Theatre Review: 'Box of Delights' by Angela Wybrow

On 9 November, 2023, I went to see 'The Box of Delights' , at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, in Stratford-Upon-Avon. The show, based on the classic children's fantasy novel, by former Poet Laureate, John Masefield, was the latest festive offering from the Royal Shakespeare Company.

A young orphan boy, Kay Harker, is travelling back from school, to spend Christmas with his guardian, Caroline Louisa (Annette McLaughlin), when he befriends travelling showman, and powerful magician, Cole Hawlings (Stephen Boxer), on the train, and is given a magical box, which has the ability to transport him back in time. Kay is given the task of safeguarding the box, which is being sought after by an evil magician, Abner Brown (Richard Lynch).

Kai is tasked with the crucially important job of saving Christmas. He is aided in his quest by brother and sister, Peter and Maria Jones. Maria, in particular, is a very likeable and feisty character, who is always more than ready for an adventure. 

The three actors playing the children, Callum Balmforth (Kai), Mae Munuo (Maria), and Jack Humphrey (Peter), gave very convincing and energetic performances, and captured the childlike qualities, required for their roles, perfectly.

 

There was live music and singing throughout the show - mainly Christmas carols, but there was also some incidental music, which accompanied the action. 

The show made use of puppetry: my favourite being Barney, Hawlings' waggy-tailed dog, who appeared so realistic. His behaviour was captured perfectly, and he was truly adorable. The Phoenix was also very well portrayed, with its magnificent layers of shimmering gold feathers - very enchanting and magical. Kai, was also portrayed in miniature at times throughout the story, as one of the abilities of the box, was to shrink him to the size of a Borrower. Kai's 'mini-me' puppet was controlled by Callum Balmforth himself.  One of the scenes in Act One, also made use of shadow puppetry, to help set the scene, and tell of the war between the two powerful magicians, which had gone before. 

The aerial sequences were spectacular, and definitely worthy of a mention - especially the one towards the end of Act Two, where Kai is attempting to save Maria from the terrible flood. 

The production also made use of stunning visual effects. I especially liked the toy train set, with its steaming engine, and carriage windows all aglow, which magically comes alive,  The cascading water effect, when the sluice gate was opened to cause a flood, was also very striking. 

The production was very engaging, fast paced, and full of imagination. It was extremely enjoyable, and I would definitely recommend it.

Theatre Review: 'Murder in the Dark' by Angela Wybrow

On 8th November, 2023, I went to see the play, Murder in the Dark, by acclaimed writer, Torben Betts, at the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham. 

Former pop star, Danny Sierra (former Holby City star, Tom Chambers), and his girlfriend, Sarah (Laura White, who played Princess in Doctors), arrive at a remote farmhouse, on a snowy New Year's Eve, following a car crash. They are soon joined by Danny's brother, William (Owen Oakshott), ex-wife, Rebecca (Rebecca Charles), and adult son, Jake (Jonny Green). The air is somewhat tense, as the family have just returned from a funeral, and alcoholic, Danny, is desperately craving a drink. 

The elderly, and rather eccentric, owner of the house, Mrs Bateman (Susie Blake), offers to put them up for the night, as the roads are inpassable with snow, and there are no trains running. The nearest village is 20 miles away, and there is no phone signal. The electrics in the house frequently play up, which adds to the atmosphere. Rumour has it, that the witch-like, Mrs Bateman, murdered her husband, by poisoning his mushroom soup.

On visiting the outside loo, Jake is shocked to see a young woman, dressed as a ballerina, sitting there. Danny goes to investigate, but doesn't find anything.

Act One ends with Mrs Bateman offering to make the family some mushroom soup. As she leaves them alone, the electrics flash again, and Danny gets the shock of his life, letting out a blood curdling scream. 

Act Two completely unravelled what the audience had believed to be true in Act One. Nothing was what it originally had seemed to be, and dark and terrible secrets were then revealed. 

All of the cast played their roles very convincingly, and there was a welcome sprinkling of humour

Overall, I thought it was a good play, and I enjoyed it, but, personally, during Act 2, I was somewhat confused.

Theatre Review: 'Mrs Doubtfire: The Musical' by Angela Wybrow

On July 6th, 2023, I went to see the new musical comedy production of 'Mrs Doubtfire', at the Shaftesbury Theatre in London. 

The show is based on the 1993 hit movie, starring Robin Williams and Sally Field, which, in turn, was based on the 1987 children's novel, written by British author, Anne Fine.

The storyline of the stage production is pretty much the same as that of the movie, but with a few minor changes here and there. A number of 21st century references throughout the show, brought the story bang up to date - for example, when voice actor, Daniel, was demonstrating some of the impersonations from his repertoire - we heard Boris Johnson, talking about Partygate, and Sir Andy Murray, taking about making it through to the second round of Wimbledon. Later in the show, there were also references to American President, Joe Biden, and the Glastonbury music festival. 

Gabriel Vick, in the central role of Daniel, was brilliant. His character was ably aided and abetted in his makeover plan, by his brother, Frank (played by Cameron Blakely), a make-up artist, and Frank's civil partner, 

Andre (played by former X Factor finalist, Marcus Collins). Carla Dixon-Hernandez, Elliot Mugume, and Scarlett Davies, playing the roles of the three Hilliard children - Lydia, Christopher, and Natalie respectively - were fantastic in their roles. 

My favourite musical numbers were - Make Me a Woman, when Daniel is undergoing his transformation into eccentric Scottish housekeeper, Euphegenia Doubtfire; Easy Peasy, which was a fun musical number, featuring dancing chefs, performing a tap routine; Let Go, which is performed with much gusto and emotion by Laura Tebbutt, as Daniel's work obsessed wife, Miranda, and the final number, As Long as There is Love, which was performed by the entire company. 

Many of the classic comedy moments, which featured in the film, were incorporated into the stage production., such as, Mrs Doubtfire's fake chest catching fire in the kitchen.

The show was full of fun and energy, and the action was pretty fast paced, which, along with the musical numbers and comedy, helped make the show very engaging and enjoyable. This is a show, which I would definitely recommend seeing.

Theatre Review: Further than the Furthest Thing by Zinnie Harris

I had the pleasure to watch Zinnie Harris’s revival of ‘Further of the Furthest Thing’ at the Young Vic Theatre, London. I went to the evening performance on the 18th April, and also both performances on the 19th April.

Cast

Gerald Kyd - Mr Hansen

Archie Madekwe - Francis

Cyril Nri - Bill

Kirsty Rider - Rebecca

Jenna Russell - Mill

Shapla Salique - Live Vocalist

Act One is set on the island of Tristan de Cunha, which is a small island in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean.

  The first act opens with Bill going for a swim in a lake, but the lake starts to rumble. So, Bill gets out of the lake and runs home to warn his wife Mill. While Bill is out swimming in the lake; back home Mill welcomes home her nephew Francis whose been working away from the island for six months in Cape Town. But, Francis isn’t alone; as he as brought a guest with him from Cape Town, and that is Mr Hansen who is a factory owner who specialises in making jars. Mr Hansen wants to build a factory on the island; and he wants Francis to help him. After Francis has finished introducing Mr Hansen to his aunt and uncle he goes to see Rebecca on the beach. Rebecca reveals to Francis that she is pregnant, and Francis tells Rebecca how badly he has been treated while he has been away. During the night Bill can’t sleep so he starts making his Will by dividing up their crop of potatoes. 

  The following morning Mill and Mr Hansen meet up on the beach where Rebecca is sitting. Mill tells Rebecca to move  and when she refuses, Mill tells her to go and start smiling at the sailors, which Rebecca denies. Rebecca then moves from the beach. Mill then asks Mr Hansen to describe the factory that he and Francis plan to build on the island. Bill and Francis go to the beach to tell Mr Hansen that the villagers have voted to have the factory on the island, but Francis doesn’t want to build a factory on the island, due to having hearing rumbling noises coming from the lake. Bill goes to see Rebecca and tells her that Francis and Mill plan to leave the island and confesses to her that it may cause the other islanders leaving to. Rebecca reveals to Bill that she doesn’t want to have the baby, and she asks Bill to kill the baby once it arrives.

  Mill is getting Francis ready for his wedding to Rebecca. But there’s also a crowd that has gathered outside, and Francis is confused on why there’s a crowd outside. The crowd is forming because the volcano has started to erupt. Francis goes to find Rebecca, and he returns with the news that the baby is coming, but she doesn’t want to see anyone. The only person Rebecca wants to see is Bill. Bill helps Rebecca to deliver the baby while the volcano is erupting. Francis starts to beat down Rebecca’s door screaming for her, and Mill comes after him to lead him away. Once Bill has delivered and killed the baby; Rebecca reveals that she had been assaulted by a group of sailors, and Bill also realises that the baby has been born unbaptised. So, Bill baptises the baby. Mill and Mr Hansen rush round to Rebecca’s house, as they are the only people left on the island due to the island being evacuated as the volcano. Bill tells Mr Hansen and Mill that he killed the baby, and Mill asks Mr Hansen not to say anything to anyone and that the baby was born dead.

Act Two is set in England, and Mill is asking for an appointment to see Mr Hansen as all of the islanders are asking ‘How long will it be before they can go home?’ Mr Hansen tells Mill that the island has been destroyed by the volcano, and they won’t be able to go home and see the island. Bill has also managed to get a job at Mr Hansen’s factory working in the boiler room. Francis is explaining to Bill how to operate the boiler, and Francis tells that it is a good job, even though it’s nothing like farming back on the island.
  Mill and Bill are sitting outside of their home in the garden, and reflecting that they are now both British and what it means to be British. Mill has come up with an idea to raise money to send six people back to the island to see it one last time.
  Rebecca goes to see Francis in Mr Hansen’s office, and she tells Francis that she misses him. But, Francis doesn’t want to know.
  Mill has another meeting with Mr Hansen to tell him of her plan to lead a group of six people to go and see the island with a camera. If Mill postpones the trip he tells Mill that they will be getting improved housing if they stay in England, and start to consider themselves British.
  Rebecca goes and talks to Mill about a reporter who she is being harassed and insulted by. Francis arrives and Mill tells him that she has almost raised the money. Mill asks Francis if he would like to go back to the island for her and Bill. Rebecca also confides in Mill that the reporters wanted to know about something dark that happened on the island long ago, and it was before Bill converted the island to Christianity.
  Mr Hansen goes to see Bill in the boiler room, and he confesses to Bill that the island really hasn’t been destroyed and that it was a lie to cover up from the British Government, as they want to use the island to test nuclear weapons.
  Mill goes to see Mr Hansen and asks him to write a letter to the press to explain the events before the island turned to Christianity. Mr Hansen asks her not to send her story to the press. They are then interrupted by Francis who explains that Bill has locked himself in the boiler room.
  Mill and Francis are getting ready to attend Bill’s funeral. Mr Hansen is waiting outside to talk to Mill and he apologises for lying to her about the island. Mill tells Mr Hansen that the islanders are now split, as some want to return back to the island. Mr Hansen envies Mill’s love for the island and the power that the island has to draw people back to it. He tells Mill that supplies will always be sent to the island as long as he is alive.

‘Further than the Furthest Thing’ is a very thought provoking play based on true events that took place on Tristan de Cunha.

  The first act is set on the island, while the second act is set in England, and because of the contrast between the two acts it caused some audience members to leave; which was a shame as all of the cast, crew and everyone whose working in the theatre wants you to enjoy the whole experience.

The cast worked beautifully together, and the wonderful Jenna Russell had me in tears at the start of the second act. I also got to see Gerald deliver Mr Hansen’s magic trick from a few different angles, which was fun to see.

I really enjoyed my first visit to the Young Vic Theatre, London. All of the staff where so welcoming and nothing was too much trouble, as I had an issue with my theatre tickets.