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Review: Minefield at HOME

April 13, 2018kristobel

Reviewer: Megan Hyland

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐

In 1982, six war veterans fought on separate sides of the Falklands/Malvinas war. Now, in Minefield, they stand together on stage to tell their stories. In an honest and emotional piece that takes no sides and holds no judgement, these men explore what it means to be a veteran and the burdens that they carry.

Each of the men enters the performance with remarkable honesty. Lou Armour and Marcelo Vallejo stand out for the ways in which they bare their emotions and talk of their struggles after the war. Armour tells of how, for many years, he was haunted by the memory of an Argentine soldier that he killed. He speaks of how he could not forget holding the man in his arms, and the guilt that he felt for mourning the enemy. Vallejo tells of his struggles with addition and hatred of anything English. He speaks very candidly of how he could not abide to hear the language spoken or even watch English television shows. They all speak with such refreshing vulnerability that it is difficult not to be moved by their stories.

One aspect that adds to the honesty of this piece is that none of the men try to hide their resentment, or pretend to look upon the war with fondness. Minefield takes no moral high-ground and holds no biases, instead presenting six mean who have had a terrible, but shared experience. Because despite clinging to their principles and not having a shared language among them, there is a mutual understanding between these men that transcends all barriers.

That is not to say, however, that the performance is all hard-going. In fact, each of the men brings their own individual humour and talent to the performance. David Jackson has the audience laughing with his sharp wit and satirical performance as Margaret Thatcher, while Sukrim Rai performs a beautiful rendition of a Nepalese song. Though it has to be said that Ruben Otero’s drumming brings a new energy to the performance, as he, Gabriel Sagastume and Vallejo perform some Beatles classics in imitation of Otero’s tribute band, the Get Back Trio.

Stylistically, the performance is quite individual but beautifully put together. The men create their own sound effects to imitate the stomping of boots on gravel and explosions, invite us to leaf through Argentinian war magazines, and even project pictures of themselves from the war. It is a deeply personal portrayal of their stories but makes the performance more intimate and raw. Unfortunately, the piece came to rather an abrupt end, but this can be easily forgiven for it followed a particularly poignant musical monologue from Armour.

Minefield is a testament to the strength of these men and the breaking of the stigma that surrounds war veterans. It is refreshing to see such men talk with so much openness about the emotional consequences that they have suffered and to break down the romanticism of war that is still depicted today. This piece takes no sides, and in doing so it presents these men onstage not as opponents, but as equals. For although they were as rivals thirty-six years ago, their lives are forever intertwined, creating a comradery between them that is undeniable.

-Megan Hyland

Minefield runs at HOME until Saturday 14th April 2018 and is being performed as part of the Viva Festival 2018. Full Viva 18 listings can be found here.

Review: The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk

April 5, 2018April 6, 2018kristobel

Kneehigh - The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk — Kneehigh – The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

The beautifully told The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk by Kneehigh depicts the life and love of Russian-Yiddish artist Marc Chagall and his wife Bella. The love story is deliciously told and plays out against the backdrop of some of the most major historical events to happen in the twentieth century – from the Russian Revolution to the Communist pogroms and the Nazi’s systematic extermination of Jewish people.

Designer Sophia Clist has conjured up the uncertainty of the era with a climbing frame style set, slightly skewed with a sloping floor. The stage is visually striking with purple, green and yellow hues – Marc Antolin and Daisy Maywood, as Marc and Bella Chagall, move beautifully together in the space – their stylised physicality reminiscent of the weightlessness suggested in Chagall’s Expressionist paintings.

The whole story is told beautifully and vibrantly by the two actors, with two musician/ performers, Ian Ross and Andy Gow, providing a wonderfully folksy score and assisting at points throughout the show.

Perhaps the most special element of this production is the way that Emma Rice manages to weave different methods of storytelling fluidly together. The production starts with a beautifully delivered song rather as a musical would, and then manages to juxtapose direct dialogue, some wonderfully balletic sequences and some sharp visual imagery.

The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk presents a striking non-romanticised view of love and art in a stunningly sensual and passionate way. This is a truly unmissable show.

-Kristy Stott

Kneehigh’s The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk plays at HOME Manchester until Saturday 7th April 2018.

Review: On the Outskirts of a Large Event at HOME, Manchester

February 22, 2018kristobel

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

On the Outskirts of a Large Event is the debut touring production of Sheffield-based theatre company The Bare Project. It features two performers – Nicola Blackwell and Rose Gray – their on-stage relationship has obviously had a lot of work put into it. Despite being given almost no information about the characters throughout the course of the play, the dynamic way the two interact is constantly interesting to watch.

