Author: Keith Erskine

Coulrophobia at the Tobacco Factory Theatre. Bristol

Clowns are physical, funny, sad and even sometimes sinister. These two highly trained and talented clowns were all of these things in this non-stop riot of a show that is wonderfully directed by John Nicholson. Slapstick follows mime, follows pathos, follows audience participation, and even a puppet show. Nothing goes on for too long and the pace is remarkable. You can only wonder at the inventiveness of it all.

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Patrick Süskind’s THE DOUBLE BASS at the Alma, Bristol

The script is erudite and varied. Like Alan Bennett’s Talking Heads, this play was originally written for radio, but the presence of the double bass adds a whole other character. The exploration of a man frustrated in his career, his physical and his social life set in a soundproof room with a sack proof job is completely convincingly portrayed by Paul Currier.

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LEFTOVERS at the Wardrobe, Bristol

An excellent performance by Gabrielle Shepherd as Elizabeth the main protagonist “who is very bad at packing” is the core of this interesting play. Her relationship with her partner is very quickly established with a touching first scene involving feeding the ducks . . .

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H.M.S. PINAFORE at Bath Theatre Royal

This is a young, good looking and muscular cast and Lizzie Gee’s choreography is superbly inventive, funny and imaginative. I realised I was watching an all male navy production of a show, perhaps put on in the Second World War with its quirkiness and wit and simple scenery. It was not so much about gender fluidity but about constraints. I am never impressed by low budget productions. What never? Well hardly ever. This is a very impressive production.

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YOU WERE AFTER POETRY at the Alma, Bristol

The first play is about the break up of a relationship. It is cleverly staged; for example a couple are in bed, amusingly depicted by Scott holding a pillow behind his head as shown in the publicity photographs, and a duvet laid over a table became a bed. There are many clever one-line jokes. The play shows how a woman and a man, both very needy, find it difficult to give up on their relationship even though it is not ideal and they obviously don’t really understand each other.

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