Tag Archives: Ali Wright

Jade City

Jade City

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The Bunker

Jade City

Jade City

The Bunker

Reviewed – 5th September

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“praise should be given for facing stories of masculine brutality head-on”

 

Two men circle each other in a boxing ring; they spar, they wrestle, they laugh and, in a sense at least, they fight. The ropes that encircle the ring also encircle their lives, and by the end of performance, it’s clear that those ropes can’t contain them both.

Jade City, cleverly-named for both the local takeaway (with its Β£3.20 special) and a reference to the proximity of the Emerald Isle, is a two-man show from playwright Alice Malseed. Malseed hails from Belfast, where the play is set, and the whole production resonates with a sense of place. It opens with Monty (Barry Calvert) and Sas (Brendan Quinn) rattling off memories of their hometown. The Goliath crane, the Cregagh, Ormeau Road; cultural and local references which would be bound to strike powerful chords with those who know the city (and, as a nice touch, the Bunker is selling Tayto crisps). This densely-worded production is captioned throughout and in these quickfire exchanges it is invaluable (although at times distractingly serves to highlight deviations from the text, with whole lines missed, that can’t all be deliberate).

As we follow visits to the local, to Monty’s β€˜stinking flat’, to the new bar in town, it’s clear that our two characters are knitted into their landscape, but passing references to their past indicate a troubling story. This unfolds, graphically and somewhat predictably, throughout the production. Some of the narrative is delivered via escapist role-plays, as Monty and Sas act out remembered or imagined situations. This is a helpful device, but it feels a bit hard to square the idea of lads who joke about times they’ve lobbed rocks at police and started fights also readily immersing themselves in shared childlike fantasies (β€˜We’re bin men!’). Given the narrative dwells on the toxicity and dishonesty of masculine posturing, this particular leap feels like a real ask of the audience, although passionate and likeable performances from Calvert and Quinn help.

The Bunker is a simple space in which to represent Belfast’s streets, pubs and clubs but clever lighting (Timothy Kelly) works hard, with strips around the boxing ring starkly setting up the stage and a sickly orange hue invoking the tacky-floored pub. Sound design from Michael Mormecha is also effective.

So many great components, then, but director Katherine Nesbitt isn’t quite able to unite them into a totally winning whole. One challenge is certainly the lyrical but heavy script, which feels like it’d be better served by being read on the page than seen performed. Another is the pacing; billed as a one-hour show, my performance ran 15 minutes over this and this extra time cost us tautness.

Rarely has a production had such a connection to a place; Belfast runs through Jade City like a stick of rock. In this regard, the play excels, and praise should be given for facing stories of masculine brutality head-on.

 

Reviewed by Abi Davies

Photography by Ali Wright

 


Jade City

The Bunker until 21st September

 

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
Sam, The Good Person | β˜…β˜…β˜… | January 2019
Welcome To The UK | β˜…β˜… | January 2019
Boots | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | February 2019
Box Clever | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | March 2019
Killymuck | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | March 2019
My White Best Friend | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | March 2019
Funeral Flowers | β˜…β˜…β˜…Β½ | April 2019
Fuck You Pay Me | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | May 2019
The Flies | β˜…β˜…β˜… | June 2019
Have I Told You I’m Writing a Play About my Vagina? | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | July 2019

 

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Ophelia Rewound

Ophelia Rewound

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Camden People’s Theatre

Ophelia Rewound

Ophelia Rewound

Camden People’s Theatre

Reviewed – 22nd August 2019

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“As a performer, Spanou is extremely open, with a touch of shyness that makes her endearing”

 

If someone asked me to choose between abseiling down the Shard and seeing a show that involved audience interaction, I’d be up there faster than you could say, β€˜It’s at the Camden People’s Theatre at 9pm, and it’s actually really good.’

There are two reasons why I would prefer to face my fear of heights than go to an interactive show. The first is that the thought of being chosen to participate makes me feel extremely nervous, to the extent that I can’t enjoy the show. The second is that interactive shows can be hit and miss. Whilst some can change the audience’s experience for the better, others fall flat in awkward ways.

With this in mind, I went into Ophelia Rewound with some trepidation, and emerged totally at ease. It is a therapeutic show in many ways, for both the audience and writer/performer Antigoni Spanou. Taking the Shakespearean character as her starting point, Spanou explores the isolating effects of mental health conditions. Since the deaths of her father and the man she loved, Ophelia has lived alone and on the brink of suicide. When a group of unexpected guests arrive, she invites them to share in her last two minutes, during which she dismantles her fears and emerges from the shadows of the men who wronged her.

Spanou tackles sensitive topics engagingly and empathetically, subtly merging sadness and humour to create spectacles out of the most ordinary moments. Ophelia’s attempt to mop up the water from her suicide attempt is awkwardly funny, whilst a game of Never Have I Ever is surprisingly heart-breaking. Each segment feels carefully crafted, both in terms of writing and production design. Joe Iredale’s set, comprised of four white boxes lined up against a wall, contain revelations that constantly surprise. Joseph Thorpe’s lighting design amplifies the emotional content of Spanou’s work, and are beautiful to watch in and of themselves.

As a performer, Spanou is extremely open, with a touch of shyness that makes her endearing. The moment where an audience member joins her on stage (shout out to Jonathan) feels genuine and heartfelt rather than awkward and forced. A personal favourite moment was when Ophelia makes a cup of tea for all the women in the audience. There was a quiet moment where we all sat together as a group, a moment where it didn’t feel like we were in a show at all, but in the company of a friend.

Ophelia Rewound is carefully crafted show about mental health that acts not only as entertainment, but as a tribute to our oft-forgotten inner strength. If I had to choose between abseiling down the Shard and seeing this show two or three more times, I’d be at the Camden People’s Theatre faster than you could say, β€˜I am Ophelia, the one that the river cannot keep.’

 

Reviewed by Harriet Corke

Photography by Ali Wright

 


Camden Fringe

Ophelia Rewound

Camden People’s Theatre until 25th August as part of Camden Fringe 2019

 

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
Le Misanthrope | β˜…β˜…Β½ | June 2018
Ouroboros | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | July 2018
Did it Hurt? | β˜…β˜…β˜… | August 2018
Asylum | β˜…β˜…β˜… | November 2018
George | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | March 2019
Mojave | β˜…β˜…β˜… | April 2019
Human Jam | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | May 2019
Hot Flushes – The Musical | β˜…β˜…β˜… | June 2019
The Indecent Musings Of Miss Doncaster 2007 | β˜…β˜…β˜…Β½ | August 2019
Form | β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜…β˜… | August 2019

 

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