David Porter

Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 18 October 2008 Rosencrantz and Guildenstern Are Dead Hamlet is a tragedy of failure, dramatic irony, characters’ true actions revealed and the play within a play. Rosencrantz and Guildenstern is the brilliant offshoot, developing two minor characters into a study of life and death, the waiting in between, the searching for meaning. They have been sent for. “Is this it, then?” is the frequent cry. Notoriously difficult to play, it’s a masterpiece of clever manipulation of our language, and the often gallows humour is just hilarious. It’s an ambitious choice for the Maddermarket, but under the imaginative direction of Peter Sowerbutts with Jenny Dewsbury, it works on many levels. Audiences have to listen hard and some knowledge of Hamlet helps, but is not essential. The play also deals with … Read entire article »

Norwich Theatre Royal Actors’ Company at the Playhouse Theatre, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 17 September 2008 Pool (No Water) The idea for this play sounds innocuous  enough. A famous artist invites old friends to her house, but suffers a terrible accident when she  jumps into  the drained pool. As she lies in a coma, they make her suffering their own artwork. They film her, over and over. Then she wakes. Then it gets interesting as the fragility of friendship and jealousy of others’ success is exposed. Mark Ravenhill, contemporary writer of savage social drama, is not afraid of shocking audiences. The Actors’ Company – Norwich Theatre Royal’s own professional repertory group – is equally open to edgy work. Drawing heavily on physical theatre techniques, it is a stream consciousness that tells a … Read entire article »

Trestle Theatre Company at The Cut, Halesworth Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 20 September 2004 The Smallest Person An audience suspends disbelief and gasps as the skeleton of a nineteen and a half inch child moves in her glass case – tribute to the dark power of masks, music and puppets. Trestle’s unique style grippingly serves this play about the death and burial versus dissection of Caroline Crachami in Georgian England. We are left uneasy at the treatment of the sick and deformed. Masks limit expression, yet on the faces of the talented company, there is more emotion in a simple gesture or muted cry than would seem possible. The child is a tiny puppet operated by  a performer in clear view – yet the pathos still says more than words. Rich in humour, … Read entire article »

Norwich Theatre Royal Actors’ Company at The Forum, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 20 June 2009 Three Pinter Plays Rehearsed readings of three of Harold Pinter’s political pieces in support of Refugee Week is not everybody’s cup of tea. Pinter’s anger against injustice, corruption, power and torture rings out. It’s Norwich Theatre Royal Actors’ Company with the Norwich Writers’ Centre and the excellent Roger Lloyd Pack in the lead roles and Kirsty Bushell and Patrick Kennedy in fine form. One for the Road is a terrifying dance of the powerful around helpless victims. Owen Mustard is the boy whose parents are arrested to be tortured. Ashes to Ashes is a questioning into her past between a man and a woman he presses for details. It’s uncomfortable. It has a sparse harshness with … Read entire article »

Festival Chorus and City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra at St Andrew’s Hall, Norwich Review published in Eastern Daily Press, 4 May 2009 A successful orchestral and choral concert hangs on many strands – fine music played outstandingly, a chorus with a range of quality voices, a rapt audience and a setting that allows it to soar to inspire listeners’ spirits. St Andrew’s Hall was the ideal location. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra opened the evening with Mendelssohn’s Symphony No 3 in A minor, “The Scottish”. Their professionalism, versatility and virtuosity never cease to impress and make listening a joy. Inspired by a walking tour of Scotland, particularly the ruined Holyrood Chapel, Mendelssohn captures the lightness and the dark Celtic broodiness building to the thrill of the fourth movement. This speaks of clan warfare … Read entire article »

Great Hall Theatre Company at the Assembly House, Norwich Review published in Eastern Daily Press, 25 March 2009 Blood Brothers Yes, it’s Blood Brothers, the story of twins separated at birth, in love with the same girl, by Willy Russell. Yes, it’s the Great Hall Theatre Company performing in the round. No, it’s not the musical version in its long-running West End guise; but it’s very good all the same. It rattles along at a cracking pace, partly through the narrative and tight writing, but equally by the direction from Vic Young, using the arena staging to real effect. Debbie Dance creates the mother, Mrs Johnstone, who gives away one twin, with a convincing, moving emotion mixed with Liverpudlian earthy humour. The twins, Myles Hague and Tom Girvin, are superbly cast, with their different upbringings highlighted well. They convey … Read entire article »

Sewell Barn Theatre, Norwich Review published in Eastern Daily Press, 25 April 2009 Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf Oh the games people play! Many will remember the the 1960s’ Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton shock film of the relationship between a long married couple and their ‘son’. This stage version in the audience-proximity of the Sewell Barn puts us right in among the tension as dialogue overlaps, tempers fray and the very edge of tolerance is reached. George (Noel Jones) and Martha (Cassie Tillett) torment each other like cat and mouse and include their younger visitors, Honey (Louise Humphrey) and Nick (Andy Cowan). It’s all cruel, verbal, personal and generational sparring through merciless games as the long night wears on, fuelled by alcohol and weariness. It’s powerful stuff, not only directed superbly by Jenny Hobson, but … Read entire article »

Theatre Paradisum at the Playhouse Theatre, Norwich Review published in the Eastern Daily Press, 22 January 2009 The Threepenny Opera Fans of Brecht’s theatrical ideas, novices in the art of ‘making strange’ (verfremdungseffekt) and those who enjoy a classic parody with music should catch The Threepenny Opera. The bare walls of the stripped Playhouse stage are ideal for great racks of costumes to serve as scenery. Actors, ‘presenters’, change in view and pull off that difficult trick of separating emotion from their demonstrations of their roles. Theatre Paradisum are a mainly local group. From the opening of the much-abused Mac the Knife, the audience is in safe hands. Weill’s music is interpreted with flair, songs punctuate narrative and the whole achieves Brecht’s aim of provoking thought, yet is highly entertaining. It’s a commentary of corruption endemic to … Read entire article »