Review: Lion King at the Lyceum

Last night I was delighted to be able to go and see The Lion King at the Lyceum Theatre.  I had seen this show in Toronto at the age of 14 and remembered how the rumbling roars of lions on stage coupled with the iconic soothing music of Elton John brought me to tears.  In this review, I will outline the differences between both the original film and the Canadian production I have already experienced and then comment upon both my favourite scene and my favourite character.

Being a massive Disney fan, I know the film inside out and can recite all of the lines with ease.  However, due to this I found some aspects of last night’s performance disconcerting, one being the varied British accents for the characters after being used to American/Canadian ones and then the added references to British culture.  For example, Timon’s line upon being informed by Simba that he will need to act as a distraction for the hyenas "What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do the hula?” became “What do you want me to do, dress in drag and do a river dance?”  Cue a charming and cleverly choreographed puppetry jig to iconic Irish music that was met with great appluase.

An unsettling addition to the London production was Scar’s sexual advances on Nala as she has grown up after deciding that in order to be a proper King he had to have cubs to ensure the he could be immortal.  This was neither part of the film or the Torontonian adaptation I had seen.  Scar crept his fingers upon Nala’s thigh and then claimed that “One way or another, you will be mine”.  I found this both creepy and wholly inappropriate for an audience of largely children.  However, one could argue that the themes explored throughout the original story present betrayal, a Nazi-like army of assassins in the form of hyenas and murder anyways so why not push the boundary further for an ever evolving and desensitising audience.  The theory of desensitisation posts the idea that media audiences’ reactions are growing weaker according to the level/amount of exposure to violence, sex and death.  Theatres often feel the need to respond to these expectations by creating increased shocking scenes and concepts.  However it was one of the more simple scenes that held my attention most dear.  

Ava Brennan as Nala.  lyceumtheatrelondon.org

My favourite scene by far was ‘They live in you’ from Act I.  This provided Simba’s lesson where Mufasa explained to his son that there was more to being a King then just being brave.  Existentialist concerns were also explored whereby Mufasa explains to Simba that he won’t always be with him in body, but he will always be watching him from the stars for whenever he needs guidance.  Shaun Escoffery's voice was like silk, caressing the audience with his flawless and soothing tones of a song from the second Lion King: Simba’s Pride entitled ‘He Lives in You’.  The set is transformed into a brilliant African landscape throughout and often bathed in gorgeous starlight.  

My favourite character was a welcome female version of Rafiki, an energetic and completely crazy oracle figure who danced around the stage muttering incomprehensible African based speech complete with tongue clicking.  Like our cartoon-based friend, she provided moments of comic genius combined with thought provoking analogies and life lessons. 

Brown Lindiwe Mkhize as Rafiki. http://s3.broadway.com/photos/large/144709.jpg

I think my previous experiences of each version provided me with sometimes unrealistic expectations of how the production would be.  To quote Rafiki, “The past can hurt, but from the way I see it, you can either run from it or learn from it”.  I feel I have been provided with definite food for thought in summing up all three experiences and would recommend the show for its frantic array of colours, African dancing, and brilliant puppetry ensuring that The Lion King's legacy lives on for years to come.          

   

Nutcracker Nostalgia

Image sourced from ENB: http://www.ballet.org.uk/whats-on/nutcracker/

I swear the stage smelt festive.  You know how the lightest fragrance can evoke a memory of a loved one, an event, time or place?  Well for me, ENB successfully bottled Christmas and then proceeded to let the precious elixir spill out on to the stage, filling the nostrils of the audience and creating a hazy Christmas coma.
As the ice-skaters began to glide across the stage with effortless poise and precision, I felt an immense sense of kinaesthetic empathy.  My legs longing to share the sensation of sliding across an ice rink in a heady mixture of adrenalin and freedom- feelings, which I knew too well from learning to ice skate in Canada as an infant.  I was reminded also of the skating scene in the Muppets Christmas Carol as the dancers began to playfully push each other, creating an element of slapstick.
Childhood memories continued to seep through to my conscious like the glitter that fell from the stage’s sky, creating snowflakes and sleepy dust that lulled the audience into a reverie.  Tchaikovsky’s famous score provided a magical backdrop to the gorgeous pointe work of Tamara Rojo, whose delicate movements entranced throughout.  A welcome addition to her sequences came in the form of a children’s choir who weaved harmonies around her pirouettes, whilst adding an extra layer of Christmas tradition to the whole piece.
If you are planning on seeing any performance this festive season, this is the one to see if you want a jaw-dropping showcase of skill, surprise and jovial delight.

