Anna Francolini on Awaking Beauty
November 25, 2008
“It’s the fact of having a familiar story, where you sort of know the way it goes, with a hero and heroine who’ll come up against something that will be resolved in the end,” says Anna Francolini. “You could almost do that with many fairy tales. This one is great because he (Sir Alan Ayckbourn) uses it to look at our modern perceptions of ourselves. For example, the ugly witch tries to win the heart of the prince – she’s very jealous, so she has a massive makeover and goes through a modern, plastic surgery kind of dilemma. It makes you laugh when you see it put out of whack a bit.”
Win! A pair of tickets for Awaking Beauty at Stephen Joseph Theatre
November 24, 2008
Awaking Beauty
Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough
11 December – 17 January
We’re running a competition with Stephen Joseph Theatre to win two pairs of tickets to see Sir Alan Ayckbourn’s 72nd play. It will be his last as SJT artistic director.
Review: Hansel and Gretel
November 23, 2008
Date reviewed: 21st November 2008
Venue: The Spa Theatre, Bridlington
It seems to be open season on Humperdinck’s Hansel and Gretel. Glyndebourne is touring it and the Royal Opera’s production is soon to be screened live in cinemas nationwide. Given Opera North’s love of small-scale child-friendly tours of this opera – I remember a delightful Tim Supple production at Leeds City Varieties some years ago – it was hardly likely that the Leeds company would miss out. Read more
Pamela Okoroafor and Duncan Barton on The Snow Queen
November 18, 2008
“I love the journey that Gerda goes on,” says Pamela Okoroafor. “She starts out as a very naïve little girl and by the end of the play she’s a woman, really, because even though she hasn’t grown that much in age, mentally and emotionally she has. A lot of her journey is really sophisticated – it’s not something a little girl would normally experience, so it’s nice to play that role and to give her some of those qualities that I have.”
Okoroafor is explaining what she likes about playing Gerda in forthcoming West Yorkshire Playhouse production The Snow Queen. Its other main character, Kai, will be portrayed by Duncan Barton, whose explanation of what he likes about Kai underlines fundamental similarities beneath seeming differences. “His journey is very different, of course,” he explains, “because it begins and then he’s frozen in the Snow Queen’s palace, so it’s a much quicker one, and is more about realisation than what’s he’s done. It’s got this really nice bit where he realises that his journey is done and that he’s becoming, maybe not a fully fledged adult, but growing up and realising that he’s made a mistake and learning a lot from it. Both of the kids grow.”
David Nixon on The Nutcracker
November 13, 2008
David Nixon is convinced that Northern Ballet Theatre chose the ideal time to produce The Nutcracker. “The Nutcracker is a celebration of classical ballet technique,” reasons the company’s artistic director. “The technical ability of our dancers has evolved and we possess a company that makes this production something really special.” Moreover, Tchaikovsky’s 1892 staple harmonises with the current bent of NBT’s material. “We are also keen to build a strong repertoire of family productions that NBT can perform at Christmas each year,” Nixon says, “and The Nutcracker fits perfectly alongside ballets such as A Christmas Carol and Peter Pan.”
Indeed, Nixon ascribes work’s attraction partly to its seasonal stature. “The tradition of The Nutcracker at Christmas is tremendously strong; the sense of families sharing Christmas time contributes greatly to its popularity,” he remarks.