I truly WAS excited to study English when I started the course. I've loved reading a writing since I was little and being and English teacher was always the backup if performing didn't work out for me. Much like many other children of my generation, my love for writing stemmed from being inspired by Jacqueline Wilson's books, which looking back were probably not appropriate for 5 year old me to be reading, but they made me fall in love with writing and reading and for that I will always be grateful. Anyway, I digress. I firmly believe that some things should remain a non-academic commitment and this little blog post is essentially about why and about why I've not posted since April.
So reason number one, to put it quite plainly, is that I didn't have the energy. April, May and June were quite busy for me with performances, exams and coursework deadlines and it was around this point that I decided to drop English. That makes it sound far deeper than it is, I simply didn't enjoy it, didn't have time for it and around this time started getting assessed for exam arrangements to hopefully help with problems I've encountered with reading, writing and generally concentrating on anything for more than 5 minutes. Funnily enough, this post started getting written in November and yet never got finished because I HAVE 0 ATTENTION SPAN. All of this added up and I had very little energy to put into writing and whilst I did want to put things up and also did write some stuff, I basically didn't want to post things that sucked. The next reason sounds sadder than it is and I never talk about mental health or anything along those lines so bare with if any of this sounds ridiculous. I've never had particularly high levels of confidence but after a few rubbish grades (probably influenced by the fact that as previously mentioned, my attention span DOESN'T EXIST) my confidence in my ability to write and my knowledge on theatre went down the drain. I stopped going to anything I was invited to as I was scared of writing a review I wasn't proud enough of to post. Every past blog post I reread in hopes of finding inspiration made me cringe and every sentence in a new blog post felt wrong, so I just stopped trying. And finally, the explanation for July through December. July has the most positive explanation and that's that I was lucky enough to spend the month in Florida. August started on a high as I was on a weeks performing summer school and ended on a low as I spent every day after that until halfway through September visiting a family member in hospital (who is thankfully now a lot better!). And in all honestly? The last few months have simply been busy. Rehearsals, classes, workshops, trying to actually fit a social life and sleep around that and all that comes in between just took over and I pretty much just couldn't find the time. All of this sounds like excuses leading up to an apology, but I'm not sorry and I don't expect anyone to have been wanting an apology, but life gets in the way and I hate the idea of a big unexplained gap on here. So what comes next? It's 2020. I have some really exciting shows coming up, auditions coming up and I'm working on myself and giving myself credit where credits due. In regards to the blog, I'm going to be renaming the blog again relatively soon as KT is also a busy human being and isn't planning on returning to the blog. I'm hoping to write more and whilst I'm not a big fan of the idea of New Years resolutions, that is certainly mine. So that's it really. Nothing deep, nothing exciting, just wanted to talk a little and explain the huge great big gap. I wish you all the absolute best in 2020 and hope your holiday season was wonderful and I WILL see you all soon. Grace xx
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Last night, I once again found myself over at Sheffield Local Theatre to see this weeks show, Make/Shift. Well actually, before that, I found myself sitting on the train there, phone dead, half asleep. I started thinking to myself "Yeah, perhaps I should actually start looking into what I'm seeing before I see it? Just a little bit?", realising I'd exclusively read the information in the season brochure and absolutely nothing else. After a quick battle with the tram (as usual), I finally actually made it to the theatre, and as soon as the performance started I remembered just why I love going into shows near enough blind so much.
Based on life as a queer millennial, the spoken word piece of theatre "Make/Shift" follows Bibi and Ross, two young people who live together but almost exclusively speak by mid-shift text messages, good mornings and good nights. It explores the worlds attitudes to those that identify outside of the gender binary, found family and the so-called "generational differences" within society and the economy and the effect it's having on young people. The performance was dynamic and ever-changing, leaving nothing to be desired - nothing about it was "pretentious" as some may think spoken word is and despite it being done in such an unconventional way, the storyline was still everything I could have wanted. The idea of spoken word theatre was something I'd never really come across until this particular show and I once again found myself leaving the theatre feeling inspired after seeing something so refreshing and new. I really hope that I get the chance to see more of In