Review: Solace of The Road at Derby Theatre.

 

'Solace of The Road' at Derby Theatre ( until  14^th March) is a gutsy reworking of Siobhan Dowd's novel about Holly, a young girl in care on her journey across the country desperately hoping to find her real mum in Ireland. The stage adaptation is skilfully executed by playwright Mike Kenny and the creative realisation of the work is shown through the sterling work of director Sarah Brigham, her team of creatives, the technicians and the six versatile actors. If you are looking for an entertaining, inspiring and moving night out at the theatre look no further.

For those who love Siobahn Dowd's original story they certainly won't be disappointed. In fact they will be thrilled by what has been done overall in its magical transference to the Derby Theatre stage. You could say that it is like the original with extra theatrical meat. My sincere apologies to the character Vegan Phil for mentioning the M word.

The piece is perfect theatre. It has invention. It has class. It has pathos and it has a great deal of humour. Four of the six actors play twenty multiple roles in a fast changing storyline. These are Naomie Ackie, Neal Craig, Jack Finch and Polly Lister. All bring tremendous light and shade to the piece through their interpretations but special mention must be made towards the roles played by Polly Lister and Neal Craig. The subtleties they convey as they morph between Mam/Foster Mother Fiona, Denny and Ray plus other roles are master classes in acting.

Rebecca Ryan plays Holly/Solace with great authenticity throughout the play and exudes just the right amount of sympathy as the vulnerable fourteen/fifteen year old on the run. As Solace in her confidence giving blonde wig Ryan still shows her character as a vulnerable girl desperate to be loved but far too capable of being exploited by some of the men she encounters on her journey. Luckily most of the male roles are sympathetic to her almost defenceless position in the world.

One of the most sympathetic characters is her key worker Miko played with warmth and affinity by Robert Vernon. Close to the beginning of the book Miko leaves the story to find his own successes in the world but in the play he remains as a visible guide in Holly's head during her adventures. Again, differently to the book, we also find the influence of Holly's former care home friends Trim and Grace (Naomie Ackie and Jack Finch) inhabiting the stage and offering their feelings, opinions and more.

The set design by Barney George is deceptively simple but offers great scope for interpretation of time and place through the two main levels and hidden spaces coupled with the very inventive use of large props flown in as theatrical suggestions of environments. Even cars, haulage trucks and a speedy motorbike are featured in this show through clever suggestions of vehicles. All this and more are aided by wonderful lighting and sound by designers Alexandra Stafford (lighting design and composer/sound designer Ivan Stott.

Overall, a terrific piece of theatre that should prove a runaway success for DerbyTheatre commercially and in particular as a demonstration of excellence through Derby Theatre's position and commitment to being a learning theatre.

Photo credits Robert Day

Thanks for a great 2014. Here's to this year!

2014 Highlights: Having the chance to talk to and interview Warwick Davis, Joe McGann, Shobna Gulati, John Godber, Brian Conley, Johnny Pusztai, Howard Brenton and Marcus Romer with Roy Williams. Also having great mates in Rick and Janette Martindale , Cibele Ponces Alvarenga, Lena Maier, Thorsten Feldmann, Carsten Thein, Markus Kűnstler, and Paul Johnson and Fariba from Sardines Magazine. You guys at Sardines have made my year with all the opportunities to write and to be professionally published.

 

Thanks to the The Public Reviews for all the chances to review theatre and shows across the East Midlands. Your exacting standards make my writing better and my theatrical eye keener. Many thanks.

Especial thanks to all at the Jakobus Theatre for hosting my first professional show ‪#‎greetingsfromthetrenches‬ and all at the Theater Die Käuze for supporting it. Of course it wouldn't have happened with the fun and professional work of my great friend Emma Brown. Hopefully see you in Leiden again this summer honey.

Some new friends have entered my life in 2014 not least the wonderful Kev Castle. Many thanks to Jo McLeish for your great support likewise to Heidi McKenzie and all at Derby Theatre especially to Sarah Brigham to access to your rehearsals and to witness your directing styles.

For all the hundreds of followers and readers of my two blogs http://philloweactor.blogspot.co.uk and http://mugofstrongtea.blogspot.co.uk I wish you all a wonderful 2015 and can't wait to see what is around the corner to excite you all through my writing.

Finally thanks to all my colleagues at work who are genuinely interested to see me do well. You know who you are and I appreciate it. xx

 

Happy New Year all.

Derby Theatre: A Sprited Christmas Carol. Review

“A Spirited Production!”

