Reviews

Alan Ayckbourn is nothing if not versatile, and in Flat Spin he moves away from the domestic comedy for which he is most well-known to a comedy-thriller. The complicated plot is typical of his ingenuity. Unsuccessful actress Rosie Seymour is flat-sitting in a flat owned by a Joanna Rupelford and meets neighbour Sam Berryman. A romance quickly develops, but Sam is called away and Rosie is visited by two sinister strangers. When Sam returns, it is obvious that he knows them, and Rosie realises that she is far, far out of her depth. The play revolves around Rosie, who is

You have to credit Milton Musical Society’s business nous: this year they have followed up two of the dozen sure-fire certainties to put bums on seats – Fiddler and Oklahoma! – with a third, My Fair Lady, to mark their 50th anniversary. The all-but-sold-out Regent Centre on the opening night confirmed the commercial wisdom of the choice. Which is all very well, but quite irrelevant if the production itself is not of a standard to please the audience and bring them back for more. Happily, the first-night audience’s reaction suggests that this production not only reaches that standard but exceeds

I asked at the interval if there were any Pratchett fans around me to give some inside knowledge on this piece as, whilst it was looking and sounding excellent, I felt I was missing something somewhere. There are areas such as death references and the cat and of course the Discworld itself in this adaption by Stephen Briggs that are clearly there for fans of the work and such things did evoke a response from a keen audience. I have only seen the Dodger adaption some years ago, which I could relate to having just directed Oliver!, to which it

9 to 5: The Musical is based on the 1980 movie of the same name, with music and lyrics by Dolly Parton. The musical premiered in Los Angeles, prior to playing on Broadway and completing both a US and UK national tour. The plot follows three secretaries who work at ‘Consolidated’ under their smug, sexist and egotistical CEO, Franklin Hart. Deciding that enough is enough, the trio hatch a plan to get their own back and make Consolidated a better place to work. The three leading ladies are superb. Kerry Butcher (Violet) oozes confidence and command in this particular role. I

This is something very special. There were times I did not believe I was watching an amateur production, such was the quality of the piece. Loosely based around the characters and plot of Puccini’s La Bohème, the show explores many adult themes as it tells the story of a group of impoverished young artists struggling to survive and create a life in New York’s ‘s East Village. The first half explores how the characters met and who they are, the second is more a reflection of what happened next and who they become in the seasons of love that follow.