‘Warhorse’ - New London Theatre - Thursday 14th April 2011

(Rated 5/5 )

I was warned by a good friend NOT to see Warhorse, having confided to this friend that I cannot watch a horserace without crying. A dog is a man’s best friend – so true – and I have one who is mine. Yet the empathy I feel for horses allows them right to the inside of my heart and from there any emotion they have feels magnified from within that core of me. They are the noblest and most beautiful of animals. And they are the puppet stars of this hit show.

Tears - no problem – I don’t mind a good cry and so off I go armed with plenty of tissues and I thought a forewarned and thus fortified heart. Within seconds Joey, the foal had penetrated those fortifications and I was in floods. All he did was come on stage. I say all, but in that all, the form of the puppet and the attention to detail of a horse’s movements, mannerisms, emoting, noises, foibles and attitudes were fully present. You see three puppeteers billed as the head (Sarah Mardel), heart (Jack Parker) and hind (Ellie Burrow) of the animal, and yet they all become part of the whole such that you love the full single being. And with that comes the suspension of disbelief even though in front of you it is so obviously a wooden horse held together and animated by three people.

And so Joey’s story begins, being sold in an auction that sets up the conflict between brothers Arthur and Ted Narracot as they outbid each other far beyond their means in an ongoing rivalry. Ted (Andy Williams) wins but then has to confess to wife Rose (Nicola Stephenson) that he has spent the mortgage money. Somehow Joey is going to have to work to pay his way and it is their son Albert (Jack Monaghan) who is assigned the task of training him for the job. There follow absolutely delightful scenes as Joey and Albert bond, developing a special trust and code of communication exclusive to them as Albert trains Joey to work on the Devon Farm that is home.

And then a powerful transformation as Joey rears, and grows, up to become horse Joey played by an even more impressive wooden puppet together with Stephen Harper (head), Stuart Angel (heart) and Thomas Goodridge (hind). Meanwhile we are introduced to Captain Nicholls (Nicholas Bishop)  watching the blossoming relationship between man and horse and drawing it in images, which become important and crucial to the story later on, and serve as part of the beautiful projected landscape artwork by designer Rae Smith.

Ted continues to add challenges to Joey’s life in yet another wager with his brother – this time Joey has a week to learn to pull a plough to ‘save his life’ as Albert says in desperate encouragement. And so he does only then to be faced with a far greater challenge…

World War 1 strikes and Joey is sold by Ted (for a large sum) to become a warhorse. Albert is heart-broken but reassured by Captain Nicholls that he will take good care of him. Albert cannot go with Joey as he is too young to join up. However, Joey is introduced to another stallion, Topthorn. The captain puts the two horses together to play out their necessary masculine scuffle – with more excellent puppeteering of the brown and black horse-puppets - before becoming good companions.

The brave captain is killed in battle and Joey’s drama-filled journey continues through encounters good and bad, including with French-girl Emelie (Sarah Mardel again), who befriends him with sugarlumps and German soldiers who threaten his life. Joey’s skills as a plough-horse save him and in teaching his equine friend to also take the equipment, Joey also saves Topthorn. German soldier Friedrich Muller (Patrick Robinson) switches to English to confide in both horses. Following this session with his equine counsellors, Friedrich takes the high risk decision to defect and take the horses to safety with him.

Joey and friends face constant life-threatening dangers. Even though many of these characters have very little stage time we feel for them all. There is huge skill in the narrative, staging and performances of the piece that allows great empathy and many catharses.

Joey’s story is epic, requiring a set to match. There is no disappointment here – the staging is magnificent.  Scenes are set through singing voices and cartoon animations appearing on the backdrop. Other puppet characters appear, including a variety of species of bird that seem to symbolize the mood and setting at that point in proceedings, most amusingly a goose, who wants to become a house-goose. Puppets are also used to represent other humans and horses during scenes of battle death and destruction. A revolving stage adds a momentum especially in some of Joey’s longer expeditions – displaying both the beauty of a horse in motion and highlighting the puppeteers extreme skill.

The news of the tragic and unnecessary death of Albert’s cousin Billy – killed by a German soldier using the blade given to him by his father Arthur, simply because he would not give it up – reaches the Narracot family. That, together with the receipt of Captain Nicholls sketchbook, triggers Albert to go in search of Joey, carrying with him the portrait of him and his horse by the captain. In his own quest he also faces numerous dangers; at times his story, that of his family still at home on the farm, and Joey’s all told on different sections of the stage at the same time.

Joey and Albert are both wounded in the leg – they had my sympathies and no sticks to aid them as they limped along. The decision is taken to shoot Joey as there are no facilities to save him.

In another part of the stage Albert, blinded by a gas bomb, is once again fretting about horses being harmed as he and his pal can hear a horse in pain.

A gun is pointed at Joey’s head – it fails to fire.