The play deals, in a unique and strange way, with issues of climate change, populism and memory. Handouts given to the audience labels The Bare Project’s style of theatre as ‘magic realist and experimental’ and this is an effective way of describing the stylistic nature of the production.

The play does not totally reject the notion of a plot, but it certainly doesn’t tell a story in any straightforward manner. Opening with the character of Lucien regaining consciousness after a mysterious head injury, the audience are forced to experience the disorientation of having almost no facts to cling to. This is a clever device, enabling empathy in the absence of any established character, but the cryptic nature of the dialogue quickly becomes quite irritating.

The piece also contains a nod to the role that the media has to play in issues such as the demonisation of immigrants. The quickfire, hysterical and almost non-sensical headlines read out by the two performers are hilarious for reasons I can’t quite put my finger on, perhaps because they helped the audience realise how close to absurd the real world is.

My personal highlight of the piece was the projections, provided by Will Monks. Cast on to five tall pieces of translucent material which were suspended from the ceiling, these complemented the action perfectly and provided a gorgeous backdrop which I could have stared at for hours. The set, featuring a large circle of grey sand, was another of the play’s strong suits.

If you’re tired of conventional plot and character, On the Outskirts of a Large Event will be a welcome change.

-Daniel Shipman

On the Outskirts of a Large Event runs at HOME, Manchester until Saturday 24th February 2018 – tickets are available here.

The Bare Project are also running a ‘Theatre, Democracy and Imagination’ Workshop of The Bare Project, led by Artistic Director Malaika Cunningham, on Friday 23 Feb at 5pm (tickets £3).

Our favourite productions of 2017

December 23, 2017kristobel

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We’ve had premieres, modern adaptations and watched some shows receive West End transfers – the Manchester stages have been truly brilliant this year. Here is Upstaged Manchester’s round-up of theatrical highlights through 2017. Which shows would make your list?

The Suppliant Women at the Royal Exchange

The Suppliant Women was certainly one of the most extraordinary theatrical events that I have ever seen. Debating ideas of identity and asylum, the story strikes a shrill chord now – in our current migrant crisis – as it ever did over two thousand years ago. The most impressive aspect of this show was the chorus, made up of thirty-five girls aged between 16 and 26. Thrilling, shocking and painfully good. The Suppliant Women is just one jewel in what has been a bold and exciting season for the Royal Exchange.

The Father at Oldham Coliseum

It is rare that we experience dementia from the perspective of the person who is struggling with it, rather we experience it from the viewpoint of family members and carers. Oldham Coliseum triumphed in presenting The Father, a highly engaging but charming, heart-rending though witty, interpretation of Andre’s struggle with the disease. With a tremendous performance from Kenneth Alan Taylor, many people were left moved as the show came down. This was a flawless production that managed to get people talking, sharing and understanding dementia together.

The Band at The Opera House

The Band is a complete triumph – it’s not just a musical for Take That groupies, but a musical for anybody who grew up with a boyband. Tugging hard at your heartstrings and tickling your funny bone, with a sterling cast and Take That’s wonderful floor-fillers, I was thrilled to find out that the musical will tour for an extra year following the huge demand for tickets. Truly feel-good and fabulous.

Uncle Vanya at HOME

Director Walter Meierjohann brought this deeply layered and finely nuanced production to complete fruition. Fascinating and truly absorbing, every word managed to strike new meaning. Nick Holder’s Uncle Vanya straddled the tragicomic perfectly, giving the best Vanya that I have seen, and all of the ensemble gave top-notch performances. This interpretation of the Chekov favourite was completely consuming.

Reviewer – Elise Gallagher:

Yank! at Hope Mill Theatre

My first review for Upstaged and my introduction to a fantastic venue – Hope Mill Theatre. A fresh musical which I feel took everyone by surprise and has introduced a new chapter of theatre in Manchester. I was thrilled to hear that Yank! received a well-deserved West End transfer.

Jane Eyre at The Lowry

One of my favourite stories translated onto the stage – it broke my heart (but in a good way!) and did Charlotte Bronte justice. Adapting a novel for the stage is a challenging prospect, especially such a timeless classic like Jane Eyre.

Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Cotton Panic (MIF) at Upper Campfield Market Hall

Manchester International Festival audiences who ventured away from Festival Square, down Deansgate to the atmospheric Upper Campfield Market Hall were rewarded with a powerhouse performance from Jane Horrocks in Cotton Panic. This linked Manchester’s industrial heritage to the US Civil War in a truly enlightening way, whilst also serving up an innovative, entertaining, genre-defying piece of theatre. For me, it was the highlight of the festival.

