Reviews

In a contemporary coastal setting, two retired scientists (Hazel and Robin) move to an isolated cottage as the world around them crumbles following a catastrophic accident at the nuclear power station where they previously worked. One day there’s an unexpected new arrival, an old friend (Mary) they haven’t seen for almost 40 years. Why has she come – and why now? Lucy Kirkwood’s near-future post-disaster drama, The Children, is a slow-burning script that challenges you to think about the current climate, our use of and dependency on modern technology and how fragile the balance is of the local ecosystem, never

This fast-paced comedy addresses an issue close to every woman’s heart – how to train your husband! Does that sound impossible? The play follows the adventures of Kate, Jessica and Sheryl as they attempt to fully train their fella – and it seemed that the whole of Bishopstoke were out in force to find out how! Bishopstoke Players are by no means a stranger to putting on a comedy, and I always look forward to their productions. A packed out opening night audience just shows you that they are doing something right! Rob Beadle made his directorial debut and he

Déjà vu kicked in as, almost exactly one week to the day after reviewing SUSU Theatre Group’s production of Cat On A Hot Tin Roof, I was back in the same seat of The Annex Theatre with the same ‘black box’ set and another bed before me, this time to watch SUSU Showstoppers’ production of a brand new, original musical, OAP And Me. Please forgive the somewhat longer than usual review, but I feel that it is warranted for what I believe is the world premiere of this new musical. I admit that I was slightly apprehensive prior to the

Legally Blonde – The Musical tells the story of Elle Woods and her passion to prove her love to Warner Huntington III. When Warner breaks up with Elle, she decides the only way to mend her broken heart is to become more serious and go to Harvard Law School in order to win back his heart. After working hard and meeting new friends, Elle realises Warner is not the man for her and instead realises her true feelings for Emmett. This is a happy ending show, where everyone, except Warner, finds happiness through love or their career. I was very

So, I have never seen the musical Sweet Charity and I had absolutely no idea what to expect this evening as I collected my tickets and programme before the show began. Sweet Charity is a bittersweet love story of Charity Hope Valentine, the unlucky in love dance hall hostess. She goes from bad guy ‘Charlie’ to superstar ‘Vittorio’, finally ending with assumed good guy ‘Oscar’. The show itself was intended to be a whimsical comedy, interspersed with vibrant songs and choreographed dance numbers. It did disappoint me somewhat, however. The opening song ‘See Yourself’ performed by Katy Watt (Charity) saw

The story of A Bunch of Amateurs centres around a fading Hollywood actor, Jefferson Steel, who arrives in England expecting to play the role of King Lear at Stratford-on-Avon, only to find out that his agent has booked him to play with an amateur company in the Suffolk village of Stratford St John. What follows is a colourful (language is quite strong throughout) and at times emotional look at how the Hollywood actor’s demands are compromised on the way to possibly finding his inner Lear and respect as a proper actor. A film version was made starring Burt Reynolds, Emma