(Second review in a day. Family Friendly season continues. This got professionally reviewed last year and may or may not get covered again this year, so just a short one from me.)
I love the Harry Potter books. While I didn’t get into the series until book four had been long published, I pre-ordered books five and six for same day delivery and went to midnight madness for book seven (even if I did read the leaked version online in advance - I was surrounded by 4channers that weekend and didn’t want to be spoiled.) Needless to say, the thought of a comedic redux was appealing, but I didn’t have a chance to make it to last year’s run at Trafalgar Studios.
Fortunately Potted Potter is back, still performed by its creators Daniel Clarkson and Jefferson Turner, and still promising all seven books in 70 minutes. Needless to say, it’s also fortunate is that Potted Potter is pretty darn funny, revelling in the books’ formula and embracing the inner fan in all of us. From the audience quidditch match (complete with appropriate levels of violence) to Dan’s demands to stop playing the rather dull Harry and take over as Dumbledore right as Book 6 is about to end (no spoilers here!), the show is sharp, hilarious, and revels in its low budget.
Will non-Harry fans have a reason to go? Not really. But Potter aficionados, both young and old, will have a ball. Just not a Yule Ball - this is a show performed at Christmas, not a Christmas show.
Where: Trafalgar Studios 2
When: Varies. Most days are two shows at 12:00, 15:00, or 19:00.
How Much: £20
Concessions: Children and standard concessions £15. Family tickets for £60.
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RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £15. A short Fringe show at Fringe prices.
RZ Other Notes: QUIDDITCH! DRAGON!
Showing posts with label Comedy. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Comedy. Show all posts
Friday, 12 December 2008
Thursday, 20 November 2008
REVIEW: “Noises Off” (Touring)
(The reviews continue through Job Hunting Hell as your author attempts to procrastinate writing yet another cover letter.)
It takes a lot for me to justify the effort involved in crossing London to see a show at the New Wimbledon. Sometimes I’ll genuinely want to see a show coming in and other times it’s to get to a production before it comes into the West End at inflated prices (I’m looking at you, Carousel, which I had to miss...)
I didn’t go to Noises Off for either reason. I saw the Broadway revival in 2002 starring Peter Gallagher as sardonic director Lloyd and Patti LuPone as the er...dotty...Dotty, and though I liked it quite a bit, it’s very much a “once is enough” kind of play. So why go again? Because I am an utter anorak and catching the tour meant seeing an ex Doctor Who on stage in the form of Colin Baker.
For anybody who hasn’t seen Noises Off at the National, on one of many countless tours, or in regional, it can be a bit hard to describe. The first act takes place as a low end touring company are working through their last minute dress rehearsal of a door-slammer farce (Quick, into the bedroom! No not that bedroom, this one that looks like a bathroom!) It’s clear from the start that things are going pear shaped as nobody can remember lines or blocking and personal drama is starting to rear its head as we find out that co-producer actress Dotty (Maggie Steed) is having a relationship with one of her co-stars while director Lloyd (Ben Hull...I think, the website lacks details) is sleeping with both bimbo Belinda and stage manager Poppy whom he ruthlessly belittles onstage. Compounding issues are various offstage divorces, an overworked tech director, and drunken, half-deaf Selsdon (Baker) disappearing at inopportune times as the cast attempt to keep him sober.
The real triumph, however, lies in the second act: it’s six weeks into the tour and tensions flare backstage as the affairs split, change partners, and cause all sorts of general havoc. Where author Michael Frayn is so brilliant is in showing us the chaotic backstage happenings within a (mostly) successful performance of the actual play. It goes downhill again for act three, however, as we see the final performance falling apart from the first line.
Is this a solid production? Yes. Should you go if you haven’t seen it before? Yes. Is there a reason to go back if you’re not interested in the comedically gifted cast? Not really. The sets and general direction are both based on the National’s original production from the 80’s, so there isn’t anything new if you’re expecting more than nostalgia. That doesn’t change the fact, however, that Noises Off is still laugh out loud hilarious and manages to fulfil the demands of farce while subverting it at every opportunity.
