Taken At Midnight - Review

Theatre Royal Haymarket, Londom

****

Written by Mark Hayhurst

Directed by Jonathan Church

Penelope Wilton

Taken At Midnight is a carefully researched commentary on Germany during the early years of Hitler’s Chancellorship. The story based on true events, plays out through the eyes of Irmgard Litten whose lawyer son Hans, in 1931, successfully prosecuted Hitler for the thuggish pre-election behaviour of his Nazi Brownshirts. The play opens with Hans’ arrest two years later, on the night that the Reichstag was burned. Hitler is now in power and the arrest is revenge.

Penelope Wilton is Irmgard Litten in a performance that defines her as one of the greats. Committed to liberating her son from being drawn ever deeper into the belly of the Nazi beast, her journey is one of remarkable devotion. She plays the most lovingly committed of mothers, a woman who is simultaneously proud of her son’ principled resistance to the Nazis and at the same time desperate for him to betray his beliefs and lie to the regime, to save his skin. The paradox of her drama could not be more stark nor brutal and Hayhurst gives one of our finest actresses some of the most richly structured dialog of recent modern plays. Wilton’s performance alone demands that the play be seen.

As Hans, Martin Hutson is heartbreaking in his defiance. His performance sees his character be degraded from a presentable professional man to a concentration camp inmate wearing both the yellow star of the Jews, (his father was Jewish) and the red triangle of the political prisoners on that terrible striped camp uniform. From an able bodied man sustaining his beatings, through to a cripple, body broken yet mind intact, Hutson movingly plays out Litten’s destiny.

Hayhurst tells us about much of the everyday detail of the Nazi regime. John Light is Dr Conrad, the Gestapo captain responsible for Litten’s arrest and subsequent incarceration. His clinical detachment in executing his orders is as chilling as would be expected, but what disturbs even more is the chance meeting between him and Irmgard one sunny afternoon in a local park. Out of uniform the charming, chivalrous and refined Conrad offers Irmgard an ice cream, making for a powerful exposition of how the Nazi regime had become so woven into much of German society. Away from the park-bench though, Conrad's teeth are bared when later in the play he venomously expresses his hatred of the half-Jewish Hans. In another gem of a performance, David Yelland's Lord Clifford Allen economically represents Britain’s moral vacuity during its pre-war period of German appeasement.

There is no happy ending to Taken At Midnight, with Hayhurst’s work being historically brilliant even if a little pruriently melodramatic in some of the early torture scenes. The acting is riveting and Church's direction of this Chichester Festival Theatre production is on point throughout. Top notch theatre.

Runs to 14th March 2015

The Goodbye Girl - Review

Gatehouse Theatre, London

**

Book by Neil Simon
Music by Marvin Hamlisch
Lyrics by David Zippel
Directed by Adam Lenson

The Goodbye Girl is a 1993 musical with a story written by Neil Simon based on his award winning 1977 movie. It is a fanciful rom-com telling of the blossoming love between Paula a newly-dumped New York single mum and her lodger/landlord Elliott, a neurotic actor from Chicago who moves into her apartment. This production marks the show’s first London revival for 18 years.

There is a long established principle in musical theatre, that when tackling a show written around a mediocre book, one should display a commitment to outstanding production values (which doesn’t necessarily equate to a huge budget). There is then a chance that one might, just might end up with a hit. Adam Lenson’s programme notes say that The Goodbye Girl has struggled to “find its feet in large scale productions”. Based on this offering, it is still looking for them.

Rebecca Bainbridge and Paul Keating play the star-crossed pair and whilst both actors are competent professionals, neither convinces as the angst-ridden American that each represents. Their singing is passable (though far too often is shamefully inaudible even with mics) and their accents seem cod-USA rather than the passionately brash NY/Chicago tone that their characters demand and which is such a key element to the backdrop of the show’s chemistry.

