| A Look-back and Guide |
At Mappa Mundi |
| Mappa Mundi , Theatre of Wales , April 30, 2024 |
The reviews of productions by Mappa Mundi can be read below"As You Like It": 09 May 2003 “Even before Mappa Mundi’s As You Like It begins, it’s clear tonight’s performance will be far from a traditional Shakespearean showing. A giant screen filled with projected black and white images hanging from the ceiling indicates an updating of the action to the 1950s, not only making the romantic comedy more accessible to the audience but proving, as if proof was needed, that Shakespeare’s themes are no less relevant today than centuries ago. Initially the production does nothing but impress. The opening scene alone features a harmonious chorus of ‘all the world’s a stage’, performers regularly entering from and acting among the audience and a subtle updating of the Bard’s Olde English. It isn’t until some way in that one realises the first scene has been performed with no scenery or props whatsoever, apart from the odd chair – testament to the strength of the acting.” “The Canterbury Tales”: 03 April2006 “This riotous co-production from Mappa Mundi, Theatr Mwldan and Creu Cymru, directed by Phylip Harries, re-interprets his most famous work for a 21st century audience. “The six-strong cast (Lee Mengo, Simon Nehan, Richard Nichols, Keiron Self, Lynne Seymour and Clêr Stephens)clearly revel in their multiple roles, throwing themselves into their performances with gusto and enjoying the chance to spread the gospel according to Chaucer in a gloriously irreverent and wholly accessible manner.” "The Compleat Female Stage Beauty": 08 November 2013: 28 September 2013 “Edward Kynaston, the theatre star of Restoration London in Jeffrey Hatcher’s play, is just one role but Pandolfo brings a vaulting elasticity to the part. He opens with a transgender performance as Desdemona, enters and loses a rough scrimmage of politics, and ends as director and actor of Othello. An actor playing an actor, within kernels of modern and historical acting styles, Pandolfo slips across the genders with authority. His is the role that commands and binds together Mappa Mundi’s exuberant production for 2013.” “A good script gets a good villain and Keiron Self’s Sir Charles Sedley is a white-faced horror of malice and vindictiveness with his lisped slur of “mincing catamite.” “Mappa Mundi brings a characteristically jubilant sweep to its work. Carl Davies’ marvellous set comprises three stages, a Green Room, screens at skewed angles and portraits of dignitaries. It captures the packed hurly-burly of seventeenth century London where performance and politics are not far apart. The cast of ten, in their cascades of curls and luxuriant silks and ruffs, throngs the stage to convey the sense of urban and court profusion.” "Dangerous Liaisons":10 May 2010: 01 May 2010 “Lilting harpsichord music fills the auditorium. As an audience we know exactly where we are, prepared for a play set in pre-revolutionary France, all taffetas, grace and aristocracy. The lights go down and the cast of eight, lit from behind, assembles for a formal dance; except that the harpsichord has been overlaid with a version of Sister Sledge’s “We are Family” underpinned by a ferocious drumming. It is very Mappa Mundi, but the choice of music is also clever. It is a pointer that the characters are barely family, and where family does exist it makes faint claim to any moral tutelage. In a small but clever touch in Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones’ direction a passing physical gesture on the part of Christine Pritchard’s Madame de Rosemond’s to her nephew signifies her tacit approval of his behaviour. As for Kathryn Dimery’s Madame de Volange daughter Cecile is little more than prospective marriage material for social and monetary advantage. That Matthew Bulgo’s Comte de Gercourt is three times her age is of no account.” "Importance of Being Earnest": 08 May 2008 “The director here draws the attention at two levels. First, there are performance flourishes reminiscent of music hall and Irving-like melodrama. Silent movie-type placards introduce scenes. This is fine, reminders if needed that 1895 was also the time of music hall’s peak and the fledgling bioscope. “A mad and extravagant set, a great eighteen by twelve foot gilt frame, and performances that truly sparkled. Christine Pritchard’s Lady Bracknell was appropriately imperious. Meilyr Sion’s Jack, looking at times like a second cousin of David Cameron, had a great double act with Liam Tobin’s Algy. Their characters had the luscious, long, languid vowels of their time and age so that even the crispest of words extended to two or three syllables. The meeting between Mali Tudno Jones’ Gwendolen and Lynne Seymour’s Cecily, instant friendship that fast disintegrates, was simply delicious.” "A Midsummer Night’s Dream": 10 November 2012 “There are some very characteristic Mappamundian touches. The first three minutes are a novel delight that a reviewer may not disclose. Its effervescence is mirrored in the final few minutes where the production moves into an exalted zone of vision and expressive feeling. “The magic woodland breathes whispers of sound, courtesy of composer Peter Knight. The production team includes designer Sean Crowley, lighting by Ceri James, video by Lloyd Grayshon. Other members are Jacob Hughes, Rebecca Long and Bethany Seddon. Beautiful projections include a side elevation of a Somerset-Avon country house- it resembles Brympton D’Evercy- that turns to a night scene of moon and stars. The cumulative design effect from Peter Doran’s team is outstanding.” "Moll Flanders": March 3, 2007: 19 February 2007 “Mappa Mundi is one of the strangest of success stories in Welsh popular theatre. Founded fourteen years ago by a group of enthusiastic but not very experienced actors, a musician, a techie and a costume lecturer who wanted to offer irreverent takes on the classics, the company still has the same core team – but they just come back together every year to make a show that is virtually guaranteed to sell out. “Today director Lynn Seymour still acts but now also runs her own business and is the mother of twins, designer Llewelyn-Jones is an academic and writer on classical cultures, composer Peter Knight is working on a musical and writes scores for film, radio and theatre, technician Ceri James has been lighting designer of all the shows at the Sherman while playwright Keiron Self is a prolific writer and performer for stage, television and radio, all busy people with different careers. “It has never been a conventional theatre company in that it has never had an office or a rehearsal space or a plan or, to be honest, the wholehearted support of the arts council, and one gets the impression they only got a new lease a life a few years ago when Creu Cymru, the touring agency, realised that this rather ad-hoc bunch of friends constituted the only group who could be guaranteed to fill Wales’s various theatres.” “Much Ado About Nothing”: 05 October 2011 “John Cording inhabits Leonato with an appearance of ease, an early chuckle of amiability leading to later pain. Liam Tobin’s Benedick, endowed with a crisp intelligence, still splutters out his drink when hearing that he is the object of Beatrice’s amorous interest. He puts on a growly “rrrrr” of frustration, takes a deep gulp of breath before pronouncing “honourable marriage.” “Much Ado about Nothing” comes with some characteristic Mappamundian touches. After noisily revealing his presence, Benedick covers himself with a loud “miaow.” Peter Knight’s music has piano and lilting guitar but also some Puccini, sung in German, on scratchy twenties vinyl. Nicola Reynolds doubles Margaret with the role of the Constable. In a jaunty performance she deals out to Gareth Pierce’s Borachio a hefty whack with her handbag.” "Richard III": 18 February 2005: 14 February 2005 !As Richard III, Tom Englishby is charismatic and likeable. He is a repugnantly malign force that manipulates the characters in the play as easily as he shifts the pieces of his ever-present chess board. Adolescent and petulant, he seems more reviled for his appearance than the malice of his character. His affected childlikeness, demonstrated through his constant protestations of affection, make him appear more of an embarrassment to the family, rather than someone they feel a need to keep an eye on, which perhaps explains the ease with which he ascends to the throne.” "She Stoops to Conquer": 26 May 2009: 08 May 2009: 07 May 2009 “Under Peter Doran’s careful direction, from the opening harpsichord to the last dance, Mappa Mundi carry it off with verve. Lloyd Llewellyn-Jones’ costume design, created by first and second year students at Coleg Morgannwg, is all lace and gorgeous crimson and purple satins. “Liam Tobin’s role as hearty Mr Hardcastle is to spend much of the play at a near-explosive pitch of indignation but he still has to master lines like being “astonished at the deliberate intrepidity of his assurance.” Edward Harrison’s swaggering tease of a Tony Lumpkin employs a “circumbendibus” among his bag of tricks. Kate, in her guise as a servant, protests against her other self being treated “in this obstropalous manner”, a word that Goldsmith made up.” "Still Life": 22 October 2015 “Keiron Self taking on the script. The result is a careful concoction with moments of genuine fright, a lavishness of set and costume and a densely textured sound design. “Keiron Self and Francois Pandolfo, who displays his considerable circus skills, make a sinister clown pair who exercise vengeance on a producer (Gwawr Loader) who has dismissed them. A music hall fan (Gwawr Loader again) sings a favourite song from a dark spot behind the Aberystwyth audience. The narrator, also a character himself, (Richard Nichols) in frock coat and fob chain explains that we, the audience, are witnessing a narrative that is in itself an unfolding performance. The apparently innocuous title “Still Life” takes on deeper hues.” "The Trials of Oscar Wilde": 04 May 2017 “Richard Nichols' production is a class act from a company that has earned its spurs over the years. Carl Davies' courtroom set is all solid wood and brass over which nine light globes hang. The contesting lawyers- Keiron Self's Sir Edward Clark and Robert Bowman's Carson- pace a carpet of red. Peter Knight's use of music is economically apt. Francois Pandolfo, in one of several roles, ascends a set of stairs to preside from on high in judgement. This is the twilight of the Victorian century in defence of its sense of propriety and social and moral order.” “Twelfth Night”: 30 January 2002 “After four years of hibernation, ‘Mappa Mundi’ returns to the stage to present Shakespeare’s classic, “Twelfth Night” in a traditional yet accessible style, which ensured that the auditorium would be full to capacity every night. ‘Mappa Mundi’ are renowned across Wales for bringing a number of classical productions to communities that otherwise would not have had the opportunity. However, like so many others, funding was a problem and they were forced to discontinue this innovative project. This production sees their long awaited return with considerable help from a number of people and a dedicated ensemble.” |
Reviewed by: Adam Somerset |
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