Author: FairyPoweredProductions

Gala Theatre, Durham – until 24th May 2025

Reviewed by Sheila Storrar

5*****

Former BBC Look North presenter for over twenty years, Jeff Brown, is used to presenting the stories of the local area. His second play, The Bench, is a love story about a footballer, Adi (Jason Njoroge), and single mother, Vicky (Hannah Marie Davis), who’s different worlds collide when they meet by chance on a park bench. On the face of it, their backgrounds, life challenges and aspirations are very different, but as their stories unfold, it is clear they have much more in common.

Vicky, is struggling to raise her baby son on benefits, alongside caring for her sick mother. She takes him to the park because it’s free. There, she meets Adi, a Premiership footballer, who is paid more money than he can spend. After a poor run of form, he is quite literally on the bench. Born in Africa and raised in France, he is isolated and subjected to racism, both on and off the field. These are not obvious themes that lend themselves to a humorous approach.

Much of the comedy comes from the interactions between Adi and his scheming agent, Mike Malone and conversations between Vicky and her best friend, Becs. Both David Nellist as the former and Abigail Lawson as the latter, are believable and excellent in their roles and provide some laugh out loud moments. The cast is completed by Dan Howe, who appears as various characters who interact with the main players.

In the second act, a conversation on the bench reveals more about Adi and Vicky’s individual back stories. The emotionally charged scene is played out by both actors in an understated and sensitive way. A hush descended in the theatre as the audience engaged with and was moved by their experiences. The mood lightens towards the end of the act as we find out if this unlikely couple can overcome the obstacles in their way.

Special mention must go to the set design by Lee Ward, which incorporates Adi’s apartment, Vicky’s home and a football stadium, as well as the park bench of the title, centre stage.

The Bench packs in a multitude of themes, including racism, football, caring, terminal illness, war, power and powerlessness. Jeff Brown, writing from personal and professional experience, juggles them all with humour and compassion. The result is an entertaining and thought-provoking story about finding connection and hope in an unlikely place. A thoroughly entertaining evening which closed to a standing ovation from the audience.

Birmingham Hippodrome – until 23rd May 2025

Reviewed by Emma Millward

4****

Amina Khayyam Dance Company’s new dance-theatre production ‘Bibi Rukiya’s Reckless Daughter’ premiered in Birmingham this week. The piece explores the conditioned patriarchy enforced by women within family structures. The show tells the story of Bibi Rukiya, a widow who wishes to keep her three daughters restricted by cultural expectations and societal pressure in order to ensure they all get married and uphold the family’s reputation. The piece is loosely based on Federico Garcia Lorca’s ‘The House of Bernarda Alba’. The dance company collaborated with women’s community groups across the nation to develop the production. Throughout numerous workshops, they explored the roles and responsibilities of mothers and daughters. The story is told through Kathak, a traditional form of Indian Classical Dance known as the dance of storytellers. 

As the audience entered the auditorium of the Patrick Studio, a gentle Tabla beat filled the air. We were greeted by two of Bibi Rukiya’s daughters, quietly seated at the back of the dance floor, watching the audience take their seats. The performance consists of four dancers led by Amina Khayyam herself as Bibi Rukiya, and the three daughters. They all dance in unison at first, but it soon becomes obvious that one of the daughters is disillusioned by their mother’s control of them. The daughter begins to rebel, including a touchingly funny dance sequence featuring Beyonce’s ‘Crazy in Love’. Throughout the show. Bibi Rukiya reappears to reign her daughters in and ensure they are conforming to the standards she expects from them. Without speaking, the dancers manage to still convey intense emotions through their movements and occasionally even silently screaming in frustration.

Khayyam’s choreography throughout the piece shifts from soft, gentle dancing to more staccato, almost aggressive movements, particularly from the rebellious daughter. Every movement has been thought out and is so precise. The beautiful music was composed by John-Marc Gowans, and performed live by Debasish Mukherjee (tabla), Iain McHugh (Cello) and the haunting vocals of Sohini Alam. The costumes designed by Keith Khan and Abeda Begum were exquisite, and their vibrant colours stood out against the mostly plain background of the dancefloor.

