Sunday, July 14, 2019

Kasterborous In Bolton

Review





Written by Jonathan Hall

Directed by Liz Hume-Dawson



The King's Arms, Salford 11th July 2019



Review by Brian Gorman




You don't necessarily need to be a huge Dr Who fan to enjoy this comedy-drama, but boy does it help! The attention to detail is remarkable, extending to carefully mocked-up VHS cassette covers and fake stage show flyers placed on the audience seats. Jonathan Hall's bittersweet tale of a typical 1990s Dr Who convention is a fun ride, with more than a few surprisingly shocking moments.

Dean Taylor is fantastic as the burned-out, desperate, booze and drug addled writer, treated as a god by adoring fans, but gradually revealing a cynical and predatory nature. Hardcore Dr Who fans will recognise who this character is probably based on (I can think of a couple), and be aware of certain grubby incidents and behaviours witnessed behind Travelodge doors over the years. Lee Petcher hits all the right notes as the overworked convention organiser, keen to supply his star guests with their every need whilst keeping the packed schedule on track, despite (in the context of the story) the late cancellation of 'star attraction' Bonnie Langford (who played the much maligned assistant, Melanie Bush, to Colin Baker's and Sylvester McCoy's Doctors in the 1980s).

Lesley Molony is pitch perfect as ex-assistant Jenny Carpenter, still much aggrieved by her character's complete lack of development (a common complaint from many a Who actress over the years!). Jenny is soon to star in a profit-share production of MacBeth, and is keen to demonstrate her thespian credentials to an audience who only really want her to perform her popular lung-busting scream, and join in with a competition to see how many different ways one can say "What IS it, Doctor?" 

Lee Petcher, Luke Perczyk, Liz Hume-Dawson, Lesley Molony, and Dean Taylor

Luke Perczyk is hilarious and affecting as obsessive fan Alan; a young man with a severe lack of social skills, but whose heart is in the right place. Director Liz Hume-Dawson gets the balance between drama and comedy just right, allowing for the belly laughs and the more cringeworthy scenes to sit comfortably together. It would have been very easy to go for all-out farce (Dr Who fans have always been an easy target), or even to explore the opposite end of the spectrum with a serious psychological examination of the perils of fanatical behaviour, and the spiritually demeaning work many a fallen star has to undertake. Thankfully, director Hume-Dawson manages to keep things firmly grounded, and produces a show that entertains without pretension.

Incidentally, after watching the play, I went for a drink in a late Manchester bar, and bumped into Salford-born actor Christopher Eccleston (who played The Doctor back in 2005). He asked me what I'd been to see that night!

Kasterborous In Bolton is a real treat, with an appeal far beyond its target audience.



Monday, July 01, 2019

BOND IS BACK!

'ONE MAN BOND' returns on Friday 5th July, at 1.30pm. Rhyl Little Theatre!

Photo by Shay Rowan


For the millions of fans awaiting Daniel Craig’s latest James Bond extravaganza, here’s something to whet the appetite until agent 007 returns to the big screen.

Following a successful nationwide tour last year, writer/performer Brian Gorman returns to the stage in ‘One Man Bond: Every Bond Film In 60 Minutes’,with an award-winning performance covering over half a century of the most successful movie franchise in history. After appearing at the 2018 Greater Manchester Fringe Festival, Brian won The Salford Star Award for ‘Best Performer’, and has been invited to perform at The Rhyl Comedy Festival on Friday 5th July at 1.30pm.

The show was recently staged at the world famous Pinewood Studios (home of the Bond movies), and the 2018 Starburst Media City Festival in Salford.

Photo by Shay Rowan

‘One Man Bond’ is written by, and stars, Brian Gorman as over 150 characters, including every James Bond from Sean Connery to Daniel Craig, plus M, Moneypenny, Q, and the infamous villains Dr No, Goldfinger, Blofeld, Mr Big, Scaramanga, Jaws, and Raul Silva. It is a whirlwind tour of every cinematic adventure of the world’s favourite secret agent, and his often outlandish missions to save the world time and time again.



This unique production features a single actor, without elaborate props, costumes, or special effects, and takes the audience from the groovy, psychedelic sixties of the super smooth Sean Connery, through to the modern day bone-crunching, and ultra realistic, Daniel Craig. The show lasts approximately 60 minutes (plus an interval).

Brian’s recent work has included writing and co-producing the highly-acclaimed ‘NEW DAWN FADES: A Play About Joy Division & Manchester’,which has toured nationally for the last 6 years, and played to capacity audiences and standing ovations. The show will begin a new tour, later this year, opening at Manchester’s Dancehouse Theatre on 12th September.

Photo by Shay Rowan

Brian was born in Wigan, and studied for a degree in English and Art at Chester College in the 1990s; he then worked at the Chester Gateway Theatre for 12 years, and appeared on stage in a variety of productions including the hugely popular ‘Bouncers’. He is also a writer/artist of graphic novels, his latest being ‘NEW DAWN FADES: A Graphic Novel About Joy Division & Manchester’, which has been both highly popular (now on its third print run) and critically acclaimed. Other books include ‘EVERYMAN: A Celebration of Patrick McGoohan & The Prisoner’, which is based on his one man stage play.

Reviews for ‘One Man Bond’:

“An acting tour de force – brilliantly capturing the essence of each Bond actor and the non-PC absurdities of the Bond series. It’s a show that definitely keeps the British end up!”

– Robert Sellers (Author of ‘The Battle For Bond’)

“ …in an electrifying way, Brian Gorman takes to the stage with real animation, not just imitating but in a way embodying every Bond character he takes on. Hilarious. From the Biff!, Biff!, Wallop! of the fight scenes through the clever characterisations and voices to the inevitable Boom!, Boom! explosions that ripped through the end of virtually every scene.“

– Louder Than War

“…What’s important in a show like this is for all the characters to be distinct and recognisable; thankfully, Gorman is a skilled impressionist, getting the vocal tics of every Bond spot-on and even making us chuckle with his perfect capturing of Roger Moore’s distinctive stance. His Christopher Walken is a treat. This is one fan’s loving and hilarious tribute to the history of Bond movies”

– Starburst Magazine

“Brian performed to an audience of hardcore 007 fans at Pinewood Studios, and they were totally enthralled. Thoroughly recommended show.”

– Bondstars.com

“Nobody does it better than Brian Gorman in ‘One Man Bond’. Unmissable”

– The Shanklin Hotel, Blackpool

Tickets are at a special low price of just £5 for this event.


https://brhylliant.wordpress.com/brian-gorman/