JB Shorts 15 @ Josuha Brooks, 7.4.16

 

Audiences for theatre are a bit like church goers. They feel they ought to go but rarely feel enthused enough to actually attend. Maybe it's too expensive, too time consuming, hard to follow or just plain boring. Not so for JB Shorts however. JB is the perfect evening for people who want to dip a toe back into live theatre, or even engage with it for the first time. Six 15 minute, stand alone pieces – a smorgasbord of drama featuring a range of characters and mini tales. If you don't find yourself getting into a particular piece, fret not, there's a whole new story coming along shortly. It isn't easy to write a 15 minute piece; you have to hit the ground running to grab the audience’s attention, lay out a scenario and quickly establish characters but, the writers of JB Shorts 15 by and large, made an impression with every piece.

The Intruder (Diane Whitley) tells of a break-in that causes two elderly sisters to reminisce about a past event. It's left to our imagination to decide what happened but the main focus of the play centres on the effects of Dementia. Thanks to the engaging performances of Joan Kempson and Melissa Sinden and the warm humour in the writing, this piece manages to make the audience smile despite the subject matter. 

Two women meet for a reunion with their 'wild child' school friend in A Different Time by Lia Holdsworth. There's clearly no love lost here, as the former class mates exchange fantastically awful remarks and opinions on each others lives. This is where the piece is at its funniest, as Linda and Amanda viciously chip away at each other, expertly displaying the competitive nature of school reunions. When wild child Samantha does appear, she is a reformed character who forces them to re-evaluate what actually went on in the past. 

Office life can be a battery hen existence, punctuated by pointless and boring meetings. This gathering is attended by characters that we can all recognise; the timid woman who somehow became a manager, the disenchanted go-getter getting nowhere, the skiver and the unbearably smug know-it-all (a hilarious Will Travis). Peter Kerry’s Humble at times gets a little too OTT, and even though we know the pay off from the outset, it's a journey of belly laughs getting there. 

If the scene from the Last Supper had happened up North; False Prophet is how it might have played out. Jesus, a fading star with wannabes snapping at his heels and his disciples of fans worshipping a new kid in town. It's a clever and funny idea written by Paul Coates, that the enthusiastic cast wring every last laugh out of. 

Build A Bonfire by Trevor Suthers suffered a little by being the only straight play in a collection of comedies, but it did raise an interesting point about art and censorship. Should the crimes of the creative prevent their work from being displayed? However, the characters and their middle class world were a little clichéd and difficult to sympathise with. 

A Labour Party Spin Doctor ends up in a coma after Ed Milliband fails at the Polls. Fedora wakes up weeks later, only to discover Jeremy Corbyn is the new Labour leader. Paul Mason and James Quinn’s Party Animals is the strongest and funniest play of the evening. Fedora is an appalling, outrageous yet fantastic creation thanks to the combination of sharp, topical writing and a magnificent performance from Sally Carman who quite rightly got the best reception of the night. 

A thoroughly enjoyable evening of theatre in a wonderfully intimate venue. 

Words: Drew Tosh 

Photos: Courtesy of JB Shorts
 

JB Shorts 14 @ Joshua Brooks, 5th November 2015

Although it’s not quite Christmas yet, I’m sure you have all seen the sudden mountain of milk tray so temptingly on offer, or so many chocolate oranges they surely can’t all belong to Terry. Tis the season of indulgence, (well almost) and were there are those that like to start their Christmas shopping early, I rather get a head start on my festive feasting and in this instance it’s on the theatrical buffet of JB Shorts 14. Best get my fat pants!

Andrew Lynch’s Emily is an interesting story that starts in the toilets of a horseracing event. Janice (Alexandra Jay Jones) is a rich social butterfly who belittles toilet attendant Lena (Emily Fleeshman) for “not knowing her place”. But Janice soon discovers she has more in common with Lena as she thinks. A nice piece with some good twists but slightly dampened with messy blackouts to mark the three scene changes.

All Items of Value Have Been Removed is set in the future where the world’s countries have been bought up, leaving Britain the last standing and holding back from being sold. More frightful Tony Blair is having a second round of fame! The piece evidently carries a political message and one I’m sure is rather weighty, and certainly for now too big for 15 minute window. This satirical comedy could do with a second chance to reach it’s potential if performed in a different format.

The Outing is a lovely piece of writing and one I really enjoyed. Widower Frank (Josh Moran) meets social recluse Nellie (Jeni Howarth Williams) during a coach trip. The façade of this romantic comic piece is shattered with an unexpected twist, revealing how the ill doings and reputation of someone can unjustly be transferred to another.

Another favourite is found with Sugared Armour, a classic paradigm of estranged characters brought together through unfortunate circumstances. Gemma (Jo Dakin), Annie (Victoria Scowcroft) and Andy (Derek Hicks) all eagerly wait in a hospital waiting room for the fast approaching death of their mother. Memories are recalled, and wounds are opened - some of which run deeper than others, but the answers aren’t at the bottom of a pack of sausage rolls.

Heroine is the most poignant piece of the evening, bringing together two monologues performed simultaneously. Though living in two eras the female characters have the same objective; to prevent their daughter/sister from running away to fight in war. 1930s Ursula (Kerry Willison-Parry) discovers her daughter in the middle of the night about to leave to fight the Fascists in Spain, whereas in 2015 Aalia (Shila Iqbal) discovers her sister packing to fight for ISIS. By far the most thought provoking piece but I did find to be too ‘wordy’ which meant as an audience we didn’t respond as well as we should. Particularly the contemporary side of the script was in parts repetitive, but overall a piece that will be something special with a little bit of a tidy up.

Equal Shares is a play most fitting it the comic expectations of JB Shorts. Two wrong women Joanne (Rachel Logan) and Claire (Eve Burley) mutual agree on a vengeance for Richard (Marlon Solomon) after discovering he has married both of them. A vengeance of which the women get to share Richard, but not in the way he expects, a silly light-hearted piece to end another successful collection of JB Shorts.

Words: Kate Morris

Images: Courtesy of Brainne Edge

Back Seat Betty @ Joshua Brooks, 02.07.15

Recently I heard a great piece of advice whilst chatting about producing work and starting ideas: be a cat. The reasoning is that because cats are only where they choose to be, they are the masters of their own fate. If their curiosity kills them, then so be it – they went down swinging (space permitting). When watching Back Seat Betty I projected this thought onto the team behind the piece, and I’m confident they are always going to be somewhere wonderful.

Written by Joshua Val Martin, the 40-minute monologue is from the perspective of a working-from-home prostitute, and is part of this year’s Greater Manchester Fringe.

Monologues can be a minefield for actors. On viewing the challenge in front of you, one can be fooled into thinking it is quite straightforward, ignorant of the lurking danger. Confidently you venture on stage, too far to turn back and then BOOM: you trip on some tricky poetry, narrowly missing a joke, leaving you detached and disengaged from the piece. You sound like you are remembering words rather than talking, and although you’re alone you have forgotten to use the audience.

Luckily, this isn’t a trap Jo Dakin fell into. Instead, she dominates the piece, breezing through the lines and ticking all the boxes. She is terrifying and menacingly dark, yet likeable enough to stay with on the journey.

This versatility is a cornerstone for a Val Martin piece; the writing style is a hybrid of comedy, politics and a David Bowie album. He is one of the most promising emerging writers around.

Despite reassurance that “it’s not real” when I’ve refused to watch horror films, my response has always been that the film may not be real, but the ideas are; and no cheesy special effects can stop me from feeling terrified. The same can be said for Val Martin. He creates characters and stories so vivid they become a living and breathing reality.

Director Esther Dix has done an excellent job of controlling the parameters of the narrative; she has allowed the realism to come through and be believable, with neither the writing nor the acting rule over the other.

Looking back on my review, it may seem that I haven’t really commented on the piece and the truth is I haven’t even began to touch the surface. To comment on any part of the story would be telling too much. Instead, all I can advise is next time you have the chance to see a Val Martin piece do so: you will not be disappointed.

Words: Kate Morris

Image: Courtesy of Cobbled Haze Club

Someone Who'll Watch Over Me @ Joshua Brooks, 08.07.14

It is said that if you knew when you'd die you'd go mad. But the madness of not knowing when you can live again is itself a form of death. That's what an Irishman, and Englishman and an American find out when they're imprisoned by unseen terrorists with unknown motives for an indefinite amount of time in Frank McGuinness' play Someone Who'll Watch Over Me.

First on stage were Adam (Alastair Gillies) and Edward (Richard Patterson), who make up the American and Irish contingent respectively. Their sniping, fighting and friendship had a real feel of brotherliness; the actors have a clear chemistry. Their ragged appearance seemed real, and the physical interactions between them felt threatening, a result of strong performances and good direction. However, the arrival of Englishman Michael (Karl Seth) upset this symbiotic relationship somewhat, and from here on the play never quite regained its momentum, with Michael pitched perhaps a little too old-world-English for believability.

The basement of Joshua Brooks was the perfect location for Someone Who'll Watch Over Me, which is set in a squalid prison (make of that what you will). The bare brick walls and metal roof were well dressed and lit, and Colin Connor's directorial choice to leave the actors lying on display in their cell during the interval engendered further audience investment in the story.

The play, first produced in 1991, is of the wordy kind that strives for atmosphere rather than realism, where dialogue is a diatribe rather than a direct depiction of existence. Obviously the play has been a success, but it felt like it might not have aged terribly well - it is overwrought and overly earnest without offering enough insight to justify being either of those things. The performances of Gillies and Patterson were strong, the atmosphere convincing, but the material itself did not quite work to my mind. However if you're into dark, paranoid pieces then this might well be your thing.

Words: Andrew Anderson

Image: Shay Rowan

Preview: Dot to Dot Festival 2014, Friday 23 May

Dot to Dot Festival rolls in to town once more this weekend to kick off the festival season early, with more titillating new music in tow than anything the majors could possibly offer and all in the comfort of some of Manchester’s finest venues.

Spoiling numerous audiences for choice as it makes its way through Manchester, Bristol and Nottingham (Friday, Saturday and Sunday respectively) the only real question for attendees is who can’t you afford to miss? Thankfully the festival has put together an extremely comprehensive stage guide so you can perfect your sprint from Gorilla to Zoo just in time to catch Macaulay Culkin and co’s homage to Neapolitan flatbreads and early John Cale records.



Other highlights across this gargantuan day of sound include kings of nostalgic indie-rock Real Estate, the icy, Scandinavian alt-folk of Noah Gundersen and the warm, spacious pop of New Yorkers Caveman. Running water, zero mud baths, plentiful cash machines and reasonably priced drinks as standard.

Words: Dan Coultas

Tickets are still available, priced at £20 (+ booking fee). The downloadable timetable is here. For more info visit their website here.

JB Shorts 11 @ Joshua Brooks, 08.04.14

While one game of two halves played out on the big screen upstairs at Joshua Brooks, another took to the small stage downstairs with the 11th instalment of JB Shorts.

As the lights came up we were presented with a woman attempting to hang herself in Whose Dog Is it Anyway. Perhaps not the most cheerful way to kick off proceedings, but it certainly grabbed the attention. The ensuing dialogue between the suicidal lady and her ex-husband was funny - it is not often that you get quite so many dog related sex jokes in a ten minute piece - but overall it felt lightweight, and the issue of suicide was brushed over a touch too lightly. Next came Break, a teacher’s lounge comic rant that required a little too much suspension of disbelief to really work. A slightly disappointing first half was brought to a close by I See Dead People, a piece that followed the path of a television medium out on tour. A great topic for a play, it explored some interesting ideas – and featured a strong central performance from Julie Hannan – but this was another script that was too outlandish to engender emotional investment.

After the half time oranges were eaten things began to look up. The Ballad of Valentino Rivas was delightfully silly, telling the tale of a Mexican singer through song, something I am not sure has been done at JB before. Slightly off-kilter accents and singing only added to the fun, and it would be great to see more musicals in future editions. A hard act to follow, but the next play on stage managed to actually surpass it, this time with heart rather than harmonies. Leaky Bacon told a simple story of how different generations relate, make expectations and care for one another. Jacqueline Pilton gave the outstanding performance of the night as a fussy but loveable Nan, while Justin Moorhouse's script has me eager to see more of his work. A Great War closed out the evening, satirising the folly of World War One by telling it in the style of rolling news coverage. Peter Kerry and James Quinn's script had great jokes, and Chris Horner's directing kept the whole thing moving along at the requisite break-neck speed.

So, while the first half might have missed the spot the second more than made up for it through originality, quality and charm. It was nice to see some new faces among the cast, and in fact the whole evening felt fresh and rejuvenated after JB’s usual winter hibernation. It might be into its eleventh edition, but JB Shorts is showing no signs of giving up the game just yet.

Words: Andrew Anderson

JB Shorts 10 @ Joshua Brooks, 26.11.13

A posing Mozart, a man playing Uncle Sam and a full-of-himself thespian all on one stage, on one night, can only mean one thing: JB Shorts is back.

