Pocket Size Theatre

REVIEW: Betty Blue Eyes at the Union Theatre

2023-04-07T12:20:00.004+01:00

Craving a slice of Northern charm? Then look no further than the borough of Southwark, and to the cast of Betty Blue Eyes, currently appearing at the Union Theatre!

The show, created by George Styles and Anthony Drewe first appeared in London’s West End at the Novello Theatre back in 2011, starring Sarah Lancashire and Reece Shearsmith. Now, the wholesome tale returns to one of London’s most beloved fringe theatre venues with this small-scale revival directed by Sasha Regan.

With shortages of food, financial troubles and burdens, and a Royal occasion on the horizon, you’d almost think that this tale is set in April 2023! The difference? In this tale, the only thing people will be pigging out on is spam! Oh, and did I mention? At the story's heart is an adorable pig with sapphire blue eyes called Betty... and no, I’m not telling porkies!

As a proud Northerner and regular seat filler at the Union Theatre, I was keen to snap up a ticket to Press Night to witness the show's first revival first-hand. When stepping through the theatre threshold time machine back to England in 1947, I was instantly impressed with how the space had been transformed to create an effective, and multi-purpose backdrop for this tale. For such an intimate venue, the creative team must be commended for their design.

The cast, which was surprisingly vast in size beams with enthusiasm, wit, and passion. Whilst some cast members tended to ham it up a little too much (pun intended!) and could benefit from dialling down energy to find greater depth and peaks and valleys in the tone of the show, I can’t fault the commitment displayed, and their clear love and celebration for their art. Due to this energy, at times elements of the performance felt somewhat rushed or unsure, however, I have no doubt that once the cast gets into a collaborative rhythm, they will be able to lean into the sentiment of the story fully.

A true stand out for the show are leads Sam Kipling (Gilbert Chilvers) and Amelia Atherton (Joyce Chilvers), each of whom delivered stellar performances, and acted as the charming nostalgic glue that held the cast together delightfully. Credit, in particular, must be given to their vocals, which blended beautifully in unison and packed a punch as a standalone.

Additionally, credit should be given to George Dawes (Mr Noble/Sutcliffe) who effectively delivered multiple roles with versatility, humour, and shining characterisation.

During the performance, there were a few technical difficulties, in particular with sound and lighting. Personally, this is something I have grown to expect in a fringe space, and I feel it somewhat adds to the rough and ready charm of an off-West End fringe production. However, in full company numbers, I think the production could benefit from revisiting the placement of lead vocalists, and there were multiple occasions where I sadly missed lyrics due to competing backing vocals and the band.

Overall, the production is an appealing treat, with highlights of elegance, campery, humour and an abundance of zest. It is a shining example of how large-scale musicals can be successfully adapted and reimagined for small stages, yet still, carry key messages and themes throughout. If you fancy your fill of fringe theatre, head on down to visit Betty!

Review by Adam Tipping

Rating: ★★★

Price of Ticket: £25

OLIVIER AWARDS 2023: Full List of Winners & Nominees

2023-04-02T21:58:00.007+01:00

Delta Air Lines Best New Play

For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

Mastercard Best New Musical

The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Sylvia at The Old Vic
Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

Cunard Best Revival

The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier
Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Jerusalem at Apollo Theatre
A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Magic Radio Best Musical Revival
My Fair Lady at London Coliseum
Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic -
Sister Act at Eventim Apollo
South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells

Best Actress

Jodie Comer for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Patsy Ferran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Mei Mac for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Janet McTeer for Phaedra at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Nicola Walker for The Corn Is Green at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Best Actor

Tom Hollander for Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Paul Mescal for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Rafe Spall for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
David Tennant for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Giles Terera for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Best Actor in a Musical

Alon Moni Aboutboul for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Arthur Darvill for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Julian Ovenden for South Pacific at Sadler’s Wells
Andrew Rannells for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

Best Actress in a Musical

Katie Brayben for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre
Anoushka Lucas for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Miri Mesika for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Faith Omole for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Best Actor in a Supporting Role

Mark Akintimehin, Emmanuel Akwafo, Nnabiko Ejimofor, Darragh Hand, Aruna Jalloh & Kaine Lawrence for For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy at Jerwood Theatre Downstairs at The Royal Court Theatre
Will Keen for Patriots at Almeida Theatre
Elliot Levey for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
David Moorst for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Sule Rimi for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton

Best Actress in a Supporting Role

Rose Ayling-Ellis for As You Like It at @sohoplace
Pamela Nomvete for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Caroline Quentin for Jack Absolute Flies Again at National Theatre – Olivier
Sharon Small for Good at Harold Pinter Theatre
Anjana Vasan for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre

Best Actress in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Beverley Knight for Sylvia The Old Vic
Maimuna Memon for Standing At The Sky’s Edge National Theatre – Olivier
Liza Sadovy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Marisha Wallace for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic

Best Actor in a Supporting Role in a Musical

Sharif Afifi for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Peter Polycarpou for The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Clive Rowe for Sister Act at Eventim Apollo
Zubin Varla for Tammy Faye at Almeida Theatre

Noël Coward Award for Best Entertainment or Comedy Play

Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
My Son’s A Queer, (But What Can You Do?) at Garrick Theatre & Ambassadors Theatre
One Woman Show at Ambassadors Theatre

Best Family Show

Blippi The Musical at Apollo Theatre
Hey Duggee The Live Theatre Show at Royal Festival Hall at Southbank Centre
Midsummer Mechanicals at Sam Wanamaker Playhouse at Shakespeare’s Globe
The Smartest Giant In Town at St Martin’s Theatre

Gillian Lynne Award for Best Theatre Choreographer

Matt Cole for Newsies at Troubadour Wembley Park Theatre
Lynne Page for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Kate Prince for Sylvia at The Old Vic
Basil Twist for Puppetry Direction for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

Best Costume Design

Frankie Bradshaw for Blues For An Alabama Sky at National Theatre – Lyttelton
Hugh Durrant for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium
Jean Paul Gaultier for Jean Paul Gaultier Fashion Freak Show at Roundhouse
Kimie Nakano for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre

d&b audiotechnik Award for Best Sound Design

Bobby Aitken for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Tony Gayle for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Drew Levy for Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! at Young Vic
Ben & Max Ringham for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre

Best Original Score or New Orchestrations

David Yazbek, Jamshied Sharifi & Andrea Grody – Music and Lyrics by David Yazbek, Orchestrations by Jamshied Sharifi & Additional Arrangements by Andrea Grody – The Band’s Visit at Donmar Warehouse
Joe Hisaishi & Will Stuart – Music by Joe Hisaishi & Orchestrations and Arrangements by Will Stuart – My Neighbour Totoro for Barbican Theatre
Daniel Kluger & Nathan Koci – Orchestrations and Arrangements by Daniel Kluger & Additional Vocal Arrangements by Nathan Koci – Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! Young Vic
Richard Hawley & Tom Deering – Music and Lyrics by Richard Hawley & Orchestrations by Tom Deering – Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier

Blue-i Theatre Technology Award for Best Set Design

Miriam Buether for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre
Tom Pye for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Ben Stones for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Mark Walters for Jack And The Beanstalk at The London Palladium

White Light Award for Best Lighting Design

Natasha Chivers for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Lee Curran for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Jessica Hung Han Yun for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Tim Lutkin for The Crucible at National Theatre – Olivier

TAIT Award for Best New Opera Production

Alcina by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Least Like The Other by Irish National Opera and Royal Opera at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Peter Grimes by Royal Opera at Royal Opera House
Sibyl at Barbican Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Opera

Sinéad Campbell-Wallace for her performance in Tosca by English National Opera at London Coliseum
William Kentridge for his conception and direction of Sibyl at Barbican Theatre
Antony McDonald for his design of Alcina at Royal Opera House

Best New Dance Production

Light Of Passage by Crystal Pite at Royal Opera House
Pasionaria by La Veronal at Sadler’s Wells
Traplord by Ivan Michael Blackstock at 180 Studios (The Strand)
Triptych (The Missing Door, The Lost Room, And The Hidden Floor) by Peeping Tom at Barbican Theatre

Outstanding Achievement in Dance

Manuel Liñán for his choreography of ¡VIVA! at Sadler’s Wells
Dickson Mbi for his choreography of Enowate at Sadler’s Wells
Raquel Meseguer Zafe for her dramaturgy of Ruination by Lost Dog at Royal Opera House – Linbury Theatre
Catrina Nisbett for her performance in Family Honour by Spoken Movement at Sadler’s Wells

Unusual Rigging Award for Outstanding Achievement in Affiliate Theatre

Age Is A Feeling at Soho Theatre
Blackout Songs at Hampstead Theatre Downstairs
The P Word at Bush Theatre
Paradise Now! at Bush Theatre
Two Palestinians Go Dogging at Jerwood Theatre Upstairs at The Royal Court Theatre

Sir Peter Hall Award for Best Director

Rebecca Frecknall for A Streetcar Named Desire at Almeida Theatre
Robert Hastie for Standing At The Sky’s Edge at National Theatre – Olivier
Justin Martin for Prima Facie at Harold Pinter Theatre
Phelim McDermott for My Neighbour Totoro at Barbican Theatre
Bartlett Sher for To Kill A Mockingbird at Gielgud Theatre

REVIEW: The RSC's Julius Caesar at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

2023-04-02T21:34:00.005+01:00

There is great pleasure in travelling to Stratford-Upon-Avon to see Shakespeare performed at the theatre and by a company that bears his name. It is a delightful setting and even on a cold spring afternoon, a stroll along the Avon reflecting on its historical heritage and supper in the Theatre’s excellent Rooftop Restaurant makes the trip a special event. The memories of seeing Sir Ian McKellen, Sir Kenneth Branagh, Dame Judi Dench, or Sir Anthony Sher perform the great roles of the canon build the anticipation of seeing a play even if we have seen the title performed before. The RSC has a huge responsibility to showcase the works, to broaden their appeal and enhance and build on its four-hundred-year legacy. The balance between innovation in the staging to “freshen” its appeal and staying true to the historical story is the Director’s responsibility and the choices he makes will determine the success of striking this balance.

