Miss Littlewood

 Just recovering from the emotional journey of putting on this wonderful show. I know it is normal to get involved in one’s work, but something about the open heartedness of Sam Kenyon’s words and music and the way Erica Whyman worked with the largely female cast that made it such a joy to be part of. Many tears of joy , grief and loss along the way in a show that unashamedly celebrates the power of theatre, using your imagination , the trials, tribulations and lasting friendships that collaboration on creation of a theatre piece involves. Primarily it is a love story to theatre, masquerading as a celebration of the life and innovative spirit of Joan Littlewood, her relationship to her company and enduring love affair with Gerry Raffles. Sam’s masterstroke is to have one main Joan,played brilliantly by Clare Burt, who then recruits another 6 actors from the ensemble to play her at different points in her life, creating a kaleidoscopic impression of her personality.

There is wonderful movement by Lucy Hind too, allowing fragments and bursts of different dance styles ending up in a full blown broadway style number with Avis Bunnage and the whole company in act 2. 

On the clothes front i have enjoyed working with Sam Pickering to find a way to celebrate the reality of existing historic characters while balancing their look with the individual style of each of the actors, giving just enough sense of period or a person , but not slavishly trying to recreate a particular reference image. So in the first half our ensemble has a slightly 30s/40s feel and in the second moves into 50/60s. I have been particularly impressed by the way the RSC wig dept led this time by Rachel Seal has created natural looking but period hair that subtly shifts as we go through the evening. The aim was to create extraordinary people doing amazing things in their ordinary clothes.

As Joan her self said ‘if you have to change your character just change your hat’ and it has been a great reminder that less was more in Joan’s theatre , initially forced to adopt an aesthetic of economy for pragmatic financial means she later developed a style with designer John Bury which showed how important a bold but simple often non naturalistic design style was to making a piece of theatre truly accessible.

whats on stage review

Miss Littlewood RSC Swan 18 By Sam Kenyon, directed by Erica Whyman, Designed by Tom Piper, Lighting by Charles Balfour, Movement by Lucy Hind , Video by Nina Dunn.

Miss Littlewood RSC Swan 18 By Sam Kenyon, directed by Erica Whyman, Designed by Tom Piper, Lighting by Charles Balfour, Movement by Lucy Hind , Video by Nina Dunn.

Miss Littlewood RSC Swan 18 By Sam Kenyon, directed by Erica Whyman, Designed by Tom Piper, Lighting by Charles Balfour, Movement by Lucy Hind , Video by Nina Dunn. Sophia Nomvete and Solomon

Miss Littlewood RSC Swan 18 By Sam Kenyon, directed by Erica Whyman, Designed by Tom Piper, Lighting by Charles Balfour, Movement by Lucy Hind , Video by Nina Dunn. Company in Paris

Miss Littlewood RSC Swan 18 By Sam Kenyon, directed by Erica Whyman, Designed by Tom Piper, Lighting by Charles Balfour, Movement by Lucy Hind , Video by Nina Dunn.Clare Burt as Miss Littlewood

Miss Littlewood RSC Swan 18 By Sam Kenyon, directed by Erica Whyman, Designed by Tom Piper, Lighting by Charles Balfour, Movement by Lucy Hind , Video by Nina Dunn.

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