Tag Archives: Lauryn Redding

Book:  Melvyn Bragg Music and Lyrics: Howard Goodall Director: Douglas Rintoul Reviewer: Helen Jones Writer Melvyn Bragg wrote his original novel The Hired Man in the 1960s.  He used his grandfather as the basis for the story of an ordinary working man in Cumberland towards the end of Victoria's reign.   Newly married John Tallantire and his wife Emily are at ...

Writer: Deborah McAndrew Based on: Charles Dickens Director: Mark Babych Set/Lighting: Ciaran Bagnall Costume Designer: Sian Thomas Composer: John Biddle Reviewer: Ron Simpson In the programme, Deborah McAndrew explains some of the challenges of adapting a novel for the stage. Obviously, the quantity of material is a problem, but so, too, is structure: the episodic nature of Dickens’ novels, in ...

Writer: Willy Russell Director: Sarah Punshon Reviewer: Katherine Kirwin This well-loved, well-known dramatic comedy takes place entirely within the offices of an English Literature professor, Frank, at an unnamed university as he meets with his first Open University student, Rita,  a Scouse working-class hairdresser seeking to know ‘everything’. Willy Russell’s play is known by many from the 1983 film starring ...

Writer: John Godber Director: Chris Lawson Reviewer: Iain Sykes Over thirty years after its inception in the rugby league heartland of Hull, John Godber’s comedy Up’n’Under is as sharp as ever in another hotspot of that particular sport. This Oldham Coliseum production has the unusual aspect of the Oldham audience cheering for a group of Yorkshire lads rather than the ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Paul Hart Reviewer:  Matthew Bagnall In the second of two repertory productions by Watermill Theatre, director Paul Hart has reimagined Shakespeare’s romantic comedy, Twelfth Night, with all of the farce and crossdressing to boot. The audience is greeted with familiar faces at the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre, as the same cast treat us to another inspiring and ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Paul Hart Reviewer:  Matthew Bagnall Romeo and Juliet needs little introduction: it is one of William Shakespeare’s most famous and widely acclaimed plays and has been enjoyed by millions across the globe. The classical frocks and outlandish costumes with which we might be familiar have been revolutionised in this bold and creative take on one of ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Paul Hart Reviewer: Bill Avenell Exuberant is the word that springs to mind to describe this take on Shakespeare’s comedy, Twelfth Night from The Watermill Theatre. Different is another word but not different enough to stop the Guildford faithful giving it a rousing reception at the end of the performance. Certainly not for the traditionalist but ...

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Paul Hart Reviewer: David Jobson Last year with a cast of young actors Paul Hart made his debut as the Watermill Theatre’s new artistic director with a production of Romeo + Juliet. A revival that used the tiny Watermill Theatre to its full potential in many creative ways. Now, for the theatre’s 50th anniversary, Hart continues his success ...