Homeland – Returning Home

The opening scene of season six of Homeland was beautiful. The reason? It instantly took me back to those early days of season one. Nothing can beat this drama’s premier outing. Thrilling, gripping, high on emotion; it’s come incredibly close to recapturing some of its early brilliance, but up until now it has never quite managed to do so. It is, of course, too early to tell whether season six will be as satisfying. The signs are promising however, not least because that immersive jazz soundtrack which defined much of Homeland‘s initial run oozed out of my television’s speakers during that opening scene. To have it played against a lingering close-up of Carrie Mathison (Claire Danes), Homeland’s chief protagonist, only added extra depth to this first couple of minutes. The shots which followed created a moody atmosphere. You could sense the past impacting on the future. This is Carrie in a new place, with a new life, yet she is clearly shaped by all that has gone before her.

The new place she now occupies is Brooklyn, New York. After a stint in Europe, it appears Homeland is returning home to America, and not before time too. The show’s wayward trajectory since season three in particular appears to be coming to an end. It’s a return to basics for Alex Gansa (the show’s creator) and his team. And on this showing, it is to be welcomed. Not that the events of previous seasons are being forgotten however. This is no more true than in the case of Peter Quinn, Carrie’s former right-hand man at the CIA. It is heart-wrenching and quite distressing at times to see him, off the back of his horrendous ordeal in season five, so vulnerable and weak, barely able to hold himself up. Rupert Friend is superb in the role, capturing Quinn’s helplessness in such a way that is so antithetical to his character’s previous force and physicality.

The show also retains its ability to keep its finger on the pulse of real-life events. We also witness, during the opening few minutes, news reporters standing in front of cameras talking eagerly of the forthcoming Inauguration of the President-Elect. They may not have got the gender right – here, it’s “Madame” President-Elect – but in terms of characterisation, Gansa recently reported that she will be “part Trump” at least. It remains to be seen, but the treatment of newcomer Sekou Bah (J. Mallory McCree) revealed a more hard-line approach to national security, in keeping with Trump’s zero-tolerance views on Muslims that he expressed during his Presidential campaign. Thankfully for Bah, it appears he has Carrie in his corner, who is now working as an advocate for Muslim Americans with a Brooklyn-based charity. She certainly has strong criticisms of this new tougher regime.

So it’s early days but (whisper it) I have high hopes for this season. Let’s see if they turn out to be satisfyingly fulfilled.

Featured Image (C) IMDB

The Tempest – Virtual Reality Takes to the Stage

There is an interesting look to the RSC’s latest production. The Tempest is the first lucky recipient of Shakespeare’s plays to become immersed in the world of live motion capture effects. With the help of the award-winning Imaginarium Studios (they who brought Golem to life in The Lord of the Rings), director Gregory Doran seeks to bring this classic play to life on stage as never before. His choice of source material is apt given the magical powers of its protagonist, Prospero, and the mysticism of the island upon which he resides with his daughter Amanda (Jenny Rainsford), slave Caliban (Joe Dixon), and the spirit Ariel, played by Mark Quartley. The latter is fitted with a specially-designed suit that allows for his movements to be tracked, and transformed into a pixelated vision on a large screen backdrop. In terms of graphical quality, it is like watching a video game from the age of the Playstation 2. However, do not mistake this for criticism. This is a bold and innovative approach by the RSC. As with anything new, it is going to be a little rough around the edges. To some extent, it worked. They are to be admired in their attempts at portraying the magical powers of Simon Russell Beale’s Prospero. In the beginning, perhaps they are a little too eager, attempting to use these technological advancements at every opportunity. Yet come the second half, there is the perfect balance. Towards its conclusion, the special effects perfectly compliment the acting genius of Russell Beale, drawing out a depth of emotion that is so captivating, the silence in the packed theatre was deafening. To this extent, I think perhaps the way forward with CGI in theatre is not to overstate its use; rather, to utilise it in such a way as to enhance the experience that live performance already offers. The Imaginarium Studios team did achieve that at times here. For its maiden outing, it was by no means a disaster. It is early days, but the signs look promising. Here’s to further technological developments for this most physical of art forms.

Originally created as part of Venue Cymru’s Young Critics scheme

Sherlock – The Problem with The Final Problem

I hoped that it would not happen. But sadly, I was struck down with “Moffat frustration” during last night’s series finale of Sherlock. Unfortunately, I started to suffer very early on. As soon as the clown popped its head out, I knew that it was to a symbol for the farce that was to follow. Despite the brilliantly unnerving and haunting scenes previous to this – classic Mark Gatiss horror – once Benedict Cumberbatch appeared from the window, and Martin Freeman joined him and hastily batted away the superb cliffhanger of the previous episode, all that fizzling tension fell flat on its face. Despite my best efforts to enjoy this 90-minute series ending, I found myself disappointingly frustrated.

I find that this happens with the work of Steven Moffat. I love him as a writer, but sometimes I feel he tries to do too much. His grand ambitions are sometimes too ambitious. This final episode was a case in point. I simply couldn’t suspend my disbelief as they miraculously escaped the bomb blast in 221b Baker Street. Despite the myriad of moral problems that Euros Holmes had set for her brother Sherlock, it was hard to get emotionally involved when Sherlock himself seemed to be primarily preoccupied with the girl on the plane. And the idea of Sherlock “coming home” felt hastily devised and underwritten. It felt like a poor man’s Skyfall.

After the shock and disappointment of Mary Watson’s death in episode one, I felt like this gave enough impetus and potential material to explore the relationship between Sherlock and Watson in the aftermath of this tragic event. Episode two, therefore, felt like a missed opportunity. Here was a darkly disturbing storyline with a superb performance by Toby Jones as the villainous Culverton Smith. It brought Sherlock and Watson back together in such a way as would have been fitting for a series finale. Yet instead of exploring the emotional impact of Mary’s death on their relationship, the writers (Moffat and Gatiss) decide to repair the schism almost immediately and move on to the next juicy idea that they had devised, that of the forgotten sister. Yet this could have been the subject of a whole series in and of itself. Here, crammed into one-and-a-bit episodes, it was not given the room to breathe that it deserved. Surely the idea of a “long-term plan” by Moriarty could have been made truly long-term (and then potentially more satisfying) in the sense of stretching it over into another series?

I understand the logistics of making Sherlock. Due to the work demands of the actors involved, Moffat and Gatiss admit that this could be the last we see of this modern-day take on the classic sleuth. Yet in previous interviews, Cumberbatch has always freely admitted his desire to return to the character again if the stories are there. Even if that is only once every couple of years, surely it is worth it?

Overall, the problem with The Final Problem was that there were simply too many problems to care about. Despite my frustrations with this episode however, I hope this isn’t the last we have seen of Benedict Cumberbatch and Martin Freeman’s partnership. Because when it’s good, Sherlock is exceptionally good.

Featured Image (C) BBC

Inside No.9: The Devil of Christmas

Forget the turkey dinner and Christmas pud. The genius of Reece Shearsmith and Steve Pemberton is enough to leave you salivating this Christmas. The festive special for their darkly humorous Inside No.9 series is a cracker of a show. Entitled ‘The Devil of Christmas’, it is a note-perfect pastiche of ’70s television, with a fairly standard ghost story to boot. There is nothing standard about Shearsmith and Pemberton’s approach however. Using multiple 16mm cameras to film, and the inclusion of delayed scene starts and fluffed lines, brings an authenticity that could see it mistaken for an episode of the ATV soap Crossroads. Call the Midwife‘s Jessica Raine is perfectly cast alongside Pemberton, playing a couple whose received pronunciation was straight out of the Reithian guide to acting. They have come on holiday to a ski lodge with their mother (played by Rula Lenska) and son Toby. But their jolly outing doesn’t last long as the caretaker (expertly played by Shearsmith) tells the story of how the “Krampus” (the “devil” of the title) comes to take bad children away in the night. What follows is a plot with more twists than a candy cane, and which builds suspense with the aid of screeching violins. It is a complete hoot, with the voice of Derek Jacobi providing a “Director’s Commentary” that compliments the action on screen brilliantly. All these ingredients mix together perfectly to make an incredibly satisfying cake. Yet it is the icing on the top, the most unexpected final scenes, that truly make this a quality piece of television. I would even go as far as to say it’s the best episode yet. Deliciously scrumptious, it will certainly leave you wanting another slice.

