Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

No One is Coming to Save You is a dark, strange and yet quietly hopeful piece of theatre. It covers one night as experienced by two insomniacs, exploring the unaccountable way that our thoughts behave when we should be asleep but can’t quite seem to get there.

Staged by fledgling theatre company This Noise, the show is performed with surprising charisma by Agatha Elwes and Rudolphe Mdlongwa. Their innate watchability takes an already intriguing script (written by Nathan Ellis) and turns it in to a fascinating thing to watch and listen to. The majority of the show takes the form of two interspersed monologues which aren’t in direct conversation with each other. However, the text is littered with subtle and satisfying echoes of itself.

The staging (Khadija Raza and Alice Simonato) is almost spartan in its simplicity, but this only serves to heighten the sense of existing in a void which might strike those who are awake when the rest of the world is asleep. Similarly, the sound design (Callum Wyles) captures a sense of lingering, non-specific dread without ever imposing itself upon the script or the performance.

The hallucinatory nature of the piece will not be to everyone’s taste, nor will the thoughts of random violence which occasionally pass through the characters heads. However, all of this will strike a chord with anyone who has ever spent sleepless nights with only their own mind for company and been surprised at what they have found there.

-Daniel Shipman

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating:⭐⭐

Electrolyte is a piece of gig theatre which portrays a severe mental health crisis. Staged with six performers who act as both musicians and actors, the show revolves around Jessie (Olivia Sweeney) and the effect which the death of her parents has had on her mental health and her perception of reality.

All six performers are hugely talented and bring sky-high energy levels to the performance from the very beginning, but the company struggle to convert this into any meaningful connection with their audience. This is potentially because they come in with such high-intensity from the first moment but is also down to the fact that none of the characters ever really display any likeable qualities, and so it is difficult to empathise with them. From the frenetic opening, the show only continues to gain pace until it feels extremely rushed, as though the content was initially made for a two-hour show and then squeezed down to an hour.

This is evidently a well-intentioned approach to getting people to talk about mental health, but this is perhaps the most delicate theme theatre can cover and it fails much more often than it succeeds. The effort is admirable though, and the positive ending is warmly received by an appreciative audience. Electrolyte doesn’t make for an unenjoyable night at the theatre, but it does leave you with a strong feeling of a missed opportunity.

-Daniel Shipman

Reviewer: Rachel Foster

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Girls by The Pappy Show performed in Manchester as part of Incoming Festival, a selection of the best-emerging theatre companies around the UK. The festival is in Manchester, London and Bristol.

The night starts encouragingly with a packed house and a cordial upbeat welcome by smiley cast members who are distinct by the balloons shoved up their t-shirts. Billed as bringing you stories of women aged 17 to 70 it sounds very promising.

However it never really gets off the ground. The opening scene is a song by the cast with an ironic version of ‘I’m a Barbie Girl.’ The enthusiasm and bags of energy is paramount and catching. This is them at their best cohesive and funny. It doesn’t seem to have a thread and seemed to become a series of anarchic skits where it really was unclear what was going on. It certainly has the potential, but for some reason doesn’t quite hit the mark. After a while, the comedy didn’t seem so funny. It was all a little bland with no new ideas or anything that hasn’t been done before on the themes of empowering women.

Everyone seemed to be around the same age (in their twenties) apart from Ursula who frequently pokes fun at herself as none-attractive. Although when she talks about her life growing up in London without a mother this is one of the better moments and gives some depth and seriousness to the show.

One of the actors wears a t-shirt with the name Joe Cox on and initially this has a powerful impact but again this is lost against the ‘crazy’ leaping around, fighting in wedding dresses and singing. They are throughout accompanied by a young woman on keyboards who had an excellent voice but seems slightly disconnected with the rest of the cast. In the end, moments that were meant to be emotional just weren’t and it all became a bit tedious. The Pappy Show need to revamp things before they embark on their next venture.

-Rachel Foster

Reviewer: Elise Gallagher

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Everything is Absolutely Fine is a comedy musical centred around a lady called Alice with anxiety. She has recently moved to a new place, started a new job and is struggling to settle into her new community.

This is Alice’s chance to try again, recreate herself, make herself cool and calm. However, she isn’t alone. Her friend Anxiety is with her every step of the way.

It’s a simple set up: two actors, a keyboard and lights. Alice is dressed in a pyjama set, and the third speaking character, ‘Sarah’, is an audience member plucked out with no preparation time – just a sheet of A4. But this simple structure only magnifies the character of the play.

When I saw it was a musical, I only imagined there to be one or two minor songs given the space it was in. Instead, the play boasts power ballads and full-volume show tunes despite its modest makeup. I particularly liked ‘I Have a Bad Feeling About This’.

I especially loved Harry Blake who played the immaculately dressed Anxiety, complete with a blank expression and perfect comic timing (as well as fantastic music ability). Our protagonist, Alice, is played by Alice Keedwell, who also wrote the source material for the play. She’s lovable and vulnerable – expertly displaying a person really struggling with their self-esteem. She also has an absolutely fantastic voice.

Mental health has become a much more prominent notion explored in the creative arts today, nowhere more so than in the theatre. What I really liked about Everything is Absolutely Fine is that it focused on the day-to-day mundane tasks and choices all of us are faced with. It was relatable to every person in the audience.

This gentle and fun play ended with a sing-song. While, usually, audience anticipation like this makes my toes curl, it was a very enjoyable, perfect ending to an uplifting play.

-Elise Gallagher

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

It’s some 35 years since The Hired Man was first performed in London’s West End. The year was 1984 and Britain was experiencing high levels of unemployment alongside a long-standing miners’ strike – the show ran for just five months. At this time, West End theatre-goers found comfort in the glitter and escapism of Starlight Express and Cats. They weren’t ready to appreciate the raw, emotive working class sentiment of The Hired Man.

Now in a major new revival by Oldham Coliseum, Queen’s Theatre, Hornchurch and Hull Truck, The Hired Man comes to Oldham. Tapping into English folk music and Cumbrian heritage, far removed from the cheesy glitz of the transatlantic musical model, The Hired Man easily shows itself to be one of the most well-crafted British musicals of all time.

Set during the first part of the twentieth century, The Hired Man tells the passionate story of John Tallentire and his wife Emily, a young couple and their enduring struggle to carve out a living from the land. Perhaps most poignantly, The Hired Man is inspired by writer, Melvyn Bragg’s personal account of his grandparent’s tough existence in the Cumbrian fells at the turn of the twentieth century.

Howard Goodall’s tight musical arrangement is handled beautifully by the 11-strong actor-musician ensemble – muted trumpets, folksy fiddles and sweet and soaring vocals. This is a well-paced production – set to the backdrop of farming culture and the harsh work conditions of the Lake District, Act One focuses essentially on the love triangle plot between Emily and her husband John, and her long-standing admirer Jackson. Act Two appears more episodic, with the pace cleverly reflecting the uncertainty of the characters’ futures. Their lives knocked by history – the birth of trade unions, the First World War and mines collapse…it’s stirring, and a sense of impending doom looms.

Under Douglas Rintoul’s dynamic direction, the ensemble are all strong – demonstrating versatility they multi-role, play instruments and move the set – the whole production feels assured and well executed. Lauren Redding gives an outstanding performance as Emily – committed and believable – with a beautiful singing voice which she delivers with the ease of a natural Northern tone.

This is a lively and refreshing Northern musical which offers us an insight into the life of rural communities at the beginning of the twentieth century.

-Kristy Stott

The Hired man runs at Oldham Coliseum until Saturday 6 July 2019.

Reviewer: Sarah Baumber

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

#BeMoreMartyn tells the story of Martyn Hett’s vibrant life before it was tragically cut short in the Manchester Arena bomb attack in 2017. Created from interviews with PR Specialist Martyn’s real-life friends, the verbatim production written by Adam Zane and Mike Lee, is unashamedly honest and at times, hilarious, just like the eponymous hero.

Dick Longdin’s set, seemingly a metaphor of Martyn’s life as his smiling face surrounded the bar area, flanked by Corrie stars and other formidable divas, remained simple and allowed for intimacy with the convincing cast throughout. They worked hard to help us get to know a bit about Martyn; how he lived his days (and nights), his power to influence and ignite others; the quirks his loved ones recalled joyfully and the traits they recalled in a less positive manner.

The whole cast did an incredible job of creating a genuine and personal story – at times it was difficult to remember they were actors. I especially enjoyed Calum Scott’s ‘Alastair,’ and the vulnerability he brought to the role but each cast member provided a different perspective of Martyn, without idealising him. Indeed, it was the unabashed honesty, alongside the snippets of actual video footage, the uplifting pop songs and of course the plentiful Manchester specific references, that prevented the production from being overly sentimental – something I had worried needlessly about beforehand. Did I shed a tear? A few, but not all of sadness…most were Audrey Roberts related in fact.

All in all, a triumphant and poignant celebration of friendship and remembrance, told through the tragic lens of loss, I left the theatre reflecting not on the events of a terrorist attack, not on the personal losses of those who were sharing their stories, or even the sadness of a young man having his life curtailed senselessly. I left feeling optimistic and grateful for the Martyns and all the other characters I have in my life. Feeling like perhaps even little old me could #BeMoreMartyn moving forward. And from what I’ve just learned about him, I cannot imagine there’s anything he would love more than having his own production and a cast of actors living out his Eurovision parties on stage.

An iconic night out.

-Sarah Baumber

Find out more about Hope Theatre Company’s work here.

 

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Taking place on midsummer’s eve, August Strindberg’s Miss Julie shows us a brief, tempestuous affair between the titular character and her father’s valet. This production, by the Durham-based Elysium Theatre Company, keeps things simple and focused on the complex subtext of Strindberg’s work (here in a proficient translation by Michael Meyer).

The power dynamic between the two main characters is the most fascinating aspect of the play, and it is rendered well here by Danny Solomon and Alice Frankham. The sexual chemistry which bubbles subtly but certainly under the surface of their early interactions is especially impressive to watch and makes it easy to see why the play was so controversial upon its premiere in 1888. However, both actors have moments where they run the risk of betraying the naturalism of the play and descending into melodramatic hysterics at times towards the end.

The two are well supported by Lois Mackie as Christine, who makes the most of her short time on stage and wields her knowledge as power when the events of the play thrust it upon her.

When writing Miss Julie, Strindberg strived to encapsulate the three pillars of naturalism on stage, which dictate that the events of a naturalistic play should be realistic, meaningful and simple. Whilst he undoubtedly achieved this, one might question how exciting these qualities are for an audience.

This production is a competent interpretation of a play which was undoubtedly a landmark for European drama. It risks leaning on the historical significance of the text to entertain the audience rather doing so of its own accord, but it digs convincingly into the psychology of the characters and this saves it from being a complete washout.

-Daniel Shipman

Miss Julie runs at Hope Mill Theatre until Saturday 22 June 2019.

Reviewer: Ciaran Ward

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

While elite universities like Oxford and Cambridge continue to revolutionise the parameters of their Widening Participation criteria, Trafalgar Theatre Productions’ and Simon Friend Entertainment’s Admissions deftly handles the subject of educational inequality by examining the repercussions such change has on the overprivileged.

Concluding a tour that began in London’s Trafalgar Studios, this subversive and exposing production follows Alex Kingston’s Sherri, a no-nonsense admissions tutor at a prestigious private school, seemingly determined to improve Widening Participation figures through any means possible. Though this premise seems to define the play, her desire to support minorities is soon undermined when her son, Charles (Ben Edelman) fails to gain entrance into Yale University. Soon the American Dream for equal opportunity is interrogated by all characters, revealing the mixed attitudes that the upper echelons of American society hold towards this dream.

