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News: Pubs and theatre. An age-old pairing.
This exciting project will no doubt resonate with anyone that has ever stepped into a pub, so this February, grab your pint of Drunken Nights and witness something completely original and unique.
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News: The 28 Day Project launches wonderful opportunities
The 28 Day Project is an exciting initiative offering emerging talent a step into the film business.
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Have you got the Star Wars X Factor?
Thousands turned away at open auditions after standing in the rain for hours.
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News: TheatreCraft returns to help young people’s backstage careers
The 8th annual event returns to the Royal Opera House later this month.
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BLOG: Theatre: the best casino shows around the world
Casinos around the world offer some of the best theatrical entertainment you can find.
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BLOG: 5 Best Actors in Superhero Cinema
Is “superhero” acting any less challenging?
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Blog: Films to study for inspiration
Watching great actors can often inform your own work.
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Blog: Shakespeare experimenting with the limits of contemporary drama
Briony Rawle heads to Yorkshire and takes a closer look at Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale.
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Review: Bat Boy, Southwark Playhouse ✭✭✭
A campy fun musical with bite screams Douglas Mayo.
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Review: Visitors, Arcola Theatre ✭✭✭✭
Barney Norris first full-length play is an exquisitely written examination of love and loss, writes Alex Delaney.
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Review: 1984, Almeida Theatre ✭✭✭✭✭
This fresh vision of 1984 feels like a rediscovery of Orwell’s dystopia, writes Sophia Longhi.
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Review: Secret Theatre – Show 4, Lyric Hammersmith ✭✭✭✭
This review comes with a capitalised, emboldened and even italicised, SPOILER ALERT. That should do, writes Briony Rawle.
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Review: The Glorious Ones, The Landor ****
The Glorious Ones is that glorious thing – a truly original musical, writes JBR.
View 1 comments or add your ownPhoto Mitzi de MargaryWith one hand on its crotch and one on its heart, The Glorious Ones stumbles joyfully and raucously into The Landor Theatre. This tale of an itinerant Commedia dell’Arte troupe in 17th Century Italy tickles the ribs, delights the head, and captures the heart.
The stock characters of commedia are all here, Columbina the servetta, Pantalone, Dottore, the innamorati, but the lines between the characters they portray and who they really are, have become less defined through their travels, and it is their relationships both on and off the stage that provide the dramatic and emotional narrative of the musical.
Howard Hudson’s gorgeous, understated lighting flickers imaginatively throughout
Robert McWhir’s tight and detailed direction allows the larger-than-life characters to fill the small Landor stage, without it ever once seeming cluttered, while shining a forensic spotlight on each character in turn. Howard Hudson’s gorgeous, understated lighting flickers imaginatively throughout, washing the stage in a sepia glow like the crumbling playbills that advertise The Glorious Ones’ performances. Martin Thomas’ set of traveling cases and makeshift stages accentuates the vagabond aspect, while Hannah Gibbs’ costumes capture the spirit and vim of the players.
Musically, Niall Bailey’s orchestrations pare down the score, supporting rather than overpowering the cast and Joanna Cichonska as Musical Director keeps the music dancing along. It is possible that you may not leave the theatre humming Stephen Flaherty’s melodies, but Lynn Ahrens’ lyrics, at times witty, at times touching, will doubtless haunt you. It is only in combination that you realise the true power of their partnership, most recently celebrated in London here at The Landor, in the gorgeous Ragtime.
Although Mike Christie lacks the towering charisma and necessary stage presence to carry off the role of Flaminio Scala, the leader of the troupe, the rest of the ensemble more than make up for this. Kate Brennan, as Columbina, threatens to steal the show with a heartbreaking ballad, My Body Wasn’t Why, while as Armanda, Jodie Beth Meyer’s Armanda’s Sack offers a touching tribute to their leader. As the innamorati Francesco and Isabella, Christopher Berry and Anouska Eaton both shine. All the characters, even the woefully underused Peter Straker as Pantalone and David Muscat as Dottore manage to transcend their stock roles and imbue their characters with life and a painful fragility that reflects human nature.
This show is at its best as a riotous ensemble, filling the stage with wit, joy and filth; the journey of The Glorious Ones is a journey through life and art. It is that most inventive of productions – a truly original musical – catch it now.
**** 4 stars
Runs until 7th April
More infoPublished on March 13, 2012 · Filed under: Featured, Reviews; Tagged as: Anouska Eaton, Christopher Berry, David Muscat, Hannah Gibbs, Joanna Cichonska, Jodie Beth Meyer, Kate Brennan, Martin Thomas, Mike Christie, Niall Bailey, Peter Straker, Robert McWhir, The Glorious Ones, The Landor