Central Reviews

Book: Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice Music: Bob Gaudio Lyrics: Bob Crewe Director: Des McAnuff Reviewer: Clare White Four young men, four stories and one incredible musical legacy. Award-winning musical Jersey Boys tells the story of 1960s supergroup The Four Seasons, from their humble beginnings on the tough streets of New Jersey to the band’s induction into the Rock and ...

Book: Terence McNally Music and Lyrics: David Yazbek Director: Adam Lacey Reviewer: Selwyn Knight It’s hard to believe that it’s over 20 years since the film, The Full Monty, burst onto cinema screens, telling the story of a group of Sheffield steelworkers made redundant from the only living they’d ever known. In 2000, the action was moved to Buffalo, NY for ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Fiona Laird Reviewer: James Garrington If you’re hoping to see how Shakespeare can be brought up to date, then look no further than this fun-packed production of The Merry Wives of Windsor. There is little doubt that Shakespeare designed many of his plays to be crowd-pleasers, aimed at entertaining and engaging with the general public of the ...

Book: Kevin Del Aguila Music and Lyrics: Geoge Noriega and Joel Someillan Director: Kirk Jameson Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Marty the zebra and his friends have it pretty good in Central Park Zoo. But on Marty’s tenth birthday a mid-life crisis has hit him. After talking to a commando unit of penguins who are plotting their escape to Antarctica, he hankers after the wild, albeit ...

Book: Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen Director: Nikolai Foster Reviewer: James Garrington Many movies have iconic moments, moments that linger in the memory long after the rest of the film is fading. An Officer and a Gentleman has one such moment – it may be over 35 years ago, but a lot of people will remember the final scene, ...

Writer: Amanda Whittington Directors: Jason Capewell and Alasdair Harvey Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Four disparate and apparently breezy ladies escape their humdrum lives in a fish packing company for a day, celebrating Pearl’s retirement by having a day at the races. During their day away, we find each has hidden depths as secrets are revealed. For each, the day is a turning ...

Writer: Jennifer Farmer (City Final),   Directors: Leon Phillips, Naomi Wood, Paul O’Donnell, Reena Jaisiah, Claire Proctor, Natalie Russo (City Final), Oliver Scott (Retold) Choreographer: Olver Scott (Retold) Reviewer: Selwyn Knight The 1950s was a big decade in Coventry’s history. Much of the city, including its historic St Michael’s Cathedral, most of its industrial capacity and over 4000 homes, was flattened in ...

Book: Dennis Kelly, from the book by Roald Dahl Music and Lyrics: Tim Minchin Director: Matthew Warchus Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Matilda Wormwood is a precocious, intelligent, imaginative and resilient girl with a strong sense of what is right.  By the age of five, she has taught herself the three Rs and has read many of the classics. Yet in a world where ...