Though Joshua Harmon’s script initiates this conflict, Daniel Aukin’s direction effectively sustains the uncomfortable tension throughout, helping Kingston to excel in a role that demands her to be torn between professional integrity and maternal duty. Likewise, Edelman astounds in a five-minute polemic attacking the Widening Participation practices that displace the authority of rich, white men in society, eliciting uneasy feelings of pity and revulsion in the audience which are never fully resolved. Margot Leicester’s Roberta, Sarah Hadland’s Ginnie, and Andrew Woodall’s Bill, all help the play to intersect with the broader questions of ethnicity, class, and education through their individually tormented performances.

Whilst Paul Wills’ set design overtly displays an open-planned kitchen and dining area throughout the play, Oliver Fenwick’s lighting design aids its seamless transformation into Sherri’s office whenever the plot requires. Scenes deceptively represent Sherri sitting at her dining table, before it becomes apparent that she has been transported to her office at school. The play’s aesthetic, therefore, not only helps to blur the boundaries of Sherri’s domestic and professional lives but emphasizes the dramatic repercussions that her work has on her ambitions for her son’s future.

A play that exploits the perspective of the upper middle classes may appear to be critical of the self-serving motives of the overprivileged in contemporary American society. However, over its one hour, forty-minute runtime, the play addresses the mixed responses held towards Widening Participation practices and assesses the role of the White Saviour in a fundamentally ambivalent vein. As such, Admissions presents itself as an objective and unbiased commentator on a topical issue that continues to haunt the academic world.

-Ciaran Ward

Admissions runs at The Lowry until Saturday 22 June 2019.

Reviewer: Megan Hyland

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

Harriet Madeley’s The Listening Room is a powerful piece centred around five people whose lives have been affected by violent crime – either as the victim or the perpetrator. Based on four interviews conducted by Madeley, we follow the stories of those who decided to meet the person on the other side of the trial through restorative justice.

The play stars Archie Backhouse, Bruce Kitchener, Mark Knightley, Harriet Madeley and Cathy Tyson. However, there are no respective roles assigned to the actors. Instead, you – the audience – get to decide who the roles will be assigned to, making every performance unique and bringing an unexpected element of fluidity. It may sound like an odd choice that leaves plenty of room for things to go wrong, but, as a creative choice it adds so much more depth to the piece and each actor adopts their role with ease. By making the roles more fluid, the audience is reminded that the actors are interchangeable. It doesn’t matter who the roles are being played by because they are only temporarily channeling the voices of these people and their stories. The simplistic staging, uniformity of the costumes and interchangeable nature of the acting roles reminds the audience that what matters most are the words – and they are poignant enough on their own.

That is not to say, however, that each actor doesn’t commit to their role. Although you never hear the audio from the interviews, a quick YouTube search of the names of the interviewees reveals the accuracy with which the actors present them. Every characteristic pause, tone of voice, accent and intonation is translated perfectly. They manage to bring the interviewees to life in such a way that their presence is truly felt on stage, without making it feel as though they’re doing a cheap impression.  Their performances truly embody the stories of the interviewees without glamorising or exaggerating, and the raw emotion that they exude truly takes the air from the room.

Although the stories of the interviewees are unconnected, the way that Madeley and director Max Barton have arranged the piece reminds the audience that they represent a commonality. Each narrative is laid out side-by-side, and follows the same pattern of emotion, reminding us that these are mere examples of many other similar stories out there. However, as Madeley herself said in the Q & A session, this is not a propaganda piece around restorative justice. Of course, restorative justice is the focus, but this piece does not take sides. The stories of the perpetrators are heard alongside the victims, giving equal time to both and neither excusing nor condemning the perpetrators. It simply lays down the stories of the interviewees as they experienced them, in their own words, and Barton’s brilliant direction allows the audience to feel the presence of the interviewees on the stage, without veering into any dramatic re-enactments or cheesy flashbacks. What we have are simply actors telling stories, reminding us that there is nothing more powerful than talking.

-Megan Hyland
The Listening Room runs at The Lowry until Saturday 15 June.