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May 30, 2017

BREVIEW: Whisky Galore! @ Electric Cinema 16.05.17

Words by Damien Russell

It’s beginning to look a lot like Christmas….

Okay, perhaps not quite so much, but when sat in a room with The Lost Distillery Company – who ‘bring back the ghosts of whiskies past’, and The Birmingham Whisky Club – fine promoters of whiskies present, it’s easy to see how the festive vibe creeps in.

Tuesday might sound like a bit of an odd evening to be surrounded by such whisky pedigree, but the theme tonight is very much tasting and appreciating (over quaffing and getting squiffy). We’re at the Electric Cinema for a mixed event of whisky tasting and film viewing, with a Q & A with the film’s director, Gillies MacKinnon, at the end.

It’s the pre-screening of the 2016 remake of the Ealing comedy, cult classic Whisky Galore! – the tale of the SS Politician that ran aground off the coast of Scotland during the Second World War with a cargo of 28,000 cases of whisky. In reality, the ship sank off the north coast of Eriskay in the Outer Hebrides off the west coast of Scotland; the island is known as Todday, which is a much funnier name (I am still that childish).

Whisky Galore! tells the tale of the island inhabitants who have already drunk their entire whisky supply and, with rationing being what it was, the drought has little end in sight. A ship crashing offshore with a cargo of whisky is therefore met with great delight and the slightly farcical romp that ensues – playing off Police, Military and Islanders – is light-hearted and fairly believable.

Naturally such a tale involves a lot of references to whisky; The Birmingham Whisky Club and The Lost Distillery took the excellent approach that such a tale deserved whisky in the flesh (so to speak) and not just on the screen.

And it’s hard to tell which takes the lead tonight, the whisky or Whisky Galore! But both take prominence in turn and if the stage is well shared, does it matter who the ‘support’ and who the ‘lead’ is? I feel, not.

The evening is started off with an introduction by Ewan Henderson (Global Brand Ambassador from The Lost Distillery Company) and a well organised distribution of whisky No1 Towiemore, based on a Speyside that would have been on the SS Politician when it sank. These Speyside whiskies are/were typically put into sherry casks giving them a sweeter note than some of their counterparts and a rich fruity finish. If you’re not into your peaty/smoky whiskies, it’s sherry cask for the win in my opinion.

I found the Towiemore a very palatable whisky, not overly strong of flavour but not suffering much for that. I also found more crisp flavours, like apple and peach, than the red fruit notes I’ve come to expect from many sherry cask whiskies, which was a nice and unusual touch.

It’s worth noting here that all of the whiskies served through the evening were blended. I’ve never been a believer in the ‘single malt is better’ approach personally and I feel that blending is an art. Which I suppose means that blending to get a whisky that has long since passed out of production must be some sort of Fine Art, but I digress…

After a joint Sláinte and some time to take in the flavours, the film began. I remember a bit about the original version and I did always like the tale, but the original presentation is certainly now dated and some of the themes and expressions don’t quite translate as well as they did, a consideration that has certainly been picked up and fixed in the new version. For example, back in 1949 women would not be portrayed as being part of exploration party whereas today it would be a matter of course that all comers are welcome to participate. Of course the island and the story can’t change too far out of recognition and the religious themes and the relationships between many of the villagers hold true: demanding parents, controlling priest etc. Without such vehicles the story wouldn’t move and while it does date the tale, the presence of military and the ship itself date it more obviously.

In fairness, I found Whisky Galore! slow to start. Not unreasonably, as there are a lot of people and relationships to introduce and a lot of groundwork to lay. But nevertheless when the film took a break and the second whisky was brought out, I wasn’t entirely unhappy.

The second whisky was Dalaruan, originally from Campbeltown, which had I not seen it written down I would have assumed was spelt Dalaroon. A west-coast whisky for a west-coast film and something like what the locals in Whisky Galore! would have been drinking regularly on the island, we are told. A slightly smoky and richer whisky, my favourite of the evening, it was just the right balance of flavour for my palate and balance is the word – it’s not middle of the road or any such boring description but Dalaruan comes well rounded and has a lot to offer. There’s a distinct salty finish to it that I liked (to my surprise) something further mentioned by Ewan Henderson in his tasting notes.