If there is a ghost of a chance of getting a ticket or two to take yourself or the family to see Derby Theatre's terrific production of Dicken's classic tale of A Christmas Carol, adapted by Neil Duffield and directed by Sarah Brigham, then do so. Missing this show would almost be like missing Christmas and time is ticking by.

A Christmas Carol is set on a fantastic set design (Neil Irish) depicting the industrial North, all chimney stacks and smoke centred by a massive clock face that references time passing and a local hint at Smith's clock works. The crystal clear sound design is created once again by Ivan Stott. The set has a revolve that allows characters to come and go in a frozen state that breaks into animation. It is like watching a picture book come to life. In fact the whole show is a fantastical display of invention slickly done and using the whole ensemble.

The ensemble is made up of professional performers and groups of young local children and teens who all morph into the well known characters and more. This includes live music and some beautifully sung Christmas songs and carols. At times the vocals are truly enchanting.

As the central role of Ebenezer Scrooge we have Jim Barclay in fine form as the old curmudgeon who gradually sees the error of his miserly ways. Although hard bitten and miserable at the outset Barclay still manages to infuse some humour into his part and comes into his comic own during the various party scenes. The end part where he arrives at the house of his nephew Fred and assembled guests is genuinely touching. Fred is played by local actor Adam Horvarth with great sincerity and warmth.

In an ensemble work the whole team is the 'star' of the show and this is certainly the case in Derby Theatre's production except maybe one extra shiny personality. I can almost hear Christopher Price begging me not to write this but his brilliant portrayals of Marley, Old Fezziwig, The Ghost of Christmas Present and Old Joe were outstanding. Plus he is in the ensemble and plays various musical instruments.

The professional cast made up of Jim Barclay, Daniel David, Adam Horvarth, Yana Penrose, Christopher Price, Kate Robson – Stuart, Eseme Sears and Daniel Willis all contrive to make Derby Theatre's A Christmas Carol a superb show worth singing out loud about!

Runs until Sunday 4th January 2015

www.derbytheatre.co.uk

Derby Theatre - A Christmas Carol - a promotion video

Book for A Christmas Carol through box office or Derby Theatre website.

Derby Theatre rehearsals of A Christmas Carol. Interview with Adam Horvath and Chris Price.

Today I went over to the Derby Theatre rehearsal space on Green Lane and enjoyed watching an early rehearsal of A Christmas Carol adapted by Neil Duffield. The professional cast and crew have three weeks to rehearse the show. Today was in week one. I watched an hour of the rehearsal and interviewed actors Adam Horvath and Christopher Price about their experience so far. Heidi McKenzie from Derby Theatre joined us for the twenty minute interview. It was all very light hearted and there was a lot of laughter throughout as the actors and I told our tales.

I explained that I had read Neil Duffield's play – a mix of classically referencing Dickens' well known words plus integrating a modern, perhaps less verbose way of expression and a style of sharing the text between several chorus characters that carries the story along nicely whilst keeping true to the classic tale. There is also live music and singing in the show.

Adam Horvath

The two actors confirmed that they had only been in rehearsal for a week and two days so far with three weeks in total followed by four days in technical rehearsal after that. I asked them if they came into the rehearsal process with a good understanding of the text and perhaps some of it under their belts.

Christopher Price

Adam confirmed that he had certainly read it a few times and made some notes about the play and his various characters but his acting experience so far was based on not presuming too much and unless there was lots and lots to learn he would come into the experience with a clean slate each time.

Chris said that if an actor learns something before they go into rehearsal then they have already shut down a couple of learning barriers which can lead to a difficult experience in learning the play along with the rest of the cast. He said it is different in an audition because you have learnt something in which you, as an actor, know what you want and also what you believe the casting director wants. He felt that it is lovely to be able to explore the play with the whole cast as well as generally to be comfortably familiar with it.

I asked if this way of working was the same with the Odyssey (a very successful Derby Theatre production which both actors were involved with). Adam and Chris both nodded emphatically and said that it certainly was. Sarah Brigham, currently directing A Christmas Carol, also directed The Odyssey earlier this year. Chris Price said that Sarah is a fantastic director in so much as she allows the actors the space to play and explore and if an actor has something that they want to explore she will give space for that. He emphasised that with her you always get a chance to put in your creativity as well and the play's journey is always adaptable, organic, a moving and a living thing.

I mentioned that I had seen on the internet that the actors had been playing Blind Man's Bluff in a rehearsal and I was interested to know how much traditional games and theatrical games informed the working process to the finished piece. Adam Horvath explained to me that they had been doing a lot of group exercises because a lot of the playing aspect rides along with the work the chorus do and that is the vehicle for the whole play. The play is really about a big group of story tellers and how they interact with each other and how they bounce of other people's ideas and expressions. Keeping the group alive and kicking is vital to the piece.

