Darkness was evidence that university theatre doesn’t have to mean “student” theatre. Powered by staff from the University of Essex, this production was more ambitious in scale and quality than any other I saw. Hugely thoughtful, it bore the mark of both an observant academic and an artists sensitivity to the nuances of love and faith.
A Clockwork OrangeI had a teenage obsession with 1970s glam rock which soon extended into an interest in most anything 70s. Though I admit the pink corduroy flares were a mistake, most of my discoveries from that time have carried into my mid-twenties. My heart still flurries at the sound of a police siren which can only mean one thing; Blockbuster.
Part of this 70s obsession involved taping Kubrick’s A Clockwork Orange off a late night screening on Channel 4 on a VHS in the basement study so my mum wouldn’t find out I was watching it. David Bowie used inspired by Kubrick’s work and used Bethoven’s Ninth Symphony, as featured in A Clockwork Orange to open all his Ziggy Stardust performances, so obviously I would like the film too.
It did nothing for me and didn’t last long before being taped over (most likely with the Pokemon marathon on CITV). I never thought to give the book a go.
My feelings towards the text were positively changed by the energetic adaptation from Fourth Monkey at the 2010 Festival Fringe. A bricabrac drenched set and highly decorative costumes really worked for me.
The bright, vicious production not only convinced me that every encore should take the form of a dance routine but, more crucially, that there may be something more to the text. It is in Alex’s domestication and subsequent treatment that the real meat of the play lies.
Edinburgh Hangover is a series of posts reflecting back on the performances and companies that have stuck with me since my stint at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe 2011. Working as part of the Technical Team for Zoo Venues and reviewing for FringeGuru, I got to spend a 38 days in Edinburgh but had little time to trumpet about those young companies that produced work which managed to stay with me even after the well earned end of shift beer every night. Still to come is gushings of love for Action to the Word and FellSwoop but first a university society with a London transfer.
Arsenic and Old Lace at the Citizens Theatre was one of the first plays I remember seeing and holds a dear place in m heart.
So when I saw a production advertised in the Fringe programme this year, I was dubious at first. I find the 1944 film disappointing and attributed my enjoyment of the play I had seen in 1995 to some magical Citz dusting. Still, interested to find out what this new company would bring to the Fringe, I kept my eye on it whilst drawing up my lists of must-see shows.
As the Fringe drew closer, I was disappointed to see that the production had been cancelled. A quick Google showed that the company, Article 19, was a university group and I assumed they’d fallen into one of the many of the same pitfalls I came across in university theatre. Running out of funds, contributor interest or an unexpected call from the rights holders are all hurdles that unexpectedly appear when you’re given the reins. Article 19′s problems were caused by last minute withdraw of performance permission by the rights holders. And it was the best thing that could have happened to them.
Blogged is a round up my FringeGuru reviews from the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. A pleasantly unexpected offer to join the Zoo Venues tech crew meant I was able to cover far less performance than I had hoped. Thanks to the great scheduling skills of Richard, FringeGuru Editor, I was able to attend a number of performances on press freebies. In return to the companies, I hope that any observations or criticisms made were helpful. I didn’t hate anything I saw with FringGuru, even that which I awarded a solitary star to had exceptional merits.
I had specified an interest in university work, young companies, new writing and glitter and this was well matched in what I was sent to review. Below are snippets of the original reviews with links to the full text on FringeGuru.com
Roar, ★★★★ 
Dumbshow
C-venues, C, 3-15, 17-29 Aug
There is a great melding of the contemporary and 17th Century across the whole production. Dumbshow creates a pidgin historicism that feels bizarrely accurate. It creates a great aesthetic: the gin-soaked girls of Moll’s gang look like Bellatrix Lestrange has rolled around in a tin of Quality Street.
Malfi, ★★★★ 
Offshoots (in association with Lancaster University Theatre Group)
Bedlam Theatre, 22-27 Aug
The mysterious masked chorus are a magnificent touch. They simmering under white fedoras and immaculate trench coats. Violent and terrifying, they’re also exceptionally cool. It is a hugely impressive device, surprising but instantly familiar that lifts the mood of the production from mere mimicry of movie tropes, to inspired expressive design.
The Nose, ★★★★ 
Fat Git Theatre
theSpaces on North Bridge, 15-20, 22-27 Aug
The live music is a real joy, adding a zippy sense of pace and cartoon-like humour to the action. The instruments were played excellently but it was the resourcefulness of the musicians that really made the score sparkle. A typewriter becomes an orchestra in itself, and rustling papers make a great underscore for the clerical newspaper offices.
The Sexual Awakening of Peter Mayo, ★★★ 
Misshapen Theatre
Pleasance Courtyard, 3-16, 18-29 Aug
The focus on character means the atmosphere never gets too uncomfortable, even when talk turns to fetishes, anonymous encounters and sexual deviancy. It’s deftly done and avoids titillation for its own sake. The characters are rounded, believable and extremely likeable despite their personal, hypocritical shortcomings.
The Cagebirds, ★★★
Liverpool University Drama Society
Greenside, 5-13 August
The Cagebirds is an excellent display of the strength of student theatre where the cast work as a tight ensemble. Only an aesthetic that feels halfway there stops this bird from really taking wing.
The Ducks, ★★★ 
Human Hand / SEArED
Pleasance Courtyard, 3-29 Aug
It appears that the production is banking on the strength of the script to carry the show, but unfortunately falls short. All the same, there are moments of unexpected lyricism, which suggest there may be more to The Ducks than this stripped-back production brings out.
Coal Head, Toadstool Mouth and Other Stories, ★★★ 
Sussex University Drama Society
theSpace @ Symposium Hall, 9-13, 15-20, 22-27 Aug
The whimsical, episodic tales that make up Coal Head, Toadstool Mouth and Other Stories lose all their magic in this space. Yet they are kept compelling by the excellent storytelling skills of the talented four-strong company. They tell the tales of unfortunate puppets and pupae with skilful narration and character performances.
Sweet Charity, ★ 
Northern Theatre Company
C venues, C, 14-29 Aug
The company do well to carry on through the constant cat-calls and laughter derived from their endeavours, even when tripping spectacularly across the set. If only they would realise that what they have produced is no grimy piece of social commentary but a rough and ready celebration of camp, they could well attract an appreciative underground audience.