Brave New World @ Darlington Civic

Is this our real life, is this just fantasy?

Aldous Huxley wrote Brave New World in 1930 and set it in 2540, and whilst its themes were, for the time of original publication, rather fantastical, the warnings he cleverly cloaked in the futuristic science fiction are today more relevant and worrying than ever before.  His portrayal of the ‘haves’ and the ‘have nots’ , of recognising, ney classifying ,the population into units of function and the acceptance that ‘the state’ can, through a utilitarian approach, decide what is best for everyone is so close to today’s western society that he was either extremely farsighted or a soothsayer to rival Nostradamus.  The blinkered and unerring belief by our current government that their austerity measures are the ONLY way to progress is all but Huxley’s new world made real, save for the fact that we have yet to enjoy the use & overuse of Soma – the wonder drug of ‘pleasure’ and compliance.

Oft read by students of modern literacy, beatnicks and wannabe social commentators alike, Brave New World has, for the most part, resisted an effective translation to the stage;  that is until Dawn King, together with James Dacre and the Touring Consortium Theatre Company embarked on reminding everyone just how powerful and disturbingly brilliant this modern classic is.

Set in the future, there was always a temptation to overplay the ‘tomorrows world’ part of Huxley’s vision, yet, to King’s credit, she has ensured that everything is instantly recognisable to today's culture; people are classified by their education, their breeding and their usefulness – whilst modern medicine and research are not quite ready to mass produce embryos to order, the technology and, in many circles, the desire most certainly exists.  Likewise, having a state that actively promotes the pursuit of material happiness while allowing an over-dependence on prescription medication (ie Antibiotics, anti-depressants and general analgesics)  is readily assimilated into the thoughts and feelings conditioning which forms the bedrock of the 2540 future state.

Under Dacre’s expert directing, we are constantly feeling that, as observers of this new world, we would never let things get this bad and yet we have, we do and no doubt we will continue to – as is so poignantly explained it is the ‘ice berg’ society – the elite sit above the water while 8 ninths work furiously below the surface to keep them afloat.  Coupled with some brilliant soundtracking by These New Puritans who bring a delicious and heady mix very reminiscent of Brian Eno, Tangerine Dream, The Orb and my favourite, Wendy Carlos, the overall effect is like the unwritten upper class side of Anthony Burgess’s A Clockwork Orange – a sort of what happened next once Alex & Dim and the gang were rounded up and dispatched to an island.

Gruffudd Glyn, as Bernard Marx wrestles perfectly with his deep seated desire to ‘fit in’, to comply, to meet the expected social norm within this Brave New World, and yet, as a class pariah, he really knows that it is only through good luck that he still holds a higher cast status – the Director and many of his acquaintance view him as a bit of a freak and certainly not one of the pure form they subscribe to.  People are created in labs, to order and are genetically programmed so that, once grown they will fulfil their place in the class tree – there is no place for feelings, free thought or even dreams.  Besotted with Lenina (Olivia Morgan) he happens on a chance to take her to the outside, an opportunity to witness first hand the ‘savages’ or classless outcasts who still hold sway to the old ways of thinking; religion, superstition and family values.  Whilst on this trip, they find an ex-lover of the Director and, more importantly, his bastard adult son, John (William Postlewaite) whom he never knew existed.  Believing this would grant him an exalted status and give chance to undertake a social experiment akin to a futuristic Pygmalion , Bernard persuades them to return to the new world with him & Lenina.

What transpires is a conflict between Johns supposed savage ways (he is well versed in poetry, Shakespeare and philosophy) and society’s desire to control, to conform and to suppress individuality – the feelings & emotions run very high as he is first touted a cause celebre, then mocked for not following the norm and finally cast out as a savage heathen, his ideals in ruins and his hope that society would be a better place completely smashed.  The ending, though rather swift in the telling, leaves a very deep feeling of unease – more so because writers, directors and film-makers keep issuing these warnings and yet we, as mankind, keep ignoring them – think King Kong, ET, the fore-mentioned Clockwork Orange, all of which show that the ruling classes believe that control is the only way for progression.  Even once the tragic end is done, we are returned back to the original start, the process must continue and the lessons, scarcely realised, are never learned.

Huxley’s take on a future world was originally a sci-fi piece with a nod to potential social commentary, now it almost reads like a joint editorial from the Lancet and The New Statesman.  This production is by far the most powerful and entertaining  piece of theatre seen this year; every school child should be made to watch it lest we hope that they will not make the same mistakes of the generations that come before them.

Blood Brothers Page 2 Stage

I think most people know the story of the Johnson twins …… Willy Russell’s timeless tale of the paths twin brothers lives take when separated only to find fate keeping them together.  It was originally written to be performed within a very intimate setting, often in the round, and certainly without elaborate sets, staging and music.  Since its humble beginnings, it has played to hundreds of thousands and gone from a small story about class and superstition to a full blown modern opera regularly attracting the biggest names in musical theatre.  For sure, people enjoy the headliners; Marti Pellow, Maureen Nolan, Niki Evans are the most recent to tour the nations largest and grandest theatres, but it is when the story returns to its origins, played by a young cast and on a pared down stage that the emotion and power are unquestionable.  For this production, the Village Hall in Eaglescliffe was the venue and the brilliant Page2Stage Performing Arts group were the headliners.

Right from the beginning, the characters felt real, as large as life and utterly believable.  There was no time, nor was there any need for time, to grow into the story as from 1st curtain we were in Liverpool in the 60's.  The accents were spot on, never dropping into parody or becoming comical and, with a sparse set, the focus remained solely on the actors; you didn’t need an elaborate backdrop, nor did you need clever and complicated lighting arrangements, the cast transported you into both the humble terrace and the fancy posh house through simple, brilliant story telling - I swear you could almost smell and taste coal fire smoke and street dust. 

