‘Lockwood & Co.’ goes ghost chasing in London

Madelyn Fisher

Contributing

Writer

Netflix’s “Lockwood & Co.,” based on the fivebook series of the same name written by Jonathan Stroud was released Jan. 27 and debuted on Rotten Tomatoes with a 100% from critics. The show, which follows three ghost-hunting teens through the streets of London, is already a hit.

Despite its title, “Lockwood & Co.” focuses largely on female lead Lucy Carlysle as she teams up with her male counterparts Anthony Lockwood and George Karim to handle what London has coined as “The Problem.” Fifty years prior to the start of the show, the United Kingdom found itself riddled with ghosts, referred to as “visitors,” who can be dealt with only by neutralizing their “source.”

The catch? Only the young are capable of seeing and hearing these entities and putting them away for good. This means that with “The Problem” came an uprising of agencies created to train and utilize London’s youth in solving their living dead issue.

“Lockwood & Co.” mixes thrills, mystery, and witty commentary with its outstanding sets, sophisticated effects and a cast that lacks no chemistry. The show starts off fast and rarely finds the time to slow down as it follows the trio from case to case as they piece together what may be a bigger mystery that no one is ready for.

The only downfall of the show is its lack of time spent on world building and explaining its magic system. Although viewers will be kept on the edge of their seats from episode to episode, they might finish with plenty of questions unanswered about the world they just experienced for eight hours.

With only eight episodes to get so much done, this might not be all that surprising and will only keep audiences wanting more. So far, Netflix has not confirmed a second season but many viewers are already hopeful to see the trio back on their screens. For now, they may find themselves scrambling to the books for more “Lockwood & Co.” adventures.

Shakespeare and ‘Little Women’ take center stage for theater season

Madelyn Fisher

Contributing Writer

Fans of the arts will be in for a busy spring season as the University of Central Oklahoma’s theater arts, opera, and musical theater performers bring them a full schedule of shows ranging from William Shakespeare to newly published pieces. All performances will be held in the Mitchell Hall Theatre with tickets available online or through the box office.

Theatre Arts will kick off the semester with their first show “Much Ado About Nothing,” directed by Ronn Burton. The piece is a Shakespeare comedy first published in 1623. The play follows young lovers Hero and Claudio as they devise a plan to make a couple out of enemies Benedick and Beatrice. Posters can already be found hung throughout campus with shows running Feb. 9-12.

UCO’s opera will follow soon after with their performance of “Die Fledermaus” with School of Music Director Rob Glaubitz at its helm. The operetta composed by Johann Strauss II first premiered in 1874 at the Theater an der Wien in Vienna. The piece, which is set in Vienna between wars, tells the story of Dr. Falke as he enacts his revenge plan on the unsuspecting Eisenstein before the New Year. Performances take place March 3-5.

Musical theater will be putting on “Little Women: The Musical,” directed by Greg White, head of the UCO School of Music musical theater division. The popular novel has been adapted many times over the years into every type of media imaginable from the big screen to Broadway. The original author,

Louisa May Alcott, first published the book in 1868, telling the story of the four March sisters as they transition from girlhood to womanhood in the 1860s. Performances will take place April 20-23.

Other performances by the Theatre Arts program for the semester will include more recent pieces like “White” by James Ijames. “White” follows Gus, a white artist who hires Black actress Vanessa to take on the role of Balkonaé Townsend to get his art featured in an exhibition looking for artists of color. Performances will be March 9-11 and admission will be free with reservations required.

Soon after “White,” the Theatre Arts program will put on “The Revolutionists.” The piece was published in 2018 by Lauren Gunderson and will follow the stories of four women; playwright Olympe de Gouges, assassin Charlotte Corday, former queen Marie Antoinette, and Haitian rebel Marrianne Angelle as they try to push back against extremists of the French Revolution. Performances will take place April 13-15.

Toward the end of the semester, Theatre Arts will put on its annual short play festival, which will feature plays directed by students in their directing capstone course. Each student will have had the opportunity to choose a script, cast their roles, and direct their pieces. This will include parts of costume design and set layout. Shows will be performed April 27-29.