Last of the summer wine (/prosecco/ale/gin)

What up people. It’s about time I provided you with details of my whereabouts because otherwise HOW WILL YOU KNOW how I’ve been spending my time? We can’t have life events going undocumented because I’ve got less than a year til I’m 30 and from then on I anticipate my memory declining and basically for me to be living at all times in close proximity to a packet of biscuits and my cat.

So let’s roll. In August, still on a Fringe high, I made my way to Copenhagen for a few days of pastries and walking and pastries and yet more walking with my dear friend Helen. Highlights included afternoon tea at the top of a tower, Kierkegaard’s grave, getting the train over the Oresund to Sweden,  two boat trips, riverside fish n chips n wine, patting the Little Mermaid, accidentally riding the oldest rollercoaster in Europe at Tivoli, Lego lions, Moomin mugs, ALL the goddamn pastries and being given a free chocolate milk by a newsagent. A dream of a trip, I highly recommend Copenhagz to you all.

A mini 6 year Durham reunion for three of us on the August bank holiday included excessive prosecco drinking in the gazebo, drunken Sworkit, river walks, brunching and general revelling in the beauty of our second home town. I also get to spend a lot of my time back in Durham now thanks to signing up to be a mentor for one of the colleges, looking after undergrads and plying them with free soft drinks, it’s all very exciting.

My birthday weekend featured extremes of tragedy and great joy, in the form of two Greek plays and an incredible pigsty cake. After another lovely manicure at the delight that is London Grace in Putney and celebrating our friend Jo’s engagement with some fizz, we headed to the Almeida for the Bakkhai (starring Ben Wishaw and Bertie Cavel) which featured some intriguing choral singing, a lot of general campery and a startlingly unconvincing head on a stick. Lots of good acting though. Sunday involved Konditor & Cook meringue and brownies in the groundling queue for the Oresteia at the Globe, which was pretty impressive, very bloody and featured a massive golden phallus parading through the audience at the end so everyone’s a winner.

Recent gigs:

Florence and the Machine – attended with my uncle Sean who has excellent taste in music and enjoys a little dance. Florence was absolutely the best I’ve seen  her and put on a massively energetic show with perfect vocals. So much joy. Supported by the Staves who I am now a fan of! Good folky stuff.

The Proclaimers – CLAP ALONG PROCLAIMERS. My palms were literally bruised after this gig, but they were so energetically insistent on clapping along that you just get swept up and before you know it you’ve got no fingerprints. I have to stress how beautiful some of their songs are too and how cracking the band were – Sunshine on Leith was a high point. So much audience love for the boys, an absolute roar of sound and energetic singing along, including actual marching during 500 miles, made it a super fun evening.

I finally got to welcome my uni girls to the north for a weekend of eating and fun. I dragged them to the beauteous Armstrong Bridge food market (wild boar pizza anyone?), Pleased to Meet You for copious gins, Lady Grey’s for copious ales, and the Fat Hippo for ultimate burger challenge. Quotes from the Fat Hippo experience include: “Delicious but at the same time horrendous”, “I just want to pay and I just want to die”, and “More of a personal battle than the Great North Run”. So in summary: highly recommended. As well as excessive consumption we also spent all our spare money on make up in the newly opened Kiko store, wandered round Tynemouth market and caused divisions with a game of Harry Potter Trivial Pursuit (it’s not for everyone).

In other burger news, I’ve been to the new Byron burger twice already – once for its opening night and a free burger (the rarebit burger, oh my lord) and once for a 25p burger accompanied by the epic chocolate milkshake. They’ve done a great job on the décor – the green tiles are a bit Ministry of Magic which I love – plus for those of us who remember it as a H&M there’s the novelty of trying to work out what section you’re eating in (I think I was in the casual t-shirts bit).