Where: Touring, currently the New Wimbledon
When: Until 22 Nov., no idea after. Th-Sa @ 19:30, Th/Sa @ 14:30
How Much: £10-£25
Concessions: Student tickets available at the venue, no idea otherwise.
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RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £20. Solid production, good play, great cast.
RZ Other Notes: That said, don’t pay more than you have to. There’s a best available for £15 offer from Whatsonstage.com and the upper circle (where the £10-12 tickets are) was closed the night I went (though the stalls were pretty full) so upgrades to at least the dress circle are likely.
It takes a lot for me to justify the effort involved in crossing London to see a show at the New Wimbledon. Sometimes I’ll genuinely want to see a show coming in and other times it’s to get to a production before it comes into the West End at inflated prices (I’m looking at you, Carousel, which I had to miss...)
I didn’t go to Noises Off for either reason. I saw the Broadway revival in 2002 starring Peter Gallagher as sardonic director Lloyd and Patti LuPone as the er...dotty...Dotty, and though I liked it quite a bit, it’s very much a “once is enough” kind of play. So why go again? Because I am an utter anorak and catching the tour meant seeing an ex Doctor Who on stage in the form of Colin Baker.
For anybody who hasn’t seen Noises Off at the National, on one of many countless tours, or in regional, it can be a bit hard to describe. The first act takes place as a low end touring company are working through their last minute dress rehearsal of a door-slammer farce (Quick, into the bedroom! No not that bedroom, this one that looks like a bathroom!) It’s clear from the start that things are going pear shaped as nobody can remember lines or blocking and personal drama is starting to rear its head as we find out that co-producer actress Dotty (Maggie Steed) is having a relationship with one of her co-stars while director Lloyd (Ben Hull...I think, the website lacks details) is sleeping with both bimbo Belinda and stage manager Poppy whom he ruthlessly belittles onstage. Compounding issues are various offstage divorces, an overworked tech director, and drunken, half-deaf Selsdon (Baker) disappearing at inopportune times as the cast attempt to keep him sober.
The real triumph, however, lies in the second act: it’s six weeks into the tour and tensions flare backstage as the affairs split, change partners, and cause all sorts of general havoc. Where author Michael Frayn is so brilliant is in showing us the chaotic backstage happenings within a (mostly) successful performance of the actual play. It goes downhill again for act three, however, as we see the final performance falling apart from the first line.
Is this a solid production? Yes. Should you go if you haven’t seen it before? Yes. Is there a reason to go back if you’re not interested in the comedically gifted cast? Not really. The sets and general direction are both based on the National’s original production from the 80’s, so there isn’t anything new if you’re expecting more than nostalgia. That doesn’t change the fact, however, that Noises Off is still laugh out loud hilarious and manages to fulfil the demands of farce while subverting it at every opportunity.
Where: Touring, currently the New Wimbledon
When: Until 22 Nov., no idea after. Th-Sa @ 19:30, Th/Sa @ 14:30
How Much: £10-£25
Concessions: Student tickets available at the venue, no idea otherwise.
---------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £20. Solid production, good play, great cast.
RZ Other Notes: That said, don’t pay more than you have to. There’s a best available for £15 offer from Whatsonstage.com and the upper circle (where the £10-12 tickets are) was closed the night I went (though the stalls were pretty full) so upgrades to at least the dress circle are likely.
Friday, 14 November 2008
REVIEW: "Chav Scum Kills God"
So while The Teenage Theatre Critic is off at the opera and the Royal Ballet I’m reviewing a play called Chav Scum Kills God. Just a touch of a difference.
And between you and me? I think I may have made the right choice.
The first full length play from Drew Davies, Chav Scum follows...well...a chav named Robert (Bradley Benjamin) as he wakes up in Hell, which resembles an empty waiting room. Greeted by the Other (Michael Lindall), a cross between a psych ward assistant and Kryten from Red Dwarf, Robert is informed that he died in a car crash while choking on his KFC. Fortunately, Hell is what you make of it: the only people put through severe torture are those who feel they deserve it. Likewise, there are chances to climb Hell’s social ladder as revealed by Robert’s father (Des Brittain) who is sleeping his way to the middle class via the great dictators. It all ends up with Robert proclaimed as the chosen one, destined to wear a time bomb necklace into Heaven and kill God in a blow for equality - after all, people in Heaven get better moisturiser.
