Review: People

 

It was a pleasure to watch the Pump House Theatre Company’s production of the comic play People at the Pump House Theatre this week. One of national treasure Alan Bennett’s last full length plays to date, it’s a story which explores through reluctant metaphor the similarities between a crumbling country stately home, and the crumbling fabric of England.

Directed by Guy Peskin, the plot follows two sisters, the regal Lady Stacpoole played elegantly by Imogen Roberts, who used to be a model and now struts around her decaying homestead in an ancient fur coat tied seemingly together with rope, and June, played by a waspish Claire Andrews, an archdeacon with a taste for a good glass of wine (or any glass of wine).

Thrown intriguingly into the mix is Lady Stracpoole’s ‘companion’ Iris, played by Wendy Ash, who gets many of the best punchlines and delivers them with delightful comic timing.

Together these three women rumble round the bowels of their decrepit country pile, trapped together in a way that emulates the set-up of many a popular sitcom. Their challenge is to decide what to do with the place now the repairs have become overwhelming, and the conflict in their views is the catalyst for the drama.

June is convinced they should pass it onto the National Trust who will preserve the house and its contents for future generations to enjoy. The trouble is that means opening their doors to streams of inquisitive people. Lady Stacpoole is less certain about what the future should entail. She could perhaps sell the house lock, stock and barrel to mysterious group of philanthropists called The Concern who intend to move the property in its entirety to the warmer climes of Dorset. Or Wiltshire. And a coincidental reunion with an old friend opens up a less salubrious filming opportunity of the adult variety.

Around this central female trio flit a panoply of minor male characters, including a bishop struggling with new bifocals played by Haydn Davis, and the film set grip played with camp glee by Nick Baker. Each is given a trait or mannerism that helps him stand out. I was particularly impressed by the first, Tim Williams as Bevan the auctioneer, whose assured and clipped RP accent occasionally slipped, exposing the hidden soul of a market barrow boy. His inquisitive exploration of the house mirrored the curiosity of the audience and was an effective introduction into the Stacpoole's wacky world.

The cameo highlight however is undoubtably Diana Seabrooke as Brit, whose flat Baltic tones and perpetually unimpressed facial expressions created many comic moments.

Although the action takes place in the present day, the country pile location is replete with antiquity and the set was a wonderful junk shop of battered treasures and random relics. The lighting and projection helped create a vivid sense of the mood and atmosphere. The night I attended was sold out; great to see local audiences out to support a local dramatic group tackling a lesser known work by a much-loved writer.

Tickets available here.

Review: Sarah Vaughan Centenary

Sarah Vaughan, known to jazz lovers as ‘The Divine One’ because of her remarkable vocal dexterity, would have been 100 years old this year. Brought to us by Watford Jazz Junction, arranger and songwriter Alex Webb has put together this special tribute show in her honour to celebrate her immense impact on jazz music and song.

Webb opened the show by listing Sarah Vaughan as one of the Holy Trinity of jazz vocalists, alongside Ella Fitzgerald and Billie Holiday, and remarking that of the three she is perhaps the least well known. So this concert was a lovely opportunity to be reminded of some of her greatest hits, as well as be given a guided tour through the personal and musical highlights of her life. I really enjoyed the assured way Webb shared snippets of biography and context between the songs so that we had a chronological insight into her life, the various interesting events that led her to become the superstar she became, and ultimately her sad passing in 1990.

Also known as ‘Sassy’ (few singers have garnered as many affectionate nicknames as she has) because of her redoubtable and confident sense of humour, Vaughn's long career saw her release dozens of albums that embraced all types of music from Latin to Beatles covers, but underneath it all her love for jazz pulsed strongest. That variety in genre and style was beautifully captured by Webb's band, who skilfully shifted through swinging up tempos to sultry ballads and Latin rhythms with ease. The trumpeter in particular shared some mind-blowing solos with dizzying improvisations very much in the Bee-Bop style that Sarah Vaughan herself often favoured.

