A Small Mind At The Theatre

Kazuo Ishiguro's 2005  Never Let Me Go is a slightly difficult novel to categorise at times, but most call it a science-fiction speculative piece. With some limited spoilers for those unfamiliar with the Man Booker Prize-shortlisted work, Ishiguro paints a world where people, clones, are created for the benefit of medical science, destined to become donors to rid the world of deaths from solvable diseases for the rich. It is a powerful piece and while it had a successful film version back in 2010, could a stage version, now running at Royal & Derngate, work similarly? The answer to that is yes, and perhaps even better than the film version. The intimate world of the theatre feels like a stronger location for the story to unfold, bringing the piece straight to the audience with no potential interruption or break to the tale. We learn of Kathy, Ruth and Tommy's (the main protagonists) fixed life through their eyes and live their life for the long, but never dr...

The musical Chicago , first staged in 1975 is rightfully a classic of the stage, and the 2002 film went many ways in bringing it also to more generations. The creator's list itself is a thing of stage legend. Music is by John Kander, lyrics by Fred Ebb, with a book by Ebb accompanied by Bob Fosse. It's quite a line-up. Fosse especially shines here with his often-emulated but never-bettered classic jazz choreography. So, what's not to like about seeing this again on stage? Truthfully, very little, this is a highly polished new production of Chicago , opening an extensive tour here at Milton Keynes Theatre. Leading the cast is a carefully selected group of familiar stars from stage and screen, all perfectly suited to their roles. The infamous roles of Roxie Hart and Velma Kelly are played by performers who have both previously razzle dazzled in them. From the cobbles of Coronation Street , Faye Brookes makes the perfect transition to the role of Roxie Hart beyond ...

The title My Mother's Funeral: The Show is perhaps not the most attractive title for a theatre show, however, this show had great success at the Edinburgh Fringe and now arriving at Royal & Derngate, one of its co-producing theatres, so, let's look beyond the unusual title and see what lies beneath. Abigail is a theatre dramatist pursuing plays that the theatres no longer want. Her "gay bugs in space" saga falls foul of being fiction for a start, something a theatre director states audiences no longer want stating they want gritty, real experiences, theatre with painful truths. So, after Abigail devastatingly loses her mother and finds no money to pay the funeral fees, she pursues the creation of a very personal theatre show. My Mother's Funeral: The Show is gritty and sad, but, also in many ways very funny, if in a dark way. Writer Kelly Jones digs deep into the world of poverty in Dagenham and countless estates across the country. A world of people born in...

Dodie Smith's novel The Hundred and One Dalmatians has been a staple for many a child's upbringing ever since it was first published back in 1956. Perhaps Disney's 1961 film 101 Dalmatians went the way of bringing the tale of Perdi and Pongo's adventure into even more family homes and here this musical adaptation brings the show to a new, highly appreciative audience, currently playing at Milton Keynes Theatre. For those unfamiliar with the tail, 101 Dalmatians tells the tale of a burgeoning relationship between Tom and Danielle, owners of dalmatians Pongo and Perdi, their puppies, and the devilish actions of a certain Cruella De Vil, interested in more than the work of fashion designer Tom. First staged at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre in 2022, this re-imagined touring version from director Bill Buckfast has taken the show on a UK tour since June and perhaps adds more of a touch of pantomime style to the production. Adapted by Johnny McKnight, with music and lyr...

It is a truth universally acknowledged... No Stop! That is too obvious an opening line to a review of any Pride & Prejudice . Let us begin anew... Of all the classic regency novels from the 19th century, perhaps, one of the most famous is that of P ride & Prejudice by Jane Austen. The novel of manners telling the story of the Elizabeth Bennet her development and her family is maybe more famous now for the many adaptations the novel itself has had, including a certain wet-shirted Colin Firth edition from the nineties. Due to this, it is ripe for many a reworking and with a guaranteed audience waiting for it. Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is one of the more bold of those adaptations. However, for all its boldness, does this new version work, or in truth, is it one step too far? The answer is a clear yes, as this dynamic and brilliant reworking by writer and director Isobel McArthur has proven since first taking to the stage back in 2018 and now into this second UK tour, reachin...

Nothing But Roaring was founded back in 2022 to create unique audio dramas and born from the need for creatives to be active during the Covid pandemic. Since then they have created audio versions of Shakespeare's Richard III and Much Ado About Nothing . However, now, created and due for release as part of Royal & Derngate's 2024 Genfest Festival, the company brings to the airwaves their very first original drama. Promises , written and directed by Nothing But Roaring founder Rebecca Cockcroft, tells the story of Amber, waking on the morning of her wedding day in a hotel room, worst for wear from a night out the evening before, and a very unexpected guest hiding in her room. Promises is a tightly packed 23 minutes of whimsical but highly entertaining comedy-drama performed by a talented cast who despite the short running time create fully realised characters. As Amber, Gemma Knight brings a suitably confused edge to the situation she wakes to and as the story evolves and t...

Grease  is one of the most recognised and well-remembered musicals and has some of the catchiest and most familiar songs within any musical out there. However, that memory will, for many, simply come from the classic 1978 film that made stars of many, including John Travolta and Olivia Newton-John. The stage show is a different beast though, missing a few parts key to the film including the very familiar car race and some of the songs. Also with this new touring version director Nikolai Foster has gone even more back to the original 1971 stage version by Jim Jacobs and Warren Casey, making for a grittier show in context, less of the sexist nature and fluff of the film and the T-Birds are also back to their original name of The Burger Palace Boys. What remains though is the tale of a group of kids at Rydell High School going through their teens, their early relationships and any conquests they may or may not have had. It is all very wafer-thin, even more than the film, but sure, it ...