Christopher enthused that the chorus and ensemble are like a faultless seam of story-telling that illuminate and inform the story all the way throughout. In the structure of the script there are lots of little short lines. Although several people are individually saying them the interpretation of the writing by the actors feeding into each other and from each other means that the story becomes a character of its own and also becomes a flowing fluid poetic text.

I said that such a structure textually isn't an easy thing to do as an actor. You have to be acutely aware of the next line that can appear and ultimately disappear in a fraction of a second.

Chris agreed. “Yes that is right Phil and it is in the games we do in rehearsal that helps us to get to know each other very well in the ensemble. Yesterday we had, what was it? Five juggling balls? All five juggling balls were going at the same time so we were all moving around the space at the same time. We worked out some kind of system and it doesn't matter where you are - you keep going all of the time with awareness. There could be under the leg throws, over the head throws, straight to the other throws but you just keep these juggling balls constantly moving. You know, you make a couple of mistakes at first but then you find something quite unique within that particular energy of the group. It is unique for every single ensemble. Oddsocks theatre company are rehearsing next door doing Wind In The Willows and they'll have a completely different dynamic and a completely different energy about them and if you fused these two groups that would be a completely different dynamic too. That is the thing. It is almost molecular.” Chris laughs and concludes “Or perhaps we just all hot air!”

They explained too that in Derby Theatre's production of A Christmas Carol that as well as a small ensemble of adult professional performers there are also a total of twenty-four young performers broken down into three teams – A, B and C. I told them about the casting of Tiny Tim in The Lace Market Theatre's 2006 performance of my own stage adaptation of A Christmas Carol. There were two teams of children in this and in one team Tiny Tim was played by a sweet young girl (with cherubic boyish looks) and she was truly pathetic in the best sense of the word and utterly beguiling and totally symapethic as the crippled boy on death's doorstep. The other boy playing Tim was rather less than tiny. Rather Chunky Tim would have been a much more apposite description! He looked as if he had eaten half the set and dined out in the most glutinous eating establishments in Victorian London! Chris quipped that the big boy maybe had a glandular problem and that was why he had poorly legs because he was so obese that he could hardly stand on them!

I opened the conversation up to ask the actors, Adam and Chris what it was that they were enjoying the most so far in rehearsals.

Adam bashfully said that is just so nice to be doing a Christmas show and that he had watched The Muppets' Christmas Carol at the weekend! “ Got that (Muppets show) out of the way! No seriously, Christmas Carol is just a story that keeps on giving. It's timeless and in our production on stage it will feel different every night and however subtle the ensemble are we always going to find different things that audience give us each night. It's just a feel good show done with a nice group of people.”

I asked if their Scrooge was good and got a wave of enthusiasm back. Chris said “ Yeah, definitely! Jim's great! He's fun and has a very good command of the room!”

Christopher concluded the interview by saying something I totally agreed with: “ A Christmas Carol is my favourite Christmas story. Out of all of 'em I absolutely adore it. At the end it has that special feel good moment. You go through all the trouble and strife and the greed and the poverty and then out of all of that gloom, doom and shovelled up black snow, the freezing blue cold there is that tiny little light of hope and warmth and love. And family! Every year, because I don't see my family as much as I'd like to, this show, in a special way sends you to that place where you can be with your family. Hopefully me Mam and me Dad and me sister from up north will be seeing this show at Derby this year and that will be very special.”

Adam is playing in A Christmas Carol through the Brian Weaver Fellowship and will be in the ensemble as well as playing the roles of Fred and Young Scrooge. Chris is playing Jacob Marley, Mr Fezziwig, Ghost of Christmas Present and Old Joe.

See Derby Theatre website for booking details.

Derby Theatre: Review of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice on until 22^nd November is another five star production from Derby Theatre. Brilliantly directed by artistic director Sarah Brigham this comic drama from the pen of playwright Jim Cartwright has energy in abundance on the Derby Theatre stage. Sparks literally fly and the voice may be little but the spontaneous applause and laughter throughout is decidedly loud.

The revolving set is a clever design by Dawn Allsopp based on a terraced northern house in the 1980s.It can be seen as a cut through home, a back street and the seedy nightclub where LV reluctantly performs her medley of songs. The whole design revolves on a circular base made to look like a giant LP record. Atmospherics and sound play a big part in this show and Ivan Stott has retained his skill base with Derby Theatre from his days in a previous Derby Theatre show – The Odyssey, Tim Skelly's terrific lighting design works a treat in setting a variety of moods and times of day.

