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Posts Tagged ‘Jean Chan’

The Hired Man

Posted in Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on May 7, 2019| Leave a Comment »

This show has been part if my life now for 35 years, since the original West End production at the Astoria all those years ago. I consider it the best British musical of my lifetime and I never tire if it. Its score, seeped in choral and folk traditions, has so many gorgeous melodies it’s always uplifting.

Based on Melvyn Bragg’s book, inspired by his grandfather’s life, it’s an epic sweep of several decades of Cumbrian social history from the closing years of the 19th century to immediately after the First World War. The Tallantire’s move from the land to the mines and back, living through challenges to their relationship, children, war and death. In 1984 some thought it wasn’t an appropriate subject for musical theatre, a genre largely occupied by shows about chorus girls getting their big break and chirpy (mostly American) romantic comedies. One year later the English version of Les Miserables arrived, but this broke the ground, with the bonus of being quintessentially British.

Douglas Rintoul’s production uses the now well established actor-musician mode, but with musical standards under Benn Goddard’s direction way higher than most. Jean Chan’s simple design, beautifully lit by Prema Mehta, is more impressionistic than realistic and very evocative, with very effective use of a revolve by Jane Gibson’s movement. With some playing two, or in one case multiple roles, the cast of just eleven, including show MD Tom Self, manage to bring scenes in mines, trenches, union meetings and of course hirings to life, led by Oliver Hembrough as a very charismatic John and Lauryn Redding as a very passionate Emily. Lara Lewis and James William-Pattison are lovely as children May & Harry, the latter doubling up to play Joe Sharp. It really is a fine ensemble, with Lloyd Gorman as Jackson, TJ Holmes as Seth, Samuel Martin as Isaac and Jon Bonner transforming from Pennington into Blacklock, recruiting officer and vicar!

I always think the sign of a great Hired Man is how much the second act moves you, and how uplifted you feel back at the hiring as it end, and this one brought tears to my eyes, not just the story, but the beauty of the music and its interpretation. You have until 18th May to catch it in Hornchurch, then in Hull and Oldham. Be there to see this ground-breaking masterpiece of British theatre.

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The Grinning Man

Posted in Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on January 3, 2018| Leave a Comment »

Victor Hugo was fond of outsiders, and the grinning man seems to be the hunchback’s lesser known brother. Written in 1869, it has subsequently been adapted as a film six times and for the stage four times, twice as a musical, like this new one from Bristol Old Vic. He may also be the inspiration for Batman’s nemesis The Joker. Here the tale gets a suitably Gothic telling in a brilliant production by Tom Morris.

Set in 17th century England, young Gwynplaine’s mouth has been mutilated and now has a rather spooky perpetual grin. He rescues an infant girl when her mother is frozen to death and they are taken in by carnival proprietor Ursus, where Gwynplaine uses his misfortune to make his living in freak shows. The infant is named Dea and she’s blind. When she’s in her teens, they fall in love, but Gwynpaine is lured away to the royal court where he is destined to marry into royalty, but instead he returns to the carnival, which proves tragic.

Jon Bausor’s transformation of the problematic Trafalgar Studio I is terrific and his Gothic design and Jean Chan’s costumes combine to make a great look. Finn Caldwell & Toby Olie’s puppetry is highly effective, particularly Ursus’ pet wolf, where an actor seems to be a part of the animal. Tim Phillips & Mark Teitler’s music has a darkness to it and is unlike any other musical theatre score I’ve heard since The Tiger Lillies’ Shockheaded Peter almost 20 years ago. It’s a big book and Carl Grouse has done a fine job creating a much shorter, clear narrative.

Louis Maskell is excellent as Gwynpaine, though we never see his real face, and I loved Sanne Den Besten’s fragile, blind Dea. Their exit at the end took my breathe away. Julian Bleach as Barkilphedro and Sean Kingsley as Ursus are both outstanding and Mark Anderson brings a lighter touch to Dirry-Moir, the royal suitor Gwynpaine deposes.

It’s another breath of fresh air for the West End and I do hope it finds its audience there; on the night I went, they loved it, as did I.