Claira Vaughan’s choreography offers some interesting ideas for the Gatehouse’s compact space, but her company are woefully under-drilled. The venue has only recently displayed excellence in dance with Singing In The Rain. It's a shame that those standards have not been maintained and the lighting plots are clumsy too. Whilst Hamlisch’s music isn’t easy for sure, MD Richard Bates could do with taking his 5 piece band up a gear or two. There are moments of dischord that need atttention. 

None of the above criticisms are beyond repair and can and should be addressed and to be fair, it’s not all bad. There are some points of classy entertainment on offer with Denise Pitter’s landlady proving a delight, whilst the ensemble’s routine in Too Good To Be Bad is a laugh-out loud treat.

Across town, David Zippel’s far sharper City Of Angels closes this weekend, but a song title from that show could be well applied to The Gatehouse’s Goodbye Girl: It Needs Work.

Runs to 28th February 2015

Di and Viv and Rose - Review

Vaudeville Theatre, London

****

Written by Amelia Bullmore
Directed by Anna Mackmin

Tamzin Outhwaitre, Samantha Spiro and Jenna Russell

Di, Viv and Rose has finally arrived in the West End after playing two sell out stints at the Hampstead Theatre. This story of a friendship forged between between three women who meet as undergraduates worked well in the intimacy of the north London venue and it is a delight to see the show move to the Vaudeville so effectively.

Tamzin Outhwaite reprises her role as Di, the gay and sporty member of the trio and she is now joined by Samantha Spiro as eccentric academic Viv and Jenna Russell as the ditsy if somewhat nymphomaniacal Rose and we meet the unlikely friends living together during their university years. The first act is a whirl of boyfriends (Rose), girlfriends (Di), studying (Viv), all set to an invigorating backdrop of eighties music. The humour of their lives is brilliantly observed, but when one of the trio is raped, the bonds of their friendship are tested. It is a credit to Bullmore that she can swing the play's mood from comedy to nightmare with such plausible dexterity.

The seismic shift in tone continues into the second half, where the friends are now women leading very separate lives and in which set designer Paul Wills’ brightly coloured student accommodation gives way to the grey stone walls of a harsher adult world. Viv has become something of a success in New York's fashion scene and flies her two friends over (in business class, to Rose’s great delight) to attend a launch. Yet despite the passage of the years, Bullmore’s prime conceit remains that while times, fortunes and hairstyles may change, true friendship remains a constant. She also contends that whilst three may not always be a crowd, a trio does generate a central nucleus. And in Rose, Jenna Russell shines for the talented natural warmth that she brings to the part.

Offstage, Outhwaite has gone on record about this female-led production (cast, writer and director are all women), commenting that “It's beautiful, it's wholesome, it's pure. It's a wonderful thing to work on." Turns out it’s also a wonderful thing to watch. You’ll laugh, you’ll cry and you’ll laugh some more. Go see for yourself.

Booking until 23rd May 2015

Guest reviewer Louisa Shulman

Anything Goes - Review

New Wimbledon Theatre, London

*****

Music and lyrics by Cole Porter

Original book by P.G. Wodehouse & Guy Bolton and Howard Lindsay & Russell Crouse

New book by Timothy Crouse & John Weidman

Directed by Daniel Evans

The company of Anything Goes

The Sheffield Crucible production of Cole Porter’s Anything Goes, set aboard the transatlantic liner SS American, slipped its moorings last month to start a country-wide journey. Tying up at the New Wimbledon Theatre for one week only, Daniel Evan's de-lightful show is giving south west Londoners the chance to catch what must surely be one of the finest touring productions in recent years.

Richard Kent’s stage design sets the production amidst lifevests, railings and scrubbed ship’s decks that ingeniously play havoc with our perspective whilst Evans' company, dripping in experience, bring seriously crafted excellence to a show that demands not to be taken too seriously.

Debbie Kurup leads as sultry singer Reno Sweeney. Kurup opens the show with I Get A Kick Out Of You, as her blends strength with smoothness, a deftness that defines this show's unique 1930’s appeal. Responsible for five of the show's biggest numbers, Kurup's dance is sublime throughout, with stunning footwork in the title song, whilst her Blow, Gabriel Blow sizzles with presence and passion.

