Fourth Monkey Press

"Definitely people to watch!" *****

Skye Crawford - Fringe Review on A Clockwork Orange

"Immense energy and skill" *****

Carmel Doohan- Public Reviews on The Threepenny Opera

"Threepenny? I'd pay more!" ****

Colin Appleby- Remote Goat on The Threepenny Opera

"Great expectations of things to come" ****

Vicky Maxwell- Fringe Review on Antigone

"A powerful adaptation of Anthony Burgess' classic not to be missed" **** 

Louisa-Claire Dunnigan - Broadway Baby on A Clockwork Orange

"Bold challenging work" ***

Vicky Bell- The Public Reviews on The Love of the Nightingale

"I left the theatre dazed with amazement by its overall power" **** 

Catherine Urfer - Fresh Air on A Clockwork Orange

"A hit" **** 

Kirstyn Smith - The List on A Clockwork Orange

"A classic reworking of an iconic novel"

Daisy Collins-Muswell Hill Journal on A Clockwork Orange

"A production with unrestrained passion at its heart"

Greg Wohead-Extra! Extra! on A Clockwork Orange

"Electric, seat gripping, eye flinching... joyous moment of Fringe theatre"

Lennie Varvarides- Fringe Report on A Clockwork Orange

"Passion oozes from every one of the cast..." ****

Laura Jones- Edinburgh Screenworks on A Clockwork Orange

"An inspired and inspirational interpretation"

Timberlake Wertenbaker (Playwright) on witnessing Steven Green's interpretation of her play ‘The Love of the Nightingale'

"The direction by Steven Green showed a profound understanding of the text"

Alistair Coomer (National Theatre Casting Director) on seeing Steven Green's production of Doug Lucie's 'Pass it On' at the Lyric Studio

Please see our press cuttings and reviews in more detail below.

For press enquiries please contact us

Fringe Review *****

Review of A Clockwork Orange by Skye Crawford

Emerging theatre company Fourth Monkey have chosen an extremely complex and difficult choice of work for their first production, but it is one that is delivered with extreme quality and excellent ensemble work. By switching out the normally male roles and replacing them with females they challenge perceptions. For some reason it makes the acts of violence slightly more palatable, and at times comic, yet simultaneously sickening. This production is not one for the faint hearted. Fourth Monkey perform with a no holds barred approach conveying the violence with utter conviction, and yet tempering it with an impressive theatricality.    Fiona Russell’s set is an intricate web of different elements complimenting and stretching the play. It is hard to focus on one element as they are all so interesting and well placed in the space. The performance space at Croydon Clocktower is unusual but the perfect setting for this large ensemble piece. It would have been wonderful to see this company use the balcony level of the space lined with bookshelves, but perhaps this was off limits. It seemed a pity that it wasn’t utilised, but this is a minor point. The combination of beautifully choreographed physical theatre and dance in which the whole ensemble feels in unision and the excellent vocal talents, plus a undeniably captivating lead FourthMonkey’s Clockwork Orange is a sublime piece of theatre that needs to be seen more than once, if only so you can take in the elements missed the first time around. There is so much happening on stage it is difficult to know where to look, and yet the focus is pulled back every time to the engaging performance from Amy Brangwyn who captivates in the stage space with nimble enthusiasm. Her command of the complex made up language from writer Anthony Burgess is second to none. It flows from her like she has spoken it all her life and her east London accent is spot on.

Steven Green beautifully directs this 14 strong cast with a deft and imaginative hand. It is a complex and demanding piece of theatre and this new theatre company has grabbed the challenge in both hands and subsequently produced a challenging and awe inspiring production. The costuming is imaginative and very well realised. It is not often the production elements are so well fused with the feel of the actual production, but in the case of Fourth Monkey’s show this is a highlight. It is clear this is a well-oiled perfectly aligned team and they have set the bar high for any future work they produce. It is wonderful to see such a newly formed company producing such a high quality of work, and they are definitely people to watch!    