For this production the main roles were double cast – often this is to allow more of the cast to lead and enjoy the thrill of being centre stage, but certainly in professional productions, this simply means two different people playing the same part, same lines and same characterisations.  Not for Page2Stage – the double casting for Blood Brothers tapped into each actors’ strengths and, through the brilliance of Director Kelly, the two shows had very distinctly different feelings.  Sadly, two of the leads for Saturday night were unable to perform (due to illness and an untimely coming together of head and wall).  This meant there was some very last minute re-staging required yet, in total professionalism, there wasn’t a dropped line, cue or beat throughout.

Night one, with Matty Dickens as Micky and Jacob Lynch as Eddie had a very young and youthful approach – the story was very much about two childhood friends whose lives take separate paths, one up, the other down, who then meet again with very different outlooks on life.  Recognising that their once inseparable friendship had run its course, Micky shuns all Eddie’s offers of help and eventually resents his once blood brother’s happiness.  Despite Jacob having rehearsed for the 2^nd night casting and not previously played opposite Matty, the two lads had great chemistry – the early childish pranks were just like best friends’ scrapes whilst the later frustrations had a feeling of sad resolve that comes with losing a friend. 

Matty’s portrayal of the young Micky, complete with pretend shooting, hero worship of his elder brother Sammy (wonderfully played both nights by Fraser Belton as the edgy bully who surrounds himself with younger, impressionable kids) and his awkward attempts at courting Linda were perfectly angst forming. He was just a normal lad, happy in his own skin and content to follow the paths of others before him and Matty has that natural, boyish charm which makes him so believable.  As he suffers knock back after knock back he struggles to understand why the world is against him;  Matty avoids the temptation to have Micky over analyse his fate and instead look for the easier targets to blame; Eddie, Linda, his Mum, life itself – and so it is a quite young man who lies dead in the final scene.

Micky on Sunday was played by Kane Smith and boy did Kane take this role into the darkside – his early Micky still had the boyish fun, innocent yet naughty but he was able to really accentuate Micky’s subsequent descent into self, and world, loathing.  In the full story, Micky becomes paranoid, depressed, manic, reliant on prescription medication and self-destructive and whilst the script was abridged to remove some of the more adult scenes Kane kept the intensity and utter despair rarely seen in even the most professional performances.  His refusal to accept Linda’s unconditional love was heart-breaking and gave the final scene the tear-jerking emotion the show is famous for.

Jacob, as Eddie, brilliantly brought the counterpoint to Micky’s street smarts – he was foppish, innocent, aloof, unsure of himself and obviously protected from the real world by his paranoid mother.  Through the progression from 7 (almost 8) year old to university student, company owner and eventually councillor Jacob ensured that Eddie never loses the feeling that this just isn’t him, he’s still Micky’s friend from the old days and can’t understand why his desire to help is always rebuffed.  Jacob is wonderfully adept at responding to his opposite cast; having rehearsed with one Micky he adapted expertly to the other and never lost the connections between the 2 brothers.

I think the character of Linda is the hardest to play in the whole show – Linda goes from tomboy to lovestruck teenager to newly-wed young mother to widow all in the space of just over an hour and it is testament to both Linda's – Jessica Bayley on Saturday and Alicia Percy on Sunday – that you were never in doubt that you were watching the life of this young woman start, form and then be ripped apart.  Just how either Mickey could take so long to get with such attractive Linda's must be down to brilliant acting (and no little resolve) not to mention that Jessica has a mean right hook which Matty’s left cheek can play testimony to. 

The boys’ mother, Mrs Johnson, was played on both nights by Florence MacMahon and, as the glue that holds the whole story together, Florence was amazing.  Mrs J opens the show and in that one scene has to set the backstory, the current predicament, show the desire to get out of her current life and demonstrate that, despite being on hard times, she will do anything to make her children happy. Florence, like many of the cast, has an uncanny ability to visibly age on stage without any change in makeup or costume, her acting moves her from young mum to concerned confidante to destroyed parent and was a powerful and moving performance.

Mrs Lyons, Eddie’s ‘adopted’ mum, was played by Chloe Handley on Saturday and Penny Eastbury on Sunday.  Both girls approached the role differently and this, as mentioned earlier, helped to cement the double casting approach.  Chloe was wonderful as the upper middle class housewife and showed Mrs Lyons’ obsession on portraying the ‘proper’ social etiquette when in reality knowing that it is only her husband’s money on which her standing is built. Chloe had a clever way of having Mrs Lyons talk very calmly and yet being quite animated; a trait that many people who are begging for acceptance use and this gave her version of Mrs L a fragile desperation to keep hold of what she’s got.

Penny’s portrayal of Mrs Lyons was that of a woman very confident in her own standing, her husband was fortunate to have her at home and as such whatever she wants she gets.  She had an edge which said “get in the way and I will hurt you” , a real snobbish view of the world and this extended to her willingness to break up Micky & Linda if it meant retaining her status quo – in fact it is her actions that creates the juxtaposition resulting in the death of both boys – if she hadn’t been so obsessed with Mrs Johnson and Micky being near her (and her previous association with and reliance on the lower classes) she would have allowed nature to take its course without ever needing to get involved.

Of course, anyone who has seen the show will know that there is an undercurrent of superstition and impending doom throughout, ably provided by the narrator.  This character constantly reminds us that this is not a nice, simple tale of family values, that there bargains have been made and debts need to be paid.  The standout performance in both shows was by Ollie Mawson who took this role and totally made it his own.  Ollie belies his tender age to give a truly mesmerising performance, even as he walks slowly onto stage behind the main cast he has all eyes on him as we await his next prophetic soliloquy – mean, menacing and with an evil enjoyment in his work.

