Catherine Bennett resumes the weekly look at the performing arts world, with the sad end of Jerusalem, the luck of a cabbie, and French revolt. Do you hear the people sing?
Adam Alcock reviews Nigel Kennedy playing Vivaldi's Four Seasons and his own Four Elements at York Opera House.
Catherine Bennett highlights the trends in the performing arts world today.
Jonathan Cridford reviews 'Ghosts', one of the Freshers' plays for this year.
DramaSoc, rather than presenting all monologues in turn decided to pick three of the stories and have them told at the same time. The three chosen were “Bed Among the Lentils” which follows cynical vicar’s wife, Susan, who has too many secrets; “A Chip in the Sugar” sees Graham cope (or fail to) with his mother’s rekindling relationship with her old flame; and “Soldiering On” tracks Muriel after her husband’s death and her strength despite everything confronting her.
[T]he success of DramaSoc can not be understated. I think a cup of tea and biscuit is thoroughly deserved for all cast and crew.
The greatest compliment to be said for this production, although there is very little to fault, concerns the editing. Anna Donaghy superbly cut up the dialogue of these three disparate stories and presented them together perfectly. With each character lit by a personal spotlight, it made for a comfortable and superb viewing experience with only the slightest tilt of the head required. Editing was extremely solid and allowed the stories to unfurl with uproarious humour and beautiful poignancy. At no point did the audience feel the three actors were competing for the best gag or for the most attention: all three were so comfortable in their roles.
Lynsey Cullen played Muriel: a strong woman and good member of her community. After her husband, Frank, dies she adapts and carries on as a charity worker and volunteer. It is with her son’s ineptitude with her finances and her memories of Frank that makes her tale truly heart-breaking, and Cullen delivered it with confidence and emotion.
Anna Pinkstone was Susan, a ‘good Christian’ whatever that actually means. Behind closed doors, however, we realise she is an alcoholic and having an affair with grocer Ramesh Ramesh. Pinkstone’s wonderful comments on the existence of God and flower-arranging were oddly controversial as well as side-splitting.
The most sympathetic and slightly peculiar character has to be, however, Graham. Played by Sam Hinton (who had to follow the hard act of Bennett himself in the TV series), Graham is a liberal, middle aged man with mild mental problems. Living with his mother, he becomes jealous when she meets and plans to marry the bigoted and right-wing Frank Turnbull. Hinton’s performance was faultless: a loveable man with simple but appealing tales to tell. His relationship with his mother may not be perfect, but it is loving.
Truly stunning performances by all three actors, but the overall production made “Talking Heads” an absolute triumph. The set was simple: three chairs in the middle of a quaint living room littered with ornaments and teapots. Costumes suited the characters well and combined with their setting, the success of DramaSoc can not be understated. I think a cup of tea and biscuit is thoroughly deserved for all cast and crew.
Couldn't agree more - FANTASTIC. Such a brilliant ending to this term 
Well done everyone!
You must log in to submit a comment.
Report