Miscellaneous:

A few weeks ago I buzzed off down south for two friends’ birthdays and experienced the Bombay Sapphire distillery which is a cracking day out. Lots of ingredient sniffing and awkward crouching by info loudspeakers, a talk about the gin making process and a free gin cocktail at the end. Next time you find yourself near Basingstoke (and let’s face it it’s just a matter of time) I suggest you drop in.

Further good news in the form of the birth of my dear school friend’s first baby, little Layton. Welcome to the world, tiny one.

The Gruffalo has been published in LATIN. I haven’t been this excited since…  well, since Harry Potter was published in Latin. Eheu! Gruffalo!

Could not be happier that Gogglebox is back (favourite quote so far – “If a squirrel was in your house you would lose your mind”, oh Siddiquis I love you all), plus Dowton obv, and have also decided to get into Strictly this year, mainly on the basis that Jay McGuinness is amazing and I cannot stop watching his Pulp Fiction jive.

Ok that’s it, no more spewing of my calendar entries for now. More regular stuff to come – particularly because I’m soon heading to one of the TWO cat cafes that Newcastle now has. Welcome to our new furry overlords.

Brixpig x

Antony and Cleopatra x4

When: 21st May, 4th June, 12th Aug, 24th Aug (not at all excessive)

 

Where: The Globe

 

Why: Eve Best 

Greedy Globe ducks

The Globe is my happy place. Leaning on the stage, breathing in the scent of warm wood (and sometimes choking on excessive incense smoke), usually with my friend Charles (@cakespeareuk) by my side and a tummy full of groundling queue cake (wrested from the beaks of the riverside ducks who will harass you for snacks), and in perfect confident anticipation of beauteous things to come. You can’t not smile constantly, even when you’re in a see-through Globe poncho and the rain is pouring into your shoes (and eyes). And you’ve paid a teeny fiver for the privilege. I’ve paid more than that for a pint and much as I love an ale, it’s no contest which is better value.

 

We hit the groundling pit on the first night of Clive Wood’s unfortunate illness and so were treated to the hurriedly acquired stand-in Antony in the form of John Light, who rose to the occasion magnificently. He was impressive, handsome (weyy) and held a strong connection with the rest of the cast considering he’d joined them that very morning. Some of the scenes were a bit hilarious with script in hand, including some awkwardness with a sword, and cracking up due to losing his place at the crucial moment of suicide. Far from ideal, but Light’s honesty and charisma with the audience made it work, and he and the brave cast thoroughly earned their thunderous applause at the end of the performance. We came away not feeling cheated at all, but actually pleased to have seen a unique performance. Poor old James Hayes (Lepidus) was ill during my second visit which was a sad loss – the play is less without his epic Irish portrayal of the snake man (“I wish you joy of the worrrrrm” is our new catchphrase) – and the amount of ankle supports seemed to increase each time I went back. Dangerous on that stage.

 

The production each time had an amazing energy, was fast paced and action packed – lots of soldierly running around and flag twirling suspended from the balcony, marching and stomping and especially dancing. The bacchanalian romps at the start and during the drinking scene on Pompey’s boat (and eventually added at the end of the performance in true Globe style – good decision) were a frenzy of Egyptian sensuousness and exuberance, and were true crowd-pleasers. This wanton behaviour also contrasted deeply with the solemnity and formal stiffness of the Roman contingent – I know where I’d rather have lived. I didn’t know the play at all really, and was prepared to have to make the effort to get through it at points, prepared for a bit of tragedy and concentration, but I was in fact joyfully carried along on a perfectly balanced wave of humour and drama. It was an easily accessible performance and incredibly enjoyable.

 

Amazing final night photo by @shaksper. I'm in this somewhere! 

This was mainly thanks to the wonder that is Eve Best. I’ve said it before but she is just amazing. Her Cleopatra was very human – changeable and petulant, imposing but constantly flashing vulnerability and restless mischief too. Rather than the aloof Elizabeth Taylor glamorously exotic high up and far away queen we’ve come to expect, we got an understandable, almost loveable Cleopatra. Eve Best is the perfect Globe actor – working the audience (literally hooking them in this case), playing with them and making eye contact with countless awkward groundlings. The first time I saw it, I ended up kissing her hand as she flaunted her new pearl ring from Antony down to her subjects. Bit embarrassing as I immediately doubted that was what she’d meant me to do, but it seemed right at the time… And an honour, obviously, to kiss the hand of your hero. I haven’t seen her do it again so maybe I was just looking particularly worshipful or something. Awks.

 

Antony as played by Clive Wood was a grizzled lion of a man, torn between his duty in Rome and his happiness in Egypt, and full of grim humour and casual disrespect for Caesar which was super entertaining. The chemistry between he and Cleo wasn’t totally convincing but EB could charm sparks out of a stone so it wasn’t really a problem. I did love his jokey attitude even at his darkest moments (laughing at himself when his suicidal stab doesn’t quite work) but it would be interesting to see it done tragically too at some point.

 

The rest of the cast was also incredibly strong which is really why the play was such an overall hit for me – not just carried by brilliant headliners but showing off an enviable breadth of talent in the whole thing. Jolyon Coy’s Caesar was outstanding – entertaining and chilling in equal measure as the fastidious, calculating menace that he is, and playing off the total polarity between he and Antony to perfection. Phil Daniels as Enobarbus was enjoyably blunt and sardonic, but I feel like more could have been made of his strong friendship with Antony as that didn’t massively come across when they were together. Obioma Ugoala as two very contrasting roles (Mardian the eunuch and Scarus the soldier) was buoyant and powerful, and Cleo’s attendants Charmian and Iras played by Sirine Saba and Rosie Hilal were excellent, charming twin pillars of support to the wayward queen.

 

I got hit by two serious downpours – one on the DVD filming night (12th August if you were there!) which will be interesting to see on screen… Romance through cords of rain. The weather can also heighten the drama though which is why I love the Globe – you get a different performance because of the changing nature of the arena you’re in. On one occasion during a dramatic speech from Cleo as she’s missing Antony, the wind caught her shawl and blew it dramatically around her which drew whoops from the audience and laughs of delight from Eve Best, who rode it out and made it part of the performance.

 

Some favourite moments of the play include:

• The party on Pompey’s boat featuring drinking games (“A toast… to LEPIDUS!”), dancing and dropping Caesar on the floor.
• Cleopatra viciously beating up the messenger who brings the news of Antony’s marriage to Octavia.
• The soothsayer ripping out the goat’s entrails during the interval – brilliantly gory. 
• Cleo’s outfits – god I wish we could all go around wearing long white dresses and floor-length gold sequined capes.

I was lucky to go to the final night of the run, and experience all the extra fun that entails. We were round the left of the stage and so saw EB peeping out of the curtains, and during the extra riotous opening scene she roamed around the stage dressed as an old peddler in a cloak, thrusting a pomegranate at various cast members. The whole cast were given a rose at the end of the curtain call which they threw into the audience as we threw roses at them, which resulted in a frenzy of petal chucking and mutual appreciation between cast and groundlings.

 

Thank you to all involved for four beautiful and fun evenings! (I am such a nerd).

 

Brixpig x

Final night roses

Duchess of Malfi - Wanamaker Theatre

When: Thursday 13^th February 

Where: Wanamaker Theatre 

Why: New theatre, new season, cheap ticket!

The Wanamaker Theatre is delightful. It was the second project that American actor and director Sam Wanamaker (yep, Zoe’s dad) wanted to complete after founding the Globe we now know (a thousand thanks for that, Sam). And now 20 years after his death it is a reality – and it’s amazing. The interior is beautiful and intimate (it seats 340 people), with ceilings painted with cherubs and covered in gold stars, replicas of which you can buy in the Globe shop, so obviously one is now hanging with pride of place on my wall. It is lit only by hundreds of beeswax candles, suspended in chandeliers and hung on the stage, so the whole theatre smelled gorgeously of honey and warm polished wood, as well as the obligatory incense later in the play. Being as high up as it’s possible to go (cheap standing tickets) I got the full benefit of the rising smoke and a great view of the whole beautiful structure, as well as being right in the eyeline of the musicians on the balcony – whose performance of the lovely score was outstanding. The candles were used to full effect lighting-wise throughout the play, particularly during the meeting of the Duchess and her brother when he presents her with the (fake) severed hand of her husband – which took place in pitch darkness. It was so scary and massively atmospheric.

The Duchess was the first play in the new season of this new theatre, so it was excitement all round really. The dim light and enclosed space was perfect for the macabre, unsettling Malfi. I had previously seen the Duchess at the Old Vic, starring the divine Eve Best, so I was fully prepared for all the death and disturbing scenes. This version was a lot more intimate, more level and understated than the Old Vic version, making it accessible but a bit less passionate. Gemma Arterton was lovely as the Duchess, playing her as a more earthy, good-hearted, simple and pure aristocrat (admittedly with a heap of sexual confidence and knowledge of her own mind). She was less ethereal, less majestic than Eve Best, and although she brought great clarity to the character, she didn’t quite ascend to the exaltation and anguish of a real heroine, which is what you need at the crescendo of her character.

The supporting cast were accomplished and often powerful – particularly David Dawson as the incestuous brother Ferdinand, who really steals the show. He is clearly unhinged even in small doses from the start of the play, and his descent and collapse as the play goes on was captivating and masterfully done. Sean Gilder’s Bosola was sympathetic but quite shouty, and Alex Waldmann as Antonio was a model of handsome devotion but their partnership lacked a bit of chemistry.

My £10 standing ticket was good value and it seems that my view was no worse than some of those in the expensive seats. But in the Wanamaker, restricted view really does mean restricted. A lot of action on my side of the stage I couldn’t see at all, and ditto anything right at the back of the stage (however gory those waxworks were, I can only imagine them). Which was a shame, but I am tolerant and was enjoying the whole atmosphere anyway. I will definitely go back and have already booked for several of the new season’s plays – standing though, as those guys on the benches did not look comfortable. 

Brixpig x

Macbeth

When: Thursday 27^th June

Where: Globe

Why: Eve Best directed it

I’ve only seen one version of Macbeth before, and that was an al-fresco university production with everyone dressed in black, and I had no idea who was who or who was being murdered. I think it’s the abundance of Macs that gets me twisted. So I had a bit of a murky concept of what the plot actually is – but this version directed by (the brilliant) Eve Best brought clarity and a lightness of touch to a dark play.

As a directorial debut, it was incredibly confident and slick – bringing a simple, fresh and intelligent approach to a much-performed work. I found it hugely entertaining, both as an overall theatre experience and in the humour which was scattered throughout the production. The audience were full-on laughing at several points in the play – my personal favourite was Joseph Millson’s cheeky delivery of Macbeth’s line when he’s made king: “Would you like to kiss my ring?” He engaged the audience with his humour in classic Globe style, which I was pleased to find is not just reserved for comedies.

The chemistry between Millson’s Macbeth and Samantha Spiro’s Lady Macbeth was impressive. The power struggle within their relationship visibly shifts and Lady Macbeth’s general devastation at the end clearly includes the feeling that she has lost her husband too. There is a sense of poignancy too throughout the play and this counteracted the light humour well – particularly Millson’s restless physical performance works just as well for madness as comedy. His ‘tomorrow and tomorrow and tomorrow’ speech was captivating.

The portrayal of the witches also seemed to be something new – they were less a terrifying force than an otherworldly trio. They were light, intriguing, and gave off a more pagan, mysterious vibe which was really thrilling. The play also ended with a witch playing the pipes, book-ending the performance which had begun with an impressive drumming piece by the whole cast.

