Theatre review of Irish Blood, English Heart – Trafalgar Studios, London

This article titled “Irish Blood, English Heart – review” was written by Michael Billington, for The Guardian on Wednesday 4th May 2011 22.04 UTC Darren Murphy is clearly a generous man. We go to the theatre expecting one play and he gives us at least three: a psychological study of sibling rivalry, a social portrait of the London Irish and a meditation on the nature of narrative. But, although some would argue that nothing succeeds like excess, I would gladly have settled for half. At first, we seem to be in familiar theatrical territory. Two brothers converge on the Southwark lock-up where their father, an emigre Irish cab driver, apparently killed himself. Con is the struggling one who followed his dad into the cab trade and whose wife, Peggy, dreams of opening a restaurant. The other brother, Ray, is the success story who has written a bestselling novel and TV film that cannibalises the family history. While Con is anxious to honour the dead dad, Peggy’s main aim is to extract compensation from Ray for appropriating their lives in a piece of fiction. Behind the play lurks the formidable shadow of Arthur Miller: the fraternal rivalry is straight out of The Price, and lines such as “A man is more than the worst thing he’s ever done” strive to achieve a Milleresque resonance. But I feel Murphy’s real preoccupation is with stories and their ownership. Does one, he implicitly asks, possess the copyright on one’s own life? A comedian once expressed his bewilderment to me that it was the author, rather than the subject, of a biography who got paid; and it is such a provocative issue that I wish Murphy had explored it in more detail. Instead, he gets carried away with the brothers’ re-enactment of past familial wrongs, and even introduces a totally implausible fourth character to remind us that the dead father was himself a monstrous fantasist. I will say this for Murphy, however: he gives his actors plenty to chew on and, in Caitriona McLaughlin’s nicely cooked production (which transfers from Southwark’s Union theatre), they clearly relish the emotional feast. Ian Groombridge exudes a nervy anxiety as Con, seeking closure on the disordered narrative of his dad’s life. Howard Teale has the right sheen of success as the brother who has adopted the name of Ray Suede and whose whole career is a form of self-invention. Although Con’s wife is marginalised in the later stages, Carolyn Tomkinson invests her with a fractious energy. In the end, the play seems to suggest that the Irish capacity for fabrication and storytelling needs an element of formal restraint. Though it is a perfectly valid message, I wish Murphy had followed his own good advice.

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London theatre attendance dropped significantly in the first quarter of this year, despite high profile openings such as Andrew Lloyd Webber’s The Wizard of Oz. Attendance in the first few months of the year fell an unexpected 10pc as economic concerns caused consumers to exercise more caution, according to The Society of London Theatre (SOLT) SOLT said that, while the first quarter of the year always sees slightly smaller London theatre audiences as the “post-Christmas belt-tightens,” it had not anticipated such a large fall. “Numbers this year have been noticeably down on what one would normally expect – about 10pc on average,” said a SOLT spokeswoman. SOLT, which represents 52 London theatres, added that two of its largest theatres – The Palladium and Drury Lane – were closed for some of the first quarter, as rehearsals took place ahead of high-profile openings. It said, while the economy was the main cause, this contributed to the fall. The Wizard of Oz opened during the quarter on March 1, but the Palladium was closed earlier in the quarter. Shrek The Musical opens in Drury Lane on June 14. SOLT said the high-profile openings would probably boost attendance for the rest of this year. In

A Review of Ecstasy at the Hampstead Theatre

This article titled “Ecstasy – review” was written by Michael Billington, for The Guardian on Wednesday 16th March 2011 00.17 UTC Mae West liked a guy who took his time, and Mike Leigh certainly exercises that privilege in this 2¾-hour play originally seen at Hampstead in 1979. But, although there may be occasional longueurs, Leigh gets there in the end by offering a devastating portrait of the solitude that haunts many of the inhabitants of a teeming city like London. In the brief first act Leigh shows Jean, a Brummie girl who lives alone in a Kilburn bedsit, having joyless sex with a married man (played by Daniel Coonan) whose wife suddenly bursts in upon them. But the bulk of the action shows a boozy party that takes place later that night in Jean’s cramped room. Her fellow celebrants comprise a married couple, the rosy-fingered Dawn and her feckless Irish husband Mick, and the rather sad Len, a building-site worker lately abandoned by his wife. The four of them carouse, sing raucous songs and reminisce about old times. Only when Dawn and Mick have departed do you realise the extent of Jean’s desperation. Leigh’s chosen method of creating plays through extensive rehearsal, and allowing actors to research their characters pays off handsomely. In particular, you slowly get to understand the nature of Jean’s plight. We see her alone in the first act, constantly diving for the gin bottle she keeps secreted in her wardrobe. Even during the party, she is frequently morose, plaintively sings Danny Boy, and has a brief argument with Len, who seems her one hope of salvation, about the vital contribution Pakistani immigrants make to our culture. But the virtue of Leigh’s approach is that you get to know all the characters in detail: in his way, Len is as bereft as Jean, in that he disguises his solitude by claiming he is “footloose and fancy free” and attempts to compensate for his sexual shyness by singing a rude Lincolnshire folk song. One problem with any Leigh revival is that new actors have to inhabit characters shaped and moulded by their originators. But the current cast, under the author’s direction, do an excellent job. Sian Brooke captures perfectly Jean’s wan adjustment to the single life, and the misery of spending her days as a garage-cashier staring at a brick wall. Craig Parkinson also conveys the nerdy niceness of the hapless Len, and Sinead Matthews and Allen Leech as Dawn and Mick are a totally plausible married couple locked together in a state of quarrelsome desire. And behind the portrait of individual desperation lurks a wider point about a society, six months after Mrs Thatcher’s elevation to power, that has nothing much to offer but a savourless materialism. It may be a long play, but it’s a good one.

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About London shows and hotel deals London shows and hotel deals are usually offered as a package by the theatre break agencies, some of them will let you add in train tickets (usually at a considerable discount). You can also add a variety of extras including pre-theatre meals, sight seeing trips and entrance to many of the major London tourist attractions. London Shows You can choose from a huge number of London shows including first class musicals, serious plays, side-splitting comedies. If none of these take your fancy you can opt for ballets, operas and even concerts. Three of the most consistantly popular London shows in the last year have all been musicals. Wicked (London) has had a spectacular year with record box office takings. The story of what happened before Dorothy got to Oz goes from strength to strength and looks set to continue it’s run at the Apollo indefinitely.

Oliver has had an amazing first year and continues to be popular. If you want to see Jodie Prenger (I’d Do anything winner) as Nancy you need to go before the end of March. Those of you who wait for the summer will also get a treat as ex-Wicked star Kerry Ellis moves into the role of Nancy. Fagin is currently being played by Gryff Rhys Jones. We Will Rock You is a great show for rockers of all ages. The show is full of energy and the music of Queen meshes beautifully with Ben Elton’s witty plot line. I just loved We Will Rock you. It is a wonderful ‘feel good’ evening and a perfect and popular choice of show. Hotel Deals Show and Stay have a great hotel deal on at the moment. They are offering a free one night hotel stay in selected 3* hotels when you buy your tickets for a choice of 13 shows. The deal is available for Mondays to Thursdays only and runs until March 31st. London shows and hotel deals are available all year round but special offers like this one are limited and tend to get snapped up fairly quickly. If you want to be sure of getting the show and dates you want you will need to act fast. With prices starting from only £umptyup per person and limited availability this offer will not hang around. Check now to see if your dates and show are available. ** Free Hotel Offer with London Shows and Hotel Deals ** a

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