Queens Theatre, Hornchurch – until 24th September 2022
Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton
5*****
The Blueprint Festival is a collection of various projects created and produced by different people all presented throughout the space of two weeks. I was lucky enough to experience three of these events, as well as a speech explaining the events given by some of the creators and performers behind them.
The first event I saw was ‘Shakespeare on Sea’, a three-minute short film featuring three monologues from Shakespeare plays presented in a modern context. The Mawa Theatre Company have explored these monologues through the gaze of black female artists in Essex. The film features monologues from Romeo and Juliet, The Comedy of Errors, and The Tempest, which are performed by the wonderfully talented Deborah Imhogiemhe, Mia Jerome, and Sharon Rose. These monologues are performed in such a brilliant way that the typically complicated and difficult to understand Shakespearean language is much easier to understand, and it is much easier to understand what is going on in the scene because of the modern context in which they are presented.
The second event I saw was a 31-minute play with 31 scenes, called ‘In This Smoking Chaos’. This play is the result of asking the question ‘what if design was the first thing you thought about when creating a performance.’ Instead of having typical scenes with short transitions in between, this play is made up of one continuous transition with no definitive beginning or ending. The audience are invited to move about the auditorium to experience multiple different angles, as we follow a person (Yael Elisheva) exploring the process of life from beginning to end. There is no actual speech in the performance, with the exception of a person talking over the phone in a demonic sounding voice, so the performance is all movement. The set is what looks like a house that spins around at various times throughout the performance, and in often lit up in red, with 31 phrases projected onto it every so often, as these are the names of each scene. These are ominous phrases with no obvious meaning or relation to their scenes, only what can be inferred by the audience and their interpretation of the play. Overall, this piece is an absolutely incredible experience.
The final event was a very fun 15-minute presentation and light show projected onto the side of the building, displaying every show the theatre has put on, featuring music from each of these shows as well as very entertaining lighting and exciting pyrotechnics. The evening ended with drinks at the bar accompanied by a musical theatre dj set. Overall, it was the most fun theatre experience I have ever had, and that didn’t cover all the events the theatre had to offer. There are many other events taking place over two weeks, which all sound very entertaining. Everybody should go to this festival for at least one day to experience even a small piece of this magnificent festival.
Adam is a presenter on Gardener’s World and also appears regularly on the BBC’s cover of the RHS Flower Shows. This, his first night of the current tour, was greeted by an enthusiastic audience.
An informative and entertaining evening learning about Adam’s (and ‘Mrs Frosts’s’) life and professional journey. We all have a story to tell and Adam is very honest about some difficult stages in his life, all put across without seeking pity or sympathy of the audience.
Growing up his love of gardening grew from an early age, and he says he was surrounded by creative people and along with his natural talents for design, he has worked hard, along with taking a few risks, so his progression in the industry has been successful.
He had a screen to display images of people and Gardens he had worked with whilst talking about the influences in his life. There were amusing antidotes, and the audience were appreciative as the evening drew to a close.
There was, of course, a book just released, which he was happy to sign after the show.
It was a very pleasant evening, regardless of your knowledge of Adam and his career, this was about the life of, and not a gardener’s question time.
It has been more then 40 years, since the release of Joy Division’s Unknown Pleasures, the debut album of four ordinary lads, who inspired by the punk revolution of 1970’s Manchester, came together to form one of the most influential bands of all time. The band name and LP cover for Unknown Pleasures is based on an image of radio waves from pulsar CP1919 and has become an iconic image, even outside the Joy Division fandom. As part of the Autumn 2022 production, New Dawn Fades is celebrating 10 years with an exciting and re-staged Northern Tour, including a return to the Epstein Theatre, located in the heart of Liverpool.
Written by the ingenious Brian Gorman, this highly acclaimed stage play is based on his graphic novel of the same title and brought to the stage by Manchester production company All Roads Meet, with executive producer Nina Whiteman. It is directed by writer, actor and improviser, Sean Mason and visual artist, performer, film maker and designer Giles D Bastow, both very accomplished and both part of the cast. Gorman also made an appearance in the play itself, as the historic characters of the Roman General Agricola, who ordered the founding of Mamucium, the foundations of what became Manchester and Dr John Dee, advisor to Elizabeth I. His appearance was pre recorded and beamed onto a large screen at the back. The sensitivity to history and interesting way of staging makes the story of Manchester and the music scene all the more engaging.
