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Archive for November, 2011

The Borrowers – The Nuffield Theatre, Southampton

Writer: Mary Norton Adapter: Charles Way Director: Patrick Sandford Reviewer: Sarah Louise Forrester The Public Reviews Rating: ★★½☆☆ This years festive offering at The Nuffield Theatre is an adaptation of the classic children’s story “The Borrowers”. The Borrowers is a tale of the Clock family, tiny people who live under the floorboards of a country house in England. They [...]

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Nutcracker! – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Music: Tchaikovsky Director and Choreographer: Matthew Bourne Reviewer: Samantha Currie The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ The Nutcracker is a perennial Christmas favourite, and the multi award winning Matthew Bourne, true to form, has stamped his own unique mark on this non-traditional presentation of the story. Nutcracker! is a highly stylised production, hugely camp in places and possibly a relief [...]

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Weslh National Opera: Don Giovanni – The Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Composer: Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart Librettist: Lorenzo da Ponte Conductor: James Southall Director: John Caird Reviewer: Marina Spark The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★☆☆ Last night The Mayflower Theatre was bussing with the anticipation and excitement that an opera invites. ‘Don Giovanni’, one of Mozart’s darkest masterpieces did not disappoint when it came to high tension, intrigue and drama. The set [...]

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The Debt Collectors – Minerva Theatre, Chichester

Writer and Director: John Godber Reviewer: Ann Bawtree The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★½ Some one once said that there is nothing in this world which does not have its funny side.The tragic situations sometimes arising from debt are particularly poignant at this time of year when the ghost of Ebenezer Scrooge seems to haunt every third theatre in the [...]

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Calendar Girls – Richmond Theatre, London

Writer: Tim Firth Director: Jack Ryder Reviewer: Carol Evans The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ The true story of the women from a Yorkshire WI who posed to make a nude calendar to raise money for a cancer charity has become stuff of legend. It now looks as if Tim Firth’s play Calendar Girls, based on their tale, is fast [...]

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Goodbye Barcelona – Arcola, London

Book: Judith Johnson Music and lyrics: KS Lewkowicz Director: Karen Rabinowitz Reviewer: Ian Foster The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★☆☆ Inspired by a collection of interviews with British International Brigadiers, the men and women who travelled to Spain to fight against Franco in the Spanish Civil War, Goodbye Barcelona is a new musical that has taken up residence in the [...]

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It’s A Wonderful Life – Palace Theatre, Southend

Director: Sallie Warrington Book, Music and Lyrics: Thomas M Sharkey based on the Frank Kapra film and original story by Philip Van Doren Stern Original piano arrangements: Jack Sharkey Orchestration and vocal arrangements: David J Blackburn Reviewer: Maureen Hylands The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★½☆ It’s A Wonderful Life, a much welcomed Christmas film deserving of more than just [...]

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Robin Hood and The Babes In The Wood – New Wolsey Theatre, Ipswich

Writer:Peter Rowe Director: Rob Salmon Musical Director: David Randall Reviewer: Michael Gray The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★★ Enjoying a warming home-made parsnip soup from the Café Bar, I watch the crowd arrive. For all their paper hats, their popcorn and their massive bags of sweeties, they’re a discerning crowd. They expect to laugh and boo, of course; they’ll want [...]

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