A Small Mind At The Theatre

Over the last few years, the annual Royal & Derngate pantomime has been produced by Evolution Productions and from the pen of Paul Hendy. It is safe to say they have been crackers, bringing everything you expect and more from traditional pantomime. This year, they are all back, this time with their take on the very traditional story of Cinderella . So, does the magic dust fall once again successfully on the stage of the Derngate? The answer is yes, as Evolution and Hendy prove they have found the magic formula to create another successful pantomime for Derngate. There are moments this year, though, where it is too clever for its own good, with some exceptionally good jokes lost to the panto audience (yes, I got the Hacker joke, but the tumbleweed reaction suggested it didn't hit the audience present). Cast-wise, it is a solid and assured collection of performers who don't always hit the mark. Joanne Clifton, as the Fairy, is a perfect fit for panto with her infectious smile...

As if by magic, the pantomime season is once again upon us, and first out of the Christmas hamper of "He's Behind You" antics is The New Adventures of Peter Pan , now playing at The Castle Theatre, Wellingborough. So, do the pantomime gods shine down on this new show, or is it about to get panned? Let us find out. Brought to the stage by producer and director Martin Cleverley, The New Adventures of Peter Pan provides little new to the age-old tale of J. M. Barrie's Peter Pan but ploughs through much of the expected pantomime staples. So, expect to see a dame, in the guise of Mrs Smee, those as mentioned earlier "He's Behind You" antics, a nice sing-along, and some awkward or successful audience participation, depending on the show you see. Oh, and of course, The Twelve Days of Christmas and a jolly party at the end, as always. When you have seen one pantomime, you have seen the format forever. However, The New Adventures of Peter Pan is nicely enter...

Come From Away has had a remarkable and totally worthy success, receiving plaudits aplenty and packed audiences and standing ovations everywhere it goes. Therefore, as it arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre towards the end of its first UK tour, what more is there to say about it? First of all, before I begin, if you are planning on seeing Come From Away (you should) and for some fortune, you are yet to discover what it is about, I advise you to read no more, from anywhere, about the show before seeing it. Be one of those I consider lucky and find the story within the show blind. Back in August 2019, when I first witnessed Come From Away , I genuinely knew nothing about the story, and trust me, it made a remarkable difference in the show's impact, which you will remember forever. So, for all of you still here who know the story, you will be aware that Irene Sankoff and David Hein's musical tells the story of Newfoundland residents and their true story of the time 38 planes were ...

Charles Dickens's novella A Christmas Carol is a perennial favourite and over the years has been adapted countless times for television, film and here, with this adaptation by Mark Gatiss, subtitled A Ghost Story , a further stage version. Originally performed at the Nottingham Playhouse in 2022 before moving to London at the Alexandra Palace, and the same venues repeated the following year, its past success serves well for a further revival. Therefore for 2024, The Birmingham Rep has taken to staging their own production, with a mostly new cast including Matthew Cottle and Rufus Hound leading an excellent cast. Cottle as Ebenezer Scrooge is excellent, often exhibiting a much more sprightly Scrooge that we would remember, and also, much funnier at times. Despite Gatiss remaining remarkably faithful to the original, the show, directed with excellent pace by Adam Penford mines more comedy than you might expect. Cottle's Scrooge remains without question evil, but in his delivery ...

Four years down the round from a global pandemic the time has come finally for a comedy musical of the trying times and much like Kevin's experience in the show, who better to get you through it than... Dolly Parton. Arriving at Milton Keynes Theatre this week as part of a UK tour before landing in the West End, Here You Come Again is billed very much as a feel-good musical, so, do you feel good after watching it? The quick and easy answer is yes, however, much of the time during this incredibly quirky musical, you do wonder why and indeed what you are watching. Here You Come Again sees Kevin, back trapped in his parents home isolating himself from them, the world and his failing relationship with Jeremy during the 2020 pandemic. He seeks solace, trapped in his attic, in memories of his constant love of Dolly Parton, and then at his most down moment, she comes alive and guides him as only Dolly and her back catalogue of songs can. Originally written by Bruce Vilanch, Gabriel Barr...

Over 200 years since its first publication it is remarkable to think that what is, in essence, a scientific novel such as Frankenstein is still so relevant in content today. However, as science evolves endlessly, and now with AI becoming so dominant and controversial, the difference between right and wrong, good and evil in science, and what is too inhuman is as current as ever. Tilted Wig's production, now at the end of its UK tour at Royal & Derngate and written and directed by Sean Aydon takes the original story and sets it about halfway between the first publication and modern day, around the time leading up to the Second World War. Aydon's adaptation works really well in placing the story within this degenerating world, a place where true horror is around the corner, and veiled ideas of their (Germany's) interest in Frankenstein's work are gently developed. However, while Aydon clearly had this idea in his head and his pen when scripting this version, the polit...