> DUST - LIVE STREAM

From Royal Court Theatre
4 May 2020

Lockdown continues and so does our quest to keep our cultural hearts beating! This time, it's the wonderful choreography of Akram Khan that grabs our attention!

Akram Khan’s 'Dust' was one of three productions created by leading choreographers for the English National Ballet as a tribute to the hundredth anniversary of the First World War. The ballet starts with a flailing body in front of a bank of dry earth that alludes to the grim finality of the trenches. This piece of 'interpretive physical art' is about war’s agony! The dancers focused muscular movements and harrowing expressions sum up the emotional void of conflict - the result is a massively moving piece of visual storytelling.

Khan was intrigued by the thought that the men dug into the earth to build trenches, knowing that they were very likely to die as soon as they stepped out of them. “They were digging themselves into death”, he says. As the piece progresses, the male dancers disappear – slowly climbing and falling off the edge of the set. The middle section of the work was inspired by the huge social shift towards women. “They needed weapons made for the war, they needed a huge workforce. I felt this shift in role was interesting”, says Khan.

In the final duet, Dust explores the relationship between them and their loved ones at the front: “The women knew they would be letting go of fathers, husbands, and sons; they might lose them. Yet they were making weapons that would kill others’ fathers, husbands, and sons. But in order for someone to live, someone else was putting their life on the line. That cyclical thing was what I wanted to explore.”

With beautiful costume design from Kimie Nakano, a stunning soundtrack from Jocelyn Pook and minimal set design from Sander Loonen - Dust is a sensory overload that leaves you touched on so many levels.

I first noticed the work of Akram Khan during the opening ceremony to London 2012. His piece shaped around mortality was haunting, powerful and extremely beautiful... It's worth watching!

10 out of 10

> CYPRUS AVENUE - LIVE STREAM

From Royal Court Theatre
24 April 2020

Cyprus Avenue balances humour with horror, it's a hard hitting black comedy that holds no punches. Gripping, gritty and completely absorbing! Our quest for culture during lockdown continues...

Starring Stephen Rea and directed by Vicky Featherstone, the award-winning Cyprus Avenue by David Ireland mixes live capture of performance from the iconic Royal Court Theatre stage production with location shooting in Belfast. Even as a pre-recorded live stream, Cyprus Avenue has to be one of the most incredible pieces of theatre we have ever seen. Not for the faint hearted, it's certainly worth streaming while you can.

Eric Miller (Stephen Rea) is a Belfast Loyalist. He is experiencing a psychotic episode and mistakes his five-week old granddaughter for Gerry Adams. Generations of sectarian trauma convince him that his cultural heritage is under siege. He must act.

This hard hitting black comedy tells the story of a man struggling with the past and terrified of the future. It was awarded Best New Play at the Irish Times Theatre Awards and the James Tait Black Prize for Drama in 2017. For his portrayal of Eric, Stephen Rea won Best Actor at the Irish Times Theatre Awards 2017.

10 out of 10

> DRAWING THE LINE - LIVE STREAM

From Hampstead Theatre
17 April 2020

Really? Have the British sent a fool? Do they want to turn partition into a Gilbert and Sullivan opera?

As part of our quest to keep our cultural heart's beating, Dave and I prepare to enjoy another wonderful 'gift' from the team at Hampstead Theatre and the Guardian. With drinks in plastics, and another couple ordered for the interval, we experience Howard Brenton’s Drawing the Line (2013). Directed by the late Howard Davies, this play features a large ensemble, and tells the story of the chaotic partitioning of India in 1947 whilst celebrating the strength of humanity.

Summoned by the Prime Minister from the Court where he is presiding judge, Cyril Radcliffe is given an unlikely mission. He is to travel to India, a country he has never visited, and, with limited survey information, no expert support and no knowledge of cartography, he is to draw the border which will divide the Indian sub-continent into two new Sovereign Dominions. To make matters even worse, he has only six weeks to complete the task.

Wholly unsuited to his role, Radcliffe is unprepared for the dangerous whirlpool of political intrigue and passion into which he is plunged – untold consequences may even result from the illicit liaison between the Leader of the Congress Party and the Viceroy’s wife… As he begins to break under the pressure he comes to realise that he holds in his hands the fate of millions of people.

"An eye for an eye only ends up making the whole world blind"

Mahatma Gandhi

We found this complex story hugely enjoyable. Beautifully staged with elegant lighting, props and styling - this production held no punches when portraying the clumsy, heavy handed approach of our Government and elder Royals. It highlighted the extraordinarily contingent and chaotic political circumstances that lay behind this momentous historical act of carving up a continent. 