The whole cast make this show come alive –and in the case of Tracy Brabin's mother character- Mari, a woman mostly residing at the bottom of a bottle or two – you might say 'alive and very much kicking'. Her bent double legs akimbo performance is a master class in how to play drunk, loud and common and still be lovable. When she does her Jackson Five dance routine with Sadie (Sue Vincent) the whole audience burst out laughing and continued to shriek with laughter for the whole thing. Brabin can certainly play comedy extremely well, both broad and subtle and is equally at home with pathos.

Sue Vincent's deep voiced Sadie is a gift to an actress and Vincent draws many a laugh out of the simple letters OK delivered with a Cheshire accent. Plus she shows Sadie's tender side through her caring scenes with LV. Vincent delivers her role with exceptional comic timing.

Rebecca Brierley makes her professional début as LV or Little Voice and she does it with a mix of quiet concentration in the lost little girl aspects of her character, semi secure in her tidy bedroom full of Daddy's old LPs and a worn out record player, and then an ultimately astonishing display of sexy confidence as LV finally is forced to sing her medley of impressions at the club. And wow can she sing! If people are coming to the show with expectations of how this scene may be done they certainly won't be disappointed. A fine start to Rebecca Brierley's acting career.

The men in the play are generally pathetic opportunists with the exception of Billy. Billy in this production is played with real love and vulnerability by Tom Meredith. The character of Ray Say wonderfully performed by Kevin McGowan is perfectly done. Louche, a spot on match for the desperate to be loved Mari, expedient and exploiting, sad and somewhat shameless yet oddly sympathetic.

His counterpart is the brilliantly named Mr Lou Boo played to the hilt as a 'never was' or 'never has been' compère of a 'seen better days' nightclub. Actor Ged McKenna wins the crowd over big time with his corny act and unsubtle risqué crotch grabbing dancing – the type that drunken older male relatives do at weddings, usually with a far too young bridesmaid close by. Embarrassing but car crash comical. McKenna also features as the phone man at the start of the play.

If you like your drama to be dramatic – and don't we all? If you like your comedy to surprise and be genuinely funny and if you like to be all round entertained then I very much recommend that you grab a chance now to see this fabulous production of The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at Derby Theatre. Now could you please get the Shirley Bassey numbers out of my head!?

"Goldfinger!!"

Photo credit: Robert Day.

Promotional video. Derby Theatre. The Rise and Fall of Little Voice.

Promotion video for The Rise and Fall of Little Voice at Derby Theatre by Jim Cartwright. Showing Friday 31st October to Sat 22nd November 2014. Directed by Sarah Brigham, designed by Dawn Allsopp and Musical Direction by George Dyer.

Cast:

Tracy Brabin: Mari
Rebecca Brierley: Little Voice
Kevin McGowan: Ray Say
Sue Vincent: Sadie
Tom Meredith: Billy
Ged McKenna: Mr Boo

Derby Theatre - an exciting new season.

Derby Theatre is delighted to announce its May – July 2014 Season.

From John Godber masterpieces to stage adaptations of iconic British cinema classics; top quality, award-winning touring productions to new, exciting and inventive youth and community theatre shows; original studio productions to a wealth of insightful workshops and from fabulous family theatre to the return of DEparture Lounge, next season offers a wonderful array of shows and events to tempt and tantalise the theatrical taste buds!

A Taste of Honey, on from Tue 29 April until Sat 10 May, is a Derby Theatre and Hull Truck Theatre co-production and is a stage adaptation of Shelagh Delaney’s 1958 hit. This touching tale of a young girl’s journey into adulthood stars Rebecca Ryan (Shameless and Waterloo Road) and is directed by Mark Babych, who directed Cooking with Elvis for Derby Theatre in May 2013.

Derby Theatre welcomes a host of top-class touring companies this summer including: Northern Broadsides with the deeply moving drama poised at the tipping point of war, An August Bank Holiday Lark, on from Tue 20 until Sat 24 May; the highly acclaimed, award-winning Headlong return again this season with Wedekind’s definite play about youth- caused riots, Spring Awakening, on from Wed 28 until Sat 31 May; London Classic Theatre make another welcome return to the theatre with the 50th Anniversary production of Joe Orton’s Entertaining Mr Sloane from Tue 10 until Sat 14 June and Northern Stage, as part of the first ever UK of Joseph Heller’s classic novel, with a stage adaptation of  Catch 22, on from Tue 17 until Sat 21 June.   

