Another post I should have put up a while back. I went to the Edinburgh Fringe!! It was Awesome!! So many shows in only a few days. It was definitely an experience I plan to repeat.
Oedipus by Steven Berkoff
An experimental piece of serious theatre to start off.
Great to see a piece actually put on by Berkoff, even if I'm not a massive fan of his style.
The Little Prince
Friend's amateur production of a French modern fairy tale. Very clever use of the round.
Josh Widdicombe
Brilliant stand up comedian in a very small venue. Hilarious.
All of Greek Mythology in 99 Minutes or Less
Lived up to its name, but was a weak, amateur American high school production. Interesting idea that did not really live up to expectations, although I guess was enjoyable overall.
The Trial by Steven Berkoff
Kafka's The Trial, written by Berkoff, in his style. High quality amateur production.
I now need to read more Kafka
Rose
Fantastic piece of theatre - true emotion tackling relevant topics
It was performed by an actual father and daughter, an idea that could have been a positive or negative: turned out to have a slight symbolic impact and did not hurt the performance.
Chris Martin
Another excellent stand up comedian in a small venue
Shakespeare for Breakfast
Hilarious adaptation of Macbeth, set in a school, with croissants
"Is this a croissant I see before me?"
Phillipa and Will Are Now in a Relationship
Engaging piece made up entirely of Facebook posts, spoken aloud.
Succeeded in being very funny and emotional at the same time.
The Cagebirds
Experimental, they all played birds in a cage with their own individual mannerisms and obsessions
Out of the Blue
A capella music group from Oxford that do covers in an often amusing way
Very enjoyable - although they have one song that they used as their closing piece that is miles better than any others.
Othello?
Attempted to make Othello a dark comedy but was not particularly successful, although generally well performed.
Problem with babies crying in front row and it was the full length of Othello - we only went to the first half.
Still useful as I am now studying Othello.
Silence in Court
Very interesting idea of making the audience the jury at a court case so that we had to make up our minds whether defendant was guilty of rape.
Unsure whether they had a set guilty or not guilty, or whether they always made the jury get it wrong. I hope it was the first.
Acting and Creating a Character
Workshop exploring Stanislavsky's ideas of thinking the thoughts of a character whilst on stage
Phill Jupitus Quartet - 'Made Up'
Hilarious improvisational comedy - a great comedian doing high level comedy, on the spot, with 3 others.
Cambridge Footlights in 'Pretty Little Panic'
Sketch comedy. Absolutely hilarious - I'll be watching for these people in the future.
Very slick performance.
Ed Bryne
Comedy in a large stadium. On another level. Genius.
One Thousand Paper Cranes
Emotional two-women play about a child after the Hiroshima attack
They did have many paper cranes - I hope there were exactly 1000.
Julian Sands in a Celebration of Harold Pinter
Insight into Harold Pinter and his poetry - Sands is an excellent public speaker, giving me an insight into a writer I know very little about.
"This is a beat... This is a pause... ... ... and this ........................................ is a silence"
02 November 2011
The Government Inspector
This should have been up a while ago.
I went to see Gobol's The Government Inspector, a production that was completely bizarre. The play lends itself t a degree of absurdness, but this was completely ludicrous. When we first entered the theatre, we took a path that went through the stage, with various characters on stage. For example, an old Russian woman carving potatoes whilst singing... terribly.
One of my main reasons for going was because of the actor Julian Barratt. As a massive fan of The Mighty Boosh, I was anticipation seeing him on stage, and this is the exact type of play he would be a part of: a bizarre Russian comedy. Unfortunately, he was slightly disappointing. He was fine, but nothing amazing. The first dream sequence with the rats was hilarious, but beyond that, his performance was one-dimensional. The actor playing the fake 'inspector' (Kyle Soller) stole the show. He was absolutely incredible, despite taking a little getting used to. Ridiculous amounts of energy. Bizarre mannerisms. (I need to stop using the word bizarre but it just sums up this play so well!!)
I went to see Gobol's The Government Inspector, a production that was completely bizarre. The play lends itself t a degree of absurdness, but this was completely ludicrous. When we first entered the theatre, we took a path that went through the stage, with various characters on stage. For example, an old Russian woman carving potatoes whilst singing... terribly.
One of my main reasons for going was because of the actor Julian Barratt. As a massive fan of The Mighty Boosh, I was anticipation seeing him on stage, and this is the exact type of play he would be a part of: a bizarre Russian comedy. Unfortunately, he was slightly disappointing. He was fine, but nothing amazing. The first dream sequence with the rats was hilarious, but beyond that, his performance was one-dimensional. The actor playing the fake 'inspector' (Kyle Soller) stole the show. He was absolutely incredible, despite taking a little getting used to. Ridiculous amounts of energy. Bizarre mannerisms. (I need to stop using the word bizarre but it just sums up this play so well!!)
