The Mousetrap Review

The Mousetrap

Tour - The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

This is a play that has broken records during its tenure in London. One of its latest records is that it has become the most successful play at the Mayflower. It has sold an estimated 17,800 seats, with two extra matinees added to its run at the theatre. Now though, after it has lasted 60 years in London, I was looking forward to adding The Mousetrap under my belt.

A couple called Mollie and Giles Ralston (Bruno Langley and Jemma Walker) convert Monkswell Manor into a guest house, and soon the guests begin to arrive. Later they take a phone call from the police and this is followed up by the arrival of Detective Sergeant Trotter (Thomas Howes). He announces that a murder in London is connected to someone in the Manor, and the murderer is on his way. He therefore starts to interrogate the guests to find out who is connected. Eventually the guests realise that the murderer is already there and is one of them.

It was engaging to watch these different characters arrive to the house during the first act, before Detective Sergeant Trotter starts searching for a murderer. The second half however did slow down as each character took time to confess to something in their background. My companions, who did not know the plot, also thought the play slowed down.

I also felt the script was talking down to the audience by putting in the play very un-supple false leads. At the start, when the London murder announcement is made on the radio, the description of the suspect's clothing matches that of a character who comes onstage in similar clothing. I have seen moments like these before in other mysteries like the Poirot TV episodes, but it felt a bit forced in this play. I am perhaps a bit surprised that this play has lasted so long, despite the fact that this is written by the greatest whodunit writer of all time.

However this is worth seeing for the cast alone. Bruno Langley and Jemma Walker were a cheery couple of lovebirds as Giles and Mollie Ralston. Karl Howman was an eccentric Frenchman (or Belgian), whilst Steven France was quite the camp, jolly Christopher Wren, and Thomas Howes was a firm and at times forceful Sargent Trotter. I was worried that Jan Waters would overact the fuss-pot Mrs Boyle but she did well as a weary old woman who cant stand things going amiss, to the point where she was likable. Graham Seed however felt insignificant for the most part as Major Metcalf, whilst the play did not give Clare Wilkie much to do as the tom-boy, Miss Caswell.

The set was nicely detailed as the Great Hall of Monkswell Manor, with wooden paneling, medieval-esque walls, a stained window and a lit fireplace to boot. Shadows would gradually grow as nighttime fell, whilst the howling of the wind could be heard outside, adding to the atmosphere. A nice addition was the falling snow that was seen outside the window, whilst the characters would arrive with snow coated on their clothes. Also, whilst the cast of The Ladykillers struggled to make themselves heard, this cast did well to project their voices.

It was great to see this for the first time. The set was atmospheric and the cast was strong. This should be seen at a low Top Price, though one has to wonder why this production has lasted so long in the West End.

Timon of Athens Review

Timon of Athens

NT Live - Olivier Theatre, London

For me, 2012 has been quite a year in terms of Shakespeare plays. Thanks to the World Shakespeare Festival I have been able to see three of the Bard's plays for the first time. I then added a fourth at the RSC which I saw outside the festival. They have varied, one being one of my favorite productions of the year, and another being one of my least favourite productions. One of the final productions of the festival was the National Theatre's Timon of Athens, one of Shakespeare's lesser plays that is considered to be two plays in one. But how did it fare for me.

The title character is a wealthy and generous Athenian. He gives money to his patrons, who want to please him so that he will give them more. Eventually Timon discovers that he is heavily in debt, so he sends his servants to his closest friends to ask for money. When they all decline, he invites them to a feast where all he offers are disgusting substances before he flees from his house. He becomes a vagrant and curses world for what it has done to him. He soon discovers a trove of gold, which he gives away when people ask for it

The play certainly feels like it is split into two plays. What I liked about the first half of this production was its almost episodic structure, in which the audience observes different encounters between Timon and his suitors, between the suitors themselves and between other characters. Each encounter seems to become a discrete scene on its own. This allows the audience to ponder whether money buys friendship. A particular highlight occurred at the beginning when a poet, a painter, a jeweler and a merchant shows off their gifts, which they confidently expected Timon to buy, thus showing him as the patron with a bottomless purse. Timon's decline was compelling to watch as everything falls apart for both him and his followers.

