Bob's Blog - THE MANY MISHAPS OF MR VINEGAR - 2 boards and a Passion, Surgeon's Hall

This company had made an unsuccessful pitch to the PANDA pitching day, and I offered to view it to give feedback.
It's based on a traditional story of a "village idiot" type.
I found it amateurish, with poor production values and poor performance skills. There's a lot of second-rate children's theatre out there, and I'm afraid this is part of it. Lines were fluffed, choreography was rudimentary and inexpertly done, set was crude, cheap and looked it. There was an annoyingly memorable ditty that was repeated till you couldn't get it out of your head -that's one of the plus points. The other was quite a nice sound effect of Mr Vinegar's slow thought-processes.
There was no attempt to interact with the children in the audience before the show began. Towrads the end there was abit of moderately successful slapstick that got a reaction from the children just as i though they were sinking into complete apathy.
It appeared to be one of those husband-and-wife shows with no outside direction, and no realsense of where the best children's theatre is nowadays (see my Shona Reppe review)

Hello, Jakki Moore from The Beggar's Theatre in Millom, Cumbria here. Been up in Edinburgh reviewing the shows for Rural Touring and I have seen some brilliant productions.

The first show I saw was 

'The Boat Factory' 6.30 pm at Hill Street Venue. This is receiving great reviews and everyone I spoke to 'loved it'! It was a good production and definitely worth a visit if you are going up to the festival.

Simple set, two actors tell us the tale of The Factory in Belfast that built the Titanic and The Cambera. Two good friends who were proud to be part of the historic company each tell their own tale capturing humour and poignancy.

This would be a simple enough production for any Rural venue. Simple scaffolding set and not a complicated lighting set up.

Recommended.

I also saw 'Discount Comedy Checkout Sketch Show'. 3.45pm The nightclub on Cowgate, Free Fringe! This is a great little show if your venue has a keen comedy following like The Beggar's. There are 8 actors but speaking to them, they aim to use no more than 4 at a time. Good strong actors, keen and eager to develop their circuit. If Rural touring were interested then I think it might be a nice little show to tour. I am definitely going to working with this group. They are Leeds area based. Lights on lights off, microphone for the host and that's it!

Recommended 

Another comedy act I went to see was 'Croft and Pearce'. Gilded Balloon, Teviot 12noon. This female double act were very strong and slick. Clever scripts and very talented performers. Nothing offensive. I know the agent and spoke to her about Rural Touring. She was keen to listen so it isn't a non starter. They are a fresh new act and I think it would be a nice new addition to Rural Touring.

Recommended

“Bitch Boxer” Underbelly @ Cowgate 4pm (china plate recommendation) 

This was fantastic! A definite if you are going up to Edinburgh this year. One of four of the Old Vic new writing season at the Underbelly. I heard great things about the other three too and wish I had been able to see all of them.

A story about a young woman and her father, boxing and love. Again, simple set, need enough space I would say for a boxing ring which is simply created at the beginning as part of the play, using chalk dust. One woman show.

I will definitely be chasing this one anyway but if we can get these or this as part of the Rural Touring, that would be fantastic. (bit of swearing)

Simple enough lighting and sound required.

Recommended

“The Great Puppet Horn” Underbelly, Cowgate 5.30 pm

I was emailed about this through the Arts Industry @ The Fringe. It looked good, animation and shadow puppets. To be honest, whilst it was a clever show and would be simple enough to tour, I am not sure if it is right for Rural Touring. If anyone else is going up and would like to go along, take a look and let us know your thoughts. The content was quite political, which is fine but often a bit off the wall and too random for our audiences, I feel.

Not recommended

“Growing Old Disgracefully” Virginia Ironside, Agony Aunt, journalist and Author.

12.15pm Gilded Balloon Teviot

This was just beautiful! I loved it.. I was the second youngest audience member in there, second to a young woman with her granny! I laughed so much and the audience loved it. Virginia talks about growing old. A few snippets from her exciting life in the 60's and 70's. Her friend Maggie's stories come through as she laughs at Maggies' new found youth and activity led life in her 60's!

I would definitely recommend this for Rural Touring, if we can get her. I think it would definitely go down well in places like Cockermouth.

Simple set of a coffee table and chair and lights on.

