Reviews

Christchurch Gilbert & Sullivan Society  Regent Centre, Christchurch KD Johson 28 September  2023   As I usually do, I read the libretto of this 1878 Gilbert and Sullivan operetta a few weeks ago in preparation for this review.  I then happened to bump into the First Lord of the Admiralty at the market (as you do😉) and he said “Oh, don’t bother with that – it’s all changed anyway!”  … and some (not all) of it has. The advantage of performing 19th century works these days is that they are out of copyright and a director can do just that.  With

Bishopstoke Players  Durley Memorial Hall, Durley Hannah-Cait Harrison 28 September  2023 My Thursday evening this week was taken up by “Dirty Dusting”, the most recent outing from The  Bishopstoke Players. The play caught my attention when it was first proposed to me, for its hilarious premise. Three octogenarian cleaning ladies, who are about to lose their jobs, decide to start operating a telephone sex line, in order to make ends meet, and the script did not disappoint. It’s littered with double entendres that the best cleaning polish couldn’t erase and had a slew of one-liners that had me laughing up a storm.

All Saints Dramatic Society  Corpus Christi Parish Centre, Boscombe Jill Richmond 14 September 2023 If I had read the synopsis for Eric Chappell’s Natural Causes before I had arrived, I might have been somewhat sceptical if I would enjoy this black comedy. I would have been wrong. Despite the story being based around the services of a professional suicide merchant, Vincent, the accessible comedy and depth of characters demonstrate not only the great talent that Eric Chappell was but that even a topic such as suicide, that affects so many of our lives, can be removed completely from reality to

Maskers Theatre Company  Maskers Studio, Southampton Anne Waggott 13 September  2023 Southampton has had a centuries-long association with the sea and ships, from the Mayflower via RMS Titanic to the Tall Ships Youth Trust and modern cruise ships, and much more besides. So, when the Lord Mayor’s office approached Maskers Theatre Company to put on a show highlighting Southampton’s maritime history, they dove right in and produced a show to create quite the splash! Masker’s Time And Tide is a collection of sketches, monologues, poems and a cappella sea shanties, reflecting the history of Southampton and its links with the sea

Double Act drama group    North Castle Field, opp Castle View NT car park, Nr Corfe Castle  Caroline Burr 2 August  2023   Set against the dramatic back drop of Corfe Castle a small party of us set off across the beautiful Dorset countryside to try to solve the murder of Sir Henry Paget. The story is loosely based on real events which happened in the 14th century, when Isabella, mother of Edward III, and her lover Mortimer, were plotting to take control of the English throne. A troupe of actors, full of stock characters such as the evil Lady

Brownsea Open Air Theatre [BOAT]   Brownsea Island, Poole Harbour KD Johnson 31 July  2023 A visit to Brownsea Island, on any day of reasonable weather, is always a treat. To be able to take the early ferry over, eat a picnic meal on the island and then to watch a great show by Brownsea Open Air Theatre (BOAT) in their 60th anniversary year, has to be counted amongst the best of treats. It is a shame that the nature reserve has been closed due to Avian Flu – but it is due to reopen on Saturday 5 August. One of