La Clique

La Clique
London Hippodrome (Leicester Square)
Running dates: 2nd October – booking until February 2009

10th October, 2008

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for the British Theatre Guide


It’s quite hard to review a show when you were hiding behind your hands for half of it.

The cult smash hit variety show La Clique is one of those shows where the heart is willing; you want so much to watch but what you see is so fantastically unbelievable that you end up hiding from it. However when you peer out from behind you’re hands you are treated to a line up of some of the world’s finest international acts.

The London Hippodrome re-opens its doors to La Clique with its seductive assortment of circus/burlesque/cabaret. Unpredictable in nature it attacks all the senses with each act somehow topping the one before with the element of surprise and danger adding to the excitement.

To take away any of the mystery would take away from the experience itself. So I shall wet your appetite (there’s a bit of a clue for you already) without giving too much away. There are acts that you will have seen before, a contortionist, a sword swallower, a juggler and acrobats. However La Clique is a cabaret performance with a twist. They present a juggler that is a reincarnation of Freddie Mercury who moves his balls (juggling balls that is) to the music whilst singing throughout, a contortionist who looks like he is from the 118 adverts as he clumsily stumbles about the stage making you fear for his safety as well as your own and there is the stripper with her mischievous disappearing hanky; you know what’s coming and still you can’t believe your eyes.

How on earth people discover they posses these skills is probably not worth contemplating. How they then turn them into an art form is truly remarkable; as Captain Frodo the contortionist says himself “isn’t it just amazing what people can do for a living”.

That really is just a sneak preview into the weird and wonderful world of La Clique but you’ll thank me for not spoiling it. Simply be prepared for a night of guilty pleasures and astonishing acts that must be seen to be believed.

Informed Consent

Informed Consent
Jermyn Street Theatre
Running Dates: 6th October – 25th October

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for Whatsonstage.com

Four separate stories all collide as the people involved become unwittingly tangled in each others lives. A taxi driver, Battle (Anton Stephans) wonders aimlessly up and down hospital corridors while his daughter lays in intensive care waiting for a new heart. Meanwhile Dom (Brett Goldstein) and Katya’s (Eugenia Caruso) young son is involved in a road accident which leaves him brain dead. A surgeon Mandl (Will Chitty) and his on off girlfriend nurse Ellen (Susan Bracken) are looking after both these cases, however Mandl is somewhat distracted by the presence of a lonely drag queen, Shirley (Charlie Holloway) who “grants favours” on the streets of New York.

You might say this sounds like another episode of E.R and you wouldn’t be far off the mark. As your attention is divided between these various plotlines you can feel yourself edging towards the predictable point of collision between all these characters.

The only thing that reminds us we are not watching another TV hospital drama is the constant presence of a somewhat distracting radio station at the edge of the action as various actors take turns to play the DJ’s on different stations. Predominantly the radio is Battle’s lifeline to the outside world but also it demonstrates how all the characters are connected as they tune into the same station in their very different circumstances.

It is no surprise to see that director, Mirra Bank has worked a great deal in film and television but her style unfortunately does not translate onto stage. Without the advantage of differing angles and quick cuts between the actors the play struggles with pace and is lacking in urgency. Whilst the clumsy overuse of overlapping lines, rather than feel realistic makes it difficult to follow the thread of a conversation.

However the cast turn in very fine performances. Stephan’s performance is incredibly touching as the loner who’s practically become a ghost on these hospital corridors. Holloway gives a beautifully understated portrayal of this lost drag queen, resisting the temptation to camp it up. Chitty (the George Clooney of the play) and Bracken have fantastic chemistry as they struggle with their feelings towards one another amongst all this anguish and Goldstein and Caruso are heartbreaking as two parents, destroyed by the loss of their boy.

Yet despite these moving performances, I felt detached from their stories. The heart of the play is great with potentially very moving stories. It just needs a little bit of work to get it pumping properly.

