‘Lazarus’ – King’s Cross Theatre - Tuesday 6th January 2016

(Rated 7/5 ) 

I had no words coming out of this show. I was literally speechless – struck dumb in awe of what I had just witnessed and the experience of the journey on which these highly talented beings had taken me. When I did manage to speak it was just a ‘Wow… Just Wow!’, to my friend and companion on the theatrical journey. She was equally unable to speak but her reaction was clearly visible on her face. As were all Michael C. Hall’s reactions of his alien being Newton on his. When my companion was finally able to say something -‘That is how theatre should be – that is what I’ve missed’. We’d both gone for the sake of Bowie – Dear David – well of course how could you not? ;) – and also for dear Michael because of Dexter… because of Six Feet Under… because we wanted to see one of our favourite actors ‘live’. We weren’t bothered about how good the play was – just to have some time in the combined worlds of those two great artistic talents was easily good enough. So the fact that there seemed to be so much in the play – that we felt so transported from earth to this extraordinary surreal place – and yes we did have our passports with us as instructed though were never asked to show them – sitting on purple chairs – well they had to be ;) – was beyond all expectation. That said I wouldn’t be able to tell you what happened or what it was really about, but that didn’t actually matter lol! It’s about life and death, it’s about being, it’s about existence and not being able to escape it… ever. It’s about true love, true hate, true feelings of all kinds. I suppose it’s about whatever you get from it – which sounds like a cop out – but I truly feel it’s the sort of show which each of us can get our own messages from. Sort of being about whatever you feel ready to receive and depending on your mood at the time. I have a passion for seeing things from POVs other than human ones and of course that is also what we get – a study of us from a Man Who Fell To Earth and from characters in his imagination or who have passed over to the other side or to another planet… to Mars maybe?!

David Bowie has given SO much! I really don’t need to say more and his songs are beautifully incorporated into Enda Walsh’s script. Again whether it actually makes sense doesn’t matter! We don’t make sense anyway ;). For me Bowie truly was a gloriously multiple personality and each one as ridiculously hugely talented as the next. Every performer in this production was brilliant! I’ve already noted how expressive Michael C. Hall (MCH) is and his face was so alien and troubled. Even when smiling it had an other-worldliness – something I haven’t seen in any of his other characters. I was also particularly impressed by Girl as played by Hannah Rose Thompson – and had goosebumps when she sang Life on Mars - and Amy Lennox as Elly who blew me away with all the ‘business’ she had to handle while performing someone going through a multitude of Changes and singing beautifully all at the same time. I wish MCH had had more singing to do. My favourite was his Heroes duet with Girl.

Great production in their purpose-built ‘tent’ ;)  Oh, and as I was advised, if you do go, look at the stage as soon as you get into your seat J And Wish You a Wonderful Ride!

Lazarus – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2016

Dexter - a minireview - from DVDs of Series 1-6

(Rated 6/5 )

Hi RR viewers,

Sorry for my silence over the last few weeks. I have been even more restricted than usual, and in part Dexter was responsible - though he was more a help - and bizarre to say comfort - than a restriction and thankfully he didn't wrap me in cling-film! Then again I haven't taken up serial killing so he'd have no reason to.

I have adored this series ever since I finally gave it a chance at least a year after season 1 was gifted to me - more on that in a bit - but never reviewed it. I am reluctant to review in detail though as there are so many edge-of-your-seat surprises that to give any away would be to spoil it somewhat. It really is a HAVE-TO-SEE and all people I know who have, have become addicted. I now get the new season DVDs ASAP and then have a queue of pals who borrow him after Dexter and his colleagues have entertained me :)

The very basic premise - Dexter Morgan is a blood spatter analyst for the Homicide Department of Miami Metro Police. And on the side he happens to be a serial killer. So how on earth is it that anyone likes the character and/or has any empathy for him?! Why has he become such a massive hit on both sides of the Atlantic and round the world? I absolutely did not want to get involved in watching this show. In a maybe slightly daft way I felt like I might be supporting the cause of serial killers by doing so. I also feared I'd be disgusted, revolted, have nightmares or just simply find it unpleasant. In fact I couldn't understand why anyone might remotely and felt concerned about the person who had gifted it to me, even though I love her very much! ;) Several times she told me I'd find the psychology interesting. Oh yeah really?! Do I really want to know why someone becomes a serial killer?! However interested in psychology I may be?! Well even that is to put it far too simplistically. Dexter is a serial killer but his psychology is far, far more interesting than even that would imply. Yes he has a pretty major trauma to 'make him' go that way. But what is far more interesting is the arc of his character through the series. Can he turn from psychopath to human? And how can each series challenge him in new ways? Each time I think it can't possibly. And each time it does. The ante is continually upped if you like, in a way highly unusual for an ongoing series. Once you get even a little attached to him you cannot leave! You are dying to know what will happen next in his psychological and external life journey.

