Book: Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan Music: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman Director: Lee Proud There’s something special about outdoor theatre – even on a damp and slightly chilly July evening. Not that the rain matters much if you’re visiting the recently renamed Celia Mackay Theatre at Kilworth House, because both the auditorium and stage are covered by large sails, protecting both cast and audience from the elements so you find the sort of sets and technical facilities that you’d normally expect to see indoors, with the atmosphere that only an outdoor venue can provide. What better…
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.
Music and Lyrics: Take That Writer: Tim Firth Directors: Tim Firth and Stacey Haynes The modern landscape of musical theatre is littered with jukebox musicals. Greatest Days offers up the back catalogue of 90s boyband Take That as the soundtrack to its story. While very much rooted in the trend of retrospectively fitting a collection of songs to an arbitrary story, there has for this show been a concerted effort to ensure that the story and not the music is at the heart of the production. The narrative centres around Rachel across two timelines. Kym Marsh takes the role of…
Writer: Samuel Beckett Director: Caitríona McLaughlin William McEvoy recounts that Beckett wrote to Alan Schneider, directing the 1961 Happy Days production in New York, advising – ‘It’s a much more difficult job I’ve given you here than any so far – all poised on a razor-edge and no breathers anywhere.’ Nice one Sam, anything to help. Siobhán McSweeney as Winnie, and director, Caitríona McLaughlin, ever aware of that iconic Jane Brown’s 1976 photo-portrait of Beckett; his tectonic-plate furrowed brows and hawk roosting, piercing gaze enough to keep any creatives on their talons, certainly do the trick for this evening’s stunning…
Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Omar Elerian There is much to commend this refreshing take on As You Like It. It is certainly unlike any production of Shakespeare’s sylvan comedy audiences will have encountered before and, in an age where there is almost nothing new under the sun, that is certainly to be welcomed. The premise of this production is that a troupe of actors who performed the play in 1978 have gathered together in a rehearsal room to recreate that production without props, costumes and those cast members who are no longer available. To help fill the gaps, four actors at…
Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Sean Turner Shakespeare wrote that the course of true love never did run smooth. Well, the same could be said for the annual Stafford Shakespeare Festival. Following two years of Covid-inflicted cancellations, then just one year back at its usual home of Stafford Castle, this year financial constraints have forced a move indoors to the Gatehouse Theatre – and it has to be said that the venue and the company have pulled out all the stops to make it a special event. The front of house areas are bedecked with greenery and illuminated trees. A musician…
Writer: Neil Gaiman Adaptor: Joel Horwood Director: Katy Rudd Based upon Neil Gaiman’s fantastical novel, and a successful run at the National Theatre, The Ocean At The End Of The Lane is out on tour. Thank goodness, as this magical adventure is truly one of those once in a generation theatrical moments that all audiences need to see. It is a tale of life and death and everything around the edges. The narrative centres around an unnamed protagonist who returns to his childhood home following the death of his father. Whilst there, he has a chance meeting with the grandmother…
Book: Kyle Jarrow Director: Tara Overfield Wilkinson There’s a lot of moody, dark, topical theatre in the world at the moment. We all sometimes need to look at tragedy onstage to feel separated from the events of real life. Tackling themes like xenophobia, corruption, and corporate greed are not easy tasks. The SpongeBob Musical acts on these themes while also being light-hearted, silly, and ticking all the boxes of a classic musical. The storyline of this show is more dramatic than SpongeBob fans may be expecting: Bikini Bottom is in danger from a volcanic explosion that will destroy the entire…
Writer: Peter James Adaptor: Shaun McKenna Director: Jonathan O’Boyle Detective Chief Inspector Roy Grace has every reason to feel pleased with himself. He’s on honeymoon with new wife Cleo – with friends Kaitlynn and Jack to help look after baby Noah and give Roy and Cleo some private time. They’re booked into the Château-sur-L’Évêque, a quaint French chambre d’hote – imagine an upmarket Airbnb where you stay as (paying) guests of the owners – and his trusty lieutenant, Glenn, is about to pounce and arrest the new leader of the Esmond criminal gang. On arrival – several hours late thanks…