Theatre Review - THE VICAR OF DIBLEY, PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

 

Alice (AlisonCarr) & Geraldine (KirstieCorfield) photo Jess Chapman

Thank God it’s back! Once again, the strange and endearing characters grace the stage to create an evening of heavenly laughter. Written by Richard Curtis, Paul Mayhew-Archer and Emma Freud, we sit down to join Vicar Geraldine as she rolls her eyes at yet another Parish Council meeting.

Parish Council photo Jess Chapman

Director Ian Willis has consecrated the stage with laughter with this production. Using performers, stage and music to bring us all to the quirky rural world of Dibley. The set (designed by Ian Willis and Stewart Dives) was ingenious in its simplicity, being used in many different ways; on one side, the cosy vicarage, on the other a slightly seedy looking Village Hall and, centre stage, a church window. The stained-glass window, lit to reflect its colours on the stage, also reflected well on the lighting design by Phil Bradley. Sound Design (Mike Cornish) and lighting (Lighting Crew Claire Brissenden) worked seamlessly throughout the production. Vocal coach Jonathan Goodman and Choreographer Julie Bowman worked to develop an unexpected and hilarious all-singing all-dancing moment.

David (RogerLiddle) photo Jess Chapman

It was wonderful to see some of the main cast from the last production of Vicar of Dibley returning to reprise their starring roles. In particular, the comedic wonder that is Kirstie Corfield as Geraldine Granger, who led the show with a perfect characterisation of this beloved character. Roger Liddle delighted us once more as the sardonic, and occasionally touching, David Horton. Robbie Close took on the nice, but dim, Hugo Horton, with Matthew Hope as the revolting farmer Owen Newitt. Alison Carr, praise be to God, was also back as the barmy Alice Tinker-Horton. Tony Childs played an understated, but apt, Frank Pickle. Barbara Edmundson certainly recreated the perfect flavour for ‘ahead of her time’ baker Mrs Cropley. Ruth Gibson was a charming Rosie Kennedy, even when we didn’t want her to be. Pete McAndrew (playing Harry Kennedy) made a great heart-throb and had excellent on-stage rapport with Geraldine. Tony Sehgal as Jim Trott was, of course, a comedy highlight - although I feel the pillow-stuffed stomach was a little unnecessary. Certainly, all the actors did very well to withstand the extreme heat (on one of the hottest days of the year) and still produce an excellent experience. The other actors of the ensemble added depth to several of the scenes, making them feel multifaceted. A joy to behold.

The Vicar of Dibley 2 is running at the Peoples Theatre, until  23^rd July 2022.

Theatre Preview - THE VICAR OF DIBLEY, PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

 

Irrepressibly cheerful Reverend Geraldine Granger and her misfit gang of parishioners are back in more hilarious episodes from the hit BBC comedy THE VICAR OF DIBLEY!

Following the success of their 2019 adaptation of the much-loved sitcom, the People’s Theatre in Heaton are excited to bring the Dibley dwellers back to their stage.

Last time we enjoyed Geraldine’s introduction to Dibley and its eccentric inhabitants. Fast-forward and now she’s firmly ensconced in the community, so what wacky antics do the villagers have in store for her this time around?

How are dippy duo Alice and Hugo adapting to married life? Can pompous David Horton keep his zany councillors in line? And will the vivacious vicar ever find the man of her dreams? No, no, no, no... maybe!

Kirstie Corfield returns as fun-loving Geraldine, along with Alison Carr as her delightfully dim verger Alice, Robbie Close as hapless Hugo, Roger Liddle as bullish David Horton and Tony Sehgal as lovably bumbling Jim Trott. There’s plenty of new faces and characters too, including Pete McAndrew as Harry, a charming newcomer to the village who captures Geraldine’s heart and changes Dibley forever!

Director Ian Willis comments “The Vicar of Dibley is an iconic British sitcom and the opportunity to bring Geraldine, Alice and the gang to the People’s stage again is simply too good to miss. And you don’t need to have seen the previous production to enjoy this one. Just come and cry (with laughter!) at the antics of the village residents as they lurch from one hilarious mishap to the next!”

