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Black Watch – The Barbican Theatre, London

Writer: Gregory Burke Director: John Tiffany Reviewer: Deborah Klayman The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★½ It is rare that a piece of theatre should be at once moving, horrifying and uplifting, but that is the reason why four years on, Black Watch is still touring to and delighting new audiences. The result of writer Gregory Burke’s interviews with real members [...]

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Aladdin:A Wish Come True – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Director and Choreographer: David Morgan Reviewer: Jim Nicholson & the 1st Testwood Guides The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ The Mayflower always come up with something a bit special each Christmas and this year is no different as they entice Lily Savage out of retirement and into the leading role in this years panto – Aladdin, A Wish Come True. [...]

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Cinderella – Oxford Playhouse

Writer & Director: Peter Duncan Reviewer: Mary Tapper The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★½ Cinderella really is the most perfect story for a pantomime. The tale of poor bullied Cinderella, who is kind and gentle, overcoming all the odds to win her prince has all the ingredients one needs for a great night out! The Playhouse production does a [...]

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Christmas with the Rat Pack: Live from Las Vegas – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Director and Choreographer: Mitch Sebastian Reviewer: Jim Nicholson The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ This Christmas version of the Rat Pack, Live from Las Vegas is currently on a two month tour of one night stands with the exception of Southampton, where the Mayflower Theatre are lucky enough to get this superlative show for a full week. There is not [...]

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The Rocky Horror Show – Richmond Theatre

Writer: Richard O’Brien Director: Christopher Luscombe Reviewer: Deborah Klayman The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ With a sterling cast and a superb libretto to work with, it is unsurprising that this latest version of The Rocky Horror Show is a truly class act. An enduring cult classic, it has had so many different guest stars and incarnations over the [...]

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A Streetcar Named Desire – Oxford Playhouse

Writer: Tennessee Williams Director: Anna Hextall Reviewer: Mary Tapper The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★½☆ An Oxford University student production at Oxford Playhouse – a theatre with a capacity of 600? Really? Could they pull it off? Would it look amateurish and clunky? Would we all sit there slightly embarrassed hoping to be put out of our misery? Well the [...]

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Chess – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Music: Benny Andersson and Bjorn Ulvaeus Book and Lyrics: Tim Rice Director and Choreographer: Craig Revel Horwood Reviewer: Jim Nicholson The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★★☆ I loved it all, well very nearly all! The staging was excellent, superb lighting, terrific costumes, top notch choreography, great songs many of which we all know so well and a host of multi [...]

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Calendar Girls – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton

Writer: Tim Firth Director: Roger Haines Reviewer: Jim Nicholson The Public Reviews Rating: ★★★½☆ Most people will have heard of how in 1999 Rhylstone and District WI produced a ‘nude, not naked’ alternative Women’s Institute calendar to raise funds for a simple plaque and settee memorial that they wanted to place in the hospital that had treated one of [...]

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