Immersive "Guys and Dolls" Revival to Open in February, 2023 at the Bridge Theatre in London's West End

 By James V. Ruocco

A new staging of Frank Loesser's iconic 1950's musical "Guys and Dolls" is set to open in central London at the Bridge Theatre in February, 2023.
The good news: this isn't just any revival.
The yet-to-be-cast production, directed by Nicholas Hytner (Director of the National Theatre from 2003-2015) will be performed  - up close and personal - in an completely immersive setting that will place theatergoers on the streets of Manhattan and the back alleys of Havana, Cuba to experience song-and-dance shows, crap games, dice rolling, late-night clubbing, religious sermons by mission bands, and romantic love stories involving two decidedly different couples. There's also a big sinner's revival, a wedding and a very happy ending.

Prior to "Guys and Dolls," Hytner has staged several plays at the Bridge Theatre including "A Midsummer Night's Dream," "Young Marx," "Julius Caesar, "Beat the Devil," "A Christmas Carol," "Two Ladies" and most recently, "Straight Line Crazy" starring Ralph Fiennes.
Other directorial credits include "Miss Saigon," "Les Miserables," "Carousel," "The Madness of King George," "The History Boys," "Talking Heads," "Hamlet," "Much Ado About Nothing" and "Major Barbara."

"Guys and Dolls" is the first musical to be staged at the Bridge.
First performed on Broadway in 1950 and followed three years later by its debut in London's West End, "Guys and Dolls" is based on two short stories by Damon Runyon. Written for the stage by Abe Burrows, the two-act musical charts the hilarious misadventures of the New York City underworld's gangsters, wheeler dealers, gamblers, showgirls and other assorted characters.

The Frank Loesser score (he composed the music and lyrics) features several popular showtunes including "Luck Be a Lady," "Fugue for Tinhorns," "I'll Know," "A Bushel and a Peck," "Sit Down, You're Rockin' the Boat," "I'll Know," "If I Were a Bell," "Take Back Your Mink," "Guys and Dolls" and "I've Never Been in Love Before."

The 2023 revival is being choreographed by Arlene Phillips. Tom Brady serves as musical director. Charlie Rosen is in charge of orchestrations. Bunny Christie is costume designer. Lighting design is by Paule Constable. Paul Arditt will design the sound for the Bridge Theatre presentation. Charlotte Sutton is casting director.

Per a statement from the Bridge Theatre booking staff: "In 'A Midsummer Night's Dream,' you raved with us in the forest. In 'Julius Caesar,' you ran wild with us as the mob.
"Now, come join us on Broadway for the biggest party yet as The Bridge transforms for one of the greatest musicals of all time.
"It has more hit songs, most laughs and more romance than any other show written."

"Guys and Dolls" will begin previews at the Bridge Theatre (3 Potters Field Park, London, UK) February 27, 2023 with opening night slated for March 9, 2023.
Performances are 7:30 p.m. Mondays through Saturdays and 2:30 p.m. Thursday and Saturdays
Tickets are £15 to £150.
Email: boxoffice@bridgetheatre.co.uk
For tickets or more information, call 0333 320 0051.
website: bridgetheatre.co.uk.

Upcoming Bridge Theatre productions include "The Southbury Child" (July 1-August 27, 2022), a new play by Stephen Beresford starring Alex Jennings; and Henrik Ibsen's "John Gabriel Borkman" (September 24-November 26, 2022) starring Simon Russell Beale.

Gary Barlow Brings "A Different Stage" to London's Duke of York's Theatre This August and September

By James V. Ruocco

"I've done shows where it has just been me and a keyboard. I've done shows where I sit and talk to people. I've done shows where I've performed as part of a group. But this one, well, it's like none of them. When I walk out this time, well it's going to be a very different stage altogether."

Gary Barlow

Following a sold-out tour in Manchester, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Cheshire, Salford and Runcorn, British pop star, singer and songwriter Gary Barlow (of "Take That" fame) brings his acclaimed one-man show to London's West End this August and September.

Performances begin Tuesday, August 30 at the Duke of York's Theatre.