Sound horrible? Amazingly it’s not, but I’m not claiming that it’s brilliant either.
The problems with the show lie with Robert and his father: the characters are utterly dull though Benjamin and Lindall work their best with what they’ve got. Likewise Sarah Alborn makes the most out of her one scene as Kathy (details involve plenty of spoilers) but she too falls into the “chav stereotypes are so 2006” category, and the ending may make its point but it’s dramatically unsatisfying.
Where Chav Scum shines (besides its brevity - the runtime is 90 min. including an interval of questionable value) is with the two characters running interference: the aforementioned Other has two incarnations - one for Hell and Heaven - and Lindall fills his time onstage with subtle movements gestures which are not only good for laughs but also enhance rather than detract from points where the Other is not the focus - think of Penny’s role in Hairspray during “I Can Hear The Bells” and the Madison sequence for a comparison.
The other character whom I dearly adored was Jonathan Hansler’s Lou, aka Satan as interpreted by George Carlin. It’s easy to see why people would follow this devil, as he oozes charm and straight talk while manipulating his surroundings.
To sum it up: Fun time, worth popping in, and short enough that if you like it you can leave after 40 minutes at the interval or stay for the whole time and still make it to the pub for multiple rounds after.
Where: Courtyard
When: Until 30 Nov., Tu-Su @ 19:30
How Much: £12.50
Concessions: £10, local residents with proof of address can get £5 tickets until the 16th
---------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £10. Cheaper than a film at Leicester Square, but not quite good enough to justify the full price.
RZ Other Notes: This production is in the Courtyard’s studio which is a) warm, b) unreserved seating and c) not raked. Complicating matters is a concurrent run of Measure for Measure in the main house which, the night I went, looked to be loaded with school groups that crowd the limited waiting area. Fortunately Chav Scum lets out before Measure can even reach its interval.
And between you and me? I think I may have made the right choice.
The first full length play from Drew Davies, Chav Scum follows...well...a chav named Robert (Bradley Benjamin) as he wakes up in Hell, which resembles an empty waiting room. Greeted by the Other (Michael Lindall), a cross between a psych ward assistant and Kryten from Red Dwarf, Robert is informed that he died in a car crash while choking on his KFC. Fortunately, Hell is what you make of it: the only people put through severe torture are those who feel they deserve it. Likewise, there are chances to climb Hell’s social ladder as revealed by Robert’s father (Des Brittain) who is sleeping his way to the middle class via the great dictators. It all ends up with Robert proclaimed as the chosen one, destined to wear a time bomb necklace into Heaven and kill God in a blow for equality - after all, people in Heaven get better moisturiser.
Sound horrible? Amazingly it’s not, but I’m not claiming that it’s brilliant either.
The problems with the show lie with Robert and his father: the characters are utterly dull though Benjamin and Lindall work their best with what they’ve got. Likewise Sarah Alborn makes the most out of her one scene as Kathy (details involve plenty of spoilers) but she too falls into the “chav stereotypes are so 2006” category, and the ending may make its point but it’s dramatically unsatisfying.
Where Chav Scum shines (besides its brevity - the runtime is 90 min. including an interval of questionable value) is with the two characters running interference: the aforementioned Other has two incarnations - one for Hell and Heaven - and Lindall fills his time onstage with subtle movements gestures which are not only good for laughs but also enhance rather than detract from points where the Other is not the focus - think of Penny’s role in Hairspray during “I Can Hear The Bells” and the Madison sequence for a comparison.
The other character whom I dearly adored was Jonathan Hansler’s Lou, aka Satan as interpreted by George Carlin. It’s easy to see why people would follow this devil, as he oozes charm and straight talk while manipulating his surroundings.
To sum it up: Fun time, worth popping in, and short enough that if you like it you can leave after 40 minutes at the interval or stay for the whole time and still make it to the pub for multiple rounds after.
