Month: September 2021

Theatre Royal Nottingham – until 19 September 2021

Reviewed by Charlotte McWilliam

4****

Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers is certainly not for the faint hearted. The tragic tale, set in Liverpool, is centred on fraternal twins Mickey and Eddie who are separated at birth. Their Mother, Mrs Johnstone cannot afford to keep the pair so she agrees to Eddie away to the wealthy Mr and Mrs Lyons. In a true depiction of the difference of the British class system, this tear jerking story seeped with superstition really grips you from start to finish.

The show opens with a visual of the Liver building. The main set then flips between the Johnstone and Lyon’s family homes with Everton football club graffitied in the background thus reminding the audience of the Liverpool setting.  Mrs Johnstone is played by the acclaimed; Lyn Paul in what is her grand finale of the role before retirement. A little older than when she first donned the part in the 90’s, Paul’s professionalism and great knowledge of the character shone through in her emotive performance. “Easy Terms” and “Tell Me it’s not true” were particularly powerful moments for Paul as her voice oozed emotion only a Mother can know.

The part of the Narrator is played by, Robbie Scotcher. A little lacking in scouse accent, his performance of “Don’t you know the devil’s got your number” certainly makes up for his more neutral speaking tone – his powerful belt and strong vocal technique resonated around the auditorium with ease, a real star role for him.  

Further into the first half, we meet Mickey played by Josh Capper. From start to finish, Capper executed the role perfectly – vibrant energy, fun, great comic timing and above all a perfect scouse accent made Capper the best Mickey I have ever seen and dare say will ever see. He really energized the room and his monologues were the perfect blend of comedy and drama – Capper really stole the show for me.

Tim Churchill, with his multirole casting was a particular favourite of mine, and an invaluable cast member. He played Mr Lyons with comic genius and his stereotypical depiction of the recurring Milkman also had the audience in stitches. Having been in the show before you could tell he knew it well and was able to add little idiosyncrasies not seen before. I’d even go as far to say that he kept the show together in parts.  

The energy in the second half picked up more so than the first, I guess in line with the story as it reaches its dramatic climax. By this point, Mickey and Eddie are both approaching adulthood and the innocence of their childhood friendship quickly fades as Mickey experiences the hardship working class men of 1970’s Liverpool faced. Mickey becomes bitter towards Eddie for leading a more comfortable life due to the wealth of Mr and Mrs Lyon’s and it is here that things start to fall apart. After an emotional delve into the highs, lows and inequalities of the British class system, the performance ends with a dramatic shoot out where both Brother’s end up dead and the whole cast join in a final chorus of “Tell Me it’s not True”. With a standing ovation, I certainly left the Theatre Royal with a tear or two down my cheeks and definitely won’t be putting “The Shoes upon the table” anytime soon. 

LYCEUM, SHEFFIELD – until 18 September 2021

Reviewed by Alison Beaumont

5*****

Heathers the Musical is a rock musical based on the 1989 film by Daniel Waters and is set at Westerberg High. Veronica (Rebecca Wickes) longs to be accepted by the “in crowd”, the 3 Heathers, Heather Chandler (Maddison Firth), Heather Duke (Merryl Ansah) and Heather McNamara (Lizzy Parker).

Heather Chandler is the main leader of the Heathers and is quite manipulative and ruthless, Heather McNamara is the quietest of the 3 Heathers and is the head cheerleader at Westerberg High, Heather Duke is a follower of Chandler and wants to please her, stepping into her role as leader when Heather Chandler is killed. Veronica ditches her friend Martha (Mhairi Angus) to be with the in group of Heathers. Veronica then falls for Jason Dean nicknamed JD (Simon Gordon) who lost his mum at the age of 9 and is intent on killing people who he feels are bad. It has quite a dark story line but does have some slight humour in it.

