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The King’s Theatre Glasgow – until 4 August 2018

Reviewed by Linda McLaughlan

5*****

‘OUTSTANDING TRUTHFUL PERCEPTION OF THE STRUGGLES REACHING FOR THE STARS ’

We have all seen the TV Series, the Motion Picture and no doubt read the book but the stage performance brings the story to life in a different way through the genre of music, drama and dance. The background stories of wannabe students determined to show of their talents and graduate from one of the best High School for Performing Arts that everyone aspires to attend.

The storyline follows the story of a few of the students from the dancer Carmen (Played by Stephanie Rojas) who has dreams of making it big in Los Angeles where everyone will recognise her and her name will be in lights, but unfortunately her addiction to uppers (drugs) to keep her awake and going through the gruelling schedule of the school timetable begins to take their toll as her story progresses, ending in her premature death.

Then we have Iris (played by Jorgie Porter) at first she appears to be the little rich kid who arrives at school in a limo and is well thought off by the dance teacher Miss Bell, however in reality she is a kid from a very poor background whose father just works as a limo driver and drops her off on the way to work.

The highlight of my evening was the performances from Tyrone (Jamal Crawford) and Miss Sherman (played by Mica Paris). The relationship between the wanna be dancer who has an amazing talent but struggles academically and his teacher who pushes him to achieve but also threatens his dreams by telling him he will be thrown out of the programme if he doesn’t make the grade.

An evening of song and dance with performances that deserved the standing ovation at the end of the evening and a must see for everyone who has memories of watching ‘FAME’ as a youngster.

Bristol Hippodrome – until 4 August 2018

Reviewed by Lucy Hitchcock

4****

Love lifts us up where we belong and this cast certainly belongs on the stage!

Having never seen the original film of An Officer and A Gentleman, I had a completely open mind and was excited to see this show. I was thoroughly impressed and extremely enjoyed it!

The cast was exceptional and showed extreme talent and encapsulated the audience instantaneously. Emma Williams who played Paula Pokrifki, the romantic female lead, was exquisite. Her voice soared with ease and she was vulnerable, witty, confident and exciting, all whilst singing and giving the most beautiful performance. She was so passionate and I truly believed her performance; the heartbreak and the happiness. She showed prowess and immense talent, with her effortless belt during ‘Alone’.

Jonny Fines as Zack Mayo was brilliant. His entrance emulated that of James Dean; raw sexual prowess with flowing hair riding on a motorbike. His voice blended exceptionally with William’s to create some delightful harmonies. Their rapport onstage was a joy to watch and at some points, I felt like I was intruding on their romance.

Corrina Powlesland and Rachel Stanley as Aunt Bunny and Esther Pokrifki respectively deserve a special mention for their bold vocals that filled the auditorium with ease. Stanley’s duet with Williams on ‘Don’t cry out loud’ was uplifting and spirited and showed the compassion shown by both onstage.

The set was simple, but effective and transported the audience to the officers training rooms, the bars, motels and factory where ‘It’s a mans world’ is performed.

This is a busy show that will excite and keep you entertained throughout. The central themes of love and passion are prominent throughout, along with sub themes of heartbreak and anger that are shown through the unapologetic mix of 80’s Cheese and romance. This is a spectacle that shouldn’t be missed!

White Bear Theatre, Kennington, London 24-28 July 2018

Reviewed by Lisa Harlow

2**

This Tobacco Tea Theatre Company parody of Arthur Conan Doyle’s most beloved creation is touring in London for its first time after three years of sell-out runs at the Edinburgh Fringe and a sell-out show at Brighton Fringe 2017.

A Sherlock parody seemed an enticing reason to see it and I was very much looking forward to seeing how the two female actors would play the lead roles. Sell-out Fringe shows are always a rollicking ride. Three actors (Jasmine Atkins-Smart, Sophie Milnes and Joshua Phillips) multi-role throughout, and this in itself should have brought many comedic situations into the show.

