Murder, muses and mayhem; just another week of culture...

This week has been a bit of a cultural marathon.

Tuesday took me to The Royalty Theatre in Sunderland to see their production of Amanda Whittington's "The Thrill of Love" - the story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in the UK.

Wednesday was Writers' Group at the library -  this week using signs as prompts. Since most of the signs I had hurriedly printed off were the Danger! Warning! type, it's perhaps hardly surprising that they inspired a surfeit of dead bodies...It's fair to say the bloodthirsty members of the group were in their element! Hopefully they will tidy up the blood and limbs and send me some samples for the group blog. (hint, hint writing group people!) Prompts are strange beasts. Sometimes they lead you to the
obvious, and other times they lead you a dance bringing you out somewhere unexpected. I thought I was writing a story about high jinx in the chemistry lab but ended up going in a completely different direction with a poem inspired by the growth in a petrie dish.

Thursday brought more drama with a visit to Arts Centre Washington for "Odyssey" - Theatre Ad Infinitum's fabulous dramatic re-telling of the legend. It had seductive nymphs, blinded cyclops, jealous gods and, of course, a great hall filled with blood and dead bodies... Quite a week so far.
Saturday will hopefully see me at The Blacklight Engine Room in Middlesbrough. I have no idea whether there will be dead bodies involved in that, but it is compered by a guy called Morbid...


You can read my review of The Thrill of Love here.

Find out what else is on at Arts Centre Washington .

Read more from the Hartlepool Writers' Group at The forms of things unknown .

Comments always welcome.

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: Death of a Salesman -Review - People's Theatre

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: Death of a Salesman -Review - People's Theatre: Death of a Salesman People's Theatre 11th Nov 2014 Death of a Salesman is the tragic story of a man hindered by his own choices and...


Check out Spikemike's blog for some words about local theatre from me and some other guys...

Bah Humbug!

A Christmas Carol - Review - Royalty Theatre

October is a little bit early for me to be getting festive, but I made an exception for a production of A Christmas Carol - it's suitably ghostly for Hallowe'en and is, after all, the original "bah humbug" tale!
The Victorian tale of redemption and the victory of charity and goodwill over greed and wealth is as relevant today as it was when Dickens wrote it. It also happens to be one of my favourite stories, loved ever since I first saw Alistair Sim's Scrooge some 40 years ago.

So would The Royalty production meet my expectations? I ventured out with my friend Irene (a Royalty virgin) to see!

A sparse set, effectively enhanced with scenes projected onto the backdrop, Christmas carols, and a brilliant narrator (Thomas Potts) ensured the audience was drawn in from the outset.
Marley's Ghost (Paul Lonsdale) had a slightly vampirish air, as he pleaded with his old friend Ebeneezer Scrooge (Billy Towers) to mend his ways, and pay heed to the spirits who were about to visit him. The Christmas Spirits were each quite distinct - from the playful and sympathetic Christmas Past (Siobhan Brennan) dressed as the fairy from the Christmas tree, to the positively Brian Blessed-ish Christmas Present (Scott Henderson) with his deep rumbling good humour (and it has to be said, the most preposterous wig), to the ominously silent and forbidding Christmas Future (Jordan Carling).
There are some good performances - most notably Thomas Potts as the narrator and James Lee as Bob Cratchit, whose carol singing as he returns from visiting Tiny Tim's grave is heartbreakingly beautiful. Billy Towers plays a convincing miserly Scrooge. Under the direction of Andrew Barella the story flows well, certainly in the first act and I think this is due in good part to the quality of the narration and smooth scene changes. The second act saw a few technical glitches, with lights coming up too soon, which meant the audience knew the ghosts hadn't appeared and disappeared quite so magically as they should, and stage crew struggled to get the set pieces in place before the scene began. The spooky mist that accompanied the ghosts was a tad over done, which unfortunately did detract from the atmosphere of Christmas Future rather than enhancing it, proving more amusing than ominous as the front two rows disappeared into the fog. A note for future productions - where dry ice is concerned, less is definitely more!
That said, this was a joyous production, and was certainly entertaining and we left with a warm, festive glow at the end of the night.

It runs until Sat 1st Nov, so if you are looking for a hallowe'en activity that's a bit different, just want to avoid the trick or treaters  or fancy an early start to your festive spirit then you could do worse than pay a visit to the Royalty this week! 

This review was published on Spikemike ...is breaking a leg

Post Script: Education, Education, Education...