The cast played a handful of Joy Division classics live and imitated the original four piece, amazingly. When they performed Shadow Play, I felt like I was watching them on Granada Reports, live!
The cast in the play are fantastic. Al Donohoe plays the role of the flamboyant Tony Wilson, who co founded the seminal Manchester label Factory Records and acts as narrator.
Ian Curtis was born in 1956, married at 19, joined Joy Division and released Unknown Pleasures by the age of 22 and was dead by the age of 23. Joseph Walsh, who plays Curtis, in his early twenties himself and manages to take youth, innocence and vulnerability, as was at the heart of the real Joy Division story and turn it into an immersive experience. He very skilfully imitates Curtis’ haunting stage presence and dancing.
The rest of the band members, Bernard Sumner (Harry McLafferty), Peter Hook (Bill Bradshaw) and Stephen Morris (Matthew Melbourne) are strong and powerful characters and slightly resemble the real life band members. Bradshaw was hilarious as ‘Hooky’ Hook. Also in her early twenties is Leah Gray playing Deborah Curtis, perfect for articulating the touching tragic tale of Curtis’ wife.
No wonder it had a standing ovation! It is a testament to Joy Division that we are still talking about them today!
The well known, loved and anticipated classics ‘The Lion King’ bounds onto the Mayflower stage, and it is a work of wonder!
We follow the classic storyline through its entirety, but mixed with the visually stunning costumes, effects and exquisite music this really is not one to be missed.
The iconic ‘Nants’ Igonyama’ begins the show and Nosipho Nkonqa as Rafiki has the enviable task of performing ‘Circle of life’. A true piece of artistry and a vocal showcase, this is the perfect start to the piece. The ensemble enhance this song perfectly, with great puppetry, choreography and costumes from Michael Curry, Garth Fagan and Julie Taymor respectively. The whole cast were impeccable, giving the performance of a lifetime and creating emotion that rippled through the audience. Richard Hurst and Jean-Luc Guizonne as Scar and Mufasa were excellent. Hurst had a brilliant costume that, when mixed with his spot on portrayal of ‘Scar’ made it hard to believe this was an act! Matthew Forbes as ‘Zazu’ was also great, cutting any tense situation with excellent comedic timing. It was great to see that ‘Zazu’ was an extension of Forbes and he acted with his whole body, creating a spectacular illusion.
Pumbaa and Timon, played by Carl Sanderson and Alan Mchale were the perfect duo. They were witty, comical and sang with Simba (Stephenson Ardern-Sodje) with ease – bringing the duo into a wondrous trio! Arden-Sodje has a great singing voice and gave his all to his performance. Josiah Araba-Coker and Serenna Hunte as young Simba and Nala brought a wonderful childish energy to the show and really showed how much fun they have on this stage. As well as having great vocals, their energy and chemistry is unmatched-making for a show stopping act!
This is visually stunning and all creatives should be proud of the show. In particular, Richard Hudson-scenic designer. Although the scene changed were simple, they were highly effective and you could hear the gasps of children in the audience as we were transported across the savannahs and lairs of Scar.
This is a show like no other-no wonder it is selling out. There are not enough words to describe what a treat this is for all ages!!
