Atmospheric storytelling for 77 minutes characterises this free digital production from Rhyme & Reason, crafted for the #FinboroughFrontier initiative.
Presented in association with Roguegunners Productions, this piece is devised and directed by Catherine Harvey with Erica Miller as director of photography. A rich set of images accompany prose, poetry and song in this warm and witty anthology.
A thirteen-strong company brings the spirit of Earl’s Court to the screen through the words and actions of those who lived, died, or were buried in the area. Finborough Theatre sits at the area’s heart, a room above a pub, so they are quite the right curators for capturing the essence of the area.
Available online until 25 February, An Earl’s Court Miscellany is brilliantly assembled in both indoor and outdoor spaces, with pieces complimenting each other even from different time periods and creators.
Performances (Louise Ashcroft, Louise Bangay, Jeryl Burgess, Olivette Cole-Wilson, Rufus Graham, Catherine Harvey, Sue Moore, Annabel Mullion, Peter G Pearson, Ninka Scott, Lesley Stone, Lizzie Tranter, and Elaine Wallace) are strong throughout in this show, with thoughtful placing and effective lighting, interesting angles and a variety of places enhancing each recitation or song.
I particularly enjoyed the use of old music-hall pieces, scattered throughout, and delivered with gusto – they embody the spirit of the theatre as well as old London. Elsewhere, you can visit the local cemetery, and mourn the loss of the music venue which once towered over the underground station.
Famous voices (Oscar Wilde, Spike Milligan) mingle with the half-forgotten (Jean Inglelow, Ivor Gurney) to build a miscellany which holds the attention throughout; I enjoyed the way the familiar jostled alongside the obscure while bringing the past and present of this West London suburb to life.
You can watch An Earl’s Court Miscellany here. It is also available with captions on Scenesaver.