CKP with Red Comedy - Andrew Bird's Village Fete. Gilded Balloon Teviot 21/8/11

Andrew Bird’s stand-up show was about ‘country life where the local news isn’t all about the big stories, just the ridiculous little ones’ and I couldn’t work out if Northumberland villagers would’ve felt a little ridiculed.

Andrew Bird was a warm and likeable comedian who never ventured too far over the line. His ‘country life’ observations were taken mainly from the local Parish newsletter though less than a third of the shows material related to village life and the rest was his own personal stories and anecdotes. A likeable comedian with a good audience rapport (no threat of humiliation) with an ok show but not near the top of the list. Duration 55 mins

Inside Intelligence - Teddy and Topsy - Isadora's Love Letters to Gorden Craig. Hill St Theatre 21/8/11

This was an adaptation of iconic dancer Isadora Duncan’s love letters to theatre director Gordon Craig and though Anne-Marie Paraskeva’s performance as Isadora was fresh, sparkly and believable, the show felt one dimensional. The story was told through the letters -  Craigs words appeared only briefly towards the end -  but felt less like a story being told than

Duncan

’s a character being revealed. I didn’t feel like I cared one way or another about the two characters and their relationship.  

Dance performances can be more difficult to accommodate in village venues. Although this is essentially a theatre piece that uses dance, I’d figured it could be a way of increasing the presence of dance on our menu. 

Whilst this one woman show could physically work in village halls - set was a simple back drop - for me, it was not enough.  Show duration. 1hr 15

Frisky& Mannish Review – Rosie Cross

Name of company	Phil McIntyre Entertainment
Name of show	Frisky & Mannish:  Pop Centre Plus
Genre	Cabaret, music
Venue	Udderbelly
Date	Friday  19 Aug  2011

Review An evening treat for me – and such a treat.   Amazingly talented performers.  Loved the show, even tho’ my limited knowledge of pop music meant that I didn’t get all the references.  The show is a  pop culture parody that consists of  musical and dramatic rearrangement of well-known pop songs. The very funny Bee Gees take off was the icing on a luscious cake.   They obviously have a huge cult following – this was good and bad, as I don’t really like [to me inane] superficial screaming before the artists have even started their performance.   For me, the duo was far more talented than many of their audience gave them the credit for.    If artists “mess around” with a musical genres (especially one which has such an enormous popular appeal) they have to be exceptionally good and what they’re doing.   And they are!

Suitable / ready for rural touring?	No – too many technical requirements and much too large a show.   Tho’ I have since looked them up on You Tube and have seen footage of them performing in a small theatre, with a baby grant and no screen projection or big lighting effects -  which the Udderbelly venue provided
Would you book them ?	no
Would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future?	no

Any other comments Extraneous noises from the evening crowd outside the Udderbelly was distracting.

Private Peaceful Review - Rosie Cross

Name of company	Scamp Theatre
Name of show	Private Peaceful
Genre	Theatre
Venue	Udderbelly
Date	Saturday  20 Aug  2011

Review Well written, well performed and well received.  Powerful one-man show from the novel, written by  Michael Mulpurgo.  Just a simple bed as the set; and only a top coat with back pack as additional costume – ideal for small scale touring.   With the 1st World Ward on the school curriculum and many anniversaries imminent in the coming years, it would be nice if Scamp would consider Rural Touring.   Will ask them again, but I feel that they consider themselves in a different league from Rural Touring [ho hum].   When I asked them about touring a show 2 years ago, they weren’t interested.

Suitable / ready for rural touring?	yes
Would you book them?	yes
Would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future?	Probably  not, ‘cos it seems they’re sticking to arts centres and small theatres

Any other comments I  know of another company (Coope, Boyes & Simpson – a music trio) who have their own  version of ‘Private Peaceful’,   They  tour it with Michael Mulpurgo.   Will find out more.    Incidentally the Scamp production used Coope ,  Boyes & Simpson’s CD  for pre-show music.   Will find out whether the Udderbelly was declaring it for PRS …

Rom Com Con Review - Rosie Cross

Name of company	Mace & Burton
Name of show	Rom Com Con
Genre	Stand-up comedy, with Projection
Venue	Medina
Date	Saturday  20 Aug  2011

Review Went on a whim, having been leafleted, whilst in the Udderbelly queue, getting my ticket for Private Peaceful.  That discourse (it was one of the performers ) persuaded me to go along  - that and the fact that it was a free show .   It  was a gentle feel good show about two 20-30 year old girls who don’t want to remain single and go through techniques used in Romantic comedy movies to see if they work to get a man!   Just the 2 of them and  projected images and interviews on a screen behind them.  One of the performers operated the lap  top.  The demographic in the small but packed venue was probably around 80% being under 35 and the rest over 35.    But I’m well over 35 and I really  enjoyed it.

Suitable / ready for rural touring?	yes
Would you book them?	yes
Would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future?	I fear not, ‘cos it seems they’re on the look out for comedy clubs and TV……

Any other comments I mentioned the National Rural Touring Forum‘s Rural Touring seminar on Tuesday.   I wonder if either of them will go?     I sort of feel they won’t

Tales from the Shed Review - Rosie Cross

Name of company	Chickenshed
Name of show	Tales from the Shed
Genre	Children’s puppets and songs
Venue	Zoo Roxy (the Warren)
Date	Saturday  20 Aug  2011

Review So so.   A company of 7 (plus techie?) .  One of the 7 stayed on the keyboard all the time.  Two of the remaining 6 very much carried the other 4 in terms of being front people and also regarding interaction with the children in the audience.  The other 4 were rather like ‘also rans’, although I guess they operated the puppets from the behind the screen/the shed.  The puppets were rather tired looking – poor copies of brightly coloured  Sesame Street type characters ; and the puppetry was nothing special – often quite poor.  It would possibly  be OK for  pre-school activity, but I wouldn’t feel comfortable asking village hall audiences to pay to come and see it.

Suitable / ready for rural touring?	Not really
Would you book them ?	no
Would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future?	no

Any other comments

Bane 1, 2 & 3 Review - Rosie Cross

Name of company	Whitebone Productions
Name of show	Bane 1, 2 & 3 ( I saw Bane 1)
Genre	Comedy, storytelling
Venue	Pleasance Dome  (Ace Dome)
Date	Friday  19 Aug  2011

Review I feel very privileged to have seen and enjoyed this show.   One guy sits on the side, playing moody acoustic guitar.  The other – Joe Bone – with only his body and his voice (note – no microphone) brings the story of gun slinging super sleuth Bruce Bane alive.   He depicted all the larger than life characters superbly, painted wonderful word paintings of all the action in all its gory detail and !  A great understated relationship with the audience was established.   Joe draws you in to the story.   Quite luminous.   Great writing and equally fabulous storytelling.

Suitable / ready for rural touring?	yes
Would you book them ?	yes
Would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future?	If they are up for it.

Any other comments