In My Name

In My Name

Writer: Steven Hevey

Director: Julia Stubbs

Trafalgar Studios 2

Yaller Skunk Theatre

1st July – 19th July, 2008

Thursday 3rd July, 2008

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for the British Theatre Guide

Take a significant and topical subject matter and present it in a light hearted fashion in order to highlight how society is under estimating the issues that surround us today. This can work, however down play it too much and by the time you actually attack the bone of contention you may find that you have already lost your audience and missed the point entirely.

This is exactly what In My Name attempts to do with its portrayal of the backlash against the violence that is threatening our society at the moment.

Egg (Kevin Watt) is a very confused young man trying to escape from a past that is already one step ahead of him. It all comes to ahead on the day of the London bombings, July 7th, when Egg takes his frustrations out on an oblivious Grim (James Alexandrou) whose couch he has been sleeping on for the last week and Grim’s co-worker, Royal (Ray Panthaki). He projects his own demons onto those around him and issues blame on innocent people for the crimes of a minority.

As one of the Paines Plough writers which has recently produced outstanding work such as House of Agnes I expected something a little more sophisticated from Steven Hevey. The journey from mundane flat life to prison cell torture fails as one’s interest disappears before the supposedly climactic conclusion.

The overly dim witted, layabout, Grim and the gobby, jumping off the walls (from all the coke he’s done – in case we didn’t get it) Royal, transform into two panic stricken men with snot running down their faces. However this comes so late in the play that it is difficult to make the adjustment from sitcom comedy to action thriller.

The play is not exactly bad, but there is nothing impressive about it either. It sort of bumbles along in a Men Behaving Badly kind of way, but its attempt to be provocative and hard hitting is where it unravels. In My Name makes an interesting point in questioning “who am I?” “Who are you?” Although the not exactly subtle comparison between a game of Guess Who and society could have been given a miss.

Whilst the characters are for the most part two dimensional, the fault lays as much with the script as it does the actors. The dialogue lacks any real depth and jumps all over the place in its desperation to cover its subject matter in an innovative manner; forgetting that this is in fact an interesting subject and does not need to be clever to prove this.

Of course it is important to raise awareness and make us think twice about switching over to Friends when the news is on, but don’t underestimate your audience when doing so.

Idina Menzel Concert

Idina Menzel Concert

Ambassadors Theatre

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for The British Theatre Guide

Tuesday 20th May, 2008

When Tony award winner Idina Menzel was last in town reprising her role of Elphaba in Wicked, fans camping outside the theatre and queues stretching around the block from stage door were a familiar sight. So it was no surprise when tickets for her one off concert sold out in thirty minutes.

Fresh from playing Florence last week at the Royal Albert Hall’s anniversary concert of Chess, Idina Menzel has also been in town to promote her new album I Stand. Without a doubt this lady can sing but the jump from musical theatre to more mainstream music is a tricky one to negotiate. Not that Idina is in anyway a “newbie” to this scene with two albums already under her belt, however, you’d be forgiven if you hadn’t realised this. After making her name in hit shows such as Rent and Wicked it is undoubtedly the world of musical theatre that Idina is most associated with.

So the question is; can Idina Menzel’s music reach an audience that is not familiar with Elphaba? If last night is anything to go by (and if the musical theatre fans give anyone else a chance to get a ticket next time) I see absolutely no reason why not.

Dressed down in skinny jeans, Idina had as much presence on stage as if she were still riding high on that broom. Retaining her powerhouse voice, but without a hint of “jazz hands” Idina manages to skilfully balance being big with being intimate.

You may have noticed how I’ve casually dropped the formality of referring to her by her full name; I’ll probably be calling her “Dee” by the end. This is due to Idina’s very self-depreciating, familiar way that she has about her, making you feel as if you are friends. As she casually worked the stage, moving between standing to sitting on the stage floor, it felt very natural, rather than contrived familiarity. Idina mixed in little stories about herself or the inspiration behind certain songs, drawing you in, leaving her already dedicated audience hanging on every word. As a result of the intimate nature of this performance I actually found myself really listening to her lyrics and of course Idina’s skill as an actress played its part with her ability to communicate the message and connect with the emotional story of her songs.