Broadway Baby ****

Review of A Clockwork Orange by Louisa-Claire Dunnigan

Fourth Monkey's Clockwork Orange smolders with a visceral energy that flares into violence at the slightest excuse. Telling the story of Alex, a young vicious thug, and his friends who rape, abuse, beat and kill without hesitation, the play assaults the audience's senses. It uses a mixture of powerful classical music and thumping dance beats, combined with soft filament bulbs and flashing strip lighting to keep the audience in a constant state of discomfort.

Like Alex during his later Ludovico Treatment - which robs him of the ability to do wrong - we are unable to look away from the violence and horror. A blood-stained umbrella is put to use in a rape scene, realistic vomit bubbles into a bowl but the audience watches on, transfixed. Through the mayhem, Amy Brangwyn's Alex swaggers and leers, demanding and receiving attention and respect from both ‘Droogs' and audience - she is a dominating presence in any scene. Brangwyn is just as believable as a blubbering, sycophantic wretch, capturing perfectly Alex's mixture of vulnerability and hatefulness. The rest of the cast create a strong, menacing chorus. Individual characters feature briefly and melt back; Mr Deltoid (Bianca Beckles-Rose) is a slimy representative of good no better than evil, Dr Brodsky (Ellen Rose) moves like a lascivious puppet.

The violence can become too much, giving the piece an unrelenting single tone. This is offset by Gianni Tozi's Chaplain and F Alexander, played with a gentleness that is a welcome relief from the rest of the play. Occasionally the cast bursts into raucous, swaying song: combined with the checks, buckles, puffed sleeves, hoods and harem trousers of the costume, this lends the show a dark carnival atmosphere. Even their curtain call packs a punch. This is a powerful, demanding adaptation of Anthony Burgess' classic, and is not to be missed.

FreshAir ****

Review of A Clockwork Orange by Catherine Urfer

Surreal, dark, humming with energy. A Clockwork Orange plunges you into a world of futuristic, twisted chaos where questions of morality, crime and punishment are pushed to the forefront.

The iconic leading role of Alex is played by a female, Amy Brangwyn, in an inspired casting choice. Brangwyn stalks the stage with a ferocious, feline energy and carefully straddles the line between detestable sadist and alluring victim. She smacks her ominously blood-stained umbrella about stage, at times to call her menacing "droogs" to attention and at others to sodomize a woman whose husband is forced to watch. Yes, the show included scenes of a violent nature, though managed to avoid some of the gratuitous brutality for which the film is known.

The entire cast put forth strong performances, with especially convincing work by Bianca Beckle-Rose as the twitchy Mr. Deltoid. The cast present the ambitious piece with pride and unrestrained passion.

Both the set design and costumes were magnificent. The two elements worked together flawlessly to create an aesthetic that can only be likened to a love child of Tim Burton and Lady Gaga. The black and white colour scheme conveyed the dichotomy between good and evil, the two opposing forces which are explored in depth. A throbbing soundtrack kept tensions high.

As we watch Alex suffer during "treatment" for his criminal ways, the question arises, "Is the man who chooses bad somehow worse than the man who has the good imposed upon him?". This issue is woven throughout the piece in a classic exploration of what extent we should go as a society to cure ourselves of evil. Would we be willing to sacrifice our very humanity? The play suggests that "When a man cannot choose, he ceases to be a man." Or in this case, woman.

There were times when the play dragged a bit and was perhaps less-than-subtle in the presentation of its themes but ultimately, I left the theatre dazed with amazement by its overall power. Highly recommended for those who are fans of the story and for those who do not mind theatre of a more disturbing nature.

The List ****

Review of A Clockwork Orange by Kirstyn Smith

Anthony Burgess' timeless novel is given an unconventional makeover with an influx of girls and an examination of the rise of the female gang. With the delightfully eccentric Amy Brangwyn playing the violent protagonist Alex, and taking full advantage of the androgynous name, the tale takes on a thought-provoking twist. As she camps it up and holds court over the audience with expert ease, the gruesome story plays out - but somehow manages to balance crude and explicit scenes with a macabre black humour. This comedic element, added to the feminine overtones, render the play more palatable, but without losing the horrifying bite. Combining rape scenes with cheerful songs will make the audience uncomfortable, but there is something irresistibly charming about Alex, so it is infuriatingly hard to remember that she is a monster.

