Home

Bournemouth Pavilion – 29 April 2023

5*****

It’s always nice to return to a familiar show, be it with a different cast, different venue or just given time to develop from the first visit to the next.  Having not seen The Three Phantoms since before Covid, this was an old friend I was looking forward to seeing – with the added bonus of a trip to Bournemouth too.

Earl Carpenter, fresh from playing the Phantom in Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Phantom of the Opera, produces The Three Phantoms but he gives time over to the other performers quite generously.

Joining Earl on this performance was Richard Woodford and Jeremy Secomb, all three stalwarts of POTO and all three had played Javert in Les Mis.  Joining the three were two Christines – Olivia Brereton and Celia Graham.  And conducting the magnificent Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra was the very bouncy Maestro Anthony Gabriele.

But what of this old friend?  Well it had a very successful makeover, still terrible jokes, but some excellent new songs to show the range and vocal quality of the excellent singers. From Moulin Rouge to Young Frankenstein; Flight to Jekyll and Hyde.  We got fun anecdotes and all of the performers seemed to be having as good a time performing for us as we were watching.  And proving he is a man of many talents, Earl even conducted the orchestra successfully too

I can constantly hope for The Three Phantoms to tour, but until then I’ll content myself with the superb performance I watched last night and hope for another date to be announced soon

Leeds Playhouse – until 6 May 2023

Reviewed by Dawn Smallwood

5*****

Sinfonia opens at the Leeds Playhouse as part of the 1001 Stories Takeover. The 1001 Stories Takeover is a two-week cultural festival occupying all the space at the Playhouse where older people share their lives with song, dance, music, and exhibits.

Sinfonia is collaborated between The Performance Ensemble, Leeds Playhouse, Leeds Museums and Galleries and Leeds Older People Forum. This work is specifically commissioned for Leeds 2023, the city’s year of culture.

Under the direction of Alan Lyddiard, members of The Performance Ensemble share stories of their fulfilling lives for 75 minutes or so from an open mic with storytelling, song, and movement. Their feel-good experiences are lighted with humour and some with poignant reflection.

The belief is that everyone can share, and everyone can be artists no matter what circumstance or background one comes from. The performers confirmed this from the excellent and moving intimate performances from everyone whose desire is to be part of the positive change for future through creativity and uniqueness.

Staged excellently, courtesy of Lyddiard, Neil Murray, Tim Skelly, Nikola Kodjabashia and Ben Pugh and meaningfully choreography by Tamara McLong, Sinfonia is a new show that is highly recommended and is unmissable.

The Studio, Edinburgh until 29th April 2023

 REVIEWED BY RACHEL FARRIER 

4****

Lost Movement are a dance company based in Milan who are touring various European locations with their triple bill this Spring, and were brought to Edinburgh by Dance Horizons. 

The arc of the evening built satisfyingly from a thoughtful solo performance, ‘Teseo’ by Enrico Luly, to an almost frenzied and utterly joyous finale by almost the whole company in ‘POPoff’. 

I was particularly struck and very moved by the second piece, ‘O’ performed with a beautifully balanced power and tenderness by Giole Cosentino (the stand out dancer of the night for me) and Manolo Peruzzi. The piece explored hidden desire between men with a brilliant evocation of longing as the performers initially played a physical game of football with one another. My companion observed that there can be something incredibly powerful and beautiful in men dancing together – the strength and athleticism of the dancers last night were perfectly matched and this created an energy and intensity which radiated out into the audience. By the end of the piece, both dancers were naked which might have felt unnecessary in other settings, but here demonstrated a tender vulnerability. 

The final piece, with seven dancers, used a range of dance styles (to my untrained eye), which seemed to effortlessly move between more traditional ballet, to hip hop and breakdance, and doubtless other styles in between. The effect was electrifying and the only disappointment to me was that the dancers did not have more space; the energy and exuberance could have done with a larger stage in order to be fully expressed.  

This was an ensemble performance in the truest sense, and there were moments when the it felt as if the dancers were a singular masse. This was punctuated elegantly by outstanding solo and paired routines which were captivating.  

 This triple bill certainly expanded my dance repertoire experience and I would be keen to see more from this ambitious and talented young company.  

Nottingham Theatre Royal – 28 April 2023

Reviewed by Louise Ford

5*****

An evening of exciting dance combing classical with contemporary ,show casing some of the brightest new talents in the world of dance.