The Works and more of this style of theatre. I think it's really incredible that Sheffield Local Theatre have so many completely different genres and styles in over the next few months and I can't wait to see what else is to come - if you haven't already, I'd recommend having a look through their online brochure which you can find HERE because I can guarantee there'll be something you fancy on! One thing that I really admire about The Local Theatre is that every show they have on is well tailored to the venue. In such an intimate space, this minimalist approach to theatre really worked. Sometimes, stripping back to the basics and just relying exclusively on the power of the words being said and the story being told is just what a subject matter needs to do it justice and this was certainly one of those times - I can't think of any other local space that would have been as perfect for this show. As per usual, my little theatre geek self is rambling just a little bit so I'm gonna wrap this up after this paragraph, I promise. I cannot recommend this performance enough because it is beautiful, empowering and inspiring. There is truly not enough theatre focused around the struggles queer people go through daily in the world right now and this was a really wonderful example of that. It was emotional and deep down, quite sad, but I think one of the best parts was that I didn't leave the theatre feeling miserable. This piece of theatre was so thought provoking and I left the theatre feeling inspired, and wanting to make a change, and isn't that what theatre should be all about? Thank you once again to the wonderful people at Sheffield Local Theatre and In The Works for having me! Overall Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Accessibility: The venue itself is unfortunately not wheelchair accessible if I recall correctly. No flashing lights of any sorts were used and there was nothing else notable! Sensitive Content: Homophobia and transphobia (nothing too graphic or violent but worth noting!), mention of alcohol You can book tickets to see Make/Shift HERE! GRACE XXX On Thursday evening, I was lucky enough to be invited to the newly opened Sheffield Local Theatre to see The Love Chronicles, the first show they’ve had in. I’ve been following the progress of the theatre itself for a while now as I’m passionate about Northern theatre so although I was really unsure of what to expect from this show, I was really excited to see it and was certainly not disappointed! Where to start with this wonderful piece of theatre. The Love Chronicles was completely touching but not miserable, it was inclusive and interactive and fun but not awkward, and it was about everything but seemingly nothing too specific which I absolutely loved. The show explores what love is and how it can be found in different places: Love for another, love for yourself, love for Gary Barlow and everything in between. Despite the subject matter being fairly cliche and possibly overdone, The Ordinary People put their own twist on it and made it seem like nothing else I have ever seen before. I’ll admit my probably unpopular opinion now - I don’t typically like puppetry because I find it so hard to engage with a storyline usually. The puppetry used in this was something so different because it DID still connect with both the actors involved and us as an audience. It also felt like the use of it was perfectly placed without any awkward “we have to use puppetry because we have a puppet!” moments and it was actually really interesting - I think my opinions have changed! The use of music, video and projection was really different too and although I DO feel like I’m rambling a little, it would feel wrong to not mention it at all because I wasn’t expecting it to be included. I feel like I haven’t seen much theatre that involved these aspects in the way this show did at all and it was just really refreshing to see! A cast as small as two people is always a risk, but these guys made it work so well in their favour. Both of the performers had me in stitches plenty of times but were still able to have those moments of being serious that made the funnier lines seem all that more funny. Nothing seemed forced at all and the cast seemed to be having as much fun as we were in the audience (which in my opinion is one of the most important parts of theatre anyway!). Now as I mentioned previously, I am pretty much just excited about new theatres in Sheffield and more opportunity to see more talent, and I think given that I got the chance to see a company who have genuinely inspired me in my own work already I’m being pretty reasonable! But yeah, just excited. And this venue is genuinely WONDERFUL. It’s small and super intimate to a level that I’ve never experienced before yet still has great sound, projection and lighting - nothing seemed missing. As well as this, the whole atmosphere was just lovely and because of this, the parts that did involve a little bit of audience participation weren’t scary or awkward. For a company that are self described as “playful”, they certainly lived up to this and played with us! Essentially, this was everything I love about theatre rolled into one and I truly cannot fault this show so if you DO get chance to pop in, I can’t recommend it enough. It’s a fun evening out that everyone will love (my dad who typically isn’t into theatre much really enjoyed