Tag Archives: Marlowe Theatre

Writer: Rona Munro Director: Patricia Benecke Reviewer: Victoria Bawtree Numerous adaptations of Mary Shelley’s iconic story exist. What Rona Munro has done in this latest realisation is to pit 19-year-old author and characters together and to allow Shelley to commentate on her horror story as it evolves. In effect, the production restores Shelley’s authority and narrative from the Hollywood movies ...

Director & Choreographer: Sir Matthew Bourne Music: Sergei Prokofiev Reviewer: Victoria Bawtree Romeo and Juliet is the New Adventures production company’s latest premiere and, as you might expect, it leaves tradition behind and reimagines the classic story in a way that leaves its audience experiencing something oddly familiar but strangely new. The luscious plum-coloured curtain that hangs at the beginning ...

Director: Kirk Jameson Choreographer: Fabian Aloise Designer: Tom Rogers Reviewer: Dan English Getting the stage musical treatment, and carting audiences off to ‘move it, move it’ for two hours of silly fun, is the hit film Madagascar, now converted into a musical and hitting Canterbury’s Marlowe Theatre as part of its UK tour. Opening night in Canterbury is particularly poignant ...

Director & Choreographer: Sir Matthew Bourne Music: Pyotr Ilyich Tchaikovsky Reviewer: Victoria Bawtree The name Matthew Bourne is synonymous with innovation in dance and despite the fact that his original production of Swan Lake is now over 20 years old, the premise still feels contemporary and unique. This is story-telling that leaves its mark and allows its audience to re-live ...

Book: Harvey Fierstein Music & Lyrics: Cyndi Lauper Director & Choreographer: Jerry Mitchell Reviewer: Victoria Bawtree After a steady stream of Jukebox musicals, Kinky Boots – albeit based on the 2005 film – feels like a breath of fresh air. Lauper’s score is original and plays with different styles, from folk to rock and from ballad to gospel, each matching ...

Director and Writer: Paul Hendy Reviewer: Dan English Pantomime is a Christmas tradition, yet almost becoming as traditional is the turkey on the table is the high quality of Canterbury’s festive offering, with the Marlowe’s production of Cinderella being no different. Boasting a cast of soap stars and Canterbury panto stalwarts, this year’s production of Cinderella delivers the high-quality pantomime ...

Creative Director: Julius Green Reviewer: Victoria Bawtree Circus meets West End in this gloriously quirky and creative show. Performers from across the world are represented here with an endless variety of traditional and contemporary skills entwined. Impressively, what might have been a simple variety show becomes a unique and unified production through careful staging and storytelling. Apart from one specific ...

Book: Douglas Day Stewart and Sharleen Cooper Cohen Director: Nikolai Foster Reviewer: Victoria Bawtree This could be a show that splits its audience: those that know and love the film will likely be won over, but for those who don’t, the near-constant stream of 80s hits may or may not be enough to keep all onside. Douglas Day Stewart’s original ...