Madame Lucinda’s Wonder Show

An extraordinary piece of theatre operating on many different levels and playing to a packed hall. 

At the level of spectacle there were the costumes, make-up, the trapeze, the smoke (apologies to the fire brigade for a false call out!!), mime, dance and wonderful music – to say nothing of the ability to create a collective hallucination of grey elephants in Denmark (we worked out the algebra in the cellar bar afterwards …).   The feel was of a Weimar republic style cabaret (remember the film?) but with a psychological rather than a political theme.

Behind this were the stories of the cast of the circus who had made a Faustian pact to escape their normal lives and join the circus.  Sirus who escaped his office job as Mr Johnston to become the circus strong man; Lo-Lo who adopted her father’s role as the circus clown; and Svetlana the dancing doll (an extraordinary acting performance where she remaining immobile in whatever position the other characters placed her, including while being picked up, danced with and folded into her trunk, and only occasionally flashing her eyes at the action).  Yet none of them were able to find fulfillment in the circus and Sirus and Lo-Lo escape / are allowed to go back transformed to ‘normal’ life – leaving Madame Lucinda to seek new candidates for her circus from the audience.

If you missed this or just want a reprise try Rogue Theatre’s website or watch an extract on YouTube. 

The Devil Wears Prada

Appleby Film Club, 14th February

This film divided opinion among our Film Club members. It’s classed as a ‘romantic comedy drama’ and it is standard mainstream fare. Most people enjoyed it, but it’s not everyone’s cup of tea. I found it funny, light, and worth watching for wonderful performances from Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci. Streep’s role, in particular, as the despotic editor in chief of a top fashion magazine, could easily have become an obvious Cruella de Ville-style cliché in the hands of a lesser actor. Streep pulls it off with grace and just the right amount of sympathy to create a real human character. Anne Hathaway plays the main protagonist with much less depth and a very predictable path through to a standard Hollywood ending.

The audience’s main criticism was the lack of surprise in the primary plot. The sub-plots around Tucci and Blunt’s characters were much more interesting. When these two and Streep were off-screen, particularly in the second half of the film, the action dragged.

Next Month: The highly successful and critically acclaimed Volver, directed by Pedro Almodovar. This is another comedy drama but a complete contrast to The Devil Wears Prada. It is R rated for sexual content, and sub-titled. No doubt it will also divide opinion!

Ricardo Tesi & Maurizio Geri

Well from one extreme to the other!  After the childrens’ excitement over Circus Berzercus a sophisticated adult evening.  The hall was organised in ‘caberet style’ with low tables for groups of friends to sit around.  The sound and lighting was great as was the music. Riccardo played accordion and introduced the material and Maurizio played guitar and sang.  The music was a mixture of Tuscan folk music – introduced with stories about local culture and history – and their own contemporary compositions.  You can hear some examples from their website at www.riccardotesi.com 

The singing was in Italian.  This along with Riccardo’s accented introductions swept away any qualms one might have had about enthusiastic engagement with male-centred tales! 

Centre Stage showed its worth yet again in bringing quality acts to the small venue.  The new programme has classical music for the first time in the form of the London Mozart Players (booking up fast) as well as a range of theatre (next one March 14th) aimed at children and adults. 

Circus Berzercus

This was principally a children’s event – but one it would have taken a very hard hearted adult not to enjoy!  It featured Gerald – abandoned by his partner who had gone on to better things, and left in the lurch by an agency who promised a new person would turn up at any moment … He filled in the time with some ball spinning acts ably assisted by a young volunteer.  When the new man Wallace does appear … very unsteadily on a unicycle … he does not seem to know any of the acts that Gerald wants them to perform.  This story line proved a great foil raising anxiety about whether they would be able to perform the planned acts and making them all the more impressive when, as in the 6 club juggling act, they succeeded against the odds.  The children, already very excited by earlier activities, were desperate to participate.  Gerald and Wallace were brilliant at keeping them completely engaged – but I wondered how their parents were going to get them to bed afterwards.  Adults were not let off the hook – with volunteers being sought to have clubs thrown at (well hopefully past …) them, do cartwheels and be left suspended on a plank!  Very funny, engaging and made us all want to run off and join the circus.