It begins with Holmes (Atkins-Smart) and Watson (Milnes) having been left bored to tears by a lack of crime in the City, leading Holmes to experiment with a range of mind changing drugs. Mrs Hudson and the LCD episode was most perplexing.  Suddenly a new case appears with the appearance of Isabella Lime (Phillips), from whom Holmes begins to extract details of a crime, before she is quickly and accidentally slain …. by Holmes himself. And so begins outlandish plots, wrapped around Holmes’ ridiculous logic and detective work. This certainly seemed a ‘tip of the hat’ to the BBC show Sherlock with its implausible plot twists and grandiose, over-intellectualised story lines. It is largely this spoof reference which holds traction and made the show at least gently enjoyable.

The miniature orchestra pit that opened the performance with a variety of cutesy sound effects and reappears in interludes I’m afraid didn’t really provide the hoped for entertainment and was a rather shaky start. There were a couple of repeated sound gags that brought a smile, but most of it fell rather flatly with the audience.

I found Atkins-Smart performance rather charming of Holmes, even though it was really a straightforward one-dimensional pantomime depiction of the character. Watson (Milnes) acted as the narrator and led the audience through the unravelling absurdities, also providing an able jostling partner with both Holmes and Moriarty. Phillips and Milnes gave decent performances but I felt as if I was in a charming Victorian theatre show, edge and witty sharpness were lacking. The show itself was largely too long and repetitive, there were periods where I lost focus, particularly during the droning Moriarty section. At the most, it is a gentle and jolly parody of the Sherlock show with some humorous observations. But as a show which describes itself as having ‘almost unparalleled entertainment’, I yearned to be far more entertained. A good idea, but needs a large injection of good gags.

A new, darkly-witty, absurdist play presented by Calenta Theatre as part of Camden Fringe 2018.

Monday 13th – Wednesday 15th August
7:30pm (Running time 55 minutes)
Tickets £8.50
Available from www.camdenfringe.com

Hen & Chickens Theatre
109 St Paul’s Rd
London
N1 2NA

Set in a space devoid of time and place, a young artist, seeks to emotionally disengage with the masculine forces that surround her, challenging their being and questioning their hold over her.

Dark, witty and in places brutal, Calenta Theatre’s debut play explores elements of the self, gesture, control and reflection in this existential three-hander.

As Alex removes herself from subjectivity and attempts to focus on the objective nature of being, this excommunication of physiological liberty looks, in an abstract sense, at why we “can and cannot” and what a person is able to achieve without boundary or limitation binding them.

ALEXA, sees Alex, create her art through the destruction of the individuals around her which seemingly form part of her own psyche. With questions never truly posed or directly answered, ALEXA simply tries to combat the questions and doubts in our own minds, disrupting and removing moments from our past and present in a cathartic quest to gain control of our lives.

In a world where we have increasingly less control, ALEXA challenges us to deconstruct and question the forces seeking to govern, and empowers us to regain authority over ourselves.

Drawing inspiration from the surreal and absurd in delivery and construction of language, combined with the company’s passion and cultural flair, Calenta Theatre use subtext, pause, repetition and ambiguity as the key to exposing the harsh reality of the self and control in this new minimalist thriller.

“Art is beauty, control is power, decide if your life is owned.”

Manchester Palace Theatre – until 28 July 2018

Reviewed by Lottie Davis-Browne

3***

As part of a 30-year anniversary tour (30 years since the first stage production – Miami 1988), Fame – the well-loved 1980’s movie come-TV series – has kicked off the 2018/19 tour starting at Manchester’s Palace Theatre. Being a 80’s kid myself, this has been something I have been wanting to see a sensational performance of on stage for decades. The closest I have got so far was at the Gordon Craig Theatre, Stevenage approximately six years ago – a performance which oozed energy and brought the classic 1980’s movie to life.