Continuing on the whisky, for a moment, the third and final dram of the evening was Lossit, an Islay from the era of rural farm distilleries. Almost like a Scottish moonshine in some ways. Reputed to be smokier than the Dalaruan, I actually found it less so, with a higher alcohol hit and a less rounded flavour. An interesting taste of what local whisky might have been like but not one I would rush to try again.

After the first break, Whisky Galore! picks up momentum and the stellar cast (Gregor Fisher, Eddie Izzard, Ellie Kendrick and Sean Biggerstaff to name a few), make it enjoyable viewing. The humour builds, the relationships develop, and it’s a good showing all round.

I would have said that at times it was a bit too farcical for me, but then if my ailing memory serves me the original is very similar so maybe I’m just grumpier in my old(er) age. And in fairness there are some tense moments to keep Whisky Galore! edgy, brining some balance so it never goes 100% over the top. I was left with that warm feeling that a well done cutesy film can instill and as the credits rolled, the audience applauded. Director in the room or not, if you can get an audience to applaud a film I think you’ve done well.

The Q&A was a mix of interesting, intelligent questions and the usual ‘advice’ type questions. One man who seemed to think it was Gillies MacKinnon’s job to bring films back to small cinemas (which of course it isn’t) but our guest director was a patient and eloquent interviewee. Listening to him tell us about Whisky Galore! being made, alongside other stories about the film and the cast, made for a lovely end to the evening.

And as for the drinks at hand, The Lost Distillery Company are the ones for the whisky but The Birmingham Whisky Club are the ones for the events. I’m keeping an eye out for the next ones from both.

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For more on Whisky Galore! www.whiskygaloremovie.com

For more on The Lost Distillery Company, visit www.lost-distillery.com

For more on The Birmingham Whisky Club, visit www.thebirminghamwhiskyclub.co.uk

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For more from the Electric Cinema, including full film/event details and online ticket sales, visit it www.theelectric.co.uk

May 14, 2017

BREVIEW: La Strada @ REP 08.05.17

Words by Damien Russell / Production shots by Robert Day

A road never truly begins or ends.

I’ve searched it and it’s a genuine quote from yours truly, which is a nice change from something I’ve heard in passing or on the T.V and accidentally claimed as my own.

In a conveniently representative way, the story of La Strada never truly begins or ends either.

For those who aren’t aware, the story starts as our protagonist (it’s early and I’m not feeling generous enough for ‘heroine’), Gelsomina, is sold to the (technically antagonist, but not quite) strong-man Zampanò. But there’s already history between them, with a missing sister (deceased) as well as some back story around an absent father (also deceased). Not exactly your ‘once upon a time’ beginning. The two have a dysfunctional relationship centred around Zampanò’s sense of superiority and power, alongside Gelsomina’s struggle to find useful skills and her devotion to a man who is, in a sense, abusive.

The story ends as abruptly as it begins, with Gelsomina leaving Zampanò. We follow his journey to the point where he finds out what happened to her – leaving him in a sadder, guiltier place than where we started, but still otherwise intact. So ‘happily ever after’ it certainly is not either.

Resolution and finality were never on the cards with La Strada. Luckily I have no problem with this since Waiting for Godot entered my life by accident some years ago; it’s something I’ve come to expect from a certain type of work from that era. I say ‘era’ as I’ve struggled with the definition of neorealism and why certain works of the time ‘are’ and some ‘are not’, so I shy away from the labels and go with my gut.

Equally, I have come to expect little in the way of major character analysis. The idea of that style seems to be the presentation of snapshots of life, events and the characters therein, with the rest discarded as irrelevant. So with that in mind, I also expected the actual content of the script to be quite fixed without any huge deviations from the original film.

I approached this latest representation of Fellini’s classic work hoping for innovative staging, with good character interplay through stage presence, lighting and direction. I also hoped for a good score, as I know the score for this version of La Strada was produced specifically for it. I was happy to see that all three things were present and correct.

