This event in the Maria 'experimental' space at the Young Vic was not quite what I expected when I booked in the Winter. However, by the day itself I had read reviews and knew it was very much a participative evening. The' 'audience' sat at tables of about six people and, after some scene setting, were invited to make decisions as if we were running a Chinese textile factory. We were encouraged to choose between more or less 'ethical' choices and a sense of competitiveness between tables seemed to ensue naturally from the way things were set up.
Although the message was to do with the cost of consumerist textiles, the evening could easily also have been a management development workshop in having to get along or not with the others at one's table. Luckily, my table were all fine but it could have been tricky if there had been a right pain amongst us.
Overall, it was a good evening in getting us to confront what we normally choose to gloss over - in the same way that many do with where food comes from. However, it was rather odd as a part of a theatre season that also includes The Trial!
Sunday, 31 May 2015
Wednesday, 27 May 2015
May 2015. Sonia Delauney at Tate Modern
This extensive exhibition of the work of Sonia Delauney was quite a revelation. I knew a little about her painting but nothing of her work with textiles.
The exhibition was laid out in the customary chronological fashion that made clear how she quickly progressed from fully figurative work, making the transition to the entirely abstract around the time of her husband's death. Her later signature of paintings with a clear diagonal division came out particularly clearly in this large scale presentation of her work.
The exhibition was laid out in the customary chronological fashion that made clear how she quickly progressed from fully figurative work, making the transition to the entirely abstract around the time of her husband's death. Her later signature of paintings with a clear diagonal division came out particularly clearly in this large scale presentation of her work.
26 May 2015. Light Shining in Buckinghamshire at The National.
A striking production of Caryl Churchill's play set in 1649 demanded one's full attention throughout. This was more a play for hanging on the words than on the action. Dealing with the period between kings, the play drew out the betrayal of the democratic idealists by the more pragmatic professional politicians. The contemporary play drew intentional parallels with the present, including the push to parochial self-interest.
24 May 2015. Beethoven and Brahms at Barbican
The Beethoven Violin concerto featured Christian Tetzlaff who had, according to the programme, played it some 280 times - so he had it down to a fine art, playing the gentler parts on the edge of audibility.
The Brahms German Requiem brought in the London Symphony Chorus who had sat at the back to enjoy the Tetzlaff performance. The Brahms is a huge work of seven movements, based on texts from the Lutheran bible and partly in memory of his mother who died in 1865. I must admit I found the piece almost claustrophobic and although the orchestra and choir were very accomplished I came to feel that it was almost all too much, lasting, as it did, a good hour. The spots for the soprano (Sally Matthews) and Baritone (Matthias Goerne) were quite small, especially the former who appeared in just one movement.
Interestingly reviews I read also got on better with the Beethoven than the Brahms of this concerts
The Brahms German Requiem brought in the London Symphony Chorus who had sat at the back to enjoy the Tetzlaff performance. The Brahms is a huge work of seven movements, based on texts from the Lutheran bible and partly in memory of his mother who died in 1865. I must admit I found the piece almost claustrophobic and although the orchestra and choir were very accomplished I came to feel that it was almost all too much, lasting, as it did, a good hour. The spots for the soprano (Sally Matthews) and Baritone (Matthias Goerne) were quite small, especially the former who appeared in just one movement.
Interestingly reviews I read also got on better with the Beethoven than the Brahms of this concerts
Friday, 15 May 2015
14 May 2015. Ah Wilderness at the Young Vic
I really enjoyed my almost two hours with the Miller family. It is apparently Eugene O'Neill's only comedy and reading the programme describing his attempted suicide and the successful suicide of his son, it is something of a miracle that he got to this number.
It is not really a 'makes you think' sort of play but with the acting, set and play itself, it made for an entertaining evening. The focus is the teenager, Richard, going through the tribulations of his first love with Muriel, the daughter of a business associate of his father. Contrasting their young love is the never-progressed affair between the drunken 'uncle' Sid and Lily, and the regular marriage of his father and devoted mother.
The parts were taken to extreme with Sid's stupours of drink and Richard's of love. The set - a sandy incline - was striking and used to great effect, particularly towards the end when a small beech was created with Richard projecting himself face-down into the water in his desperation.
Overall, the direction by Natalie Abrahami gave a great lease of life to what is probably not the greatest of plays.
It is not really a 'makes you think' sort of play but with the acting, set and play itself, it made for an entertaining evening. The focus is the teenager, Richard, going through the tribulations of his first love with Muriel, the daughter of a business associate of his father. Contrasting their young love is the never-progressed affair between the drunken 'uncle' Sid and Lily, and the regular marriage of his father and devoted mother.