it too!) and I can promise you that you will leave with a smile and some inspiration. I’m sure we’ll be seeing more of this company and I’m super excited for the upcoming shows at Sheffield Local Theatre - they’re clearly of a super high standard! Overall Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Accessibility: There was some flashing lights so be aware of that! Also, aerosol cans are used in the performance so (if you’re on the front row especially!) it can be an issue for you if you’re asthmatic! Sensitive Content: Fairly mild references to sex, otherwise nothing notable! You can book tickets to see The Love Chronicles HERE! GRACE XXX Afternoon! I've been thinking for several months now that doing a series like this would be lots of fun but never quite got round to it. A lot of people tell me they like my blog because it's so chatty, which made me think it would be a lot of fun to do a more casual and talkative favourites series that I update every month to give those of you reading a little bit more of a taste of my interests both as a theatre-goer and as a performer!
MUSICAL: AMERICAN IDIOT If you follow me on twitter (which you should, by the way, @landofgrace_, hit me up ) then I don't doubt for a second that you know full well how much I loved this show. I did post a full review which you can find HERE if you're interested, but in short I just love a cliché rock jukebox musical and exciting design. Here's to hoping this show does get some more dates and I can head back because I think this show is in my top 5 now! CAST RECORDING: WE WILL ROCK YOU I am so ready for the tour of this show! At this point I'm literally not convinced that I can wait much longer for it - I've seen this show 10 times already and can't wait to see it a few too many more. It was my first ever show and as much as it maybe isn't actually the best cast recording ever, it gives me major feels and takes me back to my childhood! SET DESIGN: HOME I'M DARLING Now let me put it out there already: I haven't actually seen this show, nor am I likely to be able to. Trains are, as you can imagine, super expensive unless I buy them in advance and it just isn't too convenient for me unfortunately (so let me know your thoughts on the show if you have seen it!) but oh my GOODNESS! Just from the photos that I've seen on Twitter I am genuinely obsessed with the set for this show and having MAJOR fomo. CHOREOGRAPHY: AMERICAN IDIOT UK TOUR Straight back to the favourite. The choreography itself for this show is genuinely marvellous and it's just one of those shows that looks super fun to be a part of - I can feel a bit of a dream show coming on! It's truly incredible to actually watch how they convey a vast majority of the storyline through dance and the ensemble are absolutely fantastic with insanely high energy. It's hard to explain this, but I just love it, okay?! LOOKING FORWARDS TO: PRISCILLA TOUR This is arguably not a favourite, but at the same time it is? I finally got round to booking a date for the tour of Priscilla Queen of the Desert and I am BEYOND excited! I've never actually been able to see the stage show before because it's never been near when I've been free and finally I'll be seeing it near the start of the tour! Not only does it involve some of my favourite actors from other shows, but it also has some new faces that I can't wait to see perform. When one of the songs came on Encore the other day I nearly jumped out of my skin with excitement! PERFORMANCE: THE PHANTOMS, ROCKY HORROR Technically, I actually saw this in February but it was right at the end of the month and I'm still thinking about how brilliant they were. There wasn't a favourites post in February anyway, let me have this! The phantoms I actually saw were Maddie Coehlo, Reece Buden, Shelby Farmer and Jake Small and they absolutely blew me away with the dynamics they used and how well they conveyed everything that Rocky Horror is about. As your resident choreography geek, I think that the way they each individually interpreted the choreography was fantastic and they just made my month that little bit brighter BLOGGER: KT! This months marks the start of one of my wonderful friends, KT joining me over here and consequently we've also gone and changed the name! I thought perhaps I should explain that one a little, given that it's been just little old me sitting here and rambling about the same old shows in the same old theatres for way over a year now. KT is based in Brighton meaning this blog is now covering more areas and I'm so excited to not work alone anymore! If you haven't already, you can take a peek at her March Favourites by clicking HERE! VENUE: SHEFFIELD THEATRES Typically, at the end of each review I write, I include a little note on accessibility, especially regarding any strobe lights used within a show as I have some friends who don't actually KNOW whether they can see a show because of the fact the shows website will say absolutely nothing in regards to it. Sheffield Theatres are absolutely MAGIC for accessible viewings - they do regular dementia friendly viewings, relaxed viewings, captioned viewing and do anything they can to accommodate to somebody who may want to see the show. As well as this, the whole area is beyond lovely - the Cafe in the Crucible is such a nice little spot where we've found ourselves a few times this month pre-show for a bite to eat and a drink and Sheffield Theatres as a whole have such a welcoming vibe with lovely staff and customers alike! All my love (Six reference or just me being a sweetheart? The world will never know!), GRACE x Show: Emilia. Without the tiniest hint of doubt, Emilia. It’s the kind of show that you emerge from a different person, a more awake person. I’ve never been someone who connects with plays very much (and believe me, it’s not for lack of trying), but Emilia had me hooked from start to finish. It’s difficult to discuss it in a more thorough way than short, praise-filled sentences - the feeling it leaves you with is just impossible to describe, some kind of somber/joyful/angry/feminist/motivated/enraptured mixture. I spent roughly the last fifteen minutes solidly weeping, out of sorrow for the suffering the women before me endured, the suffering those still with us endure, the suffering those to come will endure, but also out of some kind of cathartic joy - FINALLY somebody is up on stage describing EXACTLY how I feel, and I’m surrounded by people who are cheering and clapping and standing because they feel it too. Emilia’s story is woven together so beautifully, and it’s one of those rare shows that legitimately deserves every single bit of hype and praise it gets. Performance: We’re sticking with Emilia for this - I’ve been thinking about the marvel of the entire cast since I first saw it, but my absolute favourite just has to be Clare Perkins as Emilia #3. I brought a friend the second time and the very first thing she said to me was “man, that monologue was FIRE” and honestly? That’s pretty much the only way to describe it. There is such an indescribable blend of anger, sorrow, wisdom, and passion in Perkins’ performance. Emilia #3 has a far more direct relationship with the audience than Emilias #1 and #2, and it adds a layer of personal connection that makes that final speech so exceptionally unforgettable. Everything about Emilia is wonderfully empowering, but it truly is that very final blow that makes it so sensational, and Perkins is the absolute perfect choice to deliver it. Set: Finally got around to seeing Mischief Theatre’s ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ on the 3rd - having previously seen ‘The Comedy About A Bank Robbery’ I had some vague expectations - the company have a bit of a reputation for outrageously clever sets, and TPTGW is no exception. I am absolutely convinced that designer Nigel Hook is some kind of maniacal genius to even visualise how everything would work, let alone be able to actually create it. While the visual gags by themselves are impressive - and I’ll try not to spoil any - it’s the precision of them that makes them so exciting to watch. Whoever said that comedy is the easiest form of acting is a straight up liar. In an interview with BroadwayBox Hook described the Mischief actors as “athletes”, and he isn’t wrong - “it’s down to seconds back there”, he says, and one can only imagine how on-the-ball the cast and crew are required to be. Choreography: I did want to cheat a little bit here and bring in Don Quixote at the Royal Opera House - seeing Natalia Osipova as Kitri was a dream in itself - but sticking with the theatrical theme, this one goes out to Sondheim’s ‘Company’, which recently finished playing at the Gielgud Theatre. Company isn’t exactly a ‘dancey’ show, but the times they do get in there are really something, with the standout moment for me being during ‘Another Hundred People’. The choreography of the ensemble on the subway cars is really beautiful, and surprisingly intricate - it’s clear to see that choreographer Liam Steel and dance arranger Sam Davis made sure it was polished to perfection. We all know Sondheim is a wonderful lyricist, and having just the right amount of added choreography really brings out the best of the score. Venue: The Southwark Playhouse will forever and always have my heart - I went to see The Rubenstein Kiss back on the 14th and the difference in the staging from my last visit (Adam Lenson’s ‘Wasted’ in October 2018) was just phenomenal, I could hardly believe I was sitting in the same space. The flexibility of their staging arrangements is thus far unmatched by any theatre I’ve been to, not to mention the homely feeling of the whole space. There’s a particular little cubbyhole just opposite the bar that I tend to rock up in for an hour or so before the performance starts, decorated with teddy bears and books (and yes, I will personally fight any of you to ensure I get that spot), and barring the theatre I work at, it’s definitely the one I’m most comfortable in. Southwark is run by a wonderful team of volunteers who at all times are friendly, open, and helpful. I often find that, while professional theatre spaces aren’t cold spaces, they can sometimes lose the community feeling, particularly some of the big West End theatres, but a Southwark has managed to retain a welcoming kind of fraternity that (so far) really is a cut above the rest. KT Yeah, I know. I'm getting more and more predictable by the day. Bat Out Of Hell, We Will Rock You and now this - what can I say, I'm a sucker for jukebox musicals. There's something about the whole “rebel teenagers uprise in a dystopian society!” cliche that just hooks me, and American Idiot was no different to the rest. Set in a post 9/11 USA, American Idiot is a jukebox musical in