Tag Archives: Hope Theatre

Foul Pages – 3 Stars

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Foul

Foul Pages

Hope Theatre

Reviewed – 22nd February 2018

★★★

“The production created an exciting, modern aesthetic”

 

Last night I was invited to see the Hope Theatre’s in-house production of Foul Pages. Directed by Matthew Parker, and written by Robin Hooper, it was a wonderfully different take on the history of the Pembrokes, and the Countesses’ involvement in the production of Shakespeare’s As You Like It.

I entered into a very cosy theatre space, welcomed by the comforting sounds of a fire crackling, setting the tone for perhaps a slightly different play. The script managed to encompass the vibe and charm of a Shakespearean comedy, without stalling in its language, and was still unapologetically queer. This, along with the general aesthetic of the play, lent a contemporary feel to the production, largely due to the period inspired, modern fashion choices in the costume.

Chop, played by James King, brought an interesting aspect to the play, which at first I was dubious about, however I was quickly swayed by King’s relentless cheeriness, and cheeky chap aurora. Another cheeky chap in the cast, had to be Alex, played by Lewis Chandler, who encompassed the angsty emo theatre kid fantastically. His energy shone throughout the performance, as did his and the players’ chemistry together. I will say however, that some of the acting was a tad melodramatic; it would have worked in a much bigger space, but in this small theatre, it was overwhelming. This could be said for the transitions as well, which seemed out of sync with the rest of the production. There were a few moments that didn’t seem to ‘fit’ into the plot.

With regard to the story line, I became lost. There seemed to be an endless number of plot lines, many of which felt underdeveloped. The same could also be said for some of the characters – for example, the two female characters began very well, however soon descended into stereotypes. I think the script would benefit from a longer run time, and the audience would benefit from a short interval, if not just to get some air. This, I think, might help the pacing, as in certain areas the play seemed to stall.

All in all, I really enjoyed the play, despite the moments that were out of sync and, perhaps, the clunky pacing. The production created an exciting, modern aesthetic, without falling into the trap of butchering the Shakespeare language just for laughs. They still managed to get me to laugh out loud for most of the performance. It was a funny, enjoyable and unapologetically queer take on a rather unknown part of Shakespearean history.

 

Reviewed by Charlotte Hurford

Photography by LHPhotoshots

 


Foul Pages

Hope Theatre until 17th March

 

 

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MY EVOLUTION OF CAVE PAINTING

★★★★

The Hope Theatre

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MY EVOLUTION OF CAVE PAINTING at The Hope Theatre

★★★★

Evolution

“Being entirely in verse, the linguistic, rhythmic and rhyming artistry is something to be applauded”

 

The frightful sound of the school bell rings out. As your teacher for the evening makes his way to the whiteboard, papers are handed out around the class / audience, of the poem that is to be stuffily analysed. Or so you think … My Evolution of Cave Painting is a profoundly personal one-man show written and performed by Howard Horner, or Mr. Horner as us ‘students’ are introduced to him as. This highly comical and cleverly written piece of storytelling opens as a lecture on poetry, and the dull approach in which it is taught in this country, before turning into an outlandish expulsion of Mr. Horner’s neurosis. Moving between the complexities of growing up, and our incessant need to make our mark on the world, this production successfully evaluates our modern-day British lifestyles, whilst maintaining a firm look at the past and how much it has shaped us.

The real gem of this performance is Howard Horner’s writing. Being entirely in verse, the linguistic, rhythmic and rhyming artistry is something to be applauded. Adopting this poetic style whilst reflecting on the effects poetry has had on his life is a nice paralleling touch. It is the use of verse that helps to give My Evolution of Cave Painting a real spark, channelling elements of a spoken word or poetry slam reading.

The placement within a school environment is also a winning combination. The small constrictions of the Hope Theatre effectively resemble that of a claustrophobic classroom, which we all have memories of sitting in. Giving the audience an active role as the students within the performance provides a generous sense of involvement and deeper interaction with the work.

Howard Horner gives an intimate and honest look into the inner workings of his mind, and early childhood. At times the piece can verge on feeling like too much of a rant or preachy, but this is quickly reined in by his off-the-wall antics, particularly with black paint and talcum powder (I’ll say no more). Picking up on current topics of discussion such as male identity crisis and how it personally affects him, firmly places the show in the realms of our time. There may be nothing mightily profound or enlightening that is conversed around these areas of dilemma, however it is the manner in which it is presented that leaves a lasting mark.

 

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

Reviewed – 5th February 2018

 


My Evolution of Cave Painting

Hope Theatre

 

 

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