Work in progress – Ginger in the Theatre

Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Iran – REVIEW

Omnibus Theatre, London

★★★★

Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Iran

Omnibus Theatre, London

Reviewed by Jade Prince

Seen March 10th, 2019

★★★★

I can review it this time round! In March 2018, I was invited to see a script-in-hand performance of ‘Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Iran‘. It was in its very early stages but even at that point it was well established. A year later, we got to see the development.

To give you an overview, ‘Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Iran‘ tells Orla’s (Siobhan O’Kelly) story. A heartbreakingly beautiful account of her 6 week trip to Iran in 2010 told upon a Soho club stage in the present day. A story of a completely different country with completely different laws and, more importantly, a completely different view on women. Where control on its people, cultural practices and the arts is valued above anything else.

The show is set up with a dual aspect; two stories intertwining with each other. One part consists of the scenes that played out on Orla’s trip to Iran. The second part taking place on a Soho club’s opening night. Although I really enjoyed this dual story aspect, I couldn’t help but feel it was very confusing at some points. The whole staging of the show has undergone major development however the subtle light changes didn’t send a strong enough signal of a scene change to the audience. There are parts of the script that change very suddenly and myself, as an audience member, started focusing on where we were instead of the powerful words being said.

The script itself was a little slow and took its time to build momentum. You really need to hang in there because the message it conveys is so powerful. Some of the monologues really put the brutal truth into perspective. Highlighting the awful things that still occur in this world but also still provide that glimmer of hope.

I applaud Sam Wilde and Elizabeth Harper for the set design. Simple yet in keeping with the story. Something I loved about the script-in-hand performance was the intimacy. I mentioned that it was like being told the story in someones living room. This time it was the complete opposite. But it kinda worked. The cabaret club set still felt intimate but gave the impression of a grander establishment. It did detract from the intimacy however it gave the performance more authenticity.

Dotted throughout the show are some small cabaret numbers performed by Mark (Nathan Kelly). It is only fitting to have a few cabaret numbers in a Soho drag cabaret club! It’s what you’d expect although they were so cleverly worked into the story. A seamless transition from London to Iran and vice versa bringing a constant reminder of the art that would face corporal punishment in one of those countries.

Reading back over my post from a year ago, I still hold all those views.

Something is telling me this show will go far. It’s still got some work however the foundations are there and I am all for supporting this!

The show is a political statement and it hits some tender nerves.

Definitely worth seeing and having on your radar.

‘Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Iran’ is at the Omnibus Theatre until March 24th 2019. Tickets and more information on the show can be found here.

Eros – REVIEW

Eros

White Bear Theatre, London

★★★1/2

Eros

White Bear Theatre, London

Seen September 9th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★1/2

The 1990s was a decade which welcomed in many things. The computer was one that had the biggest impact. Like anything, it had its pros and cons. It improved accessibility to the world, giving people the feeling of acceptance and a purpose when in reality the thoughts of these were a distance truth. But with this accessibility came the ability to exploit. The improvement of technology meant that camera were also improving and the time between capturing the image to viewing it in its printed form were drastically decreased. Sexploitation began to have an ever bigger presence.

The story follows the lives of Ross and Kate. Both stagnant in life. Ross unknowingly running from his past and Kate trying to find closure.

I want to say this show has depth however I don’t think this is possible. While the writing was enjoyable most of the time, there were times when the pace dropped. Complete scenes which never seemed to develop and left the audience asking more questions than they had before.

Focusing on pass behaviours eventually catching up with you despite how fast you run and the facade you create. Ross is a mellowing, middle-aged man doing exactly this. Escaping from his past which left a photographic imprint in his mind. A lifetime of guilt and regret. Until the past enters through his failing business’s door, a female ghost of those days, Kate.

I’m still rather unsure what Kate’s intentions were. This was not made clear. I believe this aspect of the play needed working on the most in order to allow the audience to make up their mind on how they felt about Kate. It was also a little ambiguous as to how Terri aided the story. Was she there to represent the naivety of the young?

