Review: 'Paradise'

By Alex Gordon.

Before reading my review, listen to our exclusive preview of the production.

Paradise is a play with potential. It did not seem to me however, ready to be presented to a paying student audience. It is a one-man show written and directed by Christian Smith and performed by Howard Thompson. It presents us with a sad, frustrated, sardonic individual named Ricky who tells us about aspects of his life and why he feels it has gone wrong. Ricky narrates his story with a cutting, often dark sense of humour and moments of existential pondering.

It is performed on a completely bare stage, save for one chair in the centre where Ricky sits broodingly, as the audience enter. This starkness, jarring at first, pulled our focus immediately onto Ricky and made sure it stayed there; no distractions of set, lighting or sound, just one man and what he has to say.

Smith’s writing showed promise in places. Ricky’s speech alternates between personal anecdotes and bitter asides to the audience, interspersed with moments of comical, often bleak insight into the student condition (Ricky reveals he is at York University), and some witty manipulation of language.

However, the play simply doesn’t have enough content to stand up on its own. Many of the jokes seemed recycled – he talks repeatedly about how awful the North of England is, a reference that grows tiresome after a while – or not strong enough to provoke great laughter from the audience; Ricky’s rantings about the apparent racism of Dolmio adverts and the pointlessness of condoms felt more like an attempt at stand-up rather than giving us any great insight into his character.

This, combined with its incredibly short length of 27 minutes meant that I neither sympathised with Ricky as a person nor understood just why, in the end, he was so depressed. The play just didn’t seem to have a coherent development or any clear resolution, which left me dissatisfied as an audience member.

Howard Thompson gave a commendable performance as Ricky. He displayed dynamism and vigour, exploiting his vocal capabilities to good effect in Ricky’s more incensed passages.  This contrasted nicely with a great pensiveness during his more self-reflective moments. Thompson’s performance though, could only be so good due to the material.

I felt the play either needed to be twice its length, or teamed with a series of similar monologues from different characters on the subjects that this one covers, such as the student experience, or how we all, as people, share a loneliness and insecurity which we never admit to. Themes which Smith seemed to be able to tap into, but never seemed to go further than just skimming the surface.

Paradise would have been perfect material as a work-in-progress piece for an Open Drama Night on a Monday evening. I do not feel though that, in its current form, the Drama Society should be putting it on and be expecting audiences, students or otherwise, to pay to come and see it. It does not represent value for money.

You can hear Alex’s full audio review today at 2 inYorWorld.

The Blurb: Episode 1

The Blurb is URY’s new book review show that plans to explore the world of literature and leave no page unturned. Each week we’ll be bringing you reviews of books both old and new as well as discussing the most pressing problems in the literary world. We’ll also be taking a look at rising campus talent as we team up with The Looking Glass Anthology to showcase the work of student authors.

This week Elisabeth Shuker reviews Miranda Hart’s hilarious new novel, Is It Just Me? and Rachel Bond takes us on a journey through the exciting world of Fan Fiction. Our panel also discusses the impact of blogging on literature and its reviewers in reaction to Peter Stothard’s article for the Guardian.

Tune in at 3 this Sunday to join in our love of literature!

If you want  to get involved you can find 'The Blurb' on facebook here!

YorWorld: 28th October 2012

Coming up on this weeks YorWorld we review this weeks Dramasoc one man show 'Paradise'.

Also take a look at t the York Shakepeare Project’s latest production ‘Othello’, as they continue to work their way through Shakespeare’s cannon.

And we preview next weeks Dramasoc production ‘The Comedians’.

Make sure you tune in this this Sunday at 2!

And at 2:30 Paddy Evans will be chatting to Doreen Masey; British social scientist and geographer, working among others on topics typical of Marxist geography about her role in the artist Patrick Keiler's film Robinson in Ruins.

And don't forget to stay listening for 'The Blurb' at 3. See our above post for more details!

Review: 'Othello'

by Hannah Whyman,

Before reading my written review listen to URY's preview of the production.

Mark France's production of othello was an absolute joy to watch. A talented cast and minimalistic staging set in a claustrophic corner of the Theatre Royal made it an evening well spent.

The play was staged in the Studio part of the Theatre Royal meaning the fast pace of the script and the simmering tensions between the characters was greatly emphasised. At times, it was easy to forget one was a member of the audience and not, say, a spectator of the royal court. Although small, the cast used the space well and there was never a sense of clumsiness among them even when all members were onstage.