The gun is aimed once more…

This show is perfectly outstanding! A wonderfully moving story, originally by novelist Michael Morpurgo, based on both disturbing and heart-warming true stories of human and equine sacrifice, collaboration and friendship in the time of War. A story of animals who served: Many were sadly and shockingly let-down by those they served. Many were physically pushed to their limits by their masters and tortured to work by those on the enemy side. For some their human foes became friends, whom they happily served in more of an emotionally supportive role. Above all this is the story of the power of one loving bond between a boy and his horse.  A literal must-see!

Warhorse – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2011

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‘Richard II’ - The Donmar Warehouse - Tuesday 10th January 2012

(Rated 4/5 )

There is no doubt in my mind now that the Donmar Warehouse, not only provides the setting of the plays performed within it, but also a hugely important quality; a kind of transpersonal, ethereal character, who adds volumes to the quality of performances of the players and the emotional experiences of individual audience members. It feels appropriate to me to name this character Lady INTIMACY. She enhances the relationships between actors and audiences immensely and provides the deepest connection possible for the theatre. The actors are even more exposed than on the standard stage. The audience members are up close and personal, and at each performance there can only be 250 of them. The performers share in all their brilliance or collapse under their inadequacies. TRUTH on STAGE. I have now seen several productions at the Donmar: Othello with Chiwetel Ejiofor wrenching my heart to breaking point in the title role; King Lear with the ever-stunning Derek Jacobi; A Doll’s House with a wealth of excellent performers and the manically moving Polar Bears – all of which blew me away – and then just one, which will remain nameless, did not. The latter fell flat – was alright but not great – the truth revealed with no hiding behind a magnificent stage or by being far away from the viewing eyes.

The Donmar has completely spoiled me. All other theatres in comparison, and even if just a tiny bit, I find disappointing. And I guess this is why I am writing about it before I even review its production of Richard II! The theatre has only one negative from my point of view – its reputation now exceeds its capacity making tickets very hard to come by. That said, I have joined the returns queue on a number of occasions now and never failed to get in. And at least, if standing and being cold are problems for you, you are able to sit down with a wall against your back, (and something soft under your bum if you’ve brought such an item), and the wait is inside.

And so to Richard II – the play which contains one of the most famous speeches of all time:-

            “This sceptered isle… This England”

- delivered in this case by a Donmar regular, Michael Hadley, in such a refreshingly different way. The speech comes only four lines before the character’s (John of Gaunt) death and is usually delivered with great gusto. In Michael’s conveyance there was a vulnerability and struggle, which brought the power and the passion of the feelings across even more poignantly and heroically. My friend and I noticed several other familiar Donmar faces – I commented the Donmar reuses actors and she said it sounded like they I meant they are recycling them. This all adds to the warmth and intimacy – a family atmosphere. And the star, Eddie Redmayne, is also a Donmar recyclee. His Richard is very youthful, childlike; a boy at once amused by his status as King – playing King – and at the same time overwhelmed by the power and enormity of what being King means to him. He is a youngster trying to be a perfect God – constantly practising how that might be, and in his efforts and naivety failing badly at holding the Heart and the Head of what that role entails at its best. He is corrupted by it all and has to be deposed – and by whom but his own cousin, Henry Bolingbroke, played by Andrew Buchan. They performed like young lads play-fighting – Richard had come to the throne age 11 years; you’re at once endeared and horrified. Richard is healed in his downfall and loss – in a way he has to break-down to break-through – and in that process, and Eddie’s portrayal, I felt so much compassion for him. I was moved to tears and upset by the forced parting from his Queen, Pippa Bennett-Warner, and his murder. For me, although like the next Richard (III), this Richard was something of a conquering tyrant, I felt more empathy for him. In my opinion, he knew not what he did, was never old enough to become wise, and was like a hysterical child set on winning. Yet it shows how dangerous that is given the power and responsibility of his position. Shakespeare was hard on both these Richards though. History shows them to be much better than he made out. But then where’s the drama eh?!

Like The Comedy of Errors the text of this play is very poetic and lyrical. It is a delight to listen to, especially when voiced so beautifully by all concerned.

Director Michael Grandage – whose Donmar reign ends with this play - and my friend both stated this is a play close to their hearts. It is now for me too.

Richard II – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2011 

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‘In The Beginning’ - Westminster Abbey, London - Thursday 24th March 2011 : The more professional and shorter version

WHAT FOLLOWS IS THE EDITED MORE PROFESSIONAL VERSION WRITTEN TO BE UNDER 500 WORDS ;)

(Rated 4/5 )

A theatrical run of just 3 hours, a new performance every 5 minutes to 6 people; only 216 would attend. A privilege to be one of those in such a beautiful historical building, host to a show 'starring' The King James Version of the Bible (KJV), in the setting where it was 'reborn'. 

The audience went on a journey round the abbey guided by an actor and taking several ‘stops’, where they experienced an intimate Communion with a performer and section of KJV thus feeling the words were spoken just for each individual.

