My 2018 Awards - Part 3: Doctor Who

TV Episodes:
5) 'Kerblam!'
4) 'It Takes You Away'
3) 'The Woman Who Fell to Earth'
2) 'Resolution'
1) 'Rosa'.

Big Finish Audios:
5) 'The Seventh Doctor New Adventures Vol 1''
4) 'Serpent in the Silver Mask'
3) 'Red Planets'
2) 'UNIT: Cyber-Reality'
1) 'Hour of the Cybermen'.

Signing Events:
5) 'April Signing Spectacular' - St. Michaels Church Hall', Chiswick    (Fantom Films)
4) 'Collectormania 2018' - NEC, Birmingham    (Showmasters)
3) 'Whooverville 10' - Quad, Derby   (Whoovers)
2) 'London Film & Comic Con 2018' - Olympia, London      (Showmasters)
1) 'Big Finish Day 2018' - Quad, Derby   (Whoovers)

My 2018 Awards: Part 2 - Sherlock Holmes

Plays:
5) 'The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes' - Stonyhurst College, Hurst Green.
4) 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - St. Michaels and All Saints Church, Chiswick
3) 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - Lincoln Castle
2) 'Sherlock Holmes: The Last Curtain' - Rose Theatre, Kingston
1) 'The Sign of Four' - New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth

(Honourable Mention: 'The Hound of the Baskervilles' - Undershaw, Hindhead; 'Sherlock Holmes: The Panto' - Barns Green Village Hall, Horsham)

(Dishonourable Mention: 'A Study in Nova Alba' - Cornerhouse, Surbiton)


Films:

[After three years away from cinemas, they have been two portrayals of Holmes in the past year. Although neither was a critical success, one stood head and shoulders over the other for me]

2: Holmes and Watson  (dir: Etan Coen)      [Not as bad as all the stuff I had read prior to going to see it suggested. It was OK - just not very funny]

1: 'Sherlock Gnomes'   (dir: John Stevenson)    ['Gnomeo and Juliet' sequel, with multiple nods to the original stories and 'Sherlock', including a large number of visual gags that only I seemed to get in the screening I went to. Even Johnny Depp was surprisingly restrained as Sherlock, and I was pleased to see Dan Starkey's name in the closing titles]

'Elementary' Episodes:
5) 'The Adventure of the Ersatz Sobekneferu' (6.10)
4) 'Uncanny Valley of the Dolls' (6.16)
3) 'The Visions of Norman P. Horowitz' (6.18)
2)  'Pushing Buttons' (6.3)
1) 'Whatever Remains, However Improbable'  (6.21)

[No 'Sherlock' this year, so only what could have been the final season of 'Elementary', but it has been renewed for one more season, and the ending of the last episode sets up an interesting finale season].

'Sherlockian Sojourns':
5) Dorsington
4) Portsmouth/Worthing
3) Undershaw
2) Ingleton/Stonyhurst
1) Conan Doyle's Edinburgh 

My 2018 Awards: Part 1 - Theatre

Musicals:
5) 'Ruthless' - Arts Theatre, London
4) 'School of Rock' - Gillian Lynne Theatre, London
3) 'Everybody's Talking About Jamie' - Apollo Theatre, London
2) 'Eugenius' - The Other Palace, Victoria
1) 'Six' - Rose Theatre, Kingston

(Honourable Mentions: 'Bananaman: The Musical' - Southwark Playhouse; 'The Three Little Pigs' - Kenneth More Theatre, Ilford; 'Heathers: The Musical' - Theatre Royal, Haymarket; 'Strictly Ballroom: The Musical' - Piccadilly Theatre, London; 'Fanactical: TheSci-Fi Convention Musical' - The Playhouse Theatre W10; 'Caroline, Or Change' - Playhouse Theatre, London)

(Dishonourable Mention: 'Wasted' - Southwark Playhouse)

Comedy:
3) 'Jess Robinson: Here Come The Girls' - Leicester Square Theatre
2) 'Flo & Joan: The Kindness of Stranglers' - Soho Theatre
1) 'Raymond and Mr Timpkins Revue: Ham' - Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh.

