Zenith Theatre presents Summer Holiday (Kingswood Theatre, Wednesday July 12th) Beautiful staging, energised performances and a large dose of fun result in a rendition of this pop-fuelled Sixties cheese-fest that even a grouch like me can enjoy. I could feel a touch of apprehension clinging to me as
DUTCH COMEDY NIGHT – COMEDYTRAIN ON TOUR WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB This gig is part of Alkmaar week, commemorating 70 years of Bath’s twinning relationship with that Dutch town (It’s a very moving story: look it up.), and there are actually a few people from Alkmaar in the audience. But there,
FRED MACAULAY WIDCOMBE SOCIAL CLUB The prophet of Perthshire takes to the stage at the packed Social Club with his usual casual-seeming style. He says the theme of the evening is the imparting of information, and whether people should and could believe anything just because someone told them so. And
Racing Demon – David Hare Theatre Royal Bath Jonathan Church hot foot from the triumphs of Chichester launches his directing debut of the Theatre Royal Summer Season with Racing Demon and if this production of David Hare’s stunning examination of an institution in crisis is anything to go by, Bath
Birdsong by Sebastian Faulks adapted by Rachel Wagstaff Next Stage The Mission Theatre Birdsong is a popular and successful novel. A love story mingled with the brutality and reality of the trenches and the Battle of the Somme. The play focuses the action in the British trenches and behind the
TARTUFFE MISSION THEATRE This production by Bath University Student Theatre of Roger McGough’s adaptation of Moliere’s 1664 play is a pleasing thing. There’s no pretence here of naturalistic acting; the costumes and makeup are over-the-top cartoonish, and McGough’s script is in verse – not your Shakespearean blank iambic kind,
Emma – adapted by Tim Luscombe from the novel by Jane Austen Theatre Royal Bath Clearly a production of Emma will be a box office hit in Bath, some audience members even attending in costume to celebrate the work of Jane Austen. Its tour created to acknowledge that 2017
Two Parallel Columns – Fish Pie! Old Theatre Royal June 6, 2017 The show description of Two Parallel Columns promises lots and lots of laughter and let me tell you, it delivers. It was an hour of sketch after sketch, each one as funny as the previous.
FILMS ABOUT GHOSTS, Russell Eccleston Black Dog Productions Burdall’s Yard, Bath 5th June 2017 Films About Ghosts is a haunting tale that follows Elsie, who’s interest in her sister’s suspicious death has become an obsession. Ten years after what police deemed a suicide, Elsie is leading her
Seeds, by Naomi Knox, Aimee Pollock and Megan Vernon Between Creatives Theatre Collective Burdall’s Yard May 30th Devised by three women, Seeds is a show with a powerful script, based around the performers’ own stories. They relate their experiences of some of the painful occurrences that, devastatingly, are part of
What I do for you How far could you go on lies and secrets? And who would you really protect from them? And finally, who do you become in others’ eyes? In today’s world we start forgetting what family means and how precious truth is. Fortunately, this play shows
FOOTPRINTS ON THE MOON MISSION THEATRE This two-handed devised piece from OnSet productions concerns, in a nutshell, traumatised soldier returning home to agoraphobic wife. But in the hands of these two actors it is a huge nut, two nuts in fact, and the shell is hard to break; but break
HEELS AND TIES MISSION THEATRE This short piece, devised and performed by Kayleigh Heel and Jazz Ketley, takes a look at the stresses on women about having children; whether to do it; when to do it; and how to deal with pressure from family and friends, and the relentless ticking
NO INNOCENT LAUGHTER MISSION THEATRE James Green’s dark comedy is set in a rural English village – not one full of happy yokels who are close to the land; but of wealthy self-regarding and viciously competitive media types. It opens with one of these shrill-voiced brittle characters listening to
Ripper** (2 stars) (Burdall’s Yard, Saturday May 27th) The idea behind this short 4-piece play by Bath Spa University students, written and directed by Alaina Kear, was a fairly novel one. Their aim was to immerse the audience in 19th century London and the gruesome case of Jack the
THE LONDON PHILHARMONIC SKIFFLE ORCHESTRA RONDO THEATRE An avowedly old-fashioned sort of show, this. Skiffle, as they point out, was a long time ago, and didn’t last long – though they and most of the audience demographic look as though they would remember it (your critic not excepted). But unlike
Pygmalion – Bernard Shaw Theatre Royal Bath This wildly modern reimagining of this classic Shaw play brings many issues into very sharp focus. The tale of the East End flower girl who is taken onboard by two gents in a bet to help her speak well is not the
BRENDON BURNS: BLACK COMEDIAN RONDO THEATRE Brendon Burns isn’t black. You can tell that right away; but in case you hadn’t noticed he does bring it to your attention. He is Australian, though, and he sure brings that to your attention. This is a show, basically, that is looking
Crimes Against Christmas by New Old friends Ustinov Studio At the end of what has been a hugely successful tour, New Old Friends bring the crazy comedy “Crimes Against Christmas” to the Ustinov. Back in their home town, the full house at the Ustinov reflected the great support there
STATELESSCIRCOMEDIA, BRISTOL It’s hard to define this piece from Joli Vyann company: is it ballet, is it circus, is it gymnastics, is it theatre – is it art? Probably yes on all counts. The piece centres around the plight of refugees, hence the title. There’s no simple narrative or