Heart of Darkness
Overall, I enjoyed Heart of Darkness; Joseph Conrad is a fantastic writer. The plot was fairly engaging and I definitely got a feel of the location.
Plot overview:
Heart of Darkness centres around Marlow, an introspective sailor, and his journey up the Congo River to meet Kurtz, reputed to be an idealistic man of great abilities. Marlow takes a job as a riverboat captain with the Company, a Belgian concern organized to trade in the Congo. As he travels to Africa and then up the Congo, Marlow encounters widespread inefficiency and brutality in the Company’s stations. The native inhabitants of the region have been forced into the Company’s service, and they suffer terribly from overwork and ill treatment at the hands of the Company’s agents.
The pessimism was interesting when compared to other modernists such as Evelyn Waugh. We see the true, dark motives of a barbaric civilisation. It plays upon the idea of 'darkness' as a symbol for evil or immorality.
The direct criticism is the hypocrisy of imperialism, but there is a larger criticism of mankind as a whole.
The most interesting thing about Heart of Darkness is the narrative style - a story within a story. This is exactly the type of thing a modernist would do, as it added a layer of complexity and messes with the style and structure. I love these sorts of experiments, where something is unconventional. We even get something of an unreliable narrator, which has always been one of my favourite ideas in literature.
"We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness."
Plot overview:
Heart of Darkness centres around Marlow, an introspective sailor, and his journey up the Congo River to meet Kurtz, reputed to be an idealistic man of great abilities. Marlow takes a job as a riverboat captain with the Company, a Belgian concern organized to trade in the Congo. As he travels to Africa and then up the Congo, Marlow encounters widespread inefficiency and brutality in the Company’s stations. The native inhabitants of the region have been forced into the Company’s service, and they suffer terribly from overwork and ill treatment at the hands of the Company’s agents.
The pessimism was interesting when compared to other modernists such as Evelyn Waugh. We see the true, dark motives of a barbaric civilisation. It plays upon the idea of 'darkness' as a symbol for evil or immorality.
The direct criticism is the hypocrisy of imperialism, but there is a larger criticism of mankind as a whole.
The most interesting thing about Heart of Darkness is the narrative style - a story within a story. This is exactly the type of thing a modernist would do, as it added a layer of complexity and messes with the style and structure. I love these sorts of experiments, where something is unconventional. We even get something of an unreliable narrator, which has always been one of my favourite ideas in literature.
"We penetrated deeper and deeper into the heart of darkness."
14 August 2011
Decline and Fall - Evelyn Waugh
I realised I haven't put a post up for this despite the fact that I read it a while ago.
Like most of Waugh's work, it a satirical criticism for certain elements of the society of 1920s Britain using techniques like dark humour and revealing dialogue.
Paul Pennyfeather, an Oxford student is forced to work at a public school, where he meets Lady Metroland (who appears in other works by Waugh). Her job, however, is trafficking in prostitutes and Pennyfeather is arrested, protecting her. He eventually fakes his own death to escape prison and returns to his old college under another name.
The various characters are all brutally satirised and we see that there aren't that many differences between the two many locations: the school and the prison.
I have been thoroughly enjoying Waugh's novels and will definitely read more.
Like most of Waugh's work, it a satirical criticism for certain elements of the society of 1920s Britain using techniques like dark humour and revealing dialogue.
Paul Pennyfeather, an Oxford student is forced to work at a public school, where he meets Lady Metroland (who appears in other works by Waugh). Her job, however, is trafficking in prostitutes and Pennyfeather is arrested, protecting her. He eventually fakes his own death to escape prison and returns to his old college under another name.
The various characters are all brutally satirised and we see that there aren't that many differences between the two many locations: the school and the prison.
I have been thoroughly enjoying Waugh's novels and will definitely read more.
Merchant of Venice
Production by the RSC with Patrick Stewart.
This production kept up the recent trend of updating Shakespeare to a modern setting. This time it's Vegas.
Most of the fun about this production was the endless ways in which they transferred it to a Vegas setting. The choice between three caskets was a television game show, they had musical numbers, an Elvis impersonator and more.
However, it avoided being cheesy by having a consistently strong cast of great actors that meant it had emotion and depth, as Shakespeare should.
This production kept up the recent trend of updating Shakespeare to a modern setting. This time it's Vegas.
Most of the fun about this production was the endless ways in which they transferred it to a Vegas setting. The choice between three caskets was a television game show, they had musical numbers, an Elvis impersonator and more.
However, it avoided being cheesy by having a consistently strong cast of great actors that meant it had emotion and depth, as Shakespeare should.
Lord of the Flies by William Golding
I had two reasons for reading this. Firstly, it's a classic and a GCSE text so felt I should read it. Secondly, I am writing an essay for the Percy Essay Prize on the life and legacy of William Golding.
