What: King Arthur, by Siege Perilous
Where: New Town Theatre, Freemasons’ Hall
When: 14:45, August 5–30 (not 9, 17, 24)
How Much: £5–12

In 140 characters or less: “Densely written political intrigue combined with crises of faith, stark and moving but at times overly complex and ambitious for its length.”

The legend of King Arthur has been endlessly retold over the centuries, as successive ages find their own meaning in the timeless stories.  In this stark production writer/producer Lucy Nordberg places the famous characters in a vaguely 20th century setting, testing the relevance of Arthurian themes to our own times.

The play leaps rather abruptly into the heart of the issue, as Arthur (Jim Byars) discusses his plan to institute democracy in his kingdom as a means of ensuring the continuation of his policies for good.  However, the king quickly encounters opposition from many parties within the court who hold other ambitions.  There are also concerns about the people’s interest in and ability to rule themselves, highlighting the conflict between blind faith and reason that runs through the Arthurian myths.  The struggle is particularly strong for Arthur’s illegitimate son Mordred (Steven McMahon), who has been displaced from his own kingdom to take his place as heir at his father’s court and is immediately lost in the ever-shifting moral and political landscape.  In this sense Mordred, and many of the other characters wrestling with their own values and allegiances, are apt representations of individuals trapped in modern society:   confused and distressed by the erosion of traditional culture and values, and disoriented by the loss of their homelands through economic or political necessity.

A cast attired in slightly ill-fitted evening wear and and a spare set that hints at a oversized chessboard comfortably enhance the mood of tense plotting.  There is none of the magic and glory of the Arthurian myth in this retelling, save in the saddened reminisces of the king’s oldest followers, who feel they have hitched their wagon to a dream only to see it crash under the weight of age and change.  Instead the mood is heavy with a sense of decline and irrevocable decay, with Renaissance music and dialogue written in iambic pentameter adding a gloss of past elegance.

The script is rich and highly poetic, but unfortunately the pace at which the dialogue is spoken is often so rapid that its complexity cannot be processed in time.  Nordberg introduces some strikingly beautiful imagery, but there is no time to savour these ideas if the viewer wishes to keep apace with the development of action.  This headlong race through the story is both a strength and a weakness:  in one sense the show can be commended for covering so much intricate material in only an hour and a half, while on the other hand it is a pity that the ideas and characters are given so little time to breathe.  This is epic stuff, and while the capable cast do manage performances that are accessible and moving, the audience is left feeling a little clobbered with the weight of it all.  Perhaps this was the intention;  and for those who are not looking for a pretty spectacle of chivalry and romance, it is ultimately an interesting take on the standard legend.

Festbuzz Rating:

Words: Domenica Goduto

Who: Rich Hall
Where: Assembly Rooms
When: 10.30pm, daily until 31st August 2009
How Much: £13-£16

In 140 char­ac­ters or less: “Morose, witty and acerbic: you’re in safe hands with Rich Hall– perhaps a little too safe.”

Rich Hall is perfectly happy in front of a crowd of some 600 people, and they seem pretty damn happy to sit there as well. This show isn’t loaded political satire, but as Hall points out, he lost a large chunk of material with Bush out of office.

Despite his rise to fame in a character act, Hall has become a panel show stalwart in the last few years and is well known for his gruff bark and his ability to play the witless naif in the face of odd British customs. In tonight’s show he is repeatedly dive-bombed by an assortment of moths and flies: he confidently riffs off this and even manages to briefly catch one of his insect persecutors, a handy metaphor for his quick wit and sharp instincts.

However, this show is slightly dogged by the lack of structure to the hour. Though Hall rarely seems to get off track, there’s no obvious thread to his train of thought, and while the gags are strong, there’s not much substance. Hall is best when he’s railing against the world and its mistakes, and he seems far more content with life now than perhaps a few years ago.

Perhaps the nicest moments in this show come from his stories of rural life in Montana, dealing with prairie dog pests and fearsome locals. His irritation at these irksome critters gets him more fired up than in most bits of the show: though he never lets this rant get unwieldy. Unable to really mock Obama (the closest he gets is pointing out The Audacity of Hope is a somewhat meaningless title) in the current climate, he turns his gaze on Bill Clinton which makes the material feel a little out of date. However, he’s clearly still clued up about political situations and I’m disappointed that in the question and answer section all he is quizzed about it whether he enjoys QI.

Despite some forced moments of audience interaction, Hall has a large back catalogue of stories and jokes to draw from, and it’s great to hear him when he gets fired up at some odd international news story.

There’s no bite to this show, but it’s slick, rational, well paced.

Festbuzz Rating:

Words: Elise Bramich