Guest Reviewer: Ciaran Ward

Upstaged Rating:⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

To no detrimental effect, OthelloMacbeth condenses two of Shakespeare’s most renowned tragedies into an intimate, two-hour performance, that explores the role gender politics have in the drama, and in contemporary society. Rather than producing two disparate plays, HOME and Lyric Hammersmith deliver a single intertextual drama that emphasises the thematic unity of envy, power and injustice, and their influence across both plots.

Whilst accurate to Shakespeare’s original play, director Jude Christian’s condensation of Othello highlights how Iago’s (played by Samuel Collings) plan to bring about the downfall of Othello (Ery Nzaramba), is dependent upon the manipulation of Desdemona (Kirsten Foster), Emelia (Melissa Johns) and Bianca (Kezrena James) as unwitting pawns. This sense of patriarchal authority and injustice thus seeps into other aspects of the production. From Basia Binkowska’s metallic set design, which resounds the sounds of Desdemona’s domestic abuse at the hands of Othello, to the positioning of Joshua Pharo’s lighting, which constructs the domineering shadow of Iago over his wife Emilia, the audience are continually reminded of the omnipotent presence of patriarchy, and its devastating effects on the female characters.

In the second half of the performance, Christian juxtaposes the distinct gender binaries of the previous half, as the manipulated characters of Desdemona, Emelia and Bianca metamorphose into the manipulative witches of Macbeth. The revolutionary interpretation of these iconic characters as wronged women suggests an attempt to symbolise the rebirth of their former characters’ gender identities, and their defiance against patriarchal authority. Here, they are omnipotent beings, visually present in every scene, who are responsible for the tragedy that unfolds throughout the plot, regularly walking to the front of the stage to wash blood off their hands, unnoticed by the other characters.

Caroline Faber’s performance as Lady Macbeth, likewise, contributes an extra dimension to this already complex female character. Though Macbeth (Sandy Grierson) is traditionally labelled the tragic hero of the play, Faber’s iteration of the character poses as an equally tragic heroine. As she clutches onto a baby blanket during her later moments of grievous remorse, her actions suggest regret over her ignorance of maternity and her transgression into a character motivated by a thirst for power.

By exposing the dire consequences that arise from the misuse of power in relation to two of Shakespeare’s plays, HOME and Lyric Hammersmith have produced an innovative piece of theatre that deserves the utmost acclaim and remembrance for its sheer creativity and ambition.

-Ciaran Ward

OthelloMacbeth runs at HOME until 29th September 2018.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Queen Margaret features heavily in four of Shakespeare’s history plays – the three parts of Henry VI and Richard III, yet she’s a character that we never really fully understand. In this new version, playwright Jeanie O’Hare cleverly weaves Shakespeare’s original language with her own to tell the story of the formidable Margaret of Anjou.

Littered with straight-talking wit and 21st-century flair, O’Hare’s text is nothing short of superb. Blending Shakespeare’s poetic verse with O’Hare’s own words must have been quite a challenge, yet nothing feels jarred or disjointed.

Following the solid reign of King Henry V, his son proves to be a reluctant leader; weak and faltering, Henry VI struggles to keep his court in order. There is mounting unease between his lords and murmurs from the Yorkists who believe that they have an entitlement to the throne following the usurpation of Richard II, by Henry’s grandfather. Leaving behind her home country of France, Margaret marries Henry and soon proves to be the more able and resolute leader. Dubbed the She-Wolf of France, Margaret is frequently reminded of her French roots and the bitterness surrounding the Battle of Agincourt by the ghost of Joan of Arc, played beautifully by Lucy Mangan.

Jade Anouka is a tour de force as Queen Margaret – utterly compelling – from her first appearance as the young Queen through to the fiery and powerful matriarch and warrior. Commanding the stage – if looks could kill – she’s got that spot on. Alternatively, Max Runham’s Henry gives a pleasing contrast – jittery, child-like and worried to death, literally. The cast of eleven give outstanding performances – Helena Lymbery as Hume deserves a special mention – carrying the narrative throughout, she announces each scene and provides humorous interjections, connecting the audience to the action.

Queen Margaret is an extraordinary production which combines the insight and depth of a Shakespearian history play with contemporary humour and ingenuity. Jeanie O’Hare’s writing is a complete success and the remarkable cast bring out every word, beat, nuance and look.

-Kristy Stott

Queen Margaret runs at Manchester’s Royal Exchange until 6 October 2018.