This only fuelled my excitement for Selladoor Productions touring company featuring soul singer Mica Paris, Hollyoaks actress and reality TV show (Dancing on Ice and I’m a Celebrity…Get Me Out of Here!) Jorgie Porter and BBC1’s Any Dream Will Do runner up Keith Jack, sensational line up. However my excitement turned out to be short lived…..

When you think “Fame” you think all things 1980s, the leg warmers, the drama of each students individual stories and of course the fabulous dancing and the iconic ending involving a New York taxi cab and students dancing on top of it. This touring production could easily be set in any decade, as we meet the potential students of New York Performing Arts High School. The hair, makeup and costume choices lacked a feel of the early 1980s in which the story is meant to be set – despite this they still started Freshman year in 1980 and graduated in 1984 – with little development or change in appearance to the characters over that time. Surely in the space of four years the students would alter their looks slightly?? Certainly not at the Performing Arts School!

There’s no clear main character and the changing scenes from one characters story to the next seemed somewhat disorientating. Whilst each character and cast member gave a splendid performance, there was so much going back and forth between the characters it was hard to warm to or get a feel of each individuals characters highs and lows over the four years of studying at the school. Whilst anybody who has seen the original movie will know that Carmen left school to pursue fame, desperate to see her name in lights, but was met with some seedy characters and eventually dying of a drugs overdose, but this production shows very little of that side of her story which seems such as waste of Stephanie Rojas’ talents as what little of her portrayal as the fame hungry dancer determined to make it big.

Jorgie Porters’ stage debut as the poor dance student Iris Kelly (whom fellow students originally assume comes from a privileged back ground when they see her dad dropping her off in a flash car – only to learn he is employed as a chauffeur) does not disappoint – whilst it’s clear she is an established actress, her background is in ballet, being an ex-pupil of Chester’s Hammond School. Whilst I was somewhat disappointed Porter did not perform en pointé in this production, the standard of the rest of her performance outshone the rest of the cast in terms of dancing. Also her character did not feature enough in this production which seemed a waste of Porters’ talent for dance and acting.

Vocally Mica Paris gave a knock-out performance as Miss Sherman, resulting in several standing ovations, – her solo performance of “These Are My Children” being a real highlight of the show, however I felt at times her acting was somewhat wooden and that she did not represent the character in the original movie well. It is hinted in the movie that Miss Sherman is perceived to be somewhat racist for “picking on” the under-performing Tyrone – whom – despite being a talented hip-hop dancer from an under-privileged family, struggles academically due to being an un-diagnosed dyslexic.

Albey Brookes as cocky sex-mad Joe provides the laughs and injects some life into what is otherwise a lack-lustre production which despite being produced to celebrate the thirty years since the first stage production fails to bring the original movie to life. Even the usual grand finale was watered down and was the final nail in the coffin for me personally.

One thing I was impressed by was the lighting design (Prema Mehta) – which featured 80s-esque headshots including the productions cast as their characters, which changed colours etc or blacked out photos to show one or two characters at a time, for example at Carmen’s funeral only her headshot was visible.

If you’re wanting nostalgia and to go back to the early 80s dance era – my advice is – approach with caution – I only hope the touring production of Flashdance will be less disappointing than this production.

 

IT’S HOTTING UP AT HOPE MILL THEATRE IN MANCHESTER THIS SUMMER THANKS TO 5 STAR HIT SHOW

ANDREW LLOYD WEBBER’S

ASPECTS OF LOVE

 

FEATURING CLASSIC SONG ‘LOVE CHANGES EVERYTHING’

 

MUST END THURSDAY 9 AUGUST 2018

 

As temperatures soar outside, things are also hotting up inside Manchester’s Hope Mill Theatre as audiences enjoy sizzling performances on stage courtesy of the sultry new 5 star production of Andrew Lloyd Webber’s classic Aspects of Love – one of the hottest tickets in town.

But the show, which tells the tale of the lives and loves of a group of family and friends in 1940’s France and features the classic ‘Love Changes Everything’, must close on Thursday 9 August!

