Review-The Ends of the Earth-Wagging Tails Ensemble
5-12-12
By: Harry Oram
Just a quick note before my review. The play is at Underground Theatre at the Fringe. If the entrance by the bar is taken over by another feature, you can enter via the art gallery further down Lower Albert Road. I know I was not the only one who got confused as to where the entrance was and I do not wish anyone else to get lost.
Heading to the Fringe, I was excited to see this play and gave a lot of credit to the production team for advertising it well. But with good hype comes more pressure to deliver an expectedly good performance. As the audience takes their seats one immediately notices that the play is performed ‘in-the-round’ and the actors all enter by taking their places amongst the audience. A bold choice by the Director (Simon Grunberger) who states in the programme that one of the reasons why he chose the play is its ability to engage with the audience. I immediately liked the Director’s choice for the setup and quickly saw the advantages: it allows for fast scene changes and the audience feels amongst the action. The set is minimal and most scene changes are indicated via the lighting design (provided by Andy Burt). The staging is done well so that the performers are engaged with the audience at all angles, but there were a few scenes where I would have liked to have seen more of a 360 performance.
The challenge with shows like this is the world of the production is heavily reliant upon the actors. What makes it particularly challenging in this case is the world of The Ends Of The Earth is a particularly bizarre one.
For the first ten minutes of this play, I was truly lost and struggled to know who was who and what exactly was going on. As the play continued I was able to understand two strangers, Frank (David Jenkins) and Henry (Damien Barnes), are mistakenly thrown together in an attempt to get away from each other and are taken on an adventure.
I think the difficulty I had with trying to understand what was going on is perhaps because the play itself is unusual, full of strange characters, jumps through time and even has its own logic. If the performance of the play is not extremely tight, it is easy for an audience member to really question what is going on. I found myself doing that often.
A key for me for the success of this production is for all involved to embrace the weirdness of the play. I realize the venue can be a difficult one, as the actors are only able to rehearse in the space the day before opening night; this is extremely difficult when a play like this relies so heavily on lighting cues and performing in-the-round. It is one of the current hurdles posed by theatre in Hong Kong and I think it would be a shame if directors only chose ‘safe’ pieces that are easy to perform. But I cannot in good conscience recommend a play based on its potential and as it stands the performance needs a lot of polishing.
There were lots of moments in the play where I felt this has the potential to be a good show. What is clear is that the Director cares about the piece and the actors have the talent to pull it off. The weirdness of it must be embraced! The highlights of the play for me were often when Frank and Henry encountered truly wacky situations: a restaurant where the menu is too big and the furniture is too small; hitch-hiking with a weed-smoking truck-driver; or the psychic gypsy with her peculiar side-kick Sergio. It was in these moments where I felt like I was being taken down the rabbit-hole into an Alice-like-Wonderland. Those were the moments I really enjoyed, but a good show has to be more than just the odd good moment.
I like that the Director picked this piece because of its ability to engage with an audience. But I would have liked to see more of this, to have seen the actors really get in our faces, break the fourth wall and share this weirdness with us. This happened only a few times but, when it happened, it worked well.
The supporting cast were the strong point of the show for me. They effortlessly changed costumes into a variety of characters while sitting amongst the audience until it was their time to jump in. Brad Powers, Nicole Garbellini, Ashley Blair and Jennie Davies play an impressive fourteen (or so) characters between them and the Director jumps in too for a quick cameo.
The two protagonists have the most demanding roles because they serve as the driving force through this crazy journey. I felt both of their performances improved as the show went on; however, I would have liked to see the stakes raised more for both of them: if these two characters were supposed to be so freaked out by the other that they would travel to the ends of the earth to avoid each other, I did not believe in them.
I would love to hear from those who do attend what they thought as I am confident this show will improve greatly with each performance. Done well, this show has the potential to be a lot of fun but it isn’t quite there yet.
The Ends of the Earth is playing through Saturday at the Fringe Club. Click here for more information.
Comments
Mark
This show was awful. AVOID. AVOID. AVOID
05 December 2012Rachel
I give the artists credit for trying something different but this is one of the worst shows I've ever seen.
05 December 2012Andrew
This was the worst show I have ever seen in my ten years of attending theatre in Hong Kong. The acting was awful. I agree with the reviewer that the supporting cast was good, but would limit that praise only for the wonderful performances of Jennie Davies and Ashley Blair. I thought they were great and demonstrated versatile acting and well thought out characters. They should both be satisfied with their performances. The other acting was poor unfortunately and bored me to tears. The fact that there was a full house at the start of the night and that there were fifteen empty seats at the start of the second act speaks for itself.
05 December 2012Adam Harris
I was directed to this review site by somebody surprised by the vehemence of the comments.
05 December 2012
Take it easy, folks. Not enjoying a show is one thing. Public, brutal attack is another and serves what purpose, truely? Maybe reflect on your true motives when writing.
