Review: Bubblelicious

From the promotional photo, I was expecting a zany hour of rip-roaring bubble magic from the top-hatted Bubbleologist Maxwell. His long hair and ringmaster's frock coat had me imagining a three ring circus of crazy bubble fun, but what he delivered was something much more chilled. A charming, delightful and almost meditative introduction to the beautiful world of bubbles.

From his first invitation to breathe along with him, a long gentle inhalation, and a soft, breezy exhalation, he created a calm, zen like atmosphere where we were encouraged to break the usual excitement around the bubble's short life span (blow and pop!) and instead keep them growing, keep them floating, and keep them dancing!

I managed to have a very brief chat with Maxwell before the show, where he told me how adaptable his love of bubble performance is. He's performed for private parties, festival crowds and university groups as well as theatre audiences. Today, he had a brace of eager families utterly bewitched by his ability to transform soapy water and air into hovering orbs of swirling light. The kids were wide-eyed with wonder, and while some were able to restrain themselves as instructed, many were unable to curb that devilish urge to pop first and ask questions later.

I wish I could have stayed to the end to see him conjure his wonder on a large scale; his promo photo and  the props on stage hinted at a finale of epic proportions. I also would have loved to hear more about the science of bubbles, what makes them work and what they teach us about physics and biology. But perhaps that's another show. Today was about the kids, and Maxwell left them floating as high as his shimmering spheres.

Review: Savour the Flavour Planet Munch Puppet Show

It's not easy creating theatre for children which is colourful, vibrant and entertaining enough to maintain their attention across a full hour. The team at Planet Munch, however, have certainly managed to put together a show that fits the bill. The opening was soft, inviting the children into the theatre space and making them feel warmly welcomed with friendly greetings, big smiles and three colourful backdrops illustrating locations from the imaginary vegetable world they were about to explore. There was lots of nervous excitement from the young audience, with many of the children eagerly asking where the puppets were and when they'd arrive!

Their patience was well rewarded as the house lights came down and the show proper began. Within minutes the stage was filled with life size (meaning human size!) fruit and vegetable puppets that delighted and amazed the watching children. From the youthful Broc to the sporty Carrot, and from the hula-hooping Peachy to the Bangla-singing Chickpea, this was a world of wacky, inventive and engaging characters that had a clear mission: Make fruit and vegetables cool to eat! Broc's song '5 A Day Keeps The Doctor Away' drove the message home!

The puppets were really impressive in their construction, incredibly mobile and filled with personality. The cast of 5 were all great at keeping the puppets animated whenever they were on stage, which meant that wherever you looked there was always something to watch. A feast for the eyes, if you'll forgive the food pun! (There were lots of those in the script, I'm happy to play along!)

The story was bonkers, with too many disparate lines to really hold together. Broc has a brother Oli who he searches for but we never see, he's focused on an audition at a jazz club but distracted by helping Tutsie, a character from a different world, find a healthy lunch... it's confusing. It might have been more compelling from a narrative point of view to have a simple mission to visit or collect the different fruit and veg and display them visibly, perhaps on a magnetised chart, as they were found. But none of that really matters as ultimately the series of stand along encounters with the various colourful characters kept the youngsters amused. So much so that they were clambering to join the cast on stage and for face painting afterwards.

For its heathy message alone this show is ideal for a tour of primary schools and libraries, which they have already embarked upon with huge success. But the wonderful puppets really makes it come alive on stage.

Review: Rock Choir Live!

 

And the Watford Fringe Festival is officially open!

There have been a couple of early acts this month, but the official opening of the fringe is with Rock Choir Live! A fun filled, energetic, up-lifting half hour of pop tunes delivered with a shimmy and smile.

With songs ranging from the ABBA favourite Super Trooper to the heart wrenching Hallelujah, there was something for everyone in the line up. My personal favourite was Video Killed the Radio Star, which had everyone on stage bouncing along and throwing out some strong harmonies. Another impressive number was I Wanna Dance With Somebody, it's always brave to take on a Whitney Houston song and the Rock Choir more than did it justice!

However for me the highlight, without question, was watching the amazing British Sign Language interpreters (there were two on the night, sharing signing responsibilities) who added a whole new dimension to the show, adding insightful and exciting interpretative and choreographic charm to proceedings. It's wonderful to see inclusion and diversity not just being talked about being being invested in and enacted. 

The choir leader was equally energetic and lit the stage up with her effervescent personality. I would have loved to hear the choir say a few words about themselves and maybe even let the audience know how they can get involved, should the music move them! But all in all a perfect way to start Watford Fringe, and I can't wait to get stuck in. Over 100 performances this year across 11 different venues, it promises to be an brilliant fortnight of performance and creativity. I look forward to seeing you there!

Paved With Gold and Ashes @ORL

Running for two nights at Angel Islington's Old Red Lion Theatre, Paved With Gold and Ashes is a touching five hander about young factory workers of 1911 New York. Although the black box stage is relatively sparse, littered with simple white cotton and lace and a precarious stack of wooden chairs, Julia Thurston's script works hard to quickly place us in our context. 

