Reviews

The show which launched the career of musical legend Elaine Paige, Evita tells the true story of Argentinian First Lady Eva Perón. An example of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice magic, we follow our flawed heroine from her rocky beginnings through her rise to power in 1940s Argentina. Perón’s alignment with the working class (and disparagement with the upper classes) famously led to her harnessing an ethereal quality and divine power over ‘her’ people (Santa Evita), though the show’s poignancy comes from our leading lady eventually coming to terms with her own mortality. Ringwood Music and Drama Society have,

Some people may not be familiar with the concept of the ‘white bike’ or ‘ghost bike’ but I am. My family claim ignorance of the times that I have called out “Ghost bike” as we have driven past one chained to a railing, usually, but not exclusively, in an urban environment – but that just shows how much they (don’t) listen to what I say. Ghost bikes are (generally) memorials to cyclists who have been killed in road accidents and are usually erected near to where the accident occurred – I hope that this isn’t a shock spoiler to anyone who is

Daisy Pulls It Off was, for me, a complete unknown when I took my seat at The Plaza Theatre in Romsey this evening. I had never seen the show, nor had I read the synopsis provided in my programme as I was in the mood to be completely surprised this evening. My first thought was that the set assembled before me was really rather fabulous and did its job in setting the scene of a Private Boarding School long before the actors took to the stage. Alongside the costumes worn by the actors as they mingled with the audience, I

Probably best known as the 1967 film thriller, which earned its star Audrey Hepburn a Best Actress Academy Award nomination, Wait Until Dark actually started life as a play and before being transferred to film it was a big hit on Broadway and in the West End. As the play, it has continued to enjoy considerable success, having been performed frequently over the intervening years (including a production by the New Forest Players in 1969). Masterfully written by Frederick Knott, of Dial M for Murder fame, Wait Until Dark is renowned for its suspense and for putting audiences on the

There’s something both exciting and charming about heading out to see a play by a group who you have never seen before, and in a venue that you have never been to before. Whilst not directly involved with the performance, we all know that a great show takes teamwork and to that end I must thank everyone in the Front of House team for their welcoming, warm manner. It was a great start to what was a very enjoyable evening. The script itself was written by Ray Hopkins, and what a script it was. This was a fabulous choice for

Somewhat inept Health and Fitness proprietor Eddie Manchip is making every attempt to save his Health Spa from the ever escalating costs of running his resort in a large and rather decaying country mansion; he is also doing his best to avoid the clutches of a sinister gangster who is bent on collecting the deeds to the property, which Eddie has signed away in order to pay off a gambling debt. Add to this the fact that all but one of his staff have resigned, and the comings and goings of his self-important, philandering brother and dominant wife, his brother’s