“Dirty Great Love Story” Pleasance Dome 1.20pm

This was great! Written in verse, two young people tell the story of love... in the modern day! Very funny, very modern and great for younger audiences. The audience loved it. Loosely based on the Romeo and Julliet I would say. Two actors, two stools! Language!

I wold definitely recommend this for Rural Touring.

“The Static” 2.40 pm Underbelly Cowgate.  (China Plate recommendation)

A fantastic play about a young lad who couldn't sit still and concentrate in class. Looking closely at mental health. The set was modern and even though very simple I am not sure how it was manouvered, although I think it was by the cast.. quite a physical piece with loud sound track. I loved it! I would love to look at bringing it to The Beggar's but not sure about a village hall to be honest. Be good to hear another view on this one. The audience loved the show but it looked like an audience of theatre goers and new writing lovers. This was a 'made in scotland' production and I'm undecided on how suitable it is for Rural Touring.

“Bane” 5.30 pm Pleasance Dome  (Rural Touring programme)

Brilliant! Went to see that because I have booked it for this season's Rural Tour. One man plays multiple characters from a film noire genre adventures of Bruce Bane.. killer! Hilarious, energetic, superbly performed and very very clever! Performed to a live soundtrack on guitar. The audience loved it and made up of majority men!

Recommended

“The Fantasist” 12.25 pm Dairy Room, Underbelly at Teviot

Inspired through mental health, this was a beautiful and funny piece told through physical theatre and puppetry. A small set, very well designed, with disappearing beds and heads in cupboards and a dancing, evil over coat! The story of a young woman's fight with voices in her head, living in a constitution. Cannot recommend this highly enough. I spoke with the producer and director who are very keen to tour this production after Edinburgh. I have her card and promised I would email her details for Rural Touring after Edinburgh.

The Beggar's would love to take this and I know it would go down well at Kirkgate. I think village hall venues would be able to accommodate the set, I am unsure about the technical side, if you don't have a theatre set up but I am sure this is a detail that can be easily sorted. If they are going to tour, maybe they will be able to design it for this purpose. I also spoke to them about funding options open to them. This was an extremely sophisticated production.

Recommended

“Translunar Paradise” 5.25pm Pleasance Dome  (china Plate recommendation)

Beautiful! This is a pure physical theatre piece with a live accordian sound track. Two very talented actors tell the tale of bereavement through mask and physical theatre. No words necessary!!

Space would be needed for this piece. Not sure how it would work in village halls, dependant on the size I presume. I think the audiences of Rural Touring would love it. Very simple set and lights.

The story is inspired through bereavement in cancer. A standing ovation!

Recommended

I was very lucky to be able to see lots of comedy and theatre this year. I also loved catching up with Country Boy Struggle  who was on our Rural Touring last season and set him up with his new Agent! Very excited about that! I know he has 120 dates after Edinburgh so if you haven't booked him yet, then make sure you do! Go see him at Pleasance Two, Courtyard, 2.35pm. This guy is set for big things.. especially now he has a fantastic new agent in Vivienne Smith (Ed Byrne and Patrick Monahan)

So many amazing reviews of theatre this year. There is just not enough time to see what you want to see.

Edinburgh Village Hall 2012: Ellen Thorpe

Name of company	Rob Drummond
Name of show	Bullet Catch
Genre	Theatre
Venue	The Traverse
Date	9.8.12

Review This show, play, whatever it was, was superb from start to finish.  It was tense and dramatic.  Rob Drummond’s performance was just nervous and cautious enough to create an edgy feel.  He was spell binding and had the audience captivated.   Bullet Catch was played as though it were a magic show, feats of astounding ‘mind reading’ were presented leaving the audience gasping at their accuracy.  The pace was slow and deliberate, calculated to heighten the drama as we were led to the final illusion, the ‘bullet catch.’  Underlying all this was a whole physiological strand raising ‘new’ ideas of the time, contemporary thought about the works of Freud and  Nietzsche and Nihilism (it was set in early 1900’s).  The production like all good magic shows used audience participation and Rob Drummond did this in a clever elaborate way.  Obviously every show would be slightly different according to the input and reaction of the volunteer at any given performance.  A great piece of work.