The show opens with music, an accompanied tune sung by all five characters who gently weave a gorgeous harmony together. It was a beautifully metaphorical opening, the stitching together of their vocal lines creating a tapestry of sound that reflected their daily work. It also subtly hinted at the way this tight one hour show will explore the women’s differences as well as their similarities.

Although all the women are trapped in 12 hour working days and confined by familial expectations, the play managed to establish individuality very quickly. Everleigh Brenner is strident as velvet hatted Rose (the lesser workers wear straw hats), while Olivia Gaidry is smiling and perky as Annie. Ida, played by Serena Lehman, is filled with tender hope at the promise of motherhood. But for me the stand out pair were Caroline Letelier as bubbly and energetic aspiring actress Rosaria, the baby of an Italian immigrant family adjusting to a new life. Fidgeting constantly and unable to sit still, she gave an essential injection of zest and playfulness. Julia Thurston as her frustrated older sister Lucia sensitively blends matronly irritation with wistful memories of the boyfriend she left behind in the old country. 

Although I was initially concerned by a lack of narrative thrust in the meandering ‘day in the life of’ structure, worrying clues to the impending disaster quickly build to create a chilling sense of dread. And I greatly enjoyed the use of song throughout, especially how it created contrasting atmospheres. I was moved by the irony of these charming female voices trapped in a patriarchal world where women were rendered voiceless.

Produced by Threedumb Theatre, this is a departure from the gothic fare I’m used to in plays such as One Man Poe and The Hunchback of Notre Dame. It’s a refreshing shift and marks the company as capable not only of versatility but also of touching, and socially relevant commentary, in this case the limited power of unions, the necessity of strikes and the human cost of unacceptable work conditions. 

They perform in Edinburgh's Greenside Infirmary Street Olive Studio from Monday 14th to Saturday 26th August.

(Photo credit: Stephanie Van Driesen)

Emma Rawicz Quintet and Oscar Lyons Quartet

Day Two of the wonderful Watford Jazz Junction Festival and a triple bill of temptations on offer. Although unable to make Cleveland Watkiss presents The Great Jamaican Songbook in the evening, I was able to get along to Watford's Pump House Theatre and Arts Centre for an afternoon of delights.

First up was 17-year old Suffolk-based pianist Oscar Lyons who led a confident set of his original compositions. 'Convergence' and 'Close To Home' both felt like work from a musician of many more years and much more experience than Lyons 17, rich in colour and emotion. My favourite however was his closer El Vieco (I hope I've spelled that correctly!) which was inspired by his Mexican heritage and was filled with the dance-like energy.

The band was George Johnson on tenor saxophone, cutting quite a dash in his deer-stalker hat; Chris Diamand on electric bass, beaming a sunshine grin at the audience throughout; and Luke McCarthy on drums who kept the whole show knitted together with his cool, unhurried swing rhythms. Lyons himself on piano was mesmerising, leading the band with smiles and gentle nods, but playing the piano with his whole body, crashing his shoulders down into crunchy treble chords and lifting his whole chest when playing with a lighter touch.

Up next was Emma Rawicz and her quintet in their first-ever Watford show. Mixing tracks from her debut album 'Incantation' with sneak peeks of music from her upcoming album to be released later this year, it was a very personal hour of passionate and intimate jazz.

'Farloo' (again, spelling!) ought to be on the soundtrack of a high-octane action film; cinematic in scope and narrative in feel. In fact, many of the pieces felt like they had stories to tell rather than simply moods to evoke. 'Xanadu' captured the tension and strain of a growing storm while 'Rebecca' felt like a nervous walk through a ghostly house of horror. If not inspired by the Daphne Du Maurier novel, it certainly brought it to mind. 

Some of the stories were more personal. 'Middle Ground' was a ballad written as a gift for her father on his birthday. As Rawicz quipped, it beat the alternative which would have been socks. And 'Vera' was a tribute to her inspiration, her grandmother who, although not musical herself, encouraged Rawicz to follow her passions.

Improvising the set list for the first time, Rawicz was visibly enjoying herself, dishing out solos on the hoof and catching her band out with calls which sent them all scurrying for their manuscripts. But boy, were they up to the challenge. Ant Law dazzled on guitar, with dextrous Ivo Neame on piano, laid back Conor Chaplin on double bass and Asaf Sirkis playing drums with his eyes closed and head nodding as if channelling the beats from the spirit world. Another sold out Jazz Junction show, and another sweet treat for Watford jazz fans.

Xhosa Cole Quartet

It's an alien experience, listening to the music of Thelonius Monk without a piano, but also a joyous one. Xhosa Cole and his band presented Monk's racing tempos and virtuosic melodies in a whole new sound palette, encouraging the audience to hear these familiar tracks entirely afresh.