From Olivier Award nominees and West End regulars to young talent making their professional debuts – an exciting cast of 10 performers have brought the musical to life under the direction of Hope Mill Theatre favourite Jonathan O’Boyle.

The hotly-anticipated, intimate revival has lived up to hopes with critics and audiences alike declaring the show a 5 star ‘must see’ hit.

‘Ravishingly Good’ – 5*s

The Stage

It is the third of five in-house musicals in 2018 from the successful and ambitious collaboration between Joseph Houston and William Whelton, co-founders of Hope Mill Theatre and producer Katy Lipson, from Aria Entertainment, resident producer and co-Artistic director of Hope Mill theatre, and follows the hit revival of Spring Awakening, which played to standing ovations earlier this year.

Katy Lipson said: “We can’t believe there are only a handful of performances left of our intimate revival of Aspects of Love. We have been overwhelmed with the critical responses, which all echo this is our most ambitious production to date. Come and join us in Manchester so you can say you saw it first!”

 

Magnificent’ – 5*s

What’s On Stage

Aspects of Love is based on the novel by David Garnett, with music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Don Black and Charles Hart and is directed by Jonathan O’Boyle (Hair, Pippin), and features the iconic song Love Changes Everything, which became a huge hit for Michael Ball, who starred in the original production in London and on Broadway. It tells the story of passion, love and loss across three generations of a family and their artistic companions, against a background of 1940’s France and Italy.

 

‘Truly mesmerising…an incredible production’ – 5*s

Manchester’s Finest

 

Aspects of Love was first produced at the Prince of Wales Theatre in London on 17^th April 1989, where it ran for 1,325 performances before finally closing in June 1992. Since then it has toured the UK and recent productions include the Menier Chocolate Factory (2010 and more recently in Holland (2013).

‘Sensational…an absolute must-see’ – 5*s

Opening Night

It has never been professionally produced regionally in the North West making the premiere of this production a landmark theatrical event in the region, and beyond, this summer.

Making up the cast is Kimberly Blake (Half a Sixpence, Barnum) who plays Giulietta, Jason Kajdi (Our House, Assassins), in the role of Hugo, Felix Mosse (The Rocky Horror Show) as Alex, Julia J Nagle (An American in Paris) as Elizabeth/ensemble, Minal Patel (The Secret Garden, Bend it Like Beckham) as Marcel, Jerome Pradon(Jesus Christ Superstar, Pacific Overtures – Olivier Award Nominee 2003) as George and Kelly Price (That Day We Sang, A Little Night Music – Olivier Award Nominee 2010) in the role of Rose. Making their professional debuts in the production are Rosie Cava-Beale, ensemble, Jack Churms, as Jerome/ensemble and Eleanor Walsh as Jenny/ensemble.

Director Jonathan O’Boyle’s recent credits include Pippin (Hope Mill Theatre/ Southwark Playhouse), London, Hair (Hope Mill Theatre/The Vaults, London) and Resident Director of An American in Paris (Dominion Theatre, London)

The production has musical direction by Gareth Bretherton, set and costume design by Jason Denvir, choreography by Sam Spencer-Lane, Lighting design by Aaron J Dootson, sound design by Calum Robinson and casting by Jane Deitch.

Aspects of Love is produced by Katy Lipson of Aria Entertainment, William Whelton and Joseph Houston of Hope Mill Theatre. And co-produced with Neil Eckersley and Jim Kierstead.

Following Aspects of Love at Hope Mill Theatre is The Return of the Soldier that runs from Thursday 6 to Saturday 29 September.

 

LISTING INFORMATION

Aspects of Love

Until Thursday 9 August

Hope Mill Theatre

Hope Mill, Ancoats, 113 Pollard Street

Manchester, M4 7JA

Visit www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk

WEBSITE: www.hopemilltheatre.co.uk

FACEBOOK: Hope Mill Theatre

TWITTER: @Hopemilltheatr1 @AspectsOf_Love

RICHARD WINSOR

MATTHEW BOURNE COMPANY, STREETDANCE THE MOVIE

and CASUALTY star is set to play ‘Tony’, in

A NEW PRODUCTION OF

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

Richard Winsor, highly acclaimed for his dance, stage and screen work, is set to play Tony Manero, the role which famously rocketed John Travolta to screen stardom, in a new stage production of Saturday Night Fever.

