BUSOM Presents Iolanthe (Theatre In The Mill, University of Bradford, Thursday 22nd March 2012)

In staging ‘Iolanthe’, Gilbert and Sullivan’s 1882 musical about – and I’m not making this up – a group of immortal fairies who remove the banishment from fairy Iolanthe to find she has a son who is half immortal fairy, half mortal man, who falls in love with politician darling Phyllis but has competition from the members of the House of Lords for her affections, BUSOM set themselves a challenge. ‘Iolanthe’ is not a particularly famous play in popular culture with none of its songs really famous enough to stand out there. Whereas previous musicals performed by BUSOM – such as Calamity Jane and the Pirates of Penzance – have been well known and containing songs that have bled out of the musical and into general listening and allow some hook even if you’re not familiar with the musical itself, ‘Iolanthe’ is a strange beast which feels like you’re starting from scratch.

So, with an open mind and no preconceptions of the play I headed to the Theatre In The Mill to catch this production and what immediately struck me was the increase in professionalism of the production. Though the set – initially consisting of a painted backdrop, a small pond (complete with rubber deck), and a wooden structure which would be explained later – was on par with previous productions, the sound of the cast was better through the use of microphones and the lighting cues much more ambitious and accurate than I’d experienced previously. In fact, through the production, there would be a general feeling of a bigger budget, or wiser spending, from the costumes to the props, in particular with the former with the fairy costumes, guardsman outfit and parliamentary robes being particularly well done.

Though a few feedback issues affected the start of the production the opening chorus of fairies was a powerful introduction and a great collaboration by the fairy side of the cast. In a production with fewer opportunities to shine as an individual due to the ensemble nature of the cast, Lindsey Niven was strong as the Fairy Queen and her opening song worked well. Poppy Brooks, playing the title character, was also on top form but, considering she is the title character, didn’t appear in the production as much as expected and the promised flying sections for her character in the production didn’t materialise unfortunately, but this didn’t detract from her strong performance both vocally and in delivery of the lines.

Musically the production was backed by a quartet of keyboard, viola, trumpet and clarinet, and thanks to the extra microphone help mostly didn’t overpower the vocalists which has been a consistent issue in previous productions. The music was mostly fine but at times didn’t quite match the key of the singers, who themselves sounded fine but the music was a little off, in particular the viola in its louder moments.

As the production continued the ever enjoyable Stuart Sellens came on as Iolanthe’s half-fairy son, dressed appropriately for the role looking like he’d stepped off an advert for farming today, and once more proved he is one of the most bankable members of the team, in this case able to both play the character with pizzazz and also perform some ditties on a small flute. His arrival on stage saw the musical begin to flick between political satire with some lines twisted as nods to the current state of affairs, in particular to the coalition party, and a Carry On film with many tongue-in-cheek double-entendres including the immortal lines of ‘a fairy member’ and ‘Dip your rods in the pond’ and more suggestive nods to human legs than I can count. Either that or I have a dirty mind.

Playing against Stuart was Zoe Howe as Phyllis who initially was a little quieter in her singing but soon grew into the role and they played well as a duet, with some nice chemistry between them, emphasised by some nifty lighting effects and good music, and of course regular kissing. Stuart and Zoe’s song ‘None Shall Part Us’ was a particular highlight at this point in the musical and the pieces grew stronger as the act continued, with some interesting uses of plates as drums and a well-composed balance between two different sides singing different lines. The ‘Earl of Mountararat’ once more stood out as a great comedic actress, thanks also in part to a large comedy moustache as one of the women-cum-men in parts with more cross dressing than a pantomime, and Jon Carter as the PA to the Chancellor also enjoyed some light-hearted funny moments in the background and brought some cheer throughout the production. Or at least I think it was Jon under the most make-up I’ve ever seen applied to one person.

The Lord Chancellor, played by Simon Wilkins, was initially quiet in his role but soon gathered pace, delivering his songs and lines strongly and the musical numbers continued to reflect the more ensemble nature of this piece.

The two earls enjoyed a great double act through the play and were great in their performances but were let down once or twice by the music. Zoe Howe as Phyllis also enjoyed some great solo numbers.

Simon’s performance of stand-out number ‘I Said To Myself Said I’ was excellent as the act continued though the low level humming in the theatre from the mics, thankfully solved by the start of act two, was a little off-putting.

Continuing on there were more strong musical performances, matching the further double-entendres of the musical (never have I heard the words ‘Give Him One’ so many times); comedic turns from Jon, and Stuart growing in character with a great performance of Strephon’s rogue song, Stuart suffering a rose malfunction on his jacket but continuing on regardless.

