Downstage Drama

So we all know that a four-movie biopic about the Beatles is currently in the works, but did you know that 50 years ago, Willy Russell wrote an award-winning play about the famous foursome? And I read it! The only other Willy Russell play I’ve seen is Blood Brothers and I was able to spot large parallels between the two Liverpool-set shows. John Paul George Ringo…& Bert , written in 1974, features a clever, quick witted voice, strongly developed characters - each with their own idiolects and sound, and most noticeably for me, a striking thematic distinction between Act One and Act Two. All very Blood Brothers -esque.  The play is narrated by Bert McGhee, a fictional singular representation of the band’s hoard of loyal fans. He’s energetic, warm and a little bit weird - a bit hopeless but sweet all the same. He acts as the reminder of who the Beatles once were before the money, fame and drugs. Simple Scouse lads with a dream. And so, when he’s paired next to the argument-stric...

What is “bad drama”? Probably the most logical answer would be theatre that we hate, right? Drama, directing, acting and design that elicit a negative reaction, one of disgust or disappointment. And, in the moment, this can cause audiences to scoff or to roll their eyes, tell-tale signs that what they are watching is not good . But I don’t think this is entirely true. Perhaps, yes, the drama might be “bad” but aren’t those feelings, those full-body experiences of fury and scorn, theatre in itself? I believe that dramatic, theatrical desires and emotion run through the veins of all of us. Any ideas that come from deep, repressed parts of our humanity is, in my eyes, what theatre is. And so, in that sense, the wide spectrum of reactions in response to “bad drama”, the ones that come from a buried recess in the body and psyche, can be called drama itself, allowing it to act as a reprise of the production that warrants such strong feelings.  I find reading negative theatre reviews fa...

Richard Twyman’s adaptation of Macbeth at the Lyric Hammersmith has left me feeling rather  curious. I now ask myself the question: “did it work, or was it just good acting?”. Whilst the set is stunning: a floor to ceiling construction of a mid-century urban mansion. Dark oak panels, a full kitchen and mystifying details such as working shower, giant mirror and disco ball, each having their place in the story, feature prominently and leave a resounding impression in my mind. There are many choices I agreed with. One of which being possibly the most striking addition: the element of live video recordings. Some made to look like security camera footage, some streaming directly from an actor’s video camera on stage, some playing the role of Banquo’s ghost. Because the three witches were not exactly played by a member of the cast, I interpreted this to be a representation of the pressure Macbeth felt from the witches’ prophecies and their omniscient nature, ultimately leading him and h...

Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers is just over 40 years old and still continues to amaze me. I first saw this musical a decade ago, when I was just 7 years old (the same age as the boys at the beginning of the show) and even then, having very little idea of what the actual story was, I remember being completely captivated. Back then, I understood almost nothing about the historical context of the story, the nuances of each character or the technical marvels of the musical. And yet it dug itself into the deep recesses of my brain and, for the most part, became one of the founding pillars for my love of theatre. I’ve seen it twice more since then, the latest being just a few days ago, and was lucky enough to see Sean Jones (Mickey) and Joe Sleight (Eddie) for both. I find these two actors fascinating. I have never met more lively, fresh characters and, under the actors’ guidance, the sparkling chemistry between them became such a character itself.  Sean Jones is particularly interest...

Clueless The Musical  is a brand new musical that is  so totally  creative and brilliant. To start, the music of  Clueless  (the 1995 film) is a very distinct mixtape of bright, youthful pop songs that remain truthful to the trendy and fresh-faced cast of characters. (Think  Kids in America  by Kim Wilde and Supergrass’s  Alright,  both songs that feature on the soundtrack). I was interested to see how this would translate into original musical theatre, and luckily, they called upon KT Tunstall, an established singer/songwriter who is well versed in the quirks of 90s-00s pop. You may know her from her 2005 hit  Suddenly I See.  Tunstall wrote the music for the musical, with Glenn Slater as lyricist, and the electric guitars, synth-y feel and slight blend of different styles and genres means they really could have been blasted out of a teen’s Boombox in 1995. This authenticity make the whole musical feel so much more camp and up...