The rest of the cast were made up by the ensemble, all of whom were mark & cue perfect and ensured that the story never dropped in pace or intensity. Maya Darley, Harriet Claydon, Luca Howlett and Alfie Lovett gave the richness of ensemble normally associated with a much larger group.  This meant that, whilst the showtime was just over an hour, it never felt that this was Blood Brothers ‘Lite’, nor did the abridgements detract from the story, the emotion or the sense of having just been told a great story.

Page 2 Stage Performing Arts group is a creative youth theatre, not just  a ‘drama club’.  The group is about raising students confidence and self belief through a learning process that encompasses all elements of the arts, with a slightly stronger focus on drama. In the past they have looked at a range of different genres and has incorporated filmmaking, dancing, singing and improvised theatre in performances  as well as scriptwriting. The primary aim of the group is to provide a safe environment which allows the students to grow as individuals and gain confidence in themselves through the arts.  They are always looking for new members – visit their Facebook page for more details - 

https://www.facebook.com/Page2stagePerformingArts/info/?tab=overview

Ghost Train @ Darlington Civic

Written in 1923 by Dad’s Army regular Arnold Ridley, this talking Scarlet production brings to the stage a wonderful glimpse into yesteryear which, through the clever setting and brilliant acting, never feels dated or twee – it is a perfect pastiche of 1920’s Britain with a cross section of society placed into a very natural situation with very supernatural undertones .  Over the years The Ghost Train has been billed as a horror, thriller, crime, tragi-comedy and even forerunner to the Scooby Doo style method of final twist, but I like to think of it as a perfectly timeless piece of storytelling – it would be equally at home being told round a camp fire as it is in a theatre (or even on film as the 1941 Arthur Askey version).

When a group of mismatched train passengers are stranded at a rural station overnight, they soon hear of a sinister local legend telling of a ghostly train that passes through the area, ever since a terrible accident 43 years ago. Anyone who happens to gaze upon the train will face death and disaster. When the station master is suddenly found murdered, and when a disturbed young girl arrives from the local mental hospital, the 6 passengers are thrown into further panic when they hear the roar of the approaching ghost train...

Talking Scarlet productions never fail to bring together brilliant casting which perfectly fit into the roles, enhancing the story with chemistry and believably and suspending the ‘where have I seen them before’.  Led by the irrepressible Jeffrey Holland as Saul, the station master, the strength on stage and the ease in which each actor immerses themselves into their role means there is little need to take the audience through character identification.   Instead we can get straight into the story. 

The ever-perfect Corrinne Wicks and Ben Roddy play Elsie and Richard Winthrop; a 2^nd time married couple who have hit a rough patch.  Elsie strives to convince everyone, but mostly herself, that she is still a strong and independent woman, despite Richard being a very dominant, yet caring, husband.  Corrine plays these parts with such integrity (she was previously at Darlington in The Holly & The Ivy in a similar role) and, despite her obvious successes in Emmerdale and Doctors, it is on the stage that you can truly appreciate her craft and skills (not to mention her beauty).

Newly wed young love birds Charles (Chris Sheridan) and Peggy (Sophie Powles) Murdock are desperately trying to get to Truro for their first night as a married couple so the inconvenience of this enforced stopover is much felt by both, though for slightly different reasons.  Always aware of his duty as new husband, Charles wants to lead, to challenge, to seek out the truth but still falls back to put a protective arm round the shoulders of his blushing bride.  For this, Sheridan is brilliant – torn between the machismo of youth and yet emulating Richard’s more mature approach to husbandry, he portrays the turmoil of now having another to protect perfectly.

Despite the aforementioned couples providing most of the action, it is Tom Butcher, as Teddie Deakin, who is the linchpin.  Previously seen here playing the twins in talking Scarlet’s Double Death (and giving the best performance of the year), Butcher gives another masterclass in character acting – this time as a foppish, hooray Henry who seemingly takes everything with a pinch of childish wonder and never appears to grasp the gravity of the situation.  He is very reminiscent of Michael Palin in some of his Monty Python roles, but even more so of Palins cameos in Terry Gilliam’s Time Bandits.  Of course, with every good thriller, things are never quite what they seem and Teddie proves that you should never judge a book by its cover.

As the story is set in the 1920’s there are some cultural references, and indeed the crux of the reveal, which are dated, though not out-dated.  You need to allow yourself to step back into this time to fully appreciate the writing but I believe that the best ghost and thriller stories are set in the early part of the 20^th century – the world was breaking free from a class driven society giving rise to both legit and somewhat dubious entrepreneurial endeavours.

Backed by great performances throughout, a large degree of humour (not comedy) and a claustrophobic set, the story rattles along like the titular mode of transport and yet time itself seems to pass immeasurably slow with the whole tale covering less than 2 hours – it is this cleverness in the writing that helps to build the tension towards the climax.  Sadly, if there was one disappointment for me then it was the final ‘reveal’ – more Scooby Doo than Edgar Allen Poe but maybe that’s just my macabre side crying out.

The Ghost Train is coming to the end of the current line after its stop in Darlington but there’s still time to grab a seat and be thoroughly entertained. Or if you can’t make this train, then why not get tickets for Darlington Civic’s next thriller – Sherlock Holmes and the Ripper Murders which starts on July 7^th.

The Business of Murder @ Darlington Civic

You’re not trying to work out whodunit, more why’d he do it ?

Richard Harris, well known and much published writer, has penned a pseudo nostalgic look back at the 70’s whodunit in this tense and twisting 3 header threaded by a Dostoevsky theme and asking one of the most basic questions, what would you do for revenge?.

