Review - The Mirror Crack'd - People's Theatre

The Mirror Crack'd

People's Theatre

20th January, 2026

The Mirror Crack'd transports us to a changing St Mary Mead - the quaint village has been invaded by new housing at The Development, and Hollywood stars who have taken over Gossington Hall. Each one has had an unwelcome effect on the status quo of the village. The Development has brought working class incomers, supermarkets and featureless housing, and distrust, while Hollwood has brought excitement, intrigue, brash glamour ...and, of course, murder. 

The murder victim is a local woman of no interest other than the fact that she has been murdered at the party thrown by Hollywood star Marina Gregg. 

As the investigation begins, the assumption is made that Heather Leigh has been murdered by mistake and that the obvious intended victim is none other than Marina Gregg. After all, it was Marina's fatally poisoned strawberry daiquiri that Heather drank, was it not? And what reason would anyone have to murder a nobody such as Heather Leigh? 

The suspects are identified - everyone who was at the party is questioned. Marina's husband is the key suspect; perhaps he needed money to fund his film-making and would inherit Marina's fortune? Or perhaps her staff held a grudge - she was a difficult person to work for.  Even Miss Marple's friend, Dolly, who has given up her home to these brash American's. No-one is beyond suspicion except Marina herself and Cyril Leigh, Heather's husband, a man of as little significance as his mistakenly murdered wife.  He is constantly brushed aside despite his many attempts to speak to Chief Inspector Craddock. 

The play is cleverly staged with the "off-stage" characters always visible, seated at the back of the stage and brought forward to replay their part in the events as required, and alongside them are the props and sound effects, doorbells and telephones ringing, doors banging... But watch carefully - not everyone is in view all of the time and perhaps, if the  audience is paying attention they may garner a clue or two in among the waiting props and characters? Who can tell? 

It's an interesting play. Miss Marple, hampered by a sprained ankle, is not quite at her sleuthing best and appears more affected by the train of events than is usual in previous mysteries. It almost feels as if the murder and its solution are almost secondary to the themes that are revealed.  Love and loss, parenthood, the nature of friendship, and of loyalty, are all key in this strange coming together of social classes. It is more about what appears to be true rather than what actually is true, and of the assumptions that are made based on people's social standing. The face that people show to the world is not always their true self, and sometimes the truly real people are barely seen at all. 

There are many red herrings, and of course a twist that you (hopefully) won't see coming at all. But Miss Marple, despite her distraction, eventually knits it all together. Sterling performances by all the cast who kept us guessing to the end in this clever and imaginatively produced play. 

The Mirror Crack'd runs until Saturday 24th January and is an excellent start to the People's new season. 

*images by Paul Hood

Denise Sparrowhawk

Review - Wizard of Oz - People's Theatre

The Wizard of Oz

People's Theatre

13th December 2025

This year's Panto at The People's Theatre is The Wizard of Oz. It's a move away from the more traditional fairy tale pantomime, that is to say it is not the usual handsome prince falls in love and saves his heart's desire from an evil witch/queen/wizard and they get married and live happily ever after...

There are witches and wizards, some good, some not so good, and one is a sort of fairy godmother, or witchy godmother if we're being fair. And there is plenty of danger and enchantment. 

The panto follows the original story of Dorothy's adventures in the land of Oz pretty accurately, with the addition of Hickory, Dickory and Dock as the farm hand characters who transform into the Scarecrow, the Tin Man and the Cowardly Lion and who provide the panto characters who engage with the audience most - the "Buttons" type character. The main one being the Scarecrow who initiates the call and response with the audience each time he comes on stage. Jess Chapman plays this really well, creating a good rapport with the audience and delivering some great jokes and puns along the way, supported by Alison Carr as the Tin Man, whose comic delivery shines throughout the show, and Joe Moore is engaging as the loveable scaredycat Lion. 

Ian Willis as Aunty Em/Glinda the Good provides both the "fairy godmother" and the "panto dame" 
roles. His sparkly pink Glinda frock is a sight to behold. She pops up when needed to sprinkle a little good magic to help the story on its way.  The evil element is provided by Hattie Eason as Miss Gulch/Wicked Witch of the West, with her minion Winkie, the flying monkey (Rachel Potts). Her shrill laughter is enough to scar the bravest of children in the audience! 

Uncle Henry/the Mighty Oz is played by Steve Parry - the gentle Uncle a contrast to the bumptious Wizard, though his kinder side does show once Toto reveals his true identity! Erin Hattrick is a competent Dorothy,  and last but not least, Toto the dog is an endearing puppet operated by Rosa Cole - which is definitely more reliable than having a real dog and handler on stage! 