Our group’s guide was Morven Christe: She played her role with enthusiasm and knowledge beyond the text of Nick Payne’s play. I believed her.

I struggled with my disability and Morven asked if she could help me. From your theatre seat you simply watch and listen. This was very different. How fantastic to have a member of the cast offer to help you participate.

The text contained histories and appropriate Bible readings.

At The High Altar, where all sovereigns since 1066 have been crowned and in front of which is depicted the entire history of the Universe including its hidden date of demise, Morven read from Revelation.

Our next stop was The Quire Screen. Sharon Small’s delivery reflected the sparkling stars on the ceiling of the archway as she read from Genesis ‘In The Beginning…’

We had Andrew Woodall by the tombs of Newton and Darwin. I stood on Newton’s tomb; Morven said he wouldn’t mind. Andrew maintained excellent eye contact while reading and stayed ‘in character’.

In the Chapter House – billed as one of the most ‘acoustically rousing and thrilling locations’ in the whole abbey – Morven and Nonso Anozie performed Job 3 and Job 38 with Morven as Job and Nonso as the LORD; a sexy, scary God! We experienced their voices echo all around us in the deliverence of such powerful verse on humanity and complexity and why we suffer.

Tamsin Greig was patiently waiting for us in the Chapel of St John the Baptist. She was going to read us a love poem and joked that she would not meet our eyes. Throughout her emotive and expressive reading of Song of Solomon 2 I kept my eyes on her; we had several moments of cheeky eye contact.  I felt very connected to the words and to her.

On we went past tombs of monarchs such as Henry V and Edward, The Confessor and many chapels all decorated differently and all awe inspiring in their own ways within the magnificence of the whole building!

Our final destination was the Jerusalem Chamber, home of the final edit and first vocal reading.

Morven read from Ecclesiastes:

“ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven…”

This felt like a mini-season of spiritual power and exchange with these performers and words; a celebration of what I consider as my purpose to experience deep, connected, expressive humanity combined with theatrical performance.


In The Beginning – Review by The Restricted Reviewer © 2011  

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‘In The Beginning’ - Westminster Abbey, London - Thursday 24th March 2011 : The more personal and longer version

IN THE BEGINNING THERE WAS IN THE BEGINNING - WHAT FOLLOWS IS THE FIRST RESTRICTED REVIEW WHICH I WROTE. AS SUCH YOU MAY FIND IT RAW AND MORE UNRESTRICTED IN EXPRESSIVENESS! I HELD IT BACK FOR THAT REASON BUT A NEW YEAR A NEW START, WHICH I WOULD LIKE TO BE EVEN MORE OPEN AND SHARING AND ME FULLY ME SO HERE IT IS UNEDITED.

My ‘Public’ View:

(Rated 4/5 )

I calculated that given this 'show' ran for just 3 hours with a new 'performance' every 5 mins and each of those to just 6 people - then only 216 people would get to attend. I felt incredibly privileged to be one of those people in such a beautiful and exciting, historical building lending itself to be a theatre for a show 'starring' arguably the most important book of all time in the setting where it was 'reborn' and where of course so many other extraordinary and exciting historical events have taken place. 

It did indeed feel very special to be there after the abbey is usually closed and to be taken to places in the abbey which so few people get to see. And to be amongst the souls - if you like - of so many awe-inspiring, talented, famous and infamous people, who have passed through before, who are buried there or who are celebrated with memorial plaques. 

We arrived early and it all felt so personal straight away as I gave my name and was later organised into my little group of six by being called by my first name. It was a little bit like a game of musical chairs except all in whispered instructions so that we didn't disturb the performances in action at the time.

When our time came we were taken to meet our guide - an actor - who would lead us through our whole journey through the abbey. Right from the outset we were encouraged to stand close and this incredible intimate experience began! On our little journey - if only it had been longer than 40 minutes - we had various stopping points where we were told some history of that particular area of the abbey and had aspects of the building, statues, tombs etc pointed out. And at each 'stop' we were also treated to a reading from the bible, in 3 cases by our own guide, whilst in others by another actor whom we encountered on our journey waiting patiently, silently at the stop. At the appropriate time, after the little story/ies associated with that part of the abbey had been related by our guide, the waiting actor would open their script and 'perform' their assigned reading. I won't name names but some had more impact than others on me depending on how well they read, how much feeling they put into it, how connected I felt with the perfomer via their eye contact or way of conveying the reading in their voice or slight body movements. In each case we were standing so close to them - maybe just a couple of steps away - that I imagined all of us felt we were having the words spoken just for us. It was such a beautiful, intimate, inclusive, open, connected experience. Naturally the words of each passage in themselves had an impact but for me it was the way they were performed that struck me most. On finishing the reading each actor paused, closed their script, some smiled and we thanked them and they us with a return thank you or inclination of their head or a smile. It was so lovely!