Northern Ballet’sThe Great Gatsby is returning to theatres across the UK in Spring 2023. The ballet will open at Leeds Grand Theatre on Wednesday 8 March before touring to Sheffield’s Lyceum Theatre and London’s Sadler’s Wells
Northern Ballet, who have recently come under the new leadership of former Royal Ballet Principal Federico Bonelli, will bring the glitz and glamour of the roaring twenties to life as they reimagine F. Scott Fitzgerald’s infamous novel on stage. The Great Gatsby premiered in 2013 and has since enjoyed four successful UK tours, becoming one of the Company’s most popular productions
Set in New York’s Long Island during the 1920’s, The Great Gatsby tells the tale of Jay Gatsby a mysterious millionaire with a secret past and a penchant for lavish parties. As the sparkling façade of Gatsby’s world begins to slip, the loneliness, obsession and tragedy that lie beneath are revealed
The Great Gatsby is choreographed by Northern Ballet’s former Artistic Director David Nixon CBE and earned him a nomination for Best Classical Choreography in the 2014 National Dance Awards
The production features lavish sets by Jérôme Kaplan and dazzling Chanel inspired costumes designed by Nixon. Sir Richard Rodney Bennett’s CBE’s unforgettable score completes the backdrop, played live by the Northern Ballet Sinfonia
Director, Choreographer and Costume Designer David Nixon CBE said:
‘Like many, I fell in love with Fitzgerald’s timeless novel at a young age and it continues to capture my imagination to this day.
The glamour of the 1920’s lends itself beautifully to the stage with stunning costumes and sets and the music by the late Sir Rodney Richard Bennett CBE transports the audience to an elusive time of lavish parties and prohibition and jazz.
I’m thrilled that Federico has chosen to bring this beloved production back to theatres next Spring and I hope that audiences will continue to be delighted and entertained by the glitz and glamour of Fitzgerald’s captivating 20s once again. ‘
Tickets to The Great Gatsby will go on sale soon. Please visit northernballet.com/gatsby for more information. To find out more about Northern Ballet’s other touring productions including Autumn 2022’s The Little Mermaid and The Nutcracker visit northernballet.com/whatson.
Aria Entertainment, Bill Kenwright and Heartaches Limited announce
Meet the cast for the brand new production of Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson’s epic musical
‘From Here To Eternity’
Today we announce the full cast for the brand new production of Tim Rice and Stuart Brayson’s epic musical ‘From Here To Eternity’, with casting by Jane Deitch.
‘From Here To Eternity’ is getting its first London revival in a newly revised production at Charing Cross Theatre, from 29 October – 17 December.
Jonny Amies (Maggio) was Link Larkin in ‘Hairspray’ (London Coliseum) and Peter Noone in ‘My Very Own British Invasion’ (Paper Mill Playhouse, New Jersey).
Jonathon Bentley (Prewitt) appeared in ‘Mamma Mia! The Party’ (O2), ‘Miss Saigon’ (International Tour) and ‘Mamma Mia!’ (Novello Theatre).
Desmonda Cathabel (Lorene) won the prestigious 2022 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the Year competition. Her stage roles include ‘Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends Concert’ (Sondheim Theatre), ‘Maria Friedman and Friends’ (Menier Chocolate Factory) and ‘Treason’ in Concert (Theatre Royal Drury Lane).
Leonard Cook (Judson/Colonel Delbert/cover Holmes) appeared in the West End in ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ (Original West End company) and ‘The Comedy About A Bank Robbery’ (Criterion Theatre).
Kyerron Dixon-Bassey (Swing) is a recent graduate of Urdang Academy making his stage debut.
Sarah Drake (Female U/S Lorene & Mrs Kipfer) trained at Boston Conservatory at Berklee. Her UK theatre credits include: Deb/Claire alternate in ‘Ordinary Days’ (Cockpit Theatre).
Dominic Adam Griffin (Soldier/cover Warden & Bloom) has just played Handsome Climber/Cover Johan in the world premiere of ‘Identical’, was swing in the original cast of ‘ALW’s Cinderella’ (West End) and ensemble/Cover Magaldi in ‘Evita’ (West End and UK/European Tour).
Cassius Hackforth (Soldier) was a finalist in the 2022 Stephen Sondheim Society Student Performer of the year, and has recently filmed a featured role in a major Lucasfilm production. Robin Hayward (Soldier/cover Prewitt) recently played Kurt Kelly in ‘Heathers’ (The Other Palace).
Callum Henderson (Soldier/cover Judson & Colonel Delbert) was Dwayne in ‘9 to 5’ (UK Tour), ‘I Could Use a Drink’ (Garrick Theatre), ‘The Show Must Go On!’ (Palace Theatre) and Luke in ‘Next Thing You Know’ (Garden Theatre).
