Month: December 2021

Running with Lions to star Bridgerton’s Ruby Barker as full casting announced at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre

• Ruby Barker best known as Marina Thompson in Bridgerton, Suzette Llewellyn as seen in EastEnders, prolific stage and screen star Wil Johnson, Velile Tshabalala and Nickcolia King-N’da to star in world premiere
  
• Co-production between the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company runs at the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre from 10 February to 12 March. www.lyric.co.uk 

The Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company today announce full casting for the world premiere of Running with Lions starring Ruby Barker (Bridgerton), Wil Johnson (Waking the Dead), Suzette Llewellyn (EastEnders), Nickcolia King-N’da (The Death Of A Blackman) and Velile Tshabalala (Call The Midwife). The debut stage play from new writing talent Sian Carter will be directed by Talawa’s Artistic Director Michael Buffong (A Kind of People, Guys & Dolls) in the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s Main House from 10 February to 12 March with opening night for press on 15 February.

The production brings together Ruby Barker, best known for playing Marina Thompson in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton; Wil Johnson who has performed extensively on stage and the screen for 30+ years including all nine series of Waking the Dead as DS Spencer Jordan; Nickcolia King-N’da most recently on stage in The Death Of A Blackman at Hampstead Theatre; Suzette Llewellyn who most recentlyplayed Sheree Truman in EastEnders and will mark her first appearance in Hammersmith where she was born; and Velile Tshabalala recently seen as Viv in Hollyoaks and who has previously starred as Kareesha Lopez in Kerching, Monique Hyde in Call The Midwife and Rosita in Dr Who.

Michael Buffong, Artistic Director of Talawa Theatre Company, said: “Sian Carter is a brilliant new writer; her story of an intergenerational family learning to overcome the challenges we all face today is, I think, life-affirming. To be able to co-produce this play with the Lyric is a welcomed dream. We have an amazing cast and I believe this is going to be an absolute treat for audiences.”

Rachel O’Riordan, Artistic Director of Lyric Hammersmith Theatre said: “I’ve long admired the work of Talawa Theatre Company and Michael Buffong and it’s a joy to be working with them on Running with Lions, our very first co-production together, and championing an exceptional new writer, Sian Carter. We can’t wait to welcome an incredible cast and team to the Lyric and share this bold, exciting work with audiences in the New Year.”

Set and costume Design is by Soutra Gilmour (Macbeth – Almeida, Out West – Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), Lighting Design by Aideen Malone (Death of a Salesman – Young Vic and West End), Sound Design by Tony Gayle (Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical – West End) and Casting by Chandra Ruegg (Lava – Bush Theatre).

Running with Lions is an intergenerational family drama about love, loss and hope: following three generations of women, it explores what it means to allow those we love to be themselves. It marks the first co-production between the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre and Talawa Theatre Company, the UK’s outstanding Black British Theatre Company. The production is based on the audio play of the same name originally commissioned by BBC Radio 4.

Following the death of a loved one, a British-Caribbean family struggles to come to terms with their grief. Isolated by their generational beliefs and challenges to their faith and mental health, they live between the things they do and do not say. Running with Lions explores the journey of one family’s reconciliation after loss and the rediscovery of love and joy.

As part of the Lyric Hammersmith Theatre’s Free First Night scheme, all tickets for the first preview of Running with Lions on Thursday 10 February will be free to people who live or work in Hammersmith and Fulham. Registration for the ballot will open in January 2022 via https://lyric.co.uk/our-home/about-us/free-first-night/

Ruby Barker (Imani) is best known for playing Marina Thompson in Netflix’s hit series Bridgerton. Her other screen credits include the lead role of Yakira in the multi-award winning independent feature film How To Stop A Recurring Dream and Georgia Nixon in Sky’s political drama Cobra.