Director Atri Banerjee states in the programme he was working “towards a more complex understanding of the world” and that the “Company member's own identities have fed into the show”. Such an approach must also help us, as an audience, understand what we are seeing and what it is saying to us and not distract us from the narrative or leave us confused over the intention. The play is a debate about regime change and the impact on the conspirators and the response from the wider public. To engage with the characters, we need to understand their status in society and feel the gravitas that enables them to carry a crowd but sadly in this production we see people casually dressed apparently of equal status speaking the lines in hysterical rages. He adds a so-called Community Chorus in black gowns who appear as observers with a curious opening to each Act when they blow over the Soothsayer and Cinna before a bizarre stomping dance that feels out of place with the historical narrative. When the assassination takes place black goo is used to symbolise blood and the conspirators remain smeared with it for the rest of the show for no obvious reason. They look like messy painters or printers rather than bloodied murderers.

These issues are compounded by casting changes of gender for Cassius (Kelly Gough), Brutus (Thalissa Teixeira) and other conspirators which rebalances the cast gender mix but changes the feel of the roles to bickering sisters rather than powerful “kingmakers”. The casting of Ella Dacres as Octavius dressed in battle fatigues worked satisfactorily as the new Leader. Annabel Baldwin brings an energy and strong presence as the Soothsayer, engaging the audience well with their eyes.

Nigel Barrett as Julius Caesar suffers too from costuming and staging and does not stand out as a leader until he returns in red as a ghost and joins a host of dead conspirators in the large spinning cube upstage. William Robinson as Mark Anthony does at least grab our attention in his pivotal famous speech “I come to bury Caesar, not to praise him” and its discussion of honourable men and their ambition (although lines like “she is an honourable man” jar) and we feel he is addressing us. Another success is Jamal Ajala as Brutus’s attendant Lucius who BSL signs his lines, and this brings a powerful intensity to Brutus’s death.

The thrust stage is backed by the large cube with projected images and while some are obvious like the images of storm clouds gathering, others are simply distracting and confusing and when the cube spins in First Act the interiors revealed are bare and devoid of any sense of location. Only in the Second Act when it spins does it have a purpose which is the creation of some sort of afterworld looking down on the survivors.

Perhaps this modern-dressed, gender-blind cast with its energetic movement will appeal to a younger new demographic but it left me cold, disinterested and bemused and while occasionally the spirits were lifted by one of the many classic speeches from this powerful political tragedy, it failed to deliver on the anticipation and expectation created by a visit to Stratford Upon Avon. The new Artistic Director will need to ensure that the RSC does get the balance right between honouring the immense legacy of the work and modernising the storytelling to resonate with the current society and perpetuate that legacy.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★

Seat: Row H | Price of Ticket: £80

REVIEW: Home, I’m Darling at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking

2023-04-02T21:21:00.009+01:00

As one-character quotes, nostalgia is not what it used to be, and author, Laura Wade uses this idea to explore feminist themes about the role of women as long-suffering wives and how women’s choices have changed over the last seventy years. We meet Judy played with a delightful playful charm by Jessica Ransom in her ideal Fifties home, dressed stylishly in period costume and lovingly waiting on her husband, Johnny, played by Neil McDermott, the family breadwinner who is “appallingly happy”. The setting, music and styling paint a picture of perfect marriage enjoying a Fifties lifestyle but (spoiler alert) when Judy pulls out her Apple laptop from a drawer, we realise that all is not as it seems.

Through a short neatly staged flashback scene we discover she adopted this lifestyle three years ago when she was offered redundancy from her successful job and that she is a smart fifties obsessed 38-year-old struggling to reconcile and understand the reaction of those around her to her own life choices and gradually the play explores the reality of the situation and the relationships with her husband, mother, work colleagues and friends. The writing is sharp and witty, the staging slick and well-choreographed and the characters well-developed and believable. The interplay between Judy and Johnny is beautifully handled drawing us into their chosen world and then blowing it apart as the other relationships test their commitment to both the lifestyle and each other and setting us to wonder whether their marriage can survive the tests. The challenge hits home when one character asks Judy “ what do you do all day?”.

Diane Keen brings all her experience to the stage as Judy’s mother Sylvia makes a powerful and moving speech which challenges not only her daughter's choices but also historical perceptions and attitudes and her own daughter’s memories of her childhood. The Fifties she recalls was a time of food rationing, broken men returning from the War and a lack of female equality and rights. Why would anyone want to live their life as it was then compared to the opportunities today?

Fran (Cassie Bradley) and Marcus (Matthew Douglas) are friends who appear to share the couple's love of the era and have previously joined them at the annual immersive Jivestock event but are they as committed to the period and each other as they seem? When we learn Marcus has been accused of sexual predatory behaviour at work, is he suffering from a false fantasist allegation or has his behaviour crossed the line from caring boss to more unacceptable sexual harassment? Shanez Pattni plays Johnny’s new boss, Alex at the Estate Agency and will decide whether he will get a promotion to Assistant Manager. She struts the stage with confidence as her visits give her insight into the couple’s relationship.

This is a production that started at Theatr Clwyd in 2018, then to the cosseted world of Arts Council-funded National Portfolio company, the National Theatre before transferring to the West End with commercial producers and now on tour with Bill Kenwright and Theatr Clywd as producers. The marvellous two-storey set which greets the audience as we take our seats really sets the scene with its bold patterned wallpaper and G-plan furniture and is used with great skill by Director Tamara Harvey with cleverly choreographed scene changes that add to our understanding of the characters. Occasionally we have to concentrate hard to catch every word as using general rather than personal mics seems to give an unbalanced sound in the high-roofed New Victoria Theatre.

This is a cleverly crafted play that challenges the audience by the interplays between the characters to think of the issues of #metoo campaign in a work setting, in personal relationships and on the choices women have today without lecturing and is so much more effective as a result. You are drawn in to care about the characters, reflect on their situation and leave entertained and provoked to reflect on your own life choices and relationships. It is well worth seeing on its tour which continues to May at Canterbury.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls, Row F | Price of Ticket: £39

REVIEW: Hay Fever at the Mill at Sonning

2023-03-27T15:58:00.004+01:00

It’s nearly 100 years since Noel Coward’s farcical comedy about the eccentric Bliss Family was first staged in the West End and it seems appropriate to mount a new production at the lovely Mill at Sonning in Berkshire just 12 miles from Cookham where the play is set. Yet the play is something of a curiosity of the period filled with theatrical games played by the self-centred egotistical family. Its artificiality may have amused us 100 years ago but now it all seems a little tiresome and we never care for any of the characters or are particularly amused by their affected behaviour. It does not have the exquisite wit and banter of his 1930 play Private Lives, the spectacle of the 1931 extravaganza Cavalcade, the beauty and romance of his 1936 play Still Life (so delightfully revived at the Mill at Sonning recently), the comical self-parody of the 1942 Present Laughter or even the wonderful characters of the 1941 Blithe Spirit.

Perhaps students of Coward’s extensive legacy of plays and music will see in this earlier play elements that he would later develop in his work. It is easy to see why Critics often gave mixed reviews when his new plays opened but also to recognise the enduring impact he had on Theatre. Therefore, if you have not seen the play before it is worth a trip down to Berkshire to catch it and reflect on why the central character Judith has been played over the years by such as Edith Evans, Celia Johnson, Penelope Keith, Maria Aitken, Geraldine McEwan, Judi Dench, Stephanie Beacham, Lindsay Duncan, Googie Withers, Dora Bryan, Celia Imrie, Nichola McAuliffe and Felicity Kendal. This is a phenomenal roll call and suggests it’s a part that the best female actresses of the day love to play.

Issy Van Randwyck joins this amazing list in the Mill at Sonning production and has the stage presence and theatricality from her extensive performance experience to create this diva of duplicitous games playing. She revels in twists and turns they put each other and their guests through over the course of an evening. She is magnificent as she winsomely gives someone a flower milking every move to great effect. She flirts outrageously with guests and struts the stage when she recreates scenes from her past theatrical performances. She is the queen bee who the others buzz around, occasionally giving as good as they get.

Emily Panes and William Pennington who play her two bickering children Sorrel and Simon rise to the challenge of creating two bad mannered disgraceful young adults who enjoy the posing and playfulness of the family antics and bring their own dramatic reactions to the events while recognising that the atmosphere gets more and more unbearable each day. Nick Waring completes the family quartet as the bespectacled author, David who seems to drift in and out of the living room oblivious to the guest he has invited down.

The four guests who innocently arrive for a quiet weekend with their hosts never stand a chance in this atmosphere. Aretha Ayeh plays the vampish Myra, invited by Simon, Darrell Brockis is the diplomat Richard invited by Sorrel, Daniel Fraser plays the young impressionable Sandy invited by Judith and Beth Lilly is the unfortunate Jackie invited by David. Their presence creates plenty of awkward moments, but each seems contrived and the gamesmanship too obvious as if pre-planned rather than spontaneous.

Some of the best comic moments are delivered by Joanna Brookes as the former theatre dresser Clara now acting as housekeeper to the family who seems to have picked up theatrical traits from her mistress and makes the most of every entrance and exit in a blatant attempt to steal the scene. She provides the best laughs of the show.

The whole thing has an elegant period feel with excellent costumes and detailed staging in furniture and props and director Tam Williams ensures that the Act 3 Breakfast scene is played at a gentle comic pace as each serves their food before the family burst into another destructive gameplay. However, the constraints of the Mill’s stage space once again led to a ludicrous back wall with the entrance to the Library, garden, upstairs, front door and kitchen all side by side in a way that makes no sense at all and leads to some improbable entrances and exits. They make the most of these with a self-shutting door to the front hall and a squeaky second step to add some more comic moments. The sound effect of the car on the drive is very effective and reacted to well by those on stage.

It is the first time I had seen this play, so I came to it fresh like the visitors to the Bliss Household. I assume it is called Hay Fever as a nod to the allergic reaction each visitor has to the countryside idyll, they find themselves or perhaps to the Flowers that attract the bees around Judith’s Queen Bee. There is no denying that this good cast did a fine job in creating the bad-mannered characters on stage, but I left with the sense of an allergic reaction to the play which seems dated and without relevance to today and the only value is one of curiosity as to why it has had such an enduring appeal.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★

Seat: Row F | Price of Ticket: £76 including a 2-course meal

REVIEW: Black Superhero at The Royal Court Theatre

2023-03-23T08:04:00.006+00:00

As a writers theatre, The Royal Court consistently programmes exciting new work showcasing the voices of artists who come at the world with perspectives of our current social climate with honesty and an intention to challenge the comfort of our moral compasses. Black Superhero, written by Danny Lee Wynter and directed by Daniel Evans, continues this legacy with humour, heart and a really fun soundtrack.