Genuinely enjoyed this, which I didn’t think I would say about Macbeth. Nice one Eve.

Brixpig x

Bit of monologue for ya:

She should have died hereafter;
There would have been a time for such a word.
Tomorrow, and tomorrow, and tomorrow,
Creeps in this petty pace from day to day,
To the last syllable of recorded time;
And all our yesterdays have lighted fools
The way to dusty death. Out, out, brief candle!
Life's but a walking shadow, a poor player
That struts and frets his hour upon the stage
And then is heard no more. It is a tale
Told by an idiot, full of sound and fury
Signifying nothing. — Macbeth (Act 5, Scene 5, lines 17-28)

Twelfth Night

When: Tuesday 15th January

Where: Apollo Theatre

Why: My dear @cakespeareuk loves a man in a dress (and got up early to get us £10 day seats)

This all-male production of Twelfth Night totally rocked my socks. We got to the theatre early to watch the actors getting ready on stage – here Mark Rylance slapping his make-up on, there Stephen Fry getting his beard fiddled about with. It was a great start to the play and far from spoiling the magic it added to the feeling of authenticity and kind of emphasised the skill we were about to behold – like, you know full well you’ve just seen a modern man cramming a wig on his head, but as soon as the play starts for real it’s instantly a woman in front of you. Kind of showing off their mastery, really. And this play is such a good one to go all-male on, as it just mixes up the cross-dressing that drives the whole play and makes you understand Shakespeare’s preoccupation with it. It’s quite cool to be seeing a play performed by all men when you know that this is what it was written for and how it was always originally performed. And boy oh BOY did those boys do it well. Even the staging was original, with candle chandeliers dripping all over the actors, traditional (and luxuriant) costumes, and on-stage seating to mimic the Globe.

Sneaky stage photo

I have to go all out there and say that there was not a bad second in this production. I quite often get dozing off moments in Shakespeare (even in my beloved Much Ado, always when the fools are up), but there was none of that here. The silly, for-the-groundlings scenes with Sir Toby and Andrew Aguecheek and Maria were amongst the best, despite the scene where they plot Malvolio’s downfall bringing me violent sixth form speech and drama lesson flashbacks (“Go shake your ears!”). Roger Lloyd-Pack, skinny legged and mournful, stuck in a hedge after eavesdropping on Malvolio had me in hysterics, and Paul Chahidi’s mincing, comedy dame with a frankly astoundingly realistic cleavage was perfect as the catty and clever Maria and provided a great foil to the pompous Malvolio. Stephen Fry’s booming presence was hilarious during the picnic rug scene where he tries to seduce Olivia, but lacked a little bit of subtlety and true malevolence at the end when he swears to get his revenge – more petulant than menacing.

The true star turn was obviously Mark Rylance as Olivia, whom I had never seen but had heard gushing praise for from my flatmate and all other sources. His Olivia was flustered, full of tenderness and hesitance, passion and ridiculousness, gliding about the stage as if on casters. His doleful voice was absolute perfection and his performance seemed to transcend gender, if that doesn’t sound too stupid – you logically know it’s a male actor, and a female character, but almost it didn’t seem to matter what was going on in this performance – it was all about the character of Olivia. It was just masterful and I was suitably impressed.

The whole play was both hilarious and surprisingly romantic – the chemistry between Liam Brennan’s Orsino and Johnny Flynn’s Viola was palpable and engrossing, and their near kiss while Viola was still in her male guise was so convincingly done. Viola and Samuel Barnett’s Sebastian were beautifully played. The music and philosophical fooling provided by Peter Hamilton Dyer’s Feste were expert and moving, and he really tied up the play in its entirety, providing a constant thread in each scene and embodying the spirit of the play.

I’m so thrilled I got to see this production and am seriously crossing my fingers they release a DVD version (as with Much Ado) so that I can relive it.

Verdict: immense.

Brixpig x