"Hello World" by Oliver Binns.

 "Hello World" by Oliver Binns.

Nottingham New Theatre online.

The first show in NNT's Autumn online season is ‘Hello World’ by Oliver Binns which premieres at 7:30pm on Wednesday 18th November on the NNT Youtube channel and I have been lucky enough to see the production before hand.

I have never been one of those technical people, I can just about work a computer and download stuff, so I can confess that I am by no means a techie type person, so some of the terminology went over my head, That didn't matter and it kept me watching to the end credits. Some of the online pieces I have seen over the last eight months, for me, have not worked, but here is a piece that works very well online, and I can't really see this type of production working on stage. Not as good as it worked online because the technical imagery was made for the online format. Not saying it wouldn't work live on stage but I think it would provide the technical team a few headaches. Meet Zero/One. Two, although they appear as characters, could be shapes, symbols, pieces of cheese, the images could have depicted anything. We see Zero and One develop from the basic form to a super intelligent pair, often opposing each other but also in agreement. It is like eavesdropping on a pair of bots, if bots have conversations with each other. Who knows, there is nothing to say they don't! And that is the wonder of this piece of work, we don't know and that opens up a world of magic and imagination as to what these computerised "things" look and sound like. It also highlights the fact that Oliver has included a great deal of technical knowledge into this story, and I am always a fan of intelligent scripts that do not aim to be overly intelligent, but comes across as a natural intelligence. We see in the twenty-five and a half minute piece of theatre the growth of computer-ware and this is visually presented as well as in the script. You'll see exactly how this is done by watching it on Wednesday night at 7.30pm. I love some of the comparisons used, especially in the simile that "intelligence is like a tube of Pringles" and also the part where Zero/One are "inventing words" in the same way that Shakespeare did. Well that could well be the case! Although there is loads of technical terminology it does not swamp and the feel is light and enjoyable, and even educational to someone like me who thought a hard drive was finding my way out of Birmingham's one way system during road works. Mimi Clay (Zero) and Amelia Hackett (One) made the job look the easiest acting job ever and laid themselves open to all the wonderful visual technical wizardry of the video editors (James Appleby and Skylar Turnbull Hurd). Skylar also did the captioning. Written and Directed by Oliver Binns, assisted in the Direction department by Abraham Botha. Produced by Nicholas Landon and some fun work with the sound design by Anna Schooling, who also composed the music for this piece. I know how hard everyone works at NNT so I also like to mention as many people as I can. Publicity Assistant - Abraham Botha Poster Designer - Caetano Capurro Creative Assistant - Tobi Bambi Graphic Designer - James Appleby Graphic Designer - Caetano Capurro ‘Hello World’ by Oliver Binns premieres at 7:30pm on Wednesday 18th November on the NNT Youtube channel.

 "Rosalie, Sandra and Jodie"

Nottingham Playhouse

As part of the Nottingham Playhouse Unlocked Season this was due to be streamed totally live as well an in house, socially distanced audience, but due to the latest lock down, the show was streamed completely online.

Nottingham’s own Rosalie Craig has worked extensively in the West End. She won the Evening Standard’s Best Performance in a Musical Award on two occasions and was nominated for an Olivier for her performance as Bobbie in "Company" – the first time the role has been played by a female.

Sandra Marvin, known for her powerhouse vocals, has had leading roles in a number of hit shows including "Showboat", "Chicago" and "Hairspray". Most recently, you may have seen Sandra starring in Emmerdale, where she played Jessie Grant for two years.

Jodie Prenger shot to fame after winning BBC’s "I’d Do Anything" and taking on the role of Nancy in "Oliver!". Since then, she’s starred in a number of productions including "Annie", "Fat Friends the Musical" and "Abigail’s Party".

Sara Poyzer was last seen performing at Nottingham Playhouse as Sarah Jane Moore in Stephen Sondheim's "Assassins". Prior to that, she played the role of Donna Sheridan in Mamma Mia! for over six years on and off, on the International Tour and in the West End. You will also be able to see her this December as the fairy Godmother in the Playhouse panto "Cinderella"

The concert kicked off with a Sondheim tribute of "Everything's Coming Up Roses". "Tonight" and the under estimated but gorgeous "Losing My Mind" showing us the vocal talents of Sara, Rosalie and Sandra.

Jodie Prenger then performed her first of three pre recorded sections, and she has gone all blonde on us "Secret Love" was very Marilyn Monroe-esque and had an air of innocence. Gone was the innocence for "The Trolley Song" as Jodie injected the fun into the "Meet Me In St Louis" song made famous by Garland and then cor blimey, even more fun with "Oom Pah Pah" from "Oliver!"