An excellent novel. Some very interesting moments that revealed the cruelty and savagery of mankind and was extremely believable while doing so. The deaths were truly shocking.
My only issue with it was that it doesn't capture child voice or mindset. There may be possible reasons for this. Either the novel is symbolic of all people, including adults or that the kids step up to responsibility of living by themselves. However, it did not seem right to me.
Generally, a great novel and I enjoyed learning about Golding when preparing for the essay prize.
(I got the runner-up prize with a £100 reward)
An excellent novel. Some very interesting moments that revealed the cruelty and savagery of mankind and was extremely believable while doing so. The deaths were truly shocking.
My only issue with it was that it doesn't capture child voice or mindset. There may be possible reasons for this. Either the novel is symbolic of all people, including adults or that the kids step up to responsibility of living by themselves. However, it did not seem right to me.
Generally, a great novel and I enjoyed learning about Golding when preparing for the essay prize.
(I got the runner-up prize with a £100 reward)
Frankenstein (novel)
After seeing the play, I had to read the novel, and it matched all expectations. The sections left out by the play were interesting, such as the captain's journals in the Arctic.
The brilliance of Frankenstein is how it is a fantasy/sci-fi story, told brilliantly that can be appreciated at the basic level of story telling, but has philosophical undertones, that I pointed out in my post on the play. It makes you think, alongside enjoying a fantastic story.
The brilliance of Frankenstein is how it is a fantasy/sci-fi story, told brilliantly that can be appreciated at the basic level of story telling, but has philosophical undertones, that I pointed out in my post on the play. It makes you think, alongside enjoying a fantastic story.
05 June 2011
Clybourne Park
A modern play, but the first half would make you believe otherwise. The first act is set in 1959, dealing with the division between black people and white people in American society. It was similar to 1950s American Realism, but with much more comedy. Come the second act, we jump forward to 2009 and we see that while people pretend that things have changed, the same divisions exist.
There was a pinnacle of tension and brilliant humour towards the end of the second act, that I absolutely loved. The rest was also very good, but there was a drop in mood right at the end that did nothing for me. I felt it should have continued with the high levels of intensity and comedy right until the last moment.
This is a play that deserves its recognition as one of the best of the year. Bruce Norris is an excellent writer and I will looking out for his name in the future.
There was a pinnacle of tension and brilliant humour towards the end of the second act, that I absolutely loved. The rest was also very good, but there was a drop in mood right at the end that did nothing for me. I felt it should have continued with the high levels of intensity and comedy right until the last moment.
This is a play that deserves its recognition as one of the best of the year. Bruce Norris is an excellent writer and I will looking out for his name in the future.
Frankenstein (play)
What a fantastic play! I went to see this with only a vague idea of the storyline, so every moment was a surprise.
It was a visual spectacle like nothing I have ever seen. There was a rigging of about a thousand light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, a very loud bell amongst the audience, a pillar of real water for rain, a revolve and some quite complex, stylised sets. All these elements came together to create an incredible
Benedict Cumberbatch is a brilliant actor, and he played the Creature perfectly. The two actors for Frankenstein and the Creature (Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller) swapped roles on alternate nights. This was a great idea. Interestingly, I had no particular preference as to which way round I saw them, but I was very happy to see Cumberbatch as the Creature. Miller was also fantastic, just slightly less interesting.
I am likely to write about Frankenstein for my Drama AS exam, as it was such a brilliant play.
I also love the philosophical side to it. It present ideas about what defines a human, is God responsible for man's evils, prejudice, and the dangers of playing God.
"If I'm a murderer, you made me one"
"I was cast out, like Satan, though I do no wrong"
It was a visual spectacle like nothing I have ever seen. There was a rigging of about a thousand light bulbs hanging from the ceiling, a very loud bell amongst the audience, a pillar of real water for rain, a revolve and some quite complex, stylised sets. All these elements came together to create an incredible
Benedict Cumberbatch is a brilliant actor, and he played the Creature perfectly. The two actors for Frankenstein and the Creature (Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller) swapped roles on alternate nights. This was a great idea. Interestingly, I had no particular preference as to which way round I saw them, but I was very happy to see Cumberbatch as the Creature. Miller was also fantastic, just slightly less interesting.
I am likely to write about Frankenstein for my Drama AS exam, as it was such a brilliant play.
I also love the philosophical side to it. It present ideas about what defines a human, is God responsible for man's evils, prejudice, and the dangers of playing God.
"If I'm a murderer, you made me one"
"I was cast out, like Satan, though I do no wrong"
08 May 2011
Blithe Spirit
A wonderfully light and humorous play. It takes the fantastical idea of a man's dead wife returning as a ghost to haunt him and his new wife, but with a comedic touch. The medium that brings the ghost to the house was played particularly well, with an air of complete insanity. The plot reaches a dramatic climax, but still very light and entertaining.