Set in a flat in London, the play is very much in 2 halves; 1^st part centres on Paul Opacic as Hallett, the sweeny-esque ‘sarf Londarn’ copper, a stereotypical Detective Sergeant portraying confidence bordering on the arrogance hewn from total belief that he is the law. Playing against him is Robert Gwilym as Stone, at first glance a bumbling, socially uncomfortable loner whose main intent seems to be the salvation of his ne’er seen wayward son, but who in reality could be just one wrong glance away from psychopathic fury.

Stone has contacted Hallett to help him in a bid to break his son away from the seedy side of life, yet, right from the start, there is a nagging doubt that things aren’t all that they seem.  Despite appearing slow and dodderish, Stone occasionally has moments of total lucidity, almost prophetic in clarity and dangerously accurate in predicting how Hallett will react and through it all there sits an undercurrent of dislike towards the policeman bordering on despisement.

The second act introduces Dee played by Joanna Higson; Dee is a now famous playwright but was once a young journalist who used her real life reporting experience to fashion the plot lines and characters for her plays. Initially drawn to the flat by Stone’s attempt to get her to review his wife’s manuscript, we are quickly left in no doubt that there is far more to Stone’s motives.

The tension mounts as past interactions are revealed; Hallett was a young and determined DC who made his own judgements and then manufactured investigations to support them, Dee was not above twisting the truth if it gave a more dramatic end to her plays.  The depth of Stone’s planning and manipulations then come to the fore and whilst for many the ending was as expected, there is no one who could honestly say the route taken to get there was signposted.

As a new play from the Middle Ground Theatre Company, this suffers from being over-wordy and would benefit from trimming; the pace fluctuates too much and there is a noticeable lull in the middle of both acts which tests the audience’s concentration.  It is the brilliant acting of Opacic, Higson and the dangerously good Gwilym that rescues the plot and keeps minds from wandering but with a few nips & tucks this could be a great ‘modern’ murder mystery in keeping with the greats of the genre.  Perhaps writer and director need to revisit the adage “less is more”.

Blood Brothers @ Darlington Civic

Maureen Nolan gives a powerful and emotional performance at Darlington Civic

Everyone knows the story of the Johnston twins, as identical as two new pins, and as such, almost everyone who comes to see Willy Russell's Blood Brothers does so with a degree of expectation which rivals most other shows.  Little has changed in the 29 years since the show first hit the stage; the songs, the set and the mood all remain instantly recognisable, and yet the brilliance of the writing and the complexity of the characters provide each production with an opportunity to add their own special take.

Set in Liverpool over 25 years it plots the course of the lives of twins who, having been separated at birth, remain fatefully linked through common loves, shared struggles and ultimately both unknowing of their own secret. To many, the underlying story is one of nature versus nurture, but it's far more complex than that; no two humans are identical, despite them being twins and as such it is emotion that separates the two boys more than miles or money.

Maureen Nolan plays the boys' mother, Mrs Johnston, and is simply perfect.  She brings a worldly-wise element which deepens the belief that she has lived through all she sings of. She has a brilliant maternal embrace for the part, blending the love only a mother could have with the strength to defy the odds and fight against the cruel hand of fate.  Maureen starts the show light on her feet, twinkle in her eye and a cheeky smile, yet, by the time of the final scene we have watched her grow old before our eyes, lose the joys of life and finally witness the spectre of death that has haunted her throughout.     I defy there to have ever been as powerful and emotive lead seen at Darlington Civic and this was borne out by the sight at the very end of the sell out audience rising as one to give one of the most rapturous and intense ovations.

Of course, the story is not just Mrs Johnston, the rest of the cast are brilliant in their delivery too.  Kristopher Harding as the narrator is the ever present shadow of conscience, skulking in the dark, sliding through scenes as the fore-mentioned spectre and constantly reminding us that this story is destined to be an unhappy one.  Sean Jones (Micky) and Joel Benedict (Eddie) have great chemistry and play off each other like brothers always do.  In particular, Sean's portrayal of Micky as he descends into depression and pill dependency is a huge shift from the care free, rebel with a smile Micky he plays earlier and demonstrates a wonderfully deep appreciation of the role and human nature.  Danielle Corlass, as Linda, undergoes perhaps the biggest shift in character; starting as a 7 year old tom boy, she morphs into a giggling adolescent, then a lovestruck teenager before becoming a newly wed and ultimately a heartbroken widow.  For all that Maureen Nolan takes centre stage as the linchpin of the story, Danielle is the perfect foil to remind the audience that this is not a one dimensional story about the boys.

If there are any who have yet to see Blood Brothers, this will be the best and most memorable show you will see this year, for those who have seen previous productions you owe it to yourselves to go and see this one and marvel at the best Mrs Johnston - just remember a large supply of tissues.

Double Death @ Darlington Civic

A double helping of suspense, intrigue and murder

Identical twins have always held a fascination for me; how much of one twin went to make up the other, how identical are they, what of the oft-spoken special bond they are supposed to have? Simon Williams taps into all of that and creates a brilliant murder mystery play which feels like multiple games of Cluedo being played at the same time on the same board.

Max and Ash Hennessy are the aforementioned twins, but these are not loving siblings who enjoy sharing their identical-ness. There is a deep seated loathing in both of them, no doubt borne initially from years of competitive rivalry but honed to total despising by a terrible ‘accident’ which left Ash in a wheelchair. This accident, whilst they were both rock climbing, was to many, an attempt by Max to rid himself of his perpetual shadow and as such he is now the subject of a court order forbidding him from making any contact with his unfortunate brother. Yet both brothers know that one of them is about to die, just which one and how is still open to debate.

Back story set, we are transported to the family home in remote Cornwall on a dire and stormy night, the eve of the twins’ birthday. Max has ignored the courts and made his way home in time to ‘welcome’ his brother who has just been released from hospital and into the care of his Aunt Lalla and his home nurse, Jess.

