Stage: Warrior queens

Frankie Goes to Bollywood
director & book Pravesh Kumar
music Niraj Chag • lyrics Tasha Taylor Johnson
costumes Andy Kumar • sets Rebecca Brower
with Laila Zaidi, Helen K Wint, Navin Kundra, Katie Stasi, Gigi Zahir, Geet Sagar, Qoobi Robinson, Nikita Johal, Dhruv Ravi, Anna Maria Barber, Tamara Verhoven Clyde, Hari Chandresh, Kuldeep Goswami, Tash Bacarese-Hamilton, Catherine Puri, A'isha Verhulst
Queen Elizabeth Hall, London • 31.Jul-18.Aug.24 ★★★★

Making the very most of richly hued lighting and lavish costumes, this lively musical tells a terrific story about a bright young woman who gets caught up in movie stardom. This may sound familiar, but the plot is actually a celebration of integrity and inner strength, complete with an energetic cast, witty dialog and gorgeous design elements. And while it remains celebratory and bouncy, the show also takes on darker aspects of the Bollywood film industry, from the way productions have been run like mob families to the prejudicial treatment of women.

The story opens in England as young Milton Keynes cinema employee Frankie (Laila Zaidi) imagines her late mother as a star of the epic Indian musicals she can't stop watching over and over again. This makes her feel closer to her mum and her ethnic heritage, but she has no desire to perform herself. Her best pal Goldy (Katie Stasi), on the other hand, is yearning for a chance to sing and act. So it's a bit tense when Frankie inadvertently lands the Bollywood role Goldy was auditioning for. And now Franking heads off to Mumbai, meeting her implausibly young-looking costar, the veteran actor Raju (Geet Sagar). But filmmaker Prem (Kundra) finds his ambitious script watered down by the "family" that controls the industry. And Frankie has little choice as she's propelled into mega-stardom.

All of this is frequently punctuated with lavish musical numbers that are choreographed in fine Bollywood style, with some sparkly new flourishes. Then in the show's second half, more serious issues emerge as Frankie begins to push back against the restrictive contract she signed. The question is whether she can recapture her bond with Goldy. And will she end up tossed aside like Raju's previous superstar partner Malika (Wint)? This raises larger issues around men who hang on to power, refusing to allow women to make their own decisions. So Frankie's inner drive fuels a lively revolution.

The cavernous Queen Elizabeth Hall kind of swallows this show, especially when viewed from seats high up in the back, where nuanced performances (or the song lyrics) are difficult to catch. The staging is relatively simple, with a single versatile set standing in for various locations, augmented by lots of coloured lights and a steady stream of glorious costumes (tricks with vast expanses of fabric are stunning). The emphasis is on the talented ensemble of dancers, who shape the scenes beautifully and play a range of superb supporting roles, including swaggering social media star Timmy (Robinson) and Frankie's eager assistant Mandy (Johal), who really wants to write scripts centred around powerful females. 

Enjoyably, the story's romantic elements surge and twist in original directions, while the main plot heads elsewhere. Each scene is livened up by a sharp sense of humour, often thanks to fabulous scene-stealer Gigi Zahir as the film crew's wonderfully snappy choreographer Shona. So even if the underlying themes are seriously pointed, giving the show a kick of urgency, the show remains joyful. With its cleverly British perspective, this is an open-handed expression of love for Bollywood movies, what they've meant in the past and how much more they can be in a hopeful future.

For info, RIFCO THEATRE >

photos by Rich Lakos • 2.Aug.24

Critical Week: Up to no good

With the distraction of the Paris Olympics on television, and the fact that they're so close we can almost touch them from London, it's easy to lose sight of the movies screening in nice, cool cinemas. But there's a steady stream of releases, and I'm trying to keep up for the moment while anticipating a drastic change in my daily routine over the next few months. The biggest filmI saw this week was The Instigators, a reunion for Matt Damon with both Casey Affleck and director Doug Liman. It's an enjoyably scrappy action comedy with sharp character touches. The cheeky animated adventure Ozi: Voice of the Forest has a starry voice cast that includes Laura Dern, Amandla Stenberg, Djimon Hounsou and the late Donald Sutherland. This helps make up for a sometimes awkward, preachy script. 

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Kensuke's Kingdom
A Story of Bones • Kneecap
ALL REVIEWS >

Abbie Cornish elevates the low-budget psychological thriller Detained, which is twisty but undercooked. Robin Campillo's 1970s Madagascar coming-of-age drama Red Island is gorgeous to look at, and powerfully involving as it tackles personal and political issues. The British drama Sebastian is an intimate, moving profile of a writer who becomes an escort for research, then has to rediscover himself. The Chinese noir-style thriller Only the River Flows weaves wit and visual style into a darkly resonant odyssey. And the Saint Helena doc A Story of Bones packs a powerfully resonant kick in its exploration of the importance of remembering difficult history. I also saw Jamie Allan's stage magic show Amaze, and published a roundup of TV reviews for the summer, including The Bear, Shogun, The Boys, The Acolyte, Fallout, The Curse and more.

This coming week I'll be watching Cate Blanchett and Jamie Lee Curtis in Borderlands, Eugenio Derbez in Radical and a whole bunch of films that will be showing at London's FrightFest later in the month. I'm also heading up to Edinburgh for a week to cover the Fringe theatre festival, which I'll be covering here.

Stage: Embracing childlike wonder

Jamie Allan’s
Amaze
created by Jamie Allan, Tommy Bond
director Jonathan Goodwin • music Tommy Bond
Marylebone Theatre, London • 25.Jul-24.Aug.24 ★★★★

Refreshingly old-school, Jamie Allan's magic may not feel particularly new, but he performs a series of mind-boggling tricks with a wonderful personal touch that continually catches us by surprise. Structuring the show as a memoir about his childhood, Allan pulls us in from the start, then proceeds to perform a series of illusions that seem frankly impossible. Even if we've seen them before, Allan's intimate style and earthy approach make each of them, yes, amazing.

Whether he's performing astonishing sleight-of-hand or whizzy card tricks, Allan maintains a disarming demeanour that's thoroughly charming. And he has a special connection to those of us in the audience who dabbled with toy magic sets as youngsters, enjoying the reactions we elicited from our friends and family members who weren't in on the secrets. He has a lot of fun with 1980s references throughout the show, including video clips, songs and movie references. And he also cleverly uses key toys like a Rubik's Cube and Fisher-Price's Magic Show to create new illusions.

Assisted by stage manager Natalia Love, who carries a camera that allows the audience to see everything up-close, Allan joyfully dives into the nostalgia of his act, including the old books he read for inspiration as a child, such as Reginald Scott's 1584 debunking exposé Discovery of Witchcraft, the first book about the trickery of magical illusions. Allan's central idea is that we all have moments that linger and people who provide pivotal elements in our lives. So he recounts engaging stories about his parents, mentors and others who have inspired him.

Even if some of these tricks feel almost startlingly simple, such as restoring a torn-up newspaper or a broken length of glowing thread, they are performed with such a terrific sense of childlike wonder that we can't help but feel the same way as when we first saw them performed. And we still have no idea how he does it. It's particularly entertaining to see all of this in such an intimate venue, including his trademark iPad illusion, which has a beautiful lyricism to it. Then there's his climactic card trick, which has been passed down between magicians for centuries. As a demonstration of sheer skill, it's jaw-dropping.

For details, AMAZE MAGIC >

photos by Clare Nordbruch • 31.Jul.24

Screen: August TV Roundup

This is TV awards season, so I've had more series than usual to keep up with, trying to make a fair assessment on my ballot for the Dorian Awards (Golden Globes TV voting will be in November). But it's a lot, especially as so many shows have unnecessarily long episodes. But there have been some very good shows lately - I'll start with my favourites of the last couple of months...

The Bear: series 3
Bold and riveting, this intense drama continues to be classified as a comedy, perhaps due to its snappy characters. These are often outrageously messy people who struggle to communicate as they work together to run a fine-dining restaurant in Chicago. Jeremy Allen White, Ayo Edebiri and Ebon Moss-Bacharach are as bracing as always, surrounded by an ace ensemble. It's a rare show that continually catches us off guard with surprising details. Episode 6, directed by Edebiri and starring Liza Colon-Zayas, might be one of my favourite half-hours of TV ever. (Hulu)

One Day
Leo Woodall and Ambika Mod are excellent in this complex adaptation of the beloved novel, with each episode set on the same day in the following year. Their characters Dexter and Emma are an oddball couple, but they have a strong connection that creates a vivid friendship. The highs are light and funny, and the lows are powerfully emotional, sometimes downright devastating. Yes, there are quite a few tear-inducing moments, largely because the writing, acting and direction are so astute. It's a properly involving show with strong underlying resonance. (Netflix)

Shōgun
Lavishly produced on an epic scale, this is a beautiful adaptation of James Clavell's novel about an Englishman in 1600 Japan. The storytelling may sometimes feel dense, but it is packed with riveting details about the inner workings of the culture. Cosmo Jarvis is excellent in the focal role, holding his own opposite magnetic stars like Hiroyuki Sanada, Tadanobu Asano and Anna Sawai. The quality of the sets, costumes and historical detail is astounding, and the story is utterly riveting as it builds to a series of astonishingly grotesque battle sequences. This is exceptional television. (Hulu)

The Sympathizer
With director Park Chan-wook's visual flair, this story has both a large scale of geography and history and quirk-filled characters who are massively entertaining to watch. Hoa Xuande is terrific in the lead role as the Captain, a communist spy during the Vietnam War who is hiding as a refugee in California. His reality is incredibly nuanced, from his on-off girlfriend Sofia (a fantastic Sandra Oh) to the various Americans (all played by a scene-stealing Robert Downey Jr) wh keep an eye on him. When he ends up on a film set shooting a Vietnam War movie, the film's expert meta-storytelling really soars. (Max) 

Sugar
With sleek and stylish direction from Fernando Meirelles, this centres around a strikingly cinematic performance from Colin Farrell in the title role as a private eye looking for a missing heiress. The snaky and splintered storytelling weaves in classic movies that flicker through Sugar's mind. So while the case itself is the usual twisty, nasty messiness, there are surprising character layers. And several set-pieces are thrillingly well staged and played, even if it's sometimes over-heightened. First-rate support from Amy Ryan, Nate Corddry, Alex Hernandez and others. Earns extra points for short episodes. (Apple) 

C R O W D  -  P L E A S E R S

The Boys: series 4
Continuing the outrageousness, this show doubles down on its razor-sharp political satire, as the vicious patriots leave a trail of destruction behind them but have never been more beloved by the public, whom they manipulate with the media. Meanwhile, the scrappy "boys" trying to take them down struggle to stay together while facing mind-boggling setbacks. Stakes get steadily higher as the action unfolds, adding strong subtext to lively characters played by Karl Urban, Jack Quaid, Erin Moriarty and especially Anthony Starr, even more unapologetic this season as the absolutely vile Homelander. (Prime)

The Acolyte
Breaking free from the main Star Wars narrative, this prequel is set a century before The Phantom Menace, a fascinating female-based story from the Jedi heyday. It's an intriguing premise, but characters are written so specifically that there's little room for actors to add personal tweaks, so it feels a bit concocted. It's entertaining thanks to lead actors Amandla Stenberg and Lee Jung-jae, while Dafne Keen and especially Manny Jacinto stand out in complex roles. But the structure feels indulgent, especially with extended repetitive flashbacks that overstate plot points and mythology. (Disney)

Fallout
Based on a videogame, this action fantasy is packed with outrageous effects and nutty details. Set in an alternate reality two centuries after nukes destroyed a wacky 1960s-style America, the show follows three figures across a desert that used to be Los Angeles: a plucky but naive young woman (Ella Purnell) who grew up in an underground bunker, a nervous young soldier (Aaron Moten) who works for a warmonger and a vicious 200-year-old mutant cowboy (Walton Goggins) with shadowy motivations. There's enough going on here to keep pretty much everyone entertained. (Prime)

Interview With the Vampire: series 1-2
Gothic and almost painfully theatrical, this show is both overwrought and camp, merrily indulging in ghastly violence while shying away from the sexuality that oozes through the characters. This is the epic tale of three vampires, starting in early 20th century New Orleans as the snaky Lestat (Sam Reid) creates companion Louis (Jacob Anderson) and then teen Claudia (Bailey Bass/Delainey Hayles). And it shifts up a gear in the second season set in 1950s Paris. The push and pull between these three makes this compelling viewing, even with so much absurd melodrama. (AMC)

My Lady Jane
Playfully revising history, this fizzy comedy tells the story of Jane Grey, Britain's queen for only nine days before Bloody Mary deposed (and beheaded) her. In this fantasy version, conflicts emerge due do opposing opinions about people who can transform into animals. King Edward (Jordan Peters) seemingly dies, Jane (Emily Bader) is crowned, and Mary (Kate O'Flynn) plots against her with her advisor/sex slave Seymour (Dominic Cooper). Anna Chancellor steals the show as Jane's manipulative mother, and the romantic plotlines are engaging. But it's very silly, and is set up for more. (Prime)

That 90s Show: series 2a
As goofy and genuinely hilarious as ever, this next-generation show continues to maintain its high energy levels even as it observes a group of teens just sitting around and coming up with ways they can get into trouble. And grandparents Kitty and Red (Debra Jo Rupp and Kurtwood Smith) are still moaning about their own issues. But all of this is very funny indeed, refreshingly willing to take on some edgier ideas about sex and drugs without needing to get deliberately rude. It's a thoroughly enjoyable mix of witty dialog and rousing nostalgia. (Netflix) 

Single, Out: series 2
From Australia, this snappy show continues the escapades of Adam (Will Hutchins) as he navigates his new life as an out gay man in Melbourne, including his relationships with boyfriend Gabe (Jake Hyde) and various friends and family members. Adam is a likeable guy whose highs and lows are easy to identify with. And everyone around him is hilariously ridiculous, with their own antics at work and a variety of inter-connections. The show's still loose and breezy, but it's also a lot sexier this season, playing energetically with the lustiness these young people are learning to express. (Cinephobia)

S T A R   P O W E R

The Curse
This story about a couple (Emma Stone and Nathan Fielder) trying to change their community for the better is squirm-inducing, because it challenges viewers about what's correct. Transgressions come in all sizes, from throwaway comments to deliberate deception, as this duo creates eco-homes and jobs for the unemployed while making a reality show with a producer (Benny Safdie) whose morals are rather slippery. The many observations are fascinating, although the episodes are too long, which makes them feel indulgent. Still, the sheer originality and daring make this worth a look. (Showtime)

The Regime
This is a camp, bonkers satire about political manoeuvring in a fictional middle-European nation. Kate Winslet is fabulous as the self-centred leader, with ace support from Mathias Schoenaerts and Andrea Riseborough (plus a fabulous Hugh Grant). At its core, this is a pointed depiction of how people who think they're smart can be so easily manipulated. It's rather absurd that Winslet's Elena maintains power when literally everyone is against her. But the coup episodes are genuinely heart-stopping. And the show says clever things about political wrangling and the reach of history. (Max)

Expats
Thoughtful and intriguing, this swirling series spins between three intertwined foreigners in Hong Kong after a young child goes missing. Nicole Kidman leads a fine cast, bringing understated steeliness to the frazzled mother, although like all of the characters she becomes difficult to sympathise with. Only a few people on-screen are remotely kind. It's impressive that the writers properly go for it, revealing dark insecurities and entitlement of wealthy migrants as well as the vulnerabilities of less well-off people caught in their orbits. But the show feels drawn-out and somewhat indulgent. (Prime)

Fantasmas
Julio Torres' boundless imagination is on full display in this fanciful show in which he plays a goofy variation on himself in fantastical settings that are packed with wildly inventive supporting characters. A steady stream of great cameos includes producer Emma Stone, Tilda Swinton, Bowen Yang, Paul Dano, Steve Buscemi and Dylan O'Brien. The way Torres tells stories is endearing, funny and constantly surprising. So while the central plot about a missing earring is a bit absurd, the hand-made approach to sumptuous visual effects makes this well worth watching. (Max)

GUILTY PLEASURES: Drag Race All Stars (9), The Boyfriend, Don't Hate the Player.

NOW WATCHING: Time Bandits, Lady in the Lake, Decameron, Snowpiercer (4), Sausage Party: Foodtopia.

COMING SOON: Only Murders in the Building (4), Heartstopper (3), The Umbrella Academy (4), Kaos, Agatha All Along.

Previous roundup: JUNE 2024 >

Critical Week: Look over there

While critics have had plenty to watch, the cinemas still feel oddly quiet this summer, with fewer big releases than usual due to last year's strikes. And longer-gestating blockbusters are also still caught in the fallout from the pandemic. But there were two studio films screened this week. Zachary Levi stars in the lively kids' movie Harold and the Purple Crayon, which is colourful, funny and very silly. Also pretty silly, Deadpool & Wolverine teams up Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman for more fast-talking, hyper-violent, highly referential meta-jokiness. It's a lot of fun, but a bit uneven.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
The Echo • Didi
Mothers' Instinct
Deadpool & Wolverine
ALL REVIEWS >

Further afield was the offbeat comedy Between the Temples, starring Jason Schwartzman and Carol Kane in a quirky crisis of the Jewish faith. Christianity features heavily in Mysterious Ways, a moving and intimate Kiwi drama about a vicar and his rugby coach boyfriend. The bracingly authentic Swedish drama Paradise Is Burning focusses on three sisters trying to survive on their own. Gorgeously shot and edited, the Mexican doc The Echo is so beautifully assembled that it feels like a narrative drama about agrarian life in a small village. And the powerful, urgently important narrative doc No Other Land follows two journalists, Palestinian and Israeli, as they cover the harrowing destruction of homes and lives in the occupied West Bank.

This coming week I'll be watching animated adventure Oz: Voice of the Forest, psychological thriller Detained, French coming-of-age drama Red Island, Finnish drama Sebastian, Chinese mystery thriller Only the River Flows and the Saint Helena doc A Story of Bones. I also have stage shows Amaze and Frankie Goes to Bollywood this week.

Critical Week: Grandma's got a gun!

Summertime always brings a slow-down in press screenings, which is a relief after the flurry of London film festivals in June. But there are some great movies out there, plus blockbusters that aren't always quite as great but are good fun to watch on a big screen that's been packed out with cynical critics and gung-ho influencers. The mix of groaning and cheering is a lot of fun. The best I saw this week was the action comedy Thelma, starring June Squibb as a sparky 93-year-old (take that, Joe Biden!) who takes matters in her own hands when she's scammed out of some cash. Fred Hechinger is terrific as her worried grandson. And then there's Twisters, the thinly written almost 30-years-later sequel that's tangentially connected to the rather forgettable 1996 hit. Glen Powell is even more magnetic than the impressive tornadoes, with solid sidekicks Daisy Edgar-Jones and Anthony Ramos.

BEST OUT THIS WEEK:
Crossing • Thelma
Scala!!! • Shayda
ALL REVIEWS >

More arthouse offerings included The Outrun, a kaleidoscopically immersive memoir about addiction starring the always excellent Saoirse Ronan and set in gorgeous Orkney Isles landscapes. Hayley Bennett stars as Widow Cliquot in a lavishly produced but rather stilted biopic about the early 19th century Champagne innovator. And Louise Brealey brings an engaging edge to the offbeat Welsh drama Chuck Chuck Baby, which is wonderfully infused with pop tunes. I also saw two shows live on-stage: National Youth Dance Company's Wall at Sadler's Wells and Jack Tucker's Comedy Standup Hour at Soho Theatre.

Things are still quieter than usual coming week, but I'll be watching Ryan Reynolds and Hugh Jackman in Deadpool & Wolverine, Zachary Levi in Harold and the Purple Crayon, New Zealand drama Mysterious Ways, Swedish drama Paradise Is Burning, Mexican doc The Echo and Palestine doc No Other Land.

Stage: Get to the punchline

Jack Tucker: Comedy Standup Hour
with Zach Zucker, Dylan Woodley
direction & sound Jonny Woolley
Soho Theatre, London • 15-27.Jul.24 ★★★★★

Fans of Stamptown host Jack Tucker will love the chance to see a full hour (or most likely more) of him on his own in this almost panic-strikingly hilarious show. As played by Zach Zucker, Jack is an exploding bundle of nervous energy who struggles against all manner of distractions as he tells random jokes before laboriously arriving at a surreal or even downright stupid punchline. But we may never get to the end of a joke, and he certainly won't finish within his allotted hour. There isn't a moment of this show that doesn't feel like it's spiralling far out of control. It's a work of genius.

While referencing his New York roots, Jack makes riotously timely comments about America's politics, Britain's recent election and England's performance in the Euro 2024 final, plus some wicked Brexit references. But mainly he tries to tell extended standup-style jokes about everyday things like airplanes, smartphones and bees. And he's continually interrupted by his own stream-of-consciousness as well as the ongoing antics of roller-skating opening act Dylan Woodley. On press night, a trumpeter mercilessly stole the show every time he appeared. Jack's interaction with the audience is a barrage of lightning-quick throwaway gags that continually catch us by surprise. And every malapropism is so impeccably targeted that we quickly realise that chaos is clearly the entire point of the show.

Hugely likeable even when playing an idiot like Jack, Zucker is pathologically talented comic who expertly combines his razor-sharp timing with clowning physicality. He interacts with the crashing sounds and shifting lights with gleeful precision. And yet everything feels improvised, as if an under-rehearsed show is being pulled apart at the seams. Obviously, this can't happen by accident, and even when it feels like it has perhaps genuinely gone off the rails, he still manages to be hilarious. While continually checking his notes, the pace of his gags is so fast that it's not possible to keep up, so the laughs pile up like a car crash on a motorway at rush hour. "It's a hurricane up here," Jack shouts. "Or maybe a him-icane!"

As with Stamptown, the stage is a scene of total carnage by the end of the show, while the increasingly disheveled Jack is covered in confetti and sweat (and other things). Most impressive is how Zucker maintains Jack's relentless awkwardness, simulating failure and pandemonium while delivering one expertly aimed zinger after another. And there's a vulnerability even to his obvious lies that makes us want to give him a hug. Not a single thing has gone the way he planned it, and yet the mayhem comes together perfectly. Yet another triumph.

For info, SOHO THEATRE > • STAMPTOWN >

photos by Dylan Woodley & David Monteith-Hodge • 16.Jul.24