The obvious comparisons have been made between Idina and Alanis Morissette. They are both singer-song writers, from the other side of the pond and it has to be said they do look pretty similar. However Idina’s music has a much rockier edge to it and while her songs tell stories, they are less folky. Songs such as "Brave" (her current US single) and "Better To Have Loved" were particularly impressive and really allowed Idina to show off her vocal prowess.

I sense that if Idina had been completely flat all night, this audience would have loved her anyway. However this was not the case and this crowd obviously know when they are onto a good thing. Her song "A Hero Comes Home" has already been used on the soundtrack for the Hollywood blockbuster, Beowulf; exposing Idina to a wider audience and with her superb vocal talent and catchy lyrics I think it’s a safe bet to say that Idina Menzel will be back in our neck of the woods fairly soon, performing to much larger audiences (providing the musical theatre fans will share her!)

Ida Barr: So This Is Christmas

Ida Barr: So This Is Christmas
Written, Produced and Performed by Christopher Green
Director: Cal McCrystal
Barbican – Pit
Running Dates: 10th – 23rd December 08
Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for the British Theatre Guide
11th December, 2008


Man dressed as a woman – check
Audience participation – check
Innuendos a plenty – check.

All the necessary ingredients for your typical Christmas show, except Ida Barr: So this is Christmas is anything but your typical Christmas show.

Christopher Green is back at the Barbican again with another wonderfully surreal and completely unique Christmas show. For Christmas 08 he comes under the guise of Ida Barr, an established music hall performer. After working in the industry for over 50 years she has now embraced youth culture and imaginatively worked rap and urban beats into her repertoire – innit!

Highly influenced by her recent discovery of urban culture Ida Barr’s dialogue is a strange mix of affected RP and street lingo, as she “arks” the audience questions, and pretty much gets her freak on.

With DJ Godslove Mensah to her right, Ida Barr entertains the crowd with various songs including a little ditty about a shopping trip to Dalston set to the classic tunes of Missy Elliot and Eminem. If at all possible So This Is Christmas is a camper version of the Graham Norton Show. Like a chat show, she sits by her fireplace with a plasma screen inside it telling us what’s in store for the night. A mix of stand-up, songs, guests and of course audience participation all come together in a weird and wonderful way to create this Christmas extravaganza.

On paper it sounds like a hideous disaster – music hall drag queen, bringin’ down the house with topical rap, accompanied by a magician and a singing impersonator; however it works. Yes it could do with tightening up a little and some segments go on slightly too long but overall this Christmas show (which certainly is not for all the family) manages to entice Christmas joy from even your most cynical Londoner.

Forget your pantomimes and their fairytale stories of magical kingdoms, this year it’s all about keepin’ it real and gettin’ down with your bad self for a “wiki wicked” Christmas at the Barbican.

Hit Me – The Life and Rhymes of Ian Dury

Hit Me – The Life and Rhymes of Ian Dury
The Courtyard Theatre
Presented by Irving Rappaport and Playback Theatre
Written & Directed by: Jeff Merrifield

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for The British Theatre Guide
27th November 2008

There are those who are familiar with the world of punk and 80’s rock and those that are not. For those who are, Hit Me – The Life and Rhymes of Ian Dury provides the opportunity to wander down; or probably it is more accurate to say, go on a rampage through memory lane. For those who are not, myself included, one would hope to get an introduction to this world that you wouldn’t forget, leaving you hungry for more. However whilst you may leave with a flavour of what this provocative era was like, it’s hardly revolutionary.

