Calling all StageSider’s, welcome back to another review. This time we are looking at Into The Night, a performance we have been asked to review. I was originally asked to review a streamed dress and tech rehearsal. So the majority of this review is based on that. I will say that there were some fumbles. But, this was a tech run ahead of a covid shut down of the show. So I am not going to hold that against them. I will only comment, from now on, on the plot, characters, set, costume etc that went as intended. I have no doubt that the technical issues will be worked out by the public performance.
About Into the Night!
StageSideUK was approached to review Original Theatre’s new show, Into the Night. Into the Night is about the RNLI, a sea emergency and the heritage of a coastal town.
“On Saturday 19 December 1981, the Penlee lifeboat ‘Solomon Browne’, was launched in hurricane conditions to go to the aid of the coaster ‘Union Star’ that had engine failure and was being swept towards the southern coast of Cornwall. It was an attempted rescue which ranks not only with the greatest in the history of the RNLI, but with any human achievement. Marking 40 years since the event, INTO THE NIGHT is a unique theatrical performance which will be broadcast live on Saturday 18 December 2021 at 5.30pm. The filmed performance will then be available on demand from 6 – 30 January 2022.” – Original Theatre.
With some rather solid character portrayals, a deep and complex nonfiction storyline and a series of effects, costuming and cinematic / theatrical techniques, this performance was a welcome addition to my ‘have seen’ list. Being streamed at the start of 2022, this performance brings an interesting deep dive, similar to a documentary, with some welcomed theatrical touches. It is also really interesting to see actors who may be used to live audiences, shift their balance towards cinematography. I wonder what this show would have looked like had it have been in front of a live audience.
Research based theatre!
Frazer Flintham bases this performance on a solid foundation of research, which shows. With the whole piece appearing authentic in its theatrical presentation and sharing of information. Being one of the audience members who did not know about this event and was unsure what to expect going in, I appreciate the strong sense of background story and the angle of the performance.
The retelling of the event was done really well. With enough information being shared to get me interested in the performance, and keeping me hooked, I watched this show from start to finish in one sitting without waiting for it to end.
This performance is done with the audience being a camera lens, which makes for a rather interesting viewing experience. While this is interesting in concept, I do find it rather alienating. For the duration of the piece, we are being kept at arm’s length, but at the same time we are learning rather deep pieces of information about the characters.
A stand out star of the performance
Madeline Knight brought buckets and buckets of energy and conviction to the telling of this tale. Madeline has a certain quality about her that makes storytelling seem so natural and authentic. Working well with the other cast members, and individually, Madeline really could do it all.
Seeing Madeline working on stage with Hubert Burton and Tom Chambers is one of those moments where theatre just drags you in. These three individuals bring the story to life in a way that is delicate and yet enjoyable to watch. Both Hubert and Tom were also amazing in their story telling, interactions and characterisation.
This performance was well directed, well acted and is an eye opening depiction of a true story that I for one did not know about. When a story is brought to life, that much, to the point where I thought I could recount the details, I have no choice but to love it. This performance will be no exception. It was a great watch!
EDIT:
since writing the review of the dress run, I have been given access to the finished product. As assumed, this performance is well polished. The strong roots in research are still appreciated and the energy from the cast is still as high and intense as in the dress run. This performance is still a great piece of theatre. What would once perhaps be performed in a local setting and be seen by a more geographically confined area can now be shared with many people and enjoyed by the country. A great theatrical telling of an event, a great
Now onto the ratings!
Entertainment
The show was really entertaining. For a play to have me hooked and not counting down until it is done, it has to be good. So after watching the piece in one go, enjoying every moment and having a good read through the programme to get all of the details, I think it would be unfair to give the show anything other than five stars for entertainment.
Value for money
To remain completely transparent, I had not paid for this performance. However, I will review the show as if I had paid for it and explain whether I think it is worth the price. For a standard stream of this show, it is £18. This includes access to the show to watch. For the length of the performance, the talent, the set, scenery and costuming as well as the use of recording equipment and editing etc, I think this is a fair price. This fits in well with other streams available online, and is quite competitively priced. Of course, this all depends on what you want to see etc, but for a play with some great acting and an interesting angle, this is a good price. I would give the value for money aspect of this show four out of five stars.
Accessibility
The show did not have that many access issues for me. Plus with it being shown in your own home, you are free to walk away, pause, resume, skip back to see that bit again. I think this is a great way to consume theatre, in a way that is accessible and gives the audience freedom. I have to give the accessibility a solid five out of five stars.
Overall?
Overall I think this show deserves the full five star rating. For a competitive price, you get to see a great performance. Plus you get to learn about a devastating event that many of us may not know about. I don’t really know what more there is to offer. I think this is a great example of a performance done over lockdown.
Have your say!
Have you seen Into The Night? What did you think? Let me know in the comments and let’s get a discussion going.
As always, please be respectful of each other’s opinions and be kind to each other. I completely respect and value everyone that worked on this show. We need to remember that these are people with feelings. Let’s treat them with respect. Bullying will not be tolerated and harmful language will be removed.
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