Live Witness -Review- Live Theatre

Live Witness

Live Theatre

17 May 2013

Ever since I have been heading out to the theatres across the North East region, both as a viewer and a reviewer, Live Theatre has had a massive grip on my senses.

The warmth I have felt as soon as I walk through the door, leading to one of the most intimate theatrical spaces is second to none.

I have always been a bit inquisitive, always trying to peak behind curtains and see what the production staff/actors are up to...what do all of these wires do?...and what about all of those buttons?
Well there is no better way to find out what happens behind the scenes, than having a tour...no ordinary tour either, Live Theatre is celebrating 40 years since Geoff Gillham, Val McLane and amongst others, actor Tim Healy had this great idea to capitalise on the great acting and production talent in the North East by laying the foundations and setting up the company, so this tour, a promenade one, is a warts and all trip down memory lane, to uncover all the little nuances...and to almost become part of the theatre itself.
Setting the scene is larger than life Deputy House Manager Michael Davis, a welcoming figure, always towering over you with a broad smile. He told us of his involvement from his early days to the now, splashing us with his humour as he brought to life the sounds and the smells of the theatre.
Michael's introduction told us that the main part of the building was once a bonded warehouse, with evidence still on show today of the history left behind. A tale of recent building works to one of the the main structural walls was brought up, with the operatives encountering a massive crack in the surface, with grain spilling out.
This led us onto the theatrical side of the tour, with Michael handing over the reigns to Live's excitable ushers who all proclaimed that a secret party was to begin. This is where our audience participation began and went well hand in hand with the company. The blowing up of balloons was our job, with the ushers dashing around and creating a great chaotic mess, saying great games were ahead.
We were then split up into four groups of 10, to begin a tour of the dressing rooms, with the zaniness that went on before it, we didn't know quite what to expect, so like excitable children we climbed the stairs to the awaiting rooms. Each different group had a specific actor recalling stories of their involvement with Live. Our particular actor was Abigail Moffatt, who used to work at Live and now a successful actor in her own right, she performed brilliantly, acting out a shy but enthusiastic character just about to set foot on stage for the first time. This brought about a sense of realism to the proceedings, that all of us soaked in. Moffatt's character informed us, that we would be ourselves going on stage to take part in the celebrations, and a spot of breaking your leg took place.
In the dressing room adjacent to ours we could hear loud tales being told to a very giggly audience, something that only another addition tour will let you take part in.
We were then led down the stairs, past the enticing Green Room, past lots of wires and buttons to the stage area. The stage was awash with chairs and stools that had been used in previous productions, again not sure what to expect we filed in with excitement. The ushers again were in an excitable mood and helped set the scene for what followed.
We sat down on our chosen seats and listened to more tales of the actors and production staff that started out and have graced the stage at Live. Some pre-recorded memories were played for us, interspersed with accounts from the live actors sitting in the audience seats, jogging their minds for gold titbits that had our ears pricking up for every last detail.
We were then hustled and bustled off the stage, after a theatrical emergency took place, leading our way to the unseen areas of the courtyard. This was the grand finale, where the whole cast took part in merriment, singing happy birthday and the unfurling of banners showing us all of the plays that have been performed and produced at Live.
This promenade tour has been born out of the creative minds of Annie Rigby (Unfolding Theatre) and Amy Golding (Theatre Auracaria), who have worked very hard on this task, brilliant stories (some maybe a little far fetched) and brilliant acting that made the 70 minutes just fly by.

Live Witness is being performed twice a day until 25th May

Michael Hunter

The Full Monty -Review- Whitley Bay Playhouse

The Full Monty

Day8 Productions

Whitley Bay Playhouse

15 May 2013

It's never easy being at the bottom of the barrel, fearing for what the future might hold.

This is what Jerry is feeling, out of work and skint.

The only future that he can see is a life without seeing much of his son Nathan. Jerry must come up with his barrel full of cash to pay off his wife- to secure co-custody.

