Latest News and Events – Alan Gibbons
A listing of recent performances, events, news and reviews featuring Alan Gibbons together with news of any future and up-coming performances and events. Click on the titles to read the full reviews or to find out more.
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“Alan Gibbons shines as Betty and Edward” (Out In The City Magazine)2009 marked the thirtieth anniversary of Caryl Churchill’s 1979 groundbreaking, shocking and gender-bending sexual politics play Cloud Nine.London based theatre company Fandango celebrated the play’s anniversary with a new production, and Alan Gibbons played the dual roles of Betty, a repressed and timid Victorian wife in Act One, and Edward, her out and proud gay son in the 1970s set Act Two.
This play has always divides audiences but one thing critics agreed on was the quality of acting, and they agreed that Alan was a joy to watch in both of his roles.“Alan Gibbons creates an enjoyably playful and amusing Betty in the colonial first act (it comes as no surprise that his credits list him as a stand-up and Pantomime Dame)”West End Whingers“Alan Gibbons, deliberately and deliciously stereotyped, gives a sly and provocative edge to Betty”Edward Martyn, Kentish Times“Alan Gibbons seems equally at home in both his Act Two checked shirt and comfy trousers as he does in a Victorian frock and diamante earrings!”Leon Trayman, The Public Reviews“Alan Gibbons as Betty in the first act is a ray of sunshine”Reuben Williams, Extra ExtraAudiences agreed:“Thoroughly enjoyable show. Well directed, truthfully acted and the casting was spot on. Good theatre should trigger an emotional response and connection from the audience and it is sadly lacking in much of what’s been on offer lately, even in the West End. However, this production managed to deliver on several levels and was totally believable too Well done to all involved”“Loved Cloud 9, most certainly the best thing I have seen in a long time, brilliant story played by fantastic actors.”“Take a Victorian sense of duty, add a splash of masturbation, a touch of fancying your hubbie’s best mate and a good dose of being happy to be gay. Do you really feel guilty or is that just what you thought you should feel?” -
“Alan Gibbons is the first actor we see and he is one of the most convincing in this production” (Mary Couzens, Extra Extra)
Alan Gibbons played the part of Willie in the Union Theatre revival of Dennis Potter’s dark and humorous play Blue Remembered Hills.
The play is a deceptively simple tale relating the activities of seven West-country seven-year-olds on a summer afternoon during the Second World War.
The acting in this production was spot on and Alan was singled out in the reviews for his perfect performance. Alan’s expressions and acting always kept the audience in mind of Potter’s hints of a darker world where pain and terror, teasing and brutality touch human experience at every age.
Alan received terrific comments in the reviews and it wasn’t just the critics who enjoyed the show: Audience comments on the Fandango website included the following:“I saw ‘Blue Remembered Hills’ during its run at the Union Theatre, and I thought it was absolutely brilliant. I can’t remember when I have enjoyed a show as much and thought it unthinkable not to express my very high regard for it.”“How to play a child convincingly when you’re a grown-up actor? Its a tricky job but the cast did it with such style and subtlety. Well done Fandango! I saw the play twice and the second time round there were even more layers to explore. They made it come alive so people in the audience were asking themselves – which character was I like as a child? And which child am I most like now?”“Really enjoyed the play, felt immersed in the countryside and the nostalgia of a remembered time, the acting was very convincing and brought the ‘lord of the flies’ cruelty of children’s behaviour vividly to life.” -
The multi award winning director Siri Bunford, of the creative agency Knucklehead, teamed up with Channel 4 Creative Services to make the recent promo and titles for Gordon Ramsay’s Best Restuarant Series for UK Television. Alan was chosen to play one of the chef’s who Ramsay has made cry!
The D&AD Pencil Awards are recognised the world over as a symbol of true creative achievement, and to work with a winner of one of these was an honour for Alan. His sobbing and broken pastry chef had the crew in hysterics with his wobbling cheeks and floury hands, and Siri was delighted to show the rushes to Ramsay who was in filming straight after Alan.
The promo was intended to also be the opening credits to the show, but it was decided to give the credits a slightly more upbeat opening than the hysterical nine suicidal chefs! Watch the ad on Alan’s media page.