Hope Mill Theatre – Live Art Alive

Blithe Spirit

Written by Noel Coward

Directed by Hannah Ellis Ryan

Hope Mill Theatre

The latest offering from HER Productions is the sparkling screwball comedy Blithe Spirit. This Noel Coward classic sees urbane couple The Condomines entertaining some friends to an evening with the local clairvoyant Madame Arcarti. Charles Condomine callously hopes to use the evening purely as research for his latest novel. Initially the butt of arch comments and wicked jibes, the high spirited clairvoyant accidentally conjures up a real live spirit in the ectoplasmic form of Charles’ dead first wife Elvira. The resulting high jinks see the two wives desperately competing for their husband which culminates with Elvira attempting to win him over by murdering him to reunite as ghosts. Amusingly it is wife No2, Ruth that dies instead leaving both ghostly women to ultimately unite and vent their frustration on their erstwhile husband who suddenly seems to relish in his new found liberty!

The theatrical polymath that is Hannah Ellis Ryan is at the helm as Director. It may be her first outing in this role but it is an assured debut that she clearly relishes. It’s an ambitious production that makes for a highly entertaining evening despite an overly lengthy first Act.

The staging by Jenny Holt Wright does an excellent job of conveying a feel of comfortable opulence with a gleaming cocktails table and over stuffed furnishings. Although originally staged in 1941 with a definite nod to the relaxed decadence of the pre war era, this new production has gone with a Bridgerton vibe for the costumes by Hannah Bracegirdle. They certainly look lush and colourful and there are some fabulous coiffures but I’m uncertain how well the idea works within the rest of the play. Regency style costumes seem somewhat at odds with Madame Arcarti speeding around on a bicycle in trousers and Ruth being killed off in a car accident! In addition Kayleigh Hawkins as Elvira has hair and a gown that looks much more at home with a 1930s feel.

There are some sparkling performances from the cast. Peter Stone as Charles oozes rakish charm when everything is going his way. As Elvira arrives and his current marriage starts to unravel, he is by turns peevish and increasingly flustered. The result is highly amusing as we watch the supercilious man of the house be driven demented by a petulant dead wife and a bewildered and infuriated living one.

The cast of Blithe Spirit at Hope Mill Theatre Image credit: Lowri Burkinshaw

Ntombizodwa Ndlovu is wonderfully imperious as Ruth. This is a woman used to having her own way and the arrival of Elvira is certainly not tolerable. As the chaos mounts she becomes increasingly angered and threatened resulting in her losing her composure and venting her rage. It’s in the second half that she really comes into her own and any stiffness in the first Act evaporates. Kayleigh Hawkins as Elvira is perfectly cast. Her sinewy grace and brittle charm work wonderfully well as the petulant and mischievous Elvira wreaks havoc with all the nonchalant abandon of a truly Blithe Spirit.

Karen Henthorn is a great comedic turn as Madame Arcarti. Her birdlike swooping and boundless energy and enthusiasm are joyful to watch as she careers around the stage. She exudes a proper Northern charm and a total disregard for staid upper class values. At times a little shouty in her delivery; her performance is a masterclass in letting your inner child out to play on the stage.

This new production at Hope Mill Theatre once again proves what passionate and committed casts and creatives can achieve in small theatres with small budgets. Companies such as HER Productions are blazing a trail ensuring that theatre productions in Manchester remain varied and vibrant.

HOPE MILL THEATRE til 22nd February 2025

THE Dukes, Lancaster 25th Fed – 1st March 2025

HUSK

Small Theatres

Written by Rupert Hill

Directed by Joseph Houston

HER PRODUCTIONS

HOPE MILL THEATRE

Billed as a tale of revenge HUSK is ultimately more a story of the redemptive nature of true friendship. Writer and Performer Rupert Hill writes vividly and movingly about the perils of addiction but although this well paced and reflective piece of writing shows the destructive dangers of alcoholism, it’s most potent message is the importance of human bonds. The young protagonist Ray hero worships his Boss Graeme but is bitterly let down and abandoned by him setting Ray on a descent into ever more destructive behaviours. It is only the consistent care and affection of his prison mentor Stan and his old schoolfriend Beth who lift him up and breathe new life and hope into this husk of a man.

