Wuthering Heights, Bristol Old Vic

When I went to the theatre to see the new adaptation of 'Wuthering Heights' I was unsure what to expect. Emily Bronte's novel is one of my all time favourites and I was prepared to be very critical of whatever I watched. I was completely blown away by the production however, moved to tears by the incredible and emotive depiction of the plot. Interestingly I felt a deeper sympathy for the characters than I did whilst reading the novel. Cathy and Heathcliff were given more redeeming characteristics in this interpretation, and I found myself not quite hating them by the end. 

Visually this performance is stunning. As any of my friends could tell you, I am a huge fan of group dances and 'Wuthering Heights' had some phenomenal ones. In particular The Moor expressed the mystery and haunted atmosphere that runs throughout 'Wuthering Heights' through their dancing. Nandi Bhebhe led this ensemble beautifully and confidently, perfectly channelling the raw emotions that are central to Emily Bronte's narrative. 

Overall I wasn't convinced by the success of weaving musical numbers into the play however. It felt awkward at points and as though it was interrupting the progression of the narrative. There were moments when, as an audience member, I felt that emotions that had been skilfully built up were suddenly dismantled by a dance that I couldn't quite tell the purpose of.  

Lucy McCormick and Ash Hunter carried the performance flawlessly, depicting the raw and passionate romance of the doomed lovers Cathy and Heathcliff. Lucy's performance in particular was riveting and her first entrance was immediately captivating as she depicted Cathy's mental anguish. I definitely recommend going to see this if you get the opportunity. 

Everyone is Dead, Bristol Old Vic

‘Everyone is dead’ is a thought-provoking and quirky piece of theatre that forces the audience to consider humanity at its worse. Written by Charlotte Turner-McMullan it explores a theoretical apocalypse that plunges the world into constant terror and grief – emotions that push society into a frenzied desire to survive. This desire pushes some to despair, some to a faded form of hope, and others to a twisted view of morality.

The plot is slow moving, and entirely wrapped up in the dialogue of Kelly, a 17-year-old girl, and Ashley, a woman Kelly’s father brought home. Kelly is a nervous wreck, haunted and driven on by the memory of those who she thinks died ‘instead’ of her. In contrast, Ashley appears intensely cynical of the world, encouraging Kelly to live for herself rather than others whilst claiming to be fed up of living herself. Little by little the audience are made aware that morals are almost non-existent in this fear-driven world, and that instead of working together people turn against one another in their desperation to survive. 

Carried entirely by the skill of the actresses Florence Espeut-Nickless and Allson Fitzjohn, this unique performance is not exactly ‘gripping’ and yet it does hold its own sort of charm. The scriptwriting is clever and witty, confronting many themes and combining tragedy and humour to present a world that is falling apart. Interlaced throughout the dialogue there are intensely deep moments, highlighted successfully by Florence and Allson as they predominately utilise their tone, and facial expressions in order to engage their audience.

Towards the end I did find myself becoming restless, as the performance became slightly monotonous, the big reveal had been made and still the dialogue continued reiterating points that had already been made moments before. Ultimately however, this was an interesting and engaging new play, essentially thought-provoking and witty throughout, if at times somewhat slow.

Wild Swimming, Bristol Old Vic

When I come to write reviews I am very rarely lost for words, and yet with Wednesday night's performance of 'Wild Swimming' I find it strangely difficult to begin. Without a doubt it was one of the wittiest and most thought-provoking pieces of theatre I have had the pleasure of viewing in the last year, and I feel that to fully express just how highly I regarded FullRogue's production would be almost impossible.

'Wild Swimming' follows characters Oscar and Nell through various summers in their life, as they learn more about themselves and the various societies in which they live. Since 'time is flexible within theatre' each summer is set in a different time era, beginning in the sixteenth-century and concluding with modern day. During the summers they spend together Oscar and Nell explore the changing roles of men and women, using 'swimming' as a metaphor that runs throughout. During the 16th Century Oscar leads the conversation, excitedly discussing the things he has learnt whilst at university, Nell on the other hand has been left behind. Over the subsequent summers, Oscar comes back expecting Nell to have done nothing, and whilst this is true during the Victorian era, following the great war things have changed and Nell has become the great poet Oscar aspired to be in his youth.