Iago was portrayed very well and he commanded the action brilliantly, playing on the slight injections of humour with precision. Roderigo contrasted wonderfully with Iago and they conveyed a clear sense of who was the powerless and powerful. Dermot Daly gave a brilliant performance as Othello both as the hero and the warrior and as the jealous, paranoid husband. It would have been great if, at the climatic moment of the play, Daly had injected just a touch more passion so that his emotions conveyed genuine tragedy but he never the less gave a worthy performance. Desdemona, played by the university's very own Katie Macintyre, was a similarly excellent performance. She had the audience silently pleading with her to realise Iago's sinister plot against her and Othello and on the verge of weeping in the final stages of her young life.

The other characters in the play only added to its success. The young Cassio contributed to the lighter moments of the play and pulled off his fighting scenes very well. Emilia gave a brilliant performance as Desdemona's companion and servant and despite her earlier disloyalty regarding the handkerchief, her final speech commanded respect from the audience. And it was interesting to see the Duke as a woman, which was a nice touch to a play of great misogyny.

A highly recommended performance.

And make sure you tune in to YorWorld this Sunday for our audio review of 'Othello' with Hannah and Tom Bonnington.

Review: 'Deathtrap'

Before reading our written review check out our exclusive preview of the production here!

Kate Bull reviews the Drama Barn’s first play of this academic year – Ira Levin’s Deathtrap.

‘Deathtrap’ set this year’s Drama Barn programme off to a flying start. With a talented cast, great set and a quick, pleasing pace given to the script, the play was a joy to watch.

Despite the cast’s humourous put downs of McGregor’s work in a ‘documentary’ filmed during the play’s rehearsal period (http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=knU10g6N45M&feature=plcp), his direction produced a crisp, clean production of Ira Levin’s classic.

The space was used well, and the farcical nature of the action augmented with greatly timed sound and lighting; a melodramatic thunder storm – complete with strobe lighting and rolling thunder – brought cackles from the audience.

Mungo Tatton-Brown did was he does best and produced a “devious and underhanded” Sidney Bruhl of immense pomposity, with booming phrases and grandiose gestures. Lily Cooper’s quiet, scurrying Myra contrasted well with this.

Louis Lunts portrayed the irritatingly enthusiastic Clifford Anderson believably, changing from bashful university student to confident playwright with ease.

The main male characters had great chemistry, not only between themselves, but with the audience. Their pauses, jokes and double entendres elicited great reactions from the densely packed audience.

The smaller parts – played by Roseanna Brear and Richard Spears – added comic relief to the action. Levin’s comedy is very dark, and the reprieve provided by Helga Ten Dorp and Porter Milgrim was welcomed.

The set - ornate, and somewhat oppressive – was filled with actors of great ability, who delivered Levin’s script with aplomb. A great production, thoroughly recommended.

And catch our full audio review today at 2 in YorWorld!

Preview: 'The New World Order'

A sneak peak at our most ambitious dramas to date!

YorWorld: 21 November 2012

Coming up on YorWorld this week we chat to artists, filmakers and actors as we look at the artistic spectrum of York.

John Wakefield interviews Zam Salim, writer and director of exciting new British comedy 'Up There' looking at life after death, about making his first feature film and his award winning short films.

Tom Edwards speaks to artist Robin Spalding and curator Penelope Hines, the people behind 'The Temple of the Occult' - the latest exciting exhibition at York University's own Norman Rae Gallery.  

We review Dramasoc's first offering of the term, Ira Levin's comedy thriller 'Deathtrap' which is running this weekend in the Dramabarn and also preview next weeks performance 'Paradise' by Christian Smith - a one man show.

Its not one to miss - this Sunday at 2 on URY!

Auditions: 'The Witching Hour'

From Tess Humphrey, the writer behind the National Award Winning ‘The Prince of Humberside’, comes a brand new spoof horror comedy.

A local radio station is trying an exciting new venture, a live show to contact the dead. When the show appears to be going badly the world-weary student presenter is stuck in the studio talking to a psychic who's coming up with predictions like "Tories to abolish student radio funding." To fill in the time, they start telling each other local ghost stories, which are blended in with re-enactments.

We meet Marmaduke Buckle,

Star-crossed Yorkshire lovers;

Plague victims,

And the vampire employed by the council.

With a large cast of over 36 characters there is definitely a part you’ll love – and through the magic of radio prepare multiple voices for this fantastic spoof horror comedy!

Auditions Fri - Sat Week 3 - 18:00 - 20:00 in VO44

Join our Facebook event now!

YorWorld: 14th October 2012

YorWorld makes a return after being nominated for two national student radio awards. One for best interview and another for our ‘In the Stalls’ drama previews for another year running.

This week on the show we preview YUSU Drama Society's production of 'Deathtrap', Ira Levin's 1978 classic combines satire of the most famous thrillers, such as Sleuth & Dial M for Murder, with an intricate and clever plot to create one of the most successful and long-running productions in Broadway history.