Michael C. Hall - of Six Feet Under fame - plays Dexter. And my goodness how impressively he does so. So believable! Sometimes voice-overs can sound lame and annoying, but personally I love Dexter voice-overs - they give us such important insight into his internal life - absolutely necessary - it's a bit hard for us to find out about him in confidences to other characters - how can he genuinely confide in real, healthy humans?! Or even highly loveable unhealthy ones?! The show is littered with supremely interesting and, to varying degrees and varieties, flawed characters. My favourite of whom is Debra Morgan - Dexter's sister - played excellently by Jennifer Carpenter - shown with Dexter below. She is tough yet vulnerable, sensitive yet needy and self-centred, totally beautiful and yet with very ugly language! And her relationship with Dexter is of great interest - even though for so much of the time it's packed with incongruence on both sides. There is a character to please everyone in the show: Lauren Velez as ambitious yet gorgeous power-house Lt. Maria LaGuerta, David Zayas as very cuddly Sgt Angel Batista and C.S. Lee as sex-obsessed yet starved Vince Masuka - I am highlighting character traits but there is so much more to each of them - these are not just 3D but 4D characters, and I am naming just a few.

The main antagonist serial killers include Trinity (John Lithgow); so named as he kills in 3s: woman in a bathtub, mother falling to her death and man bludgeoned with a hammer and The Ice-Truck Killer who bleeds his victims out before cutting them into pieces, which he leaves for the police to discover. Nice!

Let the avenging angel onto your TV screen - you won't be disappointed!

Dexter – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2012

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‘Richard III’- Part 2 - Shakespeare’s Globe - Thursday 19th July 2012

(Rated 4/5 )

As promised, I am revisiting my experience of this production of Richard III. I wanted to say more and didn't feel I had the time and energy to do so, so here it is now... part 2.

As I've said before, I personally don't find this play that interesting aside from the character of Richard himself - or perhaps that should be multiple-characters/personalities of him - and how he became as he did. Unfortunately I didn't see Anthony Sher's portrayal of him, but Sher wrote a book on his experience and acting process during that time; Year of the King. Sher and his then psychotherapist, Monty Berman, analyse Richard and conclude that it all has to do with the fact he wasn't loved by his mother! That does come through in the play. And that he is bitter about his disability and the world owes him. And perhaps like Dexter (of TV fame, played by Michael C. Hall), and other psychopaths, once he has started killing he can't stop. In fact some of his arguments, though crazy, seem almost reasonable. Again, like Dexter Morgan, Richard Plantagenet confides in his audience a great deal, so we get a fascinating insight into the workings of his mind and plans - then to see them carried out and we can enjoy even more the horror and humour of his manipulations. And yet it is difficult to sympathise with him on the mother front - unlike Dexter, Richard's mother wasn't murdered horribly right in front of his young child's eyes and he doesn't take out his compulsion to kill on bad people - Richard's victims are innocents; amongst them women and children. Also, most disabled people don't go round murdering others. In fact of those I know, disability rather gives them a heightened compassion towards others and a strength in dealing with life's struggles. It does seem to be a well-used dramatic ploy for villainy though - other examples including The Phantom of the Opera and a few Bond villains!

This production was in traditional Shakespearean costume. I think that also helps us believe the men as women, in their skirts right down to the ground - they glide instead of walk along the stage. The young princes, played by Shanu Hazzan and Dylan Standen, looked just like little men in their royal garb. Very cute and I was very impressed by their delivery of Shakespeare's language as though it was the most natural way to speak in the world. 

The new Globe is a very special theatre. It has been reproduced as accurately to the original as possible within available knowledge. It has such an amazing atmosphere and you feel transported back in time. For someone with disability problems it is a little difficult. You are sitting on hard wooden benches with no support for the back - though you can hire cushions and fold up 'chair-backs'. Well that is of course if you are sitting at all! Many stand where stalls would normally be - great view but tough for a typically 3-hour long play. Actors and audience alike are open to the elements - best to take layers of clothing in case. That said, with the insistence on air conditioning in many closed theatres, it is often warmer in The Globe. I was far too cold in the Donmar on my last visit.

Really great job, and will be a great experience for anyone going instead of, or as well as a trip to the Olympics. For foreign visitors this troupe make Shakespeare easily understandable. I look forward to them, with the addition of Stephen Fry doing Twelth Night...

Richard III – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2012

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