The Tipsy Hippo Theatre Awards 2011

A year on from the perhaps somewhat inauspicious  beginnings of Tipsy Hippo Theatre Reviews just over a year ago we have come on leaps and bounds and it's once more time for us to pause for thought and take a look back at the best of what the last year has given us here at Hippo HQ. In working out where the various awards below are most deserved one thing has stood out in every category and that is that there is stiff competition in every sphere. This is a wonderful thing. The diversity that is present in the West End and Off West End venues is undeniably brilliant and arguably the best in the world but the fact that there is so much high quality diversity makes it something truly special and something that we can all be very excited about with years and years ahead of us to enjoy what the British Theatre industry has to offer. 

It's been incredibly difficult narrowing down the forty-odd shows we've seen this year to just a few nominees and then further to just a few winners (the lead actor category provided a particularly taxing quandary) but all has now been decided and agreed upon. Last year when we had the 2010 Awards we were still bright-eyed and bushy-tailed and hadn't seen very much at all. The categories that were devised took a lot of painstaking thought but were very much a rough first stab in the dark. Come now and the end of 2011 and actually, having now seen a full year's worth of theatre (more or less) and it still appears to work just as well so we're sticking with the same system. If you want a proper introduction to the categories and the system by which shows become eligible then please take a look at the Theatre Awards page. Enough waffle; to the business!

·      Outstanding Drama

o   Winner: Jerusalem

There really can't be much argument about this. Jerusalem is in every way a modern classic. Every now and again you experience something that you know you'll be telling your children about, that you know is a moment that will make a lasting impact on not only your life but the lives of a great many people. Everyone in theatre will know of Jerusalem because it really is that good. Again and again I mention and explain in no doubt tiresome length that the key to good theatre is balance, a balance between great acting, great set design, great script, comedy, tragedy, elation, grief; a great show should include a bit of everything and have it in a balance that puts everything in a place the audience can see, understand and engage with. If you're ever in doubt how this is done then the answer is in Jerusalem. Some will no doubt criticise it for its length and yes, it is long. However, it's no longer than a Shakespeare play and I can't imagine why anyone would want it to be shorter having seen it. They may go in with the length in the back of their minds but it's soon forgotten and once they leave they'll be wanting more. Outstanding really is the word.

·      Outstanding Comedy

o   Winner: Noises Off

Farce is difficult. Farce within farce is monstrous. However, Michael Frayn's Noises Off has touched on a piece of genius and well deserves its place in the history of theatre. Farce is renowned for being difficult to achieve the right balance with. Backstage drama or comedy is also notoriously difficult and somehow both have been thrust together by Frayn with a careful and composed touch. Enjoyably, this production by the Old Vic has a similar level of craft about it, director Lindsay Posner deserves special recognition for this. As with Jerusalem above, the balance here is carefully crafted. There is a balance between the exposure the various characters have, a balance between the comedy, the farce, the seriousness, the drama and above all, the onstage and backstage elements. There is a touch of brilliance about the set and the window one can see through during the second act. As appear typical with the Old Vic, it's just a very talented show indeed put together with nous and foresight. I was crying with laughter towards the end as it all slowly built up and I particularly admired the expansion of the mayhem to the audience as well, giving us a programme for the show within the show in the programme for the show (yes, it's confusing isn't it?) and the music falling apart and the curtains falling down. It's just fantastic.

·      Outstanding New Play

o   Winner: One Man, Two Guv'nors

It's been a busy year for Richard Bean, with The Heretic at the Royal Court at the start of the year and then One Man, Two Guv'nors doing so well on every level. Now set for yet another West End transfer to the Theatre Royal Haymarket that will see it remain in the West End for a few more months at least (and that's no bad thing at all) as well as a transfer over the pond to Broadway it can't be denied that it's a phenomenon. Bean's reworking of the classic Goldoni Commedia dell'Arte play The Servant of Two Masters is a wonderful example of how to break the fourth wall (or at least appear to) and allows a brilliantly comic persona such as James Corden to really enjoy himself, which makes everything worthwhile. The script itself isn't doing a huge amount but then to do a huge amount would be to ruin the play and it very masterfully doesn't do that. He's not trying too hard to be funny, he's not trying to hard to make a point, as I thought he was guilty of in The Heretic. Here he is sitting back, confident in the material and rightly so.