For those who have not read the book, the more conclusive ending takes away from the film's ambiguity, more clearly adding issues of maturity and growing up. Added to all this, splendid costumes and a breathtaking score make this production a hit.

Edinburgh Screenworks ****

Review of A Clockwork Orange by Laura Jones

Sexual violence and verbal eloquence go hand in hand in the Fourth Monkey Theatre Company's production of modern classic: A Clockwork Orange. The company gave a frantic and energetic performance that had the audience looking from side to side as though it were a tennis match. This sell out performance used an all female cast, thereby offering another level to the controversial tale, in which the main character rapes and murders innocent passersby with boyish glee, helped by his fellow ‘droogs'.

The story follows Alex's journey from murderous gang leader to reformed citizen and back to Beethoven worshiping brute in a play that challenges the government's control over prison reform programmes and the individual's freedom of choice. Those who are familiar with Kubrick's film will recognise some keys scenes translated to the stage. There was however, a clear attempt at originality that mostly manifested itself in an attempt to modernise the tale by using wacky costumes and the occasional solo song from the one of the cast. Despite some out-of-place musical outbursts, the modern slant on a tale already set in the future does work well in depicting A Clockwork Orange as timeless.

Passion oozes from every one of the twenty plus cast. The play may not have quite as much impact as the scenes of the original film but it does incredibly well in toying with the audience's imagination during Alex's brainwashing, as well as during the violent events. This was a memorable production that does Kubrick's film justice and brings a youthful, fresh take to it whilst maintaining the vital, moral message.

Extra! Extra!

Review of A Clockwork Orange by Greg Wohead

As established theatre companies plod on through the years, often their work can lose some of its original spirit, getting bogged down in endless pandering to ticket sales, audiences who don't wish to be challenged and a host of other issues that plague companies as they try to find a place in the theatrical landscape. How refreshing, therefore, to see a production like A Clockwork Orange, the first production by Fourth Monkey Theatre Company, which is full of the energy and unapologetic enthusiasm that is so lacking in many older companies. Director Steven Green and everyone involved in the production-from the actors to the designers-make the bold choices that are required to transport the audience into the dystopian world of Anthony Burgess' A Clockwork Orange.

The story takes place in an England of the near future, where gangs of youths, who speak in an Anglo-Russified slang, get their pleasure from beating, raping and stealing from helpless victims. The young people of this reality terrorise and intimidate, unleashing violently feral attacks on random people they come across. Alex, the ring leader of one such gang, and his "droogs", or friends, Dim and Georgie, set out on a night of mayhem that goes wrong when Alex's dominant position in the gang is challenged.

Immediately upon entering the theatre I am brought into the world of the play and the chaos that comes with it by the set, designed by Fiona Russell. Dirty mattresses lay haphazard on the floor, strings of lights dangle from the ceiling, boxes lay scattered in a corner and chairs hang upside down on the wall, and Green uses everything in the space, by staging the play not just on the set, but organically in, around and through the rich environment created by Russell.

The music and lighting also add to the energy and momentum of the play from the beginning, inducing a pulsating rhythm that gets to the heart of the animal instinct portrayed by Alex. The lighting design by Joshua Carr also plays boldly alongside the music. During the wordless introduction of Alex at the start, a single bright light shines down on him harshly and throughout the play both the lighting and sound design (by Jo ‘Jeff' Abram) establish the tone and keep it going.

The performances in this production live up to the raw energy of the design choices, with Amy Brangwyn's Alex at the centre, creating an absolute whirlwind of energy onstage which spreads to the other actors. Bianca Beckles-Rose proves very versatile, in turns effectively portraying the restrained Deltoid and-in a brief but memorable scene in which Alex returns to his parents to find his room has been rented out to the eccentric Lodger Joe.

