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.
If you have not yet seen Six Lips' new show, Hands Off at Bar Lane Studios, then it has to be said that you have missed a treat. Twelve in fact. Yes, by the time this review is live, unfortunately the incredibly talented ensemble cast will have packed up their things and moved on to their next venture, taking their bags of energy, enthusiasm and boundless talent with them. I suspect there are some variations each night, and so I would happily re-visit the basement at Bar Lane to laugh my evening away, with this production that stars local talent, some of whom I can't wait to see more of.
The devising process is not always easy, and can often produce something that perhaps should have stayed in the heads of those who imagine it. This is not the case with Hands Off - a bright and refreshingly fast-paced show, it is full of quirky, witty, sinister, endearing and creative skits that deserve much more than three nights in a gutted out cellar. However, as grimy as the venue may be, it seemed to provide a perfect platform for a show that I would love to see substitute some of the tripe that gets transported up to the Edinburgh Fringe...
The acting ability, and general creativity of this cast is unquestionable. However, whilst there was no sense of competition among the actors, there were a handful of exceptionally strong performances that I cannot go without mentioning. Roxanna Klimaszewska, a company member of Six Lips Theatre, had impeccable timing and delivery every time she set foot on the stage. Sebastian Hulkkov too, perhaps because he reminded me of TV's Stephen Mangan, often had me in stitches – particularly in the brilliantly constructed 'Acting Shakespeare Workshop'. Finally Hannah Wallace, another company member, who personified the phrase 'the show must go on' after breaking her foot in the dress rehearsal. “Ten minutes in, too!” she divulged, after choosing the empty seat next to me to demonstrate her back-up talent (secondary to dancing), which was to make a rather impressive origami bird, complete with flapping action! Yes, the interaction with the audience was incredibly charming, and Hannah in particular left me with a smile on my face. This group had a distinct ability to include the audience in everything they did, without it being uncomfortable or imposing, and there is no argument that each of one of them love what they do. Were it not for the constraints of a word count, I could go on singing the praises and highlighting the strengths of each individual. They were all that enjoyable to watch.
If I have any complaints, it would be that I found one or two (and only one or two) of the sketches to be a tad superfluous and a little out of place. Skilfully written, it was perhaps the delivery in these that let them down, or simply because they didn't quite fit. There was also, on very rare occasion, times when certain members of the cast seemed a little self-aware, and unable to engage with the audience as fluently as the others. Nonetheless I would not allow those minor flaws to detract from what was a thoroughly enjoyable evening.
Managed by a core team of three women, Six Lips here have created a triumph and are constantly on the look out to collaborate with other artists, proudly advertising the 'platform' that they have made available. Writers, directors, actors and multi-talented practitioners, you would all be fools not to get involved. I certainly will be looking to keep in touch, and keep my eyes and ears open, for what seems to be nothing less than a bright future, full of promise from Six Lips Theatre. I've no stars to give, but if I had, they'd have them all. Great job.
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