Living for the city...the importance of true friends.

No matter where life takes you, don't forget where you came from. -Anon

I have come to realise just how important this is when you move to a big city and undertake what is nowadays considered as a 'proper grown up person job'.  Quick heads up: Office jobs really aren't as scary as they appear to be and just because you throw on a suit everyday doesn't make you some big business entrepreneur who is far more important than anyone else.  Working in Moorgate amongst bankers and men rushing about with briefcases late for their next meeting can feel intimidating though- not gonna lie.  The key is to make it look as though you absolutely know what you're doing and to trick the bankers into thinking that you belong as part of their clan too.  It's a defence mechanism.  Holding a Starbucks cup and checking your watch whilst vaguely looking important helps too!   

I have recently become one of those really irritating people who dons the brightly coloured trainers with suit look on the tube.  Man, I despise myself, but heels in rush hour, yeah, they hurt!  Maybe they're on to something?!  Don't worry though, it's all a game.  Power play and perception.  I feel as though sometimes I'm in my very own version of the Truman Show and that obstacles and events have been placed in my way as a sequence of challenges to test my character and human condition.  I have been lucky enough to have great colleagues who are all lovely and supportive due to belonging to one of the more close knit offices in Moorgate, but the sallow looks on the faces of the people I pass everyday make me feel that my neighbours aren't as lucky.  So how to create a life outside of your work persona?

Easy. Friends. Ahh lovely, loyal friends.             

Last week I was fortunate enough to spend 3 days in a row meeting up with different groups of 'home home' friends and it made me understand just how hard it can be to make such companions in central London.  Do they ever come close to comparing with your high school/uni chums? I'm not so sure.  I mean you get great friends at work but socialising out of work can be tricky, there's the whole awkwardness over the whole add on Facebook thing.  I mean are you really ready for your manager to see what sort of things you get up to?  Or what you may have 'liked' in the past? Probably not the best idea in a professional setting.  Surely that means they can never truly know the real you though?!

Night out with school buddies in London.

Then there's the peril of gym people that insist on befriending you whilst you're in the changing rooms and they're applying talc to awkward places.  I mean where do you look?!  If you only limit yourself to eye contact then it looks as though you're not comfortable with it but look anywhere else and you become a bit of a perv!  Nightmare.  

This is where the whole remembering your beginnings comes into play.  So keep in touch with old pals even if it's just skype and try and meet up with them when you can.  Trust me it does wonders for your sanity.  I am guilty of not doing this enough and know at times I need to make more of an effort. 

You don't want to get stuck in the corporate game.  Make your own rules and be ok with sometimes holding on to your past.  It's fine to want to experience new things and meet new people but just don't underestimate the true power of old friends in a big city.  Loyal friends are hard to come by so keep them close!

Why I'm jobless no more!

Yay I have a job!!  I win.  After months of uncertainty and stresses over money (the credit card has definitely taken a beating), I can finally say I have a 'proper grown up person job'.  I'll be working as of Monday at Mountbatten Institute as an Admissions Officer.  It involves (amongst lots of other things) interviewing applicants to the global exchange programmes and attending recruitment events to promote the courses by giving presentations.  Although it's not technically Dance or Drama related, I know for sure I would not have gained the job without my degree and general university experience. Before going to uni, I had only really had jobs in pubs/bars/restaurants.  Although I gained great experience from these in terms of customer service, my teacher at school told me to go to uni and do things I'd never done before to widen my experience base.  That's what I tried to do.

