Review: American Hustle

American Hustle 

Directed by David O’Russell
Written by Eric Warren Singer and David O’Russell
Starring Christian Bale, Amy Adams, Bradley Cooper, Jennifer Lawrence and Jeremy Renner

Since the start of the decade, David O’Russell has gone from strength to strength, establishing himself as one of this generation’s finest filmmakers. With The Fighter and Silver Linings Playbook, O’Russell has been able to create emotional dramas mixed with his own quirky, Woody Allenesque style of comedy. His debt to the bespectacled comedy icon is increased through American Hustle. As well as Allen, O’Russell owes a huge amount to the equally diminutive and bespectacled Martin Scorsese. In many ways, this incident of Scorsese-meets-Allen is both a homage and parody of crime films such as Goodfellas and Casino.

Loosely based on the Abscam sting operation of the late 70s, American Hustle tells the story of con artists and lovers Irving Rosenfeld (Bale) and Sydney Prosser (Adams) and their compliance with FBI agent Richie DiMaso (Cooper) after he catches them carrying out a loan scam. They soon are part of a campaign to incriminate Mayor Carmine Polito (Renner), a hero to his constituents in Camden, New Jersey. Together, Rosenfeld, Prosser and DiMaso try to catch Polito taking funds illegally from investors looking to help Polito rejuvenate gambling in Atlantic City, providing jobs and wealth for New Jersey. As well as this, Rosenfeld’s mentally unstable and unpredictable wife Rosalyn (Lawrence) becomes involved, putting the whole operation in danger. As mentioned earlier, American Hustle owes a huge debt to films such as Goodfellas and Casino, two films that are also base on true events. Instead of the true to life image that these films project, O’Russell opts for a more honest declaration of its factuality, claiming that “some of this actually happened.” This perfectly sets the tongue-in-cheek tone of American Hustle, a brilliant crime comedy-drama and O’Russell’s best film to date. This tone allows the film to not take itself too seriously and take certain liberties with dialogue penned by Singer and O’Russell. The imagery created is so rich and quirky without trying too hard under the duo’s earnest penmanship. It is this passive earnestness that leaves me wondering how no one ever thought of calling a microwave a “science oven” whilst also marvelling at how they thought of describing Roselyn as the “Picasso of passive aggressive karate”. The actors sell it so well though. In one scene, Irving is talking about how he’s like the Vietcong in such a ludicrous way but Bale and the excellent cast never let the ingeniously idiosyncratic dialogue run away from them. In fact, O’Russell allows the cast to take further liberties with improvisation so that the film floats like air on a moral undercurrent. This decision to allow his actors freedom shows a director with confidence in his actors and his screenplay. Vibrant use of light, panning and general camerawork illustrates O’Russell’s confidence in his directorial abilities. Much of the glamour, hilarity and sadness in this film is down to O’Russell’s impeccable direction.