The set design by Sorcha Corcoran is highly effective evoking a sense of constriction and bleakness which is then transformed by the hazy, dreamy videoscapes by Grant Archer which allow the story to fluidly move back and forth in time like an old photo album of faded images. The lighting by Tom Sutcliffe enhances the drama and alongside the thoughtful sound design by Alec Waters, ensures that the closing scenes are memorable long after leaving the theatre.

This is a confident and assured production directed by Hope Mill Theatre co-owner Joseph Houston. It may have elements that suggest a writer more at home with film and television but Houston has managed to ensure this ambitious project can move through time in a smooth and cohesive manner. There is only one scene that risks jarring the subtle build of tension where Hill dressed as his dead mother enters a rough Blackpool bar full of football fans. Seemingly seeking suicide by football hooligan rather than cop, the timid withdrawn Ray provokes and baits them until he ends up battered and in hospital. It feels difficult to imagine this fragile man making this choice yet dramatically it does serve to allow Beth another means to bring Ray back to her father’s home while still unaware of the potential risks for both men.

Rupert Hill leads a strong cast and his writing is profoundly generous allowing some of the other characters the very best lines in the play. Danielle Henry gives a warmth and depth to Beth that shows why every man on stage relies on her in very different ways. Hill exudes vulnerability in an understated way that shows his quiet journey into alcoholism as a path including social acceptance and fatherly encouragement through to using drink to blot out any emotions to the point where he is indeed a husk of a man. This is a strong cast with well crafted characters but the standout performance is David McCreedy as Ray’s fellow inmate and mentor. Stan is an opionated Scotsman who loves Barbra Streisand and now abhors the demon drink. Determined to keep Ray on the right path MacCreedy is utterly brilliant in his role coupling great comic timing with gritty realism as he remains an unwavering support for the fragile Ray.

Rupert Hill and David McCreedy in HUSK. Image credit: Shay Rowan

HUSK shines a powerful light on how alcohol is so readily available and used in so many subtle ways… to celebrate, to commiserate, to build social confidence or help us fit in and blend in, to heighten or to numb our feelings…the list is endless. Ray is in prison because of a misguided loyalty to a man who first introduced him to alcohol and his only path out of prison and staying free is to eschew the demon drink and shake his thirst on healthier ways. Leaving Ray on stage content and bathed in the sunshine while he harvests the fruits of the soil perfectly echoes how Hill may feel as he stands in the spotlight as the curtain comes down on his debut play.

Hope Mill Theatre 25th-29th September 2024

The Dukes, Lancaster 2nd and 3rd October 2024

The Taming of the “Shrew”

Shakespeare, Small Theatres

Written by William Shakespeare

Directed by Amy Gavin and Hannah Ellis Ryan

HOPE MILL THEATRE

The bawdy babes are back with another co-production from Unseemly Women, HER Productions and Girl Gang Manchester. Here this all female and non-binary collective take on Shakespeare’s portrayal of gender roles and a women’s place in a marriage. Under the spirited direction of Amy Gavin and Hannah Ellis Ryan this production zeroes in on the enduring horror of coercive control and the mind numbing impact of gaslighting. As the Bellas teach their drunken patron Sly a lesson he won’t easily forget, the audience get to watch as the action moves from a neon pink burlesque club to Padua where the “Shrew” Katerina and her sister Bianca are wooed by a selection of potential suitors.

Katerina is a force of nature who takes no prisoners and does not mince her words. As her father offers a large dowry on her being married before her younger and more malleable sister Bianca, Petruchio decides he is up the challenge of taming this wildcat. Multiple suitors are also vying for the hand of Bianca and as Shakespeare loves a confusing twist, the wealthy Lucentio is mascarading as a tutor to woo Bianca while his servant Tranio pretends to be his Master. Katerina is forced into marriage and her new husband sets in place an abusive plan to ensure his new wife is broken in like a wild horse.

Emily Spowage and Shady Murphy in The Taming of The “Shrew” at Hope Mill Theatre Image credit: Shay Rowan

The whole production has a feel of Baz Luhrmann meets Blackadder on a Hens night out in the Northern Quarter. The costumes look fabulous and strikingly individual. Zoe Barnes has been incredibly creative and adds real visual impact especially in the Vivienne Westwood inspired wedding dress which Shady Murphy is forced into. In fact everything about this production feels considered and creative from the lighting by Tom Sutcliffe to the sound by Hannah Bracegirdle and movement by Yandass Ndlovu.

It’s great to seem a dozen female and non binary performers on stage doing their thing and strutting their stuff. There is a real immersive feel to this production with the audience seated traverse and with some seated at candle lit tables in the burlesque club itself. The pole dancing by Leah Eddleston and the bluesy vocals of Megan Holland really add to the nightclub vibe.

Shady Murphy as Katerina nails her performance as the confident force of nature brought to her knees by an abusive husband. She is at turns vibrant and vociferous before being broken and cowed by her husband. Emily Spowage as Petruchio is also utterly compelling as the leering Lothario who verbally spars with his bride-to-be before his chilling shift into sadistic bridegroom who has his whole household flinching as they observe his cold cruelty.

This is a brilliant take on one of the Bard’s more difficult plays. In particular the scenes where Andy Williams Can’t Take My Eyes of You is used and at points dramatically slowed down, really ramps up the quiet terror of coercive control. The scene where Petruchio argues the sun is the moon and challenges Katerina’s very reality now plays as gaslighting behaviour. Gavin and Ellis Ryan have kept the original text and by not shying away from it have enabled this cast to reframe the narrative for the sisterhood. Sly Christopher may be a misogynistic boor in the manner of a Bernard Manning but here he sits bound and with a gag in his mouth.

HOPE MILL THEATRE 19th -30th June 2024

Miss Julie

Small Theatres

Written by August Strindberg

Translated by Michael Meyer

Directed by Jake Murray

Hope Mill Theatre

August Strindberg wrote this naturalistic masterpiece in 1888, back then it was considered so shocking to Swedish audiences that it could only be performed privately. Raw and incisive Miss Julie cuts through gender and class politics in a manner that was astounding for its’ time. It retains much of its shock value even now as class divisions and gender stereotypes continue to resonate. Servant Christine despairingly remarks how can you respect “your employers when they’re no better than us – what’s the point of trying to improve ourselves?” A bitterly poignant moment as we are on the verge of electing an utterly graceless buffoon as our next Prime minister.

Director Jake Murray allows a strong cast to embrace this vibrant play and sink their teeth into all the mess of emotions and aspirations without losing the complexity and nuance of each individual on stage. Overplayed or in the hands of a less deft director, Miss Julie is a play that could descend into histrionics but here each character is allowed to develop as intended.

Alice Frankham as Miss Julie exudes a persona of cool, imperious beauty and privilege but gives free reign to her character’s wild impetuous nature. Her mercurial nature is never overplayed into histrionics ensuring that even a modern audience can understand her desperation and vulnerability as she tries to be true to her nature despite the constraints of her class and gender.

Danny Solomon as valet John is mesmerising as he flits between suave professional upstairs servant, downtrodden but aspirational farm lad, hopeful lover and brutish misogynist. He creates a raw horror as he cowers from the power of the servants’ bell before coolly handing Miss Julie his cutthroat razor as her only way out of disgrace.

Lois Mackie as Christine is the steadying force in this drama bringing a wonderfully dry wit to all her reflections. Her weary cook is a pragmatic and calm foil to the emotional turbulence unfolding around her. The frantic aspirations of escape from the constraints of class and gender are calmly brushed aside by a woman who accepts her role in life and seeks comfort in respect and in her faith.

