This play was a refreshing display of ability from previously unfamiliar faces on the Westminster stage, Under the guiding hand of first-time director David Sawbridge, they successfully performed this play which shows a couple, Harris and Thelma, who, having been to an exhibition of Magritte (about which they are arguing), are visited by an Inspector Foot. The Inspector accuses them of grand theft, questioning them throughout most of the play, in a manner that Jonathan Randall made impressively pointed and repetitively aggressive. The play concludes when the farcical accusations are exposed. Douglas Renwick's portrayal of Harris was relaxed and open, and the role seemed to come naturally to him. While Natalia Shoutova contrasted this with an appropriately staccato, sharp delivery, that effectively demonstrated the origins of Harris's long-suffering demeanour. However, in my opinion, the comical melodrama of the performance shone through most effectively early on in the play, with the amusing ridiculous reactions of the characters to the incessant gaze of George Hull as a policeman working for Foot.
Nick Elstob
Sam Shephard "A Lie Of The Mind" (the first Act) was well executed by Nick Elstob (Jake) and Fabian Joseph (Frankie), directed by the former. The play started with Jake speaking to Frankie on the phone in a shocked manner; we soon find out this is because he killed his girlfriend Lorraine. The motive behind the murder is slightly unclear, but it seems that he suspected her of being unfaithful. The audience becomes aware that Jake is an unsettled character, which was well portrayed by Nick. When Frankie, who is a relaxed character effectively portrayed by Fabian, provokes Jake, the latter turns on his friend and shoots him while he is asleep. His last words, which were blocked in the performance by the gunshot, were "I only do it to ones I love." - a phrase used at the beginning by Jake after he had killed Lorraine.
The play, had the usual features of a film - violence, swearing, guns and the American accents, but without the special effects. The Drama Festival certainly needed a play such as this performed by an accomplished duo. Nick's production was also well constructed portraying a living room with adjoining kitchen. Nick's charismatic, callous Jake and Fabian's laid back, sensible Frankie were both worthy of praise.
Jonathan Randall GG
At long last: a theatre for Westminster, Millicent Fawcett Hall Up-date report June 2000. The purchase of Millicent Fawcett Hall has been completed and Westminster City Council has passed our planning application for the conversion of the building. We can now look forward to the time when we join the ranks of other private and state school that have a dedicated theatre.
This is the School's largest new building project since the Robert Hooke Science School. So what do we end up with? A truly exciting, versatile performance space consisting of an open plan theatre, seating 150, with a gallery on three sides that can be used for audience, performance or musicians. All seating will be tiered, each row on its own level and will be movable to enable the theatre to be used for end on performance, traverse and in-the-round. The stage will contain a stage-trap, for moving of set and use in performance. The theatre will be equipped with up-to-date lighting, sound and projection facilities. We will have foyer facilities, far more spacious and attractive than we are used to, a space with an outdoor feel to it, glassing over a York flagged lightwell that includes the original portico entrance to the hall, sadly obscured by the surrounding new development. There will be green rooms with showers for performers and a further teaching/rehearsal room, which will relieve pressure and the constant hunt for rehearsal space. The interior will use sensitive house-lighting and colour, not the usual black of a theatre, to enhance the building and draw discrete attention to the architectural features of the structure.
The school will gain possession of the building as an empty shell, in August and will require some nine to ten months to complete the modification, internal building and fitting out. Equipment will then be commissioned and we can expect to open the theatre in September 2001 with our traditional 'opera slot' at the end of the month.
Picture here Designer's realisation of the theatre, seen from the technical gallery. ©Christopher Richardson, Theatre Futures
Philip Needham