Swallows and Amazons @ Darlington Civic

A wonderful exercise in imagineering which every child should be encouraged to try.

There have been some amazing developments in cinematography recently - high definition, IMAX, 3D - not to mention the fantastical CGI demonstrated in films such as Transformers, Avatar and Inception, but sometimes I wonder whether all this "alternative reality on a plate" is stripping away our ability to fantasise and make believe.

Well, having just watched Tom Morris's Swallows and Amazons at the Civic in Darlington I have to acknowledge that, without a single electric prop, with no high definition back scenes and based only on the ingenuity of a cast of actors and musicians, I lost myself in Windermere 1928.

The story is well known; 2 groups of children take to the lake to sail, explore, rival and ultimately join together in their own fantasies of pirates, savages, ghosts and treasure.  What really set this production aside is the completely refreshing way that the set  and props gave the feeling that they too were derived from the childrens' imaginations.  Boats were not much more than skateboards with blue ribbons for the water, birds were cleverly fashioned from shears and bin bags while the view through a telescope was brilliantly mimicked with hoops and mini models but it only took a moment to trigger the now underused 'minds eye' and the stage disappeared and the Lake District took it's place.

Just as clever was the introduction of sound effects, again being done acoustically - the sound of the wind was generated by a traditional 'wheel and canvas', thunder was created by the biggest storm board I've seen and a crackling camp fire was amazingly done simply by clicking and clapping hands.

The cast, all quite grown up despite playing characters aging from 12 down to 'almost 8' worked really hard to make their parts believable children without being childish - the original story had all the kids display a great degree of strength of character which came from having the confidence to explore the countryside without fear or prejudice - quite different from the children of today.   Granted, there are few who would be happy to let 4 children sail out across a lake to a deserted island to camp, but lets not forget that this story is set very much in a time where the challenges of life were to be faced, and overcome, from the earliest of years.

Led by Richard Holt as Cptn John Walker (who perfectly carried the angst and responsibility of the 'man of the house' while his father was at sea and took his assumed place as the head of the camp with great importance) and with Katie Moore as Susan Walker (playing the 'surrogate mother' with a wonderful blend of practicality and tenderness), the 'children' keep the story rattling along whilst the stage support and crew constantly demonstrate the unique improvisation for sound and visuals.   Adding to this, Akiya Henry and Stuart Wright (as Titty and Roger) who brought humour and comedy, again childlike, not childish. 

Two scenes stand out above all others - the midnight dream sequence which is reminiscent of a Faustian fantasy coupled with Pirates of the Caribbean, and the fun-packed audience participation of the final battle.  I guess that, in the grand scheme of things, this story has yet to be made into a Hollywood gloss movie, nor has it been subject to a BBC drama department make over so this production can keep true, and capture so much of the appeal and essence of the original - the fantasy of childrens' imaginations. 

If you have children of your own, or if you're an uncle or an aunt, then do yourselves a favour and take them to see this - they will probably be pleased for the invite, you will certainly be glad you did.

Swallows and Amazons is at the Darlington Civic until Saturday 10th March

On Golden Pond @ Darlington Civic

A heart-warming, genuine and sincere look at the autumn of life

It’s not very often that a play comes along for which I have no pre-conceived ideas.  Even less so when the story, and the film, has received such plaudits as Tony’s, Oscars and international acclaim but I can honestly say I had no clue what to expect when I settled down at the Civic to watch Ernest Thompson's 1979 play.

 The story, for any of the few who are as out of touch as I, centres around a married couple’s annual summer retreat to their lodge on Golden Pond.  There’s no dynamic plot, there’s no contrived drama or conflict but there is realness to the writing which just draws you in.  The audience was very varied but this play appeals to all ages; I took my daughter Jess and she related to the story just as easily as I did and those around us.  Those of a similar age to the characters will recognise themselves, those of my age can see their parents and for the youngsters in the seats (like Jess) they can see their grand-parents up there on stage.  Set with just one scene, the ambient sounds and great scenery very quickly draw you in and it’s easy to forget you’re sat in the theatre.