It must be a joy to direct a film when the performances are all first rate. From the five fabulous actors on top of the billing, through to Louis CK’s turn as DiMaso’s overseeing officer, all the way down to a small but pivotal cameo by Robert De Niro, all the acting is close to perfect. Bale’s performance is especially funny in the way he adds to the film’s feel of parody. Much of his comedy borders on impersonation or cartoonlike lampooning of some of the crime genre’s biggest stars and their macho bravado. In a scene in which Richie ruffles Irving’s hairpiece, Bale gives off a comical stare of anger that reminded me of Al Pacino in Scarface or office drama Glengarry Glen Ross. His stammering and hesitations are reminiscent of De Niro and even his facial contortions mimic the Heat star. Bale never lets this fall into flat impersonation though and instead makes what could have been grovelling praise into mocking admiration. Lawrence portrays Rosalyn with bombast but also with a sympathy that stops her from becoming irritating when she flies off into eccentricities that become extremely endearing under her control. Renner pulls off the good guy mayor who just wants the best for his constituents without becoming condescending. Adams is mesmerising as Prosser and gives her an animalistic desire to survive that is both admirable and seductive. Cooper’s casting as DiMaso is arguably the most inspired casting choice. His charisma and dogged determination shines through to make DiMaso, who is probably the most unlikable character in the film, pathetic and pitiable. Bale stands out as the best among equals somewhat because of his greater amount of time on screen. However, it is his lack of vanity and his ability to make this obese, toupee-wearing con artist the character with the greatest grasp of respect and humanity. In his warts-and-all portrayal, Bale always accentuates Irving’s warts for comic effect and his redeeming qualities to add a positive edge to the sleazy criminal. The displacement of his ridiculous hairpiece is offset by the sadness shown in his eyes, always drilling home the film’s sentiment that hustling and lying are part of life, but it doesn’t mean that the hustlers are always happy about it. He and the other actors see the humanity in Singer’s and O’Russell’s wonderful screenplay. They see the care that has gone into crafting these flawed but ultimately human characters. They see that for the ridiculous 70s décor, hair and makeup and for all the film’s glamour, the film is a story of humans and their imperfections, no matter how hard they try to make things perfect.

Rating: 10/10

Review: Gravity

Gravity
Directed by Alfonso Cuarón
Written by Alfonso Cuarón and Jonás Cuarón
Starring Sandra Bullock and George Clooney

Although touted as an edge-of-your-seat thrill ride by numerous critics, I was disappointed to find that midway through Alfonso Cuarón’s space catastrophe Gravity I was slumped, sinking into my chair. No, this is not because the seats at the VUE in Leeds are extremely comfortable, which they are. The reason was that for all its acclaim I personally did not find anything thrilling about this visual juggernaut. With numerous nods to 2001: A Space Odyssey, including an extremely heavy-handed shot of Sandra Bullock in the foetal position, Gravity does create tangents between itself and Kubrick’s masterpiece of the late 60s. Unfortunately for Gravity, these tangents become vehicles for comparison.

Yes, they are extremely different films that both happen to be set in space but the greatest lesson that could be learnt from the tone of 2001 is that less is more. You can get a lot more tension from a simple “open the pod bay doors, HAL” than you can from a billion tonnes of debris soaring through space. Striking in terms of its visuals but lacking a worthwhile screenplay, Gravity rushes through a 91 minute runtime to become one of the most disappointing movie-going experiences I have ever had.

In Gravity we see Mission Specialist Dr. Ryan Stone (Bullock) on her first space shuttle mission with seasoned veteran astronaut Matt Kowalski (Clooney) who is taking part in his last mission. During a spacewalk repairing a panel on the Hubble Telescope, Housten (voiced by Ed Harris) alerts them that debris from a satellite destroyed by a Russian missile has caused a chain reactions destroying other satellites and creating a cloud of debris that is hurtling round the earth. The astronauts soon lose contact with Mission Control before their shuttle is catastrophically damaged. Stone and Kowalski now must find contact with Housten or directly return to Earth.

I am not disputing that Gravity is an achievement visually and for the first 15 minutes I was more than happy to allow the images to wash over me. In a blackened movie theatre, it is almost as if you are floating with Stone and Kowalski. Bullock and Clooney do have a good back-and-forth and some good chemistry but their relationship stops its maturation early and never really goes beyond the unsubtle sexual tension that is clearly there between them. This film doesn’t do subtlety though. It all becomes too much so that you can’t move to the edge of your seat in anticipation because there is no tension. There is only the oppression you get from being bombarded by explosions that would make Michael Bay blush. The plot is very “...and then this happened, and then this happened”. Life threatening peril is followed by more life threatening peril, leaving little time for introspection, character development or emotion. All emotion is shoehorned into the film through the most contrived dialogue I have heard in recent years. Clooney does well as the wise-cracking veteran and Bullock gives a competent performance embodying the human spirit and they do rise above the material on occasion but the characters are so underdeveloped and clichéd that they just don’t engage you. This is what makes Gravity so disappointing. It really feels Cuarón senior and junior did not care. The screenplay feels like an excuse to make a film, not the reason they’re making it.

Gravity feels like a missed opportunity at a true cinematic landmark. Imagine you’re at a rock concert. An electric guitar player of technical brilliance comes onstage. He is fast, frantic and furious in his playing; a real virtuoso. You enjoy the first minute of the solo and maybe the second. The player carries on for another 20 minutes. There is no discernible melodic phrasing and soon even the volume becomes too much. That is what Gravity is to me. It is simply a lot of “look at how good I am” direction and technical trickery without real substance. This is so much so that the film doesn’t produce tension but rather the feeling of a crushing oppression that slams you back into your seat.

Rating: 4/10

Review: Shamir, 'Northtown'

With a flamboyant bravado to compliment the range of his influences, Shamir has crafted an extremely exciting debut EP in Northtown. The 19-year-old singer-songwriter from Las Vegas effortlessly blends pop-song sensibilities with house influences whilst staying true to pop and funk elements from his spiritual home in the 80's. Through all this, Shamir is able to bridge the gap between what should be listened to with the utmost attention and what should be danced to without care.

When sitting down to listen to Northtown, its minimal production is strikingly apparent. What is also worth noting is how appropriate this is. On the opening track If It Wasn't True we can hear a multitude of different styles. Treated poorly, this concoction of an 80's Grace Jones-esque bassline superimposed over a house beat, with a melodic and percussive keyboard arrangement, could become too dense and oppressive. The light-handed production does not allow this to happen and so saves the track from becoming just another mind-numbing house tune that thumps you around the ears. The production style allows the complex electronic arrangement of If It Wasn't True to shine through. This can also be said for the loop-heavy Sometimes a Man. Most of all though it allows Shamir's natural and soulful voice to shine through as the standout component of his sound. It never seems like he is trying too hard when singing. Like the record, there doesn't seem to be much effort going into the powerful subtlety of his voice, a voice that's androgynous without becoming sexless. It is hard to invest so much personality in a voice but with Shamir it comes across so naturally.

Different tracks on the EP show off different facets of Shamir's voice and personality in great contrasts of style. Vocally, Sometimes a Man is able to give off a forceful desperation bordering on melodramatic. This leads into the confessional ballad 'I'll Never Be Able to Love which continues the melodrama but in a more elegiac tone. Showing again Shamir's 80's sensibilities, the song harks back to Prince's Nothing Compares 2 U as well as Whitney Houston. But then at 2:10 minutes a cascade of dubstep falls over the track. Amazingly, however, the vocal isn't overpowered and remains the centerpiece of the track. The dance influences are integral to Northtown and give it a bit of edge and coarseness but they never detract from the overall quality of the songs or the vocals. They are subtle for the most part and even when the sirens are blaring on Sometimes a Man, the quality of the composition is not depleted.

And it is the composition of the songs that makes Northtown such an exciting debut. For all the genre-blending and near-subliminal production, if the songs weren't stellar 'Northtown' could have easily slipped under the radar. It is Shamir's appreciation for a well-crafted pop song that really makes the record take off. Such appreciation resonates in the cover of Lindi Ortega's Lived and Died Alone. An already simplistic song in its arrangement on Ortega's Tin Star, Shamir strips the song to its bare bones. With just a guitar and voice, the bittersweet quality of Ortega's song comes through with a sparse and ethereal quality not so pronounced on her version. At the same time, Shamir's own songs stand up alongside the cover. This cannot be said for the majority of debut EPs. In this respect, he is more than just an emerging pop/dance act but an emerging singer-songwriter with true quality.

Rating: 8/10

Listen here for Shamir's track If It Wasn't True.

Is the NHS falling into private hands?

With talk of EU-US trade private trade deals on healthcare and private investment in cancer care, many on the left fear that the privatisation of the NHS under a Tory-led government is imminent. Unite have gone so far as to refer to recent EU-US deals as the first step in the “Tory drive towards privatisation.” In the run-up to the 2015 general election, the Tories are being shrewd in their handling of the problems facing the NHS and continue to flag up faults in the system without taking major action to remedy them.

Yes, the Tories have been giving themselves a pat on the back on the basis of statistics that indicate a decrease in A&E; waiting times. However, the House of Commons library has revealed these claims to be “simplistic” and are contradicted by better data sources. Not only does this reveal that Tory claims are simplified but also that they are superficial and false. Such false claims are a ploy by the Conservatives to convince the public that they are trying to fix the NHS. And through individuals such as Health Secretary Jeremy Hunt, who can still shamelessly proclaim to be the “patients’ champion”, the Tories can bolster the illusion that they are doing everything they can for the NHS.

In the meantime, newspapers such as the Daily Mail and the Telegraph shift blame away from the government and turn attention to the supposed failings of the NHS itself. Criticism has focused on numerous aspects such as the 18-week waiting period for routine operations,incompetence on the part of NHS watchdog Monitor, the NHS’s expenditure on cosmetic surgery and the lack of cancer referral from GPs. Hunt’s slandering is far more dangerous though. His public rebuking of GP practices that do not refer enough patients for cancer care and “poor” NHS trusts has created a name-and-shame mentality. A crafty political tactic indeed. On the one hand, Hunt is able to continue the facade that the Conservatives are working in the NHS’s best interest. On the other, in smearing the NHS, the Tories are able to pass the buck for the NHS’s performance onto staff, CQC and Monitor. Funding cuts, which saw a decrease in 4000 senior nursing posts and an increase in pay for executive directors by 6 percent, remain unmentioned and are conveniently left in the dark.

Amid all the criticism, one fact has shone through. The NHS cannot continue to expand stably without greater funding. In some ways, it’s almost as if conservatives wish to portray a state-funded NHS as a lost cause. This may seem melodramatic but when the Telegraph remarks that the NHS “doesn’t have a prayer,” it is hard to imagine that conservative thinkers are remaining impartial on the subject. When Liberal Democrat Norman Lamb, the Minister of State for Care and Support, described the NHS as a“blackhole”, the Mail were quick to jump in.

The Mail raised the possibility of patients having to pay for some services or a raise in taxes thus generating further doubt over the stability of the service. Neither of the options are popular, especially the latter. This is evident from the unpopular Labour proposal to increase national insurance by a penny in a similar fashion to the one percent rise during Gordon Brown’s tenure as Chancellor of the Exchequer. That being said, the idea of paying for services is hardly popular either but funds need to be found somewhere. This in turn opens the door for private deals being made in the NHS.

This is not entirely new. Under New Labour, private finance incentives were responsible for the building of 101 new hospitals. However, under new propositions from the Tory-led government, cancer care could fall under private contracts in a £700 million deal. The agreement would stipulate 10-years of private firms providing cancer care at four NHS clinical commissioning groups in Staffordshire. This deal would then see the outsourcing of £1.2 billion of taxpayer-funded resources to private firms such as Virgin, Care UK and Ramsey Health. Whilst this deal would only place four clinical commissioning groups under private control, it is thought that this may be the first conquest of NHS resources in a piece-by-piece approach to privatisation. This sort of speculation is fair and not unjustified. Unite again warns that the secretive EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP) could also spell the irreversible privatisation of the NHS. Irreversible is the key word here. As well as increasing the power of multinational investors such as big businesses and hedge funds, investors from US healthcare multinationals and Wall Street can sue the UK government if European governments try to reverse investments made under TTIP.