I did find the ending of act one to drag a little as it reached the hour mark with the last collection of songs seemingly outstaying their welcome, more of an issue with the production than BUSOM’s adaptation of it, and feel the act could have been concluded much quicker with more false endings than the Lord of the Rings.

After some quick refreshment in the interval and a change of backdrop in the theatre, the second act began with Bill Harding donning an impressive guardsman outfit as the wooden tower became a sentry box. Not the only great bit of costume – the parliamentary side of the cast were now dressed in an impressive array of suits, looking much more uniform than the cricketing costumes of the first half which were a little bit hit-and-miss, with Strephon now in parliament. Adapting the lines to include a modern reference to Pickfords was inspired and the character pieces by the main earl, with a great song by her, Anna Garlick and Jon were stand outs. I was only pulled away from the scene by deciding whether to watch the musical or see if I could out-stare Bill as the guardsman who had to stand still for a while to stay in role.

As the act continued many of the cast showed off their talents. Lyndsey and Poppy continued to shine as the Fairy Queen and Iolanthe, Poppy in particular in great voice on the night, alongside Simon as the Chancellor – now in night attire - and Zoe as Phyllis.

Overall I was glad to see Iolanthe performed by BUSOM. If I’m being honest I didn’t particularly enjoy Iolanthe as a musical. I felt a lot of the numbers weren’t particularly exciting and the plot of the production a little samey and straight forward, with the ending of the first act dragging on too long.

However, the cast of BUSOM were impressive, in particular Lyndsey Niven, Poppy Brooks, Stuart Sellens, Zoe Howe and Simon Wilkins, plus some background character support from Anna Garlick and Jon Carter in particular, though there wasn’t as much chance for individuals to shine in this ensemble-led production.

The sets are props were good but it was the better, more professional lighting effects and costume that stood out for me that elevated the production that little higher.

A great performance of an OK musical, I can’t fault the dedication of the team behind it but wasn’t so keen on their choice of production. It’s definitely worth seeing though, and a very enjoyable two-and-a-bit hours for just a fiver thanks to some strong acting, comedic performances and more professional outlook on the composition. (7/10)

An Inspector Calls [Review]

An Inspector Calls [Review]
The Alhambra Theatre, Bradford, 10th March 2012

It has been ten years since I last encountered JB Priestley’s famous play, studying it in secondary school and also seeing the Alistair Sim film, so when the opportunity arose to see it in my home town and home, of course, of JB Priestley, then it would be foolish to miss it.

Touring from the West End, Stephen “Billy Elliot” Daldry’s 1992 production was nothing short of amazing. Opening up with at atmospheric and, frankly haunting, scene from World War 2, complete with air ride siren, an old fashioned radio and the best water, smoke and rain effects I’ve ever seen on stage that perfectly captured the incoming storm of the play, ‘An Inspector Calls’ tells the story of the rich Birling family who are, one by one, revealed to have played a part in the downfall of a young girl through their actions or inactions, with the titular Inspector Goole playing the part of the investigator and the audience the judge and jury.

Lasting one hour and three quarters with no interval, it’s difficult to fault the package of the production. The set was marvellous, featuring a large model of the house which, as the play progressed, opened and collapsed and set on fire and returned to its upright position as the fortunes of the family went up and down, an excellent metaphor and an amazing piece of construction, especially considering it’s live on stage, with no fear placed on smashing objects and items in the pursuit of the metaphor and some clever use of props such as having a cane doubling up as a hand rail.

But it wasn’t just the set design and weather effects that were incredible. The talent on stage was just as complimentary. Tom Mannion as Inspector Goole dominated the stage whenever he was there, his Scottish accent working well with his lines, arriving on stage through the crowd and onto it like the scene from the Exorcist, a technique used several times with the action not always limited to up on the stage. His towering shadow on the house at the start was foreboding and his presence throughout the production, with his entourage of spooky figures, emphasised the horror throughout this interpretation, with the opening world war two skit, the weather effects and use of music, making this a very chilling adaptation. Though initially more abrasive than I remember Goole being, Mannion suited the role perfectly and was an ideal casting choice.

Geoff Leesley as Mr Birling was equally as good and portrayed the relentless industrialist with aplomb and Henry Gilbert as his son Eric put across his immaturity and addiction well alongside his eventual enlightenment. Kelly Hotten as daughter Sheila was also great as the glue that kept the cast together and was convincing in her portrayal, as was Karen Archer as the matriarch of the family, being a vital ingredient for some of the humour in the play that gave it shades of light in its darker times. John Sackville as Gerald Croft was equally well cast and Janie Booth, as Edna, worked well as the background actor adding extra touches throughout the two hours.

