Reviews

Spot on Productions’ latest show is the Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice classic, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat The show was led by the team of two narrators (Emma Harris and Erin Bright) who confidently and clearly took us through this famous Biblical story. Joseph, played by Howard Corbett, not only looked the part, but sounded the part, supported by a backing team of children from the Spot On Choir and Shakespeare Junior School. Biggest applause must go to the team of brothers, with fantastic facial expressions and great enthusiasm these lads had the singing and harmonies ‘Spot

I love the Tivoli Theatre and I am deeply grateful to those few souls who rescued it from its dire fate for the rest of us to enjoy. So I was really quite pleased to be going there to review this play. I suppose the first notable thing of the evening was the sheer size of the programme. It contains a fairly lengthy and very interesting dissertation on the history of the infamous Cambridge Spies. It is a shame that I didn’t get to read it all before the plays commenced. Perhaps if I had they wouldn’t have gone completely

In the smallest fictious European country, situated exactly midway between East and West, the daughter of the American ambassador falls deeply, desperately and passionately in love with the son of the Russian ambassador…and, despite being in the middle of political unrest and conflict, this is a love that is most definitely requited… Loosely based on Shakespeare’s classic Romeo and Juliet, this delightful play by national treasure Peter Ustinov is both a parody of the 1980s Cold War and a romantic comedy, where both families eventually realise that intercontinental enmities are no match for true love. Right from the onset, it

Have you ever wondered what went on behind closed Palace doors at Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher’s weekly meetings with the Queen?  This mischievous comedy, which cleverly mixes politics with a hilarious clash of personalities, offers an imagined version of events.  The fun is ramped-up by older versions of Mrs Thatcher and the Queen joining in with the action and often disagreeing with their former selves!  The other characters, including Denis Thatcher, Ronald Reagan, and Arthur Scargill,  are played by two “jobbing actors” who squabble over the best roles. The original 2013 production won an Olivier Award before transferring to the

King Paramount rules the monarchal south sea island of Utopia – at least, he thinks he does. At any time, the two wise men, Scaphio and Phantis (Mark Ponsford and Wesley Buckeridge), can denounce him to the Public Exploder who would succeed in his place after blowing him up with dynamite. Scaphio and Phantis use this to their advantage, encouraging Paramount to write scurrilous articles about himself in the Royal newspaper which severely hampers his attempts to woo Lady Sophy, the practically perfect English governess to his two youngest daughters. Meanwhile, Paramount’s eldest daughter, Princess Zara, arrives back from her

Adapted by Glyn Robins from the classic children’s book by C.S.Lewis, the story of The Lion, The Witch & The Wardrobe is familiar and loved by most adults and children alike, and fans of the book would not have been disappointed by the terrific performance by The Supernovas last night. Each and every one of the young people on stage should be immensely proud of themselves and ready to repeat the show at today’s matinee. The Supernovas are a group of talented young performers that meet every Thursday to eat biscuits, meet new friends and do a bit of drama.