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27th July


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Popcorn (2002)

Click to see a larger picture of Popcorn Directed By
Brandon McGuire

Producer
Helena Johnston
Production Type
Nomads Production

Production Location
On Location

Production Photographs

Genre: Thriller / Comedy Turnout: 74%

User Rating: (4.7/5 with 4 votes)

Flier Summary:

This satirical comedy thriller, set in the Beverley Hills home of Oscar-winning movie director, took the West End by storm a few years ago. On his Oscar celebration night be and this family are held under siege by the very ’Bonnie and Clyde’ style murderers he glamourises in his film.

This Production will also feature at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival in August.


Description:
Brandon McGuire
Brandon has been a member of the Nomads for a long time, involved both on stage and off. He recently appeared as Frank in The Memory of Water and has directed many other productions, including A Chorus of Disapproval, ... [more]


Production Dates & Prices:
(Please note Booking Information)

 Date
Time
Price
 
 Tuesday 30th July 2002
8:00pm
£6.50
 Wednesday 31st July 2002
8:00pm
£6.50
 Thursday 1st August 2002
8:00pm
£8.00
 Friday 2nd August 2002
8:00pm
£8.00
 Saturday 3rd August 2002
8:00pm
£8.00


Cast: (in programme order)
Rowan Bangs ... Karl Brezner
Damien de Roche ... Bruce Delamitri
Pippa Frayne ... Velvet
Antonia Farino ... Farrah
Steve Nankervis ... Wayne Hudson
Marina Norris ... Scout
Amber Chandler ... Brooke Daniels
Martin Tidy ... Bill

Crew: (in programme order)
Brandon McGuire ... Director
Helena Johnston ... Producer
Paul Williamson ... Stage Manager
Stuart Bangs ... ASM
Hannah Baker ... Stage Crew
Martin Tidy ... Stage Crew
Brandon McGuire ... Set Design
Stuart Bangs ... Set Construction
Roger Brandon-Jones ... Set Construction
Tracy Davis ... Set Construction
Rob Fee ... Set Construction
Gordon Hilliker ... Set Construction
Charles Hope ... Set Construction
Brandon McGuire ... Set Construction
David Payne ... Set Construction
Steve Nankervis ... Set Construction
Paul Williamson ... Lighting Designer
Tim Williams ... Sound Operator
Kathryn Shepheard ... Sound Operator
Doug Towell ... Sound Operator
Helena Johnston ... Prompt
Stephen Williams ... Costume Design
Phillip Griffith ... Film Production
Lucy Johnston ... Designer
Nicky Bentley ... Choreographer
Andy Ashenden ... Firearms Director
Katie Cecil ... Fight Choreographer
Clive Mott ... Front of House Manager
Amanda Armishaw ... Box Office
Phillip Griffith ... Poster Design
Phillip Griffith ... Programme Design
Peter Forbes ... Programme Design
Arnold Pindar ... Front of House Manager
Francis Pindar ... Front of House
Susan Pindar ... Front of House
Stuart Bangs ... Follow Spot Operator
Julian Pindar ... Front of House
Tom Thomas ... Set Construction


Act1:
Scene 1 Afternoon before the Oscars ceremony
Scene 2 An LA Bank
Scene 3 The Oscars ceremony
Scene 4 Early the next morning
Act2:
Scene 1 Continued


Official Review:
the review
The Nomads production of Popcorn written by Ben Elton and directed by Brandon McGuire was an electrifying evening of tension, horror and humour. The play deals with the motivation of two rampaging murderers who hold the Oscar-winning director of violent and sexy films hostage in order to blackmail him into blaming the influence of his films for their unprovoked killing spree. Thanks, not only to the writing of Elton but to the innovative direction of Brandon McGuire and talent of the cast, the production moved seamlessly from aggression to humour, forcing the audience to confront the fundamental issues of devolution of responsibility and the dangers of media exploitation.

This truly was an ensemble piece of theatre and as such it is hard to single out individuals for specific praise. Damien de Roche was superbly verbally aggressive and self-obsessed as the film director, Bruce Delamitri defending his "works of art" whilst being horrified by genuine violence. Amber Chandler, moved slickly from sexy to controlling to frightened to manipulative as model / actress Brooke Daniels. Rowan Bangs made a gloriously bumptious and arrogant Karl, producer of Bruce's films. Pippa Frayne was suitably precocious and obnoxious as Bruce's teenage daughter and Hannah Baker and Martin Tidy, appearing in their underwear in cameo roles as the TV camera crew, managed to perpetuate the atmosphere of fear and tension. Worthy of special note, however, were Antonia de Roche as Farrah Delamitri, Bruce's estranged wife and a totally money obsessed alcoholic: Steve Nankervis, as the blood crazed killer Wayne, whose small, wiry frame strangely enhanced his inherently psychotic violance His performance was chilling and compelling, yet he remained in touch with the characters own ethical code that humanised him. A code possibly more ethical in some respects than that of his captives and victims. Likewise with Marina Norris as Wayne's sidekick, Scout who is arguably the most sympathetic character in the play, vulnerable and with traditional morality, yet tainted with the ability to kill indiscriminately. The juxtaposition of these traits makes her complex and unnerving and Marina Norris manipulated the audience through a host of different emotional reactions with great skill.

In essence the set was simple - Bruce's lounge dominated by an ultra-modem drinks unit. Yet the back wall comprised a giant video screen onto which TV reports were projected. Moments of extreme violence were highlighted with abstract film of the specific protagonists in close-up, as well as red fighting and dramatic music. The sensory overload complemented the drama of these moments beautifully. Phill Griffith must be congratulated for shooting and editing the video clips and Paul Williamson, Nick Johnston and Martin Tidy for the lighting and projection. Precise and effective sound was to the credit of Tim Williams, Kathryn Shepheard and Doug Towell. Although the use of video added an extra dimension of realism to the violent scenes, the clever use of blood effects constructed by Lisa Arnold ensured that the realism was maintained on stage.

This was an incredibly powerful production that left the audience with much to think about. It was obvious that director, cast and technical crew had a clear objective and were all using their enormous talent to work towards the same end - an amusing, chilling and stimulating evening of theatre. I wish them every success at the Edinburgh Fringe.


Related News:
Sep 2002 Great Reviews from Edinburgh
Aug 2002 A big thank you
Jul 2002 Booking online for POPCORN!
Jun 2002 Another show gets under way: Popcorn
Jun 2002 Two fun ways of raising the funds to take POPCORN to Edinburgh
Apr 2002 Ben Elton's Popcorn AUDITIONS!
Apr 2002 Get Your Lovely Popcorn Here - too
Mar 2002 Popcorn Auditions


Recommendations:
Ben Elton's - Popcorn


User Reviews:
AMAZING!
26th March 2003
Reviewer: Francis Pindar
Well all I can say is AMAZING! it was soooooo good. You just couldn't fault the production...

and where did all the blood come from? and well done in Edinburgh!
 
Review By: Paul Rhodes, The Scotsman 17/08/02
4th May 2003
Reviewer: Francis Pindar
"Oscar-winning director Bruce Delamitri is held hostage in his home along with his wife, daughter, and a Playboy playmate by psycho killers Wayne and Scout, who want Delamitri to declare live on television that his violent film is responsible for their copycat murder spree.

The Nomads theatre group from Surrey put on a good production of this Ben Elton play, but the violence-and-the-media argument comes off incredibly dated in light of 11 September. While Damien de Roche as Delamitri and Steve Nankervis as Wayne put in excellent performances, the presentation of this "response" to the Natural Born Killers debate feels about five years too late. It also proves Elton's play is more fashion than substance. "

Paul Rhodes, The Scotsman 17/08/02
 
Review by Blair Rhodes, ThreeWeeks Online
4th May 2003
Reviewer: Francis Pindar
"Two serial killers invade the home of a Hollywood director and hold him and his family hostage, subjecting them to trial by television ratings. A review of 'Popcorn' can easily just be comprised of a list of things that interest Ben Elton: America, The Media, postmodern irony, erosion of the family unit, redneck copycat thrill killers, inherent moral bankruptcy of capitalism, the road movie as play, black humour, character stereotypes, and legal action replacing responsibility, to mention a few. The play boldly goes where many others have gone before: Stone's 'Natural Born Killers' and Herzfeld's '15 Minutes' have already trodden this very trail. I also dislike the way Elton increasingly believes that asking the tough questions and then challenging the audience to answer, covers the fact that his work is now too derivative to include anything of worth.

'Popcorn' is full of bangs and fury, signifying nothing new. Absolutely brilliant production, shame about the play."

Blair Rhodes, ThreeWeeks Online
 

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