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Reviews
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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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
“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.
“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
“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.
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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“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.
“A compelling and atmospheric reading of this mighty work.”