Tag Archives: Lyric

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Steptoe and Son, Lyric Hammersmith

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I am comfortably too young to have formed a strong attachment to the classic Steptoe and Son, first of radio and then of television fame, at their first outing, but from my childhood I have vivid memories of listening to the iconic cadences of Harry H. Corbett and Wilfrid Brambell wafting out from the radio. The show revolved around Albert and Harold Steptoe, father and son rag and bone men, the former haggard and weary, the latter watching his years drain away as his frequently self-publicised “untapped-potential” goes to waste in the backstreets of Shepherds Bush. I was too young to get the majority of the jokes, not to mention the subtler inferences and witty references, but there was something absolutely perfect about Harry H. Corbett’s denouncement of his father, at least once an episode, as “you dirty *pause* old *pause* man”, and the lilting, plaintive tone with which Wilfrid Brambell called “Oh ‘Arold!” after his son. It is as a result of this idyllic recollection that I hold Steptoe and Son up on some sort of untouchable pedestal from my childhood, alongside jumping on my bed, accompanying my dad to the corner shop on a Saturday morning to buy him papers and me and my sister pick’n’mix sweets, and minimilk icelollies. If I ever revisit such experiences, they necessarily fall short of the perceived perfection associated with them.

Unfortunately the same could be said of Kneehigh’s production of Steptoe and Son. The show consisted of 4 short performances, in keeping with the episodic format of the classic version, and each one touched on central themes of the father-son relationship that underpins the whole drama. The Offer touches on the bittersweet bond between father and son, as Harold bemoans his lot in life, and threatens to leave the rag and bone business. This production admirably captures the underlying tension and resentment present in the father-son relationship, which the more obvious humour and light-hearted joking rests upon quite successfully. The drama was broken up throughout the show by brief dance numbers from the trio of actors, which worked well both in lightening the tone and displaying the three impressive pirouetting performers. The Bird centres on Harold’s chronic lack of success in his romantic life, and Albert’s efforts to undermine and hold him back for his own gain. Mike Shepherd’s Albert almost succeeded in relaying the dichotomy of his actions – acutely selfish and painfully tragic in equal measure – but it fell just short of what I, in my nostalgic excitement, was expecting.

In the second half, The Holiday explored similar ideas of Harold seeking to move on by booking a holiday to “Sant Morrits”, while Albert instead advocates returning to Bognor. Great use of the staging brought this particular sketch to life. This was a hallmark of the whole production, particularly of the central “cart”, which doubled as the house, the front door, the upstairs bedroom and the downstairs kitchen. Finally, Two’s Company, the longest and most developed drama. Albert returns home late one night, and after much interrogation, Harold finds that he has asked a woman to marry him. When Albert brings her to the house, Harold realises that he and she have a complicated past… This episode is Kirsty Woodward’s real chance to shine, having been more or less non-speaking in the previous three, and she delivers a successful performance as Albert’s fiancé. This is probably the greatest example of the self-destructive nature of the father-son connection, and the best-constructed episode of the whole performance. All in all it is a solid attempt at capturing the Steptoe and Son legacy, but listening to Harry H. and Wilfrid while devouring a minimilk it ain’t.

Finishes tomorrow, more information here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Three Kingdoms, Lyric Hammersmith

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This was my first time visiting one of London’s most successful off-West End playhouses, the Lyric Hammersmith.  With its luscious red interior and vast stage, I was left questioning why I hadn’t been there before.  Three Kingdoms is the second show of World Stages London, which is an exciting collaboration between eight leading London theatres and twelve UK and international co-producers that celebrates the exhilarating cosmopolitan diversity of London.  This collaboration has been taking place throughout April and May, and will continue through June.

This play, on paper, makes for a very exciting spectacle, and on stage it certainly does not disappoint.  The synthesis across three languages, countries and theatre cultures – a British writer, German director and an Estonian designer, with actors hailing from each of the three countries – creates a unique and unfailingly engaging production, that boggles the mind and tickles the ribs in equal measure.  Writer Simon Stephens deserves full recognition for binding the complex and myriad elements of this project together in a homogenous form that rings true with each of the three distinct cultures.

Without wanting to give too much away, the story starts simply (yet grotesquely!); a detached female head washes up on the banks of a London river in a waterproof bag, and the police seek to find the culprit.  Their search, beginning in London, eventually leads them to Germany, and later Estonia, with the clashes across cultures becoming more and more evident by the acting, staging, costume and use of props and audio; effectively a full range of dramatic crafts are exploited to give the true impression of the cultural conundrums that the writer wishes to convey.  The result is that the second act descends into what appears to be some kind of mental marathon, laced with themes of sex trafficking, political and police corruption and brutality, and ultimately, some sort of steely and chilling patriotic pride.