People can form their own opinions without pre-poisoning. In defence of the show, it`s a sad truth in Hong Kong that opening nights are often far from the best performance because of the insane rush to get everything ready. Professional shows are ready on time but professional shows don`t move into a space 24 hrs before they open.
Randy
Yes, this production relied completely on the actors to create this bizarre world. However, the audience is lost due to the unnecessary pauses that were taken by the performers. This is an absurdest piece which is all about acknowledging the audience. This production suffered from a lack of pace which is key in capturing the comedy that is quite apparent in the script. Also, the inconsistency of props usage was quite irritating. Some props were real and some were mimed. I applaud the Director for attempting to stage this production in the round. The entire space was used but not effectively. The staging was quite awkward. I would have liked to have seen a clearer definition of the four corners of the stage. The actors could have used these corners as position points to avoid sight line issues which were apparent throughout the entire show. With that said, I admire the cast and crew for there efforts in attempting a truly complex and daunting piece of theatre. I hope the show improves throughout the rest of the run.
05 December 2012HKMom
Mr. Harris makes an excellent point. But if we as an audience are to simply accept that opening nights are going to be bad we're not going to spend our hard earned money on them. Perhaps, this company knew the show was bad and that's why they offered the discount for the opening nights?
05 December 2012
When I have 3 kids to take to a show I think of them as investments and I've come to rely on this site to judge what's worth taking my kids to.Steven
I don't see anything "brutal" about these comments. If a show is bad. It's bad.
05 December 2012June
Mr Harris is being kind. Nothing can excuse the appalling mess I saw last night. I was amazed to read the director`s biography because I could only assume this was a first effort by a school child. Either the director or the people that trained him should be hung, drawn and quartered and then shot. Terrible acting that looked absurd by accident not purposefully, ugly, ill-thought through staging, sound effects that didn`t work, cheesy use of 2001 music..need I go on? A turkey.
05 December 2012
Steven
Ok. Now that was harsh.
05 December 2012Annie
Saw the show tonight. Was expecting the worst based on everyones comments. Sure it was a weird play but it wasn't that bad. I've seen worse before. The script was just strange. If you don't like weird plays you're not going to enjoy it.
06 December 2012Rick
I agree with Annie. This is a very unusual play and you have to like the style. I actually enjoyed the show last night. I had some really good laughs!
06 December 2012Edward Johnson
The show was great, just go to see it.
06 December 2012
Not coventional but very original
well done!Brit
It's not that bad. Trust me worse has been done in town. It's also not very good. I didn't care for it. I wouldn't recommend it to anyone.
06 December 2012Jane
Sorry, disagree. The first night reviews were right. This was terrible. How can people get away with this. The advertising looked like a professioanal show. What a rip-off. It just shows anybody can use photoshop. Avoid this show, spend money on people who know what they are doing like Wendy Herbert or Adam Haris.
06 December 2012GoNorth
What that big guy form Art ws doing in this trainwreck I have no idea. I have always liked him.
06 December 2012Cheeseeater
The worst am dram I have ever seen. I should have spent the money on painful dental extractions (which I don`t need)
06 December 2012Francis
A couple of the comments I have read sound like personal vendetta. I personally loved the show! I go to see theater a lot and find myself bored in most of the conventional directed shows. This is unconventional theater and I like it! The second act seemed a bit long though and some of the actors seemed to have a hard time delivering their lines, but I would definitely recommend it!
06 December 2012Stevetheman
Me and my girlfriend had a great time at the theatre! Yes it is a low budget production but let's not forget this is amateur theater and not Le Cirque du Soleil! Cast was great! Job well done!
06 December 2012Ricky
It was fun and interesting .... A unique set of characters and a challenging dialog .... Everyone played their roles with enthusiasm...
06 December 2012
For those that pay out on it, have some respect for people actually putting themselves out there....
Good Day.
HKELD
All "flame comments" and defamatory statements will be immediately removed out of respect for the artists involved in this production.
06 December 2012an actor
While I agree that the show might not have been as polished as it could have been, I disagree that this production is a "turkey". Plenty of laughs were heard in the theatre the first two nights of the run and while there were, admittedly, inconsistencies each night, there was some solid work being done on stage. Thank you to those commentators who have approached their posts with balance. And for those others who have posted vitriol, perhaps that speaks more to the character of the individuals posting and less the quality of the performance.
06 December 2012Jacques Lafleur
What exactly constitutes a "flame comment?" What is the point of having this website if you are not aloud to voice your opinion? Instead of removing the "flame comments" perhaps you should remove this website or stop reviewing shows all together for the good of the community. Hong Kong is obviously feel of overly sensitive artists who cannot take criticism. No offence to anyone but that just an outside opinion.
06 December 2012Mel
There are so many things I can say about this show but will only mention a few. I would like to commend Jennie Davies for portraying believable and well-rounded characters throughout the show. She was in character the moment she stepped on stage, even when she was sitting in the audience. I enjoyed experiencing performance in-the-round. However, there were many things that are off / not prepared or worked out properly before the run. Certainly the venue would be different from the normal rehearsal space, but there is no good reason for not hitting your light when the floor is marked, or even delivering your lines like a real person instead of reciting them. Also, I did not believe that Alice was blind for a minute. The actress walked directly from point to point without aid. If I were blind, I would be relying on my cane/walking stick and extending my arm to touch and make sure I would not miss the chair, for example. Perhaps it is a difficult piece to do, but there are lots of room for improvement. For one, let's start with removing the neon orange price tag on the tea cup.
06 December 2012HKELD
For Jacques, A "flame comment" is a defamatory statement meant to rile up the comment section to divert the audience from having a meaningful conversation. None of the comments you currently see posted in the comment section are "flames" but one individual over the past 48 hours deemed it necessary to say horrible things about members of this production that are bold face lies and have nothing to do with this performance under a fake screenname and email. We encourage open dialogue amongst the community but do not tolerate our site being used as platform for hate speech. For more information on flames and defamation on the internet please google it.
07 December 2012
Jacques Lafleur
Please call me Mr. Lafleur. While I google you recommendations, I would request that you google "contradiction". If you have removed a comment that you felt was untrue then why are keeping the comment that questions the training of the director? Is that considered meaningful conversation? I still think you just stop reviewing shows and use this site to inform the public of upcoming shows.
07 December 2012HKMom
Mr. Lalfeur, bugger off! People like this site and use it. Someone in town should review the shows.
07 December 2012Artist_in_residence
I saw the show last night mainly to see what everyone was talking about. Surprisingly, the show was good. The script was unusual and the time jumps were a bit confusing at times but I think that contributes to the writer not the actors. I agree with most of the comments that Jennie Davies stole the show. She's fabulous. However, I think people in this comment section need to calm down. So many people I spoke to last night came to the show because of this review and the "buzz" around it. So people leaving heinous comments should take note that you might be driving audience to the theatre rather than away from it.
07 December 2012
Thanks to HKELD for giving us a place to share our work. Now, let's act like adults.Ping
I did not care for this show. As a 2nd language speaker I was very confused a lot of time with the story. Lighting was also difficult to see sometimes because light would come on and people would be in the wrong spot. I thought the brown haired girls were both very good.
07 December 2012Carrie
I went to the shows with friends last night and really like it. Lots of fun and lots of wisdom in lines. Agreed time jumps have been a bit confusing.
07 December 2012
To Mr Lafluer, we have the rights to voice out but not to insult. This is common sense.Jenny's Fan
LOVED Jenny! The show was really good last night. Lot of fun. It might have had a couple rough first nights but I had a really good time.
07 December 2012Wendy
Have people lost their mind with their tasteless comments!? I saw the show last night and looooved it! It was fast paced and exciting. It kept me on the edge of my seat. The characters took me along with them on their journey. Great and refreshing directing for once! Things kept happening all over the place. There was never a doll moment! A MUST SEE!!!
07 December 2012Lily
Saw it last night! I loved it! Brave direction. Beautiful staging. Interesting script. May not be for everyone but I personally loved it.
07 December 2012AD
It was an amazing show last night! A very brave act and pulled off beautifully! I was trying hard to stop myself from laughing during the show. And found myself thinking about deeper things in life hours later. Thank you!
07 December 2012Pam
Went to the show last night, thoroughly enjoyed it. It flowed really easily with no awkward breaks. The humour of the show appeals to people watchers who find nerdy or paranoid or dim or extravagent people entertaining. So pretty much anyone should get a laugh. As the show progressed the audience warmed up and the atmosphere fed the actors energy. They really made the characters believable. I would highly recommend anyone to go catch it tonight or tomorrow night.
07 December 2012G
I also went to the show last night and thought it was superb. It was probably the funniest I have seen in Hong Kong and really appealed to my own sense of humour. Special mention has to go to the amazing monologues of the lead actors and the outstanding variety of roles played by the supporting cast. Very funny, well done all!
07 December 2012Damian
"Please call me Mr. Lafleur" that kinda sums it all up really :-)
07 December 2012Derrick Stone
I also went last night and had a terrific time - I was expecting a train-wreck but it was one of the few shows that I actually laughed out loud at... I think that David Jenkins and Damien Barnes were perfectly cast - they complimented and contrasted each other perfectly. I liked most of the smaller roles though, to be honest, I wasnt so keen on the detatched girlfriend and the mute strongarm and the amphetamine hyped trucker BUT the minor role actors had to cover a lot of territory emotionally and actor wise... Oh and Simon was very, very gay! Well done Simon. As for "Please call me Mr Lafleur"... Ok sure I'll call you Mr Lafleur <--- sarcasm
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