Monthly culture: February 2017
Saturday, March 4th, 2017 01:00 pm![[personal profile]](https://www.dreamwidth.org/img/silk/identity/user.png){kind=small}
tamaranthLinks point to other people's reviews ..
03FEB17: Antigone (Sophocles) -- Shaw Theatre, London
The UCL Greek play: thanks to Tony K for organising!
Antigone is determined to give her brother Polynices a proper burial, despite her uncle Creon's decree that he be left for scavengers. Everyone is against Antigone, but she is determined to do what is right: not what the corrupt king decrees, but what the gods have ordained.
Ema Cavolli was very impressive as Antigone: she had real presence. Creon, I thought, didn't quite have the gravitas for the role. I noted that you could play him as Trump: a king who won't listen to his advisers, who is convinced of his own rectitude even as the pit he's digging grows deeper.
A visually stunning production, simple and well-lit. Nice translation, too: 'Could some god have done this?' 'Oh, shut up.'
09FEB17: Prometheus Bound (Aeschylus) -- Greenwood Theatre, London
The KCL Greek play, performed in Ancient Greek with (somewhat delayed) surtitles.
In which Prometheus is bound, but unaccountably not gagged. He (well, 'she' in this production: Annabel Mahoney was a forceful Prometheus) is the fixed point about which the play revolves.
Prometheus has foreknowledge, so knows that his suffering is necessary and must be borne. A number of visitors arrive -- Oceanides (who flowed and ebbed very prettily), their father Oceanus, Io (a fabulously maddened Sasha Welm) and Hermes. All of them want to know the future. Prometheus drops the occasional portent (even Zeus can't escape destiny) but otherwise says very little in a great many words.
The staging was effective, but I was never quite sure why Prometheus had been chained in a jungle (as indicated by trailing vines and overloud birdsong): and most of the performance felt like a reading rather than a play. It lacked passion: or perhaps it just lacked plot.
11FEB17: Edward II (Marlowe) -- Arts Theatre, Cambridge
Absolutely splendid production, opening with a coronation scene (not in the original) which introduced, in the hushed and reverent tones of a BBC broadcast, the main players. The cast, in modern garb (well, Edward III wore a raccoon onesie), were dwarfed by a huge yellow throne like something from a child's nightmare: very apt.
Lots of good acting here. Joe Sefton (Edward II) was emotionally fragile yet mostly dignified: his looks reminded me of a young John Gielgud. Seth Kruger's Gaveston glittered with presence and charisma, and his affection for Edward was palpable. This was very definitely a love story, rather than being played as a close friendship. Lancaster and Kent were both played by women (Sophie Taylor and Sarah Creedy Smith, respectively): I found Taylor occasionally shrill, but both did their roles credit. Katurah Morrish's Isabella was suitably brittle and angry: and Alona Bach's Edward III (raccoon suit) was a frequent silent presence on stage, watching but never speaking.
I liked the ways in which the production used different techniques to foreshadow or highlight. There's a Punch and Judy show (under the banner 'Welcome Home Gaveston!') with blowjob jokes and references to the infamous poker; the puppeteers are Baldock and Spenser. Isabella and Mortimer's alliance is announced via a TV report, and Edward immediately changes channels and starts dancing to Abba's 'Does Your Mother Know'. (Perhaps Waterloo would have been more appropriate?) Edward's much given to dancing: the moment I most wanted to cheer was when, in dressing gown and Ramones t-shirt, he thrashed around the stage to 'God Save the Queen'.
And having Seth Kruger, after Gaveston's death, double as Lightborn the torturer / executioner was a stroke of genius. Though I am happy to say that the actual execution took place on the throne when it had revolved away from the audience.
An absolutely awesome production: I hope to see at least some of these actors in the West End in a few years' time, and I expect this to be in my top 5 theatrical performances for the year.
(Oh, another review I liked.)
03FEB17: Antigone (Sophocles) -- Shaw Theatre, London
The UCL Greek play: thanks to Tony K for organising!
