The final play in Michael Grandage's West End season is Henry V with Jude Law in the title role.
I went to see it last night, and it was still in previews, and there wasn't a spare seat to be had. Is it a desire to see the Bard or (more likely) it is a keeness to see Mr Law.
The staging was fantastic - a simple set of wooden planks, bringing to mind the unadorned stage mentioned in the prologue. Very little props were used, but the use of lighting was very effective.
The cast was very good. All playing up to the accents and foibles of the characters. Jude Law in the title role was excellent. Rousing the men to action wasn't a problem to him at all. He shone in the 'love' scene with the French princess, showing a real lightness of touch.
I should think the only way to see this now is to try for tickets on the day, I am sure it must have been sold out for months and months! But, it is well worth a look.
Wednesday, 27 November 2013
Friday, 15 November 2013
An Evening with Bryan Ferry
I know I am a bit behind with some of the reviews, where does the time go?
On the 4th November Bryan Ferry performed at the Royal Albert Hall.
Starting off with the jazz of The Bryan Ferry Orchestra (without the great man himself), the evening got off to a rousing start. All his musicians are consummate professionals. When he himself took to the stage (in a very dapper jacket) the atmosphere went up a level. Starting slowly he built up the tension, the power and the volume.
Ferry has an extensive catalogue from which to choose material and some of his choices were rare and unusual. He avoided Avalon (could mean he was worried by the female vocalists). Sadly he included Jealous Guy. On one level I don't mind this song, however, it's not a Ferry or a Roxy Music composition (despite being a number one). I just feel that too many people come along just for that song and there is so much more to Bryan Ferry than that.
By the end he had the whole of the Albert Hall on their feet dancing the night away!
On the 4th November Bryan Ferry performed at the Royal Albert Hall.
Starting off with the jazz of The Bryan Ferry Orchestra (without the great man himself), the evening got off to a rousing start. All his musicians are consummate professionals. When he himself took to the stage (in a very dapper jacket) the atmosphere went up a level. Starting slowly he built up the tension, the power and the volume.
Ferry has an extensive catalogue from which to choose material and some of his choices were rare and unusual. He avoided Avalon (could mean he was worried by the female vocalists). Sadly he included Jealous Guy. On one level I don't mind this song, however, it's not a Ferry or a Roxy Music composition (despite being a number one). I just feel that too many people come along just for that song and there is so much more to Bryan Ferry than that.
By the end he had the whole of the Albert Hall on their feet dancing the night away!
Martyn Ware Presents Heaven 17 (Koko)
As part of Virgin's celebration of 40 years Heaven 17 appeared at Koko (the erstwhile Camden Palace) earlier this week.
Support was provided by Scritti Polittie, with Green Gartside in fine voice.
It was an interesting Heaven 17 show. For those of you who don't know, Heaven 17 was formed by Martyn Ware after Phil Oakey split from the Human League. The new vocalist was Glenn Gregory. What made the show interesting was that the first half was drawn exclusively from the first two (pre-split) Human League albums. I am sure some of these songs have never been sung in public. Whilst there is a big difference in style and tone between Glenn and Phil, Glenn's versions were excellent. He even convinced Martyn to take mic and centre stage for Nightclubbing.
Once we moved to the second half of the set we were back in familiar Heaven 17 territory - drawn mostly from Penthouse & Pavement and The Luxury Gap. Sometimes I wish they'd remember all the other albums too!
Support was provided by Scritti Polittie, with Green Gartside in fine voice.
It was an interesting Heaven 17 show. For those of you who don't know, Heaven 17 was formed by Martyn Ware after Phil Oakey split from the Human League. The new vocalist was Glenn Gregory. What made the show interesting was that the first half was drawn exclusively from the first two (pre-split) Human League albums. I am sure some of these songs have never been sung in public. Whilst there is a big difference in style and tone between Glenn and Phil, Glenn's versions were excellent. He even convinced Martyn to take mic and centre stage for Nightclubbing.
Once we moved to the second half of the set we were back in familiar Heaven 17 territory - drawn mostly from Penthouse & Pavement and The Luxury Gap. Sometimes I wish they'd remember all the other albums too!
Thursday, 24 October 2013
Madam Butterfly - English National Opera
It is the second time I have seen this production of Butterfly. The first was when it was premiered back in 2005, apart from the great music, I wanted to see the director Anthony Minghella would do. I was not disappointed then - it is beautifully staged, just enough oriental detail to evoke Japan, some beautifully filmic moments and all the drama and pathos of the plot.
Last night I was still as entranced as I was back in 2005. It still looks lovely. The costumes (particularly the extravagant outfit of Prince Yamadori) bring Japan to life in a riot of colour. The effects work well. And I still like Cio-Cio-San's child being a puppet (beautifully brought to life by Tom Espiner, Julia Innocenti and Laura Caldow).
It was a new Butterfly in the title role last night. The Russian-American soprano Dina Kuznetsova was wonderful. Her singing was clear and full of emotion. She looked good and moved well. She ticked all the boxes for a good Cio-Cio-San.
We cannot ignore Pamela Helen Stephen as her maid, Suzuki. Their duets were amongst the high points of the night.
Timothy Richards as Pinkerton was a bit lost amongst the orchestra and couldn't match the power of Kuznetsova's voice. He was somewhat outshone by Goro (Alun Rhys-Jenkins), Sharpless (George von Bergen) and particularly Prince Yamadori (Alexander Robin Baker).
It is a great production - well worth a look! And what a story!
Last night I was still as entranced as I was back in 2005. It still looks lovely. The costumes (particularly the extravagant outfit of Prince Yamadori) bring Japan to life in a riot of colour. The effects work well. And I still like Cio-Cio-San's child being a puppet (beautifully brought to life by Tom Espiner, Julia Innocenti and Laura Caldow).
It was a new Butterfly in the title role last night. The Russian-American soprano Dina Kuznetsova was wonderful. Her singing was clear and full of emotion. She looked good and moved well. She ticked all the boxes for a good Cio-Cio-San.
We cannot ignore Pamela Helen Stephen as her maid, Suzuki. Their duets were amongst the high points of the night.
Timothy Richards as Pinkerton was a bit lost amongst the orchestra and couldn't match the power of Kuznetsova's voice. He was somewhat outshone by Goro (Alun Rhys-Jenkins), Sharpless (George von Bergen) and particularly Prince Yamadori (Alexander Robin Baker).
It is a great production - well worth a look! And what a story!
Thursday, 10 October 2013
Elektra - The Royal Opera
The last time I saw Elektra at the Royal Opera House it had the wonderful Eva Marton in the title role. I also remember the walls of the set oozing 'blood'. That, however, was a very long time ago.
Whilst this is not a new production to the Opera House <http://roh.org.uk> , it is new to me. I wasn't moved either way by the set or the costumes - vaguely modern with classical overtones.
I had forgotten that this really is an opera about women, whilst there are a few men (the odd servant, Orest, Orest's companion, Ägisth), it is the women who inhabit the stage for the whole performance - in particular Elektra. To sustain the title role you need stamina and a big voice - Christine Goerke has (by the bucket load!). Not only was her singing exceptional, she could also act! Her performance was thrilling and worthy of the tumultuous applause at the curtain.
Let us not ignore Adrianne Pieczonka as Elektra's sister, Chrysothemis. She too gave a magnificent performance. Michaela Schuster as Klytämnestra, their mother, completed this splendid trio of voices.
Ms Goerke must have been drained by the performance - I certainly was!
Whilst this is not a new production to the Opera House <http://roh.org.uk> , it is new to me. I wasn't moved either way by the set or the costumes - vaguely modern with classical overtones.
I had forgotten that this really is an opera about women, whilst there are a few men (the odd servant, Orest, Orest's companion, Ägisth), it is the women who inhabit the stage for the whole performance - in particular Elektra. To sustain the title role you need stamina and a big voice - Christine Goerke has (by the bucket load!). Not only was her singing exceptional, she could also act! Her performance was thrilling and worthy of the tumultuous applause at the curtain.
Let us not ignore Adrianne Pieczonka as Elektra's sister, Chrysothemis. She too gave a magnificent performance. Michaela Schuster as Klytämnestra, their mother, completed this splendid trio of voices.
Ms Goerke must have been drained by the performance - I certainly was!
Wednesday, 9 October 2013
Don Quixote - The Royal Ballet
It's been a while since I have "put pen to paper" so to speak, not lack of seeing things, more a lack of inclination! Anyway, last night I went to see the Royal Ballet's new production by Carlos Acosta of Don Quixote <<http://www.roh.org.uk/>>
My biggest gripe is that it is a long evening - three acts and two intervals (Prologue/Act 1 - 51 minutes, Act 2 - 32 minutes, Act 3 - 36 minutes). It is - of course - to allow for big scene changes, but some of the scene changing still overlapped into the action (each time the 'town' appeared).
Really the story is of little consequence, the whole evening is a showcase for the skills of the dancers. You don't worry about what is going on as there is too much to watch and marvel at - the audience last night loved it all! Our two leads were very good. Iana Salenko was a spectacular Kitri, full of poise and grace. Steven McRae's Basilio was full of fire and passion.
All the other principals worked hard and had a good time too.
The packed auditorium lapped it up. Me, I think I could have done with it being somewhat shorter and less of an introduction to the dancers of the Royal Ballet.
My biggest gripe is that it is a long evening - three acts and two intervals (Prologue/Act 1 - 51 minutes, Act 2 - 32 minutes, Act 3 - 36 minutes). It is - of course - to allow for big scene changes, but some of the scene changing still overlapped into the action (each time the 'town' appeared).
Really the story is of little consequence, the whole evening is a showcase for the skills of the dancers. You don't worry about what is going on as there is too much to watch and marvel at - the audience last night loved it all! Our two leads were very good. Iana Salenko was a spectacular Kitri, full of poise and grace. Steven McRae's Basilio was full of fire and passion.
All the other principals worked hard and had a good time too.
The packed auditorium lapped it up. Me, I think I could have done with it being somewhat shorter and less of an introduction to the dancers of the Royal Ballet.
Wednesday, 14 August 2013
Sweet Bird of Youth - The Old Vic
I have to confess that it is quite some time since I have seen anything at The Old Vic <http://www.oldvictheatre.com> , and, having been last night I shouldn't leave it so long again.
I was encouraged into this by some friends who wanted to see Sex & the City's Kim Cattrall - and actually, so did I!
Sweet Bird of Youth is a big play, addressing lots of big themes - the most obvious one being age - but it also deals with fame, small town bigotry and the power of cash.
Marianne Elliott's production, designed by Rae Smith and lit by Bruno Poet, is wonderful. We are drawn into the shuttered heat of St Cloud from the very start. Tensions build and the plot unfolds.
Kim Cattrall is wonderful as the aging actress Alexandra del Largo. She is a monster, but a monster with feelings. Seth Numrich as Chance Wayne is expertly cast as the gigolo coming back to his home town. His swagger and bravado having no effect any more. And, you can certainly see why he would have caught the eye....I think the modern expression is eye candy!
There aren't many performances left. If you have time, try and see it!
I was encouraged into this by some friends who wanted to see Sex & the City's Kim Cattrall - and actually, so did I!
Sweet Bird of Youth is a big play, addressing lots of big themes - the most obvious one being age - but it also deals with fame, small town bigotry and the power of cash.
Marianne Elliott's production, designed by Rae Smith and lit by Bruno Poet, is wonderful. We are drawn into the shuttered heat of St Cloud from the very start. Tensions build and the plot unfolds.
Kim Cattrall is wonderful as the aging actress Alexandra del Largo. She is a monster, but a monster with feelings. Seth Numrich as Chance Wayne is expertly cast as the gigolo coming back to his home town. His swagger and bravado having no effect any more. And, you can certainly see why he would have caught the eye....I think the modern expression is eye candy!
There aren't many performances left. If you have time, try and see it!
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