The writing of the script was fairly good. As perviously mentioned, the majority of it had a good pace with some witty parts. Unfortunately, what let it down was how it seemed the need to acquire a couple of ‘cheap’ laughs. It heavily relied on the mention of well-known towns around the Staines and Twickenham area to make the audience laugh. Don’t get me wrong, it worked, however people will always smile/chuckle when something resonates with them in that context.

Overall, this was relatively enjoyable despite the flaws. It is clear it is in the early stages of its development and I will be interested in seeing where this goes in the future. Next time I hope the synopsis is a little more vague so the reveal of Ross’s past life is more of a shock.

GUY! A New Musical – REVIEW

King’s Head Theatre, London

★★★★

GUY! A New Musical

King’s Head Theatre, London

Seen August 31st, 2018

Reviewed by Mark Sykes

★★★★

This musical is about Guy, an overweight millennial gay man and his search for true love. Played by Brendan Matthew, Guy thinks he doesn’t fit into the gay community and his struggles to find the right partner provides the focus for this story. He shares an apartment with Tyler (Steve Banks) and the relationship goes through a number of ups and downs; friendship troubles emanating from Guy setting up a fake profile on the dating app Grindr using Tyler’s picture. Tyler’s distant partner (Adam Braidley) sees the picture, assumes Tyler is on the latter’s ongoing conquest to find love.

Meanwhile, Guy has decided to lose a few pounds in the hope that a fitter body will make him more attractive and therefore easier to find a suitable partner. It is this storyline where Guy meets Aziz (Seann Miley-Moore), a young, fit, good-looking man of whom Guy thinks someone like that would never fall in love with him. In a way, they are a bit of an ‘odd-couple’, but actually have much more in common than each of them initially realise. Their friendship blossoms, but Guy is afraid to take it to the next level for fear of scaring Aziz away. This causes its own problems when Aziz reaches forward for that first kiss; Guy’s self-doubt and insecurities come crashing down on their relationship and it’s then a question of whether or not things can be retrieved or are their irreconcilable differences?

There only four actors in this show and Brendan Matthew shows admirable qualities as he remains on stage for pretty much the whole of the two hour show, portraying Guy’s qualities and inner demons well. Special mention though goes to Seann Miley-Moore who gave a captivating performance and was seriously impressive.

This was my first visit to the King’s Head Theatre. It’s a very small venue, albeit with a surprisingly wide stage. The intimate setting actually worked well for this show, and with only four actors there was plenty of space for them to express themselves. The staging was simple; no scenery as such, just a few props on stage; but this didn’t detract from the storyline. More so, it puts more emphasis on the dialogue and the acting, with no peripheral frills to be concerned with.

There was a sharpness to the script and lyrics, with some cutting one-liners expertly delivered by the cast. Being slightly critical though, I did feel that parts of the dialogue were a bit contrived and some of the scenes in between the 14 songs could perhaps do with a bit of trimming so as to maintain the momentum of the overall show. My only other criticism is that there were a couple of scenes where it wasn’t clear (to me at least!) whether the dialogue taking place was a virtual conversation or a physical one.

Overall, this modern love story serves as a reminder of the dangers of social media. A reliance on a virtual world of the Internet and dating apps to build relationships and to find ‘the one’, is not necessarily a path to success – especially when all may not be as it seems. For anyone though, gay or otherwise, Guy’s tale can serve as a reminder to us all to look in the mirror, accept yourself for who you are, and don’t try to become something you can never be. Embrace your own qualities, focus on the positives and be proud of YOU!

Fat Jewels – REVIEW

Fat Jewels

The Hope Theatre, London

Seen July 6th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★

In the heart of a South Yorkshire council estate lies a lonely and dangerous newly evolving, manipulative friendship. Two repressed characters fighting their own demons. One night they start therapy. Therapy to help Pat (Hugh Train) as he is helplessly overcome by dark, violent thoughts. This therapy conveniently masks Danny’s (Robert Walters) own issues. This controlling piece will demand your attention.

The whole concept was great and it evoked many emotions. I started sympathising with the characters and then this feeling changed to disgust with something one of them said. This turned to laughter and then I found myself on the fence not knowing which side to take but in the end I was rooting for Pat whilst also feeling really sorry for Danny.

