London Road, National, Cottesloe Theatre

After a ridiculously successful initial run, 'London Road' has returned to the National's Cottesloe Theatre for a limited period. This original innovative drama is based on the horrific real life events of Autumn 2006, when five prostitutes were found dead in Ipswich. Surprisingly the piece grew out of an experimental workshop at the National Theatre in which unlikely collaborators were brought together. Writer Alecky Blythe interviewed those on the periphery of the case – residents of the area, and inhabitants on London Road (the road the murderer lived on), cameramen, and other press. He then used their words, transforming their speech into drama, a technique known as verbatim theatre.

We witness exactly how the events have affected a small segment of the community, the Neighbourhood Watch committee. They assemble regularly to discuss their feelings and actions and through them we hear about the updates in the case, most importantly if the murderer has been caught and convicted?

It is odd to think of a drama with such a subject as a musical, a light-hearted genre that you would assume would not suit such a sombre story. However the music makes the piece all the more powerful, adding a sensitivity to the topic and giving a poignant voice to these everyday people. The music is utterly stunning, a brave offering from composer and lyricist Adam Cork. Using the natural speech patterns, Cork creates a very affecting score that uses frequent repetition and banal words to sound more natural. The musical influences are broad, minimalist at times, jazz based in other passages. A small band provide a solid instrumental accompaniment in a little space above the stalls.

The cast do a marvellous job presenting eleven well-rounded, ‘normal’ central characters while also covering fifty-two other parts between them! It is a great team effort to pull off this ensemble piece, and no-one lets the side down, each and every actor excelled on the night I was attended. I was particularly impressed with Kate Fleetwood’s portrayal of Julie, the Events organiser who suggests the idea for ‘London Road in Bloom’ a flower growing competition that brings the group closer. She shows great depth and empathy as this hopeful woman. Claire Burt and Nicola Sloane are also fantastic both offering witty innuendo to the play. I was amazed by the secure musical performance, the solo and tutti singing are both faultless in a score that is filled with tricky harmonies and challenging melodic progressions.

Visually London Road is a joy, a simple layout that provides endless staging possibilities for director Rufus Norris. Aside from the hovering plant basket installation, there is one mesmerising scene when a white suited investigator weaves in and out of the stage stretching warning Police tape in zigzags trapping the characters.

Some may be offended by this frank piece of drama, but I'm sure most will be touched by how utterly human it is: a thought-provoking, startling musical play that illuminates how one awful event can dramatically affect and alter a normal community.

London Road continues until 27th August; if all seats are sold out it is worth calling on the day for standing tickets or cheaper day seats - details here.

Emperor and Galilean at The National, Olivier Theatre

You probably haven’t heard of the play ‘Emperor and Galilean’... I hadn’t before I booked tickets a few months ago. This epic historical drama by Henrik Ibsen was written between 1868 and 1873 and was described by the playwright as his most important work, and yet very little is known of it. In fact the National are the first to take on the brave task of staging it in English.

The play instantly poses many tricky challenges: the original work comes in the form of two plays, consists of ten acts lasting over eight hours in total and the drama takes place over dozens of years and spans thousands of miles of land. The National commissioned Ben Power to write a new adaptation of the piece. Power overcomes all these tests in his engaging adaptation, condensing down Ibsen’s masterpiece into a more manageable three hour performance.

The drama follows the life of Julian, ruler of the Roman Empire from AD361-363. As the nephew of the Roman Emperor Constantius he is under constant restraints in Constantinople. An intelligent young man he is desperate to escape and explore, and when his older brother, Gallus is assigned the role of Caesar, Julian is free to go to Athens. Discovering the allure of worshipping ancient pagan gods, Julian leaves behind belief in Christianity, and consequently his devoted friends too. Personally he struggles constantly with the Christian-Pagan debate, seeking advice and approval fromthe elderly Maximus. Eventually he is crowned Emperor, abolishing Christianity in flavour of Paganism.

It certainly is a tour de force – a cast of over 50, and at least 10 scene changes it is quite a sight to behold. Jonathan Kent has done a brilliant job directing this play, presenting us with a performance that is fluid and imaginative and surprisingly easy to understand. In fact this version of ‘Emperor and Galilean’ is not even very Ibsen-esque, and I enjoyed it a great deal more than I expected to.

