Finkelstein’s Castle Creative Team

Words and Music by Pete M Wyer and Matthew Sharp
Performed by Matthew Sharp

Directed by Will Tuckett

Designed by Tim Meacock

Lighting design by Mark Howland

Additional sound design by Ben Robbins and Matthew Sharp

Produced by Fiona O’Mahony

Supported by Corn Exchange Newbury, Evolve, Arts Council England, South East and PRS Foundation.

SharpWire are international cellist/singer/theatre performer, Matthew Sharp, transatlantic writer/composer, Pete M Wyer and executive producer Fiona O’Mahony.

Collectively, Matthew Sharp and Pete M Wyer have worked with the BBC, ENO, Opera North, National Theatre, Almeida Theatre, Young Vic, Lincoln Center, RPO,LPO, Sony, Naxos, Avie and Thirsty Ear Records, Carol Brown, Jessica Lang, Miro Dance Theatre, Phyllida Lloyd, Tim Supple, John Keane and Brian Eno, amongst many others.

Broadway Baby

 5 ***** Review of Finkelstein’s Castle @ Edinburgh Festival

He’s a velvety-voiced opera singer with a voice to die for. He’s a classical cellist who has performed as a soloist in many of the major concert halls in the world. He’s a theatrical storyteller with a demonically cunning way with words. What Matthew Sharp is doing on the Edinburgh Fringe, I don’t know.

Actually, I do … he’s doing a damned good job entertaining people with his unique blend of musical storytelling, opera and performance art.

In this show, he tells the story of Johnny, who’s been taken into another world, leaving Matthew behind to go after him and rescue him – and the world, it turns out – in the process.

Sharp creates a fantasy world all of his own, into which he takes the audience as he explores it. It’s a world full of mavericks and improbable happenings – cities that come to life in a world overlaying our own; black camels that foretell doom; and playful little vignettes which he tosses up like a light virtual salad to break up a beautifully-balanced adventure story, never ever making a meal of things.

His playful connection with the audience is beautifully judged. This is a gem of a show. Don’t miss it.

Time Out

5 ***** Review of Finkelstein’s Castle @ Edinburgh Festival

With deliciously ridiculous names, fantastic situations, a plot that would make Ian Fleming grin with delight, and toothpaste taking on a significance you would never credit it with, Matthew Sharp takes his audience on an adventure which includes an operatic aria to die for, superb cello playing which he performs nonchalantly while maintaining casual conversation as easily as you or I would count to three with our eyes closed. The performance is mesmerising and Sharp’s multi-tasking skills extremely impressive.

There is a small link between Finklestien’s Castle and Sharp’s other show on the fringe this year, but they are both stand-alone shows and while Johnny’s Midnight Goggles is slightly more virtuosic and polished (he’s been doing it for longer), both can be enjoyed on their own merits.
It is telling that while most people’s journeys to the Edinburgh Fringe goes in a ‘bottom-up’ direction, Sharp’s is unique in that his journey seems to have gone in a ‘top-down’ direction. His quality performance is informed by experience as a cellist with the Royal and Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestras, playing under great conductors and on cross-disciplinary projects with musicians such as Django Bates. He also has a career as an opera singer, working as a soloist with Opera North, and other companies, giving him the opportunity to work with world-class directors. To have absorbed all this, and fed it back down into his work, and put on a fringe show informed by this kind of input is impressive. To be able to see it for around a tenner, give or take a quid, is a privilege and and a delight. Worth every penny.

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