We also preview York Shakespeare Project's ambitious new production of 'Othello' as well as reviewing the York St John Graduate Productions, the York Theatre Royal's 'The Guinea Pig Club' and the touring production of 'Blue/Orange'!

Hear the programme now on the ((URY PLAYER)) here!

Review: Blue/Orange - Grand Opera House

by Alex Gordon

Joe Penhall’s psychological thriller, Blue/Orange, after its National Theatre premiere in 2000, won almost every major award for New Play. The Theatre Royal Brighton Productions’ revival, directed by Christopher Luscombe, is pacey, witty and provocative, but it is a complex play and it certainly doesn’t hand things to you on a plate.

Set on a London psychiatric ward, it follows an ideological battle between junior consultant Bruce and his superior Robert over whether black patient Christopher is ready or not to rejoin the community with his ‘Borderline Personality Disorder.’ Bruce wants to retain him for further treatment, Robert wants to let him go.

This raises a whole multitude of other questions. Is Christopher’s schizophrenic behaviour caused by his environment, is it inherent in his race, or is he merely socially insecure? Should he be protected from the public and vice-versa? And why the hell does he say the oranges on the consultancy table are blue? Everything is not simply black and white.

Robert Bathhurst, (aka Downton Abbey’s Sir Anthony Strallan) is excellent as Robert. Awarded many of the best lines, they roll off Bathhurst’s tongue with such eloquent timing and precision that our allegiance often ends up with him instead of Bruce because, as he puts it so pertinently, ‘my semantics are better than yours so I win.’

It was harder to side with Gerard McCarthy as Bruce. Though he performed admirably and with gusto, I found his delivery, at times, whiny and repetitive as well as his gesture; the hands often covered the face in ‘shock’ or chopped the air emphatically when making ‘a point.’ Consequently, I found I did not fully believe him cracking under the pressure of scrutinization from above when he lets rip in his tirade of abuse on Chris in Act Three.

Oliver Wilson provides an understated yet solid performance as Christopher. His affability as a person combined with a nervous laughter, constant repetition of colloquilaisms like ‘know what I mean?’ and unpredictable anger make his portrayal of a schizophrenia sufferer believable and unnerving.

The production as a whole however, feels as though it would be more suited to a more modern and intimate studio space, as opposed to a functioning museum like the Opera House. Colin Falconer’s strikingly stark, clinical set feels unnecessarily bulked out with a moving platform for the sake of filling an overly-large stage.

Oliver Fenwick’s cold blue lighting, brilliantly contrasted by an out-of-place bowel of oranges, though effective, is dulled somewhat by the surrounding faded grandeur.

What I enjoyed most about the production was the construction of the play itself and watching three actors working well together in delivering the ‘pin-ball’ fast dialogue, contrasted with almost Pinteresque moments of stillness before sudden, violent explosions.

This is definitely worth a watch for the talent on display, and for being one of the only plays that confronts head-on one of our last great modern taboos.

And you can hear Alex's full audio review in YorWorld.

Review: 'The Guinea Pig Club'

Kate Bull reviews The Guinea Pig Club, an impressive piece documenting British wartime pride, and commenting on society’s ingrained obsession with appearance.

The Guinea Pig Club, written by Susan Watkins, premiered this week at York Theatre Royal. Based on a true story, the play follows the story of a pioneering plastic surgeon during the Second World War. Archibald McIndoe applied dexterity and care to the burned and crippled bodies of RAF pilots who were wounded in action, and training exercises.

As Dr Ludwig Guttmann refused to give up on his paralysed patients at Stoke Newington, the Sussex town of East Grinstead was populated with wounded pilots who were encouraged to continue to live in the outside world, rather than hide away with (and behind) their battle scars.

Susan Watkins has a close attachment to the subject matter, for she personally knew a member of the self-named ‘Guinea Pig Club’. The sensitive manner in which she dealt with the story deserves congratulation, although the length (three hours including interval) reaffirms the belief that the closer you are to a subject, the harder it is to edit.

Occasionally, the pace seemed to drag, but apart from that the script was light-hearted and humourous. To a certain extent the characters were predictable – the private school boy who’d always longed to be a pilot, the pretty nurse who falls for him; the brusque matron, and the token Yankee are all characters we see perennially in anything war-based.

However, the particular subject matter meant that the actors really had to work to develop well-rounded characters. It is hard to convey feelings and thoughts without the use of your facial muscles, and as some of the actors were masked for the majority of the play they did well to create characters with body language, vocal range and chemistry with each other. In this way, the potential of acting stereotypes was averted, and the characters on stage came across as well-rounded individuals.

