Blood Brothers Theatre Royal

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 40 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.

Paula Tappenden (Blood Brothers super star, Wind in the Willows, Wizrd of Oz) 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.  Paula 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 and this was borne out by the sight at the very end with the audience giving a tear streaked standing ovation.

The chalk to Mrs J's cheese, Mrs Lyons was played by the wonderful Grace Galloway  (Di and Viv and Rose, Chess the Musical ) - brilliant acted as the over protective, self obsessed snob who cannot bear to accept her part in the ultimate tragedy of the story.  Grace's portrayal of middle aged Mrs L belies her own youth and is great testament to her acting skills.

Of course, the story is not just Mrs Johnston vs Mrs Lyons, the rest of the cast are stella in their delivery too.  Robbie Scotcher (Miss Saigon, Footloose, Anything Goes) 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.  

Josh Capper (Alladin, The Turnip Field) as Micky and Joel Benedict (a previous Blood Brothers Alumni) as Eddie have great chemistry and play off each other like brothers always do.  In particular, Josh'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 (another previous BB star as well as Janet in Rocky Horror Show) 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 Mrs J takes centre stage as the linchpin of the story, Danielle as Linda is the perfect foil to remind the audience that this is not a one dimensional story about the boys.

A special mention to Daniel Taylor (Brookside, Game On, The Bill and countless wonderful stage shows) as rebellious renegade Sammy - totally believable as the dangerous rogue, very threatening.

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 - a wonderful release from the difficult times we've been through - give yourself permission to cry with everyone else.

The Cat and The Canary

Suspense and intrigue returned to Darlington Hippodrome last night and it was a solid 3 star show.

Continuing to build on the long success of The Agatha Christie Theatre Company, Bill Kenwright’s Classic Thriller Theatre Company (Rehearsal For Murder, Judgement in Stone and The Lady Vanishes), returns with their latest chilling whodunit, the creepy comedy thriller The Cat and the Canary, written by John Willard and Directed by Roy Marsden.

Set in an old mansion, it is the tale of estranged family members brought together 20 years after the patriarch’s death to hear the reading of his will, and more importantly to them, find out who will inherit the vast fortune he left behind.

Of course, when there’s money involved initial bon amie turns to greed and we watch as plots are written, schemes concocted and true feelings uncovered.  There’s no shortage of shocks, as well as some laugh out loud moments, all played in a wonderful set which becomes more claustrophobic as the night continues.

Heading up the cast is silver screen and Bond-girl legend Britt Ekland, playing Mrs Pleasant, the housekeeper. Mrs Pleasant has lived alone in the house since the former owners demise and is now as part of the fabric of the building as the bookcases and creaking stairs. Britt is a perfect balance of seldom being centre stage yet ominously ever present and oozes Hollywood style.

Starring alongside Ms Ekland is singer-songwriter, actor and former member of 00’s boy band Blue, Antony Costa who has wonderful comedic timing and plays the apparent hapless vet, Paul, perfectly.

Tracy Shaw, best known for her long-running role as Maxine Peacock in Coronation Street is the debonair author Annabelle and the story’s heroine.  Her performance commands attention, shining out through the auditorium with star appeal and at times carrying the plot on her own.

They are joined by West End leading lady Marti Webb (Evita and Tell Me on A Sunday) as Aunt Susan; Gary Webster, (Family Affairs and Ray Daley opposite George Cole in ITV’s Minder) as Harry; Classic Thriller Theatre Company veteran Ben Nealon (Soldier Soldier) as actor Charlie, and Eric Carte (Bouquet of Barbed Wire) as Crosby, the Lawyer and family solicitor.

As a horror/drama/comedy this is a great opening to the Hippodrome’s Autumn season, very entertaining and a lovely return to live theatre.

Tickets are on sale https://www.darlingtonhippodrome.co.uk/whats-on/The-Cat-and-the-Canary#booking

Rocky Horror Show

 

“…I am a regular Frankie Fan”

If there is a better way to welcome back the crowds to live theatre then I have yet to see it.  This version of Rocky Horror Show, directed by Chris Luscombe and brilliantly lit by Nick Richings, brings all the camp goth horror rock that fans of the show demand, yet makes it still very accessible to any ‘virgins’ viewing for the very 1^st time; the in jokes, the audience heckles and cast responses land perfectly but don’t alienate those who are viewing the greatest rock horror musical with fresh eyes.

The story; lost couple Brad Majors (Ore Oduba) and his new fiancé Janet Weiss (Haley Flaherty) stumble upon a castle inhabited by ghouls, aliens, dead bikers, creatures and of course, Frank N Furter (Stephen Webb) –an egotistical megalomaniac with a proclivity for shiny things – basques, whips, oiled torsos.  Ably supported by his minions – Riff Raff (Kristian Lavercombe), Magenta (Suzie McAdam) and Columbia (Lauren Ingram) Frank corrupts the two lovebirds and so begins a night of debauchery which leaves them questioning their previously held values, their sanity and, who knows, perhaps life itself.

Ore Oduba as Brad is wonderful; brilliant comedic timing, character acting of the highest order and a powerful, yet vulnerable singing voice (especially during Once in your Life).  His musical theatre star has risen very quickly, debuting in Curtains opposite Jason Manford just a few years ago and now delivering one of the best Brad’s ever.

Guiding the way through this smorgasbord of sin is our narrator, a role which has, in itself, become as central to the evening's enjoyment as any of the leads.  Philip Franks embraces the tradition of breaking the 4^th wall, engaging with the audience and expecting their heckles (most of which are, in themselves traditional).  Franks adds in topical and current reference prompting much laughter and additional ribbing – Brexit, the cabinet, the economy and current social media trends are all cleverly woven into his responses to the delight of the audience.

Any production of RHS is a guarantee of a great night.  Over the years the levels of greatness have varied but with this current tour, the experience the cast have, and with the brilliance of Brad and in particular the narrator, there is a 5 star gold seal on top.

Rocky Horror Show is at Sunderland Empire until Saturday 25^th September.

Contains mature themes, flashing lights, rock music, blood, sex, partial nudity, funny one liners, feathers, whips, corsets, aliens, audio-vibratory-physio-molecular transport devices, naïve charm and plenty of muscle.

Educating Rita at Theatre Royal

 

The Student becomes the Master

This most recent tour of Willy Russell’s timeless classic, Educating Rita, comes to a final close this week at Newcastle’s Theatre Royal, a fitting location for local lead Jessica Johnson’s graduation.

Since April 2017 when Jess played Rita at the Gala, Durham, she has taken the role of Rita to be very much her own.  Of course, the immortal genius of Russell’s writing creates a landscape in which actors have freedom to develop, but having seen this incarnation a number of times over the past 4 years, it is Johnsons’s own development that is just as impressive as the journey the titular Rita takes.  Always confident in the role, there was added depth and strength to last night’s performance borne from the brilliant on-stage chemistry and Jess’s commitment to her craft.

The story is well known and much loved; Rita wants to change her mundane life, breakaway from the cultural expectations of her family, peers, husband and feed her desire to learn and grow.  She embarks on an English Literature OU course and, paired with disillusioned (and often drunk) professor Frank (the incomparable Stephen Tompkinson), she discovers the classics, Shakespeare, poetry and critical thinking.  As much as Rita grows, Frank shrinks into his bottles of well hidden scotch, ruing his own lost passions and resenting the freedom and possibilities Rita now uncovers.  His descent into self-pity is akin to Victor Frankenstein’s love and then hatred for his monster – it is not the monster’s fault it became what the Dr created, nor is it Rita’s fault Frank gave her the freedom to think for herself, which he then struggles to accept.

As is to be expected with a Russell masterpiece, the wit and comedic observations are packed into this 2 hander, juxtaposed against the still current social constraints of ‘change is bad’ and ‘know your place’.  The great set (Franks study, filled with dusty books, student papers and the afore mentioned bottles of booze) is both claustrophobic to Frank and enlightening to Rita; what are his prison walls are her gates to freedom, and even his impending trip to Australia (due to an unfortunate, drunken incident with the Bursar) does little to break him from his captive mindset. 

It may be a long time before we again get to see such wonderful on-stage unity from 2 actors totally immersed in their art.  Don’t miss out on this final leg of the tour. 

Thank you Jessica and Stephen for a wonderful journey and who knows, perhaps Mr Russell could be tempted to write a follow up - Rita the Teacher anyone?

Masons - the Very Best of Yorkshire in a glass

 

Sitting in the heartland of North Yorkshire, Masons Distillery is currently a local secret, but it is destined to become a national treasure.  The pandemic may have brought more attention to local produce makers, farmers and crafters, but Masons was here before all of them and already has a pedigree to rival the very best.

We came for a Friday afternoon tour of the Bedale/Northallerton plant, expecting a quite functional manufacturing still and over priced gift shop as often befits the ‘craft brewers’ who have suddenly popped into Google Maps.  Instead we found a welcoming, sharing, almost embracing feeling that we had been brought into someone’s cottage garden, nursery, hatchery where the love of the produce far out-weighs the commercial sterilisation of so many other breweries/distilleries.

The story of Masons is a modern day fairytale – a couple who, after being offered a G&T for lunch instead of the usual aperitif, realised that perhaps others would enjoy the cool, crisp taste and limitless combinations  that gin can offer.  And so, Masons gin was born.  I make lite of the countless hours of development, trying to push a once believed ‘cheap’ ruin, and stand aside from the other ‘mom and pop’ businesses; Mason’s is strong; as rounded and as complex as ALL the other major players in the ever-bourgeoning Gin market but with a very unique element – they are LOCAL.  They use local providers, employ local people, celebrate local identity and, as someone from Darlington, they make me proud to declare my heritage.

Our tour began with a complimentary G&T (what else) before the wonderful Jody Craddock (who must have the 2^nd best job in the world) gave us a history lesson into the origins and life-cycle of gin as w know it.  We were then treated to  tour of the distilling process, including making acquaintances with Mason’s 2 stills.

The fascination didn’t stop with the brewing; we were then given access to the secret lair of their master flavouroroligst (name withheld to protect his identity) who spends his days exploring new ingredients to find the best next mix.  If his job isn’t THE best for a gin lover then I don’t know what else to ad (short of Brad Pitt as your lab mate).

The tour was concluded with a blind taste test of Mason’s finest; can you tell your Lavender from your Orange Zest, your Cardamom from your All Spice?  The tasting session was amazing; I thought I had a discernible palette but under Jody’s expert guidance (she used to buy tea for Yorkshire Tea so she must know what she’s doing) I could taste so many more flavours and nuances that I’d thought possible.

Of course, we had to end the visit buying some gin, and some wonderful new glasses (all at great prices, no hiking for the tourists).

We left Mason’s having enjoyed our tour, sampled some new flavours and, more importantly, having a new found appreciation of the work and research that goes into producing gin; a local gin, a World Class gin.

If you fancy a tour of a real gin distillery, get to see behind the scenes of making a new flavour or listen to the amazing story of how gin has evolved over the years (thanks Jody) then pop yourself over here - 

https://www.masonsofyorkshire.com/pages/gin-experiences