Billy Crocker is played by the ever talented Matt Rawle. Combining moments of comedy whilst being a focal point to the story's fairy-tale romantic strands, Rawle's performance in voice and timing is impeccable. His emergence into white tie and tails for It's De-Lovely, duetting with Zoe Rainey's Hope Harcourt, brought just a hint of New York's Great White Way to Wimbledon's very own Broadway. Rainey too is perfectly cast, the elegant Irish actress giving a measured poise to one of the story's (rare) straight roles. Her take on Goodbye, Little Dream Goodbye offers an oasis of exquisite calm amidst Anything Goes' madcap mayhem.

The second half of the show, as it descends into silliness, is notable for its sequence of comic cameo solos, with a seam of humour that suggests more than a hint of a rivalry with Noel Coward in Porter's writing. Hugh Sach's portly Moonface Martin, every inch the wannabe Public Enemy Number One delights with his Be Like The Bluebird as Alex Young's promiscuous Erma offers another gem with Buddy, Beware. As is so often the case with Anything Goes however, the biggest laugh of the night is generated by Stephen Matthews' sublimely suspendered British buffoon Lord Oakleigh. Watching Matthews' take on his madcap solo number The Gypsy In Me is to note that musical theatre is rarely so funny whilst remaining so stylish. Simon Rouse and Jane Wymark bring spice to the musical’s septuagenarian love story with comic finesse.

The Crucible have a commitment to fine production values, demonstrated here by Alistair David’s imaginative choreography that has been meticulously drilled, with Nigel Lilley’s dance arrangements that only enhance Porter’s original score. 

Evans has coaxed brilliance from his entire team of company and creatives. With a gloriously Art Deco style and a list of musical numbers that virtually defines the American Songbook, musical theatre does not come better than this.

Runs until 7th February 2015, then continues to tour

Whistle down the Wind - Review

Union Theatre, London

****

Based on the novel by Mary Hayley Bell
And the screenplay by Willis Hall and Keith Waterhouse
And the film by Richard Attenborough and Bryan Forbes
Adapted by Russell Labey and Richard Taylor
Music and lyrics by Richard Taylor

Whistle Down The Wind is a moving tale of trust and belief. When young Cathy discovers an injured man in her father’s barn who cries out in pain, 'Jesus Christ!', she takes his exclamation literally. As her siblings and peers come to believe that Christ is truly living in the barn, so too does the cynicism of their parents grow – and amidst questions of faith, immortality and humility, the musical builds to a troubling stand off between parents and children. It’s a powerful story, presented in the Union’s intriguing confines with an economic elegance and sensitivity.

Most of the musical plays out through the eyes of Cathy,  played by Grace Osborn and her siblings Charles (Alex James Ellison)  and Nan (Imelda Warren-Green). It’s a massive responsibility for the three performers to shoulder but they bear it well. Their connection and bond is enchanting to watch, whilst their child-like characters convince completely. If their singing occasionally lacks energy and volume, their acting shines.  

Sasha Regan’s direction is well honed, coaxing tears from her actors and building to an ending that is genuinely frightening. The all-adult cast perform the child roles effectively with the Nativity scene, led by a weary teacher played hilariously by Danielle Morris, proving a stand out moment.

The Union's simplistic and bare space was the perfect setting for this humble story, with subtle changes in set and costume being cleverly executed, a wooden thatched divide contributing much to ambience and setting were very cleverly done. David Griffiths band delivered the (much underrated) score beautifully.

There is much that is touching and surprisingly witty in Whistle Down The Wind. Bravo for a simple story, told with passion and which proves to be another fine example of the quality to be found in London’s fringe.

