REVIEWS Archives - Page 2 of 579

1May

By Coral MourantNo Comments

Wales

Twelfth Night – Theatr Clwyd

“If music be the food of love play on” And we definitely do play- with relationships, with the audience, and in a clever twist, with the conclusion. Directed by Juliette Manon, this adaptation leans into the complications that come from “mistaken identities” and focuses on the concept of “identity” itself. In a genius move, Cesario (Lee Braithwaite), is played as a trans character who journeys through the piece exploring their new sense of self. Washing up on the shore of Ilyria, they literally break free from their dress and begin living openly as a man. In the original, this is simply a way of entering Osario’s court (as women could not do so), but this gives much more poignancy and freedom to their choice. Following this narrative concept, the entanglements of love and complica...

The Ballad of Johnny and June – Festival Theatre

1May

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Ballad of Johnny and June – Festival Theatre

There is a problem with telling a story everyone already knows. This story of Johnny and June understands the problem well enough, but the script never really finds an alternative solution. Instead, the music is left to speak for itself. The show opens with Jackson, the quintessential Johnny and June number, a confident, toe tapping start that promises energy and momentum. From there, the narrative is framed largely through the eyes of their son, John Carter Cash, offering a lens that suggests memory, subjectivity, and, crucially, that truth is never singular. When Johnny first meets June at the Ryman Auditorium and declares, with typical bravado, that he will one day marry her, we are reminded that this is only his version of events. It is a useful idea, that truth shifts depending on ...

1May

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Tomorrow – Traverse Theatre

Hereford based dance company, 2Faced held the Scottish premiere of Tomorrow at The Traverse this week. Directed and choreographed by Tamsin Fitzgerald and devised with dancers Lew Baker and Sam Buswell, Tomorrow is a striking portrayal of men’s mental health displayed using contemporary dance. This show was devised in collaboration with Mind, a charity dedicated to providing mental health support for anyone who needs it across England and Wales. 2Faced partnered with Mind to create Men in Motion - a dance class specifically for men struggling with mental health issues. It was through this group’s sharing of their lived experiences, as well as the performers own experiences of mental health that Tomorrow was devised from. Fitzgerald’s direction is raw and in your face -...

Mini Showstopper! The Improvised Musical and more! – Hoopla

1May

By Charlotte MansfieldNo Comments

London

Mini Showstopper! The Improvised Musical and more! – Hoopla

The Hoopla! 20th anniversary celebrations started in early April at their venue in London Bridge and over the next few months, they have a huge variety of improv shows from both new and established teams. Last night, Showstopper! The Improvised Musical made an appearance, with many of their members regular performers at Hoopla! over the past 20 years, and some of them currently teaching improv classes there. They were joined by two other groups of improvisers – The Inflatables, and Hell Yeah! in a two-hour show of music and laughs. The evening began with four members of The Inflatables playing Whose Line Is It Anyway style games. The team were great at getting the audience involved, even having audience members control the show at one point. You have to have a lot of talent to be th...

1May

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Double Indemnity – Opera House

When you bring a classic film noir like Double Indemnity to the stage, there’s an expectation that it will be tense, gripping and full of drama. This production at the Manchester Opera House certainly looks the part but doesn’t quite deliver the thrill you might hope for. Set in 1930s America, the play follows insurance salesman Walter Huff who becomes entangled with the mysterious Phyllis Nirdlinger, with the pair plotting to murder her husband and claim the insurance money. It’s a story packed with deceit and manipulation, but here it unfolds at a more measured pace than expected, lacking some of that edge-of-your-seat tension the original story is so well known for. Ciarán Owens takes on the role of Walter with confidence, portraying the character’s descent into moral chaos wit...

Entertaining Murder – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

1May

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Entertaining Murder – Upstairs at the Gatehouse

Entertaining Murder is a musical inspired by the true story of Edith Thompson, played by Daisy Snelson, and her young lover Freddy Bywaters, played by Dominic Sullivan. This is a fascinating story, and the production adapts it for the stage with real clarity and purpose. The narrative is well structured, with each character given space to develop. Sue Kelvin, who portrays Avis Graydon and also acts as narrator, is particularly effective in guiding the audience through the events. Through her narration, we are encouraged to question what actually happened: who murdered Edith’s husband, what motives were at play, and whether each individual can truly be considered guilty. It also raises a broader moral question about justice and whether those involved deserved to face execution for th...

Operation Mincemeat – The Regent Theatre

28Apr

By Leanne RushtonNo Comments

North West

Operation Mincemeat – The Regent Theatre

The Regent Theatre has received its orders, and Operation Mincemeat has been put on full display for the audience. Operation Mincemeat, which tells the true story of an MI5 operation during World War Two, has been wowing audiences since 2019 but properly finding its fame in 2023 when it graced the West End stage. It has won multiple awards both here and over the pond, and it’s not hard to see why. The show currently owns the title of the best-reviewed show in West End history, and quite frankly, it couldn’t deserve it any more. The show is run with military precision and the sharpest of wit. The comedy came to the actors so naturally. It was remarkable to see the actors’ ability to change roles and costumes so quickly and with such ease. The timing of the show should be studied; ever...

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – The Swan (RSC Stratford)

28Apr

By Annette NuttallNo Comments

West Midlands

The Resistible Rise of Arturo Ui – The Swan (RSC Stratford)

This is a play that feels as relevant now as it did when it was written by Bertolt Brecht in 1941. We are transported to Chicago in the middle of the Great Depression. Times are hard and the underworld is ruled by gangsters. Can Ui save the city or is he just power hungry? Will anyone try to stop him? From the very start the fourth wall is smashed down. This is perfect for the intimate setting of The Swan Theatre and helps to set the irreverent tone for the evening. From the stark grey and introductions to the characters, the stage bursts into colour and life. While many of the costumes are muted, there are splashes of colour and nods to a cabaret/circus feel in the set and costumes, both designed by Georgina Lowe. As the story and time develops, the clown style make up becomes more ...

26Apr

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

Two Halves of Guinness – Park Theatre

It’s a lovely day for a Guinness but the Park Theatre hasn’t got any on tap. Their replacement, radio host Zeb Soanes, is a captivating storyteller but unfortunately not a convincing Sir Alec in this biographical one man show marking the twenty fifth anniversary of the great actor’s death. It is a testament to his charisma as a performer and his mastery of Mark Burgess’s script that he is able to keep the audience’s attention for what is ultimately a pretty uneventful two hours. Set and costume designs by Lee Newby and lighting design by Michael Fox are just at the level of competence, capable of communicating context well enough but never rising to the level of inventive expression or even attempting any degree of theatrical flourish. This is particularly disappointing considering the ...

Much Ado about Nothing – Augustine United Church

26Apr

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Much Ado about Nothing – Augustine United Church

There are pranks aplenty in the Edinburgh Rep Company’s production of Much Ado About Nothing – only some of which are benevolent. Benedick (Declan Jennow) and Beatrice (Beth Eltringham) have one thing in common: they never want to get married, and they are particularly horrified at the suggestion that they might marry each other. They both talk about this a lot. They are clearly destined to be together; their friends just have to help them break the ice. Meanwhile, the wicked Don John (a softly spoken Colby Scott) is scheming and plotting. Hero (Erin Frances Spiers) walks beaming down the aisle (we are in an actual church, after all) arm-in-arm with her proud father Leonato (Kyle Paton). But Don John has framed her as a wicked harlot! Her fiancé Claudio (Patrick Foxwell) sl...