Becoming Jane

Appleby Film Society, 11th January 2008

I liked this film. It’s not a great film, it has many flaws, and it’s absolutely essential that you take it on its own terms. Get hung up on fact versus fiction or historic accuracy and you could find it deeply disturbing, as many reviewers have. It’s a modern take on historical romance that focuses on the themes of Jane Austen’s work, with Jane herself as the main protagonist and incorporating other documented characters from her life. The same idea was used to similar effect in Shakespeare in Love.

The story itself is fanciful, and a bit too unlikely in parts. The Janeite in me enjoyed picking up the references, not just the obvious ones to Pride and Prejudice but to her other work – sense versus sensibility, the attraction of gothic fantasy, and the resonant effect of distant events on everyday life in the 1790s are all present. The acting is almost universally spot on as would be expected from the cast list, including Julie Walters, James Cromwell, Maggie Smith playing the (presumably fictional) inspiration for Lady Catherine de Bourgh, and always-excellent Anna Maxwell Martin as Jane’s sister Cassandra. (Sadly the exception is Anne Hathaway’s wavering accent.) Male lead James McAvoy can, obviously, do no wrong.

The main joy of the film, though (apart from James McAvoy) is the love story. It’s not so much based on Pride and Prejudice but rather presented as Jane’s inspiration for the novel. The tale is delightful, with great chemistry, witty dialogue (no, not up to the book itself), sexual tension, repressed passion, lovely frocks, and great dancing. All the important ingredients for a historical romance, plus James McAvoy.

Next month, Anne Hathaway again, this time in a role more suited to her, playing the ingénue in the world of New York glossy publishing in The Devil Wears Prada. I’ve seen this movie and it’s well worth watching for Meryl Streep playing comedic bitch – a class act.

Folk Night

Many regulars gathered for the last event of the year – the latest in the increasingly popular ‘Live Friday’ series.  The musicians played some traditional folk music – and some seasonal carols – on an interesting series of instruments, many of the made by one of the group.

There were two innovations – first a new sound system ensured that the music could be heard throughout the cellar.  Second Sarah treated us to some delicious snacks including tiny cheese scones and mince pie slices.  Apparently this was a one off to show us what might be available if we booked the cellar with catering for a party!

Overall a great way to start the holidays and say happy Christmas to village friends.

Chicken Run

Appleby Film Club’s Christmas treat was another Aardman Animations film, following last year’s top rated Curse of the Were-Rabbit. Chicken Run was the first ever feature length ‘claymation’ film (that is, animated plasticine) and was a huge achievement. It’s impossible to do the story justice in a few words, and most people will know it by now (the film was released in 2000) but if you haven’t seen it, then do so at the next opportunity. It’s a treat.

Technically brilliant, it’s also very funny, witty, and heart-warming in a very British, not-too-schmaltzy way. Writers, and national treasures, Peter Lord and Nick Park (of Wallace & Gromit fame) packed in plenty of their trade-mark gags (ingenious machines and fast moving chases involving various forms of transport) and nods to (other) classic movies – most obviously The Great Escape. Most of the audience had seen the film before, but as with all Aardman creations, there’s something new to spot with each re-watching. Great fun.

Next up for the Film Club is Becoming Jane, a fictional story based on the life of Jane Austen, suggesting events which became the basis for some of her classic novels. It’s a must-see for fans of Jane Austen, and of James McAvoy who is being lauded, quite justifiably, as one of Britain’s best young actors. Jane is played by Anne Hathaway (The Princess Diaries, The Devil Wears Prada).

Don’t forget it’s Folk Night at the Cellar on Friday (21st December). See you there.

