Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Everyman, Cheltenham

Birmingham Royal Ballet at the Everyman, Cheltenham

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” . . . Ballet is often talked about in hushed, reverential tones and taken awfully seriously. Façade, though, is wonderfully disrespectful and laugh-out-loud funny. After the first little cameo, Scottish Rhapsody, I said to myself, “Yeh, that’s my favourite.” Then the Tyrolean milking piece, Yodelling, and I said, “No, that’s my favourite.” And so it went on . . . BRB is always a joy to watch and I look forward to seeing them with a sort of childish glee of which a man of my age should be ashamed. But I’m not, I love ‘em.”

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Monty Python’s SPAMALOT at Bath Theatre Royal

Monty Python’s SPAMALOT at Bath Theatre Royal

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It is difficult to decide who might be most disappointed by Monty Python’s Spamalot. Certainly fans of Eric Idle or the Holy Grail who will go expecting to see something raucous and silly and madcap – something that harks back to golden years of the Flying Circus – or at the very least pays a fitting homage to the film it scrapes from and scratches at. Fans of musical theatre too will be disappointed by its lack of pizazz and its underwhelming score.

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THE BOY ON THE SWING at the Tobacco Factory

THE BOY ON THE SWING at the Tobacco Factory

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” . . . is the fourth and final production of this year’s Directors’ Cuts season from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School . . . Harry Egan is wonderfully weird as receptionist Jim, and Karl Wilson delivers Donald’s sales patter with a powerful mix of warmth and menace. Most impressive of all is Dominic Allen as the dangerously unpredictable William. Director Laura Jasper has created a fast-moving, energetic production, and her actors do her proud. The 2015 Directors’ Cuts season has yet again shown that year on year the BOVTS produces graduates of the very highest quality.”

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THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE at Birmingham Rep

THE RISE AND FALL OF LITTLE VOICE at Birmingham Rep

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The performance of Nancy Sullivan as Little Voice, is worth the price of the ticket alone – she’s spectacular. An endearing, movingly powerful performance in a role that suited her down to her boots. A part with very little lines, she ensures there is a real openness to the audience, and lets us in to the mind of the reclusive character. Her versatile voice shines: with her rendition of Somewhere Over the Rainbow you could almost be mistaken for listening to Just Garland herself.

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THE CAR MAN at Bristol Hippodrome

THE CAR MAN at Bristol Hippodrome

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” . . . Since its first performances in 2000 The Car Man has become justly famous for its energetic and unrestrained sexuality, but there are also quieter and subtler scenes of tenderness and poignancy, particularly between Rita and Angelo, that are among the most memorable moments in the show. Katy Lowenhoff gives Rita a touching vulnerability, while Dominic North skillfully conveys Angelo’s transition from hapless victim to grim avenger. . . The Car Man is brilliant dance-theatre. ”

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MERMAID at the Oxford Playhouse

MERMAID at the Oxford Playhouse

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“. . . The Disney LITTLE MERMAID can be seen as a romantic love story, where Ariel gives up her home for love, but finds freedom when she swaps her fins for feet. Instead, here the emphasis is on the fact that the mermaid must rely solely on her looks to get the Prince to fall in love with her. She sacrifices her voice, and destroys herself, when he is seemingly incapable of love anyway . . . Stunningly told, and visually arresting (the shipwreck scene where furniture is lost to the depths is brilliant), these parts of MERMAID are not to be missed . . . ”

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