Getting there:
Flights with Easyjet to Krakow from £25.99 return.

Where to stay:
Krakow has no shortage of cheap beds, with private facilities from as little as £10 pppn. For a quieter place to stay, ‘Trzy Kafki Plus’ offers twin ensuite rooms with shared kitchen facilities from £15 pp/pn.

Three of the best:
>> Instead of the usual open-top bus tours, try a golf-buggy, available starting from the Market Square (Rynek G?ówny), throughout the day for around £4. With your own tour guide/driver, they’re a great way to get around the smaller streets, but become a little terrifying when you find yourselves on the road with nothing more than a plastic sheet between you and the rush-hour traffic.

>> The ghostly remains of the vibrant Jewish community, awash with crumbling Synagogues, can be found in Kazimierz, providing a both fascinating and haunting stroll through Krakow’s outskirts. Schindler’s List was filmed here in the early nineties, and with Auschwitz concentration camp just a few miles out of the city, this is history at its most heartbreaking.

>> Alchemia Bar (Ul Estery 5Pl Nowy) is lit exclusively by candelabra and a few scattered candles and it is notorious for its potent mulled vodka. Get drunk in good East European style, and make sure that, whatever else you do, you eat some dumplings.

De Sica’s 1948 film Ladri di biciclette, is considered a masterpiece of Italian Neorealism, a movement which thrived in Italy after the Second World War. Neorealist films are usually shot on location, using non-professional actors; small scale stories featuring one man over a short period in his life.

Ladri di biciclette tells the tale of Antonio Ricci, an unemployed man living in Rome with his wife and children. Antonio is offered a job putting up Hollywood movie posters around Rome, for which the only requirement is owning a bicycle. The family are jubilant at the news, but on his first day on the job Antonio’s bike is stolen. He and his son Bruno trapse around Rome on foot in search of the stolen bike. They try the police and the church for help, but are met with disinterest and irritation; no one sees this man’s stolen bike as important enough for their time. When the father and son spot the thief in the streets, they report him to a nearby police officer but can prove nothing. Becoming ever more desperate, knowing his job depends on his bicycle, Antonio tries to steal another one in central Rome, but is caught. He escapes unpunished as the owner pities his son. Antonio and Bruno walk home through the crowd, unsuccessful.

The plot, it must be admitted, is not action-packed, but that is not exactly where the film’s power lies. Politically subtle, and personally powerful, Ladri di biciclette highlights the indifference of the world towards its poor, but manages to show some comfort in the relationship between father and son, which grows stronger as the quest for the stolen bicycle becomes more hopeless. You can sit through a ship hitting an iceberg and watch DiCaprio sink into the depths, you can sob into your popcorn as animated animals lose their parents, but there is nothing you can ever see on screen that is sadder or more heartbreaking than this man losing his bicycle.

Charlie Wilson’s War is the latest offering from screenwriter Aaron Sorkin, better known recently for his work in television, having created the extremely successful West Wing, and the underrated Studio 60 on the Sunset Strip. The film tells the true story of Texan senator Charles Wilson (Tom Hanks) who, during the 1980s, helped to fund covert arms deals in Afghanistan to aid the war against the Soviet army.

Julia Roberts plays wealthy Texan donor Joanne Herring, who convinces Wilson that something needs to be done about the Soviet advance into Afghanistan. After a harrowing trip to refugee camps in Pakistan, Wilson teams up with CIA operative Gust Avrakotos (Phillip Seymour Hoffman) to decide what can be done to best help the mujahideen. He earns a congressional award for his part in the collapse of the Soviet Union, increasing the budget for covert operations in Afghanistan from $5m to $1bn along the way.

Wilson is presented as a somewhat unattractive character, with a tendency towards womanising and a problem with the justice department over his cocaine use. At times it feels like this side of his personality is used as an excuse for the film to descend into puerile sexism. When questioned as to why the female staff in his office are so attractive, Wilson’s response is that “you can teach ‘em to type, but you can’t teach ‘em to grow tits.” The line gets a laugh and is part of the overall picture of Wilson’s character, but the characterisation does not justify the superfluous bikini shots of Roberts, nor the long tracking shot of Amy Adams’ buttocks as she walks through the halls of congress. For filmmakers to portray sexist characters is perfectly justifiable, but to treat serious female characters as sex objects, whilst simultaneously hoping the audience will take their role seriously, is absurd.

However, the major flaw with Charlie Wilson’s War is Sorkin’s script. The scope of characters in this film seems far beyond his reach as a writer, the slow southern drawl of Hanks and Roberts jarring with the fast-paced banter provided for them. When Pakistani government officals are speaking in their second language just like Josh from West Wing (quick, sharp and sarcastic as anyone) whilst on official business, you wonder if Sorkin can write anyone who doesn’t sound this way. Hoffman gives by far the best performance in the film, but is tellingly playing a character similar to those commonly seen in Sorkin’s more successful works.

