Friday, November 22

Tag: Sam Cox

Fanny’s Burning! – Frinton Summer Theatre
South East

Fanny’s Burning! – Frinton Summer Theatre

Fanny Cradock was before my time, but that doesn’t mean I haven’t heard the name. I know she’s synonymous with cooking, I think most younger people would say the same. The ballgown wearing was a new one (love it! ordered one!), but more importantly – and what this World Premiere of Anton Burge’s new play displays: she was a female pioneer. Opening onto Fanny’s (Brenda Longman) cooking studio, you at once feel like you’re part of a television audience. Fanny’s assistant, Carol (Phoebe-Loveday Raymond) who was apparently silent during the real filming, is given a voice. We are also introduced to Johnnie (Sam Cox) who from the outset, is clearly the love of Fanny’s life and the backbone to her indomitable spirit. As recipes unfold, so does the story of Fanny’s life. Through the cut away...
Bedknobs and Broomsticks – Wolverhampton Grand
West Midlands

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – Wolverhampton Grand

The iconic Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks has been adapted into a ‘magical musical’ with additional songs from Neil Bartram, and a new book by Brian Hill. Adapting a beloved film for the stage can be risky, but Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison navigate the challenges with some flair and ingenuity. Harrison’s clever design references the original film’s animations, which also influence Gabriella Slade’s costume designs and Sam Cox’s hair and wig work. The opening sequence cleverly situates the piece in London during the Blitz as the Rawlins’ children’s world explodes. Following a bomb blast their bedroom shatters, its fractured parts framing the stage providing a constant reminder of the reality of war. There is some clever theatrical magic as we see the Rawlins’ children evacuat...