All posts by Edward Lukes

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“Utoya” at the Arcola Theatre

Italian writer Edoardo Erba’s play consists of three stories connected to Anders Behring Breivik’s 2011 terrorist attack in Norway. We have the parents of a child who has been sent to the titular island, police nearby who hear about the attack, and Breivik’s neighbours, who happen to be siblings. The approaches are uneven, despite clear and disciplined direction from Sarah Stacey, but the writing and performances are admirably sensitive.

A lot of ground is covered. In each case, relationships before the tragic events of 22 July impact reactions. If that sounds like an obvious point for Erba to make, it is made with conviction and insight. But the background isn’t always useful. The frustrations of a marriage are finely detailed but might try your patience. The fractious relationship between police colleagues is a touch unbelievable (although dramatically effectively). Finally, the health problems of a woman who lives with her brother fall flat. Indeed, this couple, who speculate about their new neighbour, come across as odd and confusing. 

Erba works hard to bring in bigger questions. There is discussion about the socialist nature of the camp on Utoya (which might need elaboration for an English audience). A lot about racism seems more relevant and is dropped into the scenes smartly. And there’s plenty of misogyny which, although believable, needs to be explored more. The suggestion that there is a connection between hating women and Breivik’s militarism needs elaboration. Sensationalism is avoided – an important achievement given the subject matter.

As a demanding work, even if it doesn’t quite gel, Utoya is an excellent showcase for the skills of its cast, Kate Reid and Marco Young. Taking on all six roles, along with the problems of each character, means the performances also have highs and lows. I found their depictions of the police the best, those of the siblings, not surprisingly, a little lost. But they are consistently careful, their skill and effort top notch. Along with Stacey’s direction, every moment of the play is treated with respect and the result is a credit to all.

Until 31 August 2024

www.arcolatheatre.com

Photo by Mariano Gobbi

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“Northbound Boy” at the King’s Head Theatre

James Hogan’s play is, regrettably, confused and inadvertently full of inconsistencies. While there’s no reason a script can’t tackle a lot with humour or crossing genres, Northbound Boy has too much thrown into it and the result is messy. Alex Jackson’s competent direction cannot save the show, and the characters are so poor that two out of the three cast members are left floundering.

The play is some kind of romance, as Ken picks up a young hitchhiker called Rory. Their affair, at first transactional, fails to convince, and the ending is just silly. It’s a puzzle as to how provocative we are supposed to find it all. There’s an interesting question struggling to get out: is it the age gap that potentially offends us, or is it the difference in power? Possibly to counter this, efforts are made to make Ken appear weak. He is currently suspended from his job, estranged from his family, paranoid and neurotic. How much of a catch this makes him I won’t say. But his complex situation engenders little.

Back at Ken’s house, ‘themes’ come thick and fast – it seems the play is a family drama. There’s a lot about age again and fathers in general, along with legacy and even the suggestion of ghosts. Oh, and forgiveness is mentioned more than once. There’s also the homophobia Ken has suffered alongside many a modern ill. As Ken “rants” on, little time is given to what Rory, or an audience, might make of it all. A third character, an aunt, is introduced and then wasted. There’s no increase in drama or much of an alternative perspective. Sarah Moyle, who takes the part, gives it a great go, but the character is lost. Hogan gives us three generations, tries to do too much and ends up achieving little.

Given the ground covered, the pace is far too slow, which causes problems when we consider that the show is billed as a comedy. Ken is clearly supposed to be funny, but his wit is long-winded. And Neil Ashton’s delivery does not help. In fairness, there’s only so fast anyone can speak, so I’m not surprised there were stumbles. Hogan needs an editor (a puzzle given his background in publishing), and a ruthless one at that. And Ashton is hampered by Ken being so unbelievable. Despite being a police officer, he is shockingly naïve and incapable of dealing with Rory’s substance abuse (yes, that’s thrown in, too). This is the least convincing copper I’ve seen since…no, sorry… I can’t think of one. And his vocabulary is downright odd. Who googles the word “geek” and calls people a “rascal”?

