Ravens: Spassky Vs. Fischer, Hampstead Theatre - ★★★★ - Until January 18, 2020


The game of chess has often been used as a metaphor for various aspects of the human condition, but in 1972 the whole world accepted a match between the Russian world champion, Boris Spassky, and American prodigy, Bobby Fischer, as a symbol of success in the Cold War. This was a period when the "bad boy" sports icon was being created with such personalities as John McEnroe and Muhammad Ali capturing the popular imagination. But, perhaps, the baddest boy of all was in the cerebral world of chess. Bobby Fischer set a new standard of eccentric and spoilt behaviour using it as a form of psychological warfare to undermine his opponent, and some would argue to change the game itself. Spassky is presented as a decent, non-political man who wanted to play by the old rules, what is referred to by one of his handlers as the bourgeois value of sportsmanship. He is the moral centre of the play and his world view is simply overwhelmed by Fischer's game changing behaviour. Robert Emms is mesmerising as the erratic, insecure American and he dominates the stage as Fischer does his opponent. Ronan Raftery is excellent and understated as the put-upon Spassky in this multi-layered play. Although it was rather long and the subject matter may seem dry to some, we were enthralled and couldn't help but think how this chess match's new pattern of psychological distraction, outside the rules of the game, has also become the modus operandi of current leadership in the political sphere. The metaphors continue.

 Reviewed by J.C.

  Our Score:  ☆☆☆☆ 

 Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page.

 WHEN, WHERE, GETTING THERE:
Until January 18, 2020
Mon - Sat: 7:30 pm, Tue: 2:30 pm & Sat: 3 pm
Hampstead Theatre
Nearest tube: Swiss Cottage
https://www.hampsteadtheatre.com/whats-on/2019/ravens-spassky-vs-fischer/
Map & Location: Eton Ave, London NW3 3EU, UK

Most Popular

Barb Jungr, Forgetful Heart: Dylan and Cohen and Love ★★★★ Brasserie Zédel | January 20 - 22, 2022

Image
When we think of cabaret, Leonard Cohen and Bob Dylan are not the names that come to mind. These poet/songwriters do not pen moon-in-June lyrics, and their works frequently do not give up their meanings easily. It takes considerable talent and intelligence to tackle their oeuvre and Barb Jungr succeeds on both counts. It is reassuring to have a singer who doesn't just mouth the words but who has clearly studied them and can bring the meaning out of them. Her articulation and emphasis provide drama and clarity to what can often seem obscure musings, and her lovely voice uncovers the complex emotions beneath the sometimes overwrought surfaces. Love in the world of both these writers is not a simple thing of joy. Dylan's "Love is Just a Four Letter Word" explores the emotional tangle of his complex relationship with Joan Baez, and the hauntingly beautiful lyrics of Cohen's "Famous Blue Raincoat" delve into the nexus of friendship, betrayal, reconciliation a
Full Details »

Thrill Me: The Leopold & Loeb Story ★★★★ Jermyn Street Theatre | Jan 13 - Feb 5, 2022

Image
In 1924, the press dubbed the murder of young Bobby Franks by Nathan Leopold and Richard Loeb "the crime of the century." The public were horrified and captivated by what seemed the child's senseless slaughter. The question haunting everyone was why two affluent and apparently intelligent young men killed the boy. When hearing about this production the question that might come to mind is why would this particularly grisly event become the subject for a musical. Although the genre, often associated with more light-hearted subjects, has seen some darker, almost operatic, themes in shows like Sondheim's Assassins or Passion , can this particularly shocking subject matter work? Let's just say this production is worthy of inclusion in the that company. Thrill Me is a fascinating study of obsession and codependency in which Stephen Dolginoff extends the range of the genre musically and dramatically. Matthew Parker's tight direction ensures that our interest never
Full Details »

When Jazz Meets Flamenco ★★★ Sadler's Wells | November 26 & 27, 2021

Image
The show started late without explanation or apology, and when the meeting of Jazz and Flamenco took place, Jazz failed to show up. Karen Ruimy sang several old favourites like "These Boots Are Made for Walkin'," "La Vie en Rose," and "Stormy Weather," but even the arrangements failed to meet our criteria to be considered jazz. We'd been hoping for an interesting fusion of the two dance styles, but that was not to be. A lot of the show was Ruimy's song stylings, and she sang in English, Spanish and French. With a band of six plus two backup singers and two dancers interpreting some of the songs there was a lot of support for Ruimy as she presented the charming old standards. There is also a strong Flamenco component to the evening. Francisco Hidalgo did a fine job in some impressive solos and in partnering Ruimy in various numbers. Francisco Blanco, who acted as the cantaor, shone in his accompaniment to some of the selections, and the guitar
Full Details »

Freud's Last Session ★★★★ King's Head Theatre | Jan 18 - Feb 12, 2022

Image
Britain is on the edge of war with Germany and Sigmund Freud, who is afflicted with cancer, is on the verge of death. In this dark atmosphere, the father of psychoanalysis and the author, C.S. Lewis, undertake a wide-ranging dialogue dealing with the existence of God, the purpose of suffering, and the importance of sex. It is a rambling conversation that seeks to challenge Lewis' Christian beliefs and to question Freud's resolute atheism. Thought-provoking as it may be, most of the arguments are left incomplete and inconclusive. Neither man is really swayed by the other, but there are some revealingly, ironic moments. We see how Freud's psychoanalytic framework can be uncomfortably applied to both men, and how Freud, despite his professed preparedness for death, clings to life. Julian Bird does a masterful job of capturing the aged, insightful and egocentric Freud and Séan Browne gets it just right as the youthful and rather glib Lewis. Indeed, the strength of the productio
Full Details »