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Working

Posted in Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , , , , , , , , , on June 6, 2017| Leave a Comment »

This might be the first verbatim musical, based on US oral historian Studs Terkel’s interviews with working people about their jobs, some of which are set to music by no less than six songwriters. It premiered in 1975, but this European premiere is a revised version first seen in 2009, incorporating new interviews conducted by co-adapter Stephen Schwartz and two new songs from musicals-man-of-the-moment Lin-Manuel Miranda. I loved it.

Six actors tell the stories of twenty-six people in a diverse range of occupations. Some are spoken, some sung, some both. I thought it was an inspired idea to add six performers as ‘chorus’, making their professional debuts, just starting their working lives – they add life and energy to the show. In addition to Miranda, there are songs by Schwartz and singer-songwriter James Taylor amongst others, and the quality is consistently high. It’s surprising how much you learn about these people and its refreshing to see something that reflects the lives of ordinary people, their motivations and their aspirations and here, the presence of the young cast members gives it a strong sense of generational change and parental aspirations for children, particularly moving in Peter Polycarpou’s rendition of Fathers & Sons.

The characters and songs are superbly interpreted by Polycarpou plus Gillian Bevan, Dean Chisnall, Krysten Cummings, Siubhan Harrison and Liam Tamne, and there’s a great band led by Isaac McCullough. I liked Jean Chan shabby workplace set & Gabriella Slade’s ‘distressed’ costumes. There’s some excellent choreography from Fabian Aloise and Luke Sheppard, who directed In The Heights here, does a fine job putting this all together into a captivating and uplifting ninety minutes.

Not to be missed.

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The Hairy Ape

Posted in Theatre, tagged , , , , , , , on May 27, 2012| Leave a Comment »

I don’t think this rare Eugene O’Neill play has had a production here for 25 years – and that was in German, part of Thelma Holt’s international season at the NT. In fact, I don’t remember any other production in London in my theatre-going lifetime. Like The Emperor Jones, written just before it (and 20 years before Long Day’s Journey Into Night), it’s an expressionistic piece with a strong social(ist) message.

Yank (representing the working man?) is the natural leader amongst the stokers on a transatlantic liner, where the play starts. A visit by a posh girl, an industrialists daughter who seems to regard her sojourn below deck as an exciting adventure to see another species in their natural habitat, results in her insulting him – ‘a filthy beast’. When in port in NYC, Yank’s walk on 5th Avenue is just as alien for him and, with the insult ringing in his ears, he hits out, resulting in a prison spell. Here he hears of a new union which he seeks to join on release, but his unbelievability means they think he’s a spy and reject him. He heads for the zoo where attempts to communicate with a hairy ape (filthy beast) result in tragedy.

It’s nothing like his intense naturalistic dramas, and it’s not a great play, but it is fascinating if you’re interested in 20th century drama, particularly American drama, and O’Neill in particular. At Southwark Playhouse, every aspect of this production comes together to create a stunning staging – director Kate Budgen. Jean Chan’s design makes brilliant use of this atmospheric space in traverse form with a central crossing. A grill and some smoke conjours up the engine room, a pair of ropes the ship’s deck and a handful of hospital screens, rope replacing fabric, turn into seven prison cells. Crowded 5th Avenue is more crowded with each actor carrying a manequin head. Richard Howell’s lighting does much to aid these transformations, as does Tom Gibbons sound scape (the final scene, in virtual darkness, is particularly effective). The opening is also superb, as the men seem to rise as one from the bowels of the ship – this, and the rest of Lucy Cullingford’s  movement work, is outstanding.

There isn’t a fault in the casting and sometime Corrie bad boy Bill Ward is a revelation as Yank. It couldn’t be much further from his last job, Million Dollar Bash, as the only non-singing character. Here he brings huge passion and conviction to the role and the transition when he leaves his comfort zone, and his leadership position, is completely believable.

A must in my book – a fringe theatre showing how talented people can create great theatre on a shoestring. An unmissable opportunity to catch that rare species – an early 20th century play with bite.

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