Coming to the rascal in question, Northbound Boy marks a professional stage debut for Cormac Hyde-Corrin. Despite the role being no better written, Hyde-Corrin seems more comfortable on stage than his colleagues and acquits himself well. There’s a motif about Psycho and Anthony Perkins that Hyde-Corrin does well with, and he makes Rory’s flirting interesting, bringing out touches of sensitivity amid convincing bluster. You don’t feel sorry or threatened by Rory, but both are possibilities and provide much needed intrigue to a flat script full of mistaken efforts.

Until 1 September 2024

www.kingsheadtheatre.com

Photo by Charles Flint

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“Stranger Things: The First Shadow” at the Phoenix Theatre

This acclaimed hit, with a couple of Olivier Awards last year and a Broadway transfer announced this week, is an adaptation of the Netflix teen horror TV show. Ticket sales are safe, fans happy, and the atmosphere is grand. It’s a long play, packed with action, and entertaining throughout. But perhaps the biggest achievement is that you don’t have to be a devotee of the source material to enjoy its venture on to the stage.

Stranger Things: The First Shadow is a prequel to the TV series, so we meet earlier versions of characters. But background information isn’t needed. It’s set in a small American town in 1959 – ticking boxes for atmospheric setting and nostalgia – where we follow troubled teen Henry Creel, somehow affected by a military experiment so that he has some kind of deadly power. It’s intriguing enough, but quite simple and lightly plotted, given the writing and story are credited to four people: Kate Trefry, The Duffer Brothers and Jack Thorne.

The TV format antecedents are clear. Tension comes from short scenes a few too many times, there are touches of soap opera about relationships, and the ending is poor (a jump scare and too obvious a call for a sequel). But there’s been a conscious and successful effort to move away from the small screen – director Stephen Daldry makes sure the show is ambitious and theatrical, not least with the inclusion of a play at school, a nice touch.

The coming-of-age story isn’t that convincing. Louis McCartney does a good job as the confused Henry and is excellent at being creepy. But his schoolmates are either too grown up or too immature. There’s a nice role for Ella Karuna Williams, who portrays Henry’s love interest, but her brother (played by Christopher Buckley) just ends up annoying. There are surely missed opportunities when it comes to Henry’s parents, played by Alex Young and Michael Jibson, who are both excellent but too clearly wasted. A suspicion of adults isn’t surprising in a show like this. Completing the theme is the scary scientist, another character written broadly but capably played by Patrick Vaill. The latter’s role as a substitute father for Henry could be developed further. But Netflix could easily cast all these guys in one of their shows… and hopefully they will.

It’s not so much the characters, or the story itself, as the telling of the tale that is the focus. And here Stranger Things: The First Shadow lives up to the hype. The technical accomplishments of the show are extraordinary. Miriam Buether’s expensive-looking set deserves more than one round of applause. The illusions and visual effects, by Jamie Harrison and Chris Fisher, will leave you scratching your head, and Jon Clark’s excellent lighting holds the key to a lot of them. Plus the (very loud) sound design by Paul Arditti adds immeasurably. It isn’t all high tech – a lot is done with just torches and the speed of the cast and crew. But what we see is key: the show looks fantastic and there’s no doubt you get your money’s worth.

Booking until 16 February 2025

www.uk.strangerthingsonstage.com

Photos by Manuel Harlan

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“A Chorus Line” at Sadler’s Wells

Taking the audience behind the scenes of show business is an established trope. And, of course, musical theatre nearly always combines song and dance. Both facts reach a new level in this 1975 masterpiece, in which nearly all the action is supposed to be an audition, while singing and choreography are balanced with studious care. This superb revival from Curve, directed by Nikolai Foster, appreciates how the show is rooted in tradition yet is distinctive enough to be called revolutionary.

The scenario could not be simpler. We see 17 performers being interviewed, hear stories about their lives and see them dance. But James Kirkwood Jr and Nicholas Dante’s book does a lot with the idea. There’s humour and tragedy, a mix of bliss and depression, while tension mounts towards that finale number. Foster’s decision to stage the show without an interval isn’t easy on the audience but it breathtakingly highlights every up and down.

