A VIEW FROM THE BRIDGE at the Everyman, Cheltenham

” . . . All the performances were superlative and impossible to fault. Jonathan Guy Lewis was painful to watch as a man destroying himself and all those around him, craving the respect which he no longer deserves . . . Michael Brandon, as the lawyer Alfieri, tells the story and takes part in the action. He brings a calm authority and sanity to the proceedings but his entreaties are unable to remove Eddie’s finger from the self-destruct button . . . this is a must-see, tour-de-force play with some outstanding performances.”

Read More

OH WHAT A LOVELY WAR on Tour

“Back in 1963 what were we doing? Basking on our sofas watching Lassie and the Dick van Dyke Show? Listening to Peter Paul and Mary sing Puff the Magic Dragon perhaps? The scary days of nuclear profusion were still with us, but we had reached a watershed moment when the idealism of the 1960s finally dawned and we could embrace the idea of Peace as an end in itself. While the atomic bomb and the Iron Curtain still loomed, a new un-conscripted generation demanded and expected new social freedoms. The idea of war in itself finally seemed absurd. . . . ”

Read More

THE HERESY OF LOVE at the Bristol Old Vic

“. . . A heady mix of intrigue, passion and sexual politics, Heresy of Love is an ambitious play, and this Bristol Old Vic Theatre School production, ably directed by Jenny Stephens, certainly does it justice. . . . This is a wordy play with a number of weighty themes, but in this production it seldom seems too heavily freighted with ideas. The cast give each character a distinct individuality, and there are many shifts in mood. . . This is a thoroughly enjoyable production of a powerful play. Thoroughly recommended. “

Read More

LORRAINE AND ALAN on tour

” . . . This was a treat in sophisticated blending of simple elements; actors inventively using a set covered in plastic bottles – the flotsam of our shoreline – used as both set and props. A quick witted, entertaining and purposeful live sound accompaniment added pace, depth and, in places, music to two young and very focused performances by Katie Sherrard and Adam Farrell. I saw in it a fable of lost and lacking opportunities for youth amid the hazards of contemporary life. Concisely told and beautifully revealed. “

Read More

RADIANT VERMIN at the Tobacco Factory Brewery, Bristol

” . . . The acting is as sharp as the dialogue, with the two central characters, played with relish by a peart Gemma Whelan and Sean Michael Verey, being given enough fleshly form to avoid being mere ciphers for ideas. Their innocent depravity, unchecked since hatched in a loving and supportive relationship is a joy to see. The party scene with a streetfull. of guests is the work of half an hour packed into five minutes by two virtuoso performances. . . “

Read More

ATOMOS at the Oxford Playhouse

“. . . The music was gorgeous – A Winged Victory for the Sullen soundtracked the production with soaring chords. The minimal costuming showed off the range of motion to perfect effect. The simple use of light and colour in the background was effective, although the audience had to wear 3D glasses for a large part of the show to watch video screens dangling above the stage. I think this was meant to make Atomos a multimedia experience, but it felt superfluous – a distracting gimmick . . . . “

Read More

Pin It on Pinterest