Reviews for bella and the beautiful knight

“In an equally tiny and unsympathetic space, Silver Tongue theatre, behind Bella and the Beautiful Knight, has crafted a stylish show, making the absolute most of what little stage they have. Again, we are in the of odd family relations — in this case an orphaned brother and sister whose relationship began with him telling her fairy stories and has moved on to something much closer and quite improper. When she meets someone from outside the charmed circle of the two of them, things get very nasty.

“Silver Tongue theatre is the writer, Oliver Emanuel, and the director, Dan Bye. These guys are not beginners (this piece was developed in conjunction with the West Yorkshire Playhouse who have Emanuel under commission). But with work of this quality, and rising stars such as Grae Cleugh in the cast, they look likely to be part of the future of British theatre. Catch them now.” ****

- The Times

“The cast shine in this claustrophobic story of abuse, incest, fantasy and escape. In this dark, twisted fairy-tale Bella is eventually rescued from the arms of her brother Donnie by the handsome and fresh-faced film buff Philip. But not before her understanding of the past is exposed as just one final piece of story telling by her brother.

“In terms of theatre-craft the premise of a dysfunctional family being torn apart by the arrival of a stranger is not exactly novel. Yet the subtle acting coupled with a spare but poetic script manages to make you forget that you've been here before. On the minuscule stage in the Gilded Balloon the audience is pulled under in an ebb tide of half-suppressed emotions. Sally Kent as Bella brings a delicate physical presence to the part of the sister, her internalised guilt and love conveyed by subtle nuance.

“This careful, intelligent play succeeds ably in its portrayal of delicately drawn horror and compulsive love.” ****

- The Scotsman

“Despite dealing with weighty themes such as incest and murder, Oliver Emanuel’s play is a delicate, creature, existing somewhere between reality and fantasy. It is a beautifully written piece that segues from hard-boiled confrontations to illustrative fairy tales about knights and dragons.

“Grae Cleugh gives a brilliant performance as Donnie, an agoraphobic, squalor-loving writer whose grip on sanity loosens steadily as he struggles to hold on to his sister. Brooding in a dressing gown, nursing his air gun rifle, he evokes a beguiling mixture of menace and pathos.

“Bella And The Beautiful Knight is a tender yet haunting piece of theatre that admirably demonstrates that less is more.”

- Metro

“Gripping.” ****

- Three Weeks

“A neatly written and very watchable tale of warped obsession. Keeps you gripped.”

- The Guardian, Lyn Gardner

“Silver Tongue Theatre wraps up this well-judged piece of theatre in near perfect presentation. It isn’t just that every aspect of the production is spot on but that it all knits together so interdependently, that, if any aspect were different, or failed in any way, the whole production would be much less.

“Daniel Bye’s direction is precise and controlled, ensuring that the small performance area is used to its best advantage. Oliver Emanuel’s script winds together the disturbing love story of a woman and her brother in a looping flashback that reveals its depths only in the final twist.

“The performances are strong, with Grae Cleugh becoming increasingly neurotic as the brother whose protective tendencies go too far. Sally Kent as the sister exudes just the right level of sexiness and bewilderment as she tries to bring a lover into her life. Nicholas Cowell plays down the character of the lover, his neutrality allowing the characters of the siblings to grow until he actively intervenes in their life.

“But it is Barney George’s simple design and Ben Pacey’s letter box-like lighting of small areas of the stage which really transform the production, allowing it to broaden in scope.”

- The Stage

“Bella has grown up being told stories by her adored brother Donny. As the major influence in her life since the death of their parents, Donny has sought to protect and isolate his sister from the outside world, creating a fantasy of fable that feeds off his suffocating, obsessive love. Despite this carefully constructed fairy-tale, Donny has always known that there is a Beautiful Knight waiting in the shadows to take his sister away from him. When inevitably the Knight appears, in the form of accountant Philip, his presence in Bella and Donny's world stretches their twisted relationship to breaking point.

“The three actors, directed by Daniel Bye, give impressively subtle, compelling performances. Grae Cleugh perfectly captures the obsessive, irrational Donny, inciting considerable pathos from the audience as he pours over the hundreds of air-mile tokens he has collected in order to travel the world, despite being incapable of leaving the ordered, illusory existence he has created for himself and his sister. The part of Bella is played in an equally unaffected style by Sally Kent, who imbues this part with immense dignity and a quietly powerful physical presence. Nicholas Cowell plays Philip with a down-to-earth blokey ordinariness, in perfect contrast to Donny and Bella's warped intensity.

“This is a beautiful, rich piece of writing by Oliver Emanuel, a vast, claustrophobic fairy-tale of myriad influences, with a dark heart and numerous subtle messages as memorable as they are profound. Complicated and gently provocative, this is an intriguing exploration of obsession and the subtle dynamics of sexual relationships. Without doubt the highlight of my Festival so far, a fascinating and challenging production.” *****

- EdinburghGuide.com