Month: November 2021

ORANGE TREE THEATRE ANNOUNCES FURTHER PROGRAMMING FOR THE RECOVERY SEASON WITH NEW PROGRAMMING UNTIL AUGUST 2022 AS PART OF ITS 50^th ANNIVERSARY YEAR

With the return of Terence Rattigan’s While The Sun Shines currently running at the Orange Tree Theatre, Artistic Director Paul Miller and Executive Director Hanna Streeter today announce further programming for The Recovery Season.In celebration of the theatre’s 50^th Anniversary Year from 31 December 2021, the Museum of Richmond will host an exhibition OT:50 50 Years of the Orange Tree, to honour the anniversary, which opens on 15 December 2021 and runs until 31 August 2022.

The season opens with the world première of Sonali Bhattacharyya’s Two Billion Beats directed by Nimmo Ismail, followed by Franz Xaver Kroetz’s Tom Fooldirected by Diyan Zora. Oscar Toeman directs the UK première of Pamela Carter’s The Misfortune of the English;and completing the season, Miller directs the first major revival of Martin Crimp’s translation of The False Servant by Pierre Marivaux. Each production will be available to watch livestreamed or on-demand thanks to the continuation of OT On Screen, allowing greater access for audiences far and wide to connect with the OT digitally.

Paul Miller says today “The next stage of our Recovery Season sees a classic OT mix of new plays, emerging artists, internationalism, a European classic and a new Community Festival. We are all reconnecting with society and seeing the world from new perspectives, and in our 50th anniversary year, this season at the OT aims to further this process, as we continue to reconnect with our audiences and the artists who make theatre happen. The great Recovery continues!”

Following the success of its run at the OT, Michele Lee’s Rice – in co-production with Actors Touring Company and in association with Theatre Royal Plymouth, will embark on a UK tour. With direction from ATC Artistic Director Matthew Xia, the production opens at The Drum Theatre on 4 February before touring to Oxford, Scarborough, Sheffield, Liverpool, Manchester, Newcastle and culminating in York.

The OT Community programme continues its work offering theatre classes across a range of age groups from babies to over 60s, bringing people together, building confidence and providing an opportunity to have fun, learn and create work together. OT Community will present Play On: A Midsummer Night’s Dream, for primary and secondary schools. The OT’s Community groups will come together in August 2022 for performances in a Community Festival.

WORLD PREMIÈRE

TWO BILLION BEATS
by Sonali Bhattacharyya

Directed by Nimmo Ismail

5 February – 5 March

OT On Screen: Thursday 24 February at 7.30pm

Seventeen-year-old Asha is an emphatic rebel, unafraid of pointing out the hypocrisy around her but less sure how to actually dismantle it. Her younger sister, Bettina, wide-eyed and naïve, is just trying to get through the school day without getting her pocket money nicked. Between essays, homework, and bus journeys home the two sisters meet outside the school gates each afternoon, smarting at the injustice of the world around them.

Bouncing with wit, Sonali Bhattacharyya’s mesmerising new play is an insightful, moving and tremendously funny coming-of-age story about the unfairness of growing up in a world where you don’t make the rules.

Originally presented as a short play as part of the OT’s Inside/Outside livestreams in 2021 the play has been further developed into a full-scale production.

Sonali Bhattacharyya was 2018 Channel 4 writer in residence at the Orange Tree, where she wrote Chasing Hares, winning the Sonia Friedman Production Award and Theatre Uncut Political Playwriting Award. Her credits include Megaball (National Theatre Learning), Slummers (Cardboard Citizens/Bunker Theatre), 2066 (Almeida Theatre), The Invisible Boy (Kiln Theatre) and White Open Spaces (Pentabus Theatre).

Nimmo Ismail’s work includes Glee & Me, The Christmas Star (Royal Exchange Theatre), Fragments, My England (Young Vic), and SNAP (The Old Vic).

TOM FOOL
by Franz Xaver Kroetz

Directed by Diyan Zora

12 March – 16 April

OT On Screen: 7 April at 7.30pm

“I’d like to climb out of my skin, if I could.”

Every night Martha listens to the minute details of husband Otto’s day at the factory. He’s a man with big dreams, stuck in a job where he feels like a cog in the machine. Their teenage son Ludwig just wishes he had a job, or at least his own space, far far away from his parents.

They are each frustrated with a life they can’t seem to escape.

When money goes missing, a family on the brink hurtles over the edge, and Martha has to decide whether she will stay to pick up the pieces.

A dark and unnervingly funny play about how capitalism creeps into the minutiae of one family’s life, just at the moment women started to change the rules of the game.

Franz Xaver Kroetz is an author, playwright, actor and director and Germany’s most frequently performed playwright. He has written over 60 plays including The Nest, Through the Leaves, Game Crossing, Michi’s Blood, Persistent, Men’s Business, Farmyard, Global Interest, Upper Austria, Dear Fritz, Neither Fish Nor Flesh, Munich Child and Request Concert.

Diyan Zora was the 2021 winner of the Genesis Future Directors Award and directed Klippies (Young Vic). Other theatre credits include Othello (Barons Court Theatre); and as an associate director, her work includes Faith, Hope and Charity and Love (National Theatre).

UK PREMIÈRE

THE MISFORTUNE OF THE ENGLISH

by Pamela Carter

Directed by Oscar Toeman

25 April – 28 May

OT On Screen: Thursday 12 May at 7.30pm

“Guten Tag meine Herren und Frauen von Freiburg, von Deutschland. We have travelled here from London, England. You may have heard of it.”

On the morning of 17 April 1936, a group of 27 schoolboys, led by their teacher and newly arrived in Nazi Germany, set out on the first of a seven-day walking tour of the Black Forest.

By 8pm that evening, local villagers were searching for them in a blizzard.

“You did say you wanted to take the scenic route.”

Inspired by true events: a story of (mis)adventure and blind optimism, nationhood, and courage in the face of disaster.

Pamela Carter is a playwright and dramaturg. Her work includes Lines (Year Theatre), Fast Ganz Nah/Almost Near (Theater Dresden), Skåne (Hampstead Theatre), What We Know (Traverse Theatre), Wildlife (Magnetic North), Them! (National Theatre of Scotland), The Male Queen (Lyceum Theatre/RSC). Her work for Untitled Projects and long-term collaborator Stewart Laing include The End of Eddy, Slope, Paul Bright’s Confessions of a Justified Sinner and Arguments About Sex (After Marivaux). As a dramaturg, she has worked with Graeae Theatre, Vanishing Point Theatre, The Pappy Show, DAU Films, Malmö Opera and National Theatre of Scotland.

Oscar Toeman returns to the Orange Tree to direct, having previously directed The Sugar Syndrome for the company. His other theatre credits include, Actually (Trafalgar Studios), After October and Laburnum Grove (Finborough Theatre). He is an alumnus of the Lincoln Center’s Directors Lab in New York, an MGCfutures Bursary recipient, and an Associate at the National Youth Theatre.

THE FALSE SERVANT

by Pierre Marivaux,translated by Martin Crimp

Directed by Paul Miller; Designed by Simon Daw; Lighting Design by Mark Doubleday;

Composer and Sound Design by Elizabeth Purnell

8 June – 23 July

OT On Screen: Thursday 7 July at 7.30pm

When a man thinks he can cynically take a rich woman’s money and then run off with an even more lucrative potential fiancée, he’d best not tell the fiancée by mistake.

Le Chevalier, a woman disguised as the son of an aristocrat, embarks on a plan that will expose the dark heart of this male power-play.

Martin Crimp’s previous work for the Orange Tree includes the world première of Play House and a revival of Definitely the Bahamas. His other plays include When We Have Sufficiently Tortured Each Other, Men Asleep, The Rest Will Be Familiar To You From Cinema, In The Republic of Happiness, The City, Fewer Emergencies, Cruel and Tender, Face to the Wall, The Country, Attempts on Her Life, The Treatment, Getting Attention, No One Sees The Video, Play with Repeats, and Dealing with Clair. His work translating plays includes Gross und Klein, Rhinoceros, The Triumph of Love, The Maid’s, The Chairs, Roberto Zucco, and adaptations of Cyrano de Bergerac and The Misanthrope. His work has been produced in the UK by the Royal Shakespeare Company, the National Theatre, Almeida, Young Vic, Barbican, Complicité, and the Royal Court Theatre, and he was the 2020 winner of the Nyssen-Bansemer Theatre Prize.