From Fri 27 June until Sat 12 July, Derby Theatre, in association with Paul Tyrer and Jamie Clark for The Booking Office, will present John Godber’s comical, bittersweet masterpiece, April in Paris, which was Olivier-nominated for Comedy of the Year when it premiered. Directed by Godber himself, this classic two-hander will feature two star names (to be announced soon) and guarantees to make you belly laugh and your heart melt.

Over the summer period, from Thu 24 until Sat 26 July, our Youth Theatre will present a stunning double-bill of plays each evening which are unified by the themes of freedom and sacrifice: The Willow Pattern, a classic tale of innocent, yet forbidden love, and The Chrysalids directed by Sarah Brigham, a powerful story set in the post-nuclear world, a place divided into ‘perfect’ humans and mutants.  

Derby People’s Theatre, which involves members of the public and community working alongside theatre professionals to produce a full-scale production, will present Pulse from Wed 30 July until Sat 2 August, a new play commissioned by Derby Theatre from local writer Sally Siner. Pulsating with life, death and other funny turns, Pulse takes a look at a day in the life of the fictional Derby Orb Hospital and is about, and for, a community to which we all belong. 

DEparture Lounge, a summer festival of fantastic fringe performances, returns again this year and promises to be a theatrical adventure like no other. Prepare to buckle up for an exciting ride from Thu 17 until Sat 20 July for this stunning showcase of theatre from some of the exciting companies and artists from across the UK before they depart for the heady lights of Edinburgh and beyond.

Studio shows next season offer a wide and varied selection of theatre including: Nottingham Playhouse Theatre Company with a newly commissioned piece by local playwright, Andy Barrett, The Second Minute; Caroline Horton, who presented the fantastic Penelope RETOLD at Derby Theatre recently, will present, along with China Plate, her award- winning You’re Not Like The Other Girls Chrissy, a tender, comic portrayal of one woman’s experience of love and war; Johnny and The Baptists, an evening in the company of some of the UK’s hottest musical comedians; the edgy and moving one-man show which explores one of football’s biggest taboos, Away From Home; Derby Jazz, Corey Mwamba, Dave Kane and Joshua Blackmore with Sunday afternoons of Jazz music; the sell-out smash hit of the Edinburgh Festival 2013, Hidden; highly acclaimed Graeae with Signs of a Diva, which will include BSL signed songs, captioned text and audio description; Amanda Whittington’s poignant drama set in a mother and baby home in 1964, Be My Baby; award- winning comedy duo Heffernan & Fitch with their quirky sketch show-come-cabaret night Roll It In Sequins and Birmingham Repertory Theatre with Circles, a play which boldly explores violence on a generation of young women.      

Family shows include: Theatre Hullabaloo and Theatre Iolo with Luna, a starry night theatrical adventure suitable for  2 – 5 year olds, which sees Luna, the only moon in the sky, befriending a boy and together they go on an adventure of light and dark to help him overcome his fear of the night-time and A Transport and Unicorn production, 1001 Nights, a collection of some of the greatest folk tales ever told, perfect for ages 6+, brought to life in a fantastical and imagined world of kings, viziers and jinns.    

Other shows in the season include: award-winning Mike Bartlett’s 13, which will be presented by Second Year Theatre Arts students and the return of the ever-popular, locally-based Oddsocks with a double bill of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Twelfth Night.  

For children and young people, opportunities include: new Youth Theatre for 8-10 year olds; new Young Technicians for 11-19 year olds; Theatre Thinkers for 11-19 year olds; Easter three-day residency and Derby Theatre Summer School.   

For artists and participants, opportunities include: Writing Young People’s Theatre Masterclass with award-winning playwright, Mike Kenny; CPD on Directing with Artistic Director, Sarah Brigham; audition techniques, costume club and technical advice and training.  

Looking ahead to next season - also announcing…

Derby Theatre is also delighted to officially announce two productions for the autumn.
Antigone, a Pilot Theatre, Derby Theatre and Theatre Royal Stratford East Production, is a new adaptation of Sophocles’ play adapted by acclaimed playwright, Roy Williams. In the main house from Fri 19 September until Sat 4 October, Antigone will be placed in a contemporary setting to bring this timeless tale bang up to date and will be the perfect follow-on for our audiences from our recent production of The Odyssey, as another Greek classic adapted for a modern audience.

A Christmas Carol will be Derby Theatre’s big festive production for 2014/15. Neil Duffield’s vibrant adaptation of Charles Dickens’ treasured novel will contain all the sparkle, magic and ghostly goings-on of this much-loved Christmas story. On from Fri 5 December 2014 until Sun 4 January 2015, A Christmas Carol is a heart-warming, traditional must- see production for the whole family.

Bookings now being taken. 