Force Majeure ★★★★★ Donmar Warehouse | Dec 10, 2021 - Feb 5, 2022

Image
Who hasn't endured the family holiday? On this ski vacation everything goes down hill, but is it a controlled avalanche or will the family be destroyed? This is a brilliant and hilarious look at gender roles and family dynamics. An unfamiliar and challenging holiday environment plus unforeseen circumstances raise questions that can usually be ignored in the routine of everyday family life. Unspoken role assumptions and comfortable self-perceptions are tested; the individual choices and unthinking compromises hidden by busy lives are imperilled. Director, Michael Longhurst, and writer, Tim Price, have created a world that does justice to Ruben Östlund's cleverly original work, while Jon Bausor's ingenious set design threatens to steal the show. However, all of the cast rise to the occasion and create characters that are both familiar and refreshingly unique. Rory Kinnear as father, Tomas, and Lyndsey Marshal as mother, Ebba, are simply outstanding. Every gesture and intonati
Full Details »

The 4th Country ★★★ Park Theatre | Jan 12 - Feb 5, 2022

Image
In his Poetics Aristotle proposed the theory of catharsis suggesting that art could serve as a means of purging emotions. In The 4th Country Kate Reid seems to explore the limits of drama in this regard. The attempt to render current events in Northern Ireland breaks down in the face of the cruelty of their reality. The horror of Bloody Sunday and the abortion laws become untranslatable into drama. The anger and division they inspire are left raw and unresolved. Art ultimately cannot convey or provide relief from the tragedy. It is a powerful statement which the talented company do a credible job of presenting, but it can seem rather unsatisfying. While the evolution of Northern Ireland is certainly a work in progress, the unresolved nature of the play, although intentional, undermines the the audience's engagement from the characters and from the subject. The ending seems abrupt and unprepared for. The cast is generally strong. Rachael Rooney and Cormac Elliott create a comple
Full Details »

David Suchet: Poirot And More, A Retrospective ★★★★ Harold Pinter Theatre | January 4 - 22, 2022

Image
If you love Poirot or if you know David Suchet's other work, you are bound to enjoy this evening. However, even those not familiar with his career will find this memoir a fascinating look into the life of an amazingly gifted actor and an intriguing peek into the craft of acting. In this rehearsed conversation with Geoffrey Wansell, we share David Suchet's initiation into the world of the theatre and are regaled with personal anecdotes that are often humorous, and frequently touching. The father's reticence about his son's determination to go on the stage is more than matched by a mother's unflagging, and often amusing, support. The stories give us a heartfelt insight into the making of David Suchet as an actor, and this understanding is complemented by a look at how an actor comes to create and inhabit a character. Suchet offers a masterclass in how to read Shakespeare so that bard's view of his characters emerges. He also provides some engrossing glimpses int
Full Details »

The Shark Is Broken ★★★★ Ambassadors Theatre | Oct 9, 2021 - Feb 13, 2022

Image
In Jaws Steven Spielberg turned waiting into high drama. Behind the scenes, in real life, waiting is not nearly as satisfying an activity. In art, as horrific as the shark might be, it gives meaning to the story whereas in real life it is unclear what supplies that sense of purpose. Without a shark, the three actors, Roy Scheider, Richard Dreyfuss and Robert Shaw engage in mind games and other less cruel pastimes. They escape into alcohol, drugs, sex or, in Scheider's case, a concentration on facts that avoid the existential issue. Their work offers only partial escape and the protagonists' back stories, like the film's backstory, reveal the dark sources of angst which cannot be tidily embodied in the ominous shark. Demetri Goritsas is excellent in the difficult, understated role of Scheider and Liam Murray Scott does a fine job capturing the manic energy and insecurity of Dreyfuss. However, it is Ian Shaw who dominates the stage in the role of his tragically self-aware fa
Full Details »

Cinderella ★★★★★ Various cinemas and online | From December 4, 2021

Image
Recently, we had the pleasure of viewing Peter Duncan’s Cinderella , which opens this week in 100 cinemas as well as being made available to schools, Scout and Guide groups across the UK. It has all the elements we have come to love and expect from pantos and even includes echoes of the slapstick associated with Charlie Chaplin or Laurel and Hardy. Set in a blend of today and fantasy, the film has stepsisters played full tilt ugly by Peter Duncan and Adam Price, while Lucy-Jane Quinlan is a fine Cinderella who smiles and sings her way into our hearts. The show contains a variety of music, including a rap song ably performed by Henry Roadnight’s Buttons. There's also movement and action that a stage just won’t allow for and great colourful costumes and sets. On one hand, we were pleased to see that “no children dressed as animals were harmed in the making of this production,” but we were also gratified to see that the traditions of pantos, in small theatres and enjoyed by generatio
Full Details »

Life of Pi ★★★★★ Wyndham’s Theatre | Nov 15, 2021 - May 29, 2022

Image
The Life of Pi is the triumph of Hiran Abeysekera. His impressive Pi is never off the stage and the audience's eyes are never off him. The amazing animals created for the show are entrancing, but it is Abeysekera who dominates. He moves seamlessly from inquisitive, vulnerable child to wounded prisoner of his own memories. Readers of the novel or viewers of the film may well wonder how this story can be successfully translated to the stage, but it succeeds quite wonderfully. Lolita Chakrabarti has done a fine job of bringing the essence out of the rather prolix novel, and director, Max Webster, has paced the piece quite beautifully. Tim Hatley's set is brilliantly versatile and cunningly complemented by the video and projections of Andrzej Goulding. With Tim Lutkin's lighting they have created an extraordinary atmosphere that takes us aboard Pi's boat and allows us to share his horrifying adventure. The puppets of Finn Caldwell and Nick Barnes are inspired. From the cen
Full Details »

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings