King's Head Theatre Archives - Page 21 of 52

HMS Pinafore

King’s Head Theatre

Reviewed – 16th April 2019

★★★★

“a wonderful example of the mastery of Gilbert and Sullivan’s waggish, Victorian wit and beautifully accessible melodies holding up to time”

Often disparagingly relegated to second division opera, Gilbert and Sullivan’s works, in collaboration with Richard D’Oyly Carte, consciously moved away from improvised music hall entertainment to develop a niche genre of English light opera using familiar, stock characters and chorus in ‘topsy-turvy’ plots; ‘HMS Pinafore’ is one of their earliest and best-known productions, which pioneered this innovation. Their first international hit, it satirises the unqualified in positions of power and the stigma of social status in relationships. Both the Rt. Hon. Sir Joseph Porter and Captain Corcoran have unmerited ranks of authority and when the Captain’s daughter falls in love with a common sailor, attitudes are challenged in true ‘G and S’ style. The Charles Court Opera Company cleverly brings to life the timelessness of these issues by fast-forwarding to the 1950s and adapts the reduced cast by submerging the crew in a submarine.

The vocal individuality of the company paints a colourful picture of the tangled web of privilege and prejudice and each singer brings a facet to the stage – in particular, Joseph Shovelton’s ease and comic timing as Sir Joseph Porter, Hannah Crerar’s (Bobstay) radiant voice and presence, Alys Roberts as Josephine, maintaining sobriety with a moving “The Hours Creep on Apace” and Catrine Kirkman’s quirky Cousin Hebe who, single-handedly, makes up for Sir Joseph’s original gaggle of female relatives. The ensembles are generally well-balanced throughout, though Matthew Kellett as Dick Deadeye is sometimes overpowered in the company songs and Jennie Jacobs’ (Buttercup) projection fluctuates with her change of register.

Transferring HMS Pinafore to the recent past with Rachel Szmukler’s functional, retro set and bright, vintage costumes and incorporating more contemporary choreography (Damian Czarnecki), director John Savounin builds a fittingly up-to-date adaptation. The acting is perfectly attuned to the size of the venue and the variety of moods creates a captivating fluidity, combining with David Eaton’s musical expertise to illustrate an ironically significant point without losing the enjoyable, traditional charm; only, perhaps, without a ship of men, does the corresponding role of Buttercup become somewhat ambiguous within the modern set-up. This is a wonderful example of the mastery of Gilbert and Sullivan’s waggish, Victorian wit and beautifully accessible melodies holding up to time in an amusing and enticing evening. William and Arthur would undoubtedly be tickled pink to see how little life has changed since they wrote Pinafore and particularly the current feelings and poignancy of mocking pride in “He is an Englishman”.

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

Photography by Robert Workman

HMS Pinafore

King’s Head Theatre until 11th May

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

Brexit | ★★★★★ | November 2018

Buttons: A Cinderella Story | ★★★★ | November 2018

Momma Golda | ★★★ | November 2018

The Crumple Zone | ★★ | November 2018

Outlying Islands | ★★★★ | January 2019

Timpson: The Musical | ★★★ | February 2019

The Crown Dual | ★★★★ | March 2019

Undetectable | ★★★★ | March 2019

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

★★★★

“Karp is utterly convincing, and his journey from shy awkwardness to desperate loneliness is actually quite heart-breaking”

It does exactly what it says on the tin. Four funny, frank and – yes – awkward conversations between one man and the animals he’s fucked. Or been fucked by. Or wants to fuck. Rob Hayes’ unsettling script had the audience in stitches, and with a stellar solo performance by Linus Karp, this show proves to be a hit.

Each scene cleverly keeps the audience guessing who, or more accurately, what Bobby is talking to. Moving from his bedroom, to a hotel, to the cold woods, Bobby sits on the fringes of society. Anxiously avoiding the police and any interference from the outside world, he is an enigmatic figure just trying to connect to… something. Hayes has given us an extreme (and illegal?) position, but anyone whose sexual preference extends beyond monogamous heterosexuality will see something of themselves in Bobby.

Linus Karp as Bobby is genuinely hilarious, an awkward cross between Michael Cera and Max von Sydow. Deftly handling the script like he’s making it up on the spot, Karp is utterly convincing, and his journey from shy awkwardness to desperate loneliness is actually quite heart-breaking. Katherine Armitage has directed her actor effectively, ensuring an acute sense of space and making sure each scene has a completely different tone. Amanda Ljunggren’s design suggests a young, messy, confused man surrounded by IKEA furniture and animal memorabilia. A large wooden bed dominates the stage and is craftily used for a change of scenery in the final scene. Marcus Rice’s music could have played a larger role in scene changes to create a greater sense of atmosphere but was otherwise quite pleasant.

Karp keeps things light however, no matter the dark subject matter. Bobby is never a predator – he’s just a boy struggling with his sexuality. The closest companion to Hayes’ script is Lars von Trier’s 2013 film ‘Nymphomaniac’ (albeit with more laughs). “Sexuality is the strongest force in human beings. To be born with a forbidden sexuality must be agonising,” says Joe in Volume II. We feel for Bobby, despite our best efforts. But this play makes you laugh before making you think. As squeals of disgust and barks of laughter filled the auditorium though, I couldn’t help wondering: aren’t we all just animals anyway?

Reviewed by Joseph Prestwich

Photography by Simon J Webb

King’s Head Theatre

Reviewed – 16th April 2019

★★★★

“a wonderful example of the mastery of Gilbert and Sullivan’s waggish, Victorian wit and beautifully accessible melodies holding up to time”

Reviewed by Joanna Hetherington

Photography by Robert Workman

HMS Pinafore

King’s Head Theatre until 11th May

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:

King’s Head Theatre

Reviewed – 16th April 2019

★★★★

“Karp is utterly convincing, and his journey from shy awkwardness to desperate loneliness is actually quite heart-breaking”

Reviewed by Joseph Prestwich

Photography by Simon J Webb

Awkward Conversations With Animals I’ve F*cked

King’s Head Theatre until 27th April

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Last ten shows reviewed at this venue: