This Restless House - Citizens Theatre, Glasgow

This Restless House - Citizens Theatre, Glasgow

14th May 2016

Writer: Zinnie Harris

Director: Dominic Hill

A group of us RED Theatre Higher Drama students went to see The National Theatre Scotland and Citizens Theatre co production 'This Restless House' Trilogy on Saturday.

I have never been through such an emotional, funny, exhausting, inspiring, and fraught experience as an audience member as I did yesterday when watching this extraordinary Trilogy. 

The cast were universally brilliant, and brought the story to life with both strength and humour (how important that was!), but also depth, vulnerability, truth and fear in their performances. 

The use of sound ( composer Nikola Kodjabashia ) was incredible. The sound was a whole other character, literally on stage - ever present, terrifying, cutting through the scenes, pulsing, throbbing, building tension but also creating and enhancing the humour and its absurdity. 

Perhaps I just took a bit too much of myself into the theatre with me, maybe the writer, director and performers just knew where to poke and prod to affect me, however, this will stay with me for a long time. 

Agamemnon's Return was absolutely exhilarating! Lust, longing, regret, fear, sex and death; the classic Greek form is there but feels much more relevant and vital in this setting, with these actors. Some reviews spoke of how part 3 felt disjointed and had an effect of making the trilogy less coherent. I disagree with this. Zinnie Harris has woven the very difficult to deal with theme of mental illness throughout all three plays. The guilt, self loathing, "what if?'s", that certainty that only a terrible act can end the torment; they are the threads that make the trilogy so utterly compelling. It breathes and rasps through 'Agamemnon's Return' then become more obvious through the character behaviours in 'The Bough Breaks' and finally brings it crashing into the setting of 'Electra And Her Shadow' in a way that honours the source material, but has a truthfulness to it that left me a complete mess. As if the ghosts that have haunted me through my illness, have been plucked from my mind and placed on stage to show their power to others. 

It forced me to confront head on the feelings that have coursed through me as I've been coming to terms with and recovering from my own illness. 

Feelings of insecurity, guilt, self loathing, the creeping nature of it, obsessive behaviours, the uncertainty it creates, the pain it causes others, the fear it will consume you, the madness, the bizarre tics, aches, pains and the dreadful imagination that the mind can torment you with ... And the need for it to end, somehow, for it to end. For some unthinkable act to seem like the only way to take control and end the pain and suffering for all. 

I said immediately post show that even had I known how this play would have affected me beforehand, I would still have chosen to go. It's another thing that I had no idea would help, but it has, and in ways I haven't fully explored yet. 

I went to the mid show discussion, which was enlightening ( I asked a question about sound as a character), and also managed a brief word with the Director Dominic Hill in the bar after the trilogy was over (The Citizens is wonderful for the fact that cast and audience are so easily able to mix after a performance). 

As someone with severe anxiety, that in itself was difficult. I felt drained after the show ( it took nearly an hour before I felt ready to be properly back in the real world) and didn't say everything I wanted to say to him... Also that awkwardness of not feeling like I belonged there was niggling away at me, and you can't always defeat yourself. I have learned that I have to take my victories where I can find them. 

My sole regret was that I wish I had been able to fully express what this experience has meant to me to others that made this come alive. 

Had I fully processed the work, I perhaps would have felt able to also speak with Zinnie Harris, to say thank you for this wonderful piece of art. To be honest I was a bit scared of what she might say in response to my questions, that I would look foolish, that I was afraid to ask what her journey was that allowed her to write this way... 

I may have felt I could speak with Nikola Kodjabashia, to tell him that his soundscape captured that viciousness of the way my illness interpreted the world around me in all its jarring, horrible glory...

I may have felt able to speak with Olivia Morgan and tell her that her portrayal of Electra had grasped and shocked me, that it told me things, and let me see parts of me, that I hadn't ever seen on stage...

To say to Anita Vettesse that her performance as Audrey had also affected me deeply, that she had me on edge, nervous for her and nervous with her from the start of 'Electra...' to its conclusion...

How I wish I had felt able to speak with any number of the brilliant cast and crew... Pauline  Knowles, George Anton, Itxaso Morena, Ben Ormerod, Colin Richmond... Any of them to say this...

