Despite the hectic schedule I occasionally have to run, I do
still get time to catch the odd show which isn't on my review schedule. I've
had a run of these recently, starting with a Jerusalem at The Lost Theatre on the Wandsworth Road. For whatever
reason, I was one of the 17 people who never saw Jerusalem when it was on in
the West End. Jez Butterworth's play starred Mark Rylance originally at the
Royal Court and then transferring to the Apollo and was one of those
performances that EVERYBODY was talking about.
I am a big fan of The Lost Theatre so I made a point of not
missing their sell-out production last week. It was a real treat, although I
had not quite expected for it to set so close to home. Although set in a
fictional town on the Wiltshire/Somerset border, the accents were deeply
familiar to me and the poetry and rhythm of the dialogue made me laugh out loud
on more than one occasion.
Mark Magill's set and James Thacker's costumes caught the
squalor perfectly and Jack Bowman's thoughtful direction wisely allowed the play to weave its own
magic. The performances were uniformly strong but kudos must go to Ryan Davies
playing Jonny 'Rooster' Byron. A mammoth role for any actor, Davies was utterly
mesmerising, capturing the ripe mix of hedonism and fatalism vital to the
character. I may have missed Rylance's award winning performance but I think
Davies probably gave him a run for his money.
I spent the day in Essex on Tuesday and while I was
scheduled to see Hot Stuff at the
Queen's in Hornchurch, I also managed to catch The Panto Bus Ltd tour of Goldilocks, The Three Bears and The Mayor
Of Porridgeton. It is quite common now for panto production companies to
mount half-term shows throughout the year catering to a young audience. Anyone
who knows me, knows of my love of pantomime although it was very odd to be
hearing the kids excitement mount as the lights went down and the music kicked
off.
The production was great fun and although the setting and
costumes were fairly basic, the colour and energy were palpable, the story
engaging and the performers had the kids in the palm of their hands.
On Wednesday I finally got along to The Lonely Soldier Monologues at the Cockpit Theatre. I had been
planning to see this much earlier in its run but my work diary put a stop to
that. Written by Helen Benedict, the play bears witness through verbatim
episodes of life for a woman the US army before, during and after the war in
Iraq. It's a hard play to sell but Prav MJ's production is a real winner,
blending startlingly honest monologues with slick, stylised military manoeuvres
on stage.
Benedict's play sheds light on inbred misogyny within in the
military and raises awareness to the lack of attention or care given to those
women who came back from the front with Post Traumatic Stress Disorder.
Friday night, I cycled over to Fulham and the Drayton Arms
Theatre for a new musical, The Theory Of
Relativity. I have to say, it did not augur well. I was pretty tired from a
busy week and when I asked what the musical was about, I was advised that it
was a 'song cycle'. My heart sank a little, as I enjoy a good story and the
phrase 'song cycle' tends to leave the impression that the writers couldn't
think of one.
As I have stated before, a new musical appearing on the
fringe is really a work in progress. Writer Neil Bartram has a distinct style
and has written some powerful ballads for Theory but more light and shade may
be required in the future. The really pleasant surprise was the book by Brian
Hill, which crafted a fascinating story artfully connecting the disjointed
tales together with empathy and humour.
Bartram's striking score, Hill's book and Christopher Lane's
staging combine to create a really agreeable piece of modern musical theatre
and a strong calling card to future producers. I will certainly be keeping an
eye on Bertram & Hill's work in the future. I don't imagine that The Theory
Of Relativity has much of a future life beyond the fringe in its current state
but I could quite easily see the piece taking off as a student showcase.