Black Superhero is a charming dark comedy centring around David (Danny Lee Wynter), a 38-year-old black gay man loosely holding onto dreams of becoming a successful actor and finding love. The problem is, David works for his kid sister Syd (Rochenda Sandall) children's party company, lives with her and her partner, is single and struggling to move through past trauma about his dad from when he was young. It was never his intention to end up here at this point in his life and as a man who is not shy to strike up a debate about the role of a black man with a platform, he feels like he does not have one of his own to promote. Meanwhile, his group of friends are moving on with their lives professionally and with confidence. Raheem (Eloka Ivo) has a moderate film career brewing and King (Dyllón Burnside) who is married to travel writer Stevie (Ben Allen), is basking in the success of the Marvel-like superhero franchise he is starring in called Craw. The show opens with David's pessimistic acceptance of this reality as he, Syd, King and Raheem drunkenly banter outside a club after a big night. However, when King announces that he and Stevie are in an open relationship, David’s life is disrupted and teased by the prospects of sex and fame that he had given up hope for. In a private moment, King makes a move on David and sweeps him into a delusional love thus making him question who he is and what he wants.

There are many themes introduced in this work such as being a black gay role model, masculinity, mental health, family, fame, sex and monogamy. Not all aspects of this ambitious text are given the time to be fully fleshed out and the heavier themes are generally treated with a light touch due to the comic nature of the work, however, towards the end of the play are some powerful moments that sit with more gravitas and are able to quiet the laughter of the audience.

Monogamy is one of the themes that does get more air time. Generally speaking there is the complexity involved for a couple choosing to become open as there is with the navigation needed by the person entering into the dynamic of an existing relationship. Why do it? For David, it is partly a fantasy he believes can save him. King is literally a superhero on screen as Craw and in life as a charismatic celebrity and friend. In sequences parodying superhero tropes, David has visions of Craw, hero-worshipping him as both a lover and father figure. The question arises through David’s superhero obsession, why do we form the attachments we do? This relates to David's infatuation with King and to his trauma around the violent phantom figure of his and Syd’s father who sits differently in each sibling's memory. Messaging in the work suggests, even if the love we receive is not ideal, it's still love and can serve a purpose. Perhaps, the play lets us know that we do not need to apologise for our attachments but grow to grow from them.

The ensemble as a whole are strong, full of energy and keeps a pace that makes the play feel like it is over in the blink of an eye. Pop culture references are spitballed between them in a blink-or-you-miss-it fashion giving the work a contemporary and accessible framework. Each actor finds the honesty, ego and integrity needed to bring their vibrant characters to life. In particular, Sandall powerfully stands out as the only female voice on the stage. Dominik Holmes who morphs between the Twink and Jackson, Kings PR in Australia, brings an added element of comic relief to an already humorous show and as an Australian myself who has beard witness to some awful Australian accents on stage, I was impressed with his. Allen also gets a positive mention on this point.

Movement director Gerrard Martin assists the work so that it is able to embody a world that sits between fantasy, celebrity and human existence and sound designer Iain Syme offers a playlist and atmosphere that sits comfortably in the action while also making you want to dance in your seat at times.

Joanna Scotcher's design and lighting design from Ryan Day is also an element that needs to be commended with an expanding and contracting illuminated diamond, that frames the stage and dances with the action and tension of the performance.

Black Superhero provides laughs and moments of heart that resonate although, not all conflicts provoked are resolved. However, this is not necessarily a bad thing, that’s life. There is so much more to talk about once the show is over.

Black Superhero plays at the Royal Court from March 16 to April 29.

Review by Stephanie Osztreicher

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Circle A11 | Price of Ticket: £12 - £49

REVIEW: The King and I at the Wycombe Swan Theatre

2023-03-19T21:44:00.007+00:00

Bartlett Sher’s magnificent revival of Rogers and Hammerstein’s wonderful 1951 musical was first produced for the Lincoln Centre in New York in 2015 before being remounted at the London Palladium and released to cinemas in 2018. The production has been recast and remounted for an extensive UK tour which began in January 2023 in Canterbury and currently continues until November in Norwich and last week visited the Swan in High Wycombe for a sell-out week. It is well worth catching with its beautiful score, simple slick staging and appropriately diverse cast lead by Helen George as Anna and Darren Lee as the King.

Helen George is best known for her role in Call the Midwife but fully inhabits the role of the Governess arriving in Siam with her young son Louis and standing up to and winning over the dictatorial King. She handles the huge crinoline dresses with aplomb and delivers her songs with great passion and a good voice. She may not have the stage presence of Kellie O’Hara who played the role in New York and London, but she gives full range to the emotions from anger to caring and growing respect for the King and makes a very good and convincing Anna. We feel her nerves in “Whistle a happy tune”, her sorrow and hope in “Hello young lovers” and her joy in “Getting to know you”.

Opposite her, Darren Lee brings all his American musical theatre experience to the stage as the aloof King who is used to fawning at subservient courtiers around him and gradually learns to adapt his leadership in response to her prompting. It is an excellent, well-judged performance played with just enough comic touch to make him endearing. He is regal in “A puzzlement” as he reflects on the modern world and then burst into joyous life in “Shall we dance” as they swirl around the stage together.

They are well supported by an impressive cast with Cezarah Bonner as Lady Thiang with the charming “Something Wonderful” and then leading the Ensemble in the amusing take on different cultural dress styles in “Western people funny”. Marienella Phillips is very engaging in the troubled tole of Tuptim and narrates the second half ballet “The small House of uncle Thomas” with great charm. Indeed, I enjoyed watching the ballet more in the more intimate setting of the Swan than in the cavernous Palladium. Her love interest Lin Tha, is played by Dean John-Wllson and together they delivered the beautiful “I kiss in the shadow” with great control and charm. Caleb Lagayan does well creating the role of young Prince Chulalongkorn struggling with the impending responsibility of being king. Part of the endearing charm of the show is the young royal children who we meet in “March of the Siamese children” each responding differently to the King and Anna and establishing their individuality and love for both people.

The staging is a largely open stage with the high wall upstage reflecting the nation's insular outlook and pillars to set the internal palace rooms. The opening arrival boat sequence is well staged as is the transition into Anna’s first tentative steps on land. The front cloth and false front proscenium arch are beautifully lit during the overture with all these lovely tunes and let you know that you are in for a musical treat with this show. Nearly three hours later you leave with a smile on your face and a sense that it is a privilege to see this quality of production in UK Regional venues.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls, Row J | Price of Ticket: £55

REVIEW: Accidental Death of An Anarchist at the Lyric Hammersmith

2023-03-19T21:44:00.006+00:00

Anyone familiar with pitching a theatre show these days will know there is one question you always have to answer to be in with a shot of doing your show; ‘Why now?’ This is a question that this production of Accidental Death of An Anarchist at the Lyric Hammersmith answers with every second of its stage time.

Though Dario Fo’s classic satire was based on the death of a real-life anarchist in police custody following the 1969 Piazza Fontana bombing, at its heart it is a play about corruption in the police that is not limited to a time or place.

A maniac walks into a police station impersonating a judge, forensic specialist and bishop… and that’s not even the funniest part! Tom Basden’s adaption of Darren Fo and Franca Rame’s ‘Accidental Death Of An Anarchist’ is from start to finish a comedic masterpiece filled to the brim with jokes, gags and more!

Tom Basden’s adaptation levels its aim at the Met Police, and is bursting with modern references - some are as innocent as nods to Love Island or Line of Duty or even nods to ‘Diversity and Inclusion Training’ - but many cut deeper, making direct references not only to the recent failings and outright corruption and crime in the Met Police but to current statistics on the lack of consequences for police officers whose behaviour is reported and the rise in police brutality.

Anna Reid’s set creates the scene with the police interview room, but the simplicity also allows the actors to make as much use of the space as possible. It works incredibly well to allow the constant face paced nature of the show to flourish and the transition between scenes comes across effortlessly.

The cast are all fantastic, each coming in at the right point to intensify the scene. They bounce off each other and the way they perform it’s faultless. The majority of the mention and praise has to be given to the Maniac (Daniel Rigby). The energy Rigby exudes is phenomenal, he’s magnetic on stage. Never taking a breath and giving an award-worthy performance showcasing humour and his incredible ability. The breaking of the fourth wall with the audience allowed us to not feel we had to take anything seriously and just enjoy what was happening around us.

What has to be mentioned as both clever and thought-provoking, is the wording used within the show to keep relevance with today's society. It seems to be with comedy that it becomes easier to laugh at the issues at hand rather than deal with them. The references to the Black Lives Matter March, and Sarah Everard are put in at the right places that once we’ve laughed at a joke previously before, we then suddenly stop and realise these conversations have to happen.

It is out of this chaos that you get some of the most affecting moments - as the comedy escalates so too do the stakes, and quite often it is among the funniest parts of the play that the most gut-punching references are made, and we remember why we’re here. The ‘Why now’. Most poignantly, following the bows, and in this case, a standing ovation, a tally builds on the walls of the police office, and the numbers count up, until the message on the wall tells you there have been

1850 deaths in police custody or following contact with the police since 1990, with a link to inquest.org.uk. The play leaves you in no doubt that whilst you may have split your sides with laughter, the issues it points to are as real and pressing as they have ever been, and that they’re only escalating.

And that is the final choice that makes this such a brilliantly executed piece of theatre - not only is the show a riot to watch, they call on the audience, constantly, to be aware of their own responses - the cycle of outrage, inquest, and inaction that allows institutions to slip, and people to feel powerless to do more than complain about it.

All in all, it’s a roaring success, the show is fantastic, and the cast is tremendous. Director Daniel Raggett has created a gem. An evening of comedy but also education. Being taught to open your eyes but at the same time wipe the tears of laughter away from them.

It seems that the way to tackle complex topics and conversations nowadays seems to be through action, making a statement. A comedic farce might not be the statement that jumps to mind but ‘Accidental Death Of An Anarchist’ is exactly the statement needed to get people talking. I have no doubt that it is a play that will be sticking in my head for a while yet, and that is when you know a new adaptation has come at just the right moment.

Review by Jasmine Silk & George Butler

Rating: ★★★★★

Seat: Stalls, M12 | Price of Ticket: £15-42

REVIEW: Farm Hall at the Jermyn Street Theatre

2023-03-19T21:44:00.005+00:00

First came the euphoria of VE Day in May 1945. People rejoiced after six long years of war came to an end. The first summer of peacetime ambled gently into view. But war was still raging in the Far East. Come August an atomic bomb will land in Hiroshima and provoke Japan’s unconditional surrender. The aftershock would be equally felt at Farm Hall in the Cambridgeshire countryside. Six of Germany's top nuclear scientists have been detained at the mansion following their capture by allied forces.

Known collectively as Hitler's 'Uranium Club' they gradually adjust to their surroundings. They half-heartedly rehearse for their own production of Blythe Spirit. Redacted newspapers and a hastily repaired piano are the only other sources of amusement. The group have their own peculiar cliques but is frequently split according to age and status. Hahn (Forbes Masson) is the linchpin who discovered nuclear fission, a process that made the atomic bomb possible. Von Laue (David Yelland) is the elder statesman who won the Nobel Prize for Physics. Diebner (Julius D'Silva) was a leading member of the Nazi Party; while Heizenberg (Alan Cox) is another Nobel Prize winner and mentor to Bagge (Archie Backhouse). Weizsacker (Daniel Boyd), a younger member of the group comes from a well-connected, influential family.

Farm Hall has a natural shine because it is based on a true story, and there is a self-contained drama within the story itself. When news of the attack on Hiroshima breaks, an intense period of self- analysis and contemplation begins. Far from being Hitler's henchmen, they were outstanding scientists charged with harnessing the power of uranium. Do they feel guilt at the destruction they've helped create, or frustration that someone else has finished the job they started? The comfort of confinement leaves them nowhere to hide; they have no choice but to face the consequences of an all too real devastation.

Aside from being superbly acted and brilliantly written, Farm Hall poses some uncomfortable questions about science, and how much can be justified in the name of progress. All inventions can be used for good or evil; just in the same way that uranium can be used as both a source of energy and destruction. Debutant playwright Katherine Moar has fashioned an intelligent and engrossing narrative. The only downer is the use of scientific jargon (‘C02 globules’ anyone?). Which could make it challenging for those of us who hid at the back of the science lab at school?

Review by Brian Penn

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: D11 | Price of Ticket: £35/£31 concessions

REVIEW: Bonnie and Clyde at the Garrick Theatre

2023-03-09T19:57:00.005+00:00

Wanted: London’s Most Wanted Musical, and winner of Best New Musical at the WhatsOnStage Awards 2023! You want a tip-off? You can find them at The Garrick Theatre, in the heart of central London in the form of Bonnie & Clyde the Musical.

Romanticized by the media at the time, the story of Bonnie and Clyde was far from your traditional love story. However, despite their appalling legacy of violence, it was in fact their undeniable dedication and love for one another that has made its mark in the history books.

The story follows two small-town kids from rural America, each with dreams of their own, thrust together into a life on the run, full of adventure, passion, and crime.

It is clear from the first line to the last as to why leads Frances Mayli McCann (Bonnie Parker) and Jordan Luke Gage (Clyde Barrow) were invited to reprise their roles, having both had a successful run with the show at The Arts Theatre and for McCann, in the concert at Theatre Royal Drury Lane. Both displayed stellar, dynamic performances with playfulness, strength, and electric energy.

Credit must also be given to Jodie Steele (Blanche Barrow) and Cleve September (Ted Hinton), both of whom gave standout performances packed full of zest, versatility, and impressive vocals.

The show does a fantastic job of alluring you into a world that is fundamentally very dark, and yet, while we know how it ends, you are left in suspense, eagerly waiting to find out what twist will come next for this destructive duo.

Furthermore, the show’s distinctive soundtrack was delivered magnificently by the entire cast, showcasing indisputable talent and technique vocally, particularly during solo numbers ‘Raise a Little Hell’, and ‘Dyin’ Ain’t So Bad’, delivered by our two outstanding leads with ease.

If you’re looking to escape the modern day, and delve into a time of felony, devotion, and award-winning actors, look no further! Be sure to pay two of history's most notorious rebel lovers a visit during their current season at the Garrick Theatre.

Review by Adam Tipping

Rating: ★★★★

REVIEW: The Great British Bake Off Musical at the Noel Coward Theatre

2023-03-06T23:55:00.003+00:00

The Great British Bake Off - the hit TV show that’s taken audiences all over the world by storm. Also, the musical nobody asked for, and maybe there’s good reason.

If you’ve seen the TV show you’ll be very familiar with the basis of this musical. Eight bakers, two presenters and two judges. Through the musical, we lightly explore these eight aspiring bakers guided by our two presenters with the occasional appearance of our two very well-loved presenters. Other than that, there’s not much basis for this show.

With a very loose storyline that appears clunky and drawn out, we never actually reach below the surface of each baker. And as for the judges and presenters, the material lacks and we struggle to find the difference between parody and authenticity.

Where the musical struggles is it doesn’t take the comedy far enough; whilst there are a few funny songs, the jokes get old very quickly and the parody never goes far enough for us to be tearing up in hysterics. It’s almost as if this show is protecting the brand whilst attempting to point fun at it, all of which falls flat in a storyline thinner than Paul Hollywood’s filo pastry.

The musical has an incredible cast, filled with top musical theatre talent who do what they can with the non-existent character development and dull storyline. We never get too deep into the characters and therefore don’t really care enough about them, so when the winner is about to be announced at the end, we don’t really care what the outcome is. And by the actual outcome, neither do the writers.

The star of the show is Charlotte Wakefield who plays Gemma, as the main focal point in the production she does a very good job with the material she’s given. She gives a very real and natural performance which brings out the comedy in the writing delicately. Her eleven o’clock number ‘Rise’ was a highlight of the show with killer vocals and a very thoughtful performance. Damian Humbley also brings out similar qualities in the piece, making the romantic relationship a sweet touch to the show.

Whilst there are some very good performances in the show, none can be pulled out because the development of their characters was so poor. Not at fault with the performers, but with the writing by Jake Brunger and Pippa Cleary. There are a few good numbers in the show but they are very few and far between. Nothing goes deeper than the surface and even in touching moments the writing feels unnatural and therefore we struggle to connect with it.

The show is nice but fails to deliver the comedy or heart we get from the TV show. With a group of very talented performers doing the absolute best they can, the actual material is what lets this show down. I’m sure this will be a hit with Bake Off fans but for someone wanting a good night at the theatre, this isn’t the show for you.

Review by Mark Swale

Rating: ★★

Seat: Grand Circle, B18 | Price of Ticket: £62.75

REVIEW: Rogers and Hammerstein's Oklahoma! at the Wyndham's Theatre

2023-02-28T22:54:00.001+00:00

Every musical theatre fan is going to want to slap me silly when I say that I've never actually seen Rogers and Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! I didn’t grow up watching those classic musicals but now as an adult, I make an effort to go and see them to make up for lost time. What I didn’t expect, was for this production to have such an emotional effect on me.

Oklahoma! is a Rogers and Hammerstein staple, first performed in 1943 on Broadway this piece has certainly stood the test of time as it remains to be one of the most famous musical classics. This production, which is currently playing at the Wyndham's Theatre, has transferred from a fantastic run at the Young Vic and prior to this, a stellar run on Broadway.

I was completely blown away by this production, the simplicity of every aspect was stunning. The words do all of the work in this production and what comes of that is pure truth from the actors. Not a single moment felt forced, provoked or staged, every performer was in the moment and allowed the text to do all the work for them. What that brought out of the text was a brilliant comedy but also extreme tragedy.

This production turns what we’ve known about it on its head (I was thoroughly informed by my date that evening!) Jud Fry, performed by Patrick Vaill, is usually played as this big bad guy and the villain of the piece. In this, he is almost like a Shakespearian protagonist. The character's mental health was very fragile in the show and nowadays, if this was set in a modern-day city, the character would have so many options to get help. In an almost timeless country village, he has no resources. Vaill, who has transferred from the US production, plays the role with a beautiful and uncomplicated simplicity. He is emotionally abused by the people around him and we see the tragic effects of that. In the moment of his *spoiler alert* death, I froze and immediately welled up.

This really struck a chord with me, I don’t think there are many people around who don’t know someone who has been affected directly by mental health. Watching a character who is visibly in need of help and desperate was truly heartbreaking as an outsider. This gives the whole piece a new meaning and Patrick Vaill is a masterful performer.

The wonderful Arthur Darvill plays the leading role of Curly, with the iconic opening song his alternative vocals give a new sound to the score and it’s completely unique. Whilst Jud Fry is the protagonist in this version, Curly is almost, probably, most definitely the villain. A vision of classic toxic masculinity, this character is unlikable and by the end we want him locked up for life. It takes a very skilled actor to make us hate him, Darvill is undoubtedly the man for the job. An outstanding performance.

Georgina Onuorah takes over the role of Ado Annie from Marisha Wallice who played the character at the Young Vic. Wallice has just been nominated for an Olivier for the role and I’m wondering if Onuorah can be nominated next year? If it's allowed, it most definitely should happen. She is the shining example of an impeccable comedy actor, she allows the words to do the work for her and with her skill and talent she produces one of the funniest performances I’ve seen in a very long time. Huge vocals and a gorgeous actor, I’m very much looking forward to seeing where she goes in the future.

Her partner in crime, Will Parker, played by James Patrick Davis, matched the energy of Onuorah. Another very natural performance but executed the comedy element perfectly.

Two other final cast mentions must go to Liza Sadovy and Helen K Wint. Sadovy blew me away and was the stand-out performance in Cabaret so seeing her in this was truly wonderful, a great role for her. She had strength and commanded the action but also had a soft side, a joy to watch. Wint is an understudy in the show, covering three roles, and was on for Gertie the night I visited. Had I not seen the sign at the bar, I would never have thought she was an understudy. She slotted in perfectly and gave a really wonderful performance, this early in the run it just proves how valuable and talented our understudies are in theatre.

The creatives on this show have really created something extremely special, Drew Levy’s Sound design was remarkable and so detailed. It contributed to the overall production immensely and truly made the show. Along with Scott Zielinski’s lighting design, it proved that simplicity sometimes really is the most effective thing.

Under the direction of Daniel Fish, this production of Oklahoma is remarkable. The theatrical event of the year, this piece is the must-see show of 2023. This is the most special and thought-provoking show I’ve seen in a very long time, I left the theatre with a lump in my throat and am already planning my return.