There is plenty of music with the show starting with a boot stomping line dance number to Steps 5-6-7-8. And the refrain throughout the show of Is This the Way to the Emerald City (amarillo).  (Though considering Glinda's Scottish accent I was a little disappointed not to have a Proclaimers' number in there - walking 500 miles surely was a dead cert?)  

The costumes are fabulous - from the gingham and denim farm wear to the rainbow sparkles and poppy petals of the dancers,. The sets are well presented from The mundane farm in Kansa....erm...Heaton, to the enchanted land of Oz. I loved the twister scene with the cacophony of music and weather as stage hands spun the scenery around creating the tornado that transports Dorothy to Oz and lands her house on the Wicked witch of the East, and the beautiful poppy field scene with dancers providing the soporific poppies to enchant Dorothy and her friends, and then snow floating from the skies to save them. 

Finally the Wizard's Head is an impressive piece of giant puppetry  and a credit to the set designers. 

This is quite different for a pantomime. there is a definite story to be told though it does still have the good versus evil, and audience participation but it feels less structured than the traditional format, and at times it felt that the "panto" elements were being shoehorned in. There are still lots of jokes and innuendo but it's all a bit more subtle and sometimes the jokes were missed by the audience which is a shame because this is more sophisticated humour than you'd normally see in panto. 

That said, the audience on opening night was fully engaged - with plenty of booing for the wicked witch and clearly the supporters clubs for the dance troups were all present in the audience, which definitely added to the atmosphere! 

If you want something a little bit different to the usual panto fayre then the People's Panto might be just the show you need to see! 

It runs until 21st December - and you will need to book in advance to be sure of a seat! 

Book online here.   

*images by Paul Hood

Denise Sparrowhawk

 

Review - The Son - People's Theatre

The Son

People's Theatre

8th Sept, 2025

Written by Florian Zeller

(translated by Christopher Hampton)

Directed by Brian Green, Karen Elliot

The Son is the third in a trilogy of plays by French writer Florian Zeller.  I have not seen either of the other plays, and though I feel there would be some value in having seen all three; it may give some insight into the characters to have seen the other two plays but it is not essential - the The Son stands up on its own account. 

Nikolas, struggling with the disintegration of his family after his parents divorce, has been absent from school for months, he is withdrawn, moody, and uncommunicative. His mother, Anne, is at the end of her tether and seeks help from his estranged father, Pierre. Nikolas moves to live with Pierre and Sofia and their new baby. Sofia is wary of Nikolas, but both she and Pierre believe he is nothing more than a moody teenager. At first things seem to be going well, but it soon becomes clear that Nikolas' problems go much deeper. His mood swings increase and he clashes with his father and Sofia with catastrophic results.

Staged in the studio with a minimal set, this creates a very immediate experience for the audience - at times almost claustrophobic, we don't just witness the trauma that envelops this family, we live it, breathe it in. We are no more able to escape it than the characters themselves.  

The set mirrors the emotional state of the characters. Pierre and Sofia's home is bright, colourful, warm - everything that Nikolas' life is not. When Anne, comes to speak to Pierre about their son, the conversation takes place to the left of the stage where there are just two plain, grey chairs. Similarly when Nikolas goes to his mother after the argument with his father, these chairs represent Anne's home, and later the waiting room of the hospital is represented by these chairs. The contrast between this and Pierre and Sofia's home is stark. Their home represents everything that Nikolas feels he has lost - his home, his, family, and his sanity. 

The subject matter is painful, uncomfortable, unsettling, and yet compulsive. Jack Stuart's performance as Nikolas is painfully convincing, a brooding presence on the the stage throughout, with his glowering countenance and anxious ticks and twitches, as he struggles to communicate. Craig Fairbairn gives an equally telling performance as the father struggling to understand his son, desperate to help and crushed by his own inability to do so, haunted by the memory of his own father's neglect. Brooke Milburn as Anne, and Annie Cairns as Sofia give admirable supporting performances but I did feel that their characters lacked the depth given to the father and son.  

The is a difficult play to watch but the directors and cast have delivered a compelling, heartbreaking production.  

The Son plays until 13th September. 

                                    *Images: Paul Hood

Denise Sparrowhawk

Review - Twelfth Night - People's Theatre

Twelfth Night  

People's Theatre

March 28th, 2023

If Music be the Food of Love...

If you've always thought Shakespeare a bit old fashioned, out-dated and only for those rather literary personages of a certain age then you need to see Twelfth Night at The People's Theatre... The ingenius team at People's have come up trumps once again with an inventive interpretation of the Bard. Twelfth Night is brought fully up to date with the setting transferred to a music festival, complete with sound checks, rain, portable toilets and some of the most creative costumes ever to grace a stage (or festival!) 

This is an hilarious production. I have rarely heard people laugh absolute belly laughs at a performance of Shakespeare - there were belly laugh, loud ones, and an abundance of chuckling throughout this original and creative performance. 

In keeping with the confusing plot line - we had women playing men, and men playing men, and women playing women pretending to be men....and of course they are all in love with the wrong man or woman, or man who is really a woman....Do try to keep up! 

It would be unfair and frankly impossible to pick out favourites amongst the characters. Every single member of the cast performed their socks off - and their yellow stockings! 

It is bawdy, boisterous and and has some banging tunes to boot! 

I would implore you to grab a wristband for the final two days of the Illyria Festival, but sadly it is sold out! So you will just have to take my word for it when I say you have missed a cracking show and you're not likely to see anything like it elsewhere! 

Bravo, People's Theatre! Bravo! 

*images by Paul Hood 

Denise Sparrowhawk

Review - Deathtrap - People's Theatre

Deathtrap 

People's Theatre

17th January 2023

Written by Ira Levin

Directed by Mark Buckley

Cast:     

Sidney Bruhl - Bill Harrington

Myra Bruhl - Elizabeth Hack

Clifford Anderson - Adam Cummins

Helga Ten Dorp - Helga McNeil

Porter Milgrim - Michael White 

Deathtrap is a taut psychological thriller, with a sprinkling of dark humour. Sidney Bruhl is a washed up playwright. His glory days are in the past and he has written nothing of worth for over 18 years.  Reduced to running seminars for up and coming new writers to make some money, he discovers a potential goldmine in one of the students. Perhaps he could dispose of the student and steal his play? He wouldn't do that though, would he? His wife Myra has misgivings. And she is right to be worried. 

Not exactly a murder mystery because, rather like an episode of Columbo, you know who done it - you see it happen. And you think you know why - after all Sidney Bruhl has outlined his plot perfectly. Except, this play is full of twists and turns and has an entire net of red herrings. A murder is committed before our very eyes, but all is most certainly not as it seems. And that is as much as I can say about the plot, without giving everything away and spoiling the suspense. Envy and pride, and money and fame and reputation all play a part, and one person possibly doesn't deserve their fate. But who knows? Just when you think you know what's happening, it changes direction. 

The performances are brilliant - each character absolutely convincing. Under Mark Buckley's direction the suspense builds and eases, only to build again as twist after twist is revealed. The audience is constantly surprised by the way the plot shifts. The set is lavish, with great attention to detail and the sound and lighting crew recreate a thunderous storm for the climax of the play. 

An excellent start to the Spring Season at People's Theatre. Playing until Saturday 21st January, buy a ticket, but take care not to get caught in the Deathtrap! 

Photo credit: Jess Chapman

Denise Sparrowhawk                         

 

Pride and Prejudice - Review - People's Theatre

Pride and Prejudice 

People's Theatre

19th Nov 2019

Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice is a novel with a lot going on. At it’s very basic, it is a romance story that surely must have been the blueprint for every Mills and Boon ever written. Girl meets arrogant man, hates him on site. He falls for a beauty whose background presents him with a major personal conflict. He resists but against the better judgement of his head, his heart is smitten. They proceed to misunderstand each other for most of the story (if you don’t want spoilers look away now) but of course and common sense win out in the end.


But it is so much more than this mere love story. It looks at relationships and responsibilities in society, and within the circle of families and friends. It questions attitudes to women, to the armed forces. It exposes class boundaries and the snobbery and prejudice that these elicit in the upper classes. Jane Austen herself broke those boundaries by daring not only to write , but to write  about the very society that said she, as a woman, could not.  She ridicules, in the nicest possible way, the social niceties, showing up the absurdity of the social formalities that keep women, and the ‘socially inferior’ in their rightful place.  


All of these elements are present in Helen Jerome’s adaptation for the stage. And yet somehow it misses the mark of Austen’s accomplishment. For sure the ridiculing of society is there, but the romance...or perhaps more the sympathy is missing. The play jumps from country house to assembly, to grand mansion and back again, revealing aspects of the characters and the story like a partially lit room. We see parts but not the whole. And so we see the absurdity of society in all its glory but the delicacy of the love story is missed. The nuances of developing attractions, and duplicitous beaux are squashed under seemingly lightning bolt revelations. Act two in particular feels disjointed and rushed as Jerome hurtles us towards the finale.


That said, the cast at the People’s have recreated the characters – in some cases quite spectacularly. Anna Dobson as Mrs Bennett wails her woes hysterically at her husband and daughters, swerving seamlessly from disdain to admiration for fellow characters as the situation warrants. The young daughters (Zoe Rankin, Emily Ashton and Millie Hackett) bicker and sulk their way through the play as only teenagers can. Adam Owers’ Darcy is condescendingly aloof throughout, with just the right amount of disarming discomfort to show his inner struggle as he tries to express his feeelings to Elizabeth (Amy Lowes Smith). But by far the stars of the production are Stephen Waller as Mr Collins who oozes his way across the stage and wraps himself with oily obsequiousness around anyone who can further his cause, and Rye Mattick as the main object of his sycophancy, Lady Catherine de Bourgh - imperious and fully assured of her own self-importance.


It’s not an easy task to portray so many characters and develop each of their stories within the time allowed for a stage play, and the set design and stage management do a good job of creating the different scenes with as little disruption as possible – the addition of a chandelier, swapping flowers for a bust statue to indicate the different venues.


The production and performances were spot on as ever with the People’s, and certainly the characters were all skilfully portrayed, but overall the adaptation for me was too disjointed and lacked something of the charm and romance of Austen’s original.


Denise Sparrowhawk

The Vicar of Dibley - Review - People's Theatre

The Vicar of Dibley
People's Theatre 
2nd Oct 2019

The People's Theatre have chosen a crowd-pulling TV favourite for the first show in the main theatre this season. This stage adaptation of the Vicar of Dibley offers some key moments from the original series, while the developing romance between Alice Tinker and Hugo Horton provides the thread hat holds it all together. This makes it into a cohesive play rather than a series of funny sketches.

As always with an television adaptation, the cast are faced with the dilemma of reproducing beloved characters on stage. There is little room to put their own stamp on the characters for fear of alienating the audience, so it seems to me it must take a different approach to the acting and directing. Luckily, the original writers of the Vicar of Dibley created a set of the most eccentric characters. Each one has a foible which essentially defines their character. This eccentric band of villagers are more like caricatures and if the actor gets that foible right, then the rest is plain sailing. Happily, People's team have this spot on. All the favourites are there, quite lovingly recreated, from unconventional vicar Geraldine Granger right through to the dippy Alice Tinker and hilariously stuttering Jim Trott.

The large People's Theatre stage is perfect for the zoned staging which allows characters to move seamlessly from the Vicar's house, to Horton Manor, to the Church (for those all important Parish Council Meetings!). Each set area is lit individually, to ensure we focus on the scene in hand while some very funny freeze framing lets us know that a change is on the way...full marks for holding the pose!

It's impossible to pick out one performance over another -  each one is hilariously accurate in the portrayal, but I did love the trio of Tony Seghal as Jim Trott, Mike Smith as Frank Pickle and John MacDonald as Owen Newitt.   There were plenty of guffaws and giggles from the audience throughout - and obviously the knock out scene is Alice's Wedding. No spoilers - you have to see it for yourself to truly appreciate its beauty!

It's fun, it's silly and it is an hour and a half of escapism - which is heartily needed at the moment. The full auditorium is testament to the love we have of our sitcoms. The laughter during and the chatter afterwards are testament to another great production at the People's Theatre.

The Vicar of Dibley runs until Sarurday 5th October. I recommend booking tickets in advance to avoid disappointment. It will tickle your funny bone.

Denise Sparrowhawk

Iris - Review - The People's Theatre

Iris

People's Theatre
10th Sept 2019

I saw Iris when it was first performed at Live Theatre and I remember it as a darkly funny, emotional and tragic piece of theatre. Going along to see it again this week, I did wonder if it would have the same impact - after all, I already knew the plot with all its twists and turns, so there would be no surprises. But, written by Alison Carr one of the stalwarts of  The People's Theatre, this is a play that was coming home. It was bound to be something special.

A play that explores family and relationships, the nature of motherhood, love and hate, responsibility, abandonment, guilt, success and failure, it covers a huge spectrum. And performed in the studio, with a cast of just three, and with some of the action taking place within arm's length of the audience it was always going to be intense.

Two sisters have just buried their mother - Iris. Julie the elder has been away for many years, and had a difficult relationship with Iris, while Ruby, the youngest has been very close to Iris; perhaps too close. On the day of the funeral Julie disappears from the wake and returns later, drunk, with a man in tow.

