Review – 45 Years, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, 17th June 2026

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We can’t change what happened in our previous relationships, before we met our current partners, can we? Provided we’re honest about them? That’s one of the questions that is touched on, although not fully explored, in Hannah Patterson’s adaptation of Andrew Haigh’s film 45 Years, presently at the Minerva Theatre in Chichester.

Before Geoff met and married Kate, he was holidaying in Switzerland with his previous girlfriend, Katja, who came to an untimely death by falling into a glacier. Her body was never found or recovered – until, in a bolt from the blue 45 years later, Geoff receives a letter from the Swiss authorities informing him that her body has been found, still trapped in the ice. Obviously, this would be upsetting news to anyone, bringing back those awful days at the time of her death. But what now? Should he do anything about it? Travel to Switzerland to view the body? After all, he’s no spring chicken. And why did the authorities contact him, 45 years later, at an address that they wouldn’t have known about – unless he’d been keeping them updated?

Perhaps the ultimate question is, can Geoff and Kate’s solid, if unexciting, marriage withstand going over old emotions and allegiances without breaking, glacier-like, under the pressure? The play attempts to analyse the family unit without ever making anything too obvious, or overstated. Obsessions are suggested and secrets are suspected without being fully exposed. As Geoff tries to balance his feelings today with 45 years ago, Kate makes tiny discoveries which suggest that Geoff and Katja were perhaps more established as a couple than she realised. When Kate asks Geoff if, had she not died, would he and Katja have married, and he concludes that they would have done, you can feel the knife silently piercing her heart. Of course, that was before they had met, and all’s fair in love and war. But how come he had never told her before? How come she had never asked?

Let’s look at the facts: Geoff’s first girlfriend was Katja; she died in mysterious circumstances. He then married Kate. If she discovers that Katja’s death was anything other than a tragic accident, will he bump her off before he next marries, say, Katarina? As Johnny Nash once said, there are more questions than answers. The problem with 45 Years is that it offers us an immensely intriguing set-up but deprives us of any real resolutions. Maybe Geoff and Kate survived 45 years by simply not talking to each other. Prasanna Puwanarajah’s direction certainly suggests they live as separately as possible even when in the same room – there’s no sofa here in James Cotterill’s anodyne set, their separate chairs are always placed at a distance from each other. 45 Years is a delicate, repressed little play, more of an intellectual challenge than an emotional one. Any passion is firmly controlled – voices are rarely raised and tempers are rarely frayed. It’s all very artfully done but it doesn’t feel like real life.

Whilst the cream carpeted set reflects absolutely the blandness of Geoff and Kate’s marriage, Guy Hoare’s lighting design nicely accentuates critical plot development moments (such as they are). The device of having occasional dripping water from the ceiling could be construed as suggesting potential cracks in their relationship; or, as Mrs Chrisparkle more cynically suggested, it merely indicated that their roof was leaking.

Certainly, the powerhouse pairing of Gabriel Byrne and Geraldine James as Geoff and Kate provides the impetus that the play needs to see it through its full 80 minutes. Ms James is especially watchable, conveying Kate’s thought processes with tremendous clarity, including those moments when she decides she doesn’t want to think anymore. After all, she’s discovering that, just maybe, she has played second fiddle in Geoff’s affections for all these years. Gabriel Byrne’s Geoff is more eloquent in the things he doesn’t say, or perhaps those things he’s forced to say but he’d sooner keep hidden. Between them they do their best to bring to life the text’s intricate cross-shading of various hues of grey, frustrating an audience desperate for answers, but being true to the characters. Gillian Bevan plays their friend Lena, primarily there to add a little variety to the grey, but in every practical sense creating even more vacuum between Geoff and Kate.

This is a Marmite production. I came out of it a little frustrated by the storyline but very impressed with the acting and the fascinating premise. My three theatre companions all sported various levels of unimpressed, including the always damning that’s 80 minutes of my life I’m never getting back. The truth, as ever, is probably somewhere between the two. However, there are elements to the play that stretch the imagination thinner than the surface of a glacier. If that slide projector’s been up in the attic for 45 years, Kate is immensely incurious!

