Central Reviews

Book: Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan Music: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Whittman and Marc Shaiman Director: Paul Kerryson Reviewer: Scott Matthewman The big, brash and beautiful Broadway musical Hairspray is perhaps the most sweet-natured take on a John Waters film one could possibly imagine. But while the original film’s lapses into poor taste are softened by the onstage cutesiness, there remains a ...

Conductor: Michael Seal Reviewer: Selwyn Knight One can’t help wondering if John Williams realised how big the Star Wars behemoth was to be when approached by George Lucas to score the original 1977 film. We do know that Lucas was clear in his brief that, although the film was to be a space opera, fantastic in scope, he wanted traditional ...

Writer: Dave Simpson, from the book by E Nesbit Director: Paul Jepson Reviewer: Scott Matthewman Edith Nesbit’s 1906 novel The Railway Children saw a step change in her writing of previous novels for children, most notably of the trilogy of books featuring the siblings who first appear in Five Children and It. Compared to the slight but fun magical adventures ...

Writer: Tin Robot Theatre based on the book by H G Wells Director: Adam Carver Reviewer: John Kennedy Given any successful extra-terrestrial alien invasion needs be predicated on said bug-eyed monsters having, in Wells’ words, ‘minds immeasurably superior to ours,’ it begs the question why his tripodal Martians didn’t think to have a flu-jab before trashing up Horsell Common. Wells’ fin-d’siècle apocalypse ...

Writer and Director: Debbie Isitt Songs: Nicky Ager and Debbie Isitt Reviewer: Selwyn Knight Back in 2009, an independent British Christmas film set in Coventry exploded onto cinema screens. It proved a smash hit and spawned two sequels. That film, of course, was Debbie Isitt’s Nativity! Now, eight years later, it has undergone the transition to the stage as Nativity! The ...

Book: Ken Ludwig Music: George Gershwin Lyrics: Ira Gershwin Director: Paul Hart Reviewer: Clare White Dazzling romantic comedy Crazy For You started life over 80 years ago as a musical called Crazy Girl, the last by the acclaimed song writing team the Gershwin brothers. It was reworked in the 1990s by Ken Ludwig, incorporating more of the duo’s timeless classics and ...

Writer: Laura Eason from the book by Jules Verne  Director: Theresa Heskins Reviewer: Niki Craft Around the World in 80 Days, you say? 125 characters, six countries, several trains, a few boats, eight cast members (including a very dozy Frenchman) and no actual elephant... surely impossible? With The New Vic Theatre's production on the 11th leg of its tour, hopes ...

Book: Marshall Brickman and Rick Elice Music and Lyrics: Andrew Lippa Director: Matthew White Reviewer: Maggie Constable Spooky ghouls and strange, creepy types arrive in Milton Keynes this week in the form of The Addams Family, the musical version! Starring Samantha Womack, much-loved actor and fast becoming national treasure, the show has toured to acclaim from all who see it. Wednesday Addams, the quintessential ...