Central Reviews

Writer: Kevin Fegan Director: Christopher Elmer-Gorry Reviewer: Katie Burchett Reparation Island: a place to share, to think, to repair, to rebuild. Kevin Fegan’s one-act play is performed by the ex-service men and women who make up Bravo 22 Company and is based on first-hand experiences from within the Armed Forces community in the Midlands. As the lights come up, eleven ...

Writer: Anthony McCarten Director: James Dacre Reviewer: James Garrington A world-premiere, The Pope is the latest production to come out of the Made in Northampton stable – and like many of its predecessors it is a spellbinding piece of theatre. It is based on a true story, the story of two men and what is arguably the most powerful job in ...

Composer: Guiseppe Verdi Libretto: Antonio Ghislanzoni Director: Annabel Arden Conductor: Sir Richard Armstrong Reviewer: Tim Harding It’s easy to think of Verdi’s Aida in grandiose terms: extravagant sets, large choruses of soldiers and priests, dancers, horses and chariots.  But is that what this opera is all about?  True, the Triumphal March in Act 2 traditionally contains all these elements, but there is ...

Creator: Adrian Grant Director:  Gary Lloyd Reviewer: Gemma Fincher Despite the controversy and unwanted headlines that plagued him during his life, and that haven’t abated since his premature death in 2009, the enduring strength of Michael Jackson’s musical legacy is undeniable. Still widely regarded as the undisputed King of Pop, Michael Jackson enjoyed unparalleled worldwide success and, thanks to his ...

Writers: Lala Barlow and Robbie Smith Director: Sarah Redmond Reviewer: James Garrington As the lights dim we hear, in nature documentary style, that this is a tale of two koalas venturing forth into the world. They find themselves in a strange and distant place, full of excitement for what the future holds – or, more mundanely, it’s an Australian couple ...

Writer: Thomas Otway Director: Prasanna Puwanarajah Reviewer: Gemma Fincher Political unrest, anarchy, rebellion and corruption meet futuristic ‘80’s cyberpunk in this dystopian re-imagining of Thomas Otway’s restoration thriller. First staged in 1682, this tragedy of disillusionment,unfulfilled expectations and distrust of the establishment yields eerie parallels with today’s political climate and the appetite for a change to the status quo. Set ...

Writer: Rona Munro from the book by Louis de Bernières Director: Melly Still Reviewer: James Garrington There are always huge challenges involved in adapting a well-known book for the stage. How faithful can or should it be to the original, how easily can we portray inner thoughts, how can we deal with characters ageing? With Captain Corelli’s Mandolin, the team has ...

Writer: Chris D’Arienzo Director: Nick Winston Reviewer: Hannah Powell Depicting the birth and survival of the legacy of rock culture on the famous Sunset Blvd, Rock of Ages  bursts onto the stage showing musical fans and rockers alike there is no one set way to make a musical. Featuring classic rock songs like Cum On Feel the Noize, We Built ...