Critical Week: Take the call

Once again, I am avoiding the chaos of the Cannes Film Festival and enjoying the much lighter screening schedule in London these days. I know I'll catch up with the best from Cannes over the coming months. And I'm abandoning London myself next week until early June. Back to the movies, we had a lively themed screening of rising-star filmmaker Curry Barker's horror thriller Obsession. It's an unusually engaging scary movie, funny and moving. And hugely unnerving too.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Orphan • Diamonds • Obsession
High Tide • The Christophers
The Wizard of the Kremlin
ALL REVIEWS >

There were also several starrier movies to watch. The comedy-drama Miss You Love You is essentially an extended conversation between Allison Janney and Andrew Rannells. But they are so good that it's riveting, beautifully written and directed by Jim Rash. Sally Field and Lewis Pullman make a terrific duo in Remarkably Bright Creatures, a heartwarming tale about being open to the world around you, centring around an octopus. Scoot McNairy and Emilia Jones are excellent as a father and daughter in the sensitive memoir Fairyland, which skilfully captures the subculture of 1970s-80s San Francisco. And from Hong Kong, We're Nothing at All is an extraordinary blend of personal drama and riveting procedural thriller, circling around a bomb explosion on a bus. I also watched a live performance of Remachine at Sadler's Wells East.

Coming up this next week, I only have one press screening due to the Cannes slump, but it's the first Star Wars movie in seven years, The Mandalorian and Grogu. I may see it twice. And of course it's the 70th Eurovision Song Contest live from Vienna on Saturday night. Another reason for so few screening is that I'm flying to California next week to visit family. I'll be sure to report back on my in-flight viewing and whatever else I get up to over there. 

Dance: The dark side of masculinity

Bullyache
A Good Man Is Hard to Find
direction & choreography Courtney Deyn & Jacob Samuel
performers Courtney Deyn, Sam Dilkes, Oscar Jinghu Li, Giacomo Luci, Pierre Morrillon, Frank Yang
musicians Asher Allen, Jacob Samuel
music Bullyache, Franz Schubert, Dmitri Shostakovich
art direction Sinisia • costumes La Maskarade
lighting Bianca Peruzzi
Sadler's Wells East, Stratford • 7-9.May.26 ★★★

With its inventive choreography and challenging storytelling, Bullyache takes a bold look at a grim aspect of masculinity, namely the point where ambition and camaraderie result in humiliation and cruelty. Inspired by business culture in the wake of the 2008 financial crash, this intensely powerful show is an often frightening display of aggression, mockery and destruction. So even if the storytelling feels somewhat indulgent, including sequences that are unnecessarily silent or flashy, it leaves us with a lot to think about.

It opens almost painfully slowly, as we eventually spot a naked man worming himself across the floor, collecting items of clothing until he's wearing a suit, like another man who has been taunting him. Others arrive, performing choreography that feels both yearning and menacing with eerily pliable motion and spinning, vibrant lifts. The men on stage clearly have an uneasy relationship with their clothing and with each other, intriguingly working both together and at odds. This requires considerable physical control from the dancers, with moments of breathtaking balance and breakout sections as their unison is shattered by skilful improvisation.

Complete silence becomes an engulfing soundscape that steadily grows louder, shaking the theatre with deep rhythms while also stirring in snippets of songs. But the most memorable sound is of feet and bodies thumping against either the floor or the enormous central conference table. There's also a cleaner who mops up various fluids (including a bodily one) before taking to the microphone to sing a few numbers. Of course, he is also bullied into wearing a sexier outfit, returning later with a tiara and glittery makeup. And the loose narrative resolves into a grisly camera-ready tragedy.

The athletic choreography is fascinating, as these men strut and torment each other, revealing vulnerabilities in moments of weakness. Religious imagery emerges in their poses, as do blurry layers of machismo and confused sexuality. Demanding athletic movement includes jumps and falls, floating moments and jaggedly shifting pace, all of which combine with changes in light and sound to create a dreamlike haze. This climaxes in a messy and jostling competition to name the one good man in the bunch, then continues to evolve after the winner is crowned.

Rather grim and overly pointed, the story dissects how young men play games with each other, empowered by financial success but stunted by immaturity. Yes, this is an urgent topic, but some eye-catching ideas lack nuance (an on-stage fire?), and momentum flags in extended stretches of dead time. Still, the mix of brutality and tenderness is dazzling, creating an unusually immersive ambience that's surreal and emotionally intriguing. It certainly highlights a big issue. Whether it provokes thought about it is another question.