It's never going to be easy in Buffalo, with a shut down steelworks, to find a new job, or muster up enough money to sustain life.

When a Chippendale performance come to town, Jerry gets an idea stuck into his head that will hopefully put him back on the right track.

With the help of some of his former colleagues, Jerry leads a band of shy and retiring middle aged men into a one off performance of their lives.

Streaming into the Playhouse bar area before the play, were some very giggly ladies; all hoping I am sure, for a peak of a bit of manly flesh, all glammed up and ready to go.

The play starts up with  a very professional Chippendale performance by Aaron Phillips, which not only had the women in the cast drooling for more, but also the very prominent female audience members, who after consuming the pre-theatre drinks on offer, are starting to get loud and vocal!

Brian Jordan, comes into his own, of main character Jerry, superbly acting to gather his troops of fairly unwilling participants to put together the 'Full Monty' package. His performance was brilliant as his character went from the highs and lows of trying to lead a normal life, with the demands of his ex wife Pam, played by Emma Smith, and her new partner, getting to him to the stage of mighty frustration. Well Done Brian!

Along the way Sam Johnson, playing Dave (Jerry's right hand man, also with a heap load of problems at home with his wife, and the very uncertain unemployment situation) was brilliant in his role as the heavyweight candidate. The way that he handled the scenes, came over very well to the audience, with genuine vocal offers of encouragement.

Leon Gill, playing the auditioning Horse, was superb as his funny and charismatic playing part, suited him right down to the ground. I have seen Leon quite a few times, and each one is bettered to the last.

Katie Howes, playing very vocal pianist Jeanette, was in cracking form as she joked and swigged her way through playing the tunes that the gathering troupe strutted their stuff to.

All in all a good performance from the sizeable cast, the the audience loved tonight, and not just for the titillation, some very good scenes were put together from the experienced players.

I didn't however care for the sets, they were a bit flimsy...and very amateur-ish, they didn't at all befit the lovely surroundings of the Playhouse. At one stage I thought Dave was going to fall through the toilet that he was sat upon. Some of the actors American accents were also a little bit come and go, with the odd stumble back into Geordieness.

However these small little crits of mine, certainly wouldn't put me off recommending this crowd pleasing funny play, Bea Atkinson, directing has done a great job in assembling a fab cast and putting the smiles back onto the faces of the people.

The Full Monty is playing until 18th May

Michael Hunter

The Prisoner Of Second Avenue -Review- People's Theatre

Prisoner Of Second Avenue

People's Theatre

7 May 2013

Neil Simon has always been ahead of the game, when it comes to script/play writing. His 'Barefoot In The Park' and 'The Odd Couple' were miles ahead of anything and anybody at the time. Real stuff, real lives!
Prisoner Of Second Avenue continues in a similar vein, wrote in 1971 the sentiments and the angst of the characters carry on in our day to day life, even as I write this review.
Set in New York' Upper East Side, it challenges the thin divide between harmony of the soul and the disharmony of everything else in between.
Mel and Edna Edison used to lead an ordinary life in the hustle and bustle of the City, the fumes and the noise of the passing cars even up in their 14th floor apartment, would have been enough to drive them to the brink. The heat and the semi working air conditioning unit is starting to take its toll. Their neighbours are loud and unsympathetic and are as gritty as the situation that surrounds them. The rising crime wave with house burglaries the norm is also becoming hard to stomach.
Work for them both isn't great, times are tough and lay offs are a common place in the days of austerity and lack of business funds. Mel is a worrier, his latest worry is future bound. What if he loses his job, how will he cope with the fragility in his mind...and in his heart. His worries, and his severe anxiety outbreaks spill over into his personal life with Edna, his hardworking wife, bearing the brunt of his frustrations. She is the sensible one, and can almost grasp at any angle for hope that will help them both out in the situation. Mel is a proud man though, who will not settle for anything less than what his head tells him, so compromise is a big issue.
Compromise is not big in Mels's family either, when the time comes to help out in a big way, their issues with their brother spiral out of control and affect their thin stringed relationship to almost breaking point.