Why is the work suitable or not suitable / ready for rural touring ?	Yes, it is suitable.
Why would you book them ?  or  Why wouldn’t you book them ?	To present high quality work
Why would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future? Or not  ?	Yes

Edinburgh Village Hall 2012: Ellen Thorpe

Name of company	Pop Up Productions
Name of show	Jabberwocky
Genre	Children’s theatre
Venue	The Space @ Surgeon’s Hall
Date	8.8.12

Review Children’s play written by Suzy Enoch for Pop Up Productions, exploring Lewis Carroll’s Jabberwocky poem  from Through the Looking-Glass and What Alice Found There This show told the story of a boy called Jack who went in search of the Jabberwocky and on the journey encountered the character’s in the nonsense poem.  There were five performers and a technician making it a big company to tour children’s theatre but a lovely piece and the young children in the audience really engaged with it.  This play subtly explored language using word play and got children to make ‘new’ words by combining 2 words together, the children in the audience joined in enthusiastically.  In general there was a fair amount of participation.  The set, props and costume were good, the performers were lively and engaging and the whole thing of high quality.

Why is the work suitable or not suitable / ready for rural touring ?	Ready to tour and of high quality though expensive I guess because of the numbers.
Why would you book them ?  or  Why wouldn’t you book them ?	To present high quality work for children
Why would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future? Or not  ?	Yes

Edinburgh Village Hall 2012: Ellen Thorpe

Name of company	Theatre Ad Infinitum
Name of show	Translunar Paradise
Genre	Physical theatre & mask
Venue	Pleasance Dome
Date	8.8.12

Review A beautiful lyrical piece of physical theatre using mask about love, grieving and loss.    There was a problem with the venue lighting but it did not detract from a perfect performance. The story was told with mask, representing the present and without mask representing the past.  The musician/singer played and sang beautifully, she skilfully used her voice and accordion to make sound effects and percussive noises to create atmosphere and dramatically represent a character’s dying breath.  She passed props and held the mask at particular moments.  The story was presented seamlessly by the 3 performers and every move was choreographed exquisitely.  It was a tale of two ordinary people falling in love and living their life presented in a poetic and extraordinary way without words and with intense communication between the couple and to the audience. Nearly everyone was on their feet at the end…

Why is the work suitable or not suitable / ready for rural touring ?	Ready to tour and of high quality though expensive I guess because of the numbers.
Why would you book them ?  or  Why wouldn’t you book them ?	To present high quality work for children

Edinburgh Village Hall 2012: Ellen Thorpe

Name of company	Caroline Horton
Name of show	Mess
Genre	Theatre
Venue	Traverse
Date	8.8.12

Review It was hard to think how one would present a piece about Anorexia Nervosa and Caroline Horton manages to explore this mental health issue with humour and incisive comment.  The performance was strong and well acted.  The music and sound effects were very good, the comedy slightly surreal.  It was an ensemble piece and had integrity.  The company work perfectly together to create aspects of the ‘controlled’ world of the anorexic.  The actors used the dialogue to explore and illuminate aspects of anorexia and sometimes stepped out of character to comment and make lighter moments.  It is brave to tackle a subject like this and one should be aware Anorexia Nervosa is not confined to ‘girls’ nor even ‘young people ’ and can afflict people of any age.

Why is the work suitable or not suitable / ready for rural touring ?	A high quality piece Not for rural touring
Why would you book them ?  or  Why wouldn’t you book them ?	The subject matter and production would not lend itself to working in community halls
Why would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future? Or not  ?	Of course and I have booked Caroline Horton before.

Edinburgh Village Hall 2012: Ellen Thorpe

Name of company	Mace & Burton
Name of show	Rom Com Con
Genre	Cabaret
Venue	Canons Gait Inn
Date	8.8.12

Review A two hander with minimal set.  Mace and Burton are two young performers and in their show: Rom Com Con they discuss and joke with the aid of various projected lists and images, the conundrum of how two young women might set about meeting or finding their ‘Mr Right’...  Having discarded other methods they embark on a journey using Romantic Comedy films as the means of finding their ‘man.’  Their conclusion or finding is in the title…. It’s a comic exercise doomed to failure and Mace and Burton present it in a lively, friendly way with much self-deprecation and honesty.

Why is the work suitable or not suitable / ready for rural touring ?	The concept is good but would need to discuss further how it would work in community halls
Why would you book them ?  or  Why wouldn’t you book them ?	Yes possibly
Why would it be worth pursuing this company to consider work in the future? Or not  ?	Yes possibly