Charlie Wilson’s War is by no means a terrible film. It has some entertaining comic sequences and some harrowing scenes set in the war-zone. But the interesting topic here, surely, is how funding the mujahideen for largely positive reasons prompted the beginnings of the war on terror. This topic was left until the dying minutes of the film, where it is summed-up in Wilson’s failed attempts to obtain funding for Afghan schools. The changing nature of America’s relationship with Afghanistan was left frustratingly underdeveloped. It would certainly have been much more stimulating than watching Tom Hanks chasing skirt.

Elizabeth: The Golden Age marks Shekhar Kapur’s second foray into the life of Elizabeth I, and Cate Blanchett’s second shot at portraying the monarch. The glut of historical inaccuracy in the film is enough to fill an entire review, but to go into this in detail seems to miss the point. Somewhere in cinema, as we watched Jon Bon Jovi cracking the enigma code in U571 and Ben Affleck sticking it to the Japanese in Pearl Harbour, historical accuracy bit the dust.

Sure, there’s no evidence to suggest an affair between Elizabeth and Walter Raleigh. No, Raleigh didn’t single handedly defeat the Spanish Armada. But we know that, and this isn’t the classroom, it’s the cinema. History has always been a rich and richly plagiarised source for the arts. Richard III, for example, is a hunchbacked, child murdering sociopath, and no amount of historical evidence otherwise will change one iotoa of Shakespeare’s vision, or my mind. Historical productions comment on the time they’re performed in, not the time they’re set in.

So, to Elizabeth: The Golden Age, where we find Europe on the brink of holy war, with only brave little England standing firm. The Spanish are destroying forests for their own selfish means, prisoners are tortured for their religious beliefs, and successful women get angsty about wrinkles and romance. And if that doesn’t seem heavy-handed, wait until you hear the script. As attractive as Clive Owen (Raleigh) is, it is almost impossible to recover from his clichéd and faintly embarrassing dialogue about the New World, the promised land of Virginia, a consolation to the American audiences less interested in England’s heritage than the formation and expansion of their own ‘empire’.

Blanchett’s performance is, unsurprisingly, brilliant and serves to extend her cachet as possibly the greatest actress of her generation; name anyone else who could play both Elizabeth I and Bob Dylan. Samantha Morton is impressive as Mary Queen of Scots and her execution is one of the most engaging and effective set-pieces of the film. Geoffrey Rush is strong as Elizabeth’s close advisor and friend Francis Walsingham, though once the Armada comes charging across the channel it’s hard not to wish he’d don his pirate gear and let Captain Barbossa show them a thing or two.

Elizabeth herself presents us with modern woman’s obsession, the ‘choice’ between career success and romantic fulfillment. Kapur’s film comes up with a surprising conclusion in modern Hollywood’s climate – that Elizabeth is actually happier sacrificing her love for Raleigh for her duty to her people, that her responsibilities to the country and relationships in court are enough to satisfy her. This is a positive decision on the filmmaker’s part; as Elizabeth has no choice in the matter, the ending would come closer to the tragic than the triumphant otherwise. Overall, however, there is all this and more in the first film, and this sequel does little to extend or improve what has already been achieved in the portrayal of this most intriguing of monarchs.

All of which makes it even more of a shock when something that millions of people take for granted goes wrong. Clean, safe, running water may still be a dream for many, but for those of us who’ve never known life without it, plumbing problems are a nightmare. My first real moment of homesickness during my Fresher year came when our hot water abruptly halted. As I boiled the kettle for the third time to wash my hair, the comforts of home had never seemed so distant. Halls, however, are by no means as bad as a ‘real’ house. In halls, just like when you were at home, plumbing problems are inconvenient, but it never falls to you to sort them out.

There’s nothing like a flooded kitchen greeting you in the morning to spurn you into genuine adult decision making. Staying in all day waiting for the plumber still feels like playing ‘house’, not least when his arrival makes you feel like you’re in a bad ‘70s sitcom. And I use ‘his’ here deliberately. I’m sure there are plenty of female plumbers out there, just I’m yet to meet one, and am also yet to meet one that hasn’t thought of me as an especially stupid little girl. This problem is exacerbated by the sheer hilarity of negligence that can be found in some student housing when it comes to the water. One house I had the pleasure of residing in, termed ‘the house that Jack built’ by one jovial plumber, had the remarkable ability to flood whenever the water was turned off at the mains.

Explaining this occurrence to already condescending plumbers became a chore, until I would eventually give up and resort to simply standing in the kitchen with my mop ready and letting them work it out for themselves. Ultimately though, the vast majority of us live in accommodation that is more than sufficient, and of considerably nicer quality than we would have faced a few decades ago. It’s just difficult to remember that sometimes, and extremely easy to moan instead.

