The Crown Duel

          I went to see this show on a complete whim. It sounded interesting and was at Wilton's Music Hall, the oldest grand music hall in the world. The Crown Duel is a 2 handed, 70 minuet version of the first two seasons of the Netflix series The Crown. I had high hopes as it's been created by Daniel Clarkson, one half of the successful team behind Potted Potter. It also had a sell out run when it premiered in London at the Kings Head theatre before traveling to this years Edinburgh Fringe. I wasn't disappointed. Its a barrel of laughs from the word go and makes one remember all that's good about theatre. It is also a great example of top notch theatrical timing and an evening full of satire and just being silly. Its also a show that was written specifically with the two actors in mind who perform in it, Rosie Holt and Brandan Murphy. These two are definitely perfectly suited to the roles. Rosie becoming more prominent on the comedy scene and Brandan being someone who regularly appears in Potted Potter.

          Wilton's Music Hall is a lovely venue, with a history that goes back to the 1690s. The sight was originally a number of houses, shops and a pub. John Wilton then purchased the properties and went on to build the Victorian Music Hall as it now stands in 1859. He wanted to provide a first-rate and comfortable venue for the working people of the East End that would rival the glamour of venues in the West End. Since 1859 it has had many uses including a Methodist mission as well as a rag storage unit. Beginning in 2004 it went through steady restoration work which was completed in 2015. The restoration has been very sympathetic to the original features of the theatre. You can just feel the history, It has a feeling as soon as you walk into it, like no other theatre in London. EVERY theatre lover or enthusiast needs to come here at least once on their lives.

          I'm a great fan of The Crown on Netflix, as well as a fan of Potted Potter, so I was interested to see just how this show would present itself. Oh wow is it stunning. Yes there is audience interaction, which long time readers of my blog will know is something I truly do not like, but it seemed to work well in this context. It did go on a little too much though, but I think it helped that I wasn't called upon. There was also a number of jokes which seemed to be repeated far too often, for example the telephone operator being a 'non-speaking role'.

          Rosie Holt really did portray The Queen rather well, showing respect but also making it exceptionally comedic. It helped that the script was more focused of some of the failings of the Netflix series The Crown rather than Queen Elizabeth II life itself. Every one was laughing along to what we know were jokes that were coming from a place of love. Brandan is also great, with perfect comedic timing and an attitude that suits theatrical comedy. He and Rosie play off each other wonderfully, and its an absolute joy to watch. 

          It doesn't matter if you've seen The Crown or not, this is still a show that you will enjoy. You need to be quick though. There are only a few days left, with the show finishing on the 14th September 2019. Get a ticket now. You'll be in for a fun night.

For more information or to book tickets for the show, please click here

To learn more about Wilton's Music Hall, please click here.

Come Fly With Fred

          Come Fly With Fred was inspired by many honest and moving interactions with London’s homeless community, and created with the hope to shed light on the rollercoaster life thousands live everyday and make you chuckle along the way. For the show, one joins Fred on his daily search for friendship in an explosion of circus, spontaneous puppetry beat-boxing, break-dancing physical comedy and original spoken word. I was intrigued to be invited along to see what this show was all about.

          I saw this show while it was on at The Space on the Isle Of Dogs, London, a theatre space I've been to s few times before. As I've said before, its an interesting space in a converted church. It also has a reasonably priced bar/restaurant above it though this has very limited space.

          Come Fly With Fred is part of the Send in the Clowns Festival, a fortnight of foolery showcasing the best in clowning and physical comedy. It was also part of the line up for the 2019 Camden Fringe. There was seating for just 28 people (less than the theatre space can normally hold) and I'm sorry to say even then it wasn't full. The stage was also virtually empty, with just a blue bucket to one side. I sat down and looked through the information I was given upon entering the theatre. I saw three words and my heart sank. Continuous audience interaction. I hate audience participation/interaction at the theatre. Sometimes it can be ok, maybe in an improve show someone shouting a theme or theatre style. Actually the majority of productions at Shakespeare's Globe have some form of audience interaction and they do it brilliantly. For the most part though as soon as I see audience participation my heart sinks. I go to the theatre to be entertained by actors/performers. I don't come to the theatre to be part of the entertainment myself. That's why I'm in the audience and not on the stage.

          My overwhelming feeling while watching this show was that of awkwardness. I know the subject of homelessness was bound to be slightly awkward, however the room was overwhelmed by that feeling. It didn't help that the majority of the show was silent with the exception of the odd strange sound made by the performer, Lucas Bailey. This meant for most of the time the theatre was in complete silence, creating a feeling that wasn't the most comfortable. This may have been the intention, however it was far too overpowering for me to be fully engrossed in the show. Saying that, Lucas was a very talented performer having a plethora of skills that he made a point of displaying, from juggling to beat-boxing. His skills though couldn't break the awkwardness though. There were however funny moments in the show, but even these didn't save the show for me.

          There was a moment of spoken word, and this was the most powerful and emotive moment of the show. I would much preferred the show to have consisted mainly of this as I feel it could have been far more impactful. I also was taken by how quickly Lucas was able to change between different states of emotion and mental stability.

          This show is meant to make one think about the holes community and the struggles they go though in their lives on a daily basis. One moment however failed in this endeavour massively. Towards the end of the show 5 members of the audience were invited up on stage to take part in what can only be described as a human band/orchestra. The only assumption I can make is they were representing the different noises of London, that can often become be the metronome to a homeless persons life. After a while each member of this human band was then given a hat to ask the audience for money, like many homeless people do on the stress every day. This was clearly meant to be a moment where they were meant to feel the awkwardness of how this can often feel. Most of them however took it as a complete and utter joke, fake crying and making it into a piece of overacted comedy. In fact making the audience laugh at this poignant moment. I found this wholly disrespectful to not only the piece itself but for the performer wo for the past 35 minuets had pout his all into trying to make is feel a specific way.

          The shows ending was powerful, with Lucas sat alone at the back of the stage with his hat on the ground as though asking "can you spare some change". The reality for the majority of the homeless community. He then proceeded to go through the actions of getting ready to spend a night sleeping on the streets, with a clear emphasis on this being a scary and often dangerous experience for many in the homeless community. The powerfulness of the ending and of the spoken word however failed to redeem a piece of theatre I found mostly awkward (and not in the way I assume they intended). It could have been so much more powerful and I left slightly disappointed.

(I was struggling to give this either two or three stars, but I had to make a decision as I don't do halves)

For more information about Come Fly With Fred, please click here

For information about the homeless charity Centre Point, please click here 

Games For Lovers

          Tickets for this show are only between £20 and £35, it has Evanna Lynch performing (who is most known for playing Luna Lovegood in the Harry Potter film series), plus its being performed at The Vaults which is a theatre space I've been to only once before, so I decided to see if this comedy had lived up to all I'd heard. For the most part it really did, but I had a few issues.

          My first issue is with the theatre itself. At the name of the theatre suggests, its in the vaulted arched close to Waterloo Station in Central London. The noise of trains passing overhead is a little distracting but is to be expected, however the stench of damp was slightly overpowering. It wasn't even a wet day however the smell filled my nostrils from the moment I walked through the door. This was very similar to when I visited Above The Stag, however the smell at The Vaults lingered into the performance space itself. This smell isn't ideal when one is trying to become immersed in the show and almost forget about the real world.

          The second issue I had was with the performance of Billy Postlethwaite. Not with the fact he was over acting, this was the character, but with his constant breaking of the fourth wall. For those of you who don't know this is when the actor or actors acknowledge the audience is there watching. Sometimes this can work well in a performance, but not here. To start with he was the only one of the four actors doing it. Yes there where times when all of them would talk out to the audience during moments of narration, but the other actors would sort of blankly look in the audiences direction. Billy however seemed to make a point of looking people directly in the eyes. He would then also do it whilst performing scenes. When a couple arrived late or a women went to the toilet, he interacted with them and went 'off script'. Very off putting and out of place seeing as no one else was doing this. If this was a decision of the director Anthony Banks, then this was a very poor and misguided decision. If this was all on Billy, then someone really needs to have a stern word from him. Other than his audience interaction, he was a brilliant actor.

          The show is performed with traverse staging, with the audience on two sides of the stage, facing towards each other. This is another slight, and I mean only slight, issue I have. I always find when this is the staging, the actors are very much always making a conscious effort to look in the direction of both audience so as to not always be performing to one side. It was very much something I could see all the actors were constantly aware of. Right I've been looking in this direction, so let me now suddenly change where I'm looking so the other half can see me. The only show I've seen where traverse staging was brilliantly utilised was at the Young Vic theatre for their 2016 and 2017 production of Yerma.