Fourth Monkey has created a production with unrestrained passion at its heart, and A Clockwork Orange seems a perfect fit to mirror the pure youthful energy of the company. This short run at Theatro Technis will be followed by a run at The Space on the Mile at the Edinburgh Festival this summer. As Fourth Monkey continues to grow, to find their feet and to explore with more specificity and subtlety, let's hope they never lose the uninhibited commitment to creating bold work that they show with A Clockwork Orange.

Public Reviews *****

Review of The Threepenny Opera by Carmel Doohan

The cast, decked out in rags and feathers parade the small stage and the Beggars Outfit Shop singing as if they are in a West End musical. We are in a Victorian London version of Primark and the customers are destitute whores and criminals. This is where they can buy knock off goods to disguise their poverty or for a slice of their take, be lent an appropriately pitiful outfit and a license to beg.

This is Dickens the Musical but with chunks ripped out. In their place are pages covered in abusive scribblings mocking the readers desire to suspend her disbelief. We will find no Fagin, Dodger or warm hearted Nancy here and we are given no loveable rogues to root for. Each time we try to engage with a character, our sentimentality is thrown back with a snarl of contempt for this is Bertolt Brecht. His ‘Epic Theatre’ is no place here for your escapism or conventional morality – he sucks you in only to spit you back out again.

As Brecht’s Alienation Technique demands, the actors never completely become their characters: These subtle reminders that they are acting prevent us from escaping into the story and allow the piece to work as a successful political critique rather than a melodrama. Through the depiction of corruption in all areas of life we are forced to re-contextualise our moral assumptions; the common thief is held on equal footing with the corrupt police officer and the banker, dramatising Brecht’s question ‘Who is the greater criminal- he who robs a bank or he who founds one?’ Although first performed in 1920′s Berlin, this work is strikingly relevant today. In a place where everything must be bought or sold, morality is something most people cannot afford. When the cast stare out with hard unflinching expressions to sing “food is the first thing, morals follow on” we are both implicated and disturbed.

Fourth Monkey are part theatre school and part repertoire company and they are committed to creating ‘Evolutionary Theatre.’ To this end they are training and developing an all-singing and all-dancing cast to stage brave and challenging work. Their immense energy and skill creates a brutal but insightful world of song, wit and violence and an impressive set provides a backdrop to their impeccably timed performances. It is to Fourth Monkey’s great credit that they make this brutal piece of anti-theatre not only as powerful and disturbing as it was intended to be, but also wonderfully funny and thoroughly enjoyable.

Remote Goat ****

Review of The Threepenny Opera by Colin Appleby

By and large this is a tightly directed, highly skilled production of The Threepenny Opera, which I think the audience have to cut a little slack to in places when the quality of some of the lead vocals leaves a touch to be desired in the clarity stakes, and ok there are still issues with some simple things such as projection at times also, but this is a strong ensemble ably led by the hugely talented and brooding presence that is Reuben Beau-Davies' McHeath. That man who can not only act (as seen in Antigone) but can also sing really rather well, he is the shining light in the production. Not to say that James Bryant, playing Mr Peachum doesn't run him a close second for watchability and for vocal talent also.

Other stand out performances in this production would have to include Andi Bradley, who although playing a beggar manages to make her minor part entirely full and rounded, something which some of the others do not quite manage to pull off with the same degree of accomplishement, Bryony Tebbutt as the divinely voiced and unfortunate Jenni Driver and Scott McGarrick who here shines as Tiger Brown, perfectly finding that path between the authority of his character and the torment within. And he can sing too.

All in all I would say a hugely entertaining and successful evening at the theatre and an impressive one from a company just starting out on their professional journey.

Suffice to say that if you are interested in finding some of the stars of tomorrow then come and see this production. I know that I will happily be returning to see more of Fourth Monkey in the future to find out how they develop the talent even more.