Damian Cruden, the current artistic director at the Theatre Royal used the traditional proscenium arch of the theatre to his advantage: creating a tall, RAF base in which the patients were housed. Joanna Scotcher’s stage design echoed well the scary, cold environment of a military hospital which eventually became a place of comfort and sanctuary for ‘Archie’s boys’. Ingenious use of hospital bed curtains and disco balls (not necessarily at the same time) transformed the stage into a ballroom, hotel suite and local pub.

Graham Harley created a sympathetic, well-rounded McIndoe, and his Kiwi accent wasn’t bad either. The revelation of his extra marital affairs, as well as his stubborn personality, made McIndoe very much a human character; Harley performed the role well. Anna O’Grady’s work as nurse Alice Harwood was convincing, although in my opinion, her character was not developed enough for her skills as an actor to be demonstrated.

Richard Jones’ lighting choices complemented the various moods of the play – despair, jubilation, anger. The projections designed and projected against the back wall of the stage anchored the play in its historical context.

One of the most engaging aspects of the entire play was the live music provided by George Ure on cornet and piano. His character, Tom, can only communicate through his ventriloquist’s dummy, but the music he creates is rousing and spine tingling.

The unpolished, proud singing of the patients made startlingly evident the long lasting friendships that these men had created in such traumatic experiences. As they raised their glasses to each other and to their doctor, the audience was exposed to the sense of pride felt by every member of the Club to overcome such debilitating conditions. 

2012 has been an excitable, patriotic year. With the Olympics, Paralympics and Diamond Jubilee, The Guinea Pig Club was well timed to ride the Union Jack wave and it would have had to have done something diabolical to fail. This country’s fascination with The War  – whether through documentaries, plays, interviews and films – continues to draw in the crowds. This play was no gimmick, however, and tells a story that needed to be told very well indeed.  

And you can hear Kate's full audio review in YorWorld here.

Review: York St John Graduate Prize 2012: Journey to Karawane and Letters to Yseult

By Alex Gordon.

The York Theatre Royal Studio was originally conceived as a room for workshops and performances of a more experimental kind. It seemed fitting then that tonight it played host to a double-bill of two devised pieces, created and performed by three students who are this year’s receivers of the York St John Graduate Prize, awarded annually (since 2011) to students in their final year of studying Theatre at York St John University.

They are then given the chance, under guidance from the Theatre’s Associate Director Juliet Forster, to take a short play they have created as part of their degree and re-work it for a public performance. An opportunity that should make students on the equivalent theatre course at York University shiver with envy.

The first play, Journey to Karawane, follows ‘The King’ (Joel Dean) and his noble steed, ‘Horse’ (Adam Ekin) on their journey to…well, Karawane. Although the play revealed as much about the plot as the title does, evidently this was not the point as, in part homage and part pastiche of Beckett’s Waiting For Godot, we watch two lonely, slightly unhinged individuals pass the time on their journey by playing several equally off-the-wall characters in a series of games and sketches.

Though at times slap-dash in its construction, the play had some amusing, Pythonesque moments and some well-thought out jokes. As Dean’s character points out, ‘Baffling people can be fun,’ and what’s more, they can enjoy being baffled. Dean and Akin’s performances however, were perhaps not quite strong enough to make their Pozzo-Lucky relationship entirely convincing. It could be hilarious and thought-provoking if its creators refined their material and their performances more carefully.

Letters to Yseult could not have provided a more different change of tone to the evening. Performed solo by its author, Richard Wade, we are taken on a journey through the old ‘Tristanian’ Legend – the love of a Cornish Knight, Tristan, for an Irish Princess, Iseult – told from Tristan’s perspective in a modern context, with Wade convincingly inhabiting a host of characters along the way.

It is unusual, intriguing, romantic, funny and heart-breaking. Wade’s versatility must be commended as he took us from comic-highs, such as when Tristan drunkenly performs Beyoncé’s ‘Single Ladies’ dance, to heart-shattering lows when Tristan, blinded by an assassin, his face smeared by crushed berries for blood, dies thinking that his beloved Yseult has abandoned him. Music was also used to great effect, as Wade both sang and played guitar, his lyrics introducing us to, and resolving the story.

This was an engaging and vibrant story told by a youthful, energetic performer, and I sincerely hope he finds the opportunity for it to grow and reach audiences beyond York. Perhaps next year’s Edinburgh Fringe would be ideal?

The evening proved an interesting and eclectic mix, with a post-show talk revealing as much about the actors as about their plays. Perhaps their characters, who all share a common thread in their loneliness and their questioning of their own situations are simply, as Akin puts it, ‘extensions of ourselves.’

Hear Alex's full audio review this Sunday at 2 on YorWorld.