Reviews

On the face of it, the crux of Yasmina Reza’s barbed four-hander is a straightforward one: two sets of parents get together to have a (hopefully) civilised discussion following the attack, with a stick, by the son of one of the sets of parents on the son of the other, leaving him with cuts and bruises and a couple of missing teeth. But the script is torn up fairly quickly as each set of parents tries, after a fashion, to defend their own son’s actions, and the barriers come tumbling down, with the couples almost seeming to agree one moment

The numbers taking history at A level and as a degree subject are apparently falling sharply. Digital devices and social media mean that today’s young are often thought of as a ‘here and now’ generation, but this intriguing production challenges that perception. Its young cast (supported by fellow-students soon to graduate from AUB in costume and performance design, make-up for media and performance, and film production) remind themselves and their contemporaries that there is much to learn from the past and that many strands of memory and influence have come together to make us who we are: to realise that

A 100 years of anything is pretty impressive, but 100 years of delivering musicals and plays deserves a huge round of applause. Poole & Parkstone have now entered their 100th year and have pulled together a huge colorful mix of songs that they have performed over the years as a celebration of their achievements. In true Poole & Parkstone style, the concert is starting at the Regent Centre for two evenings and will then be moving to the Lighthouse in Poole later in the month. The Regent Centre evenings are charity preview nights for Diverse Abilities and Guide Dogs for

This production of Cats by Highcliffe Charity Players has been highly anticipated. We all wondered how on earth they were going to pull off such a huge musical which is very well known for its exceptional dancing and fully sung through script. I’m delighted to say that they not only pulled it off, they absolutely smashed it! The theme of the evening was set out brilliantly with Front of House in cat ears and little paw prints on the floor guiding the audience to their seats. It was the little details that counted in this production, and speaking of little

“Outside is boring but in here everything is magic!” – so Act 1 closes with these words from Mrs Barry, who wants to be a star of the stage and the age. Set in the late 1660s, this play by April de Angelis is somewhat flexible with historical accuracy whilst focusing on the time, during the reign of Charles II, when women were first allowed to perform onstage. Thus, she brings together four of the best known actresses of that time to have them under one roof in the Playhouse Theatre. The best known of course is Nell Gwynn, along

Written by William Nicholson, Shadowlands began life as a television play that was first shown in 1985. It was later adapted for the stage, premiering in the West End in 1989 and then Broadway in 1990. A third version was released in 1993 as a feature film starring Anthony Hopkins and Debra Winger. Shadowlands continues to be hugely popular and the recent revival by Chichester Festival Theatre, with Hugh Bonneville in the lead role, received five star reviews. Now it’s the turn of Lyndhurst Drama & Musical Society to stage this exceptional play at the delightful Vernon Theatre in Lyndhurst.