An interview with Marisha Wallace

I was lucky enough to see Marisha Wallace's one-night-only concert at The Adelphi Theatre when I got back from Barcelona earlier this month. It was a great concert - partly biographical with a full band on stage, backing singers and a few special guests. I also got a chance to interview Marisha as part of the experience. Although I've interviewed many people over the years, it's usually been in the context of exploring issues in the mobile industry at a conference, podcast or panel session. 

This was my first interview in a long time with someone in the arts. The previous one was a joint session with Rufus Norris, my old youth theatre chum, when he'd just started his tenure as Artistic Director at The National Theatre some ten years ago. I'll have to dig that one out of the archives.

My review and interview with Marisha are over on 1883 Magazine. I really like what she had to say.

Much Ado About Nothing is Quite a Lot of Something

Having a passion for theatre and getting to write about it opens lots of doors to experience productions I might not have had the budget to go and see ordinarily. Much Ado About Nothing is one of those. At the time of writing this post, tickets for the last week of the run are selling for £350+ - This version of Much Ado about Nothing is Quite A Lot of Something Special. 

I was lucky enough to go and see it back in February. I loved it. It's a very different take on Shakespeare, getting the Jamie Lloyd stripped-back treatment but in pink this time instead of the monochrome we've seen before.

My review of it is over on 1883 Magazine. 

It was a couple of hours of pure joy perfectly reflected in the gorgeous pink confetti and giant pink heart seen on the stage. If theatre is meant to transport you somewhere for a couple of hours or so, then this production certainly delivers. As I said in the review, when Jamie Lloyd gets it right, he really gets it right. Shakespeare purists may not like it but ticket sales suggest that the rest of us love it.

It clearly also delivers to the fans. On leaving the theatre, there was an enormous queue around the block, patiently waiting for Tom Hiddleston and Hayley Atwell to come out. I've never seen anything like it! 

The queue was very well organised to allow room for the actors to walk safely to talk to fans, sign autographs and have photographs taken. 

I didn't join the queue, but I did watch it in action and I was very impressed with how much time Hiddleston and Atwell spent talking to fans and interacting with them. 

Performing every night is usually enough for most actors but these two have to factor in working the stage door every night as well. The way they've handled this will only serve to increase their star power. Other actors could do well to take notice of this. 

I might just have to join the queue one night this week and get my programme signed too.

Elektra - a Review

Performance seen: Thursday 27 March 3pm. Stalls K19. Duke of York's Theatre.

This is a high concept, experimental piece of theatre breathing new life into the centuries old storyfrom Sophocles. In that respect, it was successful. I enjoyed the drastically different approach to the story telling. The Greek Chorus's singing and sound effects were a highlight, although they were perhaps overplayed in the final third of the piece. Brie Larson's performance was good. She's essentially doing a monologue interspersed with some Greek Chorus and the odd bit of dialogue. At times, the delivery was a bit one tone but it wasn't as shouty as expected from the reviews I'd read.

Stockard Channing was fabulous and it would have been great to have seen more of her on stage. The whole thing would have benefitted from more dialogue too to maintain the energy and to provide variation.

The set effects (very limited - bare stage, white backdrop, a blimp, some chairs and some microphones) and staging were good but were probably not needed inasmuch the words and sounds were the focus here. What the blimp added is anyone's guess. Ditto the spray paint. The wardrobe department are clearly kept busy removing that from the elegant silky gold and white faux fur costumes worn by all but Elektra. She's in jeans, sneakers, shaved head and a Bikini Kill t-shirt.

Overall, the poetry of Brie's (Elektra) words and the opera meets plainchant of the chorus were enjoyable and an interesting way to tell the story. As such, it was more an auditory experience than a visual one for me and that's not a bad thing.

This style of theatre won't be for everyone, but I'm glad to have seen it and I'm glad that experimental, high concept theatre is available in the West End. 

Worth noting that after the performance, there was a queue at the stage door waiting for the cast to come out. I'm guessing these were mostly for Ms Larson but I expect Ms Channing also has her fans.

The run ends in a couple of weeks so if you want to catch it, you'll need to be quick. If you shop around, you'll find discounted tickets.

Cast:

Elektra - Brie Larson

Clytemnestra - Stockard Channing

Chrystothemis - Marieme Diouf

Aegisthus - Greg Hicks

Orestes - Patrick Vaill

Chorus: Hannah Bristow, Wallis Currie-Wood, Jo Goldsmith-Eteson, Nardia Ruth, Rebecca Thorn, Adeola Yemitan, 

Understudy - Arthur Boan

Creatives:

Writer - Anne Carson

Director - Daniel Fish

Choreographer - Annie-B Parson

Designer - Jeremy Herbert

Costume Design - Doey Luthi

Lighting Designer - Adam Silverman

Sound Design - Max & Ben Ringham

Composer - Ted Hearne