Theatre review: The Whip by the Royal Shakespeare Company - Audio Described
Photo credit: RSC website
On Saturday 7th March 2020, I arrived at the RSC in Stratford-upon-Avon for a day of seeing, hearing and talking about accessible theatre.
The Whip, written by Juliet Gilkes Romero and directed by Kimberly Sykes, is set in 1830s England as some politicians push for the abolition of the slave trade throughout Britain’s colonial empire. As politicians, familiarly corrupt, seek to compromise and blackmail one another to reach their goals, the tension between morality, and how much that should cost removes all clear distinctions of “right” and “wrong”, making the audience question how far one can compromise without losing one’s own morality.
The matinee performance of The Whip was an audio described show. This involves a live narration of the visuals occurring onstage that may otherwise be inaccessible to blind or visually impaired audience members. The narration is heard through headphones handed out before the show, and there is therefore no difference to the performance itself. However, for those listening, its an invaluable addition to provide details of set, costume, facial expression and gesture - and more!
Before the audio described performance began, the RSC offered a Touch Tour. This involves going on stage, exploring the sets, getting a close up look and feel of costumes and props so that when the play is being described, you have a clearer sense of what is occurring.
The Touch Tour was led by Emily and Annette, who would later be the audio describers during the show. Emily and Annette gathered us in the cafe, giving us a welcoming and friendly introduction to the theatre, themselves, and what to expect from the touch tour. They described the set, and how it transforms, different effects to expect and some background details of the play.
From this introduction, we made our way into the RSC Swan Theatre and onto the stage. Here, we naturally divided into smaller groups, each with our own RSC staff member to show us around the set and describe what was there, and how it featured in the play. I was with Annette, who gave wonderful, concise descriptions of everything we encountered and was more than happy to answer further questions. She passed props round to both the visually impaired individuals and those they had come with, making everyone feel welcome and involved.
We also got the opportunity to meet a couple of the cast. This is always a wonderful way to begin to put the voice to the person, as well as hear what the actor themselves thinks and feels about their character. So when I took my seat, headphones on, I felt informed and prepared to enjoy the show.
What the audience cannot prepare for, is the power of a show that generates empathy, horror, laughter, sadness, and disgust. This historical, political drama revolves around the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, and the politicians battling over the price of compensation for the slave owners. Alongside this, the horrendous working conditions of Britain’s poorest workers, including for that of children, is foregrounded across sympathetic lines of comparison.
The play centres on Alexander Boyd, the Chief Whip of the Whig party who is given the job of getting the abolition bill through parliament despite many MPs being slave owners themselves. Wonderfully portrayed by Richard Clothier, Boyd embodies all the grey areas of morality, neither good, nor terrible, but certainly a man anguished by the constant push and pull of right and wrong, and the inability to escape the grey areas.
The jeers, slander, backstabbing and self-serving politics presented in The Whip is disturbingly familiar to today’s political scene. The press hound anyone and everyone, turning on politicians they’d previously hailed as great, again, all to familiar in today’s climate.
Boyd’s political life flows into his personal life. Boyd’s ward, a freed slave named Edmund, is Boyd’s attempt to highlight the influence of opportunity and education. However, Boyde is quick to dismiss or ignore Edmund when it suits him, operating in is own sphere of prejudice. Edmund, played by Corey Montague-Shaloy, is clever, respectful, and witty. We watch Mantague-Shaloy take Edmund on a education of his own, as his character becomes exposed to the ugly side of politics that claims to be progressive, when in reality, it is replacing one form of entrapment for another.
Boyd’s new housekeeper, Horatia Poskitt, played by Katherine Pearce, is similar to Edmund, as both are ambitious and determined in a world set on limiting their prospects. The two strike up a cantankerous yet warm relationship as their fiery spirits clash, but their empathy holds fast.
Horatia presents another level of injustice in British society, as she seeks to represent and help the working poor. She is tough and determined, despite having endured much - her only daughter having collapsed from exhaustion while working in a cotton mill, and falling into the machine to her death. Horatia is outspokenly feminist at a heavily patriarchal time. She strikes up a friendship with Mercy, an escaped slave who delivers talks around the country to galvanise abolitionist support. Mercy Pryce, played by Debbie Korley, captivated the audience with her first appearance and held the audience throughout. Korley’s voice inflects subtle emotions with every word and she was truly beautiful to listen to.
The two women recognise each other’s suffering, and though very different as people, their strong sense of solidarity becomes the most sincere connection in the play, the rest of which is fraught by corruption and double-crossing.
A simple set is nevertheless effective in transporting us from the House of Commons, complete with the Speaker’s chair and mace, to Boyd’s office, a kitchen parlour, a bar, and Hyde Park Corner. A slight pit in the centre of the stage’s thrust is subtle but effective symbol of the corruption that the characters fall into. Naturally, then, the floor of the House of Commons is a perfect fit for the pit, lined with green benches either side of a table, overlooked by the Speaker, played by Riad Richie, who’s John Bercow impression is spectacular.
The Whip gives us a long overdue history lesson of the reality of the British colonial slave trade. Unflinchingly powerful in its confrontation of this often ignored aspect of history, the audience are forced to draw the parallels between the different forms of servitude colonial slaves, poor British children, and working class women were subjected to. Creatively staged, and brilliantly acted, the cast draw us in and hold us. Emotive, yet at times funny, The Whip gives a deeply human spin on an inhumane political history. It holds an uncomfortable but necessary mirror up to its audience, asking us to look at what went wrong, and why so little has changed.
Emily and Annette's audio description during the performance was beyond helpful. They described humorous non-verbal actions so that no one was left out of the joke, provided details of set changes, and the deterioration of some characters' appearances as the play progressed. These visual changes all hold poignant significance for the play, and there is no way I would have been able to enjoy or understand the play as much without their descriptions.
You can find out more about the RSC's accessibility provisions here.
The Whip runs until 21st March 2020.
The RSC offer a captioned performance of The Whip on Friday 20th March, 7:30pm.
Written by: Beth O’Brien
Published: 9th March 2020
The Whip, written by Juliet Gilkes Romero and directed by Kimberly Sykes, is set in 1830s England as some politicians push for the abolition of the slave trade throughout Britain’s colonial empire. As politicians, familiarly corrupt, seek to compromise and blackmail one another to reach their goals, the tension between morality, and how much that should cost removes all clear distinctions of “right” and “wrong”, making the audience question how far one can compromise without losing one’s own morality.
The matinee performance of The Whip was an audio described show. This involves a live narration of the visuals occurring onstage that may otherwise be inaccessible to blind or visually impaired audience members. The narration is heard through headphones handed out before the show, and there is therefore no difference to the performance itself. However, for those listening, its an invaluable addition to provide details of set, costume, facial expression and gesture - and more!
Before the audio described performance began, the RSC offered a Touch Tour. This involves going on stage, exploring the sets, getting a close up look and feel of costumes and props so that when the play is being described, you have a clearer sense of what is occurring.
The Touch Tour was led by Emily and Annette, who would later be the audio describers during the show. Emily and Annette gathered us in the cafe, giving us a welcoming and friendly introduction to the theatre, themselves, and what to expect from the touch tour. They described the set, and how it transforms, different effects to expect and some background details of the play.
From this introduction, we made our way into the RSC Swan Theatre and onto the stage. Here, we naturally divided into smaller groups, each with our own RSC staff member to show us around the set and describe what was there, and how it featured in the play. I was with Annette, who gave wonderful, concise descriptions of everything we encountered and was more than happy to answer further questions. She passed props round to both the visually impaired individuals and those they had come with, making everyone feel welcome and involved.
We also got the opportunity to meet a couple of the cast. This is always a wonderful way to begin to put the voice to the person, as well as hear what the actor themselves thinks and feels about their character. So when I took my seat, headphones on, I felt informed and prepared to enjoy the show.
What the audience cannot prepare for, is the power of a show that generates empathy, horror, laughter, sadness, and disgust. This historical, political drama revolves around the Slavery Abolition Act 1833, and the politicians battling over the price of compensation for the slave owners. Alongside this, the horrendous working conditions of Britain’s poorest workers, including for that of children, is foregrounded across sympathetic lines of comparison.
The play centres on Alexander Boyd, the Chief Whip of the Whig party who is given the job of getting the abolition bill through parliament despite many MPs being slave owners themselves. Wonderfully portrayed by Richard Clothier, Boyd embodies all the grey areas of morality, neither good, nor terrible, but certainly a man anguished by the constant push and pull of right and wrong, and the inability to escape the grey areas.
The jeers, slander, backstabbing and self-serving politics presented in The Whip is disturbingly familiar to today’s political scene. The press hound anyone and everyone, turning on politicians they’d previously hailed as great, again, all to familiar in today’s climate.
Boyd’s political life flows into his personal life. Boyd’s ward, a freed slave named Edmund, is Boyd’s attempt to highlight the influence of opportunity and education. However, Boyde is quick to dismiss or ignore Edmund when it suits him, operating in is own sphere of prejudice. Edmund, played by Corey Montague-Shaloy, is clever, respectful, and witty. We watch Mantague-Shaloy take Edmund on a education of his own, as his character becomes exposed to the ugly side of politics that claims to be progressive, when in reality, it is replacing one form of entrapment for another.
Boyd’s new housekeeper, Horatia Poskitt, played by Katherine Pearce, is similar to Edmund, as both are ambitious and determined in a world set on limiting their prospects. The two strike up a cantankerous yet warm relationship as their fiery spirits clash, but their empathy holds fast.
Horatia presents another level of injustice in British society, as she seeks to represent and help the working poor. She is tough and determined, despite having endured much - her only daughter having collapsed from exhaustion while working in a cotton mill, and falling into the machine to her death. Horatia is outspokenly feminist at a heavily patriarchal time. She strikes up a friendship with Mercy, an escaped slave who delivers talks around the country to galvanise abolitionist support. Mercy Pryce, played by Debbie Korley, captivated the audience with her first appearance and held the audience throughout. Korley’s voice inflects subtle emotions with every word and she was truly beautiful to listen to.
The two women recognise each other’s suffering, and though very different as people, their strong sense of solidarity becomes the most sincere connection in the play, the rest of which is fraught by corruption and double-crossing.
A simple set is nevertheless effective in transporting us from the House of Commons, complete with the Speaker’s chair and mace, to Boyd’s office, a kitchen parlour, a bar, and Hyde Park Corner. A slight pit in the centre of the stage’s thrust is subtle but effective symbol of the corruption that the characters fall into. Naturally, then, the floor of the House of Commons is a perfect fit for the pit, lined with green benches either side of a table, overlooked by the Speaker, played by Riad Richie, who’s John Bercow impression is spectacular.
The Whip gives us a long overdue history lesson of the reality of the British colonial slave trade. Unflinchingly powerful in its confrontation of this often ignored aspect of history, the audience are forced to draw the parallels between the different forms of servitude colonial slaves, poor British children, and working class women were subjected to. Creatively staged, and brilliantly acted, the cast draw us in and hold us. Emotive, yet at times funny, The Whip gives a deeply human spin on an inhumane political history. It holds an uncomfortable but necessary mirror up to its audience, asking us to look at what went wrong, and why so little has changed.
Emily and Annette's audio description during the performance was beyond helpful. They described humorous non-verbal actions so that no one was left out of the joke, provided details of set changes, and the deterioration of some characters' appearances as the play progressed. These visual changes all hold poignant significance for the play, and there is no way I would have been able to enjoy or understand the play as much without their descriptions.
You can find out more about the RSC's accessibility provisions here.
The Whip runs until 21st March 2020.
The RSC offer a captioned performance of The Whip on Friday 20th March, 7:30pm.
Written by: Beth O’Brien
Published: 9th March 2020
THeatre REview: The Boy in the Dress by The Royal Shakespeare Company
On Monday 16th December 2019, I went to see the RSC musical, The Boy in the Dress, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre in Stratford-upon-Avon. Sat in the front row of the second balcony, I had a decent birds-eye view of the production, though, being visually impaired, please forgive any lacking detail in actors, gesture and costume in the rest of this review. There is, however, much I have to say about this production.
Based on David Walliams’ children’s book, The Boy in the Dress (2008) the production tells the story of Dennis. Since his mother left, Dennis lives with his dad and his older brother. He is the star striker of the school football team, has an interest in fashion, and finds a love of wearing dresses with the encouragement of the school sweetheart, Lisa James.
The production itself was wonderful. A clever set turned town streets into a kitchen in moments, and multiple football games were superbly orchestrated and choreographed. There’s also some silly but funny dialogue that gets a good laugh from the audience.
Whilst the music and lyrics (written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers) were often a lot of fun, they were also quite forgettable. A few of them – the headmaster’s song, ‘I hate Kids’ in particular - took repetition a little too far to the point that it got slightly boring. But the singing was fantastic, as you might hope from an RSC production, and Dennis (played by Oliver Crouch, Jackson Laing, Tom Lomas, and Toby Mocrei) deserves a special mention. Child acting can be a bit hit and miss, but Dennis’ performance was so strong, it meant the rest of the child cast was held to a very high standard.
The issue I took with the production was more with the mixed or inconsistent messages. The central theme is, or should be, that anyone of any gender can wear whatever they like and it’s really no one else’s business. However, there are a few too many times when the audience are made to laugh at the very concept we should really be accepting. After embracing Dennis for wearing a dress, we’re presented with another male character who also wears a dress, but in such a way that the audience are encouraged to laugh at him, rather than with him. The production simultaneously calls for tolerance, for us to see anyone wearing what they like as normal, but also hails Dennis as extraordinary and different, and I don’t think I was alone in finding these moments uncomfortable and conflicting.
Anyone with any familiarity with David Walliams’ books – or the TV adaptations – will probably remember the character, Raj. In the production, Raj is played by Irvine Iqbal. From what I gather, Raj appears in many, if not all, of Walliams’ books. He is the owner of a corner shop, calls everyone his favourite customer, and tries to flog his customers ridiculous deals (15 packs of Quavers for the price of 14, sort of thing). Raj is Dennis’ friend, and we like him, but there are so many stereotypes at play here that, again, make things uncomfortable. Let alone when it comes to Raj’s last line of the show, when he’s wearing a sari and says: ‘I borrowed my wife’s sari. Luckily she’s a big woman’. What a note for his character to end on, hey?
One final message that felt dated was the whole song dedicated to ‘A House Without A Mum’. One with less nagging and more fun. One with less hugs. In many ways, The Boy in the Dress is the cousin of Billy Eliot the Musical, but just not to the same standard. The story of a boy without a mother, with an initially unaccepting father / community who has to overcome gender norms in the name of self-expression is not new, and this production was not done with as much sensitivity or power as other productions.
A production that shows boys and men that they are allowed to show emotion is something I really wanted to get behind. One that shows how the younger generation are accepting of all gender performances, and that the older generations can learn to be too, is just as important and a chance for this to be a part of mainstream culture just seems to have been wasted. The Boy in the Dress was conflicting and problematic in a few too many ways for overt enjoyment to be had. The music does not carry the production in the same way as in the RSC’s Matilda the Musical, and some songs added nothing to the production.
Overall, I was disappointed with this production, because I wanted it to be so much better than it was. As my review shows, not everything about it was bad, and there are some lovely moments of fun, acceptance and kindness. However, in the name of humour, insensitivity and/or ignorance marred the production.
Written by: Beth O'Brien
Published: 18th December 2019
Based on David Walliams’ children’s book, The Boy in the Dress (2008) the production tells the story of Dennis. Since his mother left, Dennis lives with his dad and his older brother. He is the star striker of the school football team, has an interest in fashion, and finds a love of wearing dresses with the encouragement of the school sweetheart, Lisa James.
The production itself was wonderful. A clever set turned town streets into a kitchen in moments, and multiple football games were superbly orchestrated and choreographed. There’s also some silly but funny dialogue that gets a good laugh from the audience.
Whilst the music and lyrics (written by Robbie Williams and Guy Chambers) were often a lot of fun, they were also quite forgettable. A few of them – the headmaster’s song, ‘I hate Kids’ in particular - took repetition a little too far to the point that it got slightly boring. But the singing was fantastic, as you might hope from an RSC production, and Dennis (played by Oliver Crouch, Jackson Laing, Tom Lomas, and Toby Mocrei) deserves a special mention. Child acting can be a bit hit and miss, but Dennis’ performance was so strong, it meant the rest of the child cast was held to a very high standard.
The issue I took with the production was more with the mixed or inconsistent messages. The central theme is, or should be, that anyone of any gender can wear whatever they like and it’s really no one else’s business. However, there are a few too many times when the audience are made to laugh at the very concept we should really be accepting. After embracing Dennis for wearing a dress, we’re presented with another male character who also wears a dress, but in such a way that the audience are encouraged to laugh at him, rather than with him. The production simultaneously calls for tolerance, for us to see anyone wearing what they like as normal, but also hails Dennis as extraordinary and different, and I don’t think I was alone in finding these moments uncomfortable and conflicting.
Anyone with any familiarity with David Walliams’ books – or the TV adaptations – will probably remember the character, Raj. In the production, Raj is played by Irvine Iqbal. From what I gather, Raj appears in many, if not all, of Walliams’ books. He is the owner of a corner shop, calls everyone his favourite customer, and tries to flog his customers ridiculous deals (15 packs of Quavers for the price of 14, sort of thing). Raj is Dennis’ friend, and we like him, but there are so many stereotypes at play here that, again, make things uncomfortable. Let alone when it comes to Raj’s last line of the show, when he’s wearing a sari and says: ‘I borrowed my wife’s sari. Luckily she’s a big woman’. What a note for his character to end on, hey?
One final message that felt dated was the whole song dedicated to ‘A House Without A Mum’. One with less nagging and more fun. One with less hugs. In many ways, The Boy in the Dress is the cousin of Billy Eliot the Musical, but just not to the same standard. The story of a boy without a mother, with an initially unaccepting father / community who has to overcome gender norms in the name of self-expression is not new, and this production was not done with as much sensitivity or power as other productions.
A production that shows boys and men that they are allowed to show emotion is something I really wanted to get behind. One that shows how the younger generation are accepting of all gender performances, and that the older generations can learn to be too, is just as important and a chance for this to be a part of mainstream culture just seems to have been wasted. The Boy in the Dress was conflicting and problematic in a few too many ways for overt enjoyment to be had. The music does not carry the production in the same way as in the RSC’s Matilda the Musical, and some songs added nothing to the production.
Overall, I was disappointed with this production, because I wanted it to be so much better than it was. As my review shows, not everything about it was bad, and there are some lovely moments of fun, acceptance and kindness. However, in the name of humour, insensitivity and/or ignorance marred the production.
Written by: Beth O'Brien
Published: 18th December 2019
Theatre Review: Skin in The Game by Paul Westwood
directed by. Clemmie Reynolds
The Old Red Lion Theatre, Islington [27th August 2019]
A dingy flat in Birmingham. Three siblings. Trying to sell it off because dad’s being put in a home. Jamie (Paul Westwood), the youngest is neither here nor there - the chiming of the fruit machines sounding in the forefront as he makes his way to the front of the stage. He chases the high, as is the way with any form of gambling. Michelle (Kathryn O’Reilly) is cursed with middle child syndrome, but alleviates the grim hardships with hilarious anecdotes of her misbehaving children. Danny (Charlie Allen) the oldest; charismatic, funny and mean, he appears to be the one who can sort this all out, until the sneaking suspicion that he’s the one who’s caused it all creeps up the back of your neck. Just peep under the sofa to find out.
Paul Westwood’s debut full length play is unrelenting from the get go. The play has no interval, the characters can’t seem to string a sentence together without swearing, and you’d be daft to think there is any reconciliation or satisfying cathartic ending. But Chekov’s rule - “One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn't going to go off” - is the play’s sickening promise. Just wait for the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ the gun in presented onto the stage.
We are invited to compare Westwood’s debut full length play with Irvine Welsh and Philip Ridley. I confess I know next to nothing about Ridley, but I can confirm that the strong language straight off the bat and simulated violence later in the play certainly attests to those who see Welsh as an influence. Fans of Martin McDonagh will adore the convoluted and round about naturalistic conversation.
Westwood not only has written the play, but stars in the lead role of Jamie. His creation and portrayal of a loser in every which way has such sympathy and kindness. Kathyrn O’Reilly brings a tenderness - the wildling we see on stage is not mouthing off, but screaming for help. Her portrayal of struggling single mother and secretive drug addict does feel incredibly real. But it’s Charlie Allen’s performance that is the breakout moment. The charisma that exudes from such a vile character will seduce and anger audience members in equal measures.
‘Skin in the Game’ is claustrophobic in both setting and direction. The stage of the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington is about the size of one’s living room, which is fitting really, considering the location. When the actors reach the front of the stage, they are barely 4 foot in front of you. If you have the privilege of being sat in front of any one of the actors, they literally stare you in the eyes. Be sure to be terrified and moved.
Written by: Liv Beards
Published: 29th September 2019
Paul Westwood’s debut full length play is unrelenting from the get go. The play has no interval, the characters can’t seem to string a sentence together without swearing, and you’d be daft to think there is any reconciliation or satisfying cathartic ending. But Chekov’s rule - “One must never place a loaded rifle on the stage if it isn't going to go off” - is the play’s sickening promise. Just wait for the ‘how’ and the ‘why’ the gun in presented onto the stage.
We are invited to compare Westwood’s debut full length play with Irvine Welsh and Philip Ridley. I confess I know next to nothing about Ridley, but I can confirm that the strong language straight off the bat and simulated violence later in the play certainly attests to those who see Welsh as an influence. Fans of Martin McDonagh will adore the convoluted and round about naturalistic conversation.
Westwood not only has written the play, but stars in the lead role of Jamie. His creation and portrayal of a loser in every which way has such sympathy and kindness. Kathyrn O’Reilly brings a tenderness - the wildling we see on stage is not mouthing off, but screaming for help. Her portrayal of struggling single mother and secretive drug addict does feel incredibly real. But it’s Charlie Allen’s performance that is the breakout moment. The charisma that exudes from such a vile character will seduce and anger audience members in equal measures.
‘Skin in the Game’ is claustrophobic in both setting and direction. The stage of the Old Red Lion Theatre in Islington is about the size of one’s living room, which is fitting really, considering the location. When the actors reach the front of the stage, they are barely 4 foot in front of you. If you have the privilege of being sat in front of any one of the actors, they literally stare you in the eyes. Be sure to be terrified and moved.
Written by: Liv Beards
Published: 29th September 2019
Theatre Review: Macbeth by Tread the Boards Theatre Company
On Tuesday 30th July, I made my way to Stratford-upon-Avon for the first preview of Tread the Boards Theatre Company’s all-female Macbeth, before it heads up to the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August. Climbing the stairs into the rafters of the aptly named Attic Theatre, I took my seat in the dim light, settling in for a production with darkness at its heart. With its six-woman cast, Tread the Board Theatre Company performed a clever take on the classic tragedy which explores a disrupted world, heightened by the revealing interrogation of gender throughout.
