Month: November 2019

Leeds Playhouse – until 23 November 2019

Reviewed By Dawn Smallwood

4****

Barber Shop Chronicles makes a return visit to the Leeds Playhouse after successful runs at the National Theatre and worldwide since its debut. Inua Ellmam’s play is a co-production between Fuel, National Theatre and Leeds Playhouse.

The audience is firstly invited to join the cast for a pre-warm up party on stage with opportunities for a dance or a “haircut”! Under the direction of Bijan Sheibani and Rae Smith’s creative staging, the play is set in barber shops in London and Africa and packed with conversations taking place over one day.

Traditionally African men access barber shops as community and social platforms as well as getting their hair needs done. They would often congregate, share news and have animated and heated discussions about the world. They would pessimistically and optimistically put the worlds to rights whether it is politics, family loyalties or football. This one act performance captures a lot of conversations and explores such relationships including families, the community, and also individual and collective aspirations and plans for the future.

Barber Shop Chronicles is cleverly staged with smooth transitions and accompanied with African dance and song interludes which are arranged by Michael Henry’s music and Aline David’s choreographic movements. There are featured barber shops’ scenes in Peckham (known as “Little Nigeria”), Lagos, Johannesburg, Harare, Kampala and Accra. With Jack Knowles’ innovative lighting each barber shop is lighted to indicate where in the world the conversations are taking place. The men maybe countries apart physically but united in banter and barber on what matters to them including manhood, dreams and hopes for the future. This is an opportunity to explore what topics matter to them and also to men in general.

Members of the cast, playing multiple roles, have put on an excellent, heartfelt, funny and insightful performance and successfully engage with the audience in this content packed play. Topics and series of events that are captured in the conversations are relevantly universal and the audience are invited to get an insight into a unique wider community of how Africans meet and talk. It must be said that meetings in hairdressing establishments are common among many communities worldwide, men and women. Barber Shop Chronicles is not exclusive but inclusive and how having such settings is socially and societically very important to one and all.

Shaftsbury Theatre – currently booking until May 2019

Reviewed by Alexandra Sykes

5*****

“What if Juliet didn’t kill herself?” asks Anne Hathaway at the start of the show. Well, if she had lived you get & Juliet, the brand new jukebox musical featuring songs written by Max Martin.

Starting at the end of Romeo and Juliet, Anne Hathaway (Cassidy Janson) asks Shakespeare (Oliver Tompsett) why Juliet has to die, just because Romeo does. This leads to Anne taking over and rewriting the ending of the play, even giving herself a role in the play. Things seems to be going well for Juliet until Shakespeare brings Romeo (Jordon Luke Gage) back from the dead. This does not go down well with Anne and leads to an argument between her and her husband until they have a heart to heart and Anne, and Juliet, get the ending they want.

Miriam-Teak Lee is amazing as Juliet, being both confused by her feelings for Romeo and her sense for adventure. Joining Lee is Arun Blair-Mangat as May, Juliet’s best friend, and Melanie La Barrie as her nurse. Whilst on her adventures Juliet as meets Francois, Tim Mahendran, whom she nearly marries, and Lance (David Bedella), the strict father of Francois.

The cast work well together and the relationship between Tompsett and Janson is absolutely amazing, they need more stage time together. The mix of modern and Shakespearean English works well with several famous Shakespeare quotes thrown in for good measure.

With an amazing set designed by Soutra Gilmour, costumes designed by Paloma Young and wigs by Linda Mcknight, this reimagining of a classic will have everyone singing and dancing.

With female empowerment a key theme throughout this is a musical not to be missed. You will laugh, you will cry, you will sing. Grab a ticket while you can because this show is going to sell out fast and you do not want to miss it.

York Theatre Royal – until 23 November 2019

Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

5*****

Nigel Slater is a famous food writer known for his several books, one of which is his autobiography Toast: The Story of a Boys Hunger. Now a play on stage which delves into Slater’s childhood discovering his passion for food, relationship with his parents and his own personal journey. Currently at the York Theatre Royal, Toast is on tour around the UK.

Walking into the theatre was an experience in itself as as soon as you see the stage you are treated to the smell of toast, the smell reminds you of a moment maybe your childhood or just of breakfast. The smell of toast made me think of my own experiences and right away made the show a lot more personal. The show starts with a young Nigel (Giles Cooper) reading ‘Cookery in Colour’ by Marguerite Patten, the kitchen counters were weaving around the stage as Nigel manoeuvres over them, all whist Carole King’s ‘I Feel the Earth Move’ is playing. Such a strong way to open the show and grab the audiences attention, then we are left with Nigel and his mother (Katy Federman) about to make jam tarts.

Federman was one of the highlights of the show as the Mum, with being the strong idol for Nigel but also dealing with serious asthma problems, she captures motherly love perfectly. Nigel’s relationship with his Father was less sweet and more savoury. His Father (Blair Plant) was strict and believed in the tradition ideals of manhood. Plant did a good job of making sure that his father wasn’t a villain but it was hard to like him from Slater’s point of view. Slater’s rival as a teenager was Joan (Samantha Hopkins) whom he fought over to get his fathers attention through the power of food; Hopkins played ‘that’ woman very well, cigarette in hand and a sickly sweet attitude but aggressive behaviour to Slater. The last actor in the show is Stefan Edwards who played a gardener Josh when Slater was a child, Josh bought sexuality into the play and explored those moments in our childhood that define who we are as adults. Edwards played other character such as Slater’s best friend, and later a ballet dancer to who Slater has his first kiss with.

The entire play was well thought out with every single moment being both entertaining and important to the themes of the play. I would say the play is sophisticated but doesn’t go over the audiences head, there was a point in the play where Nigel made a game show on which sweets are for boys and girls, something his father believed; then sweets were shared with the audience, I got my hand on Parma Violets, everyone was rustling sweet wrappers and chewing and then straight after was a serious scene so they literally sugar-coated it all. I loved how the show was also a sensory experience with the smell of toast and near the end of the play mushrooms on toast were made on stage and the smell filled the whole theatre, which I absolutely loved and got me craving food.

Toast is one of the best shows I’ve seen and has certain left it’s mark. I will own up that I wasn’t expecting to like it whatsoever, I didn’t know anything about Nigel Slater or have an interest in cookbooks or other food articles. I knew as soon as I entered the theatre that it was going to be something special, they enhanced the show with so many little but important things that just made the show incredible to watch. I would gladly see the show again and if anyone has a spare ticket they better invite me because this show is not to be missed!

FOLLOWING A SELL-OUT 2019 TOUR

2020 DATES NOW ANNOUNCED

FOR

DOLLY PARTON’S

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL

Music and Lyrics by Dolly Parton, Book by Patricia Resnick

and Directed by Jeff Calhoun

Based on the 20^th Century Fox Picture

OPENING AT THE

AYLESBURY WATERSIDE THEATRE

ON 29 MAY 2020

Following a sell-out 2019 tour that ends in Dublin this Saturday, Dolly Parton announced today that 9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL will return for a second tour in 2020. The tour will open at the Aylesbury Waterside Theatre on 29 May 2020where it will play until 6 June 2020, before visiting Wolverhampton Grand Theatre (9 – 13 June 2020), Nottingham Theatre Royal (16 – 20 June 2020), Southampton Mayflower (22 – 27 June 2020), Leeds Grand Theatre (29 June – 4 July 2020), Theatre Royal Plymouth (14 – 18 July 2020), Regent’s Theatre Stoke on Trent (21 – 25 July 2020), Southend Cliff’s Pavilion (28 July – 1 August 2020), Marlowe Theatre Canterbury (4 – 8 August 2020), Bristol Hippodrome (11 – 15 August 2020), Llandudno Venue Cymru (18 – 22 August 2020), Manchester Palace Theatre (25 – 29 August 2020), Eden Court Inverness (1 – 5 September 2020), King’s Theatre Glasgow (8 – 12 September 2020) and Sheffield Lyceum (15 – 19 September 2020). Casting for the 2020 tour will be announced soon.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL continues to play at The Savoy Theatre in London’s West End where it is booking until May 2020.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL opened in the West End in February this year, where Dolly Parton attended the premiere and joined the cast on stage at the finale. The musical features a book by Patricia Resnick, the legendary film’s original screenwriter, and an original Oscar, Grammy and Tony award-nominated score by multi Grammy Award winner, country legend and pop icon Dolly Parton.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL tells the story of Doralee, Violet and Judy – three workmates pushed to boiling point by their sexist and egotistical boss. Concocting a plan to kidnap and turn the tables on their despicable supervisor, will the women manage to reform their office – or will events unravel when the CEO pays an unexpected visit? Inspired by the cult film this hilarious new West End production is about teaming up, standing up and taking care of business!

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is written by Patricia Resnick, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. It is directed by Jeff Calhoun, choreography by Lisa Stevens, design by Tom Rogers, lighting design by Howard Hudson, sound design by Poti Martin, video design by Nina Dunn, original arrangements by Stephen Oremus & Alex Lacamoire, original Broadway orchestrations by Bruce Coughlin, musical supervisor, reductions & extra arrangements by Mark Crossland, musical direction by Andrew Hilton and casting by Victoria Roe and Anne Vosser.

Based on the 20^th Century Fox Picture. Originally produced on Broadway by Robert Greenblatt, April 2009.

9 TO 5 THE MUSICAL is produced by Ambassador Theatre Group Productions, Selladoor Worldwide and Gavin Kalin Productions with Benjamin Lowy Productions, Glass Half Full Productions, Showtime Theatre Productions, Hartshorn – Hook Productions, Harmonia Holdings and Kilimanjaro Live.

THE MIRROR CRACK’D GAN GANOLFAN MILENIWM CYMRU A WILTSHIRE CREATIVES I’W LWYFANNU YNG NGHANOLFAN GELFYDDYDAU FWYAF INDIA

Bydd cynhyrchiad newydd o The Mirror Crack’d gan Ganolfan Mileniwm Cymru a Wiltshire Creative yn cael ei berfformio yn y National Centre for the Performing Arts ym Mumbai, India, rhwng 30 Ionawr a 9 Chwefror 2020.

Cafodd y cynhyrchiad llwyfan gwreiddiol o nofel Agatha Christie, The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side, a addaswyd ar gyfer y llwyfan gan Rachel Wagstaff a’i gynhyrchu gan Melly Still, ei weld gan dros 28,000 o bobl yn Salisbury, Dulyn, Caergrawnt a Chaerdydd rhwng Chwefror ac Ebrill 2019.

Mae’r cynhyrchiad yn addasiad newydd sbon ar gyfer cynulleidfaoedd yn India gan yr awdur Ayeesha Menon, gyda Melly Still yn dychwelyd fel cyfarwyddwr. Mae’n nodi ymddangosiad cyntaf Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru fel cynhyrchydd yn Asia.

Wrth gyhoeddi’r cynhyrchiad newydd, dywedodd Mathew Milsom, Rheolwr Gyfarwyddwr Canolfan Mileniwm Cymru: “Ein nod yw creu gwaith arloesol a difyr sy’n arddangos Cymru i’r byd, ac yn tanio dychymyg y gynulleidfa. Mae ein cynyrchiadau eisoes wedi teithio i Affrica, America ac Awstralia, ac rydw i wrth fy modd taw Asia fydd ein cyrchfan nesaf, gan gyd-weithio ag NCPA i ychwanegu naws gyffrous, Indiaidd wreiddiol i’r clasur Prydeinig hwn.”

Dywedodd Mr Khushroo N. Suntook, y Gweledydd a Chadeirydd NCPA: “Mae’r NCPA yn falch iawn o gyflwyno’r cynhyrchiad arbennig hwn o The Mirror Crack’d, gan roi iddo flas unigryw o’r India. Mae’r dehongliad Indiaidd newydd hwn yn enghraifft wych o’n huchelgais ar gyfer cynyrchiadau NCPA, sef creu cynnwys arloesol mewn cydweithrediad â’r artistiaid gorau yma yn India yn ogystal ag yn rhyngwladol. Gall ein cynulleidfaoedd edrych ymlaen at noson wych o ddiddanwch yn yr hyn sy’n addo bod yn uchafbwynt yng nghalendr theatr Mumbai yn 2020.”

Dywedodd Gareth Machin, Cyfarwyddwr Artistig Wiltshire Creative: “Rydym yn falch iawn y bydd ein cynhyrchiad ni o’r clasur hwn gan Agatha Christie yn cael ei fwynhau gan gynulleidfaoedd ym Mumbai; gobeithiwn y byddan nhw’n mwynhau’r troeon clyfar yn y plot gymaint ag y mae cynulleidfaoedd yn y DU wedi ei wneud.”

WALES MILLENNIUM CENTRE & WILTSHIRE CREATIVES’ THE MIRROR CRACK’D TO BE STAGED AT INDIA’S LARGEST PERFORMING ARTS CENTRE

A new production of Wales Millennium Centre and Wiltshire Creative’s The Mirror Crack’d will be performed at India’s National Centre for the Performing Arts in in Mumbai, from 30 January to 9 February 2020.

The original stage production of Agatha Christie’s novel The Mirror Crack’d from Side to Side, adapted for the stage by Rachel Wagstaff and directed by Melly Still, was seen by more than 28,000 people Salisbury, Dublin, Cambridge and Cardiff February-April 2019.

The production will be reimagined for Indian audiences by writer Ayeesha Menon, with Melly Still returning as its director. It marks Wales Millennium Centre’s debut as a producer in Asia.

Announcing the new production, Mathew Milsom, Managing Director of Wales Millennium Centre, said: “We aim to make innovative and entertaining work that showcases Wales to the world, and which fires the imagination of the audience. Our productions have already toured to Africa, America and Australia and I’m thrilled that our next stop is Asia, working in collaboration with the NCPA to give this classic British thriller an exciting and original Indian twist.”

Visionary and Chairman of NCPA, Mr Khushroo N. Suntook said: “The NCPA is delighted to be producing this celebrated production of The Mirror Crack’d, but with an utterly original Indian flavour. This new Indian interpretation is a great example of our ambition for NCPA productions: creating innovative content in collaboration with the very best artists here in India as well as on the international scene. Our audiences can look forward to a terrific evening’s entertainment in what promises to be a highlight of the Mumbai theatre calendar in 2020.”

Gareth Machin, Artistic Director of Wiltshire Creative, said: “We are delighted that our production of this Agatha Christie classic will be enjoyed by audiences in Mumbai and hope they will be enthralled by its clever plot twists as much as UK audiences have been.”    

Stolen Elephant Theatre in association with Park Theatre present

SHACKLETON AND HIS STOWAWAY

By Andy Dickinson

8^th January – 1^st February | Park Theatre

COMMEMORATING THE 200^TH ANNIVERSARY OF THE DISCOVERY OF THE ANTARTIC ON 30^TH JANUARY 1820

Following two sell-out runs at Edinburgh Festival Fringe in 2018 and at London’s Cervantes Theatre, Shackleton and his Stowaway opens the Park90 2020 season. The run will commemorate the 200^th anniversary of the discovery of the Antarctic, with the anniversary date falling on 30^th January 2020. This thrilling two-hander is based on historical facts, exploring a fictionalised relationship between Ernest Shackleton and the young stowaway who boarded Endurance. The production runs from 8^th January – 1^st February 2020.

Shackleton and his Stowaway was written by Andy Dickinson, with Simone Coxall directing. Richard Ede will be playing the role of Shackleton, and Elliott Ross will be playing the role of The Stowaway. The production features set and costume design by Kaajel Patel, lighting design by Pablo Fernandez Baz and projection design by Enrique Munoz.

Richard Ede plays the eponymous Ernest Shackleton. His theatre work includes: The 39 Steps (West End and UK Tour), Little History of the World (Watermill Theatre), It’s a Wonderful Life (Farnham Maltings), Arsenic and Old Lace (Nottingham Theatre Royal),Normal (Styx Theatre) and The Wife of Bath (Rude Mechanical Theatre Company). His television includes:Lord Lucan: My Husband The Truth (ITV1), Cuckoo Season 5 (BBC3/Netflix), Modern Manners (BBC1) and can also be regularly seen as the face ofThatcher’s Cider.

Elliott Ross plays the curious Stowaway. His theatre credits include: Admissions (West End & Tour), Queen Anne, Love for Love (RSC), A Midsummer Night’s Dream, Frankenstein (US Tour), Sense & Sensibility (Cape Fear Regional Theatre) and Albee Vector the Sound Collector (Arcola). His film credits include: D-Day: First Hand (BBC Short), Room Tone (White Lodge Productions) and Brief Intermission (Third Eye Productions). 

Andy Dickinson is a writer, producer, and translator.  Currently, he is translating Enrique Jardiel Poncela’s Eloise is Under an Almond Tree. He produced Olivier Award winning playwrights Jack Shepherd’s In Lambeth (Southwark Playhouse), and Grae Cleugh’s Scottish Widows, which he also directed.

Simone Coxall: works as a Director and Movement Specialist in the UK, USA and Australia. Her director credits include The Kids Are Alright (Encounter Theatre, The Place & The Albany), Orlando: The Queer Element (Clay and Diamonds, National Trust). As an Associate Director at Fourth Monkey, she has directed several productions including The Tempest and Henry V. She also works as a Globe Practise practitioner at Shakespeare’s Globe.

Kaajel Patel is a London-based visual artist, set designer, dancer & actor, with her previous work shown across different theatres & community spaces around London such as Royal Court Theatre, The Vaults, Royal Central School of Speech & Drama, Africa Centre and Cervantes Theatre.

Pablo Fernandez Baz studied film and photography before graduating as a lighting designer at CSSD. Previous credits include: Hotel Medea (Hayward Gallery London & International tour), The Last Days of Lime House (Site Specific London), Sundowning (Tristan Bates), Jukai (BET), The Marked (UK Tour), Noodles (UK Tour).

Enrique Munoz is a lecturer in Visual Productions at Rose Bruford College and a freelance video designer and director. He has worked at the Fringe as an actor, director and lighting designer/technician, and worked at the Royal Opera House in their Digital Development and Technology Dept. 

www.parktheatre.co.uk

Box office: 020 7870 6876*

THE BARRICADE BOYS

Announce the First Line-Up of Guest Stars

Joining Their Acclaimed

CHRISTMAS CABARET AT THE OTHER PALACE

Samantha Barks, Camilla Kerslake, Alice Fearn, Nadim Naaman & Kieran Brown Confirmed with More Star Names to Follow

It’s (almost) the most wonderful time of the year!  Back by public demand, The Barricade Boys today announce the first confirmed line-up of special guest stars who will be joining them during their Christmas residency from 10-28 December at The Other Palace in London’s West End.

Samantha Barks will guest star on 17 December, Camilla Kerslake on 16 December, Alice Fearn on 23 December, Nadim Naaman on 27 December and Kieran Brown on 28 December matinee.  More star names will be announced shortly.

Samantha Barks rose to fame after coming in third in the BBC series I’d Do Anything in 2008. In 2012, she starred alongside Jonathan Bailey in the Disney Channel series Groove High and made her film debut as Éponine in the film version of the musical Les Misérables, going on to win the Empire Award for Best Female Newcomer.  She has since starred in the UK Tour of Oliver!, Josie Rourke’s production of City of Angels and most recently made her Broadway debut originating the role of Vivian in the stage musical Pretty Woman which played for a year at the Nederlander Theatre.

Camilla Kerslake is a classical crossover soprano who has toured with Andrea Bocelli, Il Divo and Russell Watson.  After becoming the first artist to sign to Gary Barlow’s record label Future Records, she released her debut album Camilla Kerslake in 2009, and was subsequently nominated for a Classical Brit Award.  She has played Cosette in Les Misérables, opposite Samantha Barks and Nick Jonas. 

Alice Fearn started her career in the Woman In White before joining the cast of Les Misérables, both in the West End. Credits since include Princess Aurora in Awaking Beauty (Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough written and directed by Alan Ayckbourn), Annie Get Your Gun (Young Vic), Rapunzel in Into The Woods (Regents Park Open Air Theatre), Renee in Dirty Rotten Scoundrels and Nancy in Oliver! at the Watermill Theatre, Newbury. Most recently, Alice starred as Elphaba in the West End production of Wicked.

Nadim Naaman’s credits include Gibran in Broken Wings (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Raoul in The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre); Charles Clarke in Titanic (Southwark Playhouse); Rolf in The Sound Of Music (London Palladium).

Kieran Brown has recently appeared in the 2019 Barricade Boys UK Tour.  His West End theatre credits include The Phantom of the Opera (Her Majesty’s Theatre), Wicked (Apollo Victoria Theatre) and Love Never Dies (Adelphi Theatre) and he appeared in The Les Misérables 25^th Anniversary Concert at the O2 Arena.

Following a critically acclaimed season in 2017, The Barricade Boys, will return to London for three weeks only, from Tuesday 10 to Saturday 28 December. 

Join The Barricade Boys around the Christmas tree, escape the winter chill and enjoy the very best of festive cheer. Featuring fabulous harmonies, incredible vocals, dashing good looks and stacks of charm, The Barricade Boys, showcase the UK’s finest male voices from the world’s longest running musical – Les Misérables.  After sell-out performances in London, a season on Broadway and a major 2019 UK Tour, The Barricade Boys have rightfully secured their place as the world’s leading musical theatre super group.

This glittering Christmas Cabaret will be packed with a stocking full of family favourites, including classics from ‘White Christmas’ to ‘Winter Wonderland’, ‘Let it Snow’ and ‘Santa Claus is Coming to Town’.  And Christmas wouldn’t be Christmas without The Barricade Boys’ favourite crackers featuring songs from the musicals as well as some of the best pop, rock and swing numbers of all time.

The cast of the Christmas Cabaret are Simon Schofield (title role in Oliver! London Palladium, Joseph and The Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, The Sound of Music, Les Misérables), Dougie Carter (Les Misérables, Sunset Boulevard, La Cage aux Folles), Lee Honey Jones ((Les Misérables, The Book of Mormon, Mamma Mia!, Whistle Down The Wind) and George Tebbutt (Les Misérables, Chitty Chitty Bang Bang). 

The Barricade Boys have played nearly every major role in musical theatre from The Phantom of The Opera, Wicked and Billy Elliot to Jersey Boys, The Sound Of Music and of course Les Misérables.

The Barricade Boys were devised and created in 2015 by Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield.

Listings Information:

★★★★★ “These guys are fantastic… DON’T miss this show!” – Alfie Boe

★★★★★ “Do you hear the people sing? Yes! With dashing good looks, incredible voices and outstanding musical magic!” – Elaine Paige, BBC Radio 2

THE BARRICADE BOYS CHRISTMAS CABARET

The Other Palace, 12 Palace St, London SW1E 5JA

To Book Tickets: www.TheOtherPalace.co.uk/BarricadeBoys

Box Office: 0207 087 7900

Tuesday 10 December – Saturday 28 December

Monday-Saturday at 20:00      

Saturday matinees on 14, 21 and 28 December at 14:00

Thursday matinee on 19 December at 14:00 and Tuesday matinee on 24 December at 14:00 

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre, Guildford – until 23 November 2019

Reviewed by Antonia Hebbert

4****

Confession: I wasn’t 100 per cent looking forward to seeing this play about a 14-year-old girl who is gruesomely murdered, and then watches and comments as her family and friends struggle with their own lives afterwards. She knows and we know that the murderer lives next door, but she can only watch as the police fail to find the proof, the parents’ marriage is torn apart, and teenagers suffer – but then grow up, which she never can.

Amazingly, it’s enthralling. Or perhaps not completely amazingly, as it’s based on Alice Sebold’s hugely successul novel The Lovely Bones. It has been adapted for the theatre by Bryony Lavery, and the director is Melly Still. The stage is almost bare, except for a square marked out in chalk, but the entire backdrop is a mirror, so that all the action is reflected and seen from a different angle. This is an ingenious way of showing people overlapping in the different dimensions of life and afterlife, and to add to the layering, spotlit actors appear through the reflected layer. Linking the actual and the reflected is a spooky row of crooked, spiky corn plants, reminding us of the cornfield in which the murder took place. In this kind of space the acting doesn’t have to be completely literal, and at moments it feels more like a dance piece, performed with split-second precision.

Charlotte Beaumount is bright and engaging as the ever-young murdered Susie, Fanta Barrie is her sister Lindsey, and the tormented parents are played by Jack Sandle and Catrin Aaron. Nicholas Khan is a convincingly creepy killer Harvey, and Lynda Rooke is fun as a glamorous gran. Other members of the cast provide a fast-moving supporting crowd of friends, family, police and occasionally dogs. As with the book, you don’t exactly get a happy ending, but you do get a sense of renewal and rebuilding – the ‘lovely bones’ are a metaphor for the new strength that the family develops.

The Lowry, Salford – until Sunday 24 November 2019

Reviewed by Angharad Crabtree

4****

Circus 1903 gives a unique perspective of how it would have felt to watch an American circus over 100 years ago. This was done with the help of an amazing amalgamation of set, costumes, lighting, music and the raw talent of the performers. From the very beginning, the set and costumes made the audience feel fully immersed in the early 20th century, with the simplicity of the circus props somewhat juxtaposing the incredible acts that are being displayed. In addition, the clever use of dramatic lighting and music heightened the exciting anticipation of the audience. Both were used to cleverly reach a crescendo at just the appropriate times, which gave the audience direction in their applause and allowed the show to flow just as it would have in the real environment.

Despite the fantastic theatrical tools in play, the main treasure of this performance was the artists themselves. The ringmaster (David Williamson) seamlessly integrated humour into his navigation of the play, becoming part of the entertainment himself and providing extra delight with audience interaction. The most moving performance however, had to be the Flying Fredonis (Daria Shelest and Vadym Pankevych), who not only displayed immense talent and coordination, but paired their enchanting routine with beautiful choreography and a musical accompaniment to match. Similar demonstrations of incredible acrobatic skill were that of Natalia Leontieva (a hula hooping phenomenon), Les Incredibles (gravity-defying acrobat pair), The Remarkable Risleys (Fearless foot jugglers), Rokardy Rodriguez (strong man extraordinaire), the Sensational Sozonov (a pirouetting phenomenon) and The Daring Desafios (the energetic stuntmen).

In addition, it was great to see some more traditional circus acts had not been forgotten, with the performances from Senayet Asefa Amare (an astonishing contortionist), Francois Borie (an incredibly high speed juggler) and last but not least, the amazing elephant puppeteers, who somehow managed to give the elephants personalities and provoke both empathy and adoration from the audience. This combination of wonders made an all-round excellent production for all the family to enjoy.