Month: July 2019

Curve Theatre, Leicester – until 13 July 2019

Reviewed by Boo Wakefield

5*****

This musical version of The Color Purple, written by Alice Walker back in 1982, has been brought to the stage with simplicity, passion and ultimately joy. The music and lyrics by Brenda Russell, Allee Willis and Stephen Bray, telling the story that spans over 40 years of Celie’s life of abuse and heartache convey it cleverly but succinctly. The set, designed by Alex Lowde, is simple but very effective with two openings appearing through a wooden slated backdrop allowing different rooms to slide in and out. Joshua Pharo’s projections of nature onto the wooden slats give you both the darkness at the beginning of Celie’s story and then the light towards the end with increasing use of colour.

It is a play of two halves with the first act telling how horrific Celie’s early life was with her illegitimate children by her stepfather being taken away, being made to marry the over-powering and equally abusive Mister so that she could look after his unruly children but also to protect her younger sister Nettie from the same fate. It is only at the end of the first half that her spirits and whole demina rise when she meets Shug Avery, a singer who Celie falls in love with. Gradually Celie begins to realise that there is a way out and moves to Memphis with Shug, cursing Mister on her departure. Whether it is the curse or not, Mister falls on hard times and gradually begins to see how appalling he was and starts to make amends. Celie inherits her old home and store when her stepfather dies and Shug encourages her to go back and make a go of running the store, which is a success. Mister comes to terms with the fact that he actually loves Celie and manages to arrange for Nettie and Celie’s two children, who have been brought up by the Preacher and his wife with whom Nettie went to Africa with, to come home giving the emotional crescendo to what was a dark, disturbing story.

The bigger numbers (The Color Purple, In Miss Celie’s Pants and Africa) choreographed by Mark Smith with Alex Parker as Musical Director, were full of energy and joy with every member of the cast giving their all.

The outstanding T’Shan Williams played Celie with such passion in both poise and song but so much more. She plays down her singing during the time of abuse with restraint, which must have been difficult to do but then grows and blossoms towards the end of the show, filling the stage on her own with an amazingly moving performance of I’m Here which brought the house down. Danielle Fiamanya (Nettie) has the prefect voice to compliment Williams during their sister songs. Joanne Francis as Shug Avery portrays a strong, independent woman with style and had everyone tapping their feet during her song Push Da Button. Sophia, played by Karen Mavundukure, was a wonderful character who could not be kept down for long and added plenty of humour. The three church-going friends Jarene (Landi Oshinowo), Darlene (Rosemary Annabella Nkruman and Doris (Danielle Kassarate), who are also the town’s gossips time and again added humour and comic timing between the larger numbers and were a joy.

Watching this performance was emotionally exhausting, even teary eyed, with the songs giving you goosebumps from start to finish. The standing ovation was more than well deserved and it is a “must see” for any theatre lover!

There is a constant undertone of references to church beliefs throughout the play, the original book being based on a series of letters from Celie to God.

Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, York – until 1st September 2019

Reviewed by Aimee Liddington

5*****

For an exciting, engaging and fully immersive experience of Shakespearean theatre, you must pay a visit to Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre in York. From the minute you enter the Shakespearean Village, you feel transported to another time as you are surrounded by wooden structures with thatched roofs and an Elizabethan garden filled with thriving flowers and herbs. You do not have to wait for the play to start to be entertained either, as there is a variety of entertainment on offer whilst you wait to be seated. The food and drinks are certainly worth a try too – on a warm summer’s evening, it is the perfect place to be.

On first glance of the stage, the simplicity of the set surprised me. The wooden set was understated with just a handful of simple embellishments. While it initially seemed bare, it actually provided the perfect blank canvas to showcase the fabulous costumes on display. Special mention should go to the Costume and Scenic Designer, Adrian Linford, whose vision really fulfilled its purpose. It added to the value of the performance but detracted nothing from the great talent of the actors.

The play itself was intriguing, entertaining and, at times, humorous. When watching Shakespearean theatre, some people get incredibly caught up with trying to understand every single word. In this rendition of The Tempest, the actors played the parts so convincingly that you did not need to worry about that. The trio of Trinculo (played by Christopher Logan), Stephano (played by Peter Moreton) and Caliban (played by Raphael Bushay) provided short bursts of comedy throughout. The actors delivered the lines in a way that kept the charm of the period in which they were written, but also appealed to a modern audience. A review of this play would not be complete without a mention of Ariel (played by Leander Deeny) who, with his agility and nymph-like movements, managed to seamlessly link the scenes together. The chorus of Spirits (played by Ali Azhar, Marilyn Nnadebe, Richie Daysh, Charlyne Francis, Jessica Dennis and Johanne Murdock) added to this and provided the element of wonder and peculiarity that so often appears in Shakespeare’s works.

A timeless classic, performed with immense passion and flair. You need to come to York and experience it for yourself – start your summer fling with Shakespeare without delay!

ALL-PARTY PARLIAMENTARY GROUP FOR THEATRE FOUNDED

An All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for Theatre was created this week, with an inaugural General Meeting on Monday 1 July.

Led by Giles Watling, Conservative MP for Clacton, and Tracy Brabin, Labour MP for Batley and Spen – both former professional actors with experience of the theatre industry – the cross-party group has been founded to support the resilience and relevance of theatre in the UK for audiences, its workforce and society.

In 2018, the theatre industry saw audiences of over 34m with ticket revenue of nearly £1.28bn, from a total of 62,945 performances across the UK. Theatre is part of the creative industries, which are the fastest growing part of the UK’s economy, contributing over £101 billion in Gross Value Added.

The APPG’s Statement of Purpose is to identify and debate potential opportunities and issues for the theatre industry in the UK, and increase fellow parliamentarians’ understanding of the theatre and performing arts at a national and local level.

UK Theatre and Society of London Theatre (SOLT) have been appointed the secretariat, providing organisational, staff time and strategic support. They will also be bringing together a group of theatre organisations from across the UK to act as a sounding board and help ensure that a wide range of theatre topics and issues are suggested for the APPG to look into.  

Giles Watling MP said:

‘It is my hope that this APPG will do more to promote domestic theatre in Parliament. As a former actor, I know that we have a thriving and successful theatre industry in the UK, but we need to do more to support this sector and improve the offer for those working within it.

I am also pleased that UK Theatre and SOLT are acting as our secretariat and their expertise will be essential. I hope that all other interested parties will get in touch to work with us, to help put domestic theatre on a higher level here in Parliament – doing so can only be a positive for our theatre, production teams, and actors.’

Tracey Brabin MP said:

‘I love theatre and I know the massive impact it has on culture, wellbeing and learning in our country. Therefore I’m absolutely delighted to be part of the Theatre APPG. Now more than ever, we need politicians to hear from theatres and support them with the challenges they face.

I hope we can be instrumental in keeping access to theatre open for all, wherever they live. The support we’ve received so far has been amazing, particularly from UK Theatre and SOLT for providing the secretariat.’

Julian Bird, Chief Executive of SOLT and UK Theatre, said:

‘The UK theatre industry is world-renowned for the work it produces, and contributes hugely to this country’s global cultural influence, Soft Power and economic standing. It is fantastic that this APPG has been created, and UK Theatre and SOLT hope that it serves to highlight the need for Government support to ensure the continued resilience of the industry and ensure the sector’s voice is heard.’  

A formal launch of the new APPG will be held in the Autumn.  

THE NEXT CAST ALBUM KARAOKE WILL TAKE PLACE ON JULY 17TH

The next Waitress London Cast Album Karaoke Night has been confirmed for Wednesday July 17th. Audience members who want to take part just need to sign up before that evening’s show for the chance to sing one minute of any song from Waitress – live on stage at the Adelphi and accompanied by the show’s musical director Katharine Woolley. Hosts and further details about the event will be announced in due course.