Director and writer, Julia Head and Marek Horn respectively, worked seamlessly together to create a performance that displayed the progression of society to a time in which men and women can work alongside one another in order to achieve great things. They showed that ultimately in order to succeed, we should not 'drown' one another but look to one another for support. Additionally, the laid back manner of acting and the fluid transitions between rehearsed and improvised created an environment that allowed the audience to take a step back from the performance and consider for themselves the message that was being put across. The humour interwoven throughout 'Wild Swimming' added to the general success of the performance, and kept the production light-hearted and fun.

In addition, Alice Lamb (Nell) and Annabel Baldwin (Oscar) created characters that were emotive and varied, and in the words of Alice Lamb I was both 'impressed and shocked' at the talent, wit and energy which they both brought to the performance. If you get the opportunity 'Wild Swimming' is a performance well worth watching - I guarantee you will be left laughing.

Malory Towers, Bristol Old Vic

Darrel, Sally, Alicia, Gwendoline and Irene were, for a long time, some of my favourite book characters. I grew up eagerly reading about these girls and their adventures, so it was with great excitement that I went to watch this on-stage adaptation of 'Malory Towers'. It did not disappoint. From the offset it was a performance full of good-humour and fun, with bouncy musical numbers that left me tapping my feet.

As soon as I stepped through the door of the theatre I was transported into the world of 'Malory Towers'. The passenger shed was magically transformed into a stage, transporting the audience to classrooms, dorm rooms, and hallways where  the importance of friendship, keeping one’s temper and remaining true to oneself were wonderfully displayed. Throughout the evening the cast sought to involve the audience in their production, drawing them effortlessly into the action by consistently breaking down the fourth wall and engaging directly with each age group through their jokes and dialogue. Whilst there were countless moments to entertain the younger members of the audience, there were also plenty of moments that left the adult members' laughing and cheering too.

The music was an aspect of Emma Rice's 'Malory Towers' adaptation that surprised and excited me. Every single one of the cast got a chance to demonstrate their exemplary musical talents singing in a wide variety of styles. To accompany this, they performed a wide variety of dance numbers, including ballet and tap. This constant switching between styles, meant each song or dance could perfectly reflect the mood, creating a performance where there was never a moment of boredom or needless repetition.

Emma Rice effectively delivered a performance that brought to life everyone's favourite school-girl characters, remaining true to Enid Blyton's vision of the girls, whilst adding her own twists and turns. Along with the rest of the production team, and the cast, Emma created a performance that was thought provoking, inspiring and ultimately just a lot of fun! Perfect for all generations, I strongly encourage anyone who can to go along and experience the wonders of 'Malory Towers'.

Summer Rolls, Bristol Old Vic

Often when I go to review performances at the Bristol Old Vic I am unsure what to expect, all I know in advance is the title and occasionally the cast. Other than that, I am left completely in the dark until the lights dim, the curtain rises and the play begins. Sometimes at this point I am greeted by a performance satisfactory but not altogether overwhelming. Rarely am I left disappointed. Occasionally I am presented with a gem of theatrical genius, thought provoking, amusing and emotional all rolled into one. 'Summer Rolls' definitely falls into this later category. 

As soon as the music began for the opening act, I knew that what I was about to watch would remain with me for a long time. Over the next two hours I was held spell-bound as I watched the story of a Vietnamese family living in the UK unfold. The play follows Mai, an intelligent and creative young girl, as she struggles to come to terms with her life as a second generation-immigrant. Additionally, her family guard her from wounds and secrets of a war-torn Vietnam that she is too young to remember, creating divides between Mai and those she loves. Family, relationships, racism, war, generational differences are all themes tackled by this performance, in a way that is sensitive and direct. 'Summer Rolls' effortlessly interweaves these themes with more comical elements, depicting the balance of life and providing a performance both entertaining and thought provoking. 