People, Places and Things at HOME

Following a 2015 debut at London’s National Theatre, the touring version of Headlong’s People, Places & Things opened at HOME in September 2017. A perfect example of how to bring quality theatre out of London, this production drew on seemingly limitless reserves of energy to propel the audience through a tale of addiction and recovery. Lisa Dwyer Hogg had big shoes to fill after Denise Gough won an Olivier in the central role, but the power and nuance of her performance blew me away.

How to Save the World Without Really Trying at HOME

This was my first experience of self-described ‘drag aliens’ Bourgeois & Maurice, and I am already a devoted fan. The chemistry between the two is as good as you will ever see on stage, and the songs are well-written and hilarious. Get along to one of their shows if you possibly can, and if not check out their albums on Spotify.

Merry Christmas to each and every one of you – thank you for all of your support this year.

Wishing you all the best in 2018.

-Kristy Stott

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Review: Hot Brown Honey (HOME, Manchester)

December 15, 2017December 15, 2017kristobel

UPstaged Reviewer: Megan Hyland

UPstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐

From the moment the women of Hot Brown Honey take to the stage, they immediately command your attention and awe. This award-winning show is an explosion of female rage against the systems that have held them back for so long and it is entirely unapologetic about it. It combines an eclectic range of dance, circus, striptease and song to deliver a truly powerful message that holds nothing back.

Kim Bowers a.k.a. Busty Beatz is the queen bee, here to educate and liberate us all. Armed to the teeth with striking quotes from fellow artists and activists, a pair of comedy breasts and some impressive rhymes, she does just that. From her position atop the hive, she fills the room with a volcanic energy and takes no prisoners. And as creator, musical director, composer and sound designer, she and fellow creator, director, choreographer and designer Lisa Fa’alafi have created a truly ground-breaking production unlike anything you’ve ever seen before – but will definitely want to see again.

However, beyond the colourful creativity and fun of the performance, there are some particularly poignant moments such as Crystal Stacey’s beautifully heart-stopping aerial piece about sexual assault. In another powerful piece, we see each of the women bring their cultures to life on stage, embracing their heritage through costume, dance and music. This show pushes all the boundaries and smashes every stereotype, fighting for the place of women of colour on stage and within society. It is a fierce, political battle cry that creates discussion and evokes feeling. It talks openly about every issue that it raises and teaches you that if you’re not angry already then you should be.

Hot Brown Honey is an independent feminist masterpiece that will make you think and leave you buzzing. The talent and confidence of these women is mesmerising, from Ofa Fotu’s stunningly soulful voice to Hope Hammi’s blazing beatboxing skills. And if that wasn’t enough to convince you, Hot Brown Honey is selling merchandise, the proceeds from which go towards funding childcare for the working mothers of the cast. It is an empowering must-see performance full of laughter, joy and truth that is entirely faultless and will have you out of your seat joining in. In the words of the mother – fighting the power never tasted so sweet.

-Megan Hyland

Hot Brown Honey runs at HOME, Manchester until 23 December 2017.

REVIEW: Forced Entertainment – Real Magic (HOME, Manchester)

November 30, 2017kristobel

Guest Reviewer: Daniel Shipman

Upstaged Rating: ⭐⭐⭐

As with much of Forced Entertainment’s work, Real Magic at HOME revolves around a set of established (but unspoken) rules. Here, these rules take the form of a game show that seems to be taking place in limbo – the three performers take it in turns to play a host, a contestant and a third role you could roughly describe as an expert. The expert thinks of a word and shows it to the audience on a piece of cardboard, whilst the host encourages the contestant to take three guesses at what that word might be. Their three guesses are always the same words in the same order, and they are never correct. This continues for the duration.

The problem with Real Magic is that it spends far too long establishing those rules and not nearly enough time playing within them, or having fun breaking them. There are well observed caricatures of all the archetypal game show characters; the contestant who acts as if they are performing an exorcism rather than a simple task, the host who has been in the job far too long and makes no attempt to hide their fatigue, the expert who gleefully expresses incredulity at the limitless stupidity of the contestant.

Whilst these crude characters can be fun to watch for a while, they make up the bulk of the show’s 90-minute running time and in my opinion, this is an over-estimation of how entertaining it is to watch. This is a shame because the moments when the cast really begin to have fun breaking the rules are the highlights of the show – Richard Lowdon illegitimately whispering the word ‘sausage’ across the stage got the laugh of the evening, despite the audience knowing that the contestant was doomed to failure anyway.

The show can be thought provoking. The contestant’s third guess is always money and when you see them shouting that word with increasing desperation, you begin to examine the ethics behind game shows – inviting people on TV to entertain the masses by humiliating themselves for the vague possibility of a cash prize.

