Theatre Reviews

5***** 20 January 2020 As stage musicals go, they don’t get much further ‘in your face’ that Priscilla Queen of the Desert. Based on the 1994 film, it made its way into musical theatre in 2006 and has been around the world a few times since. This new production is on an extensive UK tour […]

3*** 23 December 2019 A QDOS Pantomime will be seen in 35 venues this Christmas/New Year and there is no doubt that they have transformed the landscape of the traditional theatre show. Huge, colourful sets, wonderful costumes, high quality music and dance and big names; add to this some spectacular set-pieces and you have a

3*** 6 December 2019 How to describe the indescribable. What was ‘Les Gloriables’ like? In a nutshell?  The joy of reviewing theatre is that sometimes you do catch artists who create something so off the wall, that it’s almost impossible to sum up what you have just seen. The audience are met in the auditorium

5***** 5 December 2019 On visiting The Old Library in Bodmin last year, I was captivated by an innovative and heart-warming production which offered something just that bit different, whilst illustrating what can be done when everything is in small scale – venue, budget, facilities. My return to see what Ha-Hum-Ah Theatre Company would present

3*** 4 December 2019 Live theatre is often unpredictable and throws up challenges night by night which you cannot always legislate for. Small companies rarely have a team of understudies in place and somehow cope if the worst happens. So, it was on the Press Night for the much heralded Northcott Theatre Pantomime this year

5***** 26 November 2019 Cute kids, cute dog, dancing stars and planets, smaltzy love story and shovel loads of sentimentality – ingredients in a show almost guaranteed to make you blench – but somehow the combination works like a dream in NATIVITY – THE MUSICAL. Whilst some may say we should be looking for more

4**** 21 November 2019 @reviewsgate @cormacrichards www.cormacrichards.uk Alan Ayckbourn is a cruel man. His writings are pitted with stories of innocents being embroiled in other people’s feuds and broken relationships, whilst at the same time making his audience laugh out loud. It is like some kind of sadistic puppet show with the writer pulling the

4**** 28 October 2019 It didn’t take Alfred Hitchcock long to realise the potential of Ethel Lina White’s novel ‘The Wheel Spins’ – within two years of its publication in 1938 he had made a film out of it. Retitled ‘The Lady Vanishes’ it became one of the director’s most loved early films. With a

3*** 18 October 2019 Edmond Rostand’s late 19th Century work ‘Cyrano de Bergerac’ is one of those rare pieces of literature which are handled with kid gloves. It’s a challenge in so many ways and it is fraught with many hurdles and possible pitfalls. There is the translation to use – unless you are performing in

5***** 14 October 2019 In watching a quality dance performance one can be mesmerised, awestruck and confused simultaneously.  One can wonder, thrill and debate with yourself. One can question, delight and admire.  Rambert is one of the foremost dance companies in the UK, in Europe and beyond. From its origins in classical ballet in the