A dance piece of this style can be interpreted differently by each viewer. I must admit that certain parts of the performance left me a bit confused about what was happening, but this is only the second Kathak dance piece I have seen. After seeing this piece, I intend to see more shows in the future to gain a deeper understanding of this style of performing. I found this production to be thought-provoking, emotive and powerful.

Peacock Theatre, London – until 7 June 2025

Reviewed by Emily Smith

4****

Bat Out of Hell has arrived back in London at the Peacock Theatre for three weeks only as part of a UK-wide tour. Featuring the music of Jim Steinman and Meat Loaf, the show has been a fan-favourite since it first opened in 2017. Featuring songs such as Dead Ringer for Love, I’d Do Anything For Love and the titular Bat Out of Hell, it is a must-see for any Meat Loaf fan.

This new touring production features Glenn Adamson who returns to play Strat, leader of ‘The Lost’. Glenn is great casting for Strat – he plays the role with a craziness and defiance that suits the show perfectly – and of course his vocals are incredible. Katie Tonkinson stars as Raven, and delivers delicate yet powerful vocals throughout the show, particularly in numbers such as Heaven Can Wait and It’s All Coming Back To Me Now. The duets between these two characters are also fantastic with their voices complementing one another.

Rob Fowler and Sharon Sexton reprise their roles as Falco and Sloane – roles they have been playing since the show opened in 2017. Having seen the show multiple times, I have loved seeing how Fowler and Sexton have developed the characters. Continuing to be playful and silly (how can you not when you’re in your underwear on stage?!) and consistently delivering powerhouse vocals, they also now feel even more like Raven’s cringey parents! Their beautiful duets, especially What Part of My Body Hurts The Most, and powerhouse vocals (in particular Sharon Sexton – I am in awe) luckily remain a consistent for Bat Out of Hell – forming a big part of the reason people keep coming back to the show in my opinion.

Georgia Bradshaw (Zahara) delivered a captivating and emotionally charged version of Two Out of Three Ain’t Bad, alongside Ryan Carter (Jagwire) who has a beautiful tone to his voice, making this a perfect vocal pairing. Their energy in Dead Ringer for Love was also infectious! Luke Street (Ledoux) and Carly Burns (Valkyrie) are also notable in their roles, consistently delivering great vocals, in particular in Objects in the Rearview Mirror. The ensemble deliver brilliant performances with energetic choreography throughout, which also enhances the performance.

The above being said, the set is underwhelming compared to the previous, more permanent, productions. Of course this is to be expected for a touring production but in the Peacock Theatre it is noticeable; between the scaffolding structures that the band sit on at the back of the stage to the flight cases being used as furniture, it feels as though something is missing. There are two large screens used at the rear of the stage to add context to scenes, showing cave walls or the outside of buildings, but this does little overall to add to the effect. The screens are also used for the live filming that happens throughout – an element that has been consistent in all previous productions and good to see retained. The restrictions in terms of the set also make stage entrances and exits a bit clunky.

The decision to use handheld mics throughout the show is also an odd one in my opinion. I had to check the programme and production images to make sure this was a conscious choice, rather than a temporary fix for a technical issue! The handheld mics were distracting, and while it may be intended to improve the sound and be a nod to the ‘rock and roll’ nature of the show, it also restricts what the cast can do on stage and detracts from the performance.

The narrative of Bat Out of Hell has never been strong; I think most people who love the show have always known this, yet they return because of their love for the music. Unfortunately, this touring production has removed even more narrative, making it incredibly hard to follow the (already loose) plot unless you already know the background. This also means less time for emotional connections between characters to develop, which makes the songs feel more misplaced and less connected than in previous productions.

If I could give the show 5* just for the cast, band and music, I would, but as an all-round production, this touring version is lacking development in a few key areas. To pull off a show like Bat Out of Hell, you have to have an incredibly talented cast with impressive vocals, and that’s exactly what this production has, and that is reason enough to go and see the show – as long as you take the plot with a pinch of salt!