The second half mostly comprises of one long scene in which Timon becomes the vagrant. Now I would like to apologise in advance that I have not being sending out my reviews sooner but the last few months have been busy. This is also affecting my opinion on this play because I had no time to read up on it beforehand and therefore had mixed feelings about the messages being conveyed. I understood the message about Timon's charitable character and whether friendship can be bought. I could see that as Timon handed out the gold during the second act, he knew that people will ask for more with nothing to give in return. Indeed when Flavia returns with the leaders of Athens, who want the gold in order to deal with the economy, one can see the sense of betrayal etched on Timon's face. However I felt that this theme of charity and friendship was over-emphasised. Other issues including the rioting and the economy were merely background issues and very underwritten whilst the issues of charity and friendship were stretched out in the second act.

This production was really relying upon the acting itself which was top-notch. Simon Russell Beale, as Timon, basked in the supposed infatuation of Timon's supporters. During the 'nasty' banquet scene he gradually transformed into a malicious lunatic. However, the second act was where Simon really shines as he becomes the dejected and embittered vagrant cursing humanity. Hilton McRae stood out as a sour Apemantus who mirrors what Timon becomes in the second act. Deborah Findlay played the faithful servant, Flavia, and it was interesting to watch her play the mother figure as she reveals her growing concerns for Timon. Timon's friends are really stereotypes of people who are hungry for money and the cast did well to present these characters.

Nicholas Hytner made every effort to make the play relevant by setting it in the present, making references to the state of the economy, the Occupy London encampment, and the London Riots. All of these issues were constantly in the background whilst Timon holds dinner parties with his friends, after opening the 'Timon Room' in the equivalent of the National Portrait Gallery. The sets were on the whole simple, which allowed objects like a large dinning table and chairs to move on and off using the Olivier Theatre's revolving stage.

This was a well acted and firm production, with great performances from Simon Russell Beale, Hilton McRae and Deborah Findlay. However I would like to see this play again and gain a better understanding which sadly I did not get from this production. Once again the production was screened on the last performance, but for newcomers to the play this would have been worth a high Bargain.

Radio Times Review

Radio Times

Tour - Salisbury Playhouse, Salisbury

This was a production I was looking forward to this Autumn. With so many jukebox musicals out there, it is nice to hear some old wartime songs for a change in this Noel Gay musical, Radio Times.

The story basically follows a London wartime radio show, Variety Bandwagon, as the cast prepares a special broadcast to America. The new producer, Heathcliffe Bultitude (John Conroy), views the lax character of the show's star, Sammy Shaw (Gary Wilmot), with disdain. It does not even help that Sammy has forgotten to send in the script and security clearance to the Home Office, which could threaten to cancel the show. Despite script cuts and and the loss of the ventriloquist act, the show must go on. Sammy meanwhile must deal with Olive Carter (Vivien Carter), whom he loves, and her relationship with an old friend, Gary Strong (Michael Hobbs).

Gary Wilmot was a charming Sammy Shaw, who cheekily produces puns where ever he goes. One cannot help but enjoy the flood of jokes that come out of his mouth, some of which are older than the pyramids. John Conroy played the shows scrupulous producer, Heathcliffe Bultitude, with a calmness that rivaled Sammy's bravado well. He also does the impersonations quite well, including a moment when he told his son over the telephone the three little pigs story, which was met with a round of applause.

The cast pulls out all the stops when performing a number of familiar wartime songs, including “Run Rabbit Run”, “Hey Little Hen”, and “There’s something about a solider”. The band however was also onstage and when it was in full swing it did become difficult to hear the cast sing. Plaudits though must go to Christian Edwards as the sound technician, Jeeps, who provided the farm yard sound effects for the broadcast, even when they were not needed to the annoyance of Sammy.

