Friday 8 May 2009 palatinate.org.uk
STAGE stage@palatinate.org.uk
INDIGO 17
STAGE
My kingdom for a horse! Palatinate reviews the savagery that is Shakespeare TOM SMITH
to a script. Ollie Lynes as the lead was at his best in monologues, presenting an array of twisted emotions gleefully. Though difficult to stand out in such a large cast, Keiran Sims and Callum Cheatle managed to do so in their various small roles, most poignantly as executioners of the Duke of Clarence (Alex Bhat) in one of the most memorable scenes of the production.
“The three brilliantly executed murders including chopping off a head - were quite enough to convince the audience.” >>>Unfortunately, there were quite a few scenes which should have been forgotten. Though editing Shakespeare may be taboo, three and a half hours is difficult for any production to get away with. For example, the significance of Lady Anne (Gabby Wass) did not come through, and she could have been dropped. The three brilliantly executed murders – including chopping off a head - were quite enough to convince the audience that Richard was not a very nice guy.
“The use of multimedia was a strength throughout the play”
Richard III Durham Shakespeare Company Assembly Rooms «««««
M
anipulation, deceit, murder: all things a student may have in mind during exam season. So what better stress relief is there than going to see the Durham Shakespeare Company’s production of Richard III? A brilliant Shakespearean tragedy brought to the stage by students, for students should surely take one’s
mind off revision. >>>From the moment the lights dimmed it became very apparent that this production was created by some very experienced members of the Durham student theatre scene. Powerful, eerie music filled the Assembly Rooms, building up tension with the help of a flickering TV screen. This use of multimedia was a strength throughout the play. >>>Sound designers Sophie Morelle and Owen Roberts could not have done a better job at creating just the right sinister
atmosphere at pivotal moments. Nearly as powerful was the use of the TV set at the forefront of the stage, especially as a distraction to the audience whilst props were moved around. >>> The use of the TV, as well as other modern props – cameras, cigarettes, a toy dinosaur – brought the production into an ambiguous setting in time. This was obviously far more suitable for the budget of a student production than a fifteenth century costume drama. >>>Yet it did make a discerning viewer
wonder whether director Jonathan Bullock had watched the 1995 film dramatisation of Richard III recently? Of course moving the play forward in time is not a copyrighted idea, but the boar crest used as the backdrop in most of the second half was just a bit too similar to that seen in the film. >>>This aside, the production was considerably faithful to Shakespeare’s text. Lines were delivered well from the 21-person cast, all of whom must have spent their entire Easter holidays glued
>>>These scenes were the best examples of what made the production so worthwhile, as the cast and crew came together to make something that was obviously their own. Moments of subtle humour were also a highlight, as in the cracking of knuckles at just the right moment. The play ended on a truly original moment, with the unveiled victims of Richard’s tyranny looking over his dead body, leaving the audience with a generally good impression as a whole. Reetta Humalajoki
Singin’ in the Rain Palatinate braves the elements to review Hild Bede Theatre’s latest musical offering Singin’ in the Rain Hild Bede Theatre Assembly Rooms «««««
P
erforming to a sold-out Caedmon Hall, this was a difficult show to pull off, and despite the few aspects that - if improved - would have helped enormously, the four leads more than rose to the challenge. >>>Alex Bhat was simply very, very good. Channelling Gene Kelly’s easy, relaxed charm, his voice was strong, his performance highly entertaining, and considering Don Lockwood spends about 90% of the time tap-dancing, he pulled it off with
panache. Many of the dancers appeared unsure as to what they were doing a lot of the time, but Bhat coasted through the set-pieces with ease; ‘Singin’ In The Rain’ was one of the shows highlights. Equally fantastic was Tessa Coates as Lina Lamont. Stealing each of her scenes, Coates screeched, preened and pouted to hilarious effect. Her rendition of ‘What’s Wrong With Me’ had the audience in hysterics, as well as the exchanges with Don as they filmed both versions of the Duelling Cavalier. >>>Jon Tester played Cosmo with all the cheekiness expected, although unfortunately a lot of his words were lost. This was a shame considering Tester’s performance was enjoyable (if perhaps
a little camp), especially during the famous ‘Make ‘Em Laugh’ scene, which ended with an effective bout of slapstick. Another commendable performance was that of Becca Collingwood, playing Cathy Seldon, whose singing cannot be described as anything less than utterly sublime. In fact, there aren’t really any adequate superlatives. She embodied the charming sweetness of Cathy very well, although - and this goes for the entire cast - she could have benefited hugely from more direction. >>>There were a number of points wherein the actors were, for want of a better phrase, just standing around. During the exchanges between Don and Cathy, there was minimal movement and
though Bhat tried to overcome this, there was only so much he could do before it began to look quite obviously underdirected. >>> The potential was there, but because the actors were wandering aimlessly, blocking each other or facing upstage, many scenes were disappointing. An example of this was Lina’s egotistical outburst after the Dancing Cavalier premiere, which was well acted but looked as though the cast had been left to their own devices. >>> A little harsh perhaps, but if these things had been tightened, the production would have benefited hugely. Additionally, Caedmon Hall couldn’t be blacked out so the audience could see every lengthy and
complex transition, which, again, didn’t do the show any favours. Finally, there were several instances wherein the singer was in key and the orchestra were not, most unfortunately in the title song ‘Singin’ In The Rain’. This was a shame considering everything else about this scene was spot on. >>>However, despite all this, the production showcased a very strong cast who should all be proud of themselves; they lifted the show above the category of ‘disappointing’ to ‘enjoyable’. Though hampered by certain aspects, it contained some genuinely impressive moments, admirable performances and an inordinate amount of tap dancing. Stevie Martin