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Show: Table
Society: Artists Theatre School (student productions)
Venue: Questors Studio Theatre, 12 Mattock Lane, Ealing W5 5BQ
Credits: Tanya Ronder
Type: Sardines
Performance Date: 29/07/2016
Table
Amanda Redman’s Artists Theatre School in Ealing, West London is probably one of the best kept secrets in the country (oops!). Sardines only found out about it just over a year ago when we bumped into the TV and film actress at St James Theatre where she was throwing her support behind a new pro-am musical called The Dreamers.
Each year ATS runs both Junior and Adult classes, the latter of which enrols around a dozen ambitious, but mainly non-professional actors each year. Acting as a ‘preparatory’ school for those wanting to go onto full-time drama degrees ahead of joining the profession, ATS runs its classes on Saturdays over three terms – for a ridiculously nominal fee!
While the first term is spent on all aspects of acting, with specialist workshops run by professional (and often celebrity) experts, the last two terms are used to rehearse and prepare for a final production directed by Amanda Redman herself.
Sardines attended last year’s ‘Adult Class’ production – held annually at The Questors in Ealing, where Amanda Redman MBE is Vice President – and was delighted to receive an invitation to also review this year’s offering.
As opposed to last year’s double performance featuring Amanda Whittington’s Be My Baby and Tom Stoppard’s (rather off-the-wall) Dogg’s Hamlet, 2016’s production is Tanya Ronda’s relatively new full-length ensemble play, Table – which incidentally was the inaugural production at the National Theatre’s temporary ‘Shed’ Theatre back in 2013 (A theatre which ironically – or perhaps not – also bore a striking resemblance to an upturned table, albeit in pillar-box red).
Redman quite deliberately chooses plays that will challenge and with only the NT’s production in existence, ATS’s cast of thirteen have had their work cut out getting to grips with a myriad of characters in this gripping piece of theatre.
A table is an interesting piece of furniture isn’t it; for years and even decades observing all that goes on around it. We’ve probably all got one, or can remember the family table where we grew up – just imagine the stories it would be able to tell; imagine the stories embedded in every dent, scratch, stain or carved initials. Tanya Ronda’s ‘table’ was crafted by David Best in the late 19th Century, and, over the course of her play, we follow the Best family lineage over the next 115 years as we (and the table) observe the drama surrounding six generations.
The changes in attitudes are interesting to follow. Family values, religion, social interaction, bringing up children. What a challenge it is to understand these characters and where they fit into the timeline. No pressure then for a cast, many of whom are either playing multiple roles or a single character at vastly different points in their life (childhood to elderly).
I’ve got to say they whole company has done exceptionally well to pull off such a thought-provoking piece of theatre. There’s little point in detailing the entire plot. Suffice to say our talented acting company skilfully bring to the audience: death in childbirth, First World War, twins, the nun, illegitimate pregnancy, 60s commune, the wayward child, the broken home, the single mother, the gay son, the adopted daughter… A first act largely made up of snappy short scenes gives way after the interval to a second half of more drawn out ensemble acting. Both sections play their part in piecing together a story which, by the end, turns full circle on itself.
Much work has obviously gone into the piece and, judging by the cast’s positive post-show energy, every member – including their director – was buzzing with the success achieved. And quite right too! Ensemble pieces, though, make it notoriously difficult to pick out individuals without feeling unfair to everybody else so it’s important that as a group the entire cast know how strong the whole performance has been and the part they all have played to make it so.
However, that being said it would also be unfair of me NOT to mention Elysia Showan (in her fourth year with ATS) who probably edged top honours as Sarah Best, the twin who became a nun only to fall pregnant, leave with her son and end up in the aforementioned 60s commune. I remember Showan garnered a positive review last year but has topped it twelve months later with a delightfully and controlled performance – including a bravely played out pre-interval nude scene.
Elsewhere, Richard Dee-Roberts gives an increasingly powerful portrayal of Sarah’s son, Gideon. His second half scene with Gideon’s estranged wife, Michelle Wiseman (Sophie Bentick) as the absent father struggles to be accepted back into his family is very well delivered by both actors. I could go on with some well-thought-through performances from Suzy Davenport, Emma Duke and Ashley Hutchison… but I’d have to turn this review into a role-call and that won’t do will it. So high praise all round which extends to several well-rehearsed hymns and songs that feature throughout; the closing African harmonies from the entire company are gorgeously sung.
It will be interesting to see who returns to ATS for the 2016/17 class – but for now, another successful year has come to an end. There’s only one thing left to do after tonight’s final performance …it’s all round the director’s house for a PARTY!
More at: www.artiststheatreschool.com
- : admin
- : 29/07/2016