Category: Uncategorized

York Theatre Royal – Tuesday 1st February 2022

Reviewed by Michelle Richardson

4****

Eric & Ern is a tribute to the late, great duo Morecambe and Wise. I have fond memories of watching them on television with my family when I was a child, so I leapt at the chance to review this show, to see if it did them justice. I should imagine that the majority of the audience were like me, grew up on the old variety shows that are unfortunately lacking on our screens today.

Ian Ashpitel and Jonty Stephens bring the two to life as “Little Ern” and Eric. They both have an uncanny resemblance, at least at a distance, and the mannerisms certainly hit the right note. Stephens really does encapsulate Eric to a tee, with his gestures, facial expressions, and physicality. In true Morecambe and Wise tradition, we are treated to various well-known sketches and routines that resonate with so many of the audience. The perfect example of this is the siren/ice cream joke, which had the audience shouting out the punchline and Stephens replying, “It’s almost as if they knew what was coming”.

Of course, we couldn’t have a Morecambe and Wise show with the guest entertainer. Vocalist Sinéad Wall gives a brilliant performance whilst singing Send in the Clowns, hilarious to watch with clowns and balloons involved. How she kept a straight face I do not know.

The show has slapstick, jokes, songs and dancing, some admittedly worked better than overs, but it had the whole package. We were all laughing, some did not stop. It takes you back to a more innocent time, the jokes may be a bit risqué, but they do not offend. I miss the good old days of variety acts hitting our screens.

Ashpitel and Stephens have great chemistry together, and on reading the programme you can understand why, they have been best friends for years, Ian was even best man at Jonty’s wedding. They are a perfect match to play this iconic duo, no one could do it better.

It is fitting that “Bring me Sunshine” was the finale. It had us all clapping and singing along and left us all on a high. This is a fabulous nostalgic show, perfect for the whole family, that is more than a simple tribute act. At times you really do feel that you are watching the real deal.

Yvonne Arnaud Theatre – until 5th February 2022

Reviewed By Emily Cliff

5*****

Anyone who is familiar with the strange case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde knows that this tale is not for the faint of heart and the play isn’t an exception. Exceptionally directed, designed and adapted to stage this play on a whole is captivating, dramatic and eerie in all the best ways.

Adapted for the stage by Nick Lane, those who a big fans of the classic will note when they come to see this play that there are some changes to the story and the characters. However, this isn’t inherently bad, it works really well providing the audience with the same eerie story with a glimmer of individuality thrown into the mix. The novella itself is quite slow burn, as is the play however somehow it manages to keep you completely hooked from the very first scene.

A performance that has to be noted and mentioned is that of Blake Kubena. His portrayal of both Henry Jekyll and Edward Hyde was enthralling. The was a clear distinction between the two characters from the way he carried his body to the way he spoke and even the look in his eyes is what made the line visible between the two personalities.

Physical theatre was used a lot in this play to show the transition between Jekyll and Hyde but also to choreograph some of the more violent scenes. The last scene of act one shows Edward Hyde brutally murdering an innocent old man, however, the twist on this was that it was down completely in slow motion. This type of trickery in film can be easily achieved by slowing down the footage in post-production however, on stage is a little more difficult. The immense amount of control both Blake Kubena and Zach Lee had in this scene is almost incomprehensible.

Everything in this production is exceptional, from the delivery of the lines and the tone of the voices put on by the actors to the stage and the lighting. The set of the play is so simple with intricate details that pull the whole thing together. a spotlight in the corners of the stage were used to cleverly cast shadows and eerie silhouettes that just added more and more to the intensity of the play. Overall this play was simply electric in its atmosphere. Every word said, every action taken, had you hanging off the edge of your seat wanting more. The twists and turns kept you coming back for more and for one of the first times ever it seemed like the interval was too long, I just wanted to dive right back into the story. The Strange Case of Dr Jekyll and Mr Hyde is a story everyone should experience once in their lifetime truly testing our moral compasses and the true will of mankind. “All human beings, as we meet them, are commingled out of good and evil: and Edward Hyde, alone in the ranks of mankind, was pure evil.” – Robert Louis Stevenson.

New Victoria Theatre – until 5th February 2022

Reviewed by Elizabeth J Smith

4****

9 to 5 is Dolly Parton’s musical adaptation of the hugely successful 1978 film of the same name.

It is based on the real life experiences of women working in an office run by a tyrannical boss who has a misogynistic attitude to all his female employees and what can happen when the worm turns.

Although this is a highly sensitive subject in the real world even 30 years on from the original film this show gives a serious subject a humorous out come on how women can overcome such repression.

The three main characters are all very different women who are trying to make their way in a male dominated business environment.

Where sexiest jokes and inappropriate banter is accepted as the norm for all female employees.

But when the matriarch Violet Newstead is over looked for promotion, once again, by a chap she trained in the first place, Doralee Rhodes finds out no likes her because the boss has told everyone that she is sleeping with him and Judy Bernly realises she has wasted her entire adult life, she’s only 21, on a man that up and left when a younger model comes along, all hell breaks loose.

The three woman plot to bring down their boss and they do in spectacular fashion and in doing so fix all that is wrong in the work place.

Claire Sweeney, Violet Newstead, plays the somewhat solemn character trying to raise her teenage son after the death of her beloved husband and trying to ignore her attraction to a young kind accountant who obviously loves her. Her portrayal is mature and self assured. Her final number ,One of the boys, shows a woman fulfilled. All her ambitions achieved and your heart sores for her triumph.

Vivan Panka, Judy Bernly, portrays a sweet innocence women trying to find her feet without a man to lean on. Her voice is sublime and brings tears to your eyes when she sings “get out stay out” with the passion of woman who has found herself.

Stephanie Chandos, Doralee Rhodes. Fills the stage with her feminine wiles, tittering on the highest of heels and tightest of dresses she is every part woman, but don’t judge the book by the cover, she is feisty and means business, as “Backwoods Barbie” explains.

And so the boss, Sean Needham, Franklin Hart Jnr. What a chauvinistic pig, but with such charm that the women in the audience fell for him. He is rude and amusing all at once.

The romantic dream scene with Roz, Julia J Nagle, and Franklin bought the house down with the comic choreography, so well acted out you could feel the sexual tension Roz has for Franklin.

The ensemble all gave outstanding performances in dance, singing and character interpretation. With stand out performances from Sonny Grieveson, Bob, and Ross lee Fowkes, Dick. Both one of the boys!

The orchestra conducted by Dean Mcdermott were fabulous and the theatre rocked to the music.

The choreography by Lisa Stevens really gave the impression of rush hour and a busy working office.

So tumble out of bed, take a spoon full of sweet and low in your coffee and get your self down to the New Victoria Theatre for an evening of pure escapism and dream that we could all kidnap our bosses and hold them to ransom to make the world a better place

Full casting announced for Jude Christian and Tinuke Craig’s Hamlet, reimagined for young audiences  

– To perform in the Dorfman Theatre and on tour to schools across the UK

Hamlet’s dad is dead. His uncle has taken over the kingdom and married Hamlet’s mum. The whole world feels like it’s turned upside down.

A ghostly encounter reveals a dreadful deed has been done. Should Hamlet take revenge?

An energetic retelling of Shakespeare’s most well-known tragedy, Hamlet, will perform in the Dorfman Theatre from 4 – 6 April 2022 and as part of a tour to state schools in Liverpool, Wolverhampton, South Essex and Sunderland from 7th March. Introducing young audiences to the world of Shakespeare, the production will tour into secondary schools for visiting primary school pupils and Year 7s to watch together. The tour will reach over 5,000 pupils across four weeks as part of the NT’s commitment to introducing children and young people to theatre.

This version is adapted for audiences aged 8-12 by Jude Christian (othellomacbeth, Cinderella) and directed by Tinuke Craig (The Colour Purple, Vassa).

 Kiren Kebaili-Dwyer performs the role of Hamlet alongside a full company including Efé Agwele, David Ahmad, Jessica Alade, Curtis Callier, Claire Redcliffe, Vedi Roy and Chanel Waddock.

