NEXT PERFORMANCES: NO PERFORMANCES CURRENTLY BOOKED
EDINBURGH REVIEWS:
FROM BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE: 4 *
What can we learn from the past? What resonances do the event that shape lives have across the voids of time and space?
Such are the questions that arise out of Peter Thomson's solo show, Changing the Wheel. Looking at his own life and the events that shaped him, Thomson contrasts his autobiographical digressions with snippets of poetry from Bertolt Brecht. Because he and 'BB' share some facets of life: interest in the stage, later in politics and a strong anti-war feeling. In linking his own life and times to those of Brecht and musing on the similarities between them, Thomson creates an interesting world of history tied together with the often bleak but dynamic verses.
As a full stage production, the play entertains without ever underestimating the audience. Thomson gently leads the audience while dropping parcels of information throughout the performance. He's silkily charming and witty by turns, which does the fine job of distracting slightly from the fact that the goals of the play never quite meet as the focus of the show drifts by turns almost solely to discussing 'BB'. Still it's impossible not to recommend this show as it stands as good a show about Brecht as one could hope for.
FROM 3 WEEKS: 4*
As the world today wakes up again to what one should value, the global town crier from beyond the grave is refugee-poet-playwright-theorist-communist Berthold Brecht, whose writings are brought to life with enthusiasm and impressive delivery by polemicist/ ex-politician Thomson. For someone who only knows that Brecht wrote something called 'Mother Courage', this show revealed so much I could hardly take it all in: he lost one of his lovers to tuberculosis ("he was faithful...to many women"); he was only rich for seven short weeks before Nazism took its toll; he despised Hollywood greatly. A show where autobiography is present but never invasive, Thomson is an engaging raconteur with a passion to share. Fringe-audiences of the world, unite for BB's cause.
"THE PERFORMANCE WAS A TOUR DE FORCE" - AUDIENCE MEMBERS
"A SHOW OF THE HIGHEST QUALITY" TONY WILD - INSTRUCTOR, NEWCASTLE COLLEGE PERFORMANCE ACADEMY
"I [WAS] FAR MORE MOVED AND EXCITED BY IT THAN BY THE LAVISH KNEEHIGH SHOW I SAW TWO WEEKS AGO"
PREMIERED AT LIVE THEATRE, BROAD CHARE, QUAYSIDE NEWCASTLE UPON TYNE ON FRIDAY 24TH AND SATURDAY 25TH OCTOBER 2008
PERFORMED AGAIN: WEDS 11th FEB 2009 STAR AND SHADOW CINEMA, STEPNEY BANK, NEWCASTLE; AND THURS 12th FEB NEWCASTLE ARTS CENTRE, 67 WESTGATE ROAD, NEWCASTLE. AND ON 5TH MAY AT THE CUMBERLAND ARMS IN BYKER, NEWCASTLE.
CLUB PONDEROSA AT MATT STOKES GALLERY 176 EXHIBITION, KENTISH TOWN, LONDON ON 23rd AND 24th MAY
SPOTLITES AT THE MERCHANTS' HALL, EDINBURGH FRINGE. 5TH TO 31ST AUGUST 2009
"WONDERFUL TO HEAR POETRY SO WELL PERFORMED" - AUDIENCE MEMBER
"GREAT SHOW" PETER DILLON - WRITER
" STUNNING - IT REALLY MADE ME THINK" CHARLIE HARDWICK - ACTOR
"PRESCIENT- WE NEED THEATRE TO MAKE US THINK ABOUT OUR CURRENT SITUATION" - ELLEN PHETHEAN - WRITER AND POET