Good Girl Review Trafalgar Studios
The Plot
Titular hero GG aka ‘Good Girl’ narrates her own life story from early childhood, through painfully awkward adolescence and into even more uncertain adulthood.
The Good
Set against an expertly chosen backdrop of 1990s pop culture references and catchy pop tunes this sensational one woman show deservedly graduates to the West End, having emphatically dazzled audiences at Edinburgh Fringe and the Vault festivals.
Writer and star Naomi Sheldon breathes captivating life into every moment of a brisk 60 minute run time. Lurching expertly from joyous explorations to painful disappointments she makes GG the kind of sincere nuanced heroine that is so tragically rare on stage or screen. Sheldon’s performance is overflowing with an abundance of comedic charm. In particular her flare for instantly transforming herself physically and vocally into a wide range of characters, allows this one woman show to explore a rich expansive world.
Sheldon convincingly portrays both GG and her loyal gang of fellow Sheffield schoolgirls in a journey that spans decades and the entire emotional spectrum. Her unflinchingly candid observations and instantly recognisable caricatures connect instantly and powerfully with audiences. Her vividly descriptive narration and richly imaginative performance combines to leave audiences in frequent fits of laughter. This rich reservoir of bold comedic charm allows Sheldon to succeed in handling complex issues of identity, gender and sexuality with an effortless grace and precision.
It’s impossible to ignore just how timely and urgently relevant this show feels, set against a backdrop of seemingly unstoppable social self-examination and recriminations. Perhaps the biggest compliment possible is that Good Girl transcends the current white noise of increasingly hysterical tabloid headlines to speak directly to women and men with equal passion and grace. This show has a urgent and sincere voice of its own, rather than just being an angry kneejerk reaction to current Hollywood drama.
Sheldon and her semi-autobiographical heroine GG are brave and fragile in the most utterly compelling ways. Standing alone on a small circular stage with no props beside raw imagination and sensational comic timing, Sheldon is simultaneously commanding and exposed. Similarly the distinctive twang of northern accents of the various characters she inhabits lends both gentle and harsh qualities to some of the plays most crucial moments.
Naomi Sheldon is clearly destined for great things and deserves every success that will assuredly come her way in due time. For now it’s essential not to miss the chance to spend an hour inside the warm welcoming wit of her intimate adventure.
The Bad
The only minor flaw in Naomi Sheldon’s otherwise perfect piece of stage magic is that it may at times be too daringly honest and perceptive for more emotionally repressed audiences.
The Ugly Truth
Good Girl is a truly essential piece of live theatre magic that perfectly captures the poignant pleasures and pains of adolescence. Naomi Sheldon is an astonishingly adept new voice as both a writer and performer. You MUST watch this while you can. Do not miss the chance to experience this vivid storytelling masterclass in a fittingly intimate space.
Review by Russell Nelson
The Happy Prince Release Date Confirmed
THE HAPPY PRINCE, written and directed by, as well as starring, Rupert Everett, opens in cinemas across the UK on 15 June. Its UK premiere is set for 28 March as part of the BFI Flare: London LGBTQ+ Film Festival, following world and European premieres at the Sundance and Berlin film festivals. The final years of Oscar Wilde, and the ghosts that haunted him, are vividly evoked in Everett’s directorial debut.
The film features a stellar supporting cast of British actors including Colin Firth (The King’s Speech, A Single Man), Emily Watson (On Chesil Beach, Gosford Park), Colin Morgan (The Fall, Testament of Youth) and Edwin Thomas (Endeavour).
Building from his own 2012 lauded stage portrayal of Wilde in David Hare’s The Judas Kiss, Everett physically and emotionally embodies the literary genius as he lives out his last days in exile in Europe, in a performance described by critics as “flawless” and “the best thing Everett has done”.
The film opens in Paris, where Wilde, by now in his forties, penniless and in poor health, is still reeling after being imprisoned in England for his love affair with Lord Alfred ‘Bosie’ Douglas (Morgan). Out of prison but a pariah, Wilde swings between grief and a determination to wrest whatever pleasure and beauty he can from the time he has left. His body ailing and heavy, his mind spinning, he survives by falling back on the flamboyant irony and brilliant wit that defined him.
