Jackstage

 🌟 Brokeback Mountain 🌟 22 July 2023 at 2:30pm at @sohoplace, London ★★★ The story of Brokeback Mountain holds a mammoth legacy, with a tale of forbidden love between ranch hands Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar. Though alongside a legacy comes expectations, and personally, I feel as if this stage adaptation doesn't entirely fill the potentials it holds. Especially culturally, the representation of homosexuality in this story is a landmark in history. I imagine that I was one of the few people in the auditorium who hadn't seen the 2005 film (based off Annie Proulx's short story), so I had no preconceptions before watching this. I find the inspirations and observations of homophobic acts internationally (detailed further in the programme) to be extremely powerful, and using theatre as a vehicle to express these topical issues is incredible to see. Although for me, Jonathan Butterell's Brokeback Mountain was slightly hit and miss for me, with these themes in regards. Unlike...

 🌟 A Little Life 🌟 21 July 2023 at 7:00pm at Savoy Theatre, London ★★★★ It appears to be a common thing, among other theatre bloggers, to give this play some breathing room after leaving the theatre. A Little Life (from Hanya Yanagihara's novel, adapted by Koen Tachelet) certainly leaves you with a LOT of thoughts to digest. The whole theatrical experience is something never before seen by audiences internationally, as grief, anger and trauma manifest themselves into the form of the human body, displaying to us the ugly extremities (and concealed beauties) of life. Speaking to cast member Zach Wyatt post-show, it's crucial to explore how we leave what we have seen at the theatre, the brutalities and intensity are something both audiences and actors alike should distance ourselves from. Although the message of care and kindness that we leave the building with is something, as human beings, we can all learn and grow from. The plot circulates around the life of Jude St Francis (...

 🌟 A Spotlight On... Set Design  🌟 20th July 2023 I wanted to use this post as an opportunity to share some of the most captivating set designs I have seen over the years. I intend to show an appreciation for the world of set, from the shows that haven't made it onto the Jackstage profile. 1. Moulin Rouge! - Piccadilly Theatre, London - Derek McLane Assoc. - Erica Hemminger & Ben Davies I couldn't kick this list off with any other show than Moulin Rouge! Whilst the auditorium remains in it's tradition proscenium arch, an extra catwalk has been created for a very inclusive sense of immersion. If you love the colour red, you'll love this show! As soon as you enter the auditorium, you are transported to the famous Parisian club, and so many scenic elements indulge your senses into an atmosphere of passion. And melding very well with the actors, pre show entertainment really seeks to draw you in and believe the magic. 2. Beautiful: The Carole King Musical - Lyceum The...

 🌟 Guys & Dolls 🌟 05 July 2023 at 7:30pm at Bridge Theatre, London ★★★★★ Immersive theatre styles seem to particularly be on the rise in most recent years, though Nicholas Hytner's production of Guys & Dolls (based on Damon Runyon's stories) takes on an entirely innovative concept through London's Bridge Theatre. The staging could be described as in-the-round, though immersive ticket holders (myself included) are invited into the pit, where platforms of stage rise and fall to suitably reflect shifts in pace and action. Originally performed in 1950, this adaptation feels incredibly refreshed with modern attitudes and extremely sharp attention to the small details within every song, stage images which are totally unique from wherever you are in the space. I will begin with bringing my attention to the immersive experience in the pit of the auditorium. Initially, this was something I was quite nervous about, as I tend to feel claustrophobic in crowds. However, the en...