The North East Theatre Guide: Review: Mobile at Newcastle Live Theatre

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Live Theatre Achieves Escape Velocity

Mobile

Newcastle Live Theatre

Until Sunday 26th June 2016

Update: Mobile returns to the North East on Friday 26th & Saturday 27th May as part on Sunderland Stages.

Please note that the location of this event has changed and will now be taking place on the terrace behind the Sunderland Museum & Winter Gardens.

Tickets & Show times:

Fri 26 May

14.30 | 15.15 | 17.00 | 17.45 | 18.30 | 19.30

Sat 27 May

12.00 | 12.45 | 13.30 | 15.15 | 17.00 | 17.45

“Pay what you decide”.

Details: http://www.artscentrewashington.co.uk/production-details.aspx?id=961
To reserve tickets: https://www.ticketsource.co.uk/event/162449

Live Theatre escaped the confines of their Quayside buildings to present their first show in their newly redeveloped Live Garden. The Paper Birds christen the new space with a production inside an ordinary caravan. The result is a totally immersive experience with actor sat along side a maximum of nine members of the audience in the four berth holiday home.

Jemma McDonnell directs a single-hander that uses each nook and cranny of the mobile home to explore social mobility. Should the occupation of your parents; the school that you attend or other aspects of your background put a glass ceiling on future expectations, earnings and happiness? How difficult is it for the child of a dinner lady who lives on a council estate to get into Oxbridge and get a professional career? Politicians often claim to want to improve the ease at which one can ascend the social ladder but have they been effective?

The show has many pleasant surprises. Rajha Shakiry’s set design uses a mixture of video, sound, lighting and common household devices such as a microwave to present the story. In reviewing a show I don’t want to spoil the surprises for you. The North East Theatre Guide is, after all, a spoiler free zone. Needless to say, the set is full of wonderful surprises.

The schedule of performances at Live Theatre is pretty intensive. It therefore makes sense to have two alternating actors playing Cindy. Kylie Walsh and Georgie Coles take turns as the graduate who finds herself living in her Mum’s caravan which appears to be where she has stored a number of childhood memories. The show begins on camping chairs outside. The host tries to guess some facts about the audience before the group enter the caravan itself.

We were guided around the deluxe vehicle by Kylie Walsh. She had starred in the original part of the Paper Birds Class trilogy Broke Review LINK. Once again her engaging personality draws the audience in. Her delivery is captivating. This role is far more complex than a traditional stage show as the character Cindy has to direct the audience around the set. The success of the show relies on the natural way in which mine host both makes you feel welcome without putting the audience under stress or embarrassment. Kylie was successful and convincing in everything that was expected of her.

The show entertains and provokes an internal debate which will go on long after the show has finished. I recognised the father who simply passes the phone across to the mother when called from the university residence. The descriptions of upbringing resonated. Indeed it brought a tear to the eye.

A very clever set which is full of tricks and a well researched script delivered by an intriguing friendly actor combine to produce a show that is both entertaining and challenging for the audience. It is a unique and affectionate show that really works well. Catch it whilst you can!

This review was written by Stephen Oliver for Jowheretogo PR (www.jowheretogo.com). Follow Jo on twitter @jowheretogo, Stephen @panic_c_button or like Jowheretogo on Facebook www.facebook.com/Jowheretogo.

Read the North East Theatre Guide preview: http://nomorepanicbutton.blogspot.co.uk/2016/05/preview-mobile-at-newcastle-live-theatre.html

On The Web:

www.thepaperbirds.com

@thepaperbirds

Mobile credits

Cast
Cindy Louise Kylie Walsh & Georgie Coles
Kettle Tim Dollimore
Microwave Jemma McDonnell
Radio Alarm Maryam Hamidi
Lamp Shona Cowie
Creative Team
Devised by The Paper Birds
Director Jemma McDonnell
Creative Technology Design The Media Workshop
Set Design Rajha Shakiry
Projection, Video and Sound Design The Media Workshop
Composer Shane Durrant
Sociologist Dr Sam Friedman
Producer Bonnie Mitchell
Movement Advisor Jonnie Riordan
Vocals Rosie Doonan
Cello Lindsay Wilson

Co-commissioned by Live Theatre and The Marlowe Theatre.

Update: Mobile returns to the North East on Friday 26th & Saturday 27th May as part on Sunderland Stages.