·      Outstanding Leading Actor

o   Winner: James Earl Jones

This is the hard one. The two contenders that are vying for the spot are Mark Rylance for Jerusalem and James Earl Jones for Driving Miss Daisy. It's not an easy choice at all. In the end we've gone for James Earl Jones. Rylance's portrayal of Rooster Byron is phenomenal, it really is. There isn't a moment that you don't feel the character on the stage is alive and brimming with vitality and weakness in equal measure. It's a stunning performance that will stop you dead. Jones, however, delivers something quite different. His character is quiet, humble and set in his ways. You don't watch a vibrant character living his story, you share yours with someone on stage. Jones brings out parts of each of us and does so effortlessly, naturally and comfortably resting back into the role, relaxing into the deep well of human emotion and experience to take us, to bring us, lead us by the hand through a story that will make you laugh and cry without you even noticing it. That is the majesty of James Earl Jones and that is why he came out on top. He taps into a deep commonality and connects with every member of the audience in doing so.

·      Outstanding Leading Actress

o   Winner: Kara Tointon

Kara Tointon is best known for her part in Eastenders. I am not familiar with Eastenders but I can appreciate the differences between stage and screen acting and Tointon appeared to naturally cross over the divide in Pygmalion. Though somewhat over-dramatic in her characterisation that was, I think, the director's choice and she took the direction well and ran with it. Moving from the Covent Garden flower seller that she was at the start to the lady she was at the end was a journey that was both entertaining an enlightening to behold. She did the best that anyone could have done with a somewhat one-dimensional script and put herself in a very strong position because of it. Her chemistry with Rupert Everett was natural and she appeared to relish the part. Whenever she was on stage you were watching her, compelled to see how she would develop and change. Other lead actresses this year have had characters and lines that have given them easy opportunity to shine but Tointon does more work here and for that reason pips them to the post.

·      Outstanding Supporting Performance

o   Winner: Boyd Gaines

Sharing a stage with a great actor can be a terrifying and daunting experience, even if it is someone who seems to be as effortlessly likeable as James Earl Jones. Boyd Gaines is a superb actor and a Broadway legend in his own right but here he found himself play not second fiddle to Jones but also to Vanessa Redgrave, another theatre great. There was no trace of it in his performance, however, and his part in Driving Miss Daisy is key to the whole show. He was comfortable, even natural, on the stage and was both a figure of resentment and empathy, often in the same moment. To handle such a situation as this with the poise and composure that he did is impressive in itself but the fact that he delivered such a top class performance as well, a performance that on its own put him at the top of our shortlist for this award, is magnificent. A truly deserving winner.

·      Outstanding Director

o   Winner: Ian Rickson

I suppose when a project like Jerusalem lands on your desk (or perhaps your email inbox in our increasingly digital age) you know you're onto a winner. I imagine you also know that you're in for a hell of a lot of work to make it everything it should be and not let anyone down, not to let such a golden opportunity pass you by. There must have been pressure on Rickson's shoulders like Atlas but whether he was aware of it or not it doesn't show in the final piece at all. As explained above, the balance is perfect and this is a directorial achievement more than anything else. An actor can perfect his performance but a director has to tie all the actors together, tease their best performances out of them, tie them together and then put them together with the script, the set, the props, the space, the audience and everything else that makes a production. Everything on the stage was in place and there for a reason. Everything just felt right, like all was how it should be and the performances rallied around each other and hit home, Mark Rylance in particular. Rickson has a very real achievement in directing such a show as this. 

