Counting Sheep Review

There is no way I am going to be able to give this play the justice it deserves in this review so I have decided to just write a personal response to this piece as what it meant to me as opposed to pretending to be an expert in immersive theatre or the Ukrainian Civil War so here are my words, from me.

From the moment I entered the venue I knew that I was in for something special. I had opted for the ground floor ticket to get the immersive experience and that is something I definitely experienced. The space was laid with long tables covered with white cloths and benches were set out along the sides. Huge projector screens surrounded the audience so we could be surrounded by the revolution. The show opened with news clips about the Euromaiden protests in Ukraine in 2013 playing on the projector screens. These clips gave the audience a background as to why the people of Ukraine decided to revolt which was due to corruption in the government and the pro- Russian and anti European Union policies being put in place.

The cast then came marching out wearing sheep masks and war paint, donned in Ukrainian traditional dress. My interpretation of the masks were that they represented a guerilla war movement. The show intertwined celebration and revolution and joy and suffering together. We were served two Ukrainian meals and were serenaded with Ukrainian folk songs to give the audience a strong sense of what the culture is like. Beside me I saw a few women in the audience singing along and wearing the traditional dress so the company Lemon Bucket Orchestra had successfully attracted Ukrainian natives to come and bear witness to their story.

The cast came to collect members of the audience to dance and join in on the festivities. All of a sudden the mood changes and a group of police march in carrying shields and weapons. The party disperses and the white table cloths are lifted to reveal shields hidden under them. Benches are moved away to build barricades and the revolution begins. The audience on the ground floor are given hard hats and shields to help defend themselves against rioters. It was a very powerful experience as I really felt afraid and could empathise with the protesters that got caught up in these fearful riots. Throughout the show the projector screens had facts and statistics giving information about the protests and violence that occurred, The average age of the numbers that were killed was 24 as it was the youth of Ukraine that wanted better for their country.

The cast did a wonderful job at including the audience and giving clear instructions on what we had to do. I found myself on my knees holding a shield to protect myself from gun shots coming from the police and opposing rioters.

This was an incredibly powerful show that gave me a taste of Ukrainian culture and gave me a deeper awareness of the civil war that is still going on. This is the closest I have ever come to being part of a revolution and the immersive experience really made me feel the terror and the threat of violence that political protesters must feel.

This play is really what theatre should be about, letting the audience feel something, raising awareness of political issues and allowing people to become completely immersed in an experience. I feel so lucky to have seen this show!

http://countingsheeprevolution.com/

Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs Review

As many of you who know me well will know that I am a huge theatre fan and an even bigger fan of the Edinburgh Festival! I always place myself carefully at the edge of the arts scene but never take the full plunge which is why the Edinburgh Festival always makes me feel very emotional. This year was the first time that I have seen anything at the Edinburgh International Festival and what a way to start by seeing 'Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs'. I have always been a huge Alan Cumming fan from back when he played creepy Sean Walsh in Circle of Friends to my new latest tv obsession The Good Wife. I was aware of Alan Cumming's experience in Broadway but it wasn't till I witnessed him live I discovered the true talent he possesses for show business.

The venue was set up to resemble a New York style cabaret club with dimly lit tables and an intimate stage setting. In bright neon lights were the words 'Club Cumming' to give you a feel for what was to come (no pun intended). This was a truly entertaining show that gave the audience an outlet to laugh, cry and just feel something. His songs ranged from Miley Cyrus's 'The Climb', Keane's 'Somewhere only we know' to a 'mash up' of Adele's 'Someone like you', Lady Gaga's 'The Edge of Glory' and Katy Perry's 'Firework'. Each song was introduced by a story or anecdote from Cumming's life which gave the show a really personal feel and all of the songs were performed in such a true and honest way. The song that moved me the most was his version of Rufus Wainwright's 'Dinner at Eight'. To introduce the song he told us about being a victim of child abuse from his father and he delivered the song with every inch of his being which moved many members of the audience. What struck me the most about this gift of a show was that we were seeing an artist that bore his soul to the audience; the good, the bad and the ugly and was so unashamed to feel everything.

It was interesting to look around the audience to see that different songs and stories moved different people for various reasons. A middle aged lady beside me was trying to fight the tears during Cumming's heartfelt rendition of Adele's 'Someone like You' as this song was significant to her. For me just bearing witness to a person who I admire and has led such a fascinating life full of experience was inspirational to me.

After the show the audience were invited along to 'Club Cumming', a club night that emerged in Alan Cumming's Studio 54 dressing room during his run on Cabaret on Broadway and we were lucky enough to get to experience it in Edinburgh. This club night consisted of Alan on the decks and his pianist and cellist chipping in on their instruments when appropriate. We were graced by the presence of a number of acts including a stripping Jesus, an Italian breakdancing company and a David Bowie impersonator. I definitely felt like I was in Studio 54 and gave in to the randomness and hedonism, It was one of the most unique nights of my life that I will never forget and it gave everyone the opportunity to have the full exclusive Broadway after party experience for themselves. Highly recommended!!