Pulsating lights and unsettling sound effects kick the production off with a supernatural feel, before Ruth Page, Georgia Fox Robinson, and Phoebe Cresswell begin the play’s dialogue in the role of the infamous three witches. On a minimalist set and against a black backdrop, these women evoked a powerful, wicked energy, drawing the audience into the narrative with a harmonised rendition of the witches’ opening prophecy. Music features several times throughout the production, from a fierce banquet dance, to the live, on-stage sound effects created using singing-bowls.
The superb acting from the whole cast captured and held the audience without fail, without the need for major staging effects. A standout example of this came from Chloe Knight in the role of Banquo. Fake blood is a given in many performances of Shakespearean tragedies, however, Knight’s acting alone sufficed for a wince-inducing and cringingly gruesome scene, making it haunting, disturbing and memorable.
The company makes use of few props, but the ones used are used to great effect. A cuboid metal frame acts as door, cauldron, banquet table (and more) at various points. Its simplistic effectiveness is in-keeping with the production as a whole, with a metallic theme continuous across everything from weapons, to trees, ensuring the props fit seamlessly into the play, nothing seeming out of place.
The small cast means you see five of the six actors in multiple roles. However, this does nothing to hinder the clarity of the production, as through wonderful characterisation and subtle costume differences, the audience remained captured by the unfolding narrative. Among other roles, Stephanie Austin and Ruth Page play brothers, the sons of King Duncan, and they capture each new character with ease - between them, taking on six of the production’s 13 characters. Only Catherine Pugh, in the role of Macbeth, plays one role. Plough’s performance was powerful and evocative, as the ambition and subsequent anguished guilt she portrays is so convincingly played, and it is fascinating to register our own responses to these traits in a female Macbeth.
The gender interrogation within the play is cleverly and subtly done. Although all mentions of ‘he’ and ‘him’ are swapped for ‘she’ and ‘her’, the titles and relationships such as ‘King’ and ‘husband’ remain unchanged. Not only does this add to the overall disruption of the Shakespearean narrative, but it provides a new order at the same time. It allows for women to take roles of power, and roles of male power. Society has given the title of Queen very different connotations to that of King, and what Tread the Board Theatre Company manages to do is allow for women to step into the role of male power; allowing us to examine how we, the audience, perceive this differently. For example, do we see remorse and guilt in a female Macbeth where we’d see weakness in her male counterpart?
Lady Macbeth, played by Phoebe Cresswell, rises to greater evil when you can’t just root for her as a fierce and ambitious female in a patriarchal world. It allows for parallels to be drawn between her own character and Macbeth, for the fact that both characters lose their ambition to a fraught mind is suddenly seen to be more comparable, seen side by side, rather than separately. Moreover, Georgia Fox Robinson, in the role of Macduff grieving her children and wife’s deaths, caught the audience with her deviation from the line, ‘I must also feel it as a man’, to ‘I must also feel it as a woman’. How this alters the original line and connotated meaning couldn’t fail to strike the audience, as we realise our own learned associations.
Overall, if you’re looking for a thought-provoking and wildly entertaining production of the Shakespearean tragedy, then this is the play for you. From beginning to end, the cast make their own mark on this famous play, making a play many are familiar with new, exciting, and powerful in a whole different way. Tread the Boards Theatre Company interrogates the audience with this production without us realising until its done, making us realise the privileges and restrictions of gender roles and performance. Shocking, disturbing, dark, and powerfully entertaining, this production of Macbeth is not one to miss.
Written by: Beth O'Brien
Published: 2nd August 2019
Pulsating lights and unsettling sound effects kick the production off with a supernatural feel, before Ruth Page, Georgia Fox Robinson, and Phoebe Cresswell begin the play’s dialogue in the role of the infamous three witches. On a minimalist set and against a black backdrop, these women evoked a powerful, wicked energy, drawing the audience into the narrative with a harmonised rendition of the witches’ opening prophecy. Music features several times throughout the production, from a fierce banquet dance, to the live, on-stage sound effects created using singing-bowls.
The superb acting from the whole cast captured and held the audience without fail, without the need for major staging effects. A standout example of this came from Chloe Knight in the role of Banquo. Fake blood is a given in many performances of Shakespearean tragedies, however, Knight’s acting alone sufficed for a wince-inducing and cringingly gruesome scene, making it haunting, disturbing and memorable.
The company makes use of few props, but the ones used are used to great effect. A cuboid metal frame acts as door, cauldron, banquet table (and more) at various points. Its simplistic effectiveness is in-keeping with the production as a whole, with a metallic theme continuous across everything from weapons, to trees, ensuring the props fit seamlessly into the play, nothing seeming out of place.
The small cast means you see five of the six actors in multiple roles. However, this does nothing to hinder the clarity of the production, as through wonderful characterisation and subtle costume differences, the audience remained captured by the unfolding narrative. Among other roles, Stephanie Austin and Ruth Page play brothers, the sons of King Duncan, and they capture each new character with ease - between them, taking on six of the production’s 13 characters. Only Catherine Pugh, in the role of Macbeth, plays one role. Plough’s performance was powerful and evocative, as the ambition and subsequent anguished guilt she portrays is so convincingly played, and it is fascinating to register our own responses to these traits in a female Macbeth.
The gender interrogation within the play is cleverly and subtly done. Although all mentions of ‘he’ and ‘him’ are swapped for ‘she’ and ‘her’, the titles and relationships such as ‘King’ and ‘husband’ remain unchanged. Not only does this add to the overall disruption of the Shakespearean narrative, but it provides a new order at the same time. It allows for women to take roles of power, and roles of male power. Society has given the title of Queen very different connotations to that of King, and what Tread the Board Theatre Company manages to do is allow for women to step into the role of male power; allowing us to examine how we, the audience, perceive this differently. For example, do we see remorse and guilt in a female Macbeth where we’d see weakness in her male counterpart?
Lady Macbeth, played by Phoebe Cresswell, rises to greater evil when you can’t just root for her as a fierce and ambitious female in a patriarchal world. It allows for parallels to be drawn between her own character and Macbeth, for the fact that both characters lose their ambition to a fraught mind is suddenly seen to be more comparable, seen side by side, rather than separately. Moreover, Georgia Fox Robinson, in the role of Macduff grieving her children and wife’s deaths, caught the audience with her deviation from the line, ‘I must also feel it as a man’, to ‘I must also feel it as a woman’. How this alters the original line and connotated meaning couldn’t fail to strike the audience, as we realise our own learned associations.
Overall, if you’re looking for a thought-provoking and wildly entertaining production of the Shakespearean tragedy, then this is the play for you. From beginning to end, the cast make their own mark on this famous play, making a play many are familiar with new, exciting, and powerful in a whole different way. Tread the Boards Theatre Company interrogates the audience with this production without us realising until its done, making us realise the privileges and restrictions of gender roles and performance. Shocking, disturbing, dark, and powerfully entertaining, this production of Macbeth is not one to miss.
Written by: Beth O'Brien
Published: 2nd August 2019
Theatre Review: pride and (quite a lot of) prejudice by Worcester Repertory Company
(Photo taken by Beth Martin Smith)
For some time now it has been a celebrated event in the Mad Hatter Reviews calendar when Worcester Repertory Company (Worcester Rep) brings their talents to The Commandery for a summertime performance. Once Shakespeare at The Commandery, the company now dips in and out of famous classics to deliver their own spin on iconic tales. This year sees Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice given the Worcester Rep treatment, penned by Chris Jaeger himself to form a witty bastardisation of an iconic story, delivering laughs aplenty to a packed-out audience.
Charlie Ryan and Genevieve Lowe took the roles of Darcy and Lizzie Bennet respectively, delivering a strong performance and a charming proposal scene to close the play (helped along by Mrs Bennet who was played, naturally, by none other than Edward Manning). It was unfortunate to lose some of the bookish nature that Lizzie possessed in the original storyline; although, needs must when working with a limited timeframe (and when introducing quite so much comedy). That said, Manning’s own delivery of Mrs Bennet was wonderfully accurate, particularly the scene in which s/he reacts to the news of Lydia’s elopement, and I thoroughly enjoyed the (over)acting in these parts.
Other roles were adopted Worcester Rep favourites such as Jonathan Darby, who delivered a wonderful show as Mr Bennet, and John-Robert Partridge who delivered a brilliantly smarmy Mr Collins (although that unfortunate speech impediment started to become a touch uncomfortable after the fifth **** or so).
From start to finish, there are several familiar faces throughout and this familiarity among the cast is what allows the production to hang together so well in its entirety. The actors bounce off each other allowing for several moments where, far from laughing at them, it felt very much like we audience members were laughing along with them. The glorious paddling pool/rubber ring scene and the never-ending push-ups (poor Wickham/Tom Riddle) were two of the best moments for me last night, and I couldn’t tell you what was improvised there and what was in fact planned and prepared – such is the ease with which the cast interacts.
Ben Humphrey – another well-known name to Worcester Rep – took to the Director’s chair for this particular production and his work has paid off. Pride & (quite a lot of) Prejudice is amusing, self-referential to great effect, and it is also exceptionally well-polished. Worcester Rep have once again banded together for a strong stretch of rehearsals resulting in confidence and conviction on stage, and Humphrey as directed the team well to put together a contemporary version of events.
To that end, if you are looking for a traditional re-telling of an English classic, in truth I would look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for easy-viewing and amusing interactions, set over a back-drop of beautiful gardens, accompanied by summer sunshine and picnics (thank goodness the British weather was on our side this year), then look no further than this production because it is everything you’ll need for an evening of easy entertainment.
The performance for this year runs from July 2nd through to July 14th (excluding Monday, July 8th) and tickets are available online by accessing the Worcester Rep, or Worcester Live, websites.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 5th July 2019
Charlie Ryan and Genevieve Lowe took the roles of Darcy and Lizzie Bennet respectively, delivering a strong performance and a charming proposal scene to close the play (helped along by Mrs Bennet who was played, naturally, by none other than Edward Manning). It was unfortunate to lose some of the bookish nature that Lizzie possessed in the original storyline; although, needs must when working with a limited timeframe (and when introducing quite so much comedy). That said, Manning’s own delivery of Mrs Bennet was wonderfully accurate, particularly the scene in which s/he reacts to the news of Lydia’s elopement, and I thoroughly enjoyed the (over)acting in these parts.
Other roles were adopted Worcester Rep favourites such as Jonathan Darby, who delivered a wonderful show as Mr Bennet, and John-Robert Partridge who delivered a brilliantly smarmy Mr Collins (although that unfortunate speech impediment started to become a touch uncomfortable after the fifth **** or so).
From start to finish, there are several familiar faces throughout and this familiarity among the cast is what allows the production to hang together so well in its entirety. The actors bounce off each other allowing for several moments where, far from laughing at them, it felt very much like we audience members were laughing along with them. The glorious paddling pool/rubber ring scene and the never-ending push-ups (poor Wickham/Tom Riddle) were two of the best moments for me last night, and I couldn’t tell you what was improvised there and what was in fact planned and prepared – such is the ease with which the cast interacts.
Ben Humphrey – another well-known name to Worcester Rep – took to the Director’s chair for this particular production and his work has paid off. Pride & (quite a lot of) Prejudice is amusing, self-referential to great effect, and it is also exceptionally well-polished. Worcester Rep have once again banded together for a strong stretch of rehearsals resulting in confidence and conviction on stage, and Humphrey as directed the team well to put together a contemporary version of events.
To that end, if you are looking for a traditional re-telling of an English classic, in truth I would look elsewhere. However, if you are looking for easy-viewing and amusing interactions, set over a back-drop of beautiful gardens, accompanied by summer sunshine and picnics (thank goodness the British weather was on our side this year), then look no further than this production because it is everything you’ll need for an evening of easy entertainment.
The performance for this year runs from July 2nd through to July 14th (excluding Monday, July 8th) and tickets are available online by accessing the Worcester Rep, or Worcester Live, websites.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 5th July 2019
Theatre review: Pygmalion by tread the boards theatre company
On Wednesday 19th June, I ventured to the beautiful Stratford-upon-Avon for my first show at The Attic Theatre. With the direction of Jonas Cemm, Tread the Boards theatre company performed a witty, laugh-out-loud production of Pygmalion, written by George Bernard Shaw and first performed in 1913.
As it’s name suggests, the theatre is in the attic of a gorgeous building, with a canal front bar right next door for those interval drinks, and the theatre itself accessible by lift for those who require it. From beginning to end, the front of house staff were helpful and friendly making the little theatre feel intimate and personal.
Director, Jonas Cemm, describes Pygmalion as, ‘a twisted Cinderella story’ and the twist is wholly feminist. The plot centres around the expert linguist, Professor Henry Higgins, who bets he can take common flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, and pass her off as a Duchess by training her to speak and act “properly”. However, Eliza is no silent experiment subject, and the other women in Higgins’ life - his mother and his housekeeper - are also women to watch.
What caught and held the audience in this production was the wonderful witty chemistry between the characters. John-Robert Partridge takes on the role of Professor Henry Higgins and prompted many a laugh from the audience with his unashamed frankness. However, the times Higgins’ character crosses the line in his treatment of Eliza, the audience was left in stunned silence, proving how well Partridge strikes a balance between the comedy and complexity of his character.
Of course, Eliza, played wonderfully by Alexandra Whitworth, is a focal point throughout the play. Whitworth takes Eliza’s character from a howling flower girl to a poised and precise Duchess. Her dramatic wailing of the early scenes is comical, but serves to make her later, silent tears all the more heartbreaking. The relationship captured by Whitworth and Partridge is layered but ultimately unequal and while we might laugh at Higgins’ character, we can’t help but route for Eliza as she continually fights to hold her own in the difficult scenario she finds herself in.
Martin Timms, in the role of Colonel Pickering, injects a much needed level of empathy towards Eliza, and between Whitworth and Timms, their characters friendship grows in warmth and respect in a manner that is touching and powerful.
A moment must be taken to appreciate the acting of Den Woods and Dawn Bush for their respective roles of Mrs Higgins (Henry’s mother) and Mrs Pearce (Henry’s housekeeper). These women radiate strength, clarity and kindness throughout the play, getting the audience on their side every time they out-wit or out-smart the arrogant Henry, or Eliza’s hilarious but uncaring father, played by William Hayes. Although both women present their characters to have a direct manner of speaking, they contrast to Partridge’s character by the simple fact that they acknowledge Eliza as a human being, with thoughts, ideas and feelings of her own. These women brought as empowering a feeling to the play as the brilliant Whitworth, together making it a thing of female strength.
Ultimately, this 8 person play is fiercely funny. Against a single, simple, but intriguing backdrop, the audience is taken from location to location with the aid of some swift furniture rearranging. Effortlessly, we are carried along from place to place and through lapses of time, remaining constantly invested in these actors and their characters. Tread the Board theatre company takes these strong female characters in a male dominated world to demonstrate the nuances of strength. The quick-witted dialogue was performed with ease and the audience united behind any character who could put Henry Higgins in his place for a moment or two. I (and I am sure I am not the only one) left the theatre feeling emboldened, and thoroughly entertained!
Written by: Beth O’Brien
Published: 22nd June 2019
As it’s name suggests, the theatre is in the attic of a gorgeous building, with a canal front bar right next door for those interval drinks, and the theatre itself accessible by lift for those who require it. From beginning to end, the front of house staff were helpful and friendly making the little theatre feel intimate and personal.
Director, Jonas Cemm, describes Pygmalion as, ‘a twisted Cinderella story’ and the twist is wholly feminist. The plot centres around the expert linguist, Professor Henry Higgins, who bets he can take common flower girl, Eliza Doolittle, and pass her off as a Duchess by training her to speak and act “properly”. However, Eliza is no silent experiment subject, and the other women in Higgins’ life - his mother and his housekeeper - are also women to watch.
What caught and held the audience in this production was the wonderful witty chemistry between the characters. John-Robert Partridge takes on the role of Professor Henry Higgins and prompted many a laugh from the audience with his unashamed frankness. However, the times Higgins’ character crosses the line in his treatment of Eliza, the audience was left in stunned silence, proving how well Partridge strikes a balance between the comedy and complexity of his character.
Of course, Eliza, played wonderfully by Alexandra Whitworth, is a focal point throughout the play. Whitworth takes Eliza’s character from a howling flower girl to a poised and precise Duchess. Her dramatic wailing of the early scenes is comical, but serves to make her later, silent tears all the more heartbreaking. The relationship captured by Whitworth and Partridge is layered but ultimately unequal and while we might laugh at Higgins’ character, we can’t help but route for Eliza as she continually fights to hold her own in the difficult scenario she finds herself in.
Martin Timms, in the role of Colonel Pickering, injects a much needed level of empathy towards Eliza, and between Whitworth and Timms, their characters friendship grows in warmth and respect in a manner that is touching and powerful.
A moment must be taken to appreciate the acting of Den Woods and Dawn Bush for their respective roles of Mrs Higgins (Henry’s mother) and Mrs Pearce (Henry’s housekeeper). These women radiate strength, clarity and kindness throughout the play, getting the audience on their side every time they out-wit or out-smart the arrogant Henry, or Eliza’s hilarious but uncaring father, played by William Hayes. Although both women present their characters to have a direct manner of speaking, they contrast to Partridge’s character by the simple fact that they acknowledge Eliza as a human being, with thoughts, ideas and feelings of her own. These women brought as empowering a feeling to the play as the brilliant Whitworth, together making it a thing of female strength.
Ultimately, this 8 person play is fiercely funny. Against a single, simple, but intriguing backdrop, the audience is taken from location to location with the aid of some swift furniture rearranging. Effortlessly, we are carried along from place to place and through lapses of time, remaining constantly invested in these actors and their characters. Tread the Board theatre company takes these strong female characters in a male dominated world to demonstrate the nuances of strength. The quick-witted dialogue was performed with ease and the audience united behind any character who could put Henry Higgins in his place for a moment or two. I (and I am sure I am not the only one) left the theatre feeling emboldened, and thoroughly entertained!
Written by: Beth O’Brien
Published: 22nd June 2019
Poetry review: 30-40-60 at St Andrew's Church, Droitwich (17 July 2018), under Droitwich ArtsFest
It's a Tuesday evening, the sun is dipping, and it already feels like a long week, only two days in; enter Nina Lewis, Claire Walker, and Kathy Gee to save the day and turn Tuesday upside down and back again with their three-woman poetry-show complete with multi-media elements galore.
The three women - nay, the three poets - are aligned by their womanhood and their publisher, as all three writers have previously published works under indie poetry publisher V. Press, and it is from their previous works - Fragile House (Nina Lewis), The Girl Who Grew Into A Crocodile (Claire Walker), and Book of Bones (Kathy Gee) - that these three shape their show.
Moving through the complexities of womanhood and a female life at varying stages, Lewis, Walker and Gee combine their works seamlessly, borrowing from each other's works wonderfully to breathe a new life into many of their respective poems. The vocal delivery throughout was clear and concise while the poems were shared out across the three separate voices too, allowing the collaborative feel of the show to really come through. All three performed with care and control over their work and indeed each other's, showing just how much time, effort, and synchronisation has gone into the planning of this.
Having read the three collections that the show is made up from, what struck me as particularly wonderful is how these poems are made new by this new-style delivery, complete with musical and visual accompaniments - thanks to Lewis' film addition to the show. Overall, 30-40-60 is empowered, well-put together, and downright inspiring, thanks to the strong feminist themes and defiant tones that come through from the off - and the authors themselves don't ease off that pedal until the final music plays.
A well-polished and thought-provoking collaboration that shows these three poets as a marvelous team, while reminding listeners what stunning writers they all are in their own rights as well. Stay tuned for a repeats of the performance - at one festival or another, no doubt - in the coming months because this is certainly a show worth seeing for the poetry-lovers out there.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 20 July 2018
The three women - nay, the three poets - are aligned by their womanhood and their publisher, as all three writers have previously published works under indie poetry publisher V. Press, and it is from their previous works - Fragile House (Nina Lewis), The Girl Who Grew Into A Crocodile (Claire Walker), and Book of Bones (Kathy Gee) - that these three shape their show.
Moving through the complexities of womanhood and a female life at varying stages, Lewis, Walker and Gee combine their works seamlessly, borrowing from each other's works wonderfully to breathe a new life into many of their respective poems. The vocal delivery throughout was clear and concise while the poems were shared out across the three separate voices too, allowing the collaborative feel of the show to really come through. All three performed with care and control over their work and indeed each other's, showing just how much time, effort, and synchronisation has gone into the planning of this.
Having read the three collections that the show is made up from, what struck me as particularly wonderful is how these poems are made new by this new-style delivery, complete with musical and visual accompaniments - thanks to Lewis' film addition to the show. Overall, 30-40-60 is empowered, well-put together, and downright inspiring, thanks to the strong feminist themes and defiant tones that come through from the off - and the authors themselves don't ease off that pedal until the final music plays.
A well-polished and thought-provoking collaboration that shows these three poets as a marvelous team, while reminding listeners what stunning writers they all are in their own rights as well. Stay tuned for a repeats of the performance - at one festival or another, no doubt - in the coming months because this is certainly a show worth seeing for the poetry-lovers out there.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 20 July 2018
Theatre Review: The Hound of the Baskervilles by Worcester repertory Company (13 July 2018)
On an annual basis the Worcester Repertory Company bring their hilarious antics to The Commandery in Worcester City Centre to wow audiences with an outdoor performance (weather-permitting, that is) of something classic. Last year they were forced to bring the show indoors due to a last-minute downpour and I’m afraid that this year followed suit. Through no fault of the Rep’s own, of course, the first fifteen minutes in the venue itself was given over to a medley of moving chairs and ‘Can you move up, please?’ which, little did I know at the time, was probably an appropriate prelude to the organised chaos of the comedy that followed.
A loose interpretation of the genre of the text, Chris Jaeger has re-written Conan Doyle’s classic The Hound of Baskervilles in a slapstick format allowing for an influx of comedic moments that had attendees howling with laughter – so needless to say, Jaeger certainly knows his audience.
The show itself was put together from familiar faces such as the likes of Ben Humphrey, who played the iconic Sherlock Holmes as you’ve probably never seen him before, alongside John-Robert Partridge as an unexpectedly dippy Dr Watson. The likes of Liz Grand made her return as Mrs Hudson/Mrs Barrymore, Nick Wilkes made for a strong and confident Mortimer, alongside Victoria Lucie (Miss Stapleton), Murray Andrews (Sir Henry Baskerville), Jonathan Darby (Laura Lyons/Stapleton) and Edward Manning (Barrymore).
While some of the comedy caused more of a groan than it did a laugh, it can’t be overlooked that this company as a whole just works. The on-stage chemistry between the actors made the entire production for me and, despite the show needing a ‘comedy of errors’ caveat, the (apparent) errors made the whole thing all the more enjoyable.
The off-script moments showed the real talent and initiative of this company as they batted back and forth with rowdy audience members, had an amusing walk around the moors (which was limited on account of the last-minute staging change), and they even appeared to actively trip each other up by prompting Sherlock for scenes that had apparently been removed during rehearsal. Whether this was deliberate and accounted for, or whether it was the actors messing about, I can’t say for certain; what I can say is that these actors know each other and they know their abilities, and that is the real strength of the performance this year.