Where: Courtyard
When: Until 30 Nov., Tu-Su @ 19:30
How Much: £12.50
Concessions: £10, local residents with proof of address can get £5 tickets until the 16th
---------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £10. Cheaper than a film at Leicester Square, but not quite good enough to justify the full price.
RZ Other Notes: This production is in the Courtyard’s studio which is a) warm, b) unreserved seating and c) not raked. Complicating matters is a concurrent run of Measure for Measure in the main house which, the night I went, looked to be loaded with school groups that crowd the limited waiting area. Fortunately Chav Scum lets out before Measure can even reach its interval.
Saturday, 18 October 2008
Catching Up: Four More...
As the RZ finds his will to live (or at least his will to make an effort on projects that don’t pay) sapped by job hunting hell, his posts are likely to be sporadic and minimal unless he finds something reaaaaaaalllllllly interesting to post about - like some recent things in the Graduion blog. But that’s another post.
After all, you’re here for reviews. And the RZ has been very, very lazy lately with posting those. So, without further ado, here’s four quick bites before running off to see Shit Mix tonight...
A Patriot For Me @ New Players - Solid production of a rarely-performed John “Look Back in Anger” Osborne play. Big cast, interesting historical subject (gay officer in the late-Habsburg Austrian army succumbing to blackmail), but the second act drags (literally and figuratively) and everybody is so damn smug that it detracts from the tension. That said, it’s never boring even it does meander. See it if you’ve got a free night.
A Skull in Connemara @ White Bear - Either you love Martin McDonagh or you loathe him, as his plays (excepting The Pillowman) tend to follow a similar formula. The RZ loves McDonagh’s works, and the sharp, witty writing in Skull makes for a short, biting play that’s paired with creative design in the White Bear’s space.
Hans Teeuwen (Comedian) - The RZ saw Mr. Teeuwen at BAC doing a gig in anticipation of his upcoming run at the Leicester Square, and found his act hit or miss. It’s much closer to German Kabarett than what most people would expect from Anglo-American stand-up. The press have made favourable comparisons to Eddie Izzard (who the RZ is not fond of as a stand-up) though a cross between Izzard and Bill Bailey would be more accurate since Teeuwen sings as well. Teeuwen’s act jumps from biting material on FGM freedom of speech to absurdist skits (some of which go on far too long) and songs with the mandatory use of dick jokes to break up the bits. Good at BAC prices, not so much for the West End.
Betwixt! in Concert - It’s hard to say a lot about this as 1)it’s a charity gig and therefore hard to rag on regardless and 2)other than some song rehearsals the whole thing only had 24 hours to rehearse as a whole. The show is still great, there have been a few revisions (including one song getting slightly repositioned), and word on the street is that Off-Broadway is the next stop for this charming piece.
--------------
And now we’re all caught up. Just in time for four shows in the next week...
After all, you’re here for reviews. And the RZ has been very, very lazy lately with posting those. So, without further ado, here’s four quick bites before running off to see Shit Mix tonight...
A Patriot For Me @ New Players - Solid production of a rarely-performed John “Look Back in Anger” Osborne play. Big cast, interesting historical subject (gay officer in the late-Habsburg Austrian army succumbing to blackmail), but the second act drags (literally and figuratively) and everybody is so damn smug that it detracts from the tension. That said, it’s never boring even it does meander. See it if you’ve got a free night.
A Skull in Connemara @ White Bear - Either you love Martin McDonagh or you loathe him, as his plays (excepting The Pillowman) tend to follow a similar formula. The RZ loves McDonagh’s works, and the sharp, witty writing in Skull makes for a short, biting play that’s paired with creative design in the White Bear’s space.
Hans Teeuwen (Comedian) - The RZ saw Mr. Teeuwen at BAC doing a gig in anticipation of his upcoming run at the Leicester Square, and found his act hit or miss. It’s much closer to German Kabarett than what most people would expect from Anglo-American stand-up. The press have made favourable comparisons to Eddie Izzard (who the RZ is not fond of as a stand-up) though a cross between Izzard and Bill Bailey would be more accurate since Teeuwen sings as well. Teeuwen’s act jumps from biting material on FGM freedom of speech to absurdist skits (some of which go on far too long) and songs with the mandatory use of dick jokes to break up the bits. Good at BAC prices, not so much for the West End.
