This episode, we’re tackling three wildly different theatrical experiences: the bonkers horror-comedy of Crybabies: The Scaring at Soho Theatre, the musical adaptation of Charlotte Brontë’s Jane Eyre at Southwark Playhouse, and Tilda Swinton’s remarkable return to the stage in Man to Man at the Royal Court Theatre.
Crybabies: The Scaring
Genuinely scary one minute and completely ridiculous the next, The Scaring proves exactly why comedy trio Crybabiesbecame such a hit at the Edinburgh Fringe.
Directed by Jon Brittain, this fast-paced horror-comedy sees the trio transform themselves into a gloriously chaotic collection of characters as an increasingly bonkers story unfolds. It’s inventive, unpredictable and performed with the kind of chemistry that comes from three comedians completely trusting one another - even when everything around them descends into madness.
We discuss the joy of watching performers commit wholeheartedly to the absurd, how successfully the production jumps between laughs and genuine scares, and why this Fringe favourite feels right at home at Soho Theatre.
Jane Eyre: The Musical
Charlotte Brontë’s literary classic gets the musical treatment at Southwark Playhouse in an ambitious new production with a book by John Caird and music and lyrics by Paul Gordon, directed by Caird alongside Megan McGinnis.
There are definite echoes of Les Misérables in this sweeping retelling of Jane’s journey from a difficult childhood to her complicated relationship with Mr Rochester. Charlie Burn confidently leads a terrific ensemble as Jane, but one of the evening’s great discoveries is Emily-Rose Samuel, making her professional stage debut and proving utterly captivating as both young Jane and Adèle.
We discuss the production’s strong performances, effective design and score, while asking whether trying to include quite so much of Brontë’s enormous story ultimately weighs the musical down. It’s beautifully staged - but could a little less Jane Eyre actually have given us more?
Man to Man
And finally, one of the theatrical events of the year.
Tilda Swinton returns to the Royal Court in Man to Man, Manfred Karge’s extraordinary play translated by Anthony Vivis and revised by Stephen Unwin.
From curtain up to curtain down, Swinton never leaves the stage. Surrounded by the props of the production inside Bunny Christie’s stark, brilliantly illuminated white box, there is nowhere for the performer to hide - and nowhere else for the audience to look.
The result is an astonishingly exposed performance, filled with surreal theatrical choices, moments of complete stillness and an extraordinary connection between Swinton and her audience. We discuss her ability to actively listen to a room, the moments where actor and character seem almost to blur together, and a performance that deservedly brought the audience to its feet.
With lighting by Ben Ormerod and the creative team reunited for this landmark revival as part of the Royal Court’s 70th anniversary season, Man to Man becomes more than simply an opportunity to see a major screen star on stage. It’s a reminder of what an exceptional theatrical performer Tilda Swinton is.
And in a rare Theatre Audience Podcast occurrence, Darren and Natalie actually saw this one together - so they compared notes on an unforgettable night at the Royal Court.
Three shows. Three completely different theatrical languages. From screams and silliness to Brontë and Swinton, there’s plenty to unpack.
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