Cambridge Arts Theatre, Cambridge – until Saturday 27th January 2024
Reviewed by Steph Lott
5*****
Somerset Maugham’s “The Circle” unfurls a captivating tale of love, regret, and the ever-turning wheel of time. Directed by Tom Littler and graced by a stellar cast, this production weaves a delicate tapestry of emotions against the backdrop of Louie Whitemore’s finely crafted sets and costumes.
Tom Littler’s direction expertly navigated the intricate social dynamics woven into Maugham’s narrative. The play’s central conflict revolves around the enduring impact of past choices, and Littler skilfully guides the actors through the delicate dance of emotions and consequences. The pacing is commendable, creating an engaging rhythm that keeps the audience invested in the characters’ unfolding destinies. There are silences, glances, all held with brilliant poise and timing.
Louie Whitemore’s set and costume designs are a visual feast, transporting the audience to the 1920s era. The elegantly furnished drawing-room, complete with period-appropriate furnishings, serves as a grand backdrop for the characters’ emotional upheavals. Whitemore’s costume choices further enhance the authenticity, capturing the essence and elegance of the era perfectly.
Pete Ashmore’s portrayal of Arnold Champion-Cheney is truly accomplished. Ashmore balances the character’s charm, and annoying pedantry, with underlying vulnerability, bringing depth to his portrayal of a man whose abandonment by his mother when a small boy, still haunts him. Olivia Vinall, as Elizabeth Champion-Cheney, complements Ashmore’s performance with a nuanced portrayal of a woman grappling with the complexities of love, betrayal, and societal expectations. Their on-stage chemistry is evident, capturing the audience’s empathy as they navigate the stormy waters of their marriage.
Clive Francis as Clive Champion-Cheney and Jane Asher as Kitty Champion-Cheney inject the production with delightful doses of skill and humour in equal measure. Francis embodies the eccentricities of Clive with comedic precision, while Asher’s performance as the witty and sassy Kitty adds a refreshing layer to the narrative. The duo’s impeccable timing and rapport contribute to the play’s lighter moments, providing relief from the overarching tension.
Nicholas Le Prevost’s portrayal of Hughie Porteous, and Robert Maskell’s turn as George the butler, add further layers to the ensemble cast. Le Prevost captures the essence of a grumpy old man who risked all for love in his youth, while Maskell’s butler exudes a quiet stubborn dignity that resonates throughout the play. Daniel Burke, in the role of Teddie Luton, creates a very credible romantic conundrum for Elizabeth. Will she choose him and risk all for love?
In conclusion, “The Circle” at the Cambridge Arts Theatre is a commendable production that weaves together a captivating narrative with strong performances and exquisite design. Tom Littler’s direction, coupled with the standout performances from the whole cast, makes this rendition of Maugham’s classic a worthwhile theatrical experience. The play successfully delves into the timeless themes of love, regret, and societal expectations, leaving the audience with much to ponder.
UK pop band Steps are delighted to announce the world premiere of HERE & NOW, a brand-new musical using their iconic music, with an original book by Shaun Kitchener. HERE & NOW will open at The Alexandra, Birmingham for a limited engagement from 9 – 24 November 2024. Featuring Steps’ most beloved hit songs, HERE & NOW isproduced by the band and ROYO with Pete Waterman, and will be directed by Rachel Kavanaugh, with choreography by Olivier Award winning Matt Cole.
Casting to be announced.
Welcome to seaside superstore Better Best Bargains, where it’s Friday night, the vibe is right, and everyone’s dancing in the aisles. But when Caz discovers the shelves are stocked with lies and betrayal, the summer of love she and her friends dreamed of suddenly feels like a tragedy. Have they all lost their chance of a ‘happy ever after’? Or does love have other plans in store…
Steps said, “We’ve been lucky to do many things together as a band, but the question we get asked again and again is ‘where is the Steps musical?’ Well…it’s finally here and we couldn’t be more excited. We’ve searched for the perfect story for our music and we’ve found it in the aisle of a seaside superstore, where four friends set out on their own Summer of Love. It’s a story of friendship, romance and community; packed with our biggest hits and sure to have everybody laughing, crying and dancing in the aisles. We can’t wait to open the doors later this year, and see you there!”
Steps (Claire Richards, Faye Tozer, Ian ‘H’ Watkins’, Lee Latchford-Evans and Lisa Scott-Lee) are the UK’s most successful mixed sex pop group of all time, with 14 top five singles, 4 number one albums, 22 million record sales, 500 million streams & 11 sold-out national arena tours under their belts. The band’s hits include #1 singles Tragedy/Heartbeat and Stomp, the gold certified One For Sorrow & Better Best Forgotten, the silver certified 5,6,7,8, Last Thing On My Mind, Love’s Got A Hold Of My Heart, Chain Reaction, all of which will feature in the musical alongside many more.
Steps’ 2017 comeback tour sold out all 300,000 tickets, making it one of the biggest pop tours of the year. The band have since continued to release new music including two further iTunes #1 singles, the Sia-penned What The Future Holds in 2020 and the Michelle Visage duet Heartbreak In This City in 2022. In 2022 Steps celebrated their 25th anniversary with a headline summer tour and released the #1 album Platinum Collection which means they join ABBA, Rolling Stones and Stereophonics as the only groups in UK history to score #1 albums in four consecutive decades.
Choreography is by Matt Cole, set design is by Tom Rogers, costume design is by Gabriella Slade, sound design by Adam Fisher with casting by Will Burton for Grindrod Burton Casting.
Royal & Derngate Theatre, Northampton – until 3rd February 2024
Review by Amanda Allen
5*****
I was not sure quite what to expect from the Carl Grose & Spymonkey latest production, The Frogs. Loosely based on one of the oldest plays in the western canon written by the ancient Greek playwright Aristophanes, it tells the story of Dionysus, played by Toby Park, and Xanthias played by Aitor Basauri, and their journey to the underworld in search of a lost friend. I can only say that Aristophanes must be turning in his grave, well rolling about laughing in it more likely! From the moment Xanthias, Dionysus and Jacoba Williams, playing everyone else, crept on to the stage as frogs dressed in voluminous, fluorescent rain capes, the audience was laughing. The comic timing between all three of them was testament to the many hours they must have spent working together, honing their skills, their comic genius, and a genuine connection between all three main actors.
Toby Park’s singing was a special treat, the hilariously funny frog song – “No sense – No tail, What a Queer Bird” went down extremely well with the audience. The characters were all indeed “between land and water, life and death, clever and stupid”. The use of music interspersed with the dialogue helped to keep the production rolling along, always interesting and never slowing down too much, whilst giving us a break from the sometimes manic action on stage.
