Producers: Naughty or Nice?

Flicking through February's Broadcast magazine a month too late got me a little riled up. Not because of the time it took me to read it, but because of the article stating the following:

'To become a top producer, it really helps if one is an obsessive control freak and has no problem bullying junior employees'.
Steven D Wright, Creative Director, Whizz Kid Entertainment

Does bullying really lead to success?

Now I have been really really lucky in that, before graduating from uni I had lots of work experience under my belt. That experience spread from development research at indies like TwoFour and Tuesday's Child, to production running for Mentorn, Ruby Films and Indigo TV, to production assisting for IBC TV News over in Amsterdam. There's more too! Now, I'm not completely convinced that in any of these stints, had a producer displayed the kind of behaviour that Wright describes as an asset, that I would have still been so driven to become a producer myself. 

I'm not entirely convinced of how much of Wright's article is meant as satire, I've wheezed my way through enough illness today to prevent me from delving into that. However, satire or not, he is not alone in drawing attention to the belief that nastiness wins success in the production world.

I think it's complete rubbish that throwing your weight around the junior end of the office is going to bring out better results. I won't say where, but during my time in one of the positions I mention above, I was confronted by a senior member of staff 'shouting and screaming' at me. Not for ruining a shot, or for screwing up a phone call; for not interrupting my producer whilst she was on the phone and handing her some rushes in person. I instead placed them on top of her keyboard so that when she resumed typing, she would see it clearly labelled 'rushes - urgent'. The senior in question then came shouting down the corridor, in front of all other members of the team - junior and senior - and proceeded to swear at me and call me incapable. I almost jumped at the chance to alert him to the fact I wasn't on the payroll and that actually my actions were justified, but after a long day, I simply turned to him and said 'sorry'.

Superstar Dogs - C4.com

Obsessive control freak, yes. I believe that does help when producing. Piles of paperwork and an inbox that only your list of cleaning chores at home seems to rival, mean that meticulous attention to details and a drive for getting things done, demands a controlling attitude. But shouting at those you work with is never going to make anybody's life easier. Tuesday's Child's producers were lovely to me. They gave me opportunities, treated me as an equal - and look where they've just been - top of the ratings with 'Superstar Dogs'. And they didn't need to act like complete arseholes to get there! They have each built up a reputation of their own and now at Tuesday's Child they are practiced enough to know how to do things properly, and to treat people properly too.

Another example, I recently produced and directed my own documentary. I know for a fact, that had I at any given time shouted or screamed at any members of my crew we would never have reached our deadline. The film would have fallen arse over tit towards that pile of paperwork in the corner of my bedroom, and I would have spiralled into a pit of despair and disappointment. As it turns out, I had an amazing team and amazing contributors and I would not even think about playing the 'producer' card.

There is getting jobs done and giving people a nudge to ensure it happens, and then there is what Wright describes. That's not producing, not by today's standards. 'Producing' promotes productivity - and how many of us are productive when we feel down or constantly under attack? Perhaps as producers of the future we need to grab this by the horns and tackle it head on. Producing has nothing to do with treating people like crap to get the job done, it is much simpler than that. It is getting the job done at all. It is ensuring it is the best it can be. It is about intrinsic satisfaction, both for the team and for the audience. Why do you think shows like Educating Yorkshire go down so well?

deadline.com

Perhaps it depends on genre. Entertainment idols like Simon Cowell and BB superstars like Nasty Nick and Rex, have led us all to believe that being nasty can only lead to nice things. But if any of us are heading in the direction of factual production, I don't think we'd find ourselves being very successful at talking to assault victims, sufferers of terminal illnesses or any of the contributors we like to throw onscreen, if our most nameable attribute is 'nastiness'.

You can - believe it or not - be successful AND be nice to people. And here's a special Mother's Day shout out to say - my mum taught me that one! Crazy thought I know - but if you want proof, check back here in ten years time - it'll be here!

'London Spy'

And so, same-sex marriage is now finally legal in the UK - and about time too! That's not all, the content on our screens is certainly hotting up with its same-sex relationships too. We've had Caroline & Kate in the recent 'Last Tango in Halifax', we had the January onscreen kiss from Eastenders Johnny & Danny, we've got the many characters of Hollyoaks and of course, Renly Baratheon from the much loved 'Game of Thrones'. The list goes on, in fact it's increasingly difficult to find a show that DOESN'T have a gay character or love-story.

Tom Rob Smith

But then we come to crime dramas, to lawyers and to spies. It isn't very often that we get to explore homosexuality of people in roles like these. Well wait no more!

BBC2 have just commissioned Working Title to create a five part thriller-drama, 'London Spy'. The drama will be written by Tom Rob Smith, author of 'Child 44' and a few episodes of 'Doctors' here and there. It's his first proper screenplay to hit our screens, so maybe we should flick through 'Child 44' to find out if we like his style or not. If that doesn't give you faith then maybe this will. 'London Spy' will be exec produced by Juliette Howell, Tim Bevan and Eric Fellner.

The story will be based on character 'Danny' an outgoing extrovert and his relationship with the direct opposite, of spy 'Alex'. The story is set to get very interesting when the beloved Alex, disappears!

We might have to wait until 2015 to see it, but it's certainly exciting - isn't it?!

Cell

For the final night of the Little Angel Theatre's FIRSTS Festival we were treated to 'Cell'. An original production of puppetry, lighting, shadows, live sound and a rather beautiful soundtrack. It is odd for me to be able to engage with a character that does not speak, nor have facial expressions but the brilliance of the physicality of our puppeteers meant that we forgot about watching a puppet, and instead transcended into a heartwarming show about a man determined to make the most of his mobility whilst he still has it, having just been diagnosed with motor-neurone disease.

It was laced with simple humour and feel-good interactions with a fish and a bodiless female puppet. I always find it odd how our minds can fill in the gaps between head and hand without it needing to physically exist. 

Aside from the puppetry onstage, our theatre company also created a visual scene on the back cloth; shadow puppets far from my prior experience (that being crocodiles and rabbits generally attacking one another). The cut outs were stylised beautifully as they represented our main character, Ted, his journeys at home and experiences abroad. We see the advancement of his symptoms from shaking, to tripping, to feeling dizzy. It eeps a sadness - perhaps a time to give credit to the music here. We visited Venice and watched as he and Anette sat opposite one another in a gondola. Again our original music shines through thrusting our minds into the culture of the newest location. We knew exactly how we were supposed to feel at any given time, we knew exactly where the journey had taken us. It was, well, brilliant and all without any element of spoken word. 

Move your head mate!

Granted there was one thing that truly let the piece down and that was the layout at the venue. The majority of the show meant that everything happening onstage was below waist height and the nature of the venue did not allow for this. We couldn't see! Anyone beyond the second row had another head obstructing their view and I was constantly craning to see what those silhouette legs under the table were doing and whether Ted and his Annette ever did hold hands at the cinema. Of course I filled in the gaps, but I wanted to see it for myself. Treading the boards next time it might be useful to get a few helpers to sit in and confirm that they can see. All it needed was a push upstage or a rostrum to ensure we could all witness every tiny bit of beauty in this wonderfully subtle piece. 

myvmc.com

I have to say, although the overall impact on me was slightly impacted by the above - I have to tell you the best part of the show for me. It was just as Ted was having various medical tests and scans to determine what was wrong with him. The stage was filled with the lighting of torches on and off as though they were the connection of information from our brains (or rather Ted's) to our bodies. We watched as the chains of light got faster and faster and as one torch started to shine through a brain scan showing it enlarged upon the backdrop. It was a little unnerving but extremely symbolic of our friends condition. Motor neurone disease, as those connections get slower and slower, and then fail. Some great choreography here!

All in all, it's quite hard to fault the parts I did see. Perhaps I got a little restless when it was just Ted and his fish alone for a second time at home.  That aside, I am thoroughly glad that I forced myself out of the house on my first day-off, having just started my new job and shifting my body clock six hours earlier. It reminded me of my love of travelling and my need to explore the world while I can. The music expressed sadness when it needed to, the blowing of bubbles added comedy when it needed to, the actors provided sound effects and sighs when they needed to. What more can I say?

A really great little show, set for big things!

Are you aware of motor neurone disease? If not, then look it up. Awareness is low and all it takes is a wiki read. Why not check out this website: http://www.mndassociation.org/ 

Thanks to Smoking Apples, Little Cauliflower & Red Threaders for dragging me out of the house! 