Max, it appears, has much more on his mind than simply sharing cake and candles and so starts a story of thrust and counterthrust which plays on the twins’ childhood games of “can you guess which one is which”. The plot is deliciously twisted, the use of only one actor to play both twins made totally believable by some inspired direction and the set, cleverly adorned by the Cluedo murder weapons, makes for a very claustrophobic stormy south coast retreat.

The cast, of which there are only 4, have great fun with their roles; Judy Buxton as Aunt Lalla delights in blending Shakespeare quotes with a rather impatient use of ‘real language’, Kim Tiddy as Nurse Jess manages to stay coldly indifferent to both Ash and Max for as long as possible before dropping the façade and showing her true self. Brian Capron as Detective Fergus avoids playing the bumbling Columbo styled mac wearing cop and stuck resolutely to the country DI . Tom Butcher as the twins was superb; undoubtedly he is assisted by the props and costume dept to ensure that he can remember who he is and when, but he keeps the two brothers identifiably different while still maintaining their monozygotic similarities. The twists and turns of the story give great scope for exploring the inner drivers of both brothers and Butcher doesn’t waste a moment.

For a Monday night, it was a little disappointing to see the stalls only half full, such a shame for a brilliantly funny & entertaining play which would knock spots off any TV drivel being served up at the moment. 

Black Coffee @ Darlington Civic

Quintessential Christie whodunit and thoroughly entertaining

Sick of poor portrayals of Hercule Poirot, her super-sleuth, Agatha Christie wrote Black Coffee, her first stage play, so that she could ensure he was as he should be.  In doing so, she set in place the basis for all subsequent Christie murders and created the blueprint for our best loved Belgian.

Set in a country house in 1929, the story is atypical of Christie's murder plays; the first third sets up the characters while preparing for the actual murder, the second third shows them all unsettled by the appearance of Hercule and his side kick Hastings, and the third is the great reveal.  The claustrophobia of being set in just one room adds to the intensity of the scenes so that by the end of the show the audience is left breathing a sigh of relief that they were not accused by association.

The plot centres on the Amory family; Sir Claud, a prominent inventor bordering on megalomaniac, his sister Caroline, Richard his son and Barbara his niece. They are obviously well to do, with the usual smattering of servants associated with 1920's aristocracy lead by Tredwell the butler and Edward Raynor, Sir Claud's personal secretary.  Completing the houseguests are Lucia Amory, Richards wife of Italian descent and an acquaintance of hers, Dr Carelli.  Sir Claud has recently designed a formula for the creation of a super explosive and it is this formula that leads to his untimely death, a death which appears to come from drinking the Black Coffee.  Of course, I'm not going to tell who did it, save to say that there are enough potential culprits to keep you guessing right to the end.

Jason Durr, of Heartbeat fame, takes the lead and plays the eponymous detective with a delectable degree of aloofness borne only from having total confidence in his ability.  He has all the quirks and skittish mannerisms, broken by occasional knowing looks to the audience, that we have come to love from the character so famously 'owned' by David Suchet.  He is both unimposing yet commanding, peripheral yet central.  I am sure that there will be many linguists challenged to locate exactly where in Belgium Jason's accent hails from, but that all adds to the entertainment of the show.

Whilst Gary Mavers as Dr Carelli continues the theme of un-placeable accents (sorry Gary but Joe Dolce sprang to mind on occasion) it was Felicity Houlbrooke, playing the delightful flapper Barbara who brought a real sense of period with her perfect take on 20's high society - not only did she have the timing and pitch to a tee, but her girly charms coupled with the use of jazz-age slang was reminiscent of Thoroughly Modern Millie.  The way she playfully goaded Robin McCallum's Hastings could have made for an entire act on its own.

Special mention must go to the scenery & set design - an art décor paradise which was stunningly lit and perfect in every detail - one of the best stages I've seen at Darlington for many years.

The Agatha Christie Theatre Company can always be relied upon to produce a totally engrossing play, remaining true to her initial writings and yet somehow making it feel very modern - this stands toe to toe with any current murder mystery and head and shoulders above pretty much anything served up on TV - well worth a trip to the Civic, just avoid having coffee in the interval.

Private Peaceful @ Darlington Civic

Powerfully written, brilliantly acted, emotionally draining

In this year of remembrance, a year which has been, and will continue to be, commemorated by huge budget productions, Hollywood movies and lavish TV dramas, here is a simple, one man show  that encapsulates all the emotion, drama, life and death of the Great War.  It is so perfectly delivered that to watch it is to be transported through the innocent eyes of a young boy in the wide rural expanses of pre-war Devon countryside and into the battle weary claustrophobia of the front line trenches.  There are no huge sets, no painted scenes and no other cast, but through Andy Daniel's brilliant acting you are left feeling that you have just sat through an epic life story movie.

Told as a recounting of his short life during the night before his execution, Tommy 'Tommo' Peaceful is a Devon country boy, growing up in a turn of the century idyllic lifestyle, exploring life and love until the outbreak of war.  The story, written by Children's Laureate Michael Morpurgo (he of War Horse fame), covers everything from early school days, the loss of his father, his devotion to his older brothers, his one true love and his subsequent going to war, and yet remains wonderfully grounded by constantly returning to the cold, hard cell with only his bunk and pack.

In the first act, Andy Daniel effortlessly paints pictures of school yards, huge rolling estates and intimate haystacks, all with the warm, Halcyon days glow of eternal summer sun and the innocence of youth.  Turning to the second act, he strips bare the human emotions, darkens the skies and covers everything in mud and blood as he drops the story's hero into the madness and injustice of the Ypres trenches.  Torn between the expected blind obedience and his love for his brother, Tommo falls not to a German bullet, but as so many other young soldiers did, to the British Army high command and their inhumane use of the charge of cowardice.   So powerful was the ending that we left the show with the hangover of unfairness still souring our mouths and a heaviness in our hearts of knowing how true this outcome often was.