The staging, designed by Lucy Bradridge, which used 99% recycled materials, was innovative and extremely effective. With a rotating dais and clever use of steps and platforms creating depth and breadth to a relatively small stage, thus keeping the production fully animated. The excellent props and costumes greatly assisted the company in portraying locations, humour, emotions and feeling within the play.
The inclusion of the community theatre frog chorus was also an added pleasure. We all felt that we could be one of those frogs! Although very amateur in comparison to the main actors, the chorus nevertheless added an extra layer of fun to this romp through an old Greek comedy. Again, costumed in voluminous rain capes the frog chorus was enjoyed by all. The use of puppets and puppetry within the play was another excellent way of portraying a lot with very little, the costume designers are to be congratulated on the excellent use of extending anatomy parts in many of the characters’ portrayed.
The audience ranging from children to pensioners all appeared to enjoy the comic clowning of the production and I am sure it will go on to sell out and Xanthias will fulfil his greatest fear, that of success, when it transfers to Kiln Theatre in London from Thursday 8th February to Saturday 2nd March.
JOINS PIXIE LOTT & KILLIAN DONNELLY IN THE CAST OF
THE 10TH ANNIVERSARY CONCERT OF
MADE IN DAGENHAM
AT THE LONDON PALLADIUM ON SATURDAY 16 MARCH 2024
Stage and screen legend Bonnie Langford will play ‘Barbara Castle’ in the 10th Anniversary Concert of MADE IN DAGENHAM at the London Palladium on Saturday 16 March 2024. She joins the previously announced Pixie Lott and Killian Donnelly in this highly anticipated one-off show, directed by Shaun Kerrison. Further casting will be announced at a later date.
Bonnie Langford has packed a wealth of experience in her outstanding career which has embraced success in theatre, television, film and radio in both Britain and America. Most recently, Bonnie starred in Sondheim’s Old Friends at the Gielgud Theatre in London’s West End. She also, returned to her role of The Doctor’s assistant, Melanie Bush in Doctor Who on BBCTV and Disney Plus worldwide. She made her theatre debut in the West End at the tender age of seven in Gone with the Wind at the Theatre Royal, Drury Lane. The following year she played ‘Baby June’ in Gypsy opposite Angela Lansbury at the Piccadilly Theatre, making such an impact that the producers took her to America with the show for a highly successful run on Broadway. For this performance, at the age of ten, Bonnie was nominated for a Drama Desk Award. Television and film includes: Carmel Kazemi in BBC’s EastEnders for which she won ‘Best Newcomer’ at the 2015 British Soap Awards and a nomination for ‘Best Serial Drama Performance’ at the 2019 National Television Awards; Lena Marelli in Bugsy Malone (dir. Alan Parker) and Violet Elizabeth Bott in Just William (ITV).
Inspired by a true story and based on the hit film, MADE IN DAGENHAM is a powerhouse musical comedy about friendship, love and the importance of fighting for what’s right. With a critically acclaimed score, this raucously funny show really is the ultimate feel-good night out.
“If you want something done, ask a busy woman…” Essex, 1968. When Ford’s Dagenham car plant drops female workers’ pay, mum Rita leads her friends in a battle against the mighty company and the corrupted union supposed to protect them. As the women’s journey grows, so does the pressure. Can Rita keep up the fight and the happy home she’s built?
Enduringly funny, touching and timeless, MADE IN DAGENHAM shows how ordinary people can do extraordinary things when they stand together.
The Concert is produced by Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield for Sisco Entertainment and directed by Shaun Kerrison (The Osmonds A New Musical UK Tour, Kiss Me Kate and My Fair Lady for BBC Proms, Resident Director The Lion King West End and Resident Director of Mary Poppins on Broadway). With a book by Richard Bean and music and lyrics by David Arnold and Richard Thomas, MADE IN DAGENHAM is based on the Woolley/Karlsen/Number 9 Motion Picture and performed by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Pixie Lott is best-known as a music artist as well as appearing on The Voice and The X Factor as a judge. Since she made her stage debut in Nikolai Foster’s West End production of Breakfast at Tiffany’s, she has won ‘Best Supporting Actress’ in the Indiex Film Festival for her performance in That’s Just Me and recently finished filming for the ITV drama McDonald & Dodds. MADE IN DAGENHAM IN CONCERT will mark Pixie’s musical theatre debut.
Killian Donnelly is currently starring in the role of Jean Valjean in Les Misérables in the West End, having also played Valjean in the UK and Ireland Tour. He has played The Phantom in the West End production of The Phantom of the Opera (His Majesty’s Theatre) and he made his Broadway debut recreating the role of Charlie Price in Kinky Boots (Al Hirschfeld Theatre, New York), having originated the role in London (Adelphi Theatre) and for which he was nominated for a 2016 Olivier Award for Best Actor in a Musical and shortlisted for a 2015 Evening Standard Theatre Award for Best Musical Performance. Other credits include Bruce Bechdel in Fun Home (Gate Theatre Dublin), Jackie in Frank McGuinness’ Donegal (Abbey Theatre, Dublin); Huey Calhoun in Memphis (Shaftesbury Theatre) for which he received a 2015 Olivier Award Nomination for
Best Actor in a Musical; Deco in The Commitments (Palace Theatre) directed by Jamie Lloyd; Tony in Billy Elliot the Musical (Victoria Palace Theatre).
Film includes: Howard in Christmas in Notting Hill (Hallmark); Charlie Price in Kinky Boots (Steel Heel Pictures) and Combeferre in Les Misérables (Working Title Films) directed by Tom Hooper.
★★★★★ ‘The show the West End has been waiting for. Buy a ticket and go!’ Gay Times
★★★★ Mail on Sunday ★★★★ Observer ★★★★ Evening Standard
★★★★ ‘A conveyor belt of raucous fun’ Daily Mail
★★★★ ‘The best British musical since Billy Elliot’ The Stage
The Turbine Theatre, Battersea – until 27 January 2024
Reviewed by: Ava Clarkson
5*****
Rita Lynn is written and performed by the brilliant Louise Marwood (Emmerdale, Coronation Street, The Bill) and is a one-woman show on an epic scale. Directed by Nick Bagnall, with guest voices throughout, this play holds you captivated for 70 minutes and as you are carried along in Rita Lynns world – you forget there is just one person on stage.