"Bringing it to London is a dream," says Barlow. "And the Duke of York's is the perfect setting for this story."

So what's it about?

"A Different Stage" is a unique, up-close and personal look at Barlow who, according to those who have already seen the show, tells the story of the singer's life through music, song, conversation and recollections. In between chatting directly with the audience, the handsome entertainer will sing, ad lib, play instruments, take the audience behind the performance curtain and have great fun doing all of the above.

Nothing is off limits.

The Duke of York's is "thrilled to host the event," welcome Barlow to the West End and sit back and enjoy his "intimate performance."

Expect to hear hits like "Back for Good," "Patience," "Rule the World," "Shine," "Love Won't Wait," "Pray," "The Flood," "Shame," "So Help Me Girl," "Forever Love," "For All That You Want, "Why Can't I Wake Up With You" - and so many more.
But be forewarned: This is not a "greatest hits" show. With Barlow pulling the strings, there's a "surprise element" with every performance. Therefore, no two shows are alike.

On tour, "A Different Stage," not surprisingly, opened to rave reviews, thus, prompting  one "sold-out" show after another.

"A brave and beautiful retelling of his whole life story...a seriously emotional experience."

Manchester Evening News

"Well worthy of a standing ovation."

Warrington Guardian

"The story of his life told in a completely unique, theatrical style."

Runcorn & Widnes World

"Two hours of close exposure produces an utterly ecstatic response."

The Scotsman

For the record, the British-born Barlow (he hails from Frodsham, England) is one of the UK's most acclaimed performers. As part of the popular boy band "Take That," he has received eight BRIT Awards and sold over 50 million records. He has also co-written and produced music for other renowned artists including Sir Elton John, Robbie Williams and Shirley Bassey.
In 2012, he was appointed an "Officer of the Order of the British Empire" at the 2012 "Queen's Birthday Honours" for his collaborative efforts to the music industry and various UK charities. 

"I'm absolutely thrilled and feel very privileged to be in the company of so many brilliant people who I know have received an OBE," said Barlow in a prepared statement. "Every minute of the work that I do, with a lot of it being a reward in itself. So for somebody to decide I should get recognised for that is just amazing."

More recently, he composed the musical score for the London and Broadway production of "Finding Neverland" and worked alongside Tim Firth on "Calendar Girls: The Musical." He also collaborated on the record-breaking stage musical "The Band" with Firth and his "Take That" team. It is presently being adapted into a 2022 feature film titled "Greatest Days."

In October 2021, Barlow released "The Dream of Christmas," his first Christmas album. A collection of holiday classics and news songs, the Deluxe CD featured 15 tracks including "Sleigh Ride," "The Dream of Christmas," "It's the Most Wonderful Time of the Year," "Come On Christmas," "Merry Christmas Everyone," "I've Got My Love to Keep Me Warm" and "Winter Wonderland."
Other albums include "Music Played by Humans," "Sing," "Open Road," "Wonderland," "Nobody Else," "Progress" and "Since I Last Saw You."

"A Different Stage" runs August 30 through September 25, 2022 at the Duke of York's Theatre (104 St. Martin's Lane, London).
Performances  are 19:30 on Tuesdays through Saturdays and 14.30 on Sundays. 
Tickets are  £22 to £169.40.

"There's definitely music in the show," says Barlow via "Gary Barlow Official" on YouTube. "I'm in the show. It's me on stage with a piano and an organ. There's chat. There's funny times. There's emotional times. It's a show about a life. It's a theatrical show.
"The one thing I realized from doing this show is that it's not just actually my life. It's our lives. So many of the things in the show you'll all relate too. It's a show of firsts - right here."

Barlow, of course, can't contain his excitement over this project, which, was in development for exactly four years.
"It's the most demanding and scary thing I've done in a very long time. I'm very proud of it. So please come and see us."

To reserve tickets for "A Different Stage," call The Duke of York's Theatre at 0884 871 7627. You can also book tickets through Ticketmaster at 0161 425 7563.

