Book: Debbie Isitt Music and Lyrics: Mike Stock, Matt Aitken and Pete Waterman Director: Debbie Isitt I Should Be So Lucky is sashaying around the UK on its first tour. As the name suggests, it features the back catalogue of Stock Aitken Waterman made famous by some of the biggest pop stars of the 1980s and 90s including Kylie Minogue, Jason Donovan, and Rick Astley. Tom Rogers has leaned into the cheesy escapism of the musical catalogue in his choice of set design. From the golden sparkly portals to the receding love hearts covered in shimmering gold and adorned with…
Author: The Reviews Hub - Central
The Reviews Hub - Central
The Central team is under the editorship of Selwyn Knight. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.
Book: Ivan Menchell Music: Frank Wildhorn Lyrics: Don Black Director: Nick Winston It’s the Great Depression in America and life is hard for folks living in Texas as farms are repossessed and money is scarce. Who can blame the youngsters for craving excitement? Bonnie Parker certainly does – she dreams of a life as a famous movie star, writer and poet with her picture on the front of magazines – just like Clara Bow. Quite separately, Clyde Barrow has a somewhat idealised picture of the lives of the Public Enemies of the time, whose lifestyles seem unutterably glamorous. Then fate…
Book: Ed Curtis Music and Lyrics: The Drifters Director: Jonathan Church Of all the pop music of the late 60s, none more joyfully captures the new vision of racial harmony generated by the US civil rights movement than that of The Drifters. Their music is a carefree celebration of the simple things in life, which young black people had been unable to enjoy in earlier decades: going to the movies, sitting wherever they wanted to sit, making out on beaches, lying on the roof looking at the stars; in short, just enjoying the novelty of free time. Their iconic album…
Writer: Mark Ravenhill Director: Erica Whyman On paper, the idea of Mark Ravenhill writing a play about Benjamin Britten composing an opera seems an unlikely combination. But in reality, it works perfectly, delivering an uplifting and beautiful piece of work that has so much to say about the creative process and the toll it takes on the human spirit. Ben and Imo charts the creation of the opera Gloriana as Benjamin Britten is forced to compose to a tight deadline and works with Imogen Holst (daughter of Gustav Holst, and a talented musician/composer in her own right) to complete the…
Inspired by: Mary Shelley Creators: Pete Brooks, Andrew Quick and Simon Wainwright Imitating the Dog has been hooked on horror for several years. Its Night of the Living Dead – Remix (2020) was an action-packed ode to cooperation, choreography and cinematography. Last year’s Macbeth again used experimental video techniques and attacked Shakespeare’s text like an XL Bully with a rag doll. Imitating the Dog indeed. In true canine style, it investigates texts with innocence and fascination, then tears them to shreds with joy. But unlike a dog, the attack results in something new, imaginative and wondrous to behold. And with Frankenstein,…
Book: Rehana Lew Mirza and Mike Lew Music and Lyrics: Sam Willmott Director: Stafford Arima The Birmingham Rep opens its 2024 season with a brand new, international, musical co-production. Bhangra Nation is a heart-warming tale of self-discovery set to the undeniably spirited beat of Bhangra. Audiences are bound to be shoulder-bopping in their seats and grooving to the rhythm of the dhol (a very cool double-headed drum). Bhangra Nation is an exciting, upbeat new musical telling the story of American university students on their journey to get to the National Bhangra Competition in Chicago, Bhangra Nation. East Lansing University (of…
Book: Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen Director: Nikolai Foster There seems to be an increasing temptation among theatre producers to take a classic movie that did well at the box office, add in some songs if you need to, and put it on the stage. Sometimes it works very well, other times less so. Here we have an example – An Officer and a Gentleman the Musical which first appeared in 2018 to mixed reviews and has been revived for a UK tour. For those unfamiliar with the film – it is over forty years old now –…
Conductor: Bertie Baigent A first-time visitor to the Birmingham Symphony Hall will be easily struck by the immensity and grandeur of the concert venue. This fantastically beautiful building may seem imposing, but with hundreds of children present it becomes a very lively, exciting, warm place. The City of Birmingham Symphony Orchestra presents a refreshingly relaxed and interactive event with its Family Concert: The Young Person’s Guide to the Orchestra. Using Benjamin Britten’s piece of music of the same name as a structure, the orchestra introduces each section of instruments and encourages the audience to interact and respond. This fun family…