A love story for all seasons told with simple charm, and a tribute to the qualities that make us fundamentally decent human beings. Mid-February is marked on every calendar as the most romantic day of the year. When cupid’s arrow looks for an unwitting target and a match made in heaven becomes a reality. WellContinue reading “Review – 4**** To Have and to Hold: The Hope Theatre”
Author Archives: Playhouse Pickings
Review – 4**** West End Musical Celebration: Live at the Palace Theatre
Some of our brightest young performers shine in this well produced greatest hits package. The West End is alive and well! This time last year the first lockdown was in full swing and a great night out seemed a distant dream. But just like the Covid jab this show is a shot in the armContinue reading “Review – 4**** West End Musical Celebration: Live at the Palace Theatre”
3*** Public Domain – The Vaudeville Theatre @VaudevilleTh @publicdomainwe
Public Domain – The Vaudeville Theatre Tweetingit: 3* The toxic reality of social media laid bare in this innovative new piece from two highly talented performers. Our reliance on social media during the pandemic was undeniably complete. It provided a vital lifeline and maintained a semblance of human industry allowing many to work from home.Continue reading “3*** Public Domain – The Vaudeville Theatre @VaudevilleTh @publicdomainwe”
Review: 4**** Titus Andronicus The Show Must Go Online @robmyles #ShakespeareDeck #cultureduringquarantine #staycreative
Tweetingit: 4* The ancient and modern meet head on as social media lends a hand in this inventive production of Shakespeare’s bloodiest tale. The techno phobe lurking deep within me is now under control thanks in no small part to the ever inventive Show Must Go Online. It’s difficult to imagine how a theatrical productionContinue reading “Review: 4**** Titus Andronicus The Show Must Go Online @robmyles #ShakespeareDeck #cultureduringquarantine #staycreative”
Review: 3*** Love Never Dies – via the Shows Must Go On YouTube @OfficialALW #cultureduringquarantine #stayathome #musicals
Tweetingit: 3*** Andrew Lloyd Webber’s magic touch just about sees this sequel to Phantom through any rough patches. But it’s sometimes difficult to see the join with plainly familiar melodies. The sequel is generally confined to the big screen where we’re accustomed to roman numerals in the title and resigned to the money printing potentialContinue reading “Review: 3*** Love Never Dies – via the Shows Must Go On YouTube @OfficialALW #cultureduringquarantine #stayathome #musicals”
Review: Secret Sofa – The Grand Budapest Hotel – Star rating depends on your own efforts but 5***** for making staying home so much better! @secretcinema #secretsofa @haagendazsuk @KieranMortell #staycreative #cultureinquarantine
Last Friday I got dressed up, drank champagne, ate ice cream and explored the gloriously odd world of The Grand Budapest Hotel. I did in my living with with 1000s of people from around the world thanks to Secret Sofa. Secret Sofa is a new branch of the highly acclaimed Secret Cinema. It is obviously slightlyContinue reading “Review: Secret Sofa – The Grand Budapest Hotel – Star rating depends on your own efforts but 5***** for making staying home so much better! @secretcinema #secretsofa @haagendazsuk @KieranMortell #staycreative #cultureinquarantine”
Review: 4**** Treasure Island – The National Theatre at Home via YouTube @PatsyFerran @NTLive #NationalTheatreAtHome #TreasureIsland #cultureduringquarantine
Tweetingit: 4* A one-legged man with a parrot on his shoulder looking for treasure never fails to grip the imagination. A classic story refreshed and rebooted for the London stage. For a novel first published in 1883 Treasure Island remains an enduring classic. No less than nineteen film and TV adaptations have been made includingContinue reading “Review: 4**** Treasure Island – The National Theatre at Home via YouTube @PatsyFerran @NTLive #NationalTheatreAtHome #TreasureIsland #cultureduringquarantine”
Review: 3*** East – The Vaudeville Theatre @digitaltheatre @VaudevilleTh #cultureduringquarantine #stevenberkoff
Tweetingit: 3* A smartly scripted verse play from the cultured pen of Stephen Berkoff is a hit and miss affair but still generates a distinctive aura of time and place. Stephen Berkoff made his name as a villain in numerous film roles where he grappled with James Bond and Rambo among many others. He evenContinue reading “Review: 3*** East – The Vaudeville Theatre @digitaltheatre @VaudevilleTh #cultureduringquarantine #stevenberkoff”
News: Secret Cinema launches Secret Sofa – immersive cinematic experiences at home. @haagendazsuk @secretcinema #secretcinema #staycreative #immersivetheatre
Do you enjoy luxury and decadence? Are you Rich, old, insecure, vain, superficial, needy and liberally perfumed? Well The Grand Budapest Hotel is the place for you, and this Friday you get to escape lockdown and head there with many 1000s of other new clientele. This might be one of the most exciting things IContinue reading “News: Secret Cinema launches Secret Sofa – immersive cinematic experiences at home. @haagendazsuk @secretcinema #secretcinema #staycreative #immersivetheatre”
Review: 5**** Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert – The 02 Arena, London via @SkyArts #CultureinQuarantine @AlfieBoe @MsLeaSalonga @realmattlucas
Tweetingit: 5* Victor Hugo’s sprawling epic seamlessly transfers from stage to the stadium rock atmosphere of London’s 02 Arena. A perfect production showcasing rare genius. Once upon a time I acquired the hardback version of Les Miserables by Victor Hugo. Needless to say 1,232 pages stayed in pristine condition as I contrived excuses not toContinue reading “Review: 5**** Les Miserables 25th Anniversary Concert – The 02 Arena, London via @SkyArts #CultureinQuarantine @AlfieBoe @MsLeaSalonga @realmattlucas”
Playhouse Pickings 