The following were the stops and accompanying readings from the Bible (taken from the 'In The Beginning' souvenir programme):-

High Altar: Revelation 1: 4-18

Quire Screen: Genesis 1: 1-19

The tombs of Newton and Darwin: Genesis 1: 20-31

Unknown Warrior: John 15: 1-14

Amnesty Candle: Micah 6: 1-8

Wilberforce Memorial: Exodus 9: 1-13

Chapel of St John the Baptist: Song of Solomon 2

Edward the Confessor's Tomb: Proverbs 16: 10-24

The Lady Chapel: Luke 8: 40-56

Chapter House: Job 3 and Job 38

Jerusalem Chamber: Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8

Such a brilliant and original way of celebrating two precious 'monuments' of history! Forty-minutes in time I will always treasure.

My ‘Personal’ Experience:

(Rated 4.5/5)

You all know me well enough to know that the very mention of Christopher Eccleston appearing in anything sends me frantically to the internet or telephone to book my ticket to whatever it is and then to get transport to wherever it is come hell or high water! (Haven’t yet sussed out what my geographical limit would be on that or if I have one ;).) And this occasion was almost no exception to that. I say almost because there was much confusion amongst the ‘Ecclesnuts’ – as many of his fans term themselves - as to whether going to this event would be a guarantee that you’d see him perform. Somebody ‘starring’ in a show usually means that all audience members get to see them – unless sadly they damage their backs like David Tennant managed during Hamlet and Love’s Labours Lost for the RSC so missing enough performances in London for him NOT to get nominated for any of the theatrical awards that year – criminal in my humble opinion. Given that each group was being lead around by one of ‘the country's most exciting established or emerging actors’ that would indicate that you wouldn’t be lead round by the others leading other groups – and the readings by an ensemble of performers – would he be amongst those or not?!

Plus I had a pre-arranged ‘date’ with Jonny Lee Miller as The Creature and Beneditch Cumberbatch as Victor Frankenstein at a screening of the National Theatre’s Frankenstein directed by Danny Boyle that same night – another NTLive event. Following excellent public reviews – and a personal one from one of you who knows who they are ;)! – I was very keen to see that. So would I deprive myself from seeing the superbly sensitive, intelligent and interesting interpretation of Frankenstein’s Creature by Jonny or take a risk that I MIGHT get to see Christopher read a bit of the bible to me or even better guide me round Westminster Abbey?!

Okay yes I took the risk on YKW!! BUT I was also highly fortunate that the NT screening was getting repeated on the Saturday and so I got to see it with the very person who has personally recommended it to me. Fantastic! Jonny’s performance was well worth it and Benedict did a great job too though the rest was a bit bland somehow. Anyways…

I arrived at Westminster Abbey several hours – well in fact 4 – early as is my way with these things if I can, giving myself time to suss out where things are and how things work and can I make sure I find my way to all the necessary points – without guidance – for the evening – also giving in to that fear I have of being late so I make sure I’m very early! That said was also meeting a friend in advance – again you know who you are ;) – to have something to eat and catch up before the ‘show’ – so was giving ourselves a good 2 hours for that – and then plenty of time to get back to Abbey so that we’d be there extra early just in case!

So how did the finding things go? Well I’d printed out google map instructions for the necessary journeys – Westminster tube to Westminster Abbey (okay how many of you are laughing at me right now? – yes the abbey is very big and yes you can’t miss it but still I am VERY directionally challenged) – Abbey to restaurant and written down instructions on how to get to the Great North Door which was ‘stage door’ for the night. Well actually the stage door may actually have been the West Door but the North one was our entrance for the night. I found it fine – as confirmed by a man who was waiting there already for his much earlier performance of the show - and sat down to wait a bit, but then thought I should see if I could find the restaurant in advance – you know just in case it took me and friend hours to find?! Oh dear! So I did so and found part of the way – but really I shouldn’t have done that. My lower limbs were already struggling a bit – from disability and I was predicting they might get even worse from nervous excitement later - and I knew we’d have 40 minutes walk around the Abbey.

Time passed…

Had a lovely meal but I couldn’t eat very much – ‘Ecclesangst’ had started to hit – and I was also starting to struggle to be fully present.

We got back to the Abbey and you already know part of the story now from my ‘public’ view.

So I will now tell you the parts that feel far more personal to me J

Our group’s guide was a young lady called Morven Christe:

I liked her as a guide and as a person. She was a sweetie - played her role well - was considerate - enthusiastic - knowledgeable beyond the text she had in her arms and she created interest and enjoyment. Not that what we were seeing and hearing wasn’t those things in any case but she added to it for me. I believed her! One of the crucial aspects for a performance to work J

Incidentally the text I refer to was the ‘play’ as written by Nick Payne with extracts from the KJV. We were given a copy at the end, which was a good job given my increasing lack of presence due to pain – legs really struggled even with use of stick etc – and anxiety/excitement about whether Christopher would appear at each next ‘stop’ – the longer it went on the harder it was for me to go on but I did and I’m so pleased I did! Morven did ask me a few times if I was okay and if she could help me up stairs etc. I replied I was fine with the banisters and then had friend help me at points when there weren’t any! It’s funny – as many of you know I am usually kind of anxious before a performance – I get nervous for the actors as well as myself in a strange way! – but usually I know I’ll be fine as I’m sitting in a theatre seat and all I have to do is watch and listen. This was very different!