Director Tinuke Craig said, “I’m so thrilled to be revisiting this project – especially after it was cut short by the start of the pandemic in 2020. It’s a big challenge to take one of the greatest works in the canon and distil it to an hour long play for 8–12-year-olds, but one I’m so excited to be taking on again along with a fantastic cast and creative team. Not only do we have the task of creating an engaging production for an audience, but we also have a responsibility to introduce younger audiences to theatre, bringing productions to their home turf to provide an early, and often first, experience of Shakespeare that is welcoming, inclusive, exciting and fun.”

Rufus Norris, Director of the National Theatre said, “It’s so important that children from all backgrounds feel that the arts are open to them to participate in and enjoy, and so we’re delighted to bring Tinuke Craig’s reimagining of Hamlet to the stage of the National Theatre and directly into school halls. We hope this exciting first experience of Shakespeare and live theatre will inspire young audiences to discover more about theatre-making and support teachers to ensure creative learning continues to be a key part of a rounded education”.

The production is designed by Frankie Bradshaw with lighting designed by Paul Knott. Sound is designed by Clark Henry-Brown and Dom Coyote. The Movement Director is Morgann Runacre-Temple and Fight Director is Jeremy Barlow. Music is composed and directed by Dom Coyote.

Tickets are now available at www.nationaltheatre.org.uk/shows/hamlet

Education packages to support teaching of the production are available for primary schools and include workshops, training and teacher resources.

NT Learning supports primary teachers across the UK to inspire creative learning and theatre-making as part of the curriculum. State schools can now sign up to take part in Story Seekers, a free digital storytelling project, and the National Theatre Collection to access the best of British theatre in the classroom for free. To find out more about these opportunities visit NT Learning.

The National Theatre’s Partner for Learning is Bank of America.

Schools Touring is supported by: The Mohn Westlake Foundation, Garfield Weston Foundation, The Hearn Foundation, Behrens Foundation, The Dorset Foundation – in memory of Harry M Weinrebe, The Ingram Trust, Sherling Charitable Trust, Archie Sherman Charitable Trust and The Constance Travis Charitable Trust.

Orchard Theatre, Dartford – 30 January 2022

Review by Donna Easton

3*** From me

5***** From my daughter!

I’ll start with a review from my 6-year-old daughter:

“I loved it mummy. It was soooo good. My favourite part was when Frog did the splits in the air and landed on the log on his privates!”

I always wonder how valid my grown-up perspective is on kid’s theatre as surely the review from my little girl is the most important, right? As you can see from her comment above she loved it.

I’ll say it was a lovely morning at the theatre but for me, this particular show had something ever so slightly off the mark. The story is glorious of course and the adaptation for stage works so well with the book coming to life in front of your very eyes. Now, I am not sure whether it was a tech issue or a venue issue but I found much of the dialogue hard to hear with some bits frankly inaudible. I wondered if it was just me so asked my daughter and her dad if they could understand what the animals were saying. He couldn’t either and my daughter said, “Not really but it doesn’t matter”.

Now, I know that an audience full of children will have its moments of distraction (it’s a big feat keeping under 6’s focussed for an hour) but here, I found that at times the audience had been lost (perhaps they had the same sound issue as us?).

Dog was definitely my favourite whilst my little girl LOVED Frog. The costumes are fantastic, the puppets are just wonderful, the songs were fun but I’m afraid Oi Frog! didn’t quite do it for me.

I do think that if the audibility of the dialogue and songs were fixed, I would have had a VERY different experience as all the other ingredients are there for a wonderful production.

All that said, my daughter loved it and seriously won’t stop talking about Frog landing on his privates, getting a splinter in his bum and getting farted on by Dog! Could we call that a successful trip to the theatre, I think so

Darlington Hippodrome – until Saturday 5 February 2022

5*****

The perennial favourite Blood Brothers makes a welcome return to Darlington, as part of its current UK tour.  This haunting and beautifully tragic story starts at the end and then returns to the beginning to see how the story brought us to that point.

Set in Liverpool, we hear the story of the Johnstone twins and how poverty drives Mrs Johnstone (Niki Evans) to give away one of the babies to her employer Mrs Lyons (Paula Tappenden).  Mrs Lyons is desperate for a child and takes advantage of Mrs Johnstones superstitious nature to ensure the boys never find out they are brothers.

Mickey (Sean Jones) stayed with his single-parent mum, living from hand to mouth, in a council house full of children and poverty.  Eddie (Joel Benedict) lives with the Lyons, with a mum and dad, in a large house with a garden and all the advantages his twin never had.  Despite the mothers intentions the boys meet and sustain a friendship, a  blood brothers pact, from the age of 7 (but nearly 8).

The story is moved forward by the Narrator (Robbie Scotcher).  In some interpretations of the musical, the Narrator is almost demonic, spreading malevolence and exuding menace, but Scotcher is more of a philosophical entity.  His powerful vocals give you a shiver up your spine, as he judges with a cold condemnation.

Sean Jones returns to play Mickey for the last time, which is an incredible shame, for he has really made the part his own.  From his convincing monologue of a 7 year old to growing up and finding love with Linda (Carly Burns).  Becoming a father aged 18, losing his job, going to prison after being led astray by older brother Sammy (Daniel Taylor) and his tragic decline into depression and a reliance on anti-depressants.  His acting is phenomenal.  You believe he is child, riding his imaginary horse, you believe his terror at becoming a father when still a child himself and you believe his tragic depression.  He will be missed when he leaves this role.

Niki Evans is an emotional powerhouse, wringing every emotion out of her vocals as the downtrodden and tragic Mrs Johnstone.  From child bride to middle aged granny.  From poverty to getting by, you watch her grow, sympathising with her plight.  Her vocals in the iconic Tell Me It’s Not True are heartbreakingly raw, her voice cracks with emotion and you genuinely believe she really is sobbing.

I don’t know if Willy Russell knew what a remarkable piece of theatre he was writing when he put pen to paper for Blood Brothers.  But this production by Bill Kenwright is one of the finest versions I have seen and I can only urge you to pack your tissues and book a seat as soon as possible, if only to witness Sean Jones before he leaves.

Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 5th January 2022

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

4.5 ****

Yet another mirthful evening brought to you by those comedy geniuses at Mischief. Anyone familiar with their earlier material such as The Play That Goes Wrong will know exactly what to expect. Or not! You see, this is a rather different work than the aforementioned one. It is a straighter, character driven piece relying less on their usual slapstick style.

The plot centres on a group of friends through 3 different ages. The first half of the show (acts 1 and 2 cover ages 6 and 14). The 6 year old section bursts forth with great vigour, introducing our main characters and their classroom. As you would expect there’s a lot of jumping around, noise and some wonderful misunderstandings of their parent’s words all portrayed with aplomb by this wonderful cast. The teenage act is less naive and joyous, though still very funny. Lots of awkward behaviour, posturing and hormones raging which cleverly sets up events which culminate in the final act.

I especially enjoyed the interplay between Spencer (Dharmesh Patel), Archie (Daniel Abbott) and Katie (Lauren Samuels). It’s hard to say too much without giving the plot away but each has their moments to shine in both humour and drama and there’s a great deal of both. Moon (Yolanda Ovide) and Simon (Matt Cavendish) are more tragic figures, but (again) there’s plenty of laughs there too. A fully rounded cast who you genuinely feel for, which is no mean feat given that this is a comedy not a drama. There is some exceptional acting from all involved showing great range (including touching moments, tragedy, farce and manic incredulity).

Although the first half of the show was very funny, it really takes off in the second half (act 3, the adult reunion) with the introduction of Chemise and Paul.

Chemise (Jamie Birkett) is especially hilarious and steals all the scenes she is in. It’s not just that her lines are hilarious but her delivery is perfect. It’s also the way the main characters react off her to perfection that brings (arguably) the loudest roars of the night. I would love her to have her own show – she was that fantastic!

Paul (Killian Macardle) is a character with few lines but every appearance is worth waiting for. His performance gets more manic and crescendos into a hilarious costume that is a sight to behold and will have you almost falling off your chair with laughter.

Hamsters are worthy of special mention too – with a clever series of names (yes, that is plural as there are plenty of our furry friends) etc. that displays the quality of the writing, as the creative team wring every ounce of humour out of anything and everything.

This show is enormous fun and was brilliantly acted by a cast obviously enjoying themselves, just as I was enjoying watching it. Another triumph from the Mischief team! Highly recommended to bring sunshine to these dark winter days

THE ALEXANDRA THEATRE, BIRMINGHAM – UNTIL SATURDAY 5TH FEBRUARY 2022

REVIEWED BY NADIA DODD

5****

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s adaptation of the 2003 hit comedy film follows lead character Dewey Finn (Jake Sharp) as a failed, wannabe rock star managing to lie his way into a substitute teacher position at a very high class prep school Horace Green.

Jake who plays the well known character of Dewey, (played by Jack Black in the film), has almost the same characteristics plus more, bringing such high-energy to the performance throughout the whole evening.

Whilst ‘working’ in the school just to help pay the rent after being threatened by his flatmates that he will have to leave unless he does his fair share, he realises that the class he is working with have amazing musical potential. Dewey has no teaching experience but feels he can bring out the best in these kids because he listens to them, something that some of their parents aren’t doing. The students are more suited to playing piano, cello and studying classical music rather than keyboard, electric guitar and drums until Dewey convinces them otherwise……

Once he has his band, backing singers, dancers, roadies and even manager Dewey then has to convince the principal of the school, Rosalie Mullins (Rebecca Lock) to take the pupils off school premises and attend The Battle of The Bands contest.

The young performers in this show are just amazing and the absolute stars of the night. Not just singing and acting, they play their instruments live throughout the performance with such enthusiasm you can really see they are thoroughly enjoying themselves, the audience were clapping along as the band were rocking out.

High energy, up beat new songs have been added by Andrew Lloyd Webber, the catchiest tune for me being ‘Stick it to The Man’, alongside the original songs from the film also being performed.

Fast paced, exhilarating, high energy and great comedy timing makes this show a fabulous choice for all the family to enjoy.

As the cast took their final bows, the audience were on their feet with a standing ovation to show their appreciation of what was a truly awe-inspiring evening

Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Sat 5th Feb 2022

Reviewed by Steph Lott

3***

Tom Bryce is a businessman struggling to save his business. In addition to this his alcoholic wife Kellie who can’t stop spending isn’t helping. On his commute back home he finds a memory stick, and, in an attempt to do a good deed, opens the files contained on it. Then wishes he hadn’t.

The cast features Adam Woodyatt (Eastenders) as Tom Bryce, with Laurie Brett (Eastenders, Waterloo Road) starring as Kellie Bryce and Harry Long playing Detective Roy Grace.

Ian Houghton (Jonus Kent), Leon Stewart (Glenn Branson), Gemma Stroyan (Bella Moy), Luke Ward- Wilkinson (Max Bryce), Mylo McDonald (Mick) and Natalie Boakye (Janie) also star in the show.

I haven’t read the book but I thought that writer Shaun McKenna has mostly done a great job of transferring the excellent plot into a play which worked very well on stage. It was an intriguing story well told which kept me guessing right up until the end (no spoilers!)

The set is mostly slick and impressive, and uses clever lighting. The audience can see inside the family home, the police station and a torture chamber which reveals very sinister scenes indeed.

However, despite the excellent plot I found the production somewhat lacking in thrills. I think this was due to a few things. I found the police station a bit odd – the 3 coppers rolling on and off stage was a little strange and a bit distracting. The relationship between three of them was also a bit one-dimensional; the scenes between them had too much boring banter and the puns and one-liners somehow didn’t fit.

Added to this I found the music a bit incongruous at times. There were oddly upbeat sections which were at odds with the dramatic events taking place onstage.

But the biggest problem for me was the lack of emotional intensity. Adam Woodyatt and Laurie Brett were rather flat and their performances lacked drama. The relationship seemed too cosy and not bad enough to explain what happens. Woodyatt has played Ian Beale for over 30 years and I had hoped, as the play progressed, to see him show he can play someone else. Sadly for me, I didn’t think this was the case. It was like Ian and Jane Beale had gone up in the world!

The action that ensued, for me, therefore just didn’t seem believable. I think also this may be due to the need to compact the book into a play. There simply isn’t enough time to be able to build the story and the tension between the characters up enough for what then follows to be credible. There needed to be more dramatic tension in my view.

Looking Good Dead was enjoyable, but for me not as thrilling as I was expecting. At times it was too light-hearted, considering the circumstances; in fact it did occur to me to wonder if in fact it was a spoof.

Perform Productions is giving away 1,000 free theatre tickets  

to help more families to see Jungle Rumble in the West End this half-term 

The producers of the new musical Jungle Rumble, the half-term theatrical treat which is playing at The Fortune Theatre from 14-20 February 2022 (tickets from £15), are offering free tickets to hundreds of families who could not normally stretch to the expense of a West End trip.  

Perform Productions is distributing 1,000 free tickets to children and their families via primary schools in London and the South East of England (eligible to children for whom they receive a pupil premium). Mousetrap Theatre Projects will also distribute 100 tickets through its channels, to those who could not otherwise attend. 

Lucy Quick, Co-Founder of Perform, said: “We are keen believers that the arts should be accessible to everyone. With many of today’s West End tickets going for up to £300, and with growing cuts to arts funding in education, many children will never have the chance to experience the thrill of a live theatre performance so we wished to share this special opportunity with them. For more than twenty years, we have offered schools free drama workshops, with many parents telling us that their child was introduced to drama for the first time in this way. We also have a Bursary Scheme through which children from disadvantaged backgrounds can attend Perform for free.” 

Produced by Perform Productions, as drama school Perform’s debut West End show, Jungle Rumble marks a natural progression for the highly-regarded drama school founded and run by Lucy Quick and Will Barnett, leading the way within the industry in making such a move. Perform runs children’s drama classes for ages 4-12 across the UK. Jungle Rumble, which is written and composed by Will Barnett, ties in with the students’ jungle theme this term, bringing stories and songs of the jungle to life on the West End stage.  

Jungle Rumble features a fabulous line-up of West End performers, uplifting songs and thrilling choreography along with an inspirational message about working together to protect the Earth. Join ancient elephant Eeli, shy zebra Zella and cheeky monkey Boo as they journey deep into the heart of the jungle on a fearless expedition to rescue Snow, the last white lion, from the evil Lord Braggard.  

The cast of Jungle Rumble is Sharon Ballard as Eeli, Darren Hart as Cheetah, Rachel Lea-Gray as Ensemble, Michael Lin as Boo, Billy Mahoney as Ensemble, Carole Stennett as Snow/Esther, Ben Stock as Lord Braggard / Boss and Joy Tan as Zella.  

Jungle Rumble is Directed by Susie McKenna (current Associate Director at Kiln theatre, former Creative Director of Hackney Empire), with Choreography by Frank Thompson (Blues in the Night, The Bodyguard), Design by Lotte Collett (Hackney Empire pantomimes, Blues in the Night), Lighting Design by Simisola Majekodunmi (J’Ouvert) and Sound Design by Tom Marshall (The Drifter’s Girl, Nativity! The Musical). It is produced by Perform Productions and General Managed by Anthology Theatre.  

Jungle Rumble offers a perfect half-term day out for the whole family. It runs from 14 to 20 February at The Fortune Theatre, Russell St, London (Covent Garden) at various times during the day (running time 45 minutes). To book, or for more information, visit: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/jungle-rumble/fortune-theatre/.    

-LISTINGS- 

Type: theatre, musical theatre, family shows, half term 

Show: Jungle Rumble 

Dates: Monday 14 – Sunday 20 February 2022 

Times: Monday (2pm, 3.45pm), Tuesday (11.45am), Wednesday (11am, 12.45pm, 3pm), Thursday (11.45am), Friday (11am, 12.45pm, 3pm), Saturday (10am, 11.30am), Sunday (10am, 11.45am, 2pm, 3.45pm) 

Running Time: 45 minutes 

Venue: The Fortune Theatre, Russell St, London (Covent Garden) 

Tickets: Tickets available from £15.00 subject to a transaction fee of £3.65

Box Office: https://www.atgtickets.com/shows/jungle-rumble/fortune-theatre/. For Access bookings, please call 0800 912 6971.