I would like to tell them that it really hit home, that it made me feel anxious, scared, fearful; that it made me laugh, hold my breath, gasp and cry. That it astonished me. That it took me to pieces and put me back together again in the space of a few short hours, that it's helped me to understand that I know I AM much better, and improving every day....

...that now, I can open my own window, and open it wide. 

Music - Lola In Slacks - Single Release Soirée at the CCA Glasgow

Music Review

Lola In Slacks - Single Release Soirée, CCA Glasgow

Lola in Slacks are a band I've been following very closely from the first gig I caught at the Glad Café in Glasgow (a great wee venue that I really enjoy visiting) and my enthusiasm has only grown as the number of songs they have written has also increased.

It's rare when you go to a gig by a new band expecting much. I knew 'Lola' would be decent ... However I did not realise just how much of an impact they would have on me at that first gig. It was immediately obvious that I was witnessing the beginnings of something special. Over time I've only become more enamoured by this group and their growing catalogue of tunes. I was heavily anticipating this release soirée for a while.


THE VENUE
I had never been to the CCA in Glasgow for a gig before, much to my shame, and it's a very fine venue. Visually it has an immediate impact when you walk in off the street, with the small shop area opening up to the main atrium as you move inwards. High roof, original parts of the building melded to modern steel and glass, but not in a crass way. The gig room was a great space with modern wooden panels, a very high ceiling and cinema projection room ( I believe they were projecting the work of Lola's guitarist/composer Brian McFie which were a very interesting group of images that complimented the music very well when I could draw my eyes away from the musicians ).

SUPPORT
Roy Møller was supporting and he and his band had a great time performing their set of songs extolling the virtues of Lou Reed, and spinning tales of the huge impact Reed's work and story has had on them. It was a lot of fun ("Come closer, we don't want this to be like prom!") , and the audience were well up for it, with the set turning out to be an autobiographical journey of love and enthusiasm... One of the joys of their set was the way in which the band members were mentally in tune with each other; even when it might look like things were going to go pear shaped, they suddenly, and seemingly without much communication, locked in and continued on to the next part of their set. It was a fun performance and the assembled crowd enjoyed it. I'm not sure if it was a show at the Edinburgh Fringe, but it bloody well ought to have been!

Roy Møller

Visit Roy Møller on Facebook and at his website


LOLA in SLACKS.

Lola are fronted by the lovely Lou Reid (I know, I know...) who has a fantastic presence about her. Unashamedly influenced by French culture and the country itself, her lyrics have an air of knowledge, experience and wisdom about them; when she sings, you had best listen as she has something to say, and it's important. Her lyrics are at times enigmatic, deep, and her imagery is always evocative; not always obvious, but always, always interesting.

L-R Brian, Lou & Lesley 

Showing how to win over an audience (even one as keen as this one) she was at times spellbinding and mysterious, but also in contrast, not afraid to have a laugh during her interactions with the audience ("Would anyone like a badge?"). Lou's voice can be dark and smoky, but also sweet and mellow, with real depth and feeling as she sings; from the slow, measured but powerful vocals on the magnificent 'Bisous Du Mistral' ("Coasting over violet landscapes to where lazy flowers grow, open up this tiny planet make room for this girl to grow...") to the more urgent vocals on 'Nostalgiasant' (spelling?!?) she is always drawing you into the tales of her world. A chanteuse indeed.

Brian McFie is lead guitarist and Reid's collaborator in bringing the music to life with Lola, with a wealth of experience to draw upon. He paints a sometimes shimmering, sometimes raucous, stirring backdrop to Lou's singing, complementing her voice and gently directing the music on its journey. Part garage rock, part orchestra, he is technically gifted, but not showy. McFie uses his guitars and pedalboard ( a collection of compressors, reverbs, various distortion and overdrives ) to build a world of sound for the band to play in; I might have been disappointed not to see his Gretsch in action (self confessed guitar geek alert!) but the sounds he weaved from his Music Man Albert Lee Signature model and Squier Jazzmaster J Mascis model were just as potent as any other time I've heard him play. He has a gift for applying the right amount of guitar into the LiS songs, without overdoing it, and leaving plenty of time and space for the rest of the band to play.