The Platinum Jubilee Celebration of Queen Elizabeth II

 

By James V. Ruocco

It's the celebration of the year.

Puddings.
Parties.
Concerts.
Parades.
Picnics.
Pageants,
Tributes.
Remembrances.
Exhibits.
Grand lunches.
Church services.

On February 6, 2022, Queen Elizabeth II will become the very first British monarch in history to celebrate a Platinum Jubilee. Prior to 2015, Queen Victoria, who died on January 22, 1901, held the title of the longest official ruling monarch on the throne of England for 63 years and seven months. She was also the first monarch to live in Buckingham Palace.

To date, seven decades have passed since Elizabeth II acceded to the throne at the age of 25 following the death of her father, King George VI on February 6, 1952 of lung cancer at the age of 56. As Queen of England, she has advised 14 prime ministers including Sir Winston Churchill, Anthony Eden, Margaret Thatcher and David Cameron and met with 13 U.S. presidents from Harry Truman and John F. Kennedy to George W. Bush, Barack Obama and Donald Trump.
As Queen, she has supported the nation as ruler and figurehead through many crises - The Gulf War, the mining disaster in Wales, the death of Diana, the Princess of Wales and the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic.
She will be 96 when the main Jubilee celebration begins this June.
More than 10 million people are expected to participate in the event - a first for the monarchy as The Platinum Jubilee has never been celebrated before.

The Platinum Jubilee will honor Queen Elizabeth II through various tributes and celebrations throughout the year, culminating in a gala four-day national bank holiday weekend of public events from Thursday, June 2 until Sunday, June 5, known as "The Queen's Jubilee Weekend."  These "national moments of reflection," as dictated by Buckingham Palace, will pay homage to the Queen's 70 years of service. The upcoming celebrations - themed events at Sandringham House and Balmoral Castle - plus  specially organized community activities throughout the United Kingdom will mark the first Jubilee event without her husband Prince Philip, who died April 9, 2021 at the age of 99.

Senior members of the royal family expected to attend are Prince Charles, the Duke of Cornwall, Camilla, the Duchess of Cornwall, Anne, the Princess Royal and Prince William and Kate, the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge.

To kick things off, a nationwide baking contest has been launched to find a brand new dessert dedicated to the Queen's Jubilee. Titled "The Platinum Pudding Competition," this nationwide event, a collaboration with Fortnum & Mason, is open to UK residents only, ages 8 and over.  All competitors are asked to create a unique and delicious original recipe designed to honor Queen Elizabeth II.
All entries must be submitted by February 4. Following three rounds of judging, the five best entrants will be invited to attend a live final bake-off competition before a specially selected panel that includes Mary Berry, Monica Galetti and Mark Flanagan, the head chef at Buckingham Palace. The winning recipe will be made available to the general public in June to be enjoyed during the nation's street parties and Jubilee celebrations honoring the Queen.

The Platinum Jubilee Events

The BBC Platinum Party at the Palace - As with both "The Golden Jubilee" and "The Diamond Jubilee," this LIVE concert event, scheduled for Saturday June 4, will bring together a variety of the world's biggest entertainers from around the globe to honor and celebrate the Queen's reign of 70 years.
It has yet to be confirmed who will perform, but Elton John, Stevie Wonder, Sir Paul McCartney, Ed Sheeran and Sir Cliff Richard are among those rumored to be performing at the concert, which will also be broadcast on BBC One. 

The Beacon Lighting - More than 1,500 towns, villages and cities throughout the United Kingdom  including London, Liverpool, Edinburgh, Leeds and Windsor will light a specially designed beacon to mark the Jubilee celebration on Thursday, June 2. The capitals of the Commonwealth countries will also participate in the event.
The Principle Beacon will be lit on the same day during a special ceremony at Buckingham Palace. The lighting of the Sandringham Beacon will also take place on June 2 in the Royal Parkland, accompanied by live music from the Norwich Pipe Band and the Hunstanton Band.