The acting is strong across the board.  I was extremely impressed by the stamina of Nicholas Tennant who played Detective Inspector Ignatius Stone; the seeming protagonist.  This role is something of a tour de force, and Tennant did not at any stage falter.  Steven Scharf’s performance as Steffen Dresner was a comic injection that was consistently entertaining.  The inventive casting in this production is another note of praise, as a number of the actors played different roles across the different countries.  The standout of these for me was Rupert Simonian, who played Tommy White and a German and Estonian Receptionist.

This play will leave you breathless and pondering the whole tube journey home.  I thoroughly recommend it!

Continues until 19 May – book tickets here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, Mark McCloskey.

THOROUGHLY MODERN MAN: Oedipussy, Lyric Hammersmith

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Spymonkey are a physical comedy theatre quartet, formed in 1997, who have offered up many successful and acclaimed shows over the past decade and a half. The most recent of these is Oedipussy, billed ambitiously as ”Greek tragedy meets Bond”. As the audience enters the theatre, they are met with a sign warning of “nudity, smoke, strobe lighting, loud bangs, strong language, bodily mutilation, scenes of incest, rape, infanticide, suicide, pestilence and animal sacrifice”; as one might imagine, this makes for an enjoyable, frantic and thoroughly entertaining two hours.

The shameless silliness that is Spymonkey’s trademark is well exhibited in this production, as they turn the story of Oedipus and his terrible fate into a comedy one can’t help laughing at. From rudimentary slapstick to well-scripted jokes based on the classic Greek tragedy itself, there was almost certainly a joke for every member of the audience, and many that received universal approval. The music, a truly impressive feature of the show, as much for its comedic value as for the talent of the performers, added some clever “Bond” flavour to the production. Some of the most successful comedy was in fact found in the musical numbers, from “Leprosy’s not funny” to the saxophone soundtrack to incestuous wooing, to the poignant, bittersweet finale. Here especially, Spymonkey test their own theory established in the first half, that it is easy to make people laugh with silliness, but much harder to make them cry. Woven into the famous story are asides from each of the cast, who all have their own backstory to tell; while some of these are more successful than others, there are nevertheless laughs included in many of the moments when they jump out of character, as the audience sees two storylines developing on the same stage. The obvious chemistry between all four actors is a joy to behold, and contributes no end to the ultimate enjoyment of the production.

While they tried their best to maintain the brisk tempo that such comedy requires, some of the asides directed to the audience drag slightly, slowing down a first half that is already perhaps too long. Nevertheless, I have to recommend it as a must-see for fans of fast-paced silliness, Greek tragedy, and dire David Bowie impersonators. If you’re lucky enough to have time for dinner before, the restaurant at the Lyric does a fantastic line in table-sized pizzas to share, and the terrace is a beautiful place to have a quiet drink before or after a show.

Oedipussy runs until the 21 April at the Lyric, book here.

Written by a Thoroughly Modern Man, James Bomford.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Lyric Hammersmith

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I am always intrigued about what makes people laugh at the theatre. Fantastically funny productions are currently excelling on the London stages, ‘One Man, Two Guvnors’ and ‘Noises Off’ are just two examples.

The current production of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’ at the Lyric Hammersmith is anything but conventional. Quirky, alternative and fun, I found it hilarious, as did much of the audience on press night, but my friend didn’t and it made me wonder what makes a show funny. I thought this interpretation had it all: slapstick, chaotic comedy and more subtle, intelligent wit. It is a magical collaboration between Filter theatre company, director Sean Holmes and original members from The London Snorkelling Team band; together they present a wacky reworking Shakespeare’s classic play.

We began the night with funny man Ed Gaughan nervously stepping on stage to announce to us all that the evening, unfortunately would be a waste of time, and we may as well go home. We didn’t of course, instead the audience watched intrigued as the story (and madness) unfolded. Most of the beauty of this production is caused by unexpected jokes and clever innuendo so I don’t feel it is wise to give away too much in this review. The group of musicians and actors tell the basic story breaking for outbursts of original music, and short comic interludes. Pianist, Chris Branch and drummer, Alan Pagan provide most of the musical accompaniment, showing expertise and charisma in one corner of the stage, while having to contend with actors jumping over and around their instruments. The score is rather cheesy but uplifting – we hear love songs, fairy twinkles and all kinds of other enchanting sounds.

The design by Linsbury prizewinner Hyemi Shin is spectacular, seemingly simple but miraculous in its transformation. The action crashes through the walls, floor and ceiling, quite literally, as various parts are made only from brown paper. The male actors reign – Ferdy Roberts who plays Puck, John Lightbody as Lysander and best of all Jonathan Broadbent as Oberon/ Theseus. All three manage to be serious while acting ridiculously silly, and give 100 percent commitment to their roles. The actors seem to revel in the practical jokes that fill the script, the ideas are endless… you are left thinking: ‘why didn’t I think of that?’

All in all it is a marvellous rendition of A Midsummer Night’s Dream… I’m sorry I can’t tell you more, I fear it really will spoil the delight of seeing this production yourself.

Continues until March 17, book here, now.