Waitress celebrated its official opening night on 7 March and the Tony-nominated musical by Sara Bareilles is now booking to 7 December 2019.

London’s brand-new smash hit musical comedy Waitress tells the story of Jenna, a waitress and expert pie-maker who dreams her way out of a loveless marriage. When a hot new doctor arrives in town, life gets complicated. With the support of her workmates Becky and Dawn, Jenna overcomes the challenges she faces and finds that laughter, love and friendship can provide the perfect recipe for happiness. 

Brought to life by a ground breaking, female-led creative team, the hit show features an original score by 7-time Grammy® nominee Sara Bareilles (Love Song, Brave), a book by acclaimed screenwriter Jessie Nelson (I Am Sam) and direction by Tony Award® winner Diane Paulus (Pippin, Finding Neverland) and choreography by Lorin Latarro. The production is currently touring the US and has also announced it will have its Australian premiere in 2020 at the Sydney Lyric Theatre.

Alongside Lucie Jones as Jenna, Waitress stars Blake Harrison as Ogie, Marisha Wallace as Becky, Ashley Roberts as Dawn, Peter Hannah as Earl, David Hunter as Dr. Pomatter and Shaun Prendergast as Old Joe.

The full company includes Kelly Agbowu, Piers Bate, Nicole Raquel Dennis, Michael Hamway, Peter Hannah, Blake Harrison, David Hunter, Lucie Jones, Stephen Leask, Chris McGuigan, Olivia Moore, Nathaniel Morrison, Sarah O’Connor, Leanne Pinder, Shaun Prendergast, Charlotte Riby, Ashley Roberts, Marisha Wallace and Mark Willshire.

On its Broadway opening, Waitress was nominated for four Outer Critics’ Circle Awards, including Outstanding New Broadway Musical; two Drama League Award Nominations, including Outstanding Production of a Broadway or Off-Broadway Musical; six Drama Desk Nominations, including Outstanding Musical; and four Tony Award Nominations, including Best Musical.

Birmingham Hippodrome – until 13 July 2019

Reviewed by Joanne Hodge

5*****

From the opening orchestral medley, right through to the full-cast ‘Megamix’ reprises, Joseph was an audio-visual spectacular, and praise should be heaped upon creatives Sean Cavanagh (Design), Nick Richings (Lighting), Dan Samson (Sound) and Jeremy Wootton (Musical Direction).

Having seen a previous touring version of the show some time ago, it’s clear to see that Henry Metcalfe’s original choreography has been further enhanced by additions from Gary Lloyd.

The beloved musical, which at its first professional premiere was a mere 35 minutes, now runs at around two hours and tells the Biblical story of Joseph (a dreamer) – the favourite son of Jacob – and the complex relationship he has with his eleven brothers in Caanan. We follow Joseph as he is sold by his brothers as a slave, due to their fierce jealousy, and the roller-coaster of fortunes he encounters thereafter. From Housemaster to prisoner at the House of Potiphar, then analysing dreams for Pharaoh, resulting in his saving of Egypt in famine. Finally, as he prophesied in his youth, his brothers end up unknowingly bowing at his feet, resulting in their ultimate reconciliation.

In this re-working of the Lloyd Webber/Rice classic, directed by Bill Kenwright, much of the story is told in song, with very few spoken words. The tale is certainly in safe hands with Narrator Trina Hill, who from the first note had the audience captivated with her clear-as-crystal tone. Whether in quiet, softer moments, or belting out the highest of high notes, her voice made you feel like that whatever twists and turns Joseph’s life may take, she would be there, reassuring him – and you – in the warm blanket of her velvet vocals.

In Jaymi Hensley, Joseph has found a new and refreshing incarnation. Far from his popstar roots, he astounded with both his acting and musical talents. Every emotion was displayed through his facial expressions, and the character portrayed beautifully from tip-to-toe. He held everyone present in the palm of his hand. From the light-hearted and whimsical Any Dream Will Do to his haunting rendition of Close Every Door (I honestly had goose bumps) it seemed like he was born for this role. I could easily see his performance transferred to the current West End production.