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Even the varying detail given to the roles proves interesting. While famous tunes like ‘I Can Do That’ or ‘Sing!’ make excellent showcases for Redmand Rance, then Katie Lee and Joshua Lay, we get to know all the characters. Many numbers are shared, like ‘At the Ballet’ (Lydia Bannister, Kate Parr and Amy Thornton) and have dancing as an integral part. It’s impossible to give enough credit to everyone. Meanwhile the show-within-the show’s director and his former protégée, who wants a job, are held back. These could be the ‘stars’, and the performances from Adam Cooper and Carly Mercedes Dyer are terrific. But, in a show of discipline, they are never allowed to become the focus. The clue is in the title – this show really is about everyone!

As you might expect after nearly 50 years, there are dated moments. The director’s god-like status becomes uncomfortable. An originally comic number about plastic surgery (performed brilliantly by Chloe Saunders) doesn’t get a lot of laughs. But Paul’s long monologue (notably not a song) about his sexuality is still powerful and delivered wonderfully by Manuel Pacific. Concerns about prejudice are, regrettably, still valid. A Chorus Line is revealed as oddly prescient.

The production does the show proud. Marvin Hamlisch and Edward Kleban’s songs are fantastic and, under the musical direction of Matthew Spalding, they sound grand. Remember how important the dancing is (Sadler’s Wells seems a suitable London venue)? The choreography from Ellen Kane is appropriately ambitious. Each character reveals themselves in the way they move, even while the final goal is to become part of a group.

The dancing covers the wild swings in mood the different stories create. And it reflects the variety of what we hear – from rock numbers and strong brass through to the more traditional sound of the number being rehearsed. And, if it isn’t too fanciful, Howard Hudson’s spot-on lighting design feels inspired by dance – with an exciting amount of movement from the conspicuously visible rig. When it comes to that finale, and its tremendous synchronisation, the show is theatre heaven. If fan kicks and jazz hands are what you want, A Chorus Line delivers. It even adds fireworks as a final treat.

Until 25 August 2024

www.sadlerswells.com

Photos by Marc Brenner

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“Fangirls” at the Lyric Theatre Hammersmith

Of many exciting musicals opening in London this year – there are a lot – you might not expect this arrival from Australia to be a five-star favourite. The subject matter is the fandom surrounding a teenage boy band, and one young girl, Edna, with a plan to “save” the lead singer from his own celebrity when he tours to her town. So far, so fun. The show has its own dedicated following – there are Fangirls fan girls – because it really is for everyone: full of surprises, exceptionally smart and very funny.

The music, book, and lyrics are all by Yve Blake, which should make you ‘stan’ her. Blake is brave, not least in having the lead singer of her fictional boy band being a Brit called Harry. The show’s tone is boldly dark and downright rude. I’m not sure how suitable it is for youngsters, but that’s surely just me showing my own age! Of course, you laugh at reactions to the pop idol, the fans are “literally dead” at a concert announcement and there’s a mother character (a fantastic role for Debbie Kurup) for older audience members to relate to. 

But hold on… don’t dismiss these “silly little girls”. The twist is that Fangirlstakes them seriously.

Blake has researched it all, creating an authentic voice for the show… literally. The lyrics are original, and the teenage speech patterns have fascinating effects. The plot has shocks, not least when Edna puts her plan into action (a fantastic end of the first act that I defy you to see coming). But there’s a point behind the technique. Through exploring the impact of the internet, the writing of fan fiction and the fan community, there’s insight into the lives and (unrequited) loves of this cohort that is frequently heartbreaking.  

These girls’ self-esteem is fragile. The parasocial relationships with Harry, and their imaginary conversation with him, reveal fears and real-life difficulties in powerful lyrics. One number, ‘Disgusting’, is a highlight. As it happens, there’s an interesting parallel with another summer hit, Mean Girls, but, for my money, this packs more punch. As the group sings that “nobody loves you like me” (all of them, of course), the lyrics are shared by Edna’s mother singing to her daughter – their relationship is a big theme that gets ample attention.

“Actual philosophical poetry” 

The score is just as clever. A concert from the boy band is a lot of fun, but it is clear from the start that the fictional hits are used in a novel way. Blake can write a pop song and Thomas Grant, who performs as Harry, does very well with them. But it is genius (and, again, funny) to make them a little bit bland. They are clearly a long way from the “actual philosophical poetry” one fan claims them to be. Then, when the fans take them over, adapting them and weaving them into the wider score, they are improved!

