Iqbal Khan | Macbeth | Shakespeare’s Globe, London | 23rd June 2016

I recently reviewed Iqbal Khan’s new production of historic tragedy Macbeth at Shakespeare’s Globe. Alongside the evident theatrical solemnity, aesthetic spectacle and sinister atmosphere, I was struck by how reflective of current issues this antiquated play was, even 400 years after its creation. One cannot be certain whether Emma Rice purposefully programmed this play exploring political turbulence on the eve of the EU referendum, however, deliberate or not, the play’s premiere felt like a heralding of an age of socio-political change.

“Many of us seated (and indeed standing) could not have predicted the significance of watching Macbeth in the Globe on the eve of 23 June 2016. Shakespeare’s play exploring political turbulence and a clashing of English and Scottish forces was unnervingly prescient of the Vote Leave victory and the troubles it will create.”

To read the full review please follow this link. 

Emma Rice | A Midsummer Night’s Dream | Shakespeare’s Globe, London | 5th May 2016

Here is a link to a review of The Globe’s current production of A Midsummer Night’s Dream for theatre website A Younger Theatre. I attended the press night on 5th May 2016, and was very excited to be given the opportunity to view my favourite Shakespeare play in Shakespeare’s Globe, the most extraordinary venue I have ever had the pleasure of frequenting.

“It’s wild. It’s wacky. It’s outrageous. It’s a triumph. A Midsummer Night’s Dream is many people’s favourite Shakespearian Comedy, and it can be challenging to confront producing a play of its popularity. However, The Globe tackles the task effortlessly, creating a production that is full of colour, humour and magic, which imparts to the audience a rejuvenating lust for life.”

For the full review, please follow this link.

Alice in Wonderland | The British Library, London

Emily May, 18th January 2016

The Alice in Wonderland Exhibition was a charming way to fill an afternoon. Being free, and being based at the central location of The British Library (a impressive venue despite lacking the grandeur of other London museums) granted it the status of an easy pit stop for Londoners whilst on route to larger scale activities.

The “main event” was preluded by a series of card/wood-board constructions of infamous objects from the much loved story (such as the oversized bottle marked “drink me” pictured above) accompanied by an abbreviated retelling of the adventures in Wonderland, instantly building anticipation for Alice lovers young and old.

The exhibition itself was located behind this ensemble of images and popular quotations, and contained an array of original manuscripts, hand drawn illustrations and alternate editions of the children’s classic. Although impressive, the awe these objects held was more in their history than their actual visual appeal, due to being encased behind glass and restricted to being opened at a preselected page. It was also difficult to enjoy observing such artefacts due to the cramped nature of the display cases, especially when considering the amount of people who attempted to fit into the restricted space. Perhaps The British Library had underestimated the interest the exhibition would generate, which seems ironic due to the fact it was in celebration of the novel’s enduring popularity.

The Cheshire Cat by Joseph McHugh (1967)

One of the most intriguing parts of the exhibition was dedicated to exploring how Alice’s adventures have permeated throughout history and into contemporary culture – being a subject for the work of Surrealist painters- such as Dali – 1960s psychedelic posters, and even current computer games.

Overall, Alice in Wonderland at the British Library was a rewarding experience, particularly when it is considered it was open to the public without cost. The primary result of attending was a renewed fascination with the visionary fairytale, ignited inspiration  to decipher all the cleverly constructed metaphors Caroll created, and realisations of how particular sections of the story are not as surreal as they may appear, and are in fact reflections of the reality of the human soul.

Although the exhibition closed on Sunday, Alice fanatics can still visit the Alice pop-up shop in the British Library until 31st January.

For more information visit: http://www.bl.uk/events/alice-in-wonderland-exhibition

The Grownup | Gillian Flynn

Emily May, 30th December 2015

After reading and becoming engrossed in the psychotic, disturbing world of Gone Girl in the Summer, Flynn’s 2015 The Grownup was cursed with a forebodingly tough act to follow. However, despite it’s highly acclaimed predecessor, Flynn’s recent novella more than delivers every ingredient of a twisted mystery  Gone Girl fans could desire from a new work by the award winning author. 

The opening line states “I didn’t stop giving hand jobs because I was bad at it. I stopped giving hand jobs because I was the best at it”, shockingly introducing the reader to the anonymous narrator/main character – a soft core sex worker-cum- phoney psychic with a penchant for gothic literature.

As the novella develops the reader is drawn into a ghost story (much like those favoured by the protagonist) containing all the staples of a supernatural thriller – a haunted house, a mystery, and predicted double homicide. But, this is Gillian Flynn we’re dealing with… there’s a twist. Multiple twists. Twists that shatter our naive illusions that the sick and perverse are merely present in fantasy, and reveal that these demons are in fact features of human nature and completely plausible realities.

The plot slightly falls short due to its inability to establish enough evident hints/clues leading up to the climactic plot turn, leaving the reader the dissatisfying impression that the “verdict” has appeared out of thin air, without adequate compilation of carefully laid suggested evidence in the previous pages.  One may conclude that this issue is due to the problematic nature of the medium of the short story, and viewing The Grownup with this in mind renders it impossible to compare it to longer, more complex plot lines, such as that of the incomparable Gone Girl. 

However, one thing remains certain. The dark, abnormal mind of Gillian Flynn never fails to fashion degenerate, sadistic realities for her readers to be enthralled… and slightly abhorred by.

The Grownup is the winner of The Edgar Award 2015, and is available online from http://www.amazon.co.uk