A REVIVAL FOR SISTER GEORGE

Critically

Black comedy The Killing Of Sister George, written in 1964 by Frank Marcus, was quite radical in its day and became very successful. Playing in the West End and on Broadway, it was then filmed in 1968, with Beryl Reid in the title role. Reid had previously won a Tony Award for the Broadway production.

The Killing Of Sister George has been revived since, but “maybe not for a long time and certainly not ‘in the round’, which is why we were drawn to do it,” says Paul Hunter, who is directing a new version of the play at the New Vic Theatre in Newcastle-under-Lyme. Paul is the artistic director of theatre company Told By An Idiot, which is coproducing the show with the venue.

The play tells the story of June Buckeridge, an actor who plays the part of district nurse Sister George in fictitious radio soap opera Applehurst.

“She’s a very kindly nurse, who rides around the village looking after people and singing hymns,” explains Paul, “whereas in reality, June is a foul-mouthed and unpredictable loose cannon.”

When low ratings, cutbacks and June’s bad behaviour see Sister George axed from the show, things take a decidedly dark turn.

“One of the great things about the play is that all is not what it seems,” explains Paul.

“Frank Marcus talked about how, for him, the play is about illusion and reality. We’re playing with the notion of what is and isn’t real all the time. The play is about human relationships that are complicated but recognisably very real.”

Hayley Carmichael, co-founder of Told By An Idiot, plays Sister George. “June does comment on people getting so absorbed in characters they watch on the television,” she says. “We are all susceptible to that confusion of what’s real.

“You don’t really know who is committing to who. It’s a real web of relationships, and full of grey areas. I think we live in a time when lots of people, because of social media, are trying to define themselves against the odds still. But in this play, there are no lines. I like the non-need to define yourself. If you can shake off any preconceptions, that’s great.” Paul agrees, and adds: “What struck me strongly is that one of the themes of the play is that, maybe for some women at a certain point in their working life, they can become dispensable; almost disappear, in a sense. And sadly I think that still seems to be present in lots of jobs, certainly in the media and on television. It’s still strangely bizarre that we don’t see women of a certain age on these things, and that’s one of the things that makes the play remain quite relevant and timely.”

The lines between the worlds of Applehurst and June’s ‘real life’ are further blurred in the production by the use of foley - real-time sound effects created by the actors on stage.

“The foley came very much from the world of radio and Applehurst,” says Paul. “But then, when we did some development on the show, I thought maybe it’s interesting if the foley exists more in the world of the actual story, and it becomes a device that allows us to echo this thing of reality and fantasy. June and Sister George, they are so entwined, that use of the sound in her house blurs the lines in a really strong, visual way.”

For fans of the Robert Aldridge-directed film, there will be some surprises in store.

“The play is much more nuanced,” Paul explains. “I think if people know the film and don’t know the play, they’ll see something that’s less obvious, full of contradiction and much funnier. I’m sure the film will draw some people in, but what’s good about it is that it’s not just like watching the film; it’ll feel quite different.”

Visual Arts previews from around the region

Melati Suryodarmo: Passionate Pilgrim

Ikon Gallery, Birmingham, Wed 17 May - Sun 3 September

Strenuous durational performances lasting several hours and testing the limits of the human mind and body are very much the name of the game for Melati Suryodarmo.

One of Indonesia’s most important artists, Melati majors in visually spectacular feats of endurance that interrogate notions of time, labour and identity. Her performances at Ikon will be something to behold, including one in which she will continuously grind blocks of charcoal with a stone rolling-pin for a period of 12 hours. To check out her complete programme of live shows, visit Ikon’s website.

The Reason For Painting

Warwick Arts Centre’s The Reason For Painting aims to provide visitors with a brief but welcome escape from ‘the social and economic crisis we are living in today’.

The exhibition features works which

Karla Black Exhibition

The New Art Gallery, Walsall, Fri 12 May - Sun 29 October share the contributing artists’ experiences of experimenting with colour, mark and form.

Turner Prize-nominated Scottish artist Karla Black here presents a major solo exhibition of previously unseen work. The show features two multi-faceted room-size presentations and a number of singular sculptures. The pieces absorb into them Karla’s interest in postmodernist art, Greek philosophy and ancient history.

Included in her New Art Gallery exhibition is a specially commissioned work for the venue’s ground-level glass window box: a mixture of a messy studio, a department store make-up counter, a jewellery box and a museum vitrine.

The artists’ aim is to create ‘moments of joy’ through their practice, in the process redefining the meaning of ‘abstract’.

Quentin Blake: Birds, Beast And Explorers

Compton Verney, Warwickshire, Sat 27 May - Sun 1 October

Still splendidly relevant at the grand old age of 90, Sir Quentin Blake is without question one of the UK’s best-known and most-loved artists.

In a career spanning several decades, Quentin has illustrated a staggering 500plus books, bringing to life a host of treasured literary characters in his unmistakeable style.

He is most readily associated, of course, with the stories of Roald Dahl but has also provided illustrations for numerous other children’s authors, including David Walliams and Michael Rosen...

Compton Verney’s celebration of his artfeaturing more than 70 original illustrations - takes its inspiration from birds, fantastical flying creatures and the joy of exploring in nature, all of which are themes often evident in Quentin’s work.

Visual Arts

Nature And Artifice: Dutch And Flemish Landscape Prints

The Barber Institute of Fine Arts, University of Birmingham, until Sun 23 July

Featuring artworks drawn from the Barber’s own collection, Nature And Artifice explores the subject of landscape via etchings and engravings made in the Netherlands during the first half of the 17th century.

Although most of the featured landscapes allude to the countryside of the Netherlands, a number depict views from further afield. In so doing, the artworks reflect not only the widespread travel of artists during the period but also the sophisticated tastes of some of their patrons. Scenes of rustic life are also included in the show.

The More Things Change...

Wolverhampton Art Gallery, until Sun 9 July

The More Things Change... tells the story of a group of students who were instrumental in shaping the British ‘Black Arts Movement’. Hosting the First National Convention of Black Art at Wolverhampton Polytechnic in 1982, the students became known as the Blk Art Group. Commenting on the exhibition, Senior Curator for Wolverhampton Arts & Culture, Carol Thompson, said: “The history of the Blk Art Group is intertwined with Wolverhampton and the city’s art gallery, so this is a wonderful opportunity to celebrate the Group and reconsider the importance of its legacy on British art 40 years since its formation.

“Wolverhampton Art Gallery is proud to now hold one of the most significant collections of works by Black British artists. We continue to champion their art in our programme of exhibitions, events and development work.”

by Richard Barber