Emma Weetch plays the older sister Julie - a mess of contradictions, desperate for some human contact yet rejecting any show of affection or sense of connection when it is offered. She is scratchy and awkward and at times downright abusive. But there are cracks in her armour that begin to spread and widen as the play progresses.

Stephen Sharkey gives a deceptively understated performance as Gerry, the unfortunate man caught up in the middle as the two sisters fight and spit a each other like cats. Equally desperate for human contact but in a completely different way to Julie, he hides behind an array of bad jokes and astonishing facts on almost any subject - like a walking encyclopaedia. He offers advice for every situation sounding as Ruby puts it "like a self help book". Of the three characters, he is the most likable and yet also the saddest and perhaps most tragic with his doggedly optimistic veneer hiding a lonely and sorrowful life.

Sarah Mulgrew plays the younger, damaged teenager, Ruby. Like Julie , she is damaged emotionally and psychologically, but Ruby is also physically damaged - having lost an eye in a childhood accident. From her first appearance on stage Sarah Mulgrew exudes a mix of angst and apathy and teenage antipathy. Though all three actors gave brilliant performances, Sarah was the outstanding performance of the night for me - she was completely convincing in her role.

Though I knew what was coming I was still entirely engaged throughout the play - anticipating some of the events and recognising and remembering others as they happened. The second act almost had me in tears as the truth of the sisters situation began to be revealed. it was a highly charged, emotional experience.

An excellent start to the new season, Iris plays until Saturday, and is sold out.  If you have a ticket, you are in for a rare treat - take your tissues. If you don't have a ticket, get your name down on the waiting list and hope someone else cancels!

Denise Sparrowhawk

Frankenstein - Review - People's Theatre

Frankenstein 
People's Theatre
22nd May 2019


When you think of Frankenstein, I would bet that you think of a rather crude, squarish monster...A caricature propagated by Hollywood, stomping stiff legged, arms outstretched, groaning inarticulately. Perhaps more than any other monster, Frankenstein's has been taken over and diminished, and dehumanised  by the movie industry. Nick Dear's play seeks to explore and reassert the humanity of Frankenstein's creature.


The play begins with a blinding flash - the spark of life - and as the stage lights rise, we see the creature standing, arms outstretched like Da Vinci's Vitruvian Man, apparently geometrically balanced, perfectly proportioned. But the image of perfection is short lived, as the creature collapses and drags himself towards his creator in an ungainly, uncoordinated
crawl. Horrified by the hideousness of his creation Frankenstein runs, abandoning the creature, believing it would not survive. And so the first experience of humanity for the creature is that of rejection. Rejection and cruelty will be the formative experiences for the creature - though he revels in the beauty of the world around him, and finds friendship with the blind man, he is unable to forget men's cruelty and his reaction to rejection is always rage, which he cannot control. The creature learns, he is intelligent and logical, but emotionally limited. He lacks understanding of why men are cruel and vengeful. He sees that beauty is valued, and can appreciate it himself, but is also acutely aware of his own lack of beauty and worth. He feels the isolation of being unlike others, and longs for companionship. Unable to find it he strikes out against everyone, his own actions mirroring the reactions of men towards him, and leads eventually to tragedy.



The People's Theatre have produced an astonishing play. Colin Jeffrey's portrayal of the creature is compelling. His ungainly gait and halting speech embody the imperfection of his physical body, and contrast completely with the intelligence the creature very quickly displays.  Against this image of the creature is set the handsome, assured, articulate and calculating Frankenstein, played by Adam Owers. The contrast between the two characters could not be greater. It is an excellent piece of casting.


This is a play that will shock, and surprise the audience - there are brutal and bloody scenes, but also moments of heart aching compassion, and even some humour. You will find your sympathies lie with the creature - misunderstood wretch that he is, even at his darkest moments he is a worthier character than his creator.


The staging, lighting, sound, all contribute to the immersive experience for the audience. Frankenstein addresses the audience in the first scene effectively drawing us into the narrative, and at times characters enter from the back of the auditorium - from rowdy, riotous villages to the terrified, and terrifying creature - ensuring that we never relax or feel complacent about what is unfolding on stage. We feel we are somehow complicit in the action.

To leave the theatre still feeling the emotional effects of what you have seen and experienced is the sign of a good production.  The People's Theatre's production of Frankenstein does exactly that. It is definitely not for the faint hearted, but you definitely should experience it.

It plays until Sat 25th May.

