THE DUMB WAITER
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/article16799648.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/Histrionics-in-the-time-of-demonetisation/article16946812.ece
ROMEO AND JULIET
https://scroll.in/magazine/822736/remixing-the-bard-forty-eight-new-ways-to-watch-romeo-and-juliet
http://www.mid-day.com/articles/william-shakespeare-romeo-and-juliet-scene-reinterpretation-website/17762166
PINK
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/570395/still-finding-my-ground-bollywood.html
http://motivateme.in/look-out-for-tushar-pandeys-performance-in-the-latest-bollywood-movie-pink/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Four-young-male-actors-set-to-make-their-mark-with-Pink/articleshow/54246311.cms
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/dive-into-a-play/article7933811.ece
http://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/interviews/tushar-pandey-interviews.asp
http://thedramaschoolmumbai.in/faculty/#prettyPhoto
.jpg)
Venue 13, Aug 5 – 27 (not 15), times vary,
tw rating 4/5
[st]
SCOTSMAN
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THE STAGE
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/article16799648.ece
http://www.thehindu.com/entertainment/theatre/Histrionics-in-the-time-of-demonetisation/article16946812.ece
ROMEO AND JULIET
https://scroll.in/magazine/822736/remixing-the-bard-forty-eight-new-ways-to-watch-romeo-and-juliet
http://www.mid-day.com/articles/william-shakespeare-romeo-and-juliet-scene-reinterpretation-website/17762166
PINK
http://www.deccanherald.com/content/570395/still-finding-my-ground-bollywood.html
http://motivateme.in/look-out-for-tushar-pandeys-performance-in-the-latest-bollywood-movie-pink/
http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/entertainment/hindi/bollywood/news/Four-young-male-actors-set-to-make-their-mark-with-Pink/articleshow/54246311.cms
http://www.thehindu.com/news/cities/mumbai/dive-into-a-play/article7933811.ece
http://www.mumbaitheatreguide.com/dramas/interviews/tushar-pandey-interviews.asp
http://thedramaschoolmumbai.in/faculty/#prettyPhoto
THREE WEEKS
Monday August 22nd, 2011 19:19
ED2011 Theatre Review: Ships of Sand (Lyrebird Theatre Company)
A seductively soft droning greets the audience as they take their seats in anticipation of this production. An oppressive atmosphere is immediately made apparent owing to the simplistic costume and rhythmic sound as the eight-strong cast portray the monotony of society, one you couldn’t blame anyone for trying to escape. Thus the premise for ‘Ships of Sand’ is set; a fantastical journey exploring our fantasies and desire to reach the impossible. This is superbly achieved through the effective use of the human body to create numerous concepts. The hard work and effort by this small company is exceedingly evident, and although at times the plot may seem loose, just watching these performers is a feast for the eyes.Venue 13, Aug 5 – 27 (not 15), times vary,
tw rating 4/5
[st]
SCOTSMAN
Theatre review: Ships of Sand |   |
| By ROGER COX Published: 24/8/2011 |  |
THERE are some ingenious moments of physical theatre in this devised piece by the eight members of Lyrebird Theatre Company, who trained at the Lecoq-based London International School of Performing Arts.
Miguel wants to build a machine that can show people "the possibilities of life" so enlists the help of friends, Jules and Jonnie, an architect and a computer programmer. The device they create together can show an individual his or her perfect world, but when used by more than one person at once it malfunctions, with nightmarish results.
The ensemble representations of schools of fish and flocks of birds are inspired, but some of the writing, frankly, feels a bit school playground.
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THE STAGE
Ships of Sand
Lyrebird Theatre Company
Venue 13 until Saturday August 27, 2011
There is a discipline and focus to Lyrebird Theatre's Lecoq-based debut. On an empty stage their movement-heavy performance style creates a vicious, authoritarian society in which a trio of scientists are reunited – Tushar Pandey's millionaire industrialist has a secret plan to create a machine that will liberate its users into their dreams.
Completely committed to their performances from the off, the eight-strong company provide a meditative little-sung introduction. The wordless tune gives each a different vocal line and is performed with such clarity that you can identify each performer with their part.