Auditions for Sweet Charity will be held throughout Week 3. All are welcome to audition for both principal roles and chorus roles, so whatever level of involvement you’re after, there might just be a place for you.

Slater also has another project up his sleeve: “To raise money for the production and to allow for potential stars of the show to meet each other, we will be holding a 48-hour musical where we only rehearse for the 48 hours prior to the performances! To get involved all you need to do is turn up on Saturday October 20 (end of Week 2) in the Drama Barn (near the music department).”

More detailed information on all things Sweet Charity can be found on the website www.sweetcharityyork.co.uk and the society will be at the fresher’s fair on Saturday of Week 1.

The society and production is based on urban culture and Browne hopes to “incorporate a multiplicity of university societies and external companies, which will all work together to achieve the ultimate goal of raising as much money as possible for charity.”

Fusion 2008 will be held on February 29 and March 1 in Central Hall. Auditions for models and dancers will be held on Saturday and Sunday of Week 4 (November 3 and 4) in Langwith Hall.

The first fundraising event planned for this year is on Monday Week 3 in Vudu Lounge, in the city centre. Theme: ‘Film Stars and Fashion Icons’. The first of Fusion’s charities this year will be the children’s charity SNAPPY, who work with children with special needs in Yorkshire.

Browne says: “Whether you’re interested in dancing, DJing, designing, urban music or fashion, check us out on one of our Facebook groups or simply join us at our first exciting event!”

There is a multitude of advice available that seems pretty over the top; who would consider it important to ‘supervise’ their toaster? Well me, for one, having lived through the Langwith A Block fire of 2006, caused by our combustible toaster. A year on I like to think of the time I saved the lives of my five housemates by conscientiously supervising the toasting of my ciabatta, and being thus poised to put the flaming piece of electrical equipment in the garden when the time was ripe. That’s one lesson learnt, although the one about buying toasters worth more than £3 hasn’t quite sunk in yet.

The most dangerous aspect of such incidents, and peculiarly therefore the funniest, is the steadfast refusal of those involved to believe themselves to be in any kind of danger. Laziness prevails after the number of fire drills we’ve been put through over the years, so it’s hard to spring into action when the alarms go off at 7.30am. Hard, that is, until you see the plumes of smoke escaping from the kitchen. Add to that the fact that it just seems so unlikely that anything genuinely dangerous will happen in such a laid back environment, which I presume led to my former housemate’s explanation of leaving me asleep upstairs as our carbon monoxide detector went into overdrive; ‘I didn’t want to panic’. Or his hapless friend’s insistence on googling the symptoms of carbon monoxide poisoning before he agreed to evacuate.

There’s nothing like a bit of danger and excitement to bond people. Fire alarms unite freshers with people they never knew existed, let alone lived in the corridor above them, and sometimes calling out the fireman is the only chance we get to interact with the non-student community. Just don’t admit to them you knew the toaster was faulty, and you should all be fine.

Jethro Compton’s directorial debut in the Drama Barn, Subletting, was watched with NSDF judges in the audience on the first night.

Compton’s play, Sublettting, tells the story of a man (Tom Eilenberg) and a woman (Lucy Farret) who decide to sublet the spare room in their house. Luckily, the quirkiness of the characters propels the plot from the mundane into the bizzarre.

Their quest starts as a game but quickly the unnamed couple find themselves with a lodger played by Chris Samiullah. Hilarity follows as they persistently invade his privacy, before the play comes to a surprising, amusing and pretty disturbing end.

Farret was inarguably the runaway star of this show, and it is doubtful that the play could have packed as much punch without her. Her comic timing was bang on and her manic expression and sudden changes of tone were the highlight of the night.

The comic moments were frequent enough – but some scenes smacked of wasted opportunity. Early on, the couple interview various lodgers all played by Samiullah, a scene which was begging for some comic character differentiation; costumes, accents, a fake beard…anything.
The OTT posh accents were a little irksome and provided little of the comedy but, overall, Subletting was a good night of entertainment deserving of a place at the NSDF.

Director: Howard Hawks
Starring: Cary Grant, Rosalind Russell
Runtime: 92 mins

The 1940 hit His Girl Friday is considered by many to be the finest of director Howard Hawks’ comedies, and one of the best examples of the Screwball Comedy genre of the 40s and early 50s.

The movie sees Hawks teaming up again with Cary Grant, after their previous successes together in the classic Bringing Up Baby and the oft-forgotten (perhaps rightly) I Was A Male War Bride. Grant plays seasoned journalist Walter Burns trying to win back the heart of ace-reporter and ex-wife Hildy Johnson (Rosalind Russell), back in town to inform him of her impending nuptials to an infinitely boring insurance salesman. Walter, of course, will not give up without a fight and tries to stop Hildy leaving behind the world of journalism by throwing her back amongst the sharks in the pressroom of the county courthouse. An escaped convict, a crooked mayor, an over-bearing mother-in-law and a gaggle of big-drinking reporters combine at break-neck speeds, leaving the viewer as exhausted as those on screen.

