Tag Archives: Bronagh Lagan

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“Exhibitionists” at the King’s Head Theatre

A new year and a new theatre! The new home for this stellar fringe venue, pretty much behind the pub it takes its name from, is a great start to 2024. And it is commendable that the inaugural production is a new play, written by Shaun McKenna and Andrew Van Sickle. The piece can be generously described as safe – a romantic comedy (of sorts) with an eye on the LGBTQ audience that the King’s Head Theatre admirably serves.

The aim is light entertainment, the inspiration (we’re told) screwball comedies from the 1930s and 40s. There are touches of Alan Ayckbourn too, but the play might best be thought of as an openly gay version of Noel Coward’s Private Lives. These are solid sources and the idea of updating them isn’t bad. Maybe it shouldn’t surprise that the play doesn’t live up to them… it’s a big ask after all.

Ex-lovers, Conor and Robbie, who meet again at an art exhibition, had long experimented with an open relationship. They run off together, leaving their new, younger, boyfriends Mal and Rayyan bereft, before a predictable and improbable ending. The problem isn’t that we can guess what happens next – it’s that the dialogue doesn’t sparkle. There’s little wit and the jokes are lacking.

It’s interesting that the younger characters are better written. Or maybe they are just more interesting? At least, it’s a neat point that they behave less like children than the older men. But it’s a shame some less savoury points from McKenna and Van Sickle’s old-fashioned inspiration have been retained – Conor and Robbie’s attitude to waiting staff and the domestic violence in the play do not sit well with trying to make people laugh nowadays. To be fair, there are some attempts at satire that are topical. An unhappy role for a Norwegian hotelier (performed valiantly by Øystein Lode) and new age therapy (using a spoon!) should be easy targets. And Instagram of course. But there isn’t enough originality here and the jokes continue to be poor.

While the play itself leaves a lot of be desired, praise is deserved when it comes to the production. The five cast members all have a tough job but each manage to make their lines light, even when the jokes don’t land. Ashley D Gayle and Robert Rees convince as a couple who have known each other a long time, even if it is hard to care about their characters. Rolando Montecalvo and Jake Mitchell-Jones both have a clear idea of what the piece is trying to do, even if the material limits them. Credit to director Bronagh Lagan who keeps the action tight, touches of farce are handled particularly well, and ensures the show at least has the energy that the script lacks.

Until 10 February 2024

www.kingsheadtheatre.com

Photo by Geraint Lewis

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“Flowers for Mrs Harris” at the Riverside Studios

A lot of this musical, about a charlady with a dream, is admittedly simplistic. The story is thin – the eponymous heroine works to buy a dress from Christian Dior – while the characters, including clients and haute couturiers, are a bit silly. The music and lyrics, from Richard Taylor and Rachel Wagstaff, share a sentimentality that’s not to all tastes. But it is effective. And since the show isn’t scared of a cliché, let’s add another: Flowers for Mrs Harris is incredibly moving. By the end there isn’t a dry eye in the house.

There are problems with the source material, a novel by Paul Gallico, that Wagstaff’s competent book can’t overcome. This is a patronising view of post-war poverty that is uncomfortable. Observations on class are so blunt they are crass – I’ve seldom heard so many dropped aitches or calls for cups of tea. Ada Harris’ dream doesn’t make much sense, but efforts to explain a gown as a symbol and regard the dress as a work of art lead to some of the best songs and make sure the audience cares about her quest.

This is a show that aims to be heart-warming and really wants you to care – each character gets the chance to show the best of themselves. It’s easy to praise the fact that our lead is an older woman – a widow with no children – as we don’t see them as a focus often enough. It’s a demanding role that tests even the incredible Jenna Russell’s abilities. Mrs Harris is so unselfish she is hard to believe. That people help her so much doesn’t quite fit with the idea that she is invisible. Nonetheless, Russell manages to give Ada some edge, with flashes of frustration, and makes the character’s charisma clear.

Bronagh Lagan’s direction and Nik Corrall’s clever set make the show feel full, and the standards are high. The production is, however, a little too long. It lacks the zip of Chichester Festival Theatre’s version (although, having seen that online, the comparison isn’t quite fair). Some of the plot twists are good but drag. Take the on-stage presence of Ada’s deceased husband Albert – a role Hal Fowler has a grand go at. Having the two talk and sing packs an emotional punch, but do we need to see Albert so many times to know Ada that is lonely?

It’s the strong contrasts in Flowers For Mrs Harris that make the show winning. While there is a claim that “nothing is out of reach”, final comfort for its character comes with simple flowers. And, while there are many grand gestures, there’s also reticence and modesty. You might claim the such qualities as particularly British – they are certainly appealing and make the musical just that little bit different. The morals are twee, even conservative with a small c, but a show that makes you go ‘ahh’ so often must be doing something right.

Until 25 November 2023

www.riversidestudios.co.uk

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“Cruise” at the Duchess Theatre

Previously available on stream.theatre, I was convinced that Jack Holden’s AIDS history play would be better live. And it is. But the surprise is how much superior – a solid script becomes something special through a spectacular performance.

Of course, there’s the thrill of seeing a piece set in 1980s Soho so close to the location itself. It feels great to be back in the West End! Thoroughly researched and poetically written, the script has an extra charge on stage.

Bronagh Lagan’s direction makes the action taut – there is considerable tension as we hear the character of Michael recount what he thinks will be his last night on earth. And the play packs a punch emotionally: the scene where Michael’s partner dies is a dramatic highlight.

