THEATRE REVIEW: Forked @ The B-Bar, Barbican Theatre, Plymouth, 15 Jan 09

Forked is a new night of spoken word at The B-Bar, organised by Apples and Snakes, the UK's leading organisation for performance poetry. The very first Forked took place on 15 Jan 09, was hosted by the lovely Mama Tokus and featured performances from three poets, kicking off with Irish poet Aoife Mannix telling us tales of her grandmother, of growing up holidaying in caravans and of that moment when you ask your partner the dreaded question, "Do I look ok in this?" Her lilting accent lent a musicality to her recital and although she clutched copies of each poem throughout, I was impressed with her ability to remember each poem word for word, never stumbling.

The same couldn't be said for the second act, Paul Marshall. London born, Penzance dwelling Paul was much more comical than Aoife, but he definitely struggled to remember the words of some of his own poems, halting a couple of times and thoroughly amusing the audience. As mentioned on the blurb on the flyer, his poems were a confusion of words and images and he lightened the mood.

Forked definitely saved the best till last, as they brought out super feisty London poet Salena "Saliva" Godden. She's been described as Lily Allen's filthy older sister, which is probably a decent description of her. Half Irish and half Jamaican, she announced as she stepped onto the stage, "I've just had some rum, so you're probably going to get the Jamaican half of me..." She launched into a set of poems that would have a lapdancer blushing - all sex and stuff - which for all their naughty content were fantastically written and performed with the greatest of ease. You can see why she's worked with musicians like Coldcut, Alabama 3, Simple Kid, her witty, crafted, punky style could inspire anyone. And I know for sure that a couple of the people I went with woke up with the phrase, "Lick it! Lick it like you want it!" thundering around their heads... Definitely worth the trek down to the Barbican in the rain! And the Thai noodles were fab.

www.applesandsnakes.org

THEATRE REVIEW: Seven Times Me @ The Barbican Theatre, Plymouth

Seven Times Me is, like Kat herself, full of life and bursting with personality. Kat binds together humorous childhood tales with darker stories of domestic abuse and racism. Though the show moves through the various stages of Kat’s life, it centres mainly on her childhood and as she relates the stories of her upbringing with a real energy and warmth affection. I don’t know how many dramatised accounts of a teenage girl learning to use a tampon have been staged, but I doubt any would have the audience break into such laughter as this one.

Even the darker side of Kat’s childhood is told with humour, her impersonation of her stepfather is comical but never missing the obvious fear this man invoked in both her and in her family. When she recounts an incident when she is publicly humiliated by her stepfather and loses a friend as a result, the sense of innocence lost is particularly poignant. The feeling of relief when she conveys the moment her stepfather left are felt by the whole audience. The shows strength comes from Kat’s ability to invoke empathy from her audience and a genuine desire to hear more about her life.

A combination of dance, poetry and narrative seamlessly bind together Kat’s story. Poetry is particularly well used, slipping through the narrative to punctuate the poignant moments of the show. Kat uses her former dance training to full affect, and the bursts of dance are as affectively used as the bursts of poetry. None of the various methods are used indulgently, always in the aid of telling her story and connecting with her audience. The visual affects are at times clumsy but generally used well to create humour during the moments of Kat’s romantic heartbreaks and quiet relief after the powerful re-enactment of her violent treatment at the hands of the police.

This final tale, Kat’s account of police brutality is extremely powerful and well-handled. The build up is intense, the violent and shocking outcome even more so. She lays herself bare to the audience, allowing them to view her vulnerability and raw emotional response to this horrific incident. However dark this story may be, it ends on a note of positivity and hopefulness. Kat refuses to be victim or let herself be consumed by bitterness for the tragedy that has occurred in her life. This message comes across loud and clear in this show.

Filling the stage with charisma and an infectious humour; it’s easy to be immersed in Kat Francois’s world. From the moment she opens the show chanting the names of her brothers and sisters, to the ends dramatic climax the audience journey with Kat, and leave feeling like they’ve made a new friend.

Reviewer: Amy Organ

THEATRE REVIEW: The Factory @ The Barbican Theatre, Plymouth

Visually stunning, with a message convincingly told, The Factory is a mesmerizing show. The Precarious Theatre Company merge a blend of cutting-edge multimedia with physical dance theatre, making a powerful statement about the contemporary culture of consumerism.

Inside The Factory human beings are reduced to an existence as repetitive and perfunctory as the machines they work alongside, producing a continual array of produce for a consumer that never stops to question; why? Who is it that benefits from this never-ending production line of newness?
Further issues raised and explored in this show include the commercialisation of the female body, the pressure to attain perfection and the influence of celebrity culture on our lives.

The shows strength undoubtedly lie in its use of visual stimuli, from the impressive technology that sees a dancer made of both projection and flesh to the use of objects such as cardboard boxes and tape as part of dance sequences. The set is in a permanent state of flux, constantly and fluidly adapting with the performance. The dancers invoke the automated and mechanical in all their performances and the feeling of industrial imprisonment flows continuously throughout the show.

The Factory attempts to fit so much into its show and for all its considerable successes it does not come without its weaknesses. The dialogue felt almost intrusive and had the tendency to slip into preaching and at times both characterisation and narrative felt confusing and unclear; however clarity was always provided in the dance performances themselves. Highlights being the sight of four girls being strung from their ankles like raw meat, in what was a striking commentary on the beauty industry. The sight of humans being reduced to mass produced objects contained in plastic bags was another particularly poignant and memorable sight.

With strong performances and an impressive visual flair, Precarious deliver a show that is both thought-provoking and a pleasure to watch. The Factory is not without it faults but its message against the importance of consumerism on society will undoubtedly linger in the audience minds long after the show has ended.

Reviewer: Amy Organ

DVD REVIEW: BIGGIE SMALLS: Rap Phenomenon

DVD Review
Biggie Smalls: Rap Phenomenon
(Gold Dust)
3/5
The Notorious B.I.G was one of the most talented and innovative rappers to ever bless the microphone. He was funny, articulate, a brilliant lyricist and a skilful MC. ‘Biggie Smalls: Rap Phenomenon’ is not a chronological look at his life story, but it acts as a scrapbook of quotes by some of his friends and collaborators, bound together with raw live footage and B.I.G talking to the camera. There’s no mention of his death and the controversy that surrounded it. Instead, every bit of dialogue discusses Biggie as the performer, with an analytical look into the different aspects of the performer, his style and his image. This DVD is best viewed by those who already love Biggie, largely due to the amateur live footage included here. If you love the man and his music, seeing the genius rapper blowing away crowds who know every word to each record, will send shivers down your spine. The true Biggie fan is not going to give a shit about bad camera work (in which he is filmed from behind, with his head missing in some shots), because it’s rare footage, and let’s face it, you ain’t gonna get a chance to see him live. Sadly there are no contributions from those closest to him, such as Faith Evans, Puff Daddy, Lil’ Cease or Lil’ Kim. It leaves you wanting a more in-depth documentary, but it will do for the time being.
ARASH TORABI