Denise Sparrowhawk

Voltemand and Cornelius are Joyfully Returned - People's Theatre - Review

Voltemand and Cornelius are Joyfully Returned

Picture courtesy of People's Theatre

People's Theatre
8th May 2019

I didn't know much about this play when I came but it's surprisingly good.

I have always said I hate Shakespeare and I do; his plays are boring, not that good and something that I wouldn't make my worst enemy to go to see!

But Paul Vates is doing some good stuff, this Leeds born writer who beat nearly 100 entries in the People's Play competition.

So who are the 2 main characters??

Voltemand, played by Stephen Sharkey though small in stature he makes up for it in acting ability.
Cornelius, played by the all singing and dancing Robbie Close was amazing and probably the star performer of the night for me.

It's a little and large combination which works really well.

The play is set in World War 1 but for most of the play I'm sure the language was Shakespearean.

The two find Sleeper (played by Laura Brown - who's friends were sitting in front of me).
They don't know how they got there and believe they are ambassadors of the King (Claudius, Hamlet's Uncle).

We don't know if they are insane or if everyone else is?? How can you tell???

This play gives you an insight into what it was like in the First World War and there aren't many people alive that can tell those stories, and to think a second war happened less than 30 years later.

This play brings the war to life in a new and different way.


The Second half starts with them in a bombed out church in France where the doctor (played by Pete McAndrew) delves into what they are doing as they may have taken a bit of a wrong turn (Norway to Denmark via France is a big detour if you ask me!)

We do find out what one of them is there for, but the other one has to go and find himself.

In a world where people are dying left right and centre, it would be easier for them to simply die  as too, but as they struggle on through life they learn that they can cope.

The War broke many people's minds especially those who went out to fight and this play shows how it affected people in a way like never before.

The play has some great jokes that are used really well, for example there is a joke about one of them being a shite actor!

Everyone who is involved in this whether it's the cast or crew should be proud of themselves.

Director Chris Heckels should definitely get some praise for the show as he kinda made Shakespeare good again for me, assisted by Evelyn Ryan.

Voltemand and Cornelius play until 11th of May 2019

Rubes Hiles

Cinderella - Review - People's Theatre

Cinderella
The People's Theatre
8th December 2018


Written by Philip Meeks
Directed by Emma Jane Richards

Panto season has started again, and this year The People's Theatre have returned to the old classic Cinderella for their seasonal offering. I first saw Cinderella here back in 2011 with Emma Jayne Richards in the title role. This year she is directing the show and though the basic formula is intact, there are one or two little tweaks to the recipe.



To begin with, the stage doesn't give much away - just the curtain with Cinderella in suitably sparkly letters (so we know what we're here to see!) I admit to be being a touch surprised. This is pretty bare, no hint of a town, no castle in the distance, no branches suggesting a creepy forest? Two doorways either side of the stage draped with pink swags are the only clues to the princessy tale about to unfold. But, oh when the lights go down and the music starts! It's like the build up to the Oscars with music that builds to a fanfare crescendo and lights that dance across the stage and up into the audience like fairy dust...searchlights beam across us, as if looking for the stars on the red carpet! And then a flash and a bang - we screech in surprise and laugh at ourselves as Fairy Moonglow (Lynn Huntley) appears to introduce the story. She doesn't have it all to herself though - her evil sister Countess Malady (Cat White) muscles in to break the bad news that she has just married Count Hardup (Roger Liddle)  and is now Cinderella's new mother. I can't help but feel parents should take more care when naming their supernatural offspring - calling a fairy "Malady" is just asking for trouble.  

You all know the story - Cinderella (Georgia White) is forced out of her place in the family by the new stepmother and the ugly sisters, Buttons (Joe Robson) loves her but she only likes him, a handsome prince comes to visit but swaps places with his manservant and is taken down a peg by Cinders and is immediately smitten by her. He arranges a ball, Cinders can't go, cue Fairy Godmother and pumpkins and glass slippers and romance till midnight. 


Thrown into the mix are the usual panto ingredients:
There are the cross-dressing dames - Calpolla and Covonia, played by Stephen Waller and Dan Dickinson - who bicker and bite their way through the show, arguing with each other, with Buttons, with the audience...with everyone and anyone, except the good looking guys, basically! These two pretty sisters(!) are living examples of why proper blending is SO important when applying your make-up. 
There are helpful woodland animals, played by the ensemble from Jill Errington School of Dance, and the scary haunted bedroom scene (so scary one little girl had to be taken out until the scene was safely over!) 
And of course there is the community singing which this year is the ubiquitous Baby Shark - you know it had to be in there somewhere!

