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Anything We Once Did, We Can Do Better?

Craig Serrels — Tue, 18 Aug 2009 08:45:39 +0000

This magical musical journey exhibits some of the best pieces of contemporary musical theatre, showcasing some very talented young ladies indeed! The all female cast run song after song seamlessly together to bring the audience a dazzling evening’s entertainment. Mesmerised and fully immersed in the performance is the full house at St Andrew’s and St George’s church, which provides a spectacular ‘mise en scéne’ for this cabaret production.
Choreographer, Murray Grant has clearly been working hard to devise such clever and practical choreography for the 8 strong cast, 7 of whom are recent graduates from the MGA Company’s one year ‘Intensive Musical Theatre’ course. The girls use every trick in the ‘musical theatre’ book to entice and seduce their audience, who sit in absolute awe of what is before them. If it wasn’t for the girls’ belting and magnificent vocal projection, one wonders if you might hear a pin drop in the auditorium of transfixed spectators.
Particular mention must go to Marcella Macdonald, who, dressed in a stunning black number, captivates the audience with titles such as ‘Can’t Help Lovin’ That Man’ and ‘Back to Before’. She stands out most notably though, during her rendition of ‘The Girl in 14G’, throughout which she masters operatic standards and performs with absolute and utter ease. Rhiannon Chesterman, aged 19, holds real promise for the future. Her presence on stage is quite exceptional, exhibiting a repertoire of varying characters.
At the piano – a black open lid grand nonetheless – is pianist Simon Hanson. His quick-fingered accompaniment during a bubbly and energetic finale, which fires through multiple modulations to a roaring climax, leaves the eager audience wanting more of this hugely satisfying Fringe favourite!

5/5

The School for Scandal

Craig Serrels — Sun, 16 Aug 2009 16:35:33 +0000

Sheridan’s 18th century drama has the potential to bring the delights of Comedy of Manners back to this 21st century audience, with its flourishing language and exuberant costumes – not to mention the powder and wigs! It does, however, disappoint on various levels including muddy blocking, actors masking one another and more dialogue chewed up and swallowed than articulately projected. The plethora of ‘actors’ include such names as Lionel Blair, Marcus Brigstock, Stephen K Amos and Richard Thomson.
A simple two-dimensional black and white period set is constructed on a traditional proscenium arch stage, clad with actors in vibrantly colourful and ornate costumes, wigs and handkerchiefs. All of these excel in setting the scene for Sheridan’s School for Scandal, of which the packed auditorium excitedly await.
The famous screen scene is probably the pinnacle of this performance. With some intelligent movement and direction, the delivery of intended comedic entertainment ensues as Sir Peter hides and Joseph attempts to get a confession from Charles about his relationship with Lady Teazle. Unsurprisingly this fails and whilst the characters romp around the stage in an attempt to conceal the truth, the audience respond with rapturous laughter. They are drastically let down though by the other scenes in the play, in which performers devise their own lines with the scary potential to divert the entire plot on occasion.
Fortunately Ella Kenion, who plays Mrs Candour, manages to drag the dishevelled performance up to reasonable scratch. The wonderfully entertaining comedienne and accomplished actor performs with flair and refreshing credibility, fighting strong amongst the mish-mash of improvisation, ad-libbing and blatant corpsing on stage by the likes of Lionel Blair. However, Blair does eventually try to resolve matters with a quick step and jazz hands!
The broth of Sheridan’s play is most certainly spoiled by too many upstaging comedians and not enough talent in the acting department, branding this classical play as more of a pantomime than a comedy of manners.

2/5

The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie

Craig Serrels — Thu, 13 Aug 2009 12:41:39 +0000

Miss Brodie, the school mistress at the Edinburgh Marcia Blaine School, steers clear of the traditional curriculum under Miss McKay’s rule and uses her foreign visits to educate her girls. Displaying the picture of Giotto as opposed to Mackay’s preferred Stanley Baldwin, Brodie’s lessons, which comprise of the retelling of her passions for art, politics and her love affairs, delve into the fantasies and ideals that Brodie so often dictates.
The Morningside punters wait patiently outside the apt venue of the ‘Assembly Hall’, which ironically is where ministerial candidates for the Church of Scotland study! Not likely to be Brodie’s place of choice. The auditorium is near-full and the basic set (a table and a painted classroom backdrop) adequately depicts the 1930s Marcia Blaine School for Girls. As the lights dim, the ‘Italian scene’, of which Brodie is a huge fan, is instantly made present through the use of music and a cleverly projected ballerina figure onto the front tabs. A magical way to start, what goes on to be, a very successful performance.
Francolini plays Brodie with real gusto, floating about the stage with flair and finesse. Her gestures, stance and delivery are remarkable in equal measure, whilst her rapid dialogue flows freely with perfectly refined intonation. Her Morningside accent, which is somewhat of an iconic feature of this role, lacks absolute authenticity with very slight inconsistencies now and then. Despite this, Francolini commands the stage with fierce and fiery presence, complimented by an array of colourfully chic costumes.
The simple yet effective set design incorporates pieces of funiture, such as Miss Mackay’s desk, doubling as Mr. Llodd’s painting easel. The table is cleverly turned on its end and simply dressed to execute any long-winded and unnecessary scene changes. These brief moments of time or set change are pleasantly peppered with non-diagetic 1930s music and wireless broadcasts, which wonderfully encapsulate the mood and atmosphere of the period.
The ever-energetic and hugely entertaining Monica, played by Nicola Jo Cully, sustains an excellent performance throughout, strongly accompanied by the others in the Brodie set: Jenny (Amy Lennox), Sandy (Natalie McConnon and Mary (Anneika Rose) – even if Mary’s stutter is dubiously forced!
For all Muriel Spark, Jay Presson Allan and, indeed, Maggie Smith lovers – this is indeed the ‘creme de la creme’.

5/5