The parts were taken to extreme with Sid's stupours of drink and Richard's of love. The set - a sandy incline - was striking and used to great effect, particularly towards the end when a small beech was created with Richard projecting himself face-down into the water in his desperation.
Overall, the direction by Natalie Abrahami gave a great lease of life to what is probably not the greatest of plays.
13 May 2015. Woolf Works at the ROH
This new work by Wayne McGregor consists of three acts, each inspired by a work of Virginia Woolf. Aside from that common denominator, the three acts were essentially stand alones.
The first act, 'I now, I then' is based on Mrs Dalloway and the title gives the gist of it - a woman looking back to her youth and the man and woman to whom she was attracted. Now enjoying a bourgeois safe life, the older woman was danced brilliantly by Alessandra Ferri, incredibly in her fifties. The £7 progamme was not particularly informative and during the interval I looked for a synopsis of this and the other two Woolf work on wikipedia.
The second act, 'Becomings' was inspired by Orlando. It was the most brash of the the three with a spectacular light show by Lucy Carter that included training lasers onto the tiers of the auditorium. Unfortunately, I did not quite get on with the accompanying music by Max Richter that switched from recorded to played by the orchestra. With echoes of Philip Glass and Mike Nyman, I wondered more than once what those two would have done with the commission. The dancing was superb, precise and spectacular, including performances by Natalia Osipova, Edward Watson and Steven McRae. The story itself can only be described as weird about someone who changes gender and travels through time meeting their literary heroes. Apparently it was a tribute to Vita Sackville-West. It was definitely helpful to have known this before seeing it.
The third act, 'Tuesday' from The Waves, was, for me, the most beautiful involving somewhat more abstract dance in slow motion. Unfortunately, it was somewhat spoilt when about half way through a person in the row behind was sick which created quite a commotion and pong. I was unimpressed that the ROH did not offer any means of facilitating a chance to return another night - The run was far from sold out and it would have been a good gesture.
The dancing of Tuesday brought back Alessandra Ferri as well as the stars of Becomings. They danced the parts of the characters whose stories comprise the soliloquies of the book - or at least I suppose that's what they did. It was a complicated idea which did not have my full attention!
The triptych has received mixed reviews ranging from the enthusiasm of the Guardian to the criticism of the Telegraph. Overall, I thought the dancing and lighting were spectacular; the music did not quite gel for me even though it is my genre; and the choreography did not consistently move or engage me.
The first act, 'I now, I then' is based on Mrs Dalloway and the title gives the gist of it - a woman looking back to her youth and the man and woman to whom she was attracted. Now enjoying a bourgeois safe life, the older woman was danced brilliantly by Alessandra Ferri, incredibly in her fifties. The £7 progamme was not particularly informative and during the interval I looked for a synopsis of this and the other two Woolf work on wikipedia.
The second act, 'Becomings' was inspired by Orlando. It was the most brash of the the three with a spectacular light show by Lucy Carter that included training lasers onto the tiers of the auditorium. Unfortunately, I did not quite get on with the accompanying music by Max Richter that switched from recorded to played by the orchestra. With echoes of Philip Glass and Mike Nyman, I wondered more than once what those two would have done with the commission. The dancing was superb, precise and spectacular, including performances by Natalia Osipova, Edward Watson and Steven McRae. The story itself can only be described as weird about someone who changes gender and travels through time meeting their literary heroes. Apparently it was a tribute to Vita Sackville-West. It was definitely helpful to have known this before seeing it.
The third act, 'Tuesday' from The Waves, was, for me, the most beautiful involving somewhat more abstract dance in slow motion. Unfortunately, it was somewhat spoilt when about half way through a person in the row behind was sick which created quite a commotion and pong. I was unimpressed that the ROH did not offer any means of facilitating a chance to return another night - The run was far from sold out and it would have been a good gesture.
The dancing of Tuesday brought back Alessandra Ferri as well as the stars of Becomings. They danced the parts of the characters whose stories comprise the soliloquies of the book - or at least I suppose that's what they did. It was a complicated idea which did not have my full attention!
The triptych has received mixed reviews ranging from the enthusiasm of the Guardian to the criticism of the Telegraph. Overall, I thought the dancing and lighting were spectacular; the music did not quite gel for me even though it is my genre; and the choreography did not consistently move or engage me.
12 May 2015. Tchaikovsky Violin Concerto and Shostakovich's 15th at the Barbican
The concert opened with Balakirev's Islamey. It was unfamiliar to me and quite a brief piece to be found on You Tube as a piano challenge.