Theatre Royal, Nottingham – until Saturday 24th May 2025

Reviewed by Chris Jarvis

3***

Anyone under the age of 30 and those with children or grandchildren under that age, is likely to recognise this title as the first of over thirty children’s books written by Julia Donaldson and illustrated by Axel Scheffler. Loved by children for their quirky subjects and wonderful illustrations, these stories are often written in lyrical rhyming verse with lots of repetition. Children join in with quotes they instantly remember – often the whole story word for word – as parents settle them for the night!

I was delighted to be offered this review so I could invite my beautiful ‘nearly 5yr old’ granddaughter Livie along to give her professional opinion! This adaptation by Barb Jungr and director Samantha Lane, opens with a simple set showing a small house and the wise old man from the original story leaving the stage to interact with the audience. He was clearly chatting with children, but the rest of the audience couldn’t hear this interaction, so it didn’t feel like the performance had started until he returned to the stage to sing a song about his company called “Easy Peasy Solutions”.

In this story of an old woman who is struggling with the size of her home and feeling that there is “no room to swing a cat”, we meet a grey cat who is ‘worked’ by a farmhand who quickly becomes the third person in this story of the old woman who seeks the advice of the ‘wise old man’, depicted here by the salesman owner of “Easy Peasy Solutions”, when she becomes overwhelmed by the ‘smallness’ of her home.

Using the rhyming verse from the original story she asks –

“Wise old man, won’t you help me please?

My house is a squash and a squeeze”

I would have liked to see the cast involve the children in the audience here as most would have known the verse as well as the cast!

The wise old man doesn’t really have a solution but comes up with the next thing he sees – her hen peeping out of the hen house – and suggests the somewhat crazy idea of moving it into her home!

A wonderful set designed by Kate Bunce is just like Axel Scheffler’s illustrations and looks like a child’s ‘Wendy house’. The roof and walls open to reveal the inside, as the hen causes havoc flying around and damaging everything in its path.

When this clearly isn’t helping the wise old man responds to her repeated pleas for more space as he works his way through all her animals, suggesting that her goat, then her pig and finally her cow move into her home. Each animal has their own song, written by Barb Jungr, and the house opens to show them moving in, then closes leaving the audience imagining the chaos these animals are causing!

Between each new animal entering her home the verse was adapted as in the story –

“It was titchy for three and it’’s teeny for four.

Even the pig in the larder agrees

my house is a squash and a squeeze!

Wise old man, won’t you help me please”

Livie was with the old woman word for word, and I was again sorry that the audience wasn’t invited to take part – even I knew the words!

The animal puppets designed by Maia Kirkman-Richards were amazing! I particularly liked the pig, but Livie just loved them all and couldn’t choose a favourite! Having recently watched the amazing production of War Horse at TRCH with surrealistic horses, I went for the pig! Maybe realism doesn’t matter when you’re ‘nearly 5’!

The 3 actors, Ruth Calkin, Mark Esaias and Chris Dobson were also puppeteers taking turns to bring the cat, hen, goat, pig and cow to life using many subtle but lifelike movements, as well as the extravagant and crazy. They were all very comical and ‘over the top’ the way young children love. My vision of the wise old man with a walking stick and long grey beard as illustrated in the book was tested, but maybe that doesn’t matter to the 3-8yr olds this performance was aimed at, as Livie made no mention of it.

Afternoon Tea Room, Browns Covent Garden – 22 May 2025

Reviewed by Joanna Huggett

5*****

Last night, my partner and I had the absolute pleasure of attending the official London Album Release Party for Jo, the new musical adaptation of Louisa May Alcott’s beloved novel Little Women. The event took place at the elegant Brown’s in Covent Garden, a venue that proved as charming and welcoming as the story itself. From the moment we arrived, we were met with exceptional hospitality—the staff were incredibly accommodating, the atmosphere was warm and inviting, and the evening felt like a true celebration of artistry and storytelling.

The event was hosted to mark the London release of the studio album for Jo, a musical that reimagines Alcott’s timeless coming-of-age tale through a fresh and deeply emotive score composed by Dan Redfeld. We were fortunate to hear from several key creatives involved in the project: Brian Purcell, the show’s producer; Dan Redfeld, the composer; and Nigel Wright, co-music producer of the album. Each spoke with great passion about the journey of bringing this musical to life—from the initial inspiration through to recording and production. Their insights added a meaningful layer to the experience and highlighted the deep care and dedication behind every note.