Yet, the problem with this musical is that although it emphasised the "Keep calm and carry on" attitude of the cast, which kept it lively, a number of the characters and their stories felt a bit underwritten. Sara Crowe  as Sammy's lover, Olive Carter, was absent when I saw this production but her understudy, Vivien Carter, performed well in the role. However, her character's relationship with Hollywood star Gary Strong, played by Michael Hobbs, was not given enough time to develop. As a consequence both characters felt a bit bland, despite Gary Strong's gravitas as the guest star of the show. 

Elsewhere, once Heathcliffe Bultitude took over the impersonations, the rivalry between him and Sammy did not go anywhere, which was a shame because it was one of the highlights of the musical. Jeeps also had a sub-plot in which he secretly loved cast member, Amy Chapman, played by Vivien Carter's understudy, Sarah Scowen. He only gets one song at the beginning, and his dilemma is forgotten completely until the storyline re-emerges near the end.

Despite this it is quite enjoyable to watch this cast with a “Keep calm and carry on” attitude strive to put on the show with aplomb. Go and see it at a High Bargain.

Our Country's Good Review

Our Country's Good

Tour - The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton

This is a play that I studied at college but I had yet to see a production. I was excited to see this because it is produced by the original director, Max Stafford Clark, and the company, Out of Joint.

The play follows the first convicts to be transported to Australia to set up a penal colony. The Governor, Arthur Philip (John Hollingworth), wants to civilise them by putting on the first play in Australia, The Recruiting Officer. Second Lieutenant Ralph Clark (Dominic Thorburn) is made the director of the production, but he struggles to work with the troublesome convicts, as well as coping with the menacing Major Ross (Claran Owens). During the play the audience learn about the convicts background whilst seeing the effects the play has upon them

Under Max Stafford Clark's direction is a stellar cast. Dominic Thorburn made for a scrupulous Ralph Clark and as the play progressed he and Laura Dos Santos, as the reserved convict Mary Brenham, made for a lovely couple. Joining the play-within-a-play is Robert Sideway (Matthew Needham) who provides the funniest moments during the rehearsal scenes as he acts with grandiose theatrical postures. Helen Bradbury was a haughty Dabby Bryant, and her rivalry with the demented Liz Morden (Kathryn O’Reilly) is impassioned.

I was looking forward to seeing how Max Stafford Clark approaches the sub-plot between Harry Brewer (Ian Redford) and Ducking Smith (Lisa Kerr) this time. Indeed, it was interesting to watch a complex relationship between an insecure old man and a younger woman. Yet the oppressive world the convicts find themselves in appears to be toned down in this production. The first whipping scene takes place off stage, thereby losing some of the full impact of the treatment of the convicts. Also Claran Owens could have been more threatening as Major Ross.

The timber that framed the stage nicely illustrated the beginnings of a civilization. The rest of the set was  simple, apart from the backdrops that were hung from some rigging above. A temporary curtain for example establishes the setting of the play by showing a faint outline of Australia. Otherwise I did feel it was unnecessary to have the cast calling out the titles of each scene, it just seemed out of place and slightly broke up the pace.

However with a strong cast, together with the redemptive story of Our Country's Good, this is a great production that is worth seeing at a low Top Price

The Ladykillers Review

The Ladykillers

Tour - The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

I wished that I had seen the original production after hearing some great reviews. I was therefore pleased to discover that it was going on tour and coming to the Mayflower Theatre. I could not wait to see it and for the most part I was not dissapointed.

Mrs Louisa Wilberforce (Michele Doctrice) lives in a lopsided house next to a railway.  Professor Marcus (Paul Brown) arrives to rent a room in her house together with a group of musicians. It is revealed however that the Professor and the group are a bunch of criminals. They use Mrs Wilberforce's house as a hideout and plan a heist. However complications arise after the heist when Mrs Wilberforce discovers the stolen money.