Betwixt! in Concert - It’s hard to say a lot about this as 1)it’s a charity gig and therefore hard to rag on regardless and 2)other than some song rehearsals the whole thing only had 24 hours to rehearse as a whole. The show is still great, there have been a few revisions (including one song getting slightly repositioned), and word on the street is that Off-Broadway is the next stop for this charming piece.
--------------
And now we’re all caught up. Just in time for four shows in the next week...
Tuesday, 29 July 2008
REVIEW: "I, Lear" & "The Female of the Species"
(A quick catch-up post. Still two plays behind after this one.)
Mid-late July isn’t exactly what the RZ would deem the best time to open a new show in the West End. With special events (the Proms) going on, local festivals (Chichester) taking place, and the entire industry gearing up for Edinburgh, the West End looks a bit haggard and unappealing. Nevertheless, new plays are still coming in (musicals seem to be on hold for a bit), so here we go.
I, Lear is a two-hander from award winning comedy duo Black Sheep. A Reduced Shakespeare-meets-39 Steps look at the theatre canon (“We’re going to do the best of British Theatre.” “I think you mean the best of theatre.” “Like I said, the best of British Theatre, such as Brecht and Chekhov.”), you can already guess what to expect and if you’ll like it. There’s the standard unevenness of sketch plays (the Brecht sequence is brilliant, the Sherlock Holmes one not so much) and a heaping dose of slapstick used to demonstrate the “techniques” required in acting.
The whole thing, as the title suggests, culminates in an abridgement of King Lear, easily the best segment, and the parts which dragged on earlier come back in a way which proved legion: better in the whole than on its own. At 75 minutes, I, Lear is the sort of thing you get a right laugh out of for £5-10 on the fringe, but £20 at Trafalgar seems excessive.
For those seeking out more intellectual fare, the non-air conditioned Vaudeville is hosting its own new one act, The Female of the Species.
Female is the antithesis to the manly I, Lear. Dame Eileen Atkins leads the cast as Margot Mason, a burned out feminist intellectual struggling to get one more book out to pay the mortgage on her new summer home. When a disgruntled ex-student appears and takes Mason hostage, chaos unfolds as Mason’s daughter intrudes on the verge of a breakdown.
The good news is that Female is actually humourous, something Atkins’ last appearance wasn’t. Her character is similar in both - a sharp tongued egotistical matron - but the character works better in this one, as she throws her status and weight around you see that this is a woman who made herself. The supporting cast are uniformly strong, and it’s nice to see a play done without mics in an intimate venue like the Vaudeville.
The bad news is that Joanna Murray-Smith ran out of ideas at the 75-80 minute mark when the play is 100 minutes long. As one might expect given the storyline (there’s a lot of this lately, isn’t there...), feminist theory is thrown around like peanuts at a baseball game, but for most of the play it works because it’s a part of the verbal sparring or sets up something in the plot and/or leads to a joke. The problems emerge when Murray-Smith has written herself into a corner with the daughter sympathising with the intruder (names escape the RZ at this point and it helps minimise spoilers anyway) and her emasculated husband being rather worthless. Turning to tired sitcom formulas, an angry new-man taxi driver is introduced, and this is where the play falls apart: Mr. Driver begins an extended, painfully dry monologue about gender roles and, still failing to resolve the story, Mason’s gay publisher is brought in to offer everybody book deals and bring about a happy ending for all. It’s trite, dull, and in a sweltering theatre, painful.
I, LEAR
Where: Trafalagar Studios 2
When: Until 16 August, M-Sa @ 19:45
How Much: £15 on Mondays, £20 all other nights.
Concessions: None
-----------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £10. Comedy club fare, comedy club price.
RZ Other Notes: Avoid sitting in Row A if you’re in the centre block. In fact, to play it safe, avoid Row A in general. It would be a spoiler to ruin the moment, but let’s just say it involves possible stains.
THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
Where: Vaudeville Theatre
When: Until 4 October, T-Sa @ 19:30, W/Sa @ 14:30
How Much: £35-£47.50
Concessions: £20 in advance for Wednesday matinee or 1 hour prior to curtain all other shows.
----------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £15. This is a fringe play on steroids which, despite some good performances, badly needs an editor.
RZ Other Notes: It gets hot in the Vaudeville. Really hot. Bring a bottle of water and dress lightly.
Mid-late July isn’t exactly what the RZ would deem the best time to open a new show in the West End. With special events (the Proms) going on, local festivals (Chichester) taking place, and the entire industry gearing up for Edinburgh, the West End looks a bit haggard and unappealing. Nevertheless, new plays are still coming in (musicals seem to be on hold for a bit), so here we go.
I, Lear is a two-hander from award winning comedy duo Black Sheep. A Reduced Shakespeare-meets-39 Steps look at the theatre canon (“We’re going to do the best of British Theatre.” “I think you mean the best of theatre.” “Like I said, the best of British Theatre, such as Brecht and Chekhov.”), you can already guess what to expect and if you’ll like it. There’s the standard unevenness of sketch plays (the Brecht sequence is brilliant, the Sherlock Holmes one not so much) and a heaping dose of slapstick used to demonstrate the “techniques” required in acting.
The whole thing, as the title suggests, culminates in an abridgement of King Lear, easily the best segment, and the parts which dragged on earlier come back in a way which proved legion: better in the whole than on its own. At 75 minutes, I, Lear is the sort of thing you get a right laugh out of for £5-10 on the fringe, but £20 at Trafalgar seems excessive.
For those seeking out more intellectual fare, the non-air conditioned Vaudeville is hosting its own new one act, The Female of the Species.
Female is the antithesis to the manly I, Lear. Dame Eileen Atkins leads the cast as Margot Mason, a burned out feminist intellectual struggling to get one more book out to pay the mortgage on her new summer home. When a disgruntled ex-student appears and takes Mason hostage, chaos unfolds as Mason’s daughter intrudes on the verge of a breakdown.
The good news is that Female is actually humourous, something Atkins’ last appearance wasn’t. Her character is similar in both - a sharp tongued egotistical matron - but the character works better in this one, as she throws her status and weight around you see that this is a woman who made herself. The supporting cast are uniformly strong, and it’s nice to see a play done without mics in an intimate venue like the Vaudeville.
The bad news is that Joanna Murray-Smith ran out of ideas at the 75-80 minute mark when the play is 100 minutes long. As one might expect given the storyline (there’s a lot of this lately, isn’t there...), feminist theory is thrown around like peanuts at a baseball game, but for most of the play it works because it’s a part of the verbal sparring or sets up something in the plot and/or leads to a joke. The problems emerge when Murray-Smith has written herself into a corner with the daughter sympathising with the intruder (names escape the RZ at this point and it helps minimise spoilers anyway) and her emasculated husband being rather worthless. Turning to tired sitcom formulas, an angry new-man taxi driver is introduced, and this is where the play falls apart: Mr. Driver begins an extended, painfully dry monologue about gender roles and, still failing to resolve the story, Mason’s gay publisher is brought in to offer everybody book deals and bring about a happy ending for all. It’s trite, dull, and in a sweltering theatre, painful.
I, LEAR
Where: Trafalagar Studios 2
When: Until 16 August, M-Sa @ 19:45
How Much: £15 on Mondays, £20 all other nights.
Concessions: None
-----------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £10. Comedy club fare, comedy club price.
RZ Other Notes: Avoid sitting in Row A if you’re in the centre block. In fact, to play it safe, avoid Row A in general. It would be a spoiler to ruin the moment, but let’s just say it involves possible stains.
THE FEMALE OF THE SPECIES
Where: Vaudeville Theatre
When: Until 4 October, T-Sa @ 19:30, W/Sa @ 14:30
How Much: £35-£47.50
Concessions: £20 in advance for Wednesday matinee or 1 hour prior to curtain all other shows.
----------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £15. This is a fringe play on steroids which, despite some good performances, badly needs an editor.
RZ Other Notes: It gets hot in the Vaudeville. Really hot. Bring a bottle of water and dress lightly.