 

As a dancer Richard Winsor hardly needs introduction: principle dancer with Matthew Bourne for ten years, he has starred around the world, leading Bourne’s celebrated production of Swan Lake, as well as Dorian Gray, Edward Scissorhands, The Car Man and Play Without Words. He landed the lead role in cult dance movie StreetDance 3D and was snapped up by the BBC to play Caleb Knight in flagship medical drama Casualty, a role in which he gripped audiences for over three years until his dramatic exit last year, which shocked the star’s millions of fans as he lost his life in a knife fight.

 

This hotly anticipated new musical production, produced by Bill Kenwright by special arrangement with The Robert Stigwood Organisation, sees Richard Windsor take on his first leading role in a major musical, and, his first stage appearance since Casualty.

 

Ignite The Inferno. Feel The Fever. Like Never Before.

 

40 years since its famous UK cinema release, Saturday Night Fever is a reimagined and revitalised music and dance spectacular. Opening in London at the New Wimbledon Theatre on 30 August 2018, the nationwide tour includes Liverpool, Dublin, Birmingham, Bristol, Aylesbury, Glasgow, Edinburgh, Blackpool, Llandudno, Bradford and Cardiff.

 

Saturday Night Fever tells the story of Tony Manero, and his reckless, yet thrilling road to dancing success. The musical features the Bee Gees’ greatest hits including Stayin’ Alive, How Deep Is Your Love, Night Fever, Tragedy and More Than a Woman as well as 70’s favorites Boogie Shoes, Disco Inferno and for the first time will feature a group playing the Bee Gees live on stage.

 

The 70’s classic Paramount/RSO movie, with story by Nik Cohn, was an instant hit when it was released in cinemas. The album remains the best-selling movie soundtrack of all time.

Whilst paying homage to the movie, this new stage version promises more drama, more music and hot new choreography. It is directed and produced by Bill Kenwright, with choreography by Olivier Award winning Bill Deamer, designs by Gary McCaan, lighting by Nick Richings, and sound by Dan Samson. The stage adaptation is by Robert Stigwood in collaboration with Bill Oakes.

LISTINGS

SATURDAY NIGHT FEVER

UK TOUR

 

New Wimbledon Theatre 30 August – 8 September	atgtickets.com/newwimbledontheatre 0844 871 7646
Liverpool Empire Theatre 11 – 15 September	atgtickets.com/liverpoolempire 0844 871 3017
Dublin Bord Gáis Energy Theatre 18 – 22 September	Bordgaisenergytheatre.ie +353 (1) 677 7999
Birmingham Alexandra Theatre 25 – 29 September	atgtickets.com/newalexandratheatre 0844 871 3011
Bristol Hippodrome Theatre 2 – 6 October	atgtickets.com/bristolhippodrome 0844 871 3012
Aylesbury Waterside Theatre 9 – 13 October	atgtickets.com/aylesburywatersidetheatre 0844 871 7607
Glasgow Kings Theatre 16 – 20 October	atgtickets.com/kingstheatre 0844 871 7648
Edinburgh Playhouse Theatre 23 – 27 October	atgtickets.com/edinburghplayhouse 0844 871 3014
Blackpool Opera House 30 October – 3 November	wintergardensblackpool.co.uk 0844 856 1111
Llandudno Venue Cymru 13 – 17 November	venuecymru.co.uk 01492 872000
Bradford Alhambra Theatre 20 – 24 November	bradford-theatres.co.uk 01274 432 000
Cardiff Wales Millennium Centre 27 November – 1 December	wmc.org.uk 029 20636464

Website: www.kenwright.com

The Royal Theatrical Support Trust and Royal & Derngate Northampton announce Nancy Medina as the winner and Josh Seymour as the runner-up of the RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award 2018

The Royal Theatrical Support Trust (RTST) and Royal & Derngate Northampton have announcedNancy Medina as the winner of the 2018 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award and Josh Seymour as the runner-up. Now in its third year, and its second bearing the name of the RTST co-founder, Sir Peter Hall, the award is made to an up-and-coming director demonstrating exceptional directing skills in a rigorous competitive process.