which three teenage boys who are fed up of the way their country is each take different paths following the event. The three of their stories are all told together throughout this sung-through musical and we see three lives that are so similar but so different at the same time unfold before us. The show started with an explosion of energy with the title number and the absolutely insane energy stayed throughout - I found myself particularly engaging with the choreography. As a dancer, I feel like I always pay particular attention to it but I genuinely thought that what they did with this show was really interesting - there were some particularly impressive sections that really stood out from every other show such as the use of glow masks and all black costumes with some fairly abstract movements. One issue I do have that links back to this is that unfortunately it's really difficult to find Cast other than the main roles and particularly Creative information online when everyone is equally as important as each other. Correct me if I'm wrong but I can only find the cast in some places and the only creative info online is the producers! Similarly to this, I wouldn’t actually feel comfortable posting this review without talking about the pure magic that was the ensemble. The energy they actually put into that choreography and the way they made every movement belong to them was just stunning - they genuinely looked like they were having the times of their lives (not sorry for that incredible bad and barely fitting attempt at a pun) and made it look easy although I’m more than sure that they must be absolutely exhausted after a full show! Each and every one of them caught my eye at different points for different reasons and it just looks like so much fun - this is a show that I’d definitely love to be a part of! For me personally, I typically don't enjoy shows that are sung-through. In all honesty, I haven't seen one in a while but I'm fairly unbothered by Les Mis, Joseph, Cats and similar shows. This show was definitely an exception to this apparent rule, and I think it was because of the intricate details put into every other aspect that made the story still so easy to follow. It was the little things, such as the interactive use of the set, the really individualistic feel of each ensemble member, the onstage band interacting with the cast and all the other little choices. I also really enjoyed the fact that because so much of the show is communicated through movement because of the lack of speaking it's almost like everybody gets to see a different show. It's all down to your own interpretation and different people might see things differently - for example, myself and my mum discussed St Jimmy afterwards and whilst I assumed he wasn't actually there, my mum saw it more as he was what Johnny could be. Some people seem to think that this show doesn't have any real message and doesn't actually make any sense but to me it's simply deeper and you have to really focus to understand it. Once you do, the story is genuinely gorgeous. Although I can understand why some people may find it off-putting, I personally thought the fairly graphic nature of the second act was really eye-opening and the use of some fairly abstract ways of communicating this rather than just stating it was so much more exciting. On the whole, I can't reccomend this show enough. It really doesn't deserve any of the bad reviews it's had because it's genuinely one of the most fun but also beautiful shows that I have ever seen - sure, it isn't technically the best if you're being all particular about what technically warrrants a "good musical" (what IS a good musical anyway!?) but in all honesty it's a lot of fun, and sometimes that's all you really need in a show. Overall Rating: ☆☆☆☆½ Accessibility: I definitely recall some strobes used in this so please be mindful of that! Obviously as a touring show most other factors will depend on your venue! Sensitive Content: Strong language, drug use, pregnancy, riots, terrorism, war, sex, violence, blood, homophobic slurs A few weeks ago as of when I start writing this, I saw Rocky Horror for the first time. I've been toying with whether to bother reviewing it since, simply because I'm about….45 years late to the party? I may have asked just about everyone that I know whether I should bother, done as much research as I could and read other people's reviews and concluded that maybe it would be interesting to read a review from somebody who has no prior knowledge of this show for this particular production? So let's give this a go, and forgive me if I say anything hopelessly wrong…
