Music: Terry Davies Director: Matthew Bourne Taking the novels of Patrick Hamilton as his source material, Matthew Bourne draws us into the slightly seedy, murky Soho of the 1930s. We are introduced to a cast of characters who, whilst not down and out, are certainly down on luck and looking for love. In his programme notes Bourne tells us that the play was inspired by the periods of lockdown and isolation that we all endured in 2020. It is somewhat ironic in a way, that there is no dialogue then, only the words from a few carefully chosen songs from…
Author: The Reviews Hub - East Anglia & South East
The Reviews Hub - East Anglia & South East
The South East team is under the editorship of Peter Marcus. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.
Music: Jule Styne Lyrics: Stephen Sondheim Gypsy is loosely based on the memoirs of Gypsy rose Lee, the American burlesque star and striptease artist. The main focus of the narrative is Rose, mother to Louise and June, and her efforts to achieve fame vicariously through her relentless promoting of her daughters, with June being the favoured and more talented of the two and Louise often treated almost as an afterthought. With music by Jule Styne and lyrics by Stephen Sondheim, Gypsy has been called the greatest of all musicals by several leading critics so it’s perhaps a brave choice for…
Writer (of original book): P. D. James Adaptors for stage: Duncan Abel and Rachel Wagstaff Director: Jonathan O’Boyle Reviewer: Lela Tredwell Ushering into the drawing room of the world of Jane Austen to sit apprehensively beside a whodunnit, Death Comes to Pemberley is a stage adaptation inspired by P. D. James’ crime novel sequel to Pride and Prejudice. The production showcases some great performances but ultimately leaves an audience wondering whether this union needed some more meddlesome match-making. Six years on from the excitement of the courtship between Mr Darcy (James Bye) and Elizabeth (Jamie Rose-Duke), the happy couple are…
Writer: Amy Rosenthal Director: Richard Beecham Swept up in scandal upon scandal, the Mitford sisters are once again thrust into centre stage in this exposing and fascinating new drama, The Party Girls, Amy Rosenthal’s new production in a joint venture with the Marlowe Theatre. The play is split into three time periods, all interchanging across the production. Launching in the middle of World War Two, the piece then shifts a decade earlier, and two decades later, showing how the ravages of war, and its propaganda, gradually swayed the impressionable Mitford sisters. It is a piece that reflects its time and…
Book: Joseph Stein Music: Jerry Bock Lyrics: Sheldon Harnick Director: Jordan Fein Fiddler on the Roof arrives in Norwich direct from the West End as part of its UK wide tour. The classic production, here reimagined by Jordan Fein, of course tells the story of a small Jewish village grappling with the tension between time-honoured tradition and the unstoppable forces of change. With innovative choreography by Julia Cheng and design by Tom Scutt, this sixty-year-old classic is transformed into something traditional yet modern, amusing yet deeply affecting. As the beleaguered milkman Tevye, Matthew Woodyatt brings heart and humour to the…
Director and Choreographer: Matthew Bourne Writer (inspired by): Patrick Hamilton Reviewer: Lela Tredwell From a master of non-verbal storytelling, The Midnight Bell is an evocative, stunning piece of dance theatre that will spin your heart in circles and lift it up mid prance. For those less familiar with the medium, this is a wonderful place to dive in, while veterans will enjoy the rich, multi-layered imaginings of Matthew Bourne brought to life with the expected mesmerising choreography. Tonight the Theatre Royal Brighton is packed and the air is electric. We are transported in a heartbeat to 1930s London to the…
Book, Music & Lyrics: Jim Steinman Director: Jay Scheib Musical Supervisor & Additional Arrangements: Michael Reed There is rock music aplenty, but minimal ‘roll’ in this disjointed, reworked version of Bat Out Of Hell. The production, which uses rock icon Meat Loaf’s incredible catalogue as its soundtrack, has been revamped since its initial London run, drawing on elements of its expansive arena tour to create this hybrid version of the show, with limited success. For its plot, Bat Out Of Hell lifts heavily from the Peter Pan story, though the forbidden lovers angle feels a little more Romeo and Juliet,…
Writer: Robert Bolt Director: Jonathan Church Reviewer: Lela Tredwell With superb performances, stunning costumes and tense historical drama, A Man For All Seasons is a tale of political intrigue and betrayal in Tudor England. First published in 1960, the award-winning script, originally written by Robert Bolt, is brought back to life in this beautifully realised production. Screen sensations, The Tudors, The Other Boleyn Girl, and the adaptation of Hilary Mantel’s Wolf Hall have helped keep this period of history alive and kicking. A Man For All Seasons is the story of the stand made by Sir Thomas More (Martin Shaw),…