For information, SADLER'S WELLS >

photos by Andrea Avezzù • 7.May.26

Critical Week: Reach out and touch me

There have been a flurry of screenings this week, as studios try to make sure critics see their films before the Cannes Film Festival gets underway next week. Two films opening this week were screened a bit late to the press. Billie Eilish's July 2025 Manchester concert has been filmed in 3D in Hit Me Hard and Soft, directed by Eilish herself, working with 3D aficionado James Cameron. The concert footage is stunning, remarkably immersive and intimate; the backstage doc material is rather thin. And then there's the videogame action sequel Mortal Kombat II, this time starring Karl Urban as fan-favourite Johnny Cage. He's hilarious, and helps non-fans get through two hours of dense mythology and astonishing grisliness. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Kokuho • Romeria
PERHAPS AVOID:
Mortal Kombat II
ALL REVIEWS >

Wider audiences will enjoy the straight-to-streaming animated adventure Swapped, a colourful and very nutty body-swap romp with a terrific voice cast led by Michael B Jordan and Juno Temple. Leo Woodall puts his likeable charisma to fine use in Tuner, a mashup of drama, romantic comedy and crime thriller. Costars Dustin Hoffman and Havana Rose Liu help make it thoroughly entertaining. Sam Nivola ably leads the cast of the enjoyable teen road-trip comedy Driver's Ed, with ace support from Kumail Nanjiani and Molly Shannon. And Pedro Almodovar's new drama Bitter Christmas is another gorgeously layered tale about creativity. I also saw three live performances: the fabulous Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo at Sadler's Wells, the immersive dinner theatre Chat Noir at the Lost Estate, and Bullyache's challenging A Good Man Is Hard to Find at Sadler's Wells East.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching Allison Janney in Miss You Love You, Sally Field in Remarkably Bright Creatures, Emilia Jones in Fairyland, Curry Barker's horror thriller Obsession and a live performance of Remachine at Sadler's Wells East.

Dance: Joyful mischief

Dance Consortium presents
Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo
artistic director Tory Dobrin
dancers Vincent Brewer, Harrison Broadbent, Raydel Caceres, Robert Carter, AJ David, Matias Dominguez Escrig, Andrea Fabbri, Peter Gwiazda, Liam Hutt, Antonio Lopez, Jake Speakman, Takaomi Yoshino
lighting Isaac Castillo
costumes Mike Gonzales, Jeffrey Sturdivant
UK & Ireland tour • 30.Apr-24.Jun.26 ★★★★

Based in New York, this world-famous international company returns to London as part of its 50th anniversary UK tour. Frankly, seeing the Trocks is essential for any dance fan, as this all-male company perform big pieces in ways that combine top-notch skill with hilarious pastiche. They continually poke fun at choreography, music and the history of classical ballet, while also showing how seriously they take their craft. And they fill the theatre with a joyously diva-like attitude.

The programme opens with their now-iconic take on Swan Lake Act II, with Tchaikovsky's music and Lev Ivanovich Ivanov's choreography, as the swan Queen Odette (Jake Speakman) and human Prince Siegfried (Andrea Fabbri) attempt to outfox the evil Rothbart (Robert Carter) so they can have a happy ever after. The gloriously evocative dance is performed with witty flourishes, exaggerated poses and riotous asides, including as Odette's annoyance at Siegfried's interloping friend Benno (Antonio Lopez) and Rothbart's Palpatine like power zaps.

After the first interval, the Sadler's Wells shows feature Le Corsaire pas de deux, with music by Riccardo Drigo and choreography after Vakhtang Chabukiani, in which a woman (Peter Gwiazda) is pursued by a pirate (Raydel Caceres). Her movement is graceful, his is more athletic, and this distinction becomes increasingly noticeable as he strikes muscular poses that increasingly put her off. This is followed by Metal Garden, with free flowing choreography by Seán Curran, in which the company expertly uses movement that both celebrates and parodies modern ballet. The silly walks are particularly memorable. This section closes with the Trocks' most memorable piece: The Dying Swan, passionately performed by prima ballerina Olga Supphozova (Carter).

Finally, Paquita features music by Ludwig Minkus and choreography after Marius Petipa, staged on a grand scale with the whole company in motion around a romance between sparky lead ballerina (Takaomi Yoshino) and her rather dopey blond cavalier (Caceres). When he misses a lift, she makes him do pushups for penance. And the dancers around them seem to be trying just a little too hard to get everything just right. So when they get it right, it's dazzling.

While there are sequences in which the entire company is beautifully synchronised, many moments feature footwork that's amusingly askance. Rogue dancers break formation for various reasons, keeping the audience giggling helplessly. This includes at least two proper pratfalls, a couple of grudge-matches, some eyebrow-raising flirtation and lots of showing off. But for each time someone falls over, other scenes take the breath away with sheer physical skill. The spins are especially impressive. The clever thing about this company is the way they project feminine charm with masculine undertones. And their undiluted happiness is infectious.

For information and tour dates, LES BALLETS TROCKADERO >

photos by Christopher Gagliardi, Vito Lorusso,
 José Luis Marrero Medina, Roberto Ricci

Sadler's Wells, 5.May.26

Stage: Art, absinthe and anarchy

Chat Noir!
writer-director Will Kunhardt
with Joe Morrow, Issy Wroe Wright, Alexander Luttley, Coco Belle, Neil Kelso
musicians Alex Ullman, Guy Button, Kieran Carter, Aine McLoughlin, Will Fry
composer Steffan Rees • movement Catriona Giles
sets Thomas Kirk Shannon • costumes Susan Kulkarni
lighting Mike Gunning • sound Luke Swaffield
chef Ashley Clarke
The Lost Estate, West Kensington • 24.Mar-31.Jul.26 ★★★★

For events created by the Lost Estate, the audience arrives in costume ready to be transported back in time for a luxuriant evening of food and entertainment. This time, we venture through a velvet-curtained Parisian rift in time to arrive at Le Chat Noir, a disreputable cabaret club in 1896 Montmartre, dripping in faded Art Nouveau glory. There, proprietor Rodolphe Salis (Joe Morrow) leads us through a decadent experience that tickles literally all of the senses.

The tasty meal is expertly served in Belle Époque style, with a pâté starter and coq au vin main (although it should be noted that the veggie chartreuse option felt oddly unsubstantial), concluding with a tangy tarte au citron. This is accompanied by lashings of drinks options, including champagne, wine, a dazzling array of cocktails and mocktails, plus an absinthe infusion. In between the courses, the show unfolds in three acts that explore how art and insanity so happily mingle together.

Issy Wroe Wright

Opening with Art, Rodolphe introduces each of the seriously talented Chat Noir artists: singer Yvette Guilbert (Issy Wroe Wright), mime Paul LeGrand (Alexander Muttley), burlesque dancer Cléo de Mérode (Coco Belle) and illusionist Joseph Bautier (Neil Kelso). They show off their skills as a group and in evocative solos, accompanied by a superb live five-piece band that dives right into the middle of the action. All of this comes with a witty blast of attitude, as Rodolphe celebrates the delightful pointlessness of art, which of course is what makes it essential.

After the main course, Absinthe takes a big shift away from bawdiness into the swirlingly hallucinatory, as the performers gyrate in eerie lighting, using smoke and seductive choreography. This is dreamy and ethereal, with an intriguingly emotive kick. But we're relieved when Anarchy restores the riotous atmosphere. Rodolphe asks us to think less and laugh more, announcing that the company will make up the rest of the show on the spot. So while it is obviously well-rehearsed (thankfully!), there is a thrilling sense of chaos as the ensemble performs various lively solos that coalesce into a raucous run-through of Bizet's Carmen.

Neil Kelso

Quoting Baudelaire, Rodolphe urges the audience to stay drunk on wine, poetry or virtue. Through all of this, the audience joins in on the absurd hilarity, interacting with the performers individually or adding a chorus of meowing cats. The way the Lost Estate builds this experience is exceptional, from technical expertise in the lighting and sound to excellent food and, most of all, first-rate performances. This may be a pricey night out, but it's a great excuse to dress up for an immersive experience that keeps us entertained for three and a half hours before sending us floating out into the night.

Joe Morrow as Rodolphe Salis

Alexander Muttley & Guy Button

Coco Belle

For information, CHAT NOIR >
See also the Lost Estate's THE GREAT CHRISTMAS FEAST >

photos by Nick Ray, H Leatherby • 2.May.26

Stage: We own this city

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui
by Bertolt Brecht
translated by Stephen Sharkey
director Seán Linnen
with Mark Gatiss, Mawaan Rizwan, LJ Parkinson, Kadiff Kirwan, Christopher Godwin, Joe Alessi, Janie Dee, Amanda Wilkin, Cameron Johnson, Mahesh Parmar,  Rebekah Hinds, Santino Smith, Amanda Wilkin, Valerie Antwi, Mark Hammersley, Samuel Nunes de Souza
music Placebo • sound Johnny Edwards
sets & costumes Georgia Lowe
lighting Robbie Butler • movement Jennifer Jackson
RSC Swan, Stratford-upon-Avon • 11.Apr-30.May.26 ★★★★★

Written by Bertolt Brecht in 1941 but first staged in 1958, after his death, The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui is a bone-chilling parody that uses Chicago gangsters to explore how the Nazi party came to power in early 1930s Germany. Working from a razor-sharp new translation by Stephen Sharkey, this staging at the Royal Shakespeare Company's Swan Theatre reveals the relevance of Brecht's words using inventive staging, a fearless cast and Placebo's electrifying music. This shattering production wraps around us until we can't breathe, then delivers a killer punch.

Presented as a circus-like "gangster spectacle", the play becomes a carnival in which the audience is complicit in the shenanigans. Director Seán Linnen sets this out like a big top show in the round, augmented by Georgia Lowe's inventively shifting sets and jaunty period costumes. Music, lights and fierce choreography punctuate the story. And throughout the script, Brecht steps aside to list direct parallels with events tracing Hitler's consolidation of control. Of course, more present-day echoes are never far from our thoughts. "The city's sick. You need me," Arturo appeals to the working class. "And don't worry, I'll look out for you." Demanding loyalty and flattery, his methods are murder, extortion and embezzlement, all of which accelerate into a wildly rambunctious courtroom farce.

LJ Parkinson

It's fascinating to watch Arturo (Mark Gatiss) first appear as a gaunt, oily loser surrounded by people even more sketchy than himself. They strong-arm their way into the underworld, taking on Chicago's cauliflower mob at their own game, spreading lies to create confusion and mistrust before sweeping into power. Then Arturo turns his attention to neighbouring town Cicero, even while betraying his most loyal allies. As he grows in influence, his appearance becomes more refined. He works with a hammy Shakespearean actor (Christopher Godwin) to build a more masterful public persona. And his eyes become increasingly hollowed until he emerges triumphantly in blood-red military garb. Gatiss vanishes into the role, so watching Arturo's transformation from a scrappy chancer into a mesmerising rabble-rouser is riveting. His smiling villainy is often heart-stoppingly bleak, only broken in the short, sharp jab of an epilogue in which he addresses the audience out of character, leaving us shaking in our seats. 

The surrounding ensemble is packed with scene-stealers. Stand-outs are the three goons that circle around Arturo: Mahesh Parmar (stepping up as understudy for the absent Mawaan Rizwan) sets the show's cheeky, hyperactive tone as Giri, an unpredictable yes-man who collects souvenirs from his hits (echoing Göring). LJ Parkinson has an astonishingly magnetic physicality as Givola, whose colourful front as a florist conceals cruelty (see Goebbels). And Kadiff Kirwan finds surprising textures as the beefy enforcer Roma (aka Röhm). The others play multiple roles that bristle with power, rage and wrenching vulnerability.

Kirwan

While there are contemporary references scattered throughout this production (including a riotous Monty Python flourish), a more obvious connection is to Charlie Chaplin's 1940 masterpiece The Great Dictator, another Nazi pastiche with a heart-stopping sting in its tale. There's also a freak-out moment that owes a debt to Dickens. And while other recent productions have nodded more directly at current political figures (ahem!), this show minimises those for a more universal, evocative kick. This is a tale about the dangers of populist politicians who deliberately blur the truth to manipulate and control the masses. It's not actually about a specific villain; it's about human nature.

For information, ROYAL SHAKESPEARE COMPANY >

photos by Marc Brenner • 29.Apr.26

Critical Week: Hang in there

I've taken it a bit easier this week, film-wise, only watching three movies. Charlize Theron faces off against a villainous Taron Egerton in Apex, a properly ripping guilty-pleasure wilderness survival thriller that Netflix really should have released in cinemas. And then there were two films starring Anne Hathaway: she reteams with Meryl Streep, Emily Blunt and Stanley Tucci in the 20-years-later sequel The Devil Wears Prada 2, which is entertaining even if it's let down by an inconsistent script. And she also stars alongside Michaela Coel in David Lowery's offbeat two-hander Mother Mary, which looks and sounds amazing but kind of loses us with an overly blurred narrative. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Last One for the Road
Departures • Wild Foxes
ALL REVIEWS >

I also ventured out of London for the first time this year, taking the train a few hours north to Stratford-upon-Avon for a live performance of Brecht's The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui at the RSC's Swan Theatre, starring Mark Gatiss. Set in 1930s gangland Chicago, it's a shattering parody of Hitler's rise to power, staged and performed in a way that feels unusually engulfing.

Coming up this next week, I'll be watching the animated adventure Swapped, Leo Woodall in Tuner, Karl Urban in the sequel Mortal Kombat II, the British drama Ish, the Billie Eilish concert doc Hit Me Hard and Soft and two live performances: Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo at Sadler's Wells and Bullyache's A Good Man is Hard to Find at Sadler's Wells East.