366 Days of Kindness

"After the year was up, I realised that it was the best thing I had ever done, and I’d better just carry on! So I still do it every day (although I don’t post it every day as that got a bit…well… you know…)"

366 Days of Kindness - a day of kindness for each day in a leap year - an ideal we would all like to believe is possible and Bernadette Russell proves to us not only can it be done, but continued! She tells it honestly, it wasn't always easy but it didn't need to be. That's why it's so rewarding!

Sorry I was late!!!

At Stratford Circus, a delightful venue I have only just discovered, I bundled in 5mins late to the performance much to my dismay. I've never been late before and I'd been too involved in spring-cleaning my bedroom windows from the monster of mould that had consumed them - and time just flew by.

<--- Here's an example of why it took so long (EWWWWWWWW).

Anyway, so I got there 5mins in to a set-up of Bernadette CS, Gareth USL and a VT playing in the background. You got the feel very quickly, that this huge undertaking of kindness was not only a challenge but an immensely rewarding experience for both Bernadette and her lucky recipients. Whether it was leaving a pound on the seat of the tube for someone to find, donating books, writing cards or buying flowers, the gesture is one we all wish we'd give more time to.

And so, the show unfolded as a reel of pre-recorded VTs, projected images, contemporary dance (very well done Gareth), live music, an array of voices and Bernadette herself, re-telling, reenacting and re-engaging with a concept that has led her to continue to carry out acts of kindness every single day, beyond her 366 days. She started with buying a stamp for a boy in post office after seeing so much distress and pain on the news during the London riots in 2011 and so it went on. She even told me I have an angelic face and guessed that we could quite easily sit and drink tea and eat custard creams all evening. Little does Bernadette know that my love of custard creams goes far beyond my love of anything. I have at least 2 every morning with my tea and without them, I simply can't function. So very well done to her on that front, she got me down to a tee. I also really loved the idea of representing each of those people she came across with just one shoe. A shoe can say a lot about a persona and as shown in this picture, can accumulate quite quickly to show just how many people Bernadette came across.

Bernadette about to take on a Valentine's Day challenge

This is less of a review about the show, more an expression of absolute delight that there are still such examples of humanity amongst a world that is often very discouraging, unfair and self-indulgent. There were particular moments that I really connected with. For example, the VT from a man who at the time of Bernadette's impromptu installation of happiness, was suffering from depression after spending a long period of time in pain and on crutches. Bernadette's card to him telling him that he was brilliant and talented, was almost too much for him to take in as he replaced it within the envelope it arrived in. She had unknowingly given him the lift that he'd needed to push on.


Now, for me, one of the things that came through within the show was how much it cost Bernadette to carry out her task. She does not ignore the fact that it was costly. Now, I can barely scrape money together for my bills, so these kind of acts seemed a little inaccessible and intangible in the long-run, at least at the present moment. However, I like to think that I make the effort to be kind everyday. Or at least every day that I am in contact with other human beings. Whether it's giving up my seat so that a child and his dad can sit together on the bus, or putting my neighbours bins back after the dustmen have been, or sending a letter to a friend I haven't seen in a long time, I do small acts of kindness quite naturally. It wasn't just the money either, as Bernadette pointed out, we don't always have the time to sit and chat to a homeless person about what they would like ultimately but we do have time to give them a few quid to buy a meal and a drink. As a newbie to the media industry, all hours of the day are spent trying to prove myself, trying to tell myself I am NOT tired and that I CAN wake up at 5am tomorrow. Taking on hours to volunteer at the local charity shop is simply not an option so the things I do have to be simple and quick. We can all list hundreds of reasons to NOT spend a minute doing something kind, but Bernadette also proves that the simplest of things can make a huge difference to the recipient. It doesn't need to take up hours of the day.

www.standard.co.uk

For example, the evening rush hour, Friday night. We were all stood like zombies awaiting the bus to take us home. We all crammed in only for one man to swipe his oyster card and have the machine tell him he has no money. You see him let out a sigh that says, 'I really just want to get home right now'. Out steps a young lady from behind him and says, 'you know what, can you pay with contactless?' The driver nods and she taps her card against the machine for him and continues onto the bus. He grunts a very meek 'Thank you' without even looking her in the eye and sits down whilst myself and Kamal smile to one another and nod towards our comrade in the war that preaches kindness.