Featured Image (C) BBC

Aladdin – Venue Cymru

Prepare yourself for a festive treat at Venue Cymru. Aladdin is a Christmas cracker of a pantomime. We are talking high-end, top-of-the-range crackers as well, with decent jokes and quality surprises to boot. I can’t pretend that this was expected either. After last year’s production of Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs – which was most certainly Poundland material – I was gearing up for an excruciating couple of hours. Yet how pleasantly surprised I was. With stunning scenery and some spectacular set-pieces, the production team have certainly pulled out all the stops. Add to this a fantastically well-gelled cast and you are most certainly on to a winner.

This is a panto steeped in tradition. There are plenty of boos and hisses for the villain. Lots of sparkle surrounds the fairy and the princess. There is also the eponymous dame, Andy Jones making a wonderfully hilarious Widow Twankey. Yet there is also plenty of creativity and ingenuity in this show. The special effects, in particular, lift this pantomime from standard, end-of-the-pier fare to breathtakingly good theatre. The carpet scene really is magic. There’s a truly terrifying appearance by a giant cobra. Even the elephant, taking on the renowned role of the pantomime horse, adds a comic touch of quality, albeit with realistic excrement left all over the stage.

It feels refreshing to congratulate not only the set designers but also the cast too. There was a genuine feeling that they were seasoned veterans, having done this panto lark together for years. Credit must go to Llandudno favourite John Evans in particular. Twelve months ago, I felt he overshadowed the rest of the cast; it was more like John Evans and Friends than a scripted performance. Here, however, his introductory stand-up routine was much shorter, fitting into the organic flow of the story and making him much more believable as the hapless Wishee Washee. Together with Luke Higgins’ groin-thrusting Aladdin, Andy Jones’ Twankey, and Welsh rugby legend Gareth Thomas as Genie, they help celebrate Evans’ tenth anniversary at Venue Cymru by providing laughs aplenty. In particular, there is an unforgettable rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas that will have you bowled over in tears of laughter.

Aladdin is a fizzling smorgasbord of colourful choreography, lively songs, and rib-tickling hilarity. If there is one trip you make over the Christmas period, make sure you set your sat-nav to Venue Cymru for a tasty treat.

Originally created as part of Venue Cymru’s Young Critics scheme.

The Shires – My Universe Tour

The UK’s top country music act The Shires paid a visit to Venue Cymru with a fantastic set as part of their My Universe tour. With a packed audience of Welsh country music fans eager to hear their latest material, Ben and Chrissie (along with their band) certainly gave them an unforgettable night. Opening with a set by US vocalist Canaan Smith, whose acoustic performance was full of emotional promise, it was perfectly weighted to prepare the audience for the main event. He was the chalk to The Shires’ cheese. With a No.1 track already on the other side of the Atlantic, he is certainly one to watch for in future. Now though it was The Shires taking centre stage, beginning with one of their best-known singles Nashville (Grey Skies). This eternally-inspiring, feel-good number was the perfect opener for a night that ebbed and flowed between blood-pumping rock and heart-stopping ballads. Of particular note was Chrissie’s performance of Daddy’s Little Girl – a moment to take your breath away – and their soulful rendition of Robbie Williams’ Angels, which they had recently performed, to popular acclaim, on Radio 2 in front of the man himself. The night ended with a spine-tingling ad-lib from the audience, setting the scene perfectly for an encore of the nostalgia-soaked Other People’s Things and their immersive gospel song A Thousand Hallelujahs. For anyone who has not yet caught fire from the rising flames of country music in the UK, The Shires are the perfect place to start. This was Christmas come early for many of their fans. A truly brilliant night.