My first thought as I flicked through the programme before the show started at Nottingham Playhouse last Saturday evening was ‘how unusual that they should go to the trouble of laminating it…’. However, being a show clearly billed for families with children, I thought perhaps it was merely a precaution. My question was answered just before the interval. I won’t give too much away – suffice to say, if you’re averse to showers, make sure you take a waterproof!
Pete Shenton and Tom Roden make up New Art Club – a comedy/dance/theatre duo not unlike The Mighty Boosh characters Vince Noir and Howard Moon. For those unfamiliar with the Boosh, at New Art Club, Tom (in character) plays the straight guy – a dreamer but totally clueless about how to really communicate and engage with people (in this case a young audience). He is also completely out of his comfort zone with anything but conventional ways of storytelling. Pete, on the other hand, is down with the kids. He knows what will make a show interesting and, apart from hurting his friend Tom’s feelings, will stop at nothing to make sure it works for the audience.
The point of the evening is to tell the story of the 12 labours of Hercules. Tom favours the traditional and arrives in full Greek costume, armed with a set of poems and ready to recite each in turn until the bitter end. Pete has other ideas and, having already booked the acts – a cast made up of both touring and local dancers and artists – coaxes Tom to embrace the idea of a dance cabaret to make the tale more interesting.
Featuring songs ranging from Grease is the Word, to Monster by the Automatic, and Heads Will Roll by the Yeah Yeah Yeahs, the show was packed with comedy moments and some great dancing. The Belt of Hyppolyte, where Hercules must retrieve a belt of armour from the Queen of the Amazon, was performed by Finnish hula dancer, Tiina Tuomisto. Some may remember her from Hoop La La – Britain’s Got Talent semi-finalists in 2009 and she ended her hula acrobatics to rapturous applause. Other acts specially selected for this Nottingham show included Nottingham Folk Society and a variety of other local dancers in two groups – the Hydra Dancers and the Birds. All were excellent but particular praise must go to the ‘Hydra Dancers’ representing the monstrous serpent with duplicating heads, who took part in a real life version of the arcade game Whac-A-Mole to hilarious effect.
Following a short interval, and while 'waiting for Tom to drag himself away from his dressing room mirror', the kids lapped up a bit of audience participation. The parents may not have been so thrilled – cries of ‘oh no!’ came from directly behind me – but their offspring practically leapt out of their seats when invited by Pete to do the monster dance. Still participation but much less intimidating for the grown ups was the direction from the cast to "Open!" and "Close!" our eyes on demand. The effect of this simple command, if properly executed, was truly entertaining. But we soon discovered there were a few cheats in the crowd - you know who you are.
Tom and Pete founded their award-winning company in 2001 and, since then, New Art Club has toured the world as well as being seen at festivals and on television. They are Associate Artists at Curve Theatre, Leicester and at Cambridge Junction. At Nottingham Playhouse, Hercules was co-produced by Dance4 and the Playhouse.
The pair worked seamlessly together, delivering lines in a performance that was both funny and educational. Children and big kids alike will love it, and an early start at 7pm, meant an early finish at 8.30pm – just in time for little ones to get to bed. Or, on a Saturday night, for the bigger ones to head into town…
New Art Club performed Hercules: A Dance Cabaret at Nottingham Playhouse on Saturday 17 May 2014.
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