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.
Refined, elegant and well equipped with a dryly witty sense of humour, it's hard to distinguish the text of Simon Gray's 'Otherwise Engaged' from Jonathan Kerridge-Phipps' and Veronica Hare's commendable production of the play. Indeed, the detailed, muted beige set, coupled with simple lighting, immediately conjured up a sense of the sophisticated lifestyle of protagonist Simon Hench (excellently portrayed, as ever, by the thoroughly reliable Dan Wood), and this polished feel was a constant throughout the performance.
The play tells the story of Simon Hench, an eloquent and contented publisher, who wants nothing more than to be left alone for an afternoon in order to listen to his favourite piece of Wagner – his wife Beth (Serena Manteghi) having gone on what Hench believes is a school trip. Unfortunately, he is interrupted by a series of unwanted guests – his lodger, Dave (Ryan Hall), his brother (Greg Ebdon), his friend Jeff Golding (Sam Hinton) and Jeff's flirtatious 'friend' Davina Saunders (Rebecca Darmody), and finally a character known simply as 'Wood' (Adam Alcock), who turns out to be a boy that Hench looked down on in his school days. The drama unfolds around the way in which Hench treats these visitors, and the truths they reveal about Hench's character. At first charming, warm and witty, by the end of the piece we are left with a cold, selfish bully, who is unable to care about anyone but himself.
This was a very strong ensemble piece, with fantastic character work from the entire company. Special mention must go to Adam Alcock for his utterly hilarious and at times, frankly bizarre portrayal of the almost-psychotic Wood, and to Sam Hinton for his hysterical, manic and tremendously amusing performance of the arrogant Golding. However, this is not to gloss over the touchingly realistic performances of Manteghi and Ebdon in their roles as the two people closest to the selfish Hench. Needless to say, Dan Wood, with his performance of Hench, provided a very solid foundation and centre point for this truly excellent piece of theatre.
Director Jonathan Kerridge-Phipps should be congratulated for adding to his impressive Barn record, both as a performer and a director, with such a slick, rich and truly engaging production.
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