Runs until 21st February 2015 

A Little Night Music - Review

Palace Theatre, London

****

Music & lyrics by Stephen Sondheim
Book by Hugh Wheeler
Directed by Alastair Knights

The company of A Little Night Music

A Little Night Music is inspired by the Swedish writer/director Ingmar Bergmans’s whimsical movie Smiles of a Summer Night, that tells of the midsummer night smiling three times. The first smile falling upon the young, the second upon the foolish and the final smile, upon the old. On a chilly January evening in London, the midwinter’s night actually smiled for a fourth time, upon the city itself, by gracing the Palace Theatre with this show. First mounted in Guildford some 18 months ago Parker and Knight’s interpretation of this Tony-winner remains an absolute treat.

Typically, reviews on this site are short in length – a show is running and a review needs to be published asap. This time round however A Little Night Music was a one-off and the tickets (all sold-out on the night) are gone. So what follows here is a lengthier than normal commentary, focussing upon the various components of this charming chamber production. 

The Liebeslieders, effectively a Greek (Swedish?) chorus set the tone for the night. Dotted around the auditorium and loggia, their Overture leading into the Night Waltz was delicious. Notes, often a capella, were spot on with a simply spine-tingling vocal purity. Top work all round throughout the show from Jenna Boyd, Michael Colbourne, Emma Harrold, Nadim Naaman and Laura Tebbutt.

Frederik and Ann Egerman were played by David Birrell and Anna O'Byrne. Birrell’s bumblingly philanderous Egerman nailed the hapless everyman who finds his world populated by not so much grotesques, as extremes. Birrell’s vocal work did the job and he proved a worthy partner in his character’s various duets. O'Byrne’s Ann however was a gifted creation. A young woman barely still a child, terrified by/revulsed at the thought of consummating her marriage to Frederik (who of course is old enough to be her father). O'Byrne managed the complex combination of fear, manipulation and outright lustful passion for Frederik’s son Henrik perfectly. Her magical soprano tone belied her talent and with a supreme understatement, O'Byrne gloriously realised the comic potential of her character.

The three generations of the Armfeldt family form an axis around which the story hangs. Young Bibi Jay as the teenage Frederika Armfeldt was a confident performer, able to hold her own amongst a company of stars. Anne Reid, an accomplished actress most famous for her film and TV work set a measured tone as the matriarchal Mme Armfeldt, with her caustic one-liners delivered deliciously and her solo number Liaisons being salaciously convincing. Reid’s character dies as the show ends and unless one knew this beforehand, the death was hard to discern. When all the principal characters are sat on stage throughout, mute and frozen as is the demand of such a chamber-styled piece, then director Knights needed to have done more to highlight such a key moment.

The focal character of A Little Night Music of course is fading actress Desiree Armfeldt, the true love interest of Frederk Egerman and played again, as in Guildford, by Janie Dee. Desiree is a tough role made even more challenging by having to sing Send In The Clowns, a number that is arguably bigger than any actress. Dee was good as Desiree capturing that charm of femininity that defined her desirability and her Send In The Clowns was undoubtedy a celebration of coherent magnificence. But re-visiting notes from Guildford, even there the show was dazzled by the performances of O'Byrne and (see below) Joanna Riding. When there are “outstanding” performers in a company, to be just “good” is not good enough and Knights again needed to have done more to address this. In footballing parlance, he should have put his arm around Dee’s shoulder and coaxed that little bit extra from her, lord knows she has it in her tank to give. It was barely two years ago that Dee's Dolly Levi at Leicester’s Curve wowed the critics and deservedly earned her yet another gong. Maybe next time.

The real bittersweet highlight of this show though comes from the adulterous Count Carl-Magnus Malcolm and his wife the Countess Charlotte. In Guildford these parts had been played by Simon Bailey and Joanna Riding where both were sensational. This time around Riding returned but Bailey was replaced by Jamie Parker. Parker is currently in the middle of a 7-show week stint in Sondheim’s Assassins, so expectations surrounding his performance were mixed as to how much he may have been able to give to the Count. Any such anxieties were misplaced. Parker reached for the bar set by Bailey and smashed it. His Count being both menacing and hilarious, with a presence in all scenes that demanded attention and delivered a flawless singing voice. Parker’s take on In Praise Of Women filled the Palace’s cavernous space with whoops of audience delight.

