College Productions

Starmites - Goldsmiths

Let me start by saying, this is the best production of Starmites I've ever seen! It is also, unsurprisingly, the only production of Starmites I've ever seen.

I actually spotted this as it was advertised on a site that we cannot mention, although being asked to pay an admin fee for tickets that are free when booked directly is rather odd. As others have mentioned, very few dates were open for wider booking. For people wanting to attend on other dates, I suspect there's a very good chance of spaces being available on the day (after all, the problem with free tickets is people book them, but then don't feel they've lost anything if they don't turn up).

For anyone who is going, the (nice small) theatre is on the closed Goldsmiths campus, so your first challenge is to find your way through a locked gate. The entrance is right next to Trinity Laban, which I'm sure causes some confusion. Once you get inside, you're looked after by a very pleasant and friendly group of people. Excellent free programme too.

As for the show itself, it is performed with enthusiasm. I think it's a sensible choice to put on a little known show, as it's impossible to compare it with other productions. It works well with a young cast too. The plot isn't complex, but I think I missed something in the first half involving lookalikes (played the same actors), so it didn't make complete sense. I'd need a second viewing.

There's always going to be a difference in performance experience with students in a university setting compared to that in a selective theatre school, as well as the challenge of casting roles that would traditionally be played by a male actor. It was nice to spot some people in the cast who I recognised from being in the audience at other shows I've attended. The lead roles were cast as sensibly as possible, and there are some students who the right agent could do a lot for.

Ultimately, I feel there are reasons why this is a rarely performed show. The source material is a bit limited for a 2024 audience and for a wider revival today, I feel this would really need to be performed as a send-up of the genre, but well done to everyone involved for bringing everything together for the London premiere.

Bristol Institute of Performing Arts has a production of Mrs.Beeton Says at their Olympus Theatre on Friday 14 and Saturday 15 June. (Mountview did this last June).

JUNKYARD - at Mountview Academy of Theatre Arts

I enjoyed this a lot on Friday 17th. It's double cast - I saw the Plaster Cast in their first outing; all cast are ensemble when not in performances where they have a featured role; a few have a single role across both casts. It's scrappy and informal in structure, as written by Jack Thorne; some songs are momentary jabs, others develop further but even those don't drive to big uplift or an applause button. So the material's in keeping with the characters - surprising, scattergun, unpredictable youth in mid 1970s Bristol; building their own adventure playground out of junk - the idea being that they'll fully value it if they made it.

Grace Elizabeth Williams captured the foul mouthed, wise-beyond-her-years Fiz perfectly - Fiz is one of those people who seem born out of time, so while she's our guide across the piece she doesn't change much; Fiz is brilliantly clear sighted already. Talc is the character whose arc really marks change - the abuse of neglect at home has him taking to a cupboard to make himself even less bother. Oliver Magor very movingly (and often amusingly) portrayed this furtive boy with a held in personality, due to his homelife, neurodiversity, or both. The quality of the performance shows when Talc finds his voice, but Magor still holds that development within a tight constraint, because a tiny step is a giant leap for Talc. ['Memphis' this isn't - if you know the character I'm referring to]. Both got the accents just right too.

Some of these kids came to my school from Sunnyside Children's Home near Bristol (no longer in existence), I remember the legendary day they'd smashed the place up. This is an ensemble piece with many other performances to enjoy - so (despite mentioning two) congrats are due to all. The performances do credit to the writing, and the real children Jack Thorne wrote from his dad's experience of similar youth enterprises.

Good to see from max post that Junkyard is getting an outing. I saw it with Erin Doherty as Fiz at the Rose in Kington in 2017 (the only time I've ever been to that venue) and thought it was really good. Nicely appropriate for a young cast too.

Spring Awakening - Trinity Laban

A good production of a show that I know many consider a classic, although I've never connected with it all that well.

A very simple set, largely just a raised block and a trampoline, with the cast wearing modern clothes. The sound quality is excellent and everything is performed well, although some people have a more natural career ahead of them than others.

I got to the Deptford Albany about 25 minutes before the start of the show and there was already a long queue. Thankfully, practically no one wanted to sit near the front, so I was able to get a second row seat with a clear view.

Unfortunately, I'm abroad for work at present, so I won't be able to see Spelling Bee this weekend, but I'm sure it will be equally good for anyone who is able to attend.