BRB2 is a new  and exciting company set up by Birmingham Royal Ballet’s Director Carlos Acosta. It is an  opportunity for young dancers to showcase their talents and have a moment in the spotlight rather than simply being in the corps de ballet.

The show was made up of 14 dancers (8 female and 6 male), from all around the world. They performed 12 dances over two acts.

The curtains open to a backdrop of the dance studio, compete with a barre. The dancers arrive relaxed in their slouchy clothes and begin by stretching and exercising ready for their performances. A plain backdrop descends to provide a clean and precise landscape for the performances. The  uncluttered set showcases the dancers perfectly. All of their movements are on view with no where to hide. Not that they need to hide away it is their time to shine.

The first half is more classical with excerpts from Swan Lake and La Sylphide. The first dance is a beautiful Pas de deux from Rhapsody . This is performed by Frieda Karen and Oscar Kempsey-Fagg. Next is the wonderfully energetic Pas de deux from La Sylphide performed by Olivia Chang Clarke and Eric Pinto Cata. The role of James is performed with such energy and high-jumping leaps by Eric, complete with a natty hat and a tartan kilt. In case you are wondering what a Scot’s man wears under his kilt… well teenie tiny pants!

The Dying Swans is a new choreography by Carlos Acosta combining both the  female solo by Fokine and the lesser known male solo by Michel Descombey. One gently fluttering on pointe (Regan Hutsell) the other writhing and angular on the floor (Jack Easton). The music is by Saint-Saens,performed by Jeanette Wong (piano) and Antonia Novais(cello).

The first half ends with an energetic Pas de deux from Diana and Actaeon. Performed by Beatrice Parma and Enrique Bejarano Vidal. The first half left you feeling uplifted and smiling, delighting in the performances and the dancers evident joy to perform.

The second half is more modern and opens with an incredibly moving performance of End of Time, performed by Lucy Waine and Oscar Kempsey-Fagg. The energy levels are moved up a couple of notches as we move to a bar with a neuvo tango ,A Buenos Aires, performed by Frieda Karen and Jack Easton. The mood shifts to some soulful French/Belgian songs with solo performances  by Regan Hutsell and Enrique Bejarano Vidal. The finale draws together eight dancers to perform Majisimo ,a Spanish inspired dance complete with fans and a hint of flamenco.

It was a wonderful evening of dance which the audience clearly loved and enjoyed.

Charing Cross Theatre – until 29 July 2023

Reviewed by Claire Roderick

3***

After a staged concert at The Other Palace last year, the inspirational true story of cyclist Gino Bartali premieres at Charing Cross Theatre.

Gino Bartali may not be a familiar name to many, but his fame in Italy as a champion cyclist and two-time winner of the Tour de France made him a household name. The truth about his wartime exploits, which he never revealed, only raise his star higher. Under Mussolini’s rule, the crackdown against partisans and targeting of the Nazi Reich’s list of undesirables led to curfews and travel bans. Unknown to the Blackshirts, Bartali, his accountant Giorgio “Nico” Nissim and Cardinal Elia Dalla Costa were working together against the cruelty of the regime. Taking advantage of his success and celebrity, Bartali was allowed to cycle around Italy on training rides as he acted as a poster boy for Mussolini. Hidden in his bicycle frame were forged documents for the hundreds of Jewish people (mostly children) in hiding around Tuscany, enabling them to be smuggled out of Italy. It’s a story that makes your heart swell, and needs to be shared, even though Bartali and Nico were content with the private knowledge that they had done good.

One of the problems with Victoria Buchholz and Todd Buchholz’s book is the reverence they obviously have for these heroic men. In trying to include as much background and information as possible, many relationships and motivations get muddled and lost. Within the first few minutes, Bartali’s younger brother has died, he’s been threatened by the local gangsters and won the Tour de France. After this rush of action, the rest of the first act moves at a sometimes glacial pace towards Bartali’s decision to join the cardinal and Nico in their work. The second act is more evenly paced, with various antics as the trio try to bribe officials, and tense moments of jeopardy as their mission is threatened. The rush to set up Bartali’s childhood friend Mario (the imposing Fed Zanni, doing his utmost with this underwritten character) as a pragmatist willing to deal with an enemy to protect those he loves signposts, albeit unsubtly, his future under Mussolini – but throwing in a love triangle between Mario, Bartali and Adriana (Bartali’s future wife) completely muddies the build up and Mario is suddenly a petulant, if lethal, jilted lover. Perhaps much of the backstory could be better included in conversations between the characters (most of these facts are already repeated over and over again in confrontations).