A mere second had passed and a man was made happy knowing that he was closer to his bed. I was made happier knowing that there ARE still nice people in the world (shortly crushed again when sitting in McDonalds not far from 15 teenagers being rude to the staff and boasting between one another about carrying weed in their bags and bragging about older boyfriends).

shortstops.info

Bernadette's show, is more than a show. It's a movement. Without realising, she has created an inspirational example of real people doing kind things for real people. It's like a chain letter that never ends. Even her friends have taken it on - and so should you. She may not have invented the idea of kindness or even at carrying out acts of kindness for a year but Bernadette certainly became a knight of the realm.

The proof is in the feeling I got on leaving. I squeezed Kamal's hand in delight and just felt at peace - which amongst my current manic schedule is a hard one. I went to the toilet before leaving only for a lady to approach me and tell me I have lovely hair. She was clearly a kind lady of nature but like me, would probably never tell anyone that she liked their hair but would dry her hands staring at it for just that moment too long until she realised she looked weird. That's normally me. Bernadette had given her the confidence in kindness to say it out loud. I was a little taken aback and only manager to mutter a 'thank you' and a giggle. I never did reply that to be honest 'your hair's better!'.

#366DaysOfKindness 

And so, as I said, it's not a review about a show. It's a review about an idea. An idea that we can all take on in our lives regardless of how poor we are, or how little time we have. We can all afford to thank the bus driver as we get on or off, or smile at the person on the tube that seems sad. It's like I heard from a young nurse at an NHS conference I've been covering this week, 'Compassion costs nothing. Kindness is free'. And so, I will always endeavour to be kind to people. Bernadette just proves that however hard it might seem sometimes, however impossible, however unreachable the aim of healing the world might seem; we can certainly start by being nice to one another - by being kind.

And the rest I leave for her to say - because she does it better.
Follow her blog, her shows, her twitter (@betterussell), her friends and more importantly FOLLOW HER LEAD: http://www.366daysofkindness.com/
Listen to her radio documentary here: http://www.prx.org/pieces/90121
Watch her video: https://vimeo.com/58617570 (Consider it an induction)

Will you take on the #366daysofkindness challenge?!

BVE - What Factual Commissioners Are Looking For

This time two weeks ago the Excel Exhibition centre was host to a slightly bare looking BVE. It was my 5th year at the show however and although there seemed to be less exhibitors, there were still plenty of seminars to spark my interest. The seminar that drew me to the Expo in the first place was 'What Factual Commissioners Are Looking For'. Having just submitted my own documentary to Sheffield Doc/Fest and having previously gained an insight into what C4 and the BBC are looking for, whilst working at TwoFour - it was nice to get the opportunity to hear from ITV, Sky and C5.

I do find BVE giving the UK's leading indie a bit of an advantage however, as Managing Director of TwoFour, Mel leach acted as host - a chance to sweeten up the commissioners methinks! However, it was just as much an advantage to those who visited the Producer's Theatre to hear from them all.

The findings were as follows:

Celia Taylor - Head of Factual for BSkyB

Celia broke down Sky's various channels for us and gave us an insight into the differing tones and subjects they tend to run with on each. For example, she elaborated that Sky1 is a family orientated channel currently pushing the 8pm slot for factual commissions. So, they would be looking for formats that play with the mainstream trends, reap warmth and show heart to bring all members of the family together in front of the TV before bed.
For Sky Living they were looking for fact/ent formats that couples can enjoy together as they wind down for the evening. They wanted something that could be stimulating and exciting whilst not asking the viewers to do any brain work. Celia gave us the example of 'Nothing to Declare' as a focus point to begin brainstorming.
For Sky Atlantic they were only looking to acquire documentaries that were up for feature cinema release. They only commission 12 of these a year and look for ideas that have great talent lined-up within the programme as well as a highly experienced/reputable team. Taylor gave us the example of 'Act of Killing' as a fantastic example of the kind of innovative storytelling Sky currently seek.

Across all channels her advice was simple, they look for a format or programme idea with an angle, not just an idea. So, it's not just a show about hairdressing, it's a show about the wacky world of hairdressing for dogs entering Crufts etc. told through the experiences of an old hat in the competition world with dog Tilly. She added that talent-led formats are always a plus but they do always take an idea over talent. If the idea is character based (i.e. John and his mates on the building site) they would need to see a taster tape before taking on any commission and finally, she added that multi-platform ideas are something they really want to make more of. Celia added that they fall far too often into the 'add-on' category, by adding a hashtag to programmes etc. rather than making the initial idea multi-platform in itself. If you find yourself with an idea that incorporates all of the above - well you'd certainly be onto a winner there!

