A Small Mind At The Theatre

Panto season is now in full fling and for the latest show, it was Destination MK and Milton Keynes Theatre and Crossroads Pantomimes' new version of Snow White and the Seven Dwarf s. The question is, was the journey to a fairytale land filled with television personalities worth it? Well, in a way, yes, as it provided an evening of entertainment in a way only a chaotic pantomime could provide. However, the complete package was saddled down sadly by a collection of often weak scenes and far too much bigging up the stars of the show. In fact, you could nearly be forgiven for almost missing the story of Snow White itself, such as it was playing second fiddle to a collection of sketches written for the performers. Top billing on the show was Lesley Joseph, hot on the heels of her appearance at MK in Sister Act , as Queen Dragonella. Joseph gave a very sprightly performance in her role but like much of the problem with this show, far too much was about Lesley Joseph rather than Queen Dr...

Panto season is back, and much as it often pains a scared reviewer, it is my duty to venture into the screaming pit of children, bad puns, water fights and blokes dressed as women, and give you the lowdown on what pantos you should see and oh what you shouldn't. I haven't seen a big professional theatre panto since 2019, due to "events", and my return saw also my first encounter here with whom I understand are panto greats, Evolution Productions, and their new version of Jack and the Beanstalk . My previous panto world at Royal & Derngate had consisted of Qdos Entertainment pantos, and for the best part, well, they were a little bit poor. So, can these big guns provide better? My routine quick answer is an absolute yes. This is a cracking show and a wonderful evening (or afternoon) of entertainment. Written by Paul Hendy, it is a sharp, modern reworking of the classic tale, complete with an up-to-date angle on the baddie at the top of the beanstalk and the nefari...

The 2006 movie Dreamgirls saw powerhouse performances from the likes of Beyoncé, Jamie Foxx, Eddie Murphy and made Jennifer Hudson an instant star in her first film role. However, Dreamgirls as a stage musical is much older, premiering on Broadway 25 years earlier. So, with the presence of those huge musical stars behind them, can the performers of this UK Tour of Tom Eyen's and Henry Krieger's show live up to that lofty history? The answer is a resounding yes, particularly at the end of the first act where Nicole Raquel Dennis gives a theatre-shaking performance of And I Am Telling You I'm Not Going in her role of Effie White. This moment alone gets many of the audience on their feet unexpectedly at the end of the first act. She is a fantastic presence on stage, brilliantly encapturing the distress in particular of having her lead singing role taken from her and her determination to gain fame. Dreamgirls is very loosely based on the story of The Supremes' rise to fame...

The comedy film Sister Act starring Whoopi Goldberg is thirty years old this year. During this anniversary year, a hugely successful production of this 2006 musical version of the story has been playing at the Eventim Apollo. This UK & Ireland tour is effectively the same production, however with a number of cast charges and the obvious adjustments needed for a tour. Therefore, with all these changes, does the magic of the London production continue on the road? Sadly at times, it doesn't. I have had the pleasure to see the Sister Act musical before, and know that it is an extremely good show, full of humour, brilliant upbeat tunes and some fabulously entertaining characters. However, while this production, directed by Bill Buckhurst, remains fun throughout, it never really sparkles as much as I know the show should. The first act, for instance, takes a long time to get going, at times, it feels like the cast is still finding their feet in the production and it fails to spark ...

Hitting the stage at Milton Keynes this week is the smash hit musical based on the iconic 1992 movie starring Whoopi Goldberg. Sister Act is a sparkling tribute to the universal power of friendship, sisterhood and music and tells the hilarious story of the disco diva whose life takes a surprising turn when she witnesses a murder. Under protective custody she is hidden in the one place she won’t be found – a convent!  Disguised as a nun and under the suspicious watch of Mother Superior, Deloris helps her fellow sisters find their voices as she unexpectedly rediscovers her own.  Sandra Marvin will play ‘Deloris Van Cartier’ alongside Lesley Joseph as ‘Mother Superior’ and Lizzie Bea as ‘Sister Mary Robert’. The cast also includes Jeremy Secomb, Graham McDuff, Tricia Deighton, Lori Haley Fox, Damian Buhagiar, Tom Hopcroft, Bradley Judge, Tanya Edwards, Catherine Millsom, Anne Smith, Emma Ralston, Jermaine Woods, Michael Ward and Caroline Bateson Sister Act is directed by Bill Bu...

