Author: rosagatley

REVIEW: Clean Slate at The Pleasance

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

Whip-smart comedy about weaponised incompetence is an innovative take on a one-woman play.

It’s a tale as old as time. New relationship: could this be The One? The honeymoon phase. Moving in together. Buying your own furniture, cooking your meals together…except the fresh IKEA sets are starting to go unbuilt. Dishes in the sink. Countless “I’ll do it later”s. ‘Clean Slate’ depicts with unflinching detail a relationship burdened with the 21st century man’s greatest vice: weaponised incompetence. And you’re playing the useless boyfriend in question.

‘Clean Slate’, the brainchild of Louisa Marshall and Amber Charlie Conroy took the Edinburgh Fringe Festival by storm this August, and now it’s back for a fresh run at the Pleasance Theatre in London. This run is somehow bigger, smarter, and even more dynamic. Everything about the production rises to the occasion of this new venue. It’s slick, from designer Ali Hagan’s shiny yellow kitchen island to Marshall and Conroy’s effervescent script. At the beating heart of it all is Marshall’s prowess as a performer — instantly likeable, with boundless, frenetic energy and a comedic ease that is totally charming. The space is hers, and she’s comfortable in it; after all, she’s invited you into her flat, the least you can do is help her clean it. It’s quite a feat to improvise off a new audience each night, but her generosity as a performer has even the most reticent spectators getting involved, often to hilarious effect. It’s dynamic. Audience members are invited to flirt with her, dance with her, load a dishwasher and play a couples therapist. A lot of the humour comes from the audiences’ lack of knowledge, cleverly engineered to make us complicit in all the boyfriends’ shortcomings whilst we simultaneously roll our eyes. It’s unlike any audience participation I’ve seen before.

For as funny as it is, ‘Clean Slate’ also seethes. Marshall harnesses a glowing rage that simmers just beneath the surface for the entirety of the play, an impressive feat of self restraint. By the end, we are exhausted as she is, having witnessed the death of a relationship by a thousand cuts. We’ve been hit over the head with relationship issue plays, and indeed one-woman fringe shows for years now, but none tackle such a familiar problem in such an intelligent and thought-provoking way. As her final act, Marshall invites the audience to don rubber gloves and detergent and clean the set, then promptly leaves us to it. Her absence gapes, and you can’t help but realise you’re setting this up for this all to happen again — another boyfriend, another relationship, another unbuilt IKEA flatpack.

‘Clean Slate’ runs from the 11th to the 14th of March at the Pleasance Theatre.

REVIEW: 1.17am, or until the words run out

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Rating: 2 out of 5.

A complex exploration of grief and friendship that never quite takes off  

It’s late. Katie is sorting through her brother’s bedroom while a party she wasn’t invited to thumps upstairs. She’s interrupted by Roni, and what follows is a tense standoff between two old friends in a dead man’s room. Written by Zoe Hunter Gordon and directed by Sarah Stacey, 1.17am or until the words run out is an intimate depiction of grief and friendship that eventually packs a punch.

The production creates an immediate sense of atmosphere: a messy bedroom (thoughtfully designed by Mim Houghton), distant basslines and onstage smoking frame a fraught confrontation between two girls with a long, complicated history. Hunter Gordon’s knotty, fast-paced script demands a great deal from its actors. The challenge with these two-hander friendship dramas — particularly in an hour-long format — is establishing the bond between the characters before the argument takes over. Without that foundation, the audience is left watching a conflict they’re told is important without fully feeling its stakes.

Here, the connection never quite lands. The characters don’t feel fully fleshed out until the final stretch, when key details begin to click into place — but by then the play is ending. Much of Roni and Katie’s shared past relies on distant memories, and the moments of intimacy intended to offset the confrontation feel tentative and underdeveloped. There are pacing issues, too. The play opens at a pitch of high tension, with Katie immediately combative and Roni overly conciliatory. We sense significant history, but are still searching for our way in. After a long plateau, the action only truly accelerates in the final fifteen minutes — and then it’s over.

Actors Cathrine Ashdown (Katie) and Eileen Duffy (Roni) work hard with the material. Ashdown is particularly compelling, delivering a tense, childlike Katie perpetually on the brink of collapse. Duffy takes longer to define Roni, initially leaning on repetitive gestures and hesitations, but grows in clarity as the play progresses. In the closing moments she finds flashes of real beauty and defeat. Again, however, these revelations arrive just as the curtain falls.

This is frustrating because the play gestures toward genuinely interesting questions: what happens when the people we love turn out not to be who we believed they were? How does that reshape our memories of them? Can we ever return to earlier versions of our relationships — and should we want to? These themes feel richer than some of the surrounding material, including brief, underdeveloped references to class differences and controlling relationships. Ultimately, it’s a play with clear promise but an uncertain focus. I’d happily watch the final twenty minutes again.

REVIEW: Cow | Deer

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Totally unique, Katie Mitchell’s latest theatrical experiment is a practice in the  art of really listening. 

Somewhere in the countryside at the height of summer, perhaps not far from here, a heavily pregnant cow labours in a barn. A deer lurks anxiously in the forest. This is pretty much the only thing that happens in Katie Mitchell, Nina Segal and Melanie Wilson’s hour long “experiment”, performed by four foley artists (Pandora Colin, Tom Espiner, Tatenda Matsvai and Ruth Sullivan) using only sound to guide the story. It’s potentially a tough sell, but the piece is oddly compelling, and certainly unlike anything I’ve seen (or heard) before.

Foley, according to the programme notes, is a “technique of performing and recording sound effects that synchronise with a moving object.” It emerged during the 1920s, and is most frequently used in film to capture the more intimate noises otherwise lost during the filming process. Cow | Deer leans into the performance art aspect of the foley technique, removing the customary sound booth and confronting the audience with the foley artists live as they tell the story. At first, it’s bizarre; a bit comic. I found I completely missed the first points of ‘plot’, too taken with watching Tom Espiner stamp around in the grass with coconut shells. But as soon as water was poured from a hot water bottle onto the grass to evoke the cow urinating, I was in it. I got it. It’s like tuning in to a different language, and once you have it, it’s satisfying.

Is it enthralling? Not necessarily, but a story does start to emerge, propelled by the growing interference of humans on animal lives. It’s especially interesting to watch such intimate snapshots of the natural world created by humans — the fall of rain evoked by fingertips tapped on wet palms, for example. The scene of a calf’s birth was one of the most engaging moments of theatre I’ve seen for a while. But you have to work for it. It’s easy to get lost. We’re assured that this is natural, however: we’re only human. This is potentially what Mitchell, Segal and Wilson were going for, forcing a stimulation hungry audience to really just listen. We’re even encouraged to close our eyes, though I found this less engaging. There is real beauty in the movements of the ensemble, who became animal-like themselves at times. What we gain from this exercise in listening is access to a world unheard and overlooked.

The climate nature of this piece was slightly lost on me, and if this wasn’t pointed out to me in the programme notes I wouldn’t have thought about it otherwise. Roads have long cut through stretches of animal habitats, roaring planes disturbing the peace of the countryside a longstanding interference. Is any of this a particularly fresh commentary on the climate crisis? But I had a genuine emotional reaction to some of the scenes, which I think is a feat with such limited storytelling tools. I left the theatre feeling as though I had been immersed in a world much smaller and more detailed than my own — perhaps transported. And isn’t that all anyone can hope to feel when they go to the theatre?

REVIEW: Deaf Republic

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

A striking tale of the power of silence and collective resistance, adapted from Ilya  Kaminsky’s renown book. 

*Some Spoilers ahead*

The people of Vasenka are deaf. No longer will they hear the bombs falling on their occupied city, or the jeers of soldiers in the streets. The people of Vasenka are deaf, and they are resisting.‘Deaf Republic’ is an astounding story about collective resistance and the need to be seen amongst  oppression. Featuring puppetry, videography, aerial performance, sign language and surtitles, it is a  genuinely accessible and multimedia play that totally transcends genre and is unlike anything I have  ever seen.  

The play is an adaptation of Iliya Kaminsky’s much loved collection of poetry by the same name,  and is written and directed by Bush Moukarzel and Ben Kidd in collaboration with Zoe Mcwhinney.  The cast is a mixture of Deaf and hearing actors (though all communicate in BSL at some point),  and together they bring to life Mcwhinney’s intricate script to make a new kind of language — one,  often, of total silence. The story that follows is told through a mixture of BSL, captions and  interpretation. The linguistic currency of this production feels vast — there are layers and nuances  I’m sure I missed; in fact, the actors suggest that people that don’t understand sign language might  not fully understand everything that is conveyed (though they have kindly provided an interpreter  for us to make things truly accessible). I have never felt so captivated by scenes in a language I do  not understand. I have never felt so drawn in by a play that deals in so much silence.  

The people of Vasenka demand to be seen, and we get this sense through the use of live video  recording and the puppet show device. The audience resumes different roles throughout, seeing  through the eyes of Petya, a young boy unjustly murdered that becomes the catalyst to the story; or  addressed as the audience of Galya’s theatre. We are often asked to leave. At one point we are  scanned slowly by a drone that moves across the front of the audience, streaming its footage live  onto the screen before us. It’s voyeuristic. A lot of the action feels intangible — told behind thin  screens, or through the lens of a camera, or as rudimentary puppets. However, this is never  alienating; in fact I found myself consistently leaning in, wanting to absorb more. The effect is also  often comedic, especially earlier on, watching puppets whimsically float in and out of scenes. We  are kindly cushioned from the action, safe in our seats. But this starts to break down as the play  continues, with actors winched up into the rigging by thick ropes every time they die. They become  their own puppets. The effect is chilling.  

A production of such scope demands a lot from its actors, but as an ensemble they were  extraordinary across the board. Caoimhe Coburn Gray provides an incredible warmth to Sonya, and  Romel Belcher is a sure and steady Alphonso — our guide of sorts. Lisa Kelly shines as the play  goes on, coming into her own towards the end. Moukarzel and Kidd’s direction is strong and  inventive, and for a play that is so much about silence, Kevin Gleeson’s composition and sound  design is truly beautiful. What shines most here though is Mcwhinney’s script — economical, witty  and packing an enormous punch. It is a perfect example of how much can be said in so few words.  

Ultimately, the people of Vasenka surrender. The solider has the last word. We are gently  encouraged to consider the oppression we might be deaf to in our every day lives beyond the walls  of the theatre. “When it’s over,” says Alphonso, as his fellow cast members are slowly winched into  the air to dangle lifelessly from their strings, “we leave the theatre, and say Thank God. it didn’t happen to me. it didn’t happen to us.” But we are also reminded of why we come to the theatre in  the first place: “to try and understand each other.” To listen to each others’ stories. And it’s true, I’m  glad what happened to the people of Vasenka didn’t happen to me. But ‘Deaf Republic’ and the  understanding of the world it has given me is decidedly a story that will be with me for quite some  time.

REVIEW: Liberation

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Nyoni’s new play is a powerful ode to the activists who fought to liberate Africa

‘Liberation’, written by Ntombizodwa Nyoni and directed by Monique Touko, is a stirring piece of  new writing telling the true story of the Fifth Pan-African Congress that took place in October 1945,  in Manchester. Focussing on themes of mentorship, identity and activism, the play deftly canonises  the figures who fought to liberate Africa.  

Nyoni characterises the path to liberation as one littered with conflicting egos, stakes and  personalities. The characters are simultaneously venerated and criticised, creating a truly holistic  depiction of the event. The ensemble is, on the whole, strong: Eamonn Walker is particularly  standout as George Padmore, and Leonie Elliott fizzes with ambition and resentment as Alma La  Badie. There are also moments of unexpected but welcome humour, particularly fostered by Pamela Nomvete as Amy Ashwood-Garvey and Rudolphe Mdlongwa as Makumalo Hlubi.  

The play is certainly dense, and assumes a fair amount of prior knowledge about the Fifth Pan African Congress from its audiences. It is not handholding, or a how-to guide — it drops you  immediately in the action from the first minute, with little exposition or world building. But in a play that is so wordy, this pace is welcome. Touko’s direction shone in this aspect, creating a real  sense of pace and rhythm that kept the script from feeling stagnant.  

In my opinion, this play is just what the Royal Exchange needs. The real life Congress took place just a few miles away in a town hall in Chorlton-on-Medlock, and it felt incredibly pertinent therefore that the play debuted at one of Manchester’s leading theatres, as part of the Manchester International Festival. The in the round nature of the theatre lends itself perfectly to the set up of the  conference, with the audience being able to see each other to create a communal viewing effect. Though the auditorium was packed, the experience felt intimate and intense, like we were at the  conference ourselves. Paul Wills’ simple but effective set design also contributes well to this, with  parquet flooring arranged into octagons evoking the Mancunian worker bee symbols.  

Overall, ‘Liberation’ confronts Manchester with a key piece of history of which perhaps many of its  residents were previously unaware. Nyoni covers the event with nuance and care, breathing much needed life into characters otherwise mired in history, in all their complexities.

REVIEW: North by Northwest

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A visually inventive experience that pays homage to Hitchcock’s original work whilst carving its own unique identity

Alfred Hitchcock’s 1959 cinematic masterpiece North by Northwest is no easy feat to adapt for stage. Known for its sharp dialogue, iconic set-pieces, and inimitable shots, it demands ingenuity and confidence to reimagine it in a theatre. Yet this production at the Everyman and Playhouse, directed by Emma Rice, rises admirably to the challenge, leaning into theatricality, playfulness, and a warm dash of camp to deliver an entertaining, tightly choreographed homage. 

From the outset, the stage design captivates with a long row of suitcases and suits, ingeniously utilised throughout the play to demonstrate the places and people we meet along the journey. Elegant wooden structures resembling revolving doors are adorned with bottles of various coloured elixirs and martini glasses, evoking the ambiance of a vintage bar. At centre stage, a spotlighted suitcase emblazoned with “North by Northwest” sets the tone, while the subtle use of a smoke machine immerses the audience in a nostalgic atmosphere. 

The performance opens with a choreographed sequence featuring six dancing spies, establishing a central motif that recurs throughout the production. This lively introduction immediately engages the audience, signaling the show’s playful and dynamic approach. 

Serving as both guide and performer, Katy Owen shines in the role of the Proffesor. Her engaging presence and witty commentary, including the apt warning, “You’re going to have to be on the ball if you want to keep up with this roller-coaster,” effectively bridge the audience and the unfolding narrative. Owen’s ability to break the fourth wall invites viewers into the play’s campy and theatrical world, enhancing the overall experience. 

Ewan Wardrop delivers a compelling performance as Roger Thornhill, capturing the essence of the character without resorting to mimicry of Cary Grant’s iconic portrayal. His interpretation brings a fresh perspective, grounding the production with a consistent and relatable presence. While Wardrop focuses solely on Thornhill, the rest of the ensemble, including Mirabelle Gremaud (Anna), Patrycja Kujawska (Eva Kendall), Simon Oskarsson (Valerian), and Karl Queensborough (Philip Vandamm), adeptly navigate multiple roles, showcasing their versatility and contributing to the play’s dynamic energy. 

Simon Oskarsson’s performance as Valerian is particularly striking for its physicality and flair. He shines brightest in his expressive dance and lip-syncing sequences, which add both a flamboyance and depth to the character. These moments burst with charisma and polish, showcasing his control over gesture and rhythm in a way that feels both deliberate and effortlessly entertaining. That said, in scenes shared with Mirabelle Gremaud’s Anna the connection at times falters. Whether due to slight timing issues or a lack of emotional tension, there are instances where their onstage chemistry feels just out of step, lacking the spark or unity needed to make their dynamic fully convincing as the duo they are meant to be. 

The true star of the production is the innovative set design by Rob Howell. The creative use of props, especially the versatile broadsheet newspaper, demonstrates the production’s ingenuity in transforming simple items into multifaceted elements of storytelling. This imaginative approach underscores the play’s commitment to theatricality over cinematic replication.

While the conclusion feels somewhat half baked, it does not detract from the overall enjoyment of the performance. The adaptation embraces the strengths of live theatre, offering a fast-paced, humorous, and visually inventive experience that pays homage to Hitchcock’s original work while carving its own unique identity. 

You can catch this production of North by Northwest on its current tour at:

Liverpool Playhouse between 20th – 24th May 

Theatre Royal Bath between 27th – 31st May 

Everyman Theatre – Cheltenham between 3rd – 7th June 

Alexandra Palace Theatre between 11th – 22nd June

REVIEW: Escaped Alone/What If If Only

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Rating: 3 out of 5.

A pertinent Caryl Churchill double bill struggles to truly take off.  

Caryl Churchill has been a playwright of our times for as long as she has been writing, consistently holding up a mirror to society in mesmerising and often terrifying ways. ‘Escaped Alone’ and ‘What If If Only’, double billed by the Royal Exchange Theatre and directed by Sarah Frankcom are  certainly no exception — in the programme notes, Maureen Beattie who plays Mrs Jarrett in  ‘Escaped Alone’ aptly puts it that Churchill “looks the beast in the eye” with her writing, refusing to  turn away from the horrors that continue to plague the world. But despite this, Frankcom’s  production lacked the sucker punch the writing promises, stunting a piece that could otherwise soar.  

The production is paired back and concise, running at only fifty five minutes for ‘Escaped Alone’  and just shy of half an hour for ‘What If If Only’. Rose Revitt’s deft design follows suit, with the  former play featuring just four chairs on a small strip of astroturf, which later lifts up to reveal the cluttered apartment setting for ‘What If If Only’. Both pieces simmer with tension and atmosphere,  despite their short runtime. ‘Escaped Alone’ contrasts a meandering conversation between four  women in their 70s with horrific visions of an apocalyptic present that seems to hover in the  background, scored menacingly by Nicola T. Chang. ‘What If If Only’ features Someone (Danielle  Henry) in the wake of the death of her partner, conjuring what could have happened differently and  what might still happen in the future. Both are incredibly pertinent plays, but I didn’t walk away  feeling particularly affected.  

Ultimately, I felt that the production failed to really reach out. Something that makes Churchill’s  writing so extraordinary is her ability to convey intricate messages via much wider, seemingly unrelated metaphors, like the hat making in ‘Far Away’. She is in equal measures sardonic and  earnest. But something about this production felt exclusive and closed off, like it was catering to “theatre people” or those who really “get” Caryl Churchill’s work. The blocking for ‘Escaped  Alone’ especially was incredibly insular, mostly just four women sat in lawn chairs who occasionally and pointedly switched positions every so often so that the audience could get a look at  everyone’s faces equally in the round. It rippled with tension, largely due to stellar acting from  Annette Badland as Vi/Future and Maureen Beattie as Mrs Jarrett especially, but it all felt behind  some sort of intellectual veil. If you get it, you get it, if you don’t, you don’t. There was bizarrely  raucous laughter from the audience at random points as if to prove this. ‘What If If Only’ handled this marginally better, with a more graspable concept. The edition of the Royal Exchange’s own elders company as possible futures waiting to happen was particularly effective.  

Ultimately, Churchill’s writing still shines, punctuated with fantastic performances. But if the point of the production is to speak to the times we live in now, it would have been more effective to invite the whole audience along with it. 