Next was the violin concerto, played by Nikolaj Znaider. I liked his approach which seemed almost jazzy at one point. He plays a Guarneri 'del Gesu' violin from 1741, which was remarkable for the volume it produced.
Finally there was Shostakovich's 15th symphony which seemed quite playful with its references to other works such as the William Tell overture.
All in all an enjoyable evening
Next was the violin concerto, played by Nikolaj Znaider. I liked his approach which seemed almost jazzy at one point. He plays a Guarneri 'del Gesu' violin from 1741, which was remarkable for the volume it produced.
Finally there was Shostakovich's 15th symphony which seemed quite playful with its references to other works such as the William Tell overture.
All in all an enjoyable evening
Friday, 8 May 2015
8 May 2015. Everyman at the National Theatre
I thoroughly recommend it. It will sound pure gloom when I describe it but it is a fantastic production by the new director of the National Theatre, Rufus Norris.The play features God, death and Everyman and confronts the audience with how we would account for our lives if called upon to do so when the grim reaper pays the inevitable visit. The character, Everyman, has led a life of materialism and pleasure and looks back on himself as a child and realises he might have led a life more dictated by his soul. The production is fast moving and high energy with some great theatre.
The text is a new rendition by Poet Laureate Carol Ann Duffy of a fifteenth century original. At issue is squandering one's time rather than doing Good Deeds.Faced with the early call by Death, Everyman is left scrabbling around for unforthcoming help by friends, possessions and family before making his confession and connecting with his soul.
Everyman is played with great energy by Chiwetel Ejifor who made a complementary triangle with the long suffering God (Kate Duchene) and the gallows humour of Death (Dermot Crowley)
I bought the text afterwards and reading it helped fill in the gaps of what I hadn't taken in on the night. I'd definitely go again.
7 May 2015. Deluge at Hampstead downstairs
I had read some reviews of this play and came prepared not to sit in the front row where towels were provided. The entire stage area, save for a small island in the middle was a pool of about 10cm of water. Why? Because the setting was an era of unremitting rain - not unlike that endured in the West country; but more so. The rain set farmer against farmer because cattle feed was becoming scarce and expensive. The main characters - a farmer and his wife - were saddled with debt incurred by his, now dead, father and being chased to repay it.
The play cleverly wove flashbacks with the here and now as we witnessed the result of the situation in which they found themselves. It was to my mind an engaging play, extremely well acted and convincingly conveying the sense of powerlessness and depression of living with this apparently ceaseless environmental negativity. Whether intentional or not, one could easily extend this to any unremittingly hostile environment, making it, I imagine, a suitable play in some eyes for election night!
The only issue was the production and whether it was an asset to have the gigantic pool through which the characters had to wade, splashing the audience as they went by. Quite easily, this could have turned to unintentional farce and in any event it was a distraction. Nonetheless, overall a very worthwhile evening - unarguably so for a mere fiver!
The play cleverly wove flashbacks with the here and now as we witnessed the result of the situation in which they found themselves. It was to my mind an engaging play, extremely well acted and convincingly conveying the sense of powerlessness and depression of living with this apparently ceaseless environmental negativity. Whether intentional or not, one could easily extend this to any unremittingly hostile environment, making it, I imagine, a suitable play in some eyes for election night!
The only issue was the production and whether it was an asset to have the gigantic pool through which the characters had to wade, splashing the audience as they went by. Quite easily, this could have turned to unintentional farce and in any event it was a distraction. Nonetheless, overall a very worthwhile evening - unarguably so for a mere fiver!
Wednesday, 6 May 2015
2 May 2015. MatchBox at Hampstead.
I was rather disappointed by this piece. It consisted of a series of quite brief sketches which varied in their 'titter' factor, but were never, for me, that funny or thought-provoking. I cannot imagine I will remember very much about this evening for long but it was mildly amusing at the time.
1 May 2015. Krol Roger at ROH
As usual, an incredible production by the ROH. The Head itself, like a giant Buddha, was worth the ticket price. This was introduced on a blackened stage from the start and was the focus of some very clever and dramatic light work. It would, In thought, be a suitable installation for the Tate's turbine Hall.
The first act introduced the story of the young charismatic shepherd who arrives at King Krol's court, advocating a certain hedonism and appealing to Krol's wife, Roxana.
This triggered for me a Freudian perspective on the opera with the shepherd and Krol as elements of the same personality. In Act 2 the head was reversed and so the action took place within it, seemingly justifying the psychological reading of the script. We had figures writhing on the bottom layer and Krol, the shepherd and Krol's wife and his advisor at different levels of the head.