Sandra, who I know want to see everything she has done as she is gorgeous and has a powerhouse of a voice. "When You're Good To Mama" from "Chicago" was earthy, "I Didn't Plan It" from "Waitress", the mournfully beautiful "Summertime", "I Will Always Love You" and just as I had felt wrung of emotion came my favourite song from "Hairspray", the incredible "I Know Where I've Been" which just completely exhausted me in the best way. You may have also recognised her from her role in "Emmerdale".

Rosalie sang "With Every Breath I Take" from the musical "City Of Angels" which showcased a beautifully haunting cello solo, a spine tingling "With You", my favourite song from the musical "Ghost". "Darkest Hour" from the Tori Amos penned musical "The Light Princess" followed by another beautiful piece of musical theatre with "Back To Before" from "Ragtime" and then the sublime "Being Alive".

Sara packed so much emotion into "Maybe This Time" from "Cabaret" and after kicking the evening off with "Everything's Coming Up Roses" she joined Rosalie and Sandra in a tribute to Carol King with the medley of "Beautiful", "You've Got A Friend" and "Natural Woman".

This performance was truly a celebration of the female voice within musical theatre, and I for one absolutely loved it. Sat at my PC desk watching online, I was tempted to stand and applaud at the end, but I may have received some weird looks from the family, so I gave a virtual standing ovation to these four wonderful women.

 "Ghost Stories"

Nottingham Playhouse.

The presentation features stories of a spectral nature read by Mark Gatiss and Adrian Scarborough, who stepped into the role at the last minute due to Jade Anouka not being able to make it. As the temperature outside the theatre dropped, so did the temperature inside the auditorium.

The four tales were all new to me and were all very different and while possibly could have been set in any era, they felt quite modern, creating a further eeriness.

The atmosphere was set as soon as you enter the auditorium with a stage set with ghostly pumpkins and atmospheric lighting with a lectern for the two orators to deliver their tales.

Ghost Stories is part of the Nottingham Playhouse Unlocked festival of live and live-streamed shows, and I am so glad that I was able to sit in the theatre to see this performance as I don't know if the atmosphere would be as good sat at home watching on a mobile device, TV or computer. It's one of those productions, I feel, is best experienced in person.

The Live Stream though is a current viable option for anyone missing theatre or maybe not feeling secure enough to venture out to an actual theatrical venue. And it is also helping to bring revenue back into the theatre; breathing life back into local arts.

The Playhouse staff, who are also getting used to this new way of working make sure that every precaution has been taken to make your visit as safe as possible with temperature checks as you enter, sanitiser bottles that automatically dispense so you do not even have to touch anything, socially distanced seating and bar orders delivered to your seat.

A wonderfully creepy start to your Halloween celebrations.

 “Shuck” by Lapelle’s Factory

Nottingham Playhouse

Before I start, can I say what a joy it is just to sit in a theatre again. To drink in the atmosphere, to view a stage, to be around like minded people and to smell the smell of a theatre.

I applaud the staff of the Nottingham Playhouse for the ease in their operation of Covid's rulings to keep everyone safe and making the possibility of live theatre a reality again.

There is social distancing outside the theatre, your temperature is taken as you enter and then you are directed towards the hand sanitisers, after which your e ticket is scanned and you are directed to your seat, all social distanced.

Drinks can be ordered via your phone and these are brought to your seat. At the end of the performance the staff direct you out of the building row by row.

This is the start of the way back for theatre, and made so easy by the Playhouse staff who have had to master this all new procedure to make sure the procedure runs as smooth as the performances we have grown to expect from the Playhouse stage.

And now, on with the show....

Throughout folklore there have been stories of murderous, evil hounds from hell with blood red - or yellow - eyes, or eye, and razor sharp teeth, hunting for their prey on dark, wet, windy and foggy nights. The sort of hound that fill the pages of myths and legend books over the decades. This is the tale of that kind of hound.

This is the first public sharing of a new work in development from Nottingham's most wayward and compelling theatrical partnership: an old tale with new beginnings that raises the hair, tingles the spine and tickles the ribs.

As a native of East Anglia, Olwen grew up on a healthy diet of weird folklore, and no tale is weirder than that of Black Shuck: the true account of an actual hellhound from actual hell that's affected the identity of her rural community for hundreds of years.

In "Shuck", LaPelle's Factory tell the history of the folklore behind the mythical Black Shuck, but they do it with humour and ability to create a chilling atmosphere within minutes They shine a light on folkloric demons and query how and why grisly tales get passed down through generations, and how they retain their mysterious power to bring us together.

Olwen grew up with these tales but outsider Ollie is a non believer....or is he just in denial?

The set is of minimal proportions, but you don't even need a set when the story telling is as strong as it is in this production. Ollie and Olwen draw you in with their orating, and have you gradually leaning forward in your seat in anticipation of the tale that is unravelling.