There is something about Agatha Christie that still thrills audiences now over 100 years since she first saw a publication hit the shelves. This is evident from the absolutely packed theatre on the opening evening at Royal & Derngate for this new touring production of The Mirror Crack'd . So, was the mystery still thrilling and is the show worth you pondering over a ticket? The Mirror Crack'd sees Marina Gregg, an American movie star, moving to the area following her purchasing the home of a close friend of Miss Marple. She is here, it transpires to make a movie, however during a drinks gathering at her home, Heather Leigh, the local St John’s Ambulance Chair succumbs to the perils of a poisoned Strawberry Daquiri. However, was she the true target, or was that drink meant to be for someone far more famous? All of this intrigue is played out right in the opening minutes of the play and presented in perhaps the most intriguing part of this new dramatisation by Rachel Wagstaf...

Roddy Doyle’s The Commitments , a tale of a group of unemployed young people in Dublin who start a soul band, first hit the bookshelves in 1987 and was followed in 1991 by the cult film of the same name. Surprisingly it wasn’t until 2013 that the stage musical first appeared, and debuted at the Palace Theatre in London. So, years after publication, and almost ten years after the stage premiere, is this still a relevant and entertaining prospect? The quick answer is yes, as a delightful wave of nostalgia and comedy permeates the entire evening. The script is sharp, colourful and always interesting and the cast is superb across the board, including as ever a very strong ensemble. James Killeen as Jimmy is tasked with the role of manager and getting the band together and he is full of character as much in the background keeping as tight a grip on this motley gang of youngsters (and one OAP) as possible, as when at the forefront. I also delighted in his rather sweet solo number, pining for...

It is 35 years since The Commitments, Roddy Doyle’s best-selling novel first hit the bookshelves and the musical of the world’s hardest-working and most explosive soul band is also now almost ten years old. First staged in the West End in 2013, at the Palace Theatre, where it played for a record-breaking two-year run, this brand new UK for 2022/23 reaches Milton Keynes Theatre this week, running from 24 – 29 October. The tour features in its cast, the star of Coronation Street, Nigel Pivaro, who will be familiar to many in having played the role of Terry Duckworth between 1983 – 2012. For this tour though, he will be swapping the cobbles for the stage and performing the role of ‘Da’ in this production. Nigel Pivaro says: “I am thrilled to be marking my return to the stage in this production of TheCommitments. It’s an iconic story that resonates across the years, about people who though distant from the music’s origins find communion and expression in the Motown style. A musical genre w...

There have been quite a few productions of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s groundbreaking musical since first appearing in one form so many years ago back in 1968, and the West End from 1973, you wonder whether there is still room for another tour. Well, judging by the audience packing numbers at Milton Keynes, it appears so. However, does this new production, first seen at The London Palladium in June 2019 successfully honour such a show history? For those unfamiliar with Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat , it tells, in a very frivolous, music genre-hopping style the story of Joseph, Jacob’s favourite son. Somewhat hated by his brothers, he ends up being sold into slavery to an Egyptian nobleman, and then, well, see the show and find out the rest. This new production breaks somewhat from the norm of productions of the past and attempts to create something different for a new generation of theatregoers, and perhaps, this heralds both its strengths and weaknesses. Bold de...

There is no doubt many people are unfamiliar with Jacques Tati's works; they are so far in the past, and perhaps so much of their time, they get little airtime now. However, at least for a brief period, Royal & Derngate via their Made in Northampton series, has recreated them as a stage adaption of Playtime , perhaps the most famous of Tati’s films, for a brand new audience, or one that is old enough to remember them originally. The story behind Playtime is that there is no story. It is a world of events just happening, and an observation of many characters going about their business. However, there is a thread across the play of course, even if a play has no story it still needs a cause of motion. So, we see the arrival of passengers at Paris airport, their journey to an Expo, their visit to a restaurant, and finally, at the very end, back at the airport, and departures. Along the way, we meet a bewildering number of characters and witness a few burgeoning romances. And that i...