Humphrey’s booming vocals and Partridge’s obvious flair for improvisational comedy made for stand-out moments, of course, and the pair work wonderfully together to re-master the iconic Sherlock and Watson duo, making for show unlike anything else I’ve seen in other adaptations. But even in their moments of stardom, the two actors were supported by their fellow cast members who heightened the comedy further by always being on-hand for an impromptu outburst, which again left the audience roaring.
The Hound of Baskervilles – dad jokes aside – is a strong and confident show from a company that knows its craft. The Worcester Repertory Company has a collective of skilled actors paving the way for future shows and, while Charley's Aunt is a hard show to beat, The Hound of the Baskervilles is certainly bringing its share of laughs to The Commandary this summer.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 14 July 2018
A loose interpretation of the genre of the text, Chris Jaeger has re-written Conan Doyle’s classic The Hound of Baskervilles in a slapstick format allowing for an influx of comedic moments that had attendees howling with laughter – so needless to say, Jaeger certainly knows his audience.
The show itself was put together from familiar faces such as the likes of Ben Humphrey, who played the iconic Sherlock Holmes as you’ve probably never seen him before, alongside John-Robert Partridge as an unexpectedly dippy Dr Watson. The likes of Liz Grand made her return as Mrs Hudson/Mrs Barrymore, Nick Wilkes made for a strong and confident Mortimer, alongside Victoria Lucie (Miss Stapleton), Murray Andrews (Sir Henry Baskerville), Jonathan Darby (Laura Lyons/Stapleton) and Edward Manning (Barrymore).
While some of the comedy caused more of a groan than it did a laugh, it can’t be overlooked that this company as a whole just works. The on-stage chemistry between the actors made the entire production for me and, despite the show needing a ‘comedy of errors’ caveat, the (apparent) errors made the whole thing all the more enjoyable.
The off-script moments showed the real talent and initiative of this company as they batted back and forth with rowdy audience members, had an amusing walk around the moors (which was limited on account of the last-minute staging change), and they even appeared to actively trip each other up by prompting Sherlock for scenes that had apparently been removed during rehearsal. Whether this was deliberate and accounted for, or whether it was the actors messing about, I can’t say for certain; what I can say is that these actors know each other and they know their abilities, and that is the real strength of the performance this year.
Humphrey’s booming vocals and Partridge’s obvious flair for improvisational comedy made for stand-out moments, of course, and the pair work wonderfully together to re-master the iconic Sherlock and Watson duo, making for show unlike anything else I’ve seen in other adaptations. But even in their moments of stardom, the two actors were supported by their fellow cast members who heightened the comedy further by always being on-hand for an impromptu outburst, which again left the audience roaring.
The Hound of Baskervilles – dad jokes aside – is a strong and confident show from a company that knows its craft. The Worcester Repertory Company has a collective of skilled actors paving the way for future shows and, while Charley's Aunt is a hard show to beat, The Hound of the Baskervilles is certainly bringing its share of laughs to The Commandary this summer.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 14 July 2018
Review: A Conversation with Margaret Atwood (Royal Theatre, drury Lane, 3 June 2018)
On Sunday evening in early June, the Royal Theatre, Drury Lane hosted ‘An evening with Margaret Atwood’. You know, in case headlining the ‘Under His Eye: Women and Climate Change’ conference at the British Library earlier that week wasn't keeping the 78-year-old Canadian novelist and poet busy enough. Atwood entered the stage wearing clothes of vivid red and she did not wait long to tell the excited audience that it was completely intentional...
The Guardian’s Lisa Allardice conducted the interview with a mixture of humour and affection, but with the hint of trepidation that all interviewers seem to have around Atwood.
The first forty-five minutes consisted of Allardice asking Atwood much more about the TV adaptations of her works than the novels themselves. She called 2017 ‘The year of Atwood’ with both The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace having been adapted into television series. It was fitting, given that every audience member was missing the airing of episode three of the second season of the Handmaid’s Tale to be at the theatre, that the opening question probed at how Atwood felt about letting her novel be taken into new hands, and beyond the original text. Atwood’s immediate reply was: 'I did not “let”'. She explained a series of complications with contracts that ultimately meant the rights for the TV show had been sold as part of the contract for the original film made in 1990. Atwood admitted she is allowed to read the scripts and often adds her own comments, but conceded that this does not mean they are listened to. However, she assured us that the director was very keen for Atwood to like the programme, it being bad for business if she didn’t. Atwood spoke warmly about those who have worked on the adaptations of her novels, particularly Ane Crabtree, the costume designer behind the now iconic red dresses worn by the handmaids.
The evening progressed through a range of topics from Atwood’s seemingly prophetic abilities, to the necessity to save our oceans, and the current political scene. Allardice, in a self-proclaimed bid to let the audience leave for the interval on an uplifting note, asked Atwood to repeat an answer she had given at a previous interview when asked if these are the worst times we have seen. Atwood partly complied to Allardice’s request saying, ‘These are not the worst times the world has seen...’ before adding an ominous but comical, ‘yet.’
The second half of the evening began with a performance of two unpublished poems by Atwood herself, on the wonderfully Atwood-esque topics of slug sex, and female werewolves. Allardice restarted the conversation using questions submitted by audience members, slipping in some of her own because, as she rightly said, ‘I can’.
Atwood’s answers about her writing process were entertainingly witty, her renowned feistiness over Twitter clearly extending into the publishing house too. However, she seemed wholly reluctant to directly answer Allardice’s question about the “F-word”. When asked how she felt about The Handmaid’s Tale being appropriated as a feminist text, Atwood went off on along ramble about different types of feminism that had existed in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s... stopping before she began to describe feminism today. Allardice joked that she had known Atwood would avoid this question, and it became a form of comical evasion. However, humour aside, it was perhaps the only disappointing moment of the evening.
On the other hand, Atwood was eager to alert the audience to the #AfterMeToo movement in Canada. Atwood stated that the #AfterMeToo movement was a shift away from the initial anger sparked by #MeToo, pledging a safe place to report incidents of abuse and an independent inquiry into every accusation. Atwood’s criticism of the #MeToo movement had caused much controversy on Twitter and in the media, however, she reiterated her previous defence that once you start ignoring human rights, such as the right to a fair trial, women’s rights go too.
The final topic of conversation was centred around Atwood’s writing process, smattered with tantalising hints about a new novel on the horizon, with no further information than that she is writing one. Atwood entertained the audience with an explanation of how she teases her publishers with a colour coded graph showing how many chapters of her current project she has written, is writing, or is still planning, without giving any indication of content or length. She gleefully stated that,’It’s mean, isn’t it?’ explaining it is just to give them some encouragement, so that they know she is writing. Regarding the new novel, she said that she was not yet at the stage to send a colour coded graph to the publishers, suggesting she is still very much in the early stages of writing.
In a final bid to get a hint about what Atwood’s new novel will be about, Allardice asked whether we should be scared. Atwood appeared to consider this, pausing for a moment before replying, ‘You see, the thing about books, is that they’re books. If you’re scared, you just go like this...’ she said, miming the closing of a book. The audience left the theatre on this lighthearted, humorous note, but we were all quietly reminded that Atwood’s novels do still have that power to scare us...
Written by: Beth O'Brien
Published: 16 June 2018
The Guardian’s Lisa Allardice conducted the interview with a mixture of humour and affection, but with the hint of trepidation that all interviewers seem to have around Atwood.
The first forty-five minutes consisted of Allardice asking Atwood much more about the TV adaptations of her works than the novels themselves. She called 2017 ‘The year of Atwood’ with both The Handmaid’s Tale and Alias Grace having been adapted into television series. It was fitting, given that every audience member was missing the airing of episode three of the second season of the Handmaid’s Tale to be at the theatre, that the opening question probed at how Atwood felt about letting her novel be taken into new hands, and beyond the original text. Atwood’s immediate reply was: 'I did not “let”'. She explained a series of complications with contracts that ultimately meant the rights for the TV show had been sold as part of the contract for the original film made in 1990. Atwood admitted she is allowed to read the scripts and often adds her own comments, but conceded that this does not mean they are listened to. However, she assured us that the director was very keen for Atwood to like the programme, it being bad for business if she didn’t. Atwood spoke warmly about those who have worked on the adaptations of her novels, particularly Ane Crabtree, the costume designer behind the now iconic red dresses worn by the handmaids.
The evening progressed through a range of topics from Atwood’s seemingly prophetic abilities, to the necessity to save our oceans, and the current political scene. Allardice, in a self-proclaimed bid to let the audience leave for the interval on an uplifting note, asked Atwood to repeat an answer she had given at a previous interview when asked if these are the worst times we have seen. Atwood partly complied to Allardice’s request saying, ‘These are not the worst times the world has seen...’ before adding an ominous but comical, ‘yet.’
The second half of the evening began with a performance of two unpublished poems by Atwood herself, on the wonderfully Atwood-esque topics of slug sex, and female werewolves. Allardice restarted the conversation using questions submitted by audience members, slipping in some of her own because, as she rightly said, ‘I can’.
Atwood’s answers about her writing process were entertainingly witty, her renowned feistiness over Twitter clearly extending into the publishing house too. However, she seemed wholly reluctant to directly answer Allardice’s question about the “F-word”. When asked how she felt about The Handmaid’s Tale being appropriated as a feminist text, Atwood went off on along ramble about different types of feminism that had existed in the 50s, 60s, 70s, 80s... stopping before she began to describe feminism today. Allardice joked that she had known Atwood would avoid this question, and it became a form of comical evasion. However, humour aside, it was perhaps the only disappointing moment of the evening.
On the other hand, Atwood was eager to alert the audience to the #AfterMeToo movement in Canada. Atwood stated that the #AfterMeToo movement was a shift away from the initial anger sparked by #MeToo, pledging a safe place to report incidents of abuse and an independent inquiry into every accusation. Atwood’s criticism of the #MeToo movement had caused much controversy on Twitter and in the media, however, she reiterated her previous defence that once you start ignoring human rights, such as the right to a fair trial, women’s rights go too.
The final topic of conversation was centred around Atwood’s writing process, smattered with tantalising hints about a new novel on the horizon, with no further information than that she is writing one. Atwood entertained the audience with an explanation of how she teases her publishers with a colour coded graph showing how many chapters of her current project she has written, is writing, or is still planning, without giving any indication of content or length. She gleefully stated that,’It’s mean, isn’t it?’ explaining it is just to give them some encouragement, so that they know she is writing. Regarding the new novel, she said that she was not yet at the stage to send a colour coded graph to the publishers, suggesting she is still very much in the early stages of writing.
In a final bid to get a hint about what Atwood’s new novel will be about, Allardice asked whether we should be scared. Atwood appeared to consider this, pausing for a moment before replying, ‘You see, the thing about books, is that they’re books. If you’re scared, you just go like this...’ she said, miming the closing of a book. The audience left the theatre on this lighthearted, humorous note, but we were all quietly reminded that Atwood’s novels do still have that power to scare us...
Written by: Beth O'Brien
Published: 16 June 2018
Theatre Review: Lord of the Flies by BOA Actors (Birmingham Old Rep Theatre 27 April 2018)
Yesterday evening, alongside a collective of excited audience members, I piled into Birmingham’s Old Rep Theatre to see the BOA Actors’ rendition of an all-female Lord of the Flies, rewritten for the stage by Nigel Williams and directed by Jade Allen. The play ran across two nights – April 26th and April 27th – with a different cast taking to the stage for each separate occasion. I can’t comment on the actors involved in Thursday evening’s production, but the young women who took to the stage on Friday evening absolutely blew me – and, I’m sure, everyone else – away with their delivery of a classic novel, complete with a contemporary gender twist.
The play opens with a beautifully choreographed plane crash, introducing the tragic incidents that bring this female group to the island to begin with. We are quickly introduced to Raffy (Natalie Evans) and Piggy (Imogen Clarke) who strike up an endearing and authentic friendship from the off. Both characters – indeed, both actors – balance each other well making for entertaining viewing to begin with, and troubling viewing in the scenes that follow. Shortly after this introduction we meet Jack (Charlotte Mason) and her gang of choir girl cronies including Sam (Leah Nicholls), Erin (Anna Freer), Marie (Lara Jobling), Henrietta (Kaitlyn Elward), Persephone (Charlie Toney) and, despite being on the outskirts of the group, there is also Simone (Amelia Howard). The girls are later joined by Rowena (Charlie Sadler), also stranded on the island following the plane crash, she joins the girls already on-stage and becomes a tremendously important character as the story continues.
It is important to note that these girls are wonderfully vicious from the off! There is no warm-up period in which to acclimatise to the cruelty of teenage girls; far from it, in fact, with Charlotte Mason at the helm leading the cast into a lifestyle of savagery that they only too comfortably fall in line with. Mason’s performance throughout was of top quality and her slow deterioration from human-child to wilderness-killer is beautifully handled as the play progresses. Mason – or perhaps that should read Jack – also does a fine job of dragging her fellow cast members down with her, resulting in the eventual, somewhat inevitable even, murder of Simone – a convincingly troubled character, commendably delivered by Howard. Simone’s death scene was a standout moment for me, and Raffy’s (Evans) part in this made for a horrendous moment of realisation and reflection in this scene, too.
The two chiefs – Raffy (Evans) and Jack (Mason) – face off at various points throughout the play, allowing both actors their fair share of centre stage time. The psychology of both characters is convincing throughout, and their slow downward spiral genuinely moved me, despite their immoral actions that happened intermittently as well. Evans and Mason made for marvellous leaders in this play and, with a cast that is star-studded to accompany them (with a particular commendation to Piggy (Clarke) who I adored from the off), the play is a moving, troubling look into the human state and the ways in which we can lose our control of it.
The staging was well-handled throughout despite being confined to a relatively small space, and the effective use of lighting made sure that the different groups were segregated from each other quite clearly, despite occupying top and bottom layers of the same stage space. Alongside this the audio and music choices throughout were exceptional, too! They added tension throughout to great effect and they brought a new dynamic into the on-stage atmosphere that I really appreciated.
Overall, this Lord of the Flies was truly enjoyable to me. My one gripe – for want of a less severe word, perhaps – is that I would have liked more gendered comments. There was a beautiful moment when, post-killing her first pig, Jack grabbed Piggy’s crotch with a bloodied hand and asked whether she was used to the sight of blood. There were gasps from one or two audience members but personally, I absolutely loved this moment! In using an all-female cast there was room, for viewers such as myself at least, to play more to the female-ness of the characters and I do believe this could have been done without damaging the overall integrity of the work. However, as criticisms go, this is a relatively minor one and it certainly didn’t detract from my overall viewing enjoyment.
It is clear from their updated rendition of William Golding’s classic that BOA Actors is a collective on the rise, packed with various names that are certainly worth looking out for. A thoroughly enjoyable evening, I look forward to whatever this group plans on serving up next!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 28 April 2018
The play opens with a beautifully choreographed plane crash, introducing the tragic incidents that bring this female group to the island to begin with. We are quickly introduced to Raffy (Natalie Evans) and Piggy (Imogen Clarke) who strike up an endearing and authentic friendship from the off. Both characters – indeed, both actors – balance each other well making for entertaining viewing to begin with, and troubling viewing in the scenes that follow. Shortly after this introduction we meet Jack (Charlotte Mason) and her gang of choir girl cronies including Sam (Leah Nicholls), Erin (Anna Freer), Marie (Lara Jobling), Henrietta (Kaitlyn Elward), Persephone (Charlie Toney) and, despite being on the outskirts of the group, there is also Simone (Amelia Howard). The girls are later joined by Rowena (Charlie Sadler), also stranded on the island following the plane crash, she joins the girls already on-stage and becomes a tremendously important character as the story continues.
It is important to note that these girls are wonderfully vicious from the off! There is no warm-up period in which to acclimatise to the cruelty of teenage girls; far from it, in fact, with Charlotte Mason at the helm leading the cast into a lifestyle of savagery that they only too comfortably fall in line with. Mason’s performance throughout was of top quality and her slow deterioration from human-child to wilderness-killer is beautifully handled as the play progresses. Mason – or perhaps that should read Jack – also does a fine job of dragging her fellow cast members down with her, resulting in the eventual, somewhat inevitable even, murder of Simone – a convincingly troubled character, commendably delivered by Howard. Simone’s death scene was a standout moment for me, and Raffy’s (Evans) part in this made for a horrendous moment of realisation and reflection in this scene, too.
The two chiefs – Raffy (Evans) and Jack (Mason) – face off at various points throughout the play, allowing both actors their fair share of centre stage time. The psychology of both characters is convincing throughout, and their slow downward spiral genuinely moved me, despite their immoral actions that happened intermittently as well. Evans and Mason made for marvellous leaders in this play and, with a cast that is star-studded to accompany them (with a particular commendation to Piggy (Clarke) who I adored from the off), the play is a moving, troubling look into the human state and the ways in which we can lose our control of it.
The staging was well-handled throughout despite being confined to a relatively small space, and the effective use of lighting made sure that the different groups were segregated from each other quite clearly, despite occupying top and bottom layers of the same stage space. Alongside this the audio and music choices throughout were exceptional, too! They added tension throughout to great effect and they brought a new dynamic into the on-stage atmosphere that I really appreciated.
Overall, this Lord of the Flies was truly enjoyable to me. My one gripe – for want of a less severe word, perhaps – is that I would have liked more gendered comments. There was a beautiful moment when, post-killing her first pig, Jack grabbed Piggy’s crotch with a bloodied hand and asked whether she was used to the sight of blood. There were gasps from one or two audience members but personally, I absolutely loved this moment! In using an all-female cast there was room, for viewers such as myself at least, to play more to the female-ness of the characters and I do believe this could have been done without damaging the overall integrity of the work. However, as criticisms go, this is a relatively minor one and it certainly didn’t detract from my overall viewing enjoyment.
It is clear from their updated rendition of William Golding’s classic that BOA Actors is a collective on the rise, packed with various names that are certainly worth looking out for. A thoroughly enjoyable evening, I look forward to whatever this group plans on serving up next!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 28 April 2018
Theatre Review: The Young Rep Bring Macbeth to The Swan Theatre, Worcester!
Yesterday evening, for the final show in a week-long run of performances, I went along to The Swan Theatre in Worcester City Centre to observe the stars of The Young Rep, a branch off from Worcester Rep, bring Shakespeare's Macbeth to the stage. Audience members were ushered into the main hall under a gathering mist that emanated from the stage, and given five minutes or so before the performance proper to admire an appropriately bare setting, cleverly made up of scaffolding structures. The lights dropped, the drums started, and something truly special happened at The Swan Theatre last night.
The Young Rep's Macbeth was opened by the three witches, played by Charlotte Mason, Hannah Whitehouse, and Steffi Mountain and they were nothing short of glorious! Eerie, villainous, and beautifully delivered throughout the entire performance, these three characters and indeed actors were stand-out for me, and they set the scene brilliantly for the drama that followed.
For a collective that prides itself on consisting of young actors, there was certainly nothing immature about their polished performances and sincere deliveries last night. Alex Buckley made for a fine Duncan but he really came into his own when he took to the role of Macduff; passionate, proud, and authentic, Buckley brought the character to the stage with a bang and he maintained his forceful delivery throughout, making for a memorable performance. Meanwhile Alex Scoby moved between the roles of Banquo, Seyton, and Young Siward with considerable ease, delivering a Banquo that I was genuinely sad to bid farewell to; again, Scoby's delivery was convincing and his later appearance as Banquo's ghost made for some deliciously chilling moments.
And now, we come to Malcolm, here played by Emily Jones who brought the role to life with some conviction. Jones' delivery was good at the start but great by the finish and her command of her fellow cast members in the final moments of the drama made for wonderful viewing! A stand-out member of this company, Jones did herself proud in last night's performance, delivering a Malcolm that was believable and passionate in equal measures.
From the female actors to the female characters, I have to here turn my attention to Lady Macbeth. Charlotte Mason - of previous witch fame, see two paragraphs above - was also playing the role of Lady Macbeth and her delivery was simply stunning. A star on the rise, Mason delivered a Lady Macbeth who was fierce, surprisingly sassy, and undeniably determined; the role was presented with conviction and authenticity, and her mental fragility in the second half of the work made for some beautifully sad moments. Mason was a worthy Lady Macbeth and I sincerely hope to see more of this young actor at The Swan Theatre in future productions.
But let us not forget, there would be no Lady Macbeth without the Macbeth tyrant himself, here brought to life by George Ormerod - and my, didn't he bring Macbeth to life! Omerod was energetic, tortured, enthusiastic and, towards the end, downright disturbing, and this young actor made every second of his stage time count. Macbeth was wonderfully cast here as Ormerod has the ability to move between emotions - from rage to inner torment - taking his entire audience along with him. Ormerod and Mason, as the on-stage lovers, also need a collaborative commendation here as their chemistry was brilliant, which of course only added to the authenticity of the work in its entirety.
A cleverly dressed stage and a wonderful soundtrack of appropriately eerie noises, and Macbeth was complete. Each actor in this piece contributed to the polished final end, and The Young Rep has certainly made its mark with this performance. Directed by Ben Humphrey and delivered by rising stars galore, there are names worth looking out for on Macbeth's casting bill, and I cannot wait to see what The Young Rep does next.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 11 March 2018
The Young Rep's Macbeth was opened by the three witches, played by Charlotte Mason, Hannah Whitehouse, and Steffi Mountain and they were nothing short of glorious! Eerie, villainous, and beautifully delivered throughout the entire performance, these three characters and indeed actors were stand-out for me, and they set the scene brilliantly for the drama that followed.
For a collective that prides itself on consisting of young actors, there was certainly nothing immature about their polished performances and sincere deliveries last night. Alex Buckley made for a fine Duncan but he really came into his own when he took to the role of Macduff; passionate, proud, and authentic, Buckley brought the character to the stage with a bang and he maintained his forceful delivery throughout, making for a memorable performance. Meanwhile Alex Scoby moved between the roles of Banquo, Seyton, and Young Siward with considerable ease, delivering a Banquo that I was genuinely sad to bid farewell to; again, Scoby's delivery was convincing and his later appearance as Banquo's ghost made for some deliciously chilling moments.
And now, we come to Malcolm, here played by Emily Jones who brought the role to life with some conviction. Jones' delivery was good at the start but great by the finish and her command of her fellow cast members in the final moments of the drama made for wonderful viewing! A stand-out member of this company, Jones did herself proud in last night's performance, delivering a Malcolm that was believable and passionate in equal measures.
From the female actors to the female characters, I have to here turn my attention to Lady Macbeth. Charlotte Mason - of previous witch fame, see two paragraphs above - was also playing the role of Lady Macbeth and her delivery was simply stunning. A star on the rise, Mason delivered a Lady Macbeth who was fierce, surprisingly sassy, and undeniably determined; the role was presented with conviction and authenticity, and her mental fragility in the second half of the work made for some beautifully sad moments. Mason was a worthy Lady Macbeth and I sincerely hope to see more of this young actor at The Swan Theatre in future productions.