Back to the text – it contained the history and stories associated with each stop we had and then the carefully selected – by The Revd Dr James Hawkey – readings from the Bible.

We started at The High Altar where all sovereigns since 1066 have been crowned and in front of which is the Cosmati pavement, on which is depicted the entire history of the Universe including its date of demise – happily maybe that has eroded away! We had to be very careful to stand on the top stair up to the altar but not on the pavement itself and I was a little anxious I might fall backwards – not trusting my balance these days! Morven read the first reading to us; Revelation 1:4-18.

Michelle Terry’s reading from John 15: 1-14 by the tomb of the unknown soldier was watery-eye inducing. Sharon Small’s sparkling reading of the title piece from Genesis matched The Quire Screen,  with its little archway with stars on the ceiling.

We had Andrew Woodall by the tombs of Newton and Darwin. I stood on Newton’s tomb and then started moving off it when Morven pointed it out but she said it was fine – he wouldn’t mind! Andrew’s performance was very good – he maintained excellent eye contact while continuing to read and stayed ‘in character’ throughout. For other readings we had Jamie Ballard, Jonathan Coy and we think Emmy Sainsbury.

Building towards my personal highlight of the night we had Morven and Nonso Anozie perform Job 3 and Job 38 with Morven as Job and Nonso as the LORD! For me kind of a sexy, scary God! This performance was in the Chapter House, billed as one of the most ‘acoustically rousing and thrilling locations’ in the whole abbey. It certainly was and we experienced their voices echo all around us in the deliverence of such powerful verse on humanity and complexity and why we suffer. Highly memorable! Nonso’s voice and himself – so much so that I recognised him on the tube two days later – I think I looked at him a little too long in making sure it was him – he turned away! Hope I didn’t scare him back!

Somewhere along the tour we had to wait a while as the group in front had not finished. At the time we were near many memorial plaques, including one to Jane Austen amongst many, many other well-knowns. Another guide teased Morven about Austen being her favourite author. At the time I didn’t realise why but googling her afterwards she played Jane Bennet in Lost in Austen.

In the Lady Chapel we heard another beautiful reading from Luke’s Gospel about Jesus’ compassion for women. Unfortunately I am not sure who read that! May have been Emmy Sainsbury or Miranda Raison. Very lovely in any case!

And then in the Chapel of St John the Baptist Tamsin Greig was the performer patiently waiting for us. She told us she was going to read us a love poem and that she wouldn’t make eye contact. I think the latter was a joke – and perhaps aimed at the men in our group. During her excellent, emotive and expressive reading of Song of Solomon 2 I kept my eyes on her and we had several moments of eye contact with kind of a cheeky glint in those eyes at points!  I really enjoyed her reading and felt very connected to the words and to her.

And so on we went past tombs of monarchs such as Henry V and Edward The Confessor, and many different chapels all decorated differently and all awe inspiring in their own ways. And the incredible magnificence of the whole building! It felt marvelous to be in there… and at times pretty cold too!

We were almost at the end of the tour… I was still hopeful that maybe HE would be the climax…

Morven took us into the Jerusalem Chamber, where the final edit of the King James Bible took place and in which a group of fifty or more scholars assembled and read their whole bible aloud from start to finish before its publication.

As she was telling us this we thought we heard the voice of a man outside the door…

Morven read Ecclesiastes 3: 1-8 to us:

“ To every thing there is a season, and a time to every purpose under heaven…”

…and that was the end of the tour…

Not my season for Christopher Eccleston on this occasion and not the time to fulfill my next purpose with him! ;) ;)

The End of the Word.

Afterword: I am extremely pleased that a desire to experience an intimate performance by my favourite actor – oh my goodness the eye contact! - lead me to this extraordinary theatrical endeavour and even though I was in physical agony afterwards - so much that I could hardly walk back to mine - and was experiencing disappointment, I was blown away by a kind of spiritual power and exchange with those performers and the words of that text in that abbey that - even though I don’t believe in the Christian God as such - felt like a celebration of what I consider as my God of deep, connected, expressive humanity and theatrical performance!

In The Beginning – Review by The Restricted Reviewer © 2011  

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‘The Comedy of Errors’ - National Theatre: Olivier Theatre - Tuesday 20th December 2011

(Rated 4/5 )

This was marvellous entertainment! Such a simple, well-executed plot involving mistaken identity – well there’s a surprise ;) – two sets of twins, and a whole series of errors. To me it felt as though it was over in a few moments – as they say time does fly when you’re having fun and this had bucket-loads of that! A fast-paced, high-jinks comedy, which felt somewhat like Morecombe and Wise do Old Bill’s best rhyming dialogue, including many bonkers beatings that had us crying with laughter.

Lenny Henry was the absolute master of comedy as ever. And Chris Jarman an excellent match as his twin of the same name, Antipholus. The Dromios – Lucian Msamati and Daniel Poyser - were fabulous as well. Also of note was Amit Shah, highly humorous as Angelo, the disgruntled  goldsmith, chasing both Antopholuses for money for the gold chain commissioned by one of them.

Lenny proves that he wasn’t just a one hit Shakespearean wonder as Othello, and combines his perfection in comedy with his new passion for the Bard. He convincingly becomes increasingly confused and indignant, as he is chased by the law and women believing he is his brother and accused of madness. His elocution is faultless and the audience may recognise a few mannerisms from his stand-up such as cawing ;) Others were not so clear in their expression – a bit of mumbling – though still the delightful rhymes shone through.

The set was amazing – revolving blocks creating numerous different types of construction – our favourite the Phoenix block of flats. This production was set in modern times and the costumes were lovely.

This lesser known of Shakespeare’s plays stands out above many of his comedies in the way it is treated here by performances and production.

Note: The ‘we’ in the above is not royal, but multiple as this review is based on comments from all four of us who attended.

P.S. For those with disability of the lower limbs it’s worth noting that there are many flights of stairs to climb to The Olivier Theatre. You may like to take the lift. The seats are very comfortable. And the setting – The South Bank – is a personal favourite of mine.

The Comedy of Errors – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2011

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‘My Week With Marilyn’ - Vue Cinema, Leicester Square - Monday 30th November 2011

(Rated 4/5 )

This is a wonderful little film about real-life film-maker Colin Clark’s time spent working as third assistant director on The Prince and The Showgirl, starring Laurence Olivier and Marilyn Monroe. It features particularly beautiful performances from Michelle Williams as Marilyn and Eddie Redmayne. He is adorable as the young Colin, who becomes besotted with Marilyn and helps take care of her, so enabling her to produce her incredible performances. Also personally striking a huge note for me was Dame Judi Dench as Dame Sybil Thorndike, who contrary to Olivier’s reaction to her, encouraged Marilyn by asking her for help in reading lines together – such a lovely example of empowering someone! Michelle produced a truly inspired, sympathetic and gentle embodiment of Marilyn.

This is a gorgeous insight into Marilyn’s use of Method acting, which so conflicted with Olivier’s (Kenneth Branagh) use of technique from observation of people. Marilyn’s work was erratic to say the least. Many times she would be late for set, other times ill and unable to come at all, yet more times what she produced was wrong, mediocre or even bad. This maddened Olivier. Yet when in the zone – and as Paula Strasberg (played very nicely and humorously by Zoe Wanamaker) said it took her time to prepare – she was sheer brilliance. She was so vulnerable and in touch with a breadth of emotional range, which would even amaze Olivier. As he said towards the end of the film, while he and Colin watch the rushes of her work as The Showgirl, she was exceptional and yet had no idea how good she was, which made her even more brilliant.

The captions at the end of the film remind us that following this work, Marilyn made Some Like It Hot – her most famous and critically acclaimed performance. And Olivier also produced his best work on stage directly afterwards. Had they learned from each other in spite of their majorly opposing approaches?

My Week With Marilyn – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2011

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TV Lady Cops: ‘Cagney & Lacey’; 30th Anniversary - British Film Institute - Tuesday 29th November 2011, ‘The Killing II’; Preview with Sofie Grabol and Piv Bernth - BAFTA - Monday 31st October 2011

On reading my A Round-Heeled Woman review, a friend asked me ‘What about Sofie at BAFTA?!’ She’s got a very good point. What indeed?! Well I had intended to give The Killing a review all of its own and will do once I have seen both of the first two seasons, but in the meantime I thought I’d write something combining my experiences involving three lovely ladies who have played highly significant and ground-breaking television roles as female detectives.

As Jenni Murray commented at the BFI event commemorating the 30^th Anniversary of Cagney & Lacey, without them there would have been no Sarah Lund. And so, even though seeing Sofie Grabol in person came first for me, it feels right to start with Tyne Daly, Sharon Gless and the man behind the women, without whom none of this would have happened, Barney Rosenzweig.

Barney had a lot to say bless him. He, Tyne and Sharon discussed the show and its process with broadcaster, Jenni Murray, as event host. There were clips from both Cagney & Lacey – the first of which; the show titles had me in tears!- and The Trials of Rosie O’Neill, which was also produced by Barney and starred Sharon in the title role with a guest appearance by Tyne.

