Reviewed today are Public Enemy in Dublin, The Jungle Book at the Helix and the Orchestra of St Cecilia/Douglas at the NCH
Public Enemy, The Village, Dublin
Was it a gig or a political rally? Chuck D, had he not carved out a musical career, would surely have made a formidable statesman. From Dick Cheney to Tony Blair to the current state of hip-hop, the emcee was brimming with opinions.
"Every time we come to the UK," he proclaims, to a backdrop of boos and hisses from the crowd who think he's made the ultimate faux pas, "we gotta come to Ireland because y'all got soul." When Public Enemy emerged in the 1980s, George Bush snr was the US president. Chuck D, resembling a political agitator from his onstage vantage point, delivered a short history lesson on what he thinks the Bush father-son combo have accomplished to date. A rendition of the recently released rap protest song, Hell No We Ain't All Right, which criticises the US government's response to Hurricane Katrina, summed up Chuck D's stance.
Light relief came in the form of the flamboyant Flavor Flav, who, complete with comic glasses and trademark oversized clock hanging from his neck, became Public Enemy's onstage focal point. Professor Griff was also in attendance, but was more subdued and played a backing role to the two more enigmatic emcees.
Public Enemy came complete with a bass player, guitarist and drummer, all dressed in army fatigues. The live band added a dimension to the show that secured its position as the best hip-hop gig this year bar none. Each musician played a solo, including DJ Lord (who has replaced the retired Terminator X), whose scratching skills worked the crowd into a frenzy.
Two S1W (Security of the First World) foot-soldiers made their presence felt onstage, brandishing their Samaria swords at all the appropriate moments. Public Enemy have been criticised for their alignment with the militant black power movement, but the S1Ws have nonetheless remained a part of the live shows. But despite this miltant element, the strongest message was one of unity. Or as Chuck D put it: "Power to be people because the people want peace."
Ali Bracken
The Jungle Book, Mahony Hall, Helix, Dublin
This new adaptation by Stuart Paterson of the Kipling classic leans more to a straight version of the story than to the comedy and jingles of the popular cartoon. It has some jokes and a recorded musical soundtrack, but they take second place to the dramatic storyline.
So we meet Mowgli (Tony Hasnath), the boy raised by wolves, threatened by tiger Shere Khan (Peter F Gardener). The first half introduces us also to Mowgli's friends, bear Baloo (Trevor A Toussaint) and black panther Bagheera (Alex de Marcus). In the small cast of 10, these four constitute the rock on which the production stands.
The first act has Mowgli growing away from the jungle life, mutinying against the harsh law that dictates that his wolf-father must die for failure in the hunt for food. He meets his natural mother in a quest for fire with which to defend his adoptive father, and succeeds in his mission.
Then, humanity stirring within him, he leaves the jungle, only to find that man's laws and tyranny are equally unforgiving. But, with help from his mother, he meets and slays Shere Khan and is finally in control of his life. The cast then assemble to close the show with the rousing musical number, The Jungle Law.
This production by the Birmingham Stage Company is not an elaborate, high-tech affair, and reduces the large stage area with an artificial proscenium. The two puppeteers who manage the python are not unobtrusive, in dress or otherwise, and distract attention from their charge. Attempts to involve the young audience, panto-style, are too few and hesitant. But the show has energy and a feel for its material, finally bringing it home in some style. Runs until Sat. Gerry Colgan
Orchestra of St Cecilia/Douglas, NCH, Dublin
Beethoven - Piano Concertos Nos 2, 1 and 4
The Orchestra of St Cecilia is celebrating its 10th anniversary of its foundation with a concert series devoted to Beethoven's seven concertos. The choice of Barry Douglas as conductor and soloist was a natural one, for he has worked with this orchestra before, notably in 2002 when he conducted a complete cycle of the same composer's symphonies.
Directing concertos from the keyboard has become a fad. However, it can have genuine merits in music conceived when that practice was common. On this occasion, the discourse between players had the immediacy of listening on tiptoe. Brona Fitzgerald led unobtrusively from the front desk, and even though the ensemble was not always tight, everyone knew what they wanted to achieve.
In these conditions, it is usual to have the piano facing into the orchestra, without a lid. I was not convinced that this concert was helped by placing the soloist in profile with the piano lid open. Douglas's projection is always strong, and throughout this concert his sound was over-dominant when in discourse.
The three piano concertos were played in their order of composition. In the first two, the soloist's inclination for strongly accented phrasing sometimes produced a clipped orchestral response, and thus a loss of momentum. Douglas's passionate engagement is infectious; and even though his interpretation of detail can be idiosyncratic, it has purpose.
Douglas played the Fourth Concerto like a wordless drama. The slow movement was an excellent example of how steady control can be more startling than any attempt to emphasise a point. Its poised suspense was a foil to the first movement, and a preparation for the energy of the last. It was a convincing approach to one of the most extraordinary concertos of all time. Series continues tonight and on Mon, Nov 28. Martin Adams