But let us not forget, there would be no Lady Macbeth without the Macbeth tyrant himself, here brought to life by George Ormerod - and my, didn't he bring Macbeth to life! Omerod was energetic, tortured, enthusiastic and, towards the end, downright disturbing, and this young actor made every second of his stage time count. Macbeth was wonderfully cast here as Ormerod has the ability to move between emotions - from rage to inner torment - taking his entire audience along with him. Ormerod and Mason, as the on-stage lovers, also need a collaborative commendation here as their chemistry was brilliant, which of course only added to the authenticity of the work in its entirety.
A cleverly dressed stage and a wonderful soundtrack of appropriately eerie noises, and Macbeth was complete. Each actor in this piece contributed to the polished final end, and The Young Rep has certainly made its mark with this performance. Directed by Ben Humphrey and delivered by rising stars galore, there are names worth looking out for on Macbeth's casting bill, and I cannot wait to see what The Young Rep does next.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 11 March 2018
Theatre Review: William Shakespeare's othello, by Worcester Rep at the Cathedral
Worcester Rep at the Cathedral is an annual event that I usually start counting down towards from late August. It is at that time that I’m on the look-out for an official announcement, and the accompanying publicity, that will reveal the company’s play for the year. This year, it is William Shakespeare’s Othello. One of the few Shakespeare plays that I haven’t studied, or even read, Othello is a highly praised piece of drama that Worcester Rep have successfully transported into a wonderfully atmospheric setting, and their opening night (October 17th) made for a beautiful display of theatre.
For those, like myself, less familiar with the play than other works, let me summarise. Othello loves and marries Desdemona – despite her father’s protests against it. The powerful Othello elects Cassio to be his second in command, to the dismay of Othello’s close friend, Iago. Iago then initiates a path of death and destruction that sees our protagonist corrupted by jealousy, our lovers torn apart, and many of the surrounding characters murdered (or nearly murdered, at least).
Through an enjoyable mixture of familiar and entirely new faces, the Rep has put together a talent-packed cast that works well to deliver the play with force and authenticity. Wesley Charles’ Othello was delivered with passion and conviction and his on-stage interactions with Genevieve Lowe – or rather, Desdemona – were really quite breath-taking at times. The collective gasp from the audience when Charles delivered that mighty slap to his on-stage lover being one such example of these breath-stealing moments.
George Ormerod delivered such an unexpectedly endearing Roderigo that I felt genuinely sad to see his murderous exit from the play, despite seeing it coming. Similarly, Wilf Williams made for an endearing Cassio, with appropriate amounts of charm and authenticity. Williams was not only believable in this role but he also offered some truly stand-out moments in the play as a whole, with his fight scenes in particular providing a high point. In addition to these leading men, I have to pause here to appreciate the commendable portrayal of Emilia by Heidi Gowthorpe. The outright passion and conviction that Gowthorpe incorporated into her final scenes were not only well-acted, but also genuinely moving, too, and brave to her for such displays.
In terms of our main characters then, this leaves us with Iago, here played by Jamie Kwasnik. For the purpose of this review I must suspend my personal feelings on the character – who is undeniably vile and immoral – and simply praise the actor for such a stellar delivery. Kwasnik was inappropriately amusing, sly, cunning, and all other bad things – but in a truly marvellous way. Iago here was ruthless, delivered convincingly with a horrible persona that was maintained well throughout. Commendation for Kwasnik for such a convincing and polished bad guy!
The likes of Ben Humphrey – a marvellous clown, if ever there was one – and Jonathan Darby (as Brabantio/Lodovico) make a welcome return to the Rep in this performance also, with their reliable acting carrying their roles well. Lily Portman and Phil Leach also donned the stage with bite-size but enjoyable performances, adopting a whole host of different roles to carry the play forward. I commend them both for taking on the task of so many personas in such a short time.
And so with another year comes another success for Worcester Rep. Despite one or two dialogue slips during the performance – that were recovered instantly and without prompt – the opening night of Othello was smooth-running and thoroughly enjoyable. The company have again done themselves proud, providing a polished rendition of Shakespeare’s work with a touch of contemporary flare. This is certainly a performance worth seeing.
Ticket information can be found online now by clicking here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 18 October 2017
For those, like myself, less familiar with the play than other works, let me summarise. Othello loves and marries Desdemona – despite her father’s protests against it. The powerful Othello elects Cassio to be his second in command, to the dismay of Othello’s close friend, Iago. Iago then initiates a path of death and destruction that sees our protagonist corrupted by jealousy, our lovers torn apart, and many of the surrounding characters murdered (or nearly murdered, at least).
Through an enjoyable mixture of familiar and entirely new faces, the Rep has put together a talent-packed cast that works well to deliver the play with force and authenticity. Wesley Charles’ Othello was delivered with passion and conviction and his on-stage interactions with Genevieve Lowe – or rather, Desdemona – were really quite breath-taking at times. The collective gasp from the audience when Charles delivered that mighty slap to his on-stage lover being one such example of these breath-stealing moments.
George Ormerod delivered such an unexpectedly endearing Roderigo that I felt genuinely sad to see his murderous exit from the play, despite seeing it coming. Similarly, Wilf Williams made for an endearing Cassio, with appropriate amounts of charm and authenticity. Williams was not only believable in this role but he also offered some truly stand-out moments in the play as a whole, with his fight scenes in particular providing a high point. In addition to these leading men, I have to pause here to appreciate the commendable portrayal of Emilia by Heidi Gowthorpe. The outright passion and conviction that Gowthorpe incorporated into her final scenes were not only well-acted, but also genuinely moving, too, and brave to her for such displays.
In terms of our main characters then, this leaves us with Iago, here played by Jamie Kwasnik. For the purpose of this review I must suspend my personal feelings on the character – who is undeniably vile and immoral – and simply praise the actor for such a stellar delivery. Kwasnik was inappropriately amusing, sly, cunning, and all other bad things – but in a truly marvellous way. Iago here was ruthless, delivered convincingly with a horrible persona that was maintained well throughout. Commendation for Kwasnik for such a convincing and polished bad guy!
The likes of Ben Humphrey – a marvellous clown, if ever there was one – and Jonathan Darby (as Brabantio/Lodovico) make a welcome return to the Rep in this performance also, with their reliable acting carrying their roles well. Lily Portman and Phil Leach also donned the stage with bite-size but enjoyable performances, adopting a whole host of different roles to carry the play forward. I commend them both for taking on the task of so many personas in such a short time.
And so with another year comes another success for Worcester Rep. Despite one or two dialogue slips during the performance – that were recovered instantly and without prompt – the opening night of Othello was smooth-running and thoroughly enjoyable. The company have again done themselves proud, providing a polished rendition of Shakespeare’s work with a touch of contemporary flare. This is certainly a performance worth seeing.
Ticket information can be found online now by clicking here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 18 October 2017
Gig Review: Kate Tempest - Let Them Eat Chaos
Last Sunday (4/12) I travelled up to Birmingham to see Kate Tempest on her Let Them Eat Chaos tour. The room was packed, the atomsphere was electric, and every single person in that room was braced for something special - but I don't think any of us realised how special that night was going to get. Blurring the lines between rap and spoken word, Tempest took to the stage at 9pm that night and the room fell silent as she promptly pulled every audience member in for what was going to be a mind-blowing, heart-warming stretch of music meets poetry, with the crowd only waking their own vocals intermittently to voice a chorus of whoops and shouts of support for the artist. Having admired Tempest from afar in recent years, I knew that I was in good evening, but I left that venue having had a bloody marvellous one - and it's easy to see now just why Tempest garners the attention that she does.
Taking to the stage with confidence from the off, Tempest informed audience members that she would be delivering the full Let Them Eat Chaos album over the hour that followed - and what a delivery! The music itself was relentless, bringing with it a family of basslines that reverberated through even those of us positioned at the back of the venue, and Tempest blitzed through each track with a professionalism and skill that is commendable. Pausing only for audience applause, the part-poet, part-rapper was fierce in her delivery, churning out lines that stick with you long after one listen.
A stellar evening, Let Them Eat Chaos is a champion release, both as a book and as an album, and I'm sure I'll have the CD - eagerly bought when the gig was finished - on repeat for months to come yet. If you can see this tour, do; if you can't, then invest in a copy of the album. It is everything that spoken word needs, pulling in the attention that it deserves, and it is easy to see from this show alone how Tempest has bagged herself a spot at the centre of this genre.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 8 December 2016
Taking to the stage with confidence from the off, Tempest informed audience members that she would be delivering the full Let Them Eat Chaos album over the hour that followed - and what a delivery! The music itself was relentless, bringing with it a family of basslines that reverberated through even those of us positioned at the back of the venue, and Tempest blitzed through each track with a professionalism and skill that is commendable. Pausing only for audience applause, the part-poet, part-rapper was fierce in her delivery, churning out lines that stick with you long after one listen.
A stellar evening, Let Them Eat Chaos is a champion release, both as a book and as an album, and I'm sure I'll have the CD - eagerly bought when the gig was finished - on repeat for months to come yet. If you can see this tour, do; if you can't, then invest in a copy of the album. It is everything that spoken word needs, pulling in the attention that it deserves, and it is easy to see from this show alone how Tempest has bagged herself a spot at the centre of this genre.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 8 December 2016
Author Interview: Kieran Davis talks Poetry, Publishing, and Plans for the Future!
Worcester based poet Kieran Davis is gearing up to launch his debut collection of poetry, Lacuna - which we're reviewing in Books & E-books this week - and my, what an exciting gear up it's turning out to be. Davis is an award winning poet who is well-established and highly thought of amongst his contemporaries on the Worcestershire poetry scene, and if you're yet to hear from the man himself during one of his many live performances, then you really have missed a treat. A marvellous blend of humour and emotion - although Lacuna primarily delivers the latter - Davis is a master at keeping the audience on their toes and, after reading what Lacuna had to offer, we just had to grab him for a quick chat about what's happening now, and what could be happening next...
Lacuna is your first published collection – congratulations, again – how does it feel?
Still a little surreal, to be honest. Words like ‘wonderful’ and ‘amazing’ come to mind but don’t seem enough. I have been fortunate enough to have been published in a great many magazines and anthologies over the years. Every time I see my name in print feels great. To finally have my own book, a published book (‘published’ is still a word that makes me feel like I am being tickled and simultaneously fed jelly babies)… Nothing can compare to seeing one’s name on a front cover.
‘Proud’. I think proud is the best way to describe it. I am proud to have written something publishable. Proud to be able to say, I did not give up, kept writing, honed (and continue to hone) my craft. Proud of the company I keep, the talented, supportive and encouraging writers in my community who have made me a better writer and a happier person. Proud of a loving family who take joy from having a successful husband/father/son etc. Proud that the artwork on the front cover of my first book is a photograph taken by my equally talented (Olympic torch bearing) brother. Proud that my peers take me more seriously than I do when it comes to my writing, that people I admire and respect have read and said such wonderful things about Lacuna. Proud of myself. I am finally proud of myself.
The collection itself is quite an emotional read. It must have been an emotional experience to write and work on in the months, years, that led to this?
Thank you, I appreciate you found it so. Every day is emotional, I am a sensitive sort. I am moved by all manner of things. Many of the poems in Lacuna are observational or even fictional, written specifically to evoke something. I have found the more popular poetry is the personal stuff though, anything seeped in raw honesty tends to hit home a little harder. I feel exceptionally accomplished when someone tells me they were moved by a ‘personal piece’ pertaining to an experience when that experience did not happen to me. And I always feel closer to the reader when a more personal piece has touched them, the intimacy of poetry is addictive. Reading poetry, as much as writing it, makes me feel human.
Would you say that a lot of yourself went into the book, or is there a clear break between Kieran Davis the poet and Kieran Davis the day-to-day person?
Without meaning to sound a little out there, I definitely have a sense of multiple personality. There is much of Kieran Davis the poet that does not enter ‘real life’ and some of day-to-day Kieran that goes nowhere near that other loon. Both worlds collide on occasion. Life and the experiences therein – gets written about. Writer ’Me’ often invades home-life, it cannot be helped (well, it can, but don’t tell my wife! Life is hectic, I have to write where and when I can).
A lot of work went into the book, and not entirely from me. My editor (guru and hero) Polly Stretton spent yonks (I love the word ‘yonks’) on Lacuna. And, in addition, I note I have two writing personas. I am still getting used to hearing about and seeing ‘Kieran Davis’ getting published and winning competitions. I also write as ‘Baldypoems’, a name more widely known until recently. ‘Baldy’ is a loveable rogue, a very silly man, with a seemingly inexhaustible repertoire of jokes. Kieran Davis gets taken a bit more seriously. It is fun playing the two parts, and my recent success owes no small part to the path paved by Baldypoems. You can bet your arse he’ll make an appearance at the end of the Lacuna book launch.
Is that generally how you write, or do you try to keep a partition between what’s happening in life and what’s happening in your writing?
I write whatever comes into my mind at the time, I am one of the most fortunate men in the world (proof that fortune and money have nothing in common, because I am skint) as I have a prolific muse. I always have a notebook handy. Always. Something gets written almost every day, sometimes a little, sometimes a load. It all gets processed. Much of it gets turned in to poetry. Over the last twenty years, I have written over five hundred poems. Lacuna is just a small selection of them. Some of the book’s contents were written many years ago. Some of it I cannot begin to discern whether it happened to me or someone else. Memory is flawed, that’s why everything should be written down. I need to write. Not for my own amusement, not for personal therapy (though writing is great therapy) and certainly not for an audience or the mythical money said audience supposedly leads to. I need to write, that’s all there is to it. Fortunately, a little time and effort turns what I write into something people like reading. There is no intentional barrier or partition, but I do carefully select what gets submitted or performed. There is a great deal of my material that will not see the light of day until myself or those written about have popped their clogs. And that will be a while as I refuse to die.
I think poetry, though, can sometimes encourage that intimacy and that outpouring of emotion, whether you’re pulling against it or not.
Absolutely. There is nothing more personal, more powerful or more heartbreakingly beautiful than poetry written from the soul. It is an adventure in someone else’s life, a precious moment embracing an intimate stranger.
I’ve read poetry by people I have never met that made me feel like I knew them more than their spouse. I have had poets bring me to tears, made me feel euphoria one moment and suicidal the next. You can make love with someone, using a well worded, honest poem. You can murder them with a haiku. You can bring them closer to their god or destroy their faith entirely, if you’re brave enough to write it. I want to be more than intimate with words. And I’m working on that.
Are you chiefly interested in writing poetry, or might there be some prose releases on the horizon?
Poetry is and will always be my first love. I will always write poems. But I do not think of myself solely as a poet. I am a writer. I write whatever I feel like writing. When it is not poetry, it is usually fantasy fiction. I am obsessed with wizards and dragons. I have written my first novel (just need to edit it) and a few short stories based in a mythological world I created in my youth. Two short stories from this have been published so far. My fantasy world and its mythology is vast, I hope we get to discuss this more another time. It is epic.
To you, what’s the difference – assuming there is one? Does different creativity feed prose rather than the creativity that feeds poetry, or if you can do one can you automatically do both? With enough persistence and practice, that is.
Initially, no difference. A poem works to a formula or recognised form. Poetry is something that happens, it is somehow evocative, makes you see; think or feel something. Creativity, for me, happens all the time. I never stop thinking, hence the ever-present notebook. The jotters have thoughts and ideas that may turn into a poem, alongside thoughts and ideas that could lead to fiction or research. The jotters are later ‘decanted’. I write the notes into a more legible and workable form in bigger notebooks. I have some for my fantasy, some for my poetry and others for all manner of projects. I later type up near-finished pieces and then edit them. Anything I think worth reading, then gets an audience with The Worcester Writing Circle (a hugely talented group of writers that I respect and admire). Then it gets submitted or professionally edited if intended for serious publication.
Poetry and prose sometimes lead to each other, this gets busy, having several notebooks out at once (whilst juggling work and my four wonderful children) but it is rewarding; and I am lucky enough to have a loving, patient and tolerant wife to keep me grounded.
Finally, then, what’s next for Kieran Davis, author of Lacuna?
A lot. The official launch of Lacuna, followed by a performance at the Swan theatre the following day. Performances at local spoken word events, including The Worcestershire Literary Festival and Fringe's SpeakEasy and also at 42 (Worcester’s monthly Fantasy, sci-Fi and Gothic Horror spoken word event). I have recently joined the Worcestershire Literary Festival committee, so will be working closely with them to bring some great events in to play. I am working on a website for poets to promote poets and publishers of poetry (and hopefully make poetry a more recognised and appreciated art-form). As well as editing the novel and working on my mythology, I continue to write and perform poetry. I have a couple of projects submitted at present, but won’t go in to it just yet in case they are rejected. I am promoting Lacuna. My publisher, Black Pear Press, said they would like to work with me again, so they will be the first people I submit the next full collection to. So finally, for now. I am working on my next collection of poetry. If ‘Lacuna’ suggested there was something left out, then 'Legacy’ will ensure there is something worth leaving behind.
For the latest on Lacuna you can check out Kieran's website for various updates, and make sure you head over to Books & E-books for our review of the collection as well.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 6 August 2016
Lacuna is your first published collection – congratulations, again – how does it feel?
Still a little surreal, to be honest. Words like ‘wonderful’ and ‘amazing’ come to mind but don’t seem enough. I have been fortunate enough to have been published in a great many magazines and anthologies over the years. Every time I see my name in print feels great. To finally have my own book, a published book (‘published’ is still a word that makes me feel like I am being tickled and simultaneously fed jelly babies)… Nothing can compare to seeing one’s name on a front cover.
‘Proud’. I think proud is the best way to describe it. I am proud to have written something publishable. Proud to be able to say, I did not give up, kept writing, honed (and continue to hone) my craft. Proud of the company I keep, the talented, supportive and encouraging writers in my community who have made me a better writer and a happier person. Proud of a loving family who take joy from having a successful husband/father/son etc. Proud that the artwork on the front cover of my first book is a photograph taken by my equally talented (Olympic torch bearing) brother. Proud that my peers take me more seriously than I do when it comes to my writing, that people I admire and respect have read and said such wonderful things about Lacuna. Proud of myself. I am finally proud of myself.
The collection itself is quite an emotional read. It must have been an emotional experience to write and work on in the months, years, that led to this?
Thank you, I appreciate you found it so. Every day is emotional, I am a sensitive sort. I am moved by all manner of things. Many of the poems in Lacuna are observational or even fictional, written specifically to evoke something. I have found the more popular poetry is the personal stuff though, anything seeped in raw honesty tends to hit home a little harder. I feel exceptionally accomplished when someone tells me they were moved by a ‘personal piece’ pertaining to an experience when that experience did not happen to me. And I always feel closer to the reader when a more personal piece has touched them, the intimacy of poetry is addictive. Reading poetry, as much as writing it, makes me feel human.
Would you say that a lot of yourself went into the book, or is there a clear break between Kieran Davis the poet and Kieran Davis the day-to-day person?
Without meaning to sound a little out there, I definitely have a sense of multiple personality. There is much of Kieran Davis the poet that does not enter ‘real life’ and some of day-to-day Kieran that goes nowhere near that other loon. Both worlds collide on occasion. Life and the experiences therein – gets written about. Writer ’Me’ often invades home-life, it cannot be helped (well, it can, but don’t tell my wife! Life is hectic, I have to write where and when I can).
A lot of work went into the book, and not entirely from me. My editor (guru and hero) Polly Stretton spent yonks (I love the word ‘yonks’) on Lacuna. And, in addition, I note I have two writing personas. I am still getting used to hearing about and seeing ‘Kieran Davis’ getting published and winning competitions. I also write as ‘Baldypoems’, a name more widely known until recently. ‘Baldy’ is a loveable rogue, a very silly man, with a seemingly inexhaustible repertoire of jokes. Kieran Davis gets taken a bit more seriously. It is fun playing the two parts, and my recent success owes no small part to the path paved by Baldypoems. You can bet your arse he’ll make an appearance at the end of the Lacuna book launch.
Is that generally how you write, or do you try to keep a partition between what’s happening in life and what’s happening in your writing?
I write whatever comes into my mind at the time, I am one of the most fortunate men in the world (proof that fortune and money have nothing in common, because I am skint) as I have a prolific muse. I always have a notebook handy. Always. Something gets written almost every day, sometimes a little, sometimes a load. It all gets processed. Much of it gets turned in to poetry. Over the last twenty years, I have written over five hundred poems. Lacuna is just a small selection of them. Some of the book’s contents were written many years ago. Some of it I cannot begin to discern whether it happened to me or someone else. Memory is flawed, that’s why everything should be written down. I need to write. Not for my own amusement, not for personal therapy (though writing is great therapy) and certainly not for an audience or the mythical money said audience supposedly leads to. I need to write, that’s all there is to it. Fortunately, a little time and effort turns what I write into something people like reading. There is no intentional barrier or partition, but I do carefully select what gets submitted or performed. There is a great deal of my material that will not see the light of day until myself or those written about have popped their clogs. And that will be a while as I refuse to die.
I think poetry, though, can sometimes encourage that intimacy and that outpouring of emotion, whether you’re pulling against it or not.
Absolutely. There is nothing more personal, more powerful or more heartbreakingly beautiful than poetry written from the soul. It is an adventure in someone else’s life, a precious moment embracing an intimate stranger.
I’ve read poetry by people I have never met that made me feel like I knew them more than their spouse. I have had poets bring me to tears, made me feel euphoria one moment and suicidal the next. You can make love with someone, using a well worded, honest poem. You can murder them with a haiku. You can bring them closer to their god or destroy their faith entirely, if you’re brave enough to write it. I want to be more than intimate with words. And I’m working on that.
Are you chiefly interested in writing poetry, or might there be some prose releases on the horizon?
Poetry is and will always be my first love. I will always write poems. But I do not think of myself solely as a poet. I am a writer. I write whatever I feel like writing. When it is not poetry, it is usually fantasy fiction. I am obsessed with wizards and dragons. I have written my first novel (just need to edit it) and a few short stories based in a mythological world I created in my youth. Two short stories from this have been published so far. My fantasy world and its mythology is vast, I hope we get to discuss this more another time. It is epic.
To you, what’s the difference – assuming there is one? Does different creativity feed prose rather than the creativity that feeds poetry, or if you can do one can you automatically do both? With enough persistence and practice, that is.
Initially, no difference. A poem works to a formula or recognised form. Poetry is something that happens, it is somehow evocative, makes you see; think or feel something. Creativity, for me, happens all the time. I never stop thinking, hence the ever-present notebook. The jotters have thoughts and ideas that may turn into a poem, alongside thoughts and ideas that could lead to fiction or research. The jotters are later ‘decanted’. I write the notes into a more legible and workable form in bigger notebooks. I have some for my fantasy, some for my poetry and others for all manner of projects. I later type up near-finished pieces and then edit them. Anything I think worth reading, then gets an audience with The Worcester Writing Circle (a hugely talented group of writers that I respect and admire). Then it gets submitted or professionally edited if intended for serious publication.
Poetry and prose sometimes lead to each other, this gets busy, having several notebooks out at once (whilst juggling work and my four wonderful children) but it is rewarding; and I am lucky enough to have a loving, patient and tolerant wife to keep me grounded.
Finally, then, what’s next for Kieran Davis, author of Lacuna?