After the interval, act 3 takes place with the head no longer present. We do, however, have an equally spectacular fire/pyre on stage, used for the burning of books. Krol ends up alone on stage and a seeringly bright light shines out on to the audience.
I suppose the psychological ideas are not particularly original but this struck me as a most powerful vehicle for getting one to reflect upon the tensions of our psyches.
At the end, I definitely want to see it all again.
The first act introduced the story of the young charismatic shepherd who arrives at King Krol's court, advocating a certain hedonism and appealing to Krol's wife, Roxana.
This triggered for me a Freudian perspective on the opera with the shepherd and Krol as elements of the same personality. In Act 2 the head was reversed and so the action took place within it, seemingly justifying the psychological reading of the script. We had figures writhing on the bottom layer and Krol, the shepherd and Krol's wife and his advisor at different levels of the head.
After the interval, act 3 takes place with the head no longer present. We do, however, have an equally spectacular fire/pyre on stage, used for the burning of books. Krol ends up alone on stage and a seeringly bright light shines out on to the audience.
I suppose the psychological ideas are not particularly original but this struck me as a most powerful vehicle for getting one to reflect upon the tensions of our psyches.
At the end, I definitely want to see it all again.
12 April 2015. Britten's Violin Concerto (LSO) at the Barbican
The concert began with Part's Cantus in memoriam to Benjamin Britten, played to emotional effect by the LSO. This was followed by Britten's violin concerto, with Gil Shaham the soloist. After the interval cam Shostakovich's sixth symphony. The violin concerto, with some Spanish influence/reference, was new to me and I hope I will be able to catch it again when/if Radio 3 replay the recording they made of the concert. Anyway, there are recordings available, for example with Janine Jansen.
The Shostakovich was written and first performed in the autumn of 1939. Apparently it received great popular acclaim but some critics condemned its individualistic nature.
The Shostakovich was written and first performed in the autumn of 1939. Apparently it received great popular acclaim but some critics condemned its individualistic nature.
10 April 2015. The four temperaments / Untouchable / Song of the Earth at the ROH
An excellent triple bill at the ROH. The opening piece, choreographed by Ballanchine, featured a number of the Royal Ballet's principals evoking the Greek temperaments - Melancholic, sanguine, phlegmatic and choleric.
The middle piece - Untouchable by Hofesh Shechter, - on the other hand was written for the corps de ballet to show their skills.
Finally, we had Song of the Earth, which reverted to principals, including on this night Thiago Soares and Marianela Nunez as well as Carlos Acosta. I thought the dancing was amazing, although I must admit I preferred the parts when there was just the orchestra rather than the, albeit excellent, singers as well.
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The middle piece - Untouchable by Hofesh Shechter, - on the other hand was written for the corps de ballet to show their skills.
Finally, we had Song of the Earth, which reverted to principals, including on this night Thiago Soares and Marianela Nunez as well as Carlos Acosta. I thought the dancing was amazing, although I must admit I preferred the parts when there was just the orchestra rather than the, albeit excellent, singers as well.
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9 April 2015. Death of a salesman at the RSC, Stratford.
It was extraordinary to witness the versatility of Anthony Sher who I'd last seen as Falstaff. Now he was Willie Loman.
It is an amazing play and I bought the text to be able to go through it in my own time. However, this confirmed to me that it is more a brilliant evocation of a tragic situation and evolution of life than a work to be noted for extraordinarily pithy quotes. As such, I think the RSC suggestion, that I think I'd read, that Miller is on a par with Shakespeare is somewhat far-fetched. Nonetheless, Miller's insight - and all in his 30s - is amazing.
The production itself was more classical than ground-breaking and some critics have compared this production unfavourably with the Young Vic's radical View from the Bridge. However, Miller's stage direction was very detailed and all the RSC has done is stick to instructions - which I don't feel should merit criticism.
It is an amazing play and I bought the text to be able to go through it in my own time. However, this confirmed to me that it is more a brilliant evocation of a tragic situation and evolution of life than a work to be noted for extraordinarily pithy quotes. As such, I think the RSC suggestion, that I think I'd read, that Miller is on a par with Shakespeare is somewhat far-fetched. Nonetheless, Miller's insight - and all in his 30s - is amazing.
The production itself was more classical than ground-breaking and some critics have compared this production unfavourably with the Young Vic's radical View from the Bridge. However, Miller's stage direction was very detailed and all the RSC has done is stick to instructions - which I don't feel should merit criticism.
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