Wil Johnson (Maxwell) has performed extensively on stage and screen, and in 2016 he received the British Urban Film Festival honorary award for 30+ years’ outstanding contribution to film and television. Television credits include DS Spencer Jordan in all nine series of Waking the Dead, Carnival Row, The Larkins, Outlander, Death in Paradise, Vera, Lewis. Film includes Adulthood, Anuvahood and Macbeth. Theatre includes The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (Bridge Theatre), Women Beware Women, A Mad World My Masters (Shakespeare’s Globe), Sweat (Donmar Warehouse / Gielgud Theatre), Glengarry Glen Ross (UK tour), Rosencrantz & Guidenstern Are Dead (Old Vic), King Lear (Royal Exchange), A Wolf in Snakeskin Shoes (Tricycle Theatre), Fuente Ovejuna (Royal National Theatre), Redundant (Royal Court), Leave Taking (Bush Theatre) and the lead in Othello (Royal Lyceum).

Nickcolia King-N’da (Joshua) most recently starred on stage in The Death Of A Blackman at Hampstead Theatre. Other theatre credits include: Boys (The Pappy Show), Venice Preserved, The Provoked Wife (Royal Shakespeare Company), King Lear (Orange Tree Theatre), Peter Pan (Park Theatre), See For Myself (Tabard Theatre), Astley’s Astounding Adventures (New Vic Theatre). Television includes McDonald & Dodds, Silent Witness.

Suzette Llewellyn (Shirley)most recentlyplayed Sheree Truman in EastEnders. Running with Lions will mark her first appearance in her hometown of Hammersmith where she was born. Previous theatre includes: Urban Afro Saxons (Talawa), Chigger Foot Boys (Tara Arts), Hell Screen (Vault Festival), Marisol (Traverse Theatre).Other television credits include Estelle Vere in Doctors, Nanette Duvall in Holby City, Wendy Sparks in Rocket’s Island, Top Boy, The Dumping Ground, The Windsors, Catastrophe. Film includes Real, Faces, Molly Moon, Babymother, Playing Away.

Velile Tshabalala (Gloria) most recently played Viv in Channel 4’s Hollyoaks. Previously for television she has starred as Kareesha Lopez in Kerching, Monique Hyde in Call The Midwife and Rosita in Dr Who and further roles in Birds of a Feather Christmas Special, The Mayoress, Utopia, Silent Witness and Class Dismissed. Theatre includes: Yap! Yap! Yap! (Gaggle Productions), Twelfth Night (Nottingham Playhouse), Case of Emergency (Stratford East). Film includes Euphoria.

Sian Carter (Writer) trained as a playwright with Soho Theatre Writers’ Lab and the Royal Court Playwriting Group and is an Alumna of the Almasi League of Writers. Her work was shortlisted for the 2020 BBC Studios Writers‘ Academy.  As an Assistant Director her credits include Human Animals (Royal Court), Fiddler on the Roof (Chichester Festival Theatre), King Lear (Chichester Festival Theatre), Quiz (Noel Coward Theatre, West End). In 2021 her audio drama Running with Lions, co-produced by Talawa Theatre Company and Feral Inc. aired on BBC Radio 4.

Michael Buffong (Director) is the Artistic Director of Talawa Theatre Company. He has previously directed Private Lives, All the Ordinary Angels, Six Degrees of Separation, On My Birthday and the multi-award winning A Raisin in the Sun for the Royal Exchange Theatre. Most recently he has directed A Kind of People (Royal Court), Guys & Dolls, King Lear, and All My Sons (Talawa Theatre Company and Royal Exchange Theatre). Film and television credits include: Tales From The Front Line (Talawa), Holby City, EastEnders, Admin, Placebo, Calais Rules, Doctors, Casualty, Comedy Shuffle, Hollyoaks, Feeling It, Blazed and Simple!.

Soutra Gilmour (Set and Costume Designer). Theatre includes: Out West (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre), Macbeth (Almeida), Romeo and Juliet (Lyttelton Films for the NT); & Juliet (Shaftesbury Theatre); Pinter at the Pinter (Harold Pinter Theatre); Evita (Regent’s Park); Timon of Athens (RSC/ TFANA Brooklyn); Guys and Dolls (Royal Exchange, Manchester); Knives in Hens, Inadmissible Evidence, Piaf (Donmar); Apologia, Richard III, The Maids, The Homecoming (Trafalgar Studios); The Guards at the Taj (Bush Theatre); My Brilliant Friend (Rose Kingston); Pitchfork Disney, Killer (Shoreditch Town Hall); Twelfth Night, Les Blancs, Antigone (National Theatre); I See You, The Pride (Royal Court); Assassins, Merrily We Roll Along (Menier); Bull (Young Vic); Reasons to be Happy (Hampstead); Urinetown (St James, West End); The Crucible, The Duchess of Malfi (Old Vic); Reasons to be Pretty (Almeida); The Caretaker (Sheffield Crucible/Tricycle); The Commitments, From Here to Eternity, The Lover and The Collection (West End). 

