Bethan Natalie James's Posts - National Theatre Wales Community2024-03-29T06:39:54ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJameshttps://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2986224479?profile=RESIZE_48X48&width=48&height=48&crop=1%3A1https://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profiles/blog/feed?user=2gr20yt62td0v&xn_auth=noBehind the scenes @ Utah Bride: Part 2!tag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2012-11-11:3152760:BlogPost:1394232012-11-11T23:23:14.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
<p>Recently I watched a run through of The Utah Bride.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I was really struck at first by the stage design and how authentic it all looked... I felt like I’d stepped back in time into a traditional Welsh home.</p>
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<p>You can check out my pictures below for an exclusive look at the production.</p>
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<p>It was moving to see the story unfold, as Alice suddenly returns home one night, four years after running away to live the American dream. The relationship between mother…</p>
<p>Recently I watched a run through of The Utah Bride.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I was really struck at first by the stage design and how authentic it all looked... I felt like I’d stepped back in time into a traditional Welsh home.</p>
<p></p>
<p>You can check out my pictures below for an exclusive look at the production.</p>
<p></p>
<p>It was moving to see the story unfold, as Alice suddenly returns home one night, four years after running away to live the American dream. The relationship between mother and daughter seemed so real.</p>
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<p>This is definitely a show that’ll have you laughing one minute, and welling-up the next. It’s coming to Chapter in Cardiff 15-17<sup>th</sup> November before touring other parts of Wales, so maybe see you there!</p>
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<p>Bethan x</p>
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<p></p>Behind the scenes @ Utah Bridetag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2012-10-31:3152760:BlogPost:1385402012-10-31T20:30:00.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
<p>Yesterday I was lucky enough to get a look behind the scenes of new show The Utah Bride!</p>
<p></p>
<p>I got a sneak peek of rehearsals which was exciting. I saw the lovely Utah Bride team at work, including the director Louise Osborn, then Sharon Morgan and Sara Lloyd-Gregory performed a gripping part of the play for me.</p>
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<p>You can take a look at my pics from rehearsals below...</p>
<p></p>
<p>The show tours Wales in November, so watch this space for more…</p>
<p>Yesterday I was lucky enough to get a look behind the scenes of new show The Utah Bride!</p>
<p></p>
<p>I got a sneak peek of rehearsals which was exciting. I saw the lovely Utah Bride team at work, including the director Louise Osborn, then Sharon Morgan and Sara Lloyd-Gregory performed a gripping part of the play for me.</p>
<p></p>
<p>You can take a look at my pics from rehearsals below...</p>
<p></p>
<p>The show tours Wales in November, so watch this space for more updates!</p>
<p></p>
<p><a href="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2999386014?profile=original" target="_self"><img style="width: 562px; height: 755px;" class="align-center" src="http://storage.ning.com/topology/rest/1.0/file/get/2999386014?profile=RESIZE_1024x1024" width="646" height="755"/></a></p>
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<p></p>REVIEW- L.O.V.E by Volcanotag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2012-10-30:3152760:BlogPost:1386252012-10-30T23:30:42.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
<p><b>REVIEW</b></p>
<p><b>L.O.V.E (Volcano theatre)</b></p>
<p><b>Sherman Cymru (30.10.12)</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>What comes to mind when you think of Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Boredom? Sentimental romance? Or English lessons at school?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>None of the above could be applied to <em>L.O.V.E</em>, the passionate production recreated by Volcano for the company’s 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary, based on the bard’s collection of classical poetry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A winner of the 1993 Time Out…</p>
<p><b>REVIEW</b></p>
<p><b>L.O.V.E (Volcano theatre)</b></p>
<p><b>Sherman Cymru (30.10.12)</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p>What comes to mind when you think of Shakespeare’s Sonnets: Boredom? Sentimental romance? Or English lessons at school?</p>