The Big Jubilee Lunches - Specially designed and catered lunches will take place across Britain on June 5,  including flagship events in both London and at Cornwall, where the idea for the afternoon lunch celebration began, honoring the Queen. As before, these "Big Lunches" often feature some of the Queen's favorite foods including smoked salmon, grilled steak and chicken, chocolate sponge cake, Gleneagles pate, Morney-sauced spinach and fresh peaches and strawberries. Shepard's pie, banger's and mash and fish and chips are also part of the menu depending on the culinary tastes and budgets of the participants.
Large or small, these lunches bring everyone together in the spirit of fun and friendship to not only honor the reigning Queen, but share a cuppa, a cake, a biscuit, a meal, a drink and a hearty conversation or two. 

The Platinum Jubilee Celebration: A Gallop Through History - A 90-minute tribute to the Queen, this show will take place on the grounds of Windsor Castle between May 12 and May 15. It will feature more than 1,000 performers and 500 horses in a specially designed event that will take its audience from the days of Elizabeth I to the present day monarchy of Queen Elizabeth II.

The Platinum Jubilee Pageant - Scheduled for Sunday, June 5, this pageant will tell the story of the Queen's 70-year reign on the throne utilizing the talents of a variety of performers including dancers, musicians, key workers, volunteers and military personnel. It will take place in London and feature street arts, costuming, banners, circus attractions, theater, music, dance and visual technology as its primary focus.

The Queen's Birthday Parade: Trooping the Colour - On Thursday, June 2, the United Kingdom will celebrate the Queen's birthday with a Parade through the streets of London featuring the traditional trooping of colours with over 1,400 participating parading soldiers.
Beginning at Buckingham Palace, the celebratory procession will move down The Mall to the Horse Guard's Parade, joined by members of the royal family on horseback and in carriages. It will end with a RAF fly-past, viewed by the Queen and select royals from the balcony of Buckingham Palace.
The practice of Trooping the Colour was introduced in 1805 and has been a highlight of the royal ceremonial calendar annually except in bad weather or periods of mourning.  

The Queen's Mass - A special church service of thanksgiving with be held on Friday, June 3 at London's St. Paul's Cathedral honoring the Queen's longtime reign on the throne.

After the Platinum Jubilee - In July, the Jubilee celebration will continue with three specially designed displays commemorating the most significant and important moments of Queen Elizabeth II's reign - accession, coronation, past jubilees. These events will be staged at her royal residences.
The state rooms of Buckingham Palace will also be open during the summer months. Early portraits of the Queen will be on display alongside the jewels she wore for these sittings. At Windsor Castle,  the Queen's coronation dress and robe of estate worn in 1953 at Westminster Abbey will be showcased. The Palace of Holyroodhouse will exhibit the Queen's outfits from the Silver, Golden and Diamond Jubilee.

Until then...

(This column is dedicated to the memory of longtime best friend Darren J. McKenty)

"Eton Mess" - A Perfect Dessert for any Time of the Year

  

By James V. Ruocco

"Eton Mess."

It's a dessert like no other and one that is best enjoyed primarily in the summer months, at sporting events or during the Christmas, New Year's and Boxing Day holidays.

But, what exactly is it?
And, how did it get its name?

The origins of "Eton Mess" - a delicious confection of fresh strawberries, meringues and whipped double cream - supposedly dates back to a late 19th century cricket match at Eton College. While the game - Eton vs. Harrow - was in progress, the dessert was accidentally dropped on the floor and smashed to bits by the college's elite wait staff.
Not to worry, though.
Within seconds, it was scooped up and placed in individual bowls for serving.
The staff went wild. The students were thrilled. Bowls were scraped clean. Seconds and thirds were requested. And within the half-hour, this slightly "messy concoction" became an immediate hit with everyone on sight.
And rightly, so.

It's simple.
It's flavorful.
It's delicious.
It's fun.
It's easy to make.
It tastes real good.

An English dessert jumbled-up to resemble a "messy twist" on traditional pudding fare, "Eton Mess" is a sweet treat that has withstood the test of time.

The recipe is quite simple.

Strawberries.
Meringues.
Double cream.
Caster sugar.

