Writer: Stephen Jeffreys Director: Michael Fentiman Reviewer: Stephen Bates We hear a great deal today about the difficulties that young people face in getting a foothold on the property ladder, which makes it easy to forget that, only 30 years ago, during the era of the Margaret Thatcher Government, home ownership was almost mandatory and the property ladder could often ...
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Book: Craig Lucas Music: Daniel Messé Lyrics: Nathan Tysen & Daniel Messé Director: Michael Fentiman Reviewer: Lauren Humphreys Amélie:The Musical is based on Jean-Pierre Jeunet’s 2001 Academy Award-winning movie about eternal altruist Amélie Poulain, whose desire to help others, through a series of simple acts of kindness, prevents her from finding love. Amélie escapes her dysfunctional childhood and unhappy home ...
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Book: Craig Lucas Music: Daniel Messé Lyrics: Nathan Tysen & Daniel Messé Director: Michael Fentiman Reviewer: Matt Forrest Back in 2001 a relatively small budget French/German co-production called Amélie, became a monster hit, garnering both commercial and critical success: it did huge numbers at the box office, was in the running during award season, but more importantly than that this ...
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Writer: David Wood Director: Michael Fentiman Reviewer: Charlie Hackett Dick King-Smith’s classic tale of “the little pig with big dreams” springs to life in this colourful and hugely charming stage adaptation. When he arrives at Hogget’s farm, Babe the pig is motherless and unsure of his new surroundings. However, he is soon adopted by Fly, the motherly sheepdog, who needs ...
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Writer: Dick King-Smith Adaptor: David Wood Director: Michael Fentiman Reviewer: Jay Nuttall After performing for an extended period over Christmas and New Year at their home in Wimbledon, Polka Theatre’s heart-warming tale of bravery embarks on a UK tour beginning at The Lowry. Beautiful design and puppetry are at the heart of this superb production about a little pig who ...
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Stage Adaptation: David Wood Based on the book by Dick King-Smith Director: Michael Fentiman Designer: Madeleine Girling Puppet Director: Matthew Forbes Composer: Barnaby Race Reviewer: Rob Atkinson Stage adaptations of popular books that have already been big screen hits can be a tricky business, particularly when, as in the case of Babe the Sheep-Pig, most of the principal characters are ...
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Writer:Mikhail Durnekov Translator:Noah Birksted-Breen Director:Michael Fentiman Reviewer: Joan Phillips The War Has Not Yet Started is a composite of 12 short stories reflecting some of the very human anxieties of today’s troubled world. Written by Mikhail Durnenkov and translated from the original Russian by Noah Birksted-Breen, this 80-minute play bleakly captures some of society’s deepest, sometimes hidden, and often ...
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Writers: Matt Crosby and Michael Fentiman Musical Director: Matt Smith Director: Michael Fentiman Reviewer: Flip Miller You know Christmas is coming with the annual trip to the Arts Theatre pantomime. This year’s offering is Robin Hood. Although not your usual pantomime you will not be disappointed. This story of Robin Hood, written by the show’s Dame Matt Crosby and the ...
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