Friday, 25 April 2008
REVIEW: "Eurobeat Almost Eurovision (Sarajevo)"
Tacky costumes, trashy visuals, Terry Wogan, and pop songs that you hate yourself for loving. Yes, the Eurovision song contest has set upon us again both in real life next month (May 20/22/24 in Belgrade) but on the touring stage before settling in the West End this September. That’s right, some clever Australians took that most beloved (and belittled) of European institutions to give us Eurobeat Almost Eurovision.
The current UK touring version, set in Sarajevo, features everything the real Eurovision is known for: low end local celebrities making awful jokes (this time with lots of double entendre) and stereotyped nationalities attempting to out-flare and out-pop each other. From the holdouts (Hungarian folk heavy) to the sellouts (the Brits provided the worst and blandest song as always) and the fallouts (Postmodern Germans and a Björk-esque Icelander), our hosts (Les Dennis as children’s TV star Sergei and Mel Giedroyc as ex-pole vaulter Boyka) take us across this lovely continent full of “beautiful people, except France” and insure that none of the represented nations reach the end unscathed, but it rarely goes past the “nudge/wink” type humour that lets us all be in on the joke, although some jokes (“Leave it to the Irish to teach us about World Peace”) hit closer to home than others.
And just how are these mockeries of cultural pride and punishment? Some of them (Greece, Italy, Ireland, Russia) are surprisingly catchy and worthy of being on many an iPod and go beyond their novelty setting. Others exist for the sake of being intentionally bad and perhaps lack tunefulness as a result, but still work in the context of the show. Had the RZ a spare tenner on the night he went, he would have bought the CD without blinking on his way out of the theatre.
Of course, it’s not Eurovision without a winner, and the end of the first act provides the audience the opportunity to vote via text message. Needless to say, the second act lacks the pure entertainment value of the first as a great deal of time is dedicated to reporting the results, but the voting is accurate and the winner does change on a nightly basis (it’s even reported the next day on the website).
The one downside to this production is the continuing trend to eliminate live music. On the other hand, the Eurovision contest itself has been free of a live orchestra for years, and touring prices reflect the lower expenses. Whether live music will be implemented for the West End is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: it’s hard to care when you’re laughing so hard.
Where: Touring
When: Check the show website.
How Much: Varies by venue, £9-£25 in most venues
Concessions: Varies by venue
------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £20. £5 penalty for no live band. This show is damn funny and if you can see it at touring prices you’ll totally get your money’s worth (plus it clocks in just at 2 hrs. - someone gets to keep it short!)
RZ Other Notes: The theatre was frighteningly empty the night the RZ went, with over half the stalls and most of the first circle empty and the upper circle closed. While word of mouth is certain to build as the tour reaches its conclusion, the high camp factor (bordering on postmodern mockery at times) may have trouble attracting the wider audiences necessary to sustain an extended run in one of the West End’s major venues - then again, if Gone With The Wind closes as soon as everybody hopes, the New London would be a wonderful and not too large location with plenty of intimacy (though most of the touring venues are owned by the Ambassadors, so speculate for yourself where this'll end up). Either way, Eurobeat’s producers aren’t hedging their bets in the UK: productions in Asia, Australia, and Europe are in the works for the rest of 2008 and 2009, including an alternative version set in Amsterdam for some locations.
The current UK touring version, set in Sarajevo, features everything the real Eurovision is known for: low end local celebrities making awful jokes (this time with lots of double entendre) and stereotyped nationalities attempting to out-flare and out-pop each other. From the holdouts (Hungarian folk heavy) to the sellouts (the Brits provided the worst and blandest song as always) and the fallouts (Postmodern Germans and a Björk-esque Icelander), our hosts (Les Dennis as children’s TV star Sergei and Mel Giedroyc as ex-pole vaulter Boyka) take us across this lovely continent full of “beautiful people, except France” and insure that none of the represented nations reach the end unscathed, but it rarely goes past the “nudge/wink” type humour that lets us all be in on the joke, although some jokes (“Leave it to the Irish to teach us about World Peace”) hit closer to home than others.
