Jerusalem *****

Steeped in the forgotten mythology of England and the struggle of the free spirit against an oppressive regime, Jerusalem tells the story of Rooster Byron, a man out of step with the people of the New Estate who want him and his eyesore of a home out of their lives. Naturally, he doesn’t much want to leave. What ensues is nothing short of magical.

      

For Jerusalem, life began at the Royal Court in 2009 and its run was quickly extended and transferred to the Apollo in 2010 before a run on Broadway in early 2011. Now it has returned again to the Apollo to a fanatical reception and only now have I managed to find an available ticket. Even now it’s playing to a full house on quiet nights. Probing the magic of the woods, it feels like a modern rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream, holding the same magical atmosphere, building it steadily until the final ambiguous moment.

      

Starting at the beginning, the opening itself was marvellous. From the enchanting hymn broken down by the drum and bass exploiting the boundaries of the theatre sound system to the sudden break to silence and the aftermath of the inevitable morning after wasteland. It opened us onto a set of trees and the unsavoury sight of Rooster’s home and surrounding encampment. The set is fantastic, sporting much more than you would expect and with everything having place and detail.

      

From this slick beginning it continues in a similar vein. The script is highly comical with everything either being a punchline or running up to one without actually being forced. It’s one of those rare funny but natural scripts. The chaotic lives of the teenagers that gather round their debauched idol are carefully orchestrated to appear slick as well as chaotic and are brought to vibrant life by the extensive cast.

      

There is far more to the script than humour, however. The scenes between Rooster and his son are deeply moving and the relationship he shares with the elusive nymph-like Phaedra is mystical and magical. His stories have the familiar wreak of the bollocks you hear in the pub on a Friday night but his renditions make you pause for thought continually, as if the ancient gods and magical creatures of our green and pleasant land are still roaming free and under the nose of the BBC and only Rooster Byron is familiar with them, such as the giant who claims to have built stonehenge. It’s a masterpiece and has the feel of a script that will remain a masterpiece for years to come, standing the test of time.

Mark Rylance is the perfect person to fill the title role. The strength of the character is overwhelming and the bravado of him and his endless stories are both hilarious and undeniably challenging for the actor playing him. Thankfully, Rylance is more than qualified. His performance is compelling and his absolute commitment to the role gives the show a backbone that justifies everything else. He is the central figure that gives the show the amazing character and atmosphere that it keeps from beginning to end.

      

Mackenzie Crook does his fair share as well. Seemingly at home in the character of Ginger, he is both incredibly funny throughout as well as troubled and upset when he needs to be. He brings a confidence to the stage that is different to Rylance’s necessary energetic form and the dynamic between the two of them, and indeed between them and the rest of the cast, is lively and engaging.

      

The rest of the cast slotted into their characters much like one slips into old shoes, relishing every moment and every movement. Charlotte Mills (Tanya), Danny Kirrane (Davey), Alan David (Professor) and Max Baker (Wesley) were the picks of a very strong cast, Max Baker in particular giving a great characterisation to the hypocrisy of the townsfolk that was very funny indeed. My only qualm is with Johnny Flynn, who was also in The Heretic at the Royal Court this year, who, for all his best efforts, just sounds as though he’s reading lines and speaking them as questions, as if asking if he’s getting them right. All efforts were professional, however, and everyone involved with the production can rest knowing that they’ve pulled of what is a fantastic job.

      

It is a long play. It has one fifteen-minute interval and a five-minute break thereafter bringing the running time up to a respectably Shakespearean three hours. Despite the uncomfortable seats, this was still more of a treat than a curse and every moment was riveting, especially towards the end when the production flaunted its ability to pull off just about everything you could ask from a show and all of it was faultless.

      

I’m always lauding the belief that perfection in a production lies in balance and this is another perfect example. The balance in the script and in the cast is superb, taking you from raucous laughter to sudden empathy manifesting in silence. Everything has a place and there’s nothing missing, everything ties together and fits. Much credit must be given to Ian Rickson for his talented direction. Every member of the cast were outstanding but Rylance works in a league of his own with Rickson having refined the production to perfection.

      

It may be long but there’s so much to grab your attention and keep it riveted to the stage that you’ll barely notice time flying by in the real world outside as you’re drawn into a magical world of faeries and nymphs before you realise it. It’s an unmissable production that is giving you every opportunity to see it. Don’t make the mistake of missing it.