The cult classic follows Brad and Janet, played on this particular occasion by Ben Adams and Joanne Clifton, on what can basically be described as an interesting night. Other than that, the plot is near enough total nonsense in the best possible way and I well and truly loved it. For me, shows that involve the audience tend to be that little bit more special. Feeling immersed and forgetting everything outside of that theatre for the few hours you're in there is so important to me, and this show is obviously one that requires a lot of audience participation and in that moment you're just one with the rest of the audience. To me, this positive, fun and immersive atmosphere is just the epitome of theatre and because of this it's just a must-see show! Being one of the only audience members that quite literally had NO idea what was going on had its perks in this situation because as much as realistically I don't think I can call this show a breath of fresh air, to me it was. We have so few shows that actually involve their audiences, with obvious reason, and don't get me wrong, I'm not necessarily saying we need more of them, but it was SO incredible to experience that magic for the first time on opening night in Sheffield - and trust me, I will likely never write about how glad I am that a loud audience was shouting over the performance again! Writing this review, I've just realised how structured my reviews are. Anecdote, brief summary, standout features, geek about some covers, geek about some tech, tell everyone to see the show. Today, however, I'm struggling. How do I choose standout features when the whole thing was as wonderful as it was? Here we go with a few, but truth be told it was so difficult to pick some to talk about and this show was genuinely just so brilliant, in case I haven't already said that. Of course, I'm always rooting for my local girls so seeing Joanne Clifton absolutely smashing it was fantastic. Often, you'll see the Barrys of Twitter rambling on about how the big names in shows are never actually talented, and whilst I must admit that occasionally I have seen big names who maybe don't have the strongest voices, this was absolutely not one of these times. Her voice was absolutely gorgeous and perfect for the role she was playing and her harmony with Ben Adams was absolutely stunning - Over at the Frankenstein Place genuinely sounded SO beautiful (unexpected but…) and their voices just complimented each other so much. It's always super inspiring as an aspiring performer to actually see people who have come from your town doing as incredible a job as Joanne was - small town kids can do it too! The phantoms I saw were absolutely fantastic. They constantly had me in stitches with the little things they were doing but also in awe of how incredible and stylised their movements were - Nathan Wright's choreography was absolutely brilliant not just for the phantoms but throughout, it's really inspiring! I also had the pleasure of seeing one of the swings, Maddie Coelho, on as a phantom and she was absolutely incredible - in near enough every review that I write I hype up a swing or two because I am truly stunned by what they do. It really couldn't happen without them! So in conclusion, if you like me are heading to see Rocky Horror for the first time on this tour, expect the unexpected and you'll still be surprised! Let me give you one tip though - you might not want to see this with your mother (thanks for the warning guys!), but I coped! I'm already planning my next trip and I genuinely urge anyone who hasn't already to see it - I can't believe it's taken me this long! Overall Rating: ☆☆☆☆☆ Accessibility: I can't remember any strobes which typically means there was either none or the bare minimum but as I always say, please reach out to the venue! Sheffield Theatres are super passionate about making theatre as accessible as possible so if you have any particular issues, contact them because odds are they can/do accommodate! Sensitive Content: Strong language, VERY explicit sexual references My recent inner conflict has been what I actually think of plays. The last two plays I saw weren’t plays that I enjoyed particularly, one due to theatre etiquette and one due to the fact that I just didn’t like the show. I didn’t enjoy them to the extent that I didn’t even bother to write about them because I don’t like being negative about theatre and I truly believe that every show has good aspects, but with these I just didn’t have any interest in finding it. Because of this ongoing questioning I’ve been doing internally, I was fairly nervous for this show. I worried that I might dislike it, and I likely wouldn’t have chosen to see it myself if it wasn’t for the fact I had to see it for my course. This play, in short, made me realise (thankfully!) that I DID like plays, and I’d simply seen some that weren’t my thing recently, and I’m so glad I was somewhat forced to give it a go! Now a thing to note before I properly get into this review is that my only knowledge of the mining strikes and all that surrounded them comes from Billy Elliot, so if I say anything ridiculous, please just laugh at me - I have no idea what I’m actually talking about. The show itself was described on the Nottingham Playhouse website as “a spirited and uplifting drama” and you are told to “expect dark humour and tension” and both of these were completely accurate. The play had the perfect balance of humour to counteract the truly tragic storyline. The comedic lines interwoven with information and facts made it so that the play wasn’t sad to watch but still left you realising just how difficult the situation had been and I personally prefer these kinds of things - I’d sooner leave wanting to make a change than feeling miserable. The second that the curtain came up and the lighting hit the set I was in awe. All of the designers involved had done a truly magnificent job and throughout the show I stayed equally as impressed by these aspects - I tend to ramble for a while about lighting in every review, but in this I truly don’t think it would be right to just talk about lighting and it would take