Man of La Mancha, the 1965 musical version of the sixteenth century Spanish novelist Cervantes’ story of Don Quixote, who imagines he is a mediaeval knight errant, has not been seen in London’s West End since 1969, so this new English National Opera production has been one of the hottest tickets in London this Spring. Musically, it is superb, in no small part owing … [Read more...]
Captain Corelli’s Mandolin at The Rose Theatre Kingston | Review
Rosa Munro, the author of the ‘James Plays’ a few years ago, has now attempted the seemingly impossible by adapting Louis de Berniere’s sprawling, epic novel for the stage. The result is awe-inspiring at times, using music and great physicality from the actors in order to convey the sweep of the action. As she says ‘it is such a huge and complex novel and inevitably … [Read more...]
Review of Blood Knot at the Orange Tree Theatre
Blood Knot is a two-handed, early (1960) play by South Africa’s most important playwright, Athol Fugard who also directed the first production in Johannesburg, when black and white actors were still allowed to perform together onstage. The action, such as it is, takes place in a shack in Korsten, Port Elizabeth and concerns brothers Morrie and Zach. Morrie is … [Read more...]
The Picture of Dorian Gray at the Churchill Theatre
For those who only know Oscar Wilde through his light comedies such as The Importance of Being Earnest and Lady Windermere’s Fan, this adaptation of his only novel will come as something of a shock as it is a much darker affair. In fact, it is Wilde’s take on the Faust legend. Its publication caused a scandal as the author seemed to be questioning the basis of … [Read more...]
Cheating Death at The Cockpit Theatre | Review
Cheating Death is the first play by Max Nowaz, who has previously written and self-published a couple of novels and a book for children. It started life as a one-act play performed in Bedford in 2013. Rather than write a second play, Max decided to expand his first into a full-length piece of dramatic writing, as well as setting up his own company 'First Time … [Read more...]
Agnes Colander: An Attempt at Life at Jermyn Street Theatre
Granville Barker wrote this witty and compelling exploration of love, sexual attraction and independence in 1900. Perhaps realising that if the Lord Chamberlain would not allow Ibsen's A Doll's House to be performed, Agnes Colander stood no chance, he put it aside, to be discovered 100 years later amongst Barker's papers, revised by Richard Nelson, given a staged … [Read more...]
Of Our Own Making at Tara Theatre | Review
Something Underground Theatre Company was founded by Jonathan Brown, the author and director of Of Our Own Making, in 2006, since then creating one man/woman and ensemble shows. The play, in fact, concerns Saif who is escaping from a Middle-Eastern country, being willing to do almost anything to reach the United Kingdom. The work has the feel of a … [Read more...]
Rosenbaum’s Rescue at Park Theatre | Review
Rosenbaum’s Rescue is a remarkable first play by A. Bodin Saphir, author in residence at Great Ormond Street Hospital, about the escape from Denmark to Sweden of over 7,000 Jews in 1943. A. Bodin Saphir has the rare gift of being able to write believable, amusing dialogue and of gradually being able to unfold the different character traits of each of his four … [Read more...]
Burke and Hare at Jermyn Street Theatre | Review
The theatrical story of Burke and Hare, who provided Dr Knox with a plentiful supply of dead bodies for dissection in early nineteenth century Edinburgh, is the perhaps surprising, but inspired, choice of pre-Christmas fare at Jermyn Street Theatre this December. The undoubted success of this production is due in no small part to the imaginative script by Tom … [Read more...]