Paul Miller directs. As Artistic Director of the Orange Tree, he has directed While The Sun Shines, French Without Tears (also UK tour with ETT), How He Lied to Her Husband, Overruled, Candida, Losing Venice, Humble Boy, Misalliance, The Philanderer, Widower’s Houses, Poison, Lottery of Love, Sheppey, Each His Own Wilderness and The Widowing of Mrs Holroyd. He was previously Associate Director at Sheffield Theatres, where his work included Wonderful Tennessee, The Winter’s Tale, The Daughter-in-Law, Democracy, Hamlet and True West. For the National Theatre, he directed The History Boys (West End revival and UK tour), Baby Girl, DNA, The Miracle, The Enchantment, Sing Yer Heart Out for The Lads and The Associate.

Orange Tree Theatre

Listings

1 Clarence Street, Richmond, TW9 2SA

Box Office: 020 8940 3633 (Mon-Sat, 12-6pm)

orangetreetheatre.co.uk

ABOUT THE ORANGE TREE THEATRE

The Orange Tree (OT) is an award-winning, independent theatre. Recognised as a powerhouse that creates high-quality productions of new and rediscovered plays, it entertains 70,000 people across the UK every year. In May 2021 the OT reopened with its Recovery Season. As an independent theatre and registered charity that relies on ticket income, the Covid-19 pandemic continues to pose significant risk to the OT. To support the theatre’s return to a producing powerhouse at this time, it is raising funds through its Recovery Fund.

The OT’s home in Richmond, South West London, is an intimate theatre with the audience seated all around the stage: watching a performance here is truly a unique experience. We believe in the power of dramatic stories to entertain, thrill and challenge us; plays that enrich our lives by enhancing our understanding of ourselves and each other.

As a registered charity (266128) sitting at the heart of its community, we work with 10,000 people in Richmond and beyond through participatory theatre projects for people of all ages and abilities. The Orange Tree Theatre’s mission is to enable audiences to experience the next generation of theatre talent, experiment with ground-breaking new drama and explore the plays from the past that inspire the theatre-makers of the present. 

Artistic Director Paul Miller   

Executive Director Hanna Streeter

Website orangetreetheatre.co.uk | Email [email protected]

Twitter @OrangeTreeThtr | Facebook/Instagram OrangeTreeTheatre

SEE IT SAFELY

We have been granted the use of Society of London Theatre & UK Theatre’s See It Safely mark. The mark certifies that we are complying with the latest Government and industry COVID-19 guidelines, to ensure the safety of our staff and audiences. You can find out more here https://orangetreetheatre.co.uk/covid-19-safety about the measures put in place ready for your visit, and what you will need to know beforehand.

SEASON AT A GLANCE

WHILE THE SUN SHINES

Until 15 January 2022 

Mon – Sat 7.30pm (except 24 Nov at 7pm)
Thu & Sat 2.30pm (from 27 Nov)
Additional matinees 24 & 31 Dec at 2.30pm
No performances 25, 27 Dec & 3 Jan
Audio Described performance: Sat 18 Dec 2.30pm
Captioned performance: Tue 14 Dec 7.30pm

PINOCCHIO

14 December – 31 December

Mon – Sat 10am (excluding 25 December)

Tickets from £1, £10, £12, £16

TWO BILLION BEATS

5 February – 5 March 2022

Tue – Sat at 7.30pm (except 9 Feb at 7pm)

Thu & Sat at 2.30pm (from 12 Feb)

Also Mon 7 Feb at 7.30pm

Captioned Performance: Tue 1 March 7.30pm

Audio Described performance: Thu 3 March 7.30pm

OT On Screen:

Livestream: Thu 24 Feb 7.30pm

On Demand: Tue 8 – Fri 11 March

TOM FOOL

12 March – 16 April

Tue – Sat at 7.30pm (except 16 March at 7pm)

Thu & Sat at 2.30pm (from 19 March)

Also Mon 14 March at 7.30pm

Captioned Performance: Tue 5 April 7.30pm

Audio Described performance: Tue 12 April 7.30pm

OT On Screen:

Livestream: Thu 7 April 7.30pm

THE MISFORTUNE OF THE ENGLISH

25 April – 28 May

Tue – Sat at 7.30pm (except 28 April at 7pm)

Thu & Sat at 2.30pm (from 30 April)

Also Mon 25 April at 7.30pm

Captioned Performance: Tue 17 May 7.30pm

Audio Described performance: Thu 19 May 7.30pm

OT On Screen:

Livestream: Thu 12 May 7.30pm

On demand: Tue 31 May – Fri 3 June

THE FALSE SERVANT

8 June – 23 July

Tue – Sat at 7.30pm (except 13 June at 7pm)

Tue, Thu & Sat at 2.30pm (from 16 June)