Everett’s Wilde is tortured but determined to remain true to himself. His thoughts are filled with love and betrayal and permeated with those closest to him: Bosie, his literary agent Robbie Ross (Edwin Thomas), his great friend Reggie Turner (Firth) and his estranged wife Constance (Watson).
As the film travels through Wilde’s final act, and journeys from England to France and Italy, desire and loyalty face off, the transience of lust is laid bare, and the true riches of love are revealed.
Olivier Awards 2018 Nominations List
This year’s Olivier Awards nominations have been announced. The 42nd annual awards nominees lists were announced in a Facebook live stream read by Elaine Page and Alexandra Burke.
Hamilton scored a record breaking 13 nominations including in Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical, Best New Musical, Best Director and Best Actor in a Musical. With 13 nominations overall it makes it the most nominated production in the history of the awards. The Ferryman is this year’s most nominated play with eight.
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Michael Jibson for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Ross Noble for Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre
Jason Pennycooke for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Cleve September for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE IN A MUSICAL
Sheila Atim for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Tracie Bennett for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Rachel John for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Lesley Joseph for Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN MUSIC
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie - Music and Orchestrations by Dan Gillespie Sells, his debut as a musical theatre composer and orchestrator at Apollo Theatre
Follies - The Orchestra, under the Music Supervision of Nicholas Skilbeck and Music Director Nigel Lilley at National Theatre – Olivier
Girl From The North Country - Music & Lyrics by Bob Dylan, Original Orchestrations & Arrangements by Simon Hale at The Old Vic
Hamilton - Composer-Lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda at Victoria Palace Theatre
BEST NEW DANCE PRODUCTION
Flight Pattern by Crystal Pite at Royal Opera House
Goat by Ben Duke for Rambert Dance Company at Sadler’s Wells
Grand Finale by Hofesh Shechter at Sadler’s Wells
Tree Of Codes by Wayne McGregor and The Paris Opera Ballet at Sadler’s Wells
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN DANCE
Rocío Molina for pushing the boundary of flamenco in Fallen From Heaven (Caída Del Cielo) at Barbican Theatre
Francesca Velicu for her performance in English National Ballet’s production of Pina Bausch’s Le Sacre Du Printemps at Sadler’s Wells
Zenaida Yanowsky for her performance in Liam Scarlett’s Symphonic Dances at Royal Opera House
BEST ENTERTAINMENT AND FAMILY
David Walliams’ Gangsta Granny at Garrick Theatre
Derren Brown: Underground at Playhouse Theatre
Dick Whittington at London Palladium
Five Guys Named Moe at Marble Arch Theatre
BEST THEATRE CHOREOGRAPHER
Andy Blankenbuehler for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Bill Deamer for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Kate Prince for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Randy Skinner for 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Christopher Wheeldon for An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
MAGIC RADIO BEST MUSICAL REVIVAL
42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
On The Town at Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre
BEST ACTOR IN A MUSICAL
Ciarán Hinds for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
John McCrea for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Giles Terera for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Jamael Westman for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A MUSICAL
Janie Dee for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Shirley Henderson for Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Imelda Staunton for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Josie Walker for Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
BEST REVIVAL
Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre
Witness For The Prosecution at London County Hall
BEST NEW COMEDY
Dry Powder at Hampstead Theatre
Labour Of Love at Noël Coward Theatre
Mischief Movie Night at Arts Theatre
The Miser at Garrick Theatre
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN AFFILIATE THEATRE
The B*easts at Bush Theatre
Killology at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
The Red Lion at Trafalgar Studios 2
The Revlon Girl at Park Theatre
AWARD FOR BEST LIGHTING DESIGN
Howell Binkley for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Paule Constable for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Paule Constable for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Jan Versweyveld for Network at National Theatre – Lyttelton
BEST SOUND DESIGN
Tom Gibbons for Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
Gareth Owen for Bat Out Of Hell The Musical at London Coliseum
Eric Sleichim for Network at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Nevin Steinberg for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
BEST COSTUME DESIGN
Hugh Durrant for Dick Whittington at London Palladium
Roger Kirk for 42nd Street at Theatre Royal Drury Lane