(Honourable Mentions: 'Lost Voice Guy: Inspiration Porn' - Gilded Balloon Debating Hall, Edinburgh; 'An Evening With Barry Cryer' - Cinema Museum, Kennington)

Classic Comedy Recreations:
3) 'Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em' - Richmond Theatre
2) 'The Goon Show' - Richmond Theatre
1) 'Dad's Army Radio Hour' - Richmond Theatre

Magic
3) 'Pete Firman' - The Cornerhouse, Surbiton
2) 'Champions of Magic' - Richmond Theatre
1) 'Colin Cloud: (Psycho)Logical' - Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh

(Honourable Mentions: 'At Home With the Magic Circle' - The Magic Circle, London; 'Ben Hanlin: 50' - Pleasance Dome, Edinburgh; 'Griffin & Jones: Trickorish Allsorts' – Liquid Room Warehouse, Edinburgh; 'John Lenahan: Up Close' – The Free Sisters, Edinburgh)

(Dishonourable Mention: 'Adam Patel: Real Magic Live' - Leicester Square Theatre)

Plays:
3) 'Vulcan 7' - Richmond Theatre
2) 'An Honourable Man' - White Bear Theatre, Kennington
1) 'Uncle Vanya' - Hampstead Theatre

(Honourable Mentions: 'Nightfall' - Bridge Theatre, London; 'Mindgame' - Ambassadors Theatre, London; 'And This Is My Friend, Mr Laurel' - Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh)

Pantomimes:
5) 'Improvised Panto!' - Paradise in the Vault, Edinburgh
4) 'Sherlock Holmes: The Panto' - Barns Green Village Hall, Horsham
3) 'Jack and the Beanstalk' - Wimbledon Theatre
2) 'Buttons: A Cinderella Story' - King's Head Theatre, Islington
1) 'Aladdin' - Wimbledon Theatre

Sherlockian Sojourns # 16: Portsmouth & Southsea / Worthing

Portsmouth was where the invalided Watson reached England on the troopship, Orontes, travelling from there to London, in the first Sherlock Holmes novel, 'A Study in Scarlet'. However, it has a more important canonical connection, as it was in the Southsea area of the city in 1882 that Conan Doyle opened a practice of ophthalmology. His lack of clientele left him plenty of time to read, write and he began to publish short stories, but without great success. However, in 1887, at his Southsea address, he wrote about the consulting detective, Sherlock Holmes for the first time, in the aforementioned 'A Study in Scarlet'. Therefore, in a year that had seen me watch a production of ‘The Hound of the Baskervilles’ a few hundred yards from the study where it was written, and another Sherlockian play in the grounds of Conan Doyle’s alma mater, Stonyhurst College, the announcement of two Sherlockian plays in the Portsmouth area meant that I wished to add plays performed in the town where Holmes was created to my tally. Unfortunately, one of the plays (being performed by the same company as the Undershaw ‘Hound’) was postponed due to production problems, which led to a slight change in my plans.

Portsmouth also has another Sherlockian claim to fame. One of the world’s leading Sherlockian scholars and collectors, Richard Lancelyn Green (1953-2004), generously bequeathed his vast collection of over 60,000 items, including books, photographs, documents and objects (including boxing gloves and waistcoats), to Portsmouth City Council. The Collection is held at Portsmouth Central Library and is viewable by appointment, which I had done on a previous visit.

Catching an early train to London Waterloo, I then caught a train to Portsmouth and Southsea Station, spending the time listening to 'Sherlock Holmes: The Master of Blackstone Grange'. Having an hour before the performance, I took the opportunity to make a detour to the nearby Arundel Street, where two back-to-back benches have been erected to commemorate Conan Doyle’s connection to the city. The benches, designed by Pete Codling, are facsimiles of the first page of the manuscript of ‘A Study in Scarlet’ , and an 1889 letter sent by Conan Doyle to Portsmouth Library. Typically, people were sitting on the letter-side of the bench, but I managed to get photos of the 'Study' side, before undertaking the slow task of photographing an inscription on the pavement around the bench (in 22 stages), which was a longer version of the quote that gives this blog its name, having to kick away Autumn leaves. Further down the street were benches commemorating some of Portsmouth's other famous cultural icons, namely Isambard Kingdom Brunel and his father Sir Marc Brunel (who feature in the sixth Doctor audio, 'Iron Bright'), the painter W.L. Wyllie, Victorian authors George Meredith and Sir Walter Beasant, and Charles Dickens.