The Turbine Theatre in the Battersea Power Station complex is the perfect setting for the play. A small and intimate venue under the arches of the railway line which seats just 92. The play is interrupted by the rumble of the trains above, but this does not distract, but adds to the ambience. The stage is a black square with nothing but a chair, an old-fashioned telephone and white powder in lines which decorate the floor.
There is no introduction, no brash entrance, the lights abruptly go down and Louise walks on stage. The plot follows Imogen Wood, an ex-dancer and full-blown drug addict, in the height of her addiction, fueled by a toxic boyfriend who enables and encourages her drug use. We see Imogen stumble into a situation where she convinces a wealthy housewife she is in fact a Life Coach called Rita Lynn, with unorthodox methods. Louise never leaves the stage, but we are cleverly transported to other venues – a bathroom, a house, a support group, where using music and piped voices, the plot and her life unravels in front of us. We “meet” her lover Dexter, her drag queen best friend Melian, her boyfriend’s son Buddy and her client Helen – all without another person entering the stage.
The play is funny in parts and heart breaking and hard to watch in others. You appreciate the suffering Imogen is going through and her wish every day to end her drug abuse and at times her life. The music used is superb and fits the venue and the plot. The lighting and use of the stage is hypnotic, and you cannot take your eyes off Imogen (aka Rita Lynn) for 70 very quick minutes.
As Louise is an ex-addict herself and very new to recovery, this feels even more raw and real. Louise says – “You know when you throw something really important away by accident?… I did this with my life” and this is portrayed magnificently in front of our very eyes. You can see the emotion and pain on her face, the tears flow as does the manic laughter.
Then it is over – no big encore, no huge finale – this is the end of the story. Louise leaves the stage, and we are left slightly shocked and amazed at what we have just watched. As Louise bravely says – “I lived and breathed this and my soul is in these pages. Reliving it is hard and triggering. I am very new in recovery so it’s quite a bold move to talk about my drug of choice so much and in some ways glamorise it, the way she does”.
I left this play with a newfound understanding of the chaotic mind of an addict. I felt the emotion portrayed, I willed the character to break the cycle she was in, I gulped back tears and laughed loudly throughout. This play is a must see – I played it over in my mind all evening and I know it will stay with me for days.
REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE ANNOUNCES ITS 2024 SUMMER SEASON
WILLIAM SHAKESPEARE’S TWELFTH NIGHT, DIRECTED BY OWEN HORSLEY
FRANCES HODGSON BURNETT’S THE SECRET GARDEN IN A NEW VERSION BY HOLLY ROBINSON AND ANNA HIMALI HOWARD, DIRECTED BY HOWARD
JOSEPH STEIN, JERRY BOCK AND SHELDON HARNICK’S FIDDLER ON THE ROOF, DIRECTED BY JORDAN FEIN
JOINING THE PREVIOUSLY ANNOUNCED BEAR SNORES ONAND THE ENORMOUS CROCODILE
NEW FOR THE 2024 SUMMER SEASON – OVER 33,000 TICKETS AT £15, AND ALL MONDAY TICKETS AVAILABLE AT £15 / £25 / £35
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre today announce its 2024 summer season, opening with Twelfth Night (or What You Will) (3 May – 8 June 2024). Shakespeare’scomedy of mistaken identities is directed by Owen Horsley set against the heat of the Mediterranean sun.
Playing during the daytime for those aged 4+ and their families is the new musical version of Roald Dahl’s picture book, The Enormous Crocodile (17 May – 8 June 2024), with book & lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, music by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab and additional music and lyrics from Tom Brady. Developed and directed by Emily Lim, with co-direction and puppetry design by Toby Olié, the production comes to Regent’s Park following its successful 2023 Christmas season at Leeds Playhouse.
This is followed by the stage adaptation of Frances Hodgson Burnett’s classic story,The Secret Garden (15 June – 20 July 2024) in a new version by Holly Robinson and Anna Himali Howard, and directed by Howard.
The season concludes with Fiddler on the Roof (27 July – 21 September 2024), with book by Joseph Stein, music by Jerry Bock and lyrics by Sheldon Harnick. In a new production directed by Jordan Fein, this classic musical of joy, revolution and tradition features the glorious songs ‘If I Were A Rich Man’, ‘Tradition’ and ‘Matchmaker’.
Alongside the 2024 summer season, Regent’s Park also present the previously announced world premiere stage adaptation of Karma Wilson and Jane Chapman’s Bear Snores On (23 March – 21 April 2024), with book by Cush Jumbo and Katy Sechiari, and music & lyrics by Harry Blake. The production, directed by Jumbo and Sechiari, marks Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s first ever show at the venue outside of its summer season, inviting audiences of 4+ and their families to travel from the theatre lawn to a new and specially created indoor pop-up space within the theatre grounds.
James Pidgeon and Tim Sheader said today, “Following the announcement of Bear Snores On at the end of last year – marking the first time in our 92-year history that we’re producing a project in the spring – we’re now thrilled to be sharing our 2024 summer season with you. This year’s summer season includes a Shakespeare comedy revival; a new commission of a literary favourite, continuing our commitment to the development of new work; a revival of a musical classic which this year celebrates its 60th birthday; and a new musical for ages 4+, produced in collaboration with Roald Dahl Story Company and Leeds Playhouse. Whilst Drew McOnie, our new Artistic Director, begins work on plans for 2025 and beyond, we very much look forward to welcoming you to Regent’s Park this summer for Tim’s seventeenth and final season which continues to celebrate the magic and power of togetherness that comes with telling stories under a shared sky.”
Full creative teams and casting for all productions to be announced.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre’s production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s Jesus Christ Superstar is currently on a UK tour until August 2024; and the musical version of Dodie Smith’s classic book 101 Dalmatians reimagined from the 2022 Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production embarks on a UK tour from June 2024.
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre Memberships are now on sale, and Members’ priority booking for the 2024 summer season opens at 12pm today, with public booking opening at 12pm on Thursday 1 February 2024.
A winter frost covers the trees of Regent’s Park, a snow storm is brewing and a tiny Mouse is looking for somewhere warm and safe to hide…a nearby cave could hold the answer but what else does it hold? Something big and brown and fluffy?
Grab your backpack and join Mouse on a magical theatrical journey as she finds fun, courage and a whole bunch of new animal friends.
With book by Cush Jumbo (Josephine and I, Bush Theatre, London and Public Theatre, New York) and Katy Sechiari (Sweeney Todd, The BRIT School) and music & lyrics by Harry Blake (The Tempest reimagined for everyone aged six and over, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre), Bear Snores On is inspired by the beloved picture book, for anyone aged 4+ with a sense of adventure.
In spring 2024, Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre will emerge early from our annual hibernation for Bear Snores On. This new theatrical experience for families will travel from the theatre lawn to an indoor pop-up space within the theatre grounds.
Presented in association with Cush Jumbo.
Harry Blake | Music & Lyrics and Musical Director
For Regent’s Park: The Tempest reimagined for everyone aged 6 and over (2023).
Theatre includes: How a City Can Change the World (Sheffield Theatres); Starcrossed (Wilton’s Music Hall); Say Yes to Tess (Leeds Playhouse/UK tour); The Memory of Water, Paradise (Hampstead Theatre); Blood Wedding, Her Naked Skin, Night Must Fall, Hedda Gabler (Wiltshire Creative); Captain Corelli’s Mandolin (Harold Pinter Theatre/UK tour); Wild East (Young Vic); Thor + Loki (HighTide/Edinburgh Fringe/UK tour); Peter Pan, The Beggar’s Opera, The Secret Seven (Storyhouse); Ode to Leeds, Rudolf (Leeds Playhouse); Jason and the Argonauts, The Snow Child, Septimus Bean and his Amazing Machine (Unicorn Theatre); P’yongyang (Finborough); Casa Valentina (Southwark Playhouse); Rhinegold, Manga Sister (The Yard).
Cush Jumbo |Adaptor & Co-Director
Cush Jumbo OBE is a British actress and writer. Most recently, Cush has been seen in Netflix’s adaptation of Harlan Coben’s New York Times bestselling novel, Stay Close, and in BritBoxUK’s first original drama The Beast Must Die, opposite Jared Harris. She will next be seen in new Apple TV+thriller Criminal Record, opposite Peter Capaldi and as the lead in fencing thriller Balestra. Cush made her Broadway debut opposite Hugh Jackman in Jez Butterworth’s The River. Cush then transferred her self-penned, one-woman show Josephine and I from the Bush Theatre to The Public Theatre in Manhattan. Cush won both the Evening Standard Award for Emerging Talent in London and the Lucille Lortel Award for Outstanding Solo Show in New York, and the show sold out in both cities. It was her performance in the show that captured the attention of The Good Wife creators who then went on to write the role of ‘Lucca’ in the show specifically for her. That success then spun off into The Good Fight in which she starred opposite Rose Leslie and Christine Baranski. In 2021, she starred as the title role of Hamlet in the Young Vic production, directed by Greg Hersov, for which she won a Critics’ Circle Theatre Award and was nominated for Best Actress at the Oliviers. Her extensive stage experience also includes roles such as Marc Antony in Phyllida Lloyd’s all-female Julius Caesar at Donmar Warehouse (London) and St. Ann’s Warehouse (NYC) for which she was Olivier-nominated, The Shakespeare in the Park production of TheTaming of the Shrew, also by Phyllida Lloyd, Maria in Love Labours Lost at Shakespeare’s Globe and Nora in A Doll’s House at the Royal Exchange Theatre. It has recently been announced that she will reunite with David Tennant at the Donmar Warehouse in their upcoming production of Macbeth. Cush will play Lady Macbeth opposite Tennant’s Macbeth.
Katy Sechiari | Adaptor & Co-Director
For Regent’s Park (Performance Credit):The Jungle Book (1998), Watership Down (1997).
Directing credits for The BRIT School:Sweeney Todd, Pippin, Cases, Songs for a New World, Our House, Rent,Legally Blonde, The Red Shoes (Bussey Building), Carrie: The Musical, 13: The Musical, Urinetown, Home (Bussey Building),25th Annual Putnam County Spelling Bee, Hair, Little Shop of Horrors, Our House, A Chorus Line, Oklahoma! Bright Lights, Big City, Zombie Prom, Blood Wedding, Mark Ravenhill’s The Odyssey (The Ashcroft Theatre), Elegies for Angel, Punks and Raging Queens, Spend, Spend, Spend. As part of Katy’s extensive community and outreach participation work, some of the organisations that Katy has worked with include: Little Amal, Evening Standard Awards, Centre Point, Metropolitan Police, BRIT Trust, Young Vic Taking Part, National Theatre New Views, War Child Charity, BBC Radio 2 for Friday Night is Music Night, Big Issue, National Youth Music Theatre, Terrence Higgins Trust, Kairos Community Trust, St Christopher’s Hospice, Delfont Mackintosh’s Education programme, Disney Teachers Advisory Board, Chicken Shed.
A Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production
Twelfth Night
or What You Will
By William Shakespeare
Creatives include Basia Binkowska (Set Designer); Ryan Dawson-Laight (Costume Designer); Daniel Hay-Gordon (Choreographer & Movement Director); Lotte Hines (Casting Director); Cory Hippolyte (Associate Director); Owen Horsley (Director); Sam Kenyon (Composer & Musical Supervisor); Aideen Malone (Lighting Designer); Max Pappenheim (Sound Designer)
3 May – 8 June 2024
‘What country, friends, is this?’
At a moonlit cafe surrounded by the sea, Olivia sings a lament to her lost brother, watched on by faded crowd.
When a shipwreck catapults Viola into their world of abandoned festivities, a web of disguise and deception begins. This new injection of life rocks this melancholic community to the core, but can she finally shake them from their languor and get the party started again?
Set against the heat of the Mediterranean sun, Shakespeare’s comedy of mistaken identities is a glorious celebration of love. Directed by Owen Horsley (Henry VI: Rebellion, Wars of the Roses, Royal Shakespeare Company) in a marriage of happiness, nostalgia and riotous partying.
Owen Horsley | Director
Owen is an Associate Artist of the Royal Shakespeare Company and Associate Director of Cheek By Jowl.
Theatre includesDiana: The Musical (Hammersmith Apollo); Into the Woods (RWCMD); Linck & Mülhahn (Hampstead Theatre) Henry VI: Rebellion, Wars of the Roses, Maydays, Salome, The Famous Victories of Henry V (Royal Shakespeare Company); Dorian (Reading Rep); Miss Littlewood, Boundless as the Sea (Royal Shakespeare Company/Cunard); Hamlet (CSC, New York); A Midsummer Night’s Dream (Garsington Opera); Henry V (Shanghai Dramatic Arts Centre); The Picture of Dorian Gray (Watermill Theatre); Edward II (St Andrew’s Crypt); The Duchess of Malfi (Southwark Playhouse/UK Tour); ‘Tis Pity She’s A Whore (Co-Director, Cheek By Jowl Tour). Associate and Assistant Director credits include King and Country, Richard II, Henry IV Parts One and Two (Royal Shakespeare Company); The Changeling, Cymbeline, Troilus and Cressida, Macbeth (Cheek By Jowl).
Opera includes: La Cenerentola (Nevil Holt), Don Giovanni (LaMaMa, New York)
A Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre, Roald Dahl Story Company and Leeds Playhouse co-production
The new musical version of Roald Dahl’s picture book
The Enormous Crocodile Book & Lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra
Music by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab
Additional music and lyrics from Tom Brady
Creatives include Phij Adams (Music Technology & Ambleton Programmer); Daisy Beattie (Associate Puppet Designer & Puppet Supervisor); Tom Brady (Orchestrations, Arrangements & Music Supervisor); Fly Davis (Set & Costume Designer); Johnny Edwards (Associate Sound Designer); Tom Gibbons (Sound Designer); Tash Holway (Associate Director); Jessica Hung Han Yun (Lighting Designer); Vicki Igbokwe-Ozoagu (Choreographer); Emily Lim (Developer & Director); Toby Olié (Co-Director & Puppetry Designer); Màth Roberts (Music Director)
18 May – 8 June 2024
‘For my lunch today I would like… a nice juicy little child!’
The ENORMOUS crocodile is weaving his way through the jungle in search of delicious little fingers and squidgy podgy knees.
Only the other jungle creatures can foil his secret plans and clever tricks, but they’re going to have to find a large amount of courage to stop this greedy brute.
This new musical version of Roald Dahl’s picture book has tasty tunes by Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab and has a rib-tickling book and lyrics by Suhayla El-Bushra, and additional music and lyrics by Tom Brady. Developed and Directed by Emily Lim, it features a menagerie of mischievous puppets by co-director and puppetry designer Toby Olié, set and costume design by Fly Davis. The jungle awaits the bravest of children!
The Enormous Crocodile musical was developed by Emily Lim, Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab, Suhayla El-Bushra, Tom Brady and Roald Dahl Story Company.
Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab | Music
Ahmed Abdullahi Gallab is a Sudanese-American composer, producer, singer, songwriter based in Brooklyn, New York. He performs under the moniker Sinkane and has just released his latest album, We Belong, on City Slang Records. Food is his other passion and he loves to freak people out by putting hot sauce on everything… Yes, even ice cream.
Tom Brady | Additional Music & Lyrics
Tom studied at Oxford University and the Royal Academy of Music, where he is recipient of the ARAM award.
Credits as Music Director or Supervisor include:Guys & Dolls (The Bridge); Pinocchio (National Theatre); Show Boat, Caroline or Change (West End); Oklahoma! (Young Vic); Everybody’s Talking About Jamie (Sheffield Crucible); Flowers for Mrs Harris, Fiddler on the Roof, Forty Years On (Chichester Festival Theatre); The Magician’s Elephant (RSC); The Empress (RSC & Kneehigh); Romantics Anonymous (Wise Children & Bristol Old Vic/US Tour); Anything Goes (Sheffield Crucible & UK Tour); Floyd Collins (Wilton’s Music Hall); Evita (Festival Ljubljana, Slovenia); Have A Nice Life (Edinburgh, NYC Fringe and Philadelphia).
Tom has also conducted concerts with the Orchestre Nationale d’Lille.
Credits as arranger or additional arranger include:Guys & Dolls (The Bridge); The Empress (RSC & Kneehigh); The Magicians’ Elephant (RSC); Forty Years On (Chichester Festival Theatre); The History Boys (Sheffield Crucible).
Credits as composer include:The Butterfly Lion (Chichester Festival Theatre); Pinocchio, Sleeping Beauty (CFYT).
Tom teaches on the Musical Theatre postgraduate course at the Royal Academy of Music.
Suhayla El-Bushra | Book & Lyrics
Theatre includes:The Suicide (National Theatre); Cuckoo (Unicorn Theatre); Arabian Nights (Lyceum, Edinburgh); The Long Song (Chichester Festival Theatre).
Screen work includes:Ackley Bridge (C4); Becoming Elizabeth (Starz); Bush (Film4).
Emily Lim | Director
Emily’s work explores theatre making as a form of community building and radical joy.
She is Director of Public Acts at the National Theatre and an Associate Artist at the National Theatre and Company Three. She was the recipient of the inaugural Peter Hall Bursary at the National Theatre from 2016-2018.
Theatre includes: The Odyssey, Pericles, A Declaration From The People (National Theatre); Yoko Ono’s Bells for Peace (Manchester International Festival); We’re Here Because We’re Here (1418 Now, National Theatre & Birmingham Rep); Brainstorm (Company Three, National Theatre & Park Theatre); Everything, The Best Day Ever! A Play About the End of the World (Company Three); Grown Up (Gameshow, Camden People’s Theatre); Wuthering Heights (National Youth Theatre); Things Will Never Be The Same Again (And Other Stories), The Kilburn Passion, The Wardrobe (Tricycle Theatre); Another Fine Mess (Bristol Old Vic); Henry V (Southwark Playhouse).
Toby Olié | Co-Director & Puppet Designer
Toby is a director, designer and puppeteer.
For Regent’s Park:101 Dalmatians (2022); Running Wild (2016, also UK Tour).
As Director, theatre includes: Neil Gaiman’s The Wolves in the Walls (Little Angel); The Four Seasons: A Reimagining (Gyre & Gimble/Shakespeare’s Globe); The Elephantom (National Theatre/Gillian Lynne); The Hartlepool Monkey (Gyre & Gimble/UK Tour) and associate puppetry director of War Horse (National Theatre/Gillian Lynne). As Puppetry Designer/Director, theatre includes:Spirited Away (Imperial Theatre, Tokyo & Coliseum, London); Animal Farm (Birmingham Rep/UK Tour); Pinocchio,Peter Pan, The Light Princess (National Theatre); Don Quixote (RSC/Garrick); Alice’s Adventures in Wonderland (Royal Opera House); Disney’s new staging of The Little Mermaid (Holland/Moscow/Tokyo); A Robot in the Garden, The Boy and the Beast (Shiki Theatre Company, Japan); The Grinning Man (Bristol Old Vic/Trafalgar Studios); A Christmas Carol, Running Wild, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, The Firework-Maker’s Daughter, Peter Pan (Chichester Festival); Little Shop of Horrors (Royal Exchange, Manchester); Goodnight Mister Tom (Duke of York’s/UK Tour). As Puppeteer, theatre includes: Hind of Joey in the original production of War Horse (National Theatre) before moving to Joey’s head for the subsequent West End transfer; Venus and Adonis (RSC); National Theatre: 50 Years on Stage (BBC One); The Homeless Polar Bear (Greenpeace short film); Angelo (Little Angel).
A Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production
The Secret Garden By Frances Hodgson Burnett
In a new version by Holly Robinson and Anna Himali Howard
Creatives include Tingying Dong (Sound Designer); Anna Himali Howard (Director); Polly Jerrold (Casting Director); Jai Morjaria (Lighting Designer); Hana Pascal Keegan (Associate Director); Khadija Raza (Costume Designer); Holly Robinson (Writer); Leslie Travers (Set Designer)
15 June – 20 July 2024
‘Mary would always say that what happened at that moment was almost magic.’
Spoilt and abandoned, 10-year-old Mary Lennox is sent from India to Yorkshire, and put into the care of an uncle she has never met.
At Misselthwaite Manor, a broken-hearted house full of secrets and strange noises, Mary discovers a garden as lost and neglected as she is. If she can learn to make friends with robins, grumpy gardeners, and a boy who speaks to animals, Mary might be able to bring more than just the garden back to life.
Frances Hodgson Burnett’s beloved and radical story about the magic of nature and the nature of magic is adapted in a new version by Holly Robinson (soft animals, Soho Theatre) and Anna Himali Howard (Graceland, Royal Court; Orpheus, Opera North).
Commissioned by Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre.
Anna Himali Howard |Director
Anna Himali Howard is a director, theatremaker and dramaturg. She was a Creative Associate at the Gate Theatre and was an Associate Artist at Brixton House.
Theatre directing includes:Graceland (Royal Court Theatre Jerwood Upstairs); Orpheus (Opera North); Kabul Goes Pop (Brixton House); Curious (Soho Theatre, 2021); I Stand for What I Stand On (Strike a Light & GYCA); Inside (Orange Tree Theatre); I Wanna be Yours (Bush & UK tour); As Small Place, Albatross (Gate); Be Next Young Company (Birmingham Repertory Theatre & European Theatre Festival); Yours Sincerely (Birmingham Repertory Theatre & Vaults Festival); Small Island (Staff Director, National); Fleabag (Associate Director, International tour, prod. Soho Theatre & Drywrite, 2018); Othello (Sam Wanamaker Playhouse).
Theatremaker credits include: Jane Anger (Yard Theatre Live Drafts); Mahabharat/A (Camden People’s Theatre); The Beanfield (Breach Theatre, Edinburgh Fringe, New Diorama & UK tour).
Holly Robinson | Writer
Holly is a Birmingham-born playwright, now based in London. Her first play Soft Animals was written as part of the Soho Writers’ Lab programme, and opened at Soho Theatre in 2019. Holly was subsequently nominated for the Best Writer award at the 2019 Stage Debut Awards. Holly is currently one of the Soho Six and is developing her play with Soho. Holly is also developing an original screen idea with Chapter One.
Theatre includes: Small Myth (Vault Festival); Soft Animals (Soho Theatre).
A Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre production
Fiddler on the Roof Based on the Sholem Aleichem Stories by Special Permission of Arnold Perl Book by Joseph Stein
Music by Jerry Bock
Lyrics by Sheldon Harnick Produced on the New York Stage by Harold Prince Original New York Stage Production Directed and Choreographed by Jerome Robbins
Creatives include Mark Aspinall (Musical Supervisor); Stuart Burt (Casting Director); Julia Cheng (Choreographer); Jordan Fein (Director); Hannah Hauer-King (Associate Director); Nick Lidster for Autograph (Sound Designer); Aideen Malone (Lighting Designer); Tom Scutt (Designer)
27 July – 21 September 2024
‘It’s a new world, a new world. Love.’
It’s 1905 in the tiny village of Anatevka where Tevye, a Jewish milkman, lives his life by their proud traditions. For his five daughters, that means a visit from the matchmaker… But as each daughter challenges his beliefs, against the backdrop of a changing world, can Tevye hold on to his roots, or must he bend to the will of his children and learn to embrace the unfamiliar?
In a new production directed by Jordan Fein (Oklahoma, Young Vic), and featuring glorious songs, ‘If I Were A Rich Man’, ‘Tradition’, ‘Matchmaker’ and ‘Sunrise, Sunset’, this classic musical of joy, revolution and community is an exuberant celebration of love and life.
Presented by arrangement with Music Theatre International.
Jordan Fein | Director
Jordan is a theatre and opera director based somewhere between New York and London. Select credits include Ryan Haddad’s new play Dark Disabled Stories (The Public Theater/The Bushwick Starr), the world premiere of Andrew Butler’s Rags Parkland Sings The Songs of The Future (Ars Nova: Lucille Lortel for Outstanding New Musical), Erin Markey’s Singlet (The Bushwick Starr) and A Ride On The Irish Cream (American Realness Festival, American Repertory Theater), The Miserly Knight and The Dead City (Bard Summerscape), Indecent (Weston Playhouse), The Skin Of Our Teeth (Bard College) and Dialogues of The Carmelites (Opera Philadelphia/Curtis Opera Theatre). Jordan co-directed the London transfer of Rodgers & Hammerstein’s Oklahoma! At The Young Vic (Olivier Award for Best Revival of a Musical) and was the Associate Director for the 2019 Broadway Revival (Tony Award for Best Revival of a Musical). He is the Associate Director and Director of The Prologue on the current West End revival of Kander and Ebb’s Cabaret (Olivier Award for Best Revival of a Musical). Jordanfein.net
BOX OFFICE INFORMATION
Box Office 0333 400 3562* | openairtheatre.com
Inner Circle, Regent’s Park, London, NW1 4NU
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Visit openairtheatre.com for latest ticket prices, concessions and discounts.
REGENT’S PARK OPEN AIR THEATRE
Established in 1932, the multi-award-winning Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre is one of the largest theatres in London (at a capacity of 1,304). Passionate about producing popular, enriching and unexpected theatre that provides a lens into the here and now, the scale and ambition of our productions together with our magical outdoor setting, makes us unique in the capital’s cultural landscape. Every year we welcome over 150,000 people to our 20-week summer season.
Drew McOnie assumed the role of Artistic Director in January 2024, taking over from Tim Sheader, and will programme the 2025 season onwards. James Pidgeon was appointed Executive Director in 2021.
Over the last twelve years, our productions have won seven Olivier Awards, seven WhatsOnStage Awards, and four Evening Standard Awards. We were named London Theatre of the Year in 2017 by The Stage, and received the Highly Commended Award for London Theatre of the Year in 2021. Our productions have toured the UK, and have transferred to both the West End and the United States. Our 2016 revival of Jesus Christ Superstar is currently touring North America for the second time, and commenced a UK tour in September 2023.
As a registered charity that receives no regular public subsidy, we rely entirely on earned income and charitable contributions. Nevertheless, we have introduced 29,000 tickets at £15 across the whole of 2024’s summer season, our BREEZE scheme enables those aged 18-25 to buy tickets for £10, and we regularly work with local charities. Each year, on average, we subsidise tickets for 6,000 school pupils.
Food and drink plays a significant role in the Open Air Theatre experience, with our in-house bars and restaurants including Covered Dining (recently certified as a Sustainably Run Restaurant), The Grill and The Pizza Oven. We also have our own picnic lawn and the West End’s longest bar!
Regent’s Park Open Air Theatre has become one of the most independently sustainable and financially successful producing theatres in the country, and we’re proud to embark on the next stage of our vision with ever-increasing artistic ambition and entrepreneurial spirit.
Lead producer Colin Ingram, together with Robert Zemeckis and Bob Gale, the creators of the Back To The Future film trilogy, are delighted to announce that BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical will extend to 22 December 2024 at the Adelphi Theatre in London’s West End. Today marks the musical’s 1000th performance in the West End. Tickets on sale now.
The critically acclaimed Olivier, WhatsOnStage and Broadway World Award-winning Best New Musical had its opening night in London on Monday 13 September 2021 and performances began on Broadway on 30 June with the official opening taking place on 3 August 2023. The musical also has further plans to roll out internationally, beginning with the North American tour opening in June 2024 and a production in Japan following in 2025.
BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical currently stars Cory English as ‘Doctor Emmett Brown’ and Ben Joyce as ‘Marty McFly’, with Sarah Goggin as ‘Lorraine Baines’, Oliver Nicholas as ‘George McFly’, Jay Perry as ‘Goldie Wilson’, Jordan Pearson as ‘Biff Tannen’, Sophie Naglik as ‘Jennifer Parker’, Lee Ormsby as ‘Strickland’, Rhodri Watkins as ‘Dave McFly’, Patricia Wilkins as ‘Linda McFly’, Elliott Evans as Alternate ‘Marty McFly’ and Stephen Leask as Alternate ‘Doctor Emmett Brown’. Also in the cast are Ella Beaumont, Alexander Day, Reece Darlington-Delaire, Sia Dauda, Dylan Gordon-Jones, Helen Gulston, Matthew Ives, Connor Lewis, Adam Margilewski, Bryan Mottram, Laura Mullowney, Anna Murray, Samuel Nicholas, Louis Quinn, Zachkiel Smith, Grace Swaby-Moore, Georgia Tapp, Emily Woodford and Alexandra Wright.
Credit: Johan Persson/
The Original Cast Recording, released on Sony Music’s Masterworks Broadway label, is now available and has had over 15 million streams. It features the new music by multi-Grammy Award-winners Alan Silvestri and Glen Ballard alongside classic songs from the movie including The Power of Love and Johnny B. Goode.
Sony Masterworks Broadway recently released a Deluxe Edition of the Original Cast Recording both digitally and as a 2-CD set. Available everywhere now, the Deluxe Edition includes 13 never-before-heard demos, alternate and early versions of many of the show’s major numbers, most performed by Glen Ballard himself.
In July 2023, a brand new behind-the-scenes book documenting the creation of the stage show, Creating Back to the Future the Musical by Michael Klastorin, was released worldwide, published by abrams&chronicle books.
BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical won the Olivier Award for Best New Musical, four WhatsOnStage Awards, including Best New Musical, and the Broadway World Award for Best New Musical. The productions in London and Manchester have so far been seen by 1.28 million people and the musical has broken box office records at the Adelphi Theatre.
Based on the Universal Pictures/Amblin Entertainment film, BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical has a book by Bob Gale and new music and lyrics by Emmy and Grammy Award-winning Alan Silvestri and six-time Grammy Award-winning Glen Ballard, with additional songs from the film including The Power of Love and Johnny B. Goode.
Marty McFly is a rock ‘n’ roll teenager who is accidentally transported back to 1955 in a time-travelling DeLorean invented by his friend, Dr Emmett Brown. But before he can return to 1985, Marty must make sure his high school-aged parents fall in love in order to save his own existence.
BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical is directed by Tony Award-winning director John Rando (Urinetown, On The Town), alongside the multi Tony and Olivier Award-winning design team of Tim Hatley (set and costume design), Tim Lutkin (lighting), Hugh Vanstone (lighting consultant), Gareth Owen (sound) and Finn Ross (video), with choreography by Chris Bailey, musical supervision and arrangements by Nick Finlow and Illusions by Chris Fisher. Orchestrations are by Ethan Popp and Bryan Crook, with dance arrangements by David Chase. Casting is by David Grindrod Associates.
Back to the Future the movie was released in 1985, starring Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly and Christopher Lloyd as Dr Emmett Brown. The film grossed $360.6 million (£279 million) at the box office worldwide and the total box office for all three films in the Back to the Future franchise was $936.6 million (over $1.8 billion in today’s money).
BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical is produced by Colin Ingram, Donovan Mannato, Frankel/Viertel/Baruch/Routh Group, Hunter Arnold, Gavin Kalin Productions, Playing Field, Crush Music, CJ ENM, Teresa Tsai, Ivy Herman/Hallee Adelman, Robert L. Hutt, Universal Theatrical Group, Ricardo Marques, Augury, Robert Zemeckis, Bob Gale, in association with Kimberly Magarro, Stage Entertainment, Glass Half Full Productions/ Neil Gooding Productions.
Website: BackToTheFutureMusical.com
X: @BTTFmusical
Instagram: @BTTFmusical
TikTok: @BTTFmusical
LISTINGS INFORMATION
BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical
Adelphi Theatre
Strand
Covent Garden
London
WC2R0NS
Currently booking until 22 December 2024
Performances: Mondays, Wednesdays – Saturdays at 7.30pm, Thursday & Saturday matinees at 2.30pm, Sundays at 3pm
Please note, there will be additional matinees on Wednesday 14 February at 2.30pm, Monday 1 April at 2.30pm, Wednesday 9 April at 2.30pm, Monday 6 May at 2.30pm and Monday 27 May at 2.30pm). There will be no performances on Sunday 14 April, Monday 6 May at 7.30pm and Monday 27 May at 7.30pm.
There will be a relaxed performance on Sunday 10 March at 3pm and a signed performance on Sunday 22 September at 3pm.
N.B BACK TO THE FUTURE The Musical has partnered with Gala Pro – a revolutionary app for accessibility and translation to enhance accessible experiences at live performances so you can enjoy any performance of Back to the Future with audio description and closed captioning.
Tickets: from £19.55
Please book via the website: BackToTheFutureMusical.com – no booking fees
Festival Theatre, Malvern – until 27th January 2024
Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau
5*****
I narrowly missed seeing Blood Brothers last year so was looking forward to tonight’s performance with great anticipation. The story revolves around a poor mother being in such dire straits that she’s talked into giving one of her newborn twins away. The twins grow up in very different worlds (one rich and one in poverty) but those worlds intersect often as, at the age of nearly 8, they become best friends.
Niki Colwell Evans, playing the twin’s mother Mrs Johnstone, was absolutely sensational. A beautiful singing voice which conveyed every emotion in full straight into ones heart plus acting that was the equal to that incredible voice – she was totally convincing in this marvellous role.
The twins, Mickey (Sean Jones) and Eddie (Joe Sleight), were astonishingly different and utterly believable, both individually and as a pair. Mickey’s descent was especially compelling and was a sobering reminder of the old adage “there but for the grace of God…”. Linda (Gemma Brodrick) had a pivotal role in the life of the twins and she was simply scintillating on stage. The sheer energy these performers needed to portray the childhood years was staggering – physicality is one thing but the emotional energy needed for act 2 alone must really take its toll! I know it did on me just watching it.
I’ll quickly mention the costumes which deserve a lot of credit for setting the era (and, by extension, showing time passing) and also for highlighting the difference in social classes. In this case clothes do maketh the men (and women).
I was deeply impressed that the book, music and lyrics were all written by Willy Russell. An incredible feat as the tunes are real ear worms. But it’s not just great tunes; there’s a unity throughout the score so I can totally understand why it is billed in the programme as “a Liverpudlian folk opera”. It’s more than just your average musical.
Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley) and the Narrator (Scott Anson) are worthy of special mention for outstanding performances although, in reality, the entire cast were superb and all added much to the spectacle.
The word “masterpiece” is sometimes liberally thrown around but Willy Russell deserves the accolade for this work. Sadly, the theme of poverty and desperation are just as familiar today – during yet another cost of living crisis – as it was back in the early 80’s. What a sad indictment that is. This is undoubtedly the most powerful musical I’ve ever seen. There’s such honesty and logical integrity here that it’s a painful watch at times, being so brutally honest – but there’s also a lorra lorra laughs (as Cilla would say) from start to finish.
Sometimes a performance ends with you standing dumbfounded and lost for words. This was one of those nights. During the encore the cast all looked totally drained with much puffing of cheeks. If they enjoyed themselves on stage only half as much as we did then they will also have had a fantastic night. I cannot recommend Blood Brothers highly enough. 5 stars does not do it justice. My new guilty pleasure? Not at all – I’m not feeling in the least bit guilty about totally loving it!
Theatre Royal Concert Hall Nottingham – until Saturday 27th January 2024
Reviewed by Amarjeet Singh
4****
And Then There Were None tells the tale of ten strangers lured to a solitary mansion on the mysterious Soldier Island. When cut off from the mainland, and with their hosts absent, the true reason for their presence on the island becomes horribly clear, as secrets from their past come back to haunt them. Each is accused of a historical crime, and slowly they are picked off one by one by an unknown force lurking in the shadows. The atmospheric opening to this play sets the tone for an entertaining and eerie piece of theatre. Shrouded by swaths of gauze and surrounded by layered whispers the entire cast are on stage, setting the scene for Agatha Christie’s most read work, but also the best-selling crime novel of all time.
Director Lucy Bailey handled staging the whodunit with innovation and style. Act 1 is slightly exposition-heavy and slightly dragged, but this is understandably difficult to navigate when trying to juggle many characters and ensuring they are fully fleshed out. The artistic choice of portraying the flash back scenes were an interesting and successful way to keep the audience engaged and invested. Act 2 employed a darker and more fast paced, threatening aura, the claustrophobic effect leaving us feeling a true sense of murder most horrid. The set, a place where the past meets the present and the indoors and outdoors have no boundaries, steadily deteriorates as the murders pile up. Chris Davey’s lighting and Mike Britton’s set and costume designs, superbly manage to convey the sense of steadily impending terror.
The stellar cast are captivating, and their combined performances are strong enough to evoke an atmosphere of accumulating doom, making this rendition a thoroughly entertaining watch. Lucy Tregear brought depth to her portrayal of Georgina Rogers. Sophie Walter is slick as Vera Claythorne. Jeffrey Kissoon fully embodies General Mackenzie, most notably during his flashback scene. David Yelland adds a sense of gravitas to his performance as Judge Wargrave. Oliver Clayton played Anthony Marston wonderfully, the cad we love to hate. Andrew Lancel balances the complex character of William Blore skilfully with brilliant comic timing and appropriate pathos. Katy Stephens is excellent as the prim Emily Brent. Stephens, Lancel and Clayton brought some brilliantly timed comic relief to balance tense moments.
I’m being deliberately vague in describing the characters for those unfamiliar with the story, as you are invited to play detective and discover who is the executioner on Soldier Island. Who is the murderer holding each guest accountable for their actions in this refreshing production, culminating in a truly shocking but thoroughly compelling conclusion.
The music of Kylie mixed with some fun, flirting and frivolity brings you ‘I should be so lucky’, created by Debbie Isitt.
Starting with a wedding, where the bride Ella is jilted by her beloved groom Nathan because of a longstanding family secret (if I told you, it wouldn’t be a surprise!) and decides to take her family and a few friends on what would have been her honeymoon to Turkey – not Torquay! to relax. Along the way, Ella meets Nadeem who she quickly swoons after-believing that her marriage has ended before it began. When Nathan realises what a mistake he made, he hotfoots it to Turkey, where he desperately tries to win Ella back and with a few unexpected twists and turns-he eventually manages to do so!
This cast was a well blended, fun group to watch. Lucie-May Summer and Billy Roberts as the loved up fiancées were great, showing a very realistic sense of passion between them making for a believable performance. With a great mix of songs, from Kylie’s ‘I should be so lucky’ to Rick Astley’s ‘Never gonna give you up’ this is a toe tapper of a performance-however, I did find it quite difficult to hear a lot of the singing as the band were playing exquisitely (even if a bit too loud over the top of the vocals). My stand out performance was definitely Jamie Chapman as hotel manager ‘Spencer’. His comedic timing, fast reactions and furious hilarity was superb. He was amazing and really a joy to watch in every scene.
Overall, this was a great performance and a breath of fresh air compared to longer running musical tours.