Fringe Review ****

Review of Antigone by Vicky Maxwell

Antigone is just one play running in the Fourth Monkey Theatre Company’s current season. The company has three productions running simultaneously which is quite the optimistic challenge, but one that proves those involved have the stamina, ambition, courage and talent to succeed in the industry.

Theatro Technis in Camden is a fantastic venue for this season of plays. The theatre space is open and yet intimate. The set design for this show is simple, giving just an impression of ancient Greece and allowing the actors to create the rest.

Sophie Hopkins plays the title and lead role of Antigone with conviction and consistency, although the love story between Hopkins and Anthony Hollis as Antigone’s fiancé lacks some chemistry and believability. The bond between Hopkins and Georgina Morton is genuine and Morton is compelling as Antigone’s sister Ismene. With a classic look perfect for this role, Morton performs with intensity and a calm confidence confirming that Morton is one to watch.

The direction by Natalie Katsou makes some fantastic use of the cast as the Greek Chorus. The ensemble work is well rehearsed and there is some beautiful physical acting by the cast. There is a little singing present in this production, which worked well for the chorus although Hopkins lacked confidence vocally and fell out of character during her vocal solo.

Sarah-Jane Moloney in both her chorus role and as the Messenger has a lovely gracefulness and reserved energy which often draws attention away from the other action on the stage. Daniel Chrisostomou is outstanding in his roles as Guard and Chorus. He is an engaging young actor with charisma and integrity and it is clear that Chrisostomou has a bright future ahead of him.

The Fourth Monkey Theatre Company are doing an excellent job in nurturing new undiscovered talent. While this production has some flaws it is clear that there is an enthusiasm and passion for theatre not only from the cast, but all involved with this company. In attending a Fourth Monkey’s production you will not be seeing a completely polished piece of professional theatre, but rather a glimpse of the next Ewan McGregor or Kate Winslet in the process of honing their craft and preparing for the industry, which is just as exciting.

Fringe Review ****

Review of The Threepenny Opera by Vicky Maxwell

Walking into the space there is a sense that the show has already begun; actors are loitering and the atmosphere is smoky and eerie. The set design by Eleanor Field sets the tone for early twentieth century London, props are rough and haphazardly placed, setting the scene for this Beggar’s Opera. As the show begins the energy and enthusiasm of the cast is inescapable. The stage is abuzz with actors “preparing” for their roles in the Opera. The ensemble works well together and each actor has developed a strong character within their chorus roles and this energetic ensemble work continues throughout the show.

James Bryant plays the role of Mr Peachum, the Beggar’s Friend with confidence although has difficulty creating dynamics. Bryant often resorts to shouting which causes some of the dialogue to be lost and leaves him little room to heighten his performance. Carlotta Cutrupi (Polly Peachum) struggled vocally and showed some signs of either illness and/or an untrained voice which has been overworked. Cutrupi tried hard to carry the role, although her lack of vocal training held her back from being able to perform this role with the strength that it required. Reuben Beau-Davies plays the dark and disturbed Macheath, who marries Polly much to her father’s disdain. Beau-Davies plays the role with an intensity that is not always consistent.

Scott McGarrick who plays Tiger Brown, the Chief Inspector of Police, was the standout performer on the evening. Although a good few years too young to play the role with the experience and depth it required, McGarrick is captivating and charismatic on the stage, and was the only lead actor with the ability to execute a confident solo singing performance. 

Although the casting and choice of show was perhaps not a perfect fit for these young actors, the direction was outstanding. The use of space was fantastic and the staging could not have been better.

The Threepenny Opera is an intensely dark German musical satire, which is a difficult thing for these young actors to undertake. As the majority of the cast were not singers their task was made even harder. The use of speak-singing worked at times, but it quickly became apparent that the actors were using this technique due to an inability to sing rather than a directing choice. Although The Threepenny Opera is not the best vehicle in which to demonstrate the talent of these young actors, the enthusiasm and passion that the cast displayed was refreshing, making this show well worth watching.