A lot. The official launch of Lacuna, followed by a performance at the Swan theatre the following day. Performances at local spoken word events, including The Worcestershire Literary Festival and Fringe's SpeakEasy and also at 42 (Worcester’s monthly Fantasy, sci-Fi and Gothic Horror spoken word event). I have recently joined the Worcestershire Literary Festival committee, so will be working closely with them to bring some great events in to play. I am working on a website for poets to promote poets and publishers of poetry (and hopefully make poetry a more recognised and appreciated art-form). As well as editing the novel and working on my mythology, I continue to write and perform poetry. I have a couple of projects submitted at present, but won’t go in to it just yet in case they are rejected. I am promoting Lacuna. My publisher, Black Pear Press, said they would like to work with me again, so they will be the first people I submit the next full collection to. So finally, for now. I am working on my next collection of poetry. If ‘Lacuna’ suggested there was something left out, then 'Legacy’ will ensure there is something worth leaving behind.
For the latest on Lacuna you can check out Kieran's website for various updates, and make sure you head over to Books & E-books for our review of the collection as well.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 6 August 2016
Feature: Rest in Peace, Prince
He's the man who was simply known as a symbol, a man that went against the restrictions enforced by the globally-established record companies to pursue his ideas of music. The sad news that Prince had passed away at his Paisley Park complex in Minnesota yesterday had again hit the music world hard after the tragic loss of the likes of Natalie Cole, Lemmy, Frank Sinatra, Jr. and David Bowie in recent months.
Born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, this pint-sized pocket of creative genius rose to prominence in the early 1980s. This was when we first got a taste of his flair for extravagant outfits, meaningful lyrics, and something radically different from the established artists that were on the tips of peoples' tongues globally.
Having been married twice, as well as being linked with a host of celebrities, including former Playboy Model Carmen Electra, this soulful musician, who had the skills to play multiple instruments, would remain as more of a mystical figure at the complex that would be his final resting place.
In a career that spanned 40 years, this man with a unique and somewhat charismatic personality, who was also a showman unlike the norm, was active right up until his death. His hits include the likes of "Sign O' The Times," "When Doves Cry" and "Kiss," as well as over fifty studio and live albums to his credit, and multiple Grammy and MTV Music awards. "Purple Rain," released in 1984, would see the Minnesota native take his first and only Oscar for the track of the song's silver screen namesake, which Prince also starred in.
Despite having become somewhat more reclusive in recent times, Prince's last visit to the UK was back in 2014, where he played several surprise concerts with "3RDEYEGIRL," his new band.
A true creative mastermind has left us, but the legacy and the music he left us with shows that his spirit is still here, touching every soul that listens to his body of work, irrespective of what decade it’s from.
Thank you, Prince.
Written by: Alex Goldschmidt
Published: 22 April 2016
Born Prince Rogers Nelson on June 7, 1958, this pint-sized pocket of creative genius rose to prominence in the early 1980s. This was when we first got a taste of his flair for extravagant outfits, meaningful lyrics, and something radically different from the established artists that were on the tips of peoples' tongues globally.
Having been married twice, as well as being linked with a host of celebrities, including former Playboy Model Carmen Electra, this soulful musician, who had the skills to play multiple instruments, would remain as more of a mystical figure at the complex that would be his final resting place.
In a career that spanned 40 years, this man with a unique and somewhat charismatic personality, who was also a showman unlike the norm, was active right up until his death. His hits include the likes of "Sign O' The Times," "When Doves Cry" and "Kiss," as well as over fifty studio and live albums to his credit, and multiple Grammy and MTV Music awards. "Purple Rain," released in 1984, would see the Minnesota native take his first and only Oscar for the track of the song's silver screen namesake, which Prince also starred in.
Despite having become somewhat more reclusive in recent times, Prince's last visit to the UK was back in 2014, where he played several surprise concerts with "3RDEYEGIRL," his new band.
A true creative mastermind has left us, but the legacy and the music he left us with shows that his spirit is still here, touching every soul that listens to his body of work, irrespective of what decade it’s from.
Thank you, Prince.
Written by: Alex Goldschmidt
Published: 22 April 2016
Feature: Always Alan Rickman
Thursday January 14th, 2016, my world was hit by yet another celebrity death. Mother Nature wasn't content with taking Lemmy from Motorhead and the musical genius David Bowie; she decided to take away one of the greatest actors of all time, Alan Rickman, as well. At the tender age of 69 Alan passed away from cancer and was with friends and loved ones when it happened.
This particular death has hit me a bit more than others as I grew up watching this actor blossom on-screen ever since the tour de force Die Hard in 1988. This role was the break through role and quite literally overnight caused an unknown Rickman to become a sensation, albeit in the movie world. This beautiful actor honed his craft on the stage and in small television roles before the part of Hans Gruber in the aforementioned Die Hard, and from here he went on to play some of the most delicious roles in Hollywood.
The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Professor Snape in the Harry Potter series, the Metatron in Dogma (a very underrated role) and Alexander Dane/Dr Lazarus in the cult classic Galaxy Quest to name a few. Although, Rickman's career would not always surrounded by sci-fi and action; at times he worked on much more timid roles such as Sense and Sensibility and, in one of my guilty pleasure films, the excellent ensemble that is Love Actually.
Amongst his many talents in the acting world he has garnered many awards and accolades through his numerous years, these include the 46th best villain for his role in Die Hard also revealing that he almost did not take this role! The role in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves is widely regarded as the movie that made him known as the best for portraying villains in movies. He won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his performance as Rasputin in the Dark Servant of Destiny and was also nominated for a second Emmy in 2004 for the movie Something the Lord Made.
Rickman would also dabble in music; he was the Master of Ceremonies on Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells 2 and even worked with the band on three separate occasions as well, and the man was a great advocate for charity work. Acting as a patron for the charity Saving Faces, he was also the Honorary President of the International Performers Aid Trust which alleviates poverty in some the world’s toughest conditions.
Rickman is survived by his one true love Rima Horton whom he met aged 19 in 1965; they were married in a quiet private service in 2012 in New York.
Words literally cannot explain how sad I feel about this loss. Not since the death of another childhood hero, the Ultimate Warrior, have I felt this way and just like when Warrior passed this has been a great shock to me. As a long time fan of Mr. Rickman’s work it is truly saddening to hear that a lovely man has passed away; long time quotes say that Alan Rickman was always a pleasure to be around and seemed to be a genuinely loving human being.
I’ll leave you with this wonderful but also saddening quote as he sadly will not be here in body for his 80th birthday: “When I’m 80 years old and sitting in my rocking chair, I’ll be reading Harry Potter. And my family will say to me, ‘After all this time?’ And I will say, ‘Always.”’
Thank you, Alan, for the memories you have given us all. Goodbye and farewell.
Written by: Phil Brown
Published: 17 January 2016
This particular death has hit me a bit more than others as I grew up watching this actor blossom on-screen ever since the tour de force Die Hard in 1988. This role was the break through role and quite literally overnight caused an unknown Rickman to become a sensation, albeit in the movie world. This beautiful actor honed his craft on the stage and in small television roles before the part of Hans Gruber in the aforementioned Die Hard, and from here he went on to play some of the most delicious roles in Hollywood.
The Sheriff of Nottingham in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves, Professor Snape in the Harry Potter series, the Metatron in Dogma (a very underrated role) and Alexander Dane/Dr Lazarus in the cult classic Galaxy Quest to name a few. Although, Rickman's career would not always surrounded by sci-fi and action; at times he worked on much more timid roles such as Sense and Sensibility and, in one of my guilty pleasure films, the excellent ensemble that is Love Actually.
Amongst his many talents in the acting world he has garnered many awards and accolades through his numerous years, these include the 46th best villain for his role in Die Hard also revealing that he almost did not take this role! The role in Robin Hood Prince of Thieves is widely regarded as the movie that made him known as the best for portraying villains in movies. He won a Golden Globe and an Emmy for his performance as Rasputin in the Dark Servant of Destiny and was also nominated for a second Emmy in 2004 for the movie Something the Lord Made.
Rickman would also dabble in music; he was the Master of Ceremonies on Mike Oldfield’s Tubular Bells 2 and even worked with the band on three separate occasions as well, and the man was a great advocate for charity work. Acting as a patron for the charity Saving Faces, he was also the Honorary President of the International Performers Aid Trust which alleviates poverty in some the world’s toughest conditions.
Rickman is survived by his one true love Rima Horton whom he met aged 19 in 1965; they were married in a quiet private service in 2012 in New York.
Words literally cannot explain how sad I feel about this loss. Not since the death of another childhood hero, the Ultimate Warrior, have I felt this way and just like when Warrior passed this has been a great shock to me. As a long time fan of Mr. Rickman’s work it is truly saddening to hear that a lovely man has passed away; long time quotes say that Alan Rickman was always a pleasure to be around and seemed to be a genuinely loving human being.
I’ll leave you with this wonderful but also saddening quote as he sadly will not be here in body for his 80th birthday: “When I’m 80 years old and sitting in my rocking chair, I’ll be reading Harry Potter. And my family will say to me, ‘After all this time?’ And I will say, ‘Always.”’
Thank you, Alan, for the memories you have given us all. Goodbye and farewell.
Written by: Phil Brown
Published: 17 January 2016
Author Interview: Sarah Leavesley talks Poetry, Prose, and Plans for the future
Sarah Leavesley, published as Sarah James, is a Worcestershire based poet who has recently published her marvellous collection, plenty-fish, with Nine Arches Press. In between publicising her new book, and making various appearances around the West Midlands - she's a popular lady, you see - Sarah managed to find time to sit down with the Mad Hatter team and answer some questions for us...
For people who aren’t familiar with your work, or your style of writing, how would you sell your book to them? What sort of poetry should they expect from the collection?
Being a saleswoman: the hardest part of being a poet!
Generally, I write in both experimental and more mainstream traditions, so each collection I’ve had published so far has been very different. The majority of the poems in plenty-fish are more mainstream, with a handful of quite experimental poems. (A handful here being somewhere between 5 and 10 of what I think is 52 poems in total.) Crafted and polished over the past five years, there are poems of landscape, place and family, literary-influenced poems, poems of personal and general history, and lots of water and/or sea. That said though, only two poems with fish in them; the collection title actually arising from word play on the phrase ‘plenty more fish in the sea’.
But perhaps the best way of getting a taste of the collection is the sample poems (which you can do by clicking here and here).
Is poetry your preferred choice for writing, or do you have some prose in the works for the future perhaps?
Tough question. My writing background is in student, regional and then freelance newspaper journalism, including features and reviews. But I always wanted to write more imaginatively. My first creative publications were actually in short fiction, before I had children. Since then, poetry seems to have proved most successful for me, and more adaptable to fitting around children, chores and life than most prose fiction writing. I think this is probably because it’s much easier to fit this writing into small chopped-up blocks of time than eg a novel. Flash fiction also works well in this way. Since finishing a creative writing masters which focussed on poetry (and with my children now older), I have been writing some fiction again. We will see what happens with this…
From my own experience, people to seem to think that there’s something challenging or special about poetry which makes it inaccessible to a lot of readers. As a poet, I’d love to know your thoughts on this.
Enough thoughts for a whole book of essays! But there in that sentence itself is part of the problem perhaps – overcomplicating things. I suspect that the perception of poetry as inaccessible may also be part of what makes it inaccessible, a kind of self-fulfilling prophesy. For a lot of people that I’ve heard this from, part of that perception dates back to school and uninspiring teaching (not necessarily down to the teachers, as opposed to the framework they have had to work with in). I wonder if, once we’ve let ourselves believe something’s difficult or inaccessible, it then becomes so. Like most things, I think poetry also becomes more accessible the more we’re immersed in it. But different people and readers have different tastes. Challenging and special again are terms that may be seen as bad, but can also be good, for some people at least. Life in general can get boring or samey very easily without anything special or challenging to give it some spark.
Do you think that the growing interest in spoken word/performance poetry has been beneficial to this public perception of poetry?
Good question, and one I’m not sure I can answer with any authority. I certainly think it’s a good thing, and a way of bringing poetry to audiences that might shy away from a book. It also opens up a whole different poetry experience and makes different things possible with poetry. That said, and I don’t really want to put the next part into words, I suspect there will always be people whose long-standing opinions about poetry won’t be changed. Also people that don’t even think about poetry at all, negatively or positively, so any widening of audience is something to be celebrated!
In terms of your own work, would you say it’s designed for the page, the stage, or does it bend in both directions?
My own character tends towards introverted and quiet (though close friends might say I have my very much louder moments!) I also love reading, so I’d say my own writing is inevitably designed more for the page than the stage. That said, I work on all my lines aloud and produce poems in a range of styles, some pieces aimed more at stage suitability than others. I enjoy reading at festivals and have performed some poems by heart. But there are some really great performance poets and entertainers out there that bring the stage alive in a way that I can’t ever imagine having the confidence or character to pull off. I’m happy to be in awe of that talent and ability in others.
It’s also great for me to work in collaborations that help to link page and stage. One of the memorable things for me in the past year has been actress Vey Straker bringing poems from my previous poetry collection alive on stage in my poetry-play The Magnetic Diaries. And I have another non-poetry play idea that I’d like to work on at some point, for others to act in. I guess what I’m saying is that I try to be open to as much as I can creatively for page and stage, but that I am naturally more a writer than a performer.
And, finally, you’re obviously publicising your new collection at the moment – congratulations again for that wonderful achievement – but, what’s next? Further aspirations? Writing goals?
I have lots of creative projects in progress: a poetry and photography collaboration, two possible poetry pamphlets, a manuscript that might become the next collection, a novella that I’d love to see published, the play idea that I’d like to actually buckle down to writing, a few short stories that I should do something with…as well as editing work on the go with my poetry imprint, V. Press. But I push myself a lot. At the moment, I’m trying not to look too far ahead or have too great aspirations or expectations. So, the goal for now is to give this collection, plenty-fish, the time and space that it (and my publisher!) are due, to develop V. Press, keep enjoying the creativity, continue trying new things as a writer and generally spread ‘poetry love’ wherever I can.
Sarah's collection, plenty-fish, is up for review in our Books & E-Books section this week as well.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 8 October 2015
For people who aren’t familiar with your work, or your style of writing, how would you sell your book to them? What sort of poetry should they expect from the collection?
Being a saleswoman: the hardest part of being a poet!
Generally, I write in both experimental and more mainstream traditions, so each collection I’ve had published so far has been very different. The majority of the poems in plenty-fish are more mainstream, with a handful of quite experimental poems. (A handful here being somewhere between 5 and 10 of what I think is 52 poems in total.) Crafted and polished over the past five years, there are poems of landscape, place and family, literary-influenced poems, poems of personal and general history, and lots of water and/or sea. That said though, only two poems with fish in them; the collection title actually arising from word play on the phrase ‘plenty more fish in the sea’.
But perhaps the best way of getting a taste of the collection is the sample poems (which you can do by clicking here and here).
Is poetry your preferred choice for writing, or do you have some prose in the works for the future perhaps?
Tough question. My writing background is in student, regional and then freelance newspaper journalism, including features and reviews. But I always wanted to write more imaginatively. My first creative publications were actually in short fiction, before I had children. Since then, poetry seems to have proved most successful for me, and more adaptable to fitting around children, chores and life than most prose fiction writing. I think this is probably because it’s much easier to fit this writing into small chopped-up blocks of time than eg a novel. Flash fiction also works well in this way. Since finishing a creative writing masters which focussed on poetry (and with my children now older), I have been writing some fiction again. We will see what happens with this…
From my own experience, people to seem to think that there’s something challenging or special about poetry which makes it inaccessible to a lot of readers. As a poet, I’d love to know your thoughts on this.
Enough thoughts for a whole book of essays! But there in that sentence itself is part of the problem perhaps – overcomplicating things. I suspect that the perception of poetry as inaccessible may also be part of what makes it inaccessible, a kind of self-fulfilling prophesy. For a lot of people that I’ve heard this from, part of that perception dates back to school and uninspiring teaching (not necessarily down to the teachers, as opposed to the framework they have had to work with in). I wonder if, once we’ve let ourselves believe something’s difficult or inaccessible, it then becomes so. Like most things, I think poetry also becomes more accessible the more we’re immersed in it. But different people and readers have different tastes. Challenging and special again are terms that may be seen as bad, but can also be good, for some people at least. Life in general can get boring or samey very easily without anything special or challenging to give it some spark.
Do you think that the growing interest in spoken word/performance poetry has been beneficial to this public perception of poetry?
Good question, and one I’m not sure I can answer with any authority. I certainly think it’s a good thing, and a way of bringing poetry to audiences that might shy away from a book. It also opens up a whole different poetry experience and makes different things possible with poetry. That said, and I don’t really want to put the next part into words, I suspect there will always be people whose long-standing opinions about poetry won’t be changed. Also people that don’t even think about poetry at all, negatively or positively, so any widening of audience is something to be celebrated!
In terms of your own work, would you say it’s designed for the page, the stage, or does it bend in both directions?
My own character tends towards introverted and quiet (though close friends might say I have my very much louder moments!) I also love reading, so I’d say my own writing is inevitably designed more for the page than the stage. That said, I work on all my lines aloud and produce poems in a range of styles, some pieces aimed more at stage suitability than others. I enjoy reading at festivals and have performed some poems by heart. But there are some really great performance poets and entertainers out there that bring the stage alive in a way that I can’t ever imagine having the confidence or character to pull off. I’m happy to be in awe of that talent and ability in others.
It’s also great for me to work in collaborations that help to link page and stage. One of the memorable things for me in the past year has been actress Vey Straker bringing poems from my previous poetry collection alive on stage in my poetry-play The Magnetic Diaries. And I have another non-poetry play idea that I’d like to work on at some point, for others to act in. I guess what I’m saying is that I try to be open to as much as I can creatively for page and stage, but that I am naturally more a writer than a performer.
And, finally, you’re obviously publicising your new collection at the moment – congratulations again for that wonderful achievement – but, what’s next? Further aspirations? Writing goals?
I have lots of creative projects in progress: a poetry and photography collaboration, two possible poetry pamphlets, a manuscript that might become the next collection, a novella that I’d love to see published, the play idea that I’d like to actually buckle down to writing, a few short stories that I should do something with…as well as editing work on the go with my poetry imprint, V. Press. But I push myself a lot. At the moment, I’m trying not to look too far ahead or have too great aspirations or expectations. So, the goal for now is to give this collection, plenty-fish, the time and space that it (and my publisher!) are due, to develop V. Press, keep enjoying the creativity, continue trying new things as a writer and generally spread ‘poetry love’ wherever I can.
Sarah's collection, plenty-fish, is up for review in our Books & E-Books section this week as well.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 8 October 2015
Author Interview: Helen Hart Talks Writing, Competitions, and nanowrimo with Shayna Krishnasamy
For those of you who might have missed it, last week, via our blog, we introduced you the latest in writing competitions, launched by SilverWood Books and Kobo Writing Life. The blog post, which is still available by clicking here, explained not only the conditions of competition entry, but it also detailed a few members of the fabulous judging panel involved with this wonderful opportunity! The likes of Helen Hart, the publishing director of SilverWood Books, and Shayna Krishnasamy, a bestselling Kobo author, are currently preparing to receive an influx of promising submissions - in between being successful authors themselves.
I'm absolutely delighted to be working alongside such talented women, so when Helen emailed me to ask if I wanted a copy of her brief interview with Shayna, I eagerly grabbed at the chance! Shayna is an author of literary and young adult fiction, and has enjoyed best-selling success, mostly through Kobo, for her previous novels (and we can excitedly report that a third novel is also in the works!).
Shayna, what are you working on at the moment?
Currently I’m participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), trying to complete 50,000 words of a new novel in just 30 days. It’s a lot of work, but also lots of fun to have a new writing challenge.
What are you most looking forward to in judging the Open Day Writing Competition?
I love reading the work of new writers. I’m really looking forward to discovering a new and original voice.
What is best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever received as a writer is to ignore the audience. If you think too much about how readers will react to your work it can cripple the writing process. That’s something I still struggle with to this day.
Do you have a top tip about promoting books online?
If you want your eBook to sell, make sure you have a professional book cover. Nothing says amateur like a book cover you created yourself using Microsoft Paint (and yes, the reader can tell the difference)!
Make sure you pop over to our blog section for further information on this competition; or, alternatively, you can get in touch with SilverWood Books by emailing them (info@silverwoodbooks.co.uk) or contacting them via Twitter (@SilverWoodBooks) to discuss further details with the team!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 19 November 2014
I'm absolutely delighted to be working alongside such talented women, so when Helen emailed me to ask if I wanted a copy of her brief interview with Shayna, I eagerly grabbed at the chance! Shayna is an author of literary and young adult fiction, and has enjoyed best-selling success, mostly through Kobo, for her previous novels (and we can excitedly report that a third novel is also in the works!).
Shayna, what are you working on at the moment?
Currently I’m participating in NaNoWriMo (National Novel Writing Month), trying to complete 50,000 words of a new novel in just 30 days. It’s a lot of work, but also lots of fun to have a new writing challenge.
What are you most looking forward to in judging the Open Day Writing Competition?
I love reading the work of new writers. I’m really looking forward to discovering a new and original voice.
What is best piece of writing advice you’ve ever received?
The best advice I’ve ever received as a writer is to ignore the audience. If you think too much about how readers will react to your work it can cripple the writing process. That’s something I still struggle with to this day.
Do you have a top tip about promoting books online?
If you want your eBook to sell, make sure you have a professional book cover. Nothing says amateur like a book cover you created yourself using Microsoft Paint (and yes, the reader can tell the difference)!
Make sure you pop over to our blog section for further information on this competition; or, alternatively, you can get in touch with SilverWood Books by emailing them (info@silverwoodbooks.co.uk) or contacting them via Twitter (@SilverWoodBooks) to discuss further details with the team!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 19 November 2014
Author Interview: Kevin Brooke talks Teenage fiction, the writing process, and future publications
Kevin Brooke is a West Midlands-based writer who has seen a number of successes already in 2014, including much success in various short-story and fiction competitions and, most recently, the publication of his Young Adult novel, Jimmy Cricket. After attending the book launch for Brooke's latest novel, not only did we grab ourselves a review copy - and you can read that review in Books & E-books today - but we also managed to grab the author himself to ask where exactly Jimmy Cricket came from, and what we should be expecting next...
Now, for people who might not be familiar with your writing just yet, what should readers be expecting from Jimmy Cricket?
Although the story has its heart in cricket, it’s mainly about a fifteen year old who, with the loss of parents in a car accident, is going through a difficult time. As a result many of his decisions are irrational and get him into trouble. Luckily he has the support of some patient people and the outlet of sport to help him through an extremely challenging period in his life.
At the launch of the book you mentioned that you wanted to write a YA novel for boys, rather than for girls - which really struck a chord with me, because I actually think there should be more books that cater to boys. Is this something you feel quite strongly about?
Apart from at school, and during English lessons, I didn’t read a book the whole way through until I was in my early twenties. Whether this is because there wasn’t the type of books available that interested me I don’t know. Either way, I now love reading and like so many people, I always have a book on the go. I guess what I’m saying is that my answer is a definite yes.
