MercuryTheatre

Accessibility Theatre Review Of ‘BindWeed’ At Colchester’s Mercury Theatre

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I had the privilege of attending the production of “BindWeed” at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester, and I must say, it was a profoundly moving experience that left a lasting impression on me. The show tackles the harsh realities of domestic abuse, shedding light on the experiences of both men and women, and does so with an intensity and sensitivity that is both rare and commendable.

From the moment the play began, the acting by the entire cast was on a whole other level. Each actor brought their character to life with such depth and authenticity that you couldn’t help but feel their emotions. The pain, fear, hope, and strength of the characters were palpable, and the interactions between them were charged with raw emotion. This level of performance drew the audience into the story in a way that was both immersive and impactful.

One of the standout elements of “BindWeed” is its exploration of the session leader’s background. Her history as a former police officer with the Met Police added layers of complexity to her character. This deep dive into her past provided a nuanced perspective on her motivations and the challenges she faces, both professionally and personally. It was a brilliant narrative choice that enriched the overall storytelling and provided valuable insight into the broader context of domestic abuse support work.

The studio setting at The Mercury Theatre offered a simple yet intimate atmosphere that was perfectly suited to the show’s themes. The minimalist approach allowed the focus to remain squarely on the characters and their stories. The lighting design was equally effective, with its simplicity enhancing the mood of each scene. The darker lighting in certain scenes heightened the tension and underscored the gravity of the situations being depicted.

The image depicts a dramatic scene, from a theatrical performance. - The scene takes place in a dark room with a circular stage at the center. - Overhead, there are various objects such as chairs and props suspended, contributing to a cluttered and intense atmosphere. - The lighting is focused intensely on the person standing at the center of the stage, creating a spotlight effect. - Additional lights are pointed towards the stage, enhancing the dramatic effect and ensuring the audience focuses on the central figure. 3. **People**: - There are a total of six individuals present. - One person is prominently standing in the middle of the stage, appearing to be the central character.
Photo: Will Green

In terms of accessibility, the auditory elements of the performance were particularly significant. The dialogue was clear and well-articulated, ensuring that the story could be followed without visual cues. The emotional weight carried by the actors’ voices conveyed the necessary context and depth, allowing all audience members to fully engage with the narrative.

“BindWeed” is more than just a play; it’s an important piece of theatre that shines a light on an often-hidden issue. The Mercury Theatre’s production does justice to this difficult subject matter through exceptional performances, thoughtful storytelling, and a production design that prioritises the emotional journey of its audience.

If you have the opportunity to see “BindWeed,” I highly recommend it. It’s a powerful, intimate exploration of domestic abuse that will leave you with a deeper understanding of the issue and the people it affects. This is theatre at its most compelling and transformative.

This show is very much for all, so as a result is massively accessible. Even though there are no accessible performances for this show, which is of course a little disappointing. I feel as if you don’t really miss out on a whole lot without Audio Description as the cast do such an amazing job! But I wouldn’t be me, If I didn’t say it would have added more to make the show even more accessible.

I thoroughly enjoyed ‘BindWeed’ it is by far the best show I have seen so far this year within the local theatre circle. Tickets are quickly running out, but if you can get a ticket for this show I can highly recommend it! Everyone from cast, crew and all backstage did an amazing job!

‘BlindWeed’ is running at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester until 22nd June 2024! For more information please do check out The Mercury Theatre website by clicking here!

Content Warnings For This Show Are: This performance contains swearing, violence, blood, misogynistic conversation, reference to domestic abuse, coercive control, rape and sexual assault, reference to murder and suicide, and references to children obtaining and sharing pornography.

Until Next Time,

The VI Critic

The image appears to be a poster or cover for a written work titled 'BINDWEED' by Martha Loader. The background of the image shows a room with several empty chairs arranged in a circle. The room is old and somewhat dilapidated, with greenery and weeds growing on the floor, suggesting a sense of abandonment or neglect. The sunlight is streaming through the windows, adding a contrasting element of light to the otherwise gloomy scene. The title 'BINDWEED' is prominently displayed in large, bold letters across the center, while the author's name, Martha Loader, is written below it in a slightly smaller font. Overall, the mood of the image conveys a sense of mystery or intrigue, possibly hinting at themes of abandonment, nature reclaiming space, or group meetings in a forgotten place.

Self Raising! – Starring Jenny Sealey

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Hi everyone, back again with another review! This month is very much a month of theatre so there’s at least one more to come!

If you haven’t already read my recent review ‘The Importance Of Earnest’ then I will leave a link for you here.

Moving on to the review, I recently had the opportunity to watch ‘Self-Raising’, which starred Jenny Sealey. I must say that this is one of the best plays I’ve seen in terms of accessibility, and that’s saying something considering the amount of theatre reviews I’ve done over time.

The story is a summary of Jenny’s life and family. She talks about the history of her family and her childhood. The story has some happy and sad moments and takes you on a full journey and rollercoaster.

The accessibility measures provided at the performance were the best I’ve ever seen. They had everything covered, including live audio descriptions, personal and live descriptions, live captioning, sign language interpretation, and photo descriptions through audio played through speakers for the entire audience. Additionally, a free large print booklet was provided, which detailed different elements of the show and included content warnings.

The image shows a theatrical performance with a single actress on stage. She is sitting on the floor, wearing a light blue hospital gown, with her hair up in a messy bun. Her expression is animated, and she appears to be in the middle of delivering a dialogue or monologue. In front of her, there is an open cardboard box with scattered photographs all around it on the stage floor. The audience is visible in the background, sitting in darkness, attentively watching the performance. The setting seems intimate, with the audience close to the performer.

Before the show fully started both Jenny and her interpreter described themselves in full! What they were wearing, and how they looked. They then went on to describe the very simple set. Jenny then goes on to tell her story. To explain her story, she shows the audience different family pictures. After each picture is shown, the picture is shown on the screen in a much bigger format and then described to the whole audience in great detail. Even though I don’t often use Audio Description, as I have some useful vision I found this extremely useful which was a lovely surprise. 

The story was very enjoyable, and at times I could not help but feel for Jenny when she would describe situations that she found herself in. Having everything described only added to the story. 

I must say that this show is a must-see! Jenny and her team have taken into consideration all forms of disability and have made sure to accommodate as many disabilities as possible. I was highly impressed with the amount of accessibility that was available to everyone. Additionally, there was a table outside after the show that had copies of all the photos, some props, and Jenny’s costume used in the performance. They couldn’t have done anything more to make this show accessible to everyone!

You really must go and see this show! It is running at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester from Friday 8th – Saturday 9th March, but is on a national tour of the UK! Trust me when I say, get tickets for this show! Tickets for The Mercury Theatre can be found by clicking here. If you would like more information on the national tour, however, then you find out information by clicking the link here!

Be sure not to miss out!

Until Next Time

The VI Critic  

The image shows a middle-aged woman with shoulder-length blonde hair, looking directly at the camera with a neutral expression. She has light skin and is wearing dark lipstick. Her attire includes a dark grey shirt with a large, twisted silver necklace. The background is dark grey, and there is a dynamic effect of white powder that looks like it's being thrown over her head, creating a contrast with the dark background. The powder is also lightly dusting her hair and shoulders.
Trailer Starring Jenny Sealey

Oscar Wilde’s ‘The Importance Of Being Earnest’

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Hello everyone, and welcome to the first theatre review of the year 2024! It’s great to see another year of theatre performances starting. To kick things off, I recently watched ‘The Importance Of Being Earnest’ at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester.

I was excited to see this play as it is based on a popular book with a worldwide reputation. The plot revolves around two men, one of whom lives a double life under a different identity. This leads to a complicated love triangle between the characters.

I first need to say that the cast in this show was amazing and had a real passion for the material. It was also really clear from the show that the direction and style of the show wanted to stay very true to the original text, which I preferred. 

The use of simple settings and staging, along with effective contrast, helped to make it very clear to distinguish between each character. They all had a unique sense of fashion and style that added to their individuality. The great use of colour was visually pleasing and added to the overall experience. Each character had a distinct way of speaking, making it easy to understand who was talking to whom and who was on stage at any given time.

The image depicts a whimsical, theatrical scene. There is a woman standing on the left, dressed in a floral dress with her hair up, looking upwards. She is next to a small round table with a pink cloth and two red chairs. In the center, there is a large, ornate fireplace with a pile of red and white roses spilling out from it. Above the fireplace hangs a large, round, dark mirror with a pink frame. On the right, a man in a pink suit with a blue bow tie leans on a high counter, looking towards the woman. The backdrop is a lush wall of greenery and flowers, and there are three birds suspended in the air as if in mid-flight. The floor has a checkered pattern in light blue and white.

The lighting used in the show was simple yet effective in illuminating the entire performance. I appreciated this as there was not a single moment where I had difficulty seeing what was happening on stage. The only instances of darkness were at the beginning and end of each act, which did not cause any significant problems.

I have always struggled with the different types of language used in some plays for example Shakespeare’s plays, and there was a few elements in this play too. However, the comedy throughout the whole show fully made up for this. 

The image shows a man standing in a room with a playful and confident expression. He is holding a red book in his left hand and resting his right hand on the back of a white, ornate sofa. He is dressed in a colorful outfit: a teal robe with a floral pattern, a maroon sweater, pink pants, and a brown belt. Behind him is a bookshelf filled with neatly arranged books in various bright colors. The room has a light blue wall and a grayish-blue floor.

The story itself I had never done at school so was not aware of this play or book before seeing this show. I must say I thoroughly enjoyed this production from start to finish. The story was engaging and compelling, and the cast did nothing but add to this. It had everything you could want. A love triangle, death, comedy, betrayal, secrets. It has it all. It was great to see a predominantly female cast apart from the two male leads which I don’t see very often it was great to see and something which should happen more.

I think in terms of accessibility then, if you have some useful version. You will love the great use of lighting, scenery and colour. Along with amazing costumes. If you would like an up-close look at this, then I would recommend sitting in the centre of row D which is pictured below. If you limited to no vision. You will still get a great deal out of this show. There are of course some visual elements you will miss but there is an audio-described performance available along with a Touch Tour, to get even more up close and personal with the cast and set of this outstanding show. 

The image shows a stage set designed to look like an elegant room. The room has a pastel color scheme with light blue and white checkered flooring. The walls are adorned with white paneling and decorative moldings, and the backdrop features a painted sky with fluffy clouds. On the left side of the stage, there is a white bookshelf filled with colorful books. In the center of the room, there is a classic white sofa with ornate detailing. To the right, there is a small round table covered with a pink cloth, upon which rests a lamp with a fringed shade, and a single chair that matches the sofa's design. Above the table, on the wall, is an oval-shaped mirror with a pink frame. There are two wall sconces emitting a warm light on either side of the mirror. The overall atmosphere of the set is whimsical and charming, reminiscent of a fairytale interior.

You really would not go far wrong in getting a ticket for this outstanding show. This has been put together brilliantly in the only way The Mercury Theatre can. If it can go on tour I really think it should. Let the rest of the country get to see how good this first-class show is! 

‘The Importance Of Earnest’ is running at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester from 7th – 16th March 2024. Go and get your tickets by clicking the link here!

Until Next Time,

The VI Critic  

The image is a promotional poster for a play. It features a person dressed in a pink suit with a large pink rose for a head. The person is holding a teacup close to where their mouth would be. The background is olive green with ornate gold designs on the corners and sides. The title "THE IMPORTANCE OF BEING EARNEST" is prominently displayed in large white letters, with "by OSCAR WILDE" and "directed by RYAN McBRIDE" in smaller text below.

A Trailer Of The Show In Animation:

A Interview With Director Ryan McBryde:

Sleeping Beauty’ Pantomime Casts Its Spell Over The Mercury Theatre!

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Welcome back to another review, which will be the last review of the year with the lead-up to Christmas and the new year so imminent. But I get to finish it over with my favourite of the year and that’s always going to be The Mercury Theatre’s Pantomime and as always it did not disappoint. 

This year’s Pantomime tells the story of ‘Sleeping Beauty’ but of course with some twists and more modern adoptions. 

First I need to mention the use of colour and lighting as The Mercury really nailed it this year! Even before the show started; there was use of bright multi-colourful on the trees at the sides of the stage, along with these same lights in the glittery title of ‘Sleeping Beauty’. The vibrant and visually captivating nature of the show is immediately evident, with a delightful array of colours splashed across the stage. The atmosphere immediately captures the audience even before the show begins. The use of colour throughout the whole show, and is a visual delight. However, it may be too much for some.  

The costumes of the characters stand out prominently, designed with distinctiveness in mind, making it effortless for the audience, regardless of visual ability, to distinguish between each character. This thoughtful consideration contributes significantly to the accessibility of the performance.

The picture is of a vibrant and colorful stage performance. The background is a magical night sky with stars and snowflakes, illuminated by beams of light in shades of purple and blue. There is a large arch on the stage adorned with snowflakes and stars. In the center of the stage, there is a female performer wearing a sparkling blue dress with a voluminous skirt made of blue feathers. She has her arms outstretched and appears to be singing or performing. Surrounding her are other performers dressed in black with blue feathered skirts. They are in various dance poses with their arms raised and appear to be part of a chorus or ensemble. The overall feel of the image is festive, magical, and full of energy.

Alexandra Barredo The actress portraying Lona steals the spotlight with her remarkable singing prowess. Her voice resonates throughout the theatre, captivating hearts and elevating the emotional depth of the production.

‘Sleeping Beauty’ brings forth a plethora of laughter, cleverly catering to both adults and children. Anthony Stuart-Hicks, with his mixture of fresh and timeless comedic material, ensures that the humour appeals to a diverse audience. As for Dale, his consistent charm and wit remain a constant highlight, much to the delight of the loyal audience. These two together are always a joy to see on stage together and their strong and loving chemistry really shines through. Their consistent ability to connect resonates deeply, becoming the driving force behind audiences’ unwavering return, year after year after year.

‘Polo’ the penguin at the start, I’ll be honest I wasn’t are was going to work at the beginning of the show, but by the end, he really was an audience favourite and had us cheering him on by the end. I feel like more could have been done with the character of ‘Prince Istuna’. This is of course nothing against the actor whatsoever, but it felt like that character was only in the story one, because there needed to be and so there was a love interest to move the plot along. Would loved to have seen more of a character arch. 

The picture shows a person dressed in a vibrant and colorful costume, seemingly performing on a stage. The person is wearing a dress made of different patterns including stripes and checks, in bright colors like pink, yellow, green, and blue. They have a big smile on their face and are wearing exaggerated makeup, including purple eyeshadow and bright red lipstick. They also have a curly purple wig that is adorned with green leaves and yellow fruits. They are extending their arms wide open and holding the ends of the dress, which is flowing. The background is blurry but seems to be a stage with a festive setting, including bunting flags.
The picture shows two performers on a stage, dressed in extravagant and colorful costumes. The background appears to be a set of a grand room with dark wood and ornate details. The performer on the left is wearing a dress made of various fabrics with different patterns such as stripes and newspaper prints. The dress is very voluminous and has a high collar. On her head, she is wearing a tall hat that looks like a stack of different sized rings, with a purple and white color scheme. She also has a green feathered ornament sticking out from the top. Her makeup is very dramatic with exaggerated eyelashes and her lips painted in an exaggerated manner. The performer on the right is wearing a suit made of patchwork fabric with various patterns including checks and floral prints. His suit has a ruffled shirt and a bow tie. He is wearing a green wig that is styled in tight curls and a hat that looks like a chef's hat but made of the same patchwork fabric as his suit. He is smiling broadly. Both performers are holding drinks in their hands and seem to be in the middle of a performance, possibly a play or a musical.

The Mercury Theatre Pantomime has become very much a Christmas tradition for so many local people, me and my family included. There’s just something about this company and the theatre that welcomes you in year after year and I know for many including myself that it really wouldn’t be the Christmas season without it, and it shows with The Mercury breaking their own record of the highest and fastest sales of tickets for ‘Sleeping Beauty’ this year! If you haven’t got tickets, then I strongly and highly recommend you get to a performance. 

In terms of accessibility, as said before there are a lot of colourful and flashing lights, which might be a difficult situation for some, but the use of colours really helps if you have some useful vision as you very easily distinguish one character from another. I sat in row F of the theatre, and I think I would have needed to be a little closer, but this took another away from the joyful experience. I would suggest anyone with low but useful vision try and get seats in row D or closer, but maybe not the front row, unless you want to be picked out on my Anthony Stuart-Hicks! 

There are two Audio Described and Touch Tour performances available and I would recommend these if you have no vision. These are Saturday 9th December 2023 at 2 pm (but this performance has a low stock of tickets as of writing) and Saturday 13th January 2024 at 7 pm (as of writing this has a good stock of tickets, but these are subject to change) if you are seriously thinking about going I would book your tickets and not wait, as these will go very quickly! You can find out more information and book tickets on The Mercury Theatre website by clicking here.

‘Sleeping Beauty’ is running at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester from Sunday 3rd December 2023 until Sunday 14th January 2024! 

Until Next Time & A Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year!

The VI Critic!

Franz Kafka’s Metamorphosis

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Hi everyone and welcome back to another review! I was kindly invited to see ‘Metamorphosis’ which is adapted by Lemn Sissay. 

It tells the story of Gregor who works hard as a salesman to try and help to provide for his family. But one day he finds himself turning into an insect. The story tells of Gregor’s transformation and how it affects his family and those around him. 

As this is a show that I had never heard of before I found the whole show interesting from both a story and staging perspective. 

Most of the show is quite dark and grey at least that’s how I found it from the start. But there are some brighter moments which helped me see the show and understand the characters. At the start of the show, there was an amazing use of atmosphere, music and sound. It made the show more mysterious, interesting, and intriguing and made me want to watch the show more and to find out what it was all about. 

Photo shows Gregor's family and his chief clark looking concerned for Gregor with Gregor and his room in the background.

The main set of Gregor’s bedroom had the use of false perspective which at times made it difficult to see when the cast or set was at the very back of the set itself. But most of the show was further forward on the set and that made it more easier to see. 

I wasn’t sure if the cast had microphones on at all or whether or not there was a tech issue, but there were times within the show when I struggled to fully understand the lines the cast was delivering so as a result I probably missed some parts of the story. So I think me and other people would have benefited from a touch tour before the show to get a better understanding of both the sets and the story. Also, Audio Description would be a huge benefit to people with limited to no useful vision, as there is a lot of physical staging and drama throughout the whole which was a very welcome change and something that I don’t see very often so would be nice to see more shows doing that, but then if that is the case, please made sure you have at least performance that is an audio described performance. 

I was in row E for this performance which for people with some useful vision I would say is the minimum I would say you would need to comfortably watch the show, but if I were to see this show again I would pick a closer seat so I can fully experience the show even more than I did. 

Photo shows Gregor (Felipe Pacheco) tied up with his whole body linked in chairs.

The overall show was really enjoyable and the whole cast did an amazing job! Felipe Pacheco stood out thanks to his physical performance as Gregor. But also Troy Glasgow for his performance as the father. He had this very authoritative and commanding presence about his charter and his lines were beautifully delivered throughout. 

I thoroughly enjoyed this show from start to finish, yes some of the show was difficult but I enjoyed it. If you want to see something different and new, then go give this a watch. Unfortunately, the is no Touch Tour or Audio Description for this show as it’s only running for a few days, but I think it should come back for the longer run so more people can come and experience this awesome show. 

‘Metamorphosis’ is currently running at The Mercury Theatre from 8th – 11th November 2023, go and pick up your tickets now at the link by clicking here.

Until Next Time,

The VI Critic 

Photo shows a black background with writing in amber colours which says Kafka's 'Metamorphosis' with an insect on the right hand side.

High Tide’s ‘Ghost Stories -By Candlelight

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Hi everyone and welcome back another theatre review! I know theatre reviews have been few and far between this year, but it’s exciting times ahead with Christmas and Pantomime season around the corner!

I recently got the chance to go and see ‘Ghost Stories – By Candlelight’ from the theatre company ‘High Tide’. When I got this invite, I wasn’t sure what to make of this, but I found out.

‘Ghost Stories’ stars Katie Cherry, Elizabeth Crarer and Loren O’Dair. Play various different characters with three different spooky and ghostly stories. Using lighting, puppetry, and emotion to tell a story. Each of the stories were gripping, and had some ‘on the edge of your seat’ moments, with some twists along the way. All of the cast did an amazing job telling each of the three stories along with using lighting to create the right atmosphere for each of the stories.

A picture of all three member of the cast in all white costumes in pure darkness surrounded by multiple candles.

Each of the stories are completely different from one another but also has little similarities. 

In terms of accessibility, the show is very much in dim light from start to finish, with some bright and in some cases flashing lights throughout. When the cast was using the puppets I personally struggled to see what the puppets actually were, as they were used in front of coloured tinted lights so this made it quite different to distinguish what they were. Due to the limited light, it was different to see the cast’s faces at times, but this by no means takes anything away from the stories they were trying to tell, or the characters they were portraying. All the cast wore all-white costumes, so was very easy to identify them all. 

As the style of the show is very much vocal and emotional, with very little physical involvement, I feel like this can cater to all people regardless of their level of sight loss. You could really feel the emotions of all the characters and really feel their pain or distress. This show really caters for everyone, and you never once feel you are missing out on any of the show, but I came away feeling that even though all the cast and crew did an amazing job, this show won’t be for everyone, but at the same time it really gives people the chance to try something new and experience something completely different to what they normally see.

I think a lot of people will get a lot out of this show, especially if you like your spooky ghost stories! The building really added to the atmosphere too. 

‘Ghost Stories = By Candlelight’ is running on tour around the country, you can find out more on their website by clicking on the link here.

Until Next Time 

The VI Critic

Cast member Katie Cherry, in all white screaming into the darkness with a dim yellow light in the background.

Charles Dickens – ‘Great Expectations’ Adapted By Gale Childs-Daly

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Hi everyone, I’m back with another review!

After the fun and laughter of ‘They Don’t Pay, We Won’t Pay’ comes another classic story by Charles Dickens. The Mercury Theatre in Colchester kindly invited me to their press night of ‘Great Expectations’. I haven’t very read or watched this in films so I had no idea what it was about, but `I had heard of the story of course. 

‘Great Expectations’ tells the story of Pipe a country boy orphan who was adopted by his sister and her husband Joe. Joe is a blacksmith so he and Pipe have a close relationship. One day Pipe is called to go and see Miss Havisham and to play with Miss Havisham’s adopted daughter Estella. Years later Pipe comes into a wealth of money and becomes a gentlemen of London. Once there Pipe’s life starts to unravel and things don’t seem to end right for him.

I thoroughly enjoyed the show! I went into this show knowing nothing about the story so I really enjoyed it! There was so much drama and scandal that you could help but be focused on the story. The cast was amazing and they all told the story brilliantly. Some had more than one character to play others only had one. In some scenes you would feel the tension, fear or worry that that particular character was feeling, everyone did a fantastic job! I feel like however I need to mention both Stanton Wright (Pip) and Emily Pollet (Miss Havisham). When had scenes together you could feel a sense of bond and friendly affection between them particularly when had scenes which just the two of them. Brilliantly played by the cast! 

Photo shows Pip and Estella dancing in front of a crowd in a very pink lighting
Photo By: Pamela Raith

I found various points of the show to be quite dark. Even when I walked into the auditorium I found it to be darker than usual so was a struggle to find the right seat. Luckily my mum had come along to this show so she was able to help me out. But I would have either struggled but found the seat eventually, asked a member of the public or asked a staff member to get around this situation otherwise. I can defiantly understand why the theatre might have wanted it a little darker to keep with the atmosphere on stage. But I found this to be a little difficult. On the subject of lighting, Quite a fair few number of the scenes within the show, are in quite a dark/gloomy setting. I guess this is to be keep in with the setting of a smoggy London, But there were times when I struggled to see some of the scenes or the characters. But there were also times when the characters were lit up by light, either by a spotlight or an orange light coming from the floor of the stage to imitate fire, which I thought was a lovely idea and a great touch. But keep in mind that ninety per cent of the show is in very low lighting, and most of the characters’ costumes are in very dull colours to keep in with the period. So have this in mind if you would like to come and see this show. 

Each character was very distinguishable either through their change in costume or mostly through their change in voice. I was very impressed with the way nearly all of the cast could their voices to sound like they were in different parts of the country. 

I would also recommend you get a decent seat, as there is very little set design with some costumes being similar colours to the background, if you had low vision you will want to be able to see as much as you can. There are a few physical scenes but only one very dramatic scene, but this is helped by a light and crowd of people but still quite a dark scene, so if you want to see the show comfortably I would suggest getting a seat in Row E or near if possible.

Photo dhows Pip & Joe searching in the darkness with a lantern.
Photo By: Pamela Raith

There is an accessible tour touch performance on the last date of the show’s run at 2.30 pm. The Mercury Theatre are excellent. They are very in-depth, they have some of the props and costumes you can feel and touch along with the set. If possible some of the cast will come and talk to you about their character and what is in store without spoiling the show. Would highly recommend going to the touch tour if you can.

Having gone into this show not knowing anything about the plot or story, I can say I thoroughly enjoy the show immensely! I would recommend anyone go and see this show. As I said above, if you have low vision, there might be times when you will struggle in certain scenes, but most of the show is dialogue, so you miss very little of the show. If you can blind or have little to no useful vision, then I would say of course try and get the touch tour and Audio Described performance on the last day of the show if you can. But if for some reason you can’t, then I honestly feel you will miss out on very little and will still enjoy the show anyway because of the amazing cast!

‘Great Expectations’ is running at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester from 18th – 27th May 2023! If you wish to get tickets for this show, you can find the link to the show’s information page on the theatre’s website by clicking here.

Until Next Time,

The VI Critic  

Imitating The Dog’s â€˜Macbeth’

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Hi everyone, back once again with another review! It’s another Shakespeare play. But this one is well known, I got invited by The Mercury Theatre to go and see a slight adaption of ‘Macbeth’ by Imitating The Dog (ITD).

Some of you might have read my ‘Comedy Of Errors’ review. This is one of William Shakespeare’s earlier plays, so you will know that I do sometimes struggle to understand what is going on. But I did Macbeth in English so I knew the rough outline of the story. The basic outline is Macbeth an Army general is promoted by the king, as this happens three witches appear to Macbeth and say to him that he will become king. Macbeth along with Lady Macbeth plots to murder the king and then take the thrown. Macbeth does, then goes mad with power killing more people until he is eventually killed himself.

This adaption follows that basic outline, but there are some slight changes. For example, instead of the king of Scotland, he’s a mob boss, instead of the three witches, there are three clowns. Instead of it being set in Scotland it’s set in a fictional city. These are all welcome change, as it brings the story up to date with the modern day, and are more than likely to appeal to younger audiences.

I like the fact that not all of the show was in Shakespearean language. Of course, the main characters like Macbeth and Lady Macbeth would talk in this way, but the three clowns did not so the story was much easier to follow than the traditional play, which was a very welcome change. On just the show alone I enjoyed the whole performance. If you are taking someone to see their first Shakespeare play, then this one would be great for anybody going to see Shakespeare for the first time.

Photo shows all five of the cast posing with colourful screens behind them with two cameras either side.

In terms of accessibility, I was impressed with what was available. The main thing that stood out was the fact that all the sets and scenes were projected on a giant screen behind the actors, and depending on where the characters were going or where they were supposed to be, they what be in that part of the stage in front of the part of the screen that showed the setting, so for most of the show all the cast were actually on stage. Another big plus I want to give is the fact that there were two smaller screens one on the right and one on the left, with two cameras on stage. Throughout the show, members of the cast mainly the clowns would move the cameras around, this way you were able to see the actors’ facial expressions and emotions. Which was very much a welcomed edition, and one which I would advocate for other shows to do. As this helps visually, and allows you to get more engrossed in a story, as you were able to see the actors’ emotions, and as an audience member, you felt them too. As someone with Sight Loss, this has a huge benefit, as depending on your level of vision you would be able to sit anywhere and still comfortably enjoy the show.

This show is a brilliant example of how using technology can benefit everyone including disabled people, and this is something I can nothing but endorse. If you are new to Shakespeare but know this story, then this is worth a go! Whether you are young or old everyone can get something from this show, including if you have sight loss. It is worth pointing out, that there is a lot of lighting, shadow and darkness throughout the show, which people may struggle with, but again where the screens help with this. So use the screens as much as you can. If you have little to no vision, the three clowns/witches describe most of if not all of the action scenes which is a nice addition. There is a list of trigger warnings for this show which is listed as follows: flashing imagery and lighting effects loud noises, including recorded gunshots, strong language throughout, scenes featuring moments, descriptions and images of violence and use of firearms, simulated smoking, simulated sex scene, some drug use, reference to child abuse.

Various colours on all the screens with two of the clowns talking to each other, while lady macbeth is signing into a microphone.

All of the acting in this show was absolutely for-nominal! You could really feel the emotion from all the cast, there were a few times throughout the show where I was so engrossed in the show I forgot where I was, and I never thought I would say that about a Shakespeare play! The little added modern touches helped the understanding of the story.

Unfortunately, there was no Audio Description or Touch Tour performances. whilst at The Mercury, but hopefully it will be available at the other theatres as it is currently on tour so hopefully it will be available elsewhere! Macbeth is going on tour at the following venues on the following dates:

The Liverpool Playhouse: 25th – 29th April 2023
Lawrence Batley Theatre, Huddersfield: 3rd – 6th May 2023

I thoroughly recommend you go and see this show! As of writing, there is one more performance at The Mercury Theatre in Colchester as of writing so get your tickets now!

Until Next Time,
The VI Critic

photo is of macbeth and lady macbeth, with macbeth whispering into lady macbeth’s ear.

They Don’t Pay, We Won’t Pay!

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Hi everyone, and welcome to another review!

This show, that I am going to talk about was on my radar even before I got invited by The Mercury Theatre to go and see this. I am also hoping to go and watch this again soon, so that should give you a smaller insight into what I think of the show but please do read the rest of what I think! As hopefully some of it will be helpful if you wanted to see this yourself. I also need to say as always a huge thank you to The Mercury Theatre for their kind invitation and for giving me the opportunity.

‘They Don’t Pay, We Don’t Pay’ is Produced by Tracey Childs, and directed by Ryan McBryde. Both have bought us amazing shows in the past so I am always hopeful when I see these names in the programme! The show tells to story of local people who have had enough of the ‘Cost Of Living Crisis’ currently happening in the UK and tells the story of local people just paying what they can for the food they take, or not paying at all. The storyline follows the couple Anthea played by Laura Doddington and Jack played by Joseph Alessi as they try to figure out what they doing to do about all the food and energy bills going up, but when Anthea comes home with all this shipping, and she starts telling these web of stories to try and get them out of the current situation that she has landed them in. That night turns into the most action-packed they have ever had!

Photo shows Jack, Lewis and the police sergeant running towards the police tape like its the end of the race.

The show was very current to the time and conveyed well what it can be like for people living below the breadline and just about making ends meet. But at the same time, there are heaps and heaps of comedy throughout the whole show. Sometimes I could tell whether or not something was meant to happen or not, or if something went wrong! All of the sets were bright and colourful, along with the characters’ costumes. This was a massive help, as Anthea wore a pick hoodie/jumper, Jack wore overalls for his work, and Maggie played by Tesni Kujore Anthea’s close friend wore a flowery dress. It was really easy to tell who was who at the right time. Even though all the cast did such an amazing job, I have to shout out Marc Pickering who played several supporting characters, all very similar and this was an amazing use of comedy as the other characters would reference this at times which only added to the hilarious comedy.

This show has to be the most accessible show I have seen so far this year! I mentioned the use of colour and costumes above, but all the comedy was verbal with little sprinkles of physical comedy but they were described by the actors! When going to shows, I have sometimes felt a little left out because of a certain scene, but this is rare. But I have to say, this is the first show in quite some time that not once did I ever feel this! Everything was clear and easy to follow, even though there was one darkness scene it was described to the audience from start to finish! I have to say a big thank you to the writing and production teams! As it was you that make this show accessible, and it is clear to see that you thought about your audiences, including those with Sight Loss!

Photo shows Jack and Lewis holding sacks of rice. with lewis talking to Jack with Jack having a worried look on his face.

I cannot think of higher praise than this. I plan on coming back to watch this show again. I just need to find a date that works! 

Talking of Accessible performances, there are available: A Audio Description performance is available with a Touch Tour before the show on Thursday 30th March at 2.30 pm. Prices range from £15 – £30, but also accessible and carer tickets are available. 

‘They Don’t Pay, We Don’t Pay’ is at The Mercury Theatre from 17th – 31st March 2023! Tickets can be found on The Mercury Theatre website! Get your tickets whilst you can! You don’t want to miss out on this!

Until Next Time,

The VI Critic

Manjeet Mann’s ‘Run Rebel’

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Yesterday I was kindly invited by The Mercury Theatre in Colchester to see Run Rebel.

I opted to go to the matinee performance which I felt turned out to be a good decision as the atmosphere seemed more relaxed and informal. There were two schools in the auditorium which was a little distracting for me but in some scenes really added to the emotion of the performance with all of their reactions. This was highly welcomed and I felt was a nice change.

Run Rebel is produced by the same company that also put on the show Noughts & Crosses, which has seen numerous awards since. I was somewhat excited to see this after enjoying their previous show, and I wasn’t disappointed.

shows a picture of the stage before the show, and the view from my seat.

The show tells the story of Amber, a teenager who feels trapped on one side by her family and the expectations of her father and on the other by her love for running and her dream of one day representing her country. There is tension as her father feels she should give up on her dream and follow the traditions of the household but the love of running and the will to follow her dreams is too strong a siren’s call for Amber to resist. Within this show is a strong use of Amber’s mental health and also of her family life, with everyone scared of her father due to domestic violence.

But once Amber learns about the French Revolution in her history lesson, she encourages her family to revolt against her drunken father.

This is very much a welcome change for me, as these are subjects aren’t spoken about enough in todays modern world, especially by teenagers. It was great to see school children at this show, and I really hope they took something from it.

The cast were brilliant, I could really feel the emotions from all of them incredibly well. Jessica Kaur did a fantastic job playing the character of Amber, along with narrating the story to the audience. The chemistry behind all the cast was palpable, especially between Pushpinder Chani who played Amber’s father and Jessica Kaur as Amber. During their scenes together, I truly felt like they were indeed father and daughter. This really made me feel I was watching professionals at work!

On to the accessibility; the main issue was a strong use of harsh or minimal lighting. Most of the performance it was either one or the other, which on occasion made it very difficult to fully see what was happening. At times when Amber was talking to the audience she was lit by a spot light so she was easy to see but there were other scenes where the characters were washed out by the lights, so it was a little difficult to see. Also in a number of scenes especially when Amber was at home with her family, the stage would be very dark so I found it difficult to see what was happening.

As I was in row E this time, if I were to go and see the show again I would pick either row D or ideally C, as they are much closer so I would be able to see much more.

photo shows Amber and other class mates all wearing colourful clothing all standing in a line preparing for a race.

On the plus side however, the use of action scenes was low. Most were just some of the actors running up and down the stage or running on the spot, but with the spoken dialogue filling in the exposition. This is a great addition as then you really aren’t missing out on anything for about ninety percent of the show. The only scene you do miss out on is the more physical/fight scene towards the end as that isn’t really described in detail, but I feel like I can forgive them for that.

 As a result, the story flowed really nicely and I was able to understand what was going on really well, and missed very little. My own tiny gripe is that I don’t think microphones were used during this performance? This would have been helpful in certain places, as I found that in some of the scenes I struggled to fully understand what some of the cast were saying. So maybe in future shows this is something that could be added?

There are no access shows unfortunately according the Mercury’s website. I would assume this is due to Run Rebel having a short run at The Mercury. However as this show is going on tour around the UK, hopefully if they have longer runs at other theatres this is something that can be added in the future.

photo shows amber and her dancing laughing, dancing, and bumping hips to some music.

Finally then overall, I feel it really doesn’t matter if you are a blind or visually impaired theatre-goer as I think you are going to get something out of this show, whether you are young or old. As I said, Run Rebel is touring so go grab yourselves a ticket!

I think this is an important production as there is so much merit in the huge amounts of discussion on mental health, as well as the scenes of domestic abuse and violence.

A ‘Content To Consider’ document has been created should you feel that the show may possibly be triggering for you so if you are interested and would like to know more, I will link it for you below.

Visit The Mercury Theatre’s website to find information on tickets and more!

Run Rebel is running at The Mercury Theatre from Thursday 2nd March until Saturday 4th March 2023, but is on tour at the follow dates and venues:

York Theatre Royal: 7th – 11th March

Derby Theatre: 14th – 18th March

Belgrade Theatre Coventry: 21st – 25th March 

Alnwick Playhouse: 28th – 31st March

Until Next Time, 

The VI Critic