Reviewer: Megan Hyland

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

The Return of the Soldier is a melancholy musical adaptation of Rebecca West’s novel and tells the story of wounded soldier Christopher Baldry’s return home. Christopher is suffering from amnesia and in his confusion has reached out to former lover Margaret – much to his wife’s dismay. Drudging up unresolved feelings and creating distance in both their marriages, Margaret and Christopher explore their second chance at a lost love, but how long can their dream last?

Chris Jenkins stars as Christopher, delivering an emotionally charged performance. He is every bit the WW1 Captain, perfectly embodying his stoic character. Tessa Kadler stars alongside him as Kitty Baldry, his quick-tempered and dejected wife. She delivers a beautiful and moving solo, No Mans Land, which shows a more vulnerable side to her high-strung character. Jenny Baldry, Christopher’s cousin and childhood best friend is played by Esme Sears, who brings warmth and a touching gentleness to the role. However, her character’s direction within the plot is quite disappointing, as it feels as though Sears has a great deal more to offer than the role of Jenny allows.

Naomi Slights is Margaret Grey, delivering a series of truly stunning monologues and solos. Her smooth, soulful voice transports the audience into her character’s past relationship with Baldry, creating charming visuals that stretch beyond the simplistic set. However, the show is well and truly stolen by Marc Pickering, who plays both William Grey and Dr Anderson. Pickering brings a distinctive vitality to his characters, breathing life into a comparatively static storyline. His touching solo as Mr Grey, The Little Things I Need gained the first round of applause for his magnificent comedic timing and sincerity. He is a naturally funny and likeable performer, with his second solo, Headmaster, displaying an expert execution of choreography and humour. As Mr Grey, he generates the most sympathy, and as Dr Anderson, the most laughs.

Charles Miller’s music lends itself beautifully to the story, however it feels at times that some of the songs are too similar, each boasting the same melancholy melody. Despite this, Tim Sanders’ lyrics and Miller’s music couple wonderfully, creating a host of elegantly carried and touching songs. The stunning set, designed by Leah Sams, perfectly represents the divergent lives of Margaret and Christopher, while still containing subtle details that draw similarities between them – such as the Greys’ wallpaper featuring the same flowers present on the walls of the Baldrys’ garden.

Despite the brilliant efforts of the cast and production, it felt as though the story was almost too simplistic for the length of the play itself. While it opened with a promising beginning and closed with a touching ending, the story had a rather slow progression in between. Just when it seemed that it was building to a climax, it returned to its same slow steadiness, at times feeling as though the audience was simply bouncing between the two households.

Of course, not all musicals have to be bright and bold, it can certainly be just as effective to be subtle and sombre. It merely felt that a change of tone was perhaps needed at times, as it fell into a steady rhythm quite early on. However, The Return of the Soldier tells a touching story about the emotional turmoil that soldiers face, and the culture of repression that is still present in Britain today. Together, the cast has a striking chemistry and are faultless throughout, their singing voices creating some truly breath-taking harmonies. There is a rousing atmosphere created by Daniel Jarvis and Inés Mota, who play live, and overall The Return of the Soldier is a truly moving and meaningful performance.

-Megan Hyland

The Return of the Soldier runs at Hope Mill Theatre until 29th September 2018.

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Laying its cards on the table from the very start, The Comedy About a Bank Robbery is just that – a comedy about a bank robbery. Taking the well-worn but equally well-loved form of a farce, the play makes for an entertaining evening but isn’t without flaws.

The performances are wonderful. The cast of twelve conjure a small army of comic creations which keep your interest far after the jokes begin to lose their charm through sheer repetition. It is such an ensemble piece that I could name any cast member really, but Jon Trenchard as the loveable yet tragic Warren struck the ideal balance of comedy and pathos.

The play is far from the best example of a farce I’ve seen. Some jokes are stretched out far too long (one example of bedroom-based physical comedy had me repeatedly checking my watch) whilst others simply aren’t funny – tired camp stereotypes rear their head a little too often.

The reliance on exaggerated slapstick recalled classic comedy such as the Three Stooges and Charlie Chaplin. If these references seem dated, that’s because they are – if you’re treading in the footsteps of greats like these, you need to either execute it perfectly or bring something new to the table, and I’m not sure this show quite achieves either.

The Comedy About a Bank Robbery doesn’t try to be anything more than an evening of escapist fun at the theatre. It sets itself the modest goal of staging a decent farce and meets this, but it doesn’t break any boundaries or split any sides in the process.