Sarah Brigham (Artistic Director, Derby Theatre) said:  

“I'm delighted to be welcoming our audiences to another thrilling season at Derby Theatre.  We officially announce two exciting and very different co-productions.  A modern classic in A Taste of Honey directed by Mark Babych (who previously directed the hugely popular Cooking with Elvis for us last year) and the ever popular April in Paris with The Booking Office and John Godber.  With these two great, popular productions, alongside a quality touring programme from such companies as Northern Broadsides and Headlong, a Youth Theatre double bill and a Derby People’s Theatre production plus a wealth of other productions and opportunities to participate, I hope you’ll agree that there are many ways you can experience and be involved with the work we produce, present and programme at Derby Theatre, whether it be as an audience member, participant or both.” 

“I'm also delighted to formally announce and introduce two shows in our autumn season, new writing in the form of a new adaptation of Antigone by Roy Williams produced with Theatre Royal Stratford East and Pilot Theatre and our big Christmas production which I'll direct, A Christmas Carol which will have all the festive magic you would expect coupled with a heart-warming tale.”  
“We look forward to seeing you at Derby Theatre over the coming months”  

Season ticket More great theatre for less with the Derby Theatre Season Ticket. Book 3 shows and get 10% off. Book 4 shows or more and get 20% off. General ticket prices: £10.50 - £25.50, concession, group and school rates available. For more information, full season details and to book tickets simply call the Box Office on 01332 593939 or visit www.derbytheatre.co.uk  

The Odyssey at Derby Theatre. Nobody should miss this. It's totally un-mythable!

The Odyssey at Derby Theatre. Nobody should miss this. It's totally un-mythable!

This modern production of Homer's classic tale of a soldier king returning home from war, especially adapted by playwright Mike Kenny for the Derby Theatre stage is a triumph of story-telling, theatre and of mythology mixed with the grim realities of war and their aftermath.

From the moment a giant wave crashes on to the stage leaving Odysseus for dead on a beach and the Olympian gods decide to weave a story around the hero, the play begins a rich tapestry of torturous adventures. We encounter mythical monsters and seductive sirens that haunt brave Odysseus and kill off his men one by one. It is in turns, funny, exciting, clever and wickedly inventive but the inner thread that drives the story forward is the soldiers' tale. The true eternal story is one of the struggle of soldiers returning home from war, battle weary, inhabited by the terrible things they have seen and have been compelled to do in battle and how that impacts on their lives as a person back in the civilian world and on others they love. Some of them don't return. So it was in Homer's time and so it is still as relevant today, only today we have a name for it – post traumatic stress syndrome.

 
 

Wole Sawyerr imbues his complex character Odysseus with a great depth of feeling moving from a leader of men, the brave war hero full of his own grandness and calling himself a slayer of cities. Gradually as the play unfolds we see him become mentally broken by his experiences. As in all Greek tales there is a catharsis and the man finds a way of re-connecting through humility and attempts to rejoin his wife Penelope on his island of Ithaca after twenty years of absence. Sawyerr commands the stage throughout and garners great sympathy in an emotionally and physically challenging role. This is not selfish acting but selfless creativity that allows the whole ensemble of eight actors to support and tell the tale through and around him to great effect.

There are some extremely funny moments throughout however, especially around the brilliantly conceived scene in the Cyclops cave, all dark, damp and dangerous echoes and thunderous effects. Christopher Price as Polythemus the Cyclops must be the comic hit of the show as he struts around on stilts greedily eating up Odysseus' men. He is at once menacing and very funny and even tender towards his hilarious flock of rams. It is a scene which manages to combine real danger and some very funny touches as Odysseus tells the wounded Cyclops that his name is – Nobody. And Nobody did it!

 

The wonderful set design by Barney George allows for a large creative space to be utilised and to be endlessly creative upon through the actors own rehearsal Odyssey (terrifically sensitive direction by Sarah Brigham) and the inspired new writing of Mike Kenny. As well as the live music, a violin played by actor, composer and sound designer Ivan Stott and drumming, the piece has elements of often haunting song sung by the ensemble and a palate of superb lighting by Tim Skelly.

 

As an ensemble of eight the company work terrifically as a team and clearly enjoy the very active story telling with men and women morphing seamlessly from human to monster, from siren to animal. They sing and carouse, they fight and succumb to the whims of fate, of exhaustion by war and the fickle gods determinations. Each actor plays a variety of parts in a show of two decidedly different halves. The story of Odysseus' attempts to return home after ten years away fighting the Trojan wars and the mythology of the Odyssey forms the first half. The second half is how, on arriving back on his island, yet another ten years further on, the troubled and broken soldier king attempts to win back his wife Penelope and son Telemachus and destroy the evil suitors led by the brutal and constantly besieging Eurymachus (Christopher Price).

