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Gated Community
by Handheld Arts
Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre
Until Saturday 20th February 2016
by Handheld Arts
Newcastle Alphabetti Theatre
Until Saturday 20th February 2016
Newcastle’s Alphabetti Theatre is
at the centre of the cities fringe scene. As it approaches its first birthday
it continues to draw in the productions which, while worthy of an audience, are
not yet of the scale that warrants the interest of the larger venues. The end
results are shows on Newcastle’s doorstep that are at
the quality end of the Edinburgh Fringe. Add in a good value bar and the venue
is well worth hunting down.
Gated Community from Handheld Arts is an
example of the entertaining quality productions that are the trademark of
Alphabetti’s programming policy.
Alex
Garforth and Sarah-Jane Wingrove have devised
and designed a production that uses an innovative mixture of powerpoint, video
and a good old-fashioned overhead projector to illustrate a number of linked
stories.
The
story starts in Victorian times. A family want to escape the smoke and crime in
London so they build a big
house in Kent. Through illness and war
the estate ends up in probate when the final child dies. The developers bought
the land, flattened the house and build a gated community consisting of eight
houses. Gated Community follows some of the stories of what happens behind
the closed doors.
Drawing
from classic films such as Stephen King’s Misery,
The Wicker Man and 2001 A Space Odyssey, the strange goings on have a lot
in common with scary movies. The
narration of the tales by Sarah-Jane WIngrove and Shu-Yi Chun
has more in common with an episode of Jackanory. The exposition is often delivered
in poetic verse which in turn makes the stories much funnier when they reach
their sometimes gory conclusion.
For
example the first story was about a controversial newspaper columnist who moves
to the estate to avoid the protesters outside of her house. In the style of a classic horror film she discovers that
she is not alone in the house. But rather than be scared by the fat ghost, she
decides to put it on an exercise regime which had the audience laughing.
Other
stories include hi tech houses that become a problem for their occupants and
what happens when a burglar picks on the wrong householder.
Gated Community had more opportunities
for laughter than some so-called comedies we’ve seen on bigger stages.
The
show has a running time of about 40 minutes which means it is possible to start
your night out at the theatre, see this show and then continue your evening
out.
Through
classic storytelling, Gated Community
is a fun show with a horror theme that, like the venue, is well worth seeking
out.
On The Web:
Twitter: @HandheldArts
#TheGatedCommunity
@Alphabetti
Video: https://vimeo.com/139233901
Website:http://www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk/whats-on/24-whats-on-articles/153-gated-community
Website:http://www.alphabettitheatre.co.uk/whats-on/24-whats-on-articles/153-gated-community
Read
the original North East Theatre Guide preview here: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/02/preview-gated-community-at-newcastle.html
This review was written by Stephen Oliver for the North East Theatre Guide from Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter
Tickets:
Where: Alphabetti Theatre, The Basement of 18 New Bridge Street West Newcastle upon Tyne, NE1 8AW
Ticket Price: £7 / £5
Running Length: 45 minutes
To book: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/116077
Running Length: 45 minutes
To book: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/116077
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