3-starsThree-sy Does it!

Review – Atonement, Chichester Festival Theatre, 17th June 2026

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Upfront confession: Mrs Chrisparkle and I were unfamiliar with both the novel and film of Ian McEwan’s Atonement, but our theatre companions, Professor and Mrs Plum, are both avid fans of the book and assured us that the play is very faithful to the original. Christopher Hampton has adapted the book for the stage; he had also authored the 2007 screen adaptation, so I guess he didn’t have more than a few tweaks to create the finished article. I jest of course.

In case, like us, you don’t know; set in 1935, 13-years-old Briony Tallis who lives at the big family mansion has fallen head over heels in love with Robbie who works as a gardener there. Robbie, however, is smitten with Briony’s adult sister Cecilia, and Briony is jealous of their relationship. At a family gathering, Briony’s cousin Lola is raped but does not see the face of her attacker, so cannot identify him for certain. Briony tells the police that she saw that it was Robbie. Robbie protests his innocence; but whom do the police believe? In the second Act, the story continues into World War Two with Cecilia and Briony now both nurses. Briony has concluded that she was wrong to declare Robbie was Lola’s attacker – but what can she do to atone?

This production is most definitely a game of two halves. Act One comes across as fragmented and uneven, a scattergun of scenes that appear to go nowhere, backed up by an ingenious but messy two-level staging that relies heavily on projections. Half an hour in and I was completely clueless as to what the play was all about; a cross between Upstairs Downstairs and The Go-Between that pussyfooted around without ever making a point. Act Two is the production’s saving grace, acquiring a fluidity and much better storytelling finesse. The twist at the end (IYKYK) doesn’t have the emotional punch that it does, I understand, in the book; but, nevertheless, comes across as a creative intellectual puzzle that no one would ever guess. And I’m certainly not going to give the game away.

I can see why it’s obviously a very successful book; one of those rare works that not only tells its own tale but at the same time analyses its own creation, like The French Lieutenant’s Woman, or Coleridge’s Kubla Khan, or indeed Spandau Ballet’s True. Such works have a strange superpower which demands that you sit up and pay attention. I wonder, however, if the first Act would be more convincing if it didn’t align so closely with the book; the story doesn’t unfold as organically as it should.

In fact, the storytelling – at least in the first Act – takes a back seat. I overheard a couple during the interval where a man couldn’t work out what had just happened and needed his wife to clarify that Lola had been raped. I think if that vital fact isn’t made clear, then somehow the direction is going AWOL. There were a few directorial choices in the first Act that made me bridle; is it necessary, for example, when Cecilia jumps into the water to retrieve the missing parts of the jug, for her to be wearing such a see-through top? And indeed, Robbie giving us a flash of his bare bum in the bath added absolutely nothing to the story and just made me feel like the actors were being somehow manipulated. The breaking of the Meissen vase was, by the way, one of the least convincing stage effects I’ve ever seen – a proper shocker given the resources that Chichester can access. Additionally, it’s a shame that uneven LED panels creating the big screen effect at the back of the stage mean that projections of written words, or translations from French, both of which are important for plot development, look wonky at times. It’s not a huge problem overall, but it does give you the impression that the production was done on the cheap.

There are, fortunately, some first-rate performances to take our minds off some of the more ham-fisted elements of the production. Debra Gillett livens up every scene with her entertaining portrayals of the snooty Aunt Emily Tallis and the authoritarian Sister Drummond. Jonathan Oliver gives a nicely judged portrayal of the police inspector and the adult Pierrot Quincey, James Backway is delightfully obnoxious as Paul Marshall but a convincingly supportive corporal Tommy Nettle, and Isabella Dempster excellent as the privileged and pompous young Briony. At our performance, the young brothers Jackson and Pierrot were played by Jacob Isaacs and Felix Kennedy who gave very believable, assured performances.

The final scene, set in 1999, is dominated by the elderly Briony, now a successful author, played with calm conviction by Jessica Turner. In the lead roles, Jasper Talbot is excellent as Robbie, particularly in his wartime and post-war scenes, suffering both physical and mental battle scars; and Miriam Petche is also very strong as Cecilia, a determined, forthright and unforgiving character, forced to confront injustice in a manner for which she was not educated.

The second Act is engrossing, revealing, and satisfying; it’s a shame that the first Act is such a slow and unengaging introduction to the meat of the story. Nevertheless, there’s much to enjoy and admire, and there’s no underestimating the brilliance of McEwan’s plot construction. Atonement continues at the Festival Theatre until Saturday 20th June.

3-starsThree-sy Does It!

Review – The Comedy Crate and the Northampton Comedy Festival present Nathan Caton and Hasan Al-Habib, Work in Progress, The Lab, Northampton, 15th June 2026

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Nathan Caton and Hasan Al-HabibThe Northampton Comedy Festival continues courtesy of those nice people at the Comedy Crate with another Work in Progress show, featuring Nathan Caton and Hasan Al-Habib in the cosy and intimate setting of The Lab. The venue only seats 35, so it’s a comfortable way of getting a really good comedy vibe without massive queues for the bar or loos at the interval. Win win.

Our first hour was spent in the company of Hasan Al-Habib, who’s preparing his Edinburgh show Stuck in the Middle (East) with You, on at the Pleasance Courtyard from 5 to 30 August. It’s a very funny title, and Hasan is a very funny man; warm, engaging and setting up an instant rapport with the crowd. Sporting an Iraq football World Cup t-shirt, his material for his new show has a surprisingly dark side, as it centres on his own domestic situation – in his words, family trauma.

After his parents’ divorce, Hasan’s homelife was dominated by his mother and his overbearing (also vicious) aunt. This is the story of how a cruel, uncontrollable influence in the household can be injurious to your health – both mental and physical. Sounds gloomy, doesn’t it? It isn’t, as Hasan has loads of comic observations en route, from his French-Iranian girlfriend to oncology, enhanced by his great gift for character voices which bring all his stories to life. He needs to polish up the funny side for the darker second part of his show, and give it a stronger conclusion, but I’m sure it’ll be in tip-top condition come August. That is, after all, the point of a work in progress show!

He’s also part of a second Edinburgh show, together with Aisha Amanduri, called 2 Muslim 2 Furious 3: Sharia? I Hardly Know Her! on daily between 6th and 30th August at Laughing Horse @ The Counting House, which I’m sure will also be worth checking out.

Comedy CrateAfter the interval we welcomed Nathan Caton, someone we’ve seen many times before, who doesn’t have an Edinburgh show in the offing but is working up some material to take on tour next year. It’s been an astonishing thirteen years since we first saw a young Nathan at a Screaming Blue Murder where he was a breath of fresh air whom we could have watched all night. Now in his forties, he already beginning to feel old (I can tell him, there’s a long way to go yet!) Thus, a lot of his new material is based on feeling old and out of touch, including how on earth did he ever go to nightclubs, and what’s all this pronoun nonsense about? Talking of age, he has some gruellingly funny reminiscences of appearing on P&O ships, has a great solution to the problem of children using social media, and has a novel idea for appearing on Don’t Tell the Bride. He admitted there was no link between any of his ideas, he just wanted to find out what was funny and what wasn’t – but Mr C has such a deft delivery that everything comes across as funny!

A very enjoyable night of WIPs! And there’s plenty more of these to choose from on The Comedy Crate website.

Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 14th June 2026

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There are few more civilised ways of spending a Sunday afternoon than in the company of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra with another of their matinee concerts. A pretty full Derngate auditorium welcomed first Erik Chapman, one of the First Violins, who introduced the afternoon’s concert to us, including the fact that the RPO has now been going for 80 years, and that they have been performing in Northampton for the last 24 of them – and long may it continue.

Our conductor for the afternoon was Ben Glassberg, winner of the 55th Besançon Young Conductors Competition in 2017 at the impressively young age of 23. Traditional in style but with a youthful touch (black t-shirt beneath his dinner jacket), he gets quite animated on the podium, but never outrageously so; just enough to coax the best out of the orchestra. And the orchestra was indeed on scintillating form!

The strings take control of the first piece, Joe Hisaishi’s Encounter for String Orchestra. He is the RPO’s current composer-in-association, and this remarkable six-minute work grabs your attention from the start and never lets up. Hisaishi orchestrates the piece so that the focus moves around different sections of the orchestra, one at a time, enhancing an old-fashioned stereo effect such as you might get in your car speakers, or on a 1970s stereogram! Stringed instruments play nineteen to the dozen,  left and right across the stage providing a constant audio thrill. One of the most exciting pieces I’ve heard from a living composer – I definitely now need to discover more of his work.

Still concentrating on the strings but offering a very different vibe, our next piece was Sibelius’ Violin Concerto in D Minor, Op.47. Our soloist was the remarkable Clara-Jumi Kang, whose “Thunis” Stradivarius from 1702 produces a very distinctive, gritty sound that really gets under the skin of the notes on the stave and creates a powerful, vibrant experience. It’s a very complex piece and Ms Kang attacked those cadenzas like a demon, blistering her way through the movements to jaw-dropping effect, with incredible support from the orchestra. Slightly infra dig I know, but the audience couldn’t resist bursting into sustained applause at the end of the opening Allegro moderato movement because it was simply so exciting. A remarkable performance of a challenging piece.

After the interval, we returned for one of classical music’s big people pleasers – Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony. In his opening introduction, Erik Chapman had asked us all to listen to it as if we were hearing it for the first time. There’s so much more to the piece than that iconic opening four-note statement, although that does indeed dominate the first movement. But the rest of the symphony is full of glorious tunes and inspiring sequences that sweep you away with the excitement of it all. The orchestra were, as always, superb, and it was a fantastic way to round off a terrific afternoon of classical music.

The new Royal Philharmonic season at the Royal and Derngate goes on sale on 19th June, give yourselves a treat and check it out!

Review – Comedy Underground, Royal and Derngate Northampton, 11th June 2026

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A slightly different format for a comedy mixed bill at the Royal and Derngate; originally to be held in the Royal Theatre with the catchy title Avalon Mixed Bill Comedy Night, it moved to the more suitable Underground venue, and retained the traditional structure of one host, two intervals and three acts. Why change a winning formula?

A change of billing may have necessitated a change of MC, because our host for the evening was the incredible Chloe Petts, and she’s just as assured an MC as she is a headliner, taking charge of proceedings with boundless energy, and striking up a terrific rapport with the crowd. The start of the World Cup gave her the opportunity to talk about her favourite subject (not Donald Trump, although…?) and she also got to know all about front row Adrian (fibre optics, Warhammer), the two sets of jolly neighbours from Cogenhoe, and guessed accurately that another set of four friends were into Amdram. One of our favourite comedians, she was on tip top form and it was a delight to have her in charge.

Our first act, and new to us, was Jonny Pelham; his mild-mannered stage persona only goes to emphasise how daring and boundary-pushing some of his material can be. Among his subjects were the pros and cons of being rich and stupid, the concept of the chicken nonce, and the benefits of being on one of the NHS’ most dubious waiting lists. Entertainingly self-deprecating, he’s certainly one of those comedians who rummage around where angels fear to tread, but he does it with a nicely understated aplomb. He’s also very funny, which is the main thing!

Next up, also new to us and in a change to the advertised line-up, was Tom Lawrinson, whose stage persona is hard to pin down – he’s like a slippery slice of mercury, flowing uncontrollably, flashy on the outside and with a lethal edge. He reminded me slightly of an early incarnation of Russell Brand, back when he was funny and not a menace; intriguing and just a little sinister. He also has some pretty daring material, oriented in family but with a surreal twist, such as how he still has a bedroom at the family home full of his stuff that he certainly doesn’t want around him now, but woe betide you if you tamper with it. He has some extremely funny material about buying sex toys at Big Tesco. A bold choice for Northampton; he might be more at home somewhere trendier and more Bohemian!

Our headliner was someone we only saw a few days ago but with (almost) totally different material – the irrepressible Glenn Moore. Seemingly effortless, although I know that an amazing amount of effort goes into creating his sets, the man is a wit machine who scarcely pauses for breath between each superbly creative idea. He’s the kind of comedian whose material is delivered so freshly and constantly topped up, that it’s impossible to recall his earlier themes because you’re already so engaged on the next one. That said, I totally guffawed at his “Voice Over Awards” sequence; and to wind up his act (and indeed the audience) he had one of the best parting lines ever, which I won’t spoil for you but still has me laughing out loud a day later. You can never go wrong with Glenn Moore; he’s one of the absolute greats.

Overall, a very enjoyable night of comedy and Avalon are welcome to bring another selection of their finest to Northampton whenever they want!

Review – Public the Musical, Curve Studio Theatre, Leicester, 10th June 2026

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We’ve all been inside a public toilet. This one’s not too bad; one of the three cubicles is out of action, there’s no soap in the dispenser, and with those stairs on entry you can take a running jump if you were hoping for disabled access. But it looks truly authentic. It even smells authentic. “Can you get piss-scented joss sticks?” queried Mrs Chrisparkle. Apparently you can.

Stroud and Notes have developed their hugely successful original 60-minute version of Public the Musical which received high acclaim at the 2023 Edinburgh Fringe (including an enthusiastic five stars from me) into an extended 90-minute version without interval. The set up remains the same. Four strangers, with busy schedules and very different outlooks on life, end up locked in a public toilet with no means of escape: Andrew, an aggressive finance executive and essentially unreconstructed neanderthal where it comes to modern thinking; Zo, an activist and progressive content creator who knows how to be PC but not how to empathise; Laura, non-binary, preparing for their wedding tomorrow without enthusiasm and fearing the worst; and Finlay, desperate to keep his low-paid job, worried about his grandmother’s health and neurotic about his own.

In the original version, they knew they had to wait for an hour to be released. In the new version, they can’t alert anyone to their plight and have no idea how long they will be there – and it takes till next morning to regain their freedom. In that time, they have to get to know one another, and learn to live with each other’s opposing views, in order to survive the intervening hours. It’s a simple and brilliant concept, something everyone can imagine happening to them and wonder how they would cope.

It’s been three years in the additional development, and I can’t help but think it’s been overthought and overworked. What once was punchy and direct now feels drawn out and stuffed with padding. The extra 30 minutes hasn’t been put to use to discover more about the characters, but instead too much time is spent on largely irrelevant (albeit funny) sequences involving accidental drug taking, or a song about reading the graffiti on the walls. Indeed, by limiting the lock-in to a real time sixty minutes in the original production, it focussed in on their plight; having it open-ended almost puts off having to make decisions or alliances. The ending, when it comes, doesn’t point towards any solid conclusion to their experience; in fact, if ever a show ended with a whimper rather than a bang, it’s this.

Whilst all the characters go on a journey to an extent, it’s only Laura who undergoes true character development, understanding that their future lies not with a cheating partner but with being independent and strong. Andrew’s redemption and progression to becoming a fully paid-up member of the wokerati feels artificial and way too easy. In the shorter version of the show, his confusion over misgendering was not only genuinely funny but also bang on the nail as to why pronouns are important; here it seems to have much less significance. Zo already accepts that she has a long way to go, which is why she has weekly therapy. Finlay doesn’t seem to have a journey set up for himself, other than general survival.

Amy Jane Cook’s set is outstanding and hugely convincing. The songs are all well written and instantly entertaining if not memorable, and the performances by the four actors are all excellent. Only Ivano Turco, as Finlay, seems to have the occasional battle with the musicians to get his lyrics fully heard (something wrong with the balance there), and his character is the least well delineated. The best musical performance is by Matt Corner as Andrew, who delivers the best song of the show, Missing Pieces, with a superb combination of power and emotion. He’s also very effective at conveying Andrew’s argumentative and arrogant character. Grace Towning is very convincing as the always right (although always left) Zo, never allowing anyone to contradict her progressive assumptions; and Cole Dennis is fantastic at expressing all Laura’s self-doubt, their constant need to please, never putting themselves first until they finally see the light. It’s a very nice touch in the writing that none of the other characters even remotely guess that the wedding Laura is attending in France is theirs.