Bill Harrington playing the harangued and confused Mel, was almost perfect in this role, his sense and depth of the character he was portraying shone out of every pore, very convincing and as Mr Simon wanted it, very real!
Maggie Childs, playing his wife Edna, was superb as she juggled her characters worries with the love that she had for her hubby.
Val Russell (Jessie), Anne Cater (Pearl), Gordon Russell (Harry), and Karen Elliot (Pauline) all pulled in a fantastic effort as the sparring, but caring, Harrington family. The cross section of a normal-ish family, with head honcho, leading his troops into battle, being superbly undertook by this great supporting cast.

Directors Marina Cornish and Brian Green have done a great job to capture the fantastic taste and feel of the original airing, bring realism of everyday happenings, stress and the strains, that we all unfortunately have had a taste of, or is never too far away from our future thoughts.
A great tragdi-comedy of a play that is well worth the time to see.

Prisoner Of Second Avenue is playing until 11th May

Michael Hunter

Blue Remembered Hills –Review- Northern Stage, Newcastle-Upon-Tyne

Blue Remembered Hills

Northern Stage

23 April 2013

Production: Northern Stage

Writer: Dennis Potter
Director: Psyche Stott
Reviewer: Michael Hunter
Rating [4stars]

Ahh, the memories of youth, the playful banter and the hope inside of hearts of freedom. A world of imagination, expression and thought.
Dennis potter, the late acclaimed writer, certainly knew how to sum it all up and how to present a fantastic in-depth landscape of humanity.
With Blue Remembered Hills, staged and produced by Northern Stage, the awakenings of the inner child (in all of us) was brought to the floor with great humour and passion.
The seven adult actors, playing the children, created a sense of belonging, which everybody in the audience could relate to.

Set in The Forest of Dean, we see the domineering character of Peter (Christopher Price) over-powering his mates, Raymond (James Bolt), John (Phil Cheadle), Willie (David Nellist), with gestures, vocalness and a bullying factor, a trait that his friends find very tiresome, but friends are sometimes hard to come by.
They are all after adventure in the hills, with trees to climb and nature to annoy (A horrific de-felling of a squirrel in the forest, showed us the barbaric nature of life at times).
The camaraderie that they share, even in between the odd fight and disagreement was always present, with each child having his moment to shine and feel wanted within the group.
The female factor came into play with Angela (Tilly Gaunt) and Audrey (Joanna Holden) playing happy families with dolls and prams, something for the boys to further fight over with, with cat calls and playfulness.
Donald (Adrian Grove), heartbroken, with his father missing in action from the war, created even more of a realism hit, with the sorrow that can only be gained from the eyes and ears of a child. He was star attraction for the girls, sensing his fragility and tenderness.
An escaped prisoner of war from the forest camp, created a lovely humourous pulling together of collective souls, with all wanting to do the best for each other, no matter what the consequences. This what children do, whether for the better or evil!

The closing section of the play, showed what living for the moment for these children, is all about. The anguish and the torment will live on with them forever.
Fantastic acting by all on stage, really gritting heart wrenching performances.
A fantastic stage design by Ruari Murchison, really let the mind wonder into where the children were playing and scrapping, with a superb lighting design by Colin Grenfell showing the way perfectly.
Directed by Phyche Stott, pulling all the strings with brilliant results.

