Review: Emily Masser Quintet & Marcus Benton

It was a treat to be able to enjoy a night of live jazz at The Pump House Theatre courtesy of Watford Jazz Junction, whose usual May festival has become a staple of our town's cultural calendar.
The evening began with a 20-minute spot from support act Marcus Bunton, a student at the nearby Purcell School and a rising star of the jazz scene. He was a finalist of this season's 'The Piano' on Channel 4, the same season on which I happened to feature as Tiger Jazz, so it was a pleasure to be able to meet with him and discuss his musical passions and ambitions. And in truth, he laid those passions all out on stage with two extraordinary original pieces inspired by his jazz heroes, the first of which was a stupendous reimagining of Miles Davies' So What. He was on trumpet tonight, but as outlined above he's equally proficient on piano, so do head to his website for more details and insights into this magical artist in the early stages of his musical journey.
Then came the main act, Emily Masser, a 21-year-old jazz singer from Wigan. She stepped onto the stage with Claire Teal like confidence, a winning smile, Northern banter and a turquoise trouser suit that showed she meant business. The rest of the quintet couldn't have made a more interesting sartorial contrast to the band before. While Marcus' group had been all youthful jeans and T shirts, now we had 4 suits and shirts with open collars, as if the work ties had just been whipped off in the wings. This was a night spanning, and in some ways even contrasting, the generations.
Emily's quintet began with a swinging Old Devil Moon before Emily wowed us with her witty vocalese on Dat Dere, in which she pointedly reminded us that the saxophone player Dean Masser is actually her father. Another generational echo on a night filled with moments that reminded me of the poignancy of the human cycle of youth and age. The Boy Next Door carried a similar flavour, as the youthful yearning of a teenage crush was countered by instrumentals filled with the weightier substance and complexity of mature love.
I loved watching Hungarian pianist Matyas Gayer at the keyboard. His whole demeanour was captivating, from his ramrod straight back and perfect posture to the careless way he splashed his hands down on the keys, yet always producing the most precise and intricate sound. Bassist Jeremy Brown was pulsating and melodic in his playing, while drummer Steve Brown was constantly inventive, keeping the rhythm astonishingly varied and surprising.
At the start of the second half Emily walked on stage without her shoes, testament I think to the homely, relaxing atmosphere of the Pump House! And it was lovely to feel part of such a homely set. The Peggy Lee song Take A Little Time To Smile, dedicated to her mother who passed away three years ago, was such an poignantly optimistic and intimate moment, it a felt a privilege to be part of the audience.
As a lover of jazz standards this was for me a glorious evening. Do head to Emily's website to find details of the album she was promoting, Songs With My Father. I look forward to hearing more from Emily and her superlative quintet.

Review: Whose Life Is It Anyway

 

The debate around assisted dying has been incredibly visible this past year or two as the country tackles the possibility of a new law making it permissible for the first time in the UK, with a range of checks and safeguards. The arguments on both sides, either advocating for the sanctity of life or the primacy of individual choice, are compelling, and this play brings them vividly to life with a cast of characters that are articulate, nuanced and fully human in their wrestling with the moral and ethical issues at hand.

Claire Harrison, played impressively by a mercurial Siobhan Lambie-Philip, is the woman caught in the centre of the argument, whose very life and body become the battleground of the debate. Lambie-Philip makes Claire's quick wit, fierce intelligence and sharp humour both utterly endearing and a formidable force to be reckoned with.

Opposing her are two doctors, Dr Scott, played with avuncular compassion by Guy Peskin, and the paternalistic Dr Emerson played by Roger Saper, who refuses to budge in what he sees as his medical duty, the preservation of life at all costs. They're supported by two nurses, the matronly Sister Anderson, played with stolid confidence by Suzanne Brower, and the trainee Nurse Kay, also known as Flea, who graces the stage with a gentle naturalism. Claire Andrews added another layer to the team as the social worker Margaret Boyle, forever trying to put an optimistic spin on Clare’s future prospects when Clare would prefer to remain doggedly focused on the pessimistic realities of her present moment.