10 out of 10

> WONDERLAND - LIVE STREAM

From Hampstead Theatre
10 April 2020

There’s 250 million years down there. A miner, he’s not just working a piece of rock, he’s working with the world…

As part of Hampstead Theatre at Home series and originally aired back in 2014 - Beth Steel’s Wonderland is a gritty, thought provoking piece of storytelling. Directed by Edward Hall, this epic and witty drama takes a look at the clashing ideologies during the UK’s Miners' Strike of 1984–85 and presents the full sweep of the turbulent events that transformed the country.

With the world in lockdown, it's never been more important to hunt down new ways to satisfy ones lust for all things cultural. Luckily, a selection of the planets best Theatres, Galleries and Cultural Institutions have literally thrown open their doors for virtual tours, live stream events and online exploration. Over the next few weeks, months - we look forward to enjoying virtual trips to exciting Theatrical events, walking around immersive VR exhibitions and discovering the hidden treasures of blockbuster art shows... all from the comfort of the laptop - can't wait!

10 out of 10

> THE ARK AND DOVE

Cowes Library, IoW
26 February 2020

Friday the 22nd of November 1633, the Ark and Dove set sail from Cowes to start their treacherous journey to Maryland. Local Storyteller, Michele O'brien, has celebrated this story by creating a beautiful piece of Theatrical Storytelling that breathes new life into this epic adventure!

A few weeks ago, while volunteering at the IW Story Festival, I had the pleasure of meeting the creative team behind this production. Michele O'brien and Colin Phillimore have worked closely with a passionate team from the Island to bring this forgotten story to life. The resulting piece is truly engaging, highly creative and extremely relevant for local School children today. It raises issues of migration, self identity and acceptance.

The Ark and Dove, is a tale about a servant woman called Mary Jennings who leaves the Isle of Wight in search of a better life. She sails west across treacherous ocean waters, landing in Maryland, America. While there, Mary meets Mansi of the Piscataway tribe. Together, they share stories, learn valuable lessons, and become firm friends. The project, which is accompanied by an education pack for use in schools, commemorates the story of individuals who left England in 1633 and met with peoples in what we now call the United States of America. The country was inhabited by many tribes of First Nation people, who represent a diverse collection of cultures and communities.

Estelle Baker from the IW Heritage Service and Elspeth Giddens from the IW Story Festival worked with Michele and Colin to engage local schools and to help the children reconnect with this important moment from the Islands Maritime history. Writer David Haworth, Director Lucy Phillips and IoW based puppet maker, Teresa Grimaldi, all helped this wonderful piece of Island themed Storytelling to set-sail. It promises to be a very positive and rewarding journey indeed... What a team!

10 out of 10

> THE THRILL OF LOVE

 Apollo Theatre, IoW
22 February 2020

The team at the Apollo present a hauntingly beautiful dramatisation of the true story of Ruth Ellis, the last woman to be hanged in Britain.

The Thrill of Love, by award winning playwright Amanda Whittington, sheds new light on the life of Ruth Ellis, who was hanged for shooting her lover in 1955. Using the language of film noir and the distinctive voice of Billie Holiday, Whittington creates a haunting and beautiful piece of theatre which, despite the inevitable outcome, maintains dramatic tension to the last.

Holly Squires was wonderful as Ruth Ellis

A divorcee with a young child to care for, Ruth Ellis works in the kind of nightclubs where there’s more than just a drink on offer. The girls work hard, play hard and dream of a movie-star lifestyle. Then she meets the wealthy, womanising David, a racing driver with whom she becomes obsessed.  Fame comes – but not in the way she imagines. Why does their relationship end in murder? Why does she plead not guilty, but offer no defence? Why does she show no remorse? And who is she trying to protect?

An elegant set, perfect costume and a super cool soundtrack made for a very stylish and gripping eve of live Theatre.

On a positive note: Within two years of Ellis’s death, and on the back of massive public outcry. The Homicide Act 1957 limited the death penalty by restricting it to certain types of murder. It was a rather compromised piece of legislation but it set the tone for what was to follow in 1965, when Harold Wilson’s Labour government passed the Murder (Abolition of Death Penalty) Act. The last hangings in Great Britain had taken place a year earlier. Such changes are not brought about by one person’s case. But, for all that, Ruth Ellis remains a highly significant figure – both in shining a light on the long road to abolition and reflecting capital punishment’s impact on Britons’ emotional lives in the 1950s.

10 out of 10

> FLEABAG - LIVE!

Ventnor Arts Club, Isle of Wight
12 September 2019

Fleabag - National Theatre Live - The hilarious, award-winning, one-woman show that inspired the BBC’s hit TV series Fleabag, broadcast live to the Isle of Wight from London’s West End!