The script is pretty standard, but nice touches that raise this up from standard panto fayre are the ensemble of footmen and Dandini (James Harvey), the prince's right hand man, who are a rather hipster troup, looking very smart in their frock coats and stockings. While Prince Charming (Nick Warneford) is a deliciously swaggering youth. There is a distinct tongue in cheek feel to their scenes and dance numbers. Director Emma Jane Richards has chosen to dispense with the tradition of having a female actor playing the leading man so both prince Charming and Dandini are played by male actors. Only the Dames remain in that traditional comedy role.    

The lynch pin of Cinderella is of course Buttons and Joe Robson does a sterling job of keeping the audience engaged and joining up the dots in the story. On Saturday he gave a mammoth performance clearly struggling with a seasonal bug, and had almost no voice by the end of the show. I hope someone had a hot whisky and lemon ready for him in the green room after the show!

Photo credit: Paula Smart

This is a very colourful, visual production, scenery is at a minimum but the costumes and lighting work to give a sumptuous and glamourous feel and the "awwhhh" factor comes with the young ensemble dancers who are beyond cute, and the real, tiny pony pulling the carriage is a lovely touch. It has everything you need for a sparkly Christmas treat for the family.

Cinderella plays until 16th December and booking midweek is recommended - the weekend shows are already sold out!

Denise Sparrowhawk

Romeo and Juliet - Review - People's Theatre

Romeo and Juliet

People's Theatre
2nd Oct 2018

Romeo and Juliet is my least favourite Shakespeare play. I confess to disappointment that this was the People's Theatre choice this year.  I am in a minority. It's a crowd pleaser, everyone loves Romeo and Juliet except me. I think my dislike must stem from a bad production seen some time ago. And possibly Leonardo Di Caprio can shoulder some of the blame. I am always impatient with the fickleness of the characters, and the unreasonable feud. Do any of them even know why the two families don't like each other?

So it takes something special to get me on side for this one. Would People's Theatre be able to sway me from my prejudiced outlook?


Director Anna Dobson took her inspiration from the BBC's Peaky Blinders, bringing the play into post war 20th Century. This gives plenty of reasons for unrest and dissatisfaction in life to account for the many grudges and battles between opposing factions, and gives the wardrobe and set builders the opportunity to be a little more creative. No doublets and pantaloons here, and no rose covered balcony. The set is industrial, with barrels, packing cases and chains in place of the streets of Verona and rosy arbours. The cast are dressed in Tweeds and flat caps, swords replaced with flick knives and cudgels. The women dressed beautifully in furs and lace.
And in the background haunting Nick Cave tunes.

You know the plot - The Montagues and Capulets create fear and mayhem in the streets of Verona, violence erupting whenever the two factions meet. But two meet and fall in love - Romeo, a Montagu, and Juliet a Capulet. They enlist the help of Friar Laurence who marries them in secret. Meanwhile Juliet's father has brokered a marriage agreement with Paris.
I won't be spoiling the plot if I tell you it doesn't end well.

Craig Fairbairn and Emma Jayne Richards sizzle on stage with barely controlled passion in their scenes, capturing and conveying to all around, the immediacy of their attraction to each other and the all-consuming nature of their love.

Richard Jack gives an exceptional performance as the hot tempered and lewd Mercutio- the friend whose temper and loyalty contribute to the tragedy.

It is a fast paced, visually stunning and beautifully executed production. Did the team succeed in impressing me with their Romeo And Juliet? They did. They played a peaky blinder.

It runs until Saturday 6th October.

Denise Sparrowhawk

Review - Treasure Island - People's Theatre

Treasure Island by Robert Louis Stevenson 
Adapted by Bryony Lavery 
People's Theatre.
13th September 2018.  

The People's Theatre production of Treasure Island gets off to a good start with the audience serenaded, if that's the right word, into the theatre by a pirate playing a concertina.

The single set is extremely well-designed serving as a ship using lots of pallets to create an authentic feeling ship, as well as the Admiral Benbow Inn, the stockade, the island and all the other various locations required by the story. The lighting is used effectively for the intimate one- and two-hander scenes.

The costumes are excellent, evoking the buccaneering 1880s superbly.

Robert Louis Stevenson's classic story was adapted by Bryony Lavery and premiered at the National Theatre in 2014. It's billed as 'sharp and imaginative’ and aims to redress the gender balance by casting many of the main roles as women.

This is an excellent idea, however, it brings with it several challenges.