Our lead singer was Lulu Pierre who looked every each the glamorous chanteuse with her elegant trouser suit and slicked down hair. She never attempted to impersonate Vaughan, instead sharing these well loved songs with her own controlled, careful style. I particularly enjoyed her version of Lullaby of Birdland, which demonstrated her focus on producing clear, crisp melodies.

Pierre was joined by the bass-baritone Marvin Muoneke, who was tasked with bringing Sarah's famous vocal duets with Billy Eckstine, Joe Williams and others to life. His voice was rich and warm as honey. In their duet of I've Got My Love To Keep Me Warm, listening to him was like basking in the heat of a homely log fire, much appreciated on this chilly autumn night! Passing Strangers, one of Vaughan's biggest hits, was another highlight, and beautifully demonstrated the contrast between Pierre's restrained vocals and Muoneke's more expansive sound.

The evening was brought to a close with the Ellington classic It Don't Mean A Thing If It Ain't Got That Swing, which provided ample opportunity for wild improvisation and raucous scat. Although a perfect end to a wonderful night, many of us Vaughan fans were left wondering if they might do an encore of her signature tune Misty. Vaughan's audiences came to expect that song to appear in her concerts and she would often play with them, teasing as to whether or not it would feature. I definitely felt its absence and it would have been the cherry on the cake of an utterly delicious evening. But overall, a glorious celebration of a legend of jazz.

All photographs courtesy and copyright of Robert Crowley Photography

www.robertcrowleyphotography.com

Review: The Girl On The Train

The Pump House Theatre Company’s production of The Girl On The Train is a stage adaptation of the best-selling novel known to millions through the hit film staring Emily Blunt. This production presents the story as a cold, spiky thriller with characters clouded in suspicion, a permanent chill in the air and a plot that keeps you guessing.

Alcoholic Rachel Watson is mesmerised by the life of a woman whose activities she only glimpses during her daily commute to work. Through the window of her suburban train she builds a fantasy life for this woman, until one day the woman vanishes and suddenly the dividing line between fantasy and reality becomes fatally important.

Director Andrew Knight has a clear vision for the sinister mood of the play, creating a shadowy atmosphere which keeps us uncertain about who we can trust and who we should fear. Although this is in essence a conventional whodunnit, the key difference of a central character blighted by alcohol related memory loss makes the storytelling intriguingly unique. Rachel Watson is played magnificently by Caroline Harris, who brings sensitivity and humour to a role that could be drenched in stereotypes of inebriation. Harris is clear and precise in her decisions around the character’s emotional journey, and each beat is delivered with conviction. Harris manages to encapsulate the hazy mess of uncertainty that surrounds the fog in the head of someone whose perception is clouded by booze, and captures in her stance and gait that sense of disorientation and imbalance found in a person whose world has been numbed by drink.

Also impressive in his performance is Dale Carpenter as Scott Hipwell. This supporting character is the husband of the missing woman and Carpenter catches the frustration and anger of his situation as well as the vulnerability and pain of mysteriously losing somebody you love.

I also really enjoyed the performance from Amy Bailey as DI Gaskill, the police woman tasked with finding out what happened to the missing woman. Bailey is witty, cynical, confident and questioning in equal measure, a delightful mix of the heroic police inspector you would hope you had in your corner if ever needed, and a pragmatic drudger who never takes their work home with them.

Complicated sets lead to slow scene transitions which dampen some of the tension and pace of the plot, despite the efforts of a heroic crew who move things as fast as possible. But overall, this is a suspenseful mystery which catches the imagination because of the engagingly flawed central character.

Book tickets here.

Their next production is PEOPLE by Alan Bennett, Tuesday 12th November to Saturday 16th November.