-Daniel Shipman

The Comedy About A Bank Robbery runs at The Lowry until Saturday 15th September 2018.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Running in the intimate setting of the Paines Plough Roundabout in Ordsall Park, Island Town is a brand new play written by Simon Longman. In the town where Kate, Pete and Sam live there is very little to do and very little hope for the future. Sam’s dad is a drinker and Kate is her dad’s carer; Pete dreams of becoming a dad only he’ll need to meet a girl first.

The intimate in-the-round setting of the Roundabout is the perfect performance space for this austere and bleak narrative. With a running time of just 80 minutes, the story follows Kate, Pete and Sam’s lives from the age of 15, as they get their GCSE results, through to their 18th year and then further on into their future. Making the most of the bare, circular stage and lack of props – there is an overwhelming sense of claustrophobia. Absorbing snapshots of the characters lives play out before they halt and jolt; using their physicality to switch time and space they move into another vignette, more hopeless than the last.

Despite the sense of hopelessness for the future of the characters, Longman manages to weave sharp elements of humour into the text. There are some real laugh-out-loud moments, usually involving Pete’s dalliances – his encounter with a goldfish and Sam’s nan. Charlotte O’Leary gives a versatile performance as Sam – starting out as wide-eyed and sparkly, the dead-end town takes its toll; Jack Wilkinson as spirited, likeable but hopeless Pete contrasted well with Katherine Pearce’s angry, bruised cider-swigging Kate.

Island Town is a brutal through compelling minimalist three-hander with outstanding performances throughout.

-Kristy Stott

Island Town runs at Paines Plough Roundabout in Ordsall Park until Sunday 9th September 2018.

 

Upstaged rating: ⭐⭐⭐

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Having celebrated the suffragette movement with She Bangs the Drums earlier this year, Contact’s young company now turn their attentions to the altogether more controversial topic of masculinity.

Created in collaboration with Hetain Patel, the show takes place at a secret location, the outside of which is covered in handwritten responses to questions such as ‘what is masculinity?’ After being given a little too long to read these, the audience are ushered in to the space by a chorus of rhythmic chanting, stamping and banging on tin cans. The aggressive tone works as an attention-grabbing opener, and we all take our seats and wait for the tone to let up and explore the complexities of the subject matter.

Unfortunately, this moment never really comes. Whilst Oh Man is great at showcasing the ill-effects of masculinity, there is almost no attempt whatsoever to explore how traits such as violence and laddish behaviour are handed down through generations. This leaves the end product feeling a little unfinished, and it undersells the complications and contradictions of masculinity.

The company themselves put in a series of great performances, expertly juggling moments of tenderness with the impressive, high-energy set pieces. However, there is no escaping the fact that they are let down by their material. This is perhaps a risk when working with verbatim responses, but here it feels as though the material has been edited to avoid the more difficult questions.

Overall then, Oh Man is a missed opportunity to delve deeper into the subject of modern masculinity, but the cast ensures it is still an entertaining watch.

Oh Man runs at a secret location in Manchester’s city centre until Sunday 2nd September 2018.

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

You must have had your head stuck in a bale of hay since 2007 if you are not familiar with War Horse. The production has racked up a phenomenal 25 awards, including the Tony Award for Best Play on Broadway and has been enjoyed by over seven million people across the world. Originally a children’s book written by Michael Morpurgo, War Horse is set to the bloody and brutal backdrop of the First World War and tells the remarkable tale of a boy, Albert and his beloved horse, Joey.

Adapted for the stage by Nick Stafford, and in collaboration with the Handspring Puppet Company, War Horse is a completely unique performance experience. Puppeteers, set and sound designers, choreographers and performers work together to create living and breathing equine giants – fully articulated, meticulous, whinnying, snorting hulks of horse. The structures are like beautiful machines and are moved and manipulated by a skillful team of physical performers.

The staging is beautifully clean, performers with props set the scene throughout, which allows the beasts and birds with their puppeteers to shine. Film is projected onto a backdrop of torn paper – changing throughout the show to reflect the setting – the audience is transported from idyllic farmland to the bloody fields of battle.  

The cast are pretty amazing too with Thomas Dennis (The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-Time) taking on the lead role of Albert Narracott – his relationship with Joey resonates tenderly and he plays the role with spirit and youthfulness.

The National Theatre’s War Horse certainly lives up to all of the hype. This was my first time to see the production – I’ve watched the trailers, read the reviews and bawled at the 2011 film – I thought I knew what to expect. I’m a hardened theatre critic, aren’t I? However, like most of the inspired audience, I was brought to my feet, and to tears, by this magnificent production.

-Kristy Stott

War Horse runs at The Lowry until Saturday 30th June 2018.