Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Nöel Jones It may be written for an audience of 3,000 (the capacity of the Globe Theatre while The Bard was alive), but the emotional ending of Shakespeare’s Othello is even more powerful in Discarded Nut Theatre Co.’s Nutshell studio. The show’s climax, with Ashley Merjri in the title role and Lottie Burns as his wife, comes at the end of a production which, although good, feels long at almost three hours. Felix Price and Ben Lynn, as Roderigo and Iago, open the show by running up the same stairs that the audience uses to enter…
Author: The Reviews Hub - South West
The Reviews Hub - South West
The Southwest team is under the editorship of John McRoberts. The Reviews Hub was set up in 2007. Our mission is to provide the most in-depth, nationwide arts coverage online.
Writer/Director : Ed Viney Stolen Ram, is the latest offering from the same creative team who brought us Pot licker in 2025. Writer and director Ed Viney is keen to emphasise that the play can be enjoyed as a stand-alone piece, with no need to have seen the earlier production. Produced by Mark Tattersall for Dorchester Arts in association with Lighthouse Poole, Stolen Ram centres on three teachers. Zara (Monika Brodowska) who has recently been promoted to senior management and is struggling with both the added responsibilities and the shift in attitude from her colleagues. Kris (Charlie Coldfield) is a…
Writer: Jules Verne Adaptor: Ben Kernow Around the World in 80 Days is a new co-production by Into Bodmin and Ha Hum Ah theatre currently taking up residence in a quiet corner of Cardinham Woods. Ha Hum Ah is an award-winning theatre and film production company based in Cornwall. The strength of the cast hits immediately in Ben Kernow’s new adaptation of Around the World in 80 Days, we are greeted by two “gentlemen” who seem to have come straight from The Fast Show and onto our woodland stage. Over-the-top, so cringe-worthy it makes you shudder but with just the…
Adaptor for stage: Charles K. Freeman Director: Nikolai Foster Co-Director/Choreographer: Nick Winston Inspired by the 1953 Doris Day movie of the same name, Calamity Jane premiered as a stage musical back in 1961. Afficionados – of whom there are many – may well have seen both, as did your reviewer. Is this present-day adaptation up to scratch a decade from its conception? And does it cut the mustard with first-timers among the audience? A packed audience on the first night in Cardiff gave it a standing ovation (although I query whether or not the before curtain up Prologue delivered by…
Book: Julian Fellowes Original Music and Lyrics: Richard M. Sherman & Robert B. Sherman New Songs and Additional Music and Lyrics: George Stiles & Anthony Drewe Director: Richard Eyre It has been well documented that P.L. Travers, author of the original Mary Poppins stories was no huge fan of the Disney movie of her beloved character, so what would she have thought of a live action mega musical? Once describing the book as “the story of her life”, it was inspired by memories from her Australian childhood. Taking some of the extra, slightly darker leads from her novels that were…
Writer & Director: Paul Hendy Reviewer: Lela Tredwell Three outstanding performances dazzle at the heart of this positive play about comedy legends. Expect a night of nostalgic comedy and an exploration into what makes comedy men tick. In the Last Laugh, Tommy Cooper (Damian Williams), Bob Monkhouse (Simon Cartwright) and Eric Morecambe (Bob Golding) take to the stage for the performance of their lives. The jokes stack up thick and fast and there’s still time for more pensive moments to reflect on the comedy game. Lee Newby’s set provides a fittingly shabby backstage dressing room for the three comedians to…
Book: David West Read Music and Lyrics: Max Martin and Friends Director: Luke Sheppard Multi Olivier award-winning musical & Juilet has the audience enthralled from the moment it begins at the Theatre Royal Plymouth. Ensemble cast members draw in the audience with playful, improvised, interactions. The hit musical features some of the most popular songs from the last few decades, many created by genius songwriter/producer Max Martin. These well-known tunes are given new life through the plot of & Juliet, written by David West Read, and the audience is literally on its feet, dancing along, by the end of the…
Music: Marvin Hamlisch Lyrics: Edward Kleban Book: James Kirkwood Jnr & Nicholas Dante Director: Nikolai Foster The Broadway musical A Chorus Line was written back in 1975 and went on to become, in 1983, the longest-running musical in the history of Broadway. The London production premiered soon after the Broadway opening and was an immediate success. This brand-new production opened in London earlier this year and is now touring. This week it is in Cardiff and opened on Monday night before a packed audience. A few thought-provoking changes have been made in keeping with the mores of today but the…