It was quite fascinating to watch Mrs Wilberforce being taken in by this gang as they plan their heist whilst making every effort to cover it up each time the little old lady comes into the room. The heist takes place by the end of the first act, after which the play becomes darker as the gang tries to kill of Mrs Wilberforce whilst killing each other in the process. By the end however it did feel as though the tension had reached it's peak too early. Perhaps the The Liverpool Playhouse and Gielgud Theatre, where the original production was staged, are smaller venues because the action did seemed dwarfed by the Mayflower Theatre, even though I was not sitting far away from the stage. By the end all the characters were doing was to walk around and shout threats into the dark. The comedy too was great, though some of the slapstick were overused.

However, the acting is worth seeing for its own sake. Michele Dotrice played an upstanding Mrs Wilberforce and conveyed the lady's despair and weariness as the tension mounts. Also playing a leading role was Paul Brown, as the eccentric but menacing Professor. The rest of the cast brought a range of characters to the production. Chris McCalphy was the dumb muscle-man, One-Round. William Troughton was the handsome yet sleazy Harry Robinson. Shaun Williamson played the brooding and threatening Louis Harvey. Clive Mantle meanwhile was a rather neurotic Major Courtney and there was a hilarious moment when he fantasises dancing with a woman in the form of one of Mrs Wilberforce's dresses.

The set which consisted of the interior of Mrs Wilberforce's house had a character all of its own,. The curtain showed the exterior of the house in what reminded me of a type of film title card. It was also cleverly used to show the heist. Parts of the main set could also move to reveal a rooftop scene. Situated next to a railway line, there is a sense of precariousness about the house. The whole set is lopsided and occasionally a passing train would send everything rattling and moving all over the place. However I was expecting this effect to increase as the tension built, but it did not happen. The structure of the house also reminds one of a birdcage, giving a sense of entrapment. Yet within a large theatre the actors did not project their voices well during the play, which added to the diminished action at the climax.

This was for the most part a funny and tense production. The cast was top-notch and there were a lot of memorable moments. This is worth seeing at a low Top Price.

American Idiot Review

American Idiot

Tour - The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

2013 seems to be the year when several Broadway musicals will finally transfer to the West End. I for one have just received my ticket for The Book of Mormon and I am really looking forward to seeing this Tony Award winning musical. Although I am not familiar with Green Day, I went to see the premiere of the UK tour of American Idiot, in order to get a flavour of Broadway's latest offerings from the last few years. This musical was also directed by Michael Mayer, who also did Spring Awakening, a musical which I love.

The story follows three disaffected suburban youths, Johnny (Alex Nee), Tunny (Thomas Hettrick), and Will (Casey O'Farrell). They decide to find freedom in the city together but their paths get separated. Will is forced to stay at home with his pregnant girlfriend, Heather (Kennedy Caughell), Tunny decides to join the army, whilst Johnny lives an urban life. He has a relationship with a nameless girl, Whatsername (Alyssa Dipalma), takes drugs, and starts to imagine a rebellious version of himself, called St. Jimmy (Trent Saunders). Eventually the characters begin to encounter reality and long for the things they left behind.

I had heard that the musical's story was simple with only Green Day songs connecting it together. Indeed the story was nothing special, but I thought it was good. What helped was that the cast used the stage, objects, and body movement to convey the passing of time, a sense of location and a sense of the story. In particular, each of the three main characters were given different areas of stage to differentiate themselves, a metal frame was used to represent a couch, and later the ensemble members marched on in uniformed vests as the song Favorite Son turned into an Army advert. Sometimes the story became disconcerting but for the most part it was enjoyable.

Because the story line is simple, one can home in on the main characters from the beginning. The musical is based around Green Day's rock opera of the same title, which was a statement on post 9/11 issues, and some of this can be seen in this production. At the start, the curtain rose slowly  on a group of suburban youths watching dozens of screens on the back walls, which were showing news reports and mostly American orientated TV programmes. Suddenly they broke into the title song, American Idiot, as they jumped and stomped in their frustration against this saturation.

