Review of Scaramouche Jones by Justin Butcher at The Playhouse Theatre, Northampton (White Cobra Productions)

Leading up to my seeing Scaramouche Jones for the first time, I had been informed by many that this was a quite a special show. Well written, intense, and in the case of those that had seen it at a previous visit to Royal & Derngate in 2002, a quite incredible performance by the late great Pete Postlethwaite. Having now seen the play I can only imagine what power Mr Postlethwaite brought to the role. Thankfully for my Scaramouche Jones, Richard Jordan, my preconceptions came fresh with no startling memories of such a performance.

Written by Justin Butcher, Scaramouche Jones takes us through the last hour or so of the life of a clown in his one hundredth year on the planet. He recounts his life from being born in a Trinidad whore house to a gypsy prostitute with a penchant for holding a meat hook in her hand while servicing her clients. He recounts his epic journey over fifty years to the land of England, including time featuring a snake being charmed to the music of Scott Joplin and Gilbert and Sullivan. His journeys also bring him to a devastating role in a camp in the Second World War, a role that indeed manages to change his very future.

It is indeed a quite incredible play, basically a storytelling one but with subtle almost barely noticeable moments like the removal of the clown's nose or the lighting of a candle. Played out on a wonderfully dressed set which for the best part is left ignored for most of the proceedings. Occasionally using an upturned circus prop for a snakes basket, or grabbing another item of clothing from a rail. The set is generally however just an observer like us of proceedings as Mr Jones recounts his tale.

Richard Jordan as Scaramouche does everything right for me. It is of course an actors play and I don't doubt the likes of Mr Postlethwaite or his ilke would have given this performance more zest and emotion, but as a first encounter, Jordan is everything I could want. Soft and subtle when needed, bold and decisive during the tough challenging moments and finally clear and precise during the mime performances. It is a challenging one man show that Richard Jordan ha perfected in his own way.

Production and direction from Kate Billingham is also everything you want from a show like this, subtle and just going about its business in the background. This is a performance show like no other and doesn't need any clever distraction.

At times it might be a little vulgar for granny in its content and it is just the second time I have heard the dreaded C word on stage so far. However for all its vulgarity, it never feels offensive. It just seems appropriate. Running at an uninterrupted ninety minutes offers its own challenges on the audience, but not one of the sold out crowd moved during the show as I suspect just like me they were spellbound by it. I was even surprised at the end how quickly the time had passed.

So an exceptional play and easily one of the best, richly written I have seen. Tough and challenging but absolutely rewarding viewing. A perfect night at the theatre and totally justified of that packed out house. Send on the clowns indeed if they can bring emotion, joy and sorrow to us like this.

««««

Performance reviewed: Saturday 13th February, 2016 at the Playhouse Theatre, Northampton

Scaramouche Jones is on a brief national tour. For details visit: http://www.whitecobraproductions.co.uk/

For full details about the Playhouse Theatre visit their website at http://www.theplayhousetheatre.net/

Review of Dear Evan Hansen at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

First performed in 2015, Dear Evan Hansen remains the musical of the modern teen's life, showcasing all the troubles in that generation of popularity and social media. And as this long UK tour of the West End and before that Broadway smash hits the Royal & Derngate, it offers a troubling mirror on modern society. Before seeing this show, I had avoided all knowledge of the story Dear Evan Hansen tells, and with that came a joyful voyage of discovery as the captivating story evolved. Therefore, if you have also managed to avoid the story, skip the next paragraph and enjoy a new story to be found. Evan Hansen is a troubled teen who struggles to fit into society and cannot find friends. As a result, his therapist has suggested that he write letters to himself, "Dear Evan Hansen." When one of these letters is found on the body of an equally troubled teen, Evan finds himself spiralling into a world of fictitious friendship, which gets increasingly out of control. The stor...

Review of Kinky Boots (N.M.T.C.) at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

The musical Kinky Boots is perhaps the perfect show for the homegrown theatre group Northampton Musical Theatre Company to perform with the very core of the story bred within this very county. The tale of of Charlie Price and his encounter and unlikely partnership with a certain Lola is based on a true story of factory W. G. Brooks Ltd and the owner Steve Pateman. Back in 1999 his story of men and their wearing of shoes for women featured on a BBC documentary and this in turn inspired the 2005 film, Kinky Boots . Finally, in 2012, this musical adaptation of the story hit the stage, with a book by Harvey Fierstein and songs written by Cyndi Lauper. Longtime readers of my blog with good memories may remember that five years ago I reviewed the opening of the UK professional tour of Kinky Boots , also at the Royal & Derngate. While I enjoyed the show, I didn't give it the most favourable review. Five years on, and a second viewing, have I warmed to the charms of Charlie and Lola...

Review of The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband at The Playhouse Theatre, Northampton

During the interval of The Woman Who Cooked Her Husband , last weeks production at The Playhouse Theatre Northampton, I got involved in a conversation between a couple sitting next to me. The lady was very much of the opinion that the play was a comedy, while the gentleman, had formed one that it was a tragedy. They were joking of course in the conversation, but it did highlight the differences that Debbie Isitt's dark comedy might have between the sexes. And also now perhaps the passing of time. When this was written in the nineties, Isitt's play was a forthright feminist play, heralding the championing over of the ladies over the man. One the ex-wife plotting to cook him, the other, the new lover, potentially already very tired of him after just three years. The husband, Kenneth (Jem Clack) elopes initially in pursuit of sex with Laura (Diane Wyman), after his nineteen years of marriage with Hilary (Corinna Leeder) has become tired and passionless. Then later, he elopes ...

A Small Mind At The Theatre

Search This Blog