James Mateo-Salt (Soldier/cover Galovitch) was Raymond/Len in ‘What the Ladybird Heard’ (West End/UK Tour), featured ensemble in ‘The Pirate Queen’ (London Coliseum), John in ‘Peter Pan’ (Under the Bridge) and Hanschen/1st cover Melchior in ‘Spring Awakening’ (Edinburgh Fringe).
Rhys Nuttall (Galovitch) played Brian in ‘Elegies for Angels, Punks and Raging Queens’ (King’s Head Theatre) and was The Creature/Movement Director in ‘Frankenstein’ (Garrick Theatre, Altrincham).
Jack Ofrecio (Bloom) appeared in ‘Boys Will Be Boys’ (Bridge House Theatre).
Jaden Oshenye (Soldier) was Young Macduff in ‘Macbeth’ (RSC) and he appeared in ‘The Bodyguard’ (Dominion Theatre).
Eve Polycarpou (Mrs Kipfer) last appeared in the West End as Drosoulla in ‘Captain Corelli’s Mandolin’ and in ‘Strictly Ballroom’. She appeared in ‘In the Heights’ at Southwark Playhouse and King’s Cross Theatre.
Adam Rhys-Charles (Warden) was in ‘Curtains’ (UK Tour) ‘Kiss Me Kate’ (Sheffield Crucible), played Young Ben in ‘Follies’ (National Theatre) and ‘Mrs Henderson Presents’ (Royal Alexandra Theatre, Toronto).
Carley Stenson (Karen) is best known for playing Steph Cunningham in C4’s ‘Hollyoaks’ for which she was nominated for Best Actress and Best Comedy Actress at the NTAs and British Soap Awards. Her recent stage roles include Fantine in ‘Les Miserables’ in the West End and Georgia Hendricks in ‘Curtains’ (West End and UK Tour).
Alan Turkington (Holmes) was in ‘Very Special Guest Star’ (Omnibus Theatre), ‘My Night With Reg’ (Turbine Theatre), ‘Antony & Cleopatra’ (National Theatre), ‘Hamlet’ (Donmar at Wyndham’s Theatre, Elsinore Castle and Broadhurst Theatre, Broadway).
Joseph Vella (Soldier/cover Maggio) is making his professional debut.
Creative team: Director Brett Smock Set & Costume Designer Stewart Charlesworth Musical Direction & Orchestrations Nick Barstow Choreographer Cressida Carré Lighting Designer Adam King Projection Designer Louise Rhodes-Brown Costume Supervisor Lucy Lawless Casting Director Jane Deitch Production Manager James Anderton
Produced by Katy Lipson for Aria Entertainment, Bill Kenwright and Heartaches Limited
General Management by Chris Matanlé
Set in the two weeks leading up to the Japanese attack on Pearl Harbor, ‘From Here To Eternity’ is a compelling portrait of humanity, love, duty and redemption set against the backdrop of a beautiful and conflicted paradise.
Adapted from the classic novel by James Jones, this breathtaking musical unites the writing talents of Tim Rice (lyrics), Stuart Brayson (music) and Donald Rice and Bill Oakes (book), and is directed by Brett Smock (Producing Artistic Director/The Rev Theatre Company).
‘From Here To Eternity’ marked Tim Rice’s first new stage musical for over 10 years. Among the many smash hit musicals he co-wrote are ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat’, ‘Jesus Christ Superstar,’ ‘Evita’, ‘Chess’ and ‘The Lion King’. He has won 12 Ivor Novello awards, 4 Tonys and 3 Oscars and an Emmy.
Lyricist Tim Rice said: “It’s wonderful to have ‘From Here To Eternity’ back in London. Since its world premiere in the West End in 2013, there have been two excellent productions in North America, both directed by Brett Smock, and I’m delighted he’s bringing the latest iteration of the show back across The Pond. Katy Lipson and her team are the perfect partners: young, dynamic and energetic – like the fighting men of G Company. It’s been a treat to get back to the writing desk with Stuart, too. If you like your musicals soft and fluffy, this show is not for you. We have nothing to offer but danger, betrayal, heartbreak, hope, blood, sweat and tears!”
