Return to the Forbidden Planet

This is a show that can’t be taken too seriously but is dotted with some tricky Shakespearean dialogue to add to the usual challenges. Justina Bartley’s direction showed that the cast had worked hard to master this, but some were more successful than others. The cast used every part of the stage and I liked the way some of the crew came down to the audience for the ‘polarity reverse safety briefing’. There were some lovely interactions between the performers but I wanted to see more specific business given to the ensemble.

The choreography was relatively simple and appropriate to the different genres of the songs but again, I wanted more of it. The Swinging Space Cats backing singers didn’t really swing until Act 2. I did enjoy the feet dancing that happened when everyone was strapped in to their seats and I thought the way Ariel only moved in straight lines and right angles was very clever.

The band obviously enjoyed playing so many different types of music and Joe Ash kept them together well. The score gave them each a chance to shine and the guitar solo in Born To Be Wild was excellent. Joe was clear in his direction to the cast but the band was too loud at times.

 

Samuel Perren as Captain Tempest has a strong stage presence and his voice suited his songs very well. The Scientific Officer, Hannah Gibbs, had a lovely voice and presence but I would have liked more sadness as she condemned Prospero. Kate Alliston’s Navigation Officer delivered the Shakespeare speeches with clarity and understanding, and I saw she was the dialogue coach for the production, well done Kate. Michael Pearce as Bosun struggled in this role and made a few obvious mistakes. I felt real sadness for Cookie’s unrequited love and Eleanor Turnbull’s Shakespearean dialogue was also very clear.

Lauren Brimson was a delightfully innocent Miranda but the love story between her and the captain didn’t have much warmth. Alan Edwards as Dr Prospero was very quiet in the dialogue and he seemed to lack energy. Ariel the Robot, played by Grace Ward, was a triumph. She kept her physicality throughout the performance and had a great voice. Andy Bryant was a very clear Newscaster and helped to move the story along.

Unfortunately there were some obvious prompts needed for both dialogue and songs and a few moments of silence when the cast were waiting for the next line.

 

This was a simple but clever set giving as much performing space as possible, I particularly liked the air lock and the desk. No changes were needed other than moving props and furniture around. The choice of props were great fun, where else would you see Nerf guns, games consoles, a light saber, and tentacles all in one place? The electronic warning signs also made us smile and the video window was a good idea but the timing of opening and closing it wasn’t always quite right.

 

It must have been true dedication for Zuzana Ahmed to embroider the names and then for Claire Lambeth to sew them on to everyone’s shirt but it had real impact.

Ariel’s costume and hair were very effective and her make-up was superb, I was sure she was wearing a half mask, but no.

The lighting was generally good but upstage was too dark at times and a couple of spotlights were missed. There were some missed mic cues but also some excellent sound effects.

 

Our evening started with a very warm welcome and very comfy seats. This is definitely a challenging show and I felt the cast felt a little unsure so it lacked accuracy. However, my guest and I enjoyed the performance and the enthusiasm showed by EPMS.

 

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