Review by Mark Swale

Rating: ★★★★★

Seat: Royal Circle, B24 | Price of the Ticket: £150.00

INTERVIEW: Anna-Jane Casey, currently playing Cilla the Goose in Mother Goose on Tour

2023-02-28T22:42:00.000+00:00

Anna-Jane Casey is currently starring as Cilla the Goose in Mother Goose alongside Ian McKellen and John Bishop. Mother Goose previously played Duke of York’s Theatre in London before touring various cities. The show is touring to Liverpool, Oxford, Leicester, Dublin Cardiff, Salford and Bristol until mid April.

Anna-Jane Casey has most recently been seen in the Olivier Award winning revival of Cabaret at the Kit Kat Club starring as Fraulein Kost, and her prolific stage career includes the West End productions of Billy Elliot, Starlight Express, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, Spamalot, Stepping Out, Chicago, Grease and so much more. On television you may have seen her in Silent Witness, Coronation Street, The Royal and Doctors among other appearances.

You’re currently starring in Mother Goose, written by the wonderful Jonathan Harvey. How has the run been so far?

The run has been amazing so far! We started previews early December in Brighton – we’d do a show and then all run around doing our Christmas shopping.

The show was in Brighton before finding a home over Christmas in the West End. How did the audiences differ?

The audiences really aren’t that different, but you obviously get a more international audience in the West End. We’ve had people from all over the world coming to see the show in London. One night we had a Brazilian couple on the second row, who had never seen a panto before - I’d never seen a man so happy for two hours, him and his partner were joyous!

What is your favourite moment in the show?

Oscar Conlon-Morrey - why that boy doesn’t have his own major comedy show is beyond me! Anytime Oscar is on the stage is joy personified for me, he’s a wonderful human being, and cracks me up every night. But also, Richard Leeming, who plays Bat, any time he’s onstage is wonderful.

What has it been like working with Sir Ian McKellen? I like to think he recites Shakespeare in his dressing room for fun...

What can I say! The words ‘living legend’ are banded about too much, but he is. I had a great chat with him the other day about his upbringing and becoming an actor. When he finished university, he went around all the rep companies and learnt on the trade - the man has never trained. I pride myself on the fact that I never went to Drama School and trained. I look at Ian McKellen who has played every Shakespeare character and starred in major movies, and he’s the most joyous, kind, funny, rude, and saucy man. He’s a wonderful man and it’s an honour to hold his hand on stage. I can’t believe my luck when I’m standing next to Magneto! Magneto is my friend!

And what is it like starring with John Bishop?

I grew to love John Bishop during the rehearsal process. He is the kindest, funniest, warmest, sweetest, and generous man. He works so hard; he deserves a rest – I sound like his wife! He’s the hardest working man in show business and I love him immensely.

What was the first pantomime you went to as an audience member?

I think it might have been Jack and the Beanstalk in Manchester when I was about 6 or 7 years old. They called for children to come up on stage, and before they even finished their sentence I was out of my seat. I just remember being on the stage, looking out at a sea of people, singing along and having the best time!

They say that panto is one of the hardest jobs out there. Did you manage to have a Christmas of your own?

We did, we were very lucky this year. We had Christmas Eve, Christmas Day, and Boxing Day off, which is often unheard of! We had a nice Christmas... I did just lie down and eat cake though.

A lot of West End theatregoers will know you from your acclaimed run as Fraulein Kost/Fritzie in the lauded revival Cabaret. Would you like to see that sort of immersive theatre, as seen at the Kit Kat Club, done more in the West End?

I would like to see more. There are a lot currently, such as Punchdrunk, which is a great immersive theatre company. You’re getting 4-hours of entertainment, at least! Theatre is a creative and collaborative environment, which involves the audience as well. If the audience aren’t joining in, then the work as an actor is really hard. It’s a live immersive experience, even if it’s not billed as one – that’s what I’m finding on this panto. Once the audience join in everyone has a great time. To hear a room full of people connecting is a wonderful thing – it’s the human condition, we all want to connect.

If you could revive any other musical in the West End, what would it be?

Bring back Starlight Express! You know you’re working hard when you’re doing Starlight - that was a tremendous show to do. I don’t know if I’d do it now at my age, but when I was 26 I loved it.

You’ve had many, many roles on the West End. Which has been the biggest challenge for you?

I’ve played a lot of lead roles, but when I was first given the opportunity to do a big show, I was Velma Kelly in Chicago in the West End. I can remember the first night. My parents were there, my dad came into my dressing room, and I was in tears saying, ‘I can’t do it, it’s too much pressure.’ My dad held me, and he said, ‘You’ve fought all your life to be at the front, you deserve it, and you are brilliant’. My biggest challenge was really getting over my own fear.

And which has been your favourite?

It has got to be West Side Story. It’s where I met my husband and we’ve been married for 25 years. It’s still the greatest show ever written – musically, lyrically, and script.

And when it comes to pantomime – apart from the obvious differences – how does it differ to being in a West End musical?

Pantos are different because most West End shows don’t ask you to be involved (aside from Cabaret). In a panto you have the join in – the audience are asked to, from ‘its behind you’ to ‘oh no it isn’t’. If you’re coming to a panto expecting to do nothing you might as well just go home.

And looking to the future, what would you like to be next for you?

I want my new kitchen to be done – it’s been a work in progress since I was in Cabaret, and it’s still not done. So next for me is keeping myself and my children alive and getting my kitchen redone!

Interview by Jordan Lloyd Beck

Click here to buy tickets for Mother Goose on tour

REVIEW: Hedda Gabler at the Reading Rep

2023-02-28T20:13:00.000+00:00

Reading Rep is celebrating its tenth anniversary of its formation and a second season in its new venue with some bold and original adaptations of familiar stories. After the glorious success of a one-woman version of Jekyll and Hyde with the incredible Audrey Brisson and an intriguing resetting of Christmas Carol in the Huntley and Palmer Reading Biscuit factory comes a modern adaptation of Hedda Gabler set somewhere near London. This risk-taking approach to theatre combined with a £10 ticket price for those under 30 appears to be engaging the local communities and bringing a younger excitable audience into the venue which is to be celebrated and applauded.

The original Henrik Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler was written in 1891 around a woman trapped in a marriage and a house that she does not want and has been considered by many as one of the great dramatic female roles in theatre. When I saw Sheridan Smith play the role at Old Vic in 2012, she beautifully captured the tragic consequences of her manipulative behaviour in a grand period house. This new production at the Reading Rep intimate venue is written by Harriet Madeley and seeks to reinvent the story in a modern setting with the two rival academic authors competing for publication as well as the attention of Hedda now given a modern twist by changing the gender of Eilert Lovburg, her former lover to Isla. The rest follows with the three women, Isla, Thea and Hedda secretly attracted to each other, seemingly without the men, George, her husband, and Brack, now a publishing agent being fully aware. Curiously the effect is that rather than feeling Hedda is trapped in a six-week-old marriage, she seems manipulative and in control of her actions and one wonders why she simply does not leave her husband whose mind is clearly on his work. Indeed, the characters have become one-dimensional and their jumps in behaviours seem unrealistic and unbelievable.

It is not helped by the curious setting, designed by Amy Watts, in which the dilapidated old house is depicted with walls made of discoloured plastic sheets around a living room with a ludicrous fire pit in the centre of the room. As a result, the cast are called upon to step in and out of the pit throughout or carefully walk around its edges. Perhaps there was some symbolic meaning to when they stood in the pit, sat on the edge, or stepped up to floor level but I missed it, and it proved a massive distraction. Is Hedda meant to be drawing people into the destructive power of the flames? Equally, Director Annie Kershaw's decision to stage three intimate interviews on the forestage using hand microphones adds to the lack of realism as if the conversations are imagined or are flashbacks and lessens the dramatic impact despite the revelations. Another of Ibsen’s characters, Aunt Julie, is seen only in silhouette through the plastic while speaking through her smartphone to George which proves a rather dull dramatic device. Some of the audience clearly saw this differently as there was the occasional loud hysterical laughter in reaction to some of this which had the effect of dissipating any tension in the relationships on stage.

The cast of five has to work very hard to create any dramatic tension in this setting and only occasionally do the characters connect in a way that seems believable and reveals insight into their feelings. Anna Popplewell makes her stage debut as Hedda Gabler and conveys the boredom she feels near her husband and displays cruel bitchy and unpleasant manipulative thoughts but never reveals any passion or desire towards any of the other characters. Jessica Temple as Isla fares better and conveys her struggle to control her alcoholism, her self-doubt, and her hidden passions well although does seem too ready to be influenced by Hedda. Mark Desebrock as George, Ryan Gerald as the controlling Brack and Natalie Perera as Thea are called on to reveal awkward tension in their relationships but suffer from the staging and lack of realism.

The programme highlights the creative team's desire to show LGBTQIA+ people as glorious beings and to explain Hedda’s dissatisfaction with her heterosexual marriage. It presents George as an obsessive researcher and author who is more interested in his next manuscript than his wife and Brack as a manipulative and controlling force, but this fails to make us see Hedda as a victim or explain why this should cause Isla to behave as she does. Both Hedda and Isla seem to be intelligent and strong people which makes their fate seems so out of place.

Reading Rep is an exciting adventurous company which on limited budgets is attracting well-experienced performers and pushing the boundaries of traditional theatre and traditional theatre audiences in bold and innovative programming. There is a post-show talk on this latest production on 9th March which might offer some insight into this adaptation. Critical to its ongoing success is attracting sufficient audiences from both the new demographics and traditional theatregoers and part of that is for both groups to understand that what is exciting about live theatre is being challenged, amused and engaged in equal measure. We have to accept that you don’t always respond to every new innovation in the same way, but we should celebrate the adventurous programming, the work and risk-taking of performers and creatives and enjoy the experience of discovering live theatre and their efforts.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★

Seat: Row D | Price of Ticket: £19.50

REVIEW: Charlotte and Theodore at the Theatre Royal Bath

2023-02-28T20:01:00.001+00:00

The title of Charlotte and Theodore, the new play by Ryan Craig which is enjoying its world premiere at the Ustinov Studio in Bath until 18th March before a short tour to Richmond and Cambridge, does not do justice to the brilliant writing and performances of this clever two-hander. The promotional blurb states, “cancel culture, gender politics, trans rights, online abuse and power struggles are all at play on a university campus” and suggests a rather dry woke debate about modern society driven by social media activism but instead the ninety-minute romp is a funny, witty and pacy exploration of a couple’s relationship over ten years which resonates with Generation X and older audiences. Despite running straight through it never stops amusing and engaging and we could have happily sat through another few scenes of their life together.

The script is a beautifully observed debate about modern-day gender roles in family life, the ambition and desire for career success and the impact of the community they live in on their relationship. It’s packed with metaphors and allegories that illustrate and amuse and seem to sit naturally in the mouths of two philosophy lecturers at the university. How do you describe a desk that identifies as a stool? Why symbolically is Teddy's last costume change in front of Lotte’s wardrobe? What happens when a flock of swarming birds get caught in a change of wind direction?

It resonates so well as we all battle a social media culture that selects data to fit a preselected conclusion, that confuses and amplifies rumours and speculation over facts, that finds offensive words about protected characteristic groups by ignoring the context and seeks to celebrate and promote diversity by demanding uniformity and compliance. It calls into question the limitations of free speech and challenges a concept of equality that drags everyone down to the lowest level rather than seeking to raise everyone up to a higher level. It is a modern Play for Today.

Kris Marshall is magnificent as Teddy, the white ambitious older male university lecturer who seeks promotion to head of the faculty after years of service and whose set established ways and philosophical intellectual thinking are challenged by the university Standards Committee and unseen student bodies. His confident assurance is broken down over the ten years by frustration and weariness. Eve Ponsonby is delightful as Lotte, the younger research assistant he hires and falls for and who turns the tables on him creating a powerful debate on gender roles and family responsibilities. The two offstage characters of Chloe and Jack, their two children, become catalysts to create tension between the couple and there is a brilliantly funny scene when they discuss how their four-year-old son has peed in a carafe of wine at a faculty event. The seven scenes which jump back and forth in time are very well acted between them with the pauses, looks and body language clearly showing the changing relationship and growing tension over time but we also see their admiration, respect, love, frustration and anger with each other. It feels real even when the words they speak are complicated philosophical banter.

Simply set in a grey box with a frieze of books around the walls and just two chairs and the aforementioned table, Director Terry Johnson ensures the pace and proxemics reflect their relationship status and cleverly animates the scenes changes by the cast to maintain our engagement and interest in the half-light, so much so that occasionally you miss the projected time setting on the rear wall. The bird calls charmingly help set the outdoor locations and chime with Teddy’s allegorical ornithological passion.

Back when Generation X were born there was a brilliant play by Brain Clark called “Whose life is it anyway?” which beautifully articulated the for and against of Euthanasia in an entertaining and provocative play. The writing of Charlotte and Theodore reminded me of that experience and prompts me to suggest this might be called “Whose responsibility is it anyway?”. In a world of gender equality, who is responsible for bringing up the children and for providing for the family? In a world where the stresses and strains of daily life are characterised as mental health issues, who is responsible for protecting us from ourselves? In a world where social media is a part of daily life who is responsible for saying what is true and what is false? In a world where active minorities can create social media trends, Who is responsible for ensuring a standards committee acts impartially and rationally under the weight of media clamour to protect its own reputation?

Of course, as an old white privileged male (like Teddy) I now feel the frustration of the cancel culture and marginalisation of tradition in modern debate but also recognise how the tables have turned and gender equality has reversed past roles but I wonder how the under the thirties will view this play. I hope that it adds to the debate on change in society seeking evolution, reconciliation, understanding and genuine equality of thought rather than harmful social media polarisation, marginalisation and cancellation which divides and creates new barriers to progressive change. I hope that many of them will see this play and reflect on its message.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★★★

Seat: Stalls, Row E | Price of Ticket: £39.00

REVIEW: Medea at the Soho Place

2023-02-21T20:58:00.003+00:00

‘Hell hath no fury as a woman scorned’. We know the saying, but do we know the extent that these ‘scorned’ women will go to exact their revenge? In the instance of Medea (Sophie Okenedo), she’ll undertake the ultimate path to revenge in Robinson Jeffers’ adaptation of the shocking original tale from Euripides.

Its premise is simple enough, Medea’s husband Jason (Ben Daniels) has been unfaithful and is to marry another. Unfortunately, it all gets rather complicated for Medea when her rash actions and words leave her no other choice but to be exiled from the city along with her two sons by King Creon.

With the theatres in the round design at the newly developed Sohoplace, a lavish stage and set aren’t an option so designer Vicki Mortimer’s simple set faces us. A table and chairs are immediately discarded in a dramatic outburst at the start from Daniels possibly indicating the household's demise. Bar a few items of clothing for Daniels to wear to change between all the male characters (Jason, Creon, Aegeus and Tutor) there’s no set at all, just the empty stage to command. Though it’s simple, it works. The attention is solely on the characters. What must be said is how the show does so well in doing so little yet so much. It’s never over the top and its minimalistic approach has maximum effect.

An interesting but nice surprise was the introduction of the three ladies of Corinth (Penny Layden, Jo Mcinnes, and Amy Trigg). Unbeknown to us three ladies dressed as regular theatregoers sat in the audience and once their cue came, burst into the scene around the audience. As for the two leads, Daniels took charge of every character he was. He embellished the role, adding features to his characters and performance choices to show clearly who he was. His final downfall as Jason was heartbreaking yet we couldn’t take our eyes off him. Another part of Daniel's character, though this is also down to Dominic Cooke’s clever direction was to take Daniels out of the circle on the stage, immediately taking him out of the scene as he slowly paces around in circles adding or removing the next item to transition into a new character.

As for the titular role, Okenedo is magnetic as Medea. A raw and emotional performance has us hanging on her every word. She commands the space and constantly has us in anticipation of her next move. From start to finish she’s nothing short of superb.

All in all, it’s a blistering 90-minute show that packs a punch and leaves you stunned. Dominic Cooke has directed a brutal take on the original tragedy that remains as shocking as ever.

Review by George Butler

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls, F26 | Price of Ticket: £55

REVIEW: Sister Act at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking

2023-02-21T20:57:00.006+00:00

When I saw this production at the Hammersmith Eventim Apollo in August 2022 with an all-star cast including Jennifer Saunders, Keala Settle and Beverley Knight it was a glitzy star-driven show with ticket prices up to £250 to justify and while enjoyable I noted that the show was designed for the UK Tour to follow and would represent much better value in regional venues around the UK. The tour arrived at the New Victoria Woking this week with a full house on a Monday night with a top price of £62 and proved that it is a wonderful feel-good party night out. The tour will now continue until April 2024 with 24 more venues to visit so there are plenty of opportunities to get a party together to go and enjoy the show.

The Hammersmith cast largely continues on the tour with Lesley Joseph stepping up as Mother Superior to replace Jennifer Saunders, Sandra Marvin moving from alternate Deloris Van Cartier to replace Beverley Knight and Catherine Millsom stepping up as Sister Mary Patrick to replace Keala Settle. Overall, the band and ensemble are reduced to make it more economical to tour but the show still delivers a fun, nostalgic and uplifting night out and is no less enjoyable despite the absence of the headline stars.

Clive Rowe continues as the friendly cop Eddie Souther, Steady Eddie to his friends, and is an absolute joy with his fine voice and lovely comic touch, you instantly warm to his personality, and he really shines in “I could be that guy”. The criminals he seeks to arrest are Curtis Jackson played with a strong seventies vibe by Jeremy Secomb and supported by a hilarious trio of gangsters played by Bradley Judge, Tom Hopcroft, and Damian Buhagiar. They are great together in “When I find my baby” and then really ham it up in “Lady in the long black dress”. They transported us back to those seventies discos in their look and moves, great fun and provided some of the show highlights.

Lesley Joseph is wonderful as Mother Superior demonstrating all her brilliant comic timing and delivering her songs with great poignancy, charm and a touch of humour. Her stage experience shines through, and her natural stage presence holds you spellbound as she slowly melts in her acceptance of Deloris who the show revolves around. Sandra Marvin may not have the charisma of Beverley Knight as the would-be cabaret singer and gangster’s moll Deloris Van Cartier, but she steadily blossoms on stage as her character develops and is a triumph by the end of Act two. She delivers a succession of powerful soulful seventies tunes from her first appearance with “Take me to heaven” and “Fabulous, Baby” through to the show-defining “Sister Act” and the uplifting “Raise your voice”.

The Ensemble of Nuns work exceptionally well in transforming from dreadful singers into an impressive gospel choir with strong characterisations throughout. Anne Smith has a good cameo as the rapping conductor Mary Lazarus and Lizzie Bea continues as the delightful innocent postulant Mary Robert with a wonderful version of “The Life I never led” exploring her self-doubt. Catherine Millsom plays Mary Patrick at her fearsome best swinging incense bottles on chains in the final battle. The loss of three Ensemble members from the cast for the tour does make the stage look occasionally half-filled for the big musical numbers but the joyous energy of them in the dance numbers is infectious and brings a smile to the audience.

The Production is slickly staged and lit with flown panels with built-in lights, enough architecture to suggest the interior of the Nunnery and simple settings for the Police station, Eddie’s spare bedroom or a local bar. The stage does look empty at times, but it leaves plenty of space for the set-piece routines. Director Bill Buckhurst and choreographer Alistair David ensure the pace is maintained and there are some lovely touches like the chase of the rickshaw, Souther’s quick costume change and the final gunfight in the convent. The Finale costumes by Morgan Large are a gloriously glittering rainbow twist to the usual nun’s habit that naturally brings the show to a celebratory conclusion.

This is a fun musical with a diverse cast of all sizes and backgrounds that blend together into a full-blown ensemble production that entertains and gradually emotionally engages you. Still, most of all it is simply a joy to watch. Definitely a show to see when it visits your City over the next year.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls, Row F | Price of Ticket: £62

REVIEW: The Lehman Trilogy at the Gillian Lynne Theatre

2023-02-18T20:51:00.004+00:00

The buzz surrounding Stefano Massini's The Lehman Trilogy, adapted by Ben Power and directed by Sam Mendes, has remained strong since its premiere at the National Theatre back in 2018. Five Tony awards later, it is back gracing the stage at the beautiful Gillian Lynne Theatre to tell the story of three Jewish brothers who immigrated to America in the mid-nineteenth century to cement their names as key founders in the story of Western capitalism.

The play spans 160 years, from the brother's modest arrival in Alabama where they went from shopkeepers to heavy-weight bankers in New York through to 2008 when the reign of the Lehman name on Wall St came to an end. The story evokes a section of American history shrouded by injustice, war and the prospect of new beginnings that never allows anyone to have equal footing but does allow for the brave a chance to reach new heights.

One of the more controversial aspects of the work would have to be the light wash over historical social injustices that parallel the success of the brothers. For example, slavery, the Civil War and Great Depression are mentioned but not seen through the lease of those most affected. But it feels like a choice which is able to show a side of a time, that for some, offered prosperity despite inequality. Another interesting comparison has to be in relation to the Jews who found prosperity in America while their community were facing the holocaust in Europe.

It is an epic three hours and twenty minutes long, including two intervals and earns every minute and it’s largely held together by only three actors, Michael Balogun, Hadley Fraser and Nigel Lindsay. Each, not only play one of the three founding brothers of the Lehman legacy but, effortlessly, transform into countless other characters from their children, grandchildren, wives and an array of business people from days gone by. It is a flawless performance from the three that demonstrates restraint and integrity. Somehow, they manage to keep you on their side even when their characters' motives are opportunistic on the back of others' tragedies.

I can also use the word ‘restraint’ to describe the integration of the design elements. The delicate and evocative piano accompaniment from Yshani Perinpanayagam and sound design from Nick Powell meld together to underscore the events with both tension and pathos while Es Devlin's set design largely consists of of a rotating perspex office, dances with the movement and choreography by Polly Bennett gracefully. Likewise, lighting designer Jon Clark finds beauty and movement in fluorescent overhead lighting. The costume design by Kate Lindsay brings the modern set design into a dialogue with the past by simply having the men in modest black suits from the nineteenth century and Luke Halls has created a video design, projected at the back of the stage throughout the performance, that contrasts the minimal elements with epic landscapes.

The Lehman Trilogy is a provocative and well-crafted piece of theatre that will most likely endure a run as long as the Lehman legacy itself. If you have the chance, do not miss this formidable performance. It will be what everyone in the theatre world will be talking about for some time.

Review by Stephanie Osztreicher

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: F43 | Price: £24 - £180

REVIEW: Matthew Bourne's Sleeping Beauty at the New Victoria Theatre, Woking

2023-02-18T20:51:00.000+00:00

A decade since its glorious premiere, Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty became the fastest-selling production in the New Adventures’ history when it was revived at Sadler’s Wells just a few months ago. Now embarking on another UK tour, the delights and dreams of this production find their way to a theatre near you, so you have no excuse to miss this utterly sensational ballet.

This gothic turn of the classic fairy tale beguiles and bewitches. It is a haunting and dark reimagining of the story of Princess Aurora we all know so well. With vampires, fairies and sorcerers at every turn, this production is not your typical fairy tale by any standard. Described as a “Gothic Romance”, there is much conflict and violence to be seen here. With peril seemingly around every corner and much to be feared, Sleeping Beauty keeps you on the edge of your seat.

The staples of the story remain unchanged: the beautiful princess is cursed to sleep for 100 years before being awoken by true love’s kiss, but that’s about it. Matthew Bourne’s reputation precedes him not just as a choreographer but as a re-inventor of the classics. His creative team, led by Lez Brotherston, have designed a set and sensational costumes which immerse you completely. Before a single performer has even set foot on the stage, you are completely transported to the 19th Century and feel intently placed within the scene.

Despite this intense gothic atmosphere, there is much light in the delicate nature of Aurora, performed at Woking’s Press Night by Katrina Lyndon. She has a youthful and contagious energy; a restlessness seen in young women who plainly want more than what their environment tells them they are allowed. The entire New Adventures company, as always, blew me away. With some dancers having been in the company for almost twenty years, it is a staggering display of talent, athleticism and performance.

Tchaikovsky’s iconic score was clearly nostalgic for many in the audience with certain melodies being met with approving “ooo”s and loud applause. The music is so perfectly interpreted with Bourne’s choreography leaning just right on the lines of comedy and drama throughout. It is the use of puppetry which elevates this production to exceptional heights.

If you are keen to expand your theatrical taste buds and experience something “familiar but different” then this may be just the thing for you. Sleeping Beauty played to a full house at Woking’s New Victoria Theatre last night so for a fantastic atmosphere, sensational talent and technical excellence, you couldn’t ask for a better production.

Review by Harriet Langdown

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: F35 | Price of Ticket: £30.50 - £59.00 (depending on which day of the week you attend)

REVIEW: Fishermen’s Friends at the Mayflower Southampton

2023-02-18T20:50:00.003+00:00

The story of Fishermen’s Friend singers from Port Isaac in Cornwall began in 1995 but sprung to wider recognition with the release of their album in April 2010 which charted at number 9 on UK album charts and then became a charming film in 2019 with a sequel in 2022. It became a stage musical in October 2021 and after a trip to Toronto, the tour continues until 2023 May around the UK. If you are a fan of their sea shanties or looking for a feel-good night out it is worth catching the tour but don’t expect anything new or groundbreaking. It is simply a fun night out.

It is a large cast to tour with 24 performers on stage and a large grand set designed by Lucy Osbourne of the Port Isaac Harbour which is cleverly adapted for other interior scenes in the Golden Lion Pub and later In Compton Street London. At the heart of the story, and the characters that give the show an emotional connection, are three generations of a family. Maggie (played with a strong Cornish accent and a lot of charm by Susan Penhaligon) and Jago, her husband and elderly fisherman (played by Cornishman Robert Duncan) are parents to Jim who seems to act as spokesman for the band and carries the scars of his wife leaving him (a gruff James Gaddas) and grandparents to Alywyn (a strong performance from Parisa Shamir with a delightful haunting delivery of several folk ballads).

The rest of the main band (who one notes have a combined age of 560!) are Rowan (Dan Buckley), Wiggy (Martin Carroll) Archie (Hadrian Delacey), Leadville (Pete Gallagher), Bran (Alfie Gidley), Frank (Nicholas Tizzard) and Owen (James William-Pattison) and they are at the best bantering in the bar or stomping out acapella sea shanties. The best two songs are left to the finale “No hopers, Jokers & Rogues” and “South Australia” and apart from some more traditional songs like “What shall we do with the drunken sailor”, the rest of the tender merge as a single pleasant but not distinctive sound. Occasionally songs like “Haul away joe” add a bit more rhythmic drama to the show but it is the Ladies' folk ballads that add emotion and variation to the show.

Into this world stumbles the self-confident former A & R man Danny (Jason Langley) who falls for Alywyn while trying to make a quick buck for himself and convince his former boss at Island Records Leah (Fia Houston- Hamilton) to give them a recording contract. The other subplot is the struggle of the family-run Golden Lion pub at the centre of the local community to make a living for Rowan and Sally (Hazel Monaghan) without the seasonal trade. Amanda Whittington’s script focuses on the love story and reflects on the importance of trust and friendship in small communities but somehow on the large stage and without the benefit of the close-ups in the films some of the emotional heart is swept aside in a celebration of this traditional musical style.

Director James Grieve uses the stage space well with multiple levels effectively used to highlight key moments and relationships and an imaginative setting of the scenes at sea on their fishing boats. The clever design allows slick transitions between interior and exterior scenes with choreographed moves of props by the cast which maintains the pace throughout and the stage never looks overcrowded with choreography by Matt Cole involving the on-stage musicians as well as the principals to create a real sense of a small community acting together.

The full house audience at the Mayflower loved it giving it a standing ovation as they often do for the musicals there but why not? On a cold damp February evening what is not like about this feel-good musical with its accessible fun songs, slick staging and some delightful-sounding singing voices, it is simply a good night out which leaves you smiling and humming “South Australia “ on the way home.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★

Seat: Stalls, Row W | Price: £39.50

REVIEW: The Mirror Crack’d at the Wycombe Swan Theatre

2023-02-18T20:49:00.007+00:00

Agatha Christie’s detective creation Miss Marple has been adapted for film, TV, and stage in many incarnations from Margaret Rutherford (in the sixties), Joan Hickson (1984-1992), and Geraldine McEwan (2004-2008) and in this latest stage adaptation Susie Blake plays the role more in the style of Hickson and McEwan than Rutherford. Rachel Wagstaff’s adaptation of The Mirror Crack’d cleverly uses Marple’s rather static investigation model in this case with a sprained ankle as a springboard to create a stage adaption that explores different characters' recall of key moments around a murder through flashback re-enactments to accompany the witnesses’ interview with her and the Chief Inspector Craddock (Oliver Boot).

This then requires a fluid setting where characters appear while Marple reflects or chats to someone, so everything revolves around Adrian Linford’s single truck of a corridor between two see-through walls. It fails to have a sense of period, the fifties I think, but it allows for some creative moments where we see through the walls someone is listening in or for an imagined lineup of suspects. Not so clever was the poor masking of the stage left wing which telegraphed each entrance and even props being prepared for a scene or the lack of personal microphones which meant some voices were very quiet in the large Wycombe Swan auditorium. However, these are the compromises of a touring show with different size stages and although irritating did not detract from the overall quality of the production.

Wagstaff’s script provides a creative solution to the usual investigative process of successive interviews around the murder in a room full of people and we clearly see the different memories and can try and spot those deliberately misleading statements from those of poor recall. It makes a fascinating watch even when you half recall the story from the TV version of the story. It helps that it is a very good cast with each character distinctively and well-drawn so we can see and hear their background and attitudes and catch the hints of their hidden stories.

Susie Blake is the quietly spoken reflective Marple with a determined sharp intellect that can read people and piece together the evidence in a way so we can follow her deductions. Her sprained ankle may restrict her movements and leave her fairly static for much of the play, but she draws you in and convinces you that she is smarter than those around her. Boot is an overly aggressive and procedural Detective, but he too reveals moments of emotion and caring which are engaging. The list of suspects for the murder of Heather Leigh played by Jules Kelvin is long as she dies at the party in Gossington Hall.

At the centre of the story is Sophie Ward as the American actress Marina Gregg who has just acquired the hall and is shooting her latest film nearby. Is she the intended victim of the murderer who has accidentally killed the wrong woman? Her latest husband is also her film director Jason Rudd played by Joe McFadden who seems overly controlling and protective but admits to having access to the poison used. Then as it is a murder mystery there is her Italian Butler of 19 years, Giuseppe Renzo played by Lorenzo Martelli and her secretary Ella Zielinsky played by Sarah Lawrie. Both seem to be loyal and in love with Marina but know too many secrets.

Then we meet Dolly Bantry played by Veronica Roberts who is the former owner of the Hall and clearly regrets the sale and Cyril Leigh played by David Partridge who is the victim’s loving husband. Suspicions also fall on two people at the party who were not invited guests, rival American film star Lola Brewster played by Chrystine Simone who turned up uninvited and Mara Allen as Cherry Baker, Marple’s home help who happens to be moonlighting serving canapés at the party. They both seem anxious to speak to Marina. All the characters seem strangely drawn to Marina and could be potential killers.

Philip Franks’ direction is well-paced and uses the space well. The lighting design by Emma Chapman needs to cleverly distinguish between scenes that we are seeing live and those that are recalled and does so by using a line of small birdies in a false footlight to illuminate the memories giving them a slightly hazy ethereal feel and creating some dark spots. When we are in Marple’s home, the hall or the studio, the stage is flooded with light from above and brightly illuminated. The changes between setting are charmingly choreographed in the half-light. Max Pappenheim’s soundscape adds quietly to the atmosphere.

The result is a fresh feeling adaptation of the classic Christie story, cleverly staged and well-acted and bringing out some of the emotions hidden away behind the characters to produce a satisfying conclusion and make a very enjoyable evening.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls, Row P | Price: £24.50

REVIEW: The Oyster Problem at the Jermyn Street Theatre

2023-02-18T20:49:00.003+00:00

When Madame Bovary was first published in 1856 it scandalised Parisian society and brought charges of immorality. However, for author Gustave Flaubert it secured his place as the father of literary realism. A minute dissection of the bourgeois classes had left him on the horns of a dilemma; how does one follow up such a massive hit without losing artistic integrity? In the Oyster Problem, Flaubert fights the reality of a dwindling income and the absence of oysters, wine and other luxuries that only money can buy.

Gustave Flaubert (Bob Barrett) sits at the hub of the literary community in Paris. He merrily banters with Emile Zola (Peter Hannah), who has supplemented his income by writing for newspapers. He urges Flaubert to embrace the commercial potential of writing and cure his financial woes. It is a case of writing popular novels that sell to a mass audience. Flaubert is unrepentant and refuses to cheapen his artistry. His close friend Ivan Turgenev (Giles Taylor) provides a sympathetic ear but reluctantly backs Zola’s view. Flaubert’s niece Caroline Commanville (Rosalind Lailey) is a talented artist but grows increasingly concerned for the family’s finances. With the assistance of George Sand (Norma Atallah), Zola and Turgenev hatch a plan to secure a paid position, but will Flaubert grasp the nettle?

This highly literate and intelligent piece sheds light on the French literary scene in the 19th Century. It benefits from an adroit cast led by Bob Barrett, who has brought Flaubert to life complete with various foibles, especially his drive for perfection. To take a whole morning to write one sentence perfectly illustrates le mot juste (‘the right word’). Elsewhere, the contemporary reference to ‘marketing’ seems incongruent with the period when it was barely recognised as a concept. For the uninitiated, this is a challenging proposition that feels heavily self-analytical. This is essentially a play about writers talking about writing and other writers. The verbal interplay is bright but feels like literary poker, as Tolstoy and Balzac are thrown into the conversation. To fully appreciate these references the audience needs an awareness that puts it in the ‘one for fans’ category. However, a quality cast keeps it ticking over with a script that looks inside the mind of a uniquely talented writer.

Review by Brian Penn

Rating: ★★★

Seat: D12 | Price of Ticket: £35/£31 concessions

REVIEW: Girl from the North Country at the Alexandra Birmingham

2023-02-08T21:29:00.003+00:00

Sombre, solemn and powerful; Girl from the North Country returns with a UK tour that brings us back to reality and exalts human emotion.

Conor McPherson’s book tells the story of Nick Laine – the proprietor of a shabby guesthouse, and his family. His wife Elizabeth suffers from a form of dementia which impels outbursts from comical and childlike to violent and inhibited. The arrival of two unexpected guests during a stormy night makes a change in the inn and affects every character who inhabit it.

The set felt full and purposeful for a touring production and took the audience back to the melancholy year of 1934. The sepia-toned colour scheme felt drab and true to the era, setting the scene of a cosy, rundown guesthouse in Minnesota. With the Great Depression infiltrating the downbeat mood on stage, an on-edge and pensive receptiveness were abounding.

With music by Bob Dylan, this jukebox musical isn’t your regular cliché of lazy storytelling that squeezes in a pop bop or two. The plot is not the strongest or most clear, yet the music drives the emotive scenes through – accompanied by powerhouse vocals and haunting arrangements. The added feel of a united ensemble is solidified by the actor-musicians, taking turns to play the selection of instruments on stage.

The women of this show are utterly spectacular and with a weak plot or not, Frances McNamee shines to the extremities. Her chilling and soul-awakening rendition of ‘Like a Rolling Stone’ was out of this world. Maria Omakinwa, plays the widow Mrs Neilsen, who is having an affair with Nick. Her presence on stage was a breath of fresh air and her vocals were captivating.

This stripped-back, raw and sincere production is worth the watch to inject some warmth and feeling into your winter.

Review by Esther Neville

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls H28 | Price of Ticket: £51.50

REVIEW: The RSC's 2023 Production of The Tempest at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre

2023-02-06T22:00:00.002+00:00

Comical, engaging and full of vibrancy – The RSC have produced a delight of humour, physical theatre and haunting melodies in this season’s production of The Tempest.

This Shakespearean piece tells the story of the magical Duke, Prospero, who had been usurped from Milan and left stranded on an island with their daughter. Traditionally played by male actors, Alex Kingston takes on the role of the sorcerous character who with the help of slave Caliban and servant Ariel, navigates a storm of opportunity to win back her dukedom.

Inspired by the climate emergency, this production and all parties involved have collaborated to create theatre with sustainability in mind. From reusing old scenery, floors and scenic walls from previous RSC productions, combined with local partnerships with managed forests for on-stage trees and foliage; this company are setting the standard for the future of sustainable theatre.

With all of this second-hand, green practice, it must be said that the set was truly visionary in creating the perfect tropical island: huge canopies of gorgeous greenery, warm yellow lights – enough to make you feel sun-kissed from the top of the circle, and a goose-bump inducing soundscape that magnified all the senses and took the audience to an Eden-paradise. Fuelled by symbolic gesture, powerful physicality and entrancing music, the Royal Shakespeare Theatre comes to life in an ethereal and idyllic way.

Kingston makes an imperious and hypnotising Prospero, solidifying the empowering gender reversal with a mother-daughter relationship - her child Miranda, played by Jessica Rhodes. Their on-stage chemistry and comic timing cement the foundation for the plot with such ease. Heledd Gwynn’s whimsical and enticing depiction of Ariel was a stand-out performance; gracing the audience with a light relief, folk-like vocals and delicious playfulness.

This modern-day, eco-conscious production propels the RSC into the 21st century and would be the perfect introduction to Shakespeare for the non-thespian; a forward-thinking and accessible way of theatre we hope to see more of.

Review by Esther Neville

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Circle A51 | Price of Ticket: £75

REVIEW: 2:22 A Ghost Story at The Lyric Theatre

2023-02-02T20:54:00.004+00:00

2.22 - A Ghost Story is quite a West End phenomenon, not so much because of its subject of paranormal activity in the bedroom of an old-fashioned London house but because of its ability to attract an audience on the basis of the star casting as Jenny, the young mother who reports experiencing some disturbing activity at 2.22 am on each of the last few nights. Lily Allen (5.1 m twitter & 1.5m Instagram followers) opened the show at the Noel Coward in August 2021, Giovanni Fletcher (465k Twitter & 2m Instagram followers) played the Gielgud, Laura Whitmore (438k twitter & 1.5 m Instagram followers) played at the Criterion and now Cheryl (formerly known as Cheryl Cole) with 5.5 m Twitter and 3.4m Instagram followers stars in the show for the short season at the Lyric. No doubt the jubilant producers are already planning its next surprising cast announcement and another move of venue at the end of the current run. The casting is clearly designed to appeal to the followers of these young high-profile stars and seems to be working very effectively so reviews will hardly affect sales as each star brings the publicity and fan base to ensure a successful run.

Cheryl makes her stage debut in the role as Jenny and once you have adjusted to her Tyneside accent which means occasionally will lose a few words, she makes a solid job of conveying the love of a new mother, the concern at the mysterious noises, and the anger at her disbelieving husband. After relatively nervous and contained opening scenes, she burst into life as the mystery unfolds and we are drawn more into the simmering tensions between her and her husband and their guests. It is a very credible and convincing performance suggesting this could be the start of a new career for her.

Her husband Sam is played with an arrogant super clever attitude by Scott Karim, a man with a lot to say but who won’t lift a finger to help. He has just returned from a trip to the Isle of Sark and claims to have lost his phone. Their guests are the unlikely couple of Sam’s old University friend Lauren played by Louise Ford and the East End geezer Ben, with Jake Wood returning to the role he created on its first outing. Over the course of the evening, they reveal their own ghost stories and explore the truths and myths of ghost theories in a witty and entertaining script by Danny Robins littered with visual and spoken clues as to what we are observing. To say more would spoil the twists and turns but it will keep you guessing until the 2:22 moment.

The set design by Anna Fleischle acts as a fifth character, a curious room with peeled back wallpaper revealing past history, an unfeasibly high ceiling where the haunted bedroom should be and a new modern door to the garden through which we experience the sight and sound of urban foxes mating in high pitched squeals that add to the tension. Dominating the room are two digital clocks which show the passing of time as the evening progresses towards the moment of truth. Matthew Dunster’s direction is taut and pacy with big laughs to break the tension, a few surprises to ramp it up again and strained relationships tested by events. It sweeps you along so there is hardly time to piece together the clues making the final reveal all the more enjoyable and leaving you piecing it all together on the way home.

The audiences will be full of Cheryl fans I am sure and as the lights dimmed at the start there were large whoops of delight from them as well as a standing ovation at the end and no doubt many will return for a second visit when the knowledge of the truth will add to the enjoyment of the key moments in the play. Certainly it is a play that will stand a second viewing although I might wait to see who plays Jenny next and what venue their West End tour continues to later this year! It is easy to see why this clever play is mentioned alongside the long running Woman in Black and the Dyson and Nymen’s spooky Ghost Stories. What’s more it will attract a younger demographic to the West End and that is a very good news for Producers.

Review by Nick Wayne

Rating: ★★★★

Seat: Stalls Row K | Price of Ticket: £50