David Porter

Fairport Convention at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 1 December 2005 The Dylan Project This autumn has seen a feast of Bob Dylan interest, reborn through a TV movie and the current tour by the legend himself. For one night some of Fairport Convention dropped into Norwich to share songs from their latest album – all by Dylan. Four middle aged guys on stage and lots more in the audience. A piece of banter between songs went like this: “Back to the 60s…” “YES please” “It’s not easy living in this century”. But you don’t have to have been raised on the original poetry of his lyrics, haunting vocals, acoustic versus electric and protest songs to appreciate what a giant Bob Dylan is in our culture. The show was no nostalgia-fest. Well, … Read entire article »

RoughCast Theatre Company at The Fisher Theatre, Bungay Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 25 May 2007 What the Butler Saw A controversial play about incest on a summer’s evening? Just what the doctor ordered. A middle-aged psychiatrist is interviewing a young secretary. At once confusion, in and out entrances, dropped trousers and increasing madness takes over. Written in the 1960s this is Joe Orton’s final play, some say his finest. The plot gets thicker and more bizarre as twist follows improbability. And it gets funnier. Humour starts black and grows murkier and more sinister. Given a riotous treatment by RoughCast Theatre, director David Green tackles his fisrt insane farce with an expert touch. Simon Evans as the chief protagonist is a comic model of frantic lunacy. The young secretary is Becky Martin handling the innocent role … Read entire article »

The Playhouse, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 23 June 2007 Think Floyd Forty years ago this month, Pink Floyd gigged our region. Now one of their most respected tribute bands came to show their music has more than stood the test of time. No talking or explaining till the end. Straight in, back to back classics. They rocked a first half concert presentation of the legendary Wall concept, with a light show and sounds to match, when back then massive bricks separated band from audience during the show. This audience may have been surprised that there was no wall, just quality music. A children and young people chorus from Stagecoach Theatre School at the Theatre Royal acted and sang Another Brick in the Wall and others, adding a delightful local dimension. Second half saw a … Read entire article »

Eastern Angles Theatre at Archbishop Sancroft High School, Harleston Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 8 May 2008 Cuckoo Teapot Finding some previously unknown nugget of old England is always a joy. Eastern Angles applied their unique style and bring the history, the times (1880-1930) and the people truly alive. Indeed, they are part of our local cultural fabric. Tim Bell is a convincing callow youth in this story that goes beyond our region. He is a “Norkie”, one of many labourers who went to Burtion on Trent to malt at the breweries – hence the expression, “gone for a Burton”. The clash of accents and life views are both the humor and the grist of this tale. Kate Griffin’s play is somewhat convoluted, but the cast handle it well in Ivan Cutting’s fast-paced … Read entire article »

Sewell Barn Theatre, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 12 July 2008 Scapino Comedy well done on stage seems deceptively easy to pull off. In fact it requires special skills in timing, directing and performing. A rollicking script helps too. This romp from the pen of Frank Dunlop and Jim Dale from the Sixties, rewrites the old Moliere classic and gives Sewell Barn a winner to close their season. It’s a piece from the top drawer of commedia dell’Arte, the art form that is the father of circus clowning, British panto and Punch and Judy. It also has a hand in slapstick, farce and stand-up. Scapino is a scamp, a likeable rogue, adept at clever ideas, inspired cunning, deceits and tricks. He’s a forerunner of Baldrick and John Levantis captures him well, even taking … Read entire article »

Wonderful Beast at The Cut, Halesworth Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 30 June 2008 The Dead Moon Smugglers romantically risking lives hauling untaxed tea, tobacco, gin, brandy and silk. Local history on our coast. Great theatre. Where Suffolk-based Wonderful Beast are different is adding folklore, myths and legends in a powerful tale of tradition and belonging in a community. There is a couple (Sasha Mitchell and John Neville) anxious about their baby, yet needing to bring in the contraband, faced with Captain of the Preventivemen (Matt Prendergast) billeted in their home, determined to catch smugglers. Annie Firbank plays an old harridan, or wise chorus, commenting on the action and stiffening the backbones of the locals, with the crunch of feet on shingle in her voice and moon shadows across marshes in her eyes. Directed by … Read entire article »

Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 21 June 2008 Top Girls Caryl Churchill’s feminist postmodern classic drama about Eighties Britain is bravely given an airing at the Maddermarket. It asks if it is possible for women to combine a successful career with family life, among other things. But don’t let that put you off. The production by Michelle Montague is intriguing, with many stylistic features enhanced such as overlapping dialogue and multi-layering of times and peoples. The play is famous for its dreamlike opening scene in which Marlene (Jenny Dewsbury), highflying at the Top Girls employment agency, dines with famous women from history and fiction: Pope Joan, Dull Gret from a Brueghel painting, Lady Nijo, a Japanese mistress of an emperor, and Patient Griselda from The Canterbury Tales! It explores issues like Marlene getting … Read entire article »

RoughCast Theatre at The Cut, Halesworth Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 26 May 2008 Alarms and Excursions You know that impotent feeling you get when the tyranny of gadgets takes over? When life’s absurdities, embarrassments and unbelievably stupid annoyances engulf you? Well, gthat’s the observational comedy running through Alarms and Excursions, a series of miniplays/sketches that sent local group RoughCast into new comedic territory. Old friends round for a meal – the new-fangled bottle opener fails, the smoke alarm has a life of its own and a drawer overflows with instructions of every appliance they’ve owned. Order descends into anarchy with the speed of farce. Three people listen to a fatuous, pompous speech trying to balance files, diaries and wine glasses, while trying to clap and raise a toast simultaneously. A pair fail to comunicate … Read entire article »