 The stars of the show, Stefanie Powers and Richard Johnson, deliver with consummate ease, the delightful story of a man, Norman, and wife, Ethel, who have grown so complete together that they have almost become as one.  It’s not just the finishing off of each others sentences, but more the unconditional acceptance they have for each other’s foibles, idiosyncrasies and traits.  Their lives have become intertwined and defined by their time on Golden Pond, and it is this which makes for a more acute awareness of the encroaching and indefatigable changes of old age.  All too often I found myself thinking, “Will we be like this in years to come” and my answer was a resounding “I hope so!”

 Simple things, like forgetting the way to the woods where they have walked for 40 years serve only too well to remind us all that our time here is but fleeting.  Norman, brilliantly played with ascorbic tongue and dismissive hand waves, is so consumed with his end of days that at first he seems very morbid, however as the play continues you can see inside the character and realise that his incessant fascination about dying is actually a front to deflect from his real fear of growing old with regrets.

 The introduction of their middle aged and slightly estranged daughter, Chelsea, (played by Elizabeth Carling) only serves to remind Norman that time is short and maybe he should ‘stop and smell the roses’ every now and then.  Of course, after 40 odd years, he is not going to simply drop his guard and proclaim love for the prodigal daughter, but an enforced encounter with her 14 yr old step son suddenly gives Norman more reason to live than he thought possible.

 This is a wonderful play on quite a short tour – if you get the chance go and lose yourself on Golden Pond, you’ll love it there

Save the Last Dance @ Darlington Civic

The music loving populous of Darlington have been very well treated recently, with David Essex last week and now a trip back into the sugar coated, popcorn smelling jukebox musical of the early 1960’s.  This latest offering from the Director & Producers who brought the massively successful nostalgia-fest of Dreamboats & Petticoats is another ‘lite’ tale wrapped around a never-ending soundtrack of bubblegum pop and teen angst blues.  The backstory of this show is that every song was penned by the same double act, Doc Pomus and Mort Shuman – not two of the best known names in songwriting but a pairing who undoubtedly sat behind some of the eras biggest and best known sing-a-long hits from across the pond.  Whilst this makes for a playlist of hit after hit, it does at the same time mean that a lot of the songs are quite samey with an  American high school focus.  With 25 tunes spanning the 2 acts, it can make for a whole lotta moms apple pie. 

The story is quite a simple one, a brief glimpse into the stereotypical idea of life for teenagers in the early 60’s – desperate for some excitement and being seduced by the lyrics and ideals of American pop.  The two main characters set off on a weeks holiday, sans parents, to the ‘glamorous’  Lowestoft where they fall into the holiday romance trap of the local US Air Force base and it’s resident band.  Cue lots of soul searching solos as the youngest sister falls in love with the lead singer of the band, a black airman who was hoping for more racial tolerance in the UK compared to his deep south roots.  The story aims at underage love, but shys away, it stares at racial discrimination, but blinks and of course, ends, as all good stories do – with a happy ending.  Maybe I am being too hard, the story most certainly plays second fiddle to the songs but at times it just seemed a little too ‘lite’ – the diet, low fat, decaf version.

The two lead girls played their roles well; Megan Jones as Marie, the younger sister, played “love-struck” with the same wide eyed innocence seen from a young Haley Mills whilst Hannah Fredrick, as the older Jennifer’ had a sassy edge, but both are still a little ‘too’ nice & innocent to honestly believe they wouldn’t have ran a mile rather than take a lift from an unknown American airman.  What was very evident was that Hannah was clearly enjoying her time on stage and despite her character playing second to the younger sister, her scenes probably stood out more.  The resident airforce band can really play well, capturing the sound & style of the songs and ensuring that there was enough originality to know you’re not just listening to a recording.  At times the sound mixing meant that the vocals were in danger of being drowned out by the backing, but on the whole the audience, who were very obviously fans of the era, loved it.  I must just add that Graham Weaver who played Carlo, an Italian Brummie from Wolverhampton (with a very funny accent to boot) probably stole any ensemble performance – a great dancer, an amazing falsetto voice and according to quite a few sat around me, an excellent reason to stare !

What disappointed me was the portrayal that only American pop was being listened to by the teens of the time; there was a missed opportunity to show the two girls listening to the British hits of the day whilst still at home and then almost discovering the American tunes at the same time as finding the American base & band.  I know it was only a story, and basing it completely on the writings of Pomus & Shuman was a large part of the appeal, but by the end I had a real hankering for something more gritty, more real, more British – maybe I had just had a little too much apple pie.

All the Fun of The Fair @ Darlington Civic

The original TOWIE factor in Darlington

I was too young to really be a part of the original David Essex fan club (honest) - I know of his hits from radio play rather than fandom, I am aware of his forays into 80's TV & film by research rather than viewings, so, apart from him playing the Artillery Man in the timeless classic Jeff Waynes War of the Worlds, I would have to confess to being aware of Mr Essex's talents rather than being a devotee.  But, given the evidence of the Civic audience last night, not only is the Essex Factor still alive and kicking, his fans, all be them, like the man himself, a little greyer & a little older, are still held in his glow.

Penned, in part, by David himself, the show is a story centred around a traditional travelling fairground.  With more than a passing nod to the first half of Carousel, it is a tale of families, forbidden attraction and unrequited love wrapped up with plenty of drama and all played out to the soundtrack of classic David Essex songs.  There are a number of layers to this onion of a show; some very bouncy & upbeat, some quite touching & heartwarming and a few which are certainly dark, sombre & sad.  I dare say that the story would stand on its own without the songs, and, even (at the risk of incurring the wrath of my mum & the rest of the audience) could work very well without the man himself - that's not meant to detract from the main attraction but to acknowledge that the strength of production, writing & choreography makes for a very entertaining show in it's own right. 

Of course the audience really turn up to see Mr Essex and hear his songs so it's a great testament that All the Fun of The Fair resists the failings of many Jukebox Musicals to simply shoe horn in musical numbers just to swell the play list.  The songs all add to the flow of the story with very little adjustment of lyric or tone; it was quite impressive how some took on a completely unique feel when sang within the context of the characters' lives.

David Essex is very much aware that he is the main attraction.  When he takes to the stage he carries a presence, an aura which is very much 'all eyes on me' - not that he demands it but that he commands it - and why not, his voice still has the smokey, sultry tones mildly veiling an impish mischief.  It is obvious that some of the writing has been adapted to play to the expected audience responses (pausing for the wolf whistles & cat calls when he first appears, reminiscing to his pop star appearances) but he admirably resists making this simply a David Essex concert.  He is very generous in giving some of his biggest hits to other parts in the show - I thought that this worked very well and ensured that the supporting cast weren't marginalised to being backing singers.  Of course, there were some in the audience who were disappointed that he didn't perform every song of his back catalogue but that's why his CDs still sell in their thousands every year. 

Key standout performances included Louise English (Rosa), the gypsy fortune teller who has a mesmerising voice.  She opens the show with a haunting version of A Winters Tale which hints at the depths and darkness which lies beneath the surface of the central 'love story'. David Burrows (Harvey) plays the cockney father - an 'Arfur Daley type of wide boy - with a very powerful performance.  His portrayal of the dilemma of protecting his teenage daughter from herself but still trying to give her enough freedom to prevent outright rebellion was played perfectly - strong enough to hold belief but light enough to recognise this was a musical and not a Kafkaesque melodrama.
  

The choreography is clean, fun & makes great use of the Darlington stage.  There are a few routines where we seemed to be watching some bizarre gender reversal, as the seemingly butch & manly gypsy lads performed pirouettes, umbrella & balloon dances and lifted each other while the girls stood as the backing rhythm - not sure why as it did look a little too contrived - but the clever use of props and the additional background sounds of funfairs soon restored the magic.

So if you are a David Essex fan then you should already have bought your tickets - if you're a musical fan, or just a fan of good music, then roll up, roll up and enjoy all the fun of the fair - all that's missing is the smell of hot dogs & onions.

Cinderella Panto @ Darlington Civic with Jimmy Cricket

It's panto time and as befits the age old tradition, Darlington Civic have once again produced a classic, fun-packed evening for the whole family.  This years festive frolic is Cinderella, and whilst the story stays true to the tried & trusted tale, the writing, the jokes and in particular the music really brings things up to date.

I'm sure I don't need to tell you the plot, nor do I need explain the premise of a panto; all the favourites are present - the Ugly Sisters to boo at, Buttons and his unrequited love for Cinders, a Fairy Godmother to make sure the night goes well and of course The Prince & Cinderella for a happy ever after.  This production however also makes sure that there is a little extra for everyone - Jimmy Cricket does what he does best, his little solo interludes keep the audience (and in particular the kids) on a high as the stage and costumes change, The Prince & Dandini share a few subtle under jokes which only the adults in the audience will get and, for the Dads & Grandads, there is almost a burlesque appeal to the adult dancers with saucy maids and risque villagers.

The show starts quite slow with each main character having a brief intial cameo to introduce themselves before the story really starts.  Jimmy Cricket and Dawson Chance are both needed to keep the kids focussed and then we are treated to a couple of songs (blending modern pop classics with some Disney faves) before heading into the main plot. 

Stage Left - Emmerdale's Deena Payne as the Fairy Godmother revels in the role as guardian, guide and mischief maker (while occasionally giving us a glimpse of a 'great pair of pins') while giving the FGM a certain class & style.  She leads off on two of the shows great songs (fans of Glee will be in heaven) and whilst she's no X-Factor finalist, she more than holds her own.

Stage Right - Adam C Booth as Buttons and really the chief cheerleader - all the standard panto refrains come from Buttons and Adam plays to the kids perfectly.  His besotted dotage on Cinders does occasionally border on the slightly creepy (he's her life long friend but I still believe he wouldn't think twice about sneaking a peek !) but as always Buttons comes through as the dependable buddy.  Adam is a seasoned Panto actor and it shows, his timing is perfect - he knows just how to allow the audience to react and then get settled before going on with the tale.

Centre stage - Prince Charming (Ray Quinn from Brookside and X Factor finalist) proves that he's got the lot - he can dance, he can certainly sing and he can act, though a cheeky rascal scouse Prince Charming was a first for me.  In fact I'd go so far as to say that Ray is perfect for Panto, talent in abundance and the boyish good looks that will keep young fans enthralled and their older sisters in raptures.  Emma Stephens as Cinderella is stunning; she is beautiful, a very talented dancer and again another great singer.  Her Cinders has the right blend of innocence coupled with genuine beauty which is quintessential to the role.  Emma's biopic in the programme suggests that to date her career has been solely on the stage, hopefully she will tour again next year as I believe this young star has a very promising career.

Lurking in the wings - The Ugly Sisters - the favourite bad (taste) guys/girls.  Brian Godfrey and Darren Southworth play these two almost too well - they both look mighty fine in frocks and seem very comfortable in the huge range of outlandish costumes, wigs and accompaniments that make them look like Lady Gaga's rejected stage ideas.  Brian sounds like Grandad from Only Fools & Horses, which, for true authenticity, is probably the best voice for an ugly sister - unlike other panto 'Dames' (Jack's Mum or Widow Twankee) these two are never meant to be anything other than guys in bad drag and they work so well together. 

The script is tight but the cast are comfortable enough to react to the audience - in fact when Ray Quinn realised that most of us were taking the mick out of his Scouse accent he played to it and encouraged even more ribbing.  It really looks like the whole production team are having fun and why wouldn't they - they've got a great show, a great run (I'm sure it will prove to be one of Darlington's best supported pantos despite the current economic climate) and the wonderful staff of Darlington Civic to look after them.

Christmas is only round the corner but take a tip from me; have a treat early, take your family and go and get lost in the Britishness of panto, Carry-On jokes, saucy dancers and a beautiful Cinderella - you deserve it !