South West

Music and Lyrics: Dolly Parton Based on the book by Patricia Resnick Screenplay: Patricia Resnick and Colin Higgins Director: Jeff Calhoun Reviewer: Barbara Michaels Back on stage again after 11 years, 9 to 5 The Musical  is just as much fun as ever, albeit without its illustrious creator, although she does put in a brief appearance through a couple of video ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Designer: Jean Chan Director: Elizabeth Freestone Reviewer: Julia Beasley Truth, lies and love are the eternal themes of Shakespeare’s witty comedy. How far can people be manipulated by misinformation? Can anyone ever be taken at their word? When can you trust someone enough to fall in love with them? Shakespeare at the Tobacco Factory’s take on this ...

Writer: Chris Thorpe Director: Rachel Chavkin Reviewer: James McColl If you believe you’re a citizen of the world, you’re a citizen of nowhere. This Theresa May quote looms over Chris Thorpe’s latest show, Status. It’s the first thing we see projected against the impressive video backdrop, designed by Andrzej Goulding, and Thorpe later admits that as much as he wishes ...

Opera: Giuseppe Verdi Libretto: Francesco Maria Piave Director: James Macdonald Revival director: Caroline Chaney Reviewer: Barbara Michaels Set in the White House during the Kennedy era, James Macdonald’s revival of Verdi’s Rigoletto was first staged by Welsh National Opera seventeen years ago.  There have been a few adjustments since, and, given our present political state, the production keeps pace with ...

Composer: Georges Bizet Libretto: Henri Melham and Ludovic Haley Director: Jo Davies Reviewer: Barbara Michaels A new production of Bizet’s iconic operatic sizzler Carmen rightly arouses much interest. The wonderful music is a given, with much of it familiar even to non-opera goers. So – like the emperor’s new clothes – the question must be: What does it bring to ...

Writer: Rachel Wagstaff and Duncan Abel (based on the novel by Paula Hawkins) Director: Anthony Banks Reviewer: Joan Phillips When The Girl on the Train was first published in 2015 it caused a publishing phenomenon on both sides of the Atlantic for author Paula Hawkins. It was quickly snapped up for adaptation on the big screen and became a hugely ...

Writer: John Osborne Director: Sean O’Connor Reviewer: Kelyn Luther This production of The Entertainer, John Osborne’s play about Archie Rice, a faded vaudevillian dodging the taxman and dodging the reality of his son fighting in Suez, is the first to update the play’s setting. Director Sean O’Connor has set the play in 1982, during the Falklands war. Rather than Archie ...

Director: Thea Sharrock Choreographer: Karen Bruce Reviewer: Helen Tope A hit film with a killer soundtrack, The Bodyguard tells the story of superstar Rachel Marron. After receiving threatening letters from a stalker, Marron’s management hires the best protection in the business. Frank Farmer is a former Secret Service agent. Not impressed by Marron’s diva attitude, the new bodyguard tries to ...