GUY MASTERSON - solo performer |
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Theatre Tours International Ltd |
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Guy Masterson started his company in 1991 with a solo performance; Peter Flannery's The Boy's Own Story. In 1994 he followed this with a speculative adventure into physical theatre with Under Milk Wood - SOLO! Its success prompted a solo adapation of Animal Farm after which his repuation as one of the world's foremost solo performers was cemented. His two other solo works A Soldier's Song and Fern Hill were equally heralded, the latter winning him the coveted Stage Best Actor Award at the 2001 Edinburgh Festival. |
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| 2001 Fern Hill & Other Dylan Thomas by Dylan Thomas | ||||
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Premiered Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh 2001, 2002, UK & International tours to present
"the force that through the green fuse drives the flower..." Dylan ThomasWINNER: The Stage Award Best Actor 2001Following the remarkable success of his solo interpretation of Under Milk Wood, Guy Mastersoncompiled 90 minutes of his favourite 'other' - rarely heard and rarely performed - works of Welsh genius, Dylan Thomas. The programme included three of Thomas' wonderful short stories; A Visit To Grandpa's, Holiday Memory and, of course, A Child's Christmas In Wales, and a selection of his greatest verse |
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"As a fan of Thomas, I remembered clearly Guy Masterson's rendering of the ten poems and three short stories which make up this mini-anthology of Thomas' work, but I had forgotten the extraordinary physicality of his performance. He becomes the characters, even if they appear just for a moment. His body and facial expression are constantly changing as he moves from character to character: children, strutting young men, giggling girls, decrepit old men, eccentrics, fat uncles and drunken aunts, all appear before for us for their moment in the spotlight, and then Masterson himself is with us again for a moment or two, before he embarks on another odyssey of characterisation. His still, straight renditions of "And Death Shall have No Dominion" and "Do Not Go Gentle" are made the more effective by the contrast and left the audience stunned. It is a tour de force which made the eighty minutes or so pass so quickly that the audience lost all sensse of time. He has performed the piece hundreds of times and has clearly been developing and refining it as he has done so. In 2001 I gave it four stars: now it deserves five! (British Theatre Guide 2003) "...sheer, unadulterated pleasure... a solo actor without equal... a master of transformation... a flurry of collective nouns and a beauty of adjectives... the fabulously capable hands of Masterson...joyous and emotive in equal measure...unutterably moving... All are given sumptuous expression in Masterson's energetic, guttural, totally undeniable performance." (Scotland on Sunday) "Immersed in the words of the Welsh master ... The epic slices of Welsh life bring the biggest smiles. But the power of the more introspective works is undeniable ... glorious" (The Scotsman) "The actor throws himself into Thomas' short stories and poems, sweating and gesturing with energy born of deep passion for the words...a journey into the heart of Thomas country, with its rich landscapes and unforgettable characters. ...superb timing and clownish glee...Masterson's enthusiasm for his production is unmistakable and infectious - performing at this level, he could make Thomas fans of us all." (The Stage) "Guy Masterson enthusiastically introduces us to instantly recognisable characters... Creeping and prancing around the stage he effectively brings the writing to life, evoking smells and tastes in the process... Worth the ticket price for the description of Thomas' grandad alone." (The List) |
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| 1998 A Soldier's Song adapted by Guy Masterson from the book by Ken Lukowiak - directed by Tony Boncza | ||||
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Premiered Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh 1998, UK & International touring to 2002
"moving, lethally unsentimental. very grim and very good indeed." (Mail On Sunday) NOMINATED: The Stage Award Best Actor 1998 Guy Masterson's powerful adaptation of Ken Lukowiak's brilliant account of his combat experiences during the Falklands War of 1982 was a sell-out success at the 1998 Edinburgh Festival. It since played London's B.A.C., all over the United Kingdom, and has toured to Holland, New Zealand, Ireland and Hungary. "A Soldier's Song" brings the battlefield to the stage, giving the audience a strong idea of what it is like to be under fire, to kill or be killed, the fundamental horrors of war and the effects it can have on the human soul. It exposes the true nature of soldiery from mundanity to combat. It gives us all a good reason to think twice about sending our sons off to war. This is the theatre of War and all its facets, invoking the horror, terror and shame of combat, the black humour, futility and tedium of a soldier's life in the front line and the lingering effects of Post Traumatic Stress. Deeply disturbing and frightening at times, it is also extremely funny, employing the dark "squaddie" humour to offset the darkness. The brutal demotic language and life of the battlefield is brought to vividly to life. |
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"Masterson's unique brand of poetic performance storytelling is a must-see. Only a few could attempt what he does... fewer still could get away with it." (The Times) "A Soldier's Song is an honest and emotive evocation of life on the front line... an exact insight into the nature of futility... Bravura acting!" (The Herald) "Masterson's beautifully understated performance delivers the bullet straight to the brain... It's an A1 top-hole, first class, first hand experience of what an exploding shell can do to human flesh." (The Guardian) "A magnificent, powerfully haunting tour de force. Storm the box office!" (The List) "We are transported inside the war itself, it's hard to believe you are watching a play. Brutally honest and unsentimental its the best war movie never made!" (Evening News) "An intense, powerful performance." (The Stage) |
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| 1995 Animal Farm adapted by Guy Masterson from the book by George Orwell - directed by Tony Boncza | ||||
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Premiered Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh January 1995 "a theatrical tour de force. masterson IS animal farm" (Sunday Times - 16/08/95)Animal Farm is perhaps the 20th Century's most important work of political satire. It has been translated into over 70 languages and is on academic syllabuses all over the world. Guy Masterson's unique SOLO theatrical interpretation has succeeded in bringing the book to life and making it accessible to all ages in a dramatic physical storytelling that has won world-wide acclaim. Using nothing but a wooden box, some amazingly creative sound effects and effective lighting, the story is told with clarity, power and truth. Masterson tells the story through the characters, switching from animal to animal, each having a different voice and characterisation. The audience thus follows the narrative. The simplicity and magic of Orwell's fairytale and his allegorical message of betrayed idealism is conveyed with blinding relevance proving the work to be as important today as it was 50 years ago. |
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"Guy Masterson's totally committed rendition of George Orwell's Animal Farm is as essential a warning today as it was fifty years ago. Masterson does one helluva job in physically telling this story of betrayal and honour, from the initial hope and glory days of the animal's rebellion, to the deterioration toward compromise and corruption. This incredible feat of storytelling is intercut with the odd contemporary political speech. Such juxtaposition gives the moral fable the immediacy of an urgent warning. The physical exertion of this one-man tour de force leaves Masterson dripping with sweat. Orwell's book is perhaps more correct now in its outlook than it was at the time... It's all come to pass exactly as it shows... But it could never happen here, could it? The full houses for this show confirm that this is the right artiste, doing the right piece, at just the right time." (The List) "ANIMAL MAGIC! ... Masterson ignites this famous tale bringing both humour and a sinister aspect to the rhetoric of the upwardly mobile pigs." (The Herald 26/01/95) "The emotional texture of the book is sensitively recreated and the charm and allure of Masterson's performance makes the allegory more disturbing." (The Independent 14/08/95) "Some actors are more equal than others, but few are quite as equal as Guy Masterson!" (The Times 16/08/95) "A brilliant adaptation which delights with its physical grace and artistry. It's complex and entirely theatrical; a combination of bravura acting and poetic storytelling which milks new nuance and meaning. A prodigious talent!" (The Scotsman 13/08/95) "This is Jackanory for adults!... A real treat! Masterson creates an entire environment in which his audience are as much participants as spectators... Terribly clever and terribly amusing." (BBC Radio) |
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| 1994 Under Milk Wood by Dylan Thomas - directed by Tony Boncza | ||||
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Premiered Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh February 1994
Assembly Rooms, Edinburgh 1994 & 1996 2000 & 2003; UK & International touring to 2005 "one of the most inventive, remarkable performances of the decade." NOMINATED: The Stage Award Best Actor 2003 Under Milk Wood is Dylan Thomas' most famous and enduring work now translated into over 50 languages. A favourite since its first broadcast with Richard Burton in January 1954, it brilliantly conjures the intimate dreams and innermost desires of the inhabitants of Llareggub - a small fictional sea-town somewhere in Wales. Using nothing but a wooden chair, dark glasses, apposite lighting and a beautifully haunting soundscape by Matt Clifford Guy Masterson performs the entire work - playing all 69 characters Bawdy and beautiful, sad and sensual, through the music of language, it creates indelible, unforgettable images of humanity. |
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"The sight and sound of Guy Masterson performing Thomas's masterspiece is electrifying. All 69 voices spill form the lips of an actor whose talents are a fitting 50th anniversay tribute to those of the Welsh wizard himself in this refurbished production. No matter how hard you pore over the programmne, you will not find a finer performance in the whole Edinburgh Festival!" (Jeremy Hodges - The Daily Mail August 4, 2003) "Marking the 50th Anniversary of Dylan Thoma's death, fellow Welsh man Guy Masterson's solo interpretation of Under Milk Wood is an incredible performance. Playing all 69 charaters with outstanding stamina and understanding, Masterson embraces the mammoth task of playing the quaint and cheery citizens." (The Herald 11/08/03) "THE CREAM OF THE CROP! Guy Masterson's much celebrated one-man performance of Dylan Thomas's Under Milk Wood was created in 1994 and returns revamped with a fabulous score by award-winning composer Matt Clifford. From the outset it is utterly spellbinding. But the real trumph is Masterson's vocal precision, which, alnog with a wonderful range of gestures and movements, allow the audience to really feel they have experiences life in the village and shared desires and dreams of the inhabitants." (Edinburgh Metro 15/08/03) "Striking a mildly comical figure, the pyjama-ed Masterson begins to speak and is immediately possessed by the magic of story telling. It's a huge task to sustain such a incoherent story, but Masterson casts a spell over us. Simply bewitching," (Three Weeks 21/08/03) " THE SOLO VIRTUOSO. Just the 69 characters then? Guy Masterson is everyone of them in Dylan Thomas's enduring play of voices, and somehow makes it all add up! " (The Scotsman 23/08/03) "Masterson rises to the challenge with tremendous sensitivity and panache. It's a feat of multiple characterisation, getting right inside the words, swelling them to their fullest extent while stopping short of over inflation. Masterson achieves this through a combination of impeccable timing, vocal dexterity and precise physical control. His smooth shifts in modulation and phrasing, his energetic yet carefully judged additions of gesture and movement, flesh out perfectly Thomas's balance of sweep and intimacy, tenderness and menace, poignancy and absurdity. His characters are assiduously delineated through adjustments in accent, inflection and mannerism. Thomas's bewildering descriptive wordplay is beautifully paced and weighted, frequently punctured by a shrewdly timed drop into pathos and laughter. It's an absorbing, richly entertaining venture." (The Guardian 14/02/94) |
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| 1991 The Boy's Own Story by Peter Flannery- directed by Tony Boncza | ||||
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Premiered Christ's Hospital Theatre, Horsham September 1991, UK touring until 1993
"the loneliness of the long-distance goalkeeper" NOMINATED: London Fringe Awards Best Actor 1993 NOMINATED: London Fringe Awards Best Solo Play 1993 A bttersweet tale of a troubled lad with an amazing talent for goalkeeping... The Boy's Own Story was Peter Flannery's first full length play produced at the Contact Theatre, Manchester in 1978. An updated version was produced in 1991 with Guy Masterson playing the goalkeeper. The monologue furnished an "acute anatomy of individuality" ...the desire to dare to be different and the dangers of actually being so in an intolerant society. As the final whistle sounds, the only thing that gives him hope is his belief in his talent. "You'll never beat me. You could never beat me!" leaving the field of play having displayed his agility and brilliance... while never having touched the ball... |
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"Guy Masterson plays a moody, paranoid, disintegrating goalie in Peter Flannery's one-man play about soccer. It says some serious things about the commercial exploitation of the short-lived pro sportsman and about the loneliness of the imaginative misfit. A rich 45 minutes each way with a totally authentic performance from Mr Masterson." WEEKEND CHOICE (Michael Billington - The Guardian 09/05/92) "A fascinating and riveting play. Guy Masterson gives a marvellous and enthralling performance as McKenna. He throws himself around the astroturf goalmouth at the Chelsea Centre, managing to reveal his emotion and anxieties while completing hundreds of spectacular saves. Supporters of the game will love Masterson. His obsession with the game and what makes it tick is obvious and his electric portrayal, performed at a wonderful pace will ensure that audiences will be over the moon." (The Times 01/05/92) "In Peter Flannery's excellent, engrossing one-man play, Guy Masterson, as McKenna, gives one of the finest performances I have seen on the fringe in a long time. He throws himself about the stage making save after spectacular save while maintaining an intense and personal relationship with his audience. A character that never slips and constantly surprises, and a control over his material that few can master. A great performance in an excellent play. See it." (What's On 06/05/92) "An extraordinary one-man goal-mouth show with Guy Masterson... At the end of the 90 minutes, the lad done great!" (Time Out 03/05/92) "Masterson's fine, energetic performance combines all-stage dynamism with emotional control and clever parody. He hurls himself round the set and flings himself into impressions of football commentators. He manages to imply much more than he says, to insinuate intelligence..." (Financial Times 2/5/92) |
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