#TheatreReview By Lou of Can’t Wait to Leave @theSpaceUK #StephensonsTheatre @SurgeonsHall #EdFringe #FringeEdin #WhatsOnEdi #WhatsOnStage #ContemporaryDrama #StagePlay #ContemporaryPlay #CantWaitToLeave @SirTerenceBoot

Can’t Wait to Leave

Find out what the Edinburgh Fringe Brochure says and then onto my review and where to purchase tickets:

You can find this one man play, performed by Zach Hawkins and directed and written by Stephen Leach in the Surgeon’s Hall on Nicholson St, Edinburgh as part of it being The Space Venues for the Edinburgh Fringe Theatre.

Meet Ryan. Nineteen (but young for his age). School drop-out (but smart). Turkey-sandwich enthusiast (365 days a year). Absolute stunner (no addendum). He’s new in town, and all he wants to do is check out. The hard part is coming up with an exit plan. When the one person he thought he could rely on ups and leaves, Ryan finds himself adrift in a city he still hasn’t learned to like, looking for direction. Six months to kill, no money, no rules… surely this is the worst possible time to be alone?

Review

Can’t Wait to Leave is tender, enthralling, energetic, shocking and yet a little something in there that by the end of it all, makes you leave at the end, feeling uplifted. The play is a one man play and is suitable for 16 years plus. I recommend the play for something told in a refreshing way!

Stephen Leach is writer and director of the play as Zach Hawkins brings the character of Ryan to life. Throughout the play, it felt a bit like sitting in a pub with him with the jokey and conversational manner, which was clever. Not quite like you’re the only person in the room, but in certain parts, nearing those heady heights, but a good ambience, like you’re in with a group of pals. He does, indeed take you to a pub and the people he meets. It’s a minimalist set, but it really doesn’t matter for such a performance. It holds the attention well and all eyes are on Hawkins as you listen to what he is telling you about the various places he goes. He has the audience in the palm of his hands as he races along, playing his part. There are clever nuances here and there too, amongst the joviality and sadness. By the end you really get to know who Ryan is, how he interacts with people, his desperation to leave London, the relationships he has and how some gay people view bi-sexuals. Whether you’re gay, straight, bi etc there’s something to relate to. That date that goes terribly wrong, the profile photos not being entirely truthful on dating sites, the violence of some people, that feeling of being trapped in a place you don’t want to be, just waiting for an opportune moment to leave. The question is, will he or will he not?

The conversational vibe of this fabulous narrative meant he could tell an entire story of the many people who come and go in his life, from his brother Ben to his relationships. He talks a lot about Ben and how he is a high flyer in the accountancy world, got the woman of his dreams and is moving. It’s a great contrast to Ryan, who is more one of life’s drifters but with aspirations and dreams of “making it” and leaving London. Don’t be mistaken, this isn’t a “woe me” type of play. It has bags of humour and pathos; dramatic scenes that twist and turns and makes the audience shudder and gasp and uplifting moments that surprise and throughout, the audience encounters life and energy as well as important life moments and important issues. How it is all spun out is refreshing and the fact you’re not only told about someone who is succeeding in all aspects of life, but also the other side and how there are people who aren’t instant successes is really great and people will relate in some ways to Ryan and to all the people mentioned. He takes you with him with clever writing and delivery, on Ryan’s journey, captivating from beginning to end. It’s a great debut and one I recommend you go and see.

You can find out more and where to purchase tickets by clicking the link: https://tickets.edfringe.com/whats-on/can-t-wait-to-leave

Thank you to The Space UK venues and Stephen Leach for inviting me to watch the play in-exchange of an honest review.

Review of the BBC Radio Play – Lunch (recipe link included) Rated 5 stars – #MarcyKahan #ClaireSkinner #StephenMangan #Audible #Play #BBCAudioBooks

Lunch
By Marcy Kahan
Starring Claire Sinner and Stephen Mangan
Rated: 5 Stars *****

Lunch has it all. It has food and friendship, so many aspects of life between 2 characters who lead different lives and come together once a month. It has a large helping of the most wonderful humour and warmth. It also has family life, employment life, romance. It also shows that whatever you do, whatever your views, you can still be friends. It has so much that would be relatable to so many people. This is one sitcom I’ve listened to a number of times, it is that good!
I finally had a bit of time to spontaneously write a review. Also check out the link I’ve added from BBC Good Food and also the Audible Link to the sitcom itself in the review.

Find out more in the blurb and my review.

Blurb

Stephen Mangan and Claire Skinner star in all five series of the popular BBC Radio 4 comedy drama.

Bill works as an economist in a right-wing institute giving succour to bankers and businessmen. Bella teaches yoga, waters the plants in Canary Wharf and holds Proust seminars for retirees. Years ago they shared a flat before Bill got married and moved to America. Now he’s back and feeling a little off-kilter, so he decides to rekindle his friendship with Bella.

Once a month they get together for lunch, where they talk about everything from politics to Proust, parenting and the perils of online dating. The only thing they never discuss is how much they love each other….

In Marcy Kahan’s delightful “platonic romantic comedy”, we join Bill and Bella as they meet, eat and disagree about everything; and over the course of four series, we learn their hopes and dreams and listen in as their lives change direction.

Review

I first came across Lunch on BBC Radio 4 a few years ago. It is so easy and such fun to listen to, that I’ve listened to it quite a number of times. It’s one of the most fabulously entertaining and humorous two-hander plays from BBC Radio 4 and now can be found on Audible, that is still as important then as it is now, in such divisions of countries, including the UK. It also features wonderful food as Bill (Stephen Mangan) and Bella (Claire Skinner) meet once a month in cafes as you hear their lives play out. Expect lots of mentions of glorious food from pho-ga (Vietnamese chicken soup) to eggs to salad and more… Just below is a link to a recipe that I use to make pho-ga at home. It sounds more complex than it is and is heartwarming, aromatic deliciousness. I think so anyway. I got inspired to try it out when listening to the play…

Click link for recipe:
BBC Good Food Vietnamese Chicken Noodle Soup (Pho-Ga) Recipe

This play is so important for our times. It shows how two people who have very different jobs, lives and opposing political views can still civily meet-up for lunch and talk about life, work, family, loves and generally have a nice time. It’s a pretty spectacular message and one of unity. This is a essentially a comedy and is really rather funny as Bill (Stephen Mangan) and Bella (Claire Skinner) get to a point of where they just aren’t admitting their feelings for each other. It also cleverly weaves wit into their differing views. There is also the coming together to help each other out by listening to each other and giving advice to even Bill trying out a bit of roleplay with Bella to practice for an interview on Newsnight. There is much wit when Bill asks what Bella is looking for out of no less than 3 lovers who she meets. The way some of the lines are said (as throughout), are pure fun! This shows what brilliant actors Stephen Mangan and Claire Skinner are. They bring Marcy Kahan’s intuitive and witty script-writing to life in such a believable way.

Both characters are easy to like and care about what happens to them. It is one of the most uplifting radio plays and one that has an important point to say, that it doesn’t matter what side of the fence you are on for jobs or politics, you can still be friends and you may even become lovers. There’s a sense of unity amongst that so-called dividing line, and that’s what makes this glorious, as well as the laugh out loud humour. There is a lot to smile about in this audio play.

Audible Link Click here for Lunch

#Review of Anno Domino By Alan Ayckbourn – Observational Audio Play at its best – rated 5 stars @Ayckbourn @thesjt #Play #LockDownTheatre #AnnoDomino

Anno Domino
By Alan Ayckbourn
Rated: 5 stars *****
Available Now Until 25th June

After listening to Anno Domino, I decided I would write a review for it. Discover the cast, synposis and review, then at the bottom, the link where you too can listen in this fabulous play. There are also captioned productions available. The Stephen Joseph Theatre in Scarborough, does ask that if you would like to donate, then feel free to.

This is an online theatrical treat to behold, which is an online exclusive for The Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough, intorduced by Paul Robinson, the Artistic Director Not only is the play written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn, but it is also starring him alongside his wife, actor Helen Stoney. They play 8 characters ranging from 18 to their mid 70s. It marks Alan’s return to professional acting 56 years after his first stage performance. Since then he has written and directed plays such as:

Ten Times Table Life of Riley Seasons Greetings
Bedroom Farce The Norman Conquests Birthdays Past, Birthdays Present
and many more

This, however, is a momentous occasion as it is the first time Alan Ayckbourn has acted, written and directed in the same show.

Heather Stoney is known for shows such as:

Z Cars Raw Meat Masquerade and more…

Play List of characters and cast

Alan Ayckbourn plays Ben, Craig, Razz (Raymond) and Sam
Heather Stoney plays Ella, Martha, Cinny and Milly
Stephen Joseph Theatre Production

Synopsis

Sam and Milly are gathering the family together for their 25th wedding anniversary dinner at their favourite local bistro.

They’ll be joined there by Sam’s parents, Ben and Ella; his sister, Martha, and her new partner, Craig, and Martha’s son Raz. Also present – and she’s definitely caught Raz’s eye – is trainee restaurant manager Cinny.

But Sam and Milly have some life-changing news to share.

As the family prepares for the big event, we catch a glimpse into each of their living rooms and lives. Every couple has their tough moments: Anno Domino asks what happens when the strongest of us falls apart. How do our actions ripple out and affect those we love?

Review

The dominos (people) that stood upright in the certainties of life start to wobble. It’s a great premise and name to show how people can start to fall and if you imagine the domino effect, how one domino affects the next and the next and so on, this is what this play shows very deftly, with people. There is humour, sadness and cause and effect spanning throughout the different generations. It’s a masterful and observational of human life.

The play starts with Sam and Milly’s silver wedding anniversary. The getting ready to go out is full of humour and what everyone can relate to, supposed lost handbags, the fussing around the teen son, Raymond who is too into his music. They have a big announcement to make to Sam’s family. The lead up to it is well executed and revelations come out. It is nuanced as conversations play out about what couples do as life moves onwards to different life stages. It has everything that Alan Ayckbourn is a master at, when creating a play for the stage. This medium of online has not affected his writing, directing, acting at all. His wife Heather Stoney also plays her characters very well and the 2 have made this fabulous play come to life, and I should think, that’s no mean feat. The actors really do move seamlessly and convincingly between the age ranges and characters.

In the first act, listeners get to know the characters pretty well and the people the main characters know, with that sublime humour throughout.

Act 2 takes place in the garden, where plants and family bonding occurs.
There’s really interesting and sage advice to Raymond (Razz). It’s eloquent and also cleverly layers in a bit of background to characters.

Things get a bit heated over very strong, definite, but differing opinions are formed between some of the character.

In a twist, revelations about relationships come out and come to a head and bit by bit, the domino effect happens from a sole event.

In another twist, there is some heartwarming moments to be had in the play.

Link to the website –

Listen Here

By Jeeves by Andrew Lloyd Webber and Alan Aykbourn @OfficialALW @Ayckbourn #ByJeeves #JeevesWooster #PGWodehouse #Musical #Farce #VirtualTheatre #Theatre #Stage

By Jeeves
By Andrew Lloyd Webber
And Alan Ayckbourn
Rated: ****

I just love theatre and I’ve wanted to see By Jeeves for a long time now, based around the characters of the famous P.G Wodehouse books – Jeeves and Wooster. This is a Musical/Play and it is jolly entertaining. The music was composed by Andrew Lloyd Webber and directed by Alan Aykbourn, both who are masters at their craft. Andrew LLoyd Webber with his music and Alan Ayckbourn with his plays/farces.
The cast includes Martin Jarvis and all the cast play their parts splendidly well. You can buy it on DVD, listen to the soundtrack and see small previews on You Tube. It’s worth a watch. Below you will see the synopsis and review.

Synopsis

At a benefit gala to raise money for a new church steeple, Bertram “Bertie” Wooster is preparing to take the stage. The banjo-playing star is thrown for a loop when he finds his banjo has been stolen! Bertie’s faithful manservant, Jeeves, suggests Bertie tell the story of his adventure to Tot leigh Towers to entertain the impatient audience. Bertie recounts to the audience how he became embroiled in the romances of several dim-witted members of the privileged class. With mistaken identities, romantic entanglement, and the adventures of the upper class, By Jeeves is the quintessential British musical farce.

Review

I just had to write about this play because it simply won’t leave me alone. I have had the song “Half a Moment” stuck in my head for a couple of days now. Anymore and I’ll have to play it on Spotify or play it on my keyboard, since I have the music for it. It is actually a really good song though, as are all the songs in this musical.

This musical, perhaps because it also has Alan Ayckbourn, who is a playwright and an incredibly skilled one at that, is partly play and partly musical. The two mediums meet together and actually rather well. It makes this unique in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s body of work to date as it isn’t song after song to convey the story. It is the spoken word with some background music and songs within it, which together, masterfully tell the story which is based on the books of Jeeves and Wooster by PG Wodehouse. It is very funny, and I do hope one day it will be revived and do a proper UK tour. It’s a play within a play (if you’ve been following my blog recently, you’ll see there’s perhaps a bit of a trend in that here. It does seem to work very well). I feel it would do well to be on tour, when the virus is over and all is safe (it will be one day), as we have The Play That Goes Wrong, which has now got quite a body of work that is incredibly successful and By Jeeves, which came long before that team, is a bit like that, but with all the Jeeves and Wooster humour within it.

There’s fun with props in a clever way and songs that are memorable – more than just Half A Moment. There are clever lines and musically, notes brilliantly forged together, as you would expect. It is all in all feel-good and entertaining as there’s mistaken identities and romance all on a fun adventure that is also done so well with parts addressed directly to the audience. It’s a farce that is done well, so I have absolutely no idea why on earth it should have been a flop when it opened in London, except slightly over long, but not by much. Perhaps it should have toured and could have been more of a success that way with different audiences, or perhaps it was to do with timing, who knows, but what I do know, is it is jolly good and quite simply spiffing.

I watched this online. There are tracks on Spotify and some previews around on YouTube. Do watch out for Cats on You Tube via The Show Must Go On. It is free, but you can donate money to the actors’ fund if you so wish as they are all totally out of paid work at the moment. This is a kind thing Andrew Lloyd Webber is doing to help us stay at home or to stay alert, depending on which part of the country you are in and to help actors too.

I thank Andrew Lloyd Webber and the cast and production team for putting this on and for introducing new people, like myself who had never seen it before and always wanted to, to have that opportunity to watch it and for keeping little snippets of it around. It is also available to buy on DVD.

Andrew Lloyd Webber is working on a new musical – Cinderella and is busy writing the orchestrations of it, as well and his team doing a marvellous job entertaining us all and keeping us all informed on Twitter – @OfficialALW is where he and his team can be found.

Reece’s Pieces – Actor Reece Dinsdale – A Write-up From an Online Event @reece_dinsdale #VirtualEvent #OnlineEvent #Actor

A Write up of Reece’s Pieces
Hosted by Actor Reece Dinsdale

So, I take a look to see what Reece Dinsdale is tweeting about from time to time. He seems to come with a good reputation for being a nice guy. He recently decided to do some online chats on Thursdays around 3:30pm via Twitter. So, I thought I would write up some of his chats from the past couple of events. They are really interesting. You will seen an insight into Reece’s acting and directing, as well as moments he was starstruck, what he is doing now and a little more.

Who is Reece Alan Dinsdale and Where You May Have Seen Him Before?

I attended an online chat that was with successful actor and director Reece Dinsdale. He is from Yorkshire, moved to London and now is back in Yorkshire.

Some may more notably know him from playing opposite John Thaw in Home to Roost, others may remember him from Coronation Street and is currently in Emmerdale. He has a fruitful career that seems to be ever changing with having opportunities he has grasped from theatre, films, dramas, soaps and directing.

He has directed a couple of episodes of Emmerdale, which he currently stars in. He is, it turns out talented and and most notably for very successfully directing the Moving On series (currently can be seen on the BBC Iplayer) as it won Best Day Time Drama. I must say, it is an excellent series with great storylines and casts. I catch it on the Iplayer. Each story is complete within each episode and all are under the theme, Moving On. He’s also played guest leads in Life on Mars, Spooks, Silent Witness and more… It sounds like an amazing career, that still continues to this day.

Stage

He loves stage work and has done loads in the last decade. He sounds so enthused by it. He’s not a fan of the audition process though. When he is directing he tries hard to look after his actors.

Opportunities into Acting and Directing

Reece was press ganged at 12 into a school play. He realised he was good at it and acting was going to be his thing. He sounded like he had determination and had parents who backed him to the hilt. They were not in the business themselves. He got into drama school and was very driven. It wasn’t something people did in his town at the time (around 1977).

When and how he became a tv director. He didn’t aspire to, but got an opportunity on Moving On to do this. He started off acting in one and the producer reckoned he should direct some episodes. He was nervous during the first one and created story-boards and he got great advice from someone in the business himself. He then kept getting asked back.

The 3 key things he looks for in an actor is they have to fit the image for the role. He takes a script somewhere quiet and reads them with a blank mind and pictures his version of the story. The writing is everything, but it is a blueprint that becomes the director’s film and he starts to think of actors and how to bring the characters to life. He works by instinct. If the actor isn’t free who is his first choice, he can be flexible. He looks for someone who can really lift the words off the page and makes the characters feel fresh and alive. He looks for a certain nouse.

Home to Roost

He played in Home to Roost – a sitcom in the 1970s. They were looking for someone who was 17 to match John Thaw. At the time, Reece Dinsdale was in a play called Red Saturday that was funny and poignant and basically he was noticed. Reece Dinsdale almost didn’t do it, but it was a two-hander with John Thaw, who he did a screen test with and hit it off together. He was 25 when he started rehearsals and John Thaw was 43 playing a bit older. By 29 Reece was still playing a teenager. He talked of working with John Thaw, being an education and a joy working with him. This, I thought was amazing and great that there was only ever 1 cross word in 4 and half years of working with each other and it sounds like it got resolved pretty quickly. Reece thinks he was a shy/private man and you had to get his trust, but he was his own man. They didn’t stay in contact much after, but did a little while.
He would love to return to Home to Roost as being the dad and perhaps with a daughter, but isn’t a big enough tv hitter anymore to turn the heads of executives. He is however in Emmerdale, so his profile is heightening.

The Soaps/Continuing Drama

Reece Dinsdale, as mentioned previously, can be seen in Emmerdale. If I remember correctly, he did a bit of directing and is now acting in it. The episodes were of course filmed before Covid 19 struck. He sounds like he has been enjoying it. Prior to this, he had been in Coronation Street.

Coronation Street is something he watched religiously from a kid. He bumped into the exec producer of the time. It used to be that “serious actors” didn’t do soaps, but then trends started to change and he relented. He did at least 18 months. He says it’s different from doing a play because you know the arc of the story, start to finish, but in a soap you don’t know this. He found that and the speed of the work strange at that time. He still enjoys the show, but watches it less and he was fine about leaving as the timing felt right. He played Joe, one of Gail’s husbands who was killed off. He interestingly talked about his last scenes. In minus 4 temperatures, in the dead of night, he had to go into water to swim to a yacht. It sounded quite a precarious situation. He said it was a glorious time though.

Building a Character

He was in ID and says building a character is interesting. He had to do the most method acting for the role in this. It was about one man’s journey and psychological journey. He wrote a booklet on his character and picked a house where he may live at and worked with Phil Davis to get the character together and build him up. He had to really immerse himself in the character, so had to stay in character, including accent, wherever he went. He writes everything that’s said in a character, what the opinion is that comes from the text. He almost didn’t get the role however as big names were asked and Reece was seen as a “lightweight actor”. He hadn’t got a name for making hardhitting roles. Finally he got a chance to show people what he had got.

Starstruck

He has been starstruck with Kenneth Brannagh when he was in Hamlet. Everybody was in it and he was starstruck as there were great stalwarts like Richard Briers, Charleton Heston and suddenly he is talking to them. He was in a film with David Bowie too and you may be pleased to know that it seemed like he was a good guy.

Life After CoronaVirus

He is looking forward to meeting up with his friends for a pint and perhaps a pub quiz.

Reece Dinsdale is thankful for all the keyworkers.

He loves Florence and Venice. Just like everyone else, he has had to change his plans.

If he could change anything, he would give everybody an empathy pill if he could change anything at all.

He is hoping one day to return to the theatre.

“Always come from different places, keep coming from different corners”
is what John Thaw says that Reece Dinsdale stands by. I personally think this is a great quote and great advice.

#Review of Ten Times Table – 1 Committee, 1 Pageant Funny Results. 5 stars ***** #TenTimesTable @RobertDaws @Ayckbourn #Edinburgh #York #Shrewsbury #Cheltenham #Chesterfield #Brighton @captheatres #Play #Theatre #humour #TheatreGoers

Ten Times Table
By Alan Ayckbourn
Rated – 5 stars *****

Bill Kenwright presents The Classic Comedy Theatre Company, who are performing – Ten Times Table – An excellent play by Alan Ayckbourn, set around a committee trying to put on a pageant. This is a fun revival of the Ayckbourn’s 1970s comedy play that is currently on a UK tour. Below, after the review, is also a list of where the play appears to be touring next, including links.

The Cast includes:

Robert Daws (The Royal, Outside Edge and Roger Roger. Also author and podcaster)
Deborah Grant (Not Going Out and Bergerac)
Gemma Oaten (Emmerdale, Holby City)
Robert Duncan (Drop The Dead Donkey)
Mark Curry (Hollyoaks, Last Of The Summer Wine)
Craig Gazey (Coronation Street and The Full Monty, West End)
Elizabeth Power (EastEnders)

Review

Braving the beginnings of Storm Ciara, a friend and I went to see the play we had booked months in advance at the Edinburgh King’s Theatre. The verdict – we both Loved It! This is a wonderful play that kept us entertained from start to finish. There were certainly lots of laughs to be had in this captivating, very enjoyable play. With an excellent cast performing the play, it was a great evening.

The basic premise is, a committee that is being formed in the Swan Hotel for the Pendon Folk Festival. It isn’t as easy as it seems as they try to create, develop and put on a re-enactment of “The Pendon Twelve”, after a story about the massacre is discovered.

The results of the committee are hilarious as the story unfolds, showing the many personalities around the table. There’s the chair just trying to keep everything together, albeit not terribly well and often ends up dominated by others, the one who interrupts and doesn’t really get on with anyone and storms out, the shy one, the one who is pedantic, the one just trying to get the task done, the one who doesn’t always follow what is being said or done and people with opposing points of view. The personal issues also come into play a bit too… Even though some of the behaviours/personality types are exaggerated, they are recognisable, so there is a bit of accuracy there.
They all have to find a way to reach the end result – to showcase the pageant. They all want the same goal, but all doesn’t exactly go to plan…

The Committee is led by Ray – played by Robert Daws, who is a treat to watch as he gave the audience a huge range of his acting talents. The way he delivers each line is so on-point and so expressive. Deborah Grant played Helen excellently and with great energy for this strong-willed, character. All the cast give equally terrifically strong performances. There isn’t one who lets the side down as it were.

The play is directed by Robin Herford, who has done a great job in managing this cast and it all flows very well with all the comings and goings.

For a play that is predominantly set around a committee table, it has excellent comedic writing and comedy-timing. It is a fantastic play that I recommend seeing for a great afternoon or evening out. It is highly entertaining from start to finish. My friend and I certainly were not disappointed as we talked about it all the way to the train station. The weather was horrendous with the storm, but it was absolutely worth it.

Here is a list of where the play is touring next:

Mon, 10th February 2020 to Sat, 15th February 2020
Grand Opera House, York»

Mon, 17th February 2020 to Sat, 22nd February 2020
Theatre Severn, Shrewsbury»

Mon, 24th February 2020 to Sat, 29th February 2020
Everyman Theatre, Cheltenham»

Mon, 9th March 2020 to Sat, 14th March 2020
Pomegranate Theatre, Chesterfield»

Mon, 23rd March 2020 to Sat, 28th March 2020
Theatre Royal, Brighton»