Cut the strawberries in half after washing them. Add a dash or two of caster sugar. Crumble the meringues into bits. Toss the double cream into a mixer or blender and allow it to swirl around until it becomes thick, creamy and frothy looking. Stir everything together until it is evenly blended. Place in bowls and chill for about 15-30 minutes and then serve. 

And voila, the "Eton Mess" pudding tradition continues.

Variations of the original recipe are also a common practice.
If strawberries are not to your liking, you can substitute raspberries, blueberries, blackberries, gooseberries or redcurrants. You can mix them together if you so choose. Chocolate shavings are quite popular as is a spoonful of strawberry or cranberry jam, lemon curd, minced ginger and vanilla chips. Elderflower cream can also be substituted in place of double cream.

Whatever recipe - classic or variation - the idea, of course, is to keep things messy while creating a dessert that no doubt will become a sweet pleasure for the palate.

Enjoy!

Eton College, an exclusive English school for boys (ages 13-18) was founded in 1440 by Henry VI. One of three public schools, including Harrow and Radley, to retain a seven-day-a-week boarding only tradition policy, it well known for its wealth, its history and its noteworthy alumni. Tuition is roughly £48,501 per year.
Distinguished alumni include Prime Minister Boris Johnson, David Cameron, Prince William, Prince Harry, Charles Spencer, Ian Fleming, George Orwell, Alexander Windsor, John Maynard Keynes, Antony Armstrong-Jones and actors Eddie Redmayne, Hugh Laurie, Domenic West, Damian Lewis and Tom Hiddleston.

The Laughs are Non-Stop in "Going the Distance," Henry Filloux-Bennett and Yasmeen Khan's Hillarious New UK Comedy That Pokes Fun at Community Theatre

 By James V. Ruocco

"Going the Distance," a streamed, collaborative effort co-produced by The Lawrence Batley Theatre, Oxford Playhouse, The Dukes Lancaster and The Watermill Theatre, does exactly what it promises to do.
It not only "goes the distance" in terms of non-stop frivolity and laughter, but its ripe, playful and acidic attack of UK community theatre (for that matter, community theatre anywhere) is absolutely wicked and spot on. It's so much fun, you're going to be hitting "replay" over and over till your hand hurts.
Farcical with plummy chatter amidst egos, blunders, star turns, giggles, jitters, backstage fights and  rehearsal catastrophes, "Going the Distance" never falters for a moment.

Cheeky.
Clever.
Irrepressible.
Energetic.
Inspirational.
Zingy.
Fresh.

What's not to like? Or enjoy?

The production is set during March, 2020, a time when the ongoing COVID-19 pandemic forced  hundreds of UK arts centers, venues and prestigious theatrical organizations to face the prospect of closing their doors for good. One of them - the fictitious Matchborough Community Theatre - not only refuses to give up, but hopes to bounce back with a special fundraising production of "Wizard," a musical take inspired by, but for purposes of rights, cash flow and legalities, not based on anything to do "The Wizard of Oz."

The saucy text, written with flair and gusto by Henry Filloux-Bennett and Yasmeen Khan, gets right to the heart of the matter. Knowing the ins and outs of community theatre - backwards, forwards, left, right, center and upside down - "Going the Distance" is fueled with a marvelous sense of truth, spirit and honesty. The words flow. The jokes slap you in the face. The characters, their quirks and their oddities hit home. The storyboard and its scene by scene reenactment captures the vibe, the passion, the process and the dedication associated with theater as an art form.
As the story evolves over its 75-minute running time, Bennett and Khan concoct a breezy theatrical affair that breathes, resonates and inspires with nary a hiccup or rough conjunction in its pathway. It's all here: the auditions, the publicity, the radio interviews, the egos, the rehearsals, the read through, the tech week, the clash between actor to actor and director, the required budgetary cuts, the stop-and-go of rehearsals, the silly questions about direction, motivation, line readings and characterization, the mistimed cues, the lunch breaks, the jealousies, the backstabbing and lastly, the death of a major player when the dog playing Toto "takes the yellow brick road to the sky."
Better yet, it all makes perfect sense if only because it's all true, a fact that the writing duo set forth believably from their personal experiences with theaters, opening nights, showcases, rewrites, performers, audiences, budgets and the entire rehearsal process.