The creation of the dream machine is expertly done – a pulsating circular body which envelops its user before spurting them out into their dream. As the three scientists take turns to use it their dreams of utopian fantasy burst into life. And when the industrialist decides they should experience it together, the consequent nightmare and destruction is clear and believable.
Technical ability is not everything, however. . As it stands, this is a nice-enough fragment. But while the potential for something quite profound is there, it just scratches the surface. As a company, though, the potential is huge.
Completely committed to their performances from the off, the eight-strong company provide a meditative little-sung introduction. The wordless tune gives each a different vocal line and is performed with such clarity that you can identify each performer with their part.
The creation of the dream machine is expertly done – a pulsating circular body which envelops its user before spurting them out into their dream. As the three scientists take turns to use it their dreams of utopian fantasy burst into life. And when the industrialist decides they should experience it together, the consequent nightmare and destruction is clear and believable.
Technical ability is not everything, however. . As it stands, this is a nice-enough fragment. But while the potential for something quite profound is there, it just scratches the surface. As a company, though, the potential is huge.
Review by Thom Dibdin
Published online at 14:05 on Wednesday 24 August 2011
edfringereview
Review by Lucy Eskell
It seems perhaps the best course of action here is to set the scene, as this was strong point in ‘Ships of sand’. The Lyrebird theatre company assemble on an empty stage, each clad in identical horizontal stripes. Slickly choreographed movement is used to create a world in which everyone is oppressively the same. It becomes quickly apparent that Lyrebird present a formidable group dynamic, expressing excellent chemistry between members of the ensemble as they move together to spin their tale.
The performance of Tushar Pandey as the inventor Miguel at one point shone out when he used the machine to see his ‘home’ (a concept from out of the blue, then left hanging and unexplained at best). This was the time any of the characters came close to an act which rang true yet seem to fit in or bear relevance to the theme of the play.
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Review by Imogen O'Sullivan
The grey, bleak image of an unremarkable city presented in the opening of this piece characterises an unremarkable piece of devised theatre, the saving grace found in original but underpublicised marketing and the clear amiable camaraderie of the cast.
“'an unremarkable piece of devised theatre'”
The opening soundscape showcased the strong ensemble ethos of the production, which, both vocally and physically, was polished and impressive in places, though lacking in clarity and any compelling plot. The initial narration held a sinister quality akin to Chicago’s ‘Cell Block Tango’, which was sadly never followed up on. Although the concept of a bleak, capitalist state quashing any freedom or imagination has powerful possibilities, this piece had nothing new to offer and would have benefitted from a reduced plot in order to focus on the visually interesting physical elements which were where this ensemble’s strengths lay.
Whilst some of the stylised physical sequences may have felt very familiar to any involved in organised youth drama, this doesn’t stop them from being very well done; the timing of the ensemble was impeccable, clearly well rehearsed and choreographed. Unfortunately, the originality of direction apparent in the underwater scenes was hampered by an undeveloped plot.
Outside of the ensemble, individual characterisations were exaggerated archetypes that were well received by an audience who were able to see the funny side, particularly of Stella Kasoumpi’s caustic mother. Sarah Richard’s Julia had the potential to be a well-developed three-dimensional character but was hindered by a reductive script. The physical ability of the actors made the final merging of dream worlds the most affecting moments of the show; the contrasting views of Miguel’s family seen though his eyes and then the eyes of his friends was excellently devised, though the message that not everybody’s idea of a ‘dream-world’ is the same is not a strong enough concept to hold up the entire piece.
As Tushar Pandey’s Miguel states ‘this is bigger than the individual’, and it is in the ensemble work that this piece holds its strength. The home lives of the three protagonists could have been the base for an interesting dramatic character piece, whilst the physical sequences could have stood up thematically with far less plot, but combining the two left neither effectively explored, though it seems impossible to argue with the laughter of an audience who clearly shared the enthusiasm and zeal of a likeable cast.
Brightened Up A Rainy Day
What a pleasure to see an international company working together in such a way! Excellent imagery, interesting concepts, and loads of fun characters. An all around good time -- has my full recommendation!