Reviews

This beautifully crafted play from playwright Brian Friel is the tale of one summer in 1936, told through the memories of Michael Mundy. It is a slice of life told in such a way that one feels that it was full of moments that shaped the Michael Mundy character as a man. The piece opens with the ‘moving parts’ of the story, utterly still in tableau, while Michael introduces us to the tale. This is so well done that, whilst your eye is drawn to the tableau, you are still very much listening to what Michael has to say. Indeed,

Jane Austen’s classic tale of manners, morality and marriage in Regency England, first published in 1813, consistently appears near the top of lists of ‘most-loved books’ among both literary scholars and the general public. The story centres on the protagonist, Elizabeth (Lizzie) Bennet, as she experiences a myriad of emotions while she and her four sisters consider suitable husbands. Lizzie hastily judges the actions of Mr Darcy and then comes to appreciate that superficial actions are not always the true means to assess someone’s character. RAODS is marking the 200th anniversary of the death of Hampshire’s most famous author with

The title of John Steinbeck’s novel, The Grapes of Wrath, is a reference to lyrics from ‘The Battle Hymn of the Republic’, by Julia Ward Howe: ‘Mine eyes have seen the glory of the coming of the Lord: He is trampling out the vintage where the grapes of wrath are stored; He hath loosed the fateful lightning of His terrible swift sword: His truth is marching on.’ The third line is particularly pertinent as director Abbey Wright’s staging of the Pulitzer Prize winning adaption by Frank Galati faithfully reproduces fateful lightning and a swift sword with relentless enthusiasm: it is

This very well-known show has been given a Footlights makeover, director David Humphries creating an elegant and excellent production, showcasing some amazingly mature young talent. This is one of Lloyd Webber’s most complex scores, more akin to opera in many ways, but the cast make it sound so easy to sing, such is the assurance and confidence of the performances. Martin Bennetts as musical director has certainly worked hard and it has more than paid off, while leading an orchestra that complements and never overwhelms the youthful cast. The interpretation does not rely on replicating the well-known professional performances either, which makes this vibrant score seem fresh and exciting once

The slightly incomprehensible title gives you the clue: this is presented as a take-off of every talent show you’ve ever seen on TV, but is really a variety concert. ‘Variety’ is the operative word: in the types of act, the ages of the performers and, inevitably, the quality of their contributions. Thus the types of act cover from dancing dogs (actually more like running-around-and-pinching-treats-from-their-owner dogs) to a conjuror, from the reading of a Pam Ayres poem to an Irish dance troupe. The majority are musical, but here again there is great variety, from George Michael’s ‘Faith’ to Puccini’s ‘O mio

If you don’t get the ingredients right, then pie can be pretty boring, and even a side of something new might lack appeal, leaving those who have eaten the dish feeling rather unsatisfied. However, had this particular pie been on one of the TV cookery competitions, I have no doubt that it would have emerged the winner, with all those tasting it going back for more. BMT simply seem incapable of getting it wrong and, not for the first time with this company, I am struggling to find something new to say that will adequately describe just how very good