“. . . One of the plays, THE JUDGE, I really enjoyed, two of them, THE AGENT and THE STAR, were perfectly entertaining and one, THE POLITICIAN, was a bit of a daft comedy of errors. THE NOVELIST we didn’t get to see. On the whole, the acting was good but the outstanding performance, despite a silly wig, came from Russell Dixon as Tom, the retired judge. His mischievously lecherous old man who had hired a call-girl to impersonate his long-dead wife was great fun and a delight to watch . . . If you are a loyal Ayckbourn fan then Roundelay will not disappoint . . . ”

I must confess to never having seen Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat, nor Jesus Christ Superstar, nor Hair. Never having been a hippy was maybe one reason, although I did have some trousers of many colours, if that counts. It was perhaps those three shows, more than anything, that opened the way to the new, blockbuster musicals that have dominated the West End and Broadway ever since. Without them we would have had no Evita, no Les Mis, no Miss Saigon, no Phantom of the Opera et al.

“Box Tale Soup with their signature suitcases, bits of text printed on their costumes and, of course their puppets, have a very strong identity – there is no mistaking one of the productions . . . Manalive is a great choice for a stage adaptation. G.K. Chesterton’s 1912 story explores a recognizable and oft repeated theme, that of an innocent abroad, the wise fool – a simplistic vision of society where good and innocence triumph . . . Antonia Christophers and Noel Byrne, who make up Box Tale Soup, have made a fairly decent fist of it . . . ”

“John Godber’s 1977 play tells the story of a typical Friday night in a typical city, somewhere up north. The cast of four, dressed in black ties and dinner jackets but still managing to look scruffy, play the bouncers in question, as well as a group of lads hell bent on a few jars and a grope, four lasses hell bent on a few Babychams and getting groped, plus a few other odd characters who present themselves at the door the bouncers are minding. . . This is well observed stuff and very funny. It is in your face humour.”

“Almost Heaven was powerful stuff created by Bill Buffery and Gill Nathanson which explored relationships and how we communicate within them and even the value and efficacy of language itself. This was good, authoritative, thought provoking theatre with two beautifully measured and sensitive performances which would have graced any stage and for which I can only offer the highest praise. . . a little gem of a play skilfully performed by its creators.”