Joanna Hetherington Archives - Page 7 of 26

The Signalman

Bread & Roses Theatre

Reviewed – 13th October 2019

★★★

“As a literary exercise about an intriguing moment in history it is well constructed and makes some significant points, but as a theatrical, period thriller, it never quite grips us”

Deeply affected by escaping a train derailment unscathed, Charles Dickens wrote ‘The Signalman’ as a Christmas ghost story which also allowed a social comment on the problems of safety and the pressurised working conditions on the railway. Appealing to the Victorians’ fascination with the supernatural as well as focusing on a hot topic of the day, Dickens’ tale is an interesting insight into an era of the juxtaposed worlds of spirituality and technical innovation. Through the anxiety of the signalman and his premonitory visions, he describes the psychological wear and tear of a lonely job requiring little skill but which shoulders the huge responsibility of passenger safety. The narrator spots the signalman at the bottom of a steep railway cut and out of curiosity, decides to befriend him. Although a somewhat underwhelming storyline for today’s audience, the sense of mystery comes from the initial impression the signalman gives to the narrator of his ‘troubled’ mind and which grows as the narrative between them becomes more involved. From the outset, Dickens’ protagonist is clearly haunted by the mental strain of long nights listening out for the warning bell to avert any possible catastrophe.

Faithful to the original text, Martin Malcolm’s stage adaptation reconstructs the dialogue as a monologue by the signalman and introduces Joe, a crossing sweeper, as his silent listener. The production opens with the signalman clearing the aftermath of an accident and recounting it in detail to the sweeper. The account weaves in details of the Staplehurst disaster itself, at which Dickens helped his fellow travellers who lay injured. As the play goes on, we hear how the signalman is increasingly disturbed by the stranger who stands at the mouth of the tunnel, his warnings and the tragedies which follow. Tim Larkfield, as the Signalman, does a good job in creating and sustaining his character from the script but, single-handed, the build-up of tension is a strain. Rather than being drawn into the sensation of foreboding suspense, what results is more of a thoughtful take on the Victorian dramatic monologue. Unfortunately, considering the amount of time she is on stage, Helen Baranova also misses an opportunity for an imaginative cameo role as Joe. Even as a mute waif, her purpose as a vehicle for the storytelling could bring dimension to the whole performance with a thought-through, Dickensian personality – Smike, for example – rather than simply following with facial echoing.

The direction (Sam Raffal) is clean cut and incorporates an illusory soundscape and some dramatic lighting, especially towards the end, but to lure the audience with the torments of the signalman, it needs more of these ideas throughout. As a literary exercise about an intriguing moment in history it is well constructed and makes some significant points, but as a theatrical, period thriller, it never quite grips us.

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

The Signalman

Bread & Roses Theatre as part of Clapham Fringe

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Just To Sit At Her Table, Silver Hammer & Mirabilis | ★★★ | April 2019

Starved | ★★★★★ | April 2019

The Mind Reading Experiments | ★★★ | May 2019

The Incursion | ★★½ | July 2019

Coco’s Adventures | ★★★ | September 2019

Room Service | ★★★★★ | September 2019

The Bacchae | ★★★ | September 2019

Trial Of Love | ★★★½ | September 2019

The Gravy Bunch | ★★½ | October 2019

Smashing It! | ★★ | October 2019

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★★½

“has potential for being a serious comment on a very serious subject”

From the title, we imagine a warm, family comedy echoing the Bradys of the 70s. Then the synopsis promises darker overtones with an emotional twist. In Sheffield, single mother Yvonne and her two teenage daughters, Zoe and Emily, have been a family unit for 15 years, since their father left. But things start unravelling when Emily, who has never met him, finds out that for years he has been asking to meet her and Yvonne has been hiding his letters. The idea is original, interesting and brings into question the issues surrounding child psychological manipulation and parental alienation, but the lack of depth in the storyline, characters and acting results in an episode of a ‘slice of life’ sitcom where the world goes on amidst everyday trials and tribulations. Writers, Isaac Rowan and Tom Plenderleith, create a stereotypically chaotic family environment with arguments about homework and meals and focusing on Emily’s slightly rebellious nature as she drinks her mum’s vodka or buys her compensatory chocolate; the play skims over the serious aspects of a mother who has denied her daughter contact with her father, her true reasons for doing it and the consequences for everyone.

The roles of the cast are clear – the life-weary mother, provoking older sister, supportive uncle and complicit fraternal friend – but the interpretations are low-key and unengaging, sometimes inaudible. Only Megan Fleet, as the determined Emily, brings some spirit to the performance, despite her most poignant moment being practically brushed over in the narrative. The script misses an opportunity to look behind the relationships and produce valuable dramatic content, even if this means replacing entertainment value for passion or pathos. Ben Reid directs a small-screen concept with well-timed musical scene changes. However, the reduced staging and underplayed dialogue fail to project even in such a small theatre and only at the very end does he use the space theatrically. It is also relevant to note that when the stage at the Bread and Roses Theatre is in a conventional position (as it is in this case), it is half obscured from the back rows. If the direction doesn’t work round the visibility, the action becomes ‘talking heads’.

London is overflowing with fringe productions of all sorts and there is strong competition. At a brief 45 minutes, there is plenty of room here for revision and expansion. No one expects young people to have life experience beyond their years but some research, rewriting and risk taking could put across a pertinent message. ‘The Gravy Bunch’ has potential for being a serious comment on a very serious subject as well as keeping the comic, human approach. Otherwise, it can come across as an end of year showcase for family and friends and a regular audience would probably feel short changed.

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

Bread & Roses Theatre

Reviewed – 13th October 2019

★★★

“As a literary exercise about an intriguing moment in history it is well constructed and makes some significant points, but as a theatrical, period thriller, it never quite grips us”

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

The Signalman

Bread & Roses Theatre as part of Clapham Fringe

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Bread and Roses Theatre

Reviewed – 3rd October 2019

★★½

“has potential for being a serious comment on a very serious subject”

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

The Gravy Bunch

Bread and Roses Theatre as part of Clapham Fringe

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue: