Children's Express reporters review three more of the Belfast Festival's latest theatrical offerings.
| You got the impression that he was venting his rage and frustration because he felt agitated and trapped. |
Hymns
Produced by Frantic Assembly
Hymns was about how four male friends react when a close friend named Johnny dies.
The performance examined the male reaction to strong emotions. It used language, music and movement to show how they dealt with the death and the issues it raised. Initially, the men drank beer, smoked cigarettes and fooled around telling jokes and messing about. Later they began to show their true feelings, how close they were to him and what kind of individual relationship they had with him.
Frantic Assembly was very dramatic. The performers, four men were really talented and their moves were fabulous. It had some strong language. At times it was sad and depressing because the men found it difficult to really show how they had been affected but there was a good deal of humour in the performance.
The music was very good, it fitted into every part of the performance. The audience seemed to enjoy good acting and they could understand the message how people, particularly men can feel after the death of some-one close to them.
This performance was interesting and fab and should be recommended to young people, although some parents may not be happy with the strong language. Although the music was good, it tended to be jumpy, but the interestingness of the play made up for that.
It seemed recommendable to lots including friends, especially if they were going to see a play.
Convictions
Produced by Tinderbox
Convictions took us back in time to life in the Crumlin Road courthouse, where people were convicted and many were put to death by hanging.
The production was brilliant because it was so original. Usually when you go to see a play the audience is seated but in this production the audience were guided around the courthouse to witness events, which occurred in different rooms.
One of our favourite scenes was in the tunnel. A man was being transferred from a holding pen to a cell. When the guard came to get him, the prisoner started climbing up the bars and yelling and squealing. You got the impression that he was venting his rage and frustration because he felt agitated and trapped.
Another realistic scene was in the toilets. There was a reporter and photographer talking about how Belfast was slipping off the news agenda. They even considered the benefits of a bomb in the summer versus a bomb in the winter and how that would get Belfast back into the bad news.
The production did have strong language but we are glad we went to see it because loads of ideas came up that we could think about and consider. Those issues included: death penalty, suicide, how a court room works, human rights, justice and how people react when their freedom is taken away.
Daaali
Produced by Els Joglars
The play was about the eccentric, Spanish painter Salvador Dali and the important relationships, which shaped his life. The play showed us Dali, who although dying, seemed to be revisiting his past. It was presented in a dream like way.
This production was well-crafted. It cleverly used projected images on the backdrop while acting continued on the stage. At one point Dali was painting a portrait on the backdrop and a projected image began to fill in the scene. The switch between past and present was seemless. Excellent.
I really enjoyed this production, it is one of best I have seen for a long time. The part I enjoyed most were the metaphors laid down by Dali. One of my favourites was when he said he wanted to be like a crustacean "hard on the outside and soft on the inside because he thought people were made the wrong way around."
At the end of the play when Dali and his wife seemed to fade out the world, the other actors come on stage and dressed them in armour - as if to symbolize Dali's wish coming true.
I would most definitely recommend this play to people who have a little understanding of theatre because they will get a lot from it. As for age groups, because of the nudity and sexual explicitness, I think that it should be for 16 years upwards.
About the team
Hymns reviewed by: Sharon Armstrong, 13 and Lisa Skinner, 16.
Convictions reviewed by: Amanda McAteer, 13 and Sheena Hall, 13.
Daaali reviewed by: Drew Mikhael, 17.
The reviews were published on the Belfast Festival website.