Andrew Scott takes on the vast role of Julian and is on stage almost non-stop for the whole performance. The emotional energy he brings to the role is impressive - he gives a passionate and intense depiction that is needed to make such a complex character convincing. Also admirable is his ability to transform and mature so effectively, growing from the pale scrawny teenager, to a great Emperor decades later. Brilliant too is the interaction between Julian and his three friends, his genuine anguish when he decides to leave them is terribly moving and affecting. There is strong support for Scott from the rest of the cast: Nabil Shaban as the cruel Emperor Constantius, and Ian McDiarmid as a menacingly persuasive Maximus. John Heffernan as Peter and Jamie Ballard as Gregory both provided some light against Andrew Scott’s shade, as two kind but feeble friends of Julian. Not every actor was to my taste though. James McArdle was irritatingly limp and monotone as preacher Agathon and Genevieve O’Reilly was ridiculous as Helena, the quiet girl who, after eating a poisoned peach, rips her clothes off and wriths insanely across the stage.

It is a deeply poignant play, and Power’s version only emphasises this more, highlighting the powerful man’s struggle with himself and his beliefs. A few stunning performances and some awesome visuals create an overwhelming performance that deserves a large round of applause at final curtain call - certainly more than my audience gave it, who pathetically seemed to be half asleep by the end.

Emperor and Galilean continues until 10 August 2011, book here.

'One Man, Two Guvnors' at The National, Lyttelton Theatre

A few nights ago I attended the premiere of ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ at the National’s Lyttelton Theatre. This new English play, written by Richard Bean, is based on the Italian comedy, ‘The Servant of Two Masters’ by Carlo Goldoni.

The action takes place in Brighton, where an odd mix of characters come together after the murder of Roscoe Crabbe. Dodgy dealer Charlie “the duck” Clench had organised for his dippy daughter Pauline to marry Roscoe, but is now adjusting the engagement party for his daughter’s true love, melodramatic actor Alan Dangle. Meanwhile Francis Henshall, minder to Roscoe, believes his employer is still alive, which is apparently confirmed when Roscoe’s twin sister Rachel enters disguised as her dead brother. She is posing to claim the money her family are owed from Charlie, and also to protect her lover Stanley Stubbers, her brother’s killer. If all that isn’t confusing enough, Henshall has committed to working for both Rachel (in disguise as Roscoe) and undercover murderer Stanley, but neither must know of his dual alliance.

Hushed murmurs of excitement were audible as James Corden swaggered on stage as the food obsessed Francis Henshall, his larger than life personality immediately fills the auditorium. His performance is an impressive tour de force, Corden throws himself about the stage and isn’t shy of full on audience participation, though at times I felt he tried a little too hard and occasionally his rants came across as slapstick. Strong support is given from Jemima Rooper as convincingly disguised Rachel Crabbe, and Oliver Chris as the absolutely ridiculously funny posh lover Stanley Stubbers. The audience seemed to delight in watching Tom Edden playing the poor old man Alfie, who can barely talk or walk.

Brilliant direction from Nicholas Hytner is to be expected, but I was pleasantly surprised by the frequently changing retro set designed by Mark Thompson. Music plays a big part in this production, and this is provided by extremely talented crew of four, The Craze. Fresh new songs written by band member Grant Olding inject the evening with energy and fun, and provide a welcome distraction while the scene changes are made. The Craze aren’t afraid to experiment, playing a wide range of instruments including washboard, spoons, harmonica, ukulele, and even an accordion. Every actor gets a turn to play /sing in a number with the band, these musical interludes are well designed with the words, style and instrumentation all matching the performer’s character in the play... particularly humorous when Alan uses his bare chest as a percussive device.

Despite the tendency towards pantomime, ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ really made me laugh and certainly entertained me a darn sight more than the National’s slow paced production of The Cherry Orchard.

Continues until July 26th, book here.

Cherry Orchard at The National, Olivier Theatre

‘The Cherry Orchard’ is Anton Chekhov’s final play, and has become one of his most familiar. Translated many times over, it is now regarded to be a classic all over the world. When I arrived for the first night of the National’s new production of the play I was aware that I was in the minority, having not seen this play performed before. The work is lengthy, as is much of Chekhov, and with very little storyline it is easy to get lost in the words and endless speeches, I felt quite dazed by the end. It doesn’t help that the character names are so difficult to distinguish to untutored ears.

We were lucky to be sitting in good central circle seats that only cost £5 each, thanks to the National’s brilliant entry pass scheme, and could see the huge stage well. The wooden set is simple but stunning and alludes perfectly to a picturesque Russian country estate. Aside from aesthetics, designer Bunny Christie has managed to create a real atmosphere and character with her insightful vision.