Playing until 11th May

Michael Hunter

The Killing Of Sister George -Review- People's Theatre

The Killing Of Sister George

People's Theatre

17 April 2013

The People's Theatre have a great history of popping on plays that have courted a tadge of controversy.
This time around it is the turn of Frank Marcus's The Kiliing Of Sister George, originally debuted in London in the late 60's, a time when possibly lots of risque material was airing to the public.
This tale is a two tone affair, dealing with working, and the very private, behind the doors, relationships.
Sister George is the flamboyant main star and attraction of The Beeb's top Radio Play, but her mainstay is under threat from the top bosses who want a big upping of the audience figures by creating a headline making mark on the show.
June Buckridge who plays George (Dolores Porretta Brown) is distraught at the thought and takes her worry home. Home is shared with her lesbian lover Alice 'Childie' McNaught, a rather timid and frightened mouse, totally in the opposite fields of personality to her lover.
June's behaviour at work is very PC and professional, but behind the closed doors of her Devonshire Street flat in London, she is the bully and the manipulator that nobody else sees and the much stronger of the two by miles.
Things certainly are not right between them, with Alice having to walk on eggshells and certainly having to watch her p's and q's around June, however love is in the eye of the beholder and she pulls in all the support she can muster up to help June in this uncertain time.
Still the bullying continues on a scale that Alice confides in Mrs Mercy Croft (Kate Wilkins), the head of BBC Radio, who tells tales of beatings and cruelness towards her.
In the background is kindly friendly neighbour Madame Xenia (Helga McNeil) who in her day job as a Spiritualist, probably knows a lot more about her friends then she is letting on, but she comes up to the mark on the helping out situation.
When the call comes with the news of the death of George, and the writing out of the radio series, things turn ugly at home with friendships and relationships torn and tattered.

This play has it all in the psychology department to get to grips with, the two faced attitude of George playing the crumbling hero at work but the totally opposite type of hero at home. I have seen Dolores in a few things and witnessed some of her work behind the scenes, but I cant remember her ever being this good. She was gritty as she battled with all that her character wanted out of her, really really good.
Penny again I have seen before, and as my memory tells me she has totally maintained the fantastic level that befits her. A fantastic airing, the love and affection that she showed to her lover shone through, you just wanted to give her a big hug.
Kate as the almost Mrs Bucket like character of stiff upper lipped Britishness, was very good in her role as boss of June, and friend of the frightened Alice. Her interactions with all on stage was a pleasure to see.
Helga was a total joy, if the play in character was a bit upright and nervous, then her part of Madame Xenia brought a laugh and a bit more craziness to the table. She can read my cards anytime!
Directed by Clive Hilton

This was a really good play, with fantastic acting all around, that had drama and a few laughs, but a few thoughtful laughs.

Playing until Sat 20th April.

Michael Hunter

Jekyll & Hyde -Review- Theatre Royal

Jekyll & Hyde
West End Operatic Society 
Theatre Royal
8th April 2013



Based on Robert Louis Stevenson's classic tale of murder, mental illness and good versus evil, West End Operatic Society (WEOS), this year at Newcastle's Theatre Royal, pull out all of the punches (and grizzly carving knives) with blood splattering great musical fun.

 The story of the good doctor, Dr Henry Jekyll, searching for a cure for his fathers mental illness unleashes the dark side of his character in the form of  Edward Hyde, no stone and no bone will remain unturned in his savage quest.


Having been turned down flat to do his research at St Judes Hospital, Jekyll (Liam Gilbert) realises that if he is going to continue his work, he is going to have to go alone...and become his own guinea pig.
With a loving fiance Emma (Lisa Givens) in the back of his mind, pleading with him to afford more time with her rather than his work, he sets of in his lab/research study to find the answers.
The half answers lead him to the streets of London, to a sordid brothel, where he encounters a prostitute Lucy Harris (Katy Bowler). Lucy is a tart with a heart, who is needing a shoulder to cry on, so when Jekyll receives a visit from her after being attacked, he realises that his alter ego Hyde has done this damage and is happily obliged to help her.
Jekyll's best friend and lawyer Gabriel John Utterson (Mike Fleetham), is terribly worried about his state of mind, but is informed by Jekyll's butler that he is not to be disturbed, his work is paramount.
Attack after attack from Hyde, leaving many dead shock the City.
How will the city cope with the murders? What will become of the blossoming friendship between Jekyll/Hyde and Lucy? Is it too late to save the demons inside of Jekyll?

