Tag Archives: Julia Faulkner

Find Your way Home – 4 Stars

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Find Your way Home

Etcetera Theatre

Reviewed – 13th February 2018

★★★★

“Hopkins’ work seriously hits home”

 

Amongst the brightly coloured crochet throws, generic wall hangings and psychedelic background music, a tension is brewing. At first, nothing appears out of the ordinary – anyone could live here. Affectionately referred to as Julie, the main occupant however is Julian (performed by Julian Bailey-Jones) who rapidly begins to show us the many different sides to his personality, rage very closely mixed in with a concoction of love and neediness.

Julian is in his apartment with a young man (George Turner) he has spent the night with, when there is a knock on the door. He opens the door and simultaneously his past, resulting in a display of despair, hurt and confusion. It is Alan (Anthony Cord) an older man who left him in order to preserve his life with his wife and children. Cord portrays a man who is both deeply ashamed of his homosexual tendencies but also of the betrayal he has caused towards Julie. Shocked and also a little hopeful, Alan is allowed into the apartment and there the hysteria begins.

Hopkins’ work seriously hits home and speaks to anyone in a relationship – when you have experienced pain, could you and should you trust again? Julia Faulkner plays Jackie, Alan’s wife and delivers a performance that is heartbreakingly fantastic. She goes through such a range of emotions, from pleading with her husband to return home to implying that if he doesn’t, he may not have access to his children. ‘You haven’t loved me for fifteen years!’ she cries when she feels the last of her husband slip away from her. Over the course of the second half of the show, you feel as though you’re able to see into the whole of their twenty year marriage.

The Etcetera theatre in Camden worked well for this performance as you really are right there in the middle of the drama, you’re forced to analyse each move and expression. Being set in Julie’s colourful yet depressing apartment throughout the whole show is uncomfortable and stifling, a perfect portrayal of a lack of escape from a dire situation.

 

Reviewed by Stephanie Legg

 

Etcetera link

Find Your way Home

Etcetera Theatre until 4th March

 

 

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

 

Mouths

Mouths in a Glass Monologues

Theatre N16

Reviewed – 18th October 2017

⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

 

“her unique monologues about a variety of women were conveyed brilliantly and were all very intriguing”

 

‘Mouths in a Glass’ is a quirky one-woman show, written and performed by the incredibly talented Sophie Dora-Hall. Her unique monologues about a variety of women were conveyed brilliantly and were all very intriguing. My favourite throughout the night was her portrayal of a very restless and anxious housewife, who soon regrets asking her neighbours to come round for a spot of home-made hummus. This was very amusing as Dora-Hall had created this character to be stuck in the wrong era; a 1960s style housewife trapped in the 21st century. I was impressed by not only how she delivered the monologue, but how she had created such a clever idea.

Another monologue I very much enjoyed was ‘A Doll’s Life,’ where she adopts the role of being a doll, one that would often be dragged and pulled around by her owner Jodie. Sitting very still with stickers on her face and lipstick smudged around her lips, it was obvious that this doll was fed up with the way her owner was treating her. At times, this monologue reminded me of Stewie Griffin from Family Guy, a small baby with a very posh and sophisticated accent, who is not afraid to speak his mind. Much like Stewie, this doll was also very outspoken and revealed how much she hated going to the “devils playground”. However, what really made me laugh out loud, was when she described how her friend “tiny bloody Tim,” had recently been bought from Oxfam and how his willy had been chewed off. Hilarious and a real crowd-pleaser.

I found the use of a minimalistic set particularly effective. Only having a chair, a table and a clothing rack, allowed myself and the other audience members to appreciate Sophie Dora-Hall’s natural talent, without getting distracted by other factors.

Engaging and enjoyable, Sophie Dora-Hall delivered a high standard performance. She is a very funny, talented and versatile young actress, and I believe she has a bright future ahead of her. 

 

Reviewed by Jessica Brewer

 

 

MOUTHS IN A GLASS MONOLGOUES

is at Theatre N16 until 21st October

 

Theatre N16 is looking for a new home

click here for details

 

 

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