If that's you, then here's the email to plug it to the professionals - celia.taylor@bskyb.com
And keep up to date with what they are looking for here: http://corporate.sky.com/about_sky/commissioning_ideas_submission/factual_commissioning

Simon Raikes - Commissioning Editor for Factual at Channel 5

Simon began by exploring Channel 5's most popular areas for commissioning factual programming. The main two being History (such as 'Inside Broadmoor') and Health (Brain Hospital). Although their audiences are largely male they are looking for ideas that appeal to all audiences as long as the subject matter is of a tabloid nature. They want 'On the Pulse', tabloid audience formats and narrative driven specialist factual programmes.

Simon also furthered that the way they go about dealing with tabloid affairs is by attacking social issues. For example, with 'Benefit Street', the idea came from tabloid debates on benefits, identifying the divide in public opinion and then writing the idea around it. So, in the words of Simon himself C5 want gritty, ranty, current affairs presented in a very tabloid way. He does warn against open ended investigative docs though, as they prove time-consuming and expensive with no real security of a good story by the end. Of course he added, that talent is not necessarily something that they look for singularly, but of course god talent is an advantage but they must fit with the subject. For example, they don't want Andy McNab doing pieces to camera in a show about flower arranging for funerals.

Finally, just as Celia said, Simon reminds us that dual screen and multi-platform ideas are something that they really want to see more of at Channel 5. They encourage ventures with multi-platform and perhaps surprisingly, not necessarily just for monetary gain. Simon furthered that they wish to truly make something of the multi-plat space. They want it to support and add value to their programming and embrace the idea of developing a format that can truly act as a directional focus for future programming.

Have the next big idea? Then GO GO GO!

Keep up to date with what Channel5 are looking for here: http://about.channel5.com/programme-production/commissioning/commissioning-teams/factual


Katy Thorogood - Commissioning Editor for Factual at ITV

Katy began by telling us the different things that ITV are looking for. This began with expressing a need for pre-watershed 30min programmes and post-watershed 60min slot docs. She reminded us that factual at ITV sits among a huge amount of drama and entertainment in the broadcast schedule and therefore the ideas we pitch really need to appeal to all the family and have heart and drama at the core. For example, the kind of thing they want to look for post-watershed is along similar lines to 'Long Lost Family'. It appeals to the family, it has heart at the centre and sits well among the schedule of drama and ent on the channel. Pre-watershed, the aim steered to find another hit like 'Paul O'Grady's Love of Dogs' - an easy watch that's suitable for all and tugs at the heartstrings of dog lovers watching.

She did however, express that the arrival of BBC4's Richard Klein had left them open to other new ideas. Although she warned that although gritty ideas may swing their way, they look for humanity rather than grit. For example, prisons work well but with the angle of inmates bettering themselves by building confidence and learning skills that will be transferrable on their release, over a story about horrific murders on death row. They are open to those inaccessible worlds that seem very different but Katy stressed that it needs to be light-hearted and needs to be presented in a very mainstream way. For example, a cooking show can't just be aimed at cooks and chefs, but at the majority of ITV-watching society. Investigative factual programmes for current affairs also, are encouraged but with reputable directors and teams that they can be sure will absolutely carry the piece through.

Perhaps most importantly for ITV over the others on the panel, was the need for talent led ideas. Talent is so important for ITV pulling in the big numbers in terms of viewing figures and the security that comes with a big talent, is something that they love. As Celia and Simon maintained, multi-platform ideas are welcomes over at ITV but what different - is that it is only really encouraged in entertainment. Multi-platform ideas for factual programming are only really given the go ahead if there is guaranteed commercial or monetary gain.

As a ground-mark Katy shared that ITV's Corrie slot around 8pm, is given a commission value of around £35,000 compared to the increased value of the 9pm slot at approx £100 - 200,000. There is lots of money to be made in television, given that the right idea is pitched! So get your thinking hats on - and remember that it makes money because they spend money. So make sure you spend money on the right idea!



So that's it! BVE's secret's have been spilled and our commissioners have said their piece. Now it's time for you to say yours! Get those ideas flowing and I hope to see some of them hitting our screens in the coming years! Good luck!

The Crash - BBC3

I thought it was about time I revisited BBC3. What I got was not a re-run of old comedy, nor of scripted sit-com nor run of the mill light-hearted dramas. Instead, BBC3 were re-broadcasting two-part drama 'The Crash'. With young talent from 'Waterloo Road', 'Skins', 'Two Pints of Lager' and 'Corrie', we are treated to a cast well-practised at hard-hitting drama and Northern accents (well almost).

Lily Loveless, as brilliant as her integrity is on screen, struggled a little with the accent which was the only thing that really failed to suspend my disbelief in the world our group of friends created for us. That aside, the drama truly managed to capture the rites of passage and journeys that come with friendship - and indeed loss.

The drama begins with the final night of secondary school; the prom. Then we return to a night when Kate is back from uni and the old gang are reunited. In a dramatic turn, the group of friends are travelling in two cars. Tom decides to overtake, misjudging the oncoming car and BANG! We are in a field among the wreckage of three cars and an event that will inevitably change their friendship forever. Darcy Isa, who played Leah Grew, acts spectacularly as she wonders around the crash site in shock at her boyfriend's death before she stumbles across a dying Ashley as the paramedics attempt to save her.

bbc.co.uk

Rachel Grew is injured badly in the crash and perhaps a little cliche is the moment that Kate appears to her and tells her she needs to go back to her family. But that aside, she captures the frustration that follows. She already has a rocky relationship with sister Leah but her road to recovery, learning to walk with the aid of crutches really takes its toll on their relationship. Ethan is quite content in waiting for her as he faces responsibility as the driver of the second car. He tells her mother that he loves her and will wait for her to realise she loves him too. We see a wonderful bringing together of loved ones and true reflection on how an event like that makes us realise what we DO have over what we don't.

theguardian.com - Rachel's parents

The parents all act brilliantly in their grief and conflict. Tom's mum must battle away her hatred for him as she grieves for Brian's death as Kate's parents must pull together and mourn Kate's loss as Tom looks on seething with guilt. Rachel's parents must both stay strong for Leah whilst fearing for Rachel's future.

How can I be with you and not see her and
know that it was my fault?

Lewis Rainer's performance as Tom was exemplary and certainly packed a punch worth taking. The final scene of part two sees a powerful breakdown into tears from him. It is not often we are treated to such an honest performance for there are not tears rolling slowly down his cheeks, but pouring from his eyes as he sobs loudly and utters apologetically through groans of agonising pain as he tells his friends how he wishes he could have his fiance back and how his mother hates him for his brother's death. It is heart-breaking and for that reason, exquisite. He truly shines.

It is a well written drama, capturing the ups and downs of teenage friendship perfectly. It is not over-indulgent, it does not preach but is an honest attempt at truly reflecting what an event such as that can do to a community, not just families or friends, but to everyone. It is done well in terms of emotion, we see the highs, the lows and who can bear to hold back the tears that come with the support of a Sigur Ros soundtrack? It clearly has the funding it needed to make it to television but I'm glad that BBC3 took a step outside of their comfort zone. Is it a sign of things to come?

bbc.co.uk

With BBC3 taking content online, I hope to see much more of content like this. It is the perfect platform to offer more content than the traditional televisual broadcast schedule can offer. It is a chance for more emerging writers to get content out there to their audiences. BBC3 has the opportunity to take more risks outside of their usual light-hearted easy watch content and 'The Crash' is a great place to take inspiration from.  It boasts a fantastic cast, music that I would not change in any sense and overall a great one-off drama.

'Buttons' at the Little Angel Theatre

I discovered 'Buttons' among a varied mix of plays entered for the FIRSTS festival at the Little Angel Theatre in Islington. I was drawn to it as it boasted an original take on the holocaust through use of puppetry. I thought this had the potential to really work and for those parts of the play that involved puppetry - it did. The rest however, was at times extremely self-indulgent and a little well, insensitive to the issue of the relation of the holocaust as a 'human' issue as well as just a Jewish one.

The play was presented in the form of a travel blog and often jumped from our two friends being excited about tasting a huge plate of pierogi to then being inconsolable at the memory of a great uncle hidden from the Nazis in a roof for years. I wanted time to take it in, to reflect, but almost as soon as I had begun to transcend into how I felt about it, we had moved on to another juxtaposed hilarity of another huge meal and a confusing tram system. 

Perhaps I should digress. The play is about two friends, Dana and Joni who embark upon a trip to Poland to build up their play about the holocaust. Whilst sitting in the pub they both agree 'We need to go to Auschwitz'. Dana is presented as extremely well-organised, easily excitable and quite loud as well as defining herself as Jewish. Joni on the other hand, is our puppeteer. She is anxious and meeker yet for some reason, whenever she spoke meaningfully about her experiences, I could not take my eyes off her. 

http://sortoftheatre.wordpress.com/buttons/

I will say, that there were parts of the performance I really was drawn to. The significance and symbolism of the use of Buttons was something I adored. However, I wanted to make the judgement on what the symbolism was myself, rather than have Dana tell me all about it. There are certain things in theatre we need to have the option to analyse ourselves and we weren't given that opportunity. I really liked the part where Dana told us of how her great uncle had been hidden in the roof. We were forced to listen to the constant banging at the door as our puppet hid away in the attic. It was loud and it made us uncomfortable and that, is exactly what he must have been feeling...just for years of his life, rather than moments. It is unimaginable and we were given time to reflect upon this as the banging continued. 

Another thing I liked was the sound, it added tension and is testimony to Phil Maguire. The rise in the electronic whir that seemed to exist in the room gave us all the feeling that something was about to happen. It kept us on edge. Especially when we were taken to Auschwitz and discovering what it felt like to have a panic attack.

As the girls tell us about their experiences something was then said that hit me hard. As Dana wrote lots of notes and Joni was more about taking it all in, Dana turns and asks her how she can't have written anything down. As tensions rise, Dana then exclaims 'No, you can't understand because you're not Jewish' shortly followed by an apology from Joni. I myself have been to Auschwitz, Joni described the ambience perfectly. Particularly the feeling that you get when inside the gas chamber in Auschwitz 1. Something caught my eye when I was there, a star of David etched into the wall. As we felt cold and almost as if all the silence in the world was held in that one room, the star of David was there, reminding us of those who perished. Perhaps even etched into the wall by one of them, in their final moments. Now I am not Jewish, but that touched me deeply. It was a human tragedy, a loss felt by anyone who feels for humanity. The holocaust is a 'human' loss, not just a Jewish one. That one line was the final straw for me. I didn't want to hear about Dana's story, Dana's relatives, Dana's food and Dana's opinion, I wanted to hear their stories, the ones of those that meant this play was even written. I wanted to hear more about the buttons.

http://sortoftheatre.wordpress.com/buttons/

There were moments I really liked within the play. But a play about the holocaust has no room for self-indulgence. It fluctuated too often between light and dark not allowing us the time we needed to really understand where we were supposed to sit. Were we meant to laugh, or meant to cry? The 'waffle' as it is referred to in the programme, from Joni, actually was what allowed us to delve a little deeper. I understand what the girls were aiming for in their comedic recollections of museum closures, foreign performances and food. It seems they were attempting to lighten the issue, to slot it in to everyday life and make it more accessible, more relative. But the holocaust, if you give any time to it at all, is not applicable to be slotted into any part of normality. It is too heavy a main meal to offer a light desert promptly afterwards.

'Buttons' I maintain, are an exceedingly good symbol and a wonderful metaphor. They can be found in all sizes, in all colours. They can be grouped together or sewn separately. They can hold things together and they can undo. That much I had gathered even before Dana told me herself. As had the fact that they do look a little like a human face. I love the concept. I just did not enjoy the performance as I'd hoped. There were elements I think could truly work if they were to edit the script and change up the tone a little. I'd love to come back in a year and see what they might have done to alter it. It is after all, a FIRST performance and for their bravery in tackling such a subject I applaud them. The aesthetic was perfect, nice and simple and the projectors really added to the whole light/dark theme. I also really enjoyed the pegged photos and tickets that linked the past and present of the journey to and from Auschwitz together. Perhaps that, is a concept I would make further use of. 

My advice is just that too much light, too much comedy took away from those moments you really need an audience to be hit in the face. Too many Ryan Air jokes and not enough quiet time to reflect if you ask me. 'Sort of Theatre', they have that part right as a lot of it was a recollection of a personal journey which does need to be there, just not so often. An applaudable effort most certainly, but I think there needed to be more theatre and less 'this is who I am and I'm just talking' because then, it could be really powerful as a piece. I wish them luck with any further performances however, the concept is interesting and others have seemed to be moved by it more than I. Not bad for a FIRST.