The plot remains engaging and the world of reporters and hacks is as intriguing today as it ever was. One problem, however, is the sheer pace of the delivery. It is said of Shakespeare that the speed at which the actors delivered their lines meant that the three hours we spend watching King Lear would have been something closer to two hours back in the day. It seems that in the initial excitement of sound cinema, audiences were also subjected to a considerably faster way of talking. For viewers used to the spaciousness of the films of, say, Sofia Coppola, the experience can be an unsettling one, and it is not at all difficult to lose the thread of on-screen conversation. However, the attention-span required by the film is very much rewarded by this funny, sharp and biting take on the world of 1940s journalism, and for those with an inclination towards classic Hollywood, this is a must-see.

Fusion, campus’s self-proclaimed biggest event, got a little bigger this year, with the dance and fashion extravaganza spread over two nights for the first time.

Fusion, so-called because of the mix of societies involved, has always been an urban-themed event, but this year the organisers shook things up. Music Director Tom Rogers says, “this year’s music is more versatile than last year’s as it covers the development of urban music from tribal music through jazz, burlesque, funk and hip-hop.”

Hosted by the hilarious (intentionally and otherwise) Mr Milk and visiting rapper Archie, the show got off to an impressive start with a tribal dance from the African and Caribbean Society, followed by an all-too-brief performance from Capoeira.

Next we moved to cabaret and jazz, featuring a slightly out-of-context set including Beyonce and the Pussycat Dolls, with performances from the Burlesque Girls. Next came the first performance from the trapeze artists as well as lingerie modeling. The Burlesque was sexy without being sleazy, whilst the tap was refreshingly different and the trapeze stunning. The only downside to this section was the lingerie; after the talent of the dancers and gymnasts, the ability to walk in underwear was a bit of a let-down.

Next on to early hip-hop and funk with breakdance squad Gravity Control and the street dancers. The arrival of Gravity Control summed up the main problem I had with Fusion as a whole; the juxtaposition of impressively diverse talent with people walking around looking attractive. The societies are clearly full of incredibly able and skilful performers and it is these sections that deserve the bulk of performance time. The prevalence given to urban dance routines over Capoeira, tap dancers, salsa, break dancers and the trapeze artists suggests that Fusion’s organisers are missing a trick.

After the interval, and some technical hitches involving Fusion’s beneficiary charities Hope and Aid Direct and InterAct, we returned to the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. In an event of this magnitude, it is hard to believe that one person could steal the show, but stolen it was by Jerome Edet with his turn as Michael Jackson. This section was simply stunning with Edet holding court as a parade of zombies lurched down the stairs of Central Hall.

So we found ourselves at the present day, with a Pharell-esque star being mobbed by girls, then some modern fashion and a large DanceSoc sequence. This was followed by the arrival of Pole Exercise, who had rather a lot of equipment to get on stage, but impressed all with their unique blend of strength and style. We also saw the return of the trapeze artists, who were magnificent, their seemingly death-defying stunts made all the more impressive by their grace and glamour. This is what Fusion does best – athleticism combined with aesthetics.

At the two-hour stage it would be fair to say that the audience were becoming restless, which is a shame as the Oriental Centre’s section featured some attractive fashions including parasols, fans and kimonos. This was promptly followed by some unexpected body-popping Phantom of the Operas dancing to Justin Timberlake. Next came an edgy fashion scene which concluded with models posed behind a wire fence – the most powerful image of the night. This was followed by a ‘Stomp’-esque sequence which would have been more enjoyable earlier in the night, but still shone. Finally we moved to the future with a striking post-apocalyptic ballet featuring Edet alongside fellow choreographer Jo Gledhill and a closing Matrix-inspired sequence.

And so the night drew to a close. Overall, Fusion was a massively successful event and all involved must be congratulated for their hard work and the amount of money they raise for charity each year. For future performances, however, it would be nice to see a little more focus on the many and varied niche performers who were truly the stars of this year’s show., po;

York Theatre Royal and local Riding Lights Theatre Company are collaborating for the first time this spring with a new play, African Snow, written by Ben Okafor. The play tells the true story of an 18th-century Nigerian, Olaudah Equiano, who, after being sold into slavery, managed to buy his own freedom and travel the world and that of slave trader John Newton, later known for writing the hymn ‘Amazing Grace’.

The production stars Israel Oyelumade as Equiano and features original music from writer Ben Okafor. The production is timed to coincide with the 220th anniversary of the Abolition of the Slave Trade Act and hopes to add its voice to the worldwide call for the abolition of modern slavery. The play was commissioned by the Church Mission Society, founded in 1799 by representatives of the abolitionist movement including prominent campaigner William Wilberforce.

Dr. John Sentamu, Archbishop of York, believes the project to be important: “Here’s a play that turns history into a pulsating human story. It could be yours. It could be mine. We begin to understand the past when we recognise that it is about real human beings like us. That way we better understand not only where we have come from but what we are doing now and where we are heading.”

African Snow will run from Friday March 30 until April 2 at the Theatre Royal, followed by a national tour.

The annual National Student Drama Festival will this year be joining us in the sunny world of North Eastern Yorkshire or, more specifically, Scarborough. Seven venues in the town will host the crème de la crème of British student theatrical talent, between 29 March and 4 April. Talented youngsters ranging from GCSE students to recent graduates are competing to be selected for one of the ten performance slots available at the Festival. These places are highly prized and competition is high; on average 150-160 shows apply each year.

The main draw of the Festival for the students involved is the attention of theatre professionals, who give feedback on the productions and run workshops on their own area of expertise. The playwright Mark Ravenhill, who will be conducting one of the workshops this year, believes the festival to be highly important in helping the careers of those who pass through, noting that “the NSDF was a vital step in my development” and remarking on “how many thousands [it must] have affected in the past 50 years”.

Productions originating here at York have been successful at the NSDF in the past, and this year regular Drama Barn director Will Bowry is hoping to return to the festival and capitalise on the success of his previous entry Gagarin’s Way. This year his production will be Adam Rapp’s Stone Cold Dead Serious, a play which centres around a teenage boy called Wynne, who after becoming a champion video gamer, wins the chance to combat a samurai fighter in New York, ‘what working class America’s all about’.

Bowry is using two cast members from his previous production, Edward Watson, who’ll be playing Wynne, and John Hoyle, who also spoke to me about their previous experiences of the NSDF. All agree with Ravenhill that the event is a fantastic opportunity for aspiring thespians and directors alike, Watson simply because he so rarely hears a positive outlook on the life of an actor. “All you ever hear is ‘Don’t go into acting’, so it’s great to be somewhere where you can hear success stories from people who’ve already made it and get away from the usual negativity”. Bowry found the advice from professionals following the performances particularly helpful; “It really raised the standards of the production to another level. The level of detail these people would go into was above and beyond the sort of consideration you have the time and resources to deliberate in your average student production”.

However, although the positives of participating in the festival are apparent, the downsides of the organisational process can be very limiting; especially for those on a student budget. A large proportion of the work selected by the NSDF originates in high schools and sixth form colleges, bodies which tend to have funding for such artistic ventures. There is a £95 application fee, attendance fees for all involved in selected productions, and the living costs of staying in the designated location for the duration of the festival. Combined, these costs mean that funding issues can be very restricting for university applications, and, as Hoyle points out, this raises a number of class issues about who ends up as a successful applicant.

In comparison to other theatre festivals, such as the Edinburgh Fringe, Bowry believes the potential for success for student productions is higher at an event like the NSDF. At the Fringe, punters and newspaper critics are frequently more inclined, and encouraged, to visit and review bigger scale productions. However, at the NSDF the small number of productions and competitive selection techniques mean that student drama receives the attention and consideration it can never quite receive at a full scale theatre festival.

If you’d like to see Stone Cold Dead Serious before its hopeful progression to the stage at Scarborough, it is running for four nights in the Drama Barn at the end of Week 6.

Langwith College is known for many things. Some are good, such as community spirit in the face of hilariously bad facilities or the Langwithian fondness for ducks. Others, however, are not so good, with a seemingly permanently closed bar and ‘Derwent’s weedy younger brother’ tag. But one man, namely the new Langwith Provost John Issit, wants the college to be known for something else. He wants it to be known for art, and is starting his campaign with an exhibition to be held in Langwith this term, entitled ‘University Space’.

Issit’s scheme for artistic development within the college, in association with the rest of the University, came about through a desire to revive Langwith’s oft forgotten gallery space. The gallery, situated upstairs from the Langwith JCR, is a great place for an exhibition, full of light and visible from seminar rooms and accommodation blocks around the Langwith area.

Issit recalls that “we’d been looking for a way to rejuvenate the gallery space in Langwith and after deciding upon a University-wide calling for an exhibition, it was just a case of coming up with a theme; I think ‘University Space’ works as it can be interpreted in so many different ways.

“The ideas can be very wide-ranging, coming from different tribes of students and covering academic life as well as the obviously important social aspects – students meeting in the corridors and JCRs and all the ideas that flow there. Plus, there are a number of different spaces that can be interpreted, from accommodation, to the library, or even market square!” When asked about his own definitions of ‘University Space’, Issit leans towards the abstract. ‘Maybe the space inside a Computer Science student’s head! Or I could envisage a Philosophy student, sitting in the library reading a difficult and windy text, the long struggle this would require, and the wistful and dreamy thoughts of the student.’