I must be one of the few people who didn't study Of Mice And Men for O Level...(they didn't have GCSEs in my day.) I did read the book a very long time ago along with Cannery Row, and I have to confess to not being able to remember much about either of the stories, except a depressing lack of hope.
My son, as you may know from the previous post, has read the book for GCSE English and enjoyed it. And, as you also may know he has since had all that enjoyment squashed out of him by the very same GCSE method of study. I did however manage to persuade him to come along to the Royalty Theatre's production of it. He wasn't exactly a willing or enthusiastic conscript. "I got the feeling you weren't giving me the option to refuse" he admitted. His feeling was correct; I admit it!
He was pretty impressed by the play, liked the way they had tackled it. Enjoyed the humour. But he

did fidget as "that speech" drew closer. That's the problem for him. It wasn't just that he knew what was coming, it was that he knew by heart what was coming. Curley's wife's speech has been read and reread, discussed and dissected ad infinitem until it has come to be nothing more than a tedious requirement of course work and exams. The irony is not lost on me. Curley's wife suffers a not dissimilar affliction, a life of tedium and a lost dream. Hopefully the outcome of Mark's boredom will not be quite so catastrophic.
I take heart from the fact that he enjoyed the theatrical experience, was able to comment intelligently on the production, and also that he admitted he has allowed his classroom experience to negatively influence his enjoyment of the play.
He is much more self aware than I ever was at his age, so maybe the education system is doing something right...or maybe I am?


http://spikemikeisbreakingaleg.blogspot.co.uk/2013/11/of-mice-and-men-review-royalty-theatre.html

Education, Education, Education?

A while ago I found out my local amdram theatre was to stage a production of Steinbeck's Of Mice and Men. This is a GCSE text as I'm sure many of you know. A great opportunity then to enhance my son's experience of the book. He wasn't hugely enthusiastic, but not completely dismissive of the idea when I suggested it.. He actually quite likes the theatre, after I successfully dragged him along to the Pantomime at The People's Theatre. I even managed to persuade him to review it. You can read his review here, and though I may be biased, I think it clearly shows his wit and his love of words and language. I managed to drag him a little less reluctantly to a couple more shows after this, though I have never managed to wheedle another review from him.  At the moment, however, he has reverted to "reluctant teenager " mode, which means he has to be persuaded of the very  particular benefits to himself of any suggested activity before he will even consider taking part. And I had done a pretty good job. I had wrenched a tepid agreement out of him.
But now this proposed outing is under threat. His very mild enthusiasm has been quashed almost before it saw light of day. And it is a worry and a disappointment to me because the source of the quashing is school. The very place that should be nurturing his interest in, and love of, literature and its associated arts is in fact doing the complete opposite.
Today when I asked about booking tickets the reply I got was chillingly negative.. He said, and I quote, "To be honest, I think by that time I will have had more than enough of Mice and Men. I think I will be well and truly sick to death of it. Analysing and dissecting, and analysing some more is just about guaranteed to kill off any interest in, or enjoyment of, a book".
My son found his love of reading fiction from an enthusiastic English teacher, not from me, a former children's librarian and current reader development librarian. But hey, what do mams know anyway?

I find it incredibly saddening and disheartening that the process of passing GCSEs is destroying his interest in books. There is more to learning about literature and writing than this. If even the students who love reading are being systematically disengaged by the teaching methods used, then what hope is there for the others?

I didn't develop my love of reading at school. I have always had it. English at O Level did not thrill me, but it didn't turn me away from reading. Surely things are meant to be different now, teaching has moved on from learning and rote, students are encouraged to think and explore ideas for themselves...lessons are exciting and absorbing? Apparently not.

Of Mice and Men will be showing at The Royalty Theatre, Sunderland at the end of October. I hope to be attending it with my son, and I hope he will be there willingly. I suspect, however that a certain amount of emotional blackmail and a monetary incentive might be required. If not I may be going it alone!
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Back on the review trail

It's been a while since I had a night out at the theatre for Spikemike's blog. So was pleased to get the call for The People's Theatre's season opener. As always the front of house staff gave a warm and friendly welcome.
This is the first draft of my review. The final version can be read on Mike's blog.

Our Day Out
The People's Theatre kicked off the new season this week with an adaptation of Willy Russell's "Our Day Out". Performed by the youth theatre under the direction of Mark Buckley, this adaptation has been transferred from 70s Liverpool to 80s Newcastle. A shrewd move, saving the young cast and the audience from any dodgy scouse accents, and giving the wardrobe team plenty of scope for big hair and shoulder pads!
As expected from Willy Russell this is a play full of social commentary and humour. Can a day out from school make a difference to a bunch of kids with few or no prospects? Can the attitudes of staff towards them be changed?
A fine balance is needed between the hopelessness and the humour. Over do either and the play wouldn't work. The humour pierces the pathos of the kid's situation, and some well delivered speeches tackle the social issues of class  prejudice, and academic snobbery.
There are some demanding speeches for some of the characters in this play, and they were delivered with conviction by the young actors. Notably where Miss Kay tries to convince Mr Briggs of the value of a day out for the kids who have so little else to look forward to, and when Mr Briggs persuades Carol away from the cliff.
Other performances of note are the Bored Girls - who manage to maintain their sullen bored expressions throughout, even on the rollercoaster! And the two Madonna clones, besotted with the trendy young teacher! We all knew girls like that at school!
Overall this is a fine production and an great start to the season. I look forward to seeing some of these talented young actors in future productions.