An entertaining night in purgatory, but a night in purgatory all the same.

-Daniel Shipman

Forced Entertainment’s Real Magic runs at HOME, Manchester until Friday 1st December 2017.

REVIEW: Tank (HOME, Manchester)

May 5, 2017kristobel

Tank by Breach Theatre Company at HOME, Manchester until 6 May 2017

upstaged rating:

“Don’t even think in your own language. English, all the time!” says Margaret Lovatt, a volunteer researcher in a NASA-funded project to teach Peter, a dolphin how to mimic and understand English.

Led by John C Lilly, a neuroscientist at the California Institute of Technology, a dolphinarium was built and communication ‘training’ started. In a series of communication experiments – Margaret would live with Peter for ten weeks in isolation on the first floor of the flooded laboratory in an attempt to teach him English.

This series of events actually happened in the 1960’s and was later made into a BBC documentary, The Girl Who Talked to Dolphins, which formed the inspiration for this bizarre but nevertheless captivating performance piece from Breach Theatre.

Part verbatim. Part satire. Part experiment with narrative. The only tape recordings of the experiments are fragmented and sodden (they have to be baked before they can be heard) which means that the four performers construct the details in the story as it plays in front of the audience. They interrupt and argue over the details in the story – filling in the gaps as they go. The two male performers seem to get highly enthused by the woman-masturbates-dolphin narrative but the female performers stand their ground aligning the relationship akin to that between a farmer and his cattle.

Breach have expanded an incredibly rich metaphor in Tank. Both Peter the dolphin and Margaret the volunteer were positioned in the midst of an awkward situation. Remembering the social backdrop of the 1960’s – the dolphin whose needs are inferior to those demands of a human; together with the woman who is seen as subservient to a male scientist. Tank is about colonisation. Intelligently, Breach fire up the synapses and leave the audience to explore the themes and their beliefs around this themselves.

Funny, dark and brilliantly pitched. Breach’s use of sound, film and stylised movement all contribute in exposing the result of legitimising our actions against others in the name of science, humanity and the struggle for power.

-Kristy Stott

Tank runs at HOME, Manchester until Saturday 6th May 2017 and you can get your tickets here.

REVIEW: My Country; A Work in Progress (HOME, Manchester)

April 19, 2017kristobel

reviewer: Megan Hyland

upstaged rating:

In the wake of the political chaos of Brexit and the overhanging general election, My Country; a work in progress offered an insightful look at the divided opinions of our society. Unfortunately, it failed to deliver. Written by poet laureate Carol Ann Duffy, the play centres around six regions of Great Britain coming together to form a meeting in anticipation of the vote to leave or remain in the European Union. They bring with them the views and opinions of several people from their respective regions, in the hope that their voices will be heard. Taken from real interviews, these voices range from a 13-year-old boy from Wales to an 88-year-old immigrant in the East Midlands.

Penny Layden stars as Britannia, our disheartened and shaken country struggling to cope with the disconnections that divide it. Representing Westminster, Layden effortlessly portrays the politicians that lead us through Brexit and the aftermath of the vote. However, it is Christian Patterson that offers the most engaging performance as Cymru. His remarkable transitions between various characters are the most noteworthy, with each one coming to life individually. The enthusiasm with which he plays each character is admirable, although, the cast as a whole still gives a commendable performance. They work in tandem together to create a seamless and often astonishingly humorous performance. Their incredible effort and ability does not go unnoticed in this production, with their dynamic being a testament to the unity that the play aims to promote.

However, it seemed that perhaps an additional cast member was lacking, as although the play promotes itself as representing the views of the country as a whole, there was a lack of representation on stage for the North West. Particularly as the performance took place in this region, it seemed unusual not to have it mentioned.

Nevertheless, it is the unbiased and relatively diverse presentation of views in the play that make it particularly appealing. It offers the unfiltered, unflinching opinions of the general public on perhaps the most widely discussed topic of the past year. And although some of the words spoken are particularly hard-hitting and heavy in nature, Carol Ann Duffy’s wonderful wit and dry humour lighten the tone perfectly.

Unfortunately, as a whole, My Country fell short of expectations. There was an overhanging sense that it could have gone further with certain aspects, and disappointingly, there was no overall message to be taken away, giving the play as a whole no sense of closure. However, the talent of the cast is undoubtable, as is the incredible writing of Carol Ann Duffy.

-Megan Hyland

My Country runs at home until Saturday 22nd April 2017 and you can get your tickets here.