This is a very captivating show. I really enjoyed it. It was a rollercoaster but a very stable rollercoaster of emotions and intensity. It was spot on! I do love a dark comedy and some of the one liners were fab. A couple of the life analogies very nearly resulted in belly laughter! I did hope it would be funnier but I feel that was partly on the audience. There were not a lot of us there. When that happens, people get very worried about starting the laughter for fear of being the only person laughing. I’d love to see this with a full house. I image it’ll be a completely different show!

Robert Walter’s performance had me on the edge of my seat. From the onset, you could see the sexual predator in him. His glare towards Pat in those first scenes conveyed so many different aspects of his personality. My psychology brain was making an appearance and I could see the fatherly love towards Pat but also the sexual attraction and the controlling desire.

Hats off to Robert Walters and Hugh Train for delivering that performance. I saw it on a very quiet night with very few people in the audience but they kept the energy level consistent throughout and delivered an entrancing performance Both needing someone regardless of how they created the friendship.

For 70 minutes you are surrounded by the undeniable sense of loneliness and smell of battered sausage and chips. It is slightly overwhelming! You will be craving greasy sausage and chips on the way home.

I urge you to see this piece. Beautifully crafted with such a wonderful script. There is a lot more to be seen with this play. I would be really intrigued to to see other piece from the writer, Joseph Skelton.

Fat Jewels is at The Hope Theatre until July 21st. This isn’t one to miss. Tickets are £15 (£12 concession). More information and tickets can be found here.

The Secret Letters of Gertie and Hen – REVIEW

New Wimbledon Studios, London

★★★

The Secret Letters of Gertie and Hen

New Wimbledon Studios, London

Seen April 7th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★

A very sweet yet harrowing tale of two ten year old girls. Two ten year old girls , very similar but worlds apart. All due to their country of origin. After years of friendship and hundreds of letters back and forth they are soon to learn this must cease. They are now considered enemies but association. World War 2 has broken out.

‘The Secret Letters of Gertie and Hen’ has finished workshopping and held two private previews ahead of their launch and short run in November 2018 at the New Wimbledon Studios.

If I am completely honest, the first act was enjoyable. I wouldn’t say that it completely wowed me but I do believe there is definitely potential. It is a rather unique story. A story which I actually really like. It is not one we hear very often. We finally get to hear from the female’s point of view. Those who were left behind. So frequently we only get to hear the male take on events. With the character list being rather extensive you do get to see a lot of other view points too.

It is also nice having such a range of topics covered in one play. It covers love, politics, loss and friendship to name a few. Yet despite the amount of topics covered it doesn’t feel crowded. There were a few scene which I felt didn’t add or detract from the story and actually dragged out the first act a little. Apart from this the other scenes were still really engaging. I was not expecting the drastic turn of events at the end of act 1. That is definitely something which I feel will bring the audience back after the interval. I personally was gutted I couldn’t stay to see act 2 and now have to wait until November to see the full thing! Once the ‘drastic change’ started it was easy to predict what would happen next. I just hope the rest of the show isn’t like that.

Script wise, it was very strong. I felt a few of the intense scenes seemed to escalate very quickly with no between group. One minute the character are just talking and the next an argument is taking place. There was no development on that showing the lead up to the that. I think in a few cases the script wasn’t the issue, it was more the direction given.

Seeing as the show will continue at the same venue in November, I feel that it is important to comment of the set up and direction. I really liked the fact that levels were used. It was nice to have each family in their own performance space. Very rarely they overlapped. It was a rather small cast considering the amount of characters and it was handled well. In November it would be nice to see a slightly larger cast so that the roles aren’t doubled up. But I can’t fault how it was handled in these previews.

It was a nice touch not having a restricted performance space and various routes were used to enter and exit the stage.

I personally felt that the scene changes were very brief. At some points it didn’t feel like there was any pause. It just went from one scene straight into the other. As an audience member I don’t feel like in those moments I had a chance to process the previous scene.

I honestly do look forward to seeing this in full come November. It definitely does have potential. A unique take on events which I believe will draw the audience in. With a little tweaking and polishing, this could be great!

