Blakeson - Writer

Cardiff-based film, theatre and gig reviews, cultural ramblings, whingeing, short films, etc.

Wednesday, September 20, 2017

"Mother!"

Darren Aronofsky’s new film, “Mother!”, seems to have been polarising critical opinion, with even connoisseur of creepiness Mark Kermode expressing confusion. It stars Javier Bardem as a writer, but focusses on Jennifer Lawrence as his young wife – indeed for the vast majority of the running-time, the camera either focuses on her face or reflects her increasingly panicked point of view.
The couple share a hermetic existence in a large, isolated house which she is busy refurbishing as he tries to overcome his writers’ block. This is interrupted by a knock on the door from Ed Harris as a doctor, who turns out to be a fan of Bardem's work and who, at his invitation, quickly makes himself at home. Soon, his blousy wife, Michelle Pfeiffer arrives, and it turns out that this is far from being the last or most disturbing intrusion. After a traumatic event, things seem to settle down, until the climax, when everything goes to hell.

The easiest way to interpret “Mother!” is as a depiction of the creative process – the artist needs emotional disruption (either first- or second-hand) in order to be inspired; then, once a piece of work is completed, it is handed over to audiences and critics to do with as they see fit.

It is certainly an intense watch, with echoes of filmmakers as diverse as Polanski, Bunuel and Cronenberg. Lawrence is as watchable as ever, but the ensemble as a whole is very strong, in service of Aronofsky’s nightmarish vision. One is always grateful for powerful, non-generic storytelling, but I’m not sure I want to repeat the experience in a hurry.

Sunday, September 17, 2017

"When In Roam" / "Benny" / "hang" / "Quiet Hands"

And so the post-Edinburgh Festival theatre drought in Cardiff finally came to an end.

My first reviewing assignment for the new season was “When In Roam”, an intriguing dance-based performance piece by South American-born, Welsh resident Thania Acarón, all about relocation and shifting identities.

Then, at Chapter there was “Benny”, a one-person play which aroused controversy when first announced, because of the perceived sexism of its protagonist, comedian Benny Hill; but it turned out to be a fairly conventional, affectionate biographical portrait of an artist by the creative team who brought us “Grav”, the play about much-loved Welsh sport/media figure Ray Gravell.
 
Liam Tobin in "Benny" (photo: Kirsten McTernan)


Following hard on this came the first in a season of curated shows at The Other Room – the death-penalty-themed “hang”, by debbie tucker green, from Run Amok Theatre; highly tense and very well performed.

"hang" (photo by Kieran Cudlip)
And most recently, again at Chapter, there was “Quiet Hands”, Tim Rhys sort-of- sequel to “Touch Blue Touch Yellow”, about “mate crime” – specifically in the context of autism, but readily applicable to many situations.  



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