Tag Archives: Philip Gladwell

Writer: William Shakespeare Director: Melly Still Reviewer: James Garrington Cymbeline is one of the less well-known of Shakespeare’s playsand is performed far less often than some of the more popular pieces. In fact, the last time it was performed at the RSC was 10 years ago – and even then it wasn’t the RSC themselves that put it on. Judging ...

Writer and Director: Pravesh Kumar Composer: Sumeet Chopra Lyricist: Dougal Irvine Reviewer: Paul Couch   In this, the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare, it is perhaps fitting that a work that inspired him has been re-imagined for a modern-day audience. Laila The Musical is cleverly bookended with modern scenes to create a contemporary frame but its core ...

Book: Mark O’Donnell and Thomas Meehan Music: Marc Shaiman Lyrics: Scott Wittman and Marc Shaiman Director: Paul Kerryson Reviewer: Dominic Corr Good morning Baltimore and good evening Edinburgh. Based on John Walter’s 1988 film of the same name, it’s Baltimore, it’s the 1960s and it’s Hairspray. Young Tracey Turnblad (Freya Sutton) decides that it’s about time she achieved her vision ...

Writers: Kander and Ebb Director: Paul Kerryson Musical Director: Ben Atkinson Reviewer: Phil Lowe In 1975 the iconic, dark and edgy, sexy musical Chicago (based on the play Chicago by Maurine Dallas Watkins) was originally named Chicago – a vaudeville revue. The original creative team of John Kander &Fred Ebb (famous for the musical Cabaret and forty years of musical ...

Music and Lyrics: Brian Mitchell and Joseph Nixon Director: Daniel Buckroyd Musical Director: Tom Kelly Reviewer: Michael Gray [Rating:3.5]   Into the dingy basement office of Fernsby Market Research bursts its MD, just off the PanAm from the US, full of new ideas and stateside jargon. This brand new musical comedy is set firmly in the 1960s, the design, the ...

Writer: Alexandr Ostrovsky, adapted by Rodney Ackland Director: Paul Hunter Reviewer: Andy Mellor [Rating: 4] There’s the definite wind of change in the air in the St Anne’s Square venue at the moment. The prominence of Sarah Frankcom in the building, along with the departure of Braham Murray, has seen a feeling of renewed energy and vigour; first-time directors, new ...

Writer: Willy Russell Director: Laurie Sansom Reviewer: Sue Dixon [rating:3.5] One for the Road is considered by some as Willy Russell’s funniest and most poignant plays. It is talented director Laurie Sansom’s last production before leaving to head up the National Theatre of Scotland and part of a run of “Comedy Gold” productions by the Royal and Derngate. And a ...

Opera: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Libretto: Lorenzo da Ponte Director: Benjamin Davis Reviewer: Barbara Michaels [Rating:5] Mozart’s final comic opera, Così Fan Tutte, is one of the most human and soul-searching of comic operas yet was originally considered immoral. In today’s climate this is hardly the case. The story, set in Naples in the late 1700s, tells how two young men, ...