Captioned Performance: Tue 12 July 7.30pm

Audio Described performance: Thu 14 July 7.30pm

OT On Screen:

Livestream: Thu 7 July 7.30pm

On demand: Tue 26 – Fri 29 July

OT ELSEWHERE

RICE

The Drum, Theatre Royal Plymouth

4 – 12 February

Box Office: www.theatreroyal.com/venue/the-drum 

North Wall, Oxford

18-19 February

Box Office: www.thenorthwall.com

Stephen Joseph Theatre, Scarborough

4-5 March

Box Office: www.sjt.uk.com

Crucible Studio Theatre, Sheffield

7-9 March

Box Office: www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/studio-theatre

Unity Theatre, Liverpool

17-19 March

Box Office: www.unitytheatreliverpool.co.uk

HOME, Manchester

29-30 March

Box Office: www.homemcr.org

Northern Stage, Newcastle

1-2 April

Box Office: www.northernstage.co.uk

York Theatre Royal

13-14 April

Box Office: www.yorktheatreroyal.co.uk

Blockbuster new season announced for Birmingham Hippodrome including the return of Jason Donovan in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

• Following his pantomime debut in Goldilocks and the Three Bears, Jason Donovan returns to Birmingham Hippodrome in April in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat

• New shows announced for 2022 include Akram Khan’s Jungle Book, Mischief’s Magic Goes Wrong, a new production of the award-winning West End and Broadway hit Beautiful – the Carole King Musical, and the return of panto in 2022 with Dick Whittington

• The new season also sees the arrival of much awaited blockbuster musicals including Mamma Mia!, We Will Rock You and Les Misérables

Birmingham Hippodrome have announced Jason Donovan will return to the Hippodrome stage as the Pharaoh in Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat (5-16 Apr) following his panto debut in Goldilocks and the Three Bears this Christmas.

The smash hit London Palladium production of Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoatwill run at Birmingham Hippodrome for just two weeks only in April. Joining Jason will be Alexandra Burke as The Narrator and previous Hippodrome panto star Jac Yarrow as Joseph.

Newly announced productions for 2022 include Akram Khan’s Jungle Book Reimagined (29-30 Apr), a brand new dance show based on the original story by Rudyard Kipling. After a triumphant run of The Play That Goes Wrong in October, Mischief return to the Hippodrome in May with Magic Goes Wrong (24-29 May), their biggest comedy catastrophe to date, created with magic legends, Penn & Teller. A new production of the award winning West End and Broadway show Beautiful – The Carole King Musical, (30 Aug – 3 Sep) will hit the Hippodrome stage in summer, telling the inspiring true story of King’s remarkable rise to stardom.

The Hippodrome have also announced the return of Birmingham favourite Matt Slack in 2022’s pantomime Dick Whittington (17 Dec 2022 – 29 Jan 2023), marking Matt’s ninth year of panto in Birmingham.

Previously announced highlights include Matthew Bourne’s reimagined Nutcracker! (8-12 Feb) which will burst onto stage with delicious new surprises and family-sized helpings of Bourne’s trademark wit and magical fantasy. The most enchanted musical of all time, Disney’s Beauty and the Beast, (3-26 Mar) returns to the Hippodrome in March with a spectacularly reimagined production.

The new season sees the arrival of the much-awaited musicals which were rescheduled from 2020, including the timeless favourite Mamma Mia! (3-14 May), London’s smash hit musical comedy Waitress (16-21 May), We Will Rock You (4-30 July) with an extra two weeks added due to phenomenal demand and Les Misérables (9-27 Aug), returning to Birmingham after a sell-out run in 2019.

The new season also features a line up of comedy legends including Jack Dee (5 Feb), Stewart Lee (13 Feb), Russell Kane (12 June) and Rob Beckett (14 June).

Birmingham Hippodrome’s Patrick Studio will be hosting a season of family favourites, including the magical Dear Santa (15 – 24 Dec), a charming festive family show which is the perfect introduction to theatre for children age 2+. In the spring, families can enjoy the stage adaption of Rod Campbell’s much loved book Dear Zoo (8-10 Apr) and Oi Frog & Friends!, (21-29 May)the Olivier Award nominated action-packed stage adaptation of Kes Gray and Jim Field’s bestselling books.

2022 in the Patrick Studio will also see the return of Unislam, (18 – 20 Mar),featuring performances from some of the UK and Ireland’s most exciting spoken word poets and Verve Festival of Poetry and Spoken Word (16-20 Feb), which is now celebrating its fifth year.