Cagney & Lacey had been billed as Starsky & Hutch in drag but how much more it was! These were intelligent – intellectually and emotionally – women, and we were seeing their home lives as well as work lives and how they juggled both. Not – I have to say – that I didn’t enjoy Starsky & Hutch, but for a young female viewer they were more eye candy and without much depth to either of them. This was so revolutionary in that sense, and even more so with putting two women at the helm. In a sense Barney – I wanted to call him Harvey there; how important and endearing a character was Harvey Lacey; Mary Beth’s husband – had missed the boat; the women’s movement had already happened, and he had such a fight on his hands to get the show picked up, and then at various points to defend it and keep it going against all the odds and in spite of great viewing figures. Even fans had to be recruited to sign petitions to persuade the network to commission new seasons.

It’s quite amazing now to discover that both Tyne and Sharon were reluctant to take it on. Tyne spoke about playing the role of a cop again. Sharon was also unsure about that and she ‘didn’t like the man with a beard’ at her audition. That man was Barney. Ten years later she married him! Sharon also spoke about having trouble finding Christine. She wasn’t sure who she was for ages. Sharon said her agent/manager of the time persuaded her to take the risk.

Tyne and Sharon talked about the big differences between the two women. Lacey; the family woman with lovely husband Harvey. Meanwhile there is single woman Cagney, who, as Tyne said, ‘blows off’ her boyfriends. This last caused great hilarity. There is quite a difference in meaning between the English and American even though we think we speak the same language. 

Later Sharon spoke about how she came to acting late. She had worked more behind the scenes. I felt so much for her when she talked about how nervous she gets before she goes into a scene or on stage and how that is still the case. She said her agent/manager had persuaded her she had a talent for acting and that’s how she went for it. Now she is happy she did and all her Emmys are a testament that she does have something pretty amazing. Tyne too. Between them they have won 6 Emmys for Cagney & Lacey.

Jenni asked Tyne and Sharon about the chemistry between them as acting partners. Tyne replied, ‘I flunked at chemistry.’ She preferred to call it magic. They clicked – it’s that simple and that wonderful. They did a lot of reading lines together just the two of them. And from other interviews I know they said they sweated together and that sweat created a cemented bond, as Tyne’s mother referred to it. They are very close and firm friends now.

As well as dealing with many pertinent issues episode after episode, the show addressed two very major concerns. The first was the cancer storyline in which Mary-Beth was diagnosed with breast cancer. Again, for me, it’s such a massive indication of the impact of this show on a teenage girl, that only having seen these episodes maybe a couple of times, and watching selected scenes again now, I remembered what was said line by line and how each actor responded and their character felt. Emotion memories stronger than those from my own life at the time! Tyne commented that she had been reluctant to do this storyline because it takes Mary-Beth away from her hero-status. I was quite surprised about this but putting it in the context of how heroes were then it does make sense. They couldn’t be seen as vulnerable. Now, for me, a hero is someone who is vulnerable and can go to the pits of despair and show that pain and yet still rises above strong and fully feeling. To me that is more heroic than wearing the mask and carrying on. The heroes of then were ‘perfect’. Now we have the celebrated anti-heroes; the Sarah Lunds. One question asked at BAFTA was why should we love Sarah when she is so cold, so flawed – well that’s exactly why – she is interesting and loveable for those flaws; why she has them and how she deals with them and others react to her. Far more interesting than a perfect, happy super-woman. But, for now back to those heroes of the 80s – the ones who dared to be different in that way and laid the path for Sarah Lund and Helen Mirren’s character in Prime Suspect. (Sharon told the story of how Helen Mirren went down at her feet and bowed, bless!) Tyne and Barney mentioned that there wasn’t much time for Tyne to do research, but she had already researched cancer for another character she had played. And though taking her away from that perfect hero, such things win Emmys!

In Christine’s case, Sharon had been interviewed by someone who commented that Christine behaves like the child of an alcoholic, which gave them the idea of making her father, Charlie, an alcoholic and then Christine herself. Jenni made some comment about Sharon using her own drinking experience. Sharon bravely acknowledged that she had also been an alcoholic – she’s a hero for me with that openness and courage! Wow! The script was written and shown to Sharon. She saw how excellent it was and asked Barney, ‘So, who are you gonna get to play this?’ She did and another Emmy came her way! Unusually the scenes were filmed in order in order to make it easier to work through. Sharon also spoke about her concerns at losing the tough hero Cagney and showing that vulnerability in her.

And that beautiful, human vulnerability is so obvious in Sharon herself. She goes all over the place when she tries to explain something or explores the answer to a question. I identify with that and find it very endearing J. Tyne is so full of wit and confidence. It’s interesting that she has played a couple of Diva-like characters – there seems to be a hint of that in her in the nicest possible way. As I mentioned before Sharon still experiences stage-fright and was talking about that in relation to her opening night of A Round-Heeled Woman the next night at The Aldwych.

I thoroughly enjoyed watching the interactions between the two lady thespians. Sharon admitted to having the habit of hitting Tyne’s arm – all with so much affection – but Tyne had hurt one of her arms – thankfully it was the one the other side to Sharon’s hitting. They had such delightful banter going on between them. And little exchanges, which amused me, like when one of the clips came up and Tyne asked Sharon if she was going to watch it.