This is obviously a labour of love for the Buchholz’s, but some fresh eyes could sharpen the structure of the book to create a more engaging and thrilling, less movie-of-the-week atmosphere. The decision to use Italian accents is a little strange, as some of the scenes sometimes stray into ‘Allo ‘Allo territory. The accents are also unnecessary as PJ McEvoy’s beautiful set and video design indicate the location and time of various scenes. The intentional comedy in the show mostly comes from Daniel Robinson’s Nico, whose chemistry and timing with Josh St.Clair as Bartali is wonderful. Unfortunately, there is less chemistry between St.Clair and Amy Di Bartolomeo as Adriana. This is down to the writing, not the incredible performers who have voices to die for and do their utmost to create a believable bond onstage despite the lack of arc in their scripted relationship. The cast are all outstanding, elevating the material and nailing some gorgeous harmonies. Although Victoria Buchholz’s clunky lyrics would benefit from some polish, her music is enjoyable, with some fine choruses proving memorable. Orchestrator Jen Green and musical director Dave Rose ensure maximum impact with the cast’s wondrous harmonies and stellar performances. Josh St.Clair is an energetic and charismatic lead, managing to belt and emote while riding his bike, and Niall Sheehy’s calm presence as Cardinal Dalla Costa belies his soaring voice as he sings one of the best (and most obviously Les Mis inspired) numbers “800 souls”. Ruairidh McDonald almost steals the show as Felix, a musician forced into becoming a Blackshirt.

With performances like this, Glory Ride is well worth a look. There is much to admire in this well-meaning production, and I am sure that future productions will build and improve to present a more coherent and satisfying show, but Glory Ride is not yet worthy of the yellow jersey.

Wimbledon Studio – until 29^th April 2023

Reviewed by Carly Burlinge

3.5 ***

Wimbledon Studio presents the play, Love Talk, written and directed by Emma Gueye. It takes us through the story of Adam (Will Charlton) and Lauren (Megan Cooper). A couple that both want to make a difference in life by helping others. A connection that they both discover when they meet for the first time at Adams promotion  party, held at his home. His position being a project manager for a charity, a company owned by Lauren’s father, which he soon finds out. They both set eyes on each other when Adam discovers Lauren sitting alone in his garden enjoying some alone time. A conversation soon sparks up and they find themselves discussing the stars as well as what they want to achieve in life. His passion is apparent regarding his job and she also wants to return to studying in order to fulfil her dream and become a lawyer.

A relationship soon begins and the play takes us through the highs and the lows of their relationship across the span of ten years.

Their partnership seems to be going at a good pace; where innocent squabbles are fixed quickly, with genuine love and care. Until more difficult issues and concerns begin to arise, only making arguments harder to resolve, whilst a whirlwind of emotional experiences such as death, losing precious people in their lives.

Add to the mix the reappearance of a successful ex boyfriend Ethan (Chris Austin) throwing their relationship into turmoil. Where trust is lost and they find themselves no longer the couple they once used to be. Will they remember the strength of their relationship and the love they once held, or will things become too much and tear them apart?

I liked this production because I felt that there was something that everyone who’s ever been in a relationship can relate to.

The set was simple but effective and offered some loud and emotional tracks that fit the show and worked extremely well with what was being achieved.

The actors portrayed the feelings of the character’s in a believable way whilst also having a strong connection on stage they offered a honest and emotional journey for all to see.

A great realistic production that I enjoyed.

Rose Theatre – until 13th May 2023

Reviewed by Ben Jolly

4****

Choices. Strong, bold choices. Whether they pay off or not, I’m always so thrilled when a creative team has committed to a vision and executes it with passion and valour. Adjoa Andoh’s production of Richard III is a beautiful patchwork of choices, some questionable, some genius but patched together to create a daring and engaging piece of theatre.

The most significant change in the dynamic of the play was the decision to retell this story from a different angle (or ‘Swinging the Lense’ – Andoh’s aptly named production company). Andoh has chosen to tell the tale of a man’s soul crying out, and how in this story it is “not housed in a differently-abled body, it is housed in a black body” as Andoh describes. This completely alters our previous perceptions of Richard III, both man and play and thus takes us on an entirely new journey.

Richard is the classic example of the villainous protagonist (an increasingly popular trend) and when done well, we are uncomfortably on his side, feeling inner turmoil as we both root for and loathe the man we are spending 3 hours with; so, it is of paramount importance that we the audience have a connection, feel strongly toward him. This is where I believe Andoh’s performance of Richard excels the most; with humour and range, she commands the stage with Olympian energy and strength, drawing us in murder by murder.

Adding music and movement to the work both elevates and distracts from the material, moreso the latter unfortunately, Richard’s important first speech (and first scene of the play, unusual for Shakespeare to have the leading character also open the play) to the audience is completely absorbed in the wash of sights and sounds.

A wonderful cast overall, Liz Kettle played Queen Margaret with indomitable spirit and Joseph Kloska’s performance of Buckingham was a delight from beginning to end, finding magic in every moment of the play and the chemistry with Andoh was almost tangible.

Choices, as I say, bold choices were made for this production, west country dialects, Lion King inspired set design with a dash of A Midsummer Night’s Dream and a cameo appearance from a puppet, all while performing the play Richard III? Why not? Maybe a co-director would have helped Andoh to piece the patchwork together more neatly, and perhaps some of the staging could have been more fluid and dynamic but the initial drive of the piece powers through despite these distractions. Richard and now Andoh’s story has been told with unapologetic courage and strength.

Forum Theatre, Malvern – 27th April 2023

Reviewed by Courie Amado Juneau

5*****

I was fortunate enough to catch the incredible Carducci String Quartet last time they visited Malvern so was really looking forward to seeing them again, especially given a most interesting programme.

Emma Johnson (Clarinet and host of tonight’s soirée) regaled us with some fascinating background to tonight’s pieces, which was very welcome! Her playing throughout was sublime with an astounding effortlessness (does she breath through her ears? I asked myself). I certainly came away with a newfound appreciation of the clarinet.

First up was the Ferguson Octet Op. 4 written in 1933, a work I was unfamiliar with but will certainly seek out again. This piece had a bit of everything, from the first movement’s romantic, lush melodies through some frenetic sections and some melancholy too (as you would perhaps expect from a piece written between the wars). Phil Gibbon on Bassoon puffing his cheeks at the end testified to how much effort the work involved to play.

After the ensemble forces of the first piece, Mozart’s Clarinet Quintet was more like a concerto with a well defined solo instrument and supporting “string orchestra“; indeed this piece is quite similar in some respects to his clarinet concerto. One of the earliest works written for this combination of instruments (in 1789), it’s a beautiful work. Long florid runs on the clarinet and gorgeous melodies passed between all players with perfect symmetry… One of Mozart’s strengths was getting genuine passion into the more formal Classical era, with one foot in the Romantic era. The second movement was heartbreakingly beautiful, with playing at times that was so quiet it was barely there – not easy to do whilst maintaining such gorgeous tone!

It was fascinating to see the musicians perform close up, literally leaning into each other, making eye contact and positively dancing in their seats. This was especially evident in Emma Denton’s force of nature Cello playing and Matt Denton’s Violin cadenza in the final piece (which left all with appreciative smiles). The Carducci’s second violin (Michelle Fleming) and Viola (Eoin Schmidt-Martin) were equally magnificent. The Beatles were described as “the four headed monster” – meant as a compliment re how how tight a unit they were – the same can be said of the Carducci Quartet. They are a joy to behold, their personalities shining through, always enhancing the experience for the audience.

Beethoven’s Septet Op. 20, written just 10 years after Mozart’s work, is a meatier affair. One can see why this was one of the composers most popular works during his lifetime. Stephen Stirling on the French Horn had a pivotal role in the last movement and the Double Bass (played by Chris West) added the necessary weight that Beethoven demands. All musicians blended perfectly to produce well balanced, thrilling readings of the pieces. Faultless playing throughout!

A fantastic programme of sumptuous music, expertly presented by top class musicians and thoroughly enjoyed by an adoring audience. Malvern Concert Club gives us another evening of sheer perfection. Bravo to all the concerned and see you at the next concert in the series.

Wakefield Theatre Royal – until 29 April 2022

Reviewed by Alison Beaumont

5*****

Ghost the Musical by Diva Productions is based on the award winning 1990’s movie. It is full of romance, comedy, drama, excitement and sadness. For those of you who don’t know Ghost is about 2 young lovers Molly and Sam who live in a New York City Apartment. One night on their way home Sam is mugged and murdered. Sam is trapped as a ghost between this world and the next. He learns that Molly is in great danger and with the help of psychic Oda Mae Brown Sam tries to help protect Molly.

Molly was played by Beth Rosamond in this particular performance, and she was absolutely amazing, I was blown away by her performance, her vocals were faultless, she is one very talented lady. I particularly liked it when she sang With You, which portrayed great emotion, you could feel the sadness with her. Michael Markey played the part of Sam effortlessly and you could clearly feel the connection between Sam and Molly.

Aimee Good (Oda Mae Brown) was funny and a great performer, you started to get the feel-good vibe during the scene in the Psychic Parlour. Meghan Riley who played Oda Mae Brown’s sister and was also part of the ensemble sang really well. All the dancers were very good, the tap routine was a great addition to the musical. The choreography was effective throughout.

The set was very cleverly done, the use of the projector in the scenes was great and really added to making the musical visually appealing. The train scenes were absolutely amazing. Everything about this show is brilliant and you really have to see this to appreciate the performance and experience some great visual effects

Kiln Theatre – until 27th May 2023

Reviewed by Ben Jolly

3***

The Golden Age of Hollywood… how retro. But, did it make the grade?

Retrograde, a play by Ryan Calais Cameron (whose work can also be seen at the Apollo Theatre, currently home to For Black Boys Who Have Considered Suicide When The Hue Gets Too Heavy) opened last night at the lovely Kiln Theatre.

In real time, this pressure cooker play sees its action take place in a high-rise office building, home to US network broadcaster giant NBC in a time of segregation, witch hunts and whisky in your Corn Flakes.

Before the show begins, we are given the opportunity to absorb the beautiful vintage office set, designed by Frankie Bradshaw with light jazz providing a soundtrack as we find our seats, it luls us into a false sense of security, thus making the arguments, back stabbing and chaos in store for us all the more jarring when the time comes.

Sydney is a rising star in New York and when presented with the opportunity of a lifetime in Hollywood, eagerly agrees and comes to meet the network’s “superlawyer” to sign the contract. But there’s a catch, and Sydney now has to ask himself what he is willing to sacrifice and who he has to step over in order to get what he wants from this world. Is it all worth it?

The play is set during a time when Sydney Portier’s career was just about to take off into the global star that he became. Cameron’s characterisation allows us to see a bright eyed, somewhat naive and youthful side of this great actor. The dialogue touches upon Portier’s real life refusal to play stereotypical roles and this shows us early on that this is a man of integrity, an actor who is committed to the craft but prioritises his values above all (refreshing isn’t it).

At the top of the show, we’re introduced to the other two of this three-man band. Mr Parks played by Daniel Lapaine as the corporate lawyer hellbent on securing the star (as long as he plays by his rules) and producer Bobby, sensitively played by Ian Bonar.

Cameron’s characters come across a little flat and two dimensional overall. Ivanno Jeremiah plays a charming and committed Sydney; there are times that his performance becomes presentational during the longer scenes, however, it doesn’t take us out of the moment too much. Daniel Lapaine tackles the shark with tenacity and interestingly you never quite know which side this character is on and what he is really fighting for. Are these signs of a poorly written character or a great lawyer? The jury is still out on that one.

Retrograde takes a while to get going, it’s only about two thirds of our way into this 90-minute drama that stakes start to rise and the intense emotions onstage have us sitting up straight in our chairs. To its credit, when this time comes, we are fully present and engaged, but it took too long to get there.

Important to note is the direction by Amit Sharma, their talent has been injected throughout every moment in the play and I thoroughly enjoyed the dynamic staging of the material.

An entertaining and thought provoking 90 minutes at the theatre; I came away wondering if Cameron has used the setting of 1950s “Golden Age of Hollywood” as a mirror showing how the society we live in today has not changed or evolved. Or is it a warning not to allow it to retrograde given the current state of the world and ever rising racial issues? Pause for thought indeed!