 

 

 

 

Retracing my steps, I made my way to the New Theatre Royal, and a 10.30am performance of ‘The Sign of Four’, the second Holmes novel, also written in Portsmouth. Due to the time, the performance was mainly attended by two school groups, and I was upgraded from my balcony seats to the middle Stalls. (I had picked the early matinee in an attempt to attend the other play’s evening performance). I purchased both a programme and a copy of the playscript and took my seat.

The performance concluded (click here for a review), and I was soon making my way down to the Portsmouth City Museum, which features two Sherlockian exhibitions. The first was ‘A Study in Sherlock: Uncovering the Arthur Conan Doyle Collection’, which I had visited before, and which showcases the largest collection pertaining to Doyle and his creation Sherlock Holmes in the world (using items from the Richard Lancelyn Green bequest). The gallery also explored Conan Doyle’s early life as a doctor in Portsmouth, his sporting activity and later interest in spiritualism as well as Sherlock Holmes as depicted in film, theatre, advertising and elsewhere.It also includes a Sherlock Holmes mystery and narration by Stephen Fry, patron of the collection.

 

The second was ‘You don't know Sherlock Holmes… yet’, which further explored the connection between the city of Portsmouth and Conan Doyle. Again showcasing a range of material from the Lancelyn Green Bequest, the exhibition traced the development of Conan Doyle's career as a writer, from his arrival in Southsea to the writing of the first two Sherlock Holmes novels, and included the original manuscript of 'The Creeping Man', and 'the great Agra Treasure' which had played such an important part in my earlier theatrical experience. There was also the opportunity to test my detective skills through a range of interactive displays based on canonical stories. The gallery ended with photos of actor who have played Holmes being projected onto a wall, including many that I had met, such as Nicholas Rowe, Tom Baker, Anthony Higgins and Peter Capaldi, as well as the forthcoming Will Ferrell (Having see the trailer, I'm not holding out much hope).

 

 

Having bought a two fridge magnets in the gift shop, my next stop was to the former site of Bush Villas, Conan Doyle’s practice, where he wrote ‘A Study in Scarlet’. The manuscript was rejected by several publishers before Ward, Lock & Co. bought it for the paltry sum of £25 (Conan Doyle never making any more money from it). They published it in their Beeton's Christmas Annual in November 1887 and it was totally unnoticed at the time. Plaques on the current building, Bush House, indicate the site’s literary significance.

Next it was back to the Station, via Arundel Street to take photos of the other side of the bench, to catch a train to nearby Worthing, which does not appear in the Canon. However, it was here in 1926 that Conan Doyle opened the newly built Spiritualist Church. Having already seen the other two English Spiritualist Churches opened by Conan Doyle (in Camden & Kingston), I wished to complete the set. Finding the Church with limited problems, I took photos of the church and plaque commemorating the event.

 

 

 

Prior to catching my train home, I made my way to a nearby Fish and Chip shop, eating my meal on the seafront, looking out to sea. Returning to Worthing Station, I made my way back home via Clapham Junction.

THEATRE REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four - New Theatre Royal, Portsmouth

THEATRE REVIEW: Sherlock Holmes: The Sign of Four

by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, Adapted by Nick Lane
Directed by Nick Lane.  




An adaptation of the second Holmes novel, this was the first stage adaptation that I had seen (the third novel - 'Hound' - being the usual choice. I've seen at least 16 stage versions, and have another to come before Christmas) and I decided to see it in Portsmouth where the novel was written. The novel concerns Mary Morstan (the future Mrs. Watson) arriving at 221b Baker Street to request help with the mystery of her missing father, Holmes takes the case and together with the ever-reliable companion Dr. Watson enters a murky world of deception and trickery, unravelling a complex plot involving murder, corruption and stolen jewels.

I was originally intending to see another Sherlockian production also in Portsmouth that evening (which had been postponed), so I booked for the morning matinee (10.30am), which was mainly intended for school parties as 'The Sign of Four' appears on the AQA GCSE syllabus. I was upgraded from my balcony seat to the middle Stalls, and entered the auditorium behind two school groups, having bought both a programme and a copy of the playscript.

The production featured six actors playing a total of twenty-one characters (with all save Holmes playing more than one part), and all actors also played at least one instrument to provide the supporting musical score   (Mary Morstan playing the trombone is an image that will stay with me !). All actors also remained on stage throughout, moving to chairs behind a number of arches when not in a scene. Holmes was played by Luke Barton, who played him as the young man of the novel and in a manner that seemed vaguely familiar, but which I could not place until one of the schoolchildren a few rows in front compared him to Matt Smith's Eleventh Doctor. There was also strong support from Joseph Derrington as Watson, Stephanie Rutherford as Mary (and all the other women), Christopher Glover, Ru Hamilton (his effete Thaddeus Sholto being a highlight) and Zach Lee. The adaption was good, but the dramatised explanation for the villain's actions went on a little too long for my liking, and they amended my favourite line from the novel from 'Holmes, a child has done this terrible thing' to 'A child did it ?'  I was also slightly put out that Scotland Yarder, Athnelney-Jones, was not Welsh as his name would seem to suggest.  

Worth catching if it comes to a theatre near you.   (Click here for tour dates)

Rating:    (4/5)

'British' Musicals: ‘Fanatical’ (2018)

'British' Musicals: ‘Fanatical’ (2018)

Lyrics & Music by Matt Board
Book by Reina Hardy

History

‘Fanatical: A Sci-Fi Convention Musical’ is a musical with music and lyrics by the British composer, Matt Board  (who was also co-writer of the critically acclaimed 'Austentacious' and wrote 'Friends: The Opera' for Comedy Central) and a book by American playwright, Reina Hardy. The idea of a musical set at a science-fiction convention ticked all the right boxes for them: a world in love with story, and a world full of people who will unshamedly burst into song. However, developing a show on two sides of an ocean was not easy, but via four transatlantic workshops, a fringe festival show in Chicago, and a college production at Mountview, the first London production opened on 8th November 2018 at the Playground Theatre in West London.

Story

In a distant Galaxy - the ragtag misfit crew of cargo ship Angel 8 are under the command of fearless pilot Iris Aucht.

Meanwhile...at a conference centre, somewhere in England – a ragtag misfit collection of 1,000 fans gather from all across the UK for Eight Con One, the first ever official convention of the cult TV show Angel 8.

Angel 8 started as a comic created by reclusive British Sci-fi author Scott Furnish. Its first TV outing ended on a shocking cliff-hanger. With eager anticipation at the promise of a second series, these enthusiastic devotees have come together to celebrate their beloved series and to meet Scott face-to-face and hear his keynote speech.

In A Nutshell

No power in the universe can keep a story from its fans.

Production

I caught the second preview performance on 9th November 2018, finding that despite the theatre being on Latimer Road, it is a full ten minute walk from Latimer Road tube station, due to having to walk three sides of a square. The audience mainly seemed to be made up of friends and family of the performers, and the person next to me (possibly the director) was taking copious notes to feedback to the cast. The cast was led by Sophie Powles (who played Holly Barton in 'Emmerdale') as the cosplaying Andra, and Suanne Braun as convention-runner Trix (utilising her sci-fi experience having appeared as Hathor in three episodes of 'Stargate: SG1', as Cpt. Dorothy McCutcheon in 'Red Dwarf XI: Twentica', and Dotty-Ky in 'Starhyke'), with Stephen Frost (best known from the iconic 'Carling Black Label' adverts) as series creator, Scott Furnish.

The witty songs were excellent, as were the performances, particularly Powles (and Eddy Payne as young geek, Baxter), and I loved the geeky in-jokes. The set was sparse but the production was all the better for it, with all the cast throwing themselves into it fully.

Definitely recommended  (particularly if the terms cosplay, LARP, slashfic and flame wars mean something to you).

'Fanatical: A Sci-Fi Convention Musical' runs at the Playground Theatre, Latimer Road W10 until 9th December 2018.

Favourite Song

No contest –the second half's 'Any Moment Now', whose name conceals its content. I also loved 'Me Slash You' and 'Look What I Made' from the first half.

Did I Buy The Cast Recording ?

No, there wasn't one available.

Links

Production Website
Soundcloud: Fanatical

British Musicals: ‘Six’ (2017)

British Musicals: ‘Six’ (2017)

Book, Lyrics & Music by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss

History

‘Six’ is a musical by Toby Marlow and Lucy Moss, who met in the Cambridge University Musical Theatre Society (CUMTS). The society weary of annually haemorrhaging money at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival on the rights of real musicals by real writers, decided to write their own based on the idea of ‘the six wives of Henry VIII, but like a pop group’. The show opened on the 2017 Edinburgh Fringe to rave reviews, then a short tour, where at the ADC Theatre in Cambridge, it was seen by composer, George Stiles (co-writer of many of my favourite British Musicals, including ‘Betty Blue Eyes’, ‘The Wind in the Willows’, ‘Honk’ and ‘Soho Cinders’) who became one of the show’s producers, helping them stave off suggestions including adding Henry to the mix, adding more songs to make 90 minutes rather than 75 minutes, and even adding a complete second half. Stiles commented ‘It doesn’t want to expand. It’s for the Netflix generation’. With supporters on board, the show undertook a handful of sold-out workshop performances at the Arts Theatre in London over Christmas 2017, then an opening week at the Norwich Playhouse, a further (sold out) run at the Edinburgh Fringe, before returning to the Arts Theatre for a short run, then going on tour from November to December 2018, taking in Kingston, Southampton, Salford, and Glasgow. It is then scheduled to return to the Arts Theatre for a five month run in the New Year.

Story

Divorced, beheaded, died, divorced, beheaded, survived. 

All this time
They’ve been just one word in a stupid rhyme
So they picked up a pen and a microphone
History’s about to get overthrown. 

From Tudor Queens to Pop Princesses, the six wives of Henry VIII take to the mic to tell their tales, remixing five hundred years of ‘her-storical’ heartbreak into a 75-minute celebration of celebration of sisterly sass-itude and 21st century girl power. These Queens may have green sleeves but their lipstick is rebellious red.

In A Nutshell

‘Divorced, Beheaded, LIVE !!!’ – The Ultimate Queen concert.

Production

I caught the first night of the tour, from the front row of the Rose Theatre, Kingston, which was packed. The lights went down and the all female cast and band entered. Following a wonderful opening number which started as ‘Greensleeves’, then morphed into a riff on ‘Divorced, Beheaded, Died, Divorced, Beheaded, Survived’, the plot began – a competition between the wives as to who had the worst time, leading to six very different solo songs, with backing from the other five. Each wife had their own Queenspiration – Catherine of Aragon (Beyonce & Shakira), Anne Boleyn (Lily Allen & Avril Lavigne), Jane Seymour (Adele & Sia), Anna of Cleeves (Nicki Minaj & Rihanna), Katherine Howard (Ariana Grande & Britney Spears), and Catherine Parr (Alicia Keys & Emeli Sande) – meaning a good variety of pop styles, all with a live band. The ending with the wives all singing together about how they are more than just a rhyme was also amazing.

The cast – Jarneia Richard-Noel (Catherine I), Millie O’Connell (Anne), Natalie Paris (Jane), Alexia McIntosh (Anna), Aimie Atkinson (Katherine) and Maiya Quansah-Breed (Catherine II) - were all amazing, as were their costumes which were one-part fishnetted pop-star, one-part Tudor Queen. The songs were all very witty, and when it was announced at the end that an album was now available, there was a surge for the merchandise stand.

Given the similar idea, historical figures as a band, I found myself comparing it to ‘Wasted’ that I had seen a month before. However, ‘Six’ clearly emerged as the winner, thanks partly to its brevity – 10 songs compared to 27 – but also to the standard of the songs and staging, meaning that it at no point dragged, as ‘Wasted’ had in parts.

Highly, highly recommended. Book for the West End run next year as soon as you can.

Six runs at the Rose Theatre, Kingston until 4th November 2018. It then tours to NST Southampton (13/11/18-17/11/18), The Lowry Salford Quays (04/12/18-16/12/18), and the SEC Glasgow (20/12/18-30/12/18), before re-opening at the Arts Theatre London on 16th January 2019, with performances until 5th May 2019.

Favourite Song

No contest – the Lily Allenesque ‘Don’t Lose UR Head’, sung by Anne Boleyn.

Did I Buy The Cast Recording ?

Yes, on download as soon as I got home.

Links

Production Website: https://www.sixthemusical.com/

You Tube: 'Six' - The Trailer

'Six' Playlists