 

 

 

In this production acting versatility is the name of the game. Emma Beattie comes into her own as she portrays the hardened and determined wife Penelope struggling to control the ungracious suitors with her son Telemachus, (Rich Dolphin). Dolphin's portrayal is played with a finely acted, and very believable inner frustration building into manhood as he joins forces with his father.

Ella Vale particularly impresses as the beguiling enchantress Circe who, with a twist of her hand, turns men into pigs! Vale also portrays the devious plotting palace maid Melantho, and is especially chilling in her final scene under the control of Telemachus – her face is pure terror. Anna Westlake is deeply moving in her seductive singing as the siren and as the old woman Eurekleia who recognises Odysseus and grieves piteously for the slain suitors.

Ivan Stott is the most versatile of all, giving each role a distinct inner and outer life of its own often with great subtlety when he is one of the suitors rejected by Penelope and equally in his portrayal as the kind old Eumaeus. keeper of pigs and loyal to Odysseus' memory. His superb musical score brings a whole new depth to the play.

 

It is good to see that the Derby Theatre are pro-actively engaging local talent such as Adam Horvath, an ex Derby Shakespeare actor now professionally engaged in this totally un-mythable production of The Odyssey through the Brian Weaver Fellowship.

Production photos copyright Robert Day.

An exciting Odyssey at Derby Theatre - in rehearsal.

Booking at www.derbytheatre.co.uk

Opens Friday 14th February until Saturday 1st March.

Rehearsal images and video by Derby Theatre.

The talented cast.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Interview with the leads in The Odyssey at Derby Theatre.

Interview with Wole and Emma currently in rehearsal for Derby Theatre's new production of Mike Kenny's The Odyssey.

I introduced myself to Emma Beattie and Wole Sawyerr as an aspirant writer for theatre and theatre reviewer and a big supporter of Derby Theatre having had a long and enjoyable experience of seeing most of their productions so far plus probably hundreds of plays from the former Derby Playhouse. I said the interview would be a relaxed talk about aspects of Mike Kenny's play The Odyssey. I wanted to find out how it was formed and how the play's text worked as a construction and story-telling medium and differed from translations of the original poetics by Homer. I had a brief understanding from the hour's worth of rehearsal I witnessed today and grasped that it has elements of narration through Odysseus, the lead, and other injections of story telling through the other actors who play a variety of other roles. This practice continues throughout the work and carries the story physically and vocally forward. Wole is playing Odysseus and Emma is Penelope/Athene / Man and Ensemble. Mike Kenny's The Odyssey is an ensemble work with eight actors directed by Derby Theatre Artistic Director Sarah Brigham.

The interview:

Phil: Emma, I understand that you were an actress in Electra and Iphigenia in Tauris. Did they have any similarities to this show?

Emma: Actually I work shopped it at the National with Josette Bushell- Mingo. The idea for them work shopping it and potentially doing it was for them to do an all black production. I think though I was the only white actress! (laughs) The idea was to open up these great plays that were just seen as 'white' the whole time. At the time I was involved in Last of the Haussmans at the National so I agreed to do this project for them. It was interesting, we had a German girl from a physical theatre company so it was similar to this in that it was quite physical plus quite about the power you can create using the whole body not just the voice with your complete self, rather than it just being about the words. And I think that's what we are trying to achieve here though it's not completely physical theatre and it's about every bit of you on stage telling the story. It's about the emotion coming from every bit of you and that will mean that, hopefully, it's about eight of us creating a powerful theatrical story and landscape on stage for you to enjoy and hear the story from. With some songs, with some music too although we are backing away a bit from 'songs' but trying to explore musically the combination of vocals so that it become a blend of all. It's like holistic theatre I guess. It's not just physical, it's not musical, it's not – verse. It's everything! We move the stage. We create it. We tell the story together. Odysseus tells the story as well as being the story. So suddenly he goes from narrator to Odysseus in the moment.

Wole: You are right Emma. It isn't just about having song it's also about that musicality being part of our world that we may sing during our actions, during our character's lives on stage. A natural thing rather than 'hey let's now sing a song!'

Phil: How long do the actors have to prepare for rehearsals and I appreciate that it may differ from production to production, from job to job - if you like? Also how much time do you have to study independently before rehearsals start so that you have a degree of preparation for the role/s you are about to play?

Wole: Good question. Definitely, it does vary from job to job. With this one, for example we had the script from Mike quite some while ago.

Emma: When decisions had been made mid December 2013 we had the script but also Christmas gets in the way and we were under the impression that it may be a draft and therefore could change.

Wole: Maybe not significantly but it is one of the drafts along the production line and Mike is a hard working writer- creative force. So we've got that time with it. In terms of being prepared there is obviously the research that any actor can do depending on what the job or script requires and Sarah and Mike were quite keen to share one of the books they were using as what you might call a cornerstone and were referring to it a fair bit. I think it was by Dr Jonathan Shay and it's the Odysseus in America and he did also do...

Emma: Achilles in Vietnam. Both were about combat trauma using Homer's characters as models.

Wole: That's right. So basically we can use those texts and beyond and more as well as looking at translations of Homer's original if we choose to.

Emma: You can do as much or as little as you have time to do depending on how much time you've got before you get to rehearsals. And sometimes... er it's a lovely luxury to have access to the script and to let it wash over you a bit but I find you don't want to make any huge decisions before you get to the rehearsal room cos you don't know which direction your director's going to lead you; where other actors and their ideas are going to take you. So it's good for you to remain fluent and flexible and be able to adapt. So that means that now this process, which we are shoe-horning into three and half week's rehearsal (which is quite short) with a lot to do, I think is a very intense three and a half weeks.

Wole: Which we are only starting to feel. I don't know about you Emma but I am only just starting to feel the intensity today.

Emma: Today?! (laughs)

Wole: Yeah cos last week it felt slower and Sarah's style is quite relaxed.

Emma: Is it? (laughs louder)

Wole: You've not worked with some taskmasters, believe me. Erm, yeah Phil, so that allows us as a company to be jovial and jokey but also to work and concentrate but also to breath a little. I think, as with any director, I don't want to speak for Sarah but, I assume we'll start to ratch it up a little because we have to and for our own sake as well.

Emma: You have your first week and then you think 'oh my God' we've got two and a half weeks!
You don't want it to just be about learning lines and turning up. You want to keep thinking about it and still allow things to change, to shift. I find I just eat sleep and breath it and have had all sorts of weird and wonderful dreams and have to resist the temptation to text Sarah about various ideas that had come to me.

Wole: Just to interrupt. I didn't resist the temptation to email about some music even though I'm not that musical. I had to actually let them know.

Emma: It's exciting to be able to contribute to the piece creatively.

Phil: I've seen some of Derby Theatre's pictures on facebook of some the costume designs. Can you tell me about those and the modern soldier style of them.

Emma: Yeah, I texted an actor friend over the weekend. He's actually in The Musketeers, so he's doing very well and I said to him that we are doing The Odyssey in Derby that the costumes are great and sort of military and think Sarah Connor Terminator 2 and he said, “Sarah Connor - much more fun than a toga.” I am very happy with the costumes. They give you an earthiness and a grounding and hopefully it will be a very raw experience for the audience and hopefully they won't feel that there are words and verse floating above them and that it's all Greek and inaccessible. Hopefuly it will...

Wole: Hit home.

Emma: Yes. In the great way that films like Terminator 2 and Alien do. Whatever you think about these films, they're classic films. They take you … and ...

Phil: Pull you to bits.

Emma: Yeah and that's exciting to do to an audience.

Phil: At what point or points during the play does the notion or motif, if you like, of a soldier's experiences, namely haunted (as the publicity says) by the experience of war and horrors of The Odyssey build into the script?

Wole: Into the script? I'd say literally the first moment we see Odysseus. But then it doesn't carry on again until the end of the first half and then on into the second half.

Phil: So it's a non linear piece?

Wole: Yes, as Homer's is really. Reflective. I think Mike Kenny has reflected that because we have a starting point where we see Odysseus and then we get taken through Odysseus's journey and it's the journey of his men and his family. Then we come back to the end of the first half and come back full circle to where we first saw him and then, carry on with the rest of the story. Does that make sense?

Phil: Yes.

Emma: We haven't even touched on that bit yet in rehearsals.

Wole: As Emma says, we haven't even touched on that yet although it's in the writing and Sarah and I have had some discussions around that and the effects of PTS (post traumatic stress) on Odysseus and the soldiers who have fought at Troy and tried to return home to a degree of normality. The effects of PST will influence Odysseus even through his narration because he has hindsight now – he's been through it to an extent and he's re-living it and he's not re-living it separate to what has happened. That makes sense in my head I hope the words make sense!

Phil: Perfectly. I can understand the cyclical theatrical device in the writing. It sounds very exciting and emotional. Lastly, has this particular play ever been performed before?

Wole: No, it's new writing.

Phil: New writing for Derby Theatre? Excellent. Thank you very much for your time.

Emma: Thank you. It's been great.