<p> </p>
<p>None of the above could be applied to <em>L.O.V.E</em>, the passionate production recreated by Volcano for the company’s 25<sup>th</sup> anniversary, based on the bard’s collection of classical poetry.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A winner of the 1993 Time Out Theatre Award, the red-blooded <em>L.O.V.E</em> still feels fresh and provocative, despite originally being produced 20 years ago.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>A fusion of physical theatre, verse, songs and dance, expect to be surprised, challenged and at times bemused by this show.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>I didn’t feel immersed from the start, but once the energetic performers started to interact with the audience I was drawn in— at this moment <em>L.O.V.E</em> really came alive (and left a few people blushing). It also features the most inventive use of a four poster bed I’ve ever seen.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Occasionally <em>L.O.V.E</em> felt repetitive, with the same sequences and sonnets performed several times. Also, I found the Shirley Bassey songs jarring, but perhaps as Volcano is Swansea-based they felt it was important to inject a Welsh flavour somewhere into the piece.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The production’s strength is that Shakespeare’s re-invented texts are given equal footing to the dynamic choreography, and are complimented by the frenetic action rather than smothered by it.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Volcano describes this work as “enduring and memorable”. I agree. You wouldn’t want to wait another 20 years to catch a unique experience like <em>L.O.V.E</em> again.</p>
<p> </p>WiLD - Reviewtag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2012-10-05:3152760:BlogPost:1359642012-10-05T12:47:19.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
<p class="ARIAL"><b>REVIEW</b></p>
<p class="ARIAL"><b>WiLD</b></p>
<p class="ARIAL"><b>By Teifi Emerald</b></p>
<p class="ARIAL"><b>Chapter, Cardiff</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>WiLD</i>, local performer Teifi Emerald’s first solo show, is a magical and surreal blend of a child’s imagination and adult’s fears.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is a whimsical journey to unknown lands battling the monsters within, ranging from dragons to murderous duvets. To tell her story, Teifi uses an eclectic mix of…</p>
<p class="ARIAL"><b>REVIEW</b></p>
<p class="ARIAL"><b>WiLD</b></p>
<p class="ARIAL"><b>By Teifi Emerald</b></p>
<p class="ARIAL"><b>Chapter, Cardiff</b></p>
<p> </p>
<p><i>WiLD</i>, local performer Teifi Emerald’s first solo show, is a magical and surreal blend of a child’s imagination and adult’s fears.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>It is a whimsical journey to unknown lands battling the monsters within, ranging from dragons to murderous duvets. To tell her story, Teifi uses an eclectic mix of ingredients, including song, dance, stand-up and puppetry. They are weaved together to a quirky and playful effect, creating a unique world. </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Dressing up boxes scattered the stage, and I lost count of how many of times Teifi changed costume, put on different voices, and broke into spontaneous dance. It was as fun to watch as it must have been for her to perform, and I was impressed by how she sustained the energy and frenetic pace for most of the show.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>The performance constantly surprised me, which made it compelling. One minute Teifi was re-living socially awkward faux-pas at house parties, the next she was skulking around the stage dressed as a tea bag monster. Near the start Teifi literally tears up a script and throws it away, adding to the sense of spontaneity and unpredictability. </p>
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<p>I particularly enjoyed the short animated films that punctuated the action about her battles to escape and come to terms with her inner demons. It would’ve been great if there were more of these throughout.</p>
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<p><i>WiLD</i> feels like a rebellion against the pressure society puts on us to stop being childish, and it asks us if growing up is actually a choice not an inevitability. </p>
<p> </p>
<p class="ARIAL">For those young at heart seeking to recapture the lost magic of childhood, this is the show for you.</p>
<p class="ARIAL"></p>