As in Guildford Jo Riding’s Countess was, again, a masterclass in musical theatre. Riding knows the show of old, having played Ann some twenty years ago in Sean Mathias’ production at the National Theatre. Her mastery of Charlotte’s ingenious complexity was a sight to behold – poise, voice and movement all flawless – an actress perfectly suited to the role in terms of age and ability. Pray that this show returns and with Riding in it – she’s already won two Oliviers in her career and this performance deserves to have earned her a third.

Henrik, played by Fra Free was the necessary cauldron of repressed desire, struggling to contain the passionate love he fees for his stepmother. Fee got the angst just right.

The housemaid to the Egermans is Petra, wise beyond her years and a knowingly sensous flame of a woman, very sexual and with not much to sing in the show until her 11 o’clock number The Miller’s Son. Reprising the role from Guildford, Laura Pitt-Pulford was, as one would expect from this leading actress of her generation, outstanding. Throwing herself into the song in one of the most passionately choregoraphed solo routines of the night. It’s only a pity that Sondheim didn’t give Petra more songs.

So much for the actors – What about the musicians? Alex Parker musically directed meticulously, commanding a sumptuously furnished orchestra of 28 players. One can only speculate as to what favours he had called in to amass such orchestral excellence, but as Parker confided over a glass of post-show bubbly, there were several West End orchestra pits lacking a handful of talented players that night! The show’s score is rich in melodies that feature, brass, strings, wood and percussion at different moments and Parker’s orchestra did not disappoint. Truly a class act.

Parker and Knights have now presented this show twice. They need to do it again – and for a longer run too, for London (or a regional venue) deserves nothing less than to feast upon this groaning smorgasbord of talent. Knights may still have work to do, but as and when this show comes round again, don’t miss it!

The Ruling Class - Review

Trafalgar Studios, London

*****

Written by Peter Barnes

Directed by Jamie Lloyd

James McAvoy

Director Jamie Lloyd continues to prove a deliciously petulant force in London theatre with productions of The Hothouse, Urinetown and most recently Assassins that have all sought to parody an accepted view of society, government or history. With his new production of Peter Barnes’ The Ruling Class, Lloyd again takes aim at what is shown to be a blatant madness that lies within institutionalised power structures, specifically in this work the control and influence of the English political and moneyed elites.

Barnes 1969 satire displayed a vision for the timelessness of sharp political farce, with The Ruling Class feeling as painfully poignant and relevant amongst today’s New Labour and Cameron’s Bullingdon buddies as it would have done in the Swinging Sixties, yet with moments in the play that resonate with our era’s phone hacking scandal and a ruling “Old Boys” club.

Lloyd again pairs up with James McAvoy, directing the Scottish actor in an unrelenting portrayal of the schizophrenic 14th Earl of Gurney. Mcavoy's performance will have one both crying with laughter and shifting uncomfortably, such is the recognisability of Gurney’s world. As the play progresses it darkens, becoming increasingly disquieting yet enthralling. Gurney’s arc highlights the contrasts of his world, and when he is ultimately brought into the fold of the ruling class, McAvoy offers a truly terrifying reality, performed brilliantly - and thats even without his topless unicycling!

The entire cast’s energy is sensational throughout, with Joshua McGuire in particular continuing to display his talented versatility. And in the event that Barne's carefully crafted irony may have been lost on the audience, a tenet of the play’s message is spelled out in an interjection from Anthony O’Donnell’s butler, Tucker, reminding us that it is 1% of the country owns 50% of the nation's property. A comment that is as relevant today as ever.

In what is fast becoming a recognised double act of theatrical creativity, Lloyd turns to Soutra Gilmour for her distinctive design work. Staged in the Trafalgar Studios, a venue that, in a previous existence as the Whitehall Theatre was famous for farce in the 50’s and 60’s there is a comforting appropriateness in the location. Lloyd however would be appalled should his shows ever be mistaken for comfortable viewing. The Ruling Class is satire at its best, powerfully written and sharply presented. Unmissable.

Runs until 11th April 2015