Not the pay of the year, but a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
Not the pay of the year, but a thoroughly enjoyable experience.
16 February 2011
Catcher In The Rye
I read this book under direction from friends who highly recommended it after studying it for their GCSE (I studied the fantastic To Kill a Mockingbird). I had high expectations and hopes. Catcher In The Rye is a good book. It just didn't grab me the way I felt it should. It is essentially 200 pages of complaining, criticising, hypocritical behaviour and repetition. Yes, Salinger captures a very unique form of narration. The characterisation is excellent. But, there needed to be some plot behind it. Boy gets expelled and complains about it. That's not enough for me. I could understand what Salinger was trying to do, and he did it excellently, but I found it slightly irritating. It would have been equally as good as a short story.
03 February 2011
Put Out More Flags - Evelyn Waugh
I was intrigued to read more of Waugh's books after reading A Handful of Dust. Without much knowledge of which were the best, I chose this Put Out More Flags. It depicts the period of the phoney war, when WW2 had broken out but there was little to no fighting. Basil Seal is a wonderful character; adventurous and imaginative.
I like the idea of characters recurring throughout his novels, without them being in a series as such. Decline and Fall is next on my Waugh-list, and contains some of the same characters. I look forward to reading it.
Funny, satirical, insightful.
A Handful of Dust is clearly the better book, but I thoroughly enjoyed this.
I like the idea of characters recurring throughout his novels, without them being in a series as such. Decline and Fall is next on my Waugh-list, and contains some of the same characters. I look forward to reading it.
Funny, satirical, insightful.
A Handful of Dust is clearly the better book, but I thoroughly enjoyed this.
30 January 2011
When We Are Married - J.B. Priestly
I was never impressed with a production of An Inspector Calls I saw a year or two ago, but was still hopeful this would be entertaining. And it was! This Garrick Theatre production, whilst generally lightly amusing, had its moments of laugh-out-loud comedy.
Three couples get together to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary, only to discover that they were never officially married. Priestly cleverly reveals the façade that was marriage at the time, where the couples only stayed together because they were married and didn't want to ruin their name. The truths of their relationships are revealed.
I wasn't blown away with this, but it was entertaining none-the-less.
Three couples get together to celebrate their silver wedding anniversary, only to discover that they were never officially married. Priestly cleverly reveals the façade that was marriage at the time, where the couples only stayed together because they were married and didn't want to ruin their name. The truths of their relationships are revealed.
I wasn't blown away with this, but it was entertaining none-the-less.
22 January 2011
Season's Greetings - Alan Ayckbourn
I found this production very entertaining. It was my introduction to Alan Ayckbourn, and I highly enjoyed it. Hilariously funny but with incredibly powerful and emotional moments. These relationships are totally believable and devastating, but provide genius comedic situations. The idea of a family at Christmas turning into chaos is fairly obvious, but was executed in superb fashion.
One of the main attractions to this performance was the fantastic cast (most of whom had been in various BBC dramas). Catherine Tate and Mark Gatiss starred, to name a few. All the characters were played to perfection.
However, a mess up in the ticket office meant that our school party were all given tickets for that days matinee (which we of course missed). The performance was entirely sold out, so we had to stand at the back. Not ideal, but bearable nonetheless.
The production was good enough to not mind the standing up. It really was superb.
P.S. The National Theatre is the coolest building ever.
One of the main attractions to this performance was the fantastic cast (most of whom had been in various BBC dramas). Catherine Tate and Mark Gatiss starred, to name a few. All the characters were played to perfection.
However, a mess up in the ticket office meant that our school party were all given tickets for that days matinee (which we of course missed). The performance was entirely sold out, so we had to stand at the back. Not ideal, but bearable nonetheless.
The production was good enough to not mind the standing up. It really was superb.
P.S. The National Theatre is the coolest building ever.
A Handful of Dust
I was introduced to Evelyn Waugh's 'masterpiece' for A-level English. Simply put, I'm a fan. It is a unexpectedly emotional novel, depicting the character Tony Last's failed marriage. The ending in particular, with Tony trapped in a remote village in Brazil , doomed to read Dickens until he dies was surprisingly tragic.
Waugh's level of satire is very subtle, but still effective. All the characters (Tony included) are criticised, but in clever ways. The narrator is emotionally detached from the events, describing them bluntly, but the phrasing of key moments shed's light on the immoral nature of English society between the wars.
I've already got 'Put Out More Flags' and 'Decline and Fall' on my reading list.
Waugh's level of satire is very subtle, but still effective. All the characters (Tony included) are criticised, but in clever ways. The narrator is emotionally detached from the events, describing them bluntly, but the phrasing of key moments shed's light on the immoral nature of English society between the wars.
I've already got 'Put Out More Flags' and 'Decline and Fall' on my reading list.
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