Ranyevskaya, a Russian aristocrat arrives back at her family home with her relatives and friends. The house includes a large and well-known cherry orchard that holds many memories for the family members. Unfortunately the land must be auctioned to pay off a mortgage debt. The family do very little throughout the play, talking about the importance of love and life and wandering about aimlessly or having a party. The property is eventually sold to the wealthy landowner, and the family leave to the devastating sound of the orchard being chopped down.

Zoe Wanamaker is the star appeal as glamorous Ranyevskaya, lady of the house, and on opening night she was truly worthy of her status. Wanamaker sweeps the stage with such charm that you can’t help but smile. Her features are quite similar to a cabbage patch doll, and there is something particularly endearing about her expressive face. Confident and assured, she gives a wonderful performance, at times hysterical. She is surrounded on stage by a brilliant cast; an excitable Charity Wakefield as the beautiful younger daughter Anya and Claudie Blakley, who is perfectly prim as the fastidious adopted daughter Varya. Of the smaller parts, it is Sarah Woodward that really stands out as jovial performer Charlotta.

Whether to define ‘The Cherry Orchard’ as a comedy or tragedy often causes debate, and it is a decision each director can determine in their portrayal. The final saddening moments of the National’s production reflect the overall contemplative feeling of the show, as we watch the poor old man struggle alone whilst everyone else has left the house and cherry orchard behind.

Cherry Orchard continues until July 28, book here.

FRANKENSTEIN at The National Theatre

Danny Boyle’s Frankenstein is probably the most talked about play this season, an adaptation by Nick Dear of Mary Shelley's classic novel. The central pair: creator (Victor Frankenstein) and creation are unusually cross-cast, with Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller playing both roles, switching each night. This is, of course to represent the cruel duo as one, though it is a strategy that causes some debate. Reviewers were invited to both alternatives to grasp the effect of the idea... Lee Miller seems to have come out on top, receiving all four star reviews. It is an interesting concept, but one that I believe can compromise the quality of a performance, after all can an actor be as convincingly in character if he is having to constantly switch. And if Lee Miller is better as the creature why not keep it that way every night? I saw him in this role and suspect it to be the preferred casting, but with not enough time to see the vice-versa line-up, I will never know.

The NT press team is not keen on niceties, with the theatre at the top of its game there is a tendency to be arrogant. They can be as brash and brutal as they want and the majority of their shows will still sell out. I experienced a curt unkind woman first hand and it rather deterred me from spending a fortune on Frankenstein tickets. I’d almost completely given up hope of seeing this heralded production when my friend mentioned the standing tickets obtainable from the box office on the day. Last minute tickets are a crafty way to secure seats in popular London theatres but usually it is necessary to queue for hours. I was sceptical that it was possible to procure tickets for Frankenstein this way, but after holding on the phone for a manageable ten minutes I was through and two minutes later I had booked and paid for two £5 standing tickets for that evening's performance - hurrah! I’m not one to update my facebook status every half hour, but my jublilation at my success lead me to notify my friends that I was one of the lucky few with a hot ticket to the latest theatrical phenomenon.

For the first ten minutes the stage belongs to ‘the Creature’. We watch a man being born out of a circular contraption that looks like the skin of a giant African drum. Once broken through he scrambles about on stage naked and dirty like a deranged toddler. With no speech, the audience watch in amazement as he thrashes himself against the floor struggling to walk; it should be painful to watch but Lee Miller acts with such realism and compassion that I began to wish the sequence would continue. Soon this spellbindingly physical scene is curtailed by a steam train rolling steadily towards the audience, and the rest of the play is underway.

We do not meet the Frankenstein family for a good while, meanwhile we see the creature acclimatising himself to the world, and with the help of a kind blind old man (beautifully played by Karl Johnson) he becomes more human, even beginning to feel emotion. Benedict Cumberbatch is immediately powerful on stage, it is something about his mannerisms and the intense furrowing of his thoughtful face.

The soundtrack accompanying the action is impressive on many levels - as you enter a heavy bell tolls in the centre of the auditorium, throughout there is melancholic guitar playing, beggars wailing a chorus and an atmospheric frequently returning melody. This reminded me of the introduction of Ave Maria, memorable but with a sadness that submerges your mind. The set has a gothic punk feel, and reminded me slightly of the expansive scenery in ENO’s Parsifal. Scene changes are frequent and swift with sets flying in and the central part of the stage rotating round, all very otherworldly. It is a tour de force from Mark Tildesley, who previously designed His Dark Materials.

The intensity of both Miller and Cumberbatch would make the show exceptional which ever way round they were playing it, but there is something about the raw energy of Miller that makes him just that bit more animalistic. The rest of the cast cannot compare, and appear a little bland against these stars, it doesn’t matter though as no-one is looking at them.