Staging the ensuing comedy, chaos and mayhem is actress Felicity Montagu (she hails from Leeds) whose credits - film, television, theatre- include "I'm Alan Partridge," "Bridget Jones's Diary," "Pride and Prejudice," "Confetti," "Resistence," "The Durrells" and "Quartermaine's Terms." Well versed in the mechanics of all things theatrical, Montagu addresses "Going the Distance" with deft direction and flair, which, of course, takes the material down the right path to Oz, the UK and beyond, etc. There are moments of high passion, entitlement and edge. There are moments of farce, wickedness and verbal ping pong. There are moments of  warmth, sweetness and candy-coated sympathy. And lastly, moments of gratitude, appreciation and illumination.

What's fun about "Going the Distance" is that Montagu knows exactly what she wants and she runs with it. She takes chances and they work. She gets Bennett and Khan's conceit and connects to it most effortlessly. She loves actors and it shows. She knows how to frame, build and time a scene, a joke, a close up, a reaction and a character move. She also has a keen sense of cheekiness which she uses to full advantage here. And that, in a nutshell, is why this production works so wonderfully well.

"Going the Distance" stars Matthew Kelly as Frank, Penny Ryder as Maggie, Sarah Hadland as Rae, Nicole Evans as Billie, Shobna Gulati as Vic, Emma McDonald as Gail, Sarah Crowe as En and Merch  Husey as Kem. Stephen Fry (off camera) serves as The Narrator.

Casting is key to the success of any production and Montagu has assembled a first-class team of actors and actresses, all of whom share her love of theatre, performance and acting. Here, everyone is exactly right for the parts they are asked to play - and play them they do. As actors, they possess the right mindset for comedy, characterization, farce, verbal banter, interplay, exchange, expression and laugh-out-loud silliness. Whatever they are asked to do, they do it. And it works...incredibly.

Guaranteed to drive you into an absolute frenzy of hysterics, "Going the Distance" is British comedy at its very best. It's a comic coup for all parties involved - the director, the writers, the actors, the production team, the audience - with observations and attacks so wildly consistent, it's impossible to resist. Director Felicity Montagu's spectacular timing, offset by outrageous interplays, close ups and expert line delivery, produce non-stop silliness, but with both purpose and drive. The cast - one of the funniest on record - tackle the comedic chaos brilliantly. And the script, the brainchild of Henry Filloux-Bennett and Yasmeen Khan, is filled out with sparkling wit and standout verbiage you might want to jot down with pen and paper.

If you're in the mood for comedy guaranteed to put a smile on your face, "Going the Distance" is highly recommended. You'll absolutely love it. 

"Going the Distance," co-produced by The Lawrence Batley Theatre, Oxford Playhouse, The Dukes Lancaster and The Watermill Theatre, is being streamed online, now through October 31, 2021.

Tickets are £15.00.

Once you have purchased your ticket, you will receive a booking confirmation that includes your screening link. The link will be active on the date you have chosen to watch the production and will expire after 48 hours.

website: goingthedistanceplay.com

The Barn Theatre's "A Russian Doll" Is An Important Piece of Theatre That Is Moving, Exciting and Deeply Felt

  By James V. Ruocco

Set in Russia during 2016, "A Russian Doll, " the Barn Theatre's latest exclusive venture, focuses entirely on the principal character of Masha, an attractive St. Petersburg University English literature major who moonlights as an opinion manipulator and assumes multiple online identities to coerce and influence anyone willing to succumb to her ideas, jokes, tirades, exchanges, suggestions and political influences.

It's a job she does extremely well and one that addresses talky topics ranging from racism, trolling, pornography and propaganda to global warming, EU referendum campaigns, sex toys and very fucked up mind games.

"We're using Third Reich techniques," she tells us after chats with her online boss, commonly referred to as Jay-Z throughout the production. And, yes, she isn't kidding.

Ambitious.
Topical.
Promising.
Accomplished.
Emotional.

