Comments on: Wink The Other Eye http://www.londontheatreblog.co.uk/wink-the-other-eye/ Group authored publication covering theatre and the performing arts in London and beyond Mon, 30 Jan 2012 22:24:30 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.9.2 hourly 1 By: Stephe Harrop http://www.londontheatreblog.co.uk/wink-the-other-eye/#comment-821 Stephe Harrop Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:54:54 +0000 http://www.londontheatreblog.co.uk/?p=414#comment-821 One of the (several) things that frustrated me about this show was its unwillingness to use the music hall space as a music hall space. When performers stood behind the footlights and belted out songs they were visible, audible and often rather commanding. When they started clambering down onto a forestage, wandering around the auditorium and popping up in the gallery, they got lost. As far as "recreation" goes, the show seemed obsessed with explaining, rather than showing, what music hall performance was like. So although some of the most successful songs were delivered in a broadly traditional manner from the stage, they tended to be preceeded and followed by unhelpful bits of explanatory action in various other areas of the space. Essentially, the show didn't seem to trust the material, the space, or the audience enough to risk a real "recreation". Frustrating. One of the (several) things that frustrated me about this show was its unwillingness to use the music hall space as a music hall space. When performers stood behind the footlights and belted out songs they were visible, audible and often rather commanding. When they started clambering down onto a forestage, wandering around the auditorium and popping up in the gallery, they got lost.

As far as “recreation” goes, the show seemed obsessed with explaining, rather than showing, what music hall performance was like. So although some of the most successful songs were delivered in a broadly traditional manner from the stage, they tended to be preceeded and followed by unhelpful bits of explanatory action in various other areas of the space.

Essentially, the show didn’t seem to trust the material, the space, or the audience enough to risk a real “recreation”. Frustrating.

]]> By: TheatreGoer69 http://www.londontheatreblog.co.uk/wink-the-other-eye/#comment-820 TheatreGoer69 Wed, 30 Jul 2008 12:15:54 +0000 http://www.londontheatreblog.co.uk/?p=414#comment-820 This quite the scathing review, and it sounds like there's ample grounds for skepticism. It's a shame as it's a production that looked fascinating on paper. While I've never actually set foot in Wilton's, I've seen numerous photographs and illustrations of its former glory, I'd be interested to know how this production approached the music hall space. Did they attempt any degree of historical recreation, or was it purposely detached from that context? This quite the scathing review, and it sounds like there’s ample grounds for skepticism. It’s a shame as it’s a production that looked fascinating on paper.

While I’ve never actually set foot in Wilton’s, I’ve seen numerous photographs and illustrations of its former glory, I’d be interested to know how this production approached the music hall space.

Did they attempt any degree of historical recreation, or was it purposely detached from that context?

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