Review: The Greatest Musical the World Has Ever Seen by Randy Thatcher

It was a real privilege to be in the first audience for this new one man musical, 'The Greatest Musical the World Has Ever Seen by Randy Thatcher'. It may indeed be a long title for a short show, but it's a show that packs a punch way above its weight grade. Neurotic New Yorker Randy Thatcher is a lonely undergraduate riddled with anxiety and stalled in life by his inability to make friends. His mother helps him nurture his passion for musical theatre until he's inspired to write a musical about intergalactic warfare on the planet Cawdor. His writing finally helps him find a voice to express his tumultuous inner world through childish metaphor. So it is that Randy's problems become wish-fulfilled in the alien character of Gazandy, and Randy's sense of purpose in life gets dangerously wrapped up in the success of his first ever attempt at writing a musical show.

The strength of this show is the protagonist, performed with sympathy and compassion by New Jerseyite Matt Haughey, who, now living in New York, also wrote the show and has amassed over 10 million streams of his music across various platforms. Haughey's Randy is awkward and adorable in equal measure, faltering and funny in perfect balance. The songs largely all fall within the pop ballad/ musical theatre fusion associated with Pasek and Paul from their mega-hit Dear Evan Hansen, but references to Randy's obsession with that show are peppered throughout the script and beautifully detailed set. An Evan Hansen mug stuffed with pens, a collector's pin badge hidden among dozens on a pin board; these details helped us into Randy's world before a note was sung. The sound was also excellent, in particular the expertly timed dialogue between Randy and his mother.

The show heads up to Edinburgh in August. If you've missed it in Watford, I heartily recommend you catch it north of the border!

Watford details here

Edinburgh details here

Review: The Wind in the Willows

 

Local Watford actor Steve Smith has built himself a reputation for delivering top notch one-man plays which deal with challenging, troubling themes in a visceral and unsettling way. From the World War One heartbreak of Private Peaceful and the gothic horror of One Man Poe to the brutal alienation of Dog/Actor and Harry's Christmas, Smith has an enviable back catalogue when it comes to disturbing his audiences. 

And so it's utterly refreshing to see him present 'The Wind in the Willows' as part of this year's Watford Fringe Festival. He focuses exclusively on Chapter One: The Riverbank, but that was enough to completely transport me to the gentle, calming, undulating world of Kenneth Grahame's 1908 classic.

He sets the scene with a few careful chosen details, a picnic blanket, a stack of books, his Edwardian costume. I was particularly touched by the four garden ornaments representing Mole, Ratty, Badger and Toad, lined up in their order of narrative appearance, and looking well worn and well loved. Indeed, Smith shared with us that they've come straight from his mother's garden and reflect a strong family connection to the story which was one of his grandfather's favourites.

The use of music to create a sense of atmosphere is superb, moving us seamlessly between serenity, whimsy and danger. Composed by Joe Furey, the tracks are subtle and sensitive, enhancing scenes rather than demanding attention.

Smith's performance was equally sensitive. As narrator he drew us into Grahame's whimsical riverbank world with a confident charm, and in character he was lively and mercurial. Mole was, as ever, a rather hunched nail-fidgeting innocent, Ratty his rather more bombastic mentor. Badger makes a brief appearance as an anti-social curmudgeon while the oft forgotten Otter, frequently excised from adaptations, finally gets his moment in the spotlight.

In a theatrical landscape full of flash, bang and gimmicks, it's delightful to sit back and simply be told a story by a master of story-telling. Originally developed with Watford Council as a project to promote the River Colne, this production was first performed actually at the river side, which would have been magical to see. But even on stage at the Wellspring Centre, it's completely enchanting. I hope Smith goes on to dramatise further chapters. I for one would be very happy to spend more time in Mole and Ratty's simpler world.

Catch Steve Smith at three other shows during this Watford Fringe Festival:

The Apple of My Eye: The Steve Jobs Musical

A Montage of Monet

One Man Poe (several available)

And catch my brand new musical Love in Slough, 5.30pm on Friday12th at the Pumphouse Theatre.

Review: Sitting in Limbo

The shocking and appalling reality of The Windrush Scandal is brought to vivid life in this new stage adaptation of the groundbreaking BBC Drama 'Sitting in Limbo', produced by Left Bank Pictures. I remember watching the show when it was first broadcast and feeling utterly gut-punched by the frightening exploitation of power wielded by heartless state operators, specifically the Home Office, against innocent members of the Windrush Generation, who were made to feel like illegal immigrants in their own country.

Gary McDonald was a convincing and empathetic lead, portraying the disbelief and astonishment of Anthony at finding himself trapped in the ruthless mechanics of procedure, detention and red tape after a lifetime of calling Britain home. The reality of Theresa May's 'Hostile Environment' was made immediately visible with projected statistics about the political context of the time, and chilling audio of her uncompromising voice. Anthony's eager desire to ignore and downplay what was happening to him in the vain hope that it would sort itself out was all too understandable, and the anger beneath the surface, when it broke through, was visceral and moving.

His wife, played with stoicism and infectious energy by Doreene Blackstock, was heroic in her refusal to let her husband slip away, either under the weight of the cruelty of the state's dogged pursuit, or indeed under his own self pity. And their son, a spritely and charming Victor Masha Jr, brought a revolutionary edge to the narrative, refusing to be cowed by the police and contacting a journalist to get his father's story out to a wider public. 

Indeed, without the investigative journalism of The Guardian this scandal might have remained hidden to this day, hundreds of victims of government hounding feeling as if they were the only ones being persecuted. The Guardian was the first to expose the systemic and racist nature of the government's policy in action. At one point the question is asked: Would this have happened if you'd been from Australia, Canada or New Zealand? The obvious and resounding answer is: No.

Rich Dodd completes the cast, switching between a wide range of characters with consummate speed, shifting accents, mannerisms and costumes in a way that was a tribute to the magic of theatre. Overall, an essential and shocking story told with clarity and heart. Well done to the Watford Palace Theatre for creating the space to keep it being told.

Review: Sunrise, Sunset

 

This is the first year of the brand spanking new Chesham Fringe Festival, and watfordfringereviews.blogspot.com is delighted to be there in support, creating a space to kick off the conversation about the dizzying array of creative fare on offer!

The stated aim of this rather formal, traditional concert was to explore the theme of Sunrise and Sunset in music across the ages, and it met its own aims with carefully planned precision.

We began with the obvious: Sunrise, Sunset from the musical Fiddler on the Roof. A beautiful rendition, this song's poignancy was the perfect opener, setting the scene for a reflection on both the positive and negative interpretations of the twilight hours. It was also a lovely choice for showing off the power of the simple piano and voice combination, and the way it allows you to focus on melody, lyrics and technique with unobscured clarity.

We were guided through a multitude of sunrise and sunset songs, and given potted introductions to context. First, the French, mostly Debussy, who approached the theme with romantic inclination, then the English who infused their folksong with sun imagery. Next the introspective Germans, who saw the sunrise as a symbol of hope, the sunset as a symbol of sadness, before some Italian choices led us to the grand finish: Andrew Lloyd Webber's Sunset Boulevard.

Soprano Christine Cunnold had a lovely crystalline voice, perhaps attacking the higher register a little too hard but always controlling breath and pitch with consummate ease. Ably accompanied by pianist Richard Harker, they gave the impression of a long-standing and happy musical partnership.

When Cunnold stepped away from the music stand to deliver her introductions there was an immediate and delightful confidence and friendliness which warmed the whole room. It was a shame that she then returned to it for each song, as for the most part she seemed to use it as a comfort blanket rather than a memory prompt, and it definitely created a barrier between her performance and the audience. 

Overall, this was a charming set showcasing a delightful operatic voice. I hope they return to Chesham Fringe next year and give us another thoughtfully selected thematic set list.

X/twitter: @c_cunnold

instagram: @christine.cunnold

https://www.teatimeopera.com/sunrise-sunset