Be sure to follow The Key Theatre Company on twitter for more information on their upcoming dates.

Myth – REVIEW

Myth

The Other Palace, London

★★★★

Myth

The Other Palace, London

Seen on March 16th, 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★

Okay, so this will have two parts. Two separate posts. One being a review of the most recent production at The Other Palace and the other being comments on the development. I managed to see the show back in 2016 at the Cockpit theatre when it was ’27’. I loved the show back then and still do today.

I will try my hardest to make this review as if it was my first encounter with the show.

This was a workshop run at The Other Palace.

For those not aware of this story, it is heavily based on Ancient Greek mythology. More specifically Orpheus and his encounter with the underworld. As the rock score would imply it is a modern rendition of this historical tale.

This is most definitely a darker show in comparison to those in London currently. It touches on the very difficult topic of mental health. It perfectly represents how mental health is overlooked and how when it is identified, all attention goes to that one person drawing focus away from those also suffering. This is something that occurs so often.

Orpheus is the lead character struggling with a huge life change, being propelled to stardom. The audience are shown his ways of coping which are detrimental to his life, health, friends and family. An even darker turn is that all of this had been decided before hand. The fates knew exactly what they were doing.

The vocals were outstanding. Oh my goodness. That cast is so talented. The harmonies and power. They tore the roof off the theatre. Some standouts were definitely Eloise Davies (Clotho, a fate), Jodie Jacobs (Atropos, another fate), Joel Harper-Jackson (Orpheus) and Zoe Birkett (Miss. M) That’s not to say the rest of the cast weren’t on fire because they most certainly were. It’s been a long time since I’ve seen a cast of that standard. Not a single weak link.

Although I really enjoyed the show there were a few things which I noted which could’ve been improved and with it being a workshop feedback is needed to develop it into the wonderful show it could be. I believe there is a lot of improvement to be had with the script. As previously stated, the whole concept of the show is very unique. I just felt parts of the script fell flat. One particular scene was about halfway through act 1 when Orpheus meets Hades in the underworld. That scene was very dragged out and I even found myself losing interest and willing the next number to come along.

I really struggled with the names. I know that they are all Ancient Greek mythology related which is very in keeping. I just really struggled remembering them and therefore making connections with the characters. Obviously having such an emotional show I feel it should be important to put memorable names to faces. I had no issues with some names such as Mel, Miss. M, Pandora, Orpheus (obviously!) and Hades. The main characters. But if you were to ask me what the other minor characters were called, I wouldn’t be able to tell you.

One thing I like about The Other Palace is that the performance is not restricted to the stage. Throughout the show the stairs were uses (not too great if your back was facing said stairs) and characters actually sat in spare seats in the audience. There was a chat show scene where this worked so well.

Something which really got to me emotionally was the final number. The main stage was used but also the stairs of the theatre. One was a happy image and one was sad but you could choose which one you wanted to watch. I am not too sure why that blew my mind but it was a really nice touch. This also links to the chat show scene. It is nice to have the choice in what you watch although the whole story is still present. Easily missed behaviours and actions are noticed which add so much more to your understanding of the show.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show. Outstanding music with a great plot. I really need a cast recording ASAP!

I really do think that I have found my favourite new musical. The whole concept is incredible. I can really see it being mega when everything is where it needs to be. I am beyond excited to see how this show develops even further in the future and endeavour to be there every step of the way!

Part two of this post is linked here were you can see some of my thought on developmental changes which have been made since 2016.

Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Modern Iran (Script-in-hand performance)

Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Modern Iran

A new play written and directed by Sarah Chew

The Omnibus Theatre, Clapham, London

Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Modern Iran

A new play written and directed by Sarah Chew

The Omnibus Theatre, Clapham, London

Seen March 16th, 2018

Written by Jade Prince

— This will not be a review but more of an experience and a jot down of all my thoughts. I will not take into account the set or anything that will change from production to production. I will be mainly focusing on the script and its content. It seems unfair to publish a review on something which is so early on in its development. —

Beyond Boarders is a mini-season at The Omnibus Theatre which displays work from female theatre writers who all share the same focus of intercultural communication and collaboration. They all aim to raise awareness on the exclusions (both personal and political) faced by different cultures and ethnicities. The sole focus of this mini-season is Britain and the Middle East. Beyond Boarders is made up of five different shows, one of which we got to see.

