Email: ReviewsgateReviews@gmail.com
Reviews
Orsino Ensemble. Lakeside, Nottingham. 27 February 2025, 5✩✩✩✩✩. Review: William Ruff.
“Individual virtuosity and perfectly blended ensemble.”
Photo Credit: Matthew Johnson.
Discovering Bliss. BBC Philharmonic Orchestra. Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 26 February 2025. 4✩✩✩✩. Review: William Ruff.
“An expedition to discover Bliss – but it was easy to get lost on the way.”
Photo of Sit Arthur Bliss by Frank Woods.
Cinderella, Birmingham Royal Ballet and Royal Ballet Symphonia, Birmingham Hippodrome, 19 February 2025. Then on tour, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A triumphant revival of a lavish production.”
Photo Credit: Roy Smiljanic.
Chansons d’amour, Ex Cathedra Scholars Ensemble, Jennifer Blackwell Performance Space, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Wednesday 12 Feb, 4☆☆☆☆. Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A varied selection of music drawn from the renaissance through to the modern day.”
Prague Symphony Orchestra. Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 11 February 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Ruff.
“Vivid orchestral story-telling and astonishing piano fireworks.”
Photo Credit: Anders Brogaard.
Siqian Li (piano). Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 09 February 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Ruff.
“An hour of musical surprises and hand-blurring virtuosity.”
Photo Credit: Matthew Johnson.
Prague Symphony Orchestra, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Friday 07 February 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“Excellent playing from the Prague ensemble.”
Photo Credit: Anders Brogaard.
Alina Abragimova (violin) and Steven Osborne (piano). Lakeside, Nottingham. 06 February 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Ruff.
“Virtuosity married to deep musical insight.”
Photo Credit: Lakeside.
Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake – The Next Generation, A New Adventures Production, Birmingham Hippodrome, 06 Feb 2025. On until 15 Feb 2025, then on tour, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: David Gray and Paul Gray.
“Matthew Bourne’s groundbreaking take on Swan Lake still dazzles.”
Community by Farrah Chaudhry Birmingham Repertory Theatre, 6 Centenary Square, B1 2EP, 3☆☆☆, Review: Joanna Jarvis.
“A warm and witty coming of age story.”
Photo Credit: Graeme Braidwood.
Lászlo Rózsa, John Butt and Jonathan Manson. Lakeside, Nottingham, 30 January 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Ruff.
“An ear-opening concert that turned expectations upside down.”
Photo Credit: Lakeside.
London Philharmonic Orchestra. Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 28 January 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Ruff.
“Outstanding music-making from orchestra, conductor and soloist.”
Photo Credit: Andrej Grilc.
Birdsong adapted by Rachel Wagstaff Birmingham Repertory Theatre, 6 Centenary Square, B1 2EP, until 01 February 2025, 3☆☆☆. Review: Joanna Jarvis.
“A powerful evocation of love, passion and loss.”
Photo credit: Pamela Raith.
Ethan Loch (piano). Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 26 January 2025, 5✩✩✩✩✩. Review: William Ruff
“Revelatory playing from the extraordinary Ethan Loch.”
Photo Credit: BBC.
Sinfonia Viva. Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 19 January 2025, 4✩✩✩✩. Review: William Ruff.
“Sinfonia Viva dispel winter gloom with Eastern European elegance.”
Photo of Sophie Rosa by Sebastian Siwko.
The National Youth Orchestra. Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham. 06 January 2025, 5✩✩✩✩✩. Review: William Ruff.
“The NYO proves once again that our musical future is in very good hands.”
Photo Credit: National Youth Orchestra.
Twelfth Night: William ShakespeareRoyal Shakespeare Theatre, RSC, Stratford Upon AvonRuns: 2h 55m; one interval, till 18 January 2025,4☆☆☆☆. Review: Roderick Dungate.
“Unruly and Sensitive.”
Photo Credit: Helen Murray.
Peter Pan, Birmingham Hippodrome, Monday 23 December 2024 until Sunday 02 February 2025, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“A spectacular and hilarious show for all the family.”
Photo Credit: Paul Coltas.
A Christmas Celebration. Southwell Minster. 18 December 2024, 5☆☆☆☆☆. Review: William Ruff.
“A magical tradition but with plenty of surprises.”
Photo credit: Joe Briggs-Price.