THE SCOTSMAN: "This is one of the most beautifully conveyed and imaginatively realised versions of Shakespeare's fantastical play The Tempest that I have seen in a long while. Director and choreographer Susan Wallin is clearly an exceptionally gifted theatre visionary and uses the actors' ideas and choreography to create a uniquely inspiring celebration of their humour, passion and talent." Sally Stott
Read the whole review at The Scotsman website
THE PUBLIC REVIEWS: "During the Edinburgh Festival you are always looking for the hidden gems, the shows you don’t plan to see that turn out to be truly wonderful - this is one of those shows. The production is superb regardless of that fact that the cast are disabled, but the fact that they are and have overcome their challenges to perform it makes experiencing it even more special - a truly outstanding production." Deborah Klayman
Tempest in a Teacup
The egg hatches; the BIRD is born; but, SHOCK HORROR he’s not what he’s supposed to be, he’s strange.
You might think you know this story, or something like it, but this Bird’s journey to acceptance has a twist in the tale (or tail!).
This dance/drama is full of colour, music, energy, humour, pathos and the sheer delight of creating theatre to be enjoyed by all.
Reviews for performances of THE BIRD at Brighton Fringe 2008,
23rd-24th May 2008
From the Fringe Review website:
The Bird (rating: 4 stars out of 5)
In the course of the Brighton Fringe you see theatre in so many different forms from sketch-comedy to experimental dance. Side by Side Theatre Company do something quite unique. In The Bird they use theatre to produce a sense of community, inclusivity and fun, elements which are sadly found to be in short supply in other productions in festival.
With a gifted company of learning disabled actors, dance and a range of dazzling costumes are used to tell the story of The Bird, who when born, finds that he doesn't look like any of the other members of the bird kingdom. The play then depicts his difficult journey toward both accepting himself and being accepted by the other birds.
Part fairy-tale and part fable, given a contemporary twist, this story combined poignant moments with others of real humour. The show was performed with commitment by the company, but more importantly a sense of enjoyment, which was so readily communicated to the audience. A particularly delightful sequence that impressed this reviewer was the 'bird fashion show' that showed great imagination.
The Bird
From the Fringe Report website:
Verdict: Spectacular and delightful musical (rating: 5 stars out of 5)
The Bird is an hour of sheer musical theatre delight, following the birth of an unusual-looking bird to what happens next, and to what happens in the end.
When the Danish writer Hans Christian Andersen (1805 - 1875) wrote the timeless classic story The Ugly Duckling, he used it to point out that someone who looks different may also be someone of quality. Taken down the years as a gentle children's story, it was one of the first great allegories of difference, with a powerful message of acceptance, and seeing the person within. Side By Side artistic director Susan Wallin has written a new story which reflects HC Andersen's work but in a new context and with skilful re-aligning of its point. The Bird is a revolutionary as The Ugly Duckling, with a powerful focus, and one might imagine the posthumous delight of the kind and thoughtful man who was Denmark's greatest writer in watching this colourful, delightful and spectacular re-interpretation of his idea.
It's gorgeously staged, the cast is superb, costumes are stunning. And there's a massive emotional component - extra-heavy on the Kleenex.
Along the way in the bird's story there are terrific set-pieces. The Doors' People Are Strange is a quiet epic, with a great jazz vocal soundtrack and delightful physical-theatre/dance interpretation from the cast. Mick Jagger's Little Red Rooster is a strong highlight early on; as are the birds migrating, the birds' fashion show, and the coming of the swans - among several superb pieces - later. The thread that runs all the way through is the emotional grip that the cast and the story create from superb performances - the 60 minutes pass excitingly and effortlessly with constant engagement. In this delightful creation, every member of the cast is a star.
Prometheus steals fire to give to human beings. Pandora opens thebox and lets out all the troubles of the world. Midas turns everythinghe touches to gold.
These ancient myths are reinterpreted, with a modern twist, and thismulti - award winning theatre company's own special magic.
‘Rarely have I been brought to tears by sheer admiration and awe of the piece and performers. Each Festival I stumble across a nugget of pure gold and for 2009 this is it’
Prometheus
Deborah Klayman THREE WEEKS
Edinburgh Fringe Festival 2009
‘Tempest in a Tea - Cup'
SIDE BY SIDE REACH NEW HEIGHTS IN PRAGUE
Side By Side Theatre Company had an amazing new experience when they wereinvited to drinks in the garden of the British Embassy in Prague. They tooktheir latest production, WHO IS PIGRIM? to perform at the Prague Fringe
Festival last week. Sian Mac Cleod, the Ambassador, had
been told of their visit by our European MP, Michael Cashman, who is himself an actor, well known from East Enders. The Ambassador showed the actors around the beautiful garden, which overlooks the entire city of Prague, from it's height on the hill side, near to the famous Prague Castle. Side By Side have performed at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival four times and also in Sweden, but being invited to the British Embassy was an amazing new experience, they felt like royalty. The Ambassador also took time to go and see the Side By Side production at Divadlo Na Pradle, the main theatre for the Festival, with her husband and two children; they were all thrilled with theperformance.
News Special
Recently, Side by Side entertained the British Ambassador in the Czech Republic capital city of Prague. For full details, please follow this link to the British Embassy website