REVIEW: Narvik (HOME, Manchester)

February 3, 2017kristobel

guest reviewer: Megan Hyland

upstaged rating:

In Narvik, Lizzie Nunnery has written a beautifully harrowing production, produced by Manchester-based theatre company Box of Tricks. The play – described by Nunnery as “a play with songs” – opens with 90-year-old Jim Callaghan suffering a fall in his home, and tells the story of what led him there. Flashback to World War Two, and Jim, a Liverpudlian fisherman docks in Oslo, where he meets the charming Else. Their story unfolds as Jim goes away to work as a radio operator on a Navy ship, and through the struggles of war and the horrors that he sees; the one thing that keeps him going is his memories of Else. His journey to get back to her is as captivating as it is tragic.

Joe Shipman stars as the buoyant and pragmatic Jim, giving an utterly outstanding performance. He displays faultless range, showing both the excitement of Jim’s youth and the fear felt in his old age. We see Jim falling in love, going to war and gripped by horrifying memories, which Shipman carries through seamlessly, giving an honest and powerful performance. But perhaps the core element in the play’s success in telling such an engaging story is the dynamics of the cast. Starring alongside Shipman is Nina Yndis as the endearing Else and Lucas Smith as Kenny, Jim’s closest friend on the ship. Yndis and Shipman captivate the audience with the sincere and youthful love story of Else and Jim, and the intense bond between Kenny and Jim is due to the humour and chemistry between Shipman and Smith.

However, a large part of Narvik’s charm and haunting poignancy is the music, also written by Lizzie Nunnery. The bittersweet romance between Else and Jim is truly felt through the enchanting lyrics and the voices of the cast, with one of the most beautiful vocal performances coming from band member, Maz O’Connor.

Director Hannah Tyrell-Pinder has created a simplistic but truthful production, in which the talents of the cast are allowed to excel without overshadowing Nunnery’s spectacular writing and songs. Also noteworthy is the innovative use of lighting (Richard Owen) and sound, used to create a sense of time and place in a tasteful way that didn’t distract from the touching performance.

Narvik is a compelling and moving production of a love tested by war and a friendship tested by love. It is unpredictable in its narrative and overwhelming in its heart, and overall is utterly unmissable.

-Megan Hyland

https://homemcr.org/production/narvik/Narvik is showing at HOME, Manchester until Saturday 4th February 2017 and you can get your tickets here.

REVIEW: The Trial (HOME, Manchester)

January 18, 2017kristobel1 Comment

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reviewer: megan hyland

upstaged rating:

The Trial is a thrillingly absurd adaptation of Franz Kafka’s novel of the same name, adapted by People Zoo Productions. Josef K, honourable citizen and profoundly innocent man, is told on the morning of his birthday that he has been arrested. The audience follows K as he tries to prove his innocence to the unjust and strange legal system that he finds himself entangled in. But not knowing what he stands accused of, and fighting against an unidentified, immeasurable power, how much is his innocence really worth?

William J Holstead stars as the protagonist, displaying remarkable physicality and masterful control, telling the story of one man’s desperation in an emotional and thoroughly committed performance. Holstead acts as a guide for the audience through this peculiar situation that K has found himself in, and as quickly as Holstead has built up the character in the opening scenes, he begins to tear him down, as we see just how far one man will go to prove his innocence. In such a dark and disturbing narrative, however, the rest of the cast provide some much-needed comic relief, all acting in multirole, with Adrian Palmer and Sarah Legg standing out in particular. Palmer’s excellent character acting and Legg’s performance as K’s moralistic and over-sexed landlady are outstanding.

The play itself can only be described as bizarrely entertaining, with well-written and clever dialogue that keeps the audience engaged even despite the nonsensicalness of the plot. The remarkable humour and intrigue that the first act creates outweigh the unusualness of the storyline, and instead supply it with a strange charm. The second act, however, is incredibly intense, with some exceptional performances and gripping scenes that send some powerful messages that are still relevant today.

Director Craig Sanders has created a wonderfully offbeat dark comedy, managing to portray both the nostalgia and relevance of Kafka’s work on the stage. Paired with the intense music of Dennis Tjoik and the simplistic but expressive set design, the effect is a thought-provoking combination of surrealism and farce. These are two things that the play combines effortlessly, transitioning frequently between slapstick humour and highly intense scenes with ease and fluidity. And although the storyline itself is quite non-traditional and perplexing, once the eccentricity of the production itself is embraced, it makes for a captivating and unusually amusing watch.

-Megan Hyland

The Trial is performed as part of PUSH Festival at HOME, Manchester. PUSH Festival runs from 14th January – 28th January 2017 and the full festival brochure is available by clicking here.