Chilina Madon, Director of Audiences and Communications at Birmingham Hippodrome said: “We have had a very special autumn here at the Hippodrome, welcoming back over a hundred thousand visitors in just over three months.

Our wonderful audiences have provided us with so much support and love while we were closed, and we can’t wait for them to finally experience our rescheduled productions that they have waited so patiently for, along with some absolutely stunning new shows.”

Chilina added: “The safety of our staff and audiences will continue to remain a top priority in 2022 and we urge ticket buyers to check our website and their pre-visit emails for the latest guidance of what to expect when visiting Birmingham Hippodrome.”  

Tickets for all shows can be booked at www.birminghamhippodrome.com or by calling 0844 338 5000*

Tickets are on sale to Friends of Birmingham Hippodrome today (Thursday 25 November) and on general sale on Monday 29 November at 11am.

 *0844 calls will cost you 4.5p per minute plus your phone company’s access charge.

Alphabetti Theatre Newcastle – until 11th December 2021

Reviewed by Sandra Little

4****

This play is a one woman comedy drama set in Penrith, Cumbria. It is written and performed by Hannah Sowerby who plays 19 year old Jodie. We learn that most of Jodie’s friends have left Penrith to go to uni and she finds herself living a dreary life with her elderly nana and shelf stacking at Sainsbury’s!

Jodie is not at all happy with her life and struggles to think of 10 things to do in Penrith! She tells us that she lives above a kebab shop and not “a grand Manor House by the side of a lake.”

Jodie finds herself questioning her sexuality and is often attracted to other women, however the only woman available in Penrith is her friend’s mam. This meeting does not go well but is probably one of the funniest parts of the play. On another occasion Jodie goes to a strange static caravan with a male resident of Penrith; another liaison that does not go well!

To help deal with her mental health issues Jodie has counselling sessions with a fairly incompetent counsellor. Jodie thinks her counsellor,”gets her phrases from Card Factory” and during one session her counsellor suggests “colouring in” to help Jodie deal with her mental health issues.

This play is staged in the round in a tiny theatre with a “pay what you feel” policy. The set consists of numerous cardboard boxes that are used to good effect and contain some very interesting props! It lasts for about 80 minutes and is a very funny, fast paced, one woman show which includes some hilarious one liners. However there are also some serious issues, including grief and mental illness, woven into the trivia of Jodie’s daily life. Themes of a sexual nature are also included and the play is recommended for over 16s.

I found this play really enjoyable and very funny. Do not be fooled by the rather genteel title of this production, more serious themes are included and are quite thought provoking. I was able to empathise with Jodie and her tribulations and the 80 minute performance seemed to go by very quickly. I found the ending of the play quite uplifting.

Jekyll & Hyde – The Musical

• PRODUCERS LAMBERT JACKSON ANNOUNCE THAT A WORKSHOP WILL TAKE PLACE IN APRIL 2022 FOR A BRAND-NEW PRODUCTION OF LESLIE BRICUSSE AND FRANK WILDHORN’S JEKYLL AND HYDE 
• THE WORKSHOP WILL BE DIRECTED BY JONATHAN O’BOYLE WITH CHOREOGRAPHY BY SARAH GOLDING AND SET DESIGN BY MORGAN LARGE
• AUDITIONS WILL TAKE PLACE FROM TUESDAY 11TH – FRIDAY 14TH JANUARY 2022 WITH RECALLS LATE JANUARY

“In each of us, there are two natures: Good and Evil. For it is the curse of mankind that these polar twins should be constantly at war…”

Producers Lambert Jackson have announced a workshop for a new production of Leslie Bricusse and Frank Wildhorn’s iconic 1990’s musical Jekyll and Hyde loosely based on the 1886 classic novella Strange Case of Dr Jekyll & Mr Hyde by Robert Louis Stevenson. Originally conceived for the stage by Frank Wildhorn and Steve Cuden, it features iconic music by Frank Wildhorn and a chilling book by Leslie Bricusse.

Lambert Jackson said:

“We’re thrilled to be bringing a new version of this classic musical to life. This workshop process will explore a darker, grittier side to the story, with the aim to reflect London as it is now – a place with a rich, diverse and enigmatic history. There could not be a better time than now to bring a show to London’s West End which is so intrinsically connected with the city itself and explores the effect that the court of public opinion can have on the divisions between us.”

