Author: The Reviews Hub - Central

Writer: Onjali Q. Raúf Adaptor: Nick Ahad Director: Monique Touko The Boy at the Back of the Class is an award-winning novel which highlights the difficulties that refugees have faced in trying to escape their homes and find peace and settlement elsewhere. While primarily intended to be enjoyed by children, this stage adaptation by Nick Ahad helps to raise awareness of such important issues that everyone, young and old, can play a part in trying to fix. The refugee crisis has been covered in news bulletins frequently, but bringing this story to life on stage allows the audience to connect…

Writers: Andy Hamilton and Guy Jenkin Director: Derek Bond Thirty years after the demise of Globelink News – thirty years in which its former employees have been scrabbling for work – a new TV news network comes knocking. Lured by big bucks, many of the original colleagues find themselves perplexingly back in work together. We have the well-meaning but ineffective editor, George (Jeff Rawle), his increasingly frustrated deputy, Helen (Ingrid Lacey), the gloriously vapid Sally (Victoria Wicks), the slippery Damien (Stephen Tompkinson) and the deeply flawed Dave (Neil Pearson). All seems to become clear when they discover the Chief Executive…

Book, Music and Lyrics: Kait Kerrigan and Bree Lowdermilk Director: Emily Susanne Lloyd Viral internet sensation The Mad Ones has finally had its live premiere in the UK after having its first performance off-Broadway in 2017. But can it live up to the hype? Sam and Kelly were inseparable friends in high school. Kelly was the Yin to Sam’s Yang, everything that Sam wasn’t: impetuous, headstrong, daring. Together, they would drive in Kelly’s car, Kelly in the driving seat, her mantra of “maps are for the braindead” ringing in Sam’s ears. And then, just like that, Kelly is gone, a…

Writer and Director: Emma Rice If you know the French folk tale of Bluebeard, you’ll know it’s a pretty gruesome affair, with a thoroughly unpleasant central character, Bluebeard, and a succession of dead wives. A key moment is when he forbids his latest wife not to enter a certain room while placing temptation in her way. And being weak, she of course gives in to temptation unleashing consequences on herself and those close to her. Victim shaming much? And it’s not as if that were a new phenomenon even when the original tale was set. Blue Beard is Emma Rice…

Writer: Yann Martel Adaptor: Lolita Chakrabarti Director: Max Webster It is rare to find a production when everything comes together perfectly to create some moments of exquisite theatre. Life of Pi provides just such a production. Pi Patel and his family live in Pondicherry where they run a zoo. They are desperate to emigrate to Canada – and when finally their documents are approved, they set off across the Pacific on an old cargo ship accompanied by a menagerie of their animals. When they hit a storm the ship starts to sink, the animals escape from their crates and Pi…

Writer: Susan Hill Adaptor: Stephen Mallatratt Director: Robin Herford Based on the 1983 novel by Susan Hill, The Woman in Black has become a modern British classic as any GCSE Drama student can attest. Following a successful West End run over more than 30 years, the show is embarking on a national tour. With all of the conventions of the classic gothic tradition, this show will leave you suitably shocked throughout. The story follows Arthur Kipps in what is a sort of a play within a play structure. Kipps has employed an actor to help him bring his tale to…

Writer: John Ford Director: Nathalie Baźan For all the sophistication of the predominantly youthful audience tonight, with the near-instantaneous smart-phone access to every depravity and iniquity humankind can both enjoy and inflict, often simultaneously, upon their fellow man, woman, child and beast, their encounter with Giovanni and Annabella’s gratuitous incest gave rise to a palpable intake of breath. Perhaps the last of the ancient archetypal societal taboos seemingly remains firmly entrenched. Ford’s play has been roundly criticised for not presenting an unambiguous condemnation of its still shocking subject matter, though not so much the arbitrary condemnation of Putana, Annabella’s maid…

Writer: Lucy Kirkwood Director: Kirsty Patrick Ward On the face of it, it’s an ordinary kitchen. A bit dated, perhaps, but nothing really odd – though most kitchens wouldn’t have all those camping lamps about, or candles, or shelves and surfaces that are quite that cluttered. Maybe there is a feeling of something slightly strange after all. Then an apple placed on the table rolls towards the edge. There’s definitely an unsettling feeling here – and it’s a feeling that intensifies as things progress, as more details emerge. This is where Hazel and her husband Robin live, and the kitchen…