The evening included a sneak preview of two recorded tracks, played on screen, followed by two captivating live performances. It was during these moments that the magic of Jo truly came alive. The music, composed by Dan Redfeld, struck us immediately with its beauty—it’s stirring, melodic, and wonderfully expressive, capturing the spirit of the characters and the emotional arcs of the story with remarkable grace.

Among the standout moments of the night were the live performances. Sophie Pollono, who plays Amy, delivered a heartwarming performance that resonated deeply with the audience. She conveyed Amy’s complexities with warmth and authenticity, creating an instant connection. Equally impressive was Chris Mann, who plays Laurie. His performance was both powerful and nuanced, showcasing not only his vocal talent but also his ability to inhabit the character with emotional depth.

Several other cast members were in attendance, lending the evening a celebratory, family-like energy. There was a strong sense of camaraderie and excitement in the room—everyone present seemed to feel that they were witnessing something truly special.

We left the event feeling uplifted and incredibly excited about the future of Jo. With such stunning music and heartfelt performances, we are confident that the show will be a success when it reaches the West End—and we absolutely hope it does. My teenage daughters, both fans of Little Women, would be enchanted by this musical. It’s a beautiful adaptation that breathes new life into the classic story while preserving the essence that has made it beloved for generations.

We eagerly await news of its theatrical release, and we’ll be first in line when it opens!

Upstairs at the Gatehouse – until 25 May 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

2**

Percy Bysshe Shelley was a fascinating but flawed man, and drama could be written about any point in his life. Writer Richard Bradbury focuses on the repercussions of Shelley and his first wife Harriet’s distribution of pamphlets in Dublin that caused them to be put under surveillance by the home secretary, Lord Sidmouth. Unfortunately, the play as it stands is more flawed than fascinating.

The characters argue and pontificate on history and social justice and relate events to the audience. Most emotional moments are revealed limply through Harriet (Ella Dorman-Gajic) writing letters to her sister and even though the Shelleys are supposedly in danger, there is no jeopardy. Sidmouth (Charlie Coldfield) appears on a screen above the stage, in glorious colour compared to the drabness of the Devon village. This is probably meant to convey his power and reach as he monitors undesirables and rebels, but his dialogue veers between expositional and petulant with no air of menace at all.

Directed by Jack Herlihy, Aidan Casey and Ella Dorman-Gajic do well with their underwritten characters as the Shelleys, but struggle to make the audience care. The fact that the play charges straight into the story without any context meant that a lot of people were still wondering who Harriet was during the interval. Maureen Casey plays Elizabeth Hitchener as the strong woman she was, but even though she actually lived with the Shelleys, the character seems shoehorned in merely as a foil to Shelley and a spark to fire Harriet’s tiny rebellions. Charlie Maguire is the Shelley’s Irish friend/servant – the best written character played with earthy charm, and also plays Sidmouth’s agent in Devon, sent to intimidate the Shelleys. But what could have been terrifying encounters are stilted and a damp squib as the characterisation isn’t quite right.

The intent of this play is admirable, and Bradbury’s vision has exciting potential, but there is a gold mine of political fire, intrigue and paranoia to be mined from this period of Shelley’s life and Regarding Shelley just scratches the surface.

Arcola Theatre – until 24 May 2025

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

4****

Matthew Seagar’s agonisingly moving play is a magical reminder of the power of love, and music.

The love story of Jane (Lydia White) and Arthur (Matthew Seager) unfolds from awkward beginnings, which Arthur always claims was a cunning plan, to sweet bonding over their mutual love of Frank Sinatra and their favourite song “Fly Me to the Moon.” Arthur’s forgetfulness develops from endearing to worrying as the first signs of dementia develop and he receives a diagnosis. The story jumps back and forth in time, with memories and the present jumbled but Seager’s writing and Andy Routledge’s sympathetic direction ensure that the slight feeling of confusion orientating yourself to these changes is a fleeting reminder of the turmoil experienced by people with dementia.

Seager and White are phenomenal as the couple, with beautiful chemistry and utterly believable reactions to their situations. Seager breaks your heart as his frustration at muddling and forgetting things develops into fear and anger as the world becomes a stranger and more frightening place he no longer recognises. The use of lighting and sound to portray the terror and discomfort as Arthur lashes out when he feels unsafe is effectively disquieting – excellent design from Will Alder (lighting) and Iida Aino (sound). Lydia White is astonishing as Jane, steadfast and dutiful as her life changes from lover to carer, but the weight of despair shows through as she watches the man she loves slowly disappear.

The couple’s visits to the doctor display Arthur’s decline brilliantly, especially the changes to his speech, and provide an opportunity for Jane to talk about her guilt and resentment as she struggles to cope.

Weaving throughout the play is the couple’s favourite song, which Arthur plays whenever he has done something wrong, knowing that he can dance with Jane and all will be forgiven. As time goes on, the song becomes a tool for Jane, soothing Arthur and calming him when he gets disturbed. In a play where sniffles and tissue rustling are almost a constant, the song’s triggering of a memory for Arthur when it seems he is almost a shell has the audience sobbing along with Jane. Beautifully written and performed, this tragic story of love and loss celebrates the healing power of music with intelligence, charm and tenderness.

Theatre Royal Windsor – until Saturday 31^st May 2025

Reviewed by Carly

4****

Windsor brings you The Anastasia File, written by Royce Ryton directed by Roy Marsden.

In the year of 1918, Tsar Nicholas II and his family are executed by the Bolsheviks in Ekaterinburg. Two years later in 1920 a woman is pulled from a canal, having jumped off a bridge as an attempted suicide, where she is then taken to a mental hospital. It’s clear to see that she been through an ordeal. Her body shows the signs of being struck, beaten as well as stabbed. Feeling trapped and believing that no-one is her friend – rather her enemy, she remains silent to protect herself. It’s clear to see that she holds a deep sadness from within and as time goes by in her stay at hospital, they notice that perhaps she comes from money. Maybe a rich family. She has a polite silence about her, she walks well. It becomes clear that she has knowledge and political interests and although when she occasionally speaks, she speaks in German, later she is tricked into speaking Russian and does it with ease. Slowly she starts to open- up with the accounts of her escape from her family’s death by assassins…. Could she be the Grand Duchess Anastasia the Heir to the Romanov fortune!?

The inspector (Simon Shepherd) that takes the case, becomes extremely obsessed with it and helps her to tell her story. He also feels for her safety inviting her to stay with himself and wife to offer her protection whilst the world becomes gripped with Anastasia’s story and weather her claims are in fact true!

Throughout this time a friendship is formed, and an emotional powerful story is revealed.

Simon Shepherd who plays the inspector gives an honest and fair character on stage alongside Mrs Manahan (Jenny Seagrove) who offers great depth in her performance that comes across very believable.

Ashley D. Gayle and Rosie Thomson who plays multiple characters throughout the show slip in and out of their performances with exceptional ease and was fascinating to watch.

The stage was simple but effective with what looked like concrete walls but had subtle changes of backgrounds projected such as woodland colours to create an outdoor feeling, changing the atmosphere when needed.

An amazing production – done incredibly well with just four actors covering many characters.

A great performance, an intriguing story filled with much power, emotion, sorrow, depth and torment.

This was a production that is well worth a watch.

Joseph Rowntree Theatre, York – until 24th May 2025

Reviewed by Lauren Fordham

5*****

Sister Act The Musical performed by York Musical Theatre Company , is about a nightclub singer, Deloris van Cartier, who after seeing her ex-boyfriend commit murder, has to go into witness protection in a convent, disguised as a nun. Her fate is portended effectively by Scenery Solutions from the very start because the backdrop to the opening scene in a nightclub is reminiscent of a church, with a stained glass window depicting Mary holding Jesus.