As the winner of the 2018 award, Nancy Medina will now get the opportunity to direct a full-scale, fully funded production to open in 2019 on the Royal Stage, as part of Made In Northampton, in a co-production between Royal & Derngate and English Touring Theatre (ETT), and then tour to theatres across the UK. The RTST will make a grant of £50,000 to Royal & Derngate to be applied towards the costs of the production.

Nancy Medina and Josh Seymour were selected from 70 longlisted candidates by a panel comprising of: chair James Dacre (Artistic Director of Royal & Derngate), and judges Kwame Kwei-Armah OBE(Artistic Director of the Young Vic); multi-Tony and Olivier Award-winning director Sir Trevor Nunn CBE; Olivier Award-nominees Tanya Moodie and Samantha Bond; four-time Olivier Award-winnerPaule Constable (Associate, National Theatre); and Richard Twyman (Artistic Director of English Touring Theatre).

The Award Scheme promotes the RTST’s charitable objects in two main ways: it supports emerging talent in the theatre and it supports British regional theatres. The Award Scheme is intended to appeal to a diverse range of candidates and to play a part in promoting diversity in the theatre, onstage and offstage, and among audiences.

Chairman of the RTST, Sir Geoffrey Cass, said: “The 2018 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award had 8 finalists of the very highest quality, selected from a strong field of 70 candidates.  Directing workshops – held over two full days, in which the finalists had to direct actors, observed by our immensely experienced panel of judges, and then be interviewed by the panel – constituted a thorough and exacting test of their directing skills. The winner’s prize is the unique opportunity to direct a production that will premiere on the stage of the Royal in Northampton and go on a main-stage national tour with English Touring Theatre. The RTST’s collaboration with Royal & Derngate and English Touring Theatre is admirably fulfilling the RTST’s twin primary charitable objectives of encouraging emerging theatre professionals and promoting British regional theatre”.

Deputy Chairman, Mark Hawes, said: “As a result of our RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award, we are happy and proud both to have created a gateway for Nancy’s entry into the mid-scale regional theatre scene and to be providing meaningful financial and promotional support to the hotspot of regional theatre-producing excellence that is Royal & Derngate.”

Royal & Derngate Artistic Director, James Dacre, and English Touring Theatre Artistic Director,Richard Twyman, said: “It has been inspiring to watch how Nancy and Josh showcased their industrious and sophisticated approach to conceiving and rehearsing a production and their magnetic ability to bring those around them in a rehearsal room closer to the material, throughout this competitive process. The panel were deeply impressed by both candidates’ innate understanding of narrative and the demands of producing on the mid-scale. We’d like to thank all the shortlisted candidates who took so much pleasure and pride in their work during a demanding weekend of workshops and interviews and we are thrilled to have met so many exceptional artists. We look forward to collaborating with Nancy to enable her work to be seen on the mid-scale and on tour for the first time.”

Winner, Nancy Medina said: “I feel privileged and ecstatic to have been named the RTST’s Sir Peter Hall Director Award Winner for 2018.  To get to the next step in my career, through the generous help of RTST, Royal & Derngate, and English Touring Theatre, is truly a dream come true. I cannot thank the RTST panel enough for making the process feel supportive and nurturing.”