The whole ensemble gave their all, but particular plaudits must also go to Andrew Geater, playing Pharaoh – the obligatory Lloyd Webber Elvis-esque character – with hip-swivelling aplomb. Who knew a skin tight satin suit and quiff could be so titillating?!?

Mention should also be given to the children of Birmingham’s School of Theatre Excellence, performing as The Joseph Choir, who were just angelic.

I thoroughly enjoyed the performance, the only downside was that time seemed to fly – I didn’t want it to end! I would highly recommend that should the opportunity arise to see Joseph on its current UK tour, you must go, because it’s not just due to Jaymi that this show has the X-Factor!

To Gillie, With Love
Gillian Lynne DBE – A Celebration

• ‘TO GILLIE, WITH LOVE’ SAW £70,000 RAISED FOR THE GILLIAN LYNNE AND PETER LAND FOUNDATION AT A SPECIAL EVENING AT THE GILLIAN LYNNE THEATRE, DRURY LANE ON TUESDAY EVENING
• J.R. BALLANTYNE ANNOUNCED AS THE FIRST RECIPIENT OF FUNDING FROM THE LYNNE AND LAND FOUNDATION 
• THE EVENING, CELEBRATING GILLIAN LYNNE DBE AND THE LAUNCH OF THE LYNNE AND LAND FOUNDATION, FEATURED PERFORMANCES FROM THE WORLD OF THEATRE AND DANCE INCLUDING BEVERLEY KNIGHT, SERGEI POLUNIN, TAMARA ROJO, RICHARD O’BRIEN, SIERRA BOGGESS AND RAMIN KARIMLOO

On Tuesday evening, the great and good of the dance, theatre, film and TV industry came out in force to enjoy an unforgettable evening of stellar performances in celebration of the prolific and dearly-loved director choreographer, Gillian Lynne DBE at The Gillian Lynne Theatre, Drury Lane in London.

£70,000 was raised for the Foundation which has been set up to enable talented young performers to achieve their dreams by providing scholarships and grants to reach their full potential in the choreographic arts, drama and musical theatre.  

Peter Land is delighted to announce J.R. Ballantyne as the first recipient of the Foundation. J.R. received funding towards his drama school fees enabling him to complete his training at Arts Education. In the last few weeks J.R has made his professional and West End debut in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium. Credits whilst training include Henry and Dance Captain in Disney’s Newsies and Christopher Belling in Curtains and has been cast in the forthcoming UK tour of Curtains.

J.R. Ballantyne said:

“I am extremely grateful to the Lynne and Land Foundation for believing in and supporting me and I am honoured to be the first recipient of this scholarship. Without their help I would not have completed my final year of training at ArtsEd and may very well have been robbed of the opportunity to accept the two job offers I have whilst in training. Thanks to their support I was able to complete my final year of training; attain a work visa and therefore able to accept the two job offers I have had, the first of which – Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat opened previews last week at The London Palladium; and I am now in a position to graduate from ArtsEd this September.

Unfortunately I never had the good fortune to work with Dame Gillian but through the experiences I’ve had since being supported by the foundation – leaving ArtsEd, working with her dear friend Andrew Lloyd Webber on Joseph And The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium where she achieved great success throughout her career – through these experiences I have come to feel very close to her and her enduring spirit. She has always been and will continue to be a great idol to me and a role model for the benefits of hard work, determination and kindness.”

Peter Land said:

“J.R. is the perfect first recipient. With the Foundation’s financial intervention, he was able to graduate and land his first job in the West End in Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat at The London Palladium. He is talented in all the areas that Gillie loved to foster: dancing, acting and singing. He also plays a mean piano.”

A year and a day after Gillian sadly passed away, ‘To Gillie, With Love’ saw stars of the world of dance, theatre, film and TV come together to show their admiration and thanks to this unique and remarkable individual who helped, guided and inspired so many.

Celebrating iconic moments from her lifelong and extensive career, the evening featured Anthony Barclay; Christopher Biggins; Sierra Boggess; Greg Castiglioni; Lorna Dallas; Katy Elizabeth-Treharne, Ben Forster; Anna Francolini; Jason Gardiner; Nickolas Grace; Celia Graham, Michael Howe; Ramin Karimloo; Hannah Kenna Thomas; Jeremy Kerridge; Beverley Knight; Peter Land; Emily Langham; Iain Mackay; Robert Meadmore; New Adventures Company; Caroline O’Connor; Jonjo O’Neil; Richard O’Brien; Sergei Polunin; Peter Polycarpou, Stuart Matthew Price; Hugh Quarshie; Jack Rebaldi; Liz Robertson; Tamara Rojo; Myra Sands, Wayne Sleep; Una Stubbs, Julia Sutton, Hannah Waddingham and Elisha Willis. The evening also featured a choir with students from Arts Ed and the Royal Academy of Music and ensemble of dancers.

The evening was curated and produced by Peter Land and Lean Two Productions and directed and staged by Chrissie Cartwright, Gillian’s long-time collaborator on Cats, musical direction by Peter McCarthy, lighting design by Michael Robertson, sound design by Adam Fisher.  The evening was supported by LW Theatres and Cameron Mackintosh Ltd. 

Gillian’s direction, staging and choreography broke records across the globe with her collaboration on two of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s most famous musicals: Cats and The Phantom of the Operawhich can still be seen nightly throughout the world. The New London Theatre, where Gillian pioneered her ground-breaking choreography on Cats in 1981, was lovingly renamed in her honour by Andrew Lloyd Webber in June 2018 making Lynne the first non-royal woman to have a West End Theatre named after her. 
 
As a producer, director, choreographer and performer, throughout the course of her life Gillian was involved in more than 60 productions in the West End, 11 feature films and hundreds of TV productions. 

For further information about the Foundation please visit www.lynneandlandfoundation.co.uk

Shakespeare’s Rose Theatre, York – until Saturday 31st August 2019

Reviewed by Katie Goldsbrough 

4**** 

Overall this is a great experience for any Shakespeare enthusiasts. From the theatre itself to the performance. The actors walk amongst the groundlings (those that have purchased standing tickets and are right in front of the stage) at times, so you are fully immersed.

The set is almost entirely wooden so it would have fit in well in Shakespeare’s time. Be prepared for the archaic language which sometimes leads to parts of the play being difficult to follow. The level of acting however, helps you to understand what’s happening when the language is hard to follow for those less used to this way of speaking.

The set was cleverly designed with very little need for changes between scenes.  The music was simple and effective adding to the ambience throughout and helping pace the play.

The acting overall was very good, led by David Oakes playing the title character of Hamlet, he grabbed the attention of the audience and engaged very well with the audience. He particularly stood out among a very good cast. Others to look out for include Richard Standing playing Claudius, King of Denmark who projected very well throughout and had great stage presence and Serena Manteghi playing Ophelia, who did ‘mad’ very well indeed, she also had a superb singing voice, which was displayed in the brief performance she gave in her role.

The costumes were very good and fit well with the period, however the ghost of King Hamlet played by Fine Time Fontayne was wearing a sort of veil over his costume which was removed during the performance, this seemed unnecessary and did not add to the costume which without that wasn’t too bad and was believable as a ghost. Being an open air theatre we were lucky with lovely sunny weather, in the seated area you would be mostly protected from the weather however, if you chose to embrace the experience and view the play as a groundling you would be in for an unpleasant time if the unpredictable Bristish weather wasn’t at it’s best, although you could argue that’s all part of the experience. 

Overall this is a great authentic experience with excellent direction from Damian Cruden, with a unique set design and great acting throughout.

A must see for any Shakespeare lovers.

TYGER DREW-HONEY TO STAR ON STAGE IN ‘THE RIOT CLUB’ SATIRE POSH

Joe Prentice Productions presents
TYGER DREW-HONEY in POSH BY LAURA WADE
UK TOUR 3 SEP – 26 OCT 2019

Joe Prentice Productions today announces a new production of Olivier Award winning writer Laura Wade’s critically acclaimed dark comedy Posh, starring Tyger Drew-Honey (TV’s Outnumbered). Heading out on a five-week UK tour, Posh will open at Oxford Playhouse on Tuesday 3 September and will tour to Cambridge Arts Theatre, Theatre Royal Bath, Rose Theatre Kingston and Theatr Clwyd, Mold until 26 October 2019. Full casting to be announced. 

‘One of the best plays of the decade’ Daily Telegraph

Turning the spotlight on the privileged elite, Posh charts a night of debauchery, indulgence and violence as members of ‘The Riot Club’, a private gentleman’s dining society, explore their innermost hatreds of the working classes. First staged at the Royal Court Theatre in London during the 2010 general election, the play’s punchy dark humour and provocative political themes struck a chord with audiences and proved both a critical and sell-out success. The production soon transferred to the West End in May 2012, where it ran for twelve weeks at the Duke Of York’s Theatre. In 2014, Posh saw global fame with its big screen incarnation, ‘The Riot Club’, starring Max Irons, Sam Claflin, Natalie Dormer and Tom Hollander. Now in 2019, as the Tory leadership race reaches fever pitch, this first ever UK tour of Wade’s biting satire is as topical and relevant as ever. 

Playwright Laura Wade said: ‘Power, privilege and entitlement are as much in the news now as they were when Posh was first performed, so it feels like a good time to bring the boys back to the table…’ 

Oxford’s prestigious and red-blooded Riot Club are back, but this time on one condition. They must behave. Keep it out of the Daily Mail. Preserve the reputation of the club. After the mishaps of this exclusive Oxford group at their last dinner, their President has promised its ex-members not to bring the club back into public disrepute. At a tough political time, the reputation of the PM cannot be tarnished. As the booze flows and the mood turns sour, will the brotherhood prevail or will the lawyers of those with the deepest pockets preserve these bright young men’s futures?

Tyger Drew-Honey is most notable for his role as ‘Jake’ in the multi award-winning BBC sitcom Outnumbered, his series of topical and daring BBC documentaries Tyger Takes On, and as Dylan in BBC sitcom Cuckoo. Other TV credits include: Scream Street, Citizen Khan, Death in Paradise, Midsomer Murders, The Ministry of Curious Stuff, Threesome, Armstrong and Miller, The Large Family, and Doctors. His film credits include: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Friday Download – Up All Night and Horrid Henry. He has also recently finished filming as Jon Craven on feature film, Me, Myself, and Di. Tyger makes his stage debut in Posh playing ‘Alistair Ryle’, the toff with a chip on his shoulder.

Laura Wade is a multi award-winning playwright and screenwriter. Her most recent West End play, Home, I’m Darling won the 2019 Olivier Award for Best New Comedy. The play premiered at Theatr Clwyd in 2018 before transferring to the National Theatre followed by the Duke of York’s and a national tour. Her stage adaptation of Jane Austen’s unfinished novel The Watsons directed by Samuel West premiered at Chichester Festival Theatre in November 2018 and has just announced its West End transfer to the Menier Chocolate Factory this autumn, from 20 September to 16 November 2019. Other work includes: the stage adaptation of Sarah Waters’ Tipping The Velvet (Lyric Hammersmith & Royal Lyceum Edinburgh); Posh (Royal Court Theatre and Duke of York’s Theatre); Kreutzer vs Kreutzer (Sydney Opera House and Australian Tour); Alice (Sheffield Theatres), Olivier award nominated plays Colder Than Here (Soho Theatre & New York MCC Theater) and Breathing Corpses (Royal Court Theatre); Other Hands (Soho Theatre); and Young Emma (Finborough Theatre). In 2006 she won the Pearson Most Promising Playwright Award. Her screenplay The Riot Club, an adaptation of her 2010 stage play Posh, premiered at Toronto International Film Festival 2014. Laura is currently under commission to the Royal Court, Hampstead Theatre and The Lyric, Hammersmith. 

Posh is written by Laura Wade, Directed by Lucy Hughes, with Set & Costume Design by Will Coombs, Lighting Design by Gary Bowman, Sound Design by Domenico Menghini. Posh is produced by Joe Prentice Productions.  

THEATRE ROYAL, GLASGOW – UNTIL SATURDAY 6TH JULY 2019

REVIEWED BY SIOBHAN WILSON

4****

I have never seen this Alfred Hitchcock movie, and this is not a show that I would normally choose to go and see, but I am so very glad I did go and see it. You are immediately sucked in to the setting with the pre-show announcement being in, I think, Austrian but it could have been German (my languages in that area of Europe are not great). And as the curtain pulls back the Nazi flags drop. Set pre-WWII, this is the story how strangers end up on a train together travelling back to the UK from Austria. An elderly lady Mrs. Froy (Juliet Mills) aids a young lady, Iris (Lorna Fitzgerald) following a head bump at the station prior to boarding. During the journey things go array and Mrs Froy disappears. None of the train remembers Mrs. Froy being there and Iris manages to convince a young suitor Maximilian (Matt Barber) to aid her in trying to find Mrs. Froy with some dangerous consequences to not just themselves but all patrons on the train. There is a gun shootout with loud bangs and flashes that were not expecting so those of you that are faint-hearted have been warned.

I have had to drop this a star due to the Official (Joe Reisig) regularly speaking in German which I could not understand – apart from the obscenities. He is an extremely stern and commanding character which Joe conveys impeccably. However, I felt I was missing information by not understanding the German. It did not have an overall effect on the story though. Having commented on the performance how authentic is accent sounded even when he was speaking English, we later discovered he was Dutch, so an inspired casting choice.

The set was very simple yet effective, the sound and lighting coupled with the actor’s intricacies made you really feel as though you were on the train with them. These include, but are not limited to, slight sway or shuffle as if the train was moving as well as the perfect synchronisation of action when the train was stopping or starting.

The twist at the end we did not expect and thoroughly pleased us leaving us with a lovely moment to leave the theatre with. If you want to know what the twist is you should go and get your tickets now!

Bristol Hippodrome – until 6 July 2019

Reviewed by Kim Hitchcock

4** -**

The 1987 classic Dirty Dancing has danced its way into Bristol, to provide an evening of enjoyment and laughter that will lift your spirits and make you re-imagine the first time you saw the beloved film. 

Johnny and ‘Baby’ have the classic falling in love story, one that Michael O’Reilly and Katie Eccles portrayed with ease and believability. Their dancing and on stage passion was consistent and easy to see why they have been cast. The infamous lift was met with an overwhelming round of applause and standing ovation, which after waiting for – it was everything we wanted and more. Their dancing was stellar, with difficult moves being executed with ease to provide wonderful viewing. Their technique in each dance style was sharp and pleasing to watch, highlighting the pair’s talents. Simone Covele as Penny was also a joy to watch and during Do You Love Me was also executed perfectly and led the audience to another well deserved applause. 

Gillian Bruce’s choreography stayed true to the film, giving a nostalgic experience for the audience and when coupled with Roberto Comotti’s set design transported us to Kellerman’s to live out their story alongside them. Federico Bellone has directed this masterpiece to be not only a reflection of the timeless film, but also a re-imagination, with his own twist. The ageless lines that are synonymous with the film ‘Nobody puts Baby in the corner’ and ‘I carried a watermelon?!’ were delivered with poignancy and integrity, leaving the audience reminiscent.

The final dance (I’ve had) The Time of my Life was danced with exceptional talent, passion and love showing the audience that the cast really were having the time of their lives, doing what they do best. In the still of the night, this show will leave you wondering Do you love me? And the answer for this, should most definitely be…..YES!