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Book: Alain Boubil & Claude-Michel Schonberg Music: Claude-Michel Schonberg Lyrics: Alain Boubil, Stephen Clark, Herbert Kretzmer & Declan Dommellan Musical Arrangements by: Sarah Travis Director: Craig Revel Horwood Reviewer: Jim Nicholson If you did not see the original 1996 version of Martin Guerre, which won the Olivier for Best Musical, or its reinvention as a full scale touring production a couple of years later then you may well leave the Watermill Theatre believing that, in this Boubil/Schonberg offering, you have just witnessed one of the best staged musicals in a small theatre in recent years. But for us devotees who were regular visitors to the Prince Edward Theatre back in 96, or followed the show “on the road”, there is a major challenge of accepting this production for what it is, in terms of a scaled down actor musician version, whilst not getting bogged down in trying to compare every performer, every song, every dance routine with the enormity of its West End original. So, initially at least, trying to avoid those comparisons I can happily confirm that it will be almost impossible for any “punter” to leave the Watermill without being enthralled by the impact of the story, the haunting melodies, the clever lighting and use of props and the excellent staging of those “boot thumping” dance routines in such a confined space. With all the “big” numbers the massed “village voice” is a wonderful sounding full on chorus whilst even more dramatic is the protestant/catholic screamed loathing of each other that is delivered with a precision and clarity that many other productions could learn from, the court proceedings taking this to its full extreme. All that is missing is two “hairs on the back of your neck” voices in the roles of Betrande de Rols and Martin himself. [...]

2+2+2 by Jörg Tittel (Axis of Evil Theatre Company) Director: Alex Halfrecht “Dentity Crisis” by Christopher Durrang (Occam’s Razor Theatre Company) Director: Sherrill Gow Reviewer: Adam Sheldon Two theatre companies, two superficially unrelated plays with different settings and styles, two different casts and directors: this kind of production doubles every risk, practical and artistic, in winning audience approval. That the formula resolves in this case into a patchily entertaining, occasionally unsettling result is a credit chiefly to some bravura performances in the sweaty (but mercifully now smoke-free) cockpit that is the King’s Head in summer. The greater stage time is occupied with a futuristic physical theatre piece, “2+2+2”, newly-adapted from his own short story by Jörg Tittel. He himself takes the lead role of Abe, a production drone in some vaguely recognisable Brave New World controlled by mysterious Owners – represented by the recorded voice of Richard E. Grant (a considerable and heavily-marketed coup for the production company, Axis of Evil). Life for Abe is a soulless round of work, pre-packaged television and regulated sleep periods; until he encounters fast-food waitress Sarah Lee (a winsome Kimberly Butler), and feels the first inner stirrings of rebellion which will lead ultimately to his doom. So far, so very tired and predictable: these are visions familiar from fiction right up to “Cloud Atlas”. What lifts this experience above the common run of dystopian satire is the energetic presentation, with a set and flooring consisting of chalkboards on which scenic elements are repeatedly drawn and erased both by Abe and an extraordinary robotic character, perhaps his guardian, played with spectacular physical control and grace by Penny Lisle. The pace and precision of the action seldom flag, aided by a neatly-demarcated sound tape and snappy lighting cues; the repetitive cycle of the days takes on [...]