Cambridge News | cambridge-news.co.uk | June 26, 2013 | 19
Birdsong makes sweet music – but where are the tears?
TEDDY bears will be hauled to the top of a church tower and ride a zip wire back down as part of a traditional summer fete in Littlebury. Sunday’s event which takes place at the parish church from 2pm to 4.30pm, will host a range of activities. Including traditional cream teas, ice creams, cakes, Pimms and beer, a bouncy castle and music from the Humphrey Crick Band.]
FIRST NIGHT: Ella Walker finds Rachel Wagstaff’s take on Sebastian Faulks’ wartime drama “inches towards being quite wonderful” – but lacks the killer blow to leave audiences a blubbering mess. I WAS expecting to fall to pieces; blubbering, shaky pieces that would need picking up off the Arts Theatre floor. Every page of Sebastian Faulks’ Birdsong tears and claws at you; so, on stage, surely it’d be even more harrowing? Rachel Wagstaff’s version of the acclaimed novel – which spins around the cold, distant Officer Stephen Wraysford as his present and past collide in a mesh of blood and mud – is touching, brilliantly staged and inches towards being quite wonderful, but it left me strangely dry-eyed… It opens with smoke: tendrils of muskiness edged with sulphur that reach out into the front rows as a band of not-so-merry, drunken soldiers scatter about bawdily, jigging and singing away their fears. The story flits between the crush of trench life, focusing on the suffocating work of the men who tunnel towards the German lines to lay explosives, and Stephen’s glinting memories of France and its golden fields before the First World War. Sarah Jayne Dunn plays Isabelle Azaire, the beautiful, fragile wife of French textile factory owner Rene, host to a much younger Stephen who has been sent by his guardian to assess
the factory. Inevitably, as sounds of abuse from the Azaire’s bedroom filter down the stairs night after night, Stephen finds himself falling uncontrollably for Isabelle, the desire to save her mingling with the desire to have her. These memories tumble to the fore like stones in a shaken jar of earth, and, instead of playing it straight (Act One set in 1910 and Act Two set in wartime), Wagstaff interweaves the two. It’s impressive how, with just a flick of a light, an opening of a door and a whirl of redistributed props, the cast step through the years by just turning round. And the set is stunning. Strung with rickety ladders, jagged barbs of wire and hunks of dull metal that rise up towards the rafters, it is simultaneously ominous and comforting, making you feel closed in and protected as dawn rises and falls against the back wall, casting shadows and silhouetting the cast. It particularly comes to life at the shivering end of Act One as the Battle of the Somme looms and the men prepare to go over the top. The cast layer themselves across the stage, facing outwards, reading letters to their loved ones in short, sharp,
Hunt for treasure RAW: Sarah Jayne Dunn and Jonathan Smith in Birdsong
wrenching bursts as the room fills with haunting song and your skin prickles involuntarily. Such parts are harrowing, as are aching scenes in which sapper Jack (Tim Treloar) writes to his wife of their ill son, before hauling himself, dirt stained and sleep deprived, back under the ground. But others, that should have your eyes spilling over, strangely leave you searching for a connection. Jonathan Smith, who plays Stephen, is suitably strong jawed and has ripples of mania to him that make his need for Isabelle, his disillusionment with war and his inability to love his men, convincing – and he shines when they switch from present to past. However, his scenes with Dunn are often stilted; they plough into their lines too loudly, perhaps to conceal a lack of genuine
Wheelie bins are ‘monstrosities’ ᔡ JORDAN DAY NEWS that wheelie bins will be introduced in the Ely area this autumn has sparked anger. As reported by the News, East Cambridgeshire District Council bosses hope introducing a new wheelie bin service will increase the district’s recycling rate from 37 per cent to 50 per cent but many residents fear the new bins will cause more problems than there currently are. Some have even described wheelie bins as “hideous” and say they will refuse to have them. Shirley Bladen, of Ely’s Back Hill, said: “Some people might be happy we’re getting wheelie bins but I certainly am not. They are hideous things and I don’t want them outside my door. “The waste and recycling system we currently have works fine. Yes there is always room for improvement when it comes to recycling but I don’t think wheelie bins are the answer. In fact, I think they’ll cause more problems.” Ronald Daniels, from Haddenham, said: “Wheelie bins are big, cumbersome, unsightly
in brief » Ready Teddy Go
tember. For residents whose homes are not considered suitable, they will be offered Email us at newsdesk an alternative service. @cambridge-news. Cllr Kevin Ellis, co.uk or visit www. cambridge-news. chairman of the co.uk council’s waste and environment subcommittee, said: “Our new service will make recycling throughout East Cambridgeshire easier and more efficient. “While we understand that ANGER: East Cambs residents some residents are concerned aren’t happy about wheelie bins about the changes, we are conmonstrosities which block the vinced that the vast majority pavements all day when people support our plans to help recycle more of their waste. at work can’t bring them in. “Anyone who needs assis“Also, they take up too much storage space. I would have to tance will be offered support lift them over my fence to get and throughout the summer, them into my back garden from officers will be talking to people the alleyway at the back of the about any concerns or questerrace, and try to find space tions they have. Nobody will be expected to wheel bins through which I haven’t got.” Residents in Cambridge have their house and they will not be had wheelie bins for some time issued where there is no space and the majority of households to store them off the street between collections.” have three. The wheelie bins will be injordan.day troduced in East Cambs over a @cambridge-news.co.uk 10-week period starting in Sep-
emotion, and grab at each other rigidly. There are moments of lightness – the incredible supporting cast joke and scratch at imaginary lice, Stephen fumbles mistakenly for a nurse and Arthur Bostrom pops up as a rather camp acquaintance of Rene’s, inducing a smattering of “Ohs!” throughout the audience, and “It’s Crabtree from ‘Allo,’Allo!” – but perhaps it needs more, to contrast with the horror and the loss. Raw and more faithful to Faulks’ original story than the recent BBC production, it will leave you shattered and awed, but not heartbroken – as perhaps it should. n Birdsong is at Cambridge Arts Theatre until Saturday. Tickets £15-£30 from (01223) 503333 /
A TREASURE trail, bouncy castle and barbecue are on offer in the picturesque village of Meldreth. The event at Meldreth Primary School will take place from 10am-1pm on June 30. Call 07707 412089 for details.
Musical feast MUSIC of all genres will be taking over St George’s Church in Little Thetford on Saturday. The church is hosting a bumper music marathon. Running from 9am-7pm, there will be live music from the Brigade Handbells group to performances by local schoolchildren playing instruments, as well as the Humpty band, hymn singing and organ music. Everyone is welcome to attend the event.