I've, possibly incorrectly, branded the book as a YA novel - was there a particular age group that you had in mind when you were writing the book?
As the main character is 15 and as most children tend to prefer to read stories about people of their age, or preferably slightly older than they are, the target age range would be approx. 12-15. My 11 year old nephew suggested to me that if it was a film, and because of some of the themes, if would be classified as a PG and therefore may not be necessarily be suitable for younger children.
I understand Jimmy Cricket actually took some years to write. What was the process behind writing the book? A lot of research? A lot of changes?
There was research at the beginning, then an ongoing development process although most of the cricket club side of things is from memory. I played for Shepperton Cricket Club for about 10 years, starting from when I was about fifteen. It was such an important time for me, hence the dedication at the front of the book, with the front cover also based on photos of the cricket club at that time.
Do you think, in any future publications, you'll stick to a Young Adult genre, or are there other areas and genres you'd like to explore?
My preference is to write for this age group. Most of the better short stories I've written are based on a memory from my teens, or the characters are of this age. Is there a more exciting and yet terrifying time of life when everything and anything matters so much? I do believe this is such a pivotal few years for everybody. I also believe that there's still a chance to put things right, just in case any huge mistakes are made - I like to think so becuase everybody deserves a second chance, don't they?
Finally, is there another novel in the making at the moment? Or are you taking a break - if there is such a thing for a writer! - while you're publicising the Jimmy Cricket publication?
I spent a few years working in the Alps and with this in mind I’ve written the first few chapters of a new story, where a runaway is assumed to be someone else, giving him the opportunity to board a coach in Victoria station. The character then ends up in a ski resort in Austria without much money and minus a passport. The title of the book will be 'The Worst Barman in Kitzbuhel' and the main character, a 17 year old Jimmy.
Well there we have it - some exciting plans for the future indeed, and we'll definitely keep you updated on The Worst Barman in Kitzbuhel (fabulous title, by the way, Kevin!) as we have more information on that as well. Oh, and while you're here, make sure you head over to Books & E-books for our review of Kevin's novel!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 10 October 2014
Now, for people who might not be familiar with your writing just yet, what should readers be expecting from Jimmy Cricket?
Although the story has its heart in cricket, it’s mainly about a fifteen year old who, with the loss of parents in a car accident, is going through a difficult time. As a result many of his decisions are irrational and get him into trouble. Luckily he has the support of some patient people and the outlet of sport to help him through an extremely challenging period in his life.
At the launch of the book you mentioned that you wanted to write a YA novel for boys, rather than for girls - which really struck a chord with me, because I actually think there should be more books that cater to boys. Is this something you feel quite strongly about?
Apart from at school, and during English lessons, I didn’t read a book the whole way through until I was in my early twenties. Whether this is because there wasn’t the type of books available that interested me I don’t know. Either way, I now love reading and like so many people, I always have a book on the go. I guess what I’m saying is that my answer is a definite yes.
I've, possibly incorrectly, branded the book as a YA novel - was there a particular age group that you had in mind when you were writing the book?
As the main character is 15 and as most children tend to prefer to read stories about people of their age, or preferably slightly older than they are, the target age range would be approx. 12-15. My 11 year old nephew suggested to me that if it was a film, and because of some of the themes, if would be classified as a PG and therefore may not be necessarily be suitable for younger children.
I understand Jimmy Cricket actually took some years to write. What was the process behind writing the book? A lot of research? A lot of changes?
There was research at the beginning, then an ongoing development process although most of the cricket club side of things is from memory. I played for Shepperton Cricket Club for about 10 years, starting from when I was about fifteen. It was such an important time for me, hence the dedication at the front of the book, with the front cover also based on photos of the cricket club at that time.
Do you think, in any future publications, you'll stick to a Young Adult genre, or are there other areas and genres you'd like to explore?
My preference is to write for this age group. Most of the better short stories I've written are based on a memory from my teens, or the characters are of this age. Is there a more exciting and yet terrifying time of life when everything and anything matters so much? I do believe this is such a pivotal few years for everybody. I also believe that there's still a chance to put things right, just in case any huge mistakes are made - I like to think so becuase everybody deserves a second chance, don't they?
Finally, is there another novel in the making at the moment? Or are you taking a break - if there is such a thing for a writer! - while you're publicising the Jimmy Cricket publication?
I spent a few years working in the Alps and with this in mind I’ve written the first few chapters of a new story, where a runaway is assumed to be someone else, giving him the opportunity to board a coach in Victoria station. The character then ends up in a ski resort in Austria without much money and minus a passport. The title of the book will be 'The Worst Barman in Kitzbuhel' and the main character, a 17 year old Jimmy.
Well there we have it - some exciting plans for the future indeed, and we'll definitely keep you updated on The Worst Barman in Kitzbuhel (fabulous title, by the way, Kevin!) as we have more information on that as well. Oh, and while you're here, make sure you head over to Books & E-books for our review of Kevin's novel!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 10 October 2014
Author Interview: Beth Murray Talks Mirror Image, the Horror genre, and Future Writing Projects
Now, if the name Beth Murray seems familiar to you, then it'll probably be because her novel, Mirror Image, was recently reviewed in our Books & E-books section - and what a glowing review it was! During my email conversations with Murray that led up to this interview, she revealed to me that not only is she working towards her degree in Psychology, but she's also a fully practising witch - so perhaps that explains the funny goings-on in her fiction. Eager to know more, we managed to pin her down with some questions about her chosen genre, which is of course horror, and what sort of things we can expect from her in the future...
For people who aren't familiar with your writing yet, what sort of genre should they expect from one of your novels?
All of my stories, whether they’re novels or short stories, are all centred around the bizarre, the supernatural, and the weird! As for specific genres, they tend to differ. Some are out-and-out horrors, some are thrillers, and some are dark fantasy. But they all have aspects of the peculiar as a base.
Is there a particular reason you went into this genre of writing?
Mainly because I’m a total horror freak! I love reading books and watching films that, when you head off to bed, make you keep the lights on a little longer, look under the bed before you get in, and makes your heart beat far too loud when the house creaks in the night. If you were to ask my daughter and my partner, they would tell you that I’m addicted to all things scary, and they wouldn’t be too far wrong. I’ve always been interested in ghost and ghouls and gore, and I think that a person’s writing is always more impressive when it contains what the writer is passionate about.
Do you think you'd be comfortable branching out into other styles and genres, rather than horror writing, or do you feel fairly comfortable with where you are at the minute?
I’m fairly comfortable writing different genres. I’ve even written some children’s stories, done for my daughter, nieces and nephew when they were younger, and some for friends of my daughter’s. I also write poetry as well, so I’m quite versatile with styles and content. The only thing that is constant is that everything I write has a slight supernatural/fantastical hint to it.
Now, Mirror Image, which we recently reviewed, falls very much into the category of supernatural/horror writing. What was the inspiration behind that?
I can’t remember the specifics, but there was a news report that I watched about a family who had been taken advantage of by someone who was supposed to have been a friend. And it got me thinking that life would be so much easier if we could see people’s true faces, not the false masks that they use to deceive. And as the story started developing in my head, and after I gave Sarah the ability to see just that, I began to think about what an otherwise-ordinary person would do if confronted with that knowledge, and how it would affect her.
One thing that intrigued me about Mirror Image is how you wanted the reader to feel about your leading lady. Sympathetic, judgemental, both?
I definitely think that Sarah deserves sympathy for what she sees – even I felt sorry for her while I was writing about the horrific images that she gets confronted with – and for what she feels it is her duty to do. Yet I know that after a while, and with each increasingly-destructive choices she makes, sympathy for her begins to dissolve into judgment for her actions. What I hope is left, though, after the reader puts the book down, is at least an understanding of why she ended up the way that she did.
I have to ask, do you have another novel in the works at the minute?
I have two novels that are complete, plus a collection of short stories. I currently have two other novels on the go. One that was started a few years back and I keep adding chapters to it every now and then when inspiration hits. The other is one I work on whenever I have the chance – but juggling studying for my degree with spending time with my family and keeping up with the housework, sadly it doesn’t allow much time for writing at the moment.
When should we expect another publication from you?
Well, being a new and unknown writer, getting even one novel published is a huge thing, especially since I’ve been trying to get published since I was fifteen years old. It all depends on how well sales for this novel go and how well it is received. If things continue to go well, I’ve got two other novels ready to go as soon as possible (and, yes, that is a shameless plug for people to buy and/or recommend it as much as possible). So, fingers crossed it shouldn’t be too long.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 1 October 2014
For people who aren't familiar with your writing yet, what sort of genre should they expect from one of your novels?
All of my stories, whether they’re novels or short stories, are all centred around the bizarre, the supernatural, and the weird! As for specific genres, they tend to differ. Some are out-and-out horrors, some are thrillers, and some are dark fantasy. But they all have aspects of the peculiar as a base.
Is there a particular reason you went into this genre of writing?
Mainly because I’m a total horror freak! I love reading books and watching films that, when you head off to bed, make you keep the lights on a little longer, look under the bed before you get in, and makes your heart beat far too loud when the house creaks in the night. If you were to ask my daughter and my partner, they would tell you that I’m addicted to all things scary, and they wouldn’t be too far wrong. I’ve always been interested in ghost and ghouls and gore, and I think that a person’s writing is always more impressive when it contains what the writer is passionate about.
Do you think you'd be comfortable branching out into other styles and genres, rather than horror writing, or do you feel fairly comfortable with where you are at the minute?
I’m fairly comfortable writing different genres. I’ve even written some children’s stories, done for my daughter, nieces and nephew when they were younger, and some for friends of my daughter’s. I also write poetry as well, so I’m quite versatile with styles and content. The only thing that is constant is that everything I write has a slight supernatural/fantastical hint to it.
Now, Mirror Image, which we recently reviewed, falls very much into the category of supernatural/horror writing. What was the inspiration behind that?
I can’t remember the specifics, but there was a news report that I watched about a family who had been taken advantage of by someone who was supposed to have been a friend. And it got me thinking that life would be so much easier if we could see people’s true faces, not the false masks that they use to deceive. And as the story started developing in my head, and after I gave Sarah the ability to see just that, I began to think about what an otherwise-ordinary person would do if confronted with that knowledge, and how it would affect her.
One thing that intrigued me about Mirror Image is how you wanted the reader to feel about your leading lady. Sympathetic, judgemental, both?
I definitely think that Sarah deserves sympathy for what she sees – even I felt sorry for her while I was writing about the horrific images that she gets confronted with – and for what she feels it is her duty to do. Yet I know that after a while, and with each increasingly-destructive choices she makes, sympathy for her begins to dissolve into judgment for her actions. What I hope is left, though, after the reader puts the book down, is at least an understanding of why she ended up the way that she did.
I have to ask, do you have another novel in the works at the minute?
I have two novels that are complete, plus a collection of short stories. I currently have two other novels on the go. One that was started a few years back and I keep adding chapters to it every now and then when inspiration hits. The other is one I work on whenever I have the chance – but juggling studying for my degree with spending time with my family and keeping up with the housework, sadly it doesn’t allow much time for writing at the moment.
When should we expect another publication from you?
Well, being a new and unknown writer, getting even one novel published is a huge thing, especially since I’ve been trying to get published since I was fifteen years old. It all depends on how well sales for this novel go and how well it is received. If things continue to go well, I’ve got two other novels ready to go as soon as possible (and, yes, that is a shameless plug for people to buy and/or recommend it as much as possible). So, fingers crossed it shouldn’t be too long.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 1 October 2014
Review: A Midsummer Night's Dream @ The Commandery, Worcester
Last night, on a not quite midsummer night (see what I did there?), I found myself at The Commandery in Worcester - an amazing venue in its own right - waiting to see a performance of Shakespeare’s A Midsummer Night’s Dream, courtesy of Worcester Repertory Company. It’s the third year in a row that I’ve attended the event of Shakespeare At The Commandery, and as always I left feeling impressed and uplifted by the outstanding performance put on with minimal scenery and maximum talent. While the previous years have been wonderful, the company truly outdid themselves with this year’s performance, effortlessly combining traditional Shakespearean elements with splashes of modern-day humour that had the audience chuckling throughout.
The play, which is one of Shakespeare’s most popular creations, deals with romance, mystery, magic and much more. With amusing characters and an even more amusing script, tailored appropriately for a modern audience, the play provided perfectly light-hearted entertainment for a July evening.
As I write this review I’m intermittently returning to the programme from the performance and reacquainting myself with the talented actors that contributed towards the evening. Frankly, all of them deserve commendation for their performances! With John-Robert Partridge and Gemma Martyn Smith adopting the roles of Puck and Fairy respectively, they brought with them such a wonderful splash of comedy to the piece; with wonderful performances and amusing improvisation, they certainly had me giggling on several occasions.
Furthermore, the relationships between the cast here were flawless! Alicia Bennett, playing the love-struck Helena, and Sophie Vick playing Hermia, presented a fabulous friendship, in the beginning, which turned into a feisty fisticuffs mid-way through the piece. Their romanctic relationships with Eddy Westbury (Demetrius) and Samuel Griffiths (Lysander) were both convincing, amusing, and extremely fiery at some points. Although they certainly weren’t the only romance-ridden characters that had temperatures rising throughout the performance with Rhian McLean (Titania/Hippolyta) and Nick Wilkes (Oberon/Thesus) having their fair share of heated moments also.
Ultimately, it was a stunning and well-executed performance that succeeded in showing the entire audience exactly how much theatrical talent Worcester has to offer. Directors Chris Jaeger and Ben Humphrey of course deserve a mention here for collaborating on this project, which is running for another three evenings until Sunday (July 20th). However, if you can’t make this performance then fear not because the company will be back in October with a performance of Julius Caesar at Worcester Cathedral, and you can find more information about that by clicking here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 18 July 2014
The play, which is one of Shakespeare’s most popular creations, deals with romance, mystery, magic and much more. With amusing characters and an even more amusing script, tailored appropriately for a modern audience, the play provided perfectly light-hearted entertainment for a July evening.
As I write this review I’m intermittently returning to the programme from the performance and reacquainting myself with the talented actors that contributed towards the evening. Frankly, all of them deserve commendation for their performances! With John-Robert Partridge and Gemma Martyn Smith adopting the roles of Puck and Fairy respectively, they brought with them such a wonderful splash of comedy to the piece; with wonderful performances and amusing improvisation, they certainly had me giggling on several occasions.
Furthermore, the relationships between the cast here were flawless! Alicia Bennett, playing the love-struck Helena, and Sophie Vick playing Hermia, presented a fabulous friendship, in the beginning, which turned into a feisty fisticuffs mid-way through the piece. Their romanctic relationships with Eddy Westbury (Demetrius) and Samuel Griffiths (Lysander) were both convincing, amusing, and extremely fiery at some points. Although they certainly weren’t the only romance-ridden characters that had temperatures rising throughout the performance with Rhian McLean (Titania/Hippolyta) and Nick Wilkes (Oberon/Thesus) having their fair share of heated moments also.
Ultimately, it was a stunning and well-executed performance that succeeded in showing the entire audience exactly how much theatrical talent Worcester has to offer. Directors Chris Jaeger and Ben Humphrey of course deserve a mention here for collaborating on this project, which is running for another three evenings until Sunday (July 20th). However, if you can’t make this performance then fear not because the company will be back in October with a performance of Julius Caesar at Worcester Cathedral, and you can find more information about that by clicking here.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 18 July 2014
Author Interview: Adrian Churchward Talks to us About Moscow Bound, and what the remaining books have in store!
After being recently introduced to the stunning political novel, Moscow Bound, I couldn't resist the opportunity to catch up with Adrian Churchward, the man behind the masterpiece, and find out what events really inspired this thought-provoking piece of literature, and indeed when we'll be able to devour the second instalment.
Having recently finished the wonderful Moscow Bound, I have to ask, where did the inspiration for such an intricate and complex project come from?
In the early 1980s, while working as a lawyer in Los Angeles, I met a Vietnam Vet. who flew missions over North Vietnam during the war. He was a source of many tales. Later in 1986, while working as a lawyer in Moscow, I befriended a retired Soviet Military Intelligence officer who was stationed in Hanoi (North Vietnam) during the war, as a "Soviet adviser". Although he never mentioned anything about taking American GIs into the USSR, he was also a source of many interesting tales. Then in 1998 The Sunday Times published an article by their Moscow Correspondent, Mark Franchetti, about his visit to Arzamas-16.
I asked myself the "What if?" question; this resulted in Moscow Bound.
And I'm right in thinking it's the first part of a trilogy?
Yes. I am becoming increasingly concerned about the abuse of power committed by the political elite. By this I mean not just our politicians, but also civil servants, military leaders, the media, corporate bosses and their major shareholders. As Lord Acton said in 1887: "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." This democratic deficit is no clearer evidenced than in the decision-making structures comprising the EU behemoth. By constantly frustrating the principle of subsidiarity (which was agreed upon in the Maastricht Treaty) the unelected, unaccountable and (allegedly) corrupt EU Commissioners are effectively enacting laws which have varying degrees of impact on our daily lives.
Is the second book a work in progress, or are you still in the planning stages of the second instalment?
I have completed the novel's story line and am currently drafting the first few chapters. However, my experience in writing Moscow Bound has taught me that story lines change as the characters take over.
Do you have a time scale in mind for when we might see the second and third books?
I would like to complete the second book within the next 12 months, after which it will be submitted to three/six months of professional editing. It should be ready for publication by Christmas 2015. I would hope that the final book in the trilogy would also be completed within an 18 month period i.e. by the summer of 2017.
Is it a possibility that these books will grow beyond a trilogy, or do you have the next two books firmly plotted in your mind?
Interesting question. As I have said, the second book is already plotted (but not firmly). I have only a vague idea as to the story line for the third book. I am not opposed to extending the trilogy to a "quadrilogy", or even further. It depends on what is going to happen in the third book.
And, finally, are there any other writing projects in your near future, or is the focus entirely on the trilogy for the moment?
I have a fourth book, another thriller, in mind. It concerns the issue of how far the state now intrudes into the people's private lives in a so-called liberal democracy. I have been thinking about it since 2006, when the Information Commissioner said that we were in danger of sleep-walking into a total surveillance society. I might use the idea to extend the trilogy, but it could easily stand alone.
Moscow Bound is available to buy now, and, if Adrian's in-depth discussion of the book hasn't already intrigued you enough to give the novel a chance, then perhaps our glowing review will! Head over to Books & E-books to read our thoughts.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 13 June 2014
Having recently finished the wonderful Moscow Bound, I have to ask, where did the inspiration for such an intricate and complex project come from?
In the early 1980s, while working as a lawyer in Los Angeles, I met a Vietnam Vet. who flew missions over North Vietnam during the war. He was a source of many tales. Later in 1986, while working as a lawyer in Moscow, I befriended a retired Soviet Military Intelligence officer who was stationed in Hanoi (North Vietnam) during the war, as a "Soviet adviser". Although he never mentioned anything about taking American GIs into the USSR, he was also a source of many interesting tales. Then in 1998 The Sunday Times published an article by their Moscow Correspondent, Mark Franchetti, about his visit to Arzamas-16.
I asked myself the "What if?" question; this resulted in Moscow Bound.
And I'm right in thinking it's the first part of a trilogy?
Yes. I am becoming increasingly concerned about the abuse of power committed by the political elite. By this I mean not just our politicians, but also civil servants, military leaders, the media, corporate bosses and their major shareholders. As Lord Acton said in 1887: "Power tends to corrupt and absolute power corrupts absolutely." This democratic deficit is no clearer evidenced than in the decision-making structures comprising the EU behemoth. By constantly frustrating the principle of subsidiarity (which was agreed upon in the Maastricht Treaty) the unelected, unaccountable and (allegedly) corrupt EU Commissioners are effectively enacting laws which have varying degrees of impact on our daily lives.
Is the second book a work in progress, or are you still in the planning stages of the second instalment?
I have completed the novel's story line and am currently drafting the first few chapters. However, my experience in writing Moscow Bound has taught me that story lines change as the characters take over.
Do you have a time scale in mind for when we might see the second and third books?
I would like to complete the second book within the next 12 months, after which it will be submitted to three/six months of professional editing. It should be ready for publication by Christmas 2015. I would hope that the final book in the trilogy would also be completed within an 18 month period i.e. by the summer of 2017.
Is it a possibility that these books will grow beyond a trilogy, or do you have the next two books firmly plotted in your mind?
Interesting question. As I have said, the second book is already plotted (but not firmly). I have only a vague idea as to the story line for the third book. I am not opposed to extending the trilogy to a "quadrilogy", or even further. It depends on what is going to happen in the third book.
And, finally, are there any other writing projects in your near future, or is the focus entirely on the trilogy for the moment?
I have a fourth book, another thriller, in mind. It concerns the issue of how far the state now intrudes into the people's private lives in a so-called liberal democracy. I have been thinking about it since 2006, when the Information Commissioner said that we were in danger of sleep-walking into a total surveillance society. I might use the idea to extend the trilogy, but it could easily stand alone.
Moscow Bound is available to buy now, and, if Adrian's in-depth discussion of the book hasn't already intrigued you enough to give the novel a chance, then perhaps our glowing review will! Head over to Books & E-books to read our thoughts.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 13 June 2014
Author Interview: Stephanie Boddy Talks To Us about Horror, Writing Habits, and what the Future holds!
Having recently read the hit horror novel The House on Poultney Road, which I've reviewed for the Books & E-books section this week, I thought it was time we pinned down the author of this spine-chilling novel to find out what the future holds for the much-loved characters in this book, and whether we'll be seeing them again in the future...
The House on Poultney Road is your first novel, I believe? From what I've read online it's become quite the success! Can we expect a second novel in the future?
Yes, The House on Poultney Road is my debut novel but I have a lot of experience writing short stories which can be seen on my Facebook page. The ambition is to become a full time writer, and eventually get my fiction work published traditionally. The second novel, It Found Me is due to be published in September this year. I am already working on it with my editor, William Fruman.
I was ‘warned’ several times by other authors to hide my first ten novels in a cupboard and think about publishing my work after that and even then people wouldn’t be interested in what I have to say but it was due to the thousands of followers on Facebook who encouraged me to get THoPR published so I have them to thank for my success so far.
Many people have voiced a feeling that the novel leaves a lot of unanswered questions, a sentiment that I myself share, is there the possibility of a sequel to Poultney Road, or is that story finished for you now?
The sequel, It Found Me is the follow up. It should answer a lot of questions people have asked me regarding the story and what happened to certain members of my family and the entities that resided in the house. Unfortunately with true ghost stories, in my opinion, there isn't always a happy ending or answers to every unexplained occurrence. I didn't want to fall too far from the truth with The House on Poultney Road which is why it was a little open-ended however I also knew all along that there would be a sequel.
I still can't believe the interest and success that THoPR has had. It had reached the number of sales I anticipated in a year in less than four months. I have had interest from production companies, audio producers and I am now in talks with a US Lit Agent about representation which is the life long goal.
Now, the Poultney Road novel is published as being based on a true story, I have to ask, how true to life are the events in this book?