Best of all, the show’s music is incorporated superbly with composer John Elliott performing from the start. The live soundtrack becomes almost a character in the action and structures the show admirably.

While the previous filming was accomplished, far more is achieved with the simple scaffolded set from Nick Corrall and Stufish Entertainment Architects. The industrial feel is appropriate for the show’s club scenes while also suggesting London’s constant building work. A small revolve and judicious video projections accompany a tour of Old Compton Street and provide a stage for the great set of characters we meet. 

It is Holden’s performance that ensures success. Taking on a variety of roles is sure to impress on stage or screen, but seeing this done in the flesh is what theatre does best. There is a physicality to the show’s marvellous sections about Michael’s career in the music business – also aided by Jai Morjaria’s lighting design – that is inspired. A standing ovation made the socially distanced theatre feel full – something that Holden and his play deserve.

Until 13 June 2021

www.cruisetheplay.co.uk

Photo by Pamela Raith

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“Cruise” from stream.theatre

A strong performance from the talented Jack Holden is the highlight of his self-penned monologue. Cruise is an Aids drama and a panegyric to a lost Soho that is uneven but admirable.

Through the framework of a telephone call to London’s Switchboard helpline, we hear the story of Michael – a “veteran” survivor of HIV – told to young Jack. It’s a sensible device that forms a connection between generations of gay men, and Holden performs both roles well. Regrettably, the younger character is unconvincing and naïve.

Michael’s story, however, is fascinating. As one of the first to contract HIV, after a doctor tells him he has four years to live, he believes his days are literally numbered. Determined to live “wilder than before”, he takes a tour of Soho in the 1980s, which includes a vivid cast of characters that allow Holden to shine.

The pace – if not the delivery – is frequently breathless, which proves tiring in a long monologue: more control is needed from director Bronagh Lagan. And, while the use of songs within the story is strong, John Elliott and Max Pappenheim’s sound design is uncharacteristically overpowering.

The writing conveys a strong sense of place and it’s entertaining to meet drag queen Jackie – a “smashed mirror of femininity” – as well as Lady Lennox with her “origin story tombola”. Holden has some interesting, if studied, turns of phrase that save a script with a few too many clichés. It’s a shame that attempts at humour aren’t more successful.

The script’s patchy quality comes to the fore when Holden deals with the club scene. Sections that show Michael’s love of music are excellent: the energy and poetry are phenomenal, the filming superb and, if you’ve missed dancing during lockdown, these passages will articulate why.

The rest of Holden’s history lesson is competent but lacking the same passion, even with moments – such as the death of Michael’s partner – that should be moving.

The filming of Cruise, using lots of space in Shoreditch Town Hall and including Jai Morjaria’s lighting design, is one of the best I’ve seen during lockdown. But it’s still a relief to know that a stage production is planned – at the Duchess Theatre from 18 May. This online screening, so close (hopefully) to a return to the stage, could serve as an interesting comparison. I wouldn’t be surprised if a live performance of Holden’s calibre irons out some reservations and it is certainly something to look forward to.

Until 25 April 2021

www.cruisetheplay.co.uk

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“Promises Promises” at the Southwark Playhouse

The credentials for this musical are impeccable: a book by Neil Simon, with music and lyrics fromBurt Bacharach and Hal David. That should be enough to get you booking tickets. The endearing, nostalgic piece follows the adventures of New Yorker Chuck, who lends his flat to his bosses for their extra-marital affairs, while his own love life flounders.

Adapted from the 1960 movie The Apartment, it’s the script that dominates. There’s a lot of Simon here – no bad thing – playing with cynicism, packing in jolly touches and good plotting. If the songs don’t fuse into a score in the manner that makes some musicals heavenly, they are great numbers, with a trip to the back catalogue sublimely incorporated as an extra treat.

Paul Robinson
Paul Robinson

The smooth sounds are well performed and Bronagh Lagan’s direction has a calm pace that’s appropriate – disguising how much work her dozen cast members are doing – so the show feels like relaxed fun. There’s swinging going on (it’s the Sixties, after all) but, despite the Mad Men vibe, evoked especially well by Paul Robinson as the arch philanderer Sheldrake, the tones are pastel and the atmosphere oh-so cool.

Gabriel Vick and Alex Young
Gabriel Vick and Alex Young

Darker shades are present and handled well by leading lady Daisy Maywood, whose character Fran is driven to attempt suicide. The sobering moments are a little jarring and stem from the sexism within Promises Promises itself. Women are, literally, backing singers, playing secretaries and ‘pick ups’ (providing a blissful cameo for Alex Young). And the office Christmas party would give an HR department a fit. Lagan deals cleverly with the unsavoury middle-aged executives, presenting a collection of more sad than mad men that we can laugh at. It’s a sensible move, and the cast makes it work for them.

The saving grace is our heroine, at times displaying an emotional depth that overwhelms the show – welcome nonetheless – and Maywood’s acting is as strong as her powerful voice. The equally impressive Gabriel Vick, playing Chuck, joins her. Ostensibly, this is his character’s story. He’s a “puny” figure that Vick makes winning with perfectly pitched direct addresses to the audience. Fantasy conversations only endear us to him further. It’s the two leads who make the show, culminating in a gorgeous duet that is the fulfilment of all the talent on offer.

Until 18 February 2017

www.southwarkplayhouse.co.uk

Photos by Claire Bilyard