The first thing before us as we sat and settled, was the stage. Stark wooden flooring containing a number of wooden boxes (reminiscent of old fruit boxes) and two telegraph poles, one front – stage right, one back – stage centre. Those, and the instruments, were all that were present and all that was needed. Any further scenery was provided by the clever staging and the cast members themselves playing the lead, support, orchestra, and setting as required. Naturally the odd tablecloth, light, bowl etc came into play, but the setup was minimalist.

The use of the stage was well thought out and through the flow of people (and the few props) they created open space, movement and separation in turn. I was particularly impressed at some of the scene changes and at the way so few cast members could bring fluid movement and change. I loved the fact that the stage itself had been left largely bare to keep space for the actions and people – and through those actions, they rendered additional staging redundant.

And while I mention fluidity, it’s worth saying that I found the transitions between prose and song to be very smooth indeed. I had expected musical pieces, but I’ve often seen musicals make stark changes leaving the audience wondering why that person had suddenly burst into song and spoiling the flow of the show. I never got that feeling in this production of La Strada; I was also impressed by the score itself, feeling both contemporary and appropriate to the setting. Excellent instrumentation (but then a double-bass and cello are a dead cert for me) and skilled musicians added to an unexpectedly positive element.

The cast themselves were the sort of people I like to call ‘annoyingly talented’. A full suite of vaudeville skills were displayed by all, and whilst some cast members were better at some skills than others nothing ever came across as being ‘bad’. My only criticism was that in some instances the acting itself was a little more wooden than I would have liked. However this may have been in part due to the multi-lingual cast and script; we saw English, French and Italian at various points, and I in particular loved the nod toward the play’s Italian origins.

A brief note on the direction and script use; I was pleased and surprised in equal measure to see that this production of La Strada followed in the fashion of a ‘no holds barred’ approach. There were sections including swearing (often humorously added), violence (less humorous) and sexuality, whilst the underlying theme of domestic abuse wasn’t undersold. I’m not entirely sure if the parents sat to my left regretted bringing their young daughters or not, but the kids themselves seemed engaged with the play. So all’s well that doesn’t bug the hell out of me, bleating or rustling sweets.

I walked into the REP excited but uncertain: knowing that a stage production of La Strada had a lot to live up to, knowing that we had been promised much, and hoping that the delivery would be half as good as it needed to be.

I left the REP surprised and pleased, thoroughly entertained and impressed by this production of La Strada. Absolutely recommend. Not necessarily for less worldly wise children.

The Belgrade Theatre Coventry’s Production of La Strada is presented by Kenny Wax Ltd, in association with Cambridge Arts Theatre & Bristol Old Vic. For more on La Strada, including details of the full UK tour, visit www.lastradalive.com

For more from the Birmingham REP, including full event programme and online ticket sales, visit www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

May 6, 2017May 6, 2017

BPREVIEW: La Strada @ REP – running from 8th to 13th May

Words by Damien Russell / Production shots by Robert Day

These days I am lucky enough to enjoy a wider spectrum of culture. On the 8th of May, the Birmingham REP will be starting their run of La Strada – Live and I will be nestled in the audience, bravely evolving out of my more erstwhile natural habitat; the pub.

For those not already in the know, La Strada (or The Road, as it would be in English) is an Academy Award winning Italian film directed by neo-realism advocator Federico Fellini, first released in 1954. La Strada is drama, circus performance and autobiography, of a sort, rolled into one.

The story is quite a rich tale of Gelsomina – a young girl sold by her mother to a travelling strong man, Zampanò, who earns a living performing feats of strength on the streets of Italy. Gelsomina is taught to play the trumpet and snare drum, as well as clowning for the passing crowds, and joins Zampanò as part of his act.

A brutal and often cruel relationship develops, until Gelsomina falls in love with another street performer called Il Matto (The Fool). The trio ends up together in a travelling circus, with Il Matto goading the strongman to an eventual breaking point; as is to be expected this doesn’t end well, with disruption and violence finally raining down on all. Even more than that, but I won’t spoil the surprise if you haven’t already seen it.

