Elizabeth
Mon, 12 Mar 2001, 07:05 amWalter Plinge6 posts in thread
Elizabeth
Mon, 12 Mar 2001, 07:05 amElizabeth - This was a interesting play being shown at Maloo Theater in
Darlington. A fairly well done play with very few characters, this play
revolves around Queen Elizabeth I. From the pissing horse, to the Ugly Dame,
and to the NAKED guy in Elizabeth's bed, this play gives you an oppertunity
to laugh. The skills of the actors are proven by the many line that where
needed to be memorised over two 1 hour act. This was further proven by the
last 5 or so minutes of the most complex sentences I have ever heard come
out of a persons mouth. Parts of this play did get a little tedious, and
some jokes where not that funny. The send-up of the matrix, which I believe
that the audience, which was mostly made up of the elderly and would not of
understood the send-up, did not fit in well into the play
Overal the play was ammusing to say the least, but would I see again if I
had an oppurtunity? Maybe not... But again, maybe I would...
Darlington. A fairly well done play with very few characters, this play
revolves around Queen Elizabeth I. From the pissing horse, to the Ugly Dame,
and to the NAKED guy in Elizabeth's bed, this play gives you an oppertunity
to laugh. The skills of the actors are proven by the many line that where
needed to be memorised over two 1 hour act. This was further proven by the
last 5 or so minutes of the most complex sentences I have ever heard come
out of a persons mouth. Parts of this play did get a little tedious, and
some jokes where not that funny. The send-up of the matrix, which I believe
that the audience, which was mostly made up of the elderly and would not of
understood the send-up, did not fit in well into the play
Overal the play was ammusing to say the least, but would I see again if I
had an oppurtunity? Maybe not... But again, maybe I would...
Elizabeth - Almost by Chance a Woman
Mon, 26 Mar 2001, 12:03 amWalter Plinge
Almost by chance a plot, you mean.
Actually, that's a bit cheeky. There was indeed a plot, but it sometimes seemed secondary to the slapstick shenanigans. Not that that's a bad thing - it was a very funny production, but I honestly think it's the sort of show you have to see more than once to get a firm grasp on what's going on. It was all too easy to become sidetracked and distracted by the farting about to pay attention to every nuance of the political intrigue.
And isn't that EXACTLY what politics is all about.
Very witty indeed, with some enormous laughs and wonderful performances. I don't know about others, but I LOVED Tracee Sliskovic's manic, paranoid Elizabeth. Non stop energy and emotion, coupled with demanding lines and an intense, ten-minute final monologue - asserting Elizabeth's regality and Tracee's command of the script and stage. (Hmmm, this has been a week for great monologues...)
Peter the Pear made a particularly unattractive woman as the aptly-named Dame Grosslady, and had almost as many lines as Queen Lizzie, starting with an horrendous Cornwall (?) accent which - thankfully - mellowed a little as the play progressed. Fiona Forster, stunning as always (but particularly so in black leather) exuded calmness and efficiency as the head of the intelligence service, and held the plot together as practically the only person on stage who wasn't absolutely mental. Although, Desiree Schrock performed well in the understated part of Elizabeth's lady in waiting, and John Hall seemed to having fun as the assassin.
Troy Hall made the most of his bit part. People were heard to comment that it was pleasing to see Troy coming out of his shell.
I didn't gell with the intermittent musical accompaniments. They probably had a deeper, significant meaning, but they seemed to come and go at odd places for undefined reasons. The set was simple but effective, and I loved the wooden horse. A damn strange, but damn funny show. It'll be interesting to see more of Dario Fo's stuff. Roll on Stirling...
JB
Actually, that's a bit cheeky. There was indeed a plot, but it sometimes seemed secondary to the slapstick shenanigans. Not that that's a bad thing - it was a very funny production, but I honestly think it's the sort of show you have to see more than once to get a firm grasp on what's going on. It was all too easy to become sidetracked and distracted by the farting about to pay attention to every nuance of the political intrigue.
And isn't that EXACTLY what politics is all about.
Very witty indeed, with some enormous laughs and wonderful performances. I don't know about others, but I LOVED Tracee Sliskovic's manic, paranoid Elizabeth. Non stop energy and emotion, coupled with demanding lines and an intense, ten-minute final monologue - asserting Elizabeth's regality and Tracee's command of the script and stage. (Hmmm, this has been a week for great monologues...)
Peter the Pear made a particularly unattractive woman as the aptly-named Dame Grosslady, and had almost as many lines as Queen Lizzie, starting with an horrendous Cornwall (?) accent which - thankfully - mellowed a little as the play progressed. Fiona Forster, stunning as always (but particularly so in black leather) exuded calmness and efficiency as the head of the intelligence service, and held the plot together as practically the only person on stage who wasn't absolutely mental. Although, Desiree Schrock performed well in the understated part of Elizabeth's lady in waiting, and John Hall seemed to having fun as the assassin.
Troy Hall made the most of his bit part. People were heard to comment that it was pleasing to see Troy coming out of his shell.
I didn't gell with the intermittent musical accompaniments. They probably had a deeper, significant meaning, but they seemed to come and go at odd places for undefined reasons. The set was simple but effective, and I loved the wooden horse. A damn strange, but damn funny show. It'll be interesting to see more of Dario Fo's stuff. Roll on Stirling...
JB