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Fringe 2010 Reviews (41)
Operation Greenfield
Little Bulb Theatre
Zoo Roxy.
****(*)
There seems to be an unusual number of productions with religious themes
or are bible based. Be alert - the geek squad is here; a.k.a. Operation
Greenfield. In Operation Greenfield, four ultra-religious,
nerdy teens get together to compete in a local talent competition. Are
we really looking at four “Jesus-freaks” or is that part
of the ruse. We are so utterly convinced in their characters that the
plot works uncomfortably well.
This is one of those productions that shouldn't work but it does -;
exceptionally well. The actors are so immersed in their characters that
the seamless performances are almost spooky. The three women and one
man continue to explore the angst-flooded relationships of these teens.
The one flaw is "revelations". That is, at a place where
the production has a natural and dramatic conclusion (much applause
from the audience), this foursome continue on with their religious evolution;
it is too long.
The acting, script, direction, production work well but totally as
an ensemble. This is a unique piece that needs and deserves individual
analysis. Go! God wants you to. You won't be disappointed.
Catherine Lamm
Plague: The Musical
By David Massingham and Matt Townend
Bubonic Productions
C Chambers Street.
***
This was an enjoyable romp with a fairly predictable plot. Our hero Clive Hucklefish arrives in London to seek his fortune as an actor but the plot is so reminiscent of the panto Dick Whittington and is certainly tongue-in-cheek humour.
The naive Clive is mugged in the street and ends up working for a down at heel undertaker who has a long-standing feud with an evil alchemist. Clive meets his daughter Isabella and falls in love.
The undertaking business improves once Clive inadvertently uses one of the alchemist’s potions to spread the plague with the help of some gangster rats.
The enthusiastic talented cast performed skilfully with some strong choreography and had good singing voices and the musical score is lively enough coupled with some inventive multimedia visuals.
If you are up for some off-beat musical comedy then the Plague might be something to catch.
Robin Strapp
Mr Kolpert
By David Gieselmann, translated by David Tushingham
UCLU Runaground
C Soco.
***
It is always good to see a new version of this anarchic German comedy and UCLU Runaground have worked hard to do it justice, providing a set that fits the bill perfectly.
This represents the modern home of Ralf and Sarah, an affluent couple. He is a chaos theorist and that is a big clue as to the subject matter of the play.
We meet them on an evening when Sarah’s work colleague, Edith, comes to visit with her straight-laced architect husband Bastian.
Bastian seems incredibly touchy and his wife is unbearably vague but the evening takes a wrong turn when their hosts wittily announce that a large trunk contains the corpse of the eponymous Mr Kolpert.
By the end, there are three corpses, copious quantities of blood and many laughs from this blackest of comedies.
The acting in this production is uneven and the co-directors, Daniel Raggett and Mikey Theodosiou do not seem to trust the very funny script, adding in unnecessary bits of stage business for the sake of it.
Philip Fisher
Waiting for Lefty
By Clifford Odets
King’s Players
Pleasance Courtyard.
****
King’s Players from King’s College London have done a pretty good job of maintaining the power and integrity of Clifford Odets’ seminal play, despite re-writing it in several respects.
The ensemble of eight perform a version condensed to one hour, updated and moved across the Atlantic.
What is left is a touch confusing but succeeds thanks to really committed acting of universally high quality and the strength of the original work.
The start and finish are very loud as workers harangue their elected union leaders, who are ineffectual in the face of bosses who hold all the cards in the metaphorical poker game of industrial disputation.
The destitution of the depression (and by extension our current global recession) is brought home by the lack of hands being raised when workers are asked who will have a hot meal that night.
The struggle is also seen in microcosm in short scenes between activist husband and tired wife, industrialist and colleague and then a couple engaged for three years with no hope of finding the money to get married.
After a scene in which a Government stooge is exposed by his own sister, the play ends offering little hope until some long distant time when major social change can be engineered.
Philip Fisher
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