And just how are these mockeries of cultural pride and punishment? Some of them (Greece, Italy, Ireland, Russia) are surprisingly catchy and worthy of being on many an iPod and go beyond their novelty setting. Others exist for the sake of being intentionally bad and perhaps lack tunefulness as a result, but still work in the context of the show. Had the RZ a spare tenner on the night he went, he would have bought the CD without blinking on his way out of the theatre.
Of course, it’s not Eurovision without a winner, and the end of the first act provides the audience the opportunity to vote via text message. Needless to say, the second act lacks the pure entertainment value of the first as a great deal of time is dedicated to reporting the results, but the voting is accurate and the winner does change on a nightly basis (it’s even reported the next day on the website).
The one downside to this production is the continuing trend to eliminate live music. On the other hand, the Eurovision contest itself has been free of a live orchestra for years, and touring prices reflect the lower expenses. Whether live music will be implemented for the West End is yet to be seen, but one thing is certain: it’s hard to care when you’re laughing so hard.
Where: Touring
When: Check the show website.
How Much: Varies by venue, £9-£25 in most venues
Concessions: Varies by venue
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RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £20. £5 penalty for no live band. This show is damn funny and if you can see it at touring prices you’ll totally get your money’s worth (plus it clocks in just at 2 hrs. - someone gets to keep it short!)
RZ Other Notes: The theatre was frighteningly empty the night the RZ went, with over half the stalls and most of the first circle empty and the upper circle closed. While word of mouth is certain to build as the tour reaches its conclusion, the high camp factor (bordering on postmodern mockery at times) may have trouble attracting the wider audiences necessary to sustain an extended run in one of the West End’s major venues - then again, if Gone With The Wind closes as soon as everybody hopes, the New London would be a wonderful and not too large location with plenty of intimacy (though most of the touring venues are owned by the Ambassadors, so speculate for yourself where this'll end up). Either way, Eurobeat’s producers aren’t hedging their bets in the UK: productions in Asia, Australia, and Europe are in the works for the rest of 2008 and 2009, including an alternative version set in Amsterdam for some locations.
Tuesday, 15 April 2008
THOUGHTS: Moths Ate My Dr Who Scarf
(A very short catch-up before running out to Hackney Empire...)
The anoraks have landed at the Arts Theatre as comedian Toby Hadoke brings his tale of childhood woe, social discomfort, and unabashed fandom to London. Drawing heavily on personal experience and an in-depth knowledge of the title programme to the forefront, Moths looks at what it means to be the outsider, to have an audiovisual security blanket, and how perceptions change the way we view ourselves and our cultural heritage. While non-Who fans will be able to follow what’s going on, many of the jokes will (obviously) be lost - ditto for those who aren’t familiar with local celebs and TV in general (e.g. a hilarious bit comparing Star Wars to Eastenders). Pleasantly short, Moths is a lovely way to start an evening in the West End.
Where: Arts Theatre
When: Until 19 Apr @ 19:30
How Much: £12.50-£15
Concessions: None
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RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £12.50. Lots of fun, but very specialised humour.
RZ Other Notes: A version of this show was produced for BBC Radio 7 and is available on CD.
The anoraks have landed at the Arts Theatre as comedian Toby Hadoke brings his tale of childhood woe, social discomfort, and unabashed fandom to London. Drawing heavily on personal experience and an in-depth knowledge of the title programme to the forefront, Moths looks at what it means to be the outsider, to have an audiovisual security blanket, and how perceptions change the way we view ourselves and our cultural heritage. While non-Who fans will be able to follow what’s going on, many of the jokes will (obviously) be lost - ditto for those who aren’t familiar with local celebs and TV in general (e.g. a hilarious bit comparing Star Wars to Eastenders). Pleasantly short, Moths is a lovely way to start an evening in the West End.
Where: Arts Theatre
When: Until 19 Apr @ 19:30
How Much: £12.50-£15
Concessions: None
-------------------------
RZ Unofficial “Worth Paying”: £12.50. Lots of fun, but very specialised humour.
RZ Other Notes: A version of this show was produced for BBC Radio 7 and is available on CD.
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