Way back in 1967, a comedy film was released called “The Plank”. What made this film unusual was that there was virtually no dialogue in it. The comedy around the story relied entirely on the action, it was a sensorial treat for all that watched it. I only mention this as yesterday I was lucky en0ugh to see a stage show that used the same principle of silent but splendid acting to tell a story when I caught a showing of The 4 Clowns of the Apocalypse as it visited the Vauxhall Gardens Community Centre.
It is the end of the world and The Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse – Pestilence, War, Famine and Death are prepared to fulfill their function and set a divine apocalypse upon the world as harbingers of the Last Judgment, Well, actually only three have turned up. Pestilence, War and Famine (Eduardo Correia, Abel Duarte and Paulo Duarte), Death appears to be missing. The other three try to contact Death but have no luck so decide to have a bit of a break. What follows is a madcap romp as the three horsemen go wild on the beach without Death to control them.
The 4 Clowns of the Apocalypse is a really nicely put together a show for all ages. This is one production where you can say there really is something for everyone. And the very mixed-age audience I saw this performance with certainly appreciated the fun of the production – even me, with my Coulrophobia – bet you didn’t know a fear of clowns had a name.
This co-production between Absolute Theatre and Teatro Do Montemuro was very slick in its presentation and the three performers worked extremely hard in ensuring that every nuance of the production came over the footlights to the audience, whatever their age. There is pathos, slapstick, gross-out humour and just about everything you could imagine clowns doing, combined with some things you would never think of. I can’t really give too much away but I should tell you, there is some audience participation, and my advice is, if you get picked, then throw yourself into whatever they get you doing – you will definitely enjoy it.
If I had to pick a favourite moment, then there were two. The first was the recreation of something spectacular and the second was the final scene, which was beautiful and quite breathtaking to see.
Overall, I enjoyed The 4 Clowns of the Apocalypse a lot. It was entertaining and, going by some of the reactions from the children in the audience, totally enthralling. I was very lucky at the performance I attended as there was one youngster in the audience that provided a bit of a commentary on the proceedings. Usually, this would irritate me, but the child in question really seemed to have got what was happening on the stage and was completely invested in what he was seeing. I think, for me, the final ending didn’t feel quite right, it was almost too obvious but it was nicely delivered and ended a really great show in some style.
Review by Terry Eastham for www.LondonTheatre1.com
Dawid Minnar Janine Ulfane – Photograher credit Alixandra Fazzina. “Survival of the fittest” is a phrase that originated from Darwinian evolutionary theory as a way of describing the mechanism of natural selection. Which means that even in the most inhospitable of placers, life will find a way – even if at times, you may look and think what’s the point? For example, in South Africa, the aloe plant is considered one of the country’s most powerful, beautiful and celebratory symbols. It survives out in the wild when everything else is dried. At the end of everything, the aloe is still there. And it is this survival that is at the heart of Athol Fugard’s A Lesson From Aloes which has returned to the UK and is currently in residence at the Finborough Theatre. Set in South Africa in 1963, where apartheid is at its height and the citizens are living in a paranoid police state. The play revolves around a middle-aged left-leaning couple – Afrikaner Piet Bezuidenhout (Dawid Minnaar) and hi
Since 1912, the Blackburn Musical Theatre Company has been entertaining the theatre going folks of this Lancashire town with their annual musical production. In that time, they have covered the vast array of musical theatre from their first production - Sunday - through to their latest - Hello Dolly - which I caught at the Blackburn Empire Theatre. Dolly Gallagher Levi (Sue Chadwick) is a woman that likes to meddle, or as she puts it, arrange things. Whatever you need doing, Dolly is the person for the job. And right now, she is the talk of turn of the century New York, having brought together Mr Horace Vandergelder (Kris Wlodarczyk), the well-known half-a-millionaire and Mrs Irene Molloy (Laura Mitchell) a widowed millener. Their engagement and subsequent marriage seems pretty much sewn up though neither is marrying for love. Horace, as he tells his Chief Clerk, Cornelius Hackl (Ryan Coe), and Assistant, Barnaby Tucker (Fletcher Illingworth), is looking for someone to r
Since July 2014, I've seen and reviewed 588 shows altogether. 2017 was a fairly quiet year with a total of 132 shows visited by yours truly. So, in the best traditions of end of the year ideas, here is my list of the top 10 shows that I've seen this year. Please remember, this is my list not anybody else's and if you don't agree with the pick, well, what can I say? 1. Priscilla Queen of the Desert, Bridewell Theatre This story of friendship and hope took two drag queens and a trans woman from Sydney to Alice Springs, in a big pink bus. Along the way, the met new friends and face rampant homophobia. SEDOS brought every element of the show together beautifully, and to a standard that you would expect to see in the West End. Sold out virtually as soon as it was announced, this was the ‘must see production of the year. 2. La Cage aux Folles, New Wimbledon Theatre This is was a touring production of a show that demonstrates the importance of family a
Comments
Post a Comment