★★★

“Stand out performance of the night goes to Enzo Benvenuti”

The Boys From Syracuse playing Upstairs at the Gatehouse, is a pared down production of the 1938 hit by Rodgers and Hart, with everyone doubling up on roles.

The musical is based on Shakespeare’s A Comedy of Errors, when two sets of identical twins Antipholus of Ephesus and Antipholus of Syracuse (John Faal in the dual role) were separated as children from each other in a shipwreck; along with their servants, both named Dromio (Brendan Matthew in the dual role). When the pair from Syracuse come to Ephesus, a comedy of errors and mistaken identities ensues when the wives of the Ephesians, Adriana (Caroline Kennedy) and her servant Luce (Karen Wilkinson), mistake the two strangers for their husbands. Adriana’s sister Luciana (Georgie Faith) and the Syracuse Antipholus fall in love. But all ends happily with some fun puppetry!

This is a silly musical set in Roman times, you know it’s old Italy because the tiled adverts on the set include Rent A Chariot. The songs are classics including Falling In Love With Love and This Can’t Be Love. All the cast have good voices and in act two, the female trio of Adriana, Luciana and Luce perform Sing For Your Supper, with clear and strong harmonies which is a delight.

Stand out performance of the night goes to Enzo Benvenuti as both the Duke and the Sergeant – his smile inducing characters played with comedy and verve.

Directed by Mark Giesser, the pace meant in the most part the comedy did not sparkle. The costumes (Alice McNicholas) were distracting as you tried to work out the differences between the complicatedly patterned bright waistcoats, which did not help to differentiate the twins with ease – making it harder to separate who was who. The accents did also drop at times which did not help either.

The set was simple with the comedic tiled backdrop and one platform. However, the unnecessary three “marble” boxes were continually moved by the cast for no reason, adding nothing to the production at all. And the stand alone single front door on wheels, was an embarrassment for poor John Faal, when his Antipholus of Ephesus is locked out of his house, and bangs and tries to open it. But the door just moved and wobbled horribly. Maybe try to turn it into a comedy moment by moving the door back and forth on its wheels with purpose?

The five piece band, a fantastic luxury in such a small space, was led by Musical Director Benjamin Levy on the piano. Some of the songs felt they could have been slightly more up tempo, but it was a tight team of musicians with a good sound balance with the cast.

Upstairs at the Gatehouse is known for putting on big musical theatre shows, and some clearly work better in the space with a small cast, than others.

BALLET NIGHTS 006 at Cadogan Hall

★★★★

“A hugely enjoyable evening with a true mix of ballet styles in one performance”

As the title states this is the sixth Ballet Nights in a series that was founded last year by its Artistic Director Jamiel Devernay-Laurence, who also comperes the evening with a friendly warmth. This was Ballet Nights’ first outing at the beautifully intimate Cadogan Hall, which usually houses concert nights.

Ballet Nights 006 is all about celebrating new choreography and dancers at all stages of their careers.

The evening begins with Ballet Nights’ in-house pianist (and we are told also their photographer) Viktor Erik Emanuel performing Chopin’s Ballade No 1 in G Minor, a little surprising to open the night without dance.

First up was a new work September, In The Rain, with choreography by Jordan James Bridge and danced by Constance Devernay-Laurence, former principal of Scottish Ballet. The ballet starts as Constance pas de bourrées down stage with her loose hair covering her face, which looked great for that moment. The choreography is not complicated, and the loose long hair becomes slightly annoying, as whilst in profile you could not see her face at all. Now we know why the classical ballet tradition is to have hair tied up in a tight bun.

Tanzt is a new duet danced by the Company Wayne McGregor star Rebecca Bassett-Graham and James Pett. Tanzt is choreographed by Pett|Clausen Knight and accompanied live on stage by the composer and singer Madil Hardis and a violinist. Hardis has a terrific voice, but the dance was nothing new in the angst-ridden couple stakes, however neatly and passionately danced.

Introducing Joy is the title of another new work by Constant Vigier created for American ballet and former Bolshoi star Joy Womack, in her debut performance with Ballet Nights. A flowing dance and lovely to see Joy’s beautiful lines and her connection to the in-house pianist Emanuel.

Then comes Set Fast with seven young final year students with Rambert School of Ballet and Contemporary Dance. And the stage came alive with the piece choregraphed by fellow student Grace O’Brien and danced by Amari Webb-Martin, Evie-Leigh Savage, Lottie Hawkins, Matthew Potulski, Jemma Sparrow, Phoebe Dowglass and Rory Clarke. This was innovative and new choreography with fast paced quivers and syncopated moves, with, at times, an almost Spanish toreador arm position. The piece was pulsing and danced with precision and passion by these young, still to graduate 20-year-olds.

Part I finale is the White Swan Pas De Deux, Act II Swan Lake with the classical choreography of Marius Petipa. Sangeun Lee and Gareth Haw, both principles with ENB were entrancing as they fell in love through this beautiful pas de deux. Lee’s wonderfully long legs were truly unbelievable wrapping past Haw’s head in arabesque and her miniscule frappés were breathtaking. A fitting end to the first part of the evening, with one of the most famous pas de deux in the classical dance cannon, traditional and unbeatable if danced well, and this was.

Part II opens with a long unnecessary piano solo as Emanuel plays (very well) the hugely difficult Ravel’s Gaspard De La Nuit, Ondine. The piece completely slowed down the pace of the evening and it was hard for Cha Cha And Tiara to lift the audience again. This was a light fun dance choreographed by Rentaro Nakaaki, whose parents had been ballroom dancers. Danced by ENB’s Julia Conway and Eric Snyder, it starts in silence with some comedic almost Coppelia puppet dance movements before mixing ballroom with classical dance.

If, should have been a magical performance, as reciting Rudyard Kipling’s poem If was spoken word artist and hip hop dancer Jonzi D, with dancer Alexander Fadayiro responding to the words, choreographed by Jamiel Devernay-Laurence. It could have been so much more if there had been interaction between the two and a fusion of hip hop and classical….

Nashville Ballet’s debut performance with Ballet Nights 006, is another pas de deux Leto, choreographed by their CEO and Artistic Director, Nick Mullikin. The dance is inspired by a poem written by the French poet Henri de Régnier, with Ravel’s Jeux d’eau, performed by the onstage in-house pianist and danced by Sarah Pierce and James Lankford.

Max Richter’s recomposed The Four Season’s Summer is choreographed and danced by Sarah Jane Taylor and James Wilton in a very physical and athletic performance as atoms prior to the big bang. There were star jumps and a fascinating lift with Wilton lying on the floor as Taylor held a hand stand over him.

And to the finale as the Royal Ballet’s Steven McRae swaggers on stage with his trademark red hair, wearing a white sleeveless vest and red kilt and wows the audience with his tap-dancing prowess and speed. With a flash of Lord of the Dance arms, he is clearly having great fun. Mcrae is joined on stage by the internationally renowned violinist Charlie Siem as they perform Fortitudine together.

Tag Archives: Debbie Rich

THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE

★★★

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE at Upstairs at the Gatehouse

★★★

“Stand out performance of the night goes to Enzo Benvenuti”

THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE at Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Reviewed on 6th September 2024

by Debbie Rich

Photography by Flavia Fraser-Cannon

Previously reviewed at this venue:

TOM LEHRER IS TEACHING MATH AND DOESN’T WANT TO TALK TO YOU | ★★ | May 2024

IN CLAY | ★★★★★ | March 2024

SONGS FOR A NEW WORLD | ★★★ | February 2024

YOU’RE A GOOD MAN, CHARLIE BROWN | ★★ | December 2023

THIS GIRL – THE CYNTHIA LENNON STORY | ★★ | July 2023

THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE

THE BOYS FROM SYRACUSE

Click here to see our Recommended Shows page

BALLET NIGHTS 006

★★★★

Cadogan Hall

BALLET NIGHTS 006 at Cadogan Hall

★★★★

“A hugely enjoyable evening with a true mix of ballet styles in one performance”