Everybody knows Romeo
and Juliet. They’ve either studied it at school, or seen a film adaptation,
or maybe some people have even seen it in the theatre. Most people probably don’t
think of it as a funny play. But when you see the Pantaloons’ version (as I did
on 19th August 2016), you realise how much humour there is in Romeo and Juliet.
From the punning banter between Mercutio (Mark Hayward) and
Romeo (Tim Phelps), to the affectionately teasing relationship between Juliet
(Violet Patton-Ryder) and the Nurse (Caitlin Storey), the Pantaloons draw out
and make the most of the comedy in the text.
And it’s great to see original Pantaloons Mark Hayward and
Caitlin Storey back on the stage and flexing their acting and improvisation
muscles again. The quick-wittedness and warmth of their interactions with the
audience is a joy, and Caitlin Storey’s Nurse has the audience in the palm of
her hand throughout (with or without the help of kitkats).
That’s not to say that the drama and tragedy are forgotten
about in this production though. Romeo’s despair on hearing of Juliet’s ‘death’
was palpable, and I was particularly struck by Juliet’s speech before she
drinks the potion that will make her appear to be dead, where she voices her
fears about waking in the tomb. It’s not a speech that I’ve ever really
registered before, but Violet Patton-Ryder’s delivery of it really made me feel
the horror of what Juliet’s imagining.
The cast of just four in this Romeo and Juliet moved effortlessly between the drama and the
comedy – and between the Shakespearean language and modern ad libs. I’ve written before about how the atmosphere changes at an outdoor show as darkness
falls, and it was the same here. Romeo
and Juliet does get darker as it goes on, and the fall of night only
intensifies that.
I feel I must give a mention to the balcony scene. Previous
Pantaloons productions of Romeo and Juliet
have played on how well known certain lines are (“It’s the famous bit!”) –
but in this version they take a fresh approach to the scene. I won’t spoil it
for those of you who haven’t seen it yet, but I thought it balanced the humour
and the romance of the scene nicely, subverting our expectations without
diverting from the text.
And another special mention must go to the venue where I saw
the play. St Mark’s College at Audley End had put together a Romeo and Juliet themed playlist for the
incoming and the interval – Prokofiev, Des’ree, Dire Straits, Taylor Swift… I
can’t imagine many venues put that much thought into setting the scene for a
touring theatre company’s show. Nice touch.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Romeo and Juliet until 26th
August 2016 and then will be touring an indoor version of the production later in the
autumn. Full details are on their website. I’m sure the autumn cast will be equally
brilliant, but it’s well worth catching the summer cast if you can!
Showing posts with label The Pantaloons. Show all posts
Showing posts with label The Pantaloons. Show all posts
Sunday, 21 August 2016
Thursday, 23 June 2016
Gulliver's Travels & The Canterbury Tales - The Pantaloons
This week I have been mostly watching The Pantaloons. Gulliver’s Travels in Eastbourne on 21st
June and The Canterbury Tales in
Brighton on 22nd June 2016.
Both were a lot of fun. Gulliver’s Travels was very silly generally, and full of fun little touches acknowledging the challenges of staging the outlandish story with no special effects. The Canterbury Tales was slick, pacey and hugely enjoyable despite the thunder and rain.
I’ve seen quite a lot of Pantaloons shows over the years (and I’ve written about a few of them on here), but before this week I’d never sat through a thunderstorm to see one. Mind you, I’d also never seen one performed beneath a rainbow, but at Canterbury Tales on Wednesday we had all the weather!
Actually, it kind of added to the experience. The thunder started rumbling just as we came to one of the darker tales, the Manciple’s tale told in the style of Edgar Allan Poe. And the Second Nun’s opera was accompanied by some well-timed thunderclaps. In the second half, the falling rain and sodden stage were incorporated into the cast’s performances to great comic effect.
We may have all got rather wet, and I may have seen them do Canterbury Tales before, but I’m glad we made it through to the end of the show. It’s a reliably funny adaptation of The Canterbury Tales, and with a cast full of confidence and enthusiasm, this is probably one of The Pantaloons’ best shows.
Gulliver’s Travels, by contrast, was indoors – so no weather worries there. (Though typically it was on a gloriously sunny day in Eastbourne). The challenges at this performance were more to do with managing the audience, who included stony-faced teenagers and good-natured hecklers. But of course the cast dealt with this with their customary humour and quick wit.
I enjoyed the Lilliputian finger puppets and their ‘close-ups’ – and the fight between the One Direction doll Gulliver and the giant rats was inspired. Just like watching children play with their toys. The yahoos were also fun – reminiscent of a memorable Sir Toby Belch in a previous Pantaloons production of Twelfth Night, and not all that dissimilar from a couple of characters in Canterbury Tales.
Both casts for Gulliver’s Travels and The Canterbury Tales are very strong: funny, shape-shifting, confident in interacting with the audience, and really rather talented musically.
And, in referendum week, both productions made reference to the EU vote. In the improvised tale at the end of The Canterbury Tales, an undecided dragon voter was defeated by a ‘Vote Remain’ poster. I bet the politicians wish it was that simple.
And on that note, I’m off to vote!
The Pantaloons are on tour with The Canterbury Tales and Gulliver’s Travels all summer – visit their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for a full list of tour dates.
Both were a lot of fun. Gulliver’s Travels was very silly generally, and full of fun little touches acknowledging the challenges of staging the outlandish story with no special effects. The Canterbury Tales was slick, pacey and hugely enjoyable despite the thunder and rain.