The perfect summer treat full of laughs and love, THE VICAR OF DIBLEY is playing at the People’s Theatre in Heaton from Tuesday 19^th to Saturday 23^rd July. The People’s continues to offer a socially-distanced performance on Tuesday’s for audience members who prefer a less busy space where mask-wearing is required. Find out more and book your tickets at www.peoplestheatre.co.uk         

The People’s has also recently announced its next Season of plays, a varied line-up showing between September 2022 to February 2023 that includes comedy, drama, reimagined classics and family fun! All details at www.peoplestheatre.co.uk

Theatre Preview - SHREK THE MUSICAL - DOS - DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

 North East theatre company set their sights on a Swamp

Photo: L to R – Katie Blythe, Ben Connor, Leighton Taylor Jones (kneeling), 

Nicholas Fletcher-Holmes, George Hurley, Rhiannon Walker

Following the glitz and glamour of their most recent production, Priscilla Queen of the Desert, north east based theatre company DarlingtonOS has set their sights on a dark and damp swamp for their next blockbuster musical – Shrek!

Julian Cound, Chairman of DarlingtonOS told us the company is so excited to be able to present this musical having been delayed for two years due to the covid pandemic. He said:

“We were to have presented Shrek back in October 2020, but due to the extended closure of theatres worldwide from March 2020 this much anticipated production was put on the back-burner. But now we are finally in rehearsals and it’s all systems go for this family favourite blockbuster of a musical to make its way on to the stage.”

“Since theatres were able to re-open post-covid back in June 2021, DarlingtonOS has presented a socially distanced concert which involved video footage merged with live performers, a full-scale songs from the shows musical extravaganza and, most recently, Priscilla Queen of the Desert which played to over 5000 people.”

“It is clear that local audiences are aching to see live theatre and we are only too happy to offer what audiences want. Shrek The Musical is the perfect opportunity for families to experience live theatre together – kids love the show on one level and, much like pantomime, adults love the show on a completely different level.”

“Audiences will experience the DreamWorks animated movie adapted for the stage with all the main characters they love including Shrek, Donkey, Princess Fiona, Lord Farquaad and, of course, the love-struck, fire-breathing dragon as well as a host of fairytale characters including Pinocchio, the Three Little Pigs, Peter Pan, The Big Bad Wolf, and the Three Blind Mice who all come together to tell the story of acceptance, pointing out that everyone may be different but they all have a story to tell.”

A cast of 41 local performers has been announced with Nicholas Fletcher-Holmes playing the title role of Shrek and Ben Connor as his side-kick Donkey. Claire Willmer takes on the role of Princess Fiona and Leighton Taylor-Jones has the knee-numbing task of playing Lord Farquaad. George Hurley plays Pinocchio with Katie Blythe doubling as Sugar Plum Fairy and ‘Gingy’ - The Gingerbread Man. Shrek would not be complete without a fire breathing dragon, this role is to be played by Rhiannon Walker.

Shrek The Musical runs at Darlington Hippodrome from Wednesday 26 October to Saturday 5 November. Tickets are available now from www.darlingtonos.org.uk or by calling the ticket hotline on 01325 244659.

Theatre Review - GANGSTA GRANNY - DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

Birmingham Stage Company have brought ‘Gangsta Granny’ written by David Walliams to Darlington Hippodrome. The small cast work incredibly hard, with a number of them playing two parts. Walliams' storytelling style brings about the everyday situations, where he turns them into the most unlikely and often hilarious situations.

The story follows Ben, Justin Davies, who spends every Friday night with his cabbage loving Granny, Isobel Ford. He finds the constant eating of various forms of cabbage and spending the night a bit boring, until he discovers she is really an international jewel thief. Suddenly he finds it much more interesting and they embark on an exciting adventure together, leading to a surprising encounter.