An Evening with Nell Gwynn

Transformed into a banqueting room the hall provided the venue for a splendid meal with friends old and new. The 3 course meal was delicious and the service excellent – all to the accompaniment of 17th music. The final course – fresh oranges and chocolate cake to die for – got us in the mood for the entertainment.

Nell Gwynn appeared appropriately standing under the statue of Sir John Moore (a man she knew) to tell us about the highs and lows of her life. From an impoverished childhood, through a celebrated career on the stage (at a time when it was only just becoming an acceptable job for women), to the long time mistress of Charles II. She had two sons, one of whom died in childhood, and outlived Charles by only 2 years despite the difference in their ages. Her tale was strong on the harshness of women’s lives of the period and her bawdy comments on coping with men had many of the women – and some of the men – roaring with laughter!

After this virtuoso performance Lesley Smith, curator at Tutbury Castle with television appearances including ‘The Worst Jobs in History’, stepped out of role to tell us about how she researched her subjects and the clothes she wore. It turned out that most of the information about where Nell spent her childhood came from the legal records of her mother’s frequent arrests! She also explained the authenticity of her clothes – designed by the V&A. She was tempted into giving us a taste of one of her other roles – Mary Queen of Scots. Another part of her life is as a medical historian – specialising in women’s health in the late 16th Century. Since this is a family site I can only say you should have been there!!

Box & Fiddle: Greg Lawson and Phil Alexander

When Mosihe’s Bagel came to the Sir John Moore last year they went down a storm and showed exuberant musical enthusiasm both in the hall and later at the Black Horse

It was not surprising that the Cellar Bar was packed for the return of half of Moishe’s Bagel on 16 November as one of the Friday Live series. The audience was not to be disappointed as they were treated to a master class in ethnic music from around Europe and beyond.

Greg Lawson and Phil Alexander are the fiddle player and accordionist from Moishe’s Bagel and they played three sets, each one containing tunes from all over the world.
Their musicianship was outstanding – each a master of their instrument and the way the instruments combined was perfect for the Cellar Bar’s intimate atmosphere. It was a privilege to be so close to great acoustic music

Greg and Phil played a number of Balkan tunes and the slow Macedonian dances were my particular highlight of the evening. They also played music from Armenia, Israel and some superb Tango tunes, plus some Scottish folk including two numbers written by Capercaille’s Donald Shaw.

My only gripe was that the venue did not allow for the same experience throughout the whole cellar area. The duo played in the main bar, and the audience in the other rooms was not able to really listen to the music. Consequently, there was an amount of noise coming back into the bar, and also noise from customers at the bar. I think things would work better if the bar area was able to be separate from the main music performing area.

Igbekun

Another fantastic event under the Centre Stage imprint which provides subsidised quality performances in rural locations.

A man’s sleep is disturbed by images of the violent history of his country. Through dance, story and song we learnt about the transformation of a peaceful farming community in West Africa. Introduced to Western trinkets and with their cultural symbols disrespected they were sold into slavery and made the horrific journey to America. There they worked under harsh conditions struggling to keep their community and traditions alive. At times in despair they still managed to preserve their spirits and hopes and emerge to freedom. The performance stressed the unacceptability of one person owning another and then brought the story right up to date by asking that we live our own lives in a way that would not lead to anyone having to apologise for our actions in 200 years times.

For the 2nd half we were promised traditional Nigerian dance. Some cultural purists might wonder at the inclusion of the talking drum encouraging community singing of Jingle Bells – but the children definitely enjoyed it! And it gave a well deserved rest to the fantastically energetic and exuberant dancers. I was particularly taken by the haunting masquerade dance with the performers covered head to toe in white robes. All the dances in this part of the performance involved wonderful costumes and movement supported by drums.

We were told that the division between performers and audience was not part of the African tradition. The school children had been involved in a workshop during the day and were very excited and keen to demonstrate their new found skills – their parents were told that they too had to participate and some were able to overcome their traditional reticence to do so!