Part of Beyond Boarders, the script-in-hand performances of ‘Lipstick: A Fairy Tale of Modern Iran’ tells the story of Orla who ends up slap bang in the middle of the revolution in Iran. Raising so many questions about the things she witnessed and experienced. A unique new piece of theatre which is half theatre and half drag cabaret. It is also important to note that all of this was inspired by Sarah Chew’s own time in Iran back in 2010.

To say this is a work in progress and the team have been working on it for only two weeks it was pretty spectacular!

The whole concept was heartbreakingly beautiful. Orla, attempting to understand exactly what she saw during her 6 weeks in Iran. A completely different country with completely different laws and more importantly a completely different view on women. The perfect place for a feminist to witness and experience first hand. Witness and experience she sure did.

The script was initially slow and I found it a little uncomfortable how the audience were addressed to start with. Orla is actually telling you, the audience, the story but despite the initial uncomfort, it actually worked so well as the play progressed. If it had been a more intimate venue I would have felt like she was retelling the story in her living room. I would actually have cried then!

It really hit a tender nerve as is was brutal truth. We all know these awful things are happening in the world and more specifically the segregation between male and female in Iran however we as society are never given the full truth. It is always exaggerated or censored. One extreme to another. It was definitely something else hearing a first person encounter. It was wonderful but at the same time hard to swallow.

The music choice was so fitting. It really helped move the story along but at the same time the background music added that extra element of emotion which did actually cause me to tear up towards the end. The combination of the way the audience were addressed, the content being spoken and the music. It is incredible how a bit of music can have such a drastic impact on dialogue and the overall emotion.

One thing I wasn’t too sure about was the nudity. I don’t feel it was needed but then on the other hand it definitely shocked me. I had become so accustomed to seeing two beautiful women on stage that I had completely forgotten one was male. This was down to the fact the drag make-up was natural and not of the typical drag style. I did admire the way that this showed that gender was irrelevant and that we are all equal.

I did really like how Mark was utilised in helping to retell Orla’s story. Switching from character to character as they appeared and in my eyes providing that comic relief in such a hard hitting play.

This is a real political statement.

I will definitely be seeing this play again when it is next in London after further development. It is definitely a unique piece highlighting key issues faced in the world currently.

Treading Water – REVIEW

Treading Water

Vaults Festival, London

★★★★★

Treading Water

Vaults Festival, London

Seen on March 4th 2018

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★★

Screw it! I’m going all out and giving this one five stars. A beautifully touching piece of theatre with great humour.

The simple life of two lifeguards. Sue and Carol follow the same routine day in and day out. Their job to watch the world go by, the same view everyday. Including one gentleman who appears each morning like clock work. In a job where nothing very interesting happens, can Sue and Carol change that?

This was honestly such a cute play. I very rarely whip the world ‘cute’ out in my reviews but this deserves it 110%. It was so relatable on so many leaves and I really didn’t believe that awkwardness could look so cute! We have all definitely been in that situation where we have no idea how to approach someone you’re interested in. Should we do it Carol’s way of throwing it straight out there or Sue’s way of taking your time and trying to really understand that person? I fell in love with the three characters straight away which is such a huge achievement for a short play. Within less than an hour I wanted to hug all three of them.

The start of the play seemed very slow. A lot of observing the characters and their little, quirky behaviours. I really did like this aspect especially as I went in not knowing very much about the show. It had me feeling a little on edge and wondering what was going to happen but then I fell into the ‘comfort zone’. The kind of zone you’d associate with routine and structure. It was a beautiful feeling being at the same pace as the characters.

I absolutely adored Carol. We all have a friend like her. So blunt and providing such a wonderfully honest observation on life. This really pulled at my heart strings a little but it was so well balanced with humorous lines.

