Tag Archives: Ellen Cheshire

KNEES UP!

★★★

New Theatre Royal Portsmouth

KNEES UP!

New Theatre Royal Portsmouth

★★★

“Portsmouth’s cabaret and drag scene is clearly thriving, and Knees Up! was a glittering celebration of its wild, weird, and wonderful talents”

Knees Up! from queer theatre company Downtown Pompey promised high-energy, over-the-top entertainment – and it delivered. With a line-up bursting with local drag royalty and a headline performance from cabaret icon Joe Black, the show combined camp, kitsch, and a touch of chaos in the best possible way.

The evening opened with a thoughtful surprise: poet and visual artist Majid Dhana appeared in one of the theatre’s boxes to read a witty and reflective poem on creative expression and community. An unexpected but inspired start, it set the stage for a night where anything could happen – and often did.

Bradley Jago took to the stage, beginning what seemed to be a solo rendition of Downtown until the red velvet curtain parted to reveal the Solent Gay Men’s Chorus, kicking off the night with a heart-warming moment.

Hosts The Fabulous Josh and Cherry Liquor set the tone with their anything-can-happen dynamic. Their 16-year friendship gave them licence to fire playful jabs at each other’s dazzling outfits (The Fabulous Josh in a shimmering silver jumpsuit, Cherry Liquor slinking onto the stage in a sequined dress) and drag acts. While some scripted jokes didn’t quite land, their off-the-cuff banter crackled with energy. Taking inspiration from Saturday night telly, the duo reminisced about old game and talent shows before settling onto a sofa – alongside The Fabulous Josh’s mother-in-law and mum – to watch the evening’s acts unfold. The line-up featured a mix of established and emerging artists, the latter nurtured through Downtown Pompey’s Arts Council-funded community work.

Nathan Shay, one of the emerging talents, stepped into the spotlight as a Pierrot-style mime, performing to a spoken-word track before transitioning into a dramatic lip-sync. As they shed elements of their costume, they theatrically removed their “heart” and “entrails,” handing them to the mothers on the sofa before revealing a striking bodysuit adorned with muscles and bones. Kirsty Mitchell, another emerging artist, is a support worker by day and comedian by night. In the second half, she delivered an entertaining stand-up set drawing on experiences of addiction, sobriety, working-class life, and, of course, Pompey. Her sharp observations and natural comedic timing won over the audience.

The evening featured two stylish lip-syncing drag acts, each bringing its own distinct flair. Cherry Liquor captivated the audience with a cheeky double bill of performances, including a playful rendition of Tropical Heatwave, exuding a Marilyn Monroe-inspired allure. Adding to the spectacle, Portsmouth-based drag artist Azure Thang and the Synchettes, a quartet of dancers, infused the night with a mix of comedic slapstick and polished choreography. Meanwhile, Tayris Mongardi, the self-proclaimed Powerhouse of Colour and queen of Afro-punk camp, dazzled in silver, delivering a high-energy set that seamlessly blended dance and lip-sync artistry.

Beyond drag, Knees Up! showcased a diverse range of performances from Portsmouth’s vibrant arts community. The Portsmouth Chinese Dancing Group brought elegance and tradition with their three beautifully executed numbers. The Solent Gay Men’s Chorus opened the second act with a medley featuring The Rocky Horror Picture Show, the Spice Girls’ Spice Up Your Life, Madonna’s Like a Prayer, Radiohead’s Creep, and Kylie Minogue’s Your Disco Needs You. Spanning generations, their enthusiasm and choreography made them a joy to watch.

Joe Black’s headline performance, closing the first half, was the undisputed highlight of the evening. A true Portsmouth original, he was a local character long before his cabaret fame, recalling how he once strolled the streets with his cat in tow. His signature mix of vaudeville, musical comedy, and devilish wit had the audience in stitches. He delivered hauntingly hilarious renditions of Spice Up Your Life and When I’m Cleaning Windows, re-imagined in the style of Mack the Knife in a 1920s Weimar nightclub – equal parts macabre and magnificent. His tale of an ill-fated Halloween gig in a Newcastle nightclub, where he was not what the crowd expected, was a comedic standout, culminating in a dramatic recreation of the moment he “wished he was dead,” performing Marlene Dietrich’s Falling in Love Again, complete with DJ sound effects from the night. He rounded off his set with a deliciously demented send-up of Edith Piaf’s Je Ne Regrette Rien with Bill Burnett’s I Regret Everything.

The show ended on a high with a grand finale, as The Fabulous Josh and Cherry Liquor showcased their vocal talents and comedic timing, leading the Synchettes, Azure Thang, and Tayris Mongardi in a rousing rendition of Hey Big Spender from Sweet Charity.

While the show revelled in its chaotic, anything-goes spirit, some shifts in style and tone between acts felt uneven, and at over three hours, the energy occasionally dipped. However, Knees Up! never lost its sense of fun, with an audience more than willing to embrace the ride. Portsmouth’s cabaret and drag scene is clearly thriving, and Knees Up! was a glittering celebration of its wild, weird, and wonderful talents.