I’ve seen quite a lot of Pantaloons shows over the years (and I’ve written about a few of them on here), but before this week I’d never sat through a thunderstorm to see one. Mind you, I’d also never seen one performed beneath a rainbow, but at Canterbury Tales on Wednesday we had all the weather!
Actually, it kind of added to the experience. The thunder started rumbling just as we came to one of the darker tales, the Manciple’s tale told in the style of Edgar Allan Poe. And the Second Nun’s opera was accompanied by some well-timed thunderclaps. In the second half, the falling rain and sodden stage were incorporated into the cast’s performances to great comic effect.
We may have all got rather wet, and I may have seen them do Canterbury Tales before, but I’m glad we made it through to the end of the show. It’s a reliably funny adaptation of The Canterbury Tales, and with a cast full of confidence and enthusiasm, this is probably one of The Pantaloons’ best shows.
Gulliver’s Travels, by contrast, was indoors – so no weather worries there. (Though typically it was on a gloriously sunny day in Eastbourne). The challenges at this performance were more to do with managing the audience, who included stony-faced teenagers and good-natured hecklers. But of course the cast dealt with this with their customary humour and quick wit.
I enjoyed the Lilliputian finger puppets and their ‘close-ups’ – and the fight between the One Direction doll Gulliver and the giant rats was inspired. Just like watching children play with their toys. The yahoos were also fun – reminiscent of a memorable Sir Toby Belch in a previous Pantaloons production of Twelfth Night, and not all that dissimilar from a couple of characters in Canterbury Tales.
Both casts for Gulliver’s Travels and The Canterbury Tales are very strong: funny, shape-shifting, confident in interacting with the audience, and really rather talented musically.
And, in referendum week, both productions made reference to the EU vote. In the improvised tale at the end of The Canterbury Tales, an undecided dragon voter was defeated by a ‘Vote Remain’ poster. I bet the politicians wish it was that simple.
And on that note, I’m off to vote!
The Pantaloons are on tour with The Canterbury Tales and Gulliver’s Travels all summer – visit their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for a full list of tour dates.
Sunday, 8 May 2016
The Importance of Being Earnest - The Pantaloons
I always enjoy a Pantaloons show. I like their style –
madcap, physical, and often slightly anarchic but not without depth and
substance.
The Importance of Being
Earnest is not an obvious choice of play for them – it has little depth and
doesn’t lend itself easily to anarchy. But that didn’t stop the Pantaloons
bringing their customary verve and vigour to it at the Underground Theatre on 7th
May 2016. With added songs, audience participation, and numerous un-Wildean
interjections, they unashamedly turned the piece into a proper Pantaloons show.
Wilde purists may have been taken aback by the way the
physical became just as integral to the humour as the words. Lady Bracknell
(Kelly Griffiths), Doctor Chasuble (Neil Jennings), and Miss Prism (Alex
Rivers), in particular, became much funnier through their physical
characterisation than I have often seen them portrayed.
But a Pantaloons show is no place for purists. As they say
in their programme notes, the company aims to “wrench these works from the
closed world of theatrical and educational institutions and return them to the
breathing, bustling world of the outdoors, telling contemporary stories in a
contemporary way to contemporary audiences.”
So if you’re attracted by the title and only want to see a
traditional production of The Importance
of Being Earnest, then, I’ll be honest, this may not be entirely for you.
But if, on the other hand, you’re ambivalent about the title because you think
it’ll be the same old thing, then I’d urge you to give the Pantaloons a go. You’ll
enjoy it more than you think, and it definitely won’t just be the same old
thing.
And that goes for Earnest,
their Shakespeares, and any of their other productions too. So if you’ve missed
Earnest (it's on tour until 14th May), the Pantaloons are on tour
with three productions over the summer months. Take a look at their website for details of Gulliver’s Travels, The Canterbury Tales, and Romeo
and Juliet.
Tuesday, 20 October 2015
Macbeth - The Pantaloons
Film noir. Intrigue, suspense, guns, cars, darkness, saxophone
music. Witches in bins? Shakespearean knock knock jokes? Stories from the
audience? Why not? This is the Pantaloons, after all.
Their take on Macbeth (which visited Eastbourne’s Underground Theatre on 17/10/15) incorporated all of the above and much more in a tight, dramatic and inventive production.
I particularly liked the witches. Three puppets in a bin, like some kind of sinister Sesame Street, lit from beneath and swaying and cackling in the darkness. Brilliant.
The light (or lack of it) and sound throughout was really effective – atmospheric, suspenseful, and at times used for comic effect. The film noir homages, the shadows, the way many of Macbeth’s soliloquies were delivered in semi-darkness in the midst of the audience – all these combined to create a much darker show (literally and metaphorically) than we’re used to from the Pantaloons.
And it was great. There were some pretty powerful moments – from Macbeth (Chris Smart), Lady Macbeth (Alex Rivers), Macduff (Neil Jennings), and Malcolm (Hannah Ellis) as our narrator.
I heard several audience members afterwards comment on the dexterity with which the cast switched between drama and comedy. There’s not a huge amount of comedy in Macbeth, but the Pantaloons drew out and made the most of what there is. Kelly Griffiths, in particular, struck up a great rapport with the audience as the Porter: getting members of the audience to tell stories of strange goings-on and riffing on these; telling jokes; encouraging us to join in as guests at the banquet. The audience always becomes part of the play at a Pantaloons show, and Macbeth was no exception.
A packed house at the Underground Theatre all left the place buzzing and saying how much they’d enjoyed it. The cast may have sung about the curse of Macbeth, but luckily the curse didn’t seem to be in evidence on the night.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Macbeth until the end of November – see their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for full tour details.
Their take on Macbeth (which visited Eastbourne’s Underground Theatre on 17/10/15) incorporated all of the above and much more in a tight, dramatic and inventive production.
I particularly liked the witches. Three puppets in a bin, like some kind of sinister Sesame Street, lit from beneath and swaying and cackling in the darkness. Brilliant.
The light (or lack of it) and sound throughout was really effective – atmospheric, suspenseful, and at times used for comic effect. The film noir homages, the shadows, the way many of Macbeth’s soliloquies were delivered in semi-darkness in the midst of the audience – all these combined to create a much darker show (literally and metaphorically) than we’re used to from the Pantaloons.
And it was great. There were some pretty powerful moments – from Macbeth (Chris Smart), Lady Macbeth (Alex Rivers), Macduff (Neil Jennings), and Malcolm (Hannah Ellis) as our narrator.
I heard several audience members afterwards comment on the dexterity with which the cast switched between drama and comedy. There’s not a huge amount of comedy in Macbeth, but the Pantaloons drew out and made the most of what there is. Kelly Griffiths, in particular, struck up a great rapport with the audience as the Porter: getting members of the audience to tell stories of strange goings-on and riffing on these; telling jokes; encouraging us to join in as guests at the banquet. The audience always becomes part of the play at a Pantaloons show, and Macbeth was no exception.
A packed house at the Underground Theatre all left the place buzzing and saying how much they’d enjoyed it. The cast may have sung about the curse of Macbeth, but luckily the curse didn’t seem to be in evidence on the night.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Macbeth until the end of November – see their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for full tour details.
Friday, 14 August 2015
Much Ado About Nothing - The Pantaloons
It’s always fun seeing a Pantaloons show, but it’s a
particular pleasure when it’s a Shakespeare play.
They performed Much Ado About Nothing at Eastbourne’s Underground Theatre on 11th August 2015. On top of the familiar Pantaloons ingredients of music, ad libbing, and interacting with the audience, Much Ado has the added benefit of being written by Shakespeare, who has been known to write a good play or two.
The cast has such ease with the language: full of life and character; never a struggle to understand; you could hardly discern the join between the original text and the modern asides.
In a cast of just four, there was much doubling (tripling/quadrupling), and this is where the physicality of the cast’s performances came into its own. They didn’t just rely on costume or voice to distinguish one character from another: each character was immediately identifiable simply by how they held themselves and moved. The villainous Don John, Borachio’s mimes, the old man Antonio, and the choreography of the Watch showed this physicality at its best.
Other touches I enjoyed: the Loons boxes; the music, bubbles and birds when Benedick decided he was in love (and the expression on Neil Jennings’ face as Benedick at that point); the ‘post-credits’ moments at the end; the way the cast seamlessly incorporated a broken telescope prop (and trying to fix it) into a scene, without once losing the rhythm of the dialogue or direction of the action.
The Pantaloons are primarily touring Much Ado About Nothing as an outdoor production, and I’d have liked to have seen this outdoors. I can see that certain scenes would work even better out in the open air and with more space than the stage at the Underground Theatre would allow.
Having seen other Pantaloons shows both inside and outside (Pride and Prejudice most recently), it’s interesting what differences the setting makes. Outdoors in Pride and Prejudice, and probably in Much Ado too, a more serious, reflective mood seems to settle as the darkness falls. While still moving in an indoor setting, I can imagine Claudio’s heartbroken song at Hero’s ‘tomb’ is quite spine-tingling outside at nightfall.
But the Underground Theatre, as its name suggests, is underground – and there are definite benefits to being indoors. You know you won’t get rained on, for a start.
Speaking of which, (as I’m hoping it doesn’t rain), I’ll be seeing the Globe’s production of Much Ado About Nothing this weekend. It’ll be interesting to compare and contrast.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Much Ado About Nothing until 23rd August. Full tour dates are on their website: thepantaloons.co.uk
They performed Much Ado About Nothing at Eastbourne’s Underground Theatre on 11th August 2015. On top of the familiar Pantaloons ingredients of music, ad libbing, and interacting with the audience, Much Ado has the added benefit of being written by Shakespeare, who has been known to write a good play or two.
The cast has such ease with the language: full of life and character; never a struggle to understand; you could hardly discern the join between the original text and the modern asides.
In a cast of just four, there was much doubling (tripling/quadrupling), and this is where the physicality of the cast’s performances came into its own. They didn’t just rely on costume or voice to distinguish one character from another: each character was immediately identifiable simply by how they held themselves and moved. The villainous Don John, Borachio’s mimes, the old man Antonio, and the choreography of the Watch showed this physicality at its best.
Other touches I enjoyed: the Loons boxes; the music, bubbles and birds when Benedick decided he was in love (and the expression on Neil Jennings’ face as Benedick at that point); the ‘post-credits’ moments at the end; the way the cast seamlessly incorporated a broken telescope prop (and trying to fix it) into a scene, without once losing the rhythm of the dialogue or direction of the action.
The Pantaloons are primarily touring Much Ado About Nothing as an outdoor production, and I’d have liked to have seen this outdoors. I can see that certain scenes would work even better out in the open air and with more space than the stage at the Underground Theatre would allow.
Having seen other Pantaloons shows both inside and outside (Pride and Prejudice most recently), it’s interesting what differences the setting makes. Outdoors in Pride and Prejudice, and probably in Much Ado too, a more serious, reflective mood seems to settle as the darkness falls. While still moving in an indoor setting, I can imagine Claudio’s heartbroken song at Hero’s ‘tomb’ is quite spine-tingling outside at nightfall.
But the Underground Theatre, as its name suggests, is underground – and there are definite benefits to being indoors. You know you won’t get rained on, for a start.
Speaking of which, (as I’m hoping it doesn’t rain), I’ll be seeing the Globe’s production of Much Ado About Nothing this weekend. It’ll be interesting to compare and contrast.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Much Ado About Nothing until 23rd August. Full tour dates are on their website: thepantaloons.co.uk
Sunday, 26 July 2015
Treasure Island - The Pantaloons
Huge amounts of energy. Huge amounts of silliness. Huge
amounts of fun.
This incredibly fast-paced production of Treasure Island by The Pantaloons (which I saw in Eastbourne on 25th July 2015) sees just three actors play all the characters. There follows an entertaining variety of madcap characterisations and questionable regional accents. And audience interaction, singing, drumming, ad libbing, and so much packed in you wonder that the cast don’t just collapse in a heap at the end!
I really enjoyed it. So did the kids in the audience around me. They were completely rapt throughout.
In a lot of ways, watching The Pantaloons’ Treasure Island is like watching kids playing at being pirates. The plastic swords, the parrot puppet, the hand gestures to show imaginary spurts of blood when injured. And all played with such gusto and exuberance.
I particularly enjoyed the sword fights (hey, I’m a big kid), and the hip hop medley as Jim ‘drives’ the ship.
I have to confess there were times when I didn’t entirely follow what was going on plot-wise – but it didn’t bother me in the slightest. I was having too much fun.
I’ve read the original book of Treasure Island (I’m afraid it hasn’t stuck in my head much), and I’ve seen the Muppets’ version on film (which has stuck in my head much more). The Pantaloons’ version rivals the Muppets’ for zaniness and probably surpasses both versions in terms of pace.
Really, the huge amount of energy on stage was something to behold.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Treasure Island until 30th August 2015. See their website for full tour details.
They will be returning to Eastbourne’s Under Ground Theatre on 11th August with Much Ado About Nothing. After their Treasure Island and Pride and Prejudice, I’m looking forward to seeing what else they’ve got up their sleeves.
This incredibly fast-paced production of Treasure Island by The Pantaloons (which I saw in Eastbourne on 25th July 2015) sees just three actors play all the characters. There follows an entertaining variety of madcap characterisations and questionable regional accents. And audience interaction, singing, drumming, ad libbing, and so much packed in you wonder that the cast don’t just collapse in a heap at the end!
I really enjoyed it. So did the kids in the audience around me. They were completely rapt throughout.
In a lot of ways, watching The Pantaloons’ Treasure Island is like watching kids playing at being pirates. The plastic swords, the parrot puppet, the hand gestures to show imaginary spurts of blood when injured. And all played with such gusto and exuberance.
I particularly enjoyed the sword fights (hey, I’m a big kid), and the hip hop medley as Jim ‘drives’ the ship.
I have to confess there were times when I didn’t entirely follow what was going on plot-wise – but it didn’t bother me in the slightest. I was having too much fun.
I’ve read the original book of Treasure Island (I’m afraid it hasn’t stuck in my head much), and I’ve seen the Muppets’ version on film (which has stuck in my head much more). The Pantaloons’ version rivals the Muppets’ for zaniness and probably surpasses both versions in terms of pace.
Really, the huge amount of energy on stage was something to behold.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Treasure Island until 30th August 2015. See their website for full tour details.
They will be returning to Eastbourne’s Under Ground Theatre on 11th August with Much Ado About Nothing. After their Treasure Island and Pride and Prejudice, I’m looking forward to seeing what else they’ve got up their sleeves.
Monday, 15 June 2015
Pride and Prejudice - The Pantaloons
Pride and Prejudice
is one of those texts that everyone thinks they know all about – whether or not
they’ve read Austen’s book. It’s a romance. About well-to-do people with
excessively polite manners. And Colin Firth emerging dripping from a lake.
The Pantaloons, of course, excel at playing with these kinds of widely-known texts. They take what everyone thinks they know, lightly mock those expectations, draw out the humour of the original (many of the lines in this adaptation are taken word for word from the book), and they present their own Pantaloonish take.
They started the evening at the Underground Theatre by asking the audience who’d read the book (almost everyone said they had) – and then by asking who’d said that they’d read the book but had actually just seen an adaptation (a few honest souls said yes). They told us on more than one occasion that the famous lake scene was neither in the book nor in their adaptation. And throughout they slipped constantly and seamlessly between 18th century and 21st century dialogue, bringing the characters to life and interacting with the audience. This is what I mean by ‘their own Pantaloonish take’: they don’t just act the story out in front of you, they step out of it, bring you into it, have fun with it, and make you engage with it.
The focus of The Pantaloons’ Pride and Prejudice is probably more on the comedy than on the romance. There are certainly some particularly memorable characterisations, what with Lady Catherine’s roar, her daughter’s cough, Mary’s leadenness, and a Mr Collins who wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of Green Wing.
But the scenes that are played more or less straight – such as Lizzy and Darcy’s argument after his first proposal – are absolutely electric. And the moment when Wickham is all that Lizzy can think about is both amusing and evocative too.
The music, as always in a Pantaloons show, plays an important part in creating an atmosphere. But in this production, they make the most of not having a piano in one particular scene, as a cast member becomes the piano (and is then ‘played’ by other cast members). Indeed, an impromptu piano-based pun competition set off by an audience member threatened to derail the scene at one point – but they swiftly got back on track and it served to showcase both the quick wit of the cast and their skill in dealing with and incorporating unexpected distractions.
Aside from one or two rather vocal audience members, it was a quieter audience than usual when I saw Pride and Prejudice (Sunday 14th June 2015). But the cast worked hard to create the same inclusive, energetic atmosphere as always, and – though quiet – everyone there left with a smile on their face.
So if you think you already know all about Pride and Prejudice and what to expect – this’ll be different from the adaptations you’ve seen before. You might not get Colin Firth, but you will have a gloriously entertaining evening.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Pride and Prejudice throughout the summer – see their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for full tour details.
The Pantaloons, of course, excel at playing with these kinds of widely-known texts. They take what everyone thinks they know, lightly mock those expectations, draw out the humour of the original (many of the lines in this adaptation are taken word for word from the book), and they present their own Pantaloonish take.
They started the evening at the Underground Theatre by asking the audience who’d read the book (almost everyone said they had) – and then by asking who’d said that they’d read the book but had actually just seen an adaptation (a few honest souls said yes). They told us on more than one occasion that the famous lake scene was neither in the book nor in their adaptation. And throughout they slipped constantly and seamlessly between 18th century and 21st century dialogue, bringing the characters to life and interacting with the audience. This is what I mean by ‘their own Pantaloonish take’: they don’t just act the story out in front of you, they step out of it, bring you into it, have fun with it, and make you engage with it.
The focus of The Pantaloons’ Pride and Prejudice is probably more on the comedy than on the romance. There are certainly some particularly memorable characterisations, what with Lady Catherine’s roar, her daughter’s cough, Mary’s leadenness, and a Mr Collins who wouldn’t be out of place in an episode of Green Wing.
But the scenes that are played more or less straight – such as Lizzy and Darcy’s argument after his first proposal – are absolutely electric. And the moment when Wickham is all that Lizzy can think about is both amusing and evocative too.
The music, as always in a Pantaloons show, plays an important part in creating an atmosphere. But in this production, they make the most of not having a piano in one particular scene, as a cast member becomes the piano (and is then ‘played’ by other cast members). Indeed, an impromptu piano-based pun competition set off by an audience member threatened to derail the scene at one point – but they swiftly got back on track and it served to showcase both the quick wit of the cast and their skill in dealing with and incorporating unexpected distractions.
Aside from one or two rather vocal audience members, it was a quieter audience than usual when I saw Pride and Prejudice (Sunday 14th June 2015). But the cast worked hard to create the same inclusive, energetic atmosphere as always, and – though quiet – everyone there left with a smile on their face.
So if you think you already know all about Pride and Prejudice and what to expect – this’ll be different from the adaptations you’ve seen before. You might not get Colin Firth, but you will have a gloriously entertaining evening.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Pride and Prejudice throughout the summer – see their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for full tour details.
Sunday, 26 October 2014
Bleak House - The Pantaloons
Full of fun, full of pathos, full of character. This
adaptation of Dickens’ Bleak House by
The Pantaloons (performed at Eastbourne’s Underground Theatre on 25th
October 2014) was a treat from start to finish.
In the vein of their comprehensive(ish) The Canterbury Tales, The Pantaloons promised to present all 67 chapters of the novel Bleak House on stage. And, although they sometimes forgot which chapter number they were up to, they did not disappoint. With some scenes lingered over and some chapters dispatched in a sentence, the cast of five swept us through the story and the multitude of characters with charm and flair.
I read Bleak House when I was at university, and I watched the BBC’s rather brilliant 2005 adaptation not long after reading the book, so I inevitably started the evening with that version in mind. But it didn’t take long for me to forget all about it.
Dickens’ larger than life characters suit The Pantaloons’ style perfectly – and we were treated to some classic performances in Bleak House. Ross Drury in the guise of Krook, Hortense or Guppy only had to walk on stage to get a laugh, and the Smallweed family were another characterful highlight.
But it wasn’t just the broader characters who made the evening so memorable. The quieter parts and more poignant moments were equally well played. As the deaths mounted and truths unravelled in the second half, the transitions between comedy and pathos were seamless.
The background music and songs helped build this atmosphere: sometimes haunting, sometimes used to comedic effect, and sometimes with self-referential lyrics telling us how many chapters until the interval. My favourite chapter from the book (the spontaneous combustion scene, obviously) was also a great moment on stage; the tension building – with help from the music and lighting – to a comedy-horror climax that ended the first half.
Finally, I really ought to give a mention to the audience, who – as always in a Pantaloons show – played a big part in making the evening an entertaining one. (It was very sweet of the cast to comment on as much at the end of the performance too – always nice to feel appreciated as an audience!).
The Pantaloons are experts at audience interaction and during the course of this performance of Bleak House they good-naturedly poked fun at two particular audience members: an ‘inebriated actor’ who had also been in the audience at their History of Britain in the summer, and a man called Owen. When the time came in the plot for a murderer to be revealed, a dramatic pause was left. With perfect timing, an unknown audience member called out: “It was Owen!”
I enjoyed that, and The Pantaloons seemed to as well. And the same goes for the whole of Bleak House. A treat from start to finish.
The Pantaloons are currently on tour with Bleak House - visit their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for more info.
In the vein of their comprehensive(ish) The Canterbury Tales, The Pantaloons promised to present all 67 chapters of the novel Bleak House on stage. And, although they sometimes forgot which chapter number they were up to, they did not disappoint. With some scenes lingered over and some chapters dispatched in a sentence, the cast of five swept us through the story and the multitude of characters with charm and flair.
I read Bleak House when I was at university, and I watched the BBC’s rather brilliant 2005 adaptation not long after reading the book, so I inevitably started the evening with that version in mind. But it didn’t take long for me to forget all about it.
Dickens’ larger than life characters suit The Pantaloons’ style perfectly – and we were treated to some classic performances in Bleak House. Ross Drury in the guise of Krook, Hortense or Guppy only had to walk on stage to get a laugh, and the Smallweed family were another characterful highlight.
But it wasn’t just the broader characters who made the evening so memorable. The quieter parts and more poignant moments were equally well played. As the deaths mounted and truths unravelled in the second half, the transitions between comedy and pathos were seamless.
The background music and songs helped build this atmosphere: sometimes haunting, sometimes used to comedic effect, and sometimes with self-referential lyrics telling us how many chapters until the interval. My favourite chapter from the book (the spontaneous combustion scene, obviously) was also a great moment on stage; the tension building – with help from the music and lighting – to a comedy-horror climax that ended the first half.
Finally, I really ought to give a mention to the audience, who – as always in a Pantaloons show – played a big part in making the evening an entertaining one. (It was very sweet of the cast to comment on as much at the end of the performance too – always nice to feel appreciated as an audience!).
The Pantaloons are experts at audience interaction and during the course of this performance of Bleak House they good-naturedly poked fun at two particular audience members: an ‘inebriated actor’ who had also been in the audience at their History of Britain in the summer, and a man called Owen. When the time came in the plot for a murderer to be revealed, a dramatic pause was left. With perfect timing, an unknown audience member called out: “It was Owen!”
I enjoyed that, and The Pantaloons seemed to as well. And the same goes for the whole of Bleak House. A treat from start to finish.
The Pantaloons are currently on tour with Bleak House - visit their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for more info.
Monday, 25 August 2014
The Tempest - The Pantaloons
With their trademark audience interaction, ad libbing,
music, and, of course, Shakespeare, The Pantaloons took us to Prospero’s Isle
of Wonder on Sunday 24th August 2014, for The Tempest.
The evening was hosted by a very hard-working Ariel (Elliot Quinn), who stepped in and out of the action – playing the part of Ariel within the play, but also chatting to the audience, providing the music, and even reading out the stage directions. Would it more accurately have been named ‘Ariel’s Isle of Wonder’?
But while Ariel worked hard, it was clearly Prospero (Martin Gibbons) who held the power. There was a scene at the end where puppets were used to represent some of the characters. This was explained by Ariel as being a way of getting round the problem of having a small cast, but it also showed how the characters were puppets that Prospero had been manipulating throughout the piece.
There was also a great moment, probably only at this particular venue (Smallhythe Place), where Prospero’s words echoed magnificently back around the space. It felt as though the isle full of noises was reverberating with the power of Prospero’s speech.
And speaking of the isle full of noises, that famous speech was brought vividly to life by Thomas Judd’s Caliban. And of course a reference to its use in the Olympic opening ceremony was thrown in for good measure.
You can always rely on The Pantaloons to pick up on the cultural reference points that an audience brings with them. It might be a direct allusion to other interpretations of The Tempest – or it might be a reference to the vineyard down the road from the venue, or an ad lib about how a biologist in the audience looks like Steve Irwin. (Both of these featured in the performance at Smallhythe Place).
The bit that probably made me chuckle the most was not really Shakespeare at all: Stefano (Nicky Diss) tells Trinculo (Martin Gibbons) to be quiet – or, in Shakespearian language, ‘mum’ – and Trinculo responds with the ready retort ‘Your mum’.
That deliberate clash of the archaic and the up-to-date is one of the things that makes The Pantaloons so much fun. It was the same in their History of Britain, which I saw earlier in the summer, and which revelled in mixing the historical with the contemporary. And I dare say it will be the same in their take on Bleak House, which I am very much looking forward to seeing in the autumn.
The evening was hosted by a very hard-working Ariel (Elliot Quinn), who stepped in and out of the action – playing the part of Ariel within the play, but also chatting to the audience, providing the music, and even reading out the stage directions. Would it more accurately have been named ‘Ariel’s Isle of Wonder’?
But while Ariel worked hard, it was clearly Prospero (Martin Gibbons) who held the power. There was a scene at the end where puppets were used to represent some of the characters. This was explained by Ariel as being a way of getting round the problem of having a small cast, but it also showed how the characters were puppets that Prospero had been manipulating throughout the piece.
There was also a great moment, probably only at this particular venue (Smallhythe Place), where Prospero’s words echoed magnificently back around the space. It felt as though the isle full of noises was reverberating with the power of Prospero’s speech.
And speaking of the isle full of noises, that famous speech was brought vividly to life by Thomas Judd’s Caliban. And of course a reference to its use in the Olympic opening ceremony was thrown in for good measure.
You can always rely on The Pantaloons to pick up on the cultural reference points that an audience brings with them. It might be a direct allusion to other interpretations of The Tempest – or it might be a reference to the vineyard down the road from the venue, or an ad lib about how a biologist in the audience looks like Steve Irwin. (Both of these featured in the performance at Smallhythe Place).
The bit that probably made me chuckle the most was not really Shakespeare at all: Stefano (Nicky Diss) tells Trinculo (Martin Gibbons) to be quiet – or, in Shakespearian language, ‘mum’ – and Trinculo responds with the ready retort ‘Your mum’.
That deliberate clash of the archaic and the up-to-date is one of the things that makes The Pantaloons so much fun. It was the same in their History of Britain, which I saw earlier in the summer, and which revelled in mixing the historical with the contemporary. And I dare say it will be the same in their take on Bleak House, which I am very much looking forward to seeing in the autumn.
Friday, 18 April 2014
Sherlock Holmes - The Pantaloons
I’ve written before about The Pantaloons. And I’ve written
before about the Devonshire Park Theatre in my home town of Eastbourne. So to
write about them together is something of a joy.
I saw The Pantaloons’ Sherlock Holmes at the DPT on Wednesday 16th April 2014 (at the evening performance). I’d seen their Sherlock Holmes early on in last year’s run, but this year’s version – now indoors and with a slightly tweaked cast – is an even slicker, funnier and more confident production.
All the cast are seasoned Pantaloons now. Three of the cast were in the previous tour – although last year’s Watson is now Holmes (Edward Ferrow, faintly Cumberbatch-like in this role) – and the new Watson (Christopher Smart, a gleefully wicked improviser) has been in various other shows with The Pantaloons. They all know exactly how to work an audience: how to interact with them and improvise around them; how to milk a laugh.
And the gags are just as silly as last year. The variations on ‘Elementary, my dear Watson’ are still groan-worthily funny, and I’m not sure I’d ever get tired of the Circle Line joke.
Like Gary, the audience member who had been at both the matinee and the evening performance that day, I have yet to see the alternative version of this production, where the stories and roles are different. Both this time and last time I saw it, the audience chose to see the story of The League of Red Headed Men – meaning, as a consequence, that I’ve seen cast member Isaac Leafe twice now as Moriarty, but never Elliot Quinn.
But even with the same rendering of the play on offer (and how many companies would give you an option, anyway?), no two performances by The Pantaloons are ever exactly the same.
After seeing Filter’s Twelfth Night at the DPT recently, it’s great to see another fresh, slightly anarchic production again there so soon. I love the Devonshire Park as a theatre, and it’s fantastic to see more of the kind of theatre I enjoy being put on at the Devonshire Park.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Sherlock Holmes until the end of April. Full tour details can be found on their website.
If you want to know how my review of the 2014 Sherlock Holmes compares to last year’s, you can find my thoughts from 2013 here.
I saw The Pantaloons’ Sherlock Holmes at the DPT on Wednesday 16th April 2014 (at the evening performance). I’d seen their Sherlock Holmes early on in last year’s run, but this year’s version – now indoors and with a slightly tweaked cast – is an even slicker, funnier and more confident production.
All the cast are seasoned Pantaloons now. Three of the cast were in the previous tour – although last year’s Watson is now Holmes (Edward Ferrow, faintly Cumberbatch-like in this role) – and the new Watson (Christopher Smart, a gleefully wicked improviser) has been in various other shows with The Pantaloons. They all know exactly how to work an audience: how to interact with them and improvise around them; how to milk a laugh.
And the gags are just as silly as last year. The variations on ‘Elementary, my dear Watson’ are still groan-worthily funny, and I’m not sure I’d ever get tired of the Circle Line joke.
Like Gary, the audience member who had been at both the matinee and the evening performance that day, I have yet to see the alternative version of this production, where the stories and roles are different. Both this time and last time I saw it, the audience chose to see the story of The League of Red Headed Men – meaning, as a consequence, that I’ve seen cast member Isaac Leafe twice now as Moriarty, but never Elliot Quinn.
But even with the same rendering of the play on offer (and how many companies would give you an option, anyway?), no two performances by The Pantaloons are ever exactly the same.
After seeing Filter’s Twelfth Night at the DPT recently, it’s great to see another fresh, slightly anarchic production again there so soon. I love the Devonshire Park as a theatre, and it’s fantastic to see more of the kind of theatre I enjoy being put on at the Devonshire Park.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Sherlock Holmes until the end of April. Full tour details can be found on their website.
If you want to know how my review of the 2014 Sherlock Holmes compares to last year’s, you can find my thoughts from 2013 here.
Wednesday, 13 November 2013
The Canterbury Tales - The Pantaloons
Like a lot of people,
I studied part of The Canterbury Tales
at school. I’ll be honest and admit that I don’t remember a great deal about
the text – except that I remember thinking it wasn’t as difficult as I expected
it to be.
Eastbourne to see The
Pantaloons’ production of The Canterbury
Tales (10th Nov 2013). As soon as we walked in, we could feel a
bit of a buzz in the air. The cast were in character, chatting with audience
members – and, unlike the very reserved audience The Pantaloons had to play to
at Michelham Priory in the summer (A Midsummer Night’s Dream,
with largely the same cast), this audience was chatting back.
Eastbourne ).
At around the same
time, I saw the film A Knight’s Tale,
with Heath Ledger and Paul Bettany. So Chaucer was always that slightly impish
Paul Bettany figure in my head.
These two vague
notions are probably always going to inform any encounter I have with The Canterbury Tales. And happily, they
fit right in with The Pantaloons’ take on the tales – which is not difficult at
all, and definitely slightly impish.
I went to the
Underground Theatre in
It may have been
partly because everyone seemed to know each other (as the cast remarked upon
more than once), but there was definitely a friendly sort of atmosphere in the
almost sold-out UGT.
And that atmosphere
carried on right the way through this colourful, funny and energetic take on The Canterbury Tales. Incorporating
song, rhyme, puppets, chickens, Shakespeare, opera, improvisation and more, The
Pantaloons took us through each of Chaucer’s tales in turn. They’d even printed
a list in the programme so you could mark which tales you liked best, and at
the end they asked for our favourite. (I think it was the chickens that won the
audience vote in
I’d seen The
Pantaloons do The Canterbury Tales
before – a couple of years ago, with a different cast and out in the open air.
Having only seen them perform outdoors before, I wasn’t sure how their style
would translate to an indoor setting.
But it was great. The
house lights were only half dimmed, so we could all still see each other (which
helped with the audience interaction bits), and in a way I think the indoor
setting actually helped to build the atmosphere. Walking through the doors into
the auditorium was a bit like going through the wardrobe into Narnia. Outside
was the normal, workaday world – and suddenly inside we were in the bright,
boisterous Pantaloon-land.
I used to work front
of house in a theatre, and one of my favourite parts of the job was seeing the
audience leave with smiles on their faces at the end of a show. I think I would
have enjoyed working for a Pantaloons performance.
The Pantaloons are
currently on tour with The Canterbury
Tales and Grimm Fairy Tales
(which I’ll be seeing when they return to Eastbourne
in December). See their website www.thepantaloons.co.uk for full tour details.
Monday, 26 August 2013
A Midsummer Night's Dream - The Pantaloons
I’ve seen
quite a lot of versions of A Midsummer
Night’s Dream, so it’s not always a play that fills me with much excitement.
But you can rely on The Pantaloons to provide something fresh – and this
production (which I saw at Michelham Priory on 25th August 2013) was
fun.
A recurring
ukulele motif ran throughout: Bottom’s donkey head was rather ingeniously made
from ukuleles; another ukulele doubled as the enchanted flower; and music
played on ukuleles, banjos and guitars was used to signify the weaving of
magic.
The
Pantaloons’ trademark brightly coloured costumes were also used to provide a
marker between the carefree atmosphere of the forest and the drab, everyday
world of Theseus in his buttoned-up coat. I worried that the audience at
Michelham Priory might be too firmly stuck in the buttoned-up world to be
transported to the magical, colourful world of The Pantaloons – but after some
cajoling, they did warm up a bit.
With the
whole audience playing the forest (and one man a screech owl), and various
unsuspecting audience members cast as fairies and even as Hippolyta, The Pantaloons
made the audience part of the show. Even the most reserved audience couldn’t
help being swept along by the sense of mischief and fun.
By the time
we reached the rude mechanicals’ play at the end (the funniest Pyramus and
Thisbe I can remember seeing), the audience were in stitches – kids and
grown-ups alike. Bottom’s (Neil Jennings) reaction to ‘Hippolyta’s’ audience-member boyfriend
ending up on stage was very funny, the death by umbrella was perfect silliness,
and the whole cast seemed as though they were having great fun, particularly in
their interactions with the audience.
Another set
piece that worked really well, I thought, was the scene of the lovers’
confrontation in the forest. With the two men now in love with Helena (Kelly
Griffiths), and the two women at each other’s throats, the whole scene was
accompanied by Puck (Christopher Smart) on guitar. It played out almost like a
dance to the music – one of those barn dance style, partner-swapping dances.
As I’ve
discussed in relation to other Shakespeare productions I’ve seen (namely a Georgian language production of As You Like It), the music and
physicality of performance take the pressure off the audience when it comes to
understanding the language. And this is something that The Pantaloons, at their
best, can make look effortless.
The
Pantaloons don’t just do Shakespeare for people who have studied it. They work
hard to make it understandable to a modern audience. And the music, physical
comedy and ad libs work alongside the verse-speaking to achieve that.
A Midsummer Night’s Dream is only on tour for a few days more,
so take a look at The Pantaloons’ website to see venue details and book
tickets: www.thepantaloons.co.uk
You can
also read my review of their production of Sherlock Holmes here.
Monday, 17 June 2013
Sherlock Holmes - The Pantaloons
Playful, fun,
inventive, silly, clever. If you’ve seen a Pantaloons show before, you’ll
already know the adjectives I’m going to use. Irreverent – that’s another one.
The
Pantaloons are touring two productions this summer, and I went to see their Sherlock Holmes when they stopped off at
The Scoop at More London on Thursday 13th June.
This
production features an all-new cast for The Pantaloons, and, with it being
early in the tour, I did get the feeling that some of them are still getting
used to The Pantaloons’ brand of carefully-constructed anarchy. But the
ingredients are all there – the audience interaction, the over-the-top
characterisations, the songs, the self-referential jokes, the doubling up of
roles – and, despite the lack of familiar faces, this is definitely still a
Pantaloons show.
There’s
always a slightly pantomime-like feel to Pantaloons productions, and Sherlock Holmes is no exception. With an
all-male cast, comprising one Holmes, one Watson, and two energetic others
playing all the remaining roles, there’s plenty of cross-dressing – and knowing
references to their casting choices.
Mrs Hudson’s
grumble that she’s not a tea lady – in fact she’s not even a lady elicits a big
laugh from the audience, and the justification of alternating who gets to play
the role of Moriarty is inspired. I couldn’t help thinking of the recent NT
production of Frankenstein at this
point, where Benedict Cumberbatch and Jonny Lee Miller alternated the roles of
Frankenstein and his monster.
Of course,
both of these actors have played modern-day Sherlocks in recent years – and, of
course, both of those adaptations (along with the Robert Downey Jr. films) are
referenced by The Pantaloons in this production. If there is a contemporary
reference to be made, rest assured that The Pantaloons will make it. I suppose
that’s another way it’s all a bit like panto.
Personally,
my favourite bits of Sherlock Holmes
were the silliest bits: Holmes and Moriarty jumping and sinking very slowly to
their (presumed) deaths; Elliot Quinn’s noisy Dr Roylott in the tale of The
Speckled Band; the so-much-fun-they-did-it-twice Circle Line gag. It’s that mix
of self-referential knowingness and pure, exuberant silliness that makes
Pantaloons productions such a joy to watch and interact with.
I’m looking
forward to seeing their take on A
Midsummer Night’s Dream later in the season.
The Pantaloons are on tour with Sherlock Holmes and A Midsummer Night's Dream at venues across the UK this summer. Take a look at their website for full tour details: www.thepantaloons.co.uk
UPDATE APRIL 2014: You can see my review of the 2014 indoor tour version of this production here
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)