The Song Book Revue

The Song Book Revue
The Delphi Theatre Company
Camden Etcetera Theatre
17th May 2009

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for the British Theatre Guide

Musical theatre has absolutely seen a revival in recent years thanks to the influx of reality programmes in which we the audience hand pick our cast. There has never been a lack of musical theatre performers but now there is certainly an ever growing audience to pack out not only the big West End shows but also the smaller fringe productions which showcase London’s emerging talent.

The Song Book Revue is an example of such show. Without question it is a testament to the hard work and dedication of these young performers and whilst it may not be perfect that doesn’t really matter as it’s just a great opportunity for both performers and composers to get their work out there.

I said it doesn’t matter if it’s perfect which is just as well as The Song Book Revue is far from that. There are some questionable lyrics, some unmemorable melodies and some rather cheesy performances but on the other hand there are songs that show real promise and some cracking voices.

“Straits of Magellan” is a lovely narrative piece performed beautifully by Josh Boyd-Rochford and Cristin Curtin’s emotional rendition of “I Won’t Mind” by Jeff Blumenkrantz is a touching moment. However on the flip side there are also songs such as the completely unimaginative “Reunion” by S. Carlile & Linda Rocco O’Connell.

This small cast work well together even if the harmonies aren’t always spot on and it does tend to be a little sickly sweet at times. Musical theatre may not be the edgiest of performance styles but there are a little too many cute smiles and nods to each other for my liking, combined with the mystified, slightly startled expressions that spread across the cast’s faces as they look above the audience feigning sincerity.

However despite these criticisms, ultimately The Song Book Revue is a charming evening of entertainment and as worthy of our attention for spotting new talent as any reality show.

The Establishment

The Establishment
Written by Jessica Woolf
Directed by Elin Glennfjord
Crescent Theatre Production
The Etcetera Theatre
16th August – 21st August

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for The British Theatre Guide

We’re in the future….I think. Society had been taken over by some sort of dictatorship….I think. The future of society depends on women rapidly reproducing….I think.

Jessica Woolf’s play The Establishment hints at all these ideas but is aggravatingly vague in the execution of them. Set in some sort of an office a group of women debate their situation. It seems that the function of the female race has been reduced to breeding and the consequences are devastating for anyone who violates this law.

What is not clear, is why? What has happened to society for this to happen? I presume it is some sort of consequence of more and more women following career aspirations and delaying child birth, however this is not really explored. There is no sense of who these women are or where they are. Again, perhaps to portray how the differences in women have been eliminated reducing them to nothing more than reproductive organs. Yes you have the funny one, the stern one, the slightly mysterious one but these are all very one dimensional characteristics with no depth to them.

As the questions remain unanswered, one very quickly looses interest in the discovering the answers. The tense atmosphere is evident, however the entire play hinges on this feeling. The performance is all very much on the same level with no real highs or lows, even though the action suggests otherwise.

Death of a Maiden this aint and whilst young theatre companies should be praised for their drive and commitment to producing their own work, the future of this particular production is unfortunately as bleak as the dystopian society they’ve tried to depict.

Spreading Her Thinly

Spreading Her Thinly
Whose Shoes Productions
Directed by Joy Forsythe
Written by Tracy Forsythe
Etcetera Theatre
24th February – 15th March

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for the British Theatre Guide

An examination of the modern day mother; juggling her various commitments whilst trying to achieve it all is hardly an original concept, but it’s a topical subject and there’s plenty of scope for humour; or so you would think. Spreading Her Thinly takes this potentially funny idea and somehow makes it about as interesting as changing a nappy.

On the one hand you have your career mother, completely dependant on her nanny and who wouldn’t know how to make a healthy snack if her life depended on it. Then you have the stay at home mum, who is vigilant about avoiding additives and relaxes on her yoga mat. Completely different and yet so similar, both are consumed by feelings of inadequacy about their mothering skills and the choices they make. This still sounds like a potentially entertaining play; however it is in the execution that it falls apart.

There is no plot, merely sketch show like scenes strung together. The various characters are complete two dimensional stereotypes and again this would probably be ok, if it was at least funny. Writer Tracy Forsythe certainly intended this script littered with cheesy gags to be comical but sadly it is not.

Forsythe who also plays earth mother Nuala and Emily Ballantyne who plays career mother Jenny as well as a host of other characters such as a patronising ballet teacher, a bossy American and an extremely loud school teacher whiz through their lines as if there is no tomorrow, barley giving the audience enough time to consider the already weak punch lines. The performances, like the script, lack any sophistication or truthfulness, particularly highlighted in the scene where Forsythe is a single mother signing on. Apparently in the world of Spreading Her Thinly anyone claiming benefit is a total simpleton, incapable of eating her custard creams without getting them in her hair and is, of course, from the North!

Spreading Her Thinly presumably refers to a mother spreading herself thinly between, work, husband, children and all her other commitments, but in terms of this play I’m not sure if it’s worth spreading it at all.