me a fair few pages to say all I wanted to about the design as a whole - the realisticness of the set and how much the lighting complimented it made it so easy to get immersed into the story which I found myself struggling with at the last few plays I’ve seen. All of the cast of this show were truly phenomenal but just occasionally, you see a show and you just leave thinking that someone was genuinely perfectly cast and this was one of these times. Deka Walmsley as Colonel was absolutely hilarious and had me in stitches at least once in every scene - his energy was so contagious and seeing the character development was so incredible and was so well portrayed. Similarly, Jamie Beamish and Nicholas Khan’s multi roling was truly brilliant and it always impresses me to see somebody able to characterise all of their different characters so differently and still be as convincing as these two were throughout. Within the script itself, I worried that the humour would be completely dependent on swearing due to the whole theme of mining in the North but overall it didn’t seem to be - there were certainly a few lines that did but as a whole, it didn’t seem to feel this way. The script also didn’t seem particularly focused on a target audience in the sense that there weren’t any regional jokes that outsiders wouldn’t understand which I really appreciated as a guest to Nottingham! Another aspect that I really enjoyed was the choreography in both the dance and physical theatre aspects of this play. Both were used just to the right extent and really complimented the themes and what was going on without being overused and detracting from the actual tension and drama created by the script - without spoiling the ending, some really interesting choreographed movement is used there which creates tension in a far more abstract way than in the rest of the play and it was just very different to many other things I’ve seen which was great! On the whole, putting it plainly, I enjoyed this play, however I can certainly see it from the perspective of those that don’t - and the age limit is definitely a good shout! I’m mainly just glad that I’m now in a place where I’m open to seeing plays again and can’t wait for whatever I see next already! Overall Rating: ☆☆☆ Accessibility: As far as I can remember there was no strobes however as per usual, please reach out to the venue! There was definitely wheelchair access of some sort as somebody in a wheelchair was sat fairly close to us so definitely contact the Playhouse if you're interested in seeing this show! Sensitive Content: Strong language, nudity, death, injury, homophobic language, animal cruelty (As per, contact me if I've missed anything!) 2018 has for sure been my favourite year for theatre so far. I've seen so many beautiful new shows with family and friends and dedicated as much time as I possibly could to appreciating theatre. I've tried to only include things I saw for the first time in 2018 and I saw a lot of repeat shows this year due to knowing favourites are closing so doing a Top 10 would be pointless, but I wanted to share my Top 5!
FIVE: The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe @ West Yorkshire Playhouse The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe was my first show of 2018 and being honest, I didn't expect much from it. It didn't really sound like my thing but the show's design was absolutely gorgeous and all around was a lot of fun - I probably wouldn't have seen it again as I don't think it's that kind of show but it was lovely to get to support some Northern regional theatre and enjoy it so much! ☆☆☆½ FOUR: Kiss Me, Kate @ Sheffield Crucible Kiss Me, Kate was yet another gorgeous Northern production. The cast was one of the strongest I've seen this year and the choreography was so different and I loved it. The only real issues I had were the staging being a little bit poorly adapted in the sense that it was thrust but it didn't feel like they'd taken that into account. I would have given this show a higher rating if it was a little more considerate to that! ☆☆☆☆ THREE: Bring it On @ Southwark Playhouse Bring it on was an energy filled production that combined cheerleading and musical theatre, two of my favourite things! The cast was so diverse and talented and this show was of such a high standard - I wish I could have seen this show again! This is another show that's rating was seriously affected by a mistake on the behalf of those behind the show - casting a cis man as a trans woman was a really, really bad option and I wish they'd have put more thought into that. ☆☆☆☆½ TWO: SIX @ Arts Theatre I think anybody seeing this that knows me will probably have spat their drink out by now, so I best clear up the fact that my number one and number two were equally as good but a few little details made this choice fairly easy - I'll delve into that one shortly. SIX is such a high-energy show with a gorgeous diverse cast filled with female empowerment. Not only was it educational and fun, but to me it completely broke out of the conventional theatre experience. I can't wait to see this again in 2019! ☆☆☆☆☆☆ ONE: Bat Out of Hell @ Dominion Theatre I definitely SHOULDN'T consider this a 2018 first, but anybody who has seen both the Coliseum and Dominion run of Bat would probably agree with me that the show is different enough to consider it separate to the Coliseum