Villy Karagouni plays keys, and her playing is a great example of how keys should not overpower the sound (a lot go bands could learn from this as they either have the keys do too much or too little!). Her playing makes the point that her keys are an equal to the rest of the band, not merely something to fill the space (again, other bands take note!) I particularly like her interplay with the guitars, which is quite excellent. In some tracks Vily will take a lead, pushing the keys to the fore during certain passages, and in others will dial it back to a level where her fingers dance around and in between the other instruments. The debut single 'Tramlines' is a perfect example of this.

I'm perhaps over stating this (though as a bass/rythym guitarist at various points in my own history I totally get how important this part of a band is and have massive admiration for truly great rhythm sections), but Lola have one of the finest rythym sections I've ever heard live. I don't mean "for a new band", I mean for any band I've ever seen live. I'm talking super tight. Each instrument seamlessly works with the others to create a very special blend of musicianship. There is no conflict, no one party trying to outdo the others, no-one trying to make their instrument dominate the sound like Donkey from Shrek shrieking "listen to ME!". Drums, bass and guitar weave a magical foundation for the rest of the band. It's truly mesmerising. I think I might be in love.

Villy & Brian

There's a lot to admire in Davy Irvin's bass playing. He has a playing style that is both bold and melodic, playing an interesting palette of notes that add to the overall impact of the songs. The bass is forceful and driving when it needs to be, it's great to watch Davy's playing; he looks effortless as he moves around the fretboard. He leaves space in his basslines, never feeling the need to play for the sake of playing - in my opinion one of the signs of a great bassist is that they know when NOT to play. I've never really been a huge fan of Music Man basses myself (I like a Jazz or P/J blend), but Irvin has created a great sound for Lola with his Stingray.

Davy Irvin  & Martin Stuart Taggart

Martin Stuart Taggart provides the important second guitar (it looks like it may be a Gibson ES-335 with a P90 replacing one of the traditional humbuckers ) that helps to build that foundation of sound for the band. He plays with a careful, delicate restraint to link with the sounds of the lead guitar, while at the same time making it work with the rest of the rhythm section; and in doing so becoming an important part of the overall sound.

The driving beat behind LiS's is Lesley McLaren, playing the drums and percussion. There's a joke about drummers that goes "How do you know there's a drummer at the door? The knock slows down". No such issues here (indeed if you had the pleasure of seeing her play as part of 'The Hedrons' at a live show, and watched her in Lola,  you would be able to appreciate just how good she is) Lesley is absolutely rock solid - consistent and reliable, keeping time so that the rest of the band can lock onto her and stay together. Her grooves are at times hypnotic, at others truly and blisteringly thumping. Her playing is carefully thought out (I'd love to be in a rehearsal of a new song to see exactly how they come together as a band to build these compositions), and her beats are never the obvious ones. Different and great to listen to, but importantly never out of keeping with the overall musical agenda of the band. Lesley can create and hold a groove, and this must make it easy for the rest of the band to find their place to fit in. From the simple shaker, snare and bass drum at the start of 'Bisous', to the almost mad thumping of the whole kit at the climax of the show, everything was precise and fitting.

That is the thing I'd say about Lola in Slacks; they are so together, so on message with their music and above all they FEEL like the music is everything to them. I've never seen such a new band who were more together than Lola. It's clear just a few songs into their live set how tight-knit they are; it's like watching a band like who have been together for many years, who know each song inside and out, who know how to play and perform and have done for ages. They have built a sound with space for everyone, that serves the songs not their individual egos, and that is truly special and something to behold.

In Full Flow...

The gig itself was very special indeed. 'Bisous Du Mistral' is a fan favourite and was a tremendous start to the show. The gentle start with simple instrumentation to accompany Reid's vocals was the perfect way to start as the song gradually increases the number and input of instruments, then eases you down as it ends. The roar of approval that occurred after it was fantastic. The energy that the crowd and band exchanged was extraordinary, with each song the audience gave their energy and enthusiasm to the band, who then fed off that and played their hearts out - this managed to create a circle of increasing energy that became something of an emotional eruption by the time we reached the end of the show. 

The collection of songs LiS have has been steadily growing into what would make one hell of an album. 'Nostalgiasant' (is that the correct spelling?)  is a personal favourite of mine and was particularly brilliant. Reid's vocals sway and pulsate in the verses, pushed by the band to a joyful release at the chorus. The beautiful 'Trocchi's Canal', with its infectious beat and Lou's dreamy vocals, made my heart fly, while the rockier, grooving 'False Lines' had an equally fantastic response from the crowd.  'Souvenir Du Toi' is another of the rockier songs, again with a lovely piano part from Villy, with the band building to a raucous, explosive climax. 'False Lines' is a great song and long time favourite, with a juddering thumping beat played with intent by the rhythm section, and some great lyrics ("Midnight tears that fall from your eyes..") that Reid practically purred into our ears. The guitars snatched at my ears and increased in volume until the tune had built up to an impactful ending with everyone involved.

LiS have a steadily increasing number of songs, and chose to introduce us to another new one on Friday. The new song was 'Ocean Atlas' performed live to an audience for the first time; not that anyone there would know it. It was a gorgeous piece and was played as if it had been part of their set for years. It swept me along and had a dreamlike quality to it... I can definitely see it becoming a favourite of the fans, myself included.

I appreciate them (they are never dull), but don't have a great depth of knowledge regarding Roxy Music's back catalogue, however when Lou announced that they were covering one of their tunes ('A Really Good Time') I was keen to hear what they had chosen. If we hadn't been told it was a cover, I'm sure that everyone would have thought it was a Lola original, so well did it fit in with the rest of the set. 

Suffice to say that 'Tramlines', the track we were here to celebrate, was played and received with extra enthusiasm from the audience - it was played just as brilliantly as the rest of the set and there were more than a few smiles exchanged around the room, as well as on the stage. By the end of the song the room was very much on its way to the feeling of euphoria that signalled the conclusion of the show.

It's important to state the way that Lola in Slacks have come on since that first gig. In a very short space of time they have grown more confident, not only in themselves, but in each other and in the songs they are playing. The band members look like they enjoy playing for us, and really push themselves to give a performance that is truly greater than the sum of its parts. individually the musicians are brilliant; together they are formidable.

Debut Single - Tramlines
For their debut single LiS have selected 'Tramlines' and it's a good choice. The song has the great imagery I've come to expect in the lyrics, with Lou's voice drawing you into the song. The track is well arranged with room for everyone in the song and each instrument has space to do what it needs to build and maintain the atmosphere. The spiky guitars chime while the bass and drums join to build a complex and gorgeous foundation to the track. Lou's vocals are clear, purring in their telling of this particular tale. The break in the middle highlights the keys with a flowing melody that stays with you long after the track has ended. 

I really hope that some of the decent radio stations out there like BBC 6 Music will get on board and playlist this track (though to be honest I'd be happy if some of the shite ones joined in and played it). It deserves nothing less than to get a good amount of airplay. If there happens to be a label who want to take Lola to the next level I'd love to see that happen, however, I'll be watching with interest no matter where the band end up.

It's obvious that I'm a fan, but please bear in mind that I'm a bloody cynical one. I don't like bands just because I once did, or because at some point I've thought that the sun shone out of their arse. If they are not doing it for me anymore, I move on. I'm a loyal fan, but not one to be taken for granted.

I like bands and musicians because they do something to me; the music they make moves me. They manage to connect with me on some level; they make me feel enlightened, uplifted, joyous, intrigued. They amplify everything that is great in this horrible, shitey, twisted world that we live in and it makes me want to know more about them.
Lola in Slacks do this for me, and long, long may it continue.

You can buy Tramlines from Amazon or iTunes

Visit Lola in Slacks on Facebook, Soundcloud and Twitter


Lola in Slacks are: Lou Reid - singer/songwriter ; Brian McFie - guitar/composer ; Davy Irvin - bass/attitude ; Lesley McLaren - drums/percussion ; Villy Karagouni - Keys ; Martin Stuart Taggart - guitar

Marvel - Is this really your message to kids?

