Moira Buffini’s ambitious state-of-the-nation, climate-change play runs straight into the doldrums.
NEWS: New Adventures & the Royal Albert Hall announce Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man
As part of the Royal Albert Hall’s 150th anniversary celebrations New Adventures and the Royal Albert Hall have announced that Matthew Bourne’s multi-award-winning dance thriller The Car Man will play 14 performances only at the venue from 17-27 June 2021. Casting to be announced soon. These will be the only performances of the show in the UK in 2021.
‘A story predicated on equality, mutual support & finding your own path’: ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS – Bristol Old Vic (Online review)
Romantics Anonymous is a story predicated on equality, mutual support and finding your own path as individuals (and as a couple) rather than waiting for someone else to come and save you from your life – implications that after years of rom coms and social messaging is subtly but usefully employed through a charmingly conceived but nonetheless carefully structured story.
‘A kind of strange hybrid form’: THIRTY MILLION MINUTES (Online review)
A life distilled to its essentials: 30 Million Minutes indicates the rough length of time that Dawn French had been alive at the time of her solo show recorded in its final incarnation in 2016.
‘This is the rarest of things, a Working-Class musical’: FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS – Chichester Festival Theatre (Online review)
Far from frivolous, this fashion-based drama is a great choice for Chichester Festival Theatre’s inaugural broadcast, from a venue that so often gets it right. Perfect escapism.
‘An absolute treat’: THE RED SHOES – Sadler’s Wells ★★★★★
The Red Shoes is an absolute tour-de-force, and the perfect example of how to make dance (and ballet, in particular) accessible and engaging to a wider audience. It’s an absolute treat.
‘An evening of world class entertainment & dance’: THE RED SHOES – Sadler’s Wells & Touring ★★★★★
Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes returns to Sadler’s Wells three years after it first premiered – and while the score and dance remain exquisite, there is a depth to this ballet that has only matured over time.
‘A beautiful reinterpretation of the Shakespearean classic’: MATTHEW BOURNE’S ROMEO & JULIET – Touring ★★★★★
A beautiful reinterpretation of the Shakespearean classic, Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet at The Lowry modernises the tale of doomed love for a new audience.
‘Remains fresh & innovative today’: MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE – Touring ★★★★
Swan Lake is a sumptuous production full of glorious moments which you’d be hard pressed not to revel in. A powerful, intricately choreographed and danced show, this is a must see for ballet regulars and newbies alike.
‘Revel in the eccentric ridiculousness of it all’: THE MERRY WIVES OF WINDSOR – Barbican Theatre ★★★★
Returning to the RSC and the Barbican for The Merry Wives of Windsor after his triumph in Titus Andronicus last year is David Troughton as the drunken and self-proclaimed womaniser, Falstaff, his caricaturesque performance mirroring the cartoony nature of the plot, characters, script and direction.
‘Constant wonder at the skill in storytelling’: MATTHEW BOURNE’S SWAN LAKE – Touring ★★★★★
It’s 23 years since Mathew Bourne changed the gender of the swans in Swan Lake for his choreography of the ballet but it still stands the test of time.
‘Elegant, heartfelt production’: FLOWERS FOR MRS HARRIS – Chichester ★★★★
Daniel Evans’ elegant, heartfelt production of Flowers For Mrs Harris at Chichester Festival Theatre has been fine-tuned since it ravished our hearts at Sheffield.
‘A joyful, hopeful fairytale of a show’: ME AND MY GIRL – Chichester ★★★★★
The sun has got his hat on, England’s in the semi-final under a chap with a proper waistcoat, and Noel Gay’s 1937 musical is a great big, lovely, silly, dancing elephant of an all-British vintage musical.
THE NUTCRACKER – Touring ★★★★★
With enough spectacle and showmanship to keep kids big and small spellbound, Scottish Ballet’s revival of Peter Darrel’s Nutcracker at the Festival Theatre and on tour is the perfect Christmas present.
ROMANTICS ANONYMOUS – Shakespeare’s Globe
Frankly, you can’t ignore the fact that every time you see it you get a free piece of chocolate. As long as you have the patience to wait for “le moment de magique” before you eat it.
DUET FOR ONE – Touring ★★★
Belinda Lang’s performance is beautifully human, encapsulating rage, despair, delusion and self-possession in equal amounts.
FIDDLER ON THE ROOF – Chichester
Omid Djalili steps up to the pivotal role of Tevye the milkman. Married to Golde and with 5 daughters (3 of marriageable age) Djalili captures a hen-pecked, hardworking weariness of the poor pious family man who dreams of maybe, just a small fortune.
THE RED SHOES – Touring
The story of aspiring ballerina Vicky Page, who falls in love with composer Julian Craster while also falling under the spell of controlling dance impresario Boris Lermontov, is of course from Michael Powell and Emeric Pressburger’s 1948 film.
FORTY YEARS ON – Chichester
Alan Bennett’s Forty Years On is a curious play. His first outing as playwright (back in 1968) is charmingly eccentric, wonderfully witty and every bit a Bennett play. In fact it comes across as if the History Boys stumbled into a production of ‘Oh What a Lovely War’ and decided to join in the fun.
THE RED SHOES – Touring
It’s a rare thing, when you’re a regular theatregoer, to see something that is truly fresh and wonderfully new! Matthew Bourne seems to have knack for it though and his adaptation of The Red Shoes.
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