★★★★

“It is not often you want to give a performer a hug after a show, and I have to hold myself back when I see him in the lobby afterwards”

It is hard to categorise Ivo Graham’s new show. It is billed ambiguously as a “soundtracked story of a life”, and within the opening bars of Bonobo’s Migration it becomes clear that this is not a straightforward comedy hour.

The single microphone Graham stands by for the opening piece is lit by a soft spotlight, and to the backdrop of minimalist electronica he embarks on something more akin to spoken word. The repetition, rhythm, earnestness (and lack of out and out jokes) are a bit of a shock if you’re expecting the Graham of Live at the Apollo, Mock the Week, or Taskmaster (aside from the regular breakdowns on the latter).

Besides Graham on the raised stage are two mic stands, one with a tiger onesie draped over it, and the other with a running vest and a bucket hat. There’s a table in the space with what can only be described as knick-knacks. The show is structured around the story of ten of these memories, many of which are tickets and photographs which are ceremoniously pinned up on a cork board against the back wall.

These memories take Graham on a journey from Edinburgh back to London, on the dating app Raya, through his Grandmother’s house before she passed away, and through the highlights of his time with his young daughter. It ends up feeling like a proper introspection through the fairly extraordinary adult life of a performer who has known extensive comic success. This is not a show played for relatability for the most part, and not even for jokes: the biggest laugh comes from the disparagement of a well known (though well disliked) actor.

What it does have, however, is a searingly honest exploration of nostalgia and regret. The most emotional section is a minute dedication to a lost friend, with nothing but the Waterboys playing. This is a beautiful paean, and is deeply affecting.

It feels like Graham – presumably after a lot of therapy – has pulled back the curtain on his usually bombastic, self effacing comic persona. There is a big question on here of why he has chosen to do this now. Maybe it has been a couple of years coming; Graham was asked about the influence of Hannah Gadsby’s groundbreaking Nanette during his previous tour which skirted around some of these topics. However, Carousel does not even use the veil of comedy as a frame, which I think is to its credit.

It is not often you want to give a performer a hug after a show, and I have to hold myself back when I see him in the lobby afterwards. I’m still slightly none the wiser as to what the show really is, or who it is meant to be for, but I don’t think it ultimately matters. The lights fall as Public Service Broadcasting (the band, not the Beeb) plays out, and it takes a few minutes before I feel ready to speak properly. It is an encouraging foray into a different type of storytelling, and I cannot wait to see where Graham goes from here.

A SONG OF SONGS at Park Theatre

★★★★

“The songs are pools of splendour we would happily bathe in for hours”

According to tradition, King Solomon wrote three books of the bible, the most famous of which is ‘Song of Songs’ (also known as ‘The Song of Solomon’) – a collection of erotic verse that, over time, has been interpreted literally and metaphorically. It is either an allegory for the relationship between God and his people, or a description of a romantic and sexual relationship between a man and a woman. It is apparent that Ofra Daniel, the force behind the musical play – “A Song of Songs” – is of the latter persuasion as she reinterprets the ancient Hebrew text, spinning her own eroticism on the timeless poetry and weaving it into an extraordinary and striking celebration of love, and music. Lush, passionate and sexy, it is a unique theatrical experience that fuses poetry, dance, music and storytelling.

Written, composed (with Lior Ben-Hur) and directed by Daniel, she also plays the narrator – Tirzah – a woman who is “organised differently”. A bittersweet tale of a woman consumed by desire for a lover she never meets. In an unsatisfying marriage to a fisherman, she starts to receive anonymous love letters from a secret admirer which awakens a deep longing in her. Her awakened sensuality turns into obsession until she is eventually known as the ‘crazy poet of love’, surrounded by the Women of Jerusalem who ostracise and envy her. While they obey Solomon’s musical refrain, ‘do not arouse love until it so desires’, for Tirzah it is already too late. She can never put it back to sleep.

Daniel’s performance is powerful and compelling, yet vulnerable and often allowing her to retreat into the shadows cast by the formidable supporting cast. This is in no way a one woman show. The onstage musicians, the dancers and the supporting roles are all on an equal footing, which lends a gorgeous harmony to a musical score that mixes Flamenco, Klezmer and the exotic sounds of the Middle East. The musicians often wander into the action. Daniel Gouly’s haunting, glissando clarinet and Amy Price’s melancholy violin can often be seen and heard dancing with the voices of the ensemble (Laurel Dougall, Rebecca Giacopazzi, Shira Kravitz and Ashleigh Schuman). The Gypsy King’s Ramón Ruiz is simply stunning on Spanish guitar, while multi-instrumentalist Ashley Blasse oozes charisma from behind their double bass. Ant Romero, on percussion, ties each strand of the musical styles into solid knots of rhythm.

The musicality is undoubtedly the star of the show. Whether or not the songs enhance the narrative is irrelevant. The songs are pools of splendour we would happily bathe in for hours. Matthew Woodyatt’s rich baritone adds depth and layers of strength onto the female dominated chorus, while Joaquin Pedro Valdes hovers between the two in an androgynous mid-range. Woodyatt is often accompanying the musicians on accordion and also takes over the narrative from Daniel, portraying the wronged husband with a masterful sensitivity. Valdes is the lover that Tirzah conjures from her heart to spend her life trailing through the streets searching for.

Will they ever meet? The story follows a cyclical path that kind of gives us the answer at the start as well as the end. As the twist is revealed to us, we feel like the story might be starting over. Even at two hours long we wouldn’t mind if that was the actual case. Instead, though, we have an upbeat refrain of the opening number. This is, ultimately, a celebration. There are warnings along the way, and we drift through many moods, enhanced by Aaron J Dootson’s ambient lighting, full of ingenious little tricks and innovations.

Tirzah is a woman who lived from one poem to another. A woman sick with love, crazy for love. Who has lost her way for love. Yet in the hands of Ofra Daniel she remains powerful, feminine, erotic and independent. Beneath the ‘crazy poet of love’ outer shell is a vivid embodiment of the human condition that is as old as the bible itself. “A Song of Songs”, describes itself as a musical play rather than a musical (despite boasting nearly twenty musical numbers). Whatever label you want to give it – it is a musical feast.

IVO GRAHAM: CAROUSEL at Park Theatre

★★★★

“It is not often you want to give a performer a hug after a show, and I have to hold myself back when I see him in the lobby afterwards”

IVO GRAHAM: CAROUSEL at Park Theatre

Reviewed on 5th June 2024

by Rosie Thomas

IVO GRAHAM: CAROUSEL will also be at this year’s Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Previously reviewed at this venue:

IVO GRAHAM

IVO GRAHAM

A SONG OF SONGS at Park Theatre

★★★★

“The songs are pools of splendour we would happily bathe in for hours”

A SONG OF SONGS at Park Theatre

Reviewed on 14th May 2024

by Jonathan Evans

Photography by Pamela Raith

Previously reviewed at this venue:

A SONG OF SONGS

A SONG OF SONGS