Blurred Lines – Carrie Cracknell

blurred_lines_poster_1On 13 February I went to see the play Blurred Lines by Carrie Cracknell in The Shed, London.

Damn it!

Three feet under in a matter of seconds. Simple words, clear set, everyday clothing costumes, harassing lights, catchy beats and I’m stuck. I can’t escape. In one way or another you’ll recognize the performed. Question: question femininity. How not to put words in anyone’s mouth, but still trying to say the thought out loud? Dare!

In a fluent rhythmic motion the roles of the characters were passed on between the actresses telling us many sides of this story, the story of value. It hurts to see how easily emotions are swept of the table as a non-valid argument, how women get to hear over and over “get a grip, don’t be so hormonal!” and how the little constant things make you confused and doubtful on what choice to make.

It must have been frustrating as a man to watch this piece because it seems that they are pointed out as the big disruptors in women’s life’s, but a few minutes into the play it becomes very clear that it is not pointing a finger at man: It is pointing to everyone who takes it upon themselves to disrespect another human being, male or female.

blurred lines set photoANNE•Mind you, it still wasn’t a joyful piece to watch since there are so many mistakes made out in the world and they chose to show us a lot of them, but it was clear from the start of the piece, even the flyer, that what you see is what you get. Just before the piece ended it threw in a nice twist in which the audience got totally confused whether the play had finished or not. To every painful side there was a humorous side, and it was this contrast of strengths that made you watch till the very end.

set photo by ANNE•     Keep an eye out for this production and its creators!

‘Collaborators’ – National Theatre

Op donderdag 24 november naar de voorstelling ‘Collaborators’ in het National Theatre in London geweest.

All strings attached!

“Moscow, 1938. A dangerous place to have a sense of humor; even more so a sense of freedom. Mikhail Bulgakov, living among dissindents, stalked by secret police, has both. And then he’s offered a poisoned chalice: a commission to write a play about Stalin to celebrate his sixtieth birthday.”

We staan in een bomvolle kleine zaal van het National Theatre voor £ 5,-!

Wat je klein noemt! Het theater is naar keuze om te bouwen voor elk idee! Publiek en speelvloer zijn naar behoeven aan te passen en zo zaten wij om de speelvloer heen. Het decor was als een speelse weg waar over, onder en achter op gelopen werd. Hierdoor ontstond een perfecte overvloeiing van plaats, situatie, ruimte en tijd.

Dit pittige nieuwe tekststuk van John Hodge over de toneel schrijver Mikhail Bulgakov werd door de ruimtelijke indeling en bespeling van het decor zeer humoristisch. Wat wil je ook? Het vieren van Stalins zestigste verjaardag gaat je niet in de koude kleren zitten als de man zelf ten tonele verschijnt. Het droge en sceptische spel van de toneel schrijver (Alex Jennings) en de dictator (Russell Beale) die langzaam in elkaar opgaan zorgen voor de scherpe kantjes that give you the giggles and uneas of a spectator.

Een intense twee uur waarbij zowel spel als decor bleef boeien.

Meer weten? Check: www.ntlive.com