Lambert Jackson, alongside original composer Frank Wildhorn and scriptwriter Alexander Dinelaris (Academy Award Winner for Birdman) are workshopping this masterpiece with the following creative team: Jonathan O’Boyle (Director), Annabel Mutale Reed (Associate Director), Leo Munby (Musical Director), Sarah Golding (Movement Director/Choreographer), Morgan Large (Set Design), Jonny Dickie and Joshua Robins (Sound Design) and Emma Norman (Casting).

Jekyll & Hyde – The Musical is an evocative tale of the epic battle between good and evil. Based on the classic story about a brilliant doctor whose experiments with human personality create an evil and murderous counterpart. Convinced the cure for his father’s mental illness lies in the separation of Man’s evil nature from his good, Dr. Henry Jekyll unwittingly unleashes his own dark side, wreaking havoc in the streets of late 19th-Century London as the savage, maniacal Edward Hyde.

With the blessing of the legendary writer-composer Leslie Bricusse, the team will be working on an almost-complete revision of the book, a re-structuring of the storyline, modernising the much-loved orchestrations, and reworking the ending. With some of musical theatre’s most renowned songs, this new version will be presented in a workshop in April 2022.  

Auditions will take place from Tuesday 11th – Friday 14th January in London with recalls at the end of January. For more information about auditions and casting please visit Spotlight on Friday 26 November. JEKYLL & HYDE are actively committed to representation and inclusive casting. The production is proactively seeking applicants without regard to disability, race, age, colour, national origin, ethnic origin, sexual orientation, gender identity, or any other basis.

Casting will be announced following the audition process.

Nottingham Theatre Royal – until Saturday 27 November 2021

Reviewed by Louise Ford.

5*****

Who let the dog(s) out ?

I must confess to being more than a little partial to a mystery and Sherlock Holmes is one of my favourite Detectives; so I was really looking forward to a reworking of Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s Hound of the Baskervilles. It’s a great story, which has stood the test of time, with all the requisite elements for a mystery, deer stalking detective, solid side kick, mysterious death,  shady strangers, unconvincing disguises and beards, inheritance, the moors, escaped prisoners, a giant hound and a little bromance!

The current production is a collaboration between Original Theatre Company and Octagon Theatre Bolton, which is continuing its UK Tour having premiered in Bolton this summer. The story has been adapted for the stage by Lotte Wakeham and is directed by Tim Jackson.

The adaptation is ingenious for a cast of just three actors. Jake Ferretti plays Mr Sherlock Holmes, the world famous (second best) detective as well as Stapleford, Stapleford’s “sister” and a host of other characters, Dr Watson is played by Niall Ransome and Serena Manteghi plays Sir Henry as well as various yokels. They are all excellent.

As you would expect Sherlock is played as a suitably aloof and superior detective  all pontification and pipe smoking. Dr Watson is the solid central character around who the action and actors change and move. He is suitably attired in country tweeds and bumbles along trying to make deductions and protect Sir Henry. The running joke that Watson fails to recognise Sherlock in even the most minimal disguise is very entertaining!  Sir Henry, fresh in from Canada, is played with energy and pomp, with just the right mix of upper class twit and lovesick bravery! It’s a very energetic performance with gymnastics and comic bounce. In fact all three actors move smoothly between their various characters even when the action speeds up and quick changes are called for.

The stage is dominated by the gothic presence of Baskerville Hall which is cleverly lit to cast a threatening glow over the scenes. The clever use of minimal props means that the various doorways, boxes and desks adapt them selves with little effort to move between Baker Street, a cab, a train, a sauna (?) and Baskerville Hall itself. The ever present dry ice adds to the air of mystery and threat.

The star of the show for me was the Grimpen Moor, the scenes where the various characters got stuck in the mire were just brilliant. Excellent comic acting and effects!

A great evening at the theatre on a decidedly chilly November evening, the game is afoot Watson!

THE LOWRY, SALFORD – UNTIL 4 DECEMBER 2021

REVIEWED BY ANGELOS SPANTIDEAS

4****

Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker is a celebration of colours, fantasy and of course a lot of dancing with this rework of the original Nutcracker being reimagined for new audiences while maintaining the timeless and nostalgic effect of Tchaikovsky’s score.

For the first act, the story takes place at an orphanage with the choice of adult actors playing children paying off by the grand expressions and physicalities that transform the cast and convince the audiences of their youthfulness. Act 1 is dark and takes place on Christmas where the children are given gifts, the set is decorated in a depressive festive mood and the story is rich with subliminal messages of unfairness and mistreatment. Here we are introduced to our main two anti heroes, Sugar and Fritz who are the children of the owner of the orphanage. Both characters succeed at becoming instantly disliked, due to their spoiled behaviour and the way they are treating the other children. The main heroine, sweet and innocent Clara, finds a ventriloquist dummy nutcracker which by the end of the night comes to life and helps the children escape in a fantasy world, embarking their imaginary adventure at the frozen lake where the choreography is smooth, the stage is filled with snow and the dancers seem to be floating on stage. With Act 1 ending with Princess Sugar stealing the Nutcracker from Clara.

Although Act 2 is not as rich in story as Act 1, it is actually here where the audience can relish one of the most detailed and meticulously designed sets that changes constantly and is built upon layers of carefully constructed pieces that really bring the fantasy world to life. What can be compared to the brilliance of the staging is the intricate costumes, which embrace the characters and accentuate their characters without inhibiting the movement of the actors. The second Act is also filled with interesting characters that command attention from the second they get on stage, all inspired by sweets and candy, from the Liquorice Allsorts, to the over the top Knickerbocker Glory, the elegant Marshmallow Girls and the Gobstoppers. What is unfortunate, is that for Act 2, Clara who the audience has gotten to like and feel for, fades a bit to the background, with the exchanges of the Nutcracker, Princess Sugar and Prince Bon-Bon being in the spotlight. And while in the spotlight both Princess Sugar and Prince Bon-Bon are brilliant at giving a show stopping performance, with their facial expressions and their movements showing incredible versatility. With two little cupids helping Clara get to Sweetieland where the Nutcracker marries Princess Sugar, the fantasy comes to an end, the actors are brought back to reality where a happy ending brings Clara and the boy behind the Nutcracker to escape the orphanage.

Matthew Bourne’s Nutcracker is an unconditionally brilliant masterpiece that marries unconventional ballet with refined aesthetics, sexual innuendos and a Christmas spirit. With no moment being anything but impressive and with a breathtaking attention to detail by the production this Christmas classic is a blueprint for how long established pieces can be re-envisioned into modern concepts without losing any of the enduring qualities of the original.

Mayflower Southampton – until 27 November 2021 

Reviewed by Jo Gordon 

5*****

C.S Lewis The Lion The Witch and the Wardrobe has been enjoyed in many forms by generation after generation for over 70 years. From the original book in 1950, it’s been made into a TV series, several film versions, cartoons and re-prints. It has always been one of my personal favourites and I spent many an hour in the early 80’s, hidden in my wardrobe, shrouded in my Mothers best faux fur coat. Adding to the magic, I lived near a zoo who’s lion could be heard at my house …..my very own Aslan! 

Set in 1940, during the London Blitz four siblings are sent to the safety of the countryside. Edmund, Susan, Peter and Lucy Pevensie find themselves now living with Professor Digory  Kirke a rather quirky fellow in his large Manor House. Exploring the Manor, Lucy finds an intriguing wardrobe, on entering she finds the Land of Narnia and her life and that of her siblings will never be the same.

The costumes and set are stunning. Clever use of lighting, props and beautiful puppetry transport the audience into a magical world, and you do get totally immersed into it, forgetting you are sat in a theatre on a cold November night. Songs are sung amongst the beat of drums, flutes, string instruments and forest creatures. Staying true to the moral of love wins over hate. 

It is possibly one of the most beautiful stage productions I have ever seen. From Mr Tumnus lamenting about spring, the amazingly clever Aslan puppetry, The White Witch and the outstanding cast. Folklore told as it should be, magically enchanting. 

New Victoria Theatre, Woking – until 27th November 2021.

Reviewed by Becky Doyle

5*****

WOW! An absolutely breath-taking story that had me and the rest of the audience gripped from start to finish. It is no reason therefore that the play has the reputation of the “standing ovation musical”. I didn’t know what I was expecting, but what was delivered surpassed anything that I could have imagined.

The whole cast were amazing – with Alex Patmore (Mickey) and Joel Benedict (Eddie) Perfectly playing the transitioning life of two young boys growing up in different circumstances in Liverpool. Eddie wanting for nothing but friends from the “wrong” side of town where his best friend, and blood brother, Mickey lived unknowing that he had everything that Mickey wanted.

