Reviews

Double Act drama group    North Castle Field, opp Castle View NT car park, Nr Corfe Castle   Andrea Pellegrini 16 July 2025   Can you solve the crime? Fancy yourself as a bit of an Inspector Poirot or a Sherlock Holmes? Love a murder mystery? Into History and love to walk amongst beautiful scenery? Then Murder Walk By The Castle is definitely for you! At £5 per ticket, it’s an absolute steal and well worth just over an hour’s worth of entertainment! Meet at North Castle field just north of the castle ruins and travel back in time to

Chesil Theatre  Chesil Theatre, Winchester Mark Ponsford 13 July 2025 “He was broke, he was horny, and he was starved for an idea!”. Thus,  the co-writer of the 1998 film Shakespeare In Love, Marc Norman, summed up the general premise of this enchanting creation, in which any historical inaccuracies and suppositions are swept neatly away in favour of a deliciously warm, witty and surprisingly touching comedy. Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard’s ingenious screenplay was handed over to a company of ‘A’-listers, who ran with it, and the resulting concoction helped in no small measure to ensure the film’s critical and

Lyndhurst Drama & Musical Society  Vernon Theatre, LyndhurstDarren Funnell 10 July 2025 What do you get when you combine Jane Austen, high-fives, fan etiquette, and a reference to Toys R Us? You get Pride, Prejudice and Other Useful Qualities. A witty, unpredictable production from Lyndhurst Dramatic and Musical Society, celebrating 75 years of theatrical flair and 250 years of Jane Austen. It’s a clever way of bringing two major achievements together over a free celebratory glass of Prosecco (or two). Special credit goes to Hannah Rodgers and Richard Barnett, who, in Part 1, brilliantly fuse the 75-year theatrical journey of Lyndhurst Dramatic

SOS Presents  Mayflower Studios, Southampton Jade Morrell 9 July 2025   This week, the Southampton Operatic Society bring John Caird & Stephen Schwartz’s Children of Eden to life in a vibrant and sensitively charged production at the Mayflower Mast. Stephen Schwartz is best known for his juggernaut musicals Wicked, Pippin, and Godspell, which have been worldwide acclaimed and cemented his place as one of musical theatre’s most celebrated composers. However, Children of Eden, a lesser-known gem from his repertoire, often does not receive the same level of recognition as these blockbuster successes. With its biblical themes, rich score, and complex emotional

Studio Theatre  Studio Theatre, Salisbury Becki Dawson 7 July 2025 I have not seen a Studio Theatre production before, nor had I heard of Noises Off, so I was able to come into the evening completely open minded, which I really enjoy – I was not disappointed on either front! Studio Theatre is a Salisbury based theatre group, who started in 1952. They have since grown to where they are today, with a lovely little purpose-built theatre. Noises Off is a production that follows a theatre group from their dress rehearsal of ‘Nothing On’ right through to their final performance.

Maskers Theatre Company  Maskers Studio, Shirley, Southampton Georgia Rose 7 July 2025 Running from the 7th to 11th July before embarking on a summer tour, Northanger Abbey at The Maskers Studio offers a charming, witty, and thoroughly enjoyable interpretation of Jane Austen’s beloved novel. Directed by Ron Iliffe, this production strikes just the right balance between sharp social satire and playful gothic imagination, bringing Austen’s work vividly to life in an intimate setting. At the heart of the story is Catherine Morland, a young woman whose head is turned by the gothic novels she adores. Portrayed by Katarina Smith, Catherine is