| reviews: Hexham Courant The Stage The Huddersfield Examiner |
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| Hexham Courant |
Peter Lewis - July 14th 2006
As a theatre goer I've never really grown up. My most acute friend once observed that I had tried to stay a mixed infant all my life. I adore Shakespeare, of course, and Aristophanes and Chekhov and all that stuff but I like, too, pantomime, burlesque and farce and I mourn the death of the music hall tradition and Spitting Image. All of which, when you come to think of it, are essential elements of Shakespeare and the classical crowd.
This is why I've always been a keen fan of Théâtre Sans Frontières, the touring theatre company based at the Queen's Hall. Mostly they have been consistently brilliant, taking known narratives and retelling them in witty foreign languages with stunning stagecraft. Only on a couple of occasions have they, through associations with others, turned in worthy productions deep-sunken with "significance". Left alone with their own sense of fun, their own individual voice, they are never less than wonderful.
This summer at the end of a successful national tour they came back to base with a much awaited revival of Aladin et la Lampe Enchantee. The performance I saw was a double delight as I was able to be a faux-enfant in an audience of schoolchildren. I always wonder if our children are now too sophisticated, too technologically astute, to respond to the simple trumpery of live theatre. This audience sat interested and often entranced through ninety minutes of a tale told in simple French. We learned to participate, chanting by rote, "Frottez la lampe enchantee...en haut, en bas, a drite, a gauche !" We booed the Wicked Vizier, deplored the inadequacies of the Sultan, oohed at the Princess, and sympathised with the exasperations of Aladin's mother. We giggled at the incredibly tall Genie who we loyally greeted with the accolade of "Cool comme la neige, cool comme la glace". And we followed the adventures the eponymous hero, whose escapades were based on a working script by Sophie Millon. Played with brio by the Brazilian actress Alexandra Golik, Aladin was as far from the pattern of traditional boys as you could wish, emerging as a cross between Kevin the teenager and Bruce Lee.
The director Sarah Kemp and her stalwart company of John Cobb, Ben Phillips, Rebecca Jameson, Alexandra Golik, plus video participation from Sophie Million and appearances from full size and miniature puppets, fairly kept the pace cracking along. Simple large scale effects, a dark sky full of stars, a rising palace and a stage full of whirling fabric as the desert brought oohs of delight from the children and from me. There is too a strong moral message, that total honesty is the base of good relationships ...lightly articulated but there nevertheless when our hero is forced to confess that he is humble Aladin and not the Prince of Babaganouch - I would if my wife would let me, change the name of the house to this wonderful lip-smacking word!
Graham Greene once wrote that there is always one moment in childhood when the door opens and, for good or ill, lets the future in. Do I hope that the children whose company I shared will remember this meeting with the magic and the mystery of live theatre? In the words of the Genie's song, "Ah oui oui oui oui oui oui oui !
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| The Stage |
Robin Duke - May 22nd 2006
Their name - Theatre Sans Frontieres - may sound like a cross between a bygone television competition and an international health charity and the very mention of Aladin can’t help but conjure up an image of dames and principal boys.
Thankfully for all concerned this Hexham, Northumberland-based award winning touring company is far more concerned in presenting plays in easily digested slices of their original language to mainly young audiences than it is with thigh slapping and pop songs.
Not that there isn’t plenty of humour in this version of Frenchman Antoine Galland’s 18th-century addition to The Arabian Nights. Just for good measure the title character is played convincingly by Brazilian actress Alexandra Golik.
The company is refreshingly international - Canada, Spain, France, England and Scotland breaking down those “frontieres.”
The tale of course, is a timeless one though taken outside of the pantomime genre it is rather darker in parts and certainly more substantial.
The company combine puppetry and projections with clowning, acting and music. The language is simple and straightforward enough for even the most elementary of French scholars (ie many of the mums and dads accompanying their children) to follow exactly what is going on even if they have spent a lifetime avoiding Christmas shows and Disney films.
Ben Phillips’ Genie de la Lampe is an irresistible fusion of camp and cabaret, part Graham Norton part Medallion Man and Rebecca Jameson’s petite Princesse Samirah is just the right combination of feisty and feminine.
Would that French had been this fun when this reviewer was at school.
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| The Huddersfield Examiner |
| June 16th 2006
When you think of the story of Aladin, one of two images probably springs to mind - that of the traditional Christmas panto or a Disney film. And then there's the Theatre Sans Frontieres version, which is a refreshing new take on the story of sorcerers, jewels and genies. This company's version, entitled Aladin et la Lampe Enchantee is performed entirely in simple French. And the world created by the production, directed by Sarah Kemp, is simply magical. With the sumptuous sets, clever puppetry, and spellbinding effects, the small cast of talented actors create a world that is accessible for all - regardless of French speaking ability.
The actors' performances are highly entertaining, and there are a few classic panto slapstick moments to keep both kids and the adults entertained. Notably, Mere d'Aladin, played by Patricia Bergeron, and Genie de la Lamp, played by Ben Philips, give fine comic performances. The Genie's camp entrances were particularly side-splitting, and the audience were more than happy to join in with his catchy little musical number. Alexandra Golik gave a confident performance as Aladin, and Rebecca Jameson was fantastic as the feisty Princesse Samirah. The use of puppetry to create Aladin's entrance to the magical cave, and to show his trek across mountains was effective, and added yet another dimension to this sparkling gem of a production. Aladin et La Lampe Enchantee is performed again tomorrow (2pm and 7pm).
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