Yet, despite the occasional reference to American culture and society, such as the aforementioned Army advert, the focus of the musical was really on the main characters as they faced reality. At first it seemed tongue-in-cheek. Examples included a wounded Tunny in hospital, hallucinating that his nurse was an angel as they both perform an aerial dance during Extraordinary Girl. However by the second act the music became subdued and thoughtful, and when the main characters sang a touching Wake me up when September ends they seemed more rounded. By the end the musical had become heartwarming.

The company pulled all the stops when performing the songs. Strobe lights flashed every few seconds, dozens of provocative images flashed on the screens, whilst the orchestra, consisting of guitars, a drum kit, and the occasional instrument, played the music. Even as someone who is not familiar with Green Day it is easy to get sucked into the music (though thankfully whilst being seated a good distance away from the speakers). The lyrics were at times inaudible whilst the musicians hammered away, but the songs were on the whole energetic and thunderous. The company produced a variety of tricks and acrobatics, though most get a short moment on stage. Some I have mentioned, including the aerial dance, but it wouldn't be surprising if you miss some because a lot happens on the stage at times.

Although the story is not the best I have ever seen, it was conveyed well and by the end the characters' resolutions were gratifying. The cast pulled of some fantastic tricks and the songs were very engaging. Even if you are not familiar with Green Day, this musical is recommended at a low Top Price

42nd Street Review

42nd Street

Tour - The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

So far this year, I have seen several musicals for the first time. I have realised how important the songs and dances are to capture your attention and draw you in to hopefully an engaging story. The latest musical is a touring production of 42nd Street. This was produced by UK Productions, which have created some impressive productions in the past, so I was expecting a good night out.

In 1930s New York, famed director Julian Marsh (Dave Willetts) holds auditions for his next production, Pretty Lady. Peggy Sawyer (Jessica Punch) arrives as the audition finishes and misses her opportunity to get into the musical, although her dancing talents gets noticed by leading man, Billy Lawlor (James O'Connell). Eventually she is given a part in the musical. Meanwhile, Julian has to put up with ageing Broadway star, Dorothy Brock (Marti Webb), who buys her way into the leading role, despite her lack of dancing skills.

It was enjoyable to watch the production process of the musical-within-a-musical, from the audition to the opening night on Broadway. The chorus girls for one were engaging to watch and performed some striking dance sequences. Do not expect a romance here. The musical does present a hopeful lover in the form of Billy Lawlor, yet the character was not given much stage presence. This was a shame for James O'Connell because he was quite the gallant young man in the lead role. Instead the musical seems to focus on the troubles faced by the director, and the rise of Peggy Sawyer to fame. On paper it is very interesting and the results in this production are generally very good.

Jessica Punch was lovely as Peggy, the naive newcomer to show-business. The choreography however did not seem to make her character's dancing abilities stand out over the other chorus girls. At times, Jessica seemed seem to overdo the amazement and disbelief at the turn of her fortunes. The conflict between Julian Marsh and Dorothy Brock was the most engaging. Dave Willetts stood out the most as the imperious, no-nonsense director, whilst singing with much gusto. Marti Webb was fine as Dorothy Brock and she sang her songs clearly. On the other hand  because her ageing character is limited to singing, she stands out less than the others during the musical numbers.

There were a number of striking musical numbers in this musical. At the start, the audience is introduced to a line of legs doing tap dancing before the curtain continues to rise. Other moments include an overhanging mirror to show the dancers from above during Dames, the chorus girls dancing on the coins in We're in the money, some interesting use of shadows during the Shadow Waltz, and the grand staircase scene in 42nd Street. The mirror did jiggle a bit and the stairs could be heard as it was rolled on to the stage, but this did not detract from the audience's enjoyment. Praise too for the sound system for producing the music and songs loud and clear. For someone who is not familiar with the musical, this achieved what I wanted a production like South Pacific to do, which was to enthrall me with the music.

This is a fantastic production of 42nd Street and should be seen. Although the story produced some underwritten characters, the dance sequences were engaging, the production process of Pretty Lady was interesting to follow, and the music was clear enough for newcomers to follow. See it at a low Top Price