The fans as a chorus are utilised a lot and sound great. They move brilliantly, too, with clever suggestions of awkwardness around sexual or violent movements that show the skills of choreographer Ebony Williams. The production’s strength is a credit to director Paige Rattray. There are strong parts for Edna’s friends played by Miracle Chance and Mary Malone, but smaller roles are also well realised with standout performances from Terique Jarrett and Gracie McGonigal. 

Final praise to Jasmine Elcock (a former talent-show competitor herself), who takes the lead role and is an excellent singer and actress with sure command of the show’s comedy and drama. Edna has a lot to learn and plenty of problems, so watching her struggle and grow is superb. And Elcock becomes a star along the way. What can say? I’m a fan.

Until 24 August 2024

www.lyric.co.uk

Photo by Manuel Harlan

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“Wormholes” at the Omnibus Theatre

This accomplished monologue is difficult to watch, but easy to admire. The only character who appears is so traumatised that she doesn’t know her own name. And the institutional therapy session we watch details domestic abuse towards a violent outcome. It’s tough stuff, brought painfully to life by the commitment and skill of its creative team.

Written by Emily Jupp, the script is taut and well-paced – director Scott Le Crass appreciates both strengths. We are given red flags about the relationship recounted. You might wonder that the danger isn’t too clear – for the audience, the trouble doesn’t seem as “incremental” as it is said to have been. And the humour sometimes falters – again, how deliberate is this? But the way Jupp takes time to show how troubled the character is provokes powerful emotion. The drama of events escalates carefully. It sounds odd to say, given the subject matter, but Wormholes is beautifully structured.

As you might expect from listening to a troubled mind, there are plenty of tangents. Some are blunt metaphors, but they help with the rhythm of the piece and raise questions. To what extent societal expectations shaped lives and events dominates. There’s a lot about anxiety, too, that aids an oppressive atmosphere – even if these trials of modern life are too commonplace. And for a monologue, this is a populous piece: friends, family and others in the play’s unspecified setting are all vivid. Each elicits examination from the audience as they relate to one or more of the people mentioned.

This is all strong, but none of it would work without an excellent performance from Victoria Yeates. Care is taken in establishing her character as a kind of everywoman, someone to relate to, appealing in her seeming honesty. When this mask slips, sometimes suddenly, it is very sad. Or, when Yeates speaks the words of her husband, it is scary. Showing a woman locked away is an old trope, but Wormholes allows this one to say a lot for herself. And there’s more. This is not just a mad woman but a mad mother. What happened to her son – what she has done – is not revealed. It’s another taboo, one Jupp leaves open, that makes her play fairly screech with tension.

Until 10 August 2024

www.omnibus-clapham.org

Photo by Rob Greig

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“Hello, Dolly!” at the London Palladium

Jerry Herman’s 1964 musical is one of the greatest ever written. The story of matchmaker Dolly Levi, finding a new life, and love, with “half-a-millionaire” Horace Vandergelder, is full of wonderful songs. But it takes a great production – and a true star – to make the most of it all. This revival brings out all the show’s fun, romance, and – a little surprise – its wisdom.

Director Dominic Cooke is known for his work with plays more than musicals. Maybe his lauded revival of Follies whetted his appetite for more – let’s hope so. Cooke makes the most of Michael Stewart’s superb book for Hello, Dolly! The dialogue, like the lyrics, is funny. But the characters aren’t just comedic, they are well developed. Dolly dominates a coherent and vivid world (credit also to designer Rae Smith), all brought together by a story that is more emotional than you might expect.

Dolly delves into many lives, changing them for the better of course. With an excellent cast, we care for those frustrated in love. Take Cornelius and Irene, wonderfully performed by Harry Hepple and Jenna Russell, who only take a moment to fall in love but manage to be convincing.  Or Barnaby and Minnie, parallels in so many ways, brought to life by Tyrone Huntley and Emily Lane with great charm. And of course there’s Horace, a role taken by Andy Nyman, whose presence as well as his voice impresses.