Although this is an aperitif for the Halloween season, there is a lot of comedy with Olwen playing the straight person to Ollie's comic dance moves and script - but more of that shortly!

The sound scape was creeping and some nice sound effects, the occasional one making some of the audience jump. So the atmosphere was there while not being overtly scary on a theatrical level.

I love a good story and who doesn't love to be told a good spooky tale, especially at this time of year. it's just a shame that this was a "one night only" performance.

The only thing I found only slightly off putting was that part of the time it was not off book. Now this may be for several reasons such as rehearsal time for the actors, and maybe another week would have put paid to that. Time though is a difficult thing to pin down, even in these Covid times. I will however, take nothing away from these actors who painted pictures in my mind this evening.

The performance was streamed live, but what a joy to be there in the theatre to see live actors and to wallow in the whole atmosphere of live theatre again.

It's good to have you back.

"The Black Veil" by

John Goodrum

Colin McIntyre's Classic Thriller Season.

The story, based on the classic Charles Dickens' classic thriller, is introduced and narrated by Andrew Ryan from the safety of one of the Nottingham Theatre Royal's boxes.

Now there is something quite un-nerving about an empty theatre. Anyone who has stood in a theatre on their own will feel that maybe they aren't quite as alone as they feel, and the decision to film this story on the stage of the empty Nottingham Theatre Royal, only adds to that spooky atmosphere, especially the lights from the balconies which strangely look like evil onlookers.

Newly-qualified doctor Stephen Ruggles (Chris Brookes) has just arrived home on a stormy winter’s evening and is nodding off by the fire when his slumber is interrupted by a female visitor.

A mysteriously-veiled elderly woman, Ada Crawlings, (Sarah Wynne Kordas) arrives begs him to visit a nameless patient at 9am, the following morning. Against his better judgement, Ruggles agrees, and settles back to his repose.

Ruggles gets into conversation with Ada and tells her that he is planning to bring his fiancee, Rose, down to London, but he has to impress his future Brother in Law, Simon by his surroundings first.

In the morning Ruggles attends a corpse at Ada's creepy abode in Limehouse, who we discover to be Ada's Grandson, Billy. Ada is out for revenge for the death of Billy and wants Luke, a shady small time crook, dead.

Enter Luke Gunford (

John Goodrum

), a menacing low life crook, seemingly unafraid to murder both the young doctor as well as old Ada. But Luke knows more than first appears and some of these characters are not quite who, or what they seem!

There are twists and turns from this moment on with the past coming back to haunt someone and deceit and murder just around the corner, with even more surprises for at least one of these characters.

The sound effects create the kind of images in your mind that will make your mind wander into your own unknown, painting pictures in your mind.

The editing, by Sarah and John, is cleverly carried out to move the story on in a way that live theatre would have had the usual problems with, making the play look and feel more like a film, just without the scenery.

Directed by

Karen Henson

and wonderful performances from Chris Brookes,

Sarah Wynne Kordas

and

John Goodrum

, as well as the vampire-esque appearance of narrator, Andrew Ryan, to send shivers down your spine.

The Sound Design is by David Gilbrook.

This is definitely one to watch for fans of all thrillers, and especially the many many fans of Tabs Productions excellent Colin McIntyre's Thriller Season. It's also one that I hope they reprise in front of a live audience because it has all the trademarks of their much loved productions from the past.

You can catch this online production on Youtube and via the Nottingham Theatre Royal and Concert Hall Youtube channel.

Sweet dreams.........

"Monkey" by Jake Levy &

Libby Horobin

Nottingham New Theatre Youtube.

While theatre as we know it is still a distant dream, Nottingham New Theatre have been producing socially distanced online theatre. Befitting of the current situation and using the situation as a basis for the story line, this latest, written by

Jake Levy

and

Libby Horobin

uses a Zoom "pub quiz" as a way to keep that human interaction. What starts off as an online quiz, spirals into something completely unexpected.

Ava (

Eloise Dooley

), Danny (Charlie Bellwood), Sean (

Joe Butler

), Nicky (

Oliver Binns

) and Des (

Reilly Enzo Salmon

) get together for the quiz wher Nicky, the quizmaster starts to pose a set of tailored questions especially for the group. One question really gets under the skin of one of the zoomers and they leave the zoom session. The domino effect takes hold when truths come out, leaving just Des and Danny on screen.

This is where we discover that one of the pair has an addiction that looks to be spiralling, with the other showing concern for the other, but is the result tough love or does he cave in?

Filmed by Josh Spear, there are the zoom shots as well as an outdoor sequence, where we get to see some lovely scenery the University grounds offer.

The sound, at times, I was at times wrestling with, and I'll tell you why. The first time I watched this piece, I thought that it needed some further sound equalising with the Zoom sessions. And then I thought, well, no it doesn't because that is what the sound is like with this form of media and it is naturalistic with some of the distorted sound.