In Edward Murray’s Ten Film Classics: A Re-Viewing, Fellini is quoted as having a soft spot for La Strada, saying, ‘I feel that it is my most representative film, the one that is the most autobiographical; for both personal and sentimental reasons, because it is the film that I had the greatest trouble in realizing and that gave me the most difficulty when it came time to find a producer’.

With a rich history of difficulties, including last minute changes of voice actors, filming delays due to injury, budget issues, and Fellini himself being struck with a severe bout of depression toward the end of the principal photography, it is of little surprise the Italian filmmaker held La Strada so close to his heart. It is also remarkable that La Strada was ever finished, with audiences around the world still enjoying the story today.

La Strada has been brought back to the stage this time by Sally Cookson, an Associate Artist at Bristol Old Vic Theatre, who premiered the production at The Belgrade Theatre Coventry in Feb 2017. Cookson is known for her alternative presentations of classic productions and challenging gender stereotypes; her 2016 National Theatre production of Peter Pan turned the ‘quite passive’ character of Wendy – ‘nothing more than a domestic goddess’ – into ‘as big a part of the adventure as the other characters.’

With La Strada – Live, Sally Cookson has told the story through Gelsomina – ‘we’re seeing the story through her eyes’ – whilst celebrating the physicality of the original narrative.

‘I always like working with performers who are multi-talented,’ tells Cookson, in a recent interview with 69 Magazine. ‘It’s so tough for actors these days – they have to be able to sing, dance, act brilliantly and play instruments and they’re doing all of that in this show – and be circus performers! Bart (Soroczynski – The Fool) is a wonderful circus performer and he shows off his skills in this show, but they all play instruments and sing. That provides a real delight for the audience.’

Anyone wishing to be a part of the latest chapter in La Strada’s eventful life can do so at the Birmingham REP, with the production running from the 8^th to 13^th May. All evening performances start at 7:30pm (except 8th May) with matinee performances at 2:00pm on 11th and 13^th May.

The Belgrade Theatre Coventry’s Production of La Strada is presented by Kenny Wax Ltd, in association with Cambridge Arts Theatre & Bristol Old Vic. For direct event from the Birmingham REP, including venue details and online tickets sales, click here.

For more on La Strada – Live, including details of the full UK tour, visit www.lastradalive.com

For more from the Birmingham REP, including full event programme and online ticket sales, visit www.birmingham-rep.co.uk

May 3, 2017May 2, 2017

BPREVIEW: Maxïmo Park @ O2 Institute 05.05.17

Words by Ed King / Pics by Ed Taylor

On Friday 5^th May, Maxïmo Park will be playing at the 02 Institute. Doors open from 7pm, with tickets priced at £20.50 + booking fee – as presented by SJM Concerts. Minimum age for entry is 14.

N.B. At the time of writing this gig has been ‘Sold Out’, so check with reputable ticket providers for spares and returns. For direct gig info, click here.

Maxïmo Park will be playing further UK dates in Newcastle (6^th May), Aberdeen (8^th May), Glasgow (9^th May), Sheffield (10^th May), London (12^th May), Bexhill-on-Sea (13^th May), Cambridge (15^th May), Cardiff (16^th May), Falmouth (17^th May), Manchester (19^th May), Margate (27^th May). For direct tour details, including online ticket sales, click here.

Maxïmo Park will be back in Birmingham on Saturday 16^th September – co-headling the main stage at the Beyond the Tracks festival on Eastside Park, Birmingham City Centre. For direct festival info, click here.

Schlepping up, down and around the UK, Maxïmo Park are on the headline trial with their new album, Risk to Exist – released on 24^th April through Cooking Vinyl. To read the Birmingham Review of Risk to Exist, from Damien Russell, click here.

Named after a park dedicated to the Cuban Generalisimo Máximo Gómez – a key military figure in Cuba’s war of independence – Maxïmo Park have never been too far away from the murky world of socio-political-meets-pop-rock.

And whilst the-man-in-the-hat, Paul Smith (not that kind of hat, not that Paul Smith), was once quoted as saying ‘I think it’s people who change the world but music can influence people’, Maxïmo Park have arguably used their sixteen years of creative endevours to do just that. Plus they’ve made their own beer. So, on the road during the UK’s local elections and campaign trails for the general… that’s going to be some green room to tidy.

But with a front man you’d rip your granny’s teeth out to get, Maxïmo Park also have a reputation for pretty electrifying stage shows, no matter what your political leanings. Expect strutting, jumping, the occasional strobe, and the band’s name (sometimes literally) up in lights somewhere. And with a new album to hock at the merch stand I wouldn’t expect too many pulled punches, even with two fingers extended in the face of totalitarian capitalism.

Birmingham Review last saw Maxïmo Park, again at the 02 Institute, in December 2015 – click here to read Helen Knott’s Birmingham Review of the gig.

‘Risk to Exist’ – Maxïmo Park

Risk to Exist by Maxïmo Park is out on general release from 21^st April, via Cooking Vinyl. For more on Maxïmo Park, visit www.maximopark.com

For more on Maxïmo Park at the O2 Institute, including venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham/events/928783/maximo-park-tickets

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For more from the O2 Institute, including full venue details and online ticket sales, visit www.academymusicgroup.com/o2institutebirmingham

For more from SJM Concerts/Gigs and Tours, visit www.gigsandtours.com

May 2, 2017

THE GALLERY: Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17

*Ed’s note… To catch Ed Geater on stage again, he will performing with Call Me Unique on Friday 5^th May – as part of her Urban Gypsy II EP launch party at Mama Roux’s. For direct gig info, click here.

To read our Birmingham Review of ‘Shoulda’, the debut single from Urban Gypsy II produced by Ed Geater, click here.

Words by Ed King / Pics by Rob Hadley

On March 24th, Ed Geater brought the final show of his UK tour to the Hare & Hounds – playing to a packed out Venue 2. On stage support (there was a fair amount off stage too) came from Amy Louise Ellis, Dee Ajayi and Bear – aka Gordon Begard and Faye Smith. Guest appearances were not in short supply either, with Lady Sanity and even Ed Geater’s brother, Charlie, joining him on stage.

Birmingham Review had caught up with Ed Geater before he set our across the UK; to read Giles Logan’s interview click here.

A high octane local love in, with a range of genres covered and crossed over, it was a fitting end to Ed Geater’s first multi date headline endevour. Or ‘tour’, as it’s known in the trade. Well supported by the music scene he constantly champions, the Hare & Hounds homecoming was a well endorsed affair; a strong start to a promising year.

But 2017 is not all about the live circuit, a place talented troubadours can get lost in, with Ed Geater popping up on a few credit notes – on 5th May Call Me Unique’s Urban Gypsy II EP is released, as produced by Ed Geater. Then on 16th June Ed Geater and Lady Sanity release their collaborative single, ‘Found a Place’, two weeks after a showcase gig featuring both artists at mac on 2nd June.

“I’m so excited to be releasing ‘Found A Place’ with Lady Sanity,” explains Ed Geater. She really is one of Birmingham’s most exciting talents right now, and the combination of our different styles has sparked something original and fresh. I’m looking forward to what will be a special night at mac. I remember going there as a child and seeing all sorts of creative, exciting things going on, so to be playing a headline show there with great support gives me a very warm feeling.” A rising balloon, both on stage and behind the glass; this could be a big year for Team Geater.

For direct gig info & tickets for Ed Geater, Lady Sanity and Andrew Souter at mac on 2nd June, click here.

But first things first; Rob Hadley was at Ed Geater’s homecoming show at the Hare & Hounds – shooting an extended photo feature to go into THE GALLERY, for Birmingham Review. See a selection of Rob Hadley’s shots below or click on the Full Flickr of Pics links. Check out the Birmingham Review Instagram page too.

N.B. Rob also shot a series of profile pics with Ed Geater, to run alongside his interview with Giles Logan. There’s a triptych of portrait shots at the end of this GALLERY, but to view the Full Flickr of Ed Geater Profile Pics click here.

A special thanks to the Hare & Hounds for letting us take over their top office for the interview shoot – awesome setting too, loving the records.

Ed Geater @ Hare & Hounds 24.03.17 / Rob Hadley – Birmingham Review