A New Love!

It has been a week for the theatre and cancer support. 
Much as I love Calendar Girls as a play and as a means of raising the profile of cancer research, its place in my heart has been superseded by another.  Spoonface Steinberg left me absolutely speechless.  I was invited to review it for Spikemike, and struggled to find the words to capture it. I found some eventually but I really feel they don't do it justice. Read the words, but if you are near a performance in July, book a ticket and go see this amazing play!

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: Review - Spoonface Steinberg - People's Theatre: Spoonface Steinberg 28th June 2013 Freerange Theatre Company Originally a radio play, Spoonface Steinberg was Lee Hall's breakthr...

Calendar Girls - Royalty Theatre

Nine months ago I had my first experience of the Royalty Theatre in Sunderland, and I have been thinking for a while now that it was time I had a return visit. Unfortunately circumstances and work commitments have kept me away, until this week when a free evening and Calendar Girls beckoned me back.  I love the Hollywood film and was equally entranced by the stage show, which I also experienced for the first time nine months ago. It seemed an almost karmic opportunity had presented itself to me, nine months since my first visit to the Royalty and nine months since my first viewing of Calendar Girls. And so my sister was recruited, and tickets were bought. 

I do love this play, so there was a certain amount of trepidation. I have very recently suffered the disappointment of seeing another show for the second time and finding it a less enchanting experience. Would Calendar Girls live up to my expectations? Or would it be tainted with the disappointment of a cast that didn't fit my mental image of the characters, or imperfectly delivered lines?

I need not have worried. It wasn't perfect, occasionally the timing was a little off, and the sound not quite right, but overall it was an enjoyable production. The scenes in Napely village hall unfolded, revealing the fondly remembered characters, the friendly rivalries, and the dry Yorkshire humour.

In terms of individual performances, Louisa Robinson played a fabulously timid, conciliatory Ruth who fully deserved the cheer from the audience as she sent her husband’s condescending “other woman” packing! Muriel Waine, as Annie, coping with the loss of her husband and the strain on a lifelong friendship, gave a sensitive and convincing performance.

Of course, the story would not be complete without the photography scene and I particularly liked Dominic McDonagh as the self conscious young photographer Lawrence. The whole scene was done with great humour and sensitivity. Full marks to the cast and the production team for meeting this challenge head on!

Calendar Girls plays until the 29^th June. There are still seats available. Tickets can be bought online and you will be supporting your local theatre and a  very worthy charity! 

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: Dick Whittington Customs House Panto Competition.

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: Dick Whittington Customs House Panto Competition.: Hey up. How goes it.. Hope you are still enjoying the reviews that me and my lovely team have been putting up for you. I have really enjoy...


If you are after some panto tickets this is a good place to start! All you have to do is have a spy through Mike's blog to find the answer to the question... post it in the comments and Bob's your uncle (oh yes he is!)

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: Quick Bright Things – People’s Theatre – Review

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: Quick Bright Things – People’s Theatre – Review: Quick Bright Things, written by Alison Carr as is part of the RSC’s Open Stages project, which asked for theatre companies to look at Shakes...

First Post: it's all Mike's fault...

I set up this blog site weeks ago and then sat about ruminating on what exactly I should put in it. I fear I don't have an interesting enough life to write about my daily adventures. I don't really have any adventures - daily, weekly or other... What I do have, it would seem, is an abundance of views on things...I am not at all sure if they are relevant or interesting to anyone, but I do think that they are what you are going to get. Be prepared  for musings, rantings and preamblings around an undoubtedly eclectic mix of topics. If you are very unlucky they may even be interspersed with my attempts at 'proper' writing, but I'll try not to inflict too much of that on you!

So to start the ball rolling I have cheated a bit and posted a link to a review I wrote for Mike Hunter's blog. It seems fitting as it is almost certainly Mike's fault that I have finally taken the plunge into blogdom. Mike is a Twittermate with an interest (to put it mildly) in theatre and stage. He spotted a tweet or two of mine a year ago, and rather bravely or foolishly (I thought), asked if I could help him out with a review. I had never written a theatre review in my life so with rather uncharacteristic impetuosity I found myself agreeing to it! But I must have done ok because he came back and asked for more. Today's offering is my fifth to the house of spikemike.

I should say "Thanks Mike" for having faith in a stranger and giving me the chance to prove to myself, if no-one else, that I can actually string a couple of words together. One of these days we'll have that drink and then you can tell me what you really think.

Spikemike...is breaking a leg: The Heights - Live Theatre, 4th April - Review: Wednesday evening saw me tackling the city centre traffic in Newcastle with my son, for our first visit to the Live Theatre. This is a litt...