A great performance which will serve as a perfect example of storytelling for young actors and seasoned hands alike, Darlington Civic theatre have opened their Autumn season with the bar set very high; here's to many more shows of this calibre over the coming months.

Private Peaceful is at Darlington Civic Theatre until Saturday 13th September.

Eternal Love @ Darlington Civic

Following on from last years amazing Anne Boleyn, the English Touring Theatre last night opened their new tour at Darlington Civic Theatre and proved, yet again, that nothing compares to live theatre.

For many, the story of Abelard and Heloise is pretty much unknown; I had very little idea as to what this tragic love story was about but I think helped to ensure there were no preconceived ideas or expectations.  Indeed, it is very rare to come to a show and not have some degree of prejudged understanding leading to "I'm looking forward to the part...." or "I expect the 2nd act to be better".  I was able to relax, sit back and allow this show to take me wherever director John Dove wanted me to go.  The cast, of which many were part of the previous tour, were again very engaging, spending time preshow to mingle with the audience, sing songs and create a very inclusive atmosphere which heightened the feeling that we were about to be told a story.

The premise of Eternal Love is the conflict between the religious zeal of the 12th Century (with all its beyond-reproach idealisms) and a new wave of challenging thought based on the philosophical teachings of ancient Greece.  Whilst there is a fundamental love story sitting beneath the eloquent yet lengthy battling monologues, the true driver throughout is the juxtaposition between accepting religion as the one true faith whilst trying to disassemble the religious teachings to 'make sense' of just why we believe.

David Sturzaker, who had given great life to Henry VIII last year, brought a sense of mischief, wonder, confidence and singlemindedness to Abelard.  Happy to take all ridicule for his unconventional approach to understanding the scriptures, his only real downside is his belief that everyone should question everything - this lands him foul with the established clergy whose lives, wellbeing (and in no small part, power) rest on the unswerving and unquestioning faith of their flock.  When he falls in love with a student (who subsequently bears him a child out of wedlock) his fate is sealed.

Jo Herbert, who was the stand out actress of 2013 for her part as Anne Boleyn, plays Heloise with a similar determination as her previous role; head strong, passionate and confident women are very much Jo's forte and Eternal Love is very much the winner for it.  Heloise falls for Abelard completely, although it takes some time to establish whether it is him or his refusal to conform that she finds most attractive - even the scandal of bearing his child cannot persuade her to relent and follow her Bishop uncle.  This leads to a rather graphic and somewhat barbaric solution by the shunned & humiliated clergy which still cannot dim the flames.

True to previous productions, the ETT manage to bring humour, wit, music and a few slightly gross-out moments to the proceedings whilst keeping things feeling quite 'grown up' without being pretentious;  it does not pitter patter around, if something needs saying then it is said and, unfortunately for some of the male members of the audience, if something needs doing, then it is done!!  True, the dialogue and writing style mean you need to 'get your ear in' to really appreciate all that is being said, but for someone who has regularly questioned religion and faith I found the logical & philosophical arguments very entertaining with many a nod in agreement.

Sherlock Holmes' Hound of the Baskervilles by Castle Players @ Scarth Hall, Staindrop

A good old fashioned thriller for a cold winter’s night.

Way back before the advent of TV, wannabee celeb shows and million channel digital networks, local amateur theatre was the mainstay of Saturday evening entertainment for the majority of people. Performers, cast and crew were members of ‘Am Dram’ who, for weeks before, had practised and rehearsed their lines whilst running the local post office, teaching at the village school or delivering milk & bread. Performances were usually given in the village hall, with its own soundtrack of creaking beams and whistling windows added to heavy tobacco smoke to give an extra frisson to the atmosphere (especially when the show was a good old fashioned ghost story or thriller).  Whilst audiences didn’t expect RSC or Doyle Carte standard, they felt a ‘oneship’ with those on stage and as such forgave the wobbly scenes and oft fluffed lines.  I thought that such shows were now consigned to the social history books but on Saturday I took a step back in time and watched a retelling of the famous Sherlock Holmes story, The Hound of the Baskervilles, by Barnard Castle’s renowned The Castle Players.

This production, which is currently touring around Teesdale during January, was delivered on the very small stage at Scarth Hall, Staindrop, yet, with minimal use of props, sound and lighting, was a captivating example of good story telling.  Directed by Sarah Fells and Chris Best, and with a surprisingly large cast of over 14 Players (quite how they all managed to get on stage at the same time is still a bit of a mystery), the story opened with a riveting monologue by Andy Moorhouse who, in recounting the initial Baskerville legend, set the tone for the night before bringing the audience into Baker Street and of course Sherlock Holmes (played with a mix of excitable genius and dismissive disdain by Steven Bainbridge).  Interestingly, for a Holmes story, it is Dr Watson who takes the majority of the lead in this production and Andrew Stainthorpe was cool, calm and very accomplished in the role – with more than a passing resemblance to Higgins from TV’s Magnum, he excellently maintains the detective element in the story in the absence of the Deerstalkered one.

There were a few occasions where the directors seemed to play to the lowest possible audience intelligence – literally signposting the scenes (including ‘FOG’) was more off putting than helpful and appeared a easy out instead of devoting a little more effort into
the set dressing, after all, there are only so many places one can put their only hatstand.  

Likewise, the use of newly bought bright blue clip boards (not the norm for 19^th century London) left a few puzzled faces in the audience. The script, edited and abridged by Jill Cole was on the whole, very good, though some of the carefully built intensity and atmosphere was lost when the cast were allowed to drop into almost pantomime comedy.  That said, as entertainment goes, the whole evening was most certainly a great night out and far better than anything being offered on the hundreds of TV channels.

