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Showing posts with the label Shaun Williamson

Review of Anything Goes at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

There was a time twelve months or so ago that musicals for me were few and far between, now I seem to be watching loads of them. Therefore it was of course inevitable that I would find myself at the Royal & Derngate for Stage Entertainment/Sheffield Theatres new touring version of Anything Goes. My only previous encounter with Cole Porter was when I watched a 2001 version of Kiss Me Kate on Sky Arts a few months ago. It was great fun and therefore a live Porter show held high anticipation. I was not to be disappointed as this was an incredibly dynamic and "big" performance. Probably the most lavish I have seen outside London maybe. Spotless performances and simply huge numbers, with dance routines that filled every inch of the Derngate stage. Particularly the show stopping "Anything Goes" to close the first half. From my three rows from stage seat, I almost felt as if I was on the SS America, such were the set-pieces so large. The story itself is, I am growi...

Review of One Man, Two Guvnors' at Royal & Derngate (Derngate), Northampton

This year I have seen the chaotic feast that is The Play That Goes Wrong  three times and its safe to say that I haven't seen anything funnier at the theatre this year (hence three times), however last night I saw the National Theatre's  One Man, Two Guvnors'  currently on tour. I shall say now that The Play That Goes Wrong  is still the funniest play I have seen this year. However One Man, Two Guvnors'  gave it quite a close call at times during the blistering two hours plus of high octane entertainment. It is at first a curious mix of music, mirth and outright slapstick that unlike TPTGW , I didn't initially get. I was also having to deal sitting in the circle (a reasonable distance from the stage), with someone who was eating things that rustled and managing to drown quite a few words out. My annoyance level was quite high so I needed some light relief. Thankfully the rustles didn't last forever and once my hearing had been tuned out of them rustle sounds a...