          The staging was an interesting choice, with large geometric shapes in bright colours on the walls and floor along with geometric shapes like the building blocks in a toy box. I'm not overly sure on why this staging was chosen, but it worked well. Maybe it was because it wasn't distracting from the performances. It sort of faded into the background almost, to allow the actors to stand out. This is one possibility anyway. It was beautifully staged and directed by Anthony Banks, as well as wonderful and emotive lighting by Matt Haskin and sound design by Ben and Max Ringham.

          It has been superbly written by Ryan Craig, whose plays usually involve both ethical and social matters. In Games For Lovers he expertly navigates the world of sex and love, with the characters caught in a complex game of rivalry, desire and seduction. I found it to be an accurate portrayal of young adults finding there feet in the world of sex and relationships. From the cocky man who believes he must act like a bit of a prick to attract women, to the girl who's confused by her emotions. From the boy who develops feelings for his best friend to the girl who sees any other woman as a threat. All four actors performed brilliantly, really making their characters human. I have to say though I was so impressed by Calum Callaghan who's performance really stood out. He was the one who for me was the most real and the one who I could most easily identify with. Not because of how his character was feeling or what he was doing, but because something about him made me instantly connected. Evanna Lynch was also exceptionally good, though at times I couldn't help but see similarities between her character in this show and Luna Lovegood. Her performance though was heartfelt and was at times full of such realism. 

          There was the perfect balance of comedy and drama. Moments of sadness then suddenly something happens where you just cant help but laugh. I was so glad I saw this show as it really brightened up my evening. If you have the chance, get a ticket. Just be prepared for the smell of damp.

To purchase ticket or find out more information, click here

Parenthood

          I was asked to attend the press night for this so was given a ticket, but believe me when I say that I wont hold me back from being honest.

          I was unfortunately disappointed by the show. The sound system in the theatre was shockingly bad. It was constantly crackling throughout the fist half of the show, and occasionally during the second half. The general acoustics of the building left a lot to be desired. For the majority of the songs I was really straining to hear the lyrics. When I could hear them, they were a mixture of over the top blue humour but also some genuinely witty phrases..

          Until the 27th July (2019) Parenthood is showing at The Space on the Isle Of Dogs in London. The Space is a theatre and community arts centre housed inside a converted church. The space itself is lovely, comprising of a small intimate theatre along with a reasonably priced bar/café/restaurant, that has an outside seating area. However, a musical, even one on such a small scale as Parenthood, really isn't appropriate for such a space. I came a couple years ago for a play involving just two actors. It was an interesting show and very much something I feel is far more appropriate for a space such as this. The only real negative with The Space as a venue, is its location. Its not the easiest place to get to and is relatively far out of central London. There's not really much to do in the area while waiting for the show either, meaning one is almost required to use their café. Although reasonably priced its extremely small, so can very easily get busy quickly. Oh, and I believe there is no air conditioning inside the theatre. Normally not an issue in London but in the heatwave the city is currently experiencing, its something my fellow audience members and I (and from the sweat on their faces I’d say some of the actors also) would have been very much appreciative of having.

          The set for the show was simple, with a few coloured blankets on the floor, a crib and about 25 or so scaled up versions of the wooden block with letters on you find in the toy boxes of small children learning to spell. That was it. The blocks were cleverly used throughout, to create seats/steps/surfaces for different scenes. The show followed what could only be described as the life cycle of a parent, form wanting a child all the way to being a grandparent. Although I enjoyed the majority of the music, there were some phrases that made me wince. A little to crass for my liking. There were some members of the audience however who were absolutely cackling with laughter. It almost seemed as if the writers were trying to invent funny situations, rather than pick up on real situations which are funny when you look back at them. From the rather crass song in which men brag about having a massive 'baby maker' and 'strong swimmers' to the mother complaining how annoying the baby is and how she's so pissed off with it. I get that these are all emotions that parents go through, but they didn't seem to be strung together well. The show at times felt disjointed, with the couples that had been set out at the beginning seeming to not be of any relevance at all until the closing number.

          At the beginning, the performers struggled to find their voice, though once they relaxed into the show they were in fine form. This wasn't helped by the shoddy tech work, which I believe was provided by the venue rather than the show. As I mentioned earlier, the cracking of mics was at times overpowering, but also wrong sound levels or mics being activated late meant some performers full vocals were unable to be appreciated by the audience. This was unless like me your were close to the stage. The lighting also left a lot to be desired, with the stage often plunged into darkness for what felt like an eternity, when actors had been in place almost as soon as the light went out.