Watching "Monkey" is like eavesdropping on a group of friends getting together and then finding out something you were not expecting to hear, and I liked that element of the piece.

Obviously with this being a new piece of writing, I didn't know what to expect, and that is what makes seeing new pieces of theatre and writing like this a particular treat, feeding my hunger for new writing.

All five actors do not feel like they are performing for the camera and are completely natural, especially with the banter, crude jokes and references.

What I also noticed were, and I don't know how well they were intended by Director

Jake Levy

and Shadow Director

Rachel Coussins

, the silences. These can be used to wonderful effect, and were in this production, to create that slightly uneasy and embarrassed space, and I really liked that with "Monkey".

"Monkey" was well edited and, again gave a very natural feel to the 28 minute piece of online theatre, by Caetano Capurro and Charlotte Smith.

As well as co-writing "Monkey",

Libby Horobin

also produced the piece.

The ending, with its' outdoor sequence used a piece of music I didn't recognise, but sounded like it would not be out of place in some Italian spaghetti western, adding a slightly dangerous edge to the action.

One other thing I noticed was just how tidy the five "gaffs" were in the Zoom sequences. The joy of Zoom and Skype eh?

"Monkey" can be viewed on Youtube on Wednesday 5 August at 7.30 and you can reserve tickets via newtheatre.org.uk.

“TL;DR” by

Bill Hayes

Nottingham New Theatre YouTube channel

Wednesday 29 July 2020

This one-man production is part of the New Theatre’s Quarantine Season and is the third production made in this way. The first two were “Spring” and “Awakening” which you can also view online on Saturday 8 August, and are new takes on the wonderful play “Spring Awakening”, looking at both sides of the story. Anyway, that aside we are looking at “TL;DR”.

Alistair Das, played by Rohan Rakhit, enjoys his internet and he has his own YouTube channel where he loves to express his opinions, let’s face it who doesn’t? He delves into fringe communities and is on the look out for people who will engage in his views and opinions, but admits that he probably won't agree with what they have to say.

Well, we all know that the more and more you get involved in You Tube and the internet itself, the deeper you will be drawn in; we’ve all been there at 2am still looking at those cute cat/puppy videos haven’t we? And the more we search, the more we become enveloped in the magic and wonder of the internet, and the more we stand to be isolated from those around us, and make the internet our life.

In this play Alistair.at first comes across as an angry young man with plenty of opinions, almost a saviour of the internet commentary, but slowly we discover that he may not be quite the confident, dominant character we first see. He admits that his best friends are all online, so we slowly get a contrasting picture of who Alistair really is.

He trusts nothing that he is told and questions everything; he is almost like a modern day Citizen Smith. If you don't know who he is, Google it! He isn't afraid to say what he feels but fights for what he believes, but is what Alistair believes the beliefs and opinions of his Youtube followers?

What I really enjoyed, and did not expect was the last few minutes of the play, which is left open ended, and could go several ways in the mind of the viewer. Menacing, worrying, threatening, you just don't know what Alistair has in mind, especially when you take into consideration the content of the speeches just before the end "blog"

This is the first play written by this young University student, Bill Hayes and, while being very different to what I was expecting - well to tell the truth, I didn't know what to expect from a play called "TL;DR", which for those who didn't know the online slang, is explained in the play.

There are some lovely physical descriptions of the characters who Alistair describes so colourfully, you can picture them in your mind. the script is well put together and has a proper beginning, middle and end, albeit open ended. It gives the viewer something to discuss after the play has ended.

You can always tell if an author has written from what he/she knows, and I get areal feel that Bill has written from this viewpoint as it does not feel at all forced and has a natural rhythm.

This is helped though when you have a talented actor to breathe life into the words of a play and bring those words to life, and that is what you get with

Rohan

. His comedy is natural, and I know Rohan to be a natural wit in any case. Being so close to the screen though really accentuates this comedy, but also you get to see close up the change in mood in Alistair as he slowly becomes more down beat and menacing.

The play is perfect for the current climate and I love the production and editing of the play. It gave a feel of a trendy sit com or something similar to "Phone Jacker" - a TV show that I loved. It has change of pace and the sound effects and editing made the production edgy and with spark.

Written and co-directed by

Bill Hayes

, co-directed by

Jack Titley

who also produced the piece. Edited by Max Nichol and

Skylar Turnbull Hurd

, this is a clever piece of work, which probably wouldn't work as well in a typical theatre setting as it does as an online piece of theatre.

At about 40 minutes, it's not too long, so there is no excuse to miss out on this novel debut piece of writing.

“TL;DR” is being shown on the Nottingham New Theatre You Tube Channel on Wednesday 29 July at 7.30pm, with a Q&A session afterwards, Please visit the Nottingham New Theatre You Tube site