The House of Mirrors and Hearts - Review

Arcola Theatre, London


***


By Eamonn O'Dwyer and Robert Gilbert
Directed by Ryan McBryde

Gillian Kirkpatrick

'Pain can blind us, twist us, change us – sometimes for better, sometimes for worse'; writes Eamonn O'Dwyer in the programme notes of his new musical playing at the Arcola Theatre. House of Mirrors and Hearts is an ambitious piece, looking to investigate the oppressive nature of grief associated with loss and its destructive impact on a family unit. It is a chamber musical of intense intimacy, but often shuts the audience out more than it draws us in. It's a shame, as the space feels perfect for the subject matter and yet it is somewhat undermined by some unsympathetic characters and predictable narrative clichés.

House of Mirrors and Hearts tells the story of a fractured household. Anna and her two daughters, Laura and Lily, are left reeling after a tragedy throws their previously blissful life into turmoil. For seven years they desperately try to cling to normality, with a veritable powder keg of secrets lying beneath a fragile surface. The uneasy tension of the house is threatened by the entrance of a young intellectual lodger in the form of Nathan and the inevitability of confrontation becomes apparent as the delicate existence of the family becomes increasingly unbearable. The narrative is jagged and harsh, full of fiercely barbed exchanges and frustrated menace.

With the exception of a curious finale in which unexplained mysticism and telegraphed 'twists' rear their rather unwelcome heads, the second act picks up immensely. Director Ryan McBryde is given license to let the piece breathe, as the heavy oppression of grief is counter balanced with the discovery of love. This blossoming romance allows Grace Rowe's Laura to explore a more mature sense of identity and Jamie Muscato's Nathan to act as more than a plot device, designed to grease the wheels of the family's existential meltdown. Their cathartic bottle smashing scene is beautifully played and resoundingly resonant.

Muscato's performance throughout is impressively nuanced. His ascent to the poetic headiness of first love is utterly believable and he ensures every second of his stage time is detailed and truthful. Molly McGuire is also a highlight as the attention-seeking Lily, providing a pulsating sound with her rich voice and showing a comforting command of the stage. Her number 'Look At Me' is both unsettling and exciting, as she prowls around the stage with equal parts power and vulnerability. Gillian Kirkpatrick, as the alcoholic family matriarch, sings effortlessly and willingly provides some of the more vocally acrobatic elements of the score. Whilst I enjoyed her embittered take on the self destructive Anna, I felt it was a little too unfocused to be as effective as it could be. Her wild, gesticulative wine-sloshing was often more distracting than it was engaging.

Eamonn O'Dwyer's score has both a contemporary flair and a more traditional haunting edge, effectively blending the horror of the past with the hope for a more positive tomorrow. The songs, whilst not always tuneful, succeed in their own way; most notably during the occasions where Nathan and Laura bond through musical recitations of Alexander Thornton Grays' verse. There are some playfullly original lyrics dotted throughout the score as well, particularly in Anne's witty ode to the bottle, Something For the Pain.

After a slow first half and a group of characters that seem difficult to warm to, House of Mirrors and Hearts discovers its voice in an enjoyable second act. Relationships are allowed to develop and its message of healing through confrontation becomes apparent. It can be a challenging watch at times and with subject matter exploring the depths of human dysfunction following tragedy, this is hardly surprising. However, with some choice performances, an impressive modern score and a chance to celebrate new British writing, House of Mirrors and Hearts is worth your time. 

Runs until 1st August 2015

Guest reviewer: Will Clarkson

Saturday Night Fever - Review

Richmond Theatre, London

***

Music and lyrics by The Bee Gees

Book adapted by Robert Stigwood and Bill Oakes

Directed by Ryan McBryde

The Company

When 'Saturday Night Fever' hit the screen in the UK in 1978 it had the country eating out of the palm of its hand. John Travolta's Tony Manero, powered by the Bee Gee's inimitable disco pulse had girls wanting him and guys wanting to be him. Robert Stigwood’s dance fuelled vision dripped with the illusory seduction of the 2001 Odyssey nightclub’s neon that offered a weekly escape from urban mundanity to Manero and his buddies. On the Richmond Theatre's stage however, Ryan McBryde's version of the show is perhaps a touch too dark and raw for a story that craves light and glamour.

In his programme notes McBryde describes Saturday Night Fever as "gritty, complex and uncompromising". With a plot that includes heartbreak, financial struggle and suicide all set to such a popular and uplifting score, its inevitable that a credible staging will prove challenging. That said, McBryde has assembled a strong company of actor-musician performers. The economy of the actor-muso format serves the show well, offering a strong sense of energy and vibrancy in the more up tempo numbers, while equally giving the darker songs a real raw and honest edge, notably in Tragedy sung by Alex Lodge as Bobby C.  

Saturday Night Fever demands a fine leading man and Danny Bayne's Manero provides the show's driving energy. Bayne's performance as the arrogant yet sensitive Manero, complete with flawless dancing is worth the ticket price alone and he handles his solo numbers with flair. Elsewhere, Bethany Linsdell as the love struck Annette whose early rendition of If I Can't Have You offers just a glimpse of the singer’s talent as she makes fine work of the Yvonne Elliman classic. 

Throughout, Andrew Wright’s well engineered choreography excites, suggesting both the glitzy pizzazz and the emotional turmoil of growing up in New York city in the last century.

Above all the show makes for an entertaining night out. Many of us remember the movie (it was my first ever sneaked-into "x certificate") when the Bee Gees’ sound defined an era. The middle aged will love the nostalgia – whilst a younger audience can absorb the sounds of a generation, performed magnificently by their peers.

Runs until 28th March 2015, then plays in Cardiff