The story is narrated by the main character, not Jim Hawkins but Jemima. There is initial confusion among the characters - and the audience – over whether she is actually a girl or a boy, which is exacerbated further because she is called Jim throughout the play, not Jem. 

Dr. Livesey is played by a woman and the majority of the crew are cast as women, too.

The Inn is run by Jim/Jem and her grandmother. In the original it was Jim and his mother; Jim’s father having died just a few days earlier. No point is served by changing the mother to a grandmother and this is another problem with the play. 

If you're going to make changes, they ought to have a purpose. All the female characters simply act as men. No real concession is given to their femininity, and neither does the fact that they are women have any impact on the story.

So what's the point?

There were several fight scenes, though interesting needed a bit more work to look convincing. This added a degree of comical almost pantomime element to the show, it did feel extremely childish in places, though some of the humour occasionally worked. The musical elements were quite well performed and enjoyable though.    

The other jarring anomaly is casting Ben Gunn as what seems like a ten-year old cabin boy. He was an adult and a member of Flint's crew and plays an important part in frightening the pirates with a ghostly voice although the voice we heard was definitely not that of the cabin boy.

Finally, there was an interesting cast including Fiona Davison doing a good impression of Flint the parrot. Long John Silver, played by a man (Paul Gaitskill), was definitely one of the stronger characters, his acting was very good. It was disappointing to see him played as a pirate with a 'gammy leg', even though it may have been false, rather than a peg. That defeats Billy Bone's initial instruction to Jim/Jem to keep watch for a one-legged man.

The actors did a fair job with a poor script although many would benefit from better projection.

The People's Theatre is a superb concept. Run by volunteers it produces a play every month which is a demanding undertaking. The members are enthusiastic and hard-working and deserve all our support.

It may be difficult finding a good play to produce every month but that's the stall they set out for themselves and while credit must be given for their many excellent accomplishments, such as the locally produced and written Heaton for example, Treasure Island cannot be rated as one of them. 

The last show is on Saturday 15^th September at 7pm. 

Frank Cromartie Murphy & Ian Waugh

Heaton! - Review - People's Theatre

Heaton!

The People's Theatre
17th July 2018

Heaton! The Peoples Theatre 17^th July 2018 presented in association with Shoe Tree Arts.

Heaton! Is a play inspired by local area of Heaton and the Great Exhibition of the North and is an original production for The People’s Theatre. Upon my arrival my ears were greeted with a full band playing, which was nice, the band was also featured in the play and performed at the end. The play itself was a cornucopia of ideas mixing several genres, including musical aspects, live film action, a blend of real and fictitious characters and stories, set against a backdrop of footage on a giant screen (which wouldn’t look out of place in a cinema).

There was a boatload (quite literally at one point) of cast, not all in speaking rolls, some just for the musical elements, which did make it feel like a musical in places, aside from the fact it actually had some plots to it (sorry I’m not a fan of musicals) The quality of the music was actually quite high too. Some of the characters included from Heaton’s illustrious past included: Lord Armstrong, engineer and original owner of Armstrong Park; Sir Ove Arup the engineer of the Sydney opera house; Sir Charles Parsons the inventor of the steam turbine; Lady Katharine Parsons, the founder of women’s engineering society; Colin Veitch, Heaton’s footballing wonder kid who played in a successful Newcastle United side in the 1800s and early 1900s, who was also co founder The People's Theatre and later a journalist with the Evening Chronicle; prominent feminist and suffragist activist Florence Nightingale Harrison Bell; Rachel Parsons, engineer and advocate for women's employment rights; Edith Stoney, mathematician who helped Charles Parsons in his gas turbine calculations.; Jorn Oberg Utzon a Danish architect notable for designing the Sydney Opera House, and finally George Stanley a historian who narrates much of the action.  

What was very nice was the brilliant original music compositions created specifically for this production by Ken Patterson and Richard Scott. The acting was good and in one of the most enjoyable moments the narrator said Newcastle Upon Tyne instead of Newcastle council, (I guess you had to be there!).  One of the reviews from a guy in the audience made me laugh he said “I thought I was going to fall asleep, but I didn’t it was good”. Praise indeed.

There were so many different stories going on in it, too many to mention, but all weaved into a nice overall narrative capturing the early 1900s in Heaton very well. It was also funny in places, - it seemed to have everything mixing the various genres seamlessly. A whole year's work went into the production and it’s evident, you can see the love that’s gone into it - this is people who are clearly proud of their local heritage. The place was packed out like I’ve rarely seen it, I had a blast and learned a lot and you will too. Get down and share in some local pride! 

Frank Cromartie Murphy