LISTINGS INFO
Aria Entertainment, Bill Kenwright and Heartaches Limited present
‘From Here To Eternity’
Adapted from the classic novel by James Jones
Lyrics Tim Rice, Music Stuart Brayson, Book Donald Rice and Bill Oakes
Directed by Brett Smock
Charing Cross Theatre The Arches Villiers Street London WC2N 6NL www.charingcrosstheatre.co.uk Box office: 08444 930650
29 October – 17 December
Performances:
Tuesday to Saturday at 7.30pm
Wednesday, Saturday and Sunday at 3.00pm
Prices: £25.00 – £39.50 Premium seats £49.50 (includes a programme and a glass of bubbly)
A booking fee applies to phone and internet orders; no booking fee to personal callers The box office is open from 2 hours before curtain time on performance days for personal callers
ORANGE TREE THEATRE ANNOUNCES FULL CAST AND CREATIVES FOR JMK AWARD-WINNER INDIANA LOWN-COLLINS’ PRODUCTION OFTHE SOLID LIFE OF SUGAR WATER BY JACK THORNE
The Orange Tree Theatre today announces the full cast for Jack Thorne’s The Solid Life of Sugar Water. JMK Award Winner Indiana Lown-Collins directs Katie Erich and Adam Fenton. The award provides Lown-Collins the opportunity to stage her own full-scale Orange Tree show production where she will work with designer Ica Niemz. The Solid Life of Sugar Water opens on 19 October, with previews from 15 October, and runs until 12 November. It will be available via OT On Screen between 15–18 November.
Jack Thorne’s
THE SOLID LIFE OF SUGAR WATER Directed by Indiana Lown-Collins
An Orange Tree Theatre Production in association with The JMK Award
Designer: Ica Niemz; Lighting Designer: Jonathan Chan; Sound Designer: Oliver Vibrans; Creative Captioner & Projections Designer: Sarah Readman; Movement Director: Isolte Avila;Intimacy Coordinator & Director: Asha Jennings-Grant; BSL Interpreter: Deborah Hoyte; Access Consultant: Laura Guthrie; Casting Consultant: Christopher Worrrall; Deputy Stage Manager: Bryony Peach; Assistant Stage Manager: Waverley Moran
15 October – 12 November 2022
OT On Screen: 15 – 18 November
Creative captioning will be integrated into every performance.
Life’s always easier in retrospect. And I actually wouldn’t change what happened next for anything.
Alice and Phil bare every messy, painful, hilarious, irritating, delightful, loving detail of their relationship as it bends and shifts to everything life throws at them. Nothing goes unshared …
Writer Jack Thorne (Channel 4’s Skins and This Is England) thrillingly amplifies disabled voices in this witty, impassioned and intimate play. Following its 2015 premiere at Edinburgh Festival Fringe as a Graeae Theatre Company and Theatre Royal Plymouth co-production, The Solid Life of Sugar Water went on a UK tour and transferred to the National Theatre for a critically acclaimed run in 2016.
Katie Erich plays Alice. Her theatre credits include Oliver Twist (Leeds Playhouse – nominated for The Stage Debut Award for Best Performer in a Play), Different Owners at Sunrise (The Roundhouse), Aladdin (CAST), and for television, Doctors.
Adam Fenton plays Phil. As an actor, their credits include Living Archive (Royal Court), Rogue Comet(s) (HOME), Talking Bodies (Hot Coals Theatre), Not Serious (Oldham Coliseum), The Howling (Graeae Theatre Company) and //Tuning In// (Theatre by the Lake).
As a director Indiana Lown-Collins’s credits include The Purple Princess (Guildford Shakespeare Company) a devised TIE tour raising awareness of non-visible disabilities based on her own life experiences and The Last Supper (Fresh Direction ‘Replay Project’ The Young Vic). Other credits include Assistant Director on Julius Caesar (Shakespeare’s Globe), Movement Director on The Tales of Hans Christian Andersen (GSC); Associate Director on Merrily We Roll Along (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); Assistant Director on All’s Well That Ends Well (Jermyn Street Theatre), Cinderella (Yvonne Arnaud Theatre); A Woman Alone (Etcetera Theatre); All Aboard (Electric Theatre); Language coach on StrictlyBallroom the Musical (Leeds Playhouse). Indianawas the Assistant Director and Producer at the Guildford Shakespeare Company (2019-2021) where she was assistant director on As You Like It, She Stoops to Conquer, The Merry Wives of Windsor, Twelfth Night, Robin Hood, Alice and Wonderland, Romeo and Juliet, The Legend of King Arthur and Associate Director on Macbeth.