The musicality and choreography were a credit to all with Alex’s rendition of “I wish I was our Sammy” being the highlight for me which showed the vulnerability of Mickey and children like him. I think it is a credit to all who played children to just how much you were absorbed into the moment and really did believe that you were watching the growth of children and young teens as well as the effect of the people around influencing their growth and paths in life.

It would be wrong of me to write this without a mention of Lyn Paul (Mrs Johnson) who is returning to carryout her farewell tour. Her portrayal of a single Mother trying to do the best for her family with limited options was touching and her voice was fantastic. She will take a lot of living up to for her predecessor.

This show is a must see and has left a lasting impression

Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 27th November 2021

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

5*****

A silence that speaks volumes!

The Lemon Table is adapted for the stage from two short stories by writer Julian Barnes. From the start you know you are in for something different with no fanfare greeting the actor’s entrance, a minimalism maintained throughout, packing a powerful punch.

The show is really two scenes, each with its own central (onstage) character and many offstage ones, all brought to life vividly by the wonderful Ian McDiarmid. The first half concentrates on one man’s exasperation with his fellow concert goers and their percieved lack of respect during live concert going. The second half introduces Jean Sibelius, the aclaimed Finnish composer, in old age. This was no quiet reflection recounting past glories though. Instead, we are treated to a rhapsody on loneliness and the desperate ways one attempts to mitigate its effects as he faces his mortality.

Although there is only one actor it is a multi character show. To produce such a range of characterisation using just a subtle gesture, a change of vocal inflection or a mere glance was pure genius, showing an actor totally in command of his craft. I found myself marvelling at the transformation produced by buttoning a coat, adjusting a tie and popping on a subtle prop coupled with a change of posture – a testament to all involved in the production, including Directors Michael Grandage and Titas Halder.

I evidently was not the only one engrossed in the on stage action. I have never heard such a quiet auditorium, with the audience hanging upon every word. The use of silence (a central theme running through the spine of the show ) as an emotional punctuation was particularly moving and was almost symphonic in it’s impact. If one can achieve pitch perfect silence, there it was!

Apart from loneliness, the show explores many other emotions such as mortality, alienation and, especially poignantly, the loss of a partner’s love. Given the subject matter there is a surprising amount of humour . Perhaps it is because of the universal feelings explored that the humour resonates so deeply, being something we can all recognise in ourselves.

The lighting (designed by Paule Constable) was employed sparsely, as was the staging (by Designer Frankie Bradshaw), and was all the more effective for it – helping to focus the attention on the story so that changes produced maximum dramatic effect. I’ve never seen such a telling effect wrought by changing the angle of a chair to introduce a non seen character before! There was particularly clever use of the table of the title, embodying both a physical (and mental) mountain.

A triumph for all involved (both onstage and off) and one that will stay long in the memory. I could not recommend this highly enough.

As Sibelius recounts in the play: “music begins where words end”. I returned home wanting to listen again to the music of this wonderful composer, surely the greatest testament to how compelling this play is.

 The Grand Theatre, Leeds – until 27th November 2021

Reviewed by Katie Goldsbrough

4****

John Willards, The Cat and the Canary is a classic ‘Who done it’, a group of long-lost relatives gather on a stormy night for the reading of Mr. Wests will, 20 years after his death, they are there to discover who will inherit the manor and the family jewels. After learning who the heir is the group learn of an escaped, murderous mental patient from the local asylum, resulting in them spending the night in fear as mysterious things begin to happen and it seems there’s someone in the house who shouldn’t be there. There are plenty of surprises, twists, and turns and with an all-star cast this is one not to be missed. 

The cast is made up of lots of well-known names including former Bond girl Britt Eckland as Mrs. Pleasant, the housekeeper who has been living alone for the past 20 years and is in contact with the spirits of the house, who insist an evil is lurking. Antony Costa, who found fame in the boyband Blue who gives a fantastic performance as, Paul Jones a doddering vet. Other familiar faces include Coronation Streets Tracy Shaw playing Annabelle West who must learn to conquer her fears and fend of the advances of Harry Blythe (Gary Webster The Bill, Eastenders), who wants to rekindle an old romance and Charlie Wilder (Ben Nealon Soldier, Soldier) who has similar ideas. 

The lovely set is well used and at times you may find yourself jumping as the thunder rumbles and mysterious sounds begin to be heard through the manor. 

The show comes to a dramatic conclusion in the final act when the pace picks up and we learn of a plot to steal the fortune which, as it unravels will leave you guessing until the end. With comedy entwined with the drama this is an excellent production with a fantastic cast and an exciting story.