REVIEW:Calamity Jane

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

Carrie Hope Fletcher shines in energetic revival of 1961 musical.

I’ll admit that I was largely unfamiliar with Fein, Park and Hanmer’s musical, which follows the misadventures of gun-slinging Calamity Jane in Deadwood City. So I was pleasantly surprised to discover that Nikolai Foster and Nick Winston’s production is a bright and upbeat revival of the original musical, anchored by a stellar ensemble and the ever-impressive Carrie Hope Fletcher.


It is certainly a visual spectacle. Rarely seeing just one person onstage at a time, Matthew Wright’s set is most often populated with ensemble members playing a variety of instruments. The live music aspect is certainly impressive, and helps to lift a somewhat dated score into something exciting and tangible. The ensemble shine under Nikolai Foster and Nick Winston’s direction, really holding this production together. They are slick and seamless, switching between playing instruments, hoe- down dancing and creating the community of Deadwood. Their dexterity helps move the story along effortlessly. Despite its general lack of plot, this movement makes sure that this production never drags, which it definitely has the potential to.


However, the true jewel of this production is undoubtedly Carrie Hope Fletcher as Calamity Jane, demonstrating her true versatility as a performer in a role unlike those she has played previously. She provides a nuanced performance with both humour and tenderness, portraying Calamity’s gusto and vulnerability in equal measure. Her vocal abilities are incomparable, shining particularly in ‘Secret Love’, and she has easy chemistry with Vinny Coyle as Wild Bill Hickok.


Though snappy and upbeat, the production does struggle to free itself from the dated elements of the original show. Whilst Fletcher’s portrayal of Calamity Jane provides nuance, and it’s clear that there has been some thought about the handling of gender politics within the plot, it feels as though the production doesn’t quite get there. A couple of jokes don’t really stand the test of time, and I found it difficult to connect to as a woman in my twenties. But the packed-out audience (of people largely older than me, I must admit) was very responsive and seemed to have a great time throughout, so perhaps a sense of nostalgia is the key to this performance’s real heart.


Ultimately, Calamity Jane is harmless fun — it’s bright, upbeat and farcical, and it’s difficult not to be swept along by the impressive performances across the cast. Don’t expect anything particularly thought-provoking, but perhaps not all theatre needs to do this — it’s a great time either way.

REVIEW: Come From Away

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Rating: 5 out of 5.

“A life-affirming musical about the importance of community.”

Somehow ‘Come From Away’ has managed to evade me since it opened on Broadway in 2017, despite me being a massive musical theatre fan. Hearing only positive things from others who had seen it, I was thrilled to be reviewing the show for its Manchester debut at the Lowry Lyric theatre.

I am pleased to say that it exceeded every one of my expectations. Set in the wake of the events of 9/11, ‘Come From Away’ tells the story of the remote Canadian island of Gander, and the community that banded together to welcome thirty eight grounded planes after the closing of the American airspace — around 7000 people from around the world. It is a vital exploration of community spirit and kindness; the idea that everyone has a story, and what a tragedy it is when those stories are cut short. It’s the ultimate Christmas show you didn’t know you needed.

What is most impressive writers about Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s production is its ensemble cast, portraying both the grounded ‘plane people’ and the Gander residents. At times it felt as though there were at least thirty actors onstage, where in reality there were only twelve, working together seamlessly throughout. It is simultaneously casual and slick, with the cast driving the story forward from the minute the lights go down. There is no wasted time. You forget that you’re watching a musical, and the preconceptions that comes alongside that are pushed aside. Instead, it’s a story told with music, where the music is vital and interwoven — there is little time for applause after numbers. This is truly an ensemble piece, reflecting the theme of community of the show, with each character brought to life with the utmost care and respect.

