Coracle Productions in partnership with
Alphabetti Theatre,
supported by the Newcastle
Culture Investment Fund Presents
Suffragette ✹✹✹✹
Short plays from today and 100 years
ago
Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre
Until Saturday 19th May 2018
Tonight was a night that is perfect for the
Alphabetti set up. 5 themed plays, each with talented actors and its own
message, in front of an appreciative audience. The venue’s new season continues
from strength to strength.
As Britain celebrates the
historic events of 100 years ago, it is a good time to reflect upon the progress
made in levelling the playing field for women. Coracle asked for submissions,
and this resulted in plays being sent in from around the world. The five plays
that made up the show are varied, thought provoking and often funny. There is a
contemporary piece from 1909 and 4 new works.
"How The Vote Was Won" by Cicely Hamilton and Christopher St John (1909)
Presented by special arrangement with Samuel French Ltd.
A staged reading directed by Rachael
Walsh
Horace Cole comes home to discover that the fight
for the vote has literally arrived at his doorstep. As it is written over 100
years ago, the tone and the phraseology can be a little foreign to our 21st
century ears. I cannot imagine many in the audience employ servants or question
the concept of everyone over 18 having a vote. This staged reading helped give
a context to the action which followed in the evening.
Director Rachael Walsh uses a cast of 8 to good
effect. The absurdity of the occasion is rammed home in a light hearted way. The
arrival of each guest presented a new challenge for Horace. You almost feel
sorry for him.
"Banter" by Christopher Moore (Ireland)
Cast Lucy Curry and Daniel Watson
The remainder of the evening’s action has been
directed by Matt Jamie, who has helped bring the dialogue to the fore in each
case.
Banter
features a pair of siblings discussing a series of posts on WhatsApp. His mates
have accidently invited him into a conversation about a girl that they’d met on
a recent night out. Countering the macho position of Daniel Watson’s character,
we have a sister who tries to present the female perspective. There is also the
added angle that the setting is Ireland and some options are not easily
available there. Never lecturing, you do wonder if there is going to be a big
reveal from Lucy Curry’s character. The way it is handled is totally
appropriate and that helps create move more post show debate.
"An Accident of Birth" by Lizi Patch (North Yorks)
Cast Jude Nelson and Adam
Jordan Donaldson
Bathed in red light and
in white suits, the final play before the interval had twins chatting before
their birth. With both comic and naïve observations
An Accident of Birth suggests gender politics begins
at the very start. It may be tongue in
cheek, but I did find myself wondering what babies really pick up inside of
their mother. There is a warmth to Lizi Patch’s script. It helped complete the
first act on an upbeat note.
"Women and Girls" by Allison Davies (North East)
Cast Arabella Arnott and Brogan Gilbert
The second act opens with a tough exploration of
relationships and experiences. Through forthright storytelling skills, and some
repetition, the ideas about the uneven hand of sexual experiences are explored.
There is passion with this tale and it has potential to become the basis of a longer
examination of the themes.
"Someone Had To Do
Something" by Arabella Arnott (Newcastle)
Cast Zoe Lambert and Jackie Edwards
The recognition of both Zoe’s and Jackie’s character
helped to draw the evening to a close on a lighter note. That is not to suggest
that there isn’t a serious message. Jackie comes across as a teenager who knows
the answers to everything. As that Facebook meme states: “Teenagers: leave home
now whilst you know everything’. Jackie was also able to present the egocentricity
of a child who does not appreciate the repercussions of her actions. Zoe, by
contrast, has great timing as the Mum who finds no one else in her house wants
to help out. I said there was a serious edge and, indeed, there is an issue that
women work longer hours but the expectation in their role as a ‘housewife’ has
not diminished to compensate for it. It was a very pleasing way to complete the
show.
Suffragette is both intelligent and accessible. Through
five poignant plays we are also entertained. Believable characters and
recognisable situations combine to make a worthwhile and entertaining evening
at the theatre. As it is on a pay-what-you-feel basis, it is great, low risk,
introduction to the community of Alphabetti Theatre. We don’t need a Great
North Exhibition when affordable shows as good as this are available on a
regular basis.
Review by Stephen Oliver.
On The Web:
Twitter: @coracleNE @alphabetti
Tickets:
SUFFRAGETTE
- Short plays from today and 100 years ago
When: Thursday
17 – Saturday 19 May 2018 at 7:30pm
Where: Alphabetti Theatre, St James’ Boulevard, Newcastle Upon Tyne
Tickets PAY WHAT YOU FEEL – to reserve tickets please go to: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/237366.
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