Ben’s dreadful Mum and Dad, Jason Furnival and Jess Nesling, produce some highly entertaining moments during their ballroom dancing scenes. Flavio, Irfan Damani, steals the show as the professional dancer at the competition.

The set by Jacqueline Trousdale, is outstanding and has been ingeniously created, making the best possible use of the space, with lots of hidden sections to change the set instantly. The choreography from Paul Chantry and Rae Piper are delightful, especially as they dance through the scene changes.

Gangsta Granny is plenty of fun for all the family, adults and children will find plenty of laughs and will leave with a huge smile on their face. The audience on Thursday evening certainly got into the spirit of it and enjoyed joining in with the dancing at the end.

Runs until Sunday 3rd July.

Theatre Review - THREE TALL WOMEN - PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

 

A strange, yet brilliant, play written by Edward Albee. We start off in the bedroom of an elderly woman in her early nineties (exact age being up for debate) with her nurse and a woman sent in to monitor her paperwork. She tells them different things about her life as both of them consider ending up like her. The younger bookkeeper thinking that’s not where she is headed, as the middle-aged nurse seems to have accepted the grim inevitability that this is how we all end up. The older woman flicks between lucidity, reminiscence and the distress of confusion. The second half shifts to being inside her mind. As her son sits at her bedside, the three ages of the woman discuss her life. The 26-year-old self seems disappointed by what is to come, while the middle-aged version is already exhausted and jaded by the weight of life. This is balanced nicely with the older version, who looks on with apathy and acceptance of who she was. The three seem to subvert image of maiden, mother and crow, as we are reminded not all mothers are the ‘maternal type’. She is all of these women and none of them. She is the woman that time, life and her choices created - not necessarily likeable, but a ‘Tall Woman’ nonetheless. A deeply satisfying play executed magnificently.

Director Hugh Keegan creates an often intense production with many moment of wry humour. The set design of a simple but sumptuously furnished bedroom by Claire Leighton and Tim Swinton really sets the scene. The lighting and sound (also designed by Tim Swinton), highlighted the characters intense emotions and, at times, reflected memories with projected pictures on the walls, changing with the main character’s stories. Charlie Hope plays the simple silent role of Young Man well. As to the three main actresses, this show was a very tall order, with all three on stage for most of the play. Add to that the enclosed nature of the studio theatre it is performed in and you realise how gifted these three woman are, holding the audience in the palm of their hands at all times and always maintaining character. Kath Frazer played A, who slipped between the different memories of who she was and melting the audience’s hearts with outbursts of confused frustration. Sara Jo Harrison was B, a hypnotic performance as the sardonic fifty-something. Alison Carr, as C, brought out the naïve, almost child-like hope that our futures will be happy.

A fine piece of intimate theatre that reminds you to look closely at your own life, Three Tall Women is at the People’s Theatre, 31^st May - 4^th June2022.

Theatre Review - A BUNCH OF AMATEURS - THE PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

Dorothy (KayEdmundson), Jessica (SophieTaylor) photo Jules Dash

A story of a big name - and some even bigger egos. A former action hero is in need of a new direction as he becomes too old for the action genre and asks for help from his agent. Fortunately, his agent lands him the role of King Lear in Stratford, unfortunately it’s not that Stratford. Worse still, his co-stars are literally a bunch of amateurs. A Bunch of Amateurs, by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman, guides you through the silly, fun and complicated world of amateur dramatics, with all the pomposity and love it can house.

 

Ensemble (IanWillis), Denis (TonySehgal), Dorothy (KayEdmundson)
photo Jules Dash

Director, Steve Hewitt, clearly worked hard to bring about this show, adding moments of song to cover scene changes and highlight emotion. The decision to have cast members walk around the audience brought life to the performance as well as drawing the eye away to allow for set changes. Set Designer, Megan Smith, has created something of both minimal and adaptable beauty. A simply painted room unfolds like a Christmas card; I only wish it could have been utilised more. Phil Bradley, who designed the Lighting, and Kate Scott, who designed the Sound, created a good back drop to allow the play to spring forth. At times a few of the actors were a little hard to hear, but overall, the speech was clear.