Having seen many musicals over the years this was the first time I had been to see a musical without having first watched the film so this was a totally new experience for me. Heathers the Musical is 2 hours and 20 mins (including interval) and is rated for age 14 years, this in my opinion is the correct aging for this although at times my 14 year old daughter said she didn’t quite understand things.

My daughter particular liked the assembly part where they sang “Shine a light” and the audience interaction at this point was quite funny. The books that opened with lights during this song really added to it.

Jason Dean had good vocals but for me Rebecca Wickes stole the crown and was an absolutely amazing singer and portrays the role of Veronica superbly. Everyone was in sync with their dancing and all deserve to be praised for their faultless performance. Also lets not forget to give a shout out to the orchestra.

I would definitely recommend you get tickets to go and see this if you like musicals. A fabulous evening enjoyed by myself and my daughter. I have already got my niece and her cousin to purchase tickets when it tours at a venue near them.

Leeds Playhouse – until 18 September 2021

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Freedom Project is a Leeds Playhouse production, part of the theatre’s Theatre of Sanctuary programme, written by Luke Barnes and directed by Alexander Ferris. This looks at unaccompanied minors who leave their home countries and seek asylum in other countries. This resonates with both Mo and Hossein who have taken the same plights.

Staged centrally and intimately, the performances tells the story from their personal and global perspectives and their first-hand experiences. It is refreshing for those stories to be told about how they see and have seen things as unaccompanied minors leaving their home countries and looking for sanctuary elsewhere. Their story telling dispels the preconceptions and stereotypes that people may have about these countries along with its cultures and traditions.

The stories told are serious yet funny; honest yet genuine and spontaneous yet reflective which creates such a powerful content in an approximately 80-minute performance. Such stories should be told first hand by those who are and have been in this situation other than relying on limited one-sided sources which the men’s story testifies to this.

The audience is given an insight to the information, the reality and perspectives shared and they are invited to reconsider what life is really like as an unaccompanied minor fleeing from danger to seeking a new home in a new country. This performance gives hope not just for themselves but for everyone everywhere and “Follow your dreams” melodically echoes throughout the very latter stages of the production.

Excellent first-class qualitative productions are given by both Mohammadreza Bazarbashi and Hossein Ahmadi. The love and support they have received afterwards from an appreciative audience is evident that they have been emotively impacted and moved from the performances

Liverpool Empire Theatre, Liverpool – until Saturday 18^th September 2021.

Reviewed by Carla Whittaker

4****

The global smash hit Rock of Ages is currently playing to sell-out crowds at Liverpool Empire Theatre until Saturday 18^th September 2021. I was exceptionally lucky to be able to get a ticket with my friend to see Rock of Ages on opening night, and what better way to celebrate the reopening of musical theatre than by seeing this show!  I had been wanting to see this production for some time, and as it was showing at the ever so popular Liverpool Empire Theatre, a theatre which is renowned for its traditional décor, intimate seating and as always exceptional staff and hospitality.

Rock of Ages tells the story of Sherrie (Rhiannon Chesterman) leaving Oklahoma for the flashy lights of LA to pursue a career in acting, she turns up at Sunset Strip, meets Drew, and is successful in getting a job in the Bourbon Room. Sherrie and Drew’s relationship is far from plain sailing with twists and turns along their journey, including losing their way and opportunity for true love, at the hands of the sleazy Stacee Jaxx played by Kevin Clifton of Strictly Come Dancing who has an eye for the ladies.  Sheree leaves the Bourbon Room and starts working in a strip club, whilst the future of the Bourbon Room is threatened with destruction from bad guy German property developers Hertz and his son Franz the rockers will do everything to save it with a parody protest organised by hippy Regina to stop it being rebuilt into a classier development. Entwined within the musical are some of the best 80’s hits including ‘The Final Countdown’, ‘We Built this City’, ‘Here I Go again’, and ‘Hit Me with Your Best Shot’ and ‘Don’t Stop Believing’ in true juke box style, which was accompanied by fantastic strong vocals. The cast did a fantastic effort of getting the audience up on the feet dancing and clapping.

For me, a highlight of the show was the energy, passion and enthusiasm of Joe Gash who played the part of Lonny a team member and close friend of the owner of Bourbon Room; Dennis Dupree. He engaged the audience from the start with his outrageous flirting towards cast and audience alike, with innuendos, charm and charisma being full of showmanship and holding the audience’s attention attentively and maintaining momentum.

The backdrop for the production was simple yet effective of neon lights, and set the scene truly, of a sleazy rock den, with hilarious additions of llama costumes, and tiny motorbikes. Credit should be given to the costume and props department who, really made up believe that we had stepped back into the 80s rock era.

The dancing was well choreographed and well executed by the ensemble however I do feel that the dancing girls at times could be toned down, as on occasions particularly between Stacee  and girls was a bit much, however this aside, I fully appreciate that, the production is that of comically steamy scenes, filled with humour of a sexual nature. Given, this, I would not recommend this show as suitable for families and instead would recommend to be watched by adults only.

The chemistry between Rhiannon Chesterman and Luke Walsh on the stage was sensational, and very real, developing from the first encounter with their likeability, warmth, and humour, not to mention the hair-raising vocals which adds to the atmosphere of this production, even though a number of the songs appeared very difficult to sing.

If you want to rewind the years back to 80s rock, then get yourself to see the light-hearted Rock of Ages playing at the Liverpool Empire Theatre until Saturday 18^th September 2021 and will continue touring.

York Theatre Royal- until September 18 2021

Reviewed by Katie Goldsbrough

4****

Mugabe, My Dad and Me tells Tonderai Munyevu’s story. Tonderai, a gay man, from Zimbabwe, living in the UK has grown up knowing only one president, Robert Mugabe, one of the more controversial leaders of recent years. 

In 1980 Zimbabwe became its own country after gaining independence from Britain and Robert Mugabe became president. We learn of the rise and fall of Mugabe from the point of view of people who were there, their stories told by Tonderai.  He focuses on his and his father’s stories having spent many years living apart after he moved to the UK and his father remained in Zimbabwe. Tonderai tells us how this affected his family and potentially other families in Zimbabwe using Mugabes speeches to assist the narrative. 

Despite being a one man show Tonderai is not alone on stage for long, introducing us to Millie Chapanda early on, who plays live music throughout and teaches us more about how the Mbira (a musical instrument) is used in Zimbabwean culture. This is a fascinating story which gives an insight into life and the culture of Zimbabwe you wouldn’t get from someone who had not experienced it like Tonderai. 

He is excellent at switching from telling jokes and making the audience laugh to talking about something very serious and heart wrenching. The set is cleverly designed to embrace Zimbawean and British culture. In the 1hr 25 minutes you are in the theatre you will learn a great deal about Zimbabwe and their culture and the impact Mugabe had on so many people’s lives. This is an excellent, entertaining way to learn more about recent history and the impact it had on Tonderai and his family and how Britain played a part in what has become of Zimbabwe now.

Kiln Theatre, London – until 9 October 2021

Reviewed by Alun Hood

4****

This is community theatre in the truest sense. The Kiln is right in the heart of North West London, and it’s autumn offering is a trio of short plays set in the immediate vicinity, albeit at two different points in modern history. Educational and richly entertaining, NW Trilogy emerges, in Taio Lawson and Susie McKenna’s vibrant production as a sparky, moving valentine to what is traditionally one of the capital’s most diverse neighbourhoods. 

Given that not only are there two directors but a trio of writers (Moira Buffini, Roy Williams and Suhayla El-Bushra) involved in the project, it is remarkable how consistent the tone of the entire evening is. Although each short piece is discrete from the others, the overall sense of shared history and cumulative experience, across history, race and gender, is superbly done, the whole company sweeping on to effect scene changes, or act as supernumeraries. Certain themes echo and weave tantalisingly through each text: the commonality of music, the breakdown in communication between men and women, the struggle immigrants have often had to receive acceptance in London, the way an act of unfathomable kindness or cruelty can have a transformative effect on individual lives…. This is powerful, thought-provoking stuff that may occasionally teeter on the brink of sentimentality but is, for the most part, a riveting couple of hours, shot through with some genuine belly laughs and more than a few tears.

The opener, Moira Buffini’s delicate but tough ‘Dance Floor’, set out-of-hours in a 1950s Irish dance hall, is a real beauty. Two women, the older one authoritative but not unkind (Aoife McMahon, perfection) and the younger newly arrived from Donegal, deeply homesick and in trouble (exquisite work by Claire Keenan, who also has the most ethereally lovely singing voice), clean up after the preceding night’s revelry. It’s impossible to describe the plot without spoilers but suffice it to say that it’ll leave you with a real lump in your throat, and includes a terrific turn by Emmet Byrne as one of the guests who imbibed well but not wisely the night before. Vastly more ambitious than it initially appears, ‘Dance Floor’ packs more joy and gentle devastation into it’s brief running time than many plays four times its length can manage.

Roy Williams’s ‘Life of Riley’ flashes forward to 1976 and depicts an edgy meeting between mixed race Paulette and her successful reggae musician father, who left the family home when she was three. Paulette is repelled by her father’s selfishness and resents his abandonment of her as a mixed race child in an intolerant city, but is drawn despite herself to his talent and the perceived glamour of his connections (“I knew Bob Marley before he was Bob Marley!”) Williams’s writing is fresh and salty, with a lot to say about the race relations and sexual politics of the time, and Harmony Rose Bremner and Chris Tummings mine it for all it’s pain and humour. When they sing together it’s authentically magical. Again, here is a short, but far from small, play that is completely satisfying.

If Suhayla El-Bushra’s final section ‘Waking/Walking’ is less impressive than It’s companions, that is because it’s the only part of the trilogy that really feels as though it ought to be a full length piece. Inspired by the Grunwick dispute, it filters the turbulent tale of female East African Asian workers striking for better working conditions in the late 1970s, through a domestic comedy drama that seems a little hemmed-in but still repeatedly and pleasingly confounds expectations in terms of character and plot development. The lurch from the nicely observed, often very funny, family tragi-comedy of the first scene to an impassioned, increasingly disillusioned monologue for the family matriarch (delivered with excoriating emotional dexterity by Natasha Jayetileke), forced by financial circumstances to defy the strike and return to work (“These were the women who cried for me when I could no longer cry myself”), is dramaturgically clumsy, although it paves the way for a rabble rousing final tableau that fairly yanks the audience out of their seats.

All of the acting is first rate, and directors Lawson and McKenna skilfully balance the ferocity and vitality of the texts with genuinely poignant moments – note the way Tummings’s hard-bitten Riley gently reaches out to touch his daughter’s hair while she is otherwise engaged writing her phone number on his inner arm – and the whole night moves at a cracking pace. Designer Sadeysa Greenaway-Bailey ingeniously makes the extended Kiln stage look simultaneously immense yet claustrophobic, and Richard Howell’s lighting is very successful, evoking a past bathed one moment in a nostalgic glow and in the next, in a harsh, uncompromising reality. 

NW Trilogy is steeped in the stories and energy of North West London, but it is worth travelling from any postcode for. A magnificent evening. 

Grand Opera House York – until 18 September 2021

Reviewed by Marcus Richardson

5*****

The Woman in Black is a story most of us are familiar with, after studying the book by Susan Hill at school or watching the film starring Daniel Radcliffe. The play of the same tale has been a modern theatre staple and the most iconic piece of horror within theatre.

The play heralded the return of the Grand Opera House in York, which is later than some in the reopening of theatres across the UK, once lockdown restrictions were lifted. There was a sense of joy about the theatre, a buzz in the air, even though what we were about to watch was frightfully fearsome.

The play, which is set as a rehearsal between a haunted Arthur Kipps (Robert Goodall), who doesn’t want to perform but merely tell his tale, in the hopes that he can leave the ghosts of Eel Marsh House in the past, and The Actor (Antony Eden), who has come to help Mr. Kipps in delivering his story. Goodall opens the play with an awfully drab and internal reading of his story. As the tale is told, which starts out pretty innocuous, turns out to what we do get, a spine-chilling story.

Eden, as well as appearing as The Actor, takes on the role of the young Arthur Kipps and Goodall plays all the other characters in the story. Eden takes the horror and gives us horror and takes the comedy and gives us comedy. He does a good job of delivering the fear with the audience experiencing it with him. Goodall works in a much more understated way, but the arch of being a flat performer to then taking on multiple roles with such vigour is pleasing to watch. Some characters made us laugh and some made us anxious, with the tales of the Woman in Black.

The comical aspect of the play really stood out in this performance. I really loved this as one moment you were laughing and the next you would be jumping in your seat, as the woman haunts the stage. Constantly switching between being immersed into the dark story and then being back into the rehearsal, worked well, as the actors did a good job of shifting between the two. It goes without mentioning that the two did such a terror-iffic job of working the stage with just the 2(?) of them and performing the two-hour play.

I love horror and I love theatre, bringing the two together always makes a beautiful relationship, The Woman in Black is a perfect marriage of the two. I believe that every theatregoer should go and see this show.

It is at the Grand Opera House in York until the 18th of September. With a huge welcome back to the stage for the theatre, it’s great to another live theatre venue in York.

Debbie Chazen to star in the World Premiere of The Child In The Snow – at Wilton’s Music Hall this Christmas

Opens 26^th November until 31^st December

Wilton’s Music Hall today announces that Debbie Chazen will star in its Christmas production The Child In The Snow, a thrilling, eerie and ultimately uplifting new adaptation of Elizabeth Gaskell’s Victorian ghost story ‘The Old Nurse’s Tale’ brimming with festive magic and mystery, created by award-winning author Piers Torday.

The spine-chilling festive production will see actor of stage and screen Debbie Chazen take on the role of Estelle Leanord; known for both her appearances in some of the UK’s favourite TV shows such as Holby City, The Smoking Room and Doctors and her West End and nationwide theatre performances including in The Girls at the Phoenix Theatre, for which she received an Olivier Award nomination.

Wilton’s rather ghostly version of this tale will be set in 1918 when a young nurse, back from the front line, engages in a séance recalling strange memories of a lonely childhood Christmas on the Northumbrian moors. It will unearth a dark secret that refuses to remain in the past. A classic festive ghost story – not suitable for those of nervous disposition.

The Child In The Snow has been created by the same creative team who have sustained Wilton’s’ tradition of producing exceptional, original Christmas stories and bringing festive magic to the East London stage; in 2017 and 2018 the critically acclaimed The Box of Delights delighted audiences, followed by a wonderful adaptation of A Christmas Carol featuring a female Scrooge that was named as A Sunday Times Best Selling Show of 2019.  

Award-winning children’s author Piers Torday (winner of The Guardian Children’s Fiction Prize and Children’s Book of the Year in The Times) has again turned his hand to adapting a classic, this time drawn to the incredible era of female Victorian writers of ghost stories and in particular Elizabeth Gaskell. Probably best known for her novels Cranford, Wives and Daughters and North and South, all of which have been screened by the BBC.

Tordayreunites with director Justin Audibert, alongside designer Tom Piper, and composer, Ed Lewis. Joining this stellar team are lighting designer Jess Bernberg, video designer Hayley Egan and magicians Morgan and West, no strangers to Wilton’s, will be magic consultants.

Writer Piers Torday says ‘The Victorian age gave rise to the classic ghost story, yet shamefully few of the many great supernatural tales by women authors of the period have been anthologised, never mind adapted. I’m delighted to be correcting that in some way by bringing this ferociously and typically brilliant story by Elizabeth Gaskell to the stage. “The Old Nurse’s Tale” is a stone cold classic of the genre: a deserted country house on the snowbound Northumbrian moors, a horrific family secret, and a girl who won’t stop asking questions. What is not to love? The idea of telling a ghost story at the magically atmospheric Wilton’s Music Hall over Christmas was irresistible, especially when I knew that Justin Audibert and the creative team behind The Box of Delights would be bringing it all to spooky life…’

The most festive venue in London, the Hall’sbrand-new customised seats and enhanced acoustics in the auditorium mean that the audience experience is better than ever before.

Further cast to be announced soon.

www.theglassmenageriewestend.com

 @SecondHalfProds | #TheGlassMenagerie

Second Half Productions presents
THE GLASS MENAGERIE
Written by Tennessee Williams

Directed by Jeremy Herrin

• AMY ADAMS TO MAKE WEST END DEBUT AS AMANDA WINGFIELD IN A NEW PRODUCTION DIRECTED BY JEREMY HERRIN

• PAUL HILTON, TOM GLYNN-CARNEY, LIZZIE ANNIS AND VICTOR ALLI WILL ALSO STAR

• THE GLASS MENAGERIE IS THE DEBUT PRODUCTION FROM SECOND HALF PRODUCTIONS CO-FOUNDED BY JEREMY HERRIN, ALAN STACEY AND ROB O’RAHILLY

• THE GLASS MENAGERIE WILL PREVIEW AT THE DUKE OF YORK’S THEATRE FROM 23 MAY 2022 

• TICKETS WILL GO ON GENERAL SALE AT 12PM ON 14 SEPTEMBER WITH 10,000 TICKETS AVAILABLE AT £20 AND UNDER ACROSS THE RUN 

Second Half Productions has today announced that six time Academy Award nominated actress Amy Adams will make her West End debut in a new production of Tennessee Williams’s celebrated memory play, The Glass Menagerie directed by Jeremy Herrin (Wolf Hall Trilogy, People Places and Things, This House). Paul Hilton (The Inheritance, Lady Macbeth, A Very British Scandal), Tom Glynn-Carney (The Ferryman, Dunkirk), Lizzie Annis and Victor Alli complete the cast.

The production will run for 14 weeks at The Duke of York’s Theatre from 23 May 2022 with Opening Night on 31 May 2022. Tickets will go on general sale from 14 September, with 10,000 available at £20 and under available across the run. 

Award-winning director Jeremy Herrin’s bold new staging explores the fragility and fallibility of memory in Williams’s semi-autobiographical masterpiece. Six-time Academy Award nominated and two-time Golden Globe winning actress Amy Adams takes on the role of one of Williams’s most iconic matriarchs Amanda Wingfield, a former Southern Belle living precariously with her two children, Tom and Laura, in a space between past and present. Tony award-nominee Paul Hilton and Tom Glynn-Carney will both play Tom – at different stages of the character’s life –  with newcomers Lizzie Annis and Victor Alli as Laura and The Gentleman Caller.

The Glass Menagerie is designed by Vicki Mortimer with lighting design by Paule Constable and video design by Ash J Woodward. 

Amy Adams says: “I am so honored and excited to be a part of bringing The Glass Menagerie to the stage in the West End! I have always felt a strong pull towards the work of Tennessee Williams and to this deeply personal story. I am so grateful to be working with the brilliant Jeremy Herrin and with all of the talented cast and creative team. I look forward to the shared experience of theater. See you in 2022!”

Jeremy Herrin, Co-Director of Second Half Productions says: “I can’t wait to work with such a talented cast led by the brilliantly transformative Amy Adams on one of the best plays ever written. Tennesse Williams’ masterpiece is a delicate work of genius and I look forward to working with a world class creative team including Vicki Mortimer, Paule Constable and Ash J Woodward to allow the play to resonate in a fresh and exciting way. I’m grateful to the Williams’ estate who have allowed me to split the role of Tom Wingfield – and thrilled to have cast Paul Hilton to play him, and Tom Glynn-Carney to play his younger self. And it is a privilege for Second Half Productions to give West End debuts to the wonderful talent of Lizzie Annis and Victor Alli as Laura Wingfield and Jim O’Connor respectively.”

Amy Adams has won two Golden Globes and has been nominated for six Academy Awards.

Amy is appearing in the film adaptation of the Tony Award winning musical, Dear Evan Hansen, alongside Ben Platt. Universal will release the film on September 24, 2021. Amy is currently in production on Disenchanted, the sequel to her 2007 blockbuster hit, Enchanted, for Disney+. She is reprising her role of Giselle and also executive producing the film. It is expected to be released in 2022.

Amy’s recent credits include: Woman in the Window; Hillbilly Elegy (SAG nomination); Vice (Golden Globe, SAG, Critics’ Choice, BAFTA, Academy Award nominations); Sharp Objects (“Best Actress in Limited Series or Movie Made for Television” Critic’s Choice award and Golden Globe, SAG and Emmy nominations); Arrival (named Best Actress by the National Board of Review and Critics’ Choice award, SAG and Golden Globe nominations); Justice League; Nocturnal Animals, Batman V Superman: Dawn of Justice.

Additional film credits include; Big Eyes (“Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy” Golden Globe and BAFTA nomination); American Hustle (“Best Actress in a Motion Picture, Musical or Comedy” Golden Globe; “Best Actress in a Comedy” Critics’ Choice Award and “Outstanding Performance by a Cast in a Motion Picture” SAG Award and BAFTA nomination); Her; The Master (Golden Globe, BAFTA and Academy Award nominations); The Fighter (Golden Globe, SAG Award, BAFTA and Academy Award nominations); Julie and Julia; Doubt (Academy Award nominations); Enchanted (Golden Globe nominated); Junebug (Independent Spirit Award, Broadcast Film Critics Association Award, National Society of Film Critics Award, San Francisco Film Critics Society Award, Breakthrough Gotham Award, Special Jury Prize for Acting, Sundance Film Festival and Academy-Award and SAG nominations).

Adams’ other film credits include: Trouble with the Curve; On The Road; The Muppets; Night At The Museum 2: Battle at The Smithsonian; Sunshine Cleaning; Charlie Wilson’s War; Miss Pettigrew Lives for a Day, and Catch Me If You Can.

In early 2019, Amy announced the development of her production company, Bond Group Entertainment. The company signed a first look deal with HBO and are currently developing a multitude of projects including for television: Willa of the Wood; The Most Fun We Ever Had; The Kings of America; Nightbitch and Outlawed. They recently won the rights to Suzanne Simard’s NYT best-selling memoir, Finding the Mother Tree. They will produce it alongside Jake Gyllenhaal’s Nine Stories and Amy will star. Bond Group Entertainment are executive producers on The Glass Menagerie.

Paul Hilton most recently shot Slow Horses for Apple, and played the lead in Lucile Hadzihalilovic’s BFI/Film4 feature Earwig, which will premiere at Toronto and San Sebastian this Autumn. Before the pandemic he performed on Broadway in the transfer of Young Vic hit show, The Inheritance, for which he was Tony nominated. Recent television includes Stephen Frears’ A Very English Scandal and The Crown. Film work includes Craig Roberts’ film Eternal Beauty, Lady Macbeth, London Road and Andrea Arnold’s Wuthering Heights. Other recent theatre work includes Lucy Kirkwood’s Mosquitoes at the NT Dorfman, the title role in Sally Cookson’s Peter Pan (National Theatre Olivier) and Anatomy Of A Suicide (Royal Court).

Tom Glynn-Carney trained at the Guildhall School of Music and Drama. Winning the Best Newcomer Evening Standard Award and Best Featured Actor Drama Desk Award for his performance in Jez Butterworth’s The Ferryman,Tom has had critical acclaim in the West End and on Broadway. His film credits include Dunkirk, The King, Tolkein and Rialto and his television credits include Domina, Doing Money and The Last Post.

Lizzie Annis is currently filming The Witcher: Blood Origin for Netflix. Lizzie, who has cerebral palsy, graduated from Oxford School of Drama in 2020, this will be her professional stage debut.

Victor Alli trained at RADA. Most recently, Victor was in rehearsals for The Browning Version (Riverside Studios) directed by Kenneth Branagh which sadly had to be cancelled due to Covid-19. His other theatre credits include Ghost House (The Vaults), Khadija is 18 (Finborough Theatre), Noise (National Theatre Studio), Scan Artists (The Yard Theatre), Timbuktu (Bush Theatre). His television work includes The Man Who Fell to Earth (Showtime/CBS) and Grantchester (ITV). Film credits include Belfast and Death on the Nile directed by Kenneth Branagh.

Jeremy Herrin, formerly Artistic Director of Headlong and Deputy Artistic Director of the Royal Court, is a Director of Second Half Productions. 

This autumn, Jeremy will direct the final instalment in the Wolf Hall Trilogy – The Mirror and The Light, adapted for stage by Hilary Mantel and Ben Miles. Over two decades, Jeremy has directed a string of award winning hits that transferred to the West End and New York, including That Face by Polly Stenham (Royal Court and West  End), This House by James Graham (National Theatre and West End), Wolf Hall and Bring Up the Bodies (RSC, West End and  Broadway), The Nether by Jennifer Haley (Royal Court and West End), People, Places and Things by Duncan Macmillan  (National Theatre, West End and St Ann’s Warehouse, New York), Labour of Love by James Graham (West End). Earlier this year Jeremy directed the world premiere of After Life by Jack Thorne (National Theatre and his upcoming  shows include Best of Enemies by James Graham (Young Vic) and Almost Famous  the Musical (Broadway, autumn 2022). 

The Glass Menagerie is the debut production from Second Half Productions, a new entertainment company founded by Jeremy Herrin, Alan Stacey and Rob O’Rahilly, creating innovative work by world-leading artists for stage and screen, breathing new and unexpected life into classic stories and championing extraordinary writing from new and established voices.

 New Victoria Theatre, Woking  – until 18 September 2021

5***** 

Reviewed by Carly Burlinge  

Joshua Adams and Peter James Present Looking Good Dead. 

When Tom Bryce (Adam Woodyatt) finds a memory stick that has been left on the train by accident. He decides that if he can gain access, he will be able to return it to its rightful owner doing a good deed. But when he can’t get into the memory stick his son Max Bryce (Luke Ward-Wilkinson) decides to crack its code, the contents are not what they expect and they both witness a vicious murder! Now in a very ill position his family are in grave danger and are threatened with their lives. Tom and his son are warned never to access the site again or to go to the police but when his son Max can’t handle what position he is under, he then contacts Detective Superintendent Roy Grace (Harry Long) with information having more consequences and plunging his whole family in further peril!

Tom Bryce (Adam Woodyatt) and Kellie Bryce (Gaynor Faye) had a great connection on stage appearing as a middle-class family with many issues! Tom trying to be an entrepreneur but with his business failing miserably and Kellie as a typical housewife who loves her husband and son but has many issues of her own. Which consist of past alcohol issues and spending money like it’s going out of fashion. An issue that only causes more friction between them and their household. 

This production is full of deceit and dishonesty along with forgiveness. Full of gripping and unforeseen twisting turns, that will shock you to your stomach and will have you guessing all the way through keeping you in suspense whilst trying to work out the plot. 

The stage was executed extremely well, with the audience being able to look into the family home. A screen across the back changing into a torture chamber that gave the illusion you were watching it from a screen. The police office also appeared in a simple form and structure as it rolled out onto the stage darkening out everything else around it.  

This show was just amazing and definitely one not to be missed just fantastic.