The costumes are all white and grey, creating a powerful sense of the institutionalisation Claire feels she is imprisoned by, while a screen above her bed, which dominates the stage, ensures our attention is focused on her face at all times. Although paralysed from the neck down, the expressiveness of her face and voice remind us just how alive she is, and problematises her desire for death. On the other hand, her work as a sculptor foregrounds how important the body, shape and movement are to her, rationalising her choice. The play keeps the balance between the two positions on a high wire, never falling into agitprop but rather giving each character a convincing and understandable motivation for their outlook.

Overall, this is a thoughtful and sensitively delivered play which deals with one of the most pressing and urgent political, medical and moral issues of our day. 

Review: Southern Beauty

 

Southern Beauty is a collective of musicians founded by Alison Wheeler, the third in a line up of lead singers from the multi-million selling band The Beautiful South. Just as she has cleverly switched the name of the band around for this new project, so too does the band switch the much loved back catalogue of Beautiful South songs round by giving them a jazz twist. A delightfully simple concept that creates a beautiful (if not southern) night of entertainment.

The band is made up of Phil Southgate (keyboard), Phillipa Leigh (ukulele and vocals), James Harrison (drums) & Matt Gornicki (bass). In their hands The Beautiful South back catalogue turns out to be surprisingly flexible. Perfect 10 turned into a swaggering country knees up, Rotterdam was a complex little triple rhythm cabaret number, and The Beautiful South's first single I LoveYou Like My Pencil Case was delivered with sweet, swinging charm.

Wheeler's voice is enchanting. It’s smooth as silk and lazes just behind the beat in a way which makes her feel totally relaxed and at ease. She reminded me of the great jazz chanteuses of old, and in fact she included several jazz standards in her set including It Had To Be You, The Lady Is a Tramp and Don’t Get Around Much Anymore. A highlight of the night was when she brought these two worlds sparklingly together, singing Don’t Marry Her Have Me in a setting which ingeniously highlighted the melodic similarities with Somewhere Over The Rainbow.

All in all, a fantastic night of relaxed music with a proficient and affable singer who created a quick and affectionate rapport with her happy audience. This is their second appearance at the Watford fringe festival and if the audience reaction was anything to go by we can be fairly certain there’ll be a third and many more to come.

Review: The Electric Head

 

The Electric Head, improvisational comedy duo Al Ronald and Cy Henty, create an entirely original and never to be performed against play in front of the audience's eyes. It's wild, it's unpredictable, it's madcap, but underneath all the mayhem is a careful and intelligent structure that leaves you with a story that hits all the right narrative buttons. Exposition, development, climax, resolution, it's all there... with a few kn*b and p*ss jokes for good measure!

They begin by listening to ideas from the audience, though it must be said they brought many of their own ideas into the show I saw, namely Turkish teeth (meaning the dental work people often head to Turkey for because it’s much more affordable there), and the unreliability of certain budget airlines. It would’ve been nice to have a few more original suggestions from the audience in the mix, but we did offer Andy Murray, Notting Hill Carnival and general dislike for Luton, all of which made it into the final story!

The highlight of the show was watching Ronald and Henty's acting in all of its comic splendour. The two actors played a range of zany characters and actually switched characters consistently between and within scenes. They gave each character such clear personality and mannerisms that it was a delight to watch one actor step into another's role with swiftness and alacrity. A real tour de force.

The jokes were a little puerile at times, with lots of references to adding flavour to tap water in unmentionable ways and lubricating hands with rather suspicious liquids. But that aside, it was a really funny hour of entertainment which showcased the duo's wacky imaginations. Watford is once again lucky to be seeing an act that is preparing to head north of the border to Edinburgh this August, we wish them every success!

Review: The Magic of Menken and Schwartz

 

Once Upon A Time... The Magic of Menken and Schwartz is 90 minute musical revue performed by In Good Company. This group have been bringing shows to the Watford Fringe for the past few of years and I’ve always just missed out on seeing them (often because they were sold out!), so it was a delight to be in the audience today.

Right from the beginning you know you're in the hands of confident and inventive performers. They set the atmosphere brilliantly, creating the gloomy rather chilling interior of Notre Dame by projecting gorgeous gothic stained glass windows onto the back of the stage and slow marching the performers onto stage dressed through the audience. Dressed as monks in flowing black robes, we were immediately immersed in the world they were creating.

