CURRENT PROJECT: running The Atrium, Norfolk’s newest arts centre and creative hub. We’re producing in-house shows from variety, plays and Christmas treats, welcoming touring theatre and engaging the local community with our cinema and diverse workshop programme.
BELOW: reviews, blogs and meanderings about things that interest me (and perhaps others).
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2013-02-24
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WE’RE ALL AT HOME IN GLASGOW
17 February 2013
Review: Glasgow Girls, Theatre Royal Stratford East
We seem to be in the height of pop-group based musicals. We know that shows like We Will Rock You has been going strong for just over a decade, recently joined by Mamma Mia and of course the latest venture of Viva Forever. But the latest musical to hit London town doesn’t boast any celebrity endorsements or sing-a-long songs, sequin costumes or a nostalgic reliance on the familiar.
Glasgow Girls, now showing at the Theatre Royal Stratford East after its premiere in Glasgow’s Citizen Theatre, can really boast a true story take on girl power – and successfully delivers its ‘life affirming’ claim, leaving an overwhelmed audience feel more educated, entertained and enveloped in this fresh new musical.
If you’ve never been to the Theatre Royal Stratford East before, get down there soon. Behind the smart contemporary branding, wrapped up in the engaging atmosphere and just a stone’s throw from the station, is a glorious rich-coloured auditorium. From the welcoming feel of the friendly bar, we entered the auditorium, seeing the wonderful architecture of the late nineteenth century then beyond the proscenium arch were treated to a grey sprayed-concrete tower block, seen in most modern cities since the sixties, with Glasgow being the city that could boast the most.
The set was simple and effective, with the use of florescent lights and sounds to create a number of different locations. Lots of praise has been thrown at the cast – a strong ensemble of multiple roles, accents, song and complex choreography from Natasha Gilmore. I first thought I wouldn’t want to single out any cast member as everyone had the audience behind them, truly appreciating all the cast’s multi-skilled approach to the amazing and challenging score.
Then I started to think about the comical interludes of Myra McFadyen as Noreen – and her magical enticement, a warm remind to us all to take heed and protect our neighbours - even after claiming many times she didn’t want to be in a musical. Patricia Panther, who played many different parts and was also one of the handful of composers, was very welcome to tell us to take warning either on the good side or the side of authority, from the catchy ‘Cuff You’ and the poignant ‘They’re At It’.Tying it all together, working with the quick-witted Scottish humour and gripping, almost and dare I say it dialectical episodes from the book by David Greig and Hilary Brook’s musical direction was director (and joint composer) Cora Bissett.
With a run of just under a month in Stratford, I feel too many people will be missing out on the fulfilling experience of this high-energy musical, that’s relevant to today’s audiences on a topic that is real, with no tap-dancing romance or sing-a-long in sight.
I hope the company, like their characters, succeed in a campaign to tour and even take it to the heart of communities that may share similar issues of immigration or best of all, to inspire young people to not give up on success, reminding us we’re all ‘Glasgow Girls’ in our own way, with our own aspirations. (Such as The Atrium in the heart of rural North Norfolk. Hint, hint).
Glasgow Girls is co-produced by Theatre Royal Stratford East and National Theatre of Scotland, alongwith with Citizens Theatre, Pachamama Productions, Richard Jordon Productions in associations with Merrigong Theatre Company (Australia).
Sadly, the show only runs to 2 March.
Links:
Book tickets/ more show information
Theatre Royal Stratford East
National Theatre of Scotland
Follow Joseph on Twitter: @josephballard
Joseph is a theatre director and playwright. He currently runs The Atrium, the new theatre and cinema for Norfolk Norfolk. -
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“BUT THEY CAN’T STOP LOOKING, CAN THEY?”
9 February 2013
Review: Hitchcock
I had eagerly anticipated the opening of Hitchcock – the latest film starring the likes of Anthony Hopkins, Helen Mirren, Scarlet Johansson and even Toni Collette, directed by Sacha Gervasi.
Now I’m running The Atrium, a small arts centre that has a lovely 190 seat theatre for live performance and cinema, I have to choose our films carefully as we have not got the license budgets or resources like the large cinema chains. We’re also new – I only started in September and we’re still finding our way as an independent venue in rural Norfolk, in the market town of North Walsham.
Our ticket prices are just £5 or £4 and I want to keep the full cinema experience accessible to lots of people. I knew this would lead me to question the £30 experience I got when I saw Hitchcock last night at a cinema in Norwich. Two tickets, popcorn and a drink for just under £30. At The Atrium the same experience would have cost just £14.30. when writing this blog I was unsure it would be a review of the film or a comparison between the two venues and like the film I went to see, this has turned into a meandering skit – with a knowing smirk and dose of hopeful charm.
There have been a few takes on aspects of Hitchcock’s life. As an avid Hitchcock fan I’ve seen all the films, directed the stage version of Strangers On A Train, developed some stage-works loosely based on his style, but I can honestly say it was a warming 98 minutes – with enough references in there to make the Hitchcock novice chuckle. Perhaps even those who haven’t yet seen his most famous Psycho.