run. This show is so detailed and beautiful with a diverse and energetic cast - quite literally EVERY character has a name and there are so many little subplots happening interwoven perfectly with the main plot that every time you see the show you notice something different. This is not only my #1 for 2018, but probably my #1 of all time and I really hope to see this show come back. ☆☆☆☆☆ Let me know what your top shows of the year were and what you thought of my Top 5! At the start of 2018, my New Years Resolution was to see 20 shows. That probably doesn't seem like a lot given that plenty of theatre bloggers see hundreds of shows in a year, but given how far from a theatre I live and how busy I've been with other things, it was hardly realistic. In a little bit of a panic that I wouldn't hit my goal, I booked tickets to go and see Kiss Me, Kate at the Crucible as I found cheap seats. It wasn't a show I've ever been particularly desperate to see and I didn't really know that much about it anyway, but I'm so glad I did! I feel as though I'd almost be doing a total injustice if I didn't dedicate the first real paragraph of this review to the beautifully diverse and talented cast. Hearing the luscious voice of Cindy Belliot as she sang those first few notes of what I would consider one of the most iconic opening numbers ever genuinely gave me chills and I immediately knew I was in for a treat. It was clear from the start of this number that the entire cast had such gorgeous and obvious chemistry that truly enhanced their performance - this could really be seen in the back-and-forth banter between Lilli, played by Rebecca Lock and Fred, played by Edward Baker-Duly. They had me in absolute stitches with their banter yet still managed to have really emotional moments dispersed at just the right times throughout the show. Layton Williams' Too Darn Hot had me on the edge of my seat unable to stop grinning. It must be evident by this point in my time blogging that I'm an absolute dance nerd, but everything about his attitude, voice and technique paired with Matt Flint's gorgeous choreography was perfect. I truly believe Layton is one of those performers who you simply cannot take your eyes off of when they're on stage and I'm sure we're going to see him slaying in plenty more productions yet to come. Finally, I was absolutely howling at the hilarious Joel Montague and Delroy Atkinson's Gangsters. Everything about their performance was truly perfect and I hope to see the two of them shining bright in other shows soon! I feel like I find myself commenting on every shows choreography these days but I suppose that just shows how quickly the standard is raising and it's lovely to see. Kiss Me, Kate's choreography was so stylized and impressive and not one moment seemed repetitive. Some particular standout moments for me were Too Darn Hot, as previously mentioned, alongside Tom, Dick or Harry which showed off 3 different styles for each man and each showed off their own personal style. I also really enjoyed I Hate Men, which Rebecca Lock seemed truly perfect for. It was hilarious and wonderful and filled with moments that I was truly stunned - I loved the way it seemed choreographed but not to an extent that it took focus away from the comedic nature of the song. The show, to my surprise, didn't seem particularly reliant on tech in any way, shape or form - many productions of older shows that are currently on a rise are very heavy in their use of fancy lighting and extravagant moving sets but this has just the right, minimal amount. I do love to see a lot of exciting tech in a show, but it was extremely refreshing and lovely to see something that was less like that. I'm sure you can see that I loved this show. The fact is, I wish I could give it a five star review! The only real issue I had with this show was the fact that it was staged in a thrust configuration yet it almost felt as though that was an after thought. Sitting in the cheaper seats towards the side of the theatre, none of the set pieces or props were positioned in a way that they were effective or even visible at times to those sitting on the sides and after seeing pictures of what the set WOULD have looked at had I paid double the price that I did, I would have certainly been giving this show five stars had I been able to see it. As somebody studying drama, I completely understand the struggles of staging in thrust settings but if a show doesn't work like that, perhaps it should simply be done end on? In short, I loved this show. It was different, refreshing, intimate and incredibly accessible for a young person like myself who can't afford to pay for triple-digit top tier seats. For only £15, Row D seats that were only a little bit restricted, this show was outstanding and I wish more shows had seats this cheap. If you can manage to get up to Sheffield, I'd certainly recommend! Overall Rating: ☆☆☆☆ Accessibility: I don't recall any use of strobe lights so as far as I'm aware this show is photosensitive friendly but I would still advise contacting the venue to be certain! I know that this venue is very passionate about making theatre accessible with their dementia friendly and captioned performances so definitely look into the show and whether it's doable even if you or a family member may not have usually been able to see a show like this. Sensitive Content: Violence, guns |