Having only experienced this play in the form of a book and movie I was intrigued to see it play out in its ideal form and was not disappointed by this production. The sense of horror and foreboding throughout the play was palpable and at times chilling and upsetting. The conveyance of the ups and downs of the Birling family through the stability of their house was an excellent metaphor and one well brought to the stage with a versatile and beautifully realised set that put across the decadence of their lifestyle but also the destruction of the upcoming world wars, complimented by the music.

If there are any niggles from the production it would be the occasional part where it seemed they were struggling to remember lines during a handful of moments and a few times where the limits of set became apparent such as lots of action on the sides of the stage which made some parts difficult to see when we were at the end of the row, but these are minor complaints for an adaptation that balanced the political and social messages of the play with the injections of humour and a cast, set and effects that all complimented each other to create a very engaging and visceral adaptation of JB Priestley’s play, with the limitations of live theatre and the stage dismissed to make it both a spectacle for the crowd and involving them in the analysis of how our actions affect other people.

9/10

Phil's Top 14 Comedy Series - Part Fourteen

1. Blackadder

And so we come to the top position and this well and truly deserves the top place. Though its lesser-known first series was not a sign of things to come, the three other series of Blackadder were a classic example of ensemble comedy at its best, telling the tale of the Blackadder and Baldrick families through the ages as one got lower down in station through life and the other family stupider, supported by such well-written characters as the Percy's and the Melchett's, plus Queen Elizabeth 1st and Darling.

There's too many highlights to name from Blackadder - which also included a hilarious reverse-take on Dicken's 'A Christmas Carol' and a surprisingly good modern interpretation from the turn of the Millennium, amongst other one-offs - but include the dictionary episode from series three and *that* ending to the fourth series, a masterclass in going from humour to sadness in a very few lines of script.

Credit goes to Rowan Atkinson, Tony Robinson, Stephen Fry and Tim McInnerney, plus all the supporting cast and, of course, Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, for making the most enduring sitcoms of all time.

Phil's Top 14 Comedy Series - Part Thirteen

2. Fawlty Towers

It's always difficult to choose between this and my first place choice over which is the better one but I've made the decision.

The runner-up is Fawlty Towers, the short-lived but joke-crammed fourteen-episode series set in a Torquay hotel with its permanent residents, staff and changing guests that lead to a whole array of storylines and problems to be tackled by the angry Basil, his air-headed wife and difficult-to-understand waiter Manuel.

Written to perfection by John "Monty Python" Cleese and Connie Booth this is a sitcom to watch again and again and it never gets old. Especially 'Communication Problems'.

Altogether now... "What did you expect to see out of a Torquay Hotel bedroom window..."

Phil's Top 14 Comedy Series - Part Twelve

3. Not Going Out

What do you get if you cross my favourite stand-up of Tim Vine with the hilarious Lee Mack, throw in a live studio audience and a sitcom that echoes back to the golden era of sitcoms? 'Not Going Out', about the only sitcom still running that I ever want to watch and thankfully returning soon for a fifth - and later a sixth - series.

Telling the story of Lee, a hopeless Northerner, who lusts after his landlady Lucy (Kate in series one) whilst putting up with effeminate toff Tim, his ditsy girlfriend Daisy and a range of surreal scenarios from filming a porn film, to drugs, to helping a baby that has swallowed a subbuteo ball.

Mixing in Lee Mack's adult humour with Tim Vine's one-liners with support from excellent writers such as Andrew Collins and stand-ups like Milton Jones, 'Not Going Out' is a modern classic full of witty lines and great scenarios, and is immensly quotable.

Phil's Top 14 Comedy Series - Part Eleven

4. One Foot In The Grave

Following the exploits of serial grump Victor Meldrew after he is forced into early retirement from his security job after being replaced by a machine, One Foot In The Grave was a surreal, but hilarious, comedy that never shy-ed away from dark humour or poignant human observation in its quest to bring laughs to the table.

Remaining funny even into its six series - arguably my favourite - the characters were all well-fleshed out and delivered in such a dead-pan way by all the cast. Who could forget the singing mechanics, dead cats in the freezer, milk vans knocking lamp posts into bedrooms and cop porn, not to mention the exceptionally downbeat and touching death of the main character.

Phil's Top 14 Comedy Series - Part Ten

5. Allo Allo

One of the longest running sitcoms ever for sheer number of episodes - almost one hundred - this told the comedic, almost serial-like, story of the French resistance's battle against the Nazis, with catchphrases and jokes galore, and use of accents to great effect.

Who cannot forget Officer Crabtree with his mangled French ("I was just pissing by the door") or L'Clerec with his dicky ticker?

Delightfully politically uncorrect and stupid, this was an excellent on going story on the quest for the Fallen Madonna with the Big Boobies that survived cast changes to create a great series, even if it sometimes flagged mid-series.