Written by Jez Butterworth; Directed by Ian Rickson; At the Apollo Theatre; Starring Mark Rylance, Mackenzie Crook, Max Baker, Alan David, Aimee-Ffion Edwards, Johnny Flynn, Geraldine Hughes, Danny Kirrane, Sophie McShera, Charlotte Mills; Runs from 8 October 11 - 14 January 12.

http://www.jerusalemtheplay.com/

John Ord (19/10/2011)

Promo: Circus of Comedy

The Arcola Tent is a recently opened 400-seater venue from the hugely respected Arcola Theatre. The space is their newest venture and is being touted as a fantastic new place for comedy and cabaret to strut their respective stuff. To kick off their comedy agenda, and to display the clout they carry in theatrical circles, they are pulling together a night of comedy hosted by sketch trio The Real MacGuffins on the 22nd October. Accompanying the ringmasters are a selection of the top comedy acts from the Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2011, including the Edinburgh Comedy Award (formerly the Perrier Award) winner Adam Riches alongside fellow nominee Andrew Maxwell as well as the 2011 Amused Moose Laughter Award winner Tony Law with many others. Good lineup, that. And I haven't even mentioned the circus performers. That's right. Circus performers.

In preparation for the big night, as is common now among the show business circles, The Real MacGuffins are being thrust at everyone their agents can find and I was lucky enough to be numbered among the throng. I sent them a set of questions and awaited their responses with bated breath. Here is what happened next...

For those people who don't know The Real MacGuffins, how would you introduce yourselves?

“Hello, how do you do? We're The Real MacGuffins, we're a sketch trio!” followed by a firm handshake and good eye contact (except Matt, who starts crying when he meets strangers).

Who are you?

We're Dan March, Jim Millard and Matt Sheahan (in alphabetical order...and coincidentally it’s also the same order of talent, good looks, natural charm and answering interview questions).

Where do you come from and where are you going?

Jim comes from a classically trained background, Dan from the stand-up circuit and Matt from a small cardboard box we found round the back of Euston Station. We’re definitely going places – well for a start, Matt's going back in his box.

What do you bring to the stage and what about you is different or standout?

Dan says we bring "insanely witty writing" (* * * * * Three Weeks), sketches that are "brilliantly well-crafted" (* * * * Chortle) and "hysterically funny...utterly inspired"(* * * * Fest), Jim says Dan brings about 12 pints of human sweat to the stage and Matt doesn't say anything 'cos he's too busy making us tea. One sugar, yeah, Matt? Good lad.

How do you feel about being involved with the new Arcola Tent venue?

Dan hasn't been this excited about performing in a tent since he went camping with his French exchange partner, Celine, when he was 14. It’s a great space that naturally lends itself to creating a different kind of comedy night, which is why we came up with the idea of a 'Circus of Comedy'.

Are you looking forward to sharing a stage with the rest of the running order?

We can't wait! We've gigged a lot with Adam Riches, Colin Hoult and Dr Brown in the three years we’ve been on the circuit – so we’re over the moon that Adam won the Edinburgh Comedy (formerly Perrier) Award this year – he fully deserved it, and that he can come down to our tent. It’s a real coup to have the phenomenal Andrew Maxwell as well, not to mention Tony Law, Tom Bell and our amazing special guest…

What can people expect from the evening?

The best stand-up and character comedy in the country, with some of our favourite sketches thrown in, all intertwined with genuine circus performers doing their thing.

Will there be more of the same in the future?

At this moment in time, Circus of Comedy is a one-off, but we'd love to do more in the future and are currently talking about doing one in December - so watch this space!

What is ahead for The Real MacGuffins after the Circus of Comedy night? Immediately afterwards there’ll be an all-night party with 600 naked dwarves, ice sculptures of Dan March and an unlimited absinthe bar, the usual thing, once we recover from that please keep an eye on our website for upcoming gig details (that's www.therealmacguffins.com). We also have various irons in various fires so who knows; The Real MacGuffins may be beamed directly into your living room in the near future...(with some really hot irons).

What would you say to people 50/50 on whether they are going to come along on the 22nd?

This will be a comedy night like no other - experience a unique event where circus and live comedy combine. You won't regret it. But if you don't come, then you WILL regret it. For the rest of your indecisive lives.

If you're still not convinced that the Circus of Comedy night will be a great night out then I don't know what to say to you. You're silly. Really silly. The MacGuffins themselves promise not only a brilliant show on the 22nd but whenever they take to the stage. Check them and their shows out and be merry!

At the Arcola Tent; Hosted by The Real MacGuffins; With Adam Riches, Andrew Maxwell, Tony Law, Colin Hoult, Doc Brown, Steve Furst; On Saturday 22nd October at 7:30; Tickets cost £12.


