Writer:  John Godber Director: John Godber Designer: Graham Kirk Reviewer: Ron Simpson Gym and Tonic is a re-write of a play originally staged 15 or 25 years ago – the programme is uncertain on that point. As John Godber rightly points out, awareness of men’s mental health issues has increased since that time, in the medical profession, the press and ...

Writer: Alan Ayckbourn Director: Alan Ayckbourn Designer: Kevin Jenkins Reviewer: Ron Simpson Alan Ayckbourn is a master of tricks with time and place – and also of the joyous occasion gone wrong. In his 83rd play there are no tricks with place, except the stylish and fascinating changes of furniture in Kevin Jenkins’ ingenious set, but the four acts move ...

Writer: Alan Janes Musical Director: Dean Elliott Director: Matt Salisbury Reviewer: Mark Clegg Sixty years after his tragic and untimely death, Buddy Holly’s legacy lives on. In the space of a few short years, he created more hit records than most artists achieve in a lifetime, songs which have stuck in popular culture and the public consciousness ever since. Similarly ...

Composer: Bohuslav Martinů Director: Christopher Alden Conductor: Garry Walker Reviewer: Dawn Smallwood Martinů’s The Greek Passion, a new production, marks the opening of Opera North’s autumn season.  Based on Nikos Kazantzakis’ text, it was written over 60 years ago and its score, albeit heavily revised, made its debut in Switzerland in 1961.  However, due to the themes’ relevance, Aleš Březina’s ...

Writer: Sir Arthur Conan Doyle Adaptation: Douglas Maxwell Director: Jake Smith Reviewer: Chris Collett Last year Northern Stage’s new actor programme North produced a compelling studio production of HG Wells’ War of the Worlds, which convincingly conjured an alien invasion through simple storytelling. This year it has replicated that success with a fast-paced version of Arthur Conan Doyle’s best-known Sherlock ...

Writer: Patrick Barlow From an original concept by Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon Director: Chris Jordan Designer: Julie Godfrey Reviewer: Ron Simpson In 1995 Simon Corble and Nobby Dimon of the small-scale theatre group, North Country Theatre, came up with a unique take on the classic adventure tale, The 39 Steps.  Audiences in North Yorkshire, very often in village halls, ...

Writer: Enid Blyton Adapter: Emma Rice Director: Emma Rice Designer: Lez Brotherston Composer: Ian Ross Reviewer: Ron Simpson When Emma Rice’s production of Malory Towers for her own company Wise Children, in association with York Theatre Royal, began its tour in Bristol, it garnered ecstatic reviews from parts of the national press. If this review is in only partial agreement, ...

Writer: John Godber Director: Phil Lowe Set Design:  Graeme Skingle and Will Heyes Reviewer: Ron Simpson Harrogate Rep, back for a second year, is a smart idea and already a favourite with audiences. The same company performs three plays in three weeks, thus enabling the audience, as the programme says, “to see the same cast in different roles across the ...