Latest news with #theatreproduction
Times
05-08-2025
- Entertainment
- Times
The awful final chapter of Fred Goodwin's story is yet to be told
There is a moment in Make It Happen, the National Theatre of Scotland's new production about the fall of RBS, when a furious Gordon Brown demands that Fred Goodwin be dragged from the bank's headquarters in Gogarburn in handcuffs. I wanted to stand up and punch the air. Obviously, I didn't. Such behaviour is frowned upon in the dress circle of the Festival Theatre. My fellow audience members would have been black affronted. But still, the thought was there. I can understand why some London theatre critics gave this show only three stars. They must have felt like interlopers in a mass act of therapy, with the Edinburgh audience wrestling with one of the most shameful episodes in Scottish history. I know someone who worked at a senior level of the Royal Bank at the peak of the crisis. The day it all came to a head he stepped outside his office in the City to clear his head. On a street corner a news vendor was selling the London Evening Standard, its banner headline predicting calamity. My friend asked for a copy and offered an RBS fiver in payment. 'Nah, mate, that's worthless,' said the vendor. 'They've gone bust.' Many of the 1,900 folk in the audience on Monday night lived through the hubris and nemesis of Goodwin's folly, myself included. For us, for me, this evening at the theatre was a catharsis. Middle-class Edinburgh shared in the glory of the Royal Bank of Scotland in its pomp. The money poured in. House prices soared. Michelin stars were sprinkled on the city's eateries. This was a company town and the company was doing rather well. We watched it all happen in real time. The rise of the Royal to be the biggest bank in the world. The Cupertino-like HQ which opened with a Red Arrows fly-past. Northern Rock. A banking system on the brink of collapse. The bailout by Brown and Alistair Darling. Make it Happen lands the message that this was a crisis created by Scottish bankers, using a dead Scottish economist as a lodestar, and solved by Scottish politicians. Their hubris was our hubris, pressing all our buttons. Goodwin was the pawky boy from Ferguslie Park who took on the toffs of the establishment. The backdrop to the rise of RBS was the backslapping and self-mythologising of the birth of devolution. Brown's rescue represented what we like to think of as national characteristics: canniness, integrity, smeddum. There was a moment in Monday night's performance when a woebegone Brown lamented a political age where seriousness was not a prized virtue. Some guy in the stalls shouted: 'Hear, hear!' My main reaction to the show was anger. In fact I am writing this column the morning after the performance and I am still angry. Why? In part because Goodwin never was never dragged from his well-appointed office in handcuffs, despite Brown's wishes. It was reported a few months ago that the disgraced former chief executive continues to live in Edinburgh on an annual pension estimated at £600,000. Apparently he enjoys golf at Archerfield in East Lothian, as well as indulging his fondness for classic cars. That he lives in luxury while the rest of us live with the consequences of his greed sticks in my craw. Our hollowed-out public realm is the price of a decade of austerity caused by the banking bailout. But the core of my anger is to do with Nigel Farage. Every analysis of the rise of insurgent populist nationalism in this country starts with the banking crisis in 2008. This was the key rupture in the relationship between the public and the political elite. In fact not just the political elite, all elites. Any public confidence that the country's institutions were run by competent people of goodwill was damaged, perhaps irreparably. Sure, much else has happened since. Brexit. Covid. Truss. But this is where it started. This was the seed. The populist harvest we reap today was sown in Gogarburn. Make It Happen was written by James Graham, a playwright showered with plaudits for dramatising the mores of contemporary Britain. For TV he wrote the political dramas Coalition and Brexit: The Uncivil War. For the National Theatre he wrote This House, about the fall of the Labour government in 1979, and Dear England, about Sir Gareth Southgate's management of the England men's football squad. Yes, Graham is English, born in Nottinghamshire and educated at the University of Hull. Some Scots might resent our national flaws being picked apart by an Englishman. I believe we owe him a debt of gratitude. If I have a criticism of the play it is that the consequences — economic, political, social — are not given their full weight. Perhaps Graham thought he could take them as read. Perhaps he is right. Personally, I wanted to see the enormity of the human cost acknowledged. I wanted Goodwin to look, metaphorically, in the eye of every child whose life chances have been diminished as a result of his actions. RBS was the Darien of our age. Two decades on, Scotland is only beginning to emerge from this Greek tragedy. Edinburgh has dusted itself down and begun to perk up a little. The city's financial sector has ditched the wide-oh swagger and instead embraced once more the notion that banking should be dull. RBS is now NatWest.