I have to admit that I was a little confused on the ages of the characters. Carol seemed to be in a very stale marriage (something that I would link with a middle-aged woman) while Sue seems very young and naive. Yet, at the same time then seemed to be very much the same age. It wasn’t anything that troubled me loads. I just distinctly remember having that question come to mind half way through the show.

It was just such a lovely, calm play highlighting so many subtle things in everyday life. No huge drastic plot changes or controversial topics but it worked so, so well whilst keeping an engaging speed. I just felt so refreshed as I left.

I predict big things for this show and I cannot wait to see it again.

Be sure to follow SubtlePaws on twitter for the latest updates on ‘Treading Water’ and their other shows: https://twitter.com/SubtlePaws?lang=en

Also follow ‘Treading Water’ writer, Kathryn Gardner: https://twitter.com/KathrynEGardner?lang=en

The Little Beasts (Workshop Production) – REVIEW

The Little Beasts (WORKSHOP PRODUCTION)

The Other Palace, London

★★★★

The Little Beasts (WORKSHOP PRODUCTION)

The Other Palace, London

Seen on July 15^th, 2017

Reviewed by Jade Prince

★★★★

I’m sure we have all wondered at some point ‘what happens to naughty children?’. Well, we may be one step closer to answering this as a new musical has put forward a possible suggestion, in the form of animals! The Little Beasts tells the story of a little girl called Sam (Laura Baldwin) who’s been overcome with selfishness and has a track record of running away. It only takes one coincidental meeting of the man in black (Sebastien Torkia) to highlight the error of her ways. His magical menagerie is filled with animals. But where did these animals come from and why is it a ‘magical’ menagerie?, linking back to our first question – ‘what happens to naughty children?’

It is important to remember that this is a work in progress so my experience may be different to others and this review will look at the concept of the show as a whole. Straight away I could see that this show has incredible potential! A great concept, with good staging and something that is enjoyable for the majority of the family. From the onset there is catchy music. Sometimes repetitive (especially with some numbers) however it will definitely leave the audience humming the tunes on the way home. I know I certainly did! I also found it really refreshing to see that the score was not filled with ‘children’s songs’ normally with the generic and predictable rhyming. This had some really clever rhyming system throughout.

Despite this work in progress being described as dark, the music definitely provides a different sound. Bar a few songs, the score had a jolly, upbeat feel. The show also proves to be very educational for younger audience members. Not only are they being shown the (imaginary) consequences of being naughty but there are also a few potentially unfamiliar words thrown in. What I really loved was how the definitions of these words were blended so seamlessly into the script.

All the way through, the show remained very engaging. I personally get very worried about going along to children’s theatre because if a child is not entertained it can become rather disruptive but all of the children in the audience seemed mesmerised by the show. I feel this is helped with some of the staging and use of The Other Palace. It was not just restricted to the stage. We had cast members coming down the stairs, actually sitting down in empty seats on the front row and even climbing over the rows! That part was very unexpected! I personally think that engaging with the audience is an important part of theatre (if appropriate for the show) and it was nice to see it in The Little Beasts but I feel it was overworked especially within the first part of act one. This was mainly by the man in black whose character gave me the impression of being a little over the top and almost like a ring master; this made it slightly more forgivable. The magical menagerie is his show and needs everything to be perfect whilst also remaining in complete control but you could see a few soft sides to him. He genuinely does want to help the children, in a slightly dark way.

The set was kept very simple but conveyed the different scenes well. We, the audience, could see the ‘stage’ setting for the magical menagerie but then with a few minor adjustments we were presented with cages. Another child-friendly element was the use of puppets. These are not your classical puppets though, they are a little grotesque! But this was very in keeping with the show by visually showing how naughty these children were. I thought it was very clever how each little beast represented a different ‘naughty’ behaviour which matched the typical stereotypes given to those animals (The pig was greedy). A great form of association for children.

Overall, I was really impressed with The Little Beasts and can see it going very far. I look forward to seeing how it progresses in the nearby future.

The Little Beasts is running at The Other Palace until July 29^th. For more show and ticket information: https://www.theotherpalace.co.uk/whats-on/the-little-beasts