·      Outstanding Design

o   Winner: Noises Off

Noises Off appeared to build on the earlier work by the Old Vic on A Flea in Her Ear. The feel of both productions is very similar, only that Noises Off is a damn sight better. The design is intelligent and accommodating. The entire set is revolved 180 degrees in the interval and again in a second shorter break. This is achieved I'm sure with no small effort but it works well. The stage side feels like a small company's set and the backstage side also feels like backstage normally does, completely undermining the image pained by the stage side. Both serve the purpose that is asked of them wonderfully and accommodate the energetic and ridiculous farce easily. Doors are always a great help in farce. The more doors the better. There are a lot of doors, a lot of sardines and a lot of confusion, all of which is reliant at least in part on the set working the way it should and it does, not only setting a believable place for all the action to happen, but also enhancing it along the way and that is the hallmark of a great set design.

·      Outstanding Musical

o   Winner: Matilda

Although there is the noticeable omission here of Stephen Sondheim's Road Show, which I was unable to see, there have been a few musicals out on the West End. Love Story was one of the worst things I have seen; one-dimensional and unengaging throughout but The Umbrellas of Cherbourg brought Kneehigh once more firmly into the West End consciousness and more than made up for it. Then we were treated to Matilda. After only a few weeks at the Cambridge Theatre, it had its run extended until this December 2012 and there can't be a single person complaining about it at all. Bertie Carvel is nothing short of splendid, giving a performance that everyone will remember for the rest of their lives. The children are remarkable as well, though the RSC has a great track record with young performers so it's not too surprising that they really are that good. The set is beautiful and ingenious, every actor on the stage, every dancer, every singer knows what's going on and is having a whale of a time. The music and lyrics, thanks to Tim Minchin, are hilarious and moving as well as intelligent, even feeling a bit Sondheim in places. There are very few complaints one could have about this new addition to the London scenery and we hope it stays for as long as possible. 

·       Outstanding Shakespeare

o   Winner: Richard III

This year hasn't afforded me as much of an opportunity as I'd have liked to see Shakespeare plays. Yes, there's been an awful lot that has been on that I've missed but I've always had a frustratingly good reason for missing them. However, having read up on a lot of them and hearing about them through the year I honestly believe that Richard III would still have trumped the lot and wound out on top. There are so many reasons why this is the case but in essence it was just remarkably engaging. Kevin Spacey gave a remarkable performance in bringing this tyrant to vivid life and brought Shakespeare's eloquence from the page to the ear in such a way that it all felt perfectly clear and natural. There were so many impressive features to the production, from the use of video and audio equipment to the simplicity of drums and marching and the physicalisation of Richard's leg was novel as well. It felt like they had taken a lot of time in working through everything so that everyone knew exactly what they were saying and what they were doing and when. It all came together as well and held together for the duration. Another famous Richard III.

·      Show of the Year

o   Winner: Jerusalem

Having already praised Jerusalem earlier on I leave myself with little to say here but it wasn't as clear-cut a decision as it would seem. We had a couple five-star shows this year that haven't even been mentioned so far here, The History Boys and Vernon God Little. Both were remarkable and unmissable nights at the theatre and were in serious contention for a number of awards, only narrowly missing out. Jerusalem, however, surpassed everything else. It was deeper, crisper, neater and more engaging than anything else all year. It had the balance between all aspects of the production, it had everything a good show needs to have and it had them all in a talented abundance. It's a paramour of new theatre and justly deserves the mantle of Tipsy Hippo Show of the Year 2011.

Looking ahead there's a lot on offer in 2012, including Michael Ball as Sweeney Todd in arguably Sondheim's greatest musical and packed seasons in every London venue. There really is a bright future ahead of the theatre, despite the current economic climate. All that remains is to see how the theatres can cope with the financial side. We know the performers and backstage magicians can deal with the rest.

John Ord (01/01/2012)

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)

The Children's Hour ****

Immediately there is an atmosphere of secrets and stories as the curtain comes up and the girls fight over the storybook. This is the central point of the show; lying and how even the smallest fib can have devastating consequences. The set is large and the space is left open and largely dark throughout, giving a feeling of grey emptiness and sparse hopelessness that fits the various developments well.