To say Cole is a generous player is an understatement. The evening started with the sound of his saxophone front and centre, but then he quickly retreated to the sidelines, literally prowling the edge of the stage as he turned the spotlight onto his bandmates. Josh Vadiveloo on double bass seemed to have a near telepathic connection to Nathan England-Jones on drums, accelerating and depressing tempos together as if they were one player. Steve Saunders dazzled on the guitar with lyrical solos that felt pulled from the heart.

This may be a symptom of my age, but my overriding impression of the band was one of youth. All in their 20s, they looked every inch the college quartet, dressed casually in track suits bottoms, chinos, T-shirts and trainers, the vibe was so relaxed we could have been in a university common room. Their cheeky, chilled banter was utterly charming, and although he didn't speak much, Xhosa built an immediate rapport with the audience, reminding us of the three highest compliments an audience can make to a jazz band: make noise, dance, and buy the CD!

The youth-o-meter nearly snapped when Xhosa introduced two of his students to the stage (Luke Purbrick on guitar and Mejedi Owusu, both studying at Trinity, both brilliant and earning rapturous applause). With his typical generosity he described himself not as their teacher but their co-learner, and for me that summed up everything about his playing style. Open hearted, thoughtful and on a journey of discovery with whomever he's playing. When Carmen MacRae celebrated the music of Thelonius Monk, there was a sassy, edgy, aloof attitude to her interpretations that matched the prickly personality her audiences had grown to love. Xhosa Cole has managed to find a completely new character in Monk's music, a character that's welcoming, warm and creating a space where everyone's invited.

WJJ Gala Opening: Omar and Zara MacFarlane

This is only the second year of the Watford Jazz Junction festival, but as the crowds gathered to await the start of the opening night gala at the Watford Palace Theatre last night, the anticipation was palpable. The bar and foyer were abuzz with excited chatter as people eagerly geared up for a double headline night featuring two members of bone fide UK jazz royalty.

First up was multi award winning singer songwriter Zara McFarlane who, resplendent in a carnival green catsuit and wedge platforms, immediately brought a slice of Caribbean sunshine to the stage. This year the festival is celebrating the influence of the Caribbean on UK jazz and Zara charmed us with a story about her two sets of grandparents migrating from the UK from Jamaica as part of the Windrush diaspora. Although both intended to return to the Caribbean, only one set did, she quipped, adding “we have those who chose to stay to thank for me being here tonight!”

Her music balanced gorgeous evocative melodies in the foreground with intriguing, complex rhythms underneath, serpentine rhythms that were playful, shifting and seductive. The lyrics too were enticing, though often also spiky and provocative, tackling issues ranging from race and identity to self love and beauty standards. A particular favourite of mine was 'Broken Water', in which Zara snapped the end syllable off each of those title words (creating broke- war-) and looped into a scintillating whirlpool of sound, both flowing and snapping simultaneously. Her voice bent notes blue like whale song, and at times rose to sublime operatic tones in a manner reminiscent of the sassy Sarah Vaughn.

A highlight of the night however was the participation section, for which Zara wisely picked a lyric-less number! She had the whole auditorium singing along to a four line melody with a (once again) complex rhythm which offered space for her to add some feisty stomps in the final sing through. She had us all feeling like jazz pros!

Her cover of 'Police and Thieves' was an immediate crowd pleaser while her closing track, 'Future Echoes', was a sublime love letter to human connection. The line ‘I want to bathe in the clouds with you’ soared through the air like a carnival streamer.

Next up was the incomparable soul legend that is Omar Lye-Fook MBE. Igniting the stage in vivid red and orange, with sunglasses dangling coolly from his hips, he wasted no time in showing us why he has a career which has successfully spanned four decades and has included collaborations with Stevie Wonder, Common and Courtney Pine.

Billed as blurring the lines between jazz, reggae, nu-soul and soul, my abiding impression of his gala night set list was pure funk! A heavy, slapping bass, hot stabs on the trumpet and saxophone, and a treacly back beat on the drums soon turned the Palace into an after hours groove joint (perhaps for the first time in its history!).

'Everybody Loves The Sunshine' swiftly brought everybody to their feet, and with a little encouragement from Omar it was soon clear the Watford crowd were ready to party! He had us singing along to that famous repetitive refrain, praised us for stopping at the right moment, and when it looked like we might be about to sit down he called us out: “Who told you to sit down? I know you paid for a seat but it doesn’t mean you have to use it!”

From then on we were all on our feet, dancing along to his eternal classic There's Nothing Like This and whooping as he assured us that playing Watford is better than London. It was an old school house party atmosphere and when his final number ‘F**k War Make Love’ dropped, the band exploded into characterful solos and we knew we’d witnessed something very special indeed. A night for the jazz history books, and a stupendous opening for this year’s highly anticipated Watford Jazz Junction Festival.

Photos courtesy of Chris Newstead, Festival Director