The event had sold out within a few hours of being announced. I was one of those who came to know about it too late to get a ticket. In fact I found out from Sharon at the stage door of The Riverside Studios. So, as is my way with things that matter so much to me, I went to join the returns queue at the BFI. I did actually arrive first but wound up in second place. When I arrived I asked when the queue might start and was told that it’d be when the first person decides to start it ;). I decided not to simply because I knew I wouldn’t be able to stand for as long as it would take – I’d arrived at 2pm and tickets would not be released til 6pm. So I sat on a sofa nearby. Half an hour later another woman started the queue. I went to join her, and was just explaining how I’d have to sit on the floor to manage the wait, when a BFI person (one of the queue managers – yes there are such roles!) came up to us and explained how it would all work. I explained my problem standing so long and he kindly got me a chair. So I spent the long wait seated. I felt a bit guilty as well as very grateful. By 6pm the queue had at least 20 people in it. I am aware that the first 5 people at least managed to get tickets – I hope it was more. This time I couldn’t fail to notice there were many lesbians, and some gay men, in the queue – and certainly they made up a large proportion of the audience. One of them pointed this out to the Cagney & Lacey panel and asked why Christine’s sexuality as a lesbian had not been explored. Barney replied that they had not been aware of the large lesbian following and that Christine was a healthy heterosexual woman and there was enough to explore in that. This was also discussed further in the queue for autographs afterwards, as well as scenes from Cagney & Lacey: The Menopause Years and how having Christine get married and have kids was so against her type – for me that’s also what makes it so interesting – she was struggling with it and that was obvious – growth (or not!) in the character. It was agreed though that Barney talked a lot – and IMHO he has every right to – without him it wouldn’t have happened and I couldn’t be more grateful that a producer of his calibre had the idea and fought so strongly for it. I told him when he signed for me that it was the first TV show to which I had become addicted and for such good reasons. I thanked Tyne and she did me too in her dedication with autograph J. And Sharon remembered me and the camera problems we had at Riverside Studios J.

When asked about who their own heroes were, Tyne talked first about an actress – feel awful because I’ve forgotten her name and I’d love to know – who focussed on acting as being. That resonates with me too. Then Sharon spoke at length about her grandmother and what a strong and supportive woman she was, until Tyne interrupted her and said she could also have talked about her grandmother! I’m with them – my grandmothers are the most significant heroines of my life and I wouldn’t have made it through without them when they were still in this realm and without the influence their spirits have on me. And like Sharon and Tyne, and Christine and Mary-Beth, they were very different women.

The BFI screening was a very warm and cosy experience. The temperature was just right, it was packed with lots of lovely warm bodies and, as I commented to my next-seat neighbours, you feel like you’re sitting in a comfortable cross-between an armchair and a rocking chair. I am sad to say the same is not the case at BAFTA’s Princess Anne Theatre. I have had some truly wonderful times there, but always feel I am battling against the extreme cold of the auditorium. So for The Killing II preview screening one of Sarah Lund’s jumpers would have come in very handy. And I’m getting one knitted by my lovely, fellow Killing-fan mother for Christmas – maybe this year or next year depending when it gets finished. It’s a copy (-ish because it uses different wool) of the jumper that opens season 2; red with stars over her chest. Sofie was asked about the jumper/s. The first one – I guess the Lund classic – was decided on as part of developing Sarah’s character and showing how unfashionable she is – how ironic then that it has become the fashionable sort-after item, costing over 200 euros for a pre-made one. Sofie finds this amusing and said, with a smile we never see on the face of Sarah Lund, she would rather talk about more serious matters. However, she did confide that that first jumper had been ditched for season 2, but she realised after a time it was so Sarah and she had to wear it again to feel fully back in her shoes – or jumper. And those jumpers, the trousers and long boots with hair ties back in a scruffy pony-tail are the little bits of information, aside of course from Sofie’s acting, that we get about Sarah. We never see her at home. She hasn’t yet had a permanent home – more like she lives in places she uses the way others would use hotels – and when we have seen her things, they are in boxes for when she intends to move. She is this mystery character and much of the pleasure we get watching her is trying to suss out who and why she is. And will we find out? Well it would seem the writer, Soren Sveistrup always planned to tell us over the series of three seasons so we shall see. The writing is in collaboration and following discussions with Sofie and Piv, fellow writers and other members of the team. The episodes are filmed in sequence as they are written, so while the previous one is being filmed, the next one is written. This is very special and unusual for a TV show. Like many actors, Sofie was not sure about committing herself to the entire series. As she said, it’s good to change and do a lot of different projects – she has also worked on the stage in Denmark. But happily she agreed – who else could play the extraordinary Sarah Lund?!

Watch this space for more on The Killing…!!!

TV Lady Cops – Review by TheRestrictedReviewer © 2011

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