This is a thoughtfully staged production with a really keen eye to period detail. The ensemble support from students at ALRA North and Arden School of Theatre adds a lovely touch as they mingle and greet the audience as though we too are part of the Midsummer celebration. The set by Louis Price creates a really authentic Edwardian feel and makes the appearance of the glamorous Miss Julie even more incongruous as she wafts around the servants kitchen. This is another success story for Elysium Theatre Company who are steadily building a great reputation for creating strong productions such as last years Jesus Hopped The A Train. Miss Julie is a satisfying watch ending with a wonderful poignancy about the constraints we live by as the lights dim on the gilded birdcage on the table.

Hope Mill Theatre 18 – 22 June 2019

Elysium Theatre Company

THE FOREST OF FORGOTTEN DISCOS!

Children's Theatre, Small Theatres

Hope Mill Theatre

Written by Jackie Hagan

Directed by Nickie Miles-Wildin

Commissioned by CONTACT

This is CONTACT’s final show of the year as part of its Contact in the City programme while the new theatre is being built. This time we find them at Hope Mill Theatre which is a perfect festive setting for the Christmas children’s show. Mince pies, mulled wine, carol singers and craft tables for the children set the scene for Jackie Hagan’s The Forest of Forgotten Discos!

The general air of expectation is not disappointed when Alexa from the Amazonian rainforest suddenly appears to welcome the audience into the forest. Children are “scanned” and chatted to by the robotic Alexa who clearly delights in her role of giving information and helping others. Sophie Coward as Alexa is engaging and charismatic. Clad in a fabulous diy hi-tech skirt adorned with flashing lights , Sky remote scanner , etch-a-sketch and other discarded toys and household items, the character is both magically intriguing and easily accessible.

The Forest is full of trees decorated with patchwork crochet squares and brightly coloured gingham, reminiscent trees in local streets with a strong sense of community. The bear’s homes use discarded tents and shower curtains to create a feel that echoes the homeless “villages” in every major city or perhaps the Refugee camps of Calais. Designer Katharine Heath has created a set that is full of charm and is incredibly detailed. Each home is a treasure trove of discarded junk that captures the personality of each character in such a way that I was itching to explore after the show.

The three bears are no cosy, cuddly storybook bears clutching porridge bowls. These bears are discarded or forgotten toys, shabby from past love and cuddles, now scavenging from picnics and refuse bins. Tongue-in-cheek Hagan has a little dig at the organic supermarkets of Chorlton, and keeps the humour flowing with a flatulent bear who lives on baked beans and whose farts are captured as an energy source. Bear Grills, Bear Minimum and Bear Hugs are threadbare, patched and faded,their Velveteen is dulled and gaping where their stuffing pokes through. Each one has a back story that reflects and celebrates the dispossessed and those who feel “other” in our Society. CONTACT, Hagan and Director Nickie Miles-Wildin are clearly all on the same page with a Christmas message that is teaching our children about integration in a joyful and accessible manner.

When feisty 9 year old Red arrives in the forest she is unhappy and frustrated by the prospect of her dad’s new girlfriend. Epitomising that child impulse to run away unaware of risks or outcomes, she encounters Alexa and the bears. The power of disco has gone from the Forest and even virtual assistant Alexa is unsure how to restore it for Christmas. The story of how they all manage to work together despite their differences is a celebration of cooperation and two fingers up to divisive thinking.

Incorporating sign language and visual story telling techniques, this playful tale ensures lots of audience engagement and on stage participation from the children. Even the seating arrangements allow for kids gathering around the stage on cushions and beanbag stools like nursery storytime, while the adults can sit back on chairs or get down with the kids. Having learned our bear boogie dance moves, everyone gets to join in as the power of disco is restored. It is riotous and joyful as the glitterball kicks into action and the disco hits keep playing it’s a little like being in a live TOTPS in the Seventies with The Wombles. Festive feelgood with bags of charm.

CONTACT at Hope Mill Theatre 11-23 December

Images by Lee Baxter