The concept has excited many across the University, including second year History of Art student Isabel Buxton, who intends to submit a piece for the exhibition. “As LeFevre said, ‘what would happen to the Church if there were no churches?’ What would happen to the concept we call ‘university’ if there was no ‘spatial mooring’ with which we anchor this concept? A physical space is to a collective concept as a word is to an idea – it provides a recognisable ‘sign’ shared by those within the group. Regardless of our own personal ‘university space’, we all share the same space and therefore our own intellectual space is informed by our shared physical environment.”

The project hopes to encourage as many people as possible who are involved in the University to submit work. Issit wants to celebrate the artistic abilities of “the people who live and work in the space and who will use and develop the gallery – which, let’s not forget, is a ‘University Space’ itself. I’m hoping to use this initial exhibition to see what level of interest there is out there. How many student artists are there on campus and around York who have creative skill but at the minute no motivation or outlet?”

Judging by the response so far, there are certainly a lot of active and talented artists around. The exhibition is non-selective so all entries will be displayed. If you’d like to get involved, or have a tortured artist in your house or halls who needs a bit of motivation, it couldn’t be simpler. Let the organisers know by contacting Suzanne Decker.

All submissions are to be handed in to the Langwith Provost’s office (just along from the Porters) by Friday 16th February (Week 6). The exhibition is open to all and will commence on Monday 19th February.

LUX
Small-scale public artworks by York St. John art students
19 – 28 January
Selected venues in Micklegate

Relationships
A celebration of modern art through contrasts in material and form
27 January – 8 May
York Art Gallery
Lenny Henry, Where Are You From?
The comedian brings his new one-man show to York
2 February
York Grand Opera House

South Pacific
Adapted by York Stage Musicals from James Michiner’s short stories
2 – 10 February
York Theatre Royal

Thoroughly Modern Millie
Presented by the York Light Opera Comany
13 – 24 February
York Theatre Royal
Jorvik Viking Festival
5 days of Viking-themed festivities featuring a huge range of activities and events
14 – 18 February
Visit www.jorvik-viking-centre.co.uk for full events programmes.

The Other Side Comedy Club
City Screen
28 January: Brendan Riley, Danny James, Dan Nightingale
4 February: Jim Jeffries, Sarah Millican, Markus Birdman
11 February: Josie Long on tour
18 February: Robin Ince on tour
(7.30 for 8.00 start)

Madama Butterfly
Sunday 3rd, 7.30
Grand Opera House, York
Tickets priced between £23.00 and £35.50

What the Dickens 2
Wednesday 6th, 7.30
National Centre for Early Music
Tickets: £8.00 (concession)
Beyond the Barricade at Christmas
Thursday 7th, 7.30
Grand Opera House, York
Tickets: £8.00

Russell Brand
Saturday 9th-Sunday 10th, 8.00
Grand Opera House, York
Tickets: £14.50

Aladdin
From Thursday 14th, 7.00
Grand Opera House, York
Tickets from £7.00

Cinderella
From Thursday 14th, 7.30
York Theatre Royal
Tickets from £10

Spotlight on…

The Spoken Word, 7.30 – 9pm, every first Tuesday at the Exhibition Hotel, and ‘Third Thursday’ at Starbucks in Borders.

“We stayed at home to write, to consolidate our outstretched selves”. Whilst Sylvia Plath apparently stayed in of an evening, here in York you have the opportunity to share your thoughts and ideas at two open poetry and prose nights held on the first Tuesday and third Thursday of each month. Budding writers with short stories, poetry or even songs to share can meet in a relaxed, receptive atmosphere – either to perform their pieces or to be part of the audience.

Rose Drew, who runs the evenings, is a vibrant and encouraging host with an obvious passion for words. The tone of the night is controlled by the speakers and often it is not only works that are shared, but ideas, opinions and, in Rose’s case, fiery political views.

‘Third Thursday’ is held every month at Starbucks in Borders, on Davygate, and is aimed specifically at university and secondary school students, although numbers have turned out to be unexpectedly low. The busier night at Exhibition Hotel, Bootham, guarantees a more impressive turnout and variety of performances. The Thursday meeting is not being held in December (due to some obscure religious holiday), but I urge any aspiring writers to have a coffee and step up to the mic in the new year.

Despite these setbacks, the production remained a success. The lead performances were very strong, with Anouska Flower playing the sparky Steph and newby Alex Forsyth as the predatory, middle class Alain – justifying his popularity with this term’s directors.

Dead Meat is the latest theatrical work from student writer Sam Haddow, who provoked controversy last term with his violent re-telling of Electra. And violence is certainly on the agenda again this time, with directors Hana Morgan and Mark Kelleher, anticipating complaints, defending the piece against accusations of gratuitous violence in their programme notes. In practice, the violent scenes are not in the least shocking. Although death-by-lasagne is certainly unexpected, in these post-Tarantino times violence no longer has the impact it once did.

