Pet Shop Boys and Eisenstein's Battleship Potemkin @ Swan Hunter's Shipyard, Wallsend, Monday 1 May 2006 Fourteen thousand people, two rock legends, a 51 piece orchestra and one of the greatest silent movies ever made, all silhouetted against one of Tyneside's most iconic landmarks… what a night! Standing in Swan Hunter's Shipyard watching the Pet Shop Boys and Northern Sinfonia performing the soundtrack to Eisenstein's silent masterpiece, Battleship Potemkin, was definitely an evening to remember. | "The Battleship Potemkin has lost none of its power to shock and enthrall with its groundbreaking cinematic techniques." | |
The brooding shadow of the shipyard and its cranes provided the perfect backdrop for a pulsating performance with synchronised music and powerful images. East End boys On paper, a silent movie about a Russian naval mutiny, a street demonstration and a police massacre set in 1905 doesn't sound very rock 'n' roll. But Battleship Potemkin is no ordinary film and the Pet Shop Boys are no ordinary band. The evening starts in sensational style as the big screen counts back the years to 1905, the date of the film’s action. Actor Tim Healy appears on a raised platform 'stage left' to introduce the narrative in a powerful opening which sets the scene and gives proceedings a contemporary political spin. Then the film’s credits roll and the music starts to swell – a tingle of anticipation runs through the audience.
 | | The countdown begins |
The show quickly fires on all cylinders, an early highlight being the impressive mutiny sequence with staccato rhythms and highly-charged electro-synth sounds. But fans of the Pet Shop Boys expecting to see their heroes were in for a disappointment - the band were barely visible for most of the proceedings, hidden under the screen on a dimly lit stage. Despite their low key stage presence, Neil Tennant and Chris Lowe’s soundtrack works well for large parts of the film, breathing new life into Eisenstein's 1925 classic. The music is a mixture of electronics and strings and is predominantly instrumental, although there are three new songs in the mix. Occasionally the soundtrack distracts and jars but it works best in the battleship sequences, especially at the beginning and end of the film. Out of step Sergei Eisenstein's silent movie is regarded as a benchmark in political cinema, with its theme of the working class rising up against their oppressors.
 | | Did you see yourself on the big screen? |
The classic Odessa steps sequence remains one of the most powerful sequences in the film. A baby's pram rolls uncontrollably down stairs during a riot, Cossack soldiers open fire on the crowds, the citizens of Odessa scatter and run - and become sitting targets. The anguish of the people is palpable but you can’t help feeling that the tone of the soundtrack is slightly out of step with these agonizing moments Tennant says he wanted to change the way we see the movie, highlighting its modernist quality. This the Pet Shop Boys have achieved, but the music seems out of kilter with the emotional depth of the film during the key Odessa Steps incident. I'm also unsure if the political comparisons really work, sometimes appearing slightly clumsy and simplistic. "How come we went to war?" croons Tennant in one of the songs in an attempt to wring out some political resonance between Russia 1905 and Iraq 2006. Star quality
 | | Pet Shop Boys and Northern Sinfonia |
Despite a few qualms over the music, this is an impressive production with some powerful moments. The film is the true star of the night, dominating proceedings on a giant screen flanked by the symbolic, towering cranes of the Swan Hunter yard. The Northern Sinfonia are the heroes of the show, performing at the top of their game to a beautifully arranged score under conductor Jonathan Stockhammer. This ambitious event was certainly visually arresting - top marks for the location, the production and the understated 'design'. The Battleship Potemkin has lost none of its power to shock and enthrall with its groundbreaking cinematic techniques. It's a treat to watch a production that combines an innovative mix of music and moving image, although personally I preferred the Cinematic Orchestra's soundtrack for The Man with a Movie Camera, another Russian silent classic, at last year's A-V Festival. No time for tears
 | | Films, S(C)hips, and Smiles |
At the end of the show, there was just time for a final encore as the Pet Shop Boys finally moved 'stage front' to reprise No Time for Tears, one of the songs featured on the soundtrack. Neil Tennant cleverly uses a brief pause to say "No to ID cards", firing another political salvo. But the finale was a slightly muted affair - the crowd's reaction was polite but slightly cool - a bit like the Tyneside weather. By the end I was so numb with the cold that I couldn’t feel my fingers anymore – but some would argue this is a small price to pay for watching a unique evening! For the lucky ones with tickets for Battleship Potemkin, it was certainly a night to remember.
Your comments Darren Wood
2 mates and myself travelled up from Bradford & manchester to see the show, we'd previously seen the London performance last year. I really enjoyed it thought I was slightly curious as to why groups of teenagers came as after 15 minutes it was clear it wasnt what they were expecting as they filtred back out of the crowd!. The location was perfect, the sound was superb (from where we were anyway) and as always the PSB's managed to pull it off again. My only criticism was the long wait in the cold weather, with non of the 'pre-show entertainment' hinted on the briefing emails. Cant really complain as it was a freebe. If you enjoyed the music, the sound track is already released and well worth the spend. Tom
I've seen this brilliant and moving film before at the Tyneside cinema and on TV but this location and respectful musical score did it justice. A well organised event with an audience which on the whole were quiet and interested contributed to a beautiful evening of thought and entertainment. Andrew Shaw
I was lucky enough to be there and travlled up from London especially. I agree with many of the reviewer's points. 'How Come We Went to War' didn;t really fit and I had a thought that maybe the Odessa Steps sequence should be left 'silent'. Neil's vocals throughout were clear and high (maybe some backups on tape or disc though?), Chris Lowe was even more reclusive than ever if that is possible. An amazing night and as Neil remarked what a way to spend 1st May. gavin wyatt
i thought that this was fantastic i had never heard of the film before. the music created by the pet shop boys and northern simfonia more than accompanied the film and the location was perfect too , a really good night Tony Purvis
Eisenstein's "Battleship Potemkin" stands the test not only of time but also, on a cold May Day Bank Holiday in a derelict northeat shipyard, weather and location. This story about the depths of both human love and suffering in time of conflict and turmoil captivated an audience of over 14,000. The setting was perfect and the film screen was suspended mid-air for all to see. As the skies grew darker, so the film sparkled all the more across the night-time shadows. Musical accompaniment was provided by the pop group the Pet Shop Boys and the northeast-based Norhtern Sinfonia. At the end of the evening, however, homage was rightly paid to a remarkable film and its equally remarkable director. | 
