Tag Archives: Venus Raven

The Actress

The Actress

★★★

Edinburgh Festival Fringe

THE ACTRESS at Edinburgh Festival Fringe

★★★

 

The Actress

 

“Fans of theatre history, and of the Restoration stage, will enjoy this story, even if it doesn’t quite capture the spirit of the times”

 

The Long Lane Theatre Company presents The Actress as part of a three play offering at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival this year. The Actress is set in 1660, just as the theatres are reopening in London thanks to the restoration of Charles Stuart as King of England. 1660 marks a watershed year in English history, but for theatre buffs it’s particularly important because it introduces a new kind of theatre in England. 1660 also marks the first time actresses appear on a London stage. Andrew Pearson-Wright, playwright and director, focuses not only on this latter historic event in The Actress, but on the rivalries between women competing to be that first actress. Pearson-Wright has clearly done a lot of research. The women he portrays, Margaret (Peg) Hughes, and her lesser known rival, Anne Marshall, are both scheming for the honour of being the first actress on the London stage.

Presented on a bare bones set in an imposing hall belonging to the University of Edinburgh, The Actress is rather overwhelmed by its surroundings. As is the story in this play. In focusing on the rivalry between actresses, Pearson-Wright leaves out some important details about the Restoration stage. Intriguing questions get left unanswered. Why is 1660 the time that women finally appear on English stages? And why would they want the job? Especially as it seems to be such an unpleasant occupation. According to Hughes’ patron Charles Sedley at any rate, the job of an actress, it seems, is more about being a sex worker, than being an artist. In The Actress, Peg Hughes is portrayed as a courtesan, used to this life. She’s traveled a bit in Europe, and seen women act on stage in France. She’s the sophisticate. Hughes’ rival Anne Marshall is the naïve young ingenue. Hughes, worried about losing her rich patrons as she ages, is looking for another source of income. She thinks acting might provide it. Marshall, in contrast, is presented as a young woman in love with Shakespeare’s plays, and determined to grace the world with her interpretation of Hermione in The Winter’s Tale.

The Actress presents a romantic idea of acting, more modern than Restoration. Modern audiences may relish the idea of two actresses competing for the honour of portraying Desdemona on stage for the first time, but audiences in 1660 wanted the witty, sexy dramas being written by the courtiers who surrounded Charles II, of whom Sedley was one. Shakespeare was already too old fashioned. There was a lot going on in this period of British theatre, and The Actress would be a deeper, more intriguing drama if more detail was provided.

For all the weaknesses of the script, however, there are some good performances in this show. Charlotte Price as Anne Marshall, and Eve Pearson-Wright as Peg Hughes, take centre stage and hold the attention. That’s quite a feat when the men alongside them (Andrew Loudon and Matthew Hebden) are chewing the scenery in an attempt to take over. Hattie Chapman also puts in a solid performance as Nell, a young woman who will do anything to be part of the theatre. If she’s who we think she is, (and the script never makes this clear) Nell will end up being a far more famous actress than Hughes or Marshall.

Fans of theatre history, and of the Restoration stage, will enjoy this story, even if it doesn’t quite capture the spirit of the times. The Actress has more than its fair share of anachronisms. For those who do enjoy them, however, there is the added bonus of hearing Metallica’s “Nothing Else Matters” being played on the lute as the show begins. Nice!

 

 

Reviewed 7th August 2022

by Dominica Plummer

 

Photography by Venus Raven

 

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Me and my Whale

Me and my Whale
★★★

The Vaults

Me and my Whale

Me and my Whale

The Vaults

Reviewed – 22nd June 2019

★★★

 

“Much can be admired about the creativity and innovative ideas”

 

Never has the deep, damp, dark cloisters of The Vaults been the most ideal place to stage a production. Me & My Whale which explores aquatic life, is visually and audibly exciting, using ingenious techniques to evoke an underwater world.

We follow the captain (Hannah Mook) of a submarine on her journey below the depths of the deep blue sea. All is calm as she’s focussed on her job at hand, but this is not for long as she soon falls head over heels in love. With a whale. Captivated by the mammal’s song, the captain is besotted. But this is no happily ever after as tragedy is in store. Blending multimedia techniques (mostly triggered and performed live by Xavier Velastin) with absurdist, performance art, there is a deeper message that runs through, calling out the damage we’re causing to our oceans environmentally and technologically.

Projectors, spinning bowls of water, blue food colouring and clear plastic dust sheets are just some of the objects used that are more than just props, they are the tools that transform the space into being visually quite mesmerising. Designer Virag Pazmany and technicians Venus Raven and Ariane Nixon complete the team whose combined expertise help to bring Mook and Velastin’s vision to life.

Hannah and Xavier have a warm and inviting presence on stage, with a clear joyous chemistry between one another that is infectious to be in the presence of. Unfortunately, at times parts can drag, or lose meaning, feeling it could be tightened in places. Shaving a few minutes off the running time would be ideal. There is no real story per se, in a conventional way, however, what loose storyline there is, isn’t used to its full potential. Any kind of plot, or even just symbolism in the performance art/abstract movement can be muddied and lost.

Much can be admired about the creativity and innovative ideas Hannah and Xavier have incorporated into the piece. The atmospheric world that envelops you leaves your senses tingling. At its high points Me and my Whale will make you chuckle or marvel at the sights and sounds. However this is too often dominated by moments of monotony leaving you befuddled or drifting off. Not quite a ‘whale’ of a time, but certainly an intriguing journey to be a part of.

 

Reviewed by Phoebe Cole

 


Me and my Whale

The Vaults

 

Last ten shows reviewed at this venue:
Alcatraz | ★★★ | March 2019
Anna X | ★★★★ | March 2019
Ares | ★★★★ | March 2019
Check In/Check Out | ★★★ | March 2019
Donal The Numb | ★★★★ | March 2019
Essex Girl | ★★★★ | March 2019
Feed | ★★★★ | March 2019
How Eva Von Schnippisch Won WWII | ★★★★ | March 2019
The Talented Mr Ripley | ★★★★ | March 2019
Vulvarine | ★★★★★ | March 2019

 

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