But who are we kidding? The show is about its titular star and Imelda Staunton doesn’t just fit the role perfectly – she adds to it. She is an excellent comedian – the reaction at finding herself amongst funeral directors during the parade scene is brilliant. But Staunton takes the show seriously, there are moment of melancholy that are striking. While notes can be powerful – her voice is strong – they don’t have to be belted out. Dolly may be brash, but her emotions are refined. And her view of life is worth listening too. It’s important that Staunton is a star. The audience response is rapturous, Hello, Dolly! has a great atmosphere. But note the amount of control; applause stops the moment Staunton is going to sing again. Even if we only get a moment, not an instant is to be missed – onstage and off, everyone is in love!

Until 14 September 2024

www.hollodollyldn.com

Photo by Manuel Harlan

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“The Baker’s Wife” at the Menier Chocolate Factory

Merci beaucoup to David Babani’s venue and director Gordon Greenberg for staging this musical theatre curio from the legendary Stephen Schwartz.

The Baker’s Wife is a sweet show with good songs and a great sense of humour. Schwartz and the book’s writer Joseph Stein are Francophiles both. There’s a clear affection for the source material – La Femme du boulanger by Marcel Pagnol and Jean Giono – that adds a warmth. And it is hard to imagine a better production for what is a deceptively complicated work.

The appeal is clear and the show unusual for Schwartz in being, very self-consciously, a chamber piece. There is an interesting tension between proclamations about small sensual moments said to encompass all our lives. And they really do mean everyone. The intimate Menier, with a superb set from Paul Farnsworth, reflects this ambition. The location might be a small village, upset by a new baker and his much younger wife arriving, but we see a lot of the locale and the cast numbers 19. It’s to Greenberg’s credit that not too many of the characters get lost. 

There are serious intentions. Genevieve, the wife in question, runs off with a younger man, leaving her devoted spouse, Aimable, devastated… and after such lovely songs, too. There are great numbers for both Lucie Jones and Clive Rowe, who take the roles, but their rather pat dilemma is not helped by the rogue she runs off with being a weak character (Joaquin Pedro Valdes, who sings wonderfully, is distinctly short changed). There’s a lot of sentiment, arguably an excess of slow numbers, and surely too many sincere looks with clasping hands between the cast. The lyrics are great, though perhaps a touch repetitious. 

Lighter moments are better – and these aren’t just comedic. There’s a powerful thread of nostalgia and melancholy to the piece, exemplified by a fine performance from café owner Denise, played by the always excellent Josefina Gabrielle, that is surprisingly airy. And the show is funny. The triumvirate of teacher, curate and mayor make great roles for Mark Extance, Matthew Seadon-Young and Michael Matus, who are all superb. There’s fun, too, for Norman Pace and Liam Tamne, playing old rivals who become friends. And a highlight is a song called ‘Bread’, which is rather brilliant.

It’s a lot, though, and, despite admirable efforts from Rowe in particular, The Baker’s Wife doesn’t quite come together. For a start, the story has too easy a solution. While an effort is made with the women in the show, including the mayor’s three “nieces” (one of whom he, ahem, offers to the baker to cheer him up) their group number, entitled ‘Romance’, feels forced and none of the female characters as vivid. Since the aim is to show us a whole community, that’s a big fault. For all the strong songs – very well performed – there isn’t enough to take away. Sketchy rather than slim, there are laughs and plenty of heart-felt moments, but the pleasure is from a fine production of a show seldom seen. 

Until 14 September 2024

www.menierchocolatefactory.com

Photos by Tristram Kenton

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“Mnemonic” at the National Theatre

The revival of this legendary piece from Simon McBurney’s company, Complicité, seems a secure success because of its themes of memory and origin. The devised work cries out to be updated, and so it is, with references to Brexit and topical events. At the same time, concerns about where we all come from, highlighting ideas about nationality and conflict, are depressingly relevant to our fractious times.

Starting out as a kind of lecture, there are two main plots: deliberate tangents forced together for philosophical points. We learn about a neolithic man, named Ötzi, whose preserved body was discovered in the Alps. And get the story of a guy whose partner has had some kind of breakdown and disappeared. The archaeology is great, and leads to fantastic theatrical moments, the romance less so as the characters involved lack appeal… but feel free to disagree. The balance between abstract questions and emotional involvement makes the show engaging.

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There’s a powerful sense of how important Mnemonic is – that this is theatre as an event – clear from the committed performances of the show’s ‘collaborators’. Khalid Abdalla takes the lead with breathtaking physicality. His multi-lingual multi-tasking colleagues are all excellent. Maybe Tim McMullan stands out for a versatility he isn’t usually credited for. And Eileen Walsh whose character’s angst makes her role especially difficult. It’s all intense but it should be mentioned that there are some good jokes alongside the serious intellectual concerns.

There are moments when Mnemonic is a victim of its own success. Neither McBurney as director, nor his cast, can do much about this. From audience participation to the brilliant sound (Christopher Shutt), lighting (Paul Anderson) and video (Roland Horvarth), much of the show has been so influential it feels you’ve seen it before. Of course, McBurney took inspiration from others as well – Complicité are rooted in international traditions we don’t get to see enough of in London. But the emphasis on physical theatre, the balance of tech and simplicity, the brave shifts in tone as well as narration, are all far more common than they would have been 25 years ago. 

You might even claim the show’s legacy makes for a further origin story… one well worth remembering through this revival. 

Until 10 August 2024

www.nationaltheatre.org.uk

Photo by Johan Persson

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“Slave Play” at the Noël Coward Theatre

The anticipation surrounding the London premiere of Jeremy O Harris’ 2018 play is possibly to its detriment. As one the most Tony award-nominated works of all time, with a policy of “black out” performances that has garnered plenty of press, expectations are high. There is plenty to praise – not least excellent performances – with a script full of ideas and conviction. But there might also be a little disappointment.

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Aaron Heffernan and Annie McNamara

Slave Play is long and just a little slow. While Robert O’Hara’s direction is focused, and the acting riveting, the structure is laboured. There are three mixed race couples, each acting out role plays with overtly racist themes. It’s fun to see the fantasies slip (Aaron Heffernan and Annie McNamara do especially well with this), and to see how ideas about eroticism vary and move from awkward to traumatic. Trouble is, we get it in triplicate.

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Irene Sofia Lucio, Fisayo, Chalia La Tour and James Cusati-Moyer

It turns out all six are enacting ‘Antebellum Sexual Performance Therapy’ and they are being supervised! It’s a great twist. But as we are introduced to a fourth couple, researching how race affects relationships, everyone has an awful lot to say. Chalia La Tour and Irene Sofia Lucio play these roles broadly and are very funny. But as all the characters fight against anhedonia and alexithymia, the satire is blunt. And it isn’t a surprise when one couple, played brilliantly by Fisayo Akinade and James Cusati-Moyer (who get tears as well as laughs), end up splitting up. Harris allows us to be sceptical with skill, but makes the audience work hard.

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Olivia Washington and Kit Harrington

Turns out our focus is the final couple: Kaneisha and her British husband Jim, played by Olivia Washington and Kit Harington. The latter might have a little too much to do, although Harington’s performance is commendable. Jim is the most reluctant to engage in everything going on, taking particular objection to the term “process”, yet he is not quite complex enough to convince. But this final scene is extremely powerful, almost a monologue for Washington, and brilliantly delivered, with Harington nude for a long time. It brings a lot of clarity to the project – with the need to be listened to the important takeaway.

While the “raw and nasty” of this therapy is relative, and the middle-class milieu is well observed, any resolution seems slight. None of the characters is a monster, but they do all seem entitled. And there’s a lot of OCD – the fascinating idea that music triggers the characters leads to the production’s startling sound design and brilliant work from Lindsay Jones. I just wonder if they don’t all come across as a bit barmy? Maybe the potential to dismiss their pain is the play’s challenge?

While valid and important, how interesting somebody else’s therapy is might be a problem, especially if you are being served three doses of it. It seems obvious that Harris wants to make a wider point. That’ll be the reason for a cross-section of couples. What you get from such a lot of material depends on your own circumstances. It will be interesting to see how the play is received in the UK, and by people better qualified than I. But with so much to listen to, Slave Play should do well as a conversation piece… Maybe it really is the process that counts.

Until 21 September 2024

www.slaveplaylondon.com

Photos by Helen Murray