulsating rhythm during the upbeat sections while tempering their intensity for the subtler moments.

Unfortunately what let this show down somewhat was the overwhelming feeling that it felt somewhat under-rehearsed. There were several moments, both in lifts and unison sequences, that the dancers were out of sync or unable to cleanly finish individual moves, making them seem rushed or partially forgotten. Because of this I was unable to ever feel 100% absorbed or relaxed with the performance, worried that at some stage there could be an injury or other faux pas.

It was also a little disappointing that in some sections there was a reliance on pre-recorded sound rather than it all being performed live. However, this show was oozing with energy, charisma and flair and with a bit more polishing could be quite spectacular indeed.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 8 August)

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Leper + Chip (Assembly Roxy, 6-31 Aug : 15.00 : 50mins)

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

“Simple story-telling at its absolute finest”

Sometimes the best thing to do with a play is to keep it utterly, utterly simple. Leper + Chip did just that with astonishing effectiveness.

As the audience enters, the two actors are alone on stage, pacing, as if gearing up for a fight. When the house lights dim, what follows is a high octane, turbo-charged, non-stop pummelling of drama, from two fine young actors.

The play follows 24 hours in the life of two young people from different sides of Dublin. They meet by chance at a party and their two social groups end up in a full-on brawl. The next day is a mad-dash tale of pursuit and rivalry as Leper and Chip try to come to terms with the previous evening’s actions.

It is structured as two interweaving monologues, enabling us to see both sides of the story from the night of their meeting. Each frank account goes on to introduce other friends and acquaintances, who, from just a few lines, seem as real as the actors on stage. As the story unfolds, we’re taken through feelings of pride, guilt, anger and desperation, all against a backdrop of the grittier side of Dublin.

The actors are alone on stage the whole time, with no set, props or complex effects to aid the story telling. The piece is driven completely by the energy and expression of Leper (played by Conall Keating) and Chip (Amilia Clarke Stewart), whose chemistry and personalities complement each other perfectly.

Leper is a real “lad” who thinks nothing of downing countless shots and hitting on older women for fun, while Chip is a feisty wee girl with a distinctly challenging home life. Both characters are incredibly likeable despite their many imperfections: their honesty and heart-on-your-sleeve attitude, which drive some of the more tragic consequences, make them true anti-heroes.

It really is a pacey piece that’s full of drama, and I was on the edge of my seat throughout. The quality of the writing (and directing) was such that the play didn’t seem like it was written at all – indeed, the words fell out of the actors mouths so easily that it really felt like it was a true, if at times a little far-fetched, story. It has clearly been very well rehearsed and never once felt staged or unnatural.

Although at times just a little rough around the edges, these were two heroic performances – full of energy, conviction and real sensitivity to every aspect of the individual characters. Simple story-telling at its absolute finest.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 8 August)

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8Aug2015

Nailed It! (Assembly Roxy, 7-11, 14-17 Aug : 20.15 : 1hr)

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

“They did indeed “nail it””

To describe Nailed It! makes it sound quite basic: two guys; one singer; one pianist; a collection of gloriously lyrical tunes; and fabulous sparkly jacket. But for Fringe debut act Mackenzie-Spencer and Strano this was a masterclass in getting all the basics of cabaret spot in. They did indeed “nail it”.

Andrew Strano’s voice is uncompromisingly musical theatre, and the songs composed with partner in crime Loclan Mackenzie-Spencer more than complement his personality and style. While not a particularly unique voice, he has a fantastic range and used his instrument to bring a full spectrum of emotion and empathy to each number.

With comical tunes covering topics such as the “birds and bees” and having intimate relations with one’s twin sister(!), to a beautiful touching number about relationships, the pair’s songwriting talent is simply wonderful. Nailed It! is comprised exclusively of original songs, all of which could have featured in the latest off-Broadway hit musical.

What makes this show really special though, is the perfect blend of professionalism and fragility on display. It is clearly solid and well rehearsed musically, but with the anecdotes in between Strano showed a real vulnerability and honesty in his imperfections, which made him incredibly likeable.

Special mention should also go to Mackenzie-Spencer’s seemingly virtuosic keyboard playing, deftly belting out complex melodies, all the while making it seem inhumanly simple. His quieter persona delightfully balanced Strano’s more extroverted stage presence and they were clearly very at ease with each other.

One worry many of us face when attending cabaret shows is around audience interaction. Are they going to pick on me? Fortunately Strano makes the audience feel so comfortable that those fears are almost immediately allayed. Questions are asked of the audience in general, and both performers dealt well with the random responses they received (there’s always one…) and seamlessly wove them into the next song as if it were all planned without seeming overly choreographed.

If I had one criticism, and this is very much down to personal preference, it is that theatrically I would have liked to have seen a few more risks taken. While the songs covered some fairly close-to-the-line topics, what was missing to make this show really unforgettable was something a bit out of the box, a real wow factor. However, next year, when these guys come back (which they absolutely must), it will be with a sure-fire five star show.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 7 August)

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Editorial Rating: 4 Stars

8Aug2015

K’rd Strip: A Place to Stand (Assembly Roxy, 7-31 Aug : 18.40 : 1hr 10mins)

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

“Delightfully camp and full of personality”

I’m not often lost for words, but during the first half of this show I was rendered pretty speechless. To be fair, it’s a cabaret performance by six gutsy guys wearing nothing but short leather kilts and heels, so that should have given me a fair idea of what to expect.

However, there were layers of real intelligence, depth and unexpected artistry in among the madness – from the opening tightly choreographed, animalistic dance section – to the warrior dance-like motifs used throughout. In between the obligatory drag queen acts, of course.

In the piece we meet various characters, played out in different mediums, from a questionable contact improvisation dance depicting a one night stand, to an overly camp “lady of the night” known as Destiny. Perhaps the most tragic and painfully relatable of all was “Horsey”, an outcast who clearly had a heart of gold but had been misunderstood his whole life, and whose final scene was a painful reminder of some basic prejudices.

This is unapologetic cabaret – there were plenty of individual songs and dance numbers – my favourite of which was the moving I’m not lost. It was pleasing to see connections between each section, at least stylistically, even though for most of the show I was desperately searching and waiting for the one thing that would really tie all the the elements together and make it into a theatrical triumph. I almost got it when certain characters re-appeared and narratives started to entwine, but even by the show’s emphatic closing number I felt like the troupe hadn’t quite completed the circle.

Overall, the singing was good, the dancing and choreography were good and the acting was good. However for me this show was just missing that sparkle that could tip it into being spine-tinglingly exceptional.

K’rd Strip is absolutely not going to be everyone’s cup of tea – from a traumatic rape scene to a prostitute “shooting up” – both right at the front of the stage – this show doesn’t ’pull any punches. It’s edgy, it’s raw and it’s honest, shining a light on a subculture that is often taken for granted. It’s also delightfully camp and full of personality, if that sounds possible in one show. Definitely one for those with an open mind.

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Reviewer: Steve Griffin (Seen 7 August)

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