CBC
15-07-2025
- Entertainment
- CBC
Catch some theatre under the stars at the Guy Lombardo Pavilion
Social Sharing The stars will be out when a new theatre production premieres in London this week — literally. Starting Wednesday, a local theatre company will be taking over the Guy Lombardo Pavilion in Springbank Park for a free outdoor theatre experience, where the surrounding trees, pathways and night sky will all be part of the set. "No one's really done outdoor theatre in London in the last few decades, so it's kind of starting from scratch and learning how everything has to be set up technically," said production manager Alexandrea Marsh. "Every time that I see a show that's put on outside, it always just elevates the story so much," she said. "You don't just put on any show outside. It has to benefit the narrative." Marsh is one of the 25 cast and crew members putting on Theatre Aezir's production of That Summer, a coming-of-age story about young love at an Ontario lakeside resort by Canadian playwright David French. When artistic director Elizabeth Durand first read the play back in 2018, she knew she couldn't produce it at just any theatre at any time of year. "I fell in love with it, but it is a summer play [and] Theatre Aezir never did shows in the summer," she said. "I put it aside and said, 'If I ever do a show in the summer, it'll be That Summer.'" It made sense to do the production outdoors, Durand said, adding that most of the story takes place on a cottage porch and some of the pavilion's natural surroundings parallel those in the play. "They talk a lot about the red pavilion that they go dancing at, and that's another reason why I felt this play was really appropriate for the Guy Lombardo Pavilion," Durand said, pointing to the red accents around the pavilion stage. The natural sights and sounds of the encompassing Springbank Park will also add to the ambiance, Marsh said, in ways that a typical indoor theatre cannot. "I think bringing the story here will fully immerse the audience [by] just providing the atmospheric noise like the birds and the cicadas. We've also timed the show to start at 8 p.m. so that at a pivotal moment in the show, the sun sets and the tone changes," she explained. However, for every positive that comes with producing a play outdoors, there are also challenges. The cast and crew have been rehearsing the play using two different set ups, Marsh said: one that makes use of the entire pavilion space including its uncovered stage and pathways, and another that will force the performers to share the same covered bandshell as the audience. "We basically have two entirely different versions of the show that we are ready to switch on a dime, in the case of rain before or during the show," Marsh said. There are also some procedural considerations that come with putting on an outdoor production, Durand said, including safety risks, city rules and the cost of renting a location. Still, she said she hopes all of the work will be worth it. "It was such a good idea to do it outside and I'm just really excited about it," she said. "We have some really wonderful people in this cast. It's outdoors, it's beautiful and it's free."
Free Malaysia Today
30-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Free Malaysia Today
An astrophysicist and dance icon unite for a stellar journey through space
Dancers in a segment dedicated to the sun, the maker of the day. (Sutra Foundation pics) KUALA LUMPUR : Though often seen as separate realms, the arts and sciences are in fact two sides of the same creative coin. Both, after all, seek to explore, understand, and interpret the magic of the world. Often, magic happens when the two come together. This is clearly illustrated by upcoming theatre production 'Meniti Cakerawala 2.0', where Malaysia's first astrophysicist Mazlan Othman joins forces with dance legend Ramli Ibrahim and his Sutra Foundation, for an awe-inspiring production combining music, dance, film and art. Prepare for a stellar experience as Mazlan and her team explore the science and romance of the cosmos, and the interconnectedness of art and science. 'In the eyes of the heavens, we are all nothing. We are nothing but a speck of dust, a blink in the lifespan of the universe. So why do we keep on fighting each other?' Mazlan told FMT Lifestyle. 'I think this show has a very timely message, as it calls towards a universal humanity, for coming together in this difficult age the world is facing now.' A segment illustrating the conjoining of male and female principles in the myth of creation. (Sutra Foundation pic) According to Ramli, the show's artistic director, the idea for the show was sparked after the launch of Mazlan's book 'Cosmic Connections' in 2023. Reading it, he was convinced it would make a fine multimedia theatrical adaptation. 'We hope to have as many young people come to watch it, to hopefully inspire them to take a deeper interest in Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics (STEM),' he told FMT Lifestyle. 'Meniti Cakerawala 2.0' will focus on Mazlan's journey and contributions to Malaysia's scientific landscape, including her work with the Malaysian Space Agency and the founding of the Langkawi National Observatory. Mazlan herself will serve as storyteller, aided by 12 Sutra Foundation dancers and musicians Kamarul Baisah and Jayalakshmi Sekhar. 'When Ramli first suggested this, I was frightened! I expected to just be in the background, not upfront on stage! 'But I've more or less overcome that fear now. And I see now why it's important for me to be up there, telling my story and the story of the cosmos,' Mazlan said. Both Mazlan Othman and Ramli Ibrahim hope the audience will feel a deep connection with the universe through the 'Meniti Cakerawala 2.0' performance. (Sutra Foundation pics) The first version of the show premiered in Kuala Lumpur in December 2024, receiving rave reviews. Now, 'Meniti Cakerawala 2.0' will embark on an eight-city Malaysian tour from next month until September, making stops in Melaka, Seremban, Kuala Lumpur, Johor Bahru, Klang, Bayan Lepas, Kuching and Kota Kinabalu. For a show centred on stars, it's only fitting that it has a star-studded roster of collaborators on board. 'Meniti Cakerawala 2.0' will feature music by avant-garde composer Valerie Ross, fashion design by Leslie Variyan, lighting and set by Sivarajah Natarajan, and photography by S Magendran. Other artistic collaborators are poet laureate Haji Salleh, artist Jalaini Abu Hassan, dramatist Johan Jaaffar, and actors Chacko Vadaketh and the late Mano Maniam, whose performance was recorded before his passing. Transforming astronomical principles into dance choreography sounds like it would be a complicated task, but Ramli gamely decided to take up the challenge. In this segment, Mazlan expresses her dream to be wrapped in the cosmic cloths of the heavens. (Sutra Foundation pic) 'Dance is metaphor. And in the great book of Natya Shastra, it says there is no concept or axiom that cannot be depicted as dance. 'Even the concepts such as creation, polar opposites, or equilibrium can be expressed through movement, sometimes far more effectively than through words,' Ramli said. One highlight of the show will be an exploration of how celestial bodies have influenced the cultural traditions of various ethnic groups. 'We live by the sun, and love by the moon, so to speak. The sun is the maker of the day, the witness of deeds. At the same time, we found there was so much Malay music, especially love songs, that was inspired by the moon,' Ramli said. Mazlan and Ramli said they were hoping to take the show to India, as well as other destinations such as Singapore and Thailand. 'It's a show that will definitely appeal to the thinking public. I hope audiences take the message that they feel materially and physically connected to the heavens. Ultimately, we are all made of 'star stuff',' Mazlan concluded. Stay tuned for more information on the theatre production of 'Meniti Cakerawala 2.0'. (Sutra Foundation pic) For more information on 'Meniti Cakerawala 2.0', visit the Sutra Foundation's website.
Yahoo
22-06-2025
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
Jim Cartwright's classic play to take to the stage in Bolton
Local playwright Jim Cartwright's best-known work comes to Bolton Little Theatre next week as The Rise And Fall Of Little Voice hits the main stage in an elaborate production by Geoff Millard and his team. 'I love the play, which is probably why this is my second time directing it – it's just got everything.' said Geoff, who actually knew Jim as a child in the 70s, 'My wife and I ran a youth drama group in Farnworth back then and Jim was one of our aspiring young actors.' READ MORE: Step back in time to Bolton Little Theatre 1976 production Bolton Little Theatre opens its doors for Heritage Week Central to the story is the role of 'Little Voice' or 'LV' as she is known, played by new face Amber Maria. 'LV' spends her time shut in her room listening to the records her late father loved and trying to emulate them. The complex vocal impressions include songs by Judy Garland, Marilyn Monroe, Edith Piaf and Shirley Bassey to name a few. 'It's not a role that comes along very often,' she explains, 'but loving singing as much as I do, it was a part I just couldn't turn down.' Lisa Barlow plays 'LV's dysfunctional mother 'Mari'. Lisa said: 'I've actually played the part before when Geoff last directed it. 'The audience feedback then was so positive I jumped at the chance of having another go at it – as a character she's so wonderfully awful.' ' Mari's friend 'Sadie' also sees a repeat performance from Shaz Holstead who played the same part on a different production in Chorley. 'I don't usually repeat roles,' says Shaz, 'but when something as brilliant as Little Voice comes along again you just have to grab it with both hands.' 'LV's life looks set to change when impresario 'Ray Say', played by Steve Harrison, spots a way to make a quick buck. Steve said: "He plays Mari along pretending to be interested in a relationship, when all he really wants is to exploit her daughter and make as much money out of her talents as he can.' Together with 'Mr Boo', played by Glenn Robinson, who runs the local variety club, they look set to squeeze 'LV' for all she's worth regardless of the personal cost to the young girl. But all is not lost. Her knight in shining armour comes in the form of Connor Beckwith's 'Billy' as one of the workmen who installs a new telephone into Mari's house - along with another returning face, Harvey Walton as his partner. 'Billy' recognises 'LV's vulnerability and wants to take her away from it all – but is he too late? 'I think lots of people will know the story from the 1998 film starring Brenda Blethyn, Michael Caine and Ewen McGregor,' said Geoff, 'but perhaps they didn't realise it actually started life as a stage play.' Amber added: 'It's more than just a play about a young girl who can sing, the thing I love most of all the message of resilience that it conveys – something we can all learn from.' 'The Rise & Fall Of Little Voice' runs from Monday 23rd to Saturday 28th of June 2025 at 7:30 pm at Bolton Little Theatre, Hanover Street, Bolton BL1 4TG. For tickets visit or ring 01204 524469.