Bizarrely in the car on the way home from the National, Danny Boyle was presenting on Radio 2, so after seeing his tremendous show we listened to him interviewing too.

Call the box office after 9.30 am (on day of show) to get £5 standing tickets for Frankenstein – 0207 452 3000. And if you’re between the ages of 16-25 it is well worth signing up to the NT Entry Pass scheme - it is free to join and you can then book one of the £5 tickets allocated for all shows, and you can bring a friend along for only £7.50.

Fela! at The Olivier Theatre at The National

I have mixed feelings about Fela!, the new musical that is currently showing at the National Theatre, on the Olivier stage. This vibrant show is all passion and politics and tells the life of Fela Kuti, Nigerian musician, human rights activist and political maverick.

The show is unlike anything I’ve ever seen at the National before. It is an explosion of colour and noise, the whole theatre is adorned with pictures, lights and projections. As the audience walk in, the exuberant band is already jamming away on stage, it is like walking into another country, and has a carnival-like atmosphere. The high level of energy and spirit continue right through the three hour show, which eventually became quite exhausting to watch. I would like to have seen a little more variation of tone; it would have perhaps made the intensity a little more manageable.

The action takes place at the Shrine, in Lagos, 1978 where Fela is giving his final concert. This musical feast tries to cram in the entire span of this revolutionary’s fascinating life. His upbringing in London, and then his return to Nigeria where he strives to make a difference with his music. We see the impact of the dreadful death of his mother, which haunts him throughout the story and are also made aware of his infamous womanising. I felt the narrative to be a little muddled and the incessant dancing (as brilliant as it is) slightly takes over the story. The show is long, and by the two hour mark I started to get restless and a little bored.

The star of the show is Sahr Ngaujah who gives the performance of his life as Fela. Nagaujah comes straight from playing the role in the original Broadway production. He really is as extraordinary as the legend himself, singing and dancing across the stage, playing the trumpet and sax phenomenally and even joking with the audience with an alarming ease and charisma. During the performance he gets the audience up on to their feet to sing, dance and join in with the Clock pelvic thrusts – it was hilarious to see the National crowd attempting this move! Nagaujah is supported on stage by Melanie Marshall as his sweet voiced mother, and Paulette Ivory as the American girl who wins his heart. The rest of the company is equally energetic, and it is exciting to see the players having such a good time, even if that is running amongst the audience screaming at the top of their voices. The band is spectacular, how they played continuously for such a length of time is a marvel to me.

Fela! continues at The Olivier Theatre until 23 January 2011, book tickets here.

War Horse

As my dad pointed out, there seems to be a theme emerging from the recent shows I have seen... World War 1. Last week I went to see The Railway Children ( a little earlier), this week War Horse, and then in a few days I will be seeing Birdsong. So theoretically, I should be learning some history as well as enjoying good drama.

War Horse has exceeded all expectations, starting life as a book by Michael Morpurgo, and then onto the West End, via The National Theatre. Soon it transfers to Broadway, and Steven Spielberg is currently in the process of directing a film of the story adapted for the big screen by Lee Hall and Richard Curtis. The transformation of book to play is something few productions manage really effectively. Nick Stafford’s adaptation for War Horse is seamless and natural , however I do feel that at times it drags slightly and is perhaps a little too long. The book is essentially a children’s novel, and the production states it is suitable for kids of ten and over, I would disagree. Aside from the gruelling subject matter and sheer length the show, War Horse has some scary moments with frequent loud gun shots, often aimed towards the audience. I found it worrying and I am 22!

Reputation can be a dreadful curse on a show, and I think this was the downfall of War Horse for me. I had heard such enthusiastic things about the play so I was expecting a masterpiece. I cannot deny that the show is stunning, and completely unique in its approach to puppetry. Not only are the animals beautifully constructed, but the movements are breathtakingly real and accurate. I did in parts forget the horses are not alive.

The acting is on the whole convincing, Matthew Aubrey plays Albert Narracott with an endearing quality and strength that is appealing, but I found he shouts rather too much. I loved watching Zubin Varla, who takes on the role of Kavallerie Hauptmann Friedrich Muller, and amusingly tackles three languages for the part. The best actors of the night though are those agile people who move and dance as the horses, at times there are four of five people moving one animal.

Millions of horses died during World War I, War Horse is a play that remembers these forgotten heroes. Its popularity is justified, there is nothing like this play anywhere else on Broadway or in the West End, and it is very innovative in its use of puppetry. It is a story that touches many, though surprisingly I found I did not cry for long. I am disappointed not to have enjoyed this play as much as I hoped, but still found I was happy to experience the magic of these brave horses and the actors that make them come to life.

Book tickets here.

ART IS SCARY - Earthquakes in London at The National

I have decided that art is scary. Gone are the days when an abstract painting would cause a stir, now you need to create something far more shocking in order to be noticed. Does something really have to be repellant or disturbing to impress the audiences of today? I am beginning to think it does. As a society we seem obsessed with extremism and cynicism in art, subtlety is long gone. Artists and actors and others in the creative world seem intent on pushing themselves to the edge physically and emotionally, often with dangerous consequences. This is exhausting and harrowing for both the performer/artist and the audience/observer. This realisation of mine has been brewing slowly but surely; it began when I experienced the work of Stuart Brisley. He is widely regarded as a seminal figure of British performance art. The videos of his performances show the extent to which he is willing to go to make his point. I found Arbeit Macht Frei (1973) which was on display at Zoo Art Fair this year, particularly disturbing. In this video Brisley deliberately makes himself vomit continuously to represent an analogous representation of the objection to genocide. I found this literally unbearable to watch, and difficult to comprehend.The same can be found in music too - often music that is discordant and unpleasant to the ear is considered to be the most promising 'new music'.

I went to see the critically acclaimed ‘Earthquakes in London’ at the National Theatre last Friday. It is being performed on the Cottesloe stage, the only one of the three National’s theatres that I haven’t been to before. It is a three hour long play and we had standing tickets; I was a little worried about tiredness setting in after a long week at work. Turns out I didn’t need to be worried, the play captivated me from start to finish.

‘Earthquakes in London’ was commissioned by Headlong in 2008 under the artistic directorship of Rupert Goold. Headlong collaborates with adventurous theatre artists, and supports and helps them to bring their most challenging and provocative work to the stage. ‘Earthquakes in London’ is a new play by Mike Bartlett, a promising young playwright, who is only 29 years old. This epic play about climate change and corporate corruption is very impressive for such a young writer.

The staging was quite unique, a shoebox-like stage at either end of the auditorium, and then an elevated path through the centre of the theatre, which most of the audience stood surrounding. Often during the performance the actors leapt from the stage into the standing audience to continue the action amongst us. I was amazed by the energy from all the cast, which incidentally was very large. They really threw themselves into the drama, which is why the disturbing message was so forcefully conveyed.

The play spans from 1968 to 2525 and appropriately begins with the famous song about that year. The first half was slick and exciting, there was so much going on it was difficult to know where to look. Interestingly it tackles domestic issues as well as more serious environmental themes. The sinister twist to the story only became evident towards the end of the first half when an estranged father suggests his daughter should terminate her pregnancy. His research leads to his doomed, and completely extreme opinions, scary but eye-opening for the audience, since they are based on real scientific evidence. It is difficult to pick out any of the actors for a special mention, they were all brilliant. The second half was not quite as convincing and unfortunately fell into ridiculous ‘futuristic whimsy’, to quote Guardian critic Michael Billington. I felt the last twenty minutes was completely unnecessary and detracted from the overall poignancy of the piece.

I enjoy being challenged by art, and this was a refreshing play for The National. But being someone that gets very affected by things, I would like occasionally to see a new piece of theatre, or performance art that aims to provoke positive thoughts. People can be precious about new art; I believe theatre can be groundbreaking and thought-provoking without being completely depressing and soul-destroying. I left The National in floods of tears but would urge you to try and see the play... if you are thick-skinned.

Book tickets here.

The National Theatre Festival - The Chipolatas

Watch This Space Festival is the National Theatre’s free summer celebration of outdoor theatre, circus, dance, acrobatics, storytelling and film for all ages which takes place in Theatre Square, in front of the National Theatre.

I went on the sunny bank holiday Monday to celebrate the end of summer with some close friends. We watched ‘The Chipolatas’ billed as ‘gentlemen of the road and masters of the street’. They were great fun, and even though the show was clearly geared towards children we all really enjoyed it! The National Theatre cleverly introduce theatre and music to young children through free performances such as this. They jump around, play music, juggle with fire and much more. The audience participation captivated everybody's attention despite the difference in ages. I particularly love the accordion and drum accompaniment, which they seem to improvise and the acoustic rhythms they incorporate into their medieval style music.

The Chipolatas were established in 1992, and their performance style is quite unique, combining high-octane circus skills, music, theatre and dance. Their repertoire includes a range of educational outreach projects, with a mission to pass on skills and performance techniques to new generations.

The National Theatre Festival continues until 26 September 2010.