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With the start of our fifth season came the start of a new project with the hugely successful SE1 United an organisation for young people and run by young people. All year round they fund youth led activities and trips for young people in South London aged between 10-21 years old which raise aspirations and give young people a voice in their community and improve their image to others. Together we have created the SE1 United Old Vic Reviewers' Club which gives young people the opportunity to see and review our shows, take part in backstage tours and meet the creative team at the Theatre.
If you're aged 13-21 years of age and keen to have your theatrical opinions aired then why not joined the reviewers' club.
"Free tickets and a chance to get your opinions aired? What's not to love about our new reviewers' club?"
Kevin Spacey, Artistic Director The Old Vic Theatre
Below are some of their reviews from the first two plays of the fifth season which began in October 2008.
The Norman Conquests - Written by Alan Ayckbourn
Playing Dates: 20 October - 20 December 2009
Marmite, Mustard and mayonnaise sound good? Then sink your teeth into this! The Norman Conquests is about a "normal" family with a man whose desire for happiness breaks a whole family apart. We enjoyed Living Together the most because it had funnier scenes and we were given a better understanding of the characters. Where as in Round and Round the Garden the audience seemed unfamiliar with the characters but by Table Manners we began to grow bored of the repetitive story line but at least the character of Norman opened up a bit more, he was more smooth and cheerful.
Rating: Decent
Reviewed by Muna (16yrs) & Sarah (15yrs)
The play had a mixture of emotions such as loneliness, happiness, and sadness and characters stuck in a hamster wheel. I liked the way they positioned the actors on stage, even without seeing their expressions you could tell what they were doing and feeling. The dopiness of Tom made the plays funnier. The music in the plays was annoying though because they used a song that did not go with the play. It clashed with the action. The Old Vic was like going into a different world, away from the cars and business and TVs. They should sell soft drinks.
Rating: Decent
Written by: Mariem (14yrs)
Quite simply one word "marmite" - you either love it or hate it! Six people, one weekend, chaos.
The pace of Table Manners was definitely quicker then Living Together and Round and Round the Garden and I enjoyed it for this reason. I however, did not like the fact that most of the jokes were aimed at the upper middle class. I am not quite accustomed to the new layout of the theatre, everything seems more compact.
Rating: Decent
Written by: Scarlett (14yrs)
Shocking, squeamish and completely shameful, it's like drinking undated milk; you don't know what you get till you try it. A clever script by Alan Ayckbourn based on confusion between 6 family members over a long weekend. We loved the characters Tom and Norman this was purely on the comedy element and these were the characters you could relate to and almost side with them and there opinions. The opposite was some of the characters over exaggeration for example Ruth loosing her glasses and Sarah's short temper, we couldn't believe them as Sarah's knows no one like them. The clock and the lighting was good, it was different and unique. The actors did well with no microphones and limited sound. The Old Vic was a different experience and it was very posh and people were well dressed but when you got in there the effect of theatre-in-the-round made everyone seem in the same position.
Rating: It was a decent performance and was an ok to go to.
Written by: Hanna and Shannon (15yrs)
The Norman Conquests is as bitter as dark chocolate because at first you really dislike it but when you watch it many times you get used to the taste. The play is about a family that have some problems with getting along with each other. I enjoyed the third play (Table Manners) the most because the jokes were more understandable than the first two plays and because I had seen the show for the third time you are used to the characters so you get the storyline better.
I really enjoyed Norman because he was a funny character and he seemed the most real. In-the-round was better because most plays that you see are on a square stage so it was different and fun.
Rating: It was decent but some parts were live and bits were dead.
Written by: Akiema (14)
Complicit - Written by Joe Sutton
Playing Dates: 7 January to 21 February
In this play Benjamin Kritzer is like Neo, he sees the world one way and his source gives him the "red pill" and he sees the world how it really is.
This play helps you to understand the real world. In America, they can force you to do things and get away with it.
The actors use really explicit language. It is bold and strong, which shows their real emotion. The language was realistic and you could tell they were in a really cramped situation because they would not usually use that language in front of their families.
I didn't like the set being three chairs, it didn't work. Just having chairs made it look a bit lost, it was not clear where the characters are. The audience could get lost which is confusing. I liked the T.V.'s being everywhere you could hear and see Ben's memories. It was effective the way after Ben said a good statement it was rewinded and played again. It puts it in your mind and every word adds up. In the first Act you remember "angry" and in the second Act you remember "government". It leaves you thinking angry at the government.
Rating: It was decent and live
Written by: Josh (13) & Massi(13)
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