Perhaps we had too much expectation, having enjoyed the Fringe version so much, but the current incarnation of Public the Musical doesn’t really do itself justice, despite the best efforts of its engaging and talented cast. Still, there is a lot to enjoy, and with some further rewriting and pruning, it may still have a future!

3-starsThree-sy Does It!

Review – The Comedy Crate Festival, Northampton, 6th June 2026

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Comedy CrateA thing of beauty is a joy for ever, and things don’t come much more beautiful than the Comedy Crate and their regular feasts of fun for the good citizens of Northampton and its environs. In the past, the Comedy Crate has hosted a weekender festival over two summer days, but the World Cup and popular music festivals (whatever they are) are getting in the way this year so the weekender has been split into two all-dayers. All the other elements are the same – the three venues (Charles Bradlaugh, The Black Prince and The Lamplighter), a choice of three shows five times throughout the day, and a cheap ticket price buying you one of those must-have wristbands. What more could anyone want?

Comedy Crate June 26Everyone will have created their own individual choice of shows, and I can only tell you about our own particular itinerary, so here goes! As they’re all WIPs (works in progress) in preparation for either the Edinburgh Fringe, UK tours or prospective shows of the distant future, we know we’re unlikely to see a truly polished product, and so giving out star ratings is inappropriate at this stage. So I won’t do it!

2pm – Ahir Shah in The Charles Bradlaugh

One of our favourite comedians and an Edinburgh award-winner to boot, Ahir Shah is WIPing up material for his new show, Golden, at the Pleasance Courtyard, Edinburgh from 6 – 30 August. This was very much a game of two halves. The first half was slick, polished and classic Ahir. Now that he’s comfortably in his 30s, he reflects on what growing up is all about, relating to family life, class and one’s role in society. We find out how come he doesn’t know his place in the Indian caste system, and get an insight into why he doesn’t trust the Co-Op. Halfway through, however, his material takes a darker, more serious tone as he works his way through some troublesome family issues, and here he is still working hard on finding the funny in the toughness. Many’s the time one sees a comedian and realises that their set is actually an exercise in self-therapy, and this is definitely the vibe here! He admitted that he had prepared a slick ending for the show, but he’s decided against it because it’s just not honest enough. So while there’s no work needed on the first half of the show, the second half still needs to find a shape. But if anyone can, he can, and I’m sure this will be another tremendous Edinburgh hit.

3.30pm – Sooz Kempner in The Charles Bradlaugh

Another comedian we’ve seen several times before in Edinburgh and always enjoyed, Sooz Kempner’s Comedy Crate debut was in preparation for her Edinburgh show this year, Imposter, at Hoots @ Nicolson Square from 15 – 23 August. Sooz Kempner always loves a creative mix of stand-up and media projection, with some singing cropping up for balance, and this is shaping up to be a terrific show which brings together many different threads and ties them up into a very satisfying whole. She’s a wizard with the callbacks (visual as well as verbal) and included in the package is some beautifully unexpected Streisand, a Princess Diana calendar, and how writing jokes for Eurovision could have turned out better. At the heart of the show is her Imposter syndrome, made more acute by a health issue, and – let’s face it – no one wants to turn into Julie Andrews. She was absolutely on fire and the audience loved her. Not much more preparation needed and this will be a knock-out show in Edinburgh.

5pm – Sara Barron in The Black Prince

Unlike the other performers we saw, Sara Barron is neither working towards an Edinburgh show, nor a tour, but just formulating some new material for use at some point in the distant future. So, there was very little in the way of polished material in her set; instead, we were there to help her work out whether any of the vague ideas swirling around her head might be funny. Fortunately, Sara Barron is not just a naturally funny person, she’s a naturally hilarious person who puts me in mind of a less showbizzy version of Joan Rivers, who wisecracks effortlessly with the audience. It’s fascinating to watch the process of material coming together, and whilst there were some ideas that have legