Review: Your Ever Loving

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Your Ever Loving.
When I was invited to this play and given info on it's storyline I wasn't really sure what to expect. I am so happy I was invited, as this was a stunning piece of theatre. It is a fantastic play and is extremely well written. The storyline is: 'After the Guildford and Woolwich bombings, Paul Hill and the Guildford Four were arrested and jailed for 15 years for crimes they did not commit, their convictions based solely on confessions extracted during brutal interrogation. Forensic evidence and witnesses that pointed to their innocence were never disclosed at the original trial. Detectives used violence, intimidation and threats to extract the confessions. It would take 15 long years of campaigning before the Four were exonerated and their convictions quashed.' It was such a gripping storyline and I was so engrossed in Paul Hill's life from start to finish. I found the story so inspirational and it is truly incredible how courageous Paul Hill was. The show only starred two actors: Stefan McCusker as Paul Hill and James Elmes as The Rest of The World. Stefan and James are both tremendous actors. The emotion shown by Stefan Mccosker, when playing Paul Hill, is incredible, especially after being beaten by a prison guard. James Elmes must be extremely quick-witted having to play, what seemed like, 100s of parts. He plays all those parts phenomenally, constantly changing. The lighting was very good and the play is very well staged. It's play's like this that really make you appreciate fringe theatre, it's even better than some shows on West End and Broadway. The only things the show could improve on are to do with the theatre. There are three or four rows in Theatre N16, all on the same level. I was in the back row and had extremely tall people in front of me. I ended up sitting on my rucksack, but I feel that they could elevate the last two rows on a different platform. The show started at 7:30pm and everyone was allowed into their seats at around 7:27pm, leaving not long for people to get comfy in their seats, perhaps they could open the theatre a little earlier? Apart from those small issues, it was a great theatre to put the show in!

The featured star of Your Ever Loving is, drum roll please… STEFAN McCUSKER!

I found this so hard to choose between Stefan and James Elmes, I was even thinking of giving them a joint featured star! I felt I better stick with tradition and just pick one, so I decided to go with Stefan, but they were so close I could have just done eeny, meeny, miny, moe. Stefan gives such a phenomenal performance and I hope to see him in some more theatre some day.

Now for my final verdict on Your Ever Loving. I give Your Ever Loving…

I recommend this to anyone who enjoys good theatre. Don't be put off by the journey to Balham, it is certainly worth the journey!

Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing Saucy Jack and the Space Vixens.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: An Inspector Calls

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of An Inspector Calls.
This isn't something I would usually see, but having been kindly invited by ATG I went along. The production made a worthy effort, but the storyline really wasn't my cup of tea. Before going to the play, I was under the impression it was a murder mystery, but instead a girl had committed suicide and a detective visited this family blaming them because they had all been nasty to her over the years. I researched the play on Wikipedia afterwards and I found out there is a double meaning to the play, but I didn't feel this meaning made any statement, I just didn't quite see the point. Perhaps I would have liked the show a little more if it hadn't been as long as it was (1 hour and 40 minutes). There were certain points which, for me, really dragged. I feel this play is like marmite, I read a review with 5 stars saying it was absolutely wonderful, however I also read a 3 star review with this reviewer calling it a 'wobbly production'. I wasn't the biggest fan of Katherine Jack's portrayal of Sheila Birling, the performance just seemed wooden. There are some positive things about the show, which I am glad for! I thought Liam Brennan's performance was phenomenal and he carried the show on his shoulders. Other cast members that stood out were Geoff Lesley as Arthur Birling, Caroline Wildi as Sybil Birling and Hamish Riddle as Eric Birling. The lighting, set and costumes were all really good. I can't fault the production that much, I just found the storyline to be so dreary. If this play sounds like your kind of thing, I would definitely go for it, but if not I would not recommend it.

The featured star is, drum roll please… LIAM BRENNAN!

Liam Brannan was perfectly casted by 'Hanock Stevenson Casting', he really carried the show from start to finish and I sadly found all scenes without him a little joyless.

Now for my final verdict on An Inspector Calls. I give An Inspector Calls…

The show is touring until the end of May, so if the storyline interests you I would go along and see this production.

Think it should have got a higher rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing Your Ever Loving.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: People, Places and Things

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of People, Places and Things.
Continuing my quest to see the Olivier Award winners of 2016 live, I went to see Denise Gough's award winning performance in People, Places and Things. At the end of the play all I could say was 'WOW!'. I was utterly blown away. The synopsis is: 'Emma was having the time of her life. Now she’s in rehab. Her first step is to admit that she has a problem. But the problem isn’t with Emma, it’s with everything else. She needs to tell the truth. But she’s smart enough to know that there’s no such thing. When intoxication feels like the only way to survive the modern world, how can she ever sober up? ' Denise Gough gives the performance of a lifetime in a role she was born to play. Personally, I think this performance is up there with performances such as Helen Mirren in The Audience. I don't know if I can put into words how truly astonishing this performance was. The show also won the Olivier for Best Sound Design which it was also very deserving of. Cast members who stood out for me were Denise Gough as Emma, Barbara Marten as the Doctor, the Therapist and Mum, Nathaniel Martello-White as Mark, Kevin McMonagle as Paul and Dad and Alistair Cope as Foster. I was surprised Barbara wasn't nominated for an Olivier as she also gave a really strong performance, especially in her final scene. The play was very well directed and the set and lighting were great. This show is extremely hard to fault and it is currently one of the best shows in the West End. This show has even made  it into my top 5 plays (not including musicals)! I seriously cannot praise it enough! Hangmen, which People, Places and Things lost the 'Best New Play' Olivier Award to, must be the best thing since sliced bread to beat a play like this. The show had a great ensemble of actors. The show is extremely well written and has a great ending to it. I would love to see more plays by Duncan MacMillan. The only thing that perhaps could be changed is some seats were added onto the stage for audience members and it felt a little unnecessary.

The featured star of People, Places and Thing is, drum roll please… DENISE GOUGH!

As I said, Denise gives the performance of a lifetime in a role she was born to play, I am so happy to see she has received the recognition she deserves! 

Now for my final verdict on People, Places and Things. I give People, Places and Things…

People, Places and Things will be running for another two months so I would recommend getting your tickets before it's too late if you enjoy good theatre. Hopefully the play will extend past June!

Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing An Inspector Calls.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: The Brink

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of The Brink.
I don't visit the Orange Tree Theatre that often, but plays like this make me realise I should. The play's storyline is: 'History teacher Nick is on the edge. A hidden secret lies under the Brink. Nick can’t get it out of his mind. A series of visions force him to investigate what lies beneath. Nick’s girlfriend doesn’t understand. Neither do his fellow teachers. Frustrated, he confides in a Year 10 student but can she be expected to have all the answers?' The play actually reminded me a lot of The Trial, which I saw at the Young Vic with Rory Kinnear last year. The play was extremely well written by Brad Birch and I would be very interested in seeing more plays written by him. The play runs an hour and 15 minutes, which I feel was a good length as it didn't drag on, but it wasn't too short either, it was just right! The lighting, special effects and sound design were fantastic, especially in the final scene. The set were a few cubes which changed colours for the different scenarios the main character faced which  were really effective. The show got better and better as it went on, as did the acting. The cast includes Ciarán Owens as Nick, Shvorne Marks as Chloe and Jessica, Vince Leigh as Martin, Mr. Boyd and a Student and Alice Haig as Jo. I was so engrossed in Nick's, the main character's, life it was easy to forget you were in a theatre. The play really portrayed how hard it is to know what the right thing to do is and the pressures of what to do when faced with the issue that people could die. The antagonists of Nick's life were all played by one person which I thought was clever and all those roles were superbly acted by Vince Leigh. Ciarán Owens gives such a strong performance and he would be great at playing the role of Josef K in The Trial. The play had some black comedy in it, which I thought was well used. One thing the play really could do with getting rid of is there is one scene between Nick and one of his friends Jo which features toilet and vomit humour. This scene went on for far too long and felt really unnecessary.

The featured star of The Brink is, drum roll please... CIARÁN OWENS!

Ciarán gives such a powerful performance that, like the play, just gets better and better. He is perfectly casted and was phenomenal, especially in the final scene.

Now for my final verdict on The Brink. I give The Brink...

The Brink will be on until the end of April, so if you think you like the sound of the show, make sure to get yourself some tickets!

Think it should have got a higher rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing People, Places and Things.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: The Father

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of The Father.
Ever since the Olivier Awards winners were announced, I have been trying to see all the winners live. Richmond Theatre was lucky enough to be able to book The Father with Kenneth Cranham's award winning performance as André. I can say with absolute certainty that Kenneth really deserved his award. He puts so much emotion into the character, especially in the final scene which brought a tear to my eye. The storyline, for those who are interesting in seeing the play, is: 'Now 80 years old, André was once a tap dancer. He lives with his daughter Anne and her husband Antoine. Or was he an engineer whose daughter Anne lives in London with her new lover, Pierre? The thing is, he is still wearing his pajamas, and he can't find his watch. He is starting to wonder if he's losing control.' The show had a very strong cast, which consisted of Kenneth Cranham as André, Amanda Drew as Anne, Daniel Flynn as Pierre, Jade Williams as Laura, Brian Doherty as Man and Rebecca Charles as Woman. Amanda Drew, who I saw in Three Days in the Country last year, was phenomenal and was a delight to watch once again. She also puts a lot of emotion into her character. Having two grandparents with dementia (one who sadly passed away in 2015) it has really helped me understand it a lot more and how frustrating the illness can be. The character of André had traits of both my grandfather and grandmother. The play did have some light-hearted and humorous bits which I think was good to add in. The play was also very deserving of it's Olivier nominations for 'Best Play' and 'Best Sound Design'. The set was very well designed and lighting was very good. It is so well written and I hope to see more plays by Florian Zeller. The only thing that perhaps could have been changed was the play is set in France, which I didn't feel was necessary as it could've been set in England.

The featured star of The Father is, drum roll please… KENNETH CRANHAM!

Kenneth gives a mesmerising performance that absolutely blows the audience away. I am so happy that the Olivier committee noticed this stunning performance. As I said, he gives such an emotional and heartfelt performance and I hope once he is finished touring with The Father he will be back in the theatre soon.

Now for my final verdict of The Father. I give The Father…

The Father will be heading to Brighton next so for those who are nearby to the Theatre Royal in Brighton make sure to get some tickets!

Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing The Brink.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: The Next Step: Wild Rhythm Tour

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of The Next Step: Wild Rhythm Tour.
I just want to start off this post by saying this is my 100th review! Thanks to all who have been reading, hopefully you'll stick with me for the next 100! I have to admit, when I first saw The Next Step on TV, I hated it, but I occasionally watched it when there was nothing else on and I got hooked! It was so great to see some of the stars from the TV show perform live and they did not disappoint. I go to the New Wimbledon Theatre quite often, but I don't think I've seen it sold out like I did, when I saw the show, last Wednesday (6th April). It was a great atmosphere! The dancers performing in the show were: Victoria Baldesarra, Trevor Tordjman, Jordan Clark, Taveeta Szymanowicz, Isaac Lupien, Myles Erlick, Briar Nolet and Isaiah Peck. The dancing was incredible and it is clear each and every one of them are insanely talented. The show was well choreographed and the lighting was absolutely stunning. They occasionally had singers perform, who were very good. The Q&A aspect of the show was good, especially as I got my question answered! As much as I loved this show, I feel it could do with some editing in certain parts. There were some silly skits in-between songs and dances that felt a little unnecessary. The singers came on for about 5 or 6 songs, with only two of those songs being assisted with dancing in the background. The most common complaint I've heard about this show is that it needed more dancing and that is true. It was great to have singing, however it would've been nice if the dancers danced to the singing more often.

The featured star of The Next Step: Wild Rhythm Tour is, drum roll please... ISAAC LUPIEN!

I always felt Isaac was the best dancer on the show and seeing him live proved my point even further. He is a phenomenal dancer and it will be interesting to watch his career after The Next Step.

Now for my final verdict on The Next Step: Wild Rhythm Tour. I give The Next Step: Wild Rhythm Tour...

I think this is a great show for all Next Step fans and would definitely recommend it.

Think it should have got a higher rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing The Father.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer

Review: Hobson's Choice

Hey readers!
It's time for my review of Hobson's Choice.
A family friend had tickets to see this show, but couldn't see it so I was lucky enough to be given these tickets! I don't know if it would've been something I would usually have seen, but I'm happy I was given the opportunity to see the show as I loved it! I don't go to comedy's that often so it was nice to have a change for once! The storyline was: An unlikely love story that combines comedy with romance as it follows the lives and loves of boot-maker Henry Horatio Honson and his three daughters. It was a really fun storyline! The set was really good, especially the shoe factory. The costumes were all really well designed. The best thing about Hobson's Choice is the fantastic cast, they are all great! Cast members who stood out for me were: Martin Shaw as Henry Horatio Hobson, Naomi Frederick as Maggie Hobson, Bryan Dick as Willie Mossop, Gabrielle Dempsey as Vickey Hobson, Florence Hall as Alice Hobson and Ken Dury as Dr. McFarlane. I preferred act one as I just found it funnier, but act two was still great! I wish act one had been a little bit longer. The time went by very quickly. Facial expressions were really good, especially from Bryan Dick. Seeing shows at Richmond can really be hit and miss nowadays, after seeing shows like their last panto and 42nd Street I almost considered not going back to Richmond, but this show is a hit and certainly not a miss!

The featured star of Hobson's Choice is, drum roll please... BRYAN DICK!

Bryan gave a mesmerising and hilarious performance, he was perfectly cast! As I said previously, he had great facial expressions and his coming timing was absolute perfection!

Now for my final verdict on Hobson's Choice. I give Hobson's Choice...

Sadly the show didn't tour for very long, but I am really glad I got to see it before it closed! The tour was only two months, which I think was a shame, but it is highly doubtful we won't be hearing of this show again! UPDATE: The other day it was confirmed that Hobson's Choice would be transferring to the West End. I knew we'd heard from it again soon!

Think it should have got a higher rating? Think it should have got a lower rating? If so comment below.

Join me next time when I will be reviewing The Next Step: Wild Rhythm Tour.

Thanks for reading!

-The Reviewer