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London Notes
London Notes|
When a man is tired of London, he is
tired of life, for there is in London all that life can afford
---Samuel Johnson, 1777 |
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New and Noteworthy
The acclaimed Donmar Warehouse production of Hamlet starring Jude Law is headed to Broadway for a 12-week engagement at the Broadhurst Theatre, starting in October. Thriller The live concert based on Michael Jackson's music was originally scheduled to run through April--but has continued at the Lyric Shaftesbury Avenue where it's booking to 27th of September. Jackson's tragic death is likely to land the show at another theater when that booking ends.
The New Directions award is a collaboration between two institutions who champion innovative theatre: the Gate and Headlong Theatre and intends to recognise formal experimentation and new ways of presenting classic works. This year’s winner, Dylan Tighe’s MEDEA/MEDEA uses Barthes and semiotics to explore the ancient myth, looking at subsequent adaptations of Euripides’play in an avant garde and impressionistic manner.
The myth of Medea has continued to inspire numerous adaptations since its first telling, with its plot and themes full of meaning: a central character who is both an oppressed, rejected woman and a witch with an iron will, frightening powers of sorcery and who enjoys nepotistic favour from her relative the god of the sun. Meanwhile politics and the male world are the instruments of and motivation for the above betrayal but are also revealed as powerless against Medea’s revenge.
Dylan Tighe’s version does not attempt to retell the narrative of the myth in a coherent, obvious manner but rather deconstructs it. The result is therefore closer to performance art: an eerie atmosphere, a fascinating sequence of strong images but no attempt at explaining and progressing the plot or building the psychological reality of the characters. Two television screens play messages or project significant images and a workshop-style board at the back of the stage hosts an array of miscellaneous objects. Providing the cast with their props, a hobby horse, meat cleaver, Fisher-Price voice recording toy, caged canary, toaster and two child-sized dolls are among many others. Scenes are disjointed and the characters act in a vacuum of everything except a series of visual metaphors. Eschewing the traditional methods of storytelling, the production thoroughly embraces and demonstrates the formal unreality of the myth.
MEDEA/MEDEA is running until 18th July 2009 and tickets may be booked via to box office on 020 7229 0706.
Reviewed by Cassie Robinson
Tom Tom Crew There is a strange purple construction on the South Bank next to the wheel called London’s Eye shaped like a cartoon cow lying on its back with its stomach in the air. The Udderbelly is a capacious tent with raked seating inside which will host shows for eight weeks this summer. Many of the shows are music or comedians but Australian troupe Tom Tom Crew drew my interest with their blend of state of the art drumming, a DJ mixing up three turntables, beat boxing and gymnastics.
This is recommended for ten years plus but the music will be something that appeals to the clubbing generation. There is obvious skill from drummer Ben Walsh who manages a hexagonal rig with eight drums with more mental drumming that The Muppets’s Animal. Tom Thum’s beat boxing is a skilful curiosity, a one man maestro and a microphone conjuring a whole jazz band instrumental quartet, a big bass guitar and a full hip hop selection. Quite remarkable!
The acrobatics and strap act are great fun, a bit like watching the Olympic gymnast team but with a less serious edge. I loved the kangaroo stilts which enable the wearer to jump as high as a trampoline. The guys still look as if you might be watching some impromptu acrobatic talent on a Brisbane beach, which is where Tom Tom Crew hail from. Their finale act has them flying through the air using a see saw with some dangerous dismounts. Very exciting!
Booking to 19th July 2009 on Box Office: 0871 663 2538.
Reviewed by Lizzie Loveridge
The National Theatre's War Horse has caught the imagination of the audience and thanks to its record breaking sales will gallop on at the New London Theatre into February 2010.
Now celebrating its 30th anniversary, Jeff Wayne’s musical version of The War of the Worlds returns for a limited UK tour. HG Wells’ vision of a Martian invasion of the earth in the late 19th century has inspired many adaptations and imitations, but none which are so mind-boggling an extravaganza. Combining bombastic, live music with cinematic sequences, the science fiction fantasy musical is an assault on the senses, with a 3 tonne alien battle craft with heat ray guns onstage as well as fire explosions, light and smoke special effects. The cinema screen behind the musicians provides epic sweep and magnitude, combining CGI animation with the retro chic style associated with this musical since its first incarnation three decades ago.
Jeff Wayne conducts both string orchestra The ULLAdubULLA Strings and electric guitarists The Black Smoke Band whilst singers include Jennifer Ellison, Justin Hayward and Shannon Noll. The cast is completed by an eleven-foot tall 3D hologram of Richard Burton, providing the narration.
After two nights at the O2 arena in London, the tour will take the show to the Bournemouth BIC (22 – 23 June), Cardiff CIA (24-25 June) and finally the Brighton Centre (27-28 June). Tickets may be booked at: http://tickets.thewaroftheworlds.com/
London made a strong showing at the 2009 Tony Awards, with Billy Elliott nabbing the lion's share of awards and The Norman Conquests winning best revival of a play awards. Both Janet McTeer and Harriet Walters were nominated for their performances in Mary Stuart but this was a crowded category this year, and Marcia Gay Harden took the best actress Tony.
The Broadway production of Tennessee Williams’s Cat on a Hot Tin Roof with an all black cast, will open in London’s West End this winter at the Novello Theatre. As on Broadway, the cast will be headed by Tony Award winners James Earl Jones as ‘Big Daddy’ and Phylicia Rashad as ‘Big Mama’. Joining them will be Olivier Award winner Adrian Lester and Tony Award nominee Sanaa Lathan, starring as ‘Brick’ and ‘Maggie’ respectively. Further casting TBA.
2009 Olivier Awards
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