So I checked out Spelling Bee by the gang from Trinity Laban today.

I wasn't aware how much audience participation was involved. I was late to arrive, so just grabbed the nearest free seat (which happened to be near the front).
I was slightly on edge throughout thinking I was going to be involved.

The plot was a bit too 'family friendly'at times it felt a bit panto. The crowd seemed made up of other students/family/friends...lots of enthusiasm...

I think the cast did well with the material...but rather bland overall.

Tolu Ayanbadejo had the standout voice. Wow.

SPRING AWAKENING musical is at Royal Academy of Music this week.
6th-9th June

I just saw today's matinee and also loved the choral parts.

Some spoilers follow. . .

The piece as a whole, however, was a little dour and humourless to my taste. You can see why it never gets done.

Further, the underpowered Frollo, Alex Laughton, can and does sing commandingly, but his acted persona felt more like a slightly sociopathic accountant than the diabolical tortured monster that drives the film.

Without that villainous overpowering self-hatred as a driver, and lacking much humour (there was one delightful headless statue that lifts his own wobbly head, in a cameo, who really needed to be a main character), its like a theatrical machine stuck in second gear.

However, I really liked the modern day Notre Dame intro sequence, and I thought Hugh Cotton's needy buoyant Quasimodo was very well acted and tremendously endearing, if you did worry slightly about his full voiced high notes.

And Aaron Jade Morgan's Esmerelda was the complete package, sensitive acting coupled with gorgeous modulation and pitch!

This came nowhere near Italia Conti's recent "Rodgers and Hammerstein's Cinderella," for me, also staged at the Yvonne Arnaud, which was easily as good as an excellent professional production in all facets. This, like the cheeky self-descriptions of so many neighbourhoods near Beverly Hills, was more "professional production - adjacent."

3 stars from me.

Spring Awakening - Royal Academy of Music

Seen this afternoon, which I think was the first performance. It wasn't full, but this is Thursday afternoon. I had what I think was the prime front row position, bearing in mind you're still some distance from the stage due to the orchestra pit. It is a very trusting place to visit as well, as I managed to get all the way to my seat with no one checking my ticket.

I don't think you'll ever find a better sounding production that this. That's the joy of having a decent orchestra and trained singers. There were, unfortunately, some microphone problems and a show stop, but I'm sure that will be sorted for the rest of the run.

I did pay full price for my ticket, so I'm afraid I didn't buy a £5 programme. RAM still refuses to put cast lists online anywhere, so apologies that I couldn't tell you who I saw. There were no weak links. I was really impressed by the lady playing the female authority roles, which is normally quite a lost part. I really liked the guy who played Melchior. He also threw me what I presume were some carnal notes, but I wasn't ready to catch, so they slipped down my side and from there very quickly into the bag of the lady next to me. Hopefully they're useful for her.

The standard of RAM shows is always high, so this make me wonder why you see so few graduates in professional productions. I do think that the lack of promotion doesn't help. This is also a certain sameness to the cast, in that there are a lot of similar looking people, all of whom are technically very strong singers, generally show some acting ability, but don't really get the the chance to demonstrate if they can dance. Watching this, I did feel that there was a Les Mis ensemble hidden away.

As for this version of the show. A more interesting version that the Laban one from a few weeks ago. A classroom setting with lots of school desks used as the props. There were some cuts and they tried their best to censor the usually more explicit scenes, I feel to the detriment of the overall show. But a five star effort from the cast and the orchestra. To be frank, I sometimes find Spring Awakening to be a bit of a slog, but this production held my attention all the way through.

Another one who was at Spring Awakening yesterday, in the evening.
First time at RAM (or any college production), and knew very little of Spring Awakening.
A lovely theatre. Feel like there would be great sightlines from most seats here!
I really enjoyed this, with great performances throughout. Been trying to find a cast list but see the above comment RAM doesn't publish online. Seems a shame for the cast - I would love to follow what some of them might go on to.
Wasn't too sure what to expect but the ticket was money well spent and already pleased to have booked for Into the Woods in a few weeks.

Edit to add - the 7pm start was great. Not sure if this particular production of Spring Awakening was shorter than others, but Act 2 was done at 9:12pm and I was home before 10! My sort of timing 😅

Hang on I asked the lady next to me if I could have a look through her program, so shall post a pic later