Author: Joseph Ballard

Review: Glasgow Girls, Theatre Royal Stratford East

We seem to be in the height of pop-group based musicals. We know that shows like We Will Rock You has been going strong for just over a decade, recently joined by Mamma Mia and of course the latest venture of Viva Forever. But the latest musical to hit London town doesn’t boast any celebrity endorsements or sing-a-long songs, sequin costumes or a nostalgic reliance on the familiar.

Glasgow Girls, now showing at the Theatre Royal Stratford East after its premiere in Glasgow’s Citizen Theatre, can really boast a true story take on girl power – and successfully delivers its ‘life affirming’ claim, leaving an overwhelmed audience feel more educated, entertained and enveloped in this fresh new musical.

If you’ve never been to the Theatre Royal Stratford East before, get down there soon. Behind the smart contemporary branding, wrapped up in the engaging atmosphere and just a stone’s throw from the station, is a glorious rich-coloured auditorium. From the welcoming feel of the friendly bar, we entered the auditorium, seeing the wonderful architecture of the late nineteenth century then beyond the proscenium arch were treated to a grey sprayed-concrete tower block, seen in most modern cities since the sixties, with Glasgow being the city that could boast the most.

The set was simple and effective, with the use of florescent lights and sounds to create a number of different locations. Lots of praise has been thrown at the cast – a strong ensemble of multiple roles, accents, song and complex choreography from Natasha Gilmore. I first thought I wouldn’t want to single out any cast member as everyone had the audience behind them, truly appreciating all the cast’s multi-skilled approach to the amazing and challenging score.

Then I started to think about the comical interludes of Myra McFadyen as Noreen – and her magical enticement, a warm remind to us all to take heed and protect our neighbours – even after claiming many times she didn’t want to be in a musical. Patricia Panther, who played many different parts and was also one of the handful of composers, was very welcome to tell us to take warning either on the good side or the side of authority, from the catchy ‘Cuff You’ and the poignant ‘They’re At It’.

Tying it all together, working with the quick-witted Scottish humour and gripping, almost and dare I say it dialectical episodes from the book by David Greig and Hilary Brook’s musical direction was director (and joint composer) Cora Bissett.

With a run of just under a month in Stratford, I feel too many people will be missing out on the fulfilling experience of this high-energy musical, that’s relevant to today’s audiences on a topic that is real, with no tap-dancing romance or sing-a-long in sight.

I hope the company, like their characters, succeed in a campaign to tour and even take it to the heart of communities that may share similar issues of immigration or best of all, to inspire young people to not give up on success, reminding us we’re all ‘Glasgow Girls’ in our own way, with our own aspirations. (Such as The Atrium in the heart of rural North Norfolk. Hint, hint).

Glasgow Girls is co-produced by Theatre Royal Stratford East and National Theatre of Scotland, alongwith with Citizens Theatre, Pachamama Productions, Richard Jordon Productions in associations with Merrigong Theatre Company (Australia).

Sadly, the show only runs to 2 March.
17.02.13

Links:
Book tickets/ more show information
Theatre Royal Stratford East
National Theatre of Scotland

Follow Joseph on Twitter: @josephballard
Joseph is a theatre director and playwright. He currently runs The Atrium, the new theatre and cinema for Norfolk Norfolk.

Blog: Edinburgh, city of…

Bags packed and company assembled. As we headed up north to Edinburgh we wondered what was in store as a group of 4 budding energetic thesp performers. Our accommodation was kindly provided by ACE East we just had to get up there. I formed a plan in my head: promote our current show of The Covert Club, promote our collaborative companies (Headless Entertainmentand Hocus Pocus Theatre), use the escapade to bond with company members, enjoy a few days away, experience some new and exciting performance and expand my network of more budding theatre types. All within a number of days.

With a strong agenda and fumble (or thumble?) through the iFringe app, the excitement grew. We arrived. Our accommodation: reminiscent of a student flat, but obviously the kind that has financially supportive parents and the kind that had strategically planned their home-from-home-stay opposite an off-license.

It has been a few years since I’d been to Edinburgh and the festivals. I remember the first time; festival guides, listings, reviews and flyers crammed into a tote bag (they were very posh back then) with a militant schedule precariously planned so I could see and do as much as I could in this window of Scottish and International theatrics and test of endurance.

The coffee table of the flat was piled high with listings, venue brochures and postcards stapled with starred-reviews. As soon as we reached the Royal Mile it was A5 flyer central with show promotion in abundance, sporting every theatrical genre going. Shakespeare (boy there was a lot of Shakespeare this year) to dance, horror to new opera. Fantastic. I also recall a lot of gay zombie things. I’ve been to Edinburgh as few times before, apart from festival visits I’ve always seen the city in the winter. The city looks great in either season whether full of endearing theatre makers and tourists or when more docile, with its dark purple sky that frames its tall impressive buildings.

Words that came to mind: excitement, hype, dreams, disappointment, risk, bravery and appreciation. Not meaning to sound bitter or objective, because the whole experience of Edinburgh in August is a wonderful one.

Excitement builds with audience members and tourists. Excited companies armed with gaffer tape, flyers and bottled water rush by. Within each performer is the dream and their opportune moment – right there in the centre of Edinburgh- is that step closer to reaching whatever it is they’re after.

Infectious hyperactivity manifests itself as you thiumbs through the show listings. Over-hyped show promotion fools individuals to commitment of time and place that lead to disappointment. I admire the risk and bravery of any performer in an productions. The brave souls of one-man shows, the brave ensembles of experimental cabaret. The brave souls who have left their jobs and homes to seek attention in this city of many incantations. Of course, any performers’ hard work is appreciated (as we can choose to show with worthy- or unworthy vigorous applause).

Only one show I saw received a standing ovation which I wholeheartedly took part in. It’s that expression of appreciation that comes forth before you know exactly what it is you’re applauding. The writing, the acting talent, the story, my engagement with the concept? What is the majority of these elements is actually the mastermind of those onstage before you? This is often the case with the Fringe but the production I refer to here (Bette & Joan, the final curtain) excelled in all elements listed above. It was a great show that stood out from my other Fringe experiences. Too well-delivered, too comfortable, too polished? Can a show be too polished for a Fringe?

The return journey home to Norwich was a drowsy one with moments of delirium playing word games and making entertaining noises. Feel well-nourished with performance we all headed home, with ideas taking shape in our heads ready for the next Covert Club, the show which we heralded and presented to those festival goers who I’m sure we’ll be meeting again next year.

I enjoy putting pieces together for radio. It means I’m clarifying information that is already in my head or I’m finding out new facts about things that have already interested me. This week I was speaking on Future Radio about the enduring appeal of The Sound of Music’.

How masculine do I sound? How comfortable with my sexual identity am I to discuss such thing on the radio? Well these are questions that I would like to address, i.e. the context of musicals and the demographic of audiences/fans but on this occasion I’ve tried not to stray from ‘The Sound of Music’.

The previous item on-air was discussing Tales of the City, the wonderful novels by Armistead Maupin. I’ve read the series a couple of times myself and some worthy points were made by the readers. The link to my item was that the musical of Tales of the City opened earlier this year in San Francisco. It received mixed reviews but poignant notes were made about its nostalgic look of pre-Aids American, glam rock seventies style. If we’re taking nostalgic looks at things, I thought it a good place to mention Taboo. Taboo is Boy George’s creation of 2002 that looks at the 1980s scene and Leigh Bowery (I admit this is the briefest description of Taboo I’ve ever written – I think it’s great with lyrics and songs that really drum home some of the messaging. Petrified is my favourite, followed by Guttersnipe- as a fun choice).

And from nostalgic sounds and looks comes the link to The Sound of Music’ I think we all like it (referencing the film) because of the luscious scenery, the quaint visuals, the homeliness and the ideological representation of a family (which is what we get at the end of the story).

Being based on a true story and of the 1956 West German film The Trapp Family, it was originally going to be a play until the music subsumed the story and that’s when Rodger and Hammerstein came up with their part. The 1959 opening season won the best musical tony award with Mary Martin as Maria. Martin was 46 when she played the role, rather like Petula Clark who was 49 when she played Maria in the 1981 revival. The real Maria was in the audience of one of Clark’s performances and made comment she was the most ‘convincing’ Maria she had seen.

Since the film release of 1965 (which can boast 5 Academy awards) we’ve had the sing-a-long-a presentations (from 1999 onwards, still playing today in Leicester Square), the 2006 London revival of Andrew Lloyd-Webber’s production starring Connie Fisher, winner of TV’s talent search How do you solve a problem like Maria’ and now the 2011 UK tour. It now stars Verity Rushworth (from TV’s Emmerdale – but she also has a number of stage and musical credits under her belt.

Currently playing in Norwich this week and last, Theatre Royal Norwich can proudly boast amazing ticket sales with only a few to spare this week. The appeal? The resistance to oppression/the Nazis, a charismatic mother figure, the heroine is desexualised (we have romance at the end but it’s not really the focus), she can teach people to sing, luscious sets, she sways her handsome square man round to emotions and to embrace his children and music.

If all stories could have that happy ending. If we all could express our feelings through song. If we could all cut our clothes from curtain material. Perhaps we’d all smile a bit more.

Future Radio
Future Radio podcast of show mentioned above (15th August 2011) The Sound of Music 2011 UK Tour Theatre Royal Norwich