Theatre Productions & Reviews
COLLECTING THE TWENTIETH CENTURY – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director“The shrewdly chosen vehicle for Changeinspeak’s apocalyptic fin de siecle drama is the serial killer thriller….Simon Blake’s script and production have a faint, rootless unreality, this gives a sense of society on the brink of self
THE INDEPENDENT
“Changeinspeak have fashioned a striking theatrical pastiche of the journalistic and jingoistic: Set in 1999 as “sterilised as a military past” they invigorate the familiar cry that war and entertainment have become indivisible. A company that continue to forge, a fresh enquiring language from their fountain of talent. You should tune into them now” CITY LIMITS
PITY FOR THE DREAMBOYS – Common Eight Theatre Company, Writer & Director
“The talented young company produce a piece that no one can hear without sympathy and unease” THE OBSERVER
“This ambitious first play is angry and vital – its poetry just abrasive enough to keep it from romantic idealism. These maybe dreamboys “whose rhymes have no reason” but the young company have created a piece full of sound and fury which signifies something deep felt in the frustrations of today’s youth” TIME OUT
BEAUTY DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“Blake’s masterly control of time and pace is sure to leave a lasting impression, while bleak and disturbing , the play never strays from the charged descent into the darkness. Blake’s poetry and Max Rademacher’s haunting guitar/vocal accompaniment add the final sheen to this razor sharp direction of the phenomenon we call society” REVIEW 89
“The immensely talented London company has plenty of meat on their bones. Beauty follows the growing awareness of Billy, an ebullient Tom Jones for the 1980’s in Simon Blake’s well-tempered drama” THE LIST
COLOURED SANDS – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“Simon Blake is a bold director. Brilliantly displaying a variety of theatrical styles – a soap operaish story about a girl who falls for a boxer; wonderful spoofs on Bogart clips highlighting the daft misogyny, the thrillingly choreographed sequences of the grotesque rituals youths go through as they prepare for a night on the tiles. This production manages to keep an ambitious script whizzing along”
CITY LIMITS
“The talented young company produce a piece that no one can hear without sympathy and unease” THE OBSERVER
“This ambitious first play is angry and vital – its poetry just abrasive enough to keep it from romantic idealism. These maybe dreamboys “whose rhymes have no reason” but the young company have created a piece full of sound and fury which signifies something deep felt in the frustrations of today’s youth” TIME OUT
BEAUTY DOESN’T LIVE HERE ANYMORE – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“Blake’s masterly control of time and pace is sure to leave a lasting impression, while bleak and disturbing , the play never strays from the charged descent into the darkness. Blake’s poetry and Max Rademacher’s haunting guitar/vocal accompaniment add the final sheen to this razor sharp direction of the phenomenon we call society” REVIEW 89
“The immensely talented London company has plenty of meat on their bones. Beauty follows the growing awareness of Billy, an ebullient Tom Jones for the 1980’s in Simon Blake’s well-tempered drama” THE LIST
COLOURED SANDS – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“Simon Blake is a bold director. Brilliantly displaying a variety of theatrical styles – a soap operaish story about a girl who falls for a boxer; wonderful spoofs on Bogart clips highlighting the daft misogyny, the thrillingly choreographed sequences of the grotesque rituals youths go through as they prepare for a night on the tiles. This production manages to keep an ambitious script whizzing along”
CITY LIMITS
LAZARUS MAN – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“A brutally cogent picture of a life tumbling inexorably and surprisingly into the abyss…a compelling and sincere drama with scenes of enormous insight and warmth…A devastating account of a gang rape and Joseph Swash brilliantly conveys a terror struck boy’s belligerence in the climax. These scenes in particular reveals Blake to be a writer of discernment and an infinitely sensitive director” TIME OUT
“Loss of one kind or another – respect, control and ultimately life is at the heart of this remarkable production…Lazarus Man is both bleak and lively using every second to explain the giant and deep themes with sureness and sensitivity. An intelligent and moving performance from everyone involved.” METRO
BROKEN HEADS – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“Sustains its author’s traditional fondness for a finely wrought turn of phrase. Blake’s graphic direction never ceases to surprise and all eight unpretentious performances are deliciously spunky; Yet the aphoristic set pieces give the piece an entirely new gravity. Blake and Changeinspeak have finally come of age.” CITY LIMITS
“The young cast give committed performances and there is plenty to admire and enjoy in Blake’s chic production.”
THE INDEPENDENT
JIMMY JAZZ – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“The definitive biography of the 1980’s. A potent phantasmagoria of mime, racy dialogue, piped music and killing wit, develops into a frighteningly funny black comedy. Wonderfully effective parable for our
WHATS ON IN LONDON
“A fast and furious rampage through the eighties exploding with potent mix of anger and humour…Completely original. The message never worthy , always worthwhile. The muscular style uses cartoon exaggeration, extreme physicality and music, plus a very sharp script. This is tough, comic, addictive theatre.”
THE SCOTSMAN
PASSION PLAYS – Changeinspeak. Writer & Director
“Determinedly mined themes such as addiction, politics and religious extremism…the casts ability in animating the ethical void is impressive…Blakes assertive style makes the play an eloquent and provoking case for Millenium circumspection” TIME OUT
“Blake’s script is bleakly poetic….His great strength is in creating a genuinely uncomfortable sense of paranoia, each character superficially sympathetic but each having the possibility of betrayal – violence is always imminent…The whole thing is like the theatrical equivalent of a Leonard Cohen album and I for one am a fan. STAGE & TELEVISION TODAY
“One of City Limits highly rated and fave companies…full of the snap and crackle of popular culture, a proustian collection of histories triggered by classic songs. Changeinspeak are doing their bit to preserve the “Our Tune” tradition” CITY LIMITS
“A series of slick and clever vignettes inspired by classic pop songs….An outstanding play imaginatively written and directed by Simon Blake”
THE INDEPENDENT
WRETCHED GROOMS – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“Blake writes beautifully, marshalling the poetic and the demotic, the passionate and the humorous. The patterns of behaviour enacted and the revelations of the personalities involved are fascinating. Four strong and physical performances under the direction of the author complement the energy of the writing” THE SCOTSMAN
“Fine passages of writing from comic patter to poetic soliloquies….Blake’s direction is inspired. Clarrisa on a swing, smiles alluringly or perhaps insanely at the audience; suspended picture frames lurch like imbalanced pendulums” THE TIMES
THE TEMPEST – Changeinspeak. Director.
“A radical presentation , heavy on pop culture, cinematic references, Bolivian marching powder, accessibility and laughter. Blake’s vision of Shakespeare’s world of magic and cruelty is admirably invoked….For mood, style and innovation and sheer entertainment. A snort above the rest.” THE TIMES
THE PRINCE – Changeinspeak, Writer & Director
“Simon Blake certainly knows a beautiful turned phrase when he sees one. The writing is sharp and well observed and the dialogue comes at us like a runaway train…The company uses physical and musical elements to enhance the story…Blake and his company must be applauded for their bravery in tackling such a huge and complex set of subjects with such verve and energy.” THE FINANCIAL TIMES
Changeinspeak
Between 1989 and 2002, Simon was Artistic Director of the Changeinspeak theatre company.Changeinspeak performed at venues such as Battersea Arts Centre and The Young Vic to rave reviews from the critics and quickly established itself as one of London's most progressive fringe theatre companies.
Simon is currently writing the screenplay for Lazarus Man.
All photographs courtesy of Adrian Megahey and Mark Turner
Click images to enlarge.