Author: thevicritic

A Girl Like Her

/ thevicritic / Leave a comment

Warning: This post will contain discussions about suicide, depression and bullying. If you or someone you know is going through something similar to what I’m about to write about then please talk to someone about it. Your never alone! I will leave websites and telephone numbers at the end of this post if you need to get in contact with someone. I completely understand if some of you choose to not read this post.

Hi,

As I write this, I have just finished watching a film called ‘A Girl Like Her’. The story is about a sixteen year old high school student called Jessica Burns. For six months, Jessica is bullied by the popular girl at school. It starts off as very small things like bumping into her in the hallway, calling her names etc. It then progresses into mean texts, postings on social media, and harassing her during the school day.

As mentioned before, the girl in question bullies Jessica for six months and drives Jessica to the point where she feels she has no way out. Jessica therefore decides to do the only thing she feels she has left and attempts to commit suicide and take here own life by the form of an overdose. She is rushed into hospital and gets treated.

This film was shot in a documentary-like way which makes the film really enjoyable despite the deep subject matter. I felt like the film was an excellent accurate portrayal of what the victims, friends and families go through. Although, there are times where you could see that this was a drama not an actual documentary. But for the first half an hour I actually thought it was a real documentary and I actually Googled it!

For me the subject of depression and suicide is something I struggle to talk about. I have seen the effect depression in particular has on people and to see this still carrying on in schools if I’m honest angers me. Now this film is fictional, but it honestly shows the impact that bulling taken this far can have massive consequences. People seem to think that posting on someones wall to go kill themselves is a good and fun thing to do. But it isn’t. They have no idea the impact that can have on the person in question and what it can leed them to do.

According to The Independent forty five per cent of young people aged thirteen to eighteen year olds have experienced bullying in their lives, and as a result ten percent of teenagers have attempted to commit suicide because they have been bullied. It is my personal opinion, that more needs to be done in schools to both one, stop the bullying before it gets to the point where the victim feels they have no other option and two the signs of someone who needs help and support. Nine times out of ten, if you ask the young person if they are okay. Then your probably going to get the response of “I’m fine” or “I just have things on my mind.” If your gut tells you something deeper is going on then follow it up and take it to someone higher.

I know this post has been more about a statement and less of a review, but I felt after watching this film that I needed to write something about it and try and get people in authority to do something more about it. Please ‘share’ this post around and comment on what you think should be done to help. Then maybe just maybe we might get the word out.

On the subject of social media, I have my own Facebook and Twitter page so please go ahead and like and follow them both. As new posts will be posted there first before anywhere else. Links will be posted below.

Information on people you can talk to:

For Over 18′s: The Samaritans: Website: http://www.samaritans.org/  Telephone: 116 123

For Under 18′s: Childline: Website: https://www.childline.org.uk/Pages/Home.aspx                                     Telephone: 08000 1111

Facebook & Twitter Pages

The VI Critic

Wicked The Musical – The Untold Story of The Witches Of Oz!

/ thevicritic / Leave a comment

Hi,

Warning before I start, this will be quite a long post, so grab a drink or something first! 🙂

This post is the one I’ve wanted to write about since I started this blog. But never thought I would be writing it so soon! Like I have said before I am a massive fan of musical theatre, and Wicked The Musical is my most favourite musical of all time! After seeing the performance today, I have seen the show I total of six times. The seventh coming in a couple of weeks!

After a what seemed to be a forever bus ride. I arrived to my local train station on time and got the train to London. Once arrived in London I took the Underground to London Victoria. Normally I would get assistance to use the Underground, but I knew the route so I done it on my own. Wicked is performed at the London Apollo Victoria, just a few yards (across the road) from Victoria station, so it’s really easy to get to. The tickets I had I bought were Row B (second row) in the Stalls. For anyone who doesn’t know, the Stalls are the first block of seats nearest to the stage. But the original seats were slightly off to the right and therefore were block by part of the stage set.

I knew this would be somewhat of a problem for me, so I tried to phone the theatre directly first thing this morning with no success. I message them on social media, but again with no success so my hopes were not too high. So when I arrived at the theatre, I went straight to the box office and explained my situation. I said that I did not booked the tickets myself and that I was visually impaired so I would struggle to see the show and that I need to be more central to stage to have the best view. The lady who was service me took the tickets I had bought with me and went to the back. A few seconds later, she came back and said that wouldn’t be a problem and let me choose where I wanted to sit.

Photo: View of the stage before the show from my seat.

I must point out, that on the day I got lucky and there were seats availble that best fit me. But any reading please bare in mind, that when you go and ask for your seat to be changed if needed. The theatre might not be able to do so. It honest just depends on the day and time of the performance. Anyway, the gave me seat C25 which was three rows back from the stage and dead centre. I honestly couldn’t ask for any better!

A bit of backstory about the show, everyone knows the story of The Wizard of Oz? Well, the show is all about The Wicked Witch of the West and what happened before the Wizard of Oz story. The show opened London’s West End in 2006, and has been going every since. It will celebrate its ten years anniversary this year. The show has had a new cast every year, but the cast you were on stage this afternoon and the current cast are as follows: Emma Hatton as Elphaba, Savannah Stevenson as Glinda and Oliver Savile as Fiyero.

I would go so far to say, that this is honestly the best cast I have ever seen by far! The vocal performances off all three actors/actresses, were outstanding! I also got luckily enough to meet Emma at the stage door after the show (photo below) I actually didn’t recognise her at first without all the green! But honestly I really talented and lovely lady!

I would highly recommend Wicked to anyone!! If you ever get a chance to go seriously go! The website and trailer of the show will be below. I can honestly say now, this will NOT be the last time I see this show! I will go and see this show a thousand times more I am sure!

If have got this far, when well done! I am sorry this was such a long post, but I don’t think I would be going this show justice if I didn’t Thank for reading this, and I hope you come back for more next time!

Website of the show: http://www.wickedthemusical.co.uk/wicked-london.php

Full trailer below:

The VI Critic

Friend Request

/ thevicritic / Leave a comment

Hi!

I didn’t think I would be blogging and reviewing a film on a blog about theatre and musicals, but I felt like I didn’t want to leave everyone waiting until the next time I go and see a show. So I thought I would go ahead and review a film I recently saw instead.

I recently went and saw a film which I believe came out in cinemas last week and the film is called ‘Friend Request’. ‘Friend Request’ is about a young student who goes to college in the USA. I would describe her as one of these “popular” girls who ways has to stand out and go to all the college parties and social events. The film is centred around the social media site Facebook (I’m sure you all know what Facebook is, I mean who hasn’t got an account these days). Anyway, the main character called Laura has over eight hundred ‘friends’ on Facebook, meets this more shy, eerie character called Marina. Marina has a condition called Trichotillomania. If interested I will leave a link about the condition below at the end of this post.

This film is very dark and is every much revolved around black magic, and Marina casts a spell on Laura. For all you ‘Harry Potter’ fans out there please don’t think this is similar, because sadly it isn’t. This has a lot of jump scares and can be quite graphic.

I have been to this cinema more times than I can count, and they are always really helpful and friendly. They always try to accommodate me in anyway they can. They let me pick the exact seat I want, if the film is Audio Described then they will also offer it to me. Even in some cases bring my food and drink in a little later once I’ve sat down, so hey waiter service!! The chain of cinemas are called ‘Cineworld’ and I’ve never ever had a problem. They will always try and get me on the front row so I don’t need to climb any stairs in the dark which for me is always a nice touch! 🙂

Again, this isn’t something which I would normally talk about but I thought I would write about my experience going to the cinema and I would urge anyone who is blind or visually impaired to try this company if you haven’t already!

Information on Trichotillomania: http://bit.ly/1rUizDg or http://bit.ly/21eg4fK

Trailer to the film below:

The VI Critic

Introduction & Chitty Chitty Bang Bang!

/ thevicritic / Leave a comment

Hi! 

Well, I guess what first needs to be said is. Welcome to The VI Critic! I will be posting reviews from shows I go and see from local theatre to London’s West End! But first I need to address the elephant in the room. As many of you can see from the title and bio of this blog is that I am visually impaired. I have a condition call Retinopathy of Prematurity or more commonly know as ROP. In basic simple terms, I have no vision in my right eye at all, and very little vision in my left. I have been like it all my life, but never get it in my way! This post is probably going to be a little extra long, so you have been warned. But it will not be this long normally!

I’ve always had a love for musical theatre, so I thought I would start reviewing shows, but with a slight twist. So I guess I’d better get on with reviewing my first ever show on this blog. 

I recently got the chance to go and see ‘Chitty Chitty Bang Bang’ a show adaption from the 1968 film. Featuring TV presenter and comedian Jason Manford as Professor Potts and TV actress Michelle Collins as The Baroness of Vulgaria, at The Cliffs Pavilion Palace in Southend. This particular performance was not a Audio Described performance, but it did not take away the brilliance and splendor of the whole show. 

I found the first half of the show to flyby like there was no tomorrow, and I thought at the time I might have been too quick? But looking back on it, the length of the first half was probably the right amount of time. The transitions from one scene to another to be a little too quick. As a audience member I like transitions from scene to scene to be a least a minute or to so you can take in what you’ve just seen and understand the story. The Child Catcher played by Martin Kemp I thought had very little to do with story and only appeared three times throughout the whole show, which I felt was a real shame, but played the role very well. I feel they could have done a lot more with this character. But I got goose bumps every time he came on stage.

The second half of the show was a little longer and was I felt at the right tempo. There were some scenes that were not in the film which I didn’t understand and made very little sense. For example, there is this one particular scene where at the King’s birthday party his wife and Queen of Vulgaria surprises him with a group of Mexican dancers in bright multicoloured costumes as the party entertainment. I found this very confusing and very hard to understand why they would put this type of scene in the show. 

All the acting by the whole cast I found outstanding, but the two child actors who played Jeremy and Jemima Potts were incredible!! The actress who played Jemima, I read later in programme that this show was her first professional performance. I remember going home thinking: “how has this girl not been seen I picked up sooner!” The vocal performances of Jason and Michelle was exceptional especially Michelle’s performance. The lighting and sound throughout the show fitted every single scene and did not look wrong in anyway, shape or form. 

Anyone who is looking or is thinking of going to see Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, I would highly recommend it, you will certainly get your tickets worth out of it.

Coming from a more Visually Impaired angle, the staff were really help in find me to my seat, they make sure I did have to climb so many stairs, they came to me during the interval and asked if I needed any help, support or if I needed anything. But even better, I got to meet some members of the cast at the end of the show at the stage door. They were all very friendly and took there time with me and didn’t rush me. They made me feel that they wanted me there and I did not rush of and told me that they need to go. They signed my programme and took photos with, and generally made me feel liked a VIP! Would recommend the theatre and looking forward to see future productions there.

Please feel free to leave comments on what you thought of this first post. I would be interested to read the feedback everyone has. Until next time! 

The VI Critic   

image