Amanda Henderson is a warm and energetic Beulah, whilst Daniel Crowder and Kirsty Hoiles portray the awkward and immediately loveable Nick and Diane. Sara Poyzer gives a fantastic rendition of ‘Me And The Sky’. But really every cast member has their moment, each inviting you to invest in the story a little bit more. The cast are just as welcoming as the residents of Gander were to the ‘plane people’ over 23 years ago. Strikingly, the actual events of 9/11 are sidelined, perhaps reflecting the lack of information many people had without phones in 2001, but also placing emphasis on the millions of stories that occurred around it. The timeline of the tragedy as we all know it lingers menacingly in the background, a sobering reminder that what we are seeing is all based on reality. But alongside it we are offered stories of warmth and survival, and these were real too. There are still beginnings amongst thousands of endings — the sparks of a new relationship, or a rare bonobo chimpanzee having a baby. These are the glimpses of hope we must remember when the world feels a continuously dark and overwhelming place.

‘Come From Away’ is perhaps the warmest thing I have seen this year. Instantly loveable, with a crucial message to share, it is a vital piece of theatre that needs to be seen. In the words of Claude Elliott, real life Mayor of Gander in 2001brought onstage at the end alongside other original Gander residents and plane people — “Come and see this show to see what love and kindness can do.”

REVIEW: Cracking Elgar’s Enigma Code

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Rating: 4 out of 5.

A striking rendition of Elgar’s ‘Enigma Variations’ from a world class orchestra. 

My visit to the Bridgewater Hall last night marked an evening of firsts — my first time seeing the  BBC Philharmonic perform live, my first time seeing the music of Elgar (one of my favourite  composers), performed live, and indeed, my first visit to the iconic Bridgewater Hall itself. I wasn’t entirely sure what to expect, so I was easily blown away by the orchestra’s tenacity and vibrancy,  tackling a diverse programme with ease.  

From what I understand, ‘Cracking Elgar’s Enigma Code’ was an evening of tributes — the  ‘Enigma Variations’ themselves are all tributes to Elgar’s “friends pictured within”, including his  wife, Alice, and Elgar himself. The first piece, ‘Swansong’ by Arvo Pärt, creates a tribute to the 19th  century priest John Henry Newman. It is a serene and reflective piece of music, contrasting the  heavier themes yet to come on the programme. Following this was the world premiere of ‘Anima  Mia’ by Geoffrey Gordon — itself a tribute to and inspired by the work of H.R Giger (best known for his work on the film ‘Alien’.) This featured soloist Roberto Giaccaglia, the Philharmonic’s own  principal bassoonist. This music was definitely harder for me to engage with than the rest of the programme, but intensely atmospheric and dark. What was particularly striking about the piece was Giaccaglia’s command of the bassoon — I’d never seen a bassoon soloist before, and he took the  stage with remarkable presence, working well with conductor John Storgårds. He even threw in a short piece at the end of the symphony that he himself had composed, ‘Nuvole’ (clouds). This  seemingly impulsive moment, encouraged by Storgårds, spoke to the confidence and ease with which Giaccaglia takes space within the orchestra, and was again fascinating to see some solo  bassoon work.  

After the interval came baritone Roderick William’s rendition of six monologues from ‘Everyman’,  a song cycle by Frank Martin based on Hugo Von Hofmannsthal’s 1911 ‘Jedermann.’ Again, I had  to work hard to engage fully with this section, as opera isn’t entirely my thing, but Williams is a  stunning baritone, and brought a vivacity to the story. By far the highlight of the evening were the  ‘Enigma Variations’ themselves. It felt freeing to see the orchestra finally released, deftly navigating  this renown piece with boundless energy and exuberance. ‘Nimrod’, one of my all time favourite  pieces of music, was extraordinary — deeply moving, to the extend that it encouraged a smattering  of applause between movements. It was a real privilege to see the ‘Variations live’, performed by  such an adept orchestra.  

Ultimately, ‘Cracking Elgar’s Enigma Code’ is a stirring evening of tribute music, featuring a varied  programme performed by a truly world class orchestra. The two hours concert duration seemed to fly by, and I have been listening to the ‘Enigma Variations’ ever since.