 

Kay Edmundson played the true peace-maker Dorothy, as she tries her best to keep all egos in check while dealing with the demands of Jefferson Steel, played by Steve Parry, who has a habit of referring to himself in the third person. Roger Liddle was brilliantly cast as self-interested and hammy Nigel who, under normal circumstances, would be playing Lear. Tony Sehgal as Dennis gave a solid comedic performance, almost channelling Blackadder’s Baldric as he explained why he would have made a good daughter (Goneril) for Lear. Kirstie Corfield was the charmingly befuddled Mary. Kate Lundy was Lauren, wife of the sponsor and the hapless physiotherapist who gets caught in a scandal. Sophie Taylor completes the main cast as Steel’s sarcastic and world-weary daughter Jessica Steel. As the rest of the Stratford Players / Journalists, we have; Bill Harrington, Stewart Dives, Steve Strouzer, Lauren Aspery, Molly Winton, Abigail Martin, Jo Murray, Ian Willis and Ben Watkins. They gave the impression of a busy theatre, while also arranging props and set during other characters’ speeches. At times this could be a little distracting, but it really helped set the tone when they were reacting to Steel’s shenanigans. If ever you loved the stage and the Bard, you’ll find something to smile at in this production.

The play’s the thing!

Runs at the Peoples Theatre until 14^th May.

Theatre Review - SHAKESPEARE'S SPEAKEASY - PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

Another thing to add to your bucket list; see a Shakespeare’s Speakeasy, see another one and then another. When you think of Shakespearian productions you will probably envisage a large scale, extravagant production with drawn-out dialog that emphasises every last syllable. Shakespeare’s Speakeasy is so much more fun than that. The actors have one month to learn their lines, separately, then one day together to create the production. With a ‘rehearsals are for wimps’ attitude, the show steams forward with confidence, laughter and cheesy pop music. As an audience member, you have no idea which of Shakespeare’s many plays they will be performing until the show starts, which adds to the fun! 

There have been many good productions of Twelfth Night, but Shakespeare’s Speakeasy smashes them all out of the water. This is rough and raw theatre, things go wrong, lines aren’t perfect, but the show is all the more enjoyable for it. It feels impossibly good for the time it has taken to put together. Only a few basic modern day props, some simple lights, a few bits of costume and a host of talented actors take you through the raucous performance of the Bard’s work. It’s ludicrous! It’s fantastic! This show is wise enough to know it’s a fool. By bringing the production to a simpler and, dare I say it, more accessible form of Shakespeare’s work, you can feel the joy of it. Not a word-for-word rendition, but showing the true soul of the Bard.

Jake Wilson Craw triumphantly directed this production, as well as working the lighting/sound desk (at times), while also playing Viola’s lost brother Sebastian with subtly and wit. The suggestion of his bisexuality brings new meaning to Antonio’s words of loyalty. Artistic Director Steven Arran, who also part-ran the light/sound desk, clearly took great pleasure in his role as the pompous, and greatly wronged, Malvolio. I have never laughed at a man’s legs more in my life. Katie Tranter, a resigned Viola with such easy humour, slipped gracefully into her role. Ellie Carroll seemed to revel in her moments as a slightly raunchier Olivia, leaving Sebastian with more than just a quick kiss. Adam Lowe flitted quickly between the delightfully cool Duke and his weasely Sir Andrew Aguecheek, contrasting the two perfectly. Joseph Lynch had the daunting task of playing The Clown, Sea Captain and Antonio, accomplishing his different roles with true earnestness, an understated delivery of his lines and a great deal of humour. Philip Harrison as Sir Toby Belch was wonderfully interactive with the audience; thank goodness he hadn’t had too many pickled Herring. It was a pleasure to watch him scheming with Kylie Ann Ford as Maria. She was able to say what we were all thinking about Malvolio and had the audiences in stitches.  

Bawdy, bold and brilliant!