KNEES UP!

New Theatre Royal Portsmouth

Reviewed on 22nd March 2025

by Ellen Cheshire

 

 


 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

BEAUTY AND THE BEAST | ★★★★ | December 2024

KNEES UP!

KNEES UP!

KNEES UP!

RETROGRADE

★★★★

Apollo Theatre

RETROGRADE

Apollo Theatre

★★★★

“the tension is expertly paced, punctuated with sharp quips and well-timed barbs that keep the drama crackling”

Ryan Calais Cameron’s Retrograde is a taut and electrifying drama that captures a pivotal moment in Sidney Poitier’s career and moral journey. It’s the mid-1950s, and Poitier is on the cusp of stardom. But, his breakout performance in Blackboard Jungle has brought him not only industry attention, but an altogether more sinister political attention. Now, on the verge of signing with New York-based TV network NBC, he faces a career-defining choice: sign a loyalty oath and make a public statement denouncing civil rights activist Paul Robeson or risk blacklisting.

This gripping three-hander, based in truth, stars Ivanno Jeremiah as Sidney Poitier, Oliver Johnstone as his friend Bobby, a white liberal screenwriter who has written a role for him, and Stanley Townsend as Parks, NBC’s ruthless lawyer who demands Poitier sign the oath. As Bobby and Poitier’s friendship is tested, both men must confront how much they are willing to sacrifice for career advancement. Self-interest begins to outweigh principles, and the stakes for all three characters become ever more apparent.

The play runs for 90 minutes without an interval, unfolding in real time as Poitier arrives for what he believes will be a straightforward contract signing. Bobby has been singing Poitier’s praises to Parks, but when Poitier enters, it quickly becomes clear that this is no ordinary meeting. When Bobby is asked to leave, and Parks and Poitier are left alone, the pressure intensifies. Parks reveals that this is not merely about a contract, Poitier must prove that this “Black-Black” actor from the Caribbean upholds “American values.” Their exchange is a harrowing power play, laying bare the racial and political tensions of the era.

Under Amit Sharma’s direction, the tension is expertly paced, punctuated with sharp quips and well-timed barbs that keep the drama crackling. Sharma ensures the psychological and moral dilemmas remain at the forefront. Moments of stillness land as powerfully as the play’s most charged exchanges, often lingering just long enough to make the next verbal moment of levity or cutting blow hit even harder.

Jeremiah delivers a magnetic performance, shifting from an unemployed actor forced to entertain white gatekeepers to a principled man refusing to compromise. Johnstone’s Bobby, brimming with nervous charm, subtly unravels as the tension escalates, his affability giving way to desperation. Townsend, on stage for most of the play, dominates as Parks, embodying cold, relentless pragmatism.

Frankie Bradshaw’s set design enhances the claustrophobic atmosphere. The single setting (a stark, mid-century NBC studio office) is both period-accurate and symbolically oppressive. A subtle but telling touch is a Notorious (1946) film poster on the office wall. Hitchcock’s thriller, centred on espionage and moral compromise, quietly reflects Poitier’s predicament. A prominent clock runs in real time, its ticking growing louder at key moments, reinforcing the inescapable pressure on Poitier, a subtle but effective auditory cue from sound designer Beth Duke. The play opens with period jazz and sound bites referencing Poitier’s growing reputation – significantly, voices of others commenting on him – making the final audio recording, in his own voice, all the more poignant.

Bradshaw’s costume design is equally thoughtful. Poitier’s outfit, a somewhat garish, ill-fitting mix of burgundy and burnt orange, feels out of place, making him appear exoticised beside the grey-suited establishment figures of Parks and Bobby, visually reinforcing the power imbalance. Lighting by Amy Mae plays a crucial role in shaping the mood. Stark, interrogative lighting casts deep shadows, reinforcing the feeling of entrapment. Subtle shifts in lighting reflect the evolving power struggle.

With Retrograde, Ryan Calais Cameron has crafted a play that not only honours Sidney Poitier’s legacy but also speaks powerfully to the present day. The dilemmas Poitier faced – navigating a system that demanded assimilation at the cost of authenticity – still ring true for many actors of colour today.



RETROGRADE

Apollo Theatre

Reviewed on 20th March 2025

by Ellen Cheshire

Photography by Marc Brenner

 

 


 

 

 

Previously reviewed at this venue:

FAWLTY TOWERS THE PLAY | ★★★★★ | May 2024
MIND MANGLER | ★★★★ | March 2024
THE TIME TRAVELLER’S WIFE | ★★★ | November 2023
POTTED PANTO | ★★★★★ | December 2022
CRUISE | ★★★★★ | August 2022
MONDAY NIGHT AT THE APOLLO | ★★★½ | May 2021

 

RETROGRADE

RETROGRADE

RETROGRADE