★★★★

“warm, charming and delightful”

With the current news in today’s society being portrayed as very dark and upsetting, it was extremely refreshing to watch Mark Giesser’s bright and cheerful adaptation of Chekhov’s romantic comedy, ‘The Lady With a Dog.’

Set in Britain in the late 1920s, this simple “boy meets girl” love story (with the exception of a Pomeranian dog), is quite delightful. It was as fresh as the sea air that Anne Dennis (Beth Burrows) takes in when walking on the beach with her new acquaintance, Damian Granville (Alan Turkington). They soon begin to exchange their common interests – one of them being Pomeranian dogs. However, it is Damian who is up to his old tricks as he tries to seduce Anne, even though they are both married.

Something I found particularly peculiar, was the fact that both characters didn’t shy away from revealing the truth about their spouses. They were very upfront and honest, and still agreed to indulge in the secret love affair. Burrows and Turkington did a superb job at portraying the chemistry between these two devilish characters, and worked beautifully together at conveying their audacious relationship. The sexual desire between them soon escalates when they dance a passionate Argentine tango, (choreographed by Orley Quick), but later Anne admits to feeling “cheap” and “vulgar” after sleeping with the London banker. Here, Burrows succeeds in portraying an engaging story but also a very accurate one, where women in the 1920s wanted to escape from the mundane duties of a housewife and feel liberated.

There were also great performances from Duncan Maclnnes as Carl Dennis and Laura Glover as Elaine Granville, the cheated spouses who would often make the audience chuckle with their brilliant one-liners. Congratulations are definitely in order for Oscar Selfridge’s set design and Giulia Scrimieri’s costume design that both helped encapsulate the 1920s post-war feel.

There is no doubt that both the cast and crew have worked extremely hard at creating a very successful show. It was warm, charming and delightful, and was one that I very much enjoyed.

Reviewed by Jessica Brewer

Photography by Andreas Grieger

Sirens of the Silver Screen

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Reviewed – 9th November 2017

★★★★

“the songs are performed with a wealth of emotion, making the stories being told even more poignant”

Fresh from a successful run of performances on Seabourn Cruise Line and in the Middle East, Sirens of the Silver Screen makes its London debut at Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate. Directed by Mark Giesser, it explores the lives of Judy Garland, Audrey Hepburn and Marilyn Monroe, three of Hollywood’s most iconic stars.

Sirens

Beth Burrows, both performer and writer, introduces all three women over the course of the production and tells the stories of their lives, which weren’t all glitz and glamour. The audience learn of dark trials and tribulations endured, some of which they may not have known about before. The stories are well complimented with performances of the three icons’ most famous songs, as well as projections of footage of real events and interviews.

Sirens

Burrows gives an exceptional performance throughout the production. Her vocals are stunning and she delivers each song with ease. She doesn’t try to impersonate each icon whilst singing, the exception perhaps being during her comedic rendition of Marilyn Monroe’s “I Wanna Be Loved By You”. Overall, the songs are performed with a wealth of emotion, making the stories being told even more poignant. Burrows’ vocals are accompanied by Bobby Goulder, the Musical Director and Pianist, and Doug Grannell, Double Bassist, which makes for a simple, but effective band and balance of sounds.

Sirens

Costumes include Garland’s blue and white gingham “Dorothy” dress, Hepburn’s sophisticated black number from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Monroe’s iconic white dress from The Seven Year Itch. They definitely help to bring all three women to life and compliment the production well.

Some may be sceptical about seeing a production delivered by one actor, but you have nothing to worry about here. Beth Burrows commands the stage with a strong presence and the right balance of comedy and sensitivity. This is a well thought out, eye-opening tribute to three legends of Old Hollywood.

Tag Archives: Mark Giesser

The Lady With a Dog – 4 Stars

The Lady With a Dog

White Bear Theatre

Reviewed – 23rd February 2018

★★★★

“warm, charming and delightful”

With the current news in today’s society being portrayed as very dark and upsetting, it was extremely refreshing to watch Mark Giesser’s bright and cheerful adaptation of Chekhov’s romantic comedy, ‘The Lady With a Dog.’

There is no doubt that both the cast and crew have worked extremely hard at creating a very successful show. It was warm, charming and delightful, and was one that I very much enjoyed.

Reviewed by Jessica Brewer

Photography by Andreas Grieger

The Lady With a Dog

White Bear Theatre until 10th March

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

Review of Sirens of the Silver Screen – 4 Stars

Sirens of the Silver Screen

Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Reviewed – 9th November 2017

★★★★

“the songs are performed with a wealth of emotion, making the stories being told even more poignant”

Costumes include Garland’s blue and white gingham “Dorothy” dress, Hepburn’s sophisticated black number from Breakfast at Tiffany’s and Monroe’s iconic white dress from The Seven Year Itch. They definitely help to bring all three women to life and compliment the production well.

Some may be sceptical about seeing a production delivered by one actor, but you have nothing to worry about here. Beth Burrows commands the stage with a strong presence and the right balance of comedy and sensitivity. This is a well thought out, eye-opening tribute to three legends of Old Hollywood.

Reviewed by Emily K Neal

SIRENS OF THE SILVER SCREEN

is at Upstairs at the Gatehouse until 18th November

Click here to see a list of the latest reviews on thespyinthestalls.com