Whilst such EU-US trade deals are under control of the European Commission, and although Ignacio Garcia Bercero (director of the USA and Canada division of the European Commission) has reassured Labour that EU member states will still be able to manage their health systems, there is some doubt over whether Cameron’s management of private investment would be in the UK’s best interest. It seems as if the NHS’s fate will be decided post-general election. Whilst Bercero assures NHS safeguarding, the prospect of foreign investment from the US and domestic investment from the likes of private firms may be too tempting for Cameron to pass up. With papers like the Mail criticising the money spent on cosmetic surgery and procedures to tackle obesity, Cameron has been given a rationale that state spending has not been frugal enough, the non-partisan watchdog Monitor is not up to the job and that only private hands with private investment can keep the NHS from collapsing in on itself.

Kasabian - Victoria Park, Leicester – 21.06.2014
supported by Beardy Man, Zane Lowe (DJ Set), Jagwar Ma and Rudimental (DJ Set)

“LEICESTER! LEICESTER! LEICESTER!”
“WE HATE YOU NORTHERN BASTARDS!”
“WHO THE FUCK ARE LEEDS?”
After an hour in Victoria Park, I soon realised that these phrases, shouted by the Leicesterians that made up the 50,000 in attendance for Kasabian’s open air homecoming, were becoming the mantras for the event itself. They kind of gave Victoria Park a voice with a Leicesterian accent that was making me very glad I decided not to wear my Leeds Celtics American Football t-shirt. I concede that at first I felt like I was intruding on the city of Leicester; a two-hour train journey being my method of invading a celebration for the whole of Leicester. Still, under the June sun and the wave of sound from the self-deprecating “small, diminutive Jew” Beardyman, I started to really feel like it was the summer solstice. Ok, it was the Nandos I had a few hours earlier that made me feel summery but Beardyman helped. This seemed to be the main intention behind the choice of support acts. On first viewing of the line up, I was disappointed at the number of DJ sets after such a drawn out waiting period. After refreshing the NME homepage for what feels like the billionth time, it is rather depressing to hear that the premier support act is a Rudimental DJ set. It does seem that the event organisers were merely going for a line up that was nothing to get excited about and unlikely to upstage the headline act. That being said, the support acts were enjoyable. Beardyman, with his unique brand of beatbox-tinged dance music, was a particularly pleasant surprise.

After the fit-for-purpose support acts had vacated the stage, the crowd at Victoria Park were treated to something I had never seen at any show before. It was a sight that took my breath away. Relating this is enough to bring goosebumps to my skin and a sense of an impending awesomeness I cannot describe. This is a feeling that can only be brought about by one thing: a fucking massive pink digital clock, the campest piece of equipment I have seen onstage at a concert since Steel Panther’s makeup bag. Superimposed on the pink backdrop in thick black text was “48:13:00”. In another first for me, Kasabian actually did a countdown to their emergence onstage. Well, if the four support acts didn’t create a buzz then this did (as well as letting me know I had enough time to go to the lavatory before the set began). When the clock read “00:00:00” and a few awkward seconds Kasabian entered in front of an eager hometown crowd and kicked off with 48:13 gem ‘Bumblebee’. It’s noticeable how well the newer material stands up against the older canon when played live. The rave-tinged crowd-pleasers on 48:13 seem to offset the darker work on Velociraptor! ‘Days are Forgotten’ is quelled by ‘Eez-eh’ in the same way that ‘Re-Wired’ – a particular highlight of the set – eases into ‘Treat’.  

Kasabian’s set is really well worked out. ‘Shoot the Runner’ (preceded by the intro to ‘Black Skinhead’), ‘Club Foot’, ‘Fire’ and set closer ‘L.S.F’ go down a treat (sorry for the pun) and fill the necessary sing-alongs and la-la-la niche.  Along with the good time anthems to make your lungs ache, the aggressive guitar and bass-driven ‘Switchblade Smiles’ and ‘Vlad the Impaler’ really remind you that Kasabian, for all their influences from everything from hip hop to Krautrock, are a rock band and when you go to their concerts you get a rock show. There aren’t many rock shows better.   

Top 15 Songs for Valentine’s Day

People, it is time to prepare for the mother of all non-holidays that is St. Valentine’s Day! Although some people may wish to splash out on more lavish gifts, compiling a mixtape was once the ideal romantic gesture. So, if you’re stuck for ideas, look no further and thank me later!

‘Here, There and Everywhere’ – The Beatles

Saying picking a Beatles’ number was rather difficult would be a huge understatemen t. ‘8 Days a Week’ and ‘Can’t Buy Me Love’ were also in contention, but I finally decided on a more understated McCartney classic. Less frantic and more melodic than its predecessors, ‘Here, There and Everywhere’ shows that even though the Beatles were maturing on Revolver, they were still able to get a bit schmaltzy when the mood struck them.  Also, if you listen closely enough, you’ll be able to hear the song being played on steel drums when Phoebe gets married in Friends. Just saying.

‘I Second That Emotion’ – Smokey Robinson & The Miracles

Too often Smokey Robinson is overlooked as one of the great voices of Motown. Stevie Wonder and Marvin Gaye may have outdone the Miracles in terms of commercial success and legend, but it is undeniable that during the mid-60s the Miracles were at the forefront of the Motown movement and Smokey Robinson was, and still is, its quintessential voice. The best way to describe their 1967 effort is pure ear candy; a treat for you and someone special.

‘It’s Not Unusual’ – Tom Jones

Arguably the most powerful voice in pop music, Wales’s favourite son Tom Jones is sometimes mocked and derided for many reasons (appearing on The Voice didn’t really help), and although his hair has whitened and his skin is now the same shade of brown as an American football, ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and the voice that sung it are still going strong over 40 years later. Tidy!

‘Growing On Me’ – The Darkness

 ‘I Believe In a Thing Called Love’ is clearly the more obvious choice from glam rock throwback the Darkness, but ‘Growing On Me’ is another example of what the Darkness stand for: love combined with heavy riffs, falsetto vocals and extremely revealing leotards.

‘Pulling Teeth’ – Green Day

Ok, admittedly the title doesn’t make you think of chocolates and roses, but I guess Green Day’s metaphor for what love feels like is rather apt. Still, Billie Joe Armstrong is a right softy at heart and snot-nosed teenage angst has never sounded sweeter.

‘Can’t Get Enough of Your Love, Babe’ – Barry White

There’s a reason his admirers call him ‘The Walrus of Love’. At his peak, it is estimated that Barry White was a 295 pound love machine with a voice like a purring lion. With possibly the greatest monologue-intro to any song ever, this soul classic IS romance.

‘A Woman In Love’ – Jean Simmons and Marlon Brando

Although ‘A Woman In Love’ was only written for the film adaption of the Broadway musical Guys and Dolls, it’s still able to stand up next to the classics such as ‘Luck Be A Lady’ and ‘Sue Me’. Although Marlon Brando’s vocal ability may be in question, the chemistry between him and Simmons is never in doubt and makes for one of the film’s most touching scenes.

‘Lyla’ – Oasis

A stadium banger of a love song that showed Noel Gallagher still had the chops to write anthems to make thousands sing. With a heart pounding guitar riff and one of Gallagher’s best choruses, this is the drinkers’ love song, so take your girl/bloke to the pub, whack it on the jukebox and get a few down you! 

‘You Are The Sunshine Of My Life’ – Stevie Wonder

Way before ‘I Just Called To Say I Love You’, Stevie Wonder was crafting pop masterpieces. Dedicated to Yolanda Simmons, Wonder’s voice turns to velvet on this understated classic. Subtle and elegant, it is one of Wonder’s most underappreciated tracks.

‘Alison’ – Elvis Costello

One of Costello’s most heartbreaking songs is the perfect companion for any lonely heart on Valentine’s Day. Costello nowadays states that he is a ballad singer who sings rock songs and not the other way round. Well, when listening to ‘Alison’, it really is easy to see why.

‘Let’s Stay Together’ – Al Green

For me, the romantic appeal of this song has been lost since I watched Pulp Fiction. Hearing this played in the background to a shot of Ving Rhames’s big bald head is not exactly the aphrodisiac you’re looking for on Valentine’s Day. Then again, you do have the option of listening to this soul classic without watching Tarantino’s bloody masterpiece, but if that’s your sort of thing then fine. I’m not one to judge.

‘Just For You’ – Sam Cooke

Better known for his posthumously released political anthem ‘A Change Is Gonna Come’, Sam Cooke was a prolific pioneer of soul music, racking up 30 top 40 hits in his 7 year career. Although there were many contenders such as ‘I Love You (For Sentimental Reasons)’ and ‘Nothing Can Change This Love’, I chose ‘Just For You’ for the simple reason that it is the song any girl would want a guy to sing to them.  

'Dammit Janet' – The Cast Of The Rocky Horror Show

Yeah people! Second show-tune of the list! And what?! The second number of Richard O’Brien’s cutting parody and tribute to the science fiction and horror B movies is both as outrageous and as joyful as he intended it to be in 1973.

‘Nothing Compares 2 U’ – Prince & The New Power Generation/Sinead O’Connor

Ok, so everyone knows which one they prefer... apart from me it seems. I just don’t know! Can’t we just love them both for what they are?! Prince’s original may not be as heart-rendering as O’Connor’s take on the track, but it was Prince’s craftsmanship as a songwriter that allowed O’Connor to take full advantage.

‘Let’s Get It On’ – Marvin Gaye

Don’t act so surprised! You knew it was coming! How could it not? Sultry wah-wah pedalled guitar intro, voice as smooth as the groin area of an Action Man and lyrics that turn men and women alike weak at the knees. There. I’m done. Go be happy you selfish selfish people!

Honourable mentions: ‘Hallelujah I Love Her So’ – Ray Charles, ‘Wish You Were Here’ – Pink Floyd, ‘I Say A Little Prayer For You’ – Aretha Franklin, ‘How Deep Is Your Love?’ – Bee Gees, ‘D’yer Maker’ – Led Zeppelin, ‘My Baby Just Cares For Me’ – Nina Simone, ‘Back For Good’ – Take That, ‘Something Stupid’ – Frank and Nancy Sinatra. 

I The Woman in Black, Waterside Theatre, Aylesbury, 22^nd January 

The stage adaption of Susan Hill’s horrific tale is an attack on the senses from two different flanks.  Firstly, Julian Forsyth’s portrayal of the haunted Arthur Kipps is outstanding. Every horrific detail he recounts chills you to the bone and fills you with compassion for this truly tortured character. Antony Eden is also able to compliment Forsyth to great effect through his role as ‘the Actor’, a particularly poignant role in its own right. The Actor is able to act as a mirror, reflecting the horrors endured by Kipps and so is a role that is extremely demanding. Eden’s portrayal of the Actor is performed with so much empathy and heart that the interplay between the two characters becomes truly moving, but also horrific in equal measure. The second flank of this onslaught on the senses is the terrific work of the light and sound technicians. Every thud, every creak and every scream relayed by the sound technicians compliments the actions of the actors in perfect harmony. Honestly, I could definitely hear the collective rising of goosebumps at everyone of the Woman in Black’s shill abrasive screeches. This works in perfect harmony with the blackening of the scene or the silhouette of the gruesome manor created by the fabulous light technicians. The Woman in Black is truly a performance built on the harmony of all the elements. Without this care and sensitivity, the play is likely to turn into a bit of a farce. This is not the case for this particular production. Chilling, gripping and touching, the Woman in Black is truly a must see.

8/10

Oscar Taherbeigi