      

Keira Knightley is remarkably good for someone who is more used to acting on screen than stage. I confess that I was going in with rather low expectations but found myself eating my words. Her accent was spot on and I didn’t notice any slips in either that or her character as a whole. She was confident, which, if the reviews of her previous West End outing are to be believed, is a welcome development. Her character was well formed and she was clearly immersed in her performance (I noticed at one point she very nearly shouted f**k across the stage, which clearly isn’t in the script) and the benefits of this were clear. She was the name that was drawing most of the audience in and she does not disappoint. Her performance is mature and nuanced, passionate and pitiful all at once. Something she can be proud of.

      

Elisabeth Moss provided a more than capable companion, her character being far more difficult to come to terms with and achieved equally well. Trying desperately to stay in control of herself from beginning to end she executes swift mood swings naturally and effectively and her relationship with Knightley is captured perfectly. They have the mannerisms and comfort around each other that friends who have known each other so long would have. Wonderful pairing.

      

There are few stronger foundations for a cast than Ellen Burstyn and even here in this otherwise very adept cast she provides the bedrock for what is an emotional rollercoaster. Her grandmother is both conservatively matronly and aggressively righteous at the same time. It’s easy to understand how someone with such mixed ideals can become caught up in a web as she does.

      

Carol Kane is frustrating throughout. But this is a good thing. Honest. She plays the unbearable aunt that can’t help but tell grand tales and embellish her younger days in the theatre. Her inclusion gives another element to the exploration of lying and is well done. Kane is just what she needs to be and adds another very strong performance to already burgeoning list.

      

Tobias Menzies is powerful. And he needed to be. With such a strong female cast around him he was the figure of male authority and many times in the script all the females turn to him for something or other. Throughout, he is a pillar of strength, standing by the morals of his profession and his kindliness that were evident in his talent. He brings a latent power that the women lack and that is compelling when it comes into play and painful when it is uprooted.

      

Bryony Hannah is the star of the show. Her character development was a cut above even Ellen Burstyn. Playing children can be difficult; they are irrational beyond the insanities of adults and their physicality is completely different. They are never still and neither is Bryony Hannah. Throughout the performance she is utterly unbearable and enough to convince most people never to have children. That is testament to how fully she developed her character. This show is almost a wonderful moment of passing the baton. With such strong performances all round it gives a good reflection of theatre today and Ellen Burstyn must be happy to pass a mantle on to Bryony Hannah. If she doesn’t become a very successful performer something has gone horribly wrong.

      

However, despite all these top class performances the show itself was incredibly difficult to watch. The acting was certainly engaging; a masterclass of how to create believable and human characters, but there was a cripplingly slow pace to the whole thing. Perhaps it is because I am too young to sit through something so intense and agonizingly slow, though I would say I’ve sat through worse. Perhaps it is because the play itself is old, having been written for an entirely different audience in 1933 America. Whatever the reason, and I suspect it’s more of the latter, the whole show was very difficult to take in. You could see the ending and the twists coming from metaphorical miles away and the amount of pauses and silences served more to slow it down to a painfully slow pace for all the wrong reasons.

      

The effect of this began to show on the acting. The moments of passion where people snapped and started shouting seemed very real but distant. Even the faster sections seemed slow. As a result of this chronically slow pace I would not advise people to go and see it unless they are in it for the acting. The show itself is frustrating. I spent the whole time wanting to slap the child and pack her off to a harsh school and the rest of the time wanting to slap her grandmother.

      

This show is full of magnificent acting, bursting at the seams, but is a hard watch due to the nature of the mechanics in script and the pace. I only recommend it to those who are well acquainted with the theatre.

Written by Lillian Hellman; Directed by Ian Rickson; at the Comedy Theatre; Starring Keira Knightley, Elisabeth Moss, Ellen Burstyn, Carol Kane, Tobias Menzies, Bryony Hannah; Runs from 22 Jan 11 - 07 May 11.

http://www.thecomedytheatre.co.uk/

John Ord (22/02/2011)