PMac Productions presents a delightfully tactile version of Alfred Shaughnessy’s adaptation of Reginald Arkell’s 1950 novel Old Herbaceous, carefully cultivated in a raised-bed greenhouse in which Herbert Pinnegar (Peter Macqueen) reminisces on vignette memories of people he’s met, kept alive through his love of gardening; the remarkable, the formidable and the enchanting. Continue reading
This week saw York Theatre Royal hosting the stage adaptation of The Remains of the Day, based on the award-winning novel by Kazuo Ishiguro and perhaps better known for the 1993 Merchant Ivory film starring Anthony Hopkins and Emma Thompson. A tough gig, perhaps especially considering that adaptations should appeal both to the ardent fan and the uninitiated. Continue reading
The Turk was a popular touring attraction of the late eighteenth century, until its destruction in 1854; an automaton fashioned in the garb of a mysterious Turk that challenged people to games of chess, winning the vast majority of them. Older readers may remember it being discussed on the children’s TV programme How, and it more recently was discussed on an episode of QI (in the H series, but identifying the episode title would be a huge spoiler). Continue reading
“I’ve got two dads. One’s black, so that makes me black, so I’m told.” It is with these words that David Judge begins SparkPlug, his semi-autobiographical account of growing up as a mixed-race child in the eighties and nineties. For the most part, he plays his father (also called Dave), examining his own childhood through the eyes of a white man, married to a white woman, who is giving birth to a child fathered by a black man. Continue reading
An almost empty stage is the setting for the iconic revenge tragedy of the Duchess of Malfi. A couple of black boxes, a soundscape and some eerie coloured lights are all the aid the actors have in bringing this piece to life, and they do so well. Continue reading
Emma Rice brings her unique, exuberantly impish vision to Angela Carter’s great last novel, Wise Children, launching her new theatre company of the same name. Fans of either portfolio won’t be disappointed; you’ll find here all the magic, colour and mischief both Rice and Carter are known for. Sumptuously aesthetic as ever, this fresh adaptation is a love letter to theatre, in all its sparkling glamour, vulnerability and unparalleled intimacy. Continue reading
In the black box studio tucked away under the stairs at York Theatre Royal, Arthur and Jane are already waiting for the audience to arrive, lolling on the sofa and quietly laughing at inside jokes. Written by Matthew Seagar and directed by Paul Brotherstone, In Other Words is achingly familiar. The play combines the little-understood late effects of Alzheimer’s disease with flashbacks to forgetting the milk and dancing in the living room. Memories and reality blend together for Arthur (Seagar) and Jane (Angela Hardie) through shifting light and fluid physicality as they narrate and reflect on their love story together. The pair bring this powerful story to life with precision and heart. Continue reading
Two Destination Language (“intercultural dialogues in theatrical forms”) present their second run of this tale about belonging, nationhood, identity and politics at York Theatre Royal Studio. Writer-director Katherina Radeva turns her unique energy to a playful, moving and colourful jigsaw of narratives ranging from the personal to the international, intertwined beautifully under the dramaturgy and direction of Alister Lownie, framed perfectly with sound by Tim Blazdell and lighting by Vince Field. Continue reading
Accessible from the first moment, the genuine and hilarious Ensemble Improvisation has nothing to do with the austere world of traditional dance forms that newcomers might expect. Director-performer Lewys Holt leads a small cast of performers including Sally Doughty, Pete Shenton, Eleanor Sikorski and Inari Hulkkonen. They wear joyful, colourful everyday clothes: a glittery blue t-shirt, flowy green trousers, pink jeans. The stage is brightly lit, the set is bare except for a pair of microphones. To the left of the stage, Tariq Emam oversees a music station with a computer, drum and gong at hand. Continue reading
Set in the boxing ring and exploring what it means to be gay in the sport, Gypsy Queen, which played in the Theatre Royal studio on Wednesday and continues on tour, is a powerful piece of theatre in more ways than one. Continue reading