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Newsrevue
Verdict: Fine comedy actors
NewsRevue parodies current affairs. It's written by a team of about 30 writers. There are four actors, and a musical director (pianist).
The performers (two men, two women), director and pianist change every 6 weeks. Usually, the material's updated progressively - the present run over Christmas and New Year, is a 'best of 2003' selection recalling some highlights of the year's news. Tonight's audience includes pretty actress Emma Bentley (Newsrevue August 02)
The current team are: Gareth Kane (the tall handsome actor with brown hair), Damian Kell (the equally handsome actor with black hair), Lorna Watson (the gorgeous actress with curly hair), Sarah-Louise Young (the equally gorgeous actress with straight blonde hair). Musical Director / Pianist - Pete Smith (till end Dec 03), James Cleeve (Jan 04). Technical Director - Ross McGivern, Merritt Horton. Director - Thomas Garvey.
This run features the glorious singing voices of Sarah-Louise Young and Lorna Watson, including their blissful duet in Transport For London. And Damian Kell's Prime Minister Blair, Gareth Kane's President Bush of America, and Damian Kell & Gareth Kane's duet as gay clergy in Bishops In The Night.
Sarah-Louise Young brings her fine acting skills (FRA-03 Best Actress) and the experience of a leading singing role in West End musical Money To Burn to this run of Newsrevue. She's an excellent caricature of Posh Spice, Sharon Osbourne, Rt Hon Clare Short MP. Sarah-Louise Young's delightful singing voice weaves a golden thread through the evening.
Gareth Kane steals the night with his fabulous George Formby parody of John Lesley's career When I'm Creaming Bimbos. It's a piece of good writing exactly in Formby's style (of Ulrika, 'She's not a weather girl, she's when'). But it's Gareth Kane's astonishing performance that takes it to a higher plane. He finds an exact mould of George Formby's unique performing style and blends it precisely with John Lesley's character. A remarkable piece of acting from an extremely gifted performer. Gareth Kane has the ability to produce unique characterisations. An experienced sketch (and serious) actor, he's previously evoked American Defence Secretary Donald Rumsfeld. Tonight he presents a fine satire of American President Bush.
Lorna Watson is a fine comic actress who knows exactly how to use her face and posture to raise laughter. She's able to enlarge and contract her eyes in a way that needs no words to convey a hundred emotions. Tonight she parodies a Daily Mail Weather Reader, acts an Al Qaeda Stores Checkout Girl, Kelly Osbourne, among many fine characterisations. Lorna Watson returns in the New Year to the Canal Café Theatre in the improvisation show The Lost Word.
Tracking the change of British Prime Minister Blair from shifty pseudo-idealist to the guilt-ridden slime-ball he's become, is a formidable task. Damian Kell has the measure of this. He's done PM Blair before, playing him in suit and strait-jacket at Newsrevue Edinburgh 03. Now he's able to probe that man's degradation as the real-life character's mask is stripped away. He's Jack Osbourne, a bemused Al Qaeda Stores Shopper, and BBC Journalist. An experienced cabaret artiste as well as actor, Damian Kell's performances show his clear understanding of the minimal brush-strokes needed for deft caricature.
The cast finales with a fine ensemble song-and-dance number parodying America terrorism, More United States (to 'Summer Love'), with Lorna Watson as Cherie Blair QC, Sarah-Louise Young as Mrs Laura Bush, Gareth Kane as President Bush, and Damian Kell as PM Blair.
Gifted pianist Pete Smith underpins the show with his magnificent accompaniment and interludes, including the subtly time-signatured Golden Brown. James Cleeve takes over in January when Pete Smith moves to musical Sweet Charity.
'Best of year' shows inevitably contain thin material, and some of the scripts in this run are either past their best or not of high quality. However, the application of 4 of Newsrevue's best actors, performers of quite outstanding intelligence and ability, brings fine comedy into writing that doesn't always contain it. At times competing with the background exhuberant kitchen pot-crashing, stamping and door-banging of the pub's ebullient pair of chefs, the remarkable cast get big laughs out of an enthusiastic audience.
During this run, President Saddam Hussein was held by American troops taking part in the illegal invasion of his country, and Newsrevue promptly amended its scripts.
It will be interesting to see how Newsrevue handles what some may see in terms of the contradiction of Prime Minister Blair & President Bush escaping the death penalty for war crimes they have this week advocated for the president of Iraq. And the similarly unbroken necks - and liberty - of two others some might consider guilty of mass murder: President Mugabe of Zimbabwe, and Prime Minister Sharon of what those he oppresses would describe as the invaded section of Palestine.
Credits: Performers (alpha order): Gareth Kane, Damian Kell, Lorna Watson, Sarah-Louise Young. Musical Director / Pianist - Pete Smith (till end Dec 03), James Cleeve (Jan 04). Technical Director - Ross McGivern, Merritt Horton. Director - Thomas Garvey. Producer - Emma Taylor.
Credits - Writers: NewsRevue writers this year include (alpha order): Alan Stafford, Alex Constantine, Alex Dower, Alex Silverman, Alex Woodhall, Alun Maxwell, Andi Osho, Andrea Sadler, Andrew Byron, Andrew Camichel, Andy Fleming, Antonina Lewis, Barney Power, Barry Dunstall, Barry Grossman, Ben Pheazey, Ben Wright, Beth Vyse, Carol Kentish, Caroline Adams, Caroline Bainbridge, Chandrika Chevli, Chloe Summerskill, Christopher Bryant, Christopher Hale, Colin Stutt, Damian Kell, Dan Davies, Darren Lee, Director and Cast, Elizabeth Bower, Emma Leon, Frances May, Geoff Aymer, Gunnar Cauthery, Halli Cauthery, Howard Boswell, Jake Wilson, James G Fain, James Harris, James Lamont, James Marson, Jason Oscar, Jason Peck, Jason Smart, Jeff Halls, Jeremy Rommer, John Cowan, John Hodiak, John Random, Jon Kirk, Jonny Hurst, Josie Melia, Julian Caddy, Katy Bartrop, Keith Henderson, Lise Cervi, Liz Bower, Lorna Watson, Marc Blakewill, Marcus Garvey, Martin Baum, Matt Bates, Matt Malone, Mike Tier, Neill Ellis Roy, Nick Murphy, Nicola Willett, Noel Christopher, Odette Abbott, Patrick Bland, Paul Jones, Paul Millard, Philip Lunn, Ron Winkworth, Rupert Keenlyside, Rupert Wainwright, Sara Cogan, Sarah-Louise Young, Sean McSweeney, Simon Carter, Simon Ounsworth, Stephen Bessant, Stuart Piper, Subvertigo, Tanya Tier, Terry Newman, Thomas Garvey, Tom Bodell, Tracy Ingham, Uncredited.
Credits - Company: The Bridge House: Manager - Francesca Fanizzi. Canal Café Theatre: Technical Manager - Ross McGivern, Merritt Horton. Acting Artistic Director - Louis Brownhill. Artistic Director - Emma Taylor.
END
John Park
reviewed Sunday 21 December 03 / Canal Café Theatre
Fringe Report (c) Fringe Report 2002-2009