Aideen Malone (Lighting Designer) has designed lighting for theatre, dance, opera and circus. She received the 2019 Knights Of Illumination Award for Best Lighting Design for Death Of A Salesman (Young Vic / Piccadilly). Other theatre includes: A Kind Of People (Royal Court);A Monster Calls (London Old Vic/Bristol Old Vic); Brighton Rock (York Theatre Royal/UK Tour);Strange Tale Of Charlie Chaplin And Stan Laurel, Napoleon Disrobed (Told By An Idiot); Darbar Festival (Sadlers Wells); La Strada (The Other Palace/UK tour); Peter Pan (NT); Jane Eyre (BOV/NT/NTP tour); Frankenstein (Living Spit); Raisin in the Sun (Ecilpse Theatre); Blood (Tamasha); Romeo and Juliet (The Rose Theatre); Hetty Feather (Vaudeville Theatre); Alice in Wonderland (Octagon Theatre); Wind in the Willows, The Lion, The Witch And The Wardrobe (Rose Theatre); Saturday Night Sunday Morning, (Mercury Theatre); Of Mice and Men (Nottingham Playhouse); Wizard of Oz (Royal and Derngate); Much Ado About Nothing (Salisbury Playhouse).

Tony Gayle (Sound Designer) received the British Black Theatre Recognition Award 2019. Theatre includes: And Breathe… (Almeida) Get Up, Stand Up! The Bob Marley Musical (Lyric), Shoe Lady (Royal Court), Poet In da Corner (Royal Court & UK Tour) Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (UK Tour), Jersey Boys (UK Tour), American Idiot (UK Tour), Songs For Nobodies (Wilton’s Music Hall & West End), Floyd Collins (Wilton’s Music Hall), The Wild Party (The Other Palace), Lazarus (King’s Cross), West Side Story (Bishopsgate Institute). Associate Sound Designer credits include: Dear Evan Hansen (Noel Coward), Tina – The Tina Turner Musical (Aldwych, Broadway, Hamburg, Utrecht), Here Lies Love (National Theatre, Seattle Rep), The Book of Mormon (Prince of Wales, European Tour), Disney’s Aladdin (Prince Edward, Germany), Beautiful – The Carole King Musical (Aldwych) The Girl from the North Country (Old Vic, Noël Coward), Groundhog Day (Old Vic), Matilda (International tour), Spring Awakening (Lyric Hammersmith Theatre, Novello).

Chandra Ruegg (Casting Director) started working in the industry as a child actress. After more than 20 years, she moved into the world of casting. For Theatre: Casting Director for Lava (Bush Theatre). As an assistant; two seasons at Chichester Festival Theatre, Dance Nation (Almeida Theatre). For Screen she has cast short films The Cunning (Hazel Lane Productions) and Tortoise (BFI Network/Persona Pictures). Her associate work includes: The Peripheral (Amazon Studios/Kilter Films) Tim Burton’s Wednesday (MGM/Netflix) The Witcher 3 (Netflix). Her assistant work includes: Outside The Wire (Netflix/42 Film) Voyagers (Lionsgate) and Censor (BFI/Film 4).

“ALL FAMILIES DESERVE SOME FESTIVE MAGIC THIS CHRISTMAS!”

         Managing Director, Rachel Whibley shares her delight that Carrot Productions will be entertaining children in hospital this Christmas despite Covid 19 restrictions.

       Carrot Productions announces their involvement with a new festive film, Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas.

This Christmas, multi-award-winning company, Carrot Productions will be bringing festive joy to all as they share both their award-winning Wallace & Gromit in Concert stream with Manchester and Bristol Children’s Hospitals, and their The Snowman  Tour stream – featuring the award-winning animation based on Raymond Brigg’s original picture book – across all the UK’s children’s hospitals, with permission from Snowman Enterprises Ltd.

Streaming directly into hospitals, Carrot Productions is ensuring that children undergoing treatment will experience some magic and not miss out on a Christmas treat, despite COVID-19 restrictions.

Carrot Productions is the world’s premier performer of both The Snowman and Wallace & Gromit films with a live orchestra and is at the forefront of family orchestral entertainment. Rachel Whibley co-founded Carrot Productions in 2014 in partnership with her composer husband, Daniel, and is keen to ensure all young people can access live orchestra music, especially at this festive time of year.

“We usually take our Snowman Tour performance into Manchester Children’s Hospital each year, but unfortunately aren’t able to this year. However, we’re delighted that both Aardman and Snowman Enterprises has kindly offered to let us share the happiness and magic across all UK children’s hospitals this December with the children, their families and NHS staff.”

As well as streaming into Children’s hospitals, the Carrot Productions team continues their enchanting concert production of The Snowman, staging 30 performances across the UK this December. Featuring local child soloists singing Walking in the Air –  and stages in stunning settings such as York Minster and Salisbury Cathedral –the magic continues with a special visit from The Snowman himself.

Carrot Productions is already working on next year’s treat and is delighted to announce they will be partnering with multi-award-winning independent animation studio Aardman on their mischief-filled festive caper Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas.

The Flight Before Christmas sees Shaun’s seasonal excitement turn to dismay when a farmhouse raid to get bigger stockings for the Flock inadvertently leads to Timmy going missing. Can Shaun get Timmy back before he becomes someone else’s present? Prepare for a ‘Santastic’ adventure as everyone learns the true value of Christmas!

Themes of friendship, loyalty, mischief and fun combine for a unique adventure that will be premiered by Carrot Production’s live professional orchestra in venues across the country.

Limited tickets for the remaining December 2021 The Snowman Tour are on sale now.

Tickets for next year’s Shaun the Sheep: The Flight Before Christmas concerts are to be announced, for further information please visit https://www.carrotproductions.com

Buxton Opera House – until 1st January 2022

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

4****

Ornate, beautiful and set amongst stunning gardens, Buxton Opera House is quite the experience. Add to that the magic of a pantomime and you are enveloped in the warmth of Christmas cheer.

Aladdin is a hoot. Fun for both adults and children, the accomplished cast bring to life the story of love against all odds. Set in China, the son of a washer woman and the daughter of a queen meet serendipitously but unlawfully. Can they escape the efforts of various villains who attempt to fulfil their nefarious desires and thwart the lovers efforts to be together?

Colourful sets and energetic dance routines pumped this panto up to the max, but the magic carpet ride was truly a breath taker. However, Buxton’s favourite dame, James Holmes, playing the great Widow Twanky, was the true star of the show. A comedic natural who had both the little and big people roaring with laughter.

At one point he was so funny he caused Aladdin to lose track of his lines, turn away from the audience, have a full belly laugh before composing himself to continue with the camel skit. This just added to hilarity of the show and both the Dame and Aladdin’s brother Wishy Washy rallied around Aladdin to get him back on track.

Numerous costume changes, quick fire add libs and a northern accent that could cut through cement, Dame Widow Twanky, is delight to behold.

It was evident that the cast were enjoying performing as much as the audience were loving the viewing and the constantly encouraged interactions of boo’s, hisses, claps, songs, ‘it’s behind you’ and the like, made it a fully dynamic experience as the best panto ought to be, and as much as a mid-pandemic performance can be.

My only gripe would be that some of the non-classic, song choices were quite dated, as were some of the jokes, so these didn’t land as well as they should have.

Other than that, Aladdin is a wonderful, warm, witty, extravaganza of a pantomime which I would highly recommend you go to see.

Sunderland Empire – until 2 January 2021

Reviewed by Hayley Warters

4****

We all love a bit of pantomime. Oh yes we do! And what a wonderful way to celebrate than joining the Sunderland Empire with Snow White and the Seven Dwarfs. The apple certainly wasn’t rotten! And the performance was full of power!

The tale begins with a story which keeps us on our toes when referring to the relationship of The Evil Queen played by Su Pollard and Snow White played by Clare Maynard who made us feel at home with her local accent. The prince, known as Jonathan Charlton, was most charming, playing the prince excellently with his outstanding vocals. It was nostalgic to see Su Pollard on stage with her charisma and comical timing. Her villain was outstanding. Her character was the one that made us smile and boo every time she entered the stage.

Tom Whalley entertained us all with his constant energy and his very clever sketches with Miss Rory. Miss Rory is a local drag queen who kept the fabulousness of drag throughout the pantomime which is different to your traditional dame. Finally the 7 dwarves played their role brilliantly, especially the skype scene due to the clever writing!

The set was amazing throughout, which amazes us how much you can store backstage! And packed with gag after gag thanks to Tom Whalley, including some of his own sketches.

Some jokes can be misheard if you don’t understand the language of Sunderland, however you do become used to the language and feel like you’re at home by the interval! Young Connor even said “This was the best pantomime I’ve ever been too!”. Even though his mum does a bit of pantomime too (Thanks for the support son, but I do love you)

We would like to thank the theatre for the lovely welcome and including our son in this trip as he really didnt want to miss out! The hospitality at this venue is outstanding! You will want to come and visit more in the new year!

This pantomime runs until the 2nd January with tickets still available! Make the most of your Christmas and keep up with the tradition. Support the Arts!

Blue Elephant Theatre – until 21 December

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

The Blue Elephant’s Christmas show this year is a delightful story for younger children. Pringle the Penguin (Oliver Yellop) has come to the North Pole looking for Santa. Fed up with living in the boring South Pole, he wants to ask Santa for some gear to improve his image and start a new life in the North. Dr Shelby Shirley Sallyann Somoye (Liyah Summers) is also searching for Santa, for scientific reasons. She wants to prove Santa is real to regain her reputation after an unfortunate lab explosion and dreams of the awards she will win.

Dr S reluctantly joins forces with Pringle and comic misunderstandings and physical comedy that has the young audience in stitches ensues. Eventually, some mild jeopardy causes the mismatched pair to discover the true meaning of friendship and realise what is important to them. The message about friends, family and belonging creating true happiness is delivered sweetly and writers Jo Sadler-Lovett and Niamh de Valera know exactly when to throw in a ridiculous joke or pratfall to stop things getting too sentimental and set the audience whooping with laughter.

Summers and Yellop are a fine double act, with some lovely audience interaction – always high risk with very young children! There are sprinklings of magical wonder as Dr S’s Magical Christmas Magic Detector is powered up by the audience’s Christmas spirit, and some classic panto gags as the pair don’t spot the signs that Santa is close. Santa isn’t seen onstage, but the explanation given was easily and quickly accepted by the children. A charming show with a big heart, The Search For Santa is a real treat for little ones this Christmas

Upstairs at the Gatehouse, London – until 16 January 2022

Reviewed by Debra Stottor

5*****

My first thought when I heard that ‘Five Guys Named Moe’ was coming to the Gatehouse was: how will all that song and dance work in such a small space? I needn’t have worried. Despite the stage area being a strip of floor about 8ft wide and the length of about 20 seats, with the audience seated on both sides, the cast performed effectively, and no one in the front row was inadvertently hit.

I first saw this show in the West End about 30 years ago, a full-on, glitzy show, and was intrigued to see how the energy would translate to a smaller venue. Clarke Peters’ musical has a story of sorts, but it mainly serves to link a series of songs by American saxophonist Louis Jordan and others from 1930s era of ‘jump blues’, a swinging, up-tempo hybrid of jazz, blues and boogie-woogie, all given a fresh, fun sound in this new production and performed impeccably. In short, it works.

The five Moes appear from nowhere to guide the hapless Nomax back onto the straight and narrow, using songs to advise how he might regain the affections of his long-suffering girlfriend. It’s not a complicated tale, and even this is dispensed with in the second half, until the very end. But when the songs are this good, frankly that’s a side issue.

The cast, which includes two Moes making their professional theatre debut (Andre Coulson as No Moe and Christian Maynard as Little Moe), work that small space really well, each number choreographed so that both sides of the audience get to see the action – and the audience is very much encouraged to join in the fun. Their singing is also spot on, whether solo or in harmony with each other, with a falsetto by Four Eyed Moe (Kieran McGinn) on ‘Ain’t Nobody Here but us Chickens’ a standout moment. And the band providing the musical accompaniment capture the spirit of the era with aplomb.

Mykal Rand’s direction and choreography (this isn’t his first time on this musical) make this production in this space really sing. He says: “I hope this show leaves people with a bounce in their step and a huge grin from ear to ear.” From what I could see, he’s hit the spot perfectly. This is a fun show, guaranteed to lift your spirits, and who doesn’t need a bit of that in their lives?

Jack Studio Theatre – until 8 January 2022

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

A country house ghost story is ideal Christmas entertainment, but Ross McGregor’s comedy has some welcome twists.

Jeremy Roland (Bryan Moriarty) has inherited his great aunt’s isolated house. Aunt Esme was a prolific romantic fiction writer and has also arranged for her publisher to work with Jeremy after her death. Jeremy is not in the same league as his aunt, however, writing a string of crime novels with practically the same plot. After having his heart broken, Jeremy is determinedly unromantic, describing his aunt’s work and her readers in increasingly cruel and funny ways and refusing to write any major female characters. The arrival of Lily (Rachel Summers), a romantic superfan of his aunt triggers a string of events that are straight out of one of Esme’s stories, and Jeremy begins to suspect supernatural interference, especially after people start bursting into song. As Jeremy gets lost in creating his latest crime novel, Aunt Esme’s influence is unescapable, and femme fatales appear, complicating his usual straightforward plotlines.

McGregor mixes the twee, waspish humour of the English 1920s spooky farce and the colourful and corny one liners of pulp fiction expertly and the clashing of styles is a joy. The cast of three work wonders with accent and costume changes – Moriarty fantastic morphing between uptight Jeremy and hardnosed private detective while Summers and Ben Higgins play multiple roles brilliantly. Most characters are familiar amusing stereotypes from the genres featured, while Higgins’ housekeeper evokes fond memories of Mrs Cropley and her “interesting” culinary offerings in Vicar of Dibley, and there is redemption for the Scroogelike publisher courtesy of Aunt Esme.

Kate Bannister’s direction gives the silliness a sophisticated touch, with Robbie Butler’s lighting and Julian Starr’s sound design adding wonderful atmosphere, especially in the film noir pastiches.

Kindred Spirits is great fun – gangsters, ghosts, romance and laughs – all you could ask for at Christmas.

Hampstead Theatre – until 29th January 2022

Reviewed by Emily Cliff

4****

What is a play? A question that was frequently asked throughout the first act of Alan Platers Peggy For You. But when we look into it, the question kind of stumps us all really. What is a play – well it is something we use as an escape, for us critics it’s work, a living and for agents, it’s all they live and breathe. Theatre whisks us away and takes us to somewhere else, and when it comes down to the nitty-gritty a play is just a collection of words designed to do just that – Peggy for you does that brilliantly.

The play takes place in an agents office in the space of a day, giving us insight into the fast pleased life that is ‘showbiz’. Brilliantly chaotic, our leading lady Peggy portrayed by Tamsin Greig delivered the lines with clarity shining a light again on how fast-paced this industry is and how beautifully messy Peggy was as a person.

The first act is funny in all of the right places purely because of how much of the world of Peggy Ramsay is chaos and despite everything everyone lays at her feet. It is not until act two that where we see some tension building up between her clients and the consequences of what happens when you push them to breaking point. Unknowingly blunt, the world revolved around Peggy leading her to give questionable yet hilarious advice.

The second act takes a more dramatic and serious turn. As said before the faced paced world of showbiz can have a tragic effect on some. The life of living fast and dangerously can be too much for some people and as Peggy finds out a beloved client of hers passed away her entire world come crashing down around her. The blunt and harsh words from geordie Henry (portrayed by Trevor Fox) bought her head down from the clouds with a thundering crash to earth.

The show has a fantastic supporting cast, with Danusia Samal portraying the assistant, Tessa, who picks up the pieces and keeps the office turning smoothly – Philip (Portrayed by Jos Vantyler) the golden boy who keeps the cash rolling in with his spectacular plays in the Westend and on Broadway and soon to be client Simon (portayed Josh Finan) is a blissfully unaware new playwright making his world debut in the back of a pub. The characters are all uniquely their own and under the direction of Richard Wilson, gelled and connected intricately on stage.

Overall this play with its all star cast is a brilliant night of theatre. Fantastically chaotic, witty and whimsical it really gets you thinking about what goes on behind closed doors. Why? Because its showbiz darling.

Soho Theatre, London – until 30th December 2021

Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton

5*****

The Dina Martina Christmas Show at Soho Theatre is a comical masterpiece, which includes a few Christmassy songs, with some very funny jokes in between, and a quick costume change here and there. The songs are hilarious, with some being sung to the tune of some Beatles songs, such as ‘Eleanor Rigby’ and ‘I am the Walrus’. My personal favourite was Dina’s rendition of ‘Let it Snow’ sung to the tune of ‘Let it Be’, and then vice versa. There are also a few life lessons scattered throughout; apparently murder is like cilantro, and John Wayne Gacy was one of Santa’s reindeer. The audience are also educated on the very honourable occupation of ‘earthquake clowns’, which is possibly the funniest story I have ever heard.

The costumes featured in the show are absolutely gorgeous, from a beautiful green floor length dress, to a long sparkly red jumper with one sleeve. These outfits were simply dazzling, and worked perfectly in the show to create a piece that engulfs all of the senses, the green dress specifically also engulfing the stool, alongside some humorous sound effects from Dina herself.

The set was very minimalistic, with a white Christmas tree, a table and stool, and a large wrapped box, the contents of which aren’t revealed until the very end as part of a hilarious moment in her final song.

Dina Martina is a comedic genius, and her show should definitely not be missed. Leave the kids at home and get down to Soho Theatre to see this hysterical Christmas show.

Grand Opera House York – until 9th January 2022

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

3.5***

After retiring as the Dame, Berwick Kaler just couldn’t keep away, it’s in his soul, and Grand Opera House York have taken up the realm this year. York legend Berwick brings his regular band of highwaymen, to York’s Grand Opera House for their latest pantomime, his first at this lovely venue. As well as staring as Dotty Donut, the mammie of the bunch, he has also written and directed Dick Turpin Rides Again, presented by Crossroads Pantomimes.

As the regular gang of, Martin Barrass, Suzy Cooper, David Leonard and AJ Powell, graced the stage they were all greeted with enthusiastic applause. Obviously, a lot of the audience had followed them to their new “home”.

Suzy and Martin play Dotty’s children, Donna and Dunkin Donut, whilst David is the dastardly Vermin the Destroyer, the evil villain, until he isn’t. Last, but not least, is the loveable brummie, AJ Powell, as Luvlie Lumpit. New to their panto family is Daniel Conway as the Dashing Dick Turpin and his faithful steed Peggy.

As always with Berwick’s panto’s, they start with the story you may know, but this all goes out the window, with any semblance of sanity, pretty quick. This show did not disappoint. We had cowboys, vampires, and a garlic alien from the planet Garlatica to name but a few. The later had me snorting in laughter, quite literally, to see AJ in his skimpy shorts with his garlic head is a sight to behold. Suzy had us in stitches as a bat, teeth falling out and all. I must say she looked fantastic, very lithe.

The set and costumes were colourful, though the piéce de résistance was the flying Peggy, complete with Daniel in full voice, riding in the starry skies. This was truly magical and enchanting to watch. I must say I’ve only seen 2 pantos this year and both had flying horses??!! To be fair, though completely different, they were both spectacular. Unfortunately, Berwick’s costumes were a bit of a let-down, not nearly flamboyant and outrageous enough. We wanted more!

Overall, I did enjoy the show, but it was lacking the wow factor for me. Some of the jokes and humour were dated and missed the mark, at times the audience were just not getting involved with the bite backs. It is still worth going to see for a bit of out there escapism, a laugh and to see the York Dame back in action.