Sherlock Holmes is undergoing a bit of a renaissance, especially with the excellent BBC series making a return this month complete with clever graphics and elaborate plots, but this version was very much more in tune with the original tales and delivered with an honesty and genuine enjoyment – a great step back in time both on & off the stage.

September in The Rain @ Darlington Civic

Thompson and Sweeney are utterly believable and totally charming

The latest in a long line of John Godber plays to be staged at Darlington Civic, September in the Rain is a delightful memory trip back to days of pre-M62, pit weeks, the tower ballroom and, ultimately, what is there to do in Blackpool, in September, in the rain?.

Told in flashback, Liz (Claire Sweeney) and Jack (John Thomson) relive instances over the years from their annual summer trips to Blackpool; the wide eyed innocence of their first holiday together, the playful arguments as they settle into a knowing routine, the challenges of trying to keep their relationship together once the kids have grown and left and then the resigned acceptance that they really are perfect for each other.

Don't think for one moment that this is simply a love fest charting an unrealistic ideal of prefect harmony; the arguments will ring true with everyone who has ever been in a relationship and gone on holiday and provide a delicious yet sobering recognition that we've all been there, done that, said those things.  Acutely accurate in even the tiniest of details, September in the Rain is never preachy about how relationships should work, it simply provides a mirror upon which the audience can see themselves.

Claire Sweeney once again proves that she is a wonderful actress, her performance never seeks for pity or sympathy and remains, with an inner strength enough for the both of them, still obviously in love with Jack despite his seemingly lack of romance or feelings.  John Thomson has in Jack a perfect role through which he can deliver his northern 'charm', often slipping towards one of his early stand up characters of Bernard Righton but never played simply for comedic effect and always remaining truthful and believable as a hard working, hard playing guy (especially his offering of a 'oncer').

If you have ever taken a break to a British seaside resort or have family members who have a routine of doing so year after year (I have!) then you will instantly recognise Liz & Jack - depending on your age they maybe the couple who used to come on the works coach trip, they might be the couple who you see every year at the same boarding house or they just could be you, yourselves.

September in the Rain is on at Darlington Civic until Saturday 28th September.

Funny Thing Happened on the way to Durham

The best historical comedy show and not just for 'local' people

Most people in the North East are aware of St Cuthbert, either from Durham Cathedral, Lindesfarne or by having a local church named after the well travelled saint.  What they probably don't appreciate is just how we know so much about the regions patron saint, especially as he died in the 700's AD.  This insight is due to the tales, stories and recounting all held in the fantastic Lindesfarne Gospels (or as it is more favourably known, Cuthbert's Book) which are currently on display at Durham Cathedral.  What is perhaps even less well known is the journey this unique book had to take before it made it's way back to the North East.

This show, written by Ed Waugh and Trevor Wood, is a wonderful recount of the past 1400 years of local history relating to the 'big dusty book', told as a play within a play and performed by Chris Connel, Viktoria Kay and Robert Hudson.  Starting way back in the days before the Vikings and progressing right up to the modern day, we are treated to a hilarious romp around the North of England; as educational as the BBC series Horrible Histories only funnier and much more local.  There's lots of monks, even more cows, a hoard of Vikings and a ghost who helps to guide us through the facts, the legends and the downright dubious.

The cast manage to bring to life all the main chapters in the Gospels' story and keep the pace moving briskly along without ever feeling that they've rushed over anything.  The jokes are undeniably corny at times but this all adds to the engaging way in which the audience are sucked in and taken along for the whistle-stop ride.

For those who are familiar with Ed & Trevor's work (Alf Ramsey knew my Grandfather, Dirty Dusting, Amazing Grace) this is another great example of comedic interplay,  instantly recognisable characters all painted with a broad North Eastern brush.  They are masters in the oft ignored art of storytelling making this a show to be seen by young & old, rich and poor, clever or ...... not-so clever.

The Pitmen Painters @ Darlington Civic

A extraordinary tale of ordinary folk

The Pitmen Painters is a wonderful story, written by Lee Hall, based on true events and charting the life & times of a group of coal miners (and a dental mechanic) from Northumberland who decide to broaden their skills and embrace art &  painting.  Initially hoping to be taught how to understand the messages hidden in classic paintings, this bunch of pitmen found that the professor they had engaged through the WEA had a different idea – no lectures and slide shows, instead they would be the  ones doing the painting.  Through this, they learned to appreciate the emotional attachment between artist and canvas and how the true meaning of any painting lies within the person observing it.

The play builds on the real spirit of the North East; set in the 1920s to just after the 2^nd World War, the language, culture and sheer reason-for-being all lie in the pit village microcosm which was so very prevalent until the  closure of the mines in the mid 1980’s.  Everyone knew everyone and acted just like one huge family; strengths were exploited, weaknesses mocked and those who dared to break the mould were reminded in no uncertain terms of their place – but it was all done with love & affection as only a family can.  The play obviously has to pick and choose which elements to include to progress the story and which to leave out to avoid clichéd stoicism but by centring the action in the miners army hut there is good reason for it to just be the 5 lads and their painting.

Being a miner in the early 20^th century was the most dangerous occupation in the country – men often had to witness their colleagues, friends and family killed and maimed in horrific accidents yet inspite, or maybe because, of this their humour shone through.  The script captures this perfectly and the laughs are delivered through the realistic actions and reactions, not from scripted jokes.  In particular the scene where Susan Parks (played by Catherine Dryden) a young lady, is due to pose as a real life nude model for the guys is hilarious.  Each character is so well formed and instantly recognisable that you feel you know them personally but more importantly the core values & drivers relevant to the [ost war years all hold up to scrutiny; thankfully it doesn’t try to subject modern day morals on the audience and there is still a sense of pride, of decency and of ‘being proper’ regardless of the accents and slang used.

Hall can be sentimental, as anyone who has seen Billy Elliot knows. But here, sentiment is kept in check by political reality, raw as the Northumbrian wind. In the play's final moments, after the pit is nationalised, the cast sing "Gresford", the miner's hymn and look forward to a bright new tomorrow of socialism – of course, we know how the future really panned out.

If you haven’t seen this play yet (where have you been ??) then take a trip down to Darlington Civic Theatre, enjoy the very warm welcome & hospitality of the staff there and sit back and be thoroughly entertained by the Pitmen Painters.

Midsummer Night's Dream by the Castle Players @ Bowes Museum

Surely just as Shakespeare intended !

There's little that can compare to a British summers' eve; the smell of cut grass, the smack of leather on willow, the distant drone of a tractor bailing hay.  Well, that's the idealistic view, the one we all hold dear as a lifelong memory, but all too often the reality is made up of dodging the rain &  shivering in the cold breeze.  Now after last nights show I have a new benchmark for an ideal summer night - sitting in the open air watching the Castle Players perform yet another masterpiece of Shakespearean majesty.

I don't think there could be anywhere in the world that would have provided a better venue for this show; the magnificent Bowes museum behind us, the dappled sunlight over the open

air 'stage' in front and the sense, even before the show started, that we were in for something quite magical.  The Castle Players, quite rightly, have built a reputation for being one of the very best companies when it comes to producing open air theatre; their use of the natural surroundings is quite brilliant and their ability to draw in the audience into an intimate space and yet to preserve the grandeur not limited by curtains, wings and stage screens is unique in the modern day of technical gadgetry. Add to this the complete joy and enthusiasm with which each and every cast member performs and it leaves you feeling quite humbled in the fact that they are, after all, an amateur production company (although purely only in name).

I learned from watching last years show that it's very difficult to single any of the cast out for individual praise; this is not me being conditionally sycophantic, they all DO play their roles to the highest level and ensure that the show overall is much much more than the sum of it's parts.  Having said that, the Director, Simon Pell deserves credit for his vision, creativity and willingness to allow a more organic flow to the show than previous versions I have seen - it was this which added to the magic of the evening and drew out the essence of Shakespeare's most fantastical of plays.

The soundscape produced for this latest offering was simply stunning - I had doubted that it would be possible to produce a soundtrack in the open air which would be wide and deep enough to truly envelope the audience but I was very wrong indeed.  Composed and recorded by Andy Yeadon, we were held in awe from the very first note, not once did the sound distort or feel strained and the acoustics, for all that we were sat outside, were as crystal clear as from any high fidelity multi speaker surround sound system.

As they proved last year by being invited to perform for the RSC Cultural Olympiad Open Stages Festival in Stratford, The Castle Players are recognised across the country as one of the very best; on the strength of this years production that reputation can only be further enhanced - a true credit to the North East and one which we can be very proud of.

Shows sell out almost as soon as tickets go on sale (and rightly so) so I'm afraid that if you haven't got tickets for this summer's production then you may be out of luck - check out their website at www.castleplayers.co.uk for details.  

What I can say is that there are two more productions confirmed - The Hound of The Baskervilles for their Winter production and Romeo & Juliet for next Summer's outdoor show (which is already writ large in my diary).  Till then, I can but dream of a midsummers eve, not too distant but one which will live long in the memory.

The Governess @ Darlington Civic

Set in 1860, the tale of The Governess centres around the disappearance of a young infant from his bed and the ensuing turmoil which befell almost everyone concerned.  As is par for the course for Victorian drama and mystery, not is all it initially appears to be, and very soon we are given an insight into some of the usual rather shadier goings on in houses of wealth and prestige.  I'm not sure why, but most tales of this period take great pleasure in portraying the now stereotypical blend; driven master of the house who has at least one lover 'on the staff'; the put upon/ ill /misunderstood wife; a couple of older children who cry out for their parents attentions (usually in the form of rebellious behaviour) and of course the all seeing, all knowing but never saying housekeeper.

Written by Patrick Hamilton (who is perhaps better known for Gaslight) this tale follows the aforementioned formula very, very closely, which is a shame as it means it also follows the now cliched telegraphed plot, lack of twists and monotonously paced slow-burn lead to the final, fully expected reveal.  There is never quite enough depth to each character to allow the audience to form an emotional attachment and because of this they also have no opinion on the outcome.

The first act plays out the relationships between the Ethel Fry, the titular Governess (Jenny Seagrove) , her young charge Ellen (Lydia Orange) and Mr George Drew (Colin Buchanan).  There are glimpses of some repressed sadism in the way Ms Seagrove portrays Fry, but not enough to really feel that she is dangerous.  Likewise, Mr Drew is a driven, successful, no nonsense 'master of the house' yet he seems lost and unsure of what he is when alone with Fry.  It is somewhat unfortunate for the attempted building of tension that Ellen turns out to be an all-seeing somnambulist who, despite the best endeavours of Fry, manages to pretty much give the end game away before the close of act one, leaving the audience just waiting to collectively murmur "thought so".

The 2nd act is somewhat better, all for the introduction of Peter Bowles as DI Rough - the Victorian version of Columbo without the brown mac.  Mr Bowles brings his much more insightful character to life with humour, matter of fact deductions and timing which held the audience even though they still knew whodunit.  The end scene, with Fry confronted by her crime, sees her descend into a bizarre, poetry quoting regression - a sort of lite version of a mental breakdown.

If you're looking for something to rival Oscar Wilde's word plays, or The Woman in Blacks scares, or Dickens depth of characters then this play really isn't for you; if however you want another good Victorian tale set in an Upstairs/Downstairs style house which won't tax the brain then this will certainly fill your evening (or at least part of it).