Jack Thorne is a playwright and screenwriter. His playwriting credits include The End of History, Hope, Let The Right One In (Royal Court), Harry Potter and the Cursed Child (Palace Theatre/Lyric Theatre New York/Princess Theatre, Melbourne), A Christmas Carol, Woyzeck (The Old Vic) and Junkyard (Bristol Old Vic). As a screenwriter for television, his credits include Then Barbara Met Alan, Help, His Dark Materials, Kiri, National Treasure, This is England, Skins, The Fades, Cast Offs and The Accident, and for film; The Scouting Book for Boys, War Book, Don’t Take My Baby, The Last Panthers, Wonder, The Aeronauts and Enola Holmes.
Ica Niemz is a designer. Their recent design work includes Gender Messy (Cambridge Junction), Window of Remembrance – Trans Week of Visibility/Day of Remembrance (Studio 3 Arts), Outside (Space Theatre), The Purple Princess (Guildford Shakespeare Company), Beige (Vault Festival/Online), LDN Dares Vogue (Shakespeare’s Globe), Journey’s of Destiny (Derby Theatre), I Saw a Monster (National Maritime Museum) and Midsummer Night’s Dream (Eastville Park Lido). Ica was awarded a Weston Jerwood Creative Bursary Fellowhip as Assistant Designer with Wildworks 2021-2022.
Belgrade Theatre Coventry – until Sunday 18th September 2022
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
4****
Bugsy Malone is Alan Parker’s amazing, well-loved, world-famous film, which I remember fondly from my childhood. I recall vividly the sheer thrill of seeing kids on screen doing gangster stuff only grown ups got to do and cackling with laughter at the relentless jokes. Here I was, years later, as a grown up, with my daughter, in the wonderful Belgrade Theatre, about to watch a spectacular theatrical version of the film, the very first time it’s been on tour in this revival of the universally acclaimed Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production. Excited beyond words to see her experience the wonders of Bugsy Malone, and it did not disappoint.
It’s 1920’s, New York, Dandy Dan and his gang are relentlessly exterminating undesirables with their new splurge guns. His rival, Fat Sam, is still using the old-fashioned pies to take out his enemies. Fat Sam engages the help of Bugsy Malone, a smooth city slicker who hitherto has been more occupied in sweet talking Blousey Brown, a would-be singer, to take on the bad guys. With Bugsy’s help, Fat Sam escapes from a frame up but he learns later that Dandy Dan’s mob have splurged nearly all his gang. Fat Sam needs Bugsy’s help if he is going to get his hands on some splurge guns. Bugsy needs all the help he can get if he is going to survive being pied by both the gangsters and his girl if he doesn’t get her to Hollywood!
The cast and ensemble were exquisite. Oodles of energy and enthusiasm by all involved, but there were some stand out performances by Taziva-Faye Katsande as the sultry and sophisticated Tallulah, Charlie Burns as the hilarious and enigmatic Fat Sam, Ava Hope Smith as the effervescent Lena/Babyface and Luke Mills who played several key roles in the ensemble.
Drew McOnie’s choreography was astounding, the standout was ‘So You Want To Be A Boxer’ which involved seamless movements and a piece of string which turned the stage into a boxing arena.
The sets were brilliant, dropping down from the ceiling or being wheeled on by the cast but done effortlessly. A one point, it’s made part of the story, enabling Fat Sam to break the fourth wall and crack some jokes with the audience.
Bugsy Malone is a rip-roaring riot of a show, you will leave the theatre singing the songs smiling and knowing that if you could have been anything that you wanted to be, you would be glad you had seen this tremendous production!
The Other Palace, Victoria – until 19th February 2023
Reviewed by Bobbi Fenton
5*****
‘Heathers’, set in 1989 and based on the film of the same name, is an incredible musical about a typical high school in Ohio, with friend group fallings out, romance, homecoming parties, and just a little bit of casual murder. The story follows Veronica Sawyer (Erin Caldwell) as her incredibly average life turns upside down. She first befriends the Heather’s (Maddison Firth, Vivian Panka, and Jasmine Beel), after they find out how good she is a forging notes. This ends with the murder of Heather Chandler (Maddison Firth) by Veronica’s new boyfriend, Jason Dean (Nathaniel Landskroner). J.D is your typical mysterious, rebellious teen boy with a little bit of psychopathy for good measure. When J.D murders the two high school jocks Ram (Brandon Gale) and Kurt (Tobias Turley) and frames it as a double suicide, Veronica starts to question whether her and J.D have the right to decide who lives or dies. J.D gradually becomes more and more desperate to kill the people at his school to make the school a better place, but when he begs Veronica to join him in blowing up the school with everyone inside, she fakes her own suicide, goes to the school, takes the bomb out to the football field, and watches J.D blow himself up. This is the end of the internal society of the school, as everybody decides to get along and stop following the social hierarchy since they’ve just narrowly escaped death.
This musical is full of absolutely brilliant songs, that will have anyone dancing along in their seat. These are sung by amazing performers, which makes it incredibly hard to choose favourites since they are all as brilliant as each other. In this performance, however, I especially liked the song ‘Seventeen’, a duet between Veronica and J.D, deciding to just be teenagers and stop murdering people. Erin and Nathaniel are a great pairing for this song, as their voices really merge together perfectly. ‘Kindergarten Boyfriend’ is another brilliant song from the show, delivered by Lydia Eliza Roberts’ beautiful vocals as Martha Dunnstock. Not to mention Jasmine Beel’s incredibly powerful vocals during the song ‘Lifeboat’ which is my favourite from this evening’s performance.
This musical is such a fun night out, and shouldn’t be missed. Veronica and J.Ds love may be good, but your love will be this show.
Malvern Festival Theatre – until 17th September 2022
Reviewed by Julie Bellerby
4****
Spike by Nick Newman and Ian Hislop is a fast moving review of the life of Spike Milligan who’s vision of comedy was ground breaking and the base for many in the industry.
The play shows glimpses of his traumatic life, as a soldier in the second world war and his mental illness, and how the pressure of writing the Goon Show took its toll.
The Goon Show is still what he’s best known for during the 50’s and 60’s. This play mainly concentrates on this show using actual scripts Spike had written.
Spike is played by Robert Wilfort, who gave a good performance depicting this complex man who lived on the edge of life. Robert has appeared on our TV screens in many productions which includes Bridgerton, Citizen Khan, Gavin and Stacey and Ashes to Ashes.
Harry Secombe, played by Jeremy Lloyd was, for me, the strongest performer of the night, his portrayal of Harry gave the best believable character of the three.
Peter Sellers, played by Patrick Warner gave a good performance showing Peter’s personality well. Patrick has previously performed in ‘The Play That Goes Wrong’ which has amazing timing with comedy, and can only help to increase his talents in this portrayal of Peter.
The three actors should work on interaction with each other to show a stronger connection of timing. This would greatly enhance the ‘believability’ of characters in the performance.
The biggest laughs of the evening went to ‘Janet’ played by Margaret Cabourn-Smith as the sound effect technician for the radio shows. She has a couple of scenes showing what props she used and to what effect, which was cleverly written.
The stage is set as the BBC radio recording studio, designed by Katie Lias was innovative, transforming easily to depict different scenes by the simple use of curtains and lighting. The lighting designed by Rory Beaton was very good and helped enormously to change the feel of the set. The flow of props is amazing, the constant movement was designed by Shelby Williams which seamlessly kept the show flowing and enhanced the depiction of the life of Spike Milligan.
As the first performance at Malvern Theatre there was a question and answer session after the play with Ian Hislop and Nick Newman with more antidotes’ about Spike. Both writers had met Spike in their earlier life as reporters and when working for the Private Eye Magazine.
A show worth seeing, but you do need to be aware of the Goon Show and the style of Comedy it had. It did leave you with a sense of wanting more. Time flew by, I was amazed when the final curtain closed
