C Company

The Stage review of ‘A Midsummer Night’s Dream’

The Stage

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Published Monday 12 July 2010 at 16:39 by Derek Smith

Choosing between spending a lunch hour sitting on a bench trying to stop pigeons pecking at your panini or inside a small, historic venue watching energetic, enthused fringe theatre seems a pretty easy decision. As it proved here, for a varied, 40-strong audience, made up of local office workers, tourists and others of all ages.

 
Nick Danan (Puck) and Luke Kempy (Oberon) in A Midsummer Night’s Dream at The Bridewell Theatre
The choice by C Company of putting on Shakespeare’s enduring and always endearing love fantasy is a wise one too. Given the current economic gloom, Chekhov would be unlikely to get office workers skipping back to their desks, and given the performance has to be squeezed into just 45 minutes, there’s certainly no time to hang around waiting for Godot. Every Midsummer Night’s Dream needs an alluring Puck, and in Nick Danan, the production has exactly that – he’s confident on stage, yet with essential touches of eccentricity. Luke Kemp, as Oberon, looks supremely confident for an actor only just out of drama school (Arts Ed).

More than anything, it’s an impressive ensemble effort, one that injects plenty of humour and only occasionally loses its impetus. As for the other key role of Bottom, Paul Harnett simply revels in it. Of course, liberties are taken, but that’s part of the charm of watching a classic work creatively condensed by a talented young cast into not much more time than it takes for your cappuccino to cool down.

The Stage review of ‘Cymbeline’

Published Friday 4 June 2010 at 12:24 by Lauren Paxman

For most Londoners, a decent lunch break is one where the rain stops for long enough to pop out and grab a sandwich. A great one is when the sun stays out long enough to sit in the park.

So C Company is always going to be competing with the latest weather front for “lunchbox” audiences. But thanks to the utterly charming Helen Heaslip, it’s a battle the company deserves to win.

Heaslip and, to a lesser extent, her three strong fellow actors skip, endearingly through this 45 minute, nine character version of Shakespeare’s play about a princess called Imogen (an entrancing Sophie Rickman) who disappoints her father by marrying beneath her.

There are some lovely touches. The use of bunting and songs to change scenes is delightful. And while the exaggerated acting might sometimes stray too far into hamming territory, the actors show considerable range with imaginative and surprising characterisation.

The bedtime story theme, meanwhile, perfectly suits the desperation to rush through a story before lights out – although might not be conducive to a productive afternoon’s work.

Those who aren’t acquainted with the tragicomedy would do well to swot up beforehand. But by the time you reach the happily ever after, you’ll be glad you forewent the sunshine.

Cymbeline directed by Susan Bracken

4 actors

9 roles

A dressing up box of costumes and props

The words will always be the same, but nothing else will.

Delving into Shakespeare’s bizarre fairytale, armed with a sense of adventure and spontaneity, C Company brings a host of heroes and villains to life. With no pre-planned choices, simply a willingness to discover in the moment, together with the audience, the true art of storytelling.

Box Office

Chekhov comedies,  The Bear and the Proposal for TWO NIGHTS ONLY at the Kings Head, Islington

Sunday May 9th and 16th @ 7.30pm. Play trailer below…

Starring: Susan Bracken, Brenden Lovett, Sophie Rickman, Nick Danan, John Bateman,

Tickets £8   Box Office: 0844 209 0326

Address: 115 Upper St , Islington N11QN

ONLINE BOOKING : www.kingsheadtheatre.org

Twelfth Night click for video trailer

Shakespeare meets Hollywood’s Golden Age as one of Shakespeare’s great comedies becomes a grand 1930’s musical. “If Music be the Food of Love, Play on”. With such musical gems as “Cheek to Cheek”, “Let’s Face the Music and Dance” and “They Can’t Take That Away From Me”, we are doing just that.

Cast: Aileen Gonsalves, Susan Bracken, Jennifer Monaco, Nick Danan, Brendan Lovett, Jack Lewis, Ian Mairs and Edward Hulme. Co-directed by Aileen Gonsalves and Susan Bracken.

Venue: Bridewell Theatre

Address: Bride Lane, London EC4Y 8EQ

Dates: 23rd Feb – 19th Mar

Times: 1pm Tues – Fri (running time 45 minutes)

Tickets: £5 (in advance) £6 (on door)

Online booking at the Bridewell Theatre or call 0207 353 3331