Vicki Mortimer for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Paul Tazewell for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
AWARD FOR BEST SET DESIGN
Bunny Christie for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
Bob Crowley and 59 Productions for An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
Rob Howell for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Vicki Mortimer for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
BEST ACTOR IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Bertie Carvel for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
John Hodgkinson for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
James McArdle for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Peter Polycarpou for Oslo at Harold Pinter Theatre
BEST ACTRESS IN A SUPPORTING ROLE
Bríd Brennan for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Denise Gough for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Dearbhla Molloy for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Imogen Poots for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre
BEST NEW OPERA PRODUCTION
La Bohème at Trafalgar Studios 2
The Exterminating Angel at Royal Opera House
Semiramide at Royal Opera House
OUTSTANDING ACHIEVEMENT IN OPERA
Paul Brown for his set and costume designs for Iolanthe at London Coliseum
Joyce DiDonato and Daniela Barcellona for their performances in Semiramide at Royal Opera House
Roderick Williams for his performance in The Royal Opera’s The Return Of Ulysses at the Roundhouse
BEST ACTOR
Paddy Considine for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Bryan Cranston for Network at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Andrew Garfield for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Andrew Scott for Hamlet at Almeida Theatre
BEST ACTRESS
Laura Donnelly for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Lesley Manville for Long Day’s Journey Into Night at Wyndham’s Theatre
Audra McDonald for Lady Day At Emerson’s Bar & Grill at Wyndham’s Theatre
Imelda Staunton for Who’s Afraid Of Virginia Woolf? at Harold Pinter Theatre
BEST DIRECTOR
Dominic Cooke for Follies at National Theatre – Olivier
Marianne Elliott for Angels In America at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Rupert Goold for Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
Thomas Kail for Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Sam Mendes for The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
AMERICAN AIRLINES BEST NEW PLAY
The Ferryman at Gielgud Theatre and Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at the Royal Court Theatre
Ink at Almeida Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre
Network at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Oslo at Harold Pinter Theatre
BEST NEW MUSICAL
An American In Paris at Dominion Theatre
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie at Apollo Theatre
Girl From The North Country at The Old Vic
Hamilton at Victoria Palace Theatre
Young Frankenstein at Garrick Theatre
Netflix Renew Black Mirror For Season 5
Netflix on Monday announced that its utterly addictive, Emmy Award-winning anthology series Black Mirror has been renewed for a much-anticipated Season 5.
The series created by Charlie Brooker taps into our collective unease with the modern world, with each stand-alone episode a sharp, suspenseful tale exploring themes of contemporary techno-paranoia leading to an unforgettable – and sometimes unsettling – conclusion.
Without questioning it, technology has transformed all aspects of our lives; in every home; on every desk; in every palm – a plasma screen; a monitor; a Smartphone – a Black Mirror reflecting our 21st Century existence back at us. You can use one of those screens to check out the official Black Mirror homepage here netflix.com/blackmirror.
The future will be brighter than ever. pic.twitter.com/slVeg3VPd7
— Black Mirror (@blackmirror) March 5, 2018
Oscars 2018 Full Winners List
Here’s a full list of winners in all 24 categories at the 2018 Academy Awards. This year’s Oscars saw top acting prizes claimed by Gary Oldman and Frances McDormand with supporting wins for Sam Rockwell and Alison Janney. Best film went to The Shape Of Water with A Fantastic Woman taking the foreign language prize, Icarus winning best documentary and Coco winning best animated film. Best director was won by genre genius Guillermo Del Toro, adding to his recent BAFTA and DGA wins. Full list of winners below:
Best picture The Shape Of Water
Best director Guillermo Del Toro, The Shape of Water
Best actor Gary Oldman, Darkest Hour
Best actress Frances McDormand, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best supporting actor Sam Rockwell, Three Billboards Outside Ebbing, Missouri
Best supporting actress Allison Janney, I, Tonya
Best original screenplay Get Out
Best adapted screenplay Call Me By Your Name
Best documentary Icarus
Best original song Remember Me, Coco
Best animated feature Coco
Best foreign language film A Fantastic Woman
Best Cinematography Blade Runner 2049
Best Costume Design Phantom Thread
Best Film Editing Dunkirk
Best Makeup and Hairstyling Darkest Hour
Best Production Design The Shape Of Water
Best Score The Shape Of Water
Best Sound Editing Dunkirk
Best Sound Mixing Dunkirk
Best Visual Effects Bladerunner 2049
Best Animated Short Dear Basketball
Best Documentary Short Heaven Is A Traffic Jam on the 405
Best Live Action Short The Silent Child