A Small Mind At The Theatre

The Peter James franchise featuring the detective Roy Grace has become quite the juggernaut of success since his first appearance in 2005 in James's novel Dead Simple . With 21 published books, a popular TV series starring John Simm, now in its fifth series, and this, Picture You Dead , the seventh stage play adaptation, now running at Milton Keynes Theatre, there appears to be no stopping him. The plot of Picture You Dead begins with a down-on-their-luck couple, Harry and Freya Kipling, discovering a potential 200-year-old masterpiece at a car boot sale. The discovery leads them into the path of both a reformed forger, Dave Hegarty, an unscrupulous collector, Oliver De Souza and his assistant Roberta Kilgore and of course, detectives Roy Grace and Bella Moy in pursuit of a cold case which may link them all? Having seen two previous adaptations, I wanted to see if they had gotten beyond the slightly simplistic and television-style of telling the story, now that they were reaching ...

Everyone knows the famous story of Treasure Island , either in detail or in the basic knowledge of Long John Silver, Captain Flint, the parrot, and young Jack Hawkins, as well as his treasure map. However, physical and riotous theatre group Le Navet Bete's adaptation of that same story, docked at Royal & Derngate now, spins a slightly more bizarre version. Le Navet Bete (which translates as The Daft Turnip) is not a French group but was formed in 2008 in Plymouth when the members met while studying. Now based in Exeter, they have made a name for themselves with their shows, which combine clowning, physical slapstick, pantomime, and general buffoonery. Treasure Island was my first encounter with the group, and based on this, I can't wait to see more. Four actors perform in this show: Al Dunn, Matt Freeman, Nick Bunt, and Simon Sebastian Burbage. All play different characters from the story, although Bunt stays as Hawkins throughout much of the show. As expected, they are al...

Those old enough to remember may have recollections of the nineties sitcom The Brittas Empire , written by Richard Fegen and Andrew Norriss. Starring Chris Barrie, the wacky series follows the exploits of Gordon Brittas, the man with a dream and a leisure centre in Whitbury New Town to fulfil it, despite the numerous consequences that result. I loved it, and when I heard that MKTOC (Milton Keynes Theatre of Comedy) were to produce the world premiere of the stage show at Stantonbury Theatre, I had to be there to see it. Adapted by Steve Clark (who also directs) and Emma Dell (who also plays the neurotic Helen Brittas), they have put together a loving and fully understanding script based on stories and situations from many episodes, which are ideally suited for the stage. Taking on such a unique show is dangerous for both adapters and cast. Still, the group has perfectly pitched the characters so that they are instantly recognisable from those we remember on screen. Rob Simpson takes on ...

Michael Morpurgo's novel War Horse was published in 1982. While it was highly regarded and thought to be his best work, perhaps it eventually came to most people's attention when this striking play stormed the stage, thanks to the National Theatre, back in 2007. Now, War Horse arrives at Milton Keynes Theatre as part of another vast UK tour. Adapted by Nick Stafford in association with the award-winning Handspring Puppet Company, War Horse tells the story of the First World War through the eyes of one horse, Joey, sold for a record price from a family battle but eventually shipped off to war-torn France much to the distress of his original owner, 16-year old Albert. The sprawling and epic story should take some staging, but the vast cast, beautiful structure, stunning folk music and, of course, what this play has become known for, magnificent puppetry, all bring the story to life. This production, directed by Tom Morris and revival director Katie Henry, is a magnificent thin...

Murder She Didn't Write , stopping off for a four-day run at Royal & Derngate on a lengthy UK tour, treads the now well-worn path of an improvisational evening of theatre entertainment. Unsurprisingly, from the title, this show from Degrees of Error's takes a murder mystery as its inspiration, with the story influenced by ideas from the audience each evening. Due to this, Murder She Didn't Write and a review are very much an individual affair. What I saw in my evening at the theatre will differ significantly from what the audience will see the following evening; however, the fine performers will remain. The touring cast, in no particular order, is Lizzy Skrzypiec, Rachael Procter-Lane, Peter Baker, Caitlin Campbell, Stephen Clements, Douglas Walker, Harry Allmark, Rosalind Beeson, Sylvia Bishop, Emily Brady, Alice Lamb, Sara Garrard, Peta Maurice and Matthew Whittle. For my performance, Skrzypiec, Procter-Lane, Baker, Walker, Bishop, and Clements were on stage alongsid...

First performed in 2019, & Juliet has become quite a global success, and now, as part of a UK Tour, it has arrived at Milton Keynes Theatre for a two-week run. Featuring a book by David West Read, it tells the what-if story of the survival of Juliet at the end of Shakespeare's Romeo & Juliet . Primarily a jukebox musical, it more specifically features the works of Swedish songwriter Max Martin (and friends, as the credits describe). The question is, does & Juliet provide more than the standard of many a jukebox musical before it, and does it honour the tragic tale from which it has sprung? Our story opens with William Shakespeare presenting his latest work, Romeo & Juliet , for the first time. However, when his wife, Anne Hathaway, learns how he intends the tale to end, she is away with his quill and planning on her reworking of the story. At the core of this touring production's success is Geraldine Sacdalan's powerhouse performance as Juliet. Her Juliet ...