theatre – Page 4 – Review Wizard

We galloped over to York Theatre Royal to catch some old(e) school entertainment, courtesy of Le Navet Bete…

Having seen The Three Musketeers, Dracula, Treasure Island and A Christmas Carol, this wasn’t our first rodeo. Or…joust…to be more in-keeping with the theme. With Le Navet, you can always Bete on a great night’s entertainment, and King Arthur does not disappoint.

Part Monty Python, part The Play That Goes Wrong, expect a high-energy show with lots of knockabout fun, quick (and countless) costume changes and gags galore.

I’d Like a Room for Three (K)nights

The plot follows a motley trio and their quest to stage a play for Arthur-fest, by request of the King himself. The problem? There are no legends to be found, and the clock is ticking. The gang scramble to embellish stories from characters they meet around Camelot, or risk a year of scrubbing toilets…or worse!

This is a real comedy of errors, confusing at times but that only adds to the fun. Nick Bunt, Al Dunn and Matt Freeman play an eye-popping array of characters, and seamlessly switch roles, accents, wigs, tabards and frocks. Seldom-seem Stage Managers (Fi Russell and Jess Crocker) must be working their socks off behind-the-scenes to keep order amongst the chaos!

In the second act, each of the stories is highlighted with a catchy jingle. There are tales of dragons, knights, an invisi-bullock and a bath of boiling beans. My own knowledge of Arthurian legend is limited, so I’m not sure how much of a spin they’ve put on a each tale…but I’d wager they’re not 100% accurate.

A Little Horseplay

What the show lacks in accuracy, it more than makes up for in fun – with brilliant buffoonery, larger than life characters and just the right level of audience participation. There were many highlights, one of mine being Merlin’s wife who – inexplicably – could walk upstairs but never down them. As Merlin exclaimed between naff magic tricks, ‘She’s like a cow!’.

A flirtatious Guinevere elicits laughs too, with a chocolate milkshake and a familiar song. Oh and of course things go amiss, and the gents are quick to acknowledge the absurdity of the whole premise. The montages as the trio learn acting and stagecraft are inspired.

There was a slight dip in pace in the first act, and things took a while to hit the big funnies of the brilliant intro again. However, once it found it’s (ostrich) legs, it was a sprint to the finish with fast-faced frenetic fun.

Taking Stock

Is that image a stock photo, I wonder? The production team have gone positively medieval on the design of the show.

Fi Russell’s set design features a castle backdrop that transforms into a show tent, and cleverly uses multiple levels for the players to scale up and down, and even leap off at points.

And there wouldn’t be a round table big enough for all the props here; from frying pans, planks and puppets to vegetables, sacks, swords and the classic cup and ball game. ‘Thrust Cup’ are two words I didn’t expect to hear last night…

Sometimes you have to be a Little Bit Naughty

Fun for all the family? The suggested age rating is 7+ and there’s plenty of innuendo and a very funny naughty bit at the start (that I won’t spoil) which our seven and ten-year-old loved. The gents are so likeable though, that these cheeky moments are just that…a little cheeky, and never really offensive. I’ve heard far worse in so called family-friendly pantomimes.

Younger audience members may struggle to follow the many twists and turns of the absurd plot, but the show is highly visual and delightfully silly. Our two boys have been reenacting some of the scenes over breakfast, and are interested to find out more about the legends (fist pump) of King Arthur.

Queen songs, egg puns and more slapstick than you can shake a sword at. What’s not to like? This is comic chaos of the highest (ex)calibre!

MAGIC RATING

VALUE FOR MONEY

OVERALL

King Arthur runs at York Theatre Royal until Saturday 23rd March. Book tickets at www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk/show/king-arthur/. Follow Le Navet Bete’s tour at https://lenavetbete.com/

Disclaimer: Tickets were kindly provided for this performance, however all opinions are honest and are our own.

Last night we ‘opened the bloody door’ of York Theatre Royal, and attended Blue Beard by Wise Children. Not knowing what to expect, we weren’t quite prepared for the powerful and emotive performance that followed…

I won’t give much away in terms of plot, but the story is a heady mix of betrayal, grief and dark humour. Don’t let the word children in the company ‘Wise Children’ mislead you…this is no family show. Expect explicit language, violence, sexual themes, blood and raw emotion. The age guidance is 14+

The entire cast are absolutely first-rate – strong performers, musicians and vocalists. This is truly an ensemble piece but I would like to mention Katy Owen as Mother Superior, and how well she switches between a darkly comedic role to an outpouring of raw unfiltered emotion. A stunning performance throughout.

As a magician, I was intrigued by the portrayal of Blue Beard as a man of magic. More Greatest Showman than Paul Daniels, he searches for his next assistant and wins over the unsuspecting females with his intoxicating charm. This flamboyant conjuror cuts a sharp image in his burgundy suit, and Tristan Sturrock relishes each moment of the role. Every single performer is given plenty of time to shine, and they all shine brightly.

Blue Beard is a feminist piece of theatre that explores various themes such as a grief, and every woman’s story of feeling unsafe at one time or another. My wife said she felt a real camaraderie as the cast shared their stories, their fears and their strength – and that this was a wholly unifying experience. As a male audience member, I didn’t feel as though the production was villainising men but rather highlighting the fact these things, sadly, do happen and that many woman feel like they don’t have a voice or the courage to speak up.

Technically the show is a triumph, everything is slick, polished and well choreographed. The sound is rich, and the talented actor-musicians add a real depth. All kinds of instruments feature from live piano, harp, bass and acoustic guitar. Unlike some productions, the sound is crystal clear and the levels well balanced.

Every aspect of this production is meticulously planned. The set is simple but effective, and has a flavour of vaudevillian theatre. Trunks and magician’s cases transform into wardrobes, and even a well-stocked refrigerator. The lighting design is sensational too, casting shadows and silhouettes or helping to conjure a vibrant cabaret atmosphere.

The costumes range from plain clothes and unassuming coven habits to a brilliantly designed Pierrot clown. When the nun’s habits are later removed, we see plain jeans and t-shirts…as if these people could be anyone. And that, I think, is entirely the point.

Emma Rice’s company innovates both on and offstage. I was pleasantly surprised to see the usual paper programme replaced with a QR code to scan, and that the entire backstage crew shared the bows with the cast at the end. The musical adaptation works well, and the songs range from catchy to poignant and heartbreaking.

We both left feeling a little shell-shocked, blown away by the powerful nature of the piece and the incredible storytelling and performances throughout. Despite challenging topics, love is an overriding theme too – whether the love of two sisters, mother and daughter, brother and sister or man and wife.

What really struck me was how deathly silent the entire audience was during some of the most evocative moments. Not a single cough, shuffle or murmur. This is the power of great theatre, and Wise Children had us hanging on every word. Breathtaking.

MAGIC RATING