Reviews
![Bruckner 7, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 25 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ David Gray & Paul Gray.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1714743358982-ZE4R7S66WFMD55UAR31B/2024.04.27_Markus+Stenz%2C+James+Ehnes_cr.+Jenny+Bestwick-3.jpg)
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
![Calendar Girls by Tim Firth. The Mill at Sonning, Reading RG4 to 1 June 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713804927953-GZYJ16MHLYR8OARERPR4/Calendar.jpeg)
Calendar Girls by Tim Firth. The Mill at Sonning, Reading RG4 to 1 June 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A well staged revival of a much loved play.”
Photo Credit: Andreas Lambis.
![BBC Concert Orchestra and Alistair McGowan, Lakeside, Nottingham, 20 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713702098095-C2JXG1JT9TSME3H0QVPZ/p0599c2p.jpg)
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.”
![Banging Denmark by Van Badham. The Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW 10 to 11 May 2025. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713804523703-ZTFGD7HLAZEO24YU8590/BangingAliWright.jpg)
Banging Denmark by Van Badham. The Finborough Theatre, 118 Finborough Road, London SW 10 to 11 May 2025. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Terrific biting satire about on line predators and falling in love.”
Photo Credit: Ali Wright.
![Dresden Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 19 April 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Ruff.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713616795850-BCCCJM5B37N4W2VW5JAI/IMG_2477.jpg)
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.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713701230329-8MPQNCJCQR94ZXKE6VAQ/thumbnail_ian-bostridge_20170412111442.jpg)
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.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713700273738-4H5QXXZGWYMJ4QZLVILT/Drifters.jpg)
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.
![Boys on the Verge of Tears by Sam Grabiner. Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D to 18 May 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713526302349-MK18Q2JZ3ZEW9OBNH0M2/Boys+on+the+Verge+of+Tears+photo-Marc-Brenner-1673-XL.jpg)
Boys on the Verge of Tears by Sam Grabiner. Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D to 18 May 2024. 5✩✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Challenging, unmissable, exciting, dazzlingly directed and performed.”
Photo Credit: Marc Brenner.
![Dresden Philharmonic, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, Tuesday 16 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713616306957-164VMUSJITPYUCEP5MN2/Dresdner_Philharmonie_2019_Farbe2_CREDIT+%C2%A9BjoernKadenbach.jpg.jpg)
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](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712847229114-PY4DZNOS645K9LAVZO31/4317+Tristan+Sturrock.+Credit+Steve+Tanner..jpg)
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.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712928353104-V1RF44CJC9GO60KZ3IE6/Hewitt_-%C2%AEKeith+Saunders.jpg)
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](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712750449275-393MZ1O15F2ZNYALOVM9/Anna+Seymour%28Rita%29+-+credit+Becky+Bailey.jpg)
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).
![Carmen by Georges Bizet Royal Opera House, Covent Garden London WC2. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Clare Colvin.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1713193909821-5CZRM3PYYAXSIS3P85XQ/%28Carmen%29+AIGUL+AKHMETSHINA+%28Zuniga%29+BLAISE+MALABA+ROH+Carmen%2C+%C2%A92024+Camilla+Greenwell_3252.jpg)
Carmen by Georges Bizet Royal Opera House, Covent Garden London WC2. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: Clare Colvin.
Photo Credit: Camilla Greenwell.
“Change of direction brings new look to Bizet’s ever popular Carmen.”
![Gunter by Lydia Higman, Julia Grogan & Rachel Lemon. Jerwood Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1 to 25 April, 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712588071426-EJCAS73N30BJLLO5YH55/Gunter.jpg)
Gunter by Lydia Higman, Julia Grogan & Rachel Lemon. Jerwood Upstairs at the Royal Court Theatre, Sloane Square, London SW1 to 25 April, 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A splendid Jacobean tale about murder, witchcraft, and a bad, bad man.”
Photo Credit: Alec Brenner.
![Life with Oscar by Nick Cohen. The Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, London E4 to 20 April 2024. 2✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712240326000-4AE1749GXR4F35S27HJB/life-with-oscar.jpg)
Life with Oscar by Nick Cohen. The Arcola Theatre, 24 Ashwin Street, London E4 to 20 April 2024. 2✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Loads of energy, pity about the words.”
Photo CreditL G Taylor.
![The Long Run by Katie Arnstein. The New Diorama Theatre, 15 Triton Street, London NW1 to 13 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712236663156-4IGHGLXR658G2LCW6M74/Long6.jpg)
The Long Run by Katie Arnstein. The New Diorama Theatre, 15 Triton Street, London NW1 to 13 April 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A heart-warming story impeccably told.”
Photo Credit: Ali Wright.
![Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill. Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London WC2 to 10 June 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712237708622-AQ746D1U3YLTOEQBEIV5/Brian+Cox+and+Patricia+Clarkson+-+credit+Johan+Perssonjpg.jpg)
Long Day’s Journey Into Night by Eugene O’Neill. Wyndham’s Theatre, Charing Cross Road, London WC2 to 10 June 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“A very long but rewarding day.”
Photo Credit: Johan Persson.
![Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adapted by Nick Lane. 2✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1711987671447-DF0HACZVU04GONE28ON4/Sherlock2.jpeg)
Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear by Sir Arthur Conan Doyle adapted by Nick Lane. 2✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“The real mystery is why this Conan Doyle novel was made into a play.”
Photo credit: Alex Harvey-Brown.
![The Dream of a Ridiculous Man by Fyodor Dostoyevsky adapted by Laurence Boswell. The Marylebone Theatre, 36 Park Road, London NW1 to 30 April 2025. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1711818463761-8GLHQDCA68YMR1C98P4E/Ridiculous2.jpeg)
The Dream of a Ridiculous Man by Fyodor Dostoyevsky adapted by Laurence Boswell. The Marylebone Theatre, 36 Park Road, London NW1 to 30 April 2025. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: William Russell.
“Greg Hicks stunning as the ridiculous man.”
Photo Credit: Mark Senior.
![Good Friday St John Passion with Ex Cathedra, Symphony Hall Birmingham, 29 March 2024. 4✩✩✩✩ Review: David Gray & Paul Gray.](https://images.squarespace-cdn.com/content/v1/64b5767bebe76a40bfad2ad0/1712238383286-FUF7JFE9CAXW6687ZWY3/St+John+pic.jpg)
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.”