The best 8 decisions I made during uni that ultimately helped me get a job after it:

• Becoming a social sec for a Sports club-  You'd be amazed at how many transferrable skills you can squeeze out of that and implement into an interview.  Arranging discounts, liaising with night clubs/venues and members to get the best results possible. People person.
• Attending a FREE KU graduate bootcamp-  Drawing on experiences of team building exercises, creating and giving presentations whilst sticking to a strict deadline, CV writing.  I was asked about this day in detail during the interview, it looks great if you've made the effort to try and increase your employability rate.  
• Doing Dance and Drama-  Being able to convincingly fake confidence and keep my cool in the interview helped a lot. 
• Attending a writing course, publishing blogs and articles-  Social networking is more important now than ever before.  Proving you can sell yourself/ get opinions across effectively and with good english looks pretty damn good.  You have to be aware of your audience and show that you can tailor your writing to a varying clientele.  Communication skills. 
• Being a Student Ambassador-  Shows that you can support fellow students and work with lecturers effectively in order to promote your university. 
• Getting a part time Admin job-  Proof that you can use Excel, Word etc and input data effectively and to strict deadlines. 
• Getting LinkedIn-  Do it, do it now.
• Worked hard, played hard-  You are a human being.  My interviewers all asked me about what I do for fun, what I'm passionate about. Ok, so DON'T bring up that as a student you probably got drunk on a regular basis and missed lectures...they already assume that you did that anyways!  DO bring up that you like going out with friends and attending music gigs/poetry readings/cinema nights/whatever it is. It shows that you have a life and are like normal and stuff.   

The purpose of this is not to patronise, it's to reassure you that if you're still on the job hunt, there is hope.  I really thought it was never going to happen, it's so disheartening when you don't hear back from various applications and you feel like you're doing everything you can.  Use a reputable recruitment agency and go and meet them in person, you're more likely to get a job this way, because when they meet you they'll be able to picture you in different roles with ease.
                                       YOU WILL GET A JOB. IT WILL BE OK.
 You've just got to be patient and resilient.  Use experiences you've had and sell them, why were they important/awesome to you or others?  You're going to have way more awesome experience than I have I'm sure, it's just knowing how to sell it! 

Picture sourced:www.alifechangingjourney.com

  

             

Cabin Fever

You've consumed the entire contents of the fridge yet still open it regularly to check that the food fairy hasn't put something delicious in it for you...you would go to the shops to get a sugary snack but the last time you checked your wallet moths flew out in a frenzy.  Carbicide will have to wait for another day.  You can't leave the house simply as you can't afford to.  Doing any form of exercise seems impossible as ripping your eyes away from repeats of Friends is just not going to happen now is it? The classic that is 'Smelly Cat' wraps you in a warm cocoon of comedy.  

Yes.  You've guessed it, like many other students at this time I am stuck at home with my parents. Except, I'm not a student anymore.  It's that horrible gap between being a student and being completely unemployed.  I am on the cusp of graduating and so have gone crazy applying for jobs so I can move back to the big city.  Ahh London how I have missed you.  Your public transport that runs more than once an hour to worthy destinations, your complete and utter disregard for who I am and what I care about.  Letting me be a stranger.  Thank you.

I think the worst thing about my particular cabin fever experience is that my parents currently have the house up for sale so I have this feeling of impending doom that soon I wont really have a normal base. A familiar place to fall back on.  Everyone in the house is at work doing important job things, man, I want one of those.  A real reason to need to get out of bed in the morning.

I am moving in with my boyfriend to Brockley in London on Monday and have just about enough money in my account for two month's rent.  Quite scary knowing I haven't officially got any careers on the horizon as of yet but I am hopeful that I will get one soon.  Just get me out of this house!    

Funemployment?

The sting of my degree finishing and intermittently receiving those all important results has hit me hard.

I have been fortunate enough to complete the best 3 years of my life so far in the form of a Dance and Drama degree at Kingston University.  The blood, sweat and tears have all been worth it in terms of my growth as a person and my achievement of new skills.  The question is, has my particular degree been worth it in terms of now getting a job in the industry?

Now, I knew undertaking a degree in the Arts was a massive risk to take.  It seems almost impossible nowadays to get a job that pays the bills for you doing the thing you truly love, especially if it involves theatrical performance of any kind.  Perhaps I have shot myself in the foot here?!  

