“while it may not be sophisticated, this show does what it sets out to do – leave its audience with a big goofy grin”
‘Welcome to Hell. You are No. 47 in the Queue. Thank you for your patience.’
Sometimes when you go to the theatre you want to see shows that challenge your world view, have deep political significance or profound comments on the human condition. And sometimes you just want to have a laugh.
And if you’re looking for the latter you could do a lot worse than Danse Macabre’s Tales from the Phantasmagoria, an on the spot impro show playing at the Old Red Lion. There is no agenda here other than to have a good time. The focus is on fun, as our Demon Guide Neil (Thomas Barry) invites the audience to decide what unfortunate incidents brought his two hapless companions, (Joseph Willis and Guy Matthews) down into the inner circles of hell. Willis and Matthews then enact whatever scenario the audience gives them, in this case that included Donald Trump’s marriage to Skippy the Bush Kangaroo and criminal mastermind Penguin. There is also cake.
It’s silly, absurd and all done in the best possible taste. Matthews and Willis are certainly game for anything and attack the whole performance with energy and openness. It’s not the most revolutionary show I’ve seen and at some points the boys did play it a little safe, (an indication more of a young company growing in confidence, rather than of their ability as they certainly have the wit to carry it off). But while it may not be sophisticated, this show does what it sets out to do – leave its audience with a big goofy grin.
The company is Edinburgh bound this year and I expect we’ll be hearing more from them in the future.
“I love cornflakes and carpet and it certainly matched the narrative”
Arriving at The Old Red Lion I knew little of the two stories on the bill other than a brief description of each central character; an isolated writer and an insomniac.
The stage was littered with papers, a “full” sleeping bag, a radio and cups of wine. Bulbs hung from the rig and two men stood upstage wearing skull masks, one with his trousers round his ankles. A fun image, one that initially led me to think I was in for a night of sketch comedy.
The first of the tales, “Every Breath You Take”, is predominantly a one woman show, a tough ask for any actor, particularly with the range that horror demands you display. Ruby Sevink-Johnston seemed to grow more comfortable with her character Sam, as her discomfort grew, so I’ll be interested to see those establishing movements of the piece really Hammer-horrored home with further direction and development.
The second offering to the cult (sorry, audience) was “The Sandman”. Overall my preferred of the two, if simply because the premise was one I haven’t experienced before. As the two actors (Cuthbert and Emma Whitworth) enrich the well-crafted story with brilliant vocal imagery, artefacts are passed round the audience in the dark. I love cornflakes and carpet and it certainly matched the narrative, but I wanted more touchy things. It was a sensory experience to an extent, but moving forward I hope they can increase the tangible aids, and saliently get them to every audience member as close to the verbal reference as possible.
What would help in both plays, is for a clear decision on what genres the shows wish to be or straddle. As a fan of comedy and horror comedy, I think the comedy element could be explored further as there are some gems in there already.
Would I be interested in seeing this work progressed – yes. If the intent is a “jump scare”, there is work to be done. Overall, I thought the structure of the night was strong. Having hosts was an excellent feature, and I am keen to see more from Danse Macabre as they find their niche.
An early outing with some strong elements, and a team willing to work hard to develop, so keep your eyes open … unless they tell you to keep them closed.