Haddow is clearly a very intelligent and talented writer and hopefully he will prove able to move past this technique and find some new and more challenging taboos to break in his future work.

The Music Department also proved a success this term, selling out both of its performances of this year’s practical project, Paul Bunyan, in the Sir Jack Lyon’s Concert Hall, and with good reason. Omar Shahryar and Dr John Stringer’s thrilling revival of this under-performed operetta, was truly a testament to themselves and the musicians involved.

Paul Bunyan is the result of a collaboration between composer Benjamin Britten and poet W. H. Auden. The opera tells the story of giant lumberjack Bunyan and the colonisation of America. Bunyan is an allegory for the complexities of the American Dream, with the lumberjacks clearing the forest to make way for the emerging modern America.

The most striking thing about this production was its contrasts. Characters like the narrator (Tom Appleton), who delivered lines of rhyming couplet with aplomb, and his grinning sidekick (Edward Winslow) created an effect which can only be described as kitsch, with the cartoon-like set design backing this up. However, there were also sobering moments, with the heartbreaking ‘Quartet of the Defeated’ reminding us that the American dream also led to downfall and ruin.

The chorus were enthusiastic, involved, and as you’d expect from the department, highly talented. York’s musicians provided a witty, colourful performance, which made for a wonderful evening.

The Dixon Drama Studio is rarely used for student drama productions, but recently housed three performances of Caryl Churchill’s Cloud 9. This peculiar two act play, which explores the relationship between colonialism and sexual oppression, is a heady mixture of British Africa and late 1970s London. Act One, directed by Will Bowry, instantly highlighted the play’s central themes of role reversal and stereotype. Bowry teased out the farcical hilarity and dark sincerity of this scene with pace and wit. Music, costumes and some priceless comic timing were delivered with professional flair, in particular by Marcus Emerton as the hilarious Clive.

The second act, directed by Beth Pitts, surprised us completely with its dramatic change of style to explore changing sexuality in modern times. Out of the brassy confidence of the first act, Pitts crafted nuanced relationships driven by sexual politics and set just the right tone of uneasy oddity. A bare set and directive lighting opened up the stage for reflection on the politics of the piece. Special mention must go to Becca Morgan who held us rapt as Betty, with beautifully detailed confidence and style. Let’s hope the Dixon sees more high-quality student drama sometime soon.

The Drama Barn’s first production of the year got off to an appropriately dramatic start. Having failed to obtain the rights to the play during the rehearsal process, it seemed like James Spinney’s production of Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? would have to be performed for free in the Dixon Drama Studio in the faraway land of Wentworth. However, in the world of theatre it seems it’s not what you know but who you know, and DramaSoc’s recent visitor, director David Thacker, pulled a few strings after his recent Open Drama workshop and the cast were allowed to take up residence in the Barn after all.

Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? has had a successful performance history, but is perhaps best known for the 1966 film version, starring Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton. The significance of the play’s title derives from a spoof of the Disney song ‘Who’s Afraid of the Big Bad Wolf?’ which one of the characters coins early on in the play. The title sums up well the play’s mix of petty childishness and intellectual sharpness. Our protagonists are a married couple called Martha and George. George is a professor of History at the university of which his wife’s father is President. So far, so discontent. After a drunken faculty party, Martha has invited a new teacher called Nick and his wife, known only as ‘Honey’, back for drinks in the couple’s home. As the evening continues, Martha and George’s marital difficulties become clear, and the bickering escalates, making the younger couple extremely embarrassed, if still somehow fascinated.

And so, one rather tired director and a very nervous producer later, we arrive at what can now officially be referred to as DramaSoc’s Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?. Firstly we have York’s very own Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton; Anna Rohde and Patrick Rogers, as the catty Martha and George. As supporting cast we had Alan Stewart playing Nick, and Emma Charnley as his wife, Honey. With a cast this small, a running time of three and a half hours, and a very wordy text, there was a lot of pressure on the four to hold it together, and they did a fantastic job.

Rogers, continuing his position in a fine tradition of tortured academics after last year’s Hedda Gabler, walked the line between intellectual wit and crazed madman. His unpredictable delivery kept his house guests on the edge of their seats, as well as the audience (if any other position is possible in the Drama Barn). Stewart, although playing a character mostly designed for Martha and George to bounce off, did admirably. His despair after failing to ‘get it up’ after a romantic clinch with Martha has to go down as one of the most memorable moments of the night.

Charnley perhaps had the hardest job, in an underwritten character, drunk for most of the play, though still capable of making somewhat astounding revelations. However, she pulled it off with aplomb, very funny, very cute and very, very drunk. But, the show stealer award has to go this time to Rohde’s heavy-drinking, stocking-flashing Martha. Engaging from the start, certainly funny, but also painfully sad, even a somewhat awkward wardrobe malfunction in the second act couldn’t stop her.