Unemployment so far has shown a great drop in my levels of motivation and a huge amount of uncertainty about what my reasons for getting a job may be.  For example, 'Ahh stuff it, should I just try and get a job at Foxtons because I'll get paid a lot?' 'No. Because people who work at Foxtons don't have a soul.'  'Ahh right, back to the drawing board I go then...'

Tell you what else sucks...not being able to tick the box 'Student' and having to move to 'Unemployed' instead, not cool.  Our student card discounts run out soon as well!  Noooo. Now we have to pay full price for stuff and everything.  Also not receieving any more student loan and instead facing the bitter realisation that YES YOU DO have to pay all that back!  Ouch.  Monopoly money no more...

As a graduate, you may find yourself making rash and totally unprovoked and or ill thought out decisions:

'Right!! That's it.  I'm going to Thailand to teach underprivileged children, and they're going to be pleased about it.  I'll probably like be made a head teacher there in the first 3 months...'

*Checks bank balance*

'Maybe I'll go next year instead...?'

Courtesy of : bumbumbee-tira.blogspot.com

I personally feel as though my whole unemployment situation phase is not that much fun at all.  Every time I go out and do something fun or relax, I have this niggling in my brain saying 'Oof you really should be getting on it now.  Get a job, you lazy thing!'  I have developed an actual fear of writing a proper Cv and my eye twitches every time I open up the dreaded document on Word.  I have probably put on what feels like a stone from emotional eating and sitting at the laptop and trawling through possible job options, and to top it off I feel like I don't have a driving force in my life.  A reason for being. 

My dad has told me to enjoy unemployment whilst I can, this is from a man who once held down 5 jobs at the same time when I was growing up to make sure we could like eat and stuff.  The man may have a point, but now that he's retired and finally unemployed he always says he's got to keep himself 'busy and doing little jobs' for fear of the minute that he stops, he dies.  That's what I kind of feel like I think.

I like having a purpose in life and a reason to get out of bed.  I genuinely thrive on challenges and am a competitive and hard working individual who gets a real kick out of getting paid for working hard.  I like to feel that I have earned my money and I am certainly no stranger to a working environment.  I just feel that waitressing/bar work isn't enough of a challenge for me anymore.  I want a job USING my degree please?  Then I promise I will look back at my unemployment phase and agree that it was quite fun after all!!  

  

Close Encounters

Swan Lake in-the-round, Dress Rehearsal

I’m pretty sure I must have had the best seat in the house for Tuesday night’s preview of Swan Lake; front row centre, and immediately next to a thrust of the stage – which provided a main entrance and exit for the dancers.

Photography by Ash
http://www.flickr.com/photos/englishnationalballet/sets/72157633595583731/

However, as I was about to discover, the position of your seat will not prevent your enjoyment of this fantastic performance!  The nature of this particular show being staged in the round means that any member of the audience has the opportunity of being inches away from the action, literally, at any given time.  Being in an aisle seat, I personally had the pleasure of being subjected to very close encounters with the performers.  And when I say close, I mean close.  The seaweed-like tendrils of wrath belonging to James Streeter’s costume, struck me on more than one occasion as he stormed on and off stage.  He played a fearless Rothbart showing an intense purpose which made us all gasp in delight.

This is not the only advantage of the staging.  Deane’s brave choice to use 60 swans for the production means that they flood the misty lake of the stage with ease, their synchronisation and canons meaning that you never miss a movement.  Your eyes take in the ghostly scenes unfolding from the haze; an overall closeness for the entire audience is achieved as their pirouettes and arabesques seem to reach every inch of the stage whilst remaining in perfect line formations.

Intimacy was achieved throughout the performance through the flawless technique showcased by the two principal roles of the evening, Daria Klimentová and Vadim Muntagirov, who personified a powerful chemistry as a duet.  A competitive edge was evident with each of them trying to surpass the efforts of the other during their pas de deux.  This took their already strong characters further, and gave a slight air of a mating ritual that was impossible to ignore.

Aside from the comments of approval that laced the audience as they left the Royal Albert Hall, perhaps the most talked about aspect of the adaptation was the welcome fairy tale ending.   You really must go and see it to believe it, from whichever seat you are sitting in!