We really enjoyed this live feed from London. Feeling bizarrely intimate, this 80 minute monologue triggered every emotion imaginable. Clever use of audio effects and character voices added depth to Fleabag's narrative while the stripped back stage added to the overall intensity of the piece.

Written and performed by Phoebe Waller-Bridge and directed by Vicky Jones, Fleabag is a rip-roaring look at some sort of woman living her sort of life. Fleabag may seem oversexed, emotionally unfiltered and self-obsessed, but that's just the tip of the iceberg. With family and friendships under strain and a guinea pig café struggling to keep afloat, Fleabag suddenly finds herself with nothing to lose.

Playing to sold-out audiences in New York and London, we certainly didn't want to miss our opportunity to enjoy this ‘legitimately hilarious show’ (New Yorker), broadcast live from Wyndham’s Theatre to the Ventnor Arts Club.

The moon and the sea, Ventnor

An early morning walk along Ventnor beach

We started our Ventnor adventure with a fab meal at Stripped, the new venture from the team behind Cantina. The eve was rounded off with a moon-lit walk along the parade... and beautifully brought to a crescendo with a stay at the Hambrough. Very comfortable and a great breakfast in the morning too!

10 out of 10

> SUDDENLY AT HOME

Apollo Theatre, Isle of Wight
7 September 2019

Suddenly at Home - Set in a quiet, luxurious 1970s apartment, this play exudes glamour, sophistication and all the thrilling elements that we have come to expect from the exciting creations of Mr Durbridge. Twists and turns all the way, and some real 'gasp-out-loud' moments, we loved this fabulous production!

Francis Durbridge’s ‘Suddenly at Home’ is an intricate classic thriller with unexpected twists and surprises, in which an avaricious scheming husband kills his wealthy wife in pursuit of his idyllic dream. The intrigue and suspense come from his clever attempts to evade justice as he manipulates situations and other characters to achieve his objective. Dramatic telephone calls and unexpected visitors punctuate the action and heighten tension.

Francis Durbridge, master storyteller, conquered television from 1950-1980 with baffling and complex thrillers that gripped audiences and kept them on tenterhooks. Record viewing figures were recorded for his best-known series featuring Paul Temple, one of the most successful characters ever created for broadcasting. His radio plays, with their famed ‘cliff-hanger’ endings, were always eagerly awaited. He is credited with over 35 novels, 22 TV series, 30 radio play serials and 9 stage plays – the most famous of which is ‘Suddenly at Home’.

Professional actor, Graham Pountney stepped in to take the lead role after a cast member had to drop out. A strong cast and a very good set made for an enjoyable eve of live theatre on our isle (With those lovely Bailey's).

10 out of 10

> THE AUDIENCE

NST City, Southampton
22 June 2019

The Audience - Every week, the Queen has met her Prime Minister in an Audience at Buckingham Palace. Both parties agree never to repeat what is said. Not even to their spouses. But what is discussed? What secrets are shared? Does her Majesty have her favourites?

Often funny, sometimes confessional, occasionally explosive, The Audience imagines the private moments that define a changing Britain. From Peter Morgan, the writer of the award-winning TV series The Crown and Oscar-winning film The Queen, NST Director Samuel Hodges (The Shadow Factory) directs a brand new production of the comic hit play.

Prime Minister: I never sleep much.
Queen: Oh dear. 

I like the idea of any person with the power to start a nuclear war being rested. Nuffield Southampton Theatres Director Samuel Hodges directs his new version of the award winning play from the writer of the critically acclaimed TV series The Crown and the Oscar award winning film The Queen.

What a stunning production. This has been our first visit to the new NST City Theatre, an amazing space for all sorts of performing Arts. Very comfortable and jam-packed with the very latest technical kit, a perfect venue for this minimal and elegant production. Faye Castelow rocked it as The Queen. Lizzie Hopley was amazing as Margaret Thatcher and Paul Kemp played the 7 Prime Ministers like an absolute pro. Brilliant stuff!

10 out of 10

> JULIAN CLARY LIVE

Shanklin Theatre, IoW
15 May 2019

Julian Clary - In his own words...‘Are you ready for some filth? I know I am. It’s been a while since he sallied forth to pleasure the provinces with his particular brand of saucy innuendo. Is the time right now?’

Born to Mince!... In this outrageously camp new show, (that was going to be called 'Bed Knobs and Knee Pads', but was advised might not sell too well on the Isle of Wight), renowned homosexual Julian Clary bares his soul as never before in the interests of light entertainment.

He murdered some well known songs along the way, read a sneak preview from his next memoir 'A Night At the Lubricant' and made withering remarks about punters foolish enough to sit in the front row. You know the kind of thing. It’s the only life he knows.

