Jen Henry - reviews 2

Jen Henry - CRTA
Here are the final few reviews I had yet to post.
Many thanks to all the bloggers on here. Its been great to read so many reviews.

Hanfunda Denki
Company - Ryuzanji Company (Tokyo)

A Japanese company bringing a very odd and disturbing piece. Set in a funeral parlour, the piece is based on a Japanese card game. Supposedly set in around 1918 (though the costumes were highly stylised and modern, so it didn’t make much difference when it was set). The premise was that the family who owned the funeral parlour were all dead and would facilitate taking the living into the world of the dead as a business. It was presented mostly as a musical , sung in typical Japanese karaoke style. The story developed as the owners tried to marry their daughter to one of the undead, but she wanted to marry a living criminal. The story went to some very dark and disturbing places, though often without much content, though of course some of that may have been lost in the translation. there were subtitles for the piece. Overall interesting to see , to see a very different style of theatre, but not a piece I would ever book.


Monkeywood Theatre - Northern stage at St Stephens.
Once in a house on fire

A raw and distinctly Mancunian true story about three sisters growing up in the shadow of poverty and domestic violence, based on Andrea Ashworth’s memoir. In a 1970s Moss Side terrace, Andy and her sisters are determined to make their family’s lives better. As their mother descends into hopeless self-destruction and a succession of stepfathers.
The group have worked closely with Ashworth to deliver this piece, and it shows. The feel is very authentic and the story told at a good pace. Occasional let ups in the pace happen during scene changes as costumes are changed on stage etc.
A company to watch for future work if not  for this piece.

Gilbert and Sullivan in Briefs
Ingenious Paradox / Nick Brooke Productions / Queens Theatre

I looked at his in a view to presenting some easy to access opera. Done very much in the style of the reduced Shakespeare type plays, its premise is that the 4 singers ( a Soprano, Mezzo, Tenor, Baritone) and piano accompaniment are told they have to go through all of Gilbert and Sullivan’s 13 operas, performing at least one song from each. In between there is some nice character interaction with small stories unfolding between the performers. Lots of frantic costumes and prop changes etc, add to the humour, but the real selling point is the quality of the singing, which was superb. It would appeal mostly to those who knew the operas, but would not exclude those who didn’t at all. Its frantic pace may make it a little hard to follow for those more unfamiliar with the works. All round good entertainment, and quality light opera.
American based production company so not sure if they will be touring.
It may be a bit too specialist for most promoters though.
I would consider booking them if they were touring , and if there was a promoter with an interest in this type of work to want them.