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Reviews
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
Foam by Harry McDonald. The Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW10 to13 April 2024. 3✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Powerful, disturbing, violent and not for the faint hearted.”
Photo Credit: Craig Fuller.
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
Faith Healer by Brian Friel. The Lyric Theatre, King Street, Hammersmith, London W6 to 13 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A spell binding revival of a very fine play.”
Photo Credit: Marc Brenner.
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.
40 Elephants, Barnfield Theatre Exeter 22 February 2024 and tour. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Cormac Richards.
“Wonderfully refreshing and chock full of entertainment.”
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
The Essence of Audrey by Helen Anker. The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre, 410 Brockley Road, London SE4 to 16 March 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Audrey Hepburn brought vividly to life.”
Rossini’s The Barber of Seville, Wilton’s Music Hall, Graces Alley, London E1. 3✩✩✩ Review: Clare Colvin.
“Barber of Seville goes Way out West.”
Photo: Bill Knight.
Frank’s Closet. Book, music and lyrics by Stuart Wood. The Union theatre, 229 Union Street, Southwark, London SE1 to 30 March 2024. 2✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Great legs but not much in the closet.”
Photo Credit: Danny Kaan.
London Zoo by Farine Clarke. Southwark Playhouse, the Little, 77 Newington Causeway, London to 30 March 2024. 2✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A drama about the slow death of newspapers – the problem is the play is dead.”
Photo Credit: Linda Crisafulli.
Cosi Fan Tutte (Opera North) Theatre Royal, Nottingham, 07 and 09 March 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“Cosi fan tutte: Opera North’s revival has lost none of its freshness – or ambiguity.”
Photo Credit: Courtesy of Theatre Royal, Nottingham
Casserole by James Alexandrou, Kate Kelly-Flood & Dominic Morgan. The Arcola, Studio 2, 24 Ashwin Street, Dalston, London E8 to 30 March 2024. 3✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Impressive performances in a play about marital troubles and bereavement”
Photo Credit: Kit Mackenzie
Wicked, The Birmingham Hippodrome, 06 March 2024 until 07 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“An undeniable spectacle with a deep emotional well at its heart.”
Photo Credit : Mark Senior
Cavalleria Rusticana/Aleko (Opera North)Theatre Royal, Nottingham 06 and 08 March 2024 (touring to Theatre Royal, Newcastle and to The Lowry, Salford Quays till 22 March) 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.
“Cavalleria Rusticana and Aleko: compelling but unequal operatic partners.”
The Lonely Londoners by Roy Williams based on the novel by Sam Selvon. Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1Y to 6 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A powerful finely acted but hard to follow at times play about the Windrush Generation.”
Photo Credit: Alex Brenner.
Stitches by Jonathan Blakeley. The Hope Theatre, 207 Upper Street, Islington, London N1 to 07 March 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A lifelong friendship memorably told by a Teddy Bear.”
Photo Credit: Zak Fenning.
CBSO Centre Stage: Baroque Ensemble, 01 March 2024, The CBSO Centre, Birmingham. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.
“An intimate and engaging hour of informal but exquisite music making.”
Marry Me A Little. Songs by Stephen Sondheim. Conceived by Craig Lucas & Norman Rene. The Stage Door Theatre, 150 Drury Lane, London WC2b to 13 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“An enchanting evening beautifully sung”
Photo Credit: Peter Davies.