First off the thespian in What A Performance, featuring a bickering bunch preparing for a meaningless matinee. The directing had some nice touches and the dialogue was fun, even if the story itself was going over well-worn ground. Following in its footsteps came Big Game, which touched on some interesting ideas concerning body image and gender, but felt more like an essay on the subject rather than a conversation two people might actually have. Relationship counselling conundrum Relate also dealt with interesting issues, this time concerning sexuality. However, it felt like once the plot twist was revealed it had nowhere else to go...

...which takes us into the interval. And, to mirror the night, let me take a few moments to have an interval of my own and say a couple of words on the series itself. JB Shorts is always entertaining, but sometimes it feels like you’re seeing the same actors performing scripts by the same writers covering similar subjects. There’s always one piece about the theatre, another about a one-night stand and usually something involving therapy. JB Shorts 10 was no different, which is a shame since the supportive audience and short format make it ideal for experimentation. Anyway, back to the plays...

...after the break came Icarus Descending, whose plot concerned a possible meeting between Mozart and Beethoven. While not a bad idea in itself it didn't quite work on this occasion, perhaps because the references were a touch predictable.

Then came the last two plays, which turned out to be by far the best. Penultimate performance A Special Relationship, written by James Quinn, was a humorous take on Anglo-American relations. Featuring a well concealed reveal, the script was full of funny one-liners and managed to be political without being preachy. Mention too should go to Rob Ward and Sarah McDonald Hughes, whose deliberately stereotyped characters (American and French respectively) were perfectly balanced on the border between satire and silliness.

Following this was a welcome return for never-been-kissed couple Angela (Susan McArdle) and Andrew (Will Travis), in Blind Date 2. Last time out (Blind Date was performed at JB Shorts 9) ended in disappointment, but in the intervening months absence has made the heart grow fonder. The acting was spot on, the writing funny and caring, while the directing kept it all moving along at just the write pace and with plenty of feeling. A great end to another fun night out at JB Shorts.

Words: Andrew Anderson

Image: JB Shorts

JB Shorts 9

JB Shorts always provides an interesting mix-up of styles and approaches, and none more so than on this, its ninth outing. Although there is diversity in setting and mood among the plays, from police training and first dates to breakdowns and bonhomie, there are some common themes. Technology, and the frustration with it, comes up several times, as does the role of the writer; two of the six plays deal directly with the struggle of writing. But, as always in this short format, simple stories with emotional truths make for the best work.



Blind Date covers old ground – dating – in a way that makes it seem new. In this two-person play, writer Dave Simpson looks at dating for people with low self-esteem, who are trying to make the best of what they see as a bad hand. We already know that people exaggerate when they meet online, and that meeting someone new can be a stomach swirling experience, but the innocence and directness of the two characters cuts away preconceptions, and reveals the humanity behind looking for love. It deals with the topic in a humorous, but melancholic, way. Susan McArdale and Will Travis are funny and likeable as the two would-be lovers, while director Alice Bartlett makes use of some wonderful transitional scenes to hold it all together. A very good play, indeed.



Old, New, Borrowed And Blue is at the other end of the love spectrum, set moments before a wedding is due to take place. The main characters are two sisters, one of whom is about to get married, while the other thinks it is all a big mistake. They cover their family history and the trajectory of their lives as each tries to convert the other to her point of view. Samantha Power is excellent as the bride-to-be, dishing out some very intense glares and stares without being over the top. The play also manages to do something very tricky in 15 minutes, which is to have a twist that is not obvious yet not unexpected and, hardest of all, not contrived.

As alluded to already, two of the plays deal with the difficulties of being a writer and expressing yourself creatively. Are We Cool sends up late night review programs like Newsnight Review in a way that, while entertaining, does not cover new ground. The jokes of writer James Quinn gained the cast some of the biggest laughs of the night, but the play descends into farce for no good reason. In a similar vein, The Script plays on a fairly familiar idea that ‘luvvies’ end up destroying the thing they set out to create, namely by ignoring the writer. Again, the play is funny in parts, and very well performed, but it is too easy a target.



The remaining two plays struggle with the parameters of JB Shorts. 15 minutes is not a long time for a play, and the set and staging are inherently limited. Zeroes And Ones deals with a man having a temporary breakdown, and conveys the stress of family life very well, but some of the speeches about the evils of technology seem a bit sluggish, and there is simply not enough time to deal with so many conflicting and difficult issues. Baaji On The Beat, on the other hand, needs more focus and a more believable set up, as it quickly descends into silliness.

As ever, some moments are brighter than others, but the overall quality of the six 15 minute plays is excellent, and JB Shorts continues to be something to look forward to in the theatre calendar.

Words: Andrew Anderson.
Images: courtesy of Joshua Brooks.