After a successful run in Edinburgh for which Jud Charlton received a best actor nomination for his role as Ian Dury, Hit Me has come to London’s East End where it most definitely has a fan base ready and waiting. Chronicling his life from the start of his success in the 80’s to 2000 when he died of cancer, Hit Me aims to not only re-visit his music but also to look at the complex man behind the angry facade that was Ian Dury.

It is understandable why Charlton received his nomination. His physical characterisation of Dury (who contracted polio as a young boy from a local swimming pool) is impeccable and he has a real twinkle in his eye as this man who craves attention and is desperate to create a reaction. However at times his performance slips into that of a caricature as does Josh Darcy as roadie, Fred ‘Spider’ Rowe. Absolutely these characters are larger than life but some scenes become very reminiscent of an episode of the “Young Ones” which of course was a deliberate parody.

Punk was a revolution; it was a reaction to the music of disco not to mention the political and economical environment from which it emerged and yet Hit Me feels safe, it doesn’t break any rules, unless you count the completely indulgent overuse of the F word and C word.

Having said this for fans of this era they will love seeing one of their favourite punk stars reborn on stage. Over the three chapters Dury revels stories from his childhood, the inspiration behind certain songs and gossip from the tour bus, including that of his turbulent relationship with the band The Blockheads, and of course it’s a chance to see classic tracks such as “Hit Me With Your Rhythm Stick” and the scandalous “Spasticus Autisticus” performed.

So whilst Hit Me didn’t leave me wanting to dye my hair pink and attach my nose ring to my ear via some sort of chain, for those with punk already in their blood I’m sure they’ll be more than happy to be hit by Dury’s rhythm stick.

Hello and Goodbye

Hello and Goodbye
By Athol Fugard

Directed by Paul Robinson
English Touring and Treatment Theatre Company
Trafalgar Studios – Studio 2
22nd April – 17th May, 2008

Reviewed by Rachel Sheridan for The British Theatre Guide
Monday 28th April, 2008

A young man sits alone in a filthy, decrepit room. He talks to himself, reciting events with absolute accuracy, speaking as quickly as the words can tumble out.

It is 1965 in Port Elizabeth, South Africa. Only a few years previous Nelson Mandela was imprisoned and South Africa has recently been declared a republic amongst violent rebellions and an aggressive apartheid.

However, we are in this dirty room with Jonny Smit (Rafe Spall) and no matter what the political atmosphere when Athol Fugard wrote Hello and Goodbye, this is essentially a family drama, riddled with guilt, bitterness, fear and ultimately love.

Hester Smit (Saskia Reeves) returns home one night, having left fifteen years previous. This sibling reunion forces the pair to confront memories some of which are deeply buried. Hester believes she is owed inheritance from her sick father and is prepared to literally dig up the past in order to get it.

This superb two hander originally premiered in 2003 at the Southwark Playhouse to critical accalaim and the second time around it doesn’t disappoint. Once again under the direction of Paul Robinson this production is emotionally charged, concerning itself more with the oppressive nature of religion (The Dutch Reformed Church in this instance), rather than that of the apartheid which obviously is not without its influences.

Jonny is physically imprisoned in his childhood home; he is free to leave but emotionally tied. Whilst Hester may have escaped, the emotional connection is equally as strong; binding her and affecting all other relationships.

The chemistry between Reeves and Spall is electric. Seemingly complete opposites; Spall’s Jonny is anxious and erratic with his dishevelled appearance and twitching mannerisms. Living the life of a recluse, his social skills have become some what limited and Spall is completely endearing with his boyish grin and nervous energy. A complete contrast was Reeves who initially presents Hester as the strong and confident sibling; her stylish appearance and hard as nails exterior disguising her ultimately broken centre which is slowly revealed by Reeves.

Hello and Goodbye whilst emotionally wrought also has a great deal of dark humour. Only a brother could get away with saying to his sister, “I dare you to commit suicide”. What could easily have been filled with self pity is in fact lifted, making the story all the more poignant.