The House on Poultney Road is a story I hold very close to my heart. I can write with confidence that the stories regarding séances / Ouija boards and the entities I describe within the story (the man in black, the white lady, the soldier with only half a face etc) are all based on actual spirits and events that existed and were described to me by family members.
I think because I have written the story in a fictional style, I haven't written it in a diary style like many other true life hauntings are told; so people have found it more difficult to believe the story. I wrote it this way because fiction writing is where my heart belongs and was how I felt comfortable doing it. Although the stories and occurrences are based on real events, some of the padding and minor characters have been fictionalized as I didn’t have my Grandparents around to get names and better descriptions. Most of the story relies on my own memories from years of questions I’d asked as a kid. My parents and Uncle and Aunt were very forthcoming with the minor details that I needed.
I never wrote THoPR to convince people that what I am telling them is true nor that they have to believe in the afterlife, it is simply something that my family experienced, and is a story that I have been fascinated by since I was a teenager. I never met my Granddad but I think what he made happen inside that house is extraordinary and it was almost six years ago that I decided to put pen to paper and share his story with others.
I've had a read through your bio, which is available on your own website, and it seems that you're a horror fan to your very core. Does the horror genre impact all of your writing, or do you sometimes deviate to other genres?
Horror is where my heart is - ghosts, zombie, you name it, I love it. Most of what I have written in the past has been paranormal horror because it's something I relate to but I have also written the occasional love story and poetry is also something I am passionate about. I can't ever imagine writing comedy or chick lit but I would like to tread the water in some other genres like thrillers and mystery suspense.
And, finally, are there any new writing projects that you're working on at the minute? Perhaps another novel, or more short stories, in the near future?
I have just finished writing a short novella called The Secret People which is more gory and a little more graphic than what I'm used to but I loved writing it. I have also submitted an entry to Xchyler for publication (fingers crossed) and, of course, I am spending every spare moment writing my sequel novel, It Found Me.
I have learned from reviews and feedback of The House on Poultney Road that an editor is extremely important to have (I don't think a proofreader alone cuts it when writing a novel) so I am working with William as well as in talks with other editors re. It Found Me and other future projects so that my forthcoming material will be of a professional quality.
I am very excited about what is to come.
To find out more about Stephanie's upcoming sequel to her successful début, and to check out her other writing which is available online, you can check out her Facebook page, Twitter, and personal website, where you'll find enough horrific goodies to keep you going until her exciting new novel is released.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 10 June 2014
The House on Poultney Road is your first novel, I believe? From what I've read online it's become quite the success! Can we expect a second novel in the future?
Yes, The House on Poultney Road is my debut novel but I have a lot of experience writing short stories which can be seen on my Facebook page. The ambition is to become a full time writer, and eventually get my fiction work published traditionally. The second novel, It Found Me is due to be published in September this year. I am already working on it with my editor, William Fruman.
I was ‘warned’ several times by other authors to hide my first ten novels in a cupboard and think about publishing my work after that and even then people wouldn’t be interested in what I have to say but it was due to the thousands of followers on Facebook who encouraged me to get THoPR published so I have them to thank for my success so far.
Many people have voiced a feeling that the novel leaves a lot of unanswered questions, a sentiment that I myself share, is there the possibility of a sequel to Poultney Road, or is that story finished for you now?
The sequel, It Found Me is the follow up. It should answer a lot of questions people have asked me regarding the story and what happened to certain members of my family and the entities that resided in the house. Unfortunately with true ghost stories, in my opinion, there isn't always a happy ending or answers to every unexplained occurrence. I didn't want to fall too far from the truth with The House on Poultney Road which is why it was a little open-ended however I also knew all along that there would be a sequel.
I still can't believe the interest and success that THoPR has had. It had reached the number of sales I anticipated in a year in less than four months. I have had interest from production companies, audio producers and I am now in talks with a US Lit Agent about representation which is the life long goal.
Now, the Poultney Road novel is published as being based on a true story, I have to ask, how true to life are the events in this book?
The House on Poultney Road is a story I hold very close to my heart. I can write with confidence that the stories regarding séances / Ouija boards and the entities I describe within the story (the man in black, the white lady, the soldier with only half a face etc) are all based on actual spirits and events that existed and were described to me by family members.
I think because I have written the story in a fictional style, I haven't written it in a diary style like many other true life hauntings are told; so people have found it more difficult to believe the story. I wrote it this way because fiction writing is where my heart belongs and was how I felt comfortable doing it. Although the stories and occurrences are based on real events, some of the padding and minor characters have been fictionalized as I didn’t have my Grandparents around to get names and better descriptions. Most of the story relies on my own memories from years of questions I’d asked as a kid. My parents and Uncle and Aunt were very forthcoming with the minor details that I needed.
I never wrote THoPR to convince people that what I am telling them is true nor that they have to believe in the afterlife, it is simply something that my family experienced, and is a story that I have been fascinated by since I was a teenager. I never met my Granddad but I think what he made happen inside that house is extraordinary and it was almost six years ago that I decided to put pen to paper and share his story with others.
I've had a read through your bio, which is available on your own website, and it seems that you're a horror fan to your very core. Does the horror genre impact all of your writing, or do you sometimes deviate to other genres?
Horror is where my heart is - ghosts, zombie, you name it, I love it. Most of what I have written in the past has been paranormal horror because it's something I relate to but I have also written the occasional love story and poetry is also something I am passionate about. I can't ever imagine writing comedy or chick lit but I would like to tread the water in some other genres like thrillers and mystery suspense.
And, finally, are there any new writing projects that you're working on at the minute? Perhaps another novel, or more short stories, in the near future?
I have just finished writing a short novella called The Secret People which is more gory and a little more graphic than what I'm used to but I loved writing it. I have also submitted an entry to Xchyler for publication (fingers crossed) and, of course, I am spending every spare moment writing my sequel novel, It Found Me.
I have learned from reviews and feedback of The House on Poultney Road that an editor is extremely important to have (I don't think a proofreader alone cuts it when writing a novel) so I am working with William as well as in talks with other editors re. It Found Me and other future projects so that my forthcoming material will be of a professional quality.
I am very excited about what is to come.
To find out more about Stephanie's upcoming sequel to her successful début, and to check out her other writing which is available online, you can check out her Facebook page, Twitter, and personal website, where you'll find enough horrific goodies to keep you going until her exciting new novel is released.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 10 June 2014
Author Interview: Dylan Spicer Talks Giant Cannibals!
Some of you may already be familiar with Dylan Spicer and his fascinating world of transmedia blogging and writing. Not so long ago, Dylan had a sit-down-talk with us about his exciting project, Narradu Memories, but now it seems there's another amazing project on the horizon for this young writer, and his writing partner Mike Warren, who are boldly putting a new spin on an old classic...
As names go, Giant Cannibals is a fairly intriguing one! What exactly is the project all about?
Giant Cannibals is a 90-minute audio drama, based on a hidden story within Homer’s Odyssey. I wrote the script with Mike Warren.
Odysseus loses eleven of his twelve ships - and almost all of his men - in a massacre at the hands of the Laestrygonians, whom he describes as enormous cannibal monsters. In The Odyssey, this disaster seems to come out of nowhere. Our story explores what happened to cause it.
The play will be free to stream from our website (www.giantcannibals.co.uk) in six episodes. There’s a transmedia element too: you can already read articles, diaries and essays exploring themes as diverse as cannibalism, monstrosity and digital storytelling - and there’s much, much more to come.
Homer's Odyssey is one of the most well-known texts there is but, I have to ask, what led to your interest in it? Why this, and not something else?
Giant Cannibals owes something to coincidence. I’d taken a transmedia module on my Masters course, and was looking to create a project that explored the possibilities of digital media online. I was also looking at applying new perspectives to existing fictional characters. Mike came to me with a pitch about cannibals and deception in The Odyssey, and asked which format would be best to tell the story. We wrote the script together, and it all grew very naturally from there!
Is there the possibility of you and the rest of the team involved with this project maybe working on other texts in the future?
We are definitely looking ahead. Our next aim is to explore something through another mixture of formats - we’ve even been looking at text-adventure games! However, we’re still post-producing Giant Cannibals, so - for the moment - that’s where our focus stays.
And how exactly will this work? Will the episodes be something like podcasts?
Everything will be released on our website, giantcannibals.co.uk, and available to stream. However, we’re working hard to prise open the benefits of our own virtual space. The great thing about Homer is that whichever line you pick, you’re offered a dozen fascinating ideas to explore. By publishing deep-thinking articles interleaved with emotionally-charged fiction, we’re hoping to put our audience in front of things they didn’t know they’d enjoy.
Now, Homer's Odyssey isn't the easiest text to read for a lot of people - myself included! What exactly should we expect from your re-telling? Something traditional, or something more approachable for a modern audience?
Our aim from the start has been to entertain people who wouldn’t normally reach for the classics, and we wrote every word of our script with that in mind. No ham, no smugness, no “Fakespeare”. We researched The Odyssey meticulously, and the story we tell is consistent with the source text - but you don’t need to care about Homer to enjoy it, because we think it stands just as well on its own as an emotive story. If we interest you enough to dig a little deeper, that depth is a couple of clicks away. Speaking of which, we’re looking for people to contribute articles. If you’re interested, please do have a look at the website, and email dylanspicer@hotmail.co.uk.
Finally, when should we expect to see these episodes go live online?
We’re already releasing content! Right now we’ve got some really meaty articles, and there are podcasts - and more - on the way, so while we’re hard at work in the editing suite, you can watch the story grow from grains of research into the full-blown series we’ve made. We’re aiming to release the episodes this autumn, and will be keeping everyone up-to-date via Facebook and Twitter.
With frequent updates appearing in several places, including Twitter, Facebook, and the website itself, there's no excuse to miss anything about this exciting and innovative project, which will hopefully be the start of a series from these talented authors!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 6 June 2014
As names go, Giant Cannibals is a fairly intriguing one! What exactly is the project all about?
Giant Cannibals is a 90-minute audio drama, based on a hidden story within Homer’s Odyssey. I wrote the script with Mike Warren.
Odysseus loses eleven of his twelve ships - and almost all of his men - in a massacre at the hands of the Laestrygonians, whom he describes as enormous cannibal monsters. In The Odyssey, this disaster seems to come out of nowhere. Our story explores what happened to cause it.
The play will be free to stream from our website (www.giantcannibals.co.uk) in six episodes. There’s a transmedia element too: you can already read articles, diaries and essays exploring themes as diverse as cannibalism, monstrosity and digital storytelling - and there’s much, much more to come.
Homer's Odyssey is one of the most well-known texts there is but, I have to ask, what led to your interest in it? Why this, and not something else?
Giant Cannibals owes something to coincidence. I’d taken a transmedia module on my Masters course, and was looking to create a project that explored the possibilities of digital media online. I was also looking at applying new perspectives to existing fictional characters. Mike came to me with a pitch about cannibals and deception in The Odyssey, and asked which format would be best to tell the story. We wrote the script together, and it all grew very naturally from there!
Is there the possibility of you and the rest of the team involved with this project maybe working on other texts in the future?
We are definitely looking ahead. Our next aim is to explore something through another mixture of formats - we’ve even been looking at text-adventure games! However, we’re still post-producing Giant Cannibals, so - for the moment - that’s where our focus stays.
And how exactly will this work? Will the episodes be something like podcasts?
Everything will be released on our website, giantcannibals.co.uk, and available to stream. However, we’re working hard to prise open the benefits of our own virtual space. The great thing about Homer is that whichever line you pick, you’re offered a dozen fascinating ideas to explore. By publishing deep-thinking articles interleaved with emotionally-charged fiction, we’re hoping to put our audience in front of things they didn’t know they’d enjoy.
Now, Homer's Odyssey isn't the easiest text to read for a lot of people - myself included! What exactly should we expect from your re-telling? Something traditional, or something more approachable for a modern audience?
Our aim from the start has been to entertain people who wouldn’t normally reach for the classics, and we wrote every word of our script with that in mind. No ham, no smugness, no “Fakespeare”. We researched The Odyssey meticulously, and the story we tell is consistent with the source text - but you don’t need to care about Homer to enjoy it, because we think it stands just as well on its own as an emotive story. If we interest you enough to dig a little deeper, that depth is a couple of clicks away. Speaking of which, we’re looking for people to contribute articles. If you’re interested, please do have a look at the website, and email dylanspicer@hotmail.co.uk.
Finally, when should we expect to see these episodes go live online?
We’re already releasing content! Right now we’ve got some really meaty articles, and there are podcasts - and more - on the way, so while we’re hard at work in the editing suite, you can watch the story grow from grains of research into the full-blown series we’ve made. We’re aiming to release the episodes this autumn, and will be keeping everyone up-to-date via Facebook and Twitter.
With frequent updates appearing in several places, including Twitter, Facebook, and the website itself, there's no excuse to miss anything about this exciting and innovative project, which will hopefully be the start of a series from these talented authors!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 6 June 2014
Author Interview: We Talk to Lindsay Stanberry-Flynn about her latest novel, her sudden success, and her future plans!
After recently reading The Piano Player's Son, a heart-warming, hard-hitting novel that leaves the reader open-mouthed and desperate for a sequel, I couldn't resist the opportunity to interview the author behind that stunning piece of fiction. So I caught up with Lindsay Stanberry-Flynn to talk to her about the process of writing her current novel, and what writing plans she has for the future.
Thanks to some rummaging about online, I’ve discovered that you graduated from Bath Spa University with an MA in Creative Writing. Swaying slightly from the topic of your current book, I’d love to know, what impact did this degree have on you as a writer?
I think I would identify three main areas where the MA influenced me as a writer. The first, and probably most important, was to make me appreciate things from the reader’s side of the book. When you are writing, you are so caught up with the characters, plot, and the sheer complexity of the task – especially with a novel – that it’s easy to forget the impact on the reader. With tutors and fellow-students continually commenting on your work, you’re forced to question ‘Reader – how is it for you?’ and this is a valuable lesson.
Second, I’d say the input from the tutors. I was lucky enough to have the writer, Tessa Hadley, as my manuscript tutor for my novel ‘Unravelling’. Feedback from her at our regular meetings helped me to strengthen the characters, iron out problems with the plot and structure, and make sure everything was relevant.
The third area was spending 12/18 months where it was expected that writing and reading was your main preoccupation. Having been employed as a full-time tutor at a further education college, where the workload was more like double time and writing was squeezed in, it was wonderful to be in a world where everyone was grappling with the demands of writing. The sense of validation was immense: it gave me permission to call myself a writer.
‘The Piano Player’s Son’, which I’ve had the pleasure of reading, seems to be getting praise from everywhere at the minute. Did you expect this level of acceptance and success for the book?
It was scary having a second novel come out. I’ve had a lot of success with my first novel ‘Unravelling’, which has won several awards, and inevitably I wondered if people would be equally complimentary about ‘The Piano Player’s Son’. However, I reasoned that it had won the Cinnamon Press Novel Award (prize was publication) and that no publisher would put money into a book that they didn’t rate highly. But it was still a relief when positive reviews and comments starting coming in. When people say that they’ve enjoyed it so much, they’ve bought a copy for a friend’s birthday, or I visit a book group and they are full of praise, I never take it for granted. I want my books to find readers, so every new reader means a lot to me.
For those who aren’t yet familiar with the novel, how would you describe it? In terms of the genre and the like?
I’m not sure it fits neatly into a genre – certainly not in the sense of fantasy, romance, thriller. It probably comes into the women’s contemporary fiction category, but some readers have found certain aspects of it dark. I read something from an author who said they write issue-based fiction dealing with adults in crisis (apologies for not being able to credit this) and I think that applies to my novels. I’ve been told in the past that my writing is too literary to be commercial and too commercial to be literary. I take that to mean it’s a well-written story with some of the ‘unputdownable’ qualities of popular fiction. In fact, ‘I couldn’t put it down’ is a frequent comment. I think it’s time for a new genre!
We’d love to hear about your experience of writing the novel. Many people are describing it as something of an emotional read; I wonder, was it an emotional write?
Neither of my novels is based on personal experience, so I didn’t have to relive any of that, but inevitably writers call on emotions they’ve felt, albeit in different circumstances. Recreating emotions often requires mining the experiences that have generated them which can be painful.
Both my parents are dead, so I’ve got some understanding of the grief, vacuum and confusion the death of a parent can create. This helped with the reactions of the grown up children in the novel to their father, Henry’s, death. I also drew on my feelings about my own children to explore Isabel’s pain at the breakdown of her marriage, and the loss of family that means so much to her. That seems to have worked, as readers have said how much they felt for her about her children. I certainly felt her pain while I was writing.
Perhaps one of the most emotional aspects to write was Rick’s experience. A number of people have said they don’t like him, but I have a lot of sympathy for him. He wants to create a perfect life for his wife and family, but he goes about it in the wrong way. Horrible things happen to him, which despite him sometimes bringing them on himself, I felt incredibly sad about. I knew the things had to happen, but his pain and frustration made me feel sad for him – especially as I was responsible for them!
Your first novel, ‘Unravelling’ was also extremely successful! Would you say your writing style has changed between the two books, or are you in a comfortable place in terms of style?
I think I’m in a comfortable place generally, but I like to think my writing keeps improving and developing the more I write. I’m happy with the quality of the writing in ‘Unravelling’, but I’d also be pleased if people think the writing is even better in ‘The Piano Player’s Son’! My understanding of the craft of writing deepens all the time. I also teach creative writing, so have to read many different pieces of writing from students, and this helps me see more what works and what doesn’t.
I know you’re involved with many blog tours and such like for ‘The Piano Player’s Son’, but I was wondering whether there are any more writing projects on the horizon. Perhaps plans for a new novel?
It’s always a difficult balance to strike between promoting one book and keeping the creativity going in order to write another. I want people to read my novels, and so I spend time promoting them. A novel takes so much time, energy and commitment to write, it seems wrong to abandon it as soon as it’s out in the world. However, my real love is writing: making up characters and putting them in difficult situations to see how they cope. I am about half way through another novel. I would be further, but I had to make major alterations, when I realised I actually had two narratives that I was trying to compress into one novel. The reworked version explores family relationships, like my other novels, but this time within the context of family duty/expectations versus personal fulfilment. With modern culture’s emphasis on achieving one’s dreams, and that if someone wants something badly enough, it will happen, the novel’s considers the effects on relationships when goals are pushed to an extreme. Its working title is ‘Phoenix’.
If you want to know more about Lindsay, or perhaps find some information on her other publications and future plans, you can access her personal website by clicking here. Don't forget to head over to Books and E-Books to read our review of 'The Piano Player's Son' today.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 3 June 2014
Thanks to some rummaging about online, I’ve discovered that you graduated from Bath Spa University with an MA in Creative Writing. Swaying slightly from the topic of your current book, I’d love to know, what impact did this degree have on you as a writer?
I think I would identify three main areas where the MA influenced me as a writer. The first, and probably most important, was to make me appreciate things from the reader’s side of the book. When you are writing, you are so caught up with the characters, plot, and the sheer complexity of the task – especially with a novel – that it’s easy to forget the impact on the reader. With tutors and fellow-students continually commenting on your work, you’re forced to question ‘Reader – how is it for you?’ and this is a valuable lesson.
Second, I’d say the input from the tutors. I was lucky enough to have the writer, Tessa Hadley, as my manuscript tutor for my novel ‘Unravelling’. Feedback from her at our regular meetings helped me to strengthen the characters, iron out problems with the plot and structure, and make sure everything was relevant.
The third area was spending 12/18 months where it was expected that writing and reading was your main preoccupation. Having been employed as a full-time tutor at a further education college, where the workload was more like double time and writing was squeezed in, it was wonderful to be in a world where everyone was grappling with the demands of writing. The sense of validation was immense: it gave me permission to call myself a writer.
‘The Piano Player’s Son’, which I’ve had the pleasure of reading, seems to be getting praise from everywhere at the minute. Did you expect this level of acceptance and success for the book?
It was scary having a second novel come out. I’ve had a lot of success with my first novel ‘Unravelling’, which has won several awards, and inevitably I wondered if people would be equally complimentary about ‘The Piano Player’s Son’. However, I reasoned that it had won the Cinnamon Press Novel Award (prize was publication) and that no publisher would put money into a book that they didn’t rate highly. But it was still a relief when positive reviews and comments starting coming in. When people say that they’ve enjoyed it so much, they’ve bought a copy for a friend’s birthday, or I visit a book group and they are full of praise, I never take it for granted. I want my books to find readers, so every new reader means a lot to me.
For those who aren’t yet familiar with the novel, how would you describe it? In terms of the genre and the like?
I’m not sure it fits neatly into a genre – certainly not in the sense of fantasy, romance, thriller. It probably comes into the women’s contemporary fiction category, but some readers have found certain aspects of it dark. I read something from an author who said they write issue-based fiction dealing with adults in crisis (apologies for not being able to credit this) and I think that applies to my novels. I’ve been told in the past that my writing is too literary to be commercial and too commercial to be literary. I take that to mean it’s a well-written story with some of the ‘unputdownable’ qualities of popular fiction. In fact, ‘I couldn’t put it down’ is a frequent comment. I think it’s time for a new genre!
We’d love to hear about your experience of writing the novel. Many people are describing it as something of an emotional read; I wonder, was it an emotional write?
Neither of my novels is based on personal experience, so I didn’t have to relive any of that, but inevitably writers call on emotions they’ve felt, albeit in different circumstances. Recreating emotions often requires mining the experiences that have generated them which can be painful.
Both my parents are dead, so I’ve got some understanding of the grief, vacuum and confusion the death of a parent can create. This helped with the reactions of the grown up children in the novel to their father, Henry’s, death. I also drew on my feelings about my own children to explore Isabel’s pain at the breakdown of her marriage, and the loss of family that means so much to her. That seems to have worked, as readers have said how much they felt for her about her children. I certainly felt her pain while I was writing.
Perhaps one of the most emotional aspects to write was Rick’s experience. A number of people have said they don’t like him, but I have a lot of sympathy for him. He wants to create a perfect life for his wife and family, but he goes about it in the wrong way. Horrible things happen to him, which despite him sometimes bringing them on himself, I felt incredibly sad about. I knew the things had to happen, but his pain and frustration made me feel sad for him – especially as I was responsible for them!
Your first novel, ‘Unravelling’ was also extremely successful! Would you say your writing style has changed between the two books, or are you in a comfortable place in terms of style?
I think I’m in a comfortable place generally, but I like to think my writing keeps improving and developing the more I write. I’m happy with the quality of the writing in ‘Unravelling’, but I’d also be pleased if people think the writing is even better in ‘The Piano Player’s Son’! My understanding of the craft of writing deepens all the time. I also teach creative writing, so have to read many different pieces of writing from students, and this helps me see more what works and what doesn’t.
I know you’re involved with many blog tours and such like for ‘The Piano Player’s Son’, but I was wondering whether there are any more writing projects on the horizon. Perhaps plans for a new novel?
It’s always a difficult balance to strike between promoting one book and keeping the creativity going in order to write another. I want people to read my novels, and so I spend time promoting them. A novel takes so much time, energy and commitment to write, it seems wrong to abandon it as soon as it’s out in the world. However, my real love is writing: making up characters and putting them in difficult situations to see how they cope. I am about half way through another novel. I would be further, but I had to make major alterations, when I realised I actually had two narratives that I was trying to compress into one novel. The reworked version explores family relationships, like my other novels, but this time within the context of family duty/expectations versus personal fulfilment. With modern culture’s emphasis on achieving one’s dreams, and that if someone wants something badly enough, it will happen, the novel’s considers the effects on relationships when goals are pushed to an extreme. Its working title is ‘Phoenix’.
If you want to know more about Lindsay, or perhaps find some information on her other publications and future plans, you can access her personal website by clicking here. Don't forget to head over to Books and E-Books to read our review of 'The Piano Player's Son' today.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 3 June 2014
Author Interview: Jenny Thomson, Author of the Die Hard For Girls series, talks writing, editing, and future plans!
If you're a regular Mad Hatter Reviews reader then you'll know how much we love tracking down authors and having a natter with them about their latest work. So when Jenny Thomson, author of the hit Die Hard for Girls series, sent us over the latest instalment in her ball-busting series of crime novels, we couldn't resist the opportunity to sit her down and have a chat about what we can expect from her in the future...
Your current novels pack quite the punch in terms of girl power! What was the reason behind creating the women in these books?
For too long, far too many female characters in fiction have been there merely as love interests or damsels in distress, but there's a strong appetite out there for more realistic, tough women. Strong women like the ones we watch in TV shows like Wentworth, 24 and The Walking Dead, who are simply not being adequately represented in fiction. That's why I thought it was time for some Die Hard for Girls.
Now I know we reviewed your first instalment, and as of today we've reviewed your second (which you can read by clicking here), so people might be familiar with the books already, but for anyone who isn't, how would you describe them?
The Die Hard for Girls books are aimed at readers who like to read about tough women who will stand up for what they believe in. They can be violent, but they will always be entertaining and the violence isn't just random. Usually it's the bad guys (and gals) getting their comeuppance.
Did you have a target audience in mind when you were writing the series?
Not really, I wanted to create pure escapist fiction, with strong women characters, that people would enjoy reading where the action wouldn't let up. I wanted to write the books I wanted to read that simply weren't there.
Although my target audience was women, I'm delighted that so many men have written to me saying they love the books too.
Am I right in thinking that there are three books in this series, which means another one is yet to be released?
There are three so far. I'm working on the third. It's called Don't Come for Me and will be a full length novel (the other two books are shorter reads). I'm almost finished writing it. The book opens with Nancy Kerr, the main character in the Die Hard for Girls books, coming out of the bathroom to find her boyfriend Tommy gone and a bloody knife on the floor. Then the police arrive and think she's done it...
There's lots of twists that have surprised even me.
Are you working on anything else in between the Die Hard for Girls books?
I wrote a zombie novel called Dead Bastards that's set in Scotland for an eBook only publisher. It's sold very well, so I'm going to be bringing it out as a paperback myself in October with additional text and an alternative ending. I've had a few offers from publishers, but I'd like to do this one myself. I even have a fantastic cover designer lined up.
Dead Bastards is different from other zombie books that can be quite bleak. There's a lot of humour in it. You don't get many laughs in The Walking Dead or zombie films unless it's Shaun of the Dead.
And, finally, when can we expect a new novel from you? I know you've just released the second Die Hard book, but is there anything else on the horizon before the end of the year?
How Kirsty Gets Her Kicks, about a one-legged Glasgow barmaid on the run with a gangster's cash and gun, will be published by critically acclaimed American publisher Snubnose Press at the end of this year, so I'm pretty excited about that. I got some great feedback from Stephen King's publisher. He turned it down, but Snubnose Press loved it.
I'm also editing the first book in a series of Detective in a Coma novels. It's called Vile City and won an award. The books are about DI Duncan Waddell who solves crimes with the help of his police friend Stevie Campbell who's in a coma. Nobody else can hear him, but Waddell who begins to wonder if he's going crazy.
Well, there you have it! It seems that it will be a busy year for Jenny and her off-the-wall fiction, with many potential projects emerging in the new year as well. If you want to keep an eye on Jenny's writing, then you can find up-to-date information about her projects by clicking here; you can also check out more information on the Die Hard for Girls series by clicking here. Make sure you head over to our Books & E-books section today for our review of the latest instalment of the series!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 30 May 2014
Your current novels pack quite the punch in terms of girl power! What was the reason behind creating the women in these books?
For too long, far too many female characters in fiction have been there merely as love interests or damsels in distress, but there's a strong appetite out there for more realistic, tough women. Strong women like the ones we watch in TV shows like Wentworth, 24 and The Walking Dead, who are simply not being adequately represented in fiction. That's why I thought it was time for some Die Hard for Girls.
Now I know we reviewed your first instalment, and as of today we've reviewed your second (which you can read by clicking here), so people might be familiar with the books already, but for anyone who isn't, how would you describe them?
The Die Hard for Girls books are aimed at readers who like to read about tough women who will stand up for what they believe in. They can be violent, but they will always be entertaining and the violence isn't just random. Usually it's the bad guys (and gals) getting their comeuppance.
Did you have a target audience in mind when you were writing the series?
Not really, I wanted to create pure escapist fiction, with strong women characters, that people would enjoy reading where the action wouldn't let up. I wanted to write the books I wanted to read that simply weren't there.
Although my target audience was women, I'm delighted that so many men have written to me saying they love the books too.
Am I right in thinking that there are three books in this series, which means another one is yet to be released?
There are three so far. I'm working on the third. It's called Don't Come for Me and will be a full length novel (the other two books are shorter reads). I'm almost finished writing it. The book opens with Nancy Kerr, the main character in the Die Hard for Girls books, coming out of the bathroom to find her boyfriend Tommy gone and a bloody knife on the floor. Then the police arrive and think she's done it...
There's lots of twists that have surprised even me.
Are you working on anything else in between the Die Hard for Girls books?
I wrote a zombie novel called Dead Bastards that's set in Scotland for an eBook only publisher. It's sold very well, so I'm going to be bringing it out as a paperback myself in October with additional text and an alternative ending. I've had a few offers from publishers, but I'd like to do this one myself. I even have a fantastic cover designer lined up.
Dead Bastards is different from other zombie books that can be quite bleak. There's a lot of humour in it. You don't get many laughs in The Walking Dead or zombie films unless it's Shaun of the Dead.
And, finally, when can we expect a new novel from you? I know you've just released the second Die Hard book, but is there anything else on the horizon before the end of the year?
How Kirsty Gets Her Kicks, about a one-legged Glasgow barmaid on the run with a gangster's cash and gun, will be published by critically acclaimed American publisher Snubnose Press at the end of this year, so I'm pretty excited about that. I got some great feedback from Stephen King's publisher. He turned it down, but Snubnose Press loved it.
I'm also editing the first book in a series of Detective in a Coma novels. It's called Vile City and won an award. The books are about DI Duncan Waddell who solves crimes with the help of his police friend Stevie Campbell who's in a coma. Nobody else can hear him, but Waddell who begins to wonder if he's going crazy.
Well, there you have it! It seems that it will be a busy year for Jenny and her off-the-wall fiction, with many potential projects emerging in the new year as well. If you want to keep an eye on Jenny's writing, then you can find up-to-date information about her projects by clicking here; you can also check out more information on the Die Hard for Girls series by clicking here. Make sure you head over to our Books & E-books section today for our review of the latest instalment of the series!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 30 May 2014
Theatre Review: Hopelessly Devoted @ LGBT Centre, Birmingham
On Friday 25th October, I managed to get front row seats to see Hopelessly Devoted in the intimate setting of the LGBT Centre in Birmingham. This was the final date in the West Midlands tour, but a larger tour is planned for next year. This is the second play written by Kate Tempest, it was triggered from her experiences after she spent the day in a women's prison in London as her previous play was performed. Seeing the inmates responses resonated within her and got her thinking about what people are devoted to (for her; love and creativity), and how difficult it is to maintain those devotions if you're in a jail cell. After watching Hopelessly Devoted I'm really curious as to how inmates would react if this play was performed for them.
The play setting is sparsely simple; a white line demarcates a square on the floor. A couple of hard plastic chairs that remind me of school, a drum machine and some production equipment off to the side, plus two video cameras that are used intermittently to project images onto the back wall.
We are quickly introduced to two of the main characters of the play: Chess (Amanda Wilkin) and Serena (Gbemisola Ikumelo). Chess is in for a long stretch, she tries to keep her emotions buried deep. Her philosophy is that if you have nothing, you need nothing, whereas if you have something, you always want something more. Serena is in for less time and is keen to reignite Chess's hope. These two have a strong bond which is evident as they take it in turns to support each other through their insecurities, they sing and dance to buoy each other up, much to the greatly vocalised dismay of Doreen (a character we never meet, but who is voiced by Martina Laird), which regularly injects humour into the play and receives frequent chuckles from the audience.
Chess is chosen to participate in a one-on-one music collaboration with Silver (Martina Laird), Chess will only pass the course if she performs to other inmates at the end of twelve weeks; something she is very reluctant to do! Together they start writing songs, Chess grows in confidence and quickly learns to write heart felt lyrics to Silver's beats. Her bond with Silver and working on her music is the crutch Chess needs to cope after Serena gets parole.
I don't want to spell the play out, there are a few twists and turns along the way and really you should grab the chance to see it for yourself when it returns next year. The running time was 120 minutes, and I was utterly engrossed throughout. Lyrically strong, which perhaps should be expected from a poet / playwright and brought to life by Wilkin, Ikumelo and Laird. These actresses all have a wealth of experience under their belts and it showed throughout the play; whenever those ladies sang I got goosebumps! I have never seen such an excellently performed play on such a small scale before. Simply fabulous.
Written by: Michelle Bradford
Published: 27 October 2013
The play setting is sparsely simple; a white line demarcates a square on the floor. A couple of hard plastic chairs that remind me of school, a drum machine and some production equipment off to the side, plus two video cameras that are used intermittently to project images onto the back wall.
We are quickly introduced to two of the main characters of the play: Chess (Amanda Wilkin) and Serena (Gbemisola Ikumelo). Chess is in for a long stretch, she tries to keep her emotions buried deep. Her philosophy is that if you have nothing, you need nothing, whereas if you have something, you always want something more. Serena is in for less time and is keen to reignite Chess's hope. These two have a strong bond which is evident as they take it in turns to support each other through their insecurities, they sing and dance to buoy each other up, much to the greatly vocalised dismay of Doreen (a character we never meet, but who is voiced by Martina Laird), which regularly injects humour into the play and receives frequent chuckles from the audience.
Chess is chosen to participate in a one-on-one music collaboration with Silver (Martina Laird), Chess will only pass the course if she performs to other inmates at the end of twelve weeks; something she is very reluctant to do! Together they start writing songs, Chess grows in confidence and quickly learns to write heart felt lyrics to Silver's beats. Her bond with Silver and working on her music is the crutch Chess needs to cope after Serena gets parole.
I don't want to spell the play out, there are a few twists and turns along the way and really you should grab the chance to see it for yourself when it returns next year. The running time was 120 minutes, and I was utterly engrossed throughout. Lyrically strong, which perhaps should be expected from a poet / playwright and brought to life by Wilkin, Ikumelo and Laird. These actresses all have a wealth of experience under their belts and it showed throughout the play; whenever those ladies sang I got goosebumps! I have never seen such an excellently performed play on such a small scale before. Simply fabulous.
Written by: Michelle Bradford
Published: 27 October 2013
Art News: Banksy To Abandon Art Galleries
We recently reported to that the great and powerful Banksy was taking on the big apple that is New York City for an unofficial tour of the streets, as it were, where he would be hiding and revealing new artwork over the city. While this was exciting news for fans of the much-loved graffiti artist, it seemed an unwelcome addition to the streets according to New York officials who demanded the first piece be painted over just days after its creation.
While Banksy is taking his art overseas, it seems that the month long trip has thrown some things into perspective for the popular artist as he has now announced that he is considering ditching art galleries in favour of his artistic roots on the streets of cities.
During a recent talk with the Village Voice, Banksy explained: "I started painting on the street because it was the only venue that would give me a show."
He then went on to say, "Commercial success is a mark of failure for a graffiti artist… We're not supposed to be embraced in that way."
The interview, which was conducted via email in a bid to maintain the mystery surrounding the unknown artist, seemed to be littered with hints of regret about the level of success his artwork as reached over the years, with many famous names paying quite literally millions of pounds/dollars for his pieces. The tour around New York, which will, hopefully, show Banksy creating a piece on the streets for every day in October, is intended to take his artwork back to basics without being surrounded by commercial hype, but with Banksy’s status in the graffiti world constantly finding new heights to reach, how long will this low-key, street exhibit avoid official art galleries? Get in touch with us to share your thoughts!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 10 October 2013
While Banksy is taking his art overseas, it seems that the month long trip has thrown some things into perspective for the popular artist as he has now announced that he is considering ditching art galleries in favour of his artistic roots on the streets of cities.
During a recent talk with the Village Voice, Banksy explained: "I started painting on the street because it was the only venue that would give me a show."
He then went on to say, "Commercial success is a mark of failure for a graffiti artist… We're not supposed to be embraced in that way."
The interview, which was conducted via email in a bid to maintain the mystery surrounding the unknown artist, seemed to be littered with hints of regret about the level of success his artwork as reached over the years, with many famous names paying quite literally millions of pounds/dollars for his pieces. The tour around New York, which will, hopefully, show Banksy creating a piece on the streets for every day in October, is intended to take his artwork back to basics without being surrounded by commercial hype, but with Banksy’s status in the graffiti world constantly finding new heights to reach, how long will this low-key, street exhibit avoid official art galleries? Get in touch with us to share your thoughts!
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 10 October 2013
Festival Review: Worcester Beer, Cider & perry Festival @ Worcester Racecourse, 8th - 10th August 2013
When most people hear the word ‘festival’, their mind immediately flashes to images of uncomfortable camping, muddy fields and sleepless nights, all of which you’ll regret two days after the delights have finished. I suppose that’s the beauty of the Worcester Beer, Cider & Perry Festival: you can go along, drink a ridiculous amount of wonderful alcohol, listen to decent music, and then stumble home to your comfortable bed at the end of it (or stumble into town to hunt for more alcohol, depending on how brave you’re feeling).
Now, as we’re so committed to bringing you brilliant reviews, we were there when the doors opened on the first evening, with our pint glasses and tokens at the ready…
The festivities started at 5pm on Worcester Racecourse which, for anyone who isn’t local to the area, is walking distance from Foregate Street train station and is also extremely easy to find. After paying the reasonable entry fee of £5, and grabbing our souvenir glasses that are given to you upon entry, we whipped out our programmes and immediately began plotting which ciders and such like we would devote our attention to. The festival, which works in tokens (which you purchase along with your entry ticket), has prices plastered everywhere for their impressive array of beer, cider, perry, fruit and grape wines and flavoured alcohol apple juice. Generally speaking, you’re looking at £1.50 for half a pint and £3 for a full one, although there are exceptions to this.
Over the course of the evening we developed a divide and conquer attitude; half of us lingered around the cider section while other, braver members of the group, decided to venture into the land of 10% beer. There really is something for everyone here, and after extensive research, at least three of us decided that Janet’s Jungle Juice was definitely for us!
The alcoholic antics were accompanied by an array of brilliant musicians such as Jasper In The Company Of Others and Liberty Lies, who were playing up until 11pm in the music tent. Fear not though, this wasn’t a special event thrown on for the first evening; the festival, over the course of the next two days, will play host to an array of musical talent that will get you in the foot-tapping mood! If you’re thinking of heading there this weekend, which we completely recommend you do, you can check out the rest of the bands lined up to perform by clicking here.
Now, whoever is behind this festival obviously has their head screwed on because, not only do they have a ridiculous amount of alcohol for you to binge yourselves on, but they also have a food tent for you to soak it all up with! They offer everything from Crusty Cobs to Curry Corner and believe me, after four hours drinking real ale, that food tent will be a welcome sight for your eyes and your stomach.
Honestly, try as we might, we can’t fault this little festival. It was a brilliant night out and I think if our livers could take another beating, then we’d probably be there again today! The festival, which is running for another two days, opened its doors again at 11am this morning and will be open until 11pm this evening; entry before 5pm is £5 and entry afterwards is £8 - still a brilliant price for access to all of these goodies. Saturday sees the festival open from 11am until 11pm with a £5 entry fee all day - so get yourselves down there! Throw some money at the smiley, helpful and may I say, very informative volunteers that make this festival possible, and try some of the delights that Worcester has to offer. And fear not, if for any reason you have tokens left at the end of the evening, you can always get them converted back into pounds and pennies before you leave.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your drinking buddies and head down to Worcester Racecourse before stocks start running low.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 9 August 2013
Now, as we’re so committed to bringing you brilliant reviews, we were there when the doors opened on the first evening, with our pint glasses and tokens at the ready…
The festivities started at 5pm on Worcester Racecourse which, for anyone who isn’t local to the area, is walking distance from Foregate Street train station and is also extremely easy to find. After paying the reasonable entry fee of £5, and grabbing our souvenir glasses that are given to you upon entry, we whipped out our programmes and immediately began plotting which ciders and such like we would devote our attention to. The festival, which works in tokens (which you purchase along with your entry ticket), has prices plastered everywhere for their impressive array of beer, cider, perry, fruit and grape wines and flavoured alcohol apple juice. Generally speaking, you’re looking at £1.50 for half a pint and £3 for a full one, although there are exceptions to this.
Over the course of the evening we developed a divide and conquer attitude; half of us lingered around the cider section while other, braver members of the group, decided to venture into the land of 10% beer. There really is something for everyone here, and after extensive research, at least three of us decided that Janet’s Jungle Juice was definitely for us!
The alcoholic antics were accompanied by an array of brilliant musicians such as Jasper In The Company Of Others and Liberty Lies, who were playing up until 11pm in the music tent. Fear not though, this wasn’t a special event thrown on for the first evening; the festival, over the course of the next two days, will play host to an array of musical talent that will get you in the foot-tapping mood! If you’re thinking of heading there this weekend, which we completely recommend you do, you can check out the rest of the bands lined up to perform by clicking here.
Now, whoever is behind this festival obviously has their head screwed on because, not only do they have a ridiculous amount of alcohol for you to binge yourselves on, but they also have a food tent for you to soak it all up with! They offer everything from Crusty Cobs to Curry Corner and believe me, after four hours drinking real ale, that food tent will be a welcome sight for your eyes and your stomach.
Honestly, try as we might, we can’t fault this little festival. It was a brilliant night out and I think if our livers could take another beating, then we’d probably be there again today! The festival, which is running for another two days, opened its doors again at 11am this morning and will be open until 11pm this evening; entry before 5pm is £5 and entry afterwards is £8 - still a brilliant price for access to all of these goodies. Saturday sees the festival open from 11am until 11pm with a £5 entry fee all day - so get yourselves down there! Throw some money at the smiley, helpful and may I say, very informative volunteers that make this festival possible, and try some of the delights that Worcester has to offer. And fear not, if for any reason you have tokens left at the end of the evening, you can always get them converted back into pounds and pennies before you leave.
So what are you waiting for? Grab your drinking buddies and head down to Worcester Racecourse before stocks start running low.
Written by: Charlotte Barnes
Published: 9 August 2013
Gig Review: It's A Beautiful Day @ Wotton Hall, Gloucester (06/08/13)
When you live in a place like Gloucestershire with no big venues, sometimes the most unexpected bands announce dates there. So you can imagine my surprise when one of my favourite bands, It's A Beautiful Day, announced a UK tour that just happened to include Gloucester! This was a chance of a lifetime and I couldn't get a ticket fast enough.
Fronted by husband and wife, David (Violin, vocals) and Linda LaFlamme (vocals), the rest of the line-up consisted of Rob Espinosa on guitar, Steve Browning on bass and Matt Wheatley on drums. The band, unfortunately, were in a minor car accident on the way to the venue which meant they swapped sets with the support band, but this did not deter them from performing a blistering set of classic tunes.
The band were incredibly tight on stage and sounded great. I've always been a fan of violins in rock music and the band did not disappoint on that front, with David La Flamme's violin and Rob Espinosa's guitar weaving together expertly, either duelling with each other or playing the same riff and creating a very unique sound. David and Linda's vocals were also fantastic to hear. It's A Beautiful Day are one of the few rock bands I know of who have more than one singer and it was great seeing how they worked together on stage, at times harmonising beautifully and at others being a vocal tag team.
Linda also sang the lead Who's Gonna Love Me, which was a great showcase for her powerful voice. Rob Espinosa, when he wasn't playing or duelling with David's violin, played great riffs and solos throughout, while both Steve Browning and Matt Wheatley provided a strong backing throughout.
It was a great evening with an excellent selection of songs, kicking things off with the wonderful Don and Dewey, an instrumental track from their second album. It got the energy flowing and really displayed the band's instrumental skills. Signature song White Bird sounded just as lovely live as it does on the album. Another highlight was the instrumental Bombay Calling, greatly expanded from the original album version with every one of the instrumentalists getting a solo. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear Girl With No Eyes, one of my favourite songs by the band that I hadn't been expecting.
It's A Beautiful Day are currently touring the UK and do so every couple of years. Check them out sometime - you won't be disappointed.
Written by: Ed Wilkins
Published: 8 August 2013
Fronted by husband and wife, David (Violin, vocals) and Linda LaFlamme (vocals), the rest of the line-up consisted of Rob Espinosa on guitar, Steve Browning on bass and Matt Wheatley on drums. The band, unfortunately, were in a minor car accident on the way to the venue which meant they swapped sets with the support band, but this did not deter them from performing a blistering set of classic tunes.
The band were incredibly tight on stage and sounded great. I've always been a fan of violins in rock music and the band did not disappoint on that front, with David La Flamme's violin and Rob Espinosa's guitar weaving together expertly, either duelling with each other or playing the same riff and creating a very unique sound. David and Linda's vocals were also fantastic to hear. It's A Beautiful Day are one of the few rock bands I know of who have more than one singer and it was great seeing how they worked together on stage, at times harmonising beautifully and at others being a vocal tag team.
Linda also sang the lead Who's Gonna Love Me, which was a great showcase for her powerful voice. Rob Espinosa, when he wasn't playing or duelling with David's violin, played great riffs and solos throughout, while both Steve Browning and Matt Wheatley provided a strong backing throughout.
It was a great evening with an excellent selection of songs, kicking things off with the wonderful Don and Dewey, an instrumental track from their second album. It got the energy flowing and really displayed the band's instrumental skills. Signature song White Bird sounded just as lovely live as it does on the album. Another highlight was the instrumental Bombay Calling, greatly expanded from the original album version with every one of the instrumentalists getting a solo. I was also pleasantly surprised to hear Girl With No Eyes, one of my favourite songs by the band that I hadn't been expecting.
It's A Beautiful Day are currently touring the UK and do so every couple of years. Check them out sometime - you won't be disappointed.
Written by: Ed Wilkins
Published: 8 August 2013
