REVIEW: ENO’s The Marriage of Figaro
Reading Time: 2 minutesJoe Hill-Gibbons’s production of the Marriage of Figaro suffered like so many theatre productions at the hands of the pandemic, managing one opening night before sadly having to shut.
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REVIEW: The Pirates of Penzance
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe performance of The Pirates of Penzance at the London Coliseum effectively showcased Gilbert and Sullivan's humor by prioritizing music and scripting over complex design. With a focus on vibrant yet simplistic scenery, the cast, including talented members from the Harewood Artist scheme, delivered an enjoyable and playful rendition, highlighting their skills and connection with the conductor.
REVIEW: Aurora Orchestra: The Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse
Reading Time: 3 minutesThe Wolf, the Duck and the Mouse is a sweet, slightly quirky children’s story about a mouse and a duck that live in a wolf’s stomach. The story by Mac Barnett and the wonderful illustrator Jon Klassen is brought to stage by the Aurora orchestra and composer Martin Suckling.
REVIEW: Jamie Allen’s Amaze
Reading Time: 2 minutesWith the stage set up as his attic room above the pub that his parents owned when he was a child, Jamie Allen packed away bits and pieces into boxes, reminiscing on how magic came into his life. It all started with the fisher price magic box and went on to involve all sorts of other books and toys. The first trick involved a Rubik’s cube, playing into the 80s theme and brought surprise and delight to all. Whilst Jamie Allen is a pleasant to watch, I felt this first trick could have had more excitement built up around it, to really entice the audience into the show. It was impressive to see, but I felt there could have been more done with music and staging to make it more shocking as magic is expected to be.
REVIEW: The Turn of The Screw
Reading Time: 2 minutesTraditional opera, which the English National Opera excels at, can be difficult to engage with, so it is great to see performances like this one of Benjamin Britten’s Turn of the Screw.
REVIEW: Prom 65: Choral Day – Handel’s Messiah
Reading Time: 2 minutesThe Messiah has been described as one of the world’s favourite oratorios, and it was clear from the atmosphere created at BBC Prom 65 in the Royal Albert Hall why this is the case. Having never been to the Proms, I partially expected an ostentatious event, but the thing that really struck me was the work that has been put in to make the music and the event accessible to all.
REVIEW: An Incredibly Scary Object
Reading Time: 2 minutesAn Incredibly Scary Object is an enjoyable show, which manages to be light-hearted and thought provoking at the same time.
REVIEW: ShakeItUp: The Improvised Shakespeare Show
Reading Time: 3 minutesShakeItUp: The Improvised Shakespeare Show put on a masterful performance of raucous laugh out loud fun. With improvised comedy being a tough nut to crack, and even harder combined with the language and tropes of Shakespeare, the ShakeItUp cast had taken on a hard task. However, they absolutely rose to it, bringing the whole audience along a journey of fun and frivolity.
REVIEW: Medea Gosperia
Reading Time: 3 minutesThere is nothing better than a Greek tragedy to stir up the emotions and this adaptation certainly did that! The retelling of Medea Gosperia in a contemporary musical brought out Medea’s sass, Jason’s misogyny and the painful tragic moments befitting of a Greek tragedy. The story was well told, and I really felt the hardship that Medea was going through. The moment where Medea came out in a colourful change of costume after the interval was a flourishing moment for the woman who had been so badly betrayed. And by the time we got to the end, half of the cast were covered in fake blood, which is the definition of a good Greek tragedy!
REVIEW: No Love Songs
Reading Time: 2 minutesIt is difficult to tackle subjects such as post-natal depression in theatre and I applaud Tashi Gore and Andrew Panton for tackling the challenge. The show was based on the music of Kyle Falconer, using lyrics to portray the turbulent relationship of Jessie and Lana played by John McLarnon and Anna Russell-Martin.