The set was perfected to the last detail, except for a sign on the piano which read; ‘The show may be cancelled at any point without any notice, for no reason whatsoever!’. Whether a cast in-joke or a reference to their ongoing difficulties obtaining the rights, it seemed a shame to lower the professionalism of the production like this. The intricacy of the set was impressive; a study area and full bookshelf, a piano, a record player and Laura Ashley wallpaper being just a few examples. However, the majority of the set dressing was superfluous, especially as the cast was so strong. All these actors really needed were the seating and drinks cabinet .

There were only a few minor difficulties overall, such as the debate over Martha’s green eyes, when Rohde has perhaps the most obvious bright blue eyes I’ve ever seen. However, the only real problem was the length. If DramaSoc are going to keep giving the go ahead to productions this long, they really need to consider installing some form of back rest in the Barn. It was a shame to end what should have been a fantastic night in extreme discomfort. Still, a great night and a great production.

Summer’s here and with it has come ice cream, football and now, Shakespeare in the Park. With a run of five days in Hull Road Park, Will Bowry’s production of Twelfth Night had everything going for it: a beautiful setting, classic comedy and a talented cast. The one thing they were missing (this being summertime in the north of England) was the weather.
In the run-up to opening night, sporadic and heavy showers threatened the success of the production, and although the rain held off, the wind certainly prevented the evening from being quite the summertime joy it had promised to be.

It would take something pretty special entirely to recover from the influence of such unpleasant weather, and something special it was. There were strong performances from all the lead characters, with Sophie Larsman (Viola) and Tom Hunt’s (Orsino) scenes together bubbling with chemistry, and the icy Olivia (played by Becca Morgan) visibly melting in the presence of Cesario.

However, it was really the supporting cast that made this production such a joy, despite the wind. Special mention must go to Lewis Charlesworth’s Feste, whose singing cannot accurately be described as good, but was certainly hilarious, and who demonstrated possibly the finest capering ever seen in North Yorkshire.

But it was the comic trio of Sir Toby Belch, Sir Andrew Ague and Maria (played by Matthew Lacy, Patrick Rogers and Rose Wright respectively) that really stood out, whether it was Lacy appearing drunk complete with twigs up his nose, Rogers trying – and failing miserably – to duel, or every wry comment and witticism that left Wright’s mouth. These three robustly kept the comedy at a maximum without ever resorting to the annoying tendency in modern Shakespearean comedies to rely on slapstick humour.

What would clearly be a gem of a production in the sunshine only further demonstrated its strengths through the conditions, for barely a line was lost to the wind and, even if the entire audience was freezing, not one of them seemed to care.

So now to A Midsummer Night’s Dream in the Minster Residence Gardens, and to better weather if, perhaps, a less polished production. Sam Magdi Hana’s production seemeed more aware of, and adapted to, its outdoor setting, though, making more use of levels and the surrounding flora and fauna than Twelfth Night. The setting was also invaluable in helping to create the illusion of fairy magic. The production had two Pucks, but cleverly staged them so that when one disappeared behind a tree, the other would appear on the other side of the gardens. The manouvering was slickly executed by Emily Domaniewska and Thea O’Hear, who appeared to flit around the performance, with engagingly sprightly movements.

However, with the amount of park space in York and the surrounding area, one wonders why the choice of location was so inadequate. The cast were interrupted at least every 15 minutes, not only by the Minster bells, but also by noisy tourists on the city walls, the nearby busy roads, later the England match in the pub behind the gardens and once, hilariously, by a cat. Although the setting was picturesque, the audience was somewhat misplaced, meaning that many lines were lost simply because they were uttered too far upstage.

The delivery was perhaps a bit fast, and many of the cast struggled somewhat to deliver the verse. Lines often ran away from the actors and lost their meaning. A bit more work on the actual text would have boosted the performance no end.

But, overall, the cast were impressive. Havilah Gianetta was outstanding as Titania, and with her commanding stage presence, power and charisma, she was a joy to watch. Andy Birnie’s bemused and mischievous Oberon made an amusing narrator to events and the lovely Tamsin Urquhart’s energetic performance helped rescue this production from the noise pollution, with her delightfully stroppy gesticulations and exasperation as the spurned Helena.

But the real star of this show was Chris Hoyle in the role of Bottom. With a fine supporting cast of comic players, Hoyle’s too-short jacket, over the top delivery and masterful cluelessness really raised the game of the production as a whole. For a sunny summer afternoon, you really couldn’t ask for much more than this, but I’m not sure it could have survived the wind.

Both productions successfully highlighted the fun and comedy of Shakespeare’s words, while also revealing just how much of a challenge it can be just to make sense of the text and characters, especially when faced with the adverse effects of British summertime. Both are also going to be performing in Stratford in the coming weeks, as part of the Complete Works Festival – quite an opportunity, and one they richly deserve.