          I think though there were a couple of actors that stood out for me. The first was Heather Broderick. An absolute breath of fresh are on one of the warmest nights. She was absolute comedy gold, yet bought believability every time she stepped on stage. Jordan-David Copping was also great though he did seem to take a little while to gain his confidence and get into full voice, but once he was one could only describe him as a bit of a cheeky chappy. I think Jordan Brown was also good, though he seemed to find it hard to connect with the audience, always looking just slightly over our heads. Astra Beadle was another that stood out, with good connections with the other performers and the audience as well as being in fine voice throughout.

I think this show has lots of potential, but was let down by the venues sound and lighting systems. The actors didn't seem relaxed but they have a good show. It just needs a bit more work and then I'm sure it would be perfectly adequate for some light evenings entertainment.

To find out more information or to book tickets, click here

(I'm giving this star rating due to the failures I encountered. It could have easily been higher if everything had gone better from the technical side of the show)

Come From Away

          When I explained to people that I was going to be seeing a musical based on events that occurred on September 11th 2001, I had some very confused looks. I fully understand where these looks were coming from. Its not about the actual terrorists attacks in new York City or Washington, but instead the events that unfolded in the town of Gander in Newfoundland Canada. Gander is a smallish town with a population of around 11,500. On September 11th, after the terrorist attacks and the closure of US airspace, 38 plans carrying almost 7,000 passengers were diverted to its airport as part of Operation Yellow Ribbon. Why Gander, well it has a large international airport that was used in the past for planes making transatlantic flights when they needed to refuel. Most planes don't need to do this anymore, so the airport was no longer the hive of activity it once used to be.

          This is a show full of comedy but also at times is completely heart wrenching. The story, understandably, follows a very linier pattern, with moments of narration be multiple characters, to explain what's happening and fill in some gaps. These moments push the story along nicely. There are however moments I found it very hard to understand exactly what characters were saying. Mind you in the first song of the show, 'Welcome To The Rock', one of the first lines is:

Welcome to the rock if you come from away

You probably understand about a half of what we say

          I should have guessed I might have an issue understanding some things. Not that this affected me enjoying the show however. I just took it as part of the show.

          When looking up information about the show, I mistakenly got the impression the show was focused on the character of Beverley Bass. She was one of the pilots of a diverted aircraft that landed at Gander. Coincidentally she was also the first female Captain for American Airlines. Rachel Tucker expertly performs the role, though it would be unfair to the rest of the cast to call her the lead. By no means do I wish this to undermine her performance as she was engaging and full of energy, also giving the sensitive nature of the subject the respect it needs. Her role was a sort of anchor for the show, every now and again showing what she was up to in a way to place the show at a specific time or to gage what was happening.

          There was in fact no main character whatsoever. All the characters had equal representation within the musical score as well as script. In fact that's one of my main take aways from the show. Its very much an ensemble production, something almost unusual on the stage at the moment. How nice it was to see such a thing. There also wasn't a bad, or less than adequate, performer in the entire cast. Again, something unusual though not unwelcome. In fact I cant really criticize any cast member at all. All performed there roles perfectly and with such enthusiasm it was infectious. I would like though to give a special mention to Jenna Boyd, who plays Beulah Davis. She was a complete breath of fresh air, bringing the most laughs and continually making me smile. I connected with her. I will be watching out for her in the future.

          Anything based on the events of the 9/11 attacks is bound to me moving and emotional. The story shows the best of human kindness and of all things that are good with humanity. There were a couple of moments I was moved to tears. Not at all during tragic or sad moments, but at times of true kindness. One was when people were trying to communicate with a couple who spoke no English and so were very scared of the situation as they had no idea what was going on. The person started communicating by pointing to lines from the Bible. If you know a line from the Bible, you can find it no matter what language the Bible happens to be in as it will always be in the same place. This completely moved me and really touched my heart.

          The show is just sublime. A fantastic piece of theatre that I'm sure will go down in theatre history. It turns one of the most shocking moments of recent history into one of the most uplifting and empowering stories of human kindness and our resilience in the face of adversity. I would happily go see this show over and over again, and I couldn't recommend it more.

          The show is currently showing on Broadway in New York City and the West End in London. It is also currently touring the USA and is currently playing in Toronto Canada until September 29th 2019. It will also be opening in Melbourne Australia in July 2019.

For information on the Broadway production and US tour, click here

For information on the London production, click here

For information on the Canadian production (booked to run until Sept 2019), click here

For information on the Australian production, click here