 

The RTST ran the inaugural RTST Director Award Scheme in 2016 with Sheffield Theatres, with the winner Kate Hewitt directing the British regional premiere of Tribes by Nina Raine. The 2016 runner up was Rebecca Frecknall. The RTST ran the re-named 2017 RTST Sir Peter Hall Director Award Scheme with Nuffield Southampton Theatres resulting in the winner Chelsea Walker directing a bold contemporary version of Tennessee Williams’, A Streetcar Named Desire, in a co-production between NST, Theatre Clwyd and English Touring Theatre, which opened at NST City in Southampton in March 2018 and went on tour to seven other theatres. The 2017 runner up was Tinuke Craig.

New Wimbledon Theatre – until 28 July 2018

Reviewed by Sabrina Fancy

4****

Transferring the success of a successful animated film to the live stage has not always been a successful feat, so I was curious how the much-loved Dream Works’s film Madagascar would work on stage.

The story remains the same as the film. Set in a New York zoo, the story follows four zoo animals – Alex the Lion, Marty the Zebra, Melman the Giraffe and Gloria the Hippo who escape and by accident find themselves on the African island of Madagascar. Surrounded by a horde of wild animals, Alex the Lion finds his more primitive instincts return.

Matt Terry who was the winner of X Factor 2016, made his acting debut as the lead role of Alex the Lion. He was energetic and showcased exactly why he won the coveted X Factor title.

Timmika Ramsay also delivers a solid performance as Gloria, while Antoine Murray-Straughan’s rapping, reminded me so much of Chris Rock’s character of Marty from the film and had great comedic timing.

We particularly enjoyed Jo Parsons’ who played the hilarious lemur King Julien with his brilliant performance of ‘I like to move it move it,’ which was made more contemporary by the use of flossing which the audience went wild for.

The costumes were absolutely brilliant and the set design, bright and enchanting. The use of puppetry for the penguins, monkey and lemurs contributed to the comic mood and magic of the evening.

The cast must be commended for such an energetic performance with aplomb, considering the costumes they were in and the fact that it was the hottest evening of the year.

My biggest critique of the show was that it lasted only 100 minutes including a 20 – minute interval, which left my children and I wanting more!

I give Madagascar the Musical 4 stars and highly recommend it, because of its appeal for children and adults. It’s a perfect evening out during the summer break.

Madagascar The Musical is at the New Wimbledon Theatre until 28th July, then touring.

Theatre N16 @ The Styx – until 2 August

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

The Ballad of Reading Gaol isn’t Oscar Wilde’s most cheerful work, and Proforca’s new production explores the darkness and inhumanity of prison life with a stark and stylish flair.

The audience are led into the theatre and stand for a mock role call as the 5 prisoners are called forward and then sit around the bleak concrete stage in near darkness. As the play develops, the sense of being in the prison yard or cells is created by expertly designed lighting effects, with the cast using torches to evoke prison bars, chinks of light and campfires. The slamming of doors and random disturbing sounds also add to the claustrophobic atmosphere.

Director David Brady keeps the cast of five moving as they recite Wilde’s poem, portraying the monotonous exercise and labour of Victorian prisons to the simple balladeer rhythm, but the words are most affecting when they sit amongst the audience and recite – those moments of stillness allowing the despair and beauty of Wilde’s words to soar through the darkness as he contemplates the dehumanisation and brutality of prison. The additional material written by Catrin Keeler, Simon Marshall, James Lewis and Erin Read break up the tale of the Wilde’s soldier waiting for execution with monologues from prisoners. Monster (James Vincent), Guardian (Malcolm Jeffries), Human (Nic James), Innocent (Miles Parker) and Hero (Nick Cope) all explore themes from Wilde’s poem with a 21st century sensibility. The cast all impress, but the writing is variable, with standout moments from Malcolm Jeffries’ disjointed and desperate pleading for human company as he collects the names of fellow prisoners on his body, and Miles Parker’s devastating portrayal of a simple country lad imprisoned for a crime he didn’t commit. Nic Cope’s monologue is a final howl into the darkness full of defiance and hope for a future free from oppression that Wilde would applaud.

There is a lot to admire in this atmospheric production, with some great performances and exciting new writing. Reading Gaol is powerful and thought-provoking, and well worth a look.