"A Russian Doll" maintains a great actor-audience perspective that evokes just the right amount of shock, persuasion and acidity that forces you to sit up straight, listen and cling to every line of dialogue that Masha tosses your way with obvious determination, control and vitality.

Written by Cat Goscovitch, the play itself is curative cannon of radical ideas, revelations, theories, expressions and experiences that are exposed with credible empowerment, certainty and far-reaching exploitation. As the play evolves, Goscovitch moves Masha about Liz Da Costa's roomy, dark, boxed set surrendering to his fully realized list of truths, jolts, lies, resentments and Brexit mumbo-jumbo that is both entertaining and intense. He doesn't waste a moment. He knows what he wants and he runs with it. It's a high-wire act of sorts that's absolute, driven and airtight as the play inches toward its fully-rendered, thought-provoking conclusion.

Staging "A Russian Doll," director Nicolas Kent enjoys deft observations and points of view that are exactly right, candid, consuming and fascinating. The emotional power that Masha holds over her listeners and audience is portrayed with skillful indulgence and edgy intercuts as are her mood swings, restlessness, changes in topic and quirky outbursts and pronouncements. It's a visionary navigation that Kent unmasks with a personal smoothness and expanse that is inspired and layered without any form of hesitation or overkill.

The casting of Rachel Redford as Masha is one that complements the story beautifully. There's lots going on here and Redford generates enough sparks, energy and responsibility to keep her character of Masha immersed in the playwright's rhythmic melodrama, its discussions, its heat, its quirkiness, its craziness and its ever-changing story arcs where no topic is truly off limits. It's the performance of the season and one that no doubt with earn Redford standing ovations whenever "A Russian Doll" is performed.

In conclusion. "A Russian Doll" is a solid, fast-paced production brimming with confidence, coherence and intelligence. Playwright Cat Goscovitch gives this one-woman play plenty of bite, sting, humor and persuasion using words, conversations and monologues that propel the action forward without missing a heartbeat. Nicolas Kent's direction is straightforward and strong, thus, supplying the necessary fuel to keep Rachel Redford's performance chilling, honest and real throughout the show's welcoming 70-minute running time.

"A Russian Doll" is being staged at the Barn Theatre (3 Beeches Rd., Cirencester, UK), now through June 13. Performances are 7:30 p.m. Tuesdays, Wednesdays, Thursdays, Fridays and Saturdays. Matinees are 2:30 p.m. Saturdays and 2:00 and 5:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets are £11.50 to £32.50   For more information, call +44 1285 648 255.

Following its run in the Costwolds, the production is slated to open at the Arcola Theatre (24 Ashwin St., London, UK). Dates and times will be announced shortly.

A Tour-de-Force Performance By Actor Adrian Lukis Gives "Being Mr. Wickham" Its Emotional Velocity And Allure

 

By James V. Ruocco

In Jane Austen's celebrated 1813 novel "Pride and Prejudice," the character of George Wickham is an officer in the local military regime described as a noble, well-spoken gentleman who uses charm and dash to integrate himself into the lives of others. But in reality, he is a liar, a hypocrite and an opportunist who uses women for his own selfish pleasures and thinks nothing of ruining their reputation in upper class society.
He is also a gambler who has no scruples, runs up debts and then either disappears or runs away when he can't find the money to pay off those he has wronged.

Described by Austen as a man characterized by vicious propensities, Wickham, as the story continues,  uses his friendship with the very wealthy Mr. "Fitzwilliam" Darcy for strictly monetary means (he asks Darcy to lend him money to pay off his debts). But when Darcy refuses, Wickham seduces Darcy's  sister Lydia, a boy crazy, dangerously naive 15-year-old girl as payback with plans to steal her fortune following an organized elopement. Trapped in a dysfunctional marriage, Wickham not only loathes Lydia, but finds himself living a very lackluster life - the result of lies, deceit and completely selfish, offensive actions and choices.