We where so lucky to get the last two tickets, tonight's show was a complete sell-out! Julian minced about and did not disappoint. Not quite as entertaining as when he's in Panto, the lord of mince still managed to raise the roof and tickle a few funny bones... Certainly worth the petrol money to Shanklin!

This might well be his final mince…

9 out of 10

> ALL ABOUT EVE

Noël Coward Theatre, London
5 April 2019

All about Eve -  Margo Channing. Legend. True star of the Theatre. The spotlight is hers, always has been. But now there’s Eve. Her biggest fan. Young, beautiful Eve. The golden girl, the girl next door. But you know all about Eve… don’t you…?  

Tonight we enjoyed a simply stunning production of this classic. Lifting the curtain on a world of jealousy and ambition, this new production from one of the world’s most innovative theatre directors asks why our fascination with celebrity, youth and identity never seems to get old. Gillian Anderson was gritty, bitter and ever so slightly vulnerable as Margo... she was fantastic. Lily James was bang on, very determined and quite manipulative too as Eve! But, perhaps the character who stole the show was Monica Dolan, she played Karen Richards like an absolute pro... a joy to behold! AND... who could not fall in love with Sheila Reid as Birdie?... Played like Madge from Benidorm... but much nicer, and less cigarettes!

 Gillian, Sheila and Lily 

The fantastic set 

Ivo van Hove directs Gillian Anderson and Lily James in his new adaptation of All About Eve. Cast also includes Monica Dolan, Ian Drysdale, Tsion Habte, Jessie Mei Li, Julian Ovenden, Sheila Reid, Rhashan Stone, Stanley Townsend and Philip Voyzey. Merric Boyd, Fejiro Emasiobi, Charles Hagerty, Chanelle Modi, Stuart Nunn, Phillipa Peak, Grace Stone and Michael Warburton will also appear as Ensemble cast.

This production stood up really well against THE film that starred Bette Davis. But I still feel Bette owns the line "Fasten your seat belts, it's going to be a bumpy night!"...

10+ out of 10

> THE WEIR

Apollo Theatre, Newport
29 March 2019

The Weir - In this haunting drama, Conor McPherson shows an intuitive understanding of wasted lives; how in Ireland the past is eternally present and how the supernatural reflects your own anxieties and fears. A subtly fascinating and powerful play about ‘the quiet desperation of the unfulfilled’.

It sounds like the set-up for a joke:  four men gather in a bar in rural Ireland to drink away their solitude – and then a woman walks in. Except this is the start of Conor McPherson’s breakthrough hit ‘The Weir’ and although there are plenty of laughs and stories along the way, when the punchline comes it goes straight to the heart.

In the bar...

...a story unfolds!

Another enjoyable eve of live Theatre at The Apollo. This production was stylish, believable and lifted throughout by moments of black comedy. All the cast were fantastic... great set, effects and styling too - we certainly felt that we had been transported back to the windswept countryside of rural Ireland. Lovely to have the compant of the Bailey's too!

10 out of 10

> A NIGHT AT THE MUSICALS

Soho Theatre, London
23 March 2019

The Soho Theatre - A Night at the Musicals is a tortured love letter to the glorious genre of musical theatre. High glamah, intense silliness, divine costumes and raggedy choreography are guaranteed in a night you’ll never remember!

Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo - Dubbed the ‘Ebony and Ivory of drag’ by the Australian press. Olivier winning star of La Clique & La Soirée, these two return home to London to finish their award winning sold out world tour. Hilarious hi jinks and shady shenanigans abound as they ‘Les Misérmassacre’ all the musicals you know and love. Le Gateau Chocolat and Jonny Woo dragged us through the back catalogue of fabulous musicals for a raucous night of ballsy ballads, delightful duets and slaughtered show tunes. From Gypsy to Grease, Annie to Lion King – no show was safe.

Brilliant fun and lovely to be back in the centre of Soho...

9 out of 10

> BAD BLOOD

Trinity Theatre, Cowes
22 March 2019

Bad Blood - A tense, disturbing thriller with all the right ingredients for a gripping night out.

Bad Blood is one of those thrillers that has suspense and plenty of twists. Written by Richard Stockwell, this modern thriller has all the vital components of a believable thriller; character flaws, betrayal, secrets, subterfuge, plot twists and the inevitable murder.

Incredibly uncomfortable in places, the plot for this thriller takes the audience on a roller coaster of a ride. Complex in places too, the cast did a great job of delivering the hard hitting narrative. A fab set and nice styling helped to take us all to a very dark place indeed... an entertaining eve at Trinity Theatre!

8 out of 10