Becky is our first birthday guest blogger with a review of the Friday Night performances:
What I like best about Yew Tree plays is that everyone has their time in the spotlight; be it with one line or twenty, you never see a person stood their with their only role as a tree, but if you did, I'm sure they'd be an excellent, talkative tree with something good to say. I went to see the Yew Tree Birthday celebration performances of "Mugged" and "Just a pretty face" on Friday night, and they certainly didn't disappoint. Firstly, "Just a pretty face" was such a unique performance. Not only did it tell a story - the tale behind every "Miss Wakefield" from the 1900s to present day - it was like a journey through history! Every costume was brilliant and every character played was equally great, no matter what their age. The music was well thought out and appropriate. The way the actors became the scenery was also hugely effective, although my favourite part had to be the "Crowning ceremony" of each Miss Wakefield. It made you realise how (after hearing the well-told story behind each woman) nobody cared to know about their struggles - all that mattered was their looks. The play also showed how fashion, ideas of beauty and, ultimately, acceptance has changed over time. So, overall, it was a touching and beautiful performance. The second performance of the night was "Mugged", which was equally thrilling, although in such a different way. I would've thought that already knowing most of the people in it would have ruined the impact of the play for me, but the way so many of them got into character made it feel like I was watching complete strangers. It was astounding! I think the simplicity of the performance, the small detail of not being able to see what the characters were watching, kept the suspense going. The scenery, simply consisting of two benches, was all that was needed and I loved the interactive element of the police tape being brought across. It was so moving as well - I was literally brought to tears and was gripping onto my seat at some of the intense parts, watching the characters seeing their friend being stabbed, which could have easily looked unrealistic and unconvincing. Even the smallest of things, such as scene changes, were seamless. I watched every newsreader stride on, awaiting the smallest of mistakes, but seeing none. My only slight criticism would be that a moment of sadness was ended prematurely when I spotted the actors hopping over the police tape! But, all in all, it was absolutely brilliant! All the wonderful actors from "Just a pretty face" and "Mugged" certainly deserved a huge round of applause.
What I like best about Yew Tree plays is that everyone has their time in the spotlight; be it with one line or twenty, you never see a person stood their with their only role as a tree, but if you did, I'm sure they'd be an excellent, talkative tree with something good to say. I went to see the Yew Tree Birthday celebration performances of "Mugged" and "Just a pretty face" on Friday night, and they certainly didn't disappoint. Firstly, "Just a pretty face" was such a unique performance. Not only did it tell a story - the tale behind every "Miss Wakefield" from the 1900s to present day - it was like a journey through history! Every costume was brilliant and every character played was equally great, no matter what their age. The music was well thought out and appropriate. The way the actors became the scenery was also hugely effective, although my favourite part had to be the "Crowning ceremony" of each Miss Wakefield. It made you realise how (after hearing the well-told story behind each woman) nobody cared to know about their struggles - all that mattered was their looks. The play also showed how fashion, ideas of beauty and, ultimately, acceptance has changed over time. So, overall, it was a touching and beautiful performance. The second performance of the night was "Mugged", which was equally thrilling, although in such a different way. I would've thought that already knowing most of the people in it would have ruined the impact of the play for me, but the way so many of them got into character made it feel like I was watching complete strangers. It was astounding! I think the simplicity of the performance, the small detail of not being able to see what the characters were watching, kept the suspense going. The scenery, simply consisting of two benches, was all that was needed and I loved the interactive element of the police tape being brought across. It was so moving as well - I was literally brought to tears and was gripping onto my seat at some of the intense parts, watching the characters seeing their friend being stabbed, which could have easily looked unrealistic and unconvincing. Even the smallest of things, such as scene changes, were seamless. I watched every newsreader stride on, awaiting the smallest of mistakes, but seeing none. My only slight criticism would be that a moment of sadness was ended prematurely when I spotted the actors hopping over the police tape! But, all in all, it was absolutely brilliant! All the wonderful actors from "Just a pretty face" and "Mugged" certainly deserved a huge round of applause.
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