Opening with a challenging piece from Hunchback is a bold, brave gesture and one which really paid off. The whole show was a celebration of Menken and Schwartz, two of the premier musical theatre writers of the current day and indeed of the past four decades. We were treated not just to a reminder of some of their most enduring hits like Aladdin, Beauty and the Beast, The Little Mermaid and Wicked, but also introduced to some of their lesson known works like Children of Eden and Working.

There was a good mix of solo pieces and small group numbers (a highlight being the sassy title track from Little Shop of Horrors) but for me the biggest delight was the ensemble pieces where the nearly 30 strong cast were all on stage together packing a mighty musical punch. They delivered not only great vocals but wonderful harmonies, choreography, costume... even the aforementioned use of projection was just evidence of how they were really pushing to go the extra mile. The eye was constantly dashing across the stage trying to keep up with all of the various action going on. This was musical theatre for musical theatre lovers, with all profits going to support local charity Electric Umbrella. I'd waited years to finally see In Good Company in action, they certainly proved worth the wait.

Review: I Dreamed A Dream (Volume 2)

 

I Dreamed A Dream, back after a successful run at last year's Watford Fringe, is a musical theatre revue where nine or so singers, ranging from passionate to professional, pick songs connected to their dream shows and casting, and deliver them with an eagerness and heart that captivates.

The cast were brilliantly varied in both their choices and their voices, ranging from the strident clarity of Lucy Sweeting to the bubbly soprano of Jasmine Boussateha, who also did a wonderful job hosting the event. She gave some interesting insights into the challenges of trying to make it as a professional performer today, including a startling anecdote about queuing outside for 11 hours for an open call audition for Cats, where she ultimately got 30 seconds in front of the casting director! A sharp reminder of how competitive the industry is, and how resilient its adherents must be to succeed.

Sweeting and Boussateha performed the duet For Good from Wicked together, and their voices were a perfect counterbalance. They delivered perfect harmonies, totally connecting with one another and with the audience.

As a musical theatre fan, it was delightful to hear songs that were completely new to me, namely Lost in the Brass from Band Geeks performed with great comic timing and a ringing belt by Hannah Moriarty, and I Love Betsy from Honeymoon in Vegas, delivered with suave sophistication and ironic twerking (yes, two words I never thought I'd be typing either) by square-jawed matinee idol Ben Farrar.

As the title implies, these off the beaten track choices were balanced by the usual Les Mis medley, but two stand out songs for me were Dear Bill from Operation Mincemeat performed by Graham Smith and She Used To Be Mine from Waitress, performed by Hannah Sass. The former was a masterclass in how to tell a story through song, and the latter was a powerhouse vocal which had me in goosebumps from first note to last. Overall, musical theatre delivered with wholesome and sincere passion. A joyful show.

Review: Boy Boss

 

BOY BOSS is a one hour stand-up comedy set from Daniel McKeon, exploring his struggle with making progress in life. The show's premise is that he has discovered that there are six lessons which will help him take control of his freewheeling, loose and unstructured boyhood as he claws his way to NOT becoming a fully fledged man!

The lessons were self-help cliches, from remembering to save money for future spending, to benefits of expressing your vulnerability, but the stories behind them were touching, personal and full of sincerity and humour.

McKeon has a really warm, amiable personality which immediately put the audience at its ease. He had us all chatting with him, giggling at his escapades, and interested in the details of the journey that has taken him from being an unemployed, single, drifter to an employed, happily married drifter. (No spoilers here, he wears the wedding ring throughout!)

He is spritely, slim and slight, even effeminate at times, and many of his funniest observations explore the idea of what masculinity means in a modern context, He spoke about how most people who are attracted to him are either bisexual women or gay men, usually because they feel they can crush him if needed.

From questioning how Spider-Man takes a poo to falling for the photo shoot scam, he certainly is happy to share some of his most embarrassing moments. Although the concept of what precisely a Boy Boss remained a little nebulous and vague, the journey through his explanation was fun and disarming. The final message is a positive one: yes, you can do it, it's achievable, it is possible, you can make mistakes, bounce back and be the boss of your own life.