Tag Archives: The Bunker

Ken – 3 Stars

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Ken

Ken

The Bunker

Reviewed – 29th January 2018

★★★

“Fans of Ken Campbell and those knowledgeable about his work will enjoy this show”

 

Entering the auditorium at The Bunker you are transported into a 70s time warp thanks to Tim Shortall’s clever set design. The space is decorated with a garish orange shag pile carpet and a mismatch of seating including battered sofas and wicker chairs. Choose your seat carefully, making sure it’s comfortable for the 90 minute ride that is about to follow. Frilled flock lampshades adorn the ceiling, piles of scatter cushions invite the audience to kick off their shoes and relax, burning incense dotted around the room completes the look and rewinds you back to the 1970s.

Terry Johnson, the writer, plays himself and takes you on a journey which is part play, part tribute to, part audience with and part eulogy. The tales are about the real life maverick Ken Campbell and how a chance phone call impacted on Terry’s life and future path. Terry delivers most of his lines from a lectern centre stage and admits that not all of the stories and anecdotes are “entirely true”. He hints that the most unlikely of stories are the ones that are actually based on true events. Terry reads his lines from a script in a monotone voice that lacks enthusiasm. It is only when he steps away from the lectern and seems to ad lib that his story comes to life and you can see the passion and respect he had for Ken.

Jeremy Stockwell plays the maverick Ken Campbell. He is the polar opposite of Terry – jumping around the stage with a hyperactive, manic energy that you can imagine was difficult to squash and even more difficult to work with. He plays the part well and is able to switch roles with a remarkable ease.

Fans of Ken Campbell and those knowledgeable about his work will enjoy this show, as many in the audience certainly did. Those who aren’t may find some of the stories uncomfortable to listen to, especially in the current climate with revelations of inappropriate behaviour within the entertainment industry making front page headlines.

 

Reviewed by Angela East

Photography by Robert Day

 


Ken

The Bunker until 24th February

 

 

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

 

Review of FCUK’D – 4 Stars

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FCUK’D

FCUK’D

The Bunker

Reviewed – 13th December 2017

★★★★

“a mature and thought provoking reflection on the consequences of living in an economically beleaguered, run-down society”

 

People run away for different reasons, some serious and others trivial. What if the streets held the only option for you? Seventeen-year-old tracksuit clad Boy may have a lot of bravado, but in reality his world is crumbling. He lives in a decrepit council flat in Hull with his alcoholic mother and little brother Matty. It’s the lead up to Christmas and ‘the people in silver cars’, social services, are eager to split the inseparable brothers up and take Matty away.

The overall impression Niall Ransome’s poetic vernacular creates is of a helpless and vulnerable teenager yearning for something beyond. He hopes there is a world elsewhere. A world where he and his brother can live and be safe. Unsurprisingly, a pivotal point is when the authorities are stood on the other side of the bedroom door, attempting to separate the two. Will Mytum proves a wonderfully versatile actor, playing both boys whilst skilfully using verse in the rhythm of naturalistic dialogue. It’s here when a frantic Boy realises that although it might be a chance for his little brother to have a childhood in a happy home, he’s scared of losing him forever. Gripping his little brother’s hand, the two flee across fields and through towns, shoplifting food and ultimately stealing a car. These aren’t just juvenile pranks, they’re genuine acts of desperation.

Peter Wilson’s music thunders and vibrates a marked out playground with piles of autumn leaves, a streetlamp which often flickers and bathes Boy in its sodium light. Although no actual setting of a house, the few key pieces designer Grace Venning has cleverly chosen really make the stage feel like a housing estate. The piece is a mature and thought provoking reflection on the consequences of living in an economically beleaguered, run-down society. These problems don’t just go away at Christmas.

 

 

Reviewed by Chloe Cordell

Photography by Andreas Lambis

 

Read our interview with FCUK’D writer Niall Ransome here

 

FCUK'D

 

FCUK’D

is at The Bunker until 30th December

 

 

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