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londontheatre · 8 years ago

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There are two things in theatre that are very difficult to get right. The first is farce, defined as a comic dramatic work using buffoonery and horseplay and typically including crude characterization and ludicrously improbable situations. And the second is acting drunk which is full of pitfalls for the young actor. If you would like to see an example of both of these done extremely well then get yourself down to the Courtyard Theatre in Hoxton to see Lost Fragments new production Sorry, I Killed Your Cat.

In a fairly nice apartment on the fifteenth floor of a North London tower block, James (Tré Curran) is chilling out on the sofa. The apartment is nicely furnished but there is one slightly incongruous part of the decoration, a plethora of post-its on virtually every surface. James’ peach is rudely interrupted by the loud arrival of his partner Charlotte (Katherine Hartshorne) laden down with bags. She has been out shopping and has bought back tons of food for a dinner party she and James are throwing that evening. Well, when we say dinner party, it is less a formal dinner and more an evening with a new couple in the apartment block – Lisa (Annie Jones) and Aaron (Liam Harvey). Although Charlotte has problems with them – Lisa is too glamorous and Aaron is from the North, Charlotte has invited them to dinner as she feels extremely guilty about a slight run in she has had with Lisa and Aaron’s cat. When in an awkward situation, the most important thing to do is have a drink or two, or three or four to help you relax and Charlotte certainly agrees with that old adage. When Aaron and Lisa arrive, they too seem slightly nervous and start knocking back the drinks. The night is set for an interesting dinner party where food is the last thing on anyone’s mind. Why are Aaron and Lisa nervous? Will James or Charlotte let the proverbial cat out of the bag? The next hour or so will be a real eye-opener for everyone.

Written by Tré Curran, Sorry, I Killed Your Cat is a wonderful comedy play that really brings to mind the good old days of Brian Rix and the Whitehall Farces. I don’t really want to go too much into the details of the story, but there is a lovely flow to the narrative that means the more ludicrous the situation becomes, there is still a whiff of potential believability in it. The only negative I had was that, whilst the character of Charlotte was fairly well defined, I think there should have been a bit more detail about her relationship with James – and lord knows why he stayed with her – and particularly her obsession with post-its. However, that is a minor point and overall, I really liked the story and the surprising way it twisted and turned and headed off in ways I wasn’t expecting.

Both Katherine and Liam have to appear very drunk and both pull it off extremely well. Katherine, in particular manages to keep just on the right side of annoying drunk as she attempts some of the most off-putting flirty dancing ever seen. When you combine this with her look of blank incomprehension virtually every time Aaron’s character speaks in his northern accent, it emphasises that she is a really good young actress. In fact, all four actors are extremely proficient at their craft as individuals. Together, they are really in sync with each other and work superbly together to deliver an extremely funny show.

To sum up then Sorry, I Killed Your Cat was a really great show by a young theatre company that I believe has a bright future ahead of them. Despite quite a few members of the audience appearing to have never visited a theatre before – turn your phone off please – I had a thoroughly great time seeing this show and look forward to their next production.

Review by Terry Eastham

When a new couple move into a north London apartment block their neighbours are quick to invite them over for dinner, though not all is as it seems.

Packed full of laughs, drama and dead animals, Sorry, I Killed Your Cat, is a hilarious piece of new writing about keeping up false appearances, broken relationships, alcohol and “accidentally” killing cats.

It will leave you hoping that you never get invited to dinner party ever again.

The Courtyard Theatre The Courtyard Bowling Green Walk 40 Pitfield Street N1 6EU 21st-25th February 2017

http://ift.tt/2m7Na6x LondonTheatre1.com

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fearsmagazine · 3 years ago

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THE DARKNESS - Review

DISTRIBUTOR: Trinity Creative Partnership

SYNOPSIS: Lisa is on a country retreat in hopes of reconnecting with her muse in order to write her next book. The house, which has been in her husband’s family, is located on the outskirts of a small Irish village. As Lisa attempts to write she begins to feel an unease, as if there might be another presence in the house. When she uncovers the diary of a past inhabitant she becomes consumed by the tale and the spirit begins to take her over. The more she looks for answers and clues about the author it sends her on a road to madness. Can she discover the truth behind the Spirit in the house or will she be lost forever?

REVIEW: Over the years I’ve had the pleasure to read several novels and short stories about the legends of Ireland that include the fairies, the spirit of the earth, the woods, and changelings. THE DARKNESS is a tale that draws on that mythology to construct this modern tale of the terror brought on by the wee folk.

Tharun Mohan is an editor, producer, and writer who makes his feature film directing debut with THE DARKNESS. The plot is steeped in the dark desires of the mythological creatures of the Emeril Island, drawing into the plot the conflict between the Catholic Church and the people’s inability to forsake their pagan beliefs. The narrative is a blend of the contemporary tale as it intersects with the tale of Niaw, the author of the diary. As Lisa immerses herself into the diary it raises Niav’s restless spirit. The viewer is as much an outsider as both Lisa and Niav and as the story unfolds we are exposed to legends that encircle this town. Ultimately there is a connection between the two women that solidifies their bond. Along the way we are introduced to a local historian and a defrocked priest who wanders the streets and is rumored to have ties to the dark arts. It all makes for an engaging tale with a contemporary feel set against a classic backdrop. The only thing that drove me a bit crazy was how often during their conversations that Lisa and her husband refer to each other as “babe.” Also the film’s big reveal comes as it makes this abrupt shift to a rapid succession of flashbacks in an attempt to create this “Ah ha” moment. It either needs more finesse or it could have been left out entirely.

Mohan does a fine job of capturing performances and editing scenes together to tell an engaging cinematic tale. The house that is the focal point of the story is an excellent location. He limits his locations when it comes to the town so it doesn’t provide any atmosphere to this storybook tale. There is a starkness to the way the film is shot that lacks any je ne sais quoi to give it that storybook or fairy tale feeling it should have given the themes of the film. Some of the lightning felt stark or theatrical, lacking any dream-like quality. There is a problem with that sound that happens several times during the film which is very amateurish. When Lisa and her husband are talking you can hear his lines fine but her levels drop to the point where you practically are unable to understand what she is saying. Lastly, there is a scene where the waitress from town comes to the house to give them a message. She is wearing headphones and we hear the terrible music she is listening to. On top of that her performance is terrible and she comes across as being more unhappy as an actor having to do the scene then the character for having to deliver the message.

I like Stewart Dugdale’s score for the film. There are expected elements in the composition that deal with an Irish tale. They were subtle and not overly employed. The score didn’t add anything to the atmosphere or tone to the film and I’m not quite sure if it was either lacking the movements or tone, or possibly it wasn’t used effectively.

I found the cast very likeable. Actress Amelia Eve does a fine job in creating this woman who goes on a journey into madness. She might recognize her from her appearance in the Netflix miniseries “The Haunting of Bly Manor.” Cyril Blake plays her husband David and does an admirable job of adding an air of mystery and suspense, as well as his concern for his spouse. The rest of the cast does a nice job of adding to the color of the small town and their connection to the story.

THE DARKNESS is not a perfect film. However, it is an engaging story that offers some interesting twists. The lead character Lisa, played by actress Amelia Eve, is a secure enough anchor to keep the viewer engaged in the film. With solid locations, good period costumes, and a few other nice performances it makes for an interesting view. Keep in mind it feel like a B movie with lofty aspirations and as long as your expectations are set too high you should enjoy the film.

CAST: Amelia Eve, Cyril Blake, Katherine Hartshorne, Jo Hart, & Adam Bond CREW: Director/Screenplay/Producer - Tharun Mohan; Producer - Honey Subin; Cinematographer - Ariel Artur; Score - Stewart Dugdale; Editor - Tatjana Rhodes; Costume Designer - Maryna Gradnova OFFICIAL: N.A. FACEBOOK: N.A. TWITTER: N.A. TRAILER: https://youtu.be/Ks7gdhaGcsc RELEASE DATE: VOD and Digital June 15th, 2021

**Until we can all head back into the theaters our “COVID Reel Value” will be similar to how you rate a film on digital platforms - 👍 (Like), 👌 (It’s just okay), or 👎 (Dislike) Reviewed by Joseph B Mauceri

#film review #movie review #the darkness #thedarknessmovie #trinity creative partnership #tharun mohan #amelia eve #katherine hartshorne #horror #supernatural #mystery #changeling #joseph mauceri #joseph b mauceri

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