Box Office: 020 7503 1646
Website:  www.arcolatheatre.com     

John Ord (17/10/2011)

Driving Miss Daisy ****

Driving Miss Daisy is a story about the complex relationship between an elderly Jewish woman and the chauffeur imposed on her by her son to look after her. Although they start in fairly tempestuous fashion, over the years they spend together they come to rely on each other for more than just the physical needs of money and a means of popping down to the Piggly Wiggly.

      

Written by Uhry in 1987 it was hugely successful on Broadway and was quickly adapted into a motion picture where it took on even more success, in no small part thanks to the contribution by a certain Morgan Freeman. I don’t know, you may have heard of him… The story of companionship, trust, humour and love has gone down as one of the great stories of the century and rightly so. Here, after a hugely successful stint on Broadway and ahead of a National US Tour, the West End stage is graced by the presence of theatrical royalty showing the rest of us how it’s done.

      

Straight to the quick of it: James Earl Jones is the main attraction of this production (aside from being both Mufasa and Darth Vader he has won over sixteen – yes, sixteen – awards for his acting in America as well as being honoured with a series of Lifetime Achievement Awards). Often when you hear stories of a ‘brilliant’ actor you take them with a pinch of salt or go in with such high expectations that you can’t avoid being let down. Not so with James Earl Jones. Esbjornson understands the presence that he brings to the stage and from the opening where he just sits waiting while Gaines and Lee had a kerfuffle on the other side of the stage he is the center of attention. His performance was faultless. That’s right, after having said that you must take such statements with a pinch of salt I’m saying he was faultless. Not only was he faultless he was powerful and compelling, funny and moving from moment to moment.

      

The passage of time during the events of the play are taken naturally in his stride and the humour in the script seems as if it’s all his own. He was as naturally Hoke Colburn as Hoke Colburn could be himself, if he was a real person for more than the hour and a half we’re given.

      

Vanessa Redgrave was lamentably indisposed when I had the good fortune of securing a front row seat and her understudy, Jenny Lee, stepped into the role admirably, though perhaps the transfer wasn’t as seamless as it could have been. A few times she cut off others’ lines with her own and although her performance was otherwise brilliant these slips were unmistakable. Her relationships with both her comrades were nuanced and natural and she really brought a the underlying emotions of the play to vibrant life on stage with a mixture of drama and humour that endeared you to her as much as it frustrated you at times.

      

Boyd Gaines is also undeniably outstanding. His history speaks for itself but on the stage here he once again proves himself. Transforming more from beginning to end he takes physical changes and implements subtle changes in his physical acting as well, better illustrating the amount of years that are passing. He characterises the position of the caring son very well indeed and also gives a great position to observe the growing relationship between his mother and Hoke.

      

David Esbjornson’s direction is faultless. The set he uses is simple and with minor and efficiently executed set changes and alterations it becomes a host of different places, the pride of which being forged mainly in the ‘car’ (a bench, a chair and a steering wheel). The poignancy of the script was allowed to play the major role as the production itself is understated and refined.

      

The one element that stands out is the series of projections that are used throughout the show. Now, I am of the opinion that if you’re using such devices they have to be fully justified and done well. Thankfully, Esbjornson ticks both boxes emphatically. The subtle changes in the projection serve to either change the location slightly or to keep people up to speed with the rapidly passing time by projecting images of influential people such as Martin Luther King Jr. onto the back of the stage so that they don’t interfere at all with the physical world of the play.

      

The whole show has a sense of the refined calm that you often feel when you walk through your grandparents’ house, and not just because of the period of the drama. The mannerisms and character is the same, the atmostphere being more than the sum of the physical parts and that is thanks to the unity in direction from Esbjornson between actors, set and everything else; a perfect example of the balance that defines good theatre.

      

The script is magnificent. Regrettably short, it zips through twenty-odd years of relationship in a brief hour and a half, stopping at the roadside occasionally for humour and worry, sadness and tension. It has everything that a good script should and this was evidenced in the cast clearly reveling in their lines.

      

Overall, Driving Miss Daisy deserves all the plaudits it has received. The list of awards and accolades the cast and script have received in their careers speaks for itself and all come to the fore here. There is nothing but talent on the stage and there is no reason good enough to not go and see it. Now.

