November 2015 Reviews - London
Posted: Sun Nov 08, 2015 1:52 am
Thursday 5th November – all day
Who needs Guy Fawkes? We had more fireworks at the VPT on Thursday than in the 410 years since………..exploding in all directions from two Sparklers, Brodie (matinee) and Thomas (evening). Sparklers that also gave us ground spinners and flying spinners in abundance. Quality, Quality, Quality all the way.
Today’s generation of cinemagoers might not know that, in the “old days”, cinema performances were mainly double features lasting 3 hours plus, the second film usually being a B movie that could sometimes eclipse the main A feature. You also got extras like Pathe News and other shorts plus about 6 trailers of forthcoming attractions. At my local cinema if you went on Wednesday or Thursday you got a free ticket for the following week’s corresponding night. Can’t see that happening at the VPT any time soon, though, but if you’re doing the Billy Double you will always get two A Plus features each time, every time.
It has been a couple of months since we’ve had the pleasure of seeing Brodie onstage at the matinee and he made up for that long absence by displaying all the magnificent talents that has had him receiving rave reviews from Day One. In the intervening period he has fine-tuned things to further brilliant effect. Thomas, likewise, has also taken his performances to new levels. Nothing stands still with these extraordinarily talented youngsters. For them, enough is never enough……..and, for true blue fans, enough viewings certainly will never be enough either.
As the story unfolds and the various characters, situations and scenes come and go, a kind of static energy is steadily building like an approaching thunderstorm. As Billy’s ambition is opposed and, seemingly, a lost cause for now at least, the Angry Dance is the catalyst that finally sparks this energy and, in ever-recurring waves, propelled by dancing feet, twirling arms and pounding shields, it is sent hurtling to the back of the theatre where it hits the wall and, like a boomerang, spins back from whence it came with such velocity that you can feel it on the back of the neck. Billy’s final scream reduces this energy to zero. There is a sort of calm that follows but it is just a temporary respite.
The energy build-up recommences in Part Two but, soon, we begin to believe that this is energy of a different kind, non-destructive and full of hope. It reaches its peak as Billy steps forward at the RBS. You can almost see this energy hanging there ready to be ignited and when it does you’d better watch out. As the music increases in intensity and reverberates around the auditorium, the energy creates a fast spinning cloud which, as Billy commences his final spins, shoots a tornado-like atmospheric phenomenon to the back walls and, as they come back, those continuing high-speed spins send them flying back again and again becoming ever faster. The audience is caught up in the middle and are helpless as they are overpowered and overcome. If every aspect of our lives produced this sort of energy we’d be walking tall every hour of the day.
There are so many other people, young and old, involved in building up the energies onstage. On Thursday the young were represented by Tomi (in his usual magic form), Bradley (producing yet another hilarious variation on his take – can’t wait for the next one), Connie and Hollie, being obstreperously cool, the persistent and delightful Dinington girls displaying a wide range of talents and Caiden/George and Joshua playing their smaller parts so well. Mix all this up with a fired up Ruthie, Deka and Chris plus their supporting village folk and it’s no wonder it all explodes sooner or later.
Most stories would finish there and then with the main character’s ambition achieved and all live happily ever after. Here, though, the human element which has shone through all through has the final say and, in truth, as in real life, nobody does. Nevertheless, we the watchers have been entertained, have been inspired and leave the theatre with not just good but scintillating vibrations that last. I’m still feeling them even now despite it being more than 48 hours since they happened. On the 5th November those Guys, Brodie, Thomas & Co. suffered a different fate to that of the original Guy. Instead of being hung from the rafters they were cheered to the rafters. This Guy is very glad he was there to witness it
Pat
Who needs Guy Fawkes? We had more fireworks at the VPT on Thursday than in the 410 years since………..exploding in all directions from two Sparklers, Brodie (matinee) and Thomas (evening). Sparklers that also gave us ground spinners and flying spinners in abundance. Quality, Quality, Quality all the way.
Today’s generation of cinemagoers might not know that, in the “old days”, cinema performances were mainly double features lasting 3 hours plus, the second film usually being a B movie that could sometimes eclipse the main A feature. You also got extras like Pathe News and other shorts plus about 6 trailers of forthcoming attractions. At my local cinema if you went on Wednesday or Thursday you got a free ticket for the following week’s corresponding night. Can’t see that happening at the VPT any time soon, though, but if you’re doing the Billy Double you will always get two A Plus features each time, every time.
It has been a couple of months since we’ve had the pleasure of seeing Brodie onstage at the matinee and he made up for that long absence by displaying all the magnificent talents that has had him receiving rave reviews from Day One. In the intervening period he has fine-tuned things to further brilliant effect. Thomas, likewise, has also taken his performances to new levels. Nothing stands still with these extraordinarily talented youngsters. For them, enough is never enough……..and, for true blue fans, enough viewings certainly will never be enough either.
As the story unfolds and the various characters, situations and scenes come and go, a kind of static energy is steadily building like an approaching thunderstorm. As Billy’s ambition is opposed and, seemingly, a lost cause for now at least, the Angry Dance is the catalyst that finally sparks this energy and, in ever-recurring waves, propelled by dancing feet, twirling arms and pounding shields, it is sent hurtling to the back of the theatre where it hits the wall and, like a boomerang, spins back from whence it came with such velocity that you can feel it on the back of the neck. Billy’s final scream reduces this energy to zero. There is a sort of calm that follows but it is just a temporary respite.
The energy build-up recommences in Part Two but, soon, we begin to believe that this is energy of a different kind, non-destructive and full of hope. It reaches its peak as Billy steps forward at the RBS. You can almost see this energy hanging there ready to be ignited and when it does you’d better watch out. As the music increases in intensity and reverberates around the auditorium, the energy creates a fast spinning cloud which, as Billy commences his final spins, shoots a tornado-like atmospheric phenomenon to the back walls and, as they come back, those continuing high-speed spins send them flying back again and again becoming ever faster. The audience is caught up in the middle and are helpless as they are overpowered and overcome. If every aspect of our lives produced this sort of energy we’d be walking tall every hour of the day.
There are so many other people, young and old, involved in building up the energies onstage. On Thursday the young were represented by Tomi (in his usual magic form), Bradley (producing yet another hilarious variation on his take – can’t wait for the next one), Connie and Hollie, being obstreperously cool, the persistent and delightful Dinington girls displaying a wide range of talents and Caiden/George and Joshua playing their smaller parts so well. Mix all this up with a fired up Ruthie, Deka and Chris plus their supporting village folk and it’s no wonder it all explodes sooner or later.
Most stories would finish there and then with the main character’s ambition achieved and all live happily ever after. Here, though, the human element which has shone through all through has the final say and, in truth, as in real life, nobody does. Nevertheless, we the watchers have been entertained, have been inspired and leave the theatre with not just good but scintillating vibrations that last. I’m still feeling them even now despite it being more than 48 hours since they happened. On the 5th November those Guys, Brodie, Thomas & Co. suffered a different fate to that of the original Guy. Instead of being hung from the rafters they were cheered to the rafters. This Guy is very glad he was there to witness it
Pat