Having acting greats such as Anthony Hopkins and Helen Mirren in the lead (I saw the whole film as a shared lead) means there’s quality. It means that even scenes of pure conversation are watchable. It means every single movement, flicker of an eyelid or chewing of food for the always-peckish Hitch was just right.
The film was full of charming nostalgia of the time, with the hairdos, fashion and cars. The familiar faces of Janet Leigh, Vera miles and Anthony Perkins carefully recreated to take us through the process of making the infamous shocker Psycho. The story only just scratches the surface of Hitchcock’s fascination with his blondes, and instead, gives us the insight into his married life with Alma Reville. I’m guessing the part was written with Helen Mirren and no other in mind.
There are moments of charming references such as using the same final-cut camera angles to record the filming of the famous shower scene to the habitual grotesque eating.
Unlike the actual films of Hitch, there was no shock factor or episodes of revelation – but I do think it’s a charming film that has exposed just a fraction of what only Hitch himself could reveal – and I’m sure he’d do it in his own way.
Watch the trailer.
Check out What’s On at The Atrium.
Above: Anthony Hopkins as Hitch and Scarlet Johansson as Janet Leigh.
Top image: Anthony Hopkins as Hitch and Helen Mirren as Alma Reville. -
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FUR, SNOWFLAKES AND MINCE PIES
9 December 2012
Joseph with some of cast in rehearsal.
We’ve spent the weekend rehearsing for our first Christmas show here at The Atrium. I chose THE LION, THE WITCH AND THE WARDROBE because it appears to be a story that enchants a lot of people of all ages. Some of us remember the BBC TV series of the nineties, others the more recent Narnia film of 2005, and others remember the beloved books and handsome illustrations.
It’s a new play – I was given special permission from the estate of C. S. Lewis himself to write it – and I am sure our small cast of actors will do the original story proud. I’ll stress that it is a play – not a pantomime or musical – because we wanted to produce something that would compliment the existing local offers. Magic, enchantment and good versus evil are key parts of a story particularly at Christmas time, and I’m pleased to say we’re working up all those elements for a fantastic theatrical treat.
Amongst the fake fur and glue, cutting snowflakes and eating lots of mince pies (due to the first rehearsal taking place the same time as the Christmas food festival – which was excellent) everyone is working very hard. Characters such as Mr Tumnus and the White Witch are iconic figures both in literature and theatre, but we still want to present them as fresh new beings just for our show.
We’re sure everyone will have a great time this Christmas with us – we’ve already had hundreds of people joining us for our Christmas cinema (Arthur Christmas and It’s A Wonderful Life matinee), workshops and food festival. It’s definitely the time to come along for some theatre; along with with your special Turkish Delight hot chocolate of course!
Find out more about the show and book tickets here.
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MAKING THE HEADLINES: NO TIME FOR TEA MR TUMNUS!
25 October 2012
It’s great we’re on the front page of the North Norfolk News and also in the EDP today. We’re in both papers quite a few times – from the feature articles, to Guide listings and in the Editor’s column. All the articles in there are about letting people know about the different activity on offer here at The Atrium, asking for supporting and making a plea for volunteer help.
The online version of the headline asks ‘Can fantasy show revive fortunes of North Walsham’s flagging £5.3m arts centre?’
We know it can’t – which is why we are getting the messages out there. Our splash in the media today is the first milestone in engaging with lots more people so everyone knows that we’re making things happen – and that lots of things can happen here too.Everyone on The Atrium team is working really hard, along with just a few volunteers to ensure that The Atrium can contribute to and compliment the local offer for entertainment, workshop programmes and community engagement. We want everyone to be behind us – whether its volunteering at our events from helping serve refreshments and tickets, to helping with the technical aspects of a film or event, or helping us here in the office with our day-to- day tasks.
There’s already a lot to do – we’ve got an impressive venue to run and some exciting programmes of cinema, theatre and workshops and we want people to work with us, helping tell our story and spread the word about what is happening here already - and more importantly- what can happen here in the future with news partnerships and collaborations.
It’s also important to remember The Atrium is not just about the arts, it’s not just about North Walsham and its certainly not just about justifying a brand new building. It’s about ensuring the wider community makes the most out of this venture and unless people let us know what they’d like, or unless they come to us with offers of help and support, it is going to be about a battle of the wills and a wasted opportunity for the whole area to get involved.
Of course, our coverage and support from the EDP and Norfolk Norfolk News is great – a good relationship with the media is vital to the future of any organisation or venue. I’d like to thank them for giving us great profile and I promise we’ll have many more good stories to come – here we go with our new season which kicks off tonight!
Links to:
The Atrium
Links to news articles online:
North Norfolk News, 25 Oct 2012 (including an online gallery from our photoshoot)
Eastern Daily Press, 25 Oct 2012 -
2012-06-30
What’s Your Story?
Response Theatre’s current project has involved researching, writing material and making short films. The company, made up of theatre makers aged 12-19, have made 9 short films, based on topical issues, that are shared online via Facebook and comments made by viewers are then fed back to decision makers of youth services in Norwich.
Click here to find out more about Response Theatre and the project or click the banner above to be taken to the What’s Your Story Facebook page.
