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Reviews
Willy Russell’s Blood Brothers, Birmingham Hippodrome, 30 April 2024 until 04 May 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray
“A powerful and moving show that is still as relevant today as it was 40 years ago.”
The Silence, Birmingham REP, 23 – 27 April, by Sonali Bhattacharyya, Gurpreet Kaur Bhatti, Ishy Din and Alexandra Wood. On tour next at Home Manchester (30 April – 04 May). 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Dan Auluk.
“A powerful reminder of how silence can affect us all. Everybody should witness this!”
Photo Credit: Harry Ellleston
Centre stage: Mendelssohn String Octet: CBSO Centre, Birmingham, 26 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“An energetic and convincing reading of Mendelssohn’s youthful masterwork.”
Bruckner 7, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 25 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A mighty interpretation and performance of a mighty symphony by Anton Bruckner.”
Photo Credit: Jenny Bestwick
BBC Concert Orchestra and Alistair McGowan, Lakeside, Nottingham, 20 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“Vivid, unsettling music-drama in which the Devil has all the best tunes.”
Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 19 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“An exhilarating ride through 60 turbulent years of Russian music.”
Britten & Tchaikovsky, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 17 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“Overall: a dreamy concert about dreaming.”
The Drifters Girl – Birmingham Hippodrome, 16 April ‘till Saturday 20 April 2024, then on tour. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Paul Gray & Louise Burke.
“Vocal harmonies that make time stand still. But just who is The Drifters Girl?”
Photo: Courtesy of Birmignham Hippodrome.
Dresden Philharmonic, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Tuesday 16 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“Lush Russian romanticism contrasted with Mid-20th Century Russian angst.”
Photo Credit: Bjoern Kadenbach
Bluebeard by Emma Rice, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP. 11 – 20 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Joanna Jarvis
“We all make bad bargains.”
Photo Credit: Steve Tanner (Image of Tristan Sturrock as Bluebeard)
Angela Hewitt (piano), Lakeside, Nottingham, 11 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff. Review: William Ruff.
“Angela Hewitt: an artist of flawless technique and probing intelligence.”
Photo Credit: Keith Saunders.
The Promise by Paula Garfield and Melissa Mostyn. The Door, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP. 06 – 13 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Joanna Jarvis
“An important promise, reluctantly broken.”
Photo Credit: Becky Bailey (Image of Anna Seymour as Rita).
Good Friday St John Passion with Ex Cathedra, Symphony Hall Birmingham, 29 March 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A compelling and atmospheric reading of this mighty work.”
Rhapsody in Blue, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 27 March 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
Image: Courtesy of CBSO
Ben and Imo: Mark Ravenhill Swan Theatre, RSC, Stratford Upon Avon, until 06 April 2024. 23 March 2024 (AD Performance). 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: Roderick Dungate.
“Totally thrilling.”
Photo Credit: Ellie Kurttz (c) RSC
Sinfonia Viva, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 23 March 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff
“A concert memorable for tender restraint and thoughtful intimacy.”
Image: Courtesy of Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham
Fauré Requiem, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham Classical, Birmingham 21 March 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A concert including dazzling virtuosity and profound spirituality.”
Photo Credit: Andrew Fox, CBSO, photo of: Alexandre Bloch
The Boy at the Back of the Class, Malvern Theatres 19 to 23 March 2024 and UK tour. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Hannah Phillips.
“A beautiful, heartfelt and hopeful production.”
Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan.
Hanni Liang (piano) Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham17 March 2024. 3✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“Hanni Liang: fine piano-playing - but controversial presentation.”
Indigo Giant, The Door, Birmingham Repertory Theatre, Broad Street, Birmingham B1 2EP. 14, 15, 16 March 2024. 3✩✩✩ Review: Joanna Jarvis.
“A story of the Raj that still resonates today.”
Photo Credit: Alex Unai