Antigone is determined to give her brother Polynices a proper burial, despite her uncle Creon's decree that he be left for scavengers. Everyone is against Antigone, but she is determined to do what is right: not what the corrupt king decrees, but what the gods have ordained.
Ema Cavolli was very impressive as Antigone: she had real presence. Creon, I thought, didn't quite have the gravitas for the role. I noted that you could play him as Trump: a king who won't listen to his advisers, who is convinced of his own rectitude even as the pit he's digging grows deeper.
A visually stunning production, simple and well-lit. Nice translation, too: 'Could some god have done this?' 'Oh, shut up.'
09FEB17: Prometheus Bound (Aeschylus) -- Greenwood Theatre, London
The KCL Greek play, performed in Ancient Greek with (somewhat delayed) surtitles.
In which Prometheus is bound, but unaccountably not gagged. He (well, 'she' in this production: Annabel Mahoney was a forceful Prometheus) is the fixed point about which the play revolves.
Prometheus has foreknowledge, so knows that his suffering is necessary and must be borne. A number of visitors arrive -- Oceanides (who flowed and ebbed very prettily), their father Oceanus, Io (a fabulously maddened Sasha Welm) and Hermes. All of them want to know the future. Prometheus drops the occasional portent (even Zeus can't escape destiny) but otherwise says very little in a great many words.
The staging was effective, but I was never quite sure why Prometheus had been chained in a jungle (as indicated by trailing vines and overloud birdsong): and most of the performance felt like a reading rather than a play. It lacked passion: or perhaps it just lacked plot.
11FEB17: Edward II (Marlowe) -- Arts Theatre, Cambridge
Absolutely splendid production, opening with a coronation scene (not in the original) which introduced, in the hushed and reverent tones of a BBC broadcast, the main players. The cast, in modern garb (well, Edward III wore a raccoon onesie), were dwarfed by a huge yellow throne like something from a child's nightmare: very apt.
Lots of good acting here. Joe Sefton (Edward II) was emotionally fragile yet mostly dignified: his looks reminded me of a young John Gielgud. Seth Kruger's Gaveston glittered with presence and charisma, and his affection for Edward was palpable. This was very definitely a love story, rather than being played as a close friendship. Lancaster and Kent were both played by women (Sophie Taylor and Sarah Creedy Smith, respectively): I found Taylor occasionally shrill, but both did their roles credit. Katurah Morrish's Isabella was suitably brittle and angry: and Alona Bach's Edward III (raccoon suit) was a frequent silent presence on stage, watching but never speaking.
I liked the ways in which the production used different techniques to foreshadow or highlight. There's a Punch and Judy show (under the banner 'Welcome Home Gaveston!') with blowjob jokes and references to the infamous poker; the puppeteers are Baldock and Spenser. Isabella and Mortimer's alliance is announced via a TV report, and Edward immediately changes channels and starts dancing to Abba's 'Does Your Mother Know'. (Perhaps Waterloo would have been more appropriate?) Edward's much given to dancing: the moment I most wanted to cheer was when, in dressing gown and Ramones t-shirt, he thrashed around the stage to 'God Save the Queen'.
And having Seth Kruger, after Gaveston's death, double as Lightborn the torturer / executioner was a stroke of genius. Though I am happy to say that the actual execution took place on the throne when it had revolved away from the audience.
An absolutely awesome production: I hope to see at least some of these actors in the West End in a few years' time, and I expect this to be in my top 5 theatrical performances for the year.
(Oh, another review I liked.)
no subject
Date: Saturday, March 4th, 2017 01:29 pm (UTC)I am so pleased you arranged the Edward II outing - completely agree with your review.
no subject
Date: Saturday, March 4th, 2017 01:41 pm (UTC)And I too am so pleased re Edward II outing: it was such a marvellous and enjoyable day, and even brighter in hindsight given that I have been ill ever since. (Getting better now though!)