Central Reviews

Writer and Director: Paul Nolan Reviewer: Nicole Craft 1914. Britain has declared war on Germany. In the line of volunteers willing and able to help the war effort stands James O’Neil; eager, enthusiastic, naïve. Aged 22 years and 37 days, he is man enough to fight for King and country but still too much of a boy to realise the potential ...

Writer: Anthony Horowitz Director: Karen Henson Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Anthony Horowitz originally wrote Mindgame as a novel that he later adapted as a play with runs both in the West End and Broadway. He’s a prolific writer of novels, plays, films and television series and is perhaps best known as the writer of Foyle’s War, set during and after World ...

Writer: Nick Stafford, from the book by Michael Morpurgo Directors: Marianne Elliot and Tom Morris Reviewer: Dave Smith Since it first opened at the National Theatre in 2007 – an adaptation Michael Morpurgo, the writer of the source novel, thought “they must be mad” to even attempt - War Horse has been playing somewhere in the world almost continually. In that time it ...

Writer: John Godber Director: Jeni Draper Reviewer: James Garrington John Godber wrote Up ‘N’ Under as an attempt to recreate the famous Rocky movies, set in Yorkshire and with a backdrop of Rugby League in place of boxing. It’s a classic underdog story. The Wheatsheaf Arms seven-a-side team is a bit of a joke – they don’t have seven players, ...

Reviewer: Scott Matthewman As selection criteria for picking members of a musical theatre four-piece go, having once been in Les Misérables is one of the least restrictive, thanks to the musical’s longevity, cast size, and various touring company and concert productions. However, it has given performer-producers Scott Garnham and Simon Schofield a strong brand with which to tour. After a Christmas residency ...

Writer: Matthew Spangler, from the book by Khaled Hosseini Director: Giles Croft Reviewer: John Kennedy ‘I came what I am today at the age of twelve on a frigid overcast day in the winter of 1975.’ Hassan, friend and family servant to narrator, Amir, was the best kite runner in Kabul. It was that day, through fear and cowardice Amir watched neighbourhood bully, Assef, ...

Conductor: Anthony Gabriele Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Although the Academy Awards were first awarded in 1929, the first award for a movie score wasn’t made until 1935. In 1938, the first score celebrated in this concert – that for The Adventures of Robin Hood scored by Erich Wolfgang Korngold – won. Today, therefore, we celebrate 75 years of Best Musical Scores ...

Reviewer: James Garrington Did you ever notice how many villains there are in Disney? It’s not at all surprising if you take the time to consider the origins of almost all of the Disney classics. It also explains why a cabaret evening based around “a celebration of villainy in song” would take the Disney catalogue for the vast majority of ...