Theatre: Assassins



You know you can't hide your roots... I always like to say that for some reason... But Saturday evening arriving at the Landor pub er Theatre to see Assassins I felt thoroughly un-Australian. There I was dressed for a night at the theatre (albeit fringe theatre in the same street as a raid on two crack dens the night before) to be surrounded at the bar by many, many pissed Australians in thongs (the flip-flop kind), singlets and shorts as if it really was January in oz. It was no surprise that amongst all this malarkey the Fosters was flowing rather smoothly. I took solace with the fact that I was at least wearing Aussiebums even if nobody else knew that. Well that was sort of disclosed later in the evening after inviting the West End Whingers and their friends back to my flat and forgetting that I had not yet put away all the washing...

But anyway, after getting past the rowdy mob downstairs I settled in to watch the show armed with a G&T. Assassins is Sondheim's take on the men and women who have tried (and sometimes succeeded) in assassinating the President of the United States. An unusual sort of show, and was somewhat lost amongst his other shows after opening ahead of the first Gulf War and then for trying to open again in September 2001. Neither were probably the best of times for a cynical look at America. Still it is one of Sondheim's favourite shows (so he said back in 2004) and it does set out to do something interesting and different. It is the sort of show that will have you dialing up the back stories of the would-be assassins for weeks to come...

As for this production (which has now completely sold out), well I originally mistook the artwork for some sort of locomotive. But no, it was Assassins not Starlight Express I was watching... But there were plenty of times I wished they got their skates on with this production. The pacing at times was so unbearably slow. In fact slow enough to doze off... Perhaps it would have helped to have used a sound effect that sounded like a gun going off rather than a door closing?

Still when it came to the musical numbers the actors by and large were great. And for the first production of this new company, here's hoping there are many more... Just hopefully not on the evenings at the Landor when there are hoards of Aussies there downing the Fosters... After all it is a crap beer...

Popular posts from this blog

Opera and full frontal nudity: Rigoletto

Image
David McVicar's oddly modern production of Rigoletto is back at the Royal Opera House.

This modern and minimalist dark production has evolved over the years. It is better lit now but there is still an orgy and full frontal nudity within the first thirty minutes. This enables anyone not in the stalls an excellent view of a flaccid penis and a nicely shaved bush. But as time goes it seems more and more superfluous to the main focus of this tragedy of a court jester who seeks revenge. Here is hoping that the production continues to evolve...

Conductor John Eliot Gardiner keeps the music well paced. Dimitri Platanias in the title role sounded great and received a rapturous applause for his interpretation of the role. You get a sense more of the doting father rather than the court jester or cursed man here.

Vittorio Grigolo plays the Duke and sounds too lovely to be the cad the role calls for, but it is hard not to like when he is on stage anyway. And it is easier to understand the…
Read more...

Game play: Lamplighters @ORLTheatre

Image
The world of spies as depicted in John Le Carre novels seems to be an unlikely source of amusement. All that drinking, bureaucracy and lying. But in Lamplighters it’s really a backdrop for some inspired improvisation and audience participation. Led by Neil Connolly as the spymaster, he’s living out a childhood dream to play spies... With a bunch of random audience members. It’s an immersive theatre experience. Which means that when you enter The Old Red Lion Theatre you can expect to be part of the entertainment.  But only if you want to.  After he’s finished chatting you up at the start (and sizing you up), there’s a slightly unconvincing mystery to solve, villains to find and stop. And a secret briefcase. And he needs the help of the audience to make it happen. And get laughs.This concept works well in making the ordinary seem hilarious. Assuming there’s always the right balance of weird and adventurous audience members to make the show hilarious every night.  On my night the audience…
Read more...

More comings and goings: F*cking Men @KingsHeadThtr

Image
Brief encounters never seemed hotter in this latest revival of Joe DiPietro’s comedy-drama play, Fucking Men. In part due to the sexy cast and witty one liners but also because it is summer and pub theatres are hot at the best of times.

The work had its premiere in 2009 at the Kings Head and went on to have a long run and transfer to the West End. It is presented here as part of the It is running as part of the King’s Head Gay Theatre Festival.
Read more...