Check out www.responsetheatre.co.uk for more information about the Norwich-based company and class programme for young theatre makers. -
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Blog: Geronimo!
Naturalistic fourth-wall dramas are not my usual theatre ticket, neither are kitchen-sink dramas nor the endless reinterpretations of Shakespeare. Immersive populist theatre, with twists, practical dilemmas, physical and mental challenges and a good bit of suspense and horror is.
Crash of the Elysium, by Punchdrunk delivered my favourites on all accounts. You only have to check out the reviews and video testimonials from children and adults where there’s an endless flow of energetic adjectives that come together like some cocophany of amazement.
I eagerly waited in bay 2 – where the audience group of 18 of us sat nervously like we were about to sit an exam. I don’t want to give away the experience of the actual show but all the classic elements of a good Dr Who episode are there, from the thrills, the frights, the risk of failing, the will to save the earth, the Tardis and of course the atmospheric incidental music that is used to highlight the sense of danger or those emotional bits where you feel connect to the flippant-minded Doctor.
The hour’s adventure did leave us all a little exhausted but we all left buzzing wanting more. Punchdrunk had transformed the town’s old car park into a deluge of wonderment, raw adventure and time travel and the wanting of more adventure was persistent as I drove home.
Crash of the Elysium, presented by Punchdrunk with the New Wolsey Theatre runs to 8th July in Ipswich.
For more information on the London 2012 Festival programme, check out: www.london2012.com/festival -
2012-06-26
Blog: How Like A Festival
Everyone loves a Festival. In my hometown of Norwich we’ve got loads – at least 12 big annual ones as well as others that sprout up, growing on the back of the larger ones or just those that just want to provide something different, like mini fringes that are able to showcase the home-grown talent. Norwich is a city that harvests creativity well, with loads of different venues and creative types to make them it happen.
This time round I’m talking about The Festival – the world’s largest ever programme of arts events made up of over 12,000 performances and where 18 million people have already taken part in it via the Cultural Olympiad. The Festival is the grand finale of the 4-year long Cultural Olympiad.
Amongst the busy nature of my job as the East’s Inspire Programmer and being the lead-up to the Olympic Torch Relay’s arrival into the region, I’ve managed to cram in the time to attend some of the local highlights of this year’s cultural calendar.
I’ve often walked through the beautiful grounds of Norwich Cathedral, regarded as a city centre haven where it peacefully away from the traffic and noisy hubbub of a busy city. I’ve attended Shakespeare in the cloisters, services and concerts inside the Cathedral too but last Tuesday night was something different – no I didn’t spot another peregrine egg or other form of nesting bird wanting it’s clutch of fame – but Tuesday evening was a new way to explore the Norman Cathedral – its architecture and its atmosphere.
We were handed mini torches, to share in our groups as we entered the magnificent venue via the Cloisters. It was dark – gloomy is too much of a solemn word to use because there was a sense of excitement - as everyone eagerly anticipated the arrival of whatever we were to be expecting. Stewards dimly lit the way like guardians sent to protect the spiritual ambience. We were instructed to be quiet but not many obeyed this command, as it was a new experience to be wandering around the beast of a building late at night.
The show was almost promenade style, with three spots for action in the famously long nave. How Like An Angel is a collaboration between Circa (an Australian circus company) and I Fagiolini (although Italian sounding, a UK-based vocal ensemble). Circa amazed everyone with daring feats of great height, strength, balance and human endeavour. The harmonic skills of I Fagiolini were wonderful. Both of the two art forms demonstrated the highest skill in their specific fields.
Flattery aside, there was no obvious narrative and I’m still struggling with the marriage of the two works, but it was still an amazing evening – animating the cavernous space of the 900 hundred year-old building in its feast of juxtaposition for the ears and eyes.
The Dance of the Stewards, a multiple-moving scenic piece of adjusting a performance space using ropes and barriers aided by clipboard and radios, did provide some light relief in between the intense moments albeit it not purposely part of the artistic action.
The London 2012 Festival has much more to offer for a few more months and (after tomorrow night’s adventure through time) I hope to be able to catch more of it.
Check out the London 2012 Festival website for more information on the programme of dance, music, theatre, fashion, food, art or film – events that have embraced the ‘greats’ (venues and people of the arts-world) and events that are just simply out-of-the-ordinary in unusual places.
How Like An Angel also plays Ely Cathedral (2-3 July), Gloucester Cathedral (16-17 July) and Ripon Cathedral (19 - 20 July). -
2012-01-22
Launch of Response Theatre in Norwich.
I’m proud to announce the start of Response Theatre - weekly classes for young people aged 8-25, that take place in Norwich city centre. The sessions will explore performance skills and making theatre in engaging and exciting ways.
For more information, check out the Response Theatre website. -
2012-01-01
Just finished playing Prince Charming in Cinderella at The Pavilion Theatre (Gorleston, Norfolk), which ran throughout December 2011. It was produced by OhYesItIz Productions and the amazing award-winning Des Barritt, who whizzed off to London after the run began, to play the Wizard in the west-end’s Wicked.
Here’s a pic for those who didn’t manage to catch the show!