Wickham's voice, the events at Pemberly and the haunted and scandalous memories of his past are the literary centerpiece of "Being Mr. Wickham," a one-man play that steps back in time to find the now 60-year-old character ready to "tell all" about his extraordinary life. 

"I had charm," he tells us.
"I might be the villain of my own story."
"I've gambled with men and slept with most of their wives."
"I'm very much alive and can pass for forty on a very good day."

Extraordinary.
Riveting.
Personal.
Revelatory.
Truthful.
Dynamic.

"Being Mr. Wickham" succeeds largely due to shrewd channeling, brilliant conversation, lucid storytelling, emotional flashiness and beautifully sustained artfulness that enhances its palpable journey, its unassuming nature and its well-crafted melodrama.

Co-authored by Adrian Lukis (he plays George Wickham in this production) and Catherine Curzon, the play continues the story of Austen's popular character, interweaving dialogue and narrative with agreeable revelation, originality and compassion. It's all very well patterned and positioned in true storytelling smartness containing the right blend of humor and darkness and seemingly smooth wisdom and practicality that you can't help but notice. It is also blessed with the kind of intellectual and profound verbiage that makes you cling to every word that comes out of Wickham's mouth. However, to fully appreciate "Being Mr. Wickham," you must listen to every word without any kind of distraction. Simply take a deep breath, put the wine bottle and half-filled glass off to the side and let Lukis and Curzon seize the day (or night), so to speak.

The stirred emotions and enticing options of "Being Mr. Wickham" are portrayed in respectable, distinguished fashion by Guy Unsworth, a smart, significant director who gives the piece a vivid sense of time and milieu, an enticing mix of humor, drama and madness and a faultless mindset rife with compassion, compliment and credibility. One-man plays are not the easiest works to stage, but Unsworth's competent understanding of the text, its main character and the rhythmic patterning of its individual scenes gives him enough fire and fuel to keep the production moving at a steady pace and pique viewer interest for its entire 56-minute running time. The process, which mixes theatrical staging with that of cinematic invention allows him to capture the reality of the main character, the actual moment in time and place and the progression of the story without stagey camerawork and unmotivated cues and conventions. Here, things are raw and truthful and often framed against the backdrop of the Theater Royal's eye-catching Regency theatre design, a conceit that heightens the observational verite of the subject matter.

As George Wickham, Adrian Lukis offers a mesmeric performance that memorably captures the character's emotional wounds, his healing, his aches, his authority, his sexuality and his proud and not-so-proud memories of a life and career that is not easily forgotten. An actor capable of inherent personality and vocalism, his monologues, confessions, dramatic flourishes and haunted mysteries keep the viewer transfixed by magnificent acting choices, offset by his ability to switch gears in a single millisecond, ready to reveal yet another memory or thought with unflinching honesty and undiluted reality. It's a artist's gift that tells us everything about the explored and mysterious life of a man, aptly named George Wickham.

A thoughtful and intelligent one-man play, "Being Mr. Wickham" is a wonderfully orchestrated theatrical achievement rich in irony, persistence, conversation and ambition. Adrian Lukis, in the role of George Wickham, delivers an intensely invigorating performance that is imaginative and refreshingly personal. The script, co-authored by Lukis and Catherine Curzon, resonates with choice philosophies and ideals that are both light-hearted and dark. Director Guy Unsworth, using the elegant surroundings of the Theater Royal as his backdrop (this Regency theatre is ideal for his form of storytelling), offset by Libby Watson's handsome period design, crafts an edgy, intimate production full of surprise, insight and clarity that continues the story of George Wickham with a caring attitude and pulse that prompts immediate attention and reaction, most agreeably.

"Being Mr. Wickham," produced by the Original Theatre Company, is now available to be streamed on demand from May 11, 2021 through August 11,2021. Tickets are £20 and £22.50 (includes digital programme). For paid and free content, you must register and create an online account. Once you are logged in, you can watch and purchase the production. You can view "Being Mr. Wickham" on any device with an internet connection and browser. To do this, just enter the URL - originaltheatreonline.com/login - and submit the details you have been given above. This is a live performance and must be watched at 3:00 p.m. or 7:30 p.m.