Written by Alfred Uhry; Directed by David Esbjornson; At the Wyndham's Theatre; Starring James Earl Jones, Vanessa Redgrave, Boyd Gaines, Jenny Lee; Runs from 05 October 11 - 17 December 11.

http://www.daisyonbroadway.com/index.html

John Ord (12/10/2011)

Cool Hand Luke **

Cool Hand Luke is the story of a war veteran in America who, due to his experience of WWII, has lost his faith in both God and the hypocritical authorities that use religion to justify their actions. Based on the 1965 book written by Donn Pearce and not the successful 1967 film adaptation starring the indomitable Paul Newman. Revised by Emma Reeves for its world premiere on the West End, the results are less than enchanting.

      

There are a number of problems with the production that stand between it and a good review, not least of which is the undeniably poor stage violence. Even sitting at the very back of the stalls I could see the obvious lack of contact where guards were supposed to be hitting and kicking the convicts all the time. It just felt a bit farcical. This wasn’t helped by the pathetic use of props in a couple of scenes. When one person had to bring on a turtle that Boss Godfrey had shot, he brings on an obviously plastic turtle that was about as large as his torso and was probably found at the Early Learning Centre. A short time later when the group was set to be harassed by a ‘dangerous snake’ they spent a couple of minutes fighting with empty space until Warren reached behind a bush and pulled out a toy snake, making a clowning effort to simulate life in the poor thing. Embarrassing doesn’t cover it, especially for a West End show.

      

The script itself was possibly the main stumbling block. I’m not sure how Luke was able to grapple with the apparent absence of his God when he had the far more immediate concern of trying to hammer his way through a dull, fragmented and one-dimensional script. There were only a few mentions of his struggle with God and it was never fully explored, the overriding coolness of his character being apparently more important than any emotional growth or expression, even in a monologue. The script just wasn’t good enough, simple as that.

      

The gospel singing that sprang up throughout the show, most obviously in scene changes, was undoubtedly beautiful but far from adding to the show, actually took from it. Although the story is told in the form of an obvious narrative (where Dragline tells the story to his fellow chain gang members) the intermittent singing further fragmented the scenes, making them appear like chapters in a book more than a single continuous story. It was also a rather clumsy way to place the image of God in the foreground of the whole show and undermined to a large extent the efforts of the other people in the chain gang to make an impact on the audience.

      

Marc Warren’s efforts as Cool Hand Luke himself were strong. Throughout he was the cool figure you expect to see and he gave a good showcase of his skills as a performer as well. His cameo with a banjo was impressive and could have been used more to greater effect and his comedic turn when working his way through the infamous egg-eating scene really made the audience laugh, which was sorely needed by that point. It felt like he was constantly struggling with a script that gave him very little room to expand his character and as a result the character seemed a bit wooden. When he was given the opportunity to expand a bit, he took them with both hands but such occasions were few and far between.

      

One character who was given plenty of opportunity to shine and who took every opportunity with both hands and made a damn good show out of it was Lee Boardman as Dragline. From the very beginning where he starts telling the story you can feel he has a fully developed character and as the story of Cool Hand Luke progresses he is the one who appears to be at the centre of it all. Boardman gave a first class performance and I look forward to seeing him in whatever he turns his hand to next. Dragline was the character you related to, the character you empathised with and this was largely thanks to Boardman's riveting, nuanced and emotionally charged performance.

It wasn’t all roses when it came to the cast, however, and now’s the time where I turn more critical eyes to the cast and in particular to Richard Brake, who played the part of Boss Godfrey, the big bad wolf of the prison. He is meant to be intimidating and terrifying, the kind of person you don’t want to cross if you have a particular attachment to any part of your body that could easily be removed. He is not at all. Brake is more caricature than character and stalks around the stage with the bearing of a one-dimensional bad guy empty behind the stereotypical sunglasses and hat. There is no character behind the costume at all and the lack of fear deeply undermines the rest of the show. If I hear the phrase ‘get your mind right’ one more time I’ll do something terrible. Like imitate his accent.

      

What is meant to be a gritty, dirty and violent show turned into a comedic farce. I was very disappointed by Cool Hand Luke, the script being the main fault but the direction being just as responsible for what felt like a sixth form show despite the best efforts of Warren, Boardman and a few others. This is a play about a chain gang and as Johnny Cash reminds us, ‘there ain’t no good chain gang.’

Written by Emma Reeves; Directed by Andrew Loudon; At the Aldwych Theatre; Starring Marc Warren, Lee Boardman, Richard Brake, Bret Jones, Sondra Marvin, Tania Mathurin; Runs from 23 September 11 - 7 January 12.

http://www.coolhandluke.co.uk/

John Ord (05/10/2011)