It's time for my mini-reviews of A Woman of No Importance, This House and Hairspray Live!
A Woman of No Importance
"Set in the nineteenth century, Oscar Wilde's A Woman of No Importance follows a group of guests at party at Lady Hunstanton's estate in the lavish English countryside. The party's guests, which include the widow Mrs Arbuthnot, her son Gerald and American outsider Hester, uncover truths about themselves and each other that will alter their lives forever."
A Woman of No Importance has an interesting story to it, with an intriguing exploration into motherhood. In particular, it focuses in on life as a single mother, with Rachel Arbuthnot at the centre of this; a character that proves to be extremely compelling and easy to sympathise with. Eve Best did an excellent job at portraying Rachel, and accordingly created a characterisation that was both likeable and personable. Anne Reid, who portrayed Lady Hunstanton, is equally deserving of a special mention, and provided much needed comic relief to the production. Reid proved to be utterly hilarious throughout, and had impeccable comedic timing. The scenic design, by Jonathan Fensom, was yet another admirable element, and really brought the play's setting to life.
A Woman of No Importance can be watched on BroadwayHD here (please note that a subscription is needed in order to view): A Woman of No Importance.
This House
"1974. The UK faces economic crisis and a hung parliament. In a culture hostile to cooperation, it’s a period when votes are won or lost by one, when there are fist fights in the bars and when sick MPs are carried through the lobby to register their vote. It’s a time when a staggering number of politicians die, and the building creaks under idiosyncrasies and arcane traditions."
I had previously seen the West End production of This House in 2016 and thoroughly enjoyed it, so I was overjoyed to have the opportunity to watch the original National Theatre production. Funnily enough, I think I may have even enjoyed it more the second time around, having been able to process everything that took place a lot easier. James Graham, the mastermind behind This House, is among my favourite playwrights, and This House is certainly one of this best works. Graham is particularly skilled at dialogue, and has a talent for continuously advancing the narrative whilst still keeping the audience engaged from beginning to end. The play covers a really interesting part of our history, and it's fascinating to see the parallels to modern-day politics. As in 1974, minority governments still often end in failure, and the Labour Party continue to suffer from bitter internal divisions. It would seem that 50 years on, not all that much has changed! The scenic design, by Rae Smith, is remarkable, and masterfully recreates the House of Commons live onstage. The idea to have audience members double up as parliamentary backbenchers was ingenious, and I'm sure being in those seats must have been quite the experience.
This House can be watched on YouTube for free until 4th June here: This House.
Hairspray Live
"In 1960s Baltimore, dance-loving teen Tracy Turnblad auditions for a spot on "The Corny Collins Show" and wins. She becomes an overnight celebrity, a trendsetter in dance, fun and fashion. Perhaps her new status as a teen sensation is enough to topple Corny's reigning dance queen and bring racial integration to the show."
Hairspray is a real feel-good show that will no doubt leave you in a good mood, whilst still tackling a number of exceedingly important societal issues. In spite of the fact that Hairspray is set in the 1960's, its message of racial tolerance is more relevant than ever in the present day. Similar to the show's story, the musical score of Hairspray is also timeless. Almost every single musical number is catchy, upbeat and memorable. In the leading role of Tracy Turnblad was Maddie Baillio who, in this instance, was making her professional acting debut. Baillio was utterly remarkable, and seemed like a perfect choice for the role. Jennifer Hudson as Motormouth Maybelle, however, stole the show. She proved to be an overall highlight, giving a scene-stealing rendition of 'I Know Where I've Been'. Special mentions should also be awarded to Harvey Fierstein and Ephraim Sykes, as Edna Turnblad and Seaweed J. Stubbs respectively; both of whom were phenomenal.
Hairspray Live can no longer be watched on YouTube for free, though it can still be purchased either on Digital HD or DVD.
Thanks for reading!
-The Basic Theatre Reviewer
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