<p class="ARIAL"><strong><i>WiLD is showing at Chapter Arts Centre 4<sup>th</sup>- 6<sup>th</sup> October: <a href="http://www.chapter.org.uk">www.chapter.org.uk</a></i></strong></p>Coriolan/us - Reviewtag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2012-08-11:3152760:BlogPost:1302012012-08-11T13:30:00.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
<p><b>Coriolan/us - Review</b></p>
<p><b>Hangar 858, RAF St. Athan, Vale of Glamorgan</b></p>
<p><b>A National Theatre Wales Production in Association with the Royal Shakespeare Company</b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>4 stars</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Mike Pearson and Mike Brookes, the innovative director duo behind National Theatre Wales’ acclaimed play <i>The Persians</i>, have teamed up once again on a re-imagining of the tragedy <i>Coriolanus</i> for the World Shakespeare Festival…</p>
<p><b>Coriolan/us - Review</b></p>
<p><b>Hangar 858, RAF St. Athan, Vale of Glamorgan</b></p>
<p><b>A National Theatre Wales Production in Association with the Royal Shakespeare Company</b></p>
<p></p>
<p><b>4 stars</b></p>
<p><b> </b></p>
<p>Mike Pearson and Mike Brookes, the innovative director duo behind National Theatre Wales’ acclaimed play <i>The Persians</i>, have teamed up once again on a re-imagining of the tragedy <i>Coriolanus</i> for the World Shakespeare Festival 2012.</p>
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<p>Fused with Brecht’s 1950’s adaptation, <i>Coriolan/us</i> transplants the eponymous fallen hero’s story from ancient Rome to a vast and disused RAF hangar in South Wales. The choice of this stark military setting for the site specific piece is an effective one, as the play’s main themes and scenes centre around war and its aftermath.</p>
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<p>Once inside the space you are faced with two imposing television screens and multiple cameras . This adds to the feeling the world you have entered is one of 24 hour news and constant surveillance. The audience is given headphones that can be worn throughout, meaning you are completely immersed in the action and the characters’ dialogue.</p>
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<p>Burnt-out cars, men in balaclavas and a great wall dividing the two cities of the play induce menace, and serve to remind us this is a place on the edge of chaos and revolt. <i>Coriolan/us</i> succeeds in being both claustrophobic and epic in scale simultaneously. Adrenaline filled riots quickly transform into intimate scenes.</p>
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<p>A fascinating feature of the production is that it will be experienced differently by each audience member. You can choose whether to follow the actors, the crowd’s movements, or to transfix your gaze on the giant screens in the hangar.</p>
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<p>By live streaming the performances onto these screens via roving cameras, a powerful sense of being part of a news story as it develops is created. It feels like you are actually one of the people in the crowd as history is being made during the uprisings. One of the Citizens films moments on his mobile phone. The experience is immersive and authentic. The patricians jostle and push past you as if they are not an actor and you the audience, but as if you really are one of the plebeians of Rome.</p>
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<p>The underlying force of the play lies in the crowds. Almost ever-present, they drive the narrative forward to its tragic conclusion. It is interesting that the audience and crowd of the play become one entity, and I found myself following the masses and thronging towards the action, engrossed.</p>
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<p>This production is enhanced by a strong cast. The Civilian “plebs” command the vast space of Hangar 858 just as forcefully as the soldiers, Tribunes, and Coriolanus’ indomitable mother Volumnia (a memorable Rhian Morgan).</p>
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<p>The tension and chemistry between enemies-turned-allies Coriolanus and Aufidius (Richard Lynch and Richard Harrington respectively) is mesmerising to watch. Hatred bleeds into admiration then blurs into a seemingly homoerotic lust between these two hardened soldiers. This climaxes in a final battle that feels almost like a release of the sexual tension that seemed to build between them throughout. </p>
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<p>Shakespeare’s story is remarkably pertinent. The experiences of a wounded soldier returning home from war and struggling to adjust to the way life when he returns could have been written specially for a contemporary audience. Civilian life in Rome is a battleground, and the political landscape there is more of a minefield than the conflicts Coriolanus has left behind. </p>
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<p>Parallels to the Arab Spring are unmistakable. Walking into the hangar feels like stepping into the streets of Syria mid riot. This tale of citizens joining together and rising up against their rulers, even if it does bring disastrous consequences, has captured the zeitgeist.</p>
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<p><i>Coriolan/us</i> is a thought-provoking reminder in these unstable times that “the people are the city”. We have the power to better our world, but also to destroy it.</p>Coriolan/us Mediacall todaytag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2012-08-06:3152760:BlogPost:1297112012-08-06T17:03:27.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
<p>Today thanks to NTW I experienced a mediacall for the first time ever!</p>
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<p>I went to the vast and breathtaking hangar in St. Athan where Coriolan/us is taking place this month. Journalists from BBC Wales, ITV Wales and S4C were there to film scenes from the production and interview people involved in it.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I was lucky enough to get a preview of exciting and dynamic scenes from Coriolan/us, while various national news crews filmed them. Then I got to observe and take…</p>
<p>Today thanks to NTW I experienced a mediacall for the first time ever!</p>
<p></p>
<p>I went to the vast and breathtaking hangar in St. Athan where Coriolan/us is taking place this month. Journalists from BBC Wales, ITV Wales and S4C were there to film scenes from the production and interview people involved in it.</p>
<p></p>
<p>I was lucky enough to get a preview of exciting and dynamic scenes from Coriolan/us, while various national news crews filmed them. Then I got to observe and take photos as the media interviewed members of the production’s cast, crew and creative team.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>This experience has really whetted my appetite for the show and I can’t wait for NTW21. It’s going to be huge— literally!</p>
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<p></p>REVIEW: Minsk 2011 at Sherman Cymrutag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2012-06-01:3152760:BlogPost:1238942012-06-01T09:55:25.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p></p>
<p>I have written a review of <em>Minsk, 2011: A Reply to Kathy Acker</em> as part of the Young Critics Scheme. It was performed at Sherman Cymru this week.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Please feel free to take a look at the review here: <a href="http://theyoungcritics.com/2012/05/31/minsk-2011-a-reply-to-kathy-acker-review/">http://theyoungcritics.com/2012/05/31/minsk-2011-a-reply-to-kathy-acker-review/</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p>Hi all,</p>
<p></p>
<p>I have written a review of <em>Minsk, 2011: A Reply to Kathy Acker</em> as part of the Young Critics Scheme. It was performed at Sherman Cymru this week.</p>
<p> </p>
<p>Please feel free to take a look at the review here: <a href="http://theyoungcritics.com/2012/05/31/minsk-2011-a-reply-to-kathy-acker-review/">http://theyoungcritics.com/2012/05/31/minsk-2011-a-reply-to-kathy-acker-review/</a></p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>
<p> </p>Experimentica Reviewtag:community.nationaltheatrewales.org,2011-10-19:3152760:BlogPost:884842011-10-19T19:48:38.000ZBethan Natalie Jameshttps://community.nationaltheatrewales.org/profile/BethanNatalieJames
I joined The Young Critics Scheme recently, and have reviewed Experimentica as part of this.<br />
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Experimentica is a festival for challenging, provocative and imaginative artworks which took place at Chapter Arts Centre from 12-16 October.<br />
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You can read my review here: <a href="http://theyoungcritics.com/2011/10/17/experimentica-festival-review/">http://theyoungcritics.com/2011/10/17/experimentica-festival-review/</a><br />
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Comments and feedback are welcome!<br />
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Thanks,<br />
Bethan
I joined The Young Critics Scheme recently, and have reviewed Experimentica as part of this.<br />
<br />
Experimentica is a festival for challenging, provocative and imaginative artworks which took place at Chapter Arts Centre from 12-16 October.<br />
<br />
You can read my review here: <a href="http://theyoungcritics.com/2011/10/17/experimentica-festival-review/">http://theyoungcritics.com/2011/10/17/experimentica-festival-review/</a><br />
<br />
Comments and feedback are welcome!<br />
<br />
Thanks,<br />
Bethan