In addition to the phenomenal plot, it was the cast who truly carried this production and brought it to life. Anna Nguyen, who played Mai, particularly stood out to me as she perfectly depicted a character who began as a young girl and grew into a woman. Through posture, tone and expression she displayed Mai as first the obstinate and inquisitive child, then the independent and creative teen, before finally the more quietly hopeful mature adult who sought to bring reconciliation to those affected by the war by telling their stories. Alongside Anna Nguyen, Linh-Dan Pham portrayed the hurt, strength and courage of a mother seeking to protect and assist her children. Her ability to manipulate the audience, making them laugh one minute and cry the next is statement to her talent as an actress and greatly added to my enjoyment of the performance as a whole. 

If you get the chance 'Summer Rolls' is a performance that I strongly encourage you to go and watch. It begs us to ask the questions we often avoid, and confronts, head on, the power that war and hatred have to mar the beautiful, whilst showing the resilience and determination that can overcome these challenges. 

BAAL, Bristol Old Vic

Amongst the performances I have had the pleasure of watching at the Bristol Old Vic, there have been a few that have really stood out; Thursday’s performance of BAAL was one of these. Perhaps because I studied Brecht and his unique style of theatre whilst at alevels, I found myself more critical than in previous performances, watching intently to see how Impermanence interpreted the piece. They did well. Combining their dance, with more Brechtian techniques they created a performance full of extreme physicality and raw emotions, depicting the lust, greed and violence which corrupt and drag us down.

 

The physicality used throughout this performance was beautiful, aesthetically pleasing and used in every way possible to reflect the emotions and thoughts of the dialogue and characters. Pain, suffering, greed and anguish were all reflected in the actors’ entire bodies, as they writhed and groaned physically. They incorporated duets and lifts with ease, seamlessly weaving together a thought-provoking adaptation. At the end of the performance it was clear they were all exhausted, a sign that they had put their all into this production.

In-line with Brecht, they used narration rather than dialogue within the performance, distancing the audience from the characters, allowing us to remain emotionally separated and thus appreciate the social commentary they aimed to depict. One thing that was unfortunate however, was that at points the microphone did not work, and words were lost so that it was harder to follow the story-line of Baal, although the feelings were still effectively conveyed physically.

Overall I cannot say that this was one of my favourite performances, or that I would see it again but it was certainly an excellent example of a physical theatre performance.

La Strada, Bristol Old Vic

I walked into the theatre on Tuesday night completely unprepared for the spectacular performance that would greet me. I had never heard of La Strada before so was unsure what to expect, but as the night progressed I became more and more engrossed in the plot and found myself loving every minute. A story about a young girl and her interactions with the bitter and twisted Zampano, and a daring fool, and how these two men influence and change her life as she tries to make her way in the hostile world. Played by Audrey Brisson, Gelsamina visibly grew as a character throughout the performance. Her childlike innocence and naivety are brought into the spotlight through a heartwarming portrayal of the character, and a wonderful ensemble cast.

Humour is magically interwoven throughout the performance, creating connections between characters and audience as they lead us through their lives. Even though there were moments I was moved close to tears, there were far more times that I was moved to laughter. It was a light everyday humour, snuck in amongst the heartbreak and pain of the characters as they each struggled with their pasts, presents and futures. From Zampano, the mysterious and bitter strong man, to the fool, crazy, content and accepting, they all brought a touch of humour to the performance.

The music throughout La Strada also amazed me. In particular the songs sung by Tatiana Santini, and Audrey Brisson, two radiant vocalists who brought passion to their music and to the performance. The ensemble work within the production was also incredible. At moments the cast would all move as a unit in order to create the motion of the sea, or the bustling chaos of a crowd.

Whether you're young or old, optimistic or jaded, full of Gelsamina's innocence or scared by experience, this performance will delight you in every-way. An age old tale that remains relevant today, in part due to it's understanding that it's our nature to cherish those who care for us even when it's not necessarily good for us to do so. But also, in part, thanks to a beautifully constructed cast.

La Strada: What the Audience Thought