A fantastically gloomy set, sets us into the world of horror and relationships, with the costumes of the late 1800's sparkling like the gold of the streets of London.
Poor versus rich is very evident, with two separate choirs trying to out sing each other, each with their tale of hardship or ease of life.
If the singing wasn't enough to create a fantastic atmosphere then the brilliant orchestra (led by MD Graham West) certainly played its part.
Some brilliant song were sung like 'I need to know', 'Facade', 'Take me as I am' and 'Murder,Murder' all enveloping us into the play itself.
The acting from start to finish from all on stage, was at its best, WEOS are very constant at bringing the best acting to the fore. The acting had to be good, as I am sure the walls of the Theatre Royal would have shook otherwise.
Gilbert as Jekyll/Hide had one of the most memorable performances that I have seen for some time. In a lot of the scenes it is almost monologue, as he drives and battles against what he has become. A particular scene close to the end when Jekyll and Hyde are present at the same time, was beautifully done, well done to him.
Givens as the lovelorn Emma, acted very well with a lovely tone about her voice, again scenes close to the end summed up her great approach to this.
Bowler as the prostitute Lucy (or as I mentioned before, the tart with the heart), was wonderful to watch as she teetered on the brink of sowing her seeds and falling in love with Jekyll, he voice was perfect to listen to.
Fleetham as Utterson, gave a powerful performance as Jekyll's best friend and supporter.
Having seen Martyn Knight's work as director and choreographer before, I needn't have worried about anything going awry on the night, all very well put together and tight.

For such a dark and grizzly play, Jekyll and Hyde made the audience light up with appreciation...this was very well deserved, go and see it.!

Playing until Saturday 13th April

Michael Hunter

The man who.. -Review- Northern Stage

The man who thought the moon would fall out of the sky

Northern Stage

21 march 2013

Director: Mark Calvert

Dramaturgy: Susan Mullholland

Reviewer: Michael Hunter

Rating [4.5stars]

Seven recent theatre graduates have been chosen by Northern Stage in Newcastle, to form a new and exciting company called North. This gives the actors a fantastic chance to develop the skills that they already have toiled for, and be honed into the next step of their career.

The man who… is their first blooding at this theatre and first impressions are everything, a wonderful welcoming stage presence of the seven performing music as we entered the auditorium, with an exciting ‘messy’ staging of books, suitcases and props.

The premise of the play, was that the company had been in the Tyne & Wear Archives and had come across a scrapbook of writings, pictures and structured details of a man who indeed thought that the moon would fall out of the sky.

The seven, Michael Blair, Alice Blundell, Maria Crocker, Meghan Doyle, Stan Hodgson, Alexandra Tahnee and George Williams all spoke and acted with an air of ease throughout the performance that showed that Northern Stage had made a significant valid choice in capturing these performers.

With a narrative start to the play, the actors quickly engaged the audience with a brief history of the author, from his childhood, through to adolescence and work placements, combining songs, dramatic wordplay, humour and wonderful usage of props to melt everybody that was watching and listening intently.

The passion of the author to convey his story and findings to anybody that would listen wasn’t an easy passage, as the actors (most had a go at playing him) who drew us into his life, touched on the heartstrings. A love story unfolded, from letters to a meeting, to the heartache that happens when one is so wrapped up in something that goes beyond ‘two becomes one’. The scenes of the two lovers being so comfortable with each other, touching and feeling, then slowly going through the same processs but in a negative way, brought a lump to the throat I am sure to many that were watching, this was brilliant modern theatre that will last in my memory for a long time.

This was a short hour long play, but showed so much promise in that time, to suggest that this new company is going to go from strength to strength, and I for one cant wait to see more and more.

Director Mark Calvert has really showed his worth with the debuting actors all doing very well, the tightness of the production made this a very pleasant 60 minutes.

The man who...is playing until 23 March.

Michael Hunter