Hayley Bamford dazzles as the decadent, somewhat degenerate Deloris before she enters the convent, declaring that she is ‘a star on the brink’ with a thoroughly convincing, decisive diva-like demeanour. Although her voice is quieter as she comes to realise that ‘I don’t need fame or fortune, nice as those things are, I’ve got all I need to  feel like I’m a star,’  Act 2 Deloris is a changed, more sensitive woman. She infuses these words with a warm sincerity that envelops the audience like a blanket as she embraces her new sisterhood. 

As Deloris’ murderous ex-partner Curtis, Zander Fick cuts a Travolta-esque figure reminiscent of Tony Manero in Saturday Night Fever with his arrogant posture, smooth moves and voice like velvet.  His lithe movement is perfectly partnered with Adam Kirkland’s slow, rotating lighting, complete with disco ball imagery. Never has a murderer, (or a song, ‘When I Find My Baby’ containing multiple aggressive death threats) seemed so subversively seductive.

Fellow gangsters TJ, Joey and Pablo (James Dickinson, Joe Marucci  and Adam Gill, respectively) demonstrate a falsetto range that would impress the Bee Gees, as they attempt to seduce the nuns in the song ‘Lady in the Long Black Dress.’

Kirsten Griffith also excels as the exasperated Mother Superior injecting humour into the role even as she despairs of Deloris’ degeneracy and her impotence to change her behaviour ‘I Haven’t Got a Prayer.’

The only thread that could possibly be considered out of place on this beautiful tapestry of a show is the costume choices. Deloris’ dress in the nightclub scenes flashes constantly like a Christmas tree with a blinding intensity that it should come with a warning for those with photosensitive epilepsy. The black and white costumes worn in the final number also amused me as they were somewhat redolent of chess pieces. These choices are hardly mortal sins, however, and can easily be forgiven and forgotten in a show that raises not only the roof but the standards of voluntary musical theatre. This slick production is anything but amateur in quality.

The star of the night, however, is the shyest character who at first doesn’t twinkle very much at all. Sister Mary Robert’s role reversal from nervous novice to rebellious renegade is expertly handled by Eve Clark with a powerful voice that belies her character and her own young age, I have no doubt her future is bright.

This review could be longer than the Bible itself but the Queen of Angels’ convent is soon to be dissolved, so I’ll end by saying, this show is fabulous baby! Get thee to the nunnery before they hang up their habits for good on 24th May, or you will repent at leisure!

Curve Theatre Leicester – until 24th May 2025

Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh

4****

Kim’s Convenience began as a hugely successful play at the Canadian Fringe Festival which transitioned into an equally successful tv show on Netflix. This stage version borrows some moments from the show, but it stands as a slice of Korean convenience store life in its own right. A homage to his Korean immigrant parents, writer Ins Choi presents a beautifully told, tender story about a family who love each other deeply but sometimes struggle to show it. Different generations of immigrants, with different priorities, values and goals means that arguments are inevitable. Kim, the father and store owner, along with his wife Umma, feel they are obliged to do everything for their children. They need to uphold their traditions and are fiercely proud of this role and their standing in their community. Their children are embracing their newfound home in Canada, choosing to forgo taking over the store and instead forge their own lives. Daughter Janet is deciding to embrace the arts and become a photographer and son Jung has left mysteriously under the shadow of a cloud.

Kim’s Convenience explores expectations, honour, racism, Koreas rich proud history and traditional roles. The main themes of home and family are expertly displayed along with the colourful produce in the store. This 75 min production is chock full of humour and pathos, perfectly balanced by director Esther Jun.

James Yi is amazing as Kim, the quick witted, fast talking, stubborn and loveable patriarch. He lights up the stage in every scene. Candace Leung as Umma, is gentle and wonderful to watch. The scenes with Yi where they converse in Korean are stunning. We understand every word, their facial expressions and movement transcend language. Caroline Donica as Janet offers some fire and feist as their independent and artistic daughter. Daniel Phung is great as their estranged son Jung, dealing with his struggle to straddle the cultural divide and shrouded in mystery. Andrew Gichigi steals the show playing multiple characters, embodying them all fully, including accents. He plays various customers and Janets childhood crush. He is utter perfection.

Kim’s Convenience is an authentic show about the immigrant experience. A hilarious and heartwarming play that explores feelings of identity and family connections, with a satisfying story arc.