Tag Archives: Emily Hutt

Inspirit

Inspirit
★★★★

Vaulty Towers

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Inspirit

Inspirit

Vaulty Towers

Reviewed – 7th February 2019

★★★★

 

“Bradley Walker’s words are brought to life in a fresh, endearing and laugh out loud production”

 

Inspirit is billed as ‘A quirky three-hander dark comedy that explores the difficulty of moving on from deceased loved ones… from the point of view of the departed soul.’ It is a play, pie, pint show, produced by Temporarily Misplaced Productions, written by Bradley Walker and directed by Emily Hutt.

Before the show, piping hot pies were brought out for audience members, and the delicious smell filled Vaulty Towers, the fabulously eccentric pub that is run by The Vaults team. The crazy decor and snug corners make for a great place to wait for a play to start, and most of the waiting audience were snapping photos. I recommend going there for a drink, even if you’re not seeing a show. When the pies were gone it was time for the play, an extract of a longer work, and we went down into a tiny space.

The set was a sofa and a table with four bottles of beer, and it was all that was needed as a background to this very funny piece. Jude, played by Charlie Woodford, is bringing home a guy for sex. Jude is the straight man of the piece, and Woodford did a nice job of making his likeable. His date is the incredibly uncomfortable and paralysingly nervous Michael portrayed by Joel Watson-Smith in an outstanding and hilarious performance. His timing is spot on, and he had the audience with him from the very start. Jude tries to relax Michael, explaining that it’s his first one night stand too, and that he hasn’t had sex for four years. But Michael is a gawky mess, and relaxation seems unlikely. Even more so when Jude goes off stage to freshen up, and the ghost of his ex-boyfriend appears from behind the sofa. Played by Michael Parker, dusted with white powder, William is trying to learn how to haunt, and really not doing well. One of the funniest scenes takes place when Jude returns and both he and the ghost talk to Michael. Jude can’t see the apparition, and Michael tries to balance the two conversations without appearing to be unhinged.

The extract ends at an intriguing point, and I wanted it to continue. It’s definitely one I will try to catch when it has a full performance. Emily Hutt has directed with a great eye to comedy and pace. Nothing is forced, and Bradley Walker’s words are brought to life in a fresh, endearing and laugh out loud production. Well written, well directed and well acted, this is one to go and see!

 

Reviewed by Katre

 


Inspirit

Vaulty Towers

Play Pie Pint runs lunchtimes Monday to Thursday until 27th April with different shows

 

Last ten shows covered by this reviewer:
Jacques Brel: A Life a Thousand Times | ★★ | Mirth, Marvel and Maud | September 2018
Murder She Didn’t Write | ★★★★ | Leicester Square Theatre | September 2018
Busking It | ★★★★ | Shoreditch Town Hall | October 2018
The Emperor and the Concubine | ★★★★ | Sadler’s Wells Theatre | October 2018
Brexit | ★★★★★ | King’s Head Theatre | November 2018
Operation Ouch! | ★★★★★ | Apollo Theatre | December 2018
Peter Pan | ★★★★ | Park Theatre | December 2018
Swan Lake | ★★★★★ | Sadler’s Wells Theatre | December 2018
Anomaly | ★★★★ | Old Red Lion Theatre | January 2019
The Dame | ★★★★ | Park Theatre | January 2019

 

Click here to see more of our latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com

 

Care Not, Fear Naught – 3 Stars

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Naught

Care Not, Fear Naught

Bridewell Lunchbox Theatre

Reviewed – 20th June 2018

★★★

“Despite the exploration of Anne Bonny’s intentions and feelings, the play seems to lack depth in some places”

 

In the face of cruelty and exclusion, Anne Bonny chooses the path of defiance. Mirroring Joan of Arc, she is driven by her own understanding of right and wrong and an insurmountable desire for freedom. Anne, who is based on a real 18th century person, becomes one of the most notorious pirates of her time, and not only because she is a woman.

The fast-paced account of her life is supported by a comparatively large cast whose rhythmic movement and speech make the play an almost musical experience. As a group the actors are brilliant, showing several actions at once or expressing the multitude of feelings a character has at the same moment. Like an audience that knows the story already and is eager to hear the ending, the chorus intervenes, answers and adds, creating a multitude of different voices and opinions.

Despite the exploration of Anne Bonny’s intentions and feelings, the play seems to lack depth in some places, especially regarding the idea of female pirates which could have incited such a relevant discussion. In addition to that, there were too many clichés used for my taste, especially with regards to the music. The dialogue, too, seemed a bit too modern regarding the historical setting. Even though it was sometimes difficult to understand the actors, the use of sound was generally good, with for example the sound of waves helping to create a sense of the setting on an otherwise minimalist stage. However, some motifs, such as Bonny’s mantra ‘I care not,’ lacked conviction, feeling repetitive rather than tying the story together.

Nevertheless, the play is an interesting glance at one of history’s lesser known pirates. Despite some issues with the script, it is powerful thanks to its choreography and Emily Hutt’s direction. Anne Bonny chooses chaos over law to achieve freedom at any cost. Similarly, the play uses layering, both in its movement and text, to create as wide a picture as possible.

 

Reviewed by Laura Thorn

 

St Bride Foundation [logo]

Care Not, Fear Naught

Bridewell Lunchbox Theatre until 22nd June

 

 

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