An open letter to Marvel Comics and Marvel Studios;

Hey Marvel,

Anyone who knows me will understand that I am a huge fan of Marvel.
I loved the Comics; I got a pile of Marvel comics when I was young and I was hooked. Secret Wars is a particularly strong memory (wow, Spidey got a super cool black suit!), and I have been going back and building a collection of character based collections and classic story runs like Civil War in recent times, the reasons being I want to enjoy reminiscing and also introduce my kids to the fun of comics/graphic novels. It's great seeing how excited they get when something unexpected happens or how they light up when a new story begins.
I used to watch the cartoons (uh-huh the terrible vintage stuff like Spider-Man from the 60's and 70's that was shown on "Glen Michael's Cartoon Cavalcade" - if you don't know who he is read this article ), and again my kids have watched some of the cartoon movies but also watch the stuff like Avengers Assemble and Agents of SMASH on TV.

And finally, the movies. Particularly the movies.

When Marvel announced Iron Man they surprised almost everyone. When we saw what they had done we were excited; it was a proper spectacle, funny and a great watch. Perfect casting with Robert Downey Jr, not too dark and grim, and importantly, it wasn't completely and slavishly tied to it's source material.  It used the basis of the comic stories to create a new world that was recognisable, relevant and believable.

Comics, Cartoons and Movies don't have a gender bias - anyone can read or watch them.

Since then things have went mental for Marvel. Each successive movie has upped the ante, 'difficult' characters have transitioned from page to screen with ease. Captain America, who can be perceived as a bit boring on the page, was turned into a great period set piece, with great turns from Chris Evans, Hayley Atwell and Hugo Weaving. It was again a fun ride with great action and a good streak of both humour and drama. I worried about Thor, but shouldn't have; great casting all round, a good realising of the realm of Asgard and the origin of the characters.

And we had the big one - The Avengers (forget the stupid Avengers Assemble name in the UK - no-one would get mixed up between Tony Stark and John Steed!) made by the great Joss Whedon. Just a great fun ride, a good script, set pieces and the actors inhabiting their characters perfectly. Whedon writes great parts for women, and puts them in positions of importance in his work, just look at his work history.

Since Avengers was released the Marvel Cinematic Universe is now established as a favourite destination from a blockbuster studio. Guardians Of The Galaxy was another massive movie for Marvel and a big hit with fans regardless of their gender. Age of Ultron (introducing new characters Quicksilver, Scarlet Witch and Ultron!) and Ant Man (difficult character again, but Paul Rudd, Michael Douglas, Corey Stoll and Evangeline Lily? Hell yeah!) will probably be big hits as well.

But there are some problems. Female characters. Specifically heroes. Some of the coolest, most kick ass women in movies... Scarlett Johansson as Black Widow in Iron Man 2, Avengers and The Winter Soldier; kicking ass, with acrobatic, ruthless efficiency, and Zoe Saldana as Gamora; an athletic assassin, but also the heart and soul of Guardians of the Galaxy. The characters aren't the problem... It's their place in the world of Marvel movie merchandise... Or more accurately, the lack of their presence on merchandise.

My kids love the MCU but even at the ages of 6 & 8 they have a problem with what they see as a lack of female heroes on and in the merchandise. all you have to do is visit the Marvel part of the Disney Store and you'll see just what products have the female characters present, and worse still, the lack of products for girls... Well I'll hand over to my daughter Anya (Thor is her favourite) she puts it better using her own voice...

"My name is Anya, I am 8 years old and I love the Marvel Superheroes. But I have a problem with some of the stuff that you (Marvel) make.

I have to buy boys clothes if I want anybody like Thor on them. I have a Thor T-shirt and Avengers & Guardians of the Galaxy pyjamas. They are all made for boys. I have Marvel bed sheets and there is only one of the girl characters on them(Phoenix). My Avengers pyjamas don't have Black Widow, my Guardians of the Galaxy pyjamas don't have Gamora.

Anya in her Thor T-Shirt (c) Spikes Kid

Avengers Pyjamas - Where's Black Widow?

Spot the female character

This is silly. They are part of their teams;

Black Widow is really important in the Avengers. She helped the team by getting Bruce Banner to help them, and by tricking Loki into telling her his plan on the heli-carrier. She was the one who closed the portal to stop the Chitauri and let Iron Man send the bomb through. If she didn't the bomb would have blown up New York and the baddies would have won and taken over the world.
Gamora is really important to the Guardians. If she wasn't part of the team they wouldn't have escaped from the Kyln prison. She made sure that they tried to give the Nova Corp the Infinty Stone and said that they should try to stop Ronan. She helped by holding onto Star Lord when he got the Stone from Ronan.

The girls are really important to their teams so why are they not on the clothes and bed sheets? They are in the posters and trailers for the movies so why are you leaving them off of the clothes and other stuff?

I hope that you won't miss out Scarlet Witch and Black Widow on the stuff you make when the new Avengers film comes out. They are both in the trailer.

  

Anya as Thor! (c) Lesley McLaren

Derren as Iron Man (c) Spikes Kid

My brother Derren has some things to say."

"I am Derren and I am 6. I have Avengers bed sheets & pyjamas and Black Widow is not on them - this is stupid because she is a part of the team and they wouldn't be as good without her and they wouldn't have won without her. Black Widow helped all the Avenger by shutting the portal and she helped to destroy the baddies. Without Black Widow the Avengers wouldn't be the same. My Guardians of the Galaxy jammies and T-shirt don't have Gamora on them - she is a Guardian of the Galaxy so it's silly that she is not on them. She is really good and is really good at fighting and is really cool. She should be on my stuff. Make sure that you don't miss any of the characters that I really like from the bed sheets and clothes that you make."


Anya and Derren made some good points when we talked about this. Anya didn't know why these characters were missing from everything but the posters. Derren surprised me. As a six year old boy I thought he wouldn't have cared about the missing female characters, but on the contrary he is quite annoyed; particularly about Gamora being missing from Guardians merchandise - When we asked who his favourite of the Guardians was he said he couldn't choose - he liked them all the same and they were all part of the team. I think that Marvel should recognise that if kids this young know that something isn't right, then it's no defence to simply use the same old tropes that get wheeled out every time, for example;

Avengers: Age of Ultron (c) Marvel Studios

"We license the use of the characters images for use by our partners."
In the UK this means that when ASDA, Tesco or anyone else sells a product, Marvel claim that they don't decide what the products will look like. But surely Marvel have to approve the line of products and supply the images used? If this is the case why not just supply full team images? Or as an outside bet maybe a female only character for sale in the girls section.

"Boys are the main audience."
I do believe that while that might have held true in the past, the apparent 44% female audience figures for Guardians of the Galaxy prove that this is not the case any longer. The addition of Scarlet Witch to Avengers and the strong female characters of Skye, Simmons and May in Agents of Shield show that female characters are important. 

We have the A.K.A. Jessica Jones coming to Netflix and Marvel have also announced that Captain Marvel will be the first female led movie in the MCU and if you know the character she is not exactly lacking in powers... A female Thor, and an all female X-Men... And before I'd even finished drafting this blog Marvel have announced  A-Force an all female Avengers... so even they believe that change is coming, and to be fair Marvel are making that change.
I say it's here already, just not being properly acted upon or maybe even being understood by the company marketeers - it's you that are letting everyone down. girls DO play with action figures (Anya and Derren play with their Star Wars toys and Superhero figures). 

If the following story is true then there is barely any gender gap in the fans of comics.

Black Widow, Gamora, Scarlet Witch & Captain Marvel (c) Marvel Studios/Marvel Comics

There are plenty of female fans out there, just go to any comic convention or event and you'll see for yourself. Stall owners, cosplayers, attendees... There are loads of women who love this stuff, so come on Marvel, don't try and deny or ignore the fact that they exist. I hate to say it but Wonder Woman sells plenty of T-Shirts. Almost every time I see a women's Tee it's Wonder Woman. Why not Black Widow, Gamora, Scarlet Witch, Captain Marvel, Rogue, Mystique, Storm or any of the numerous female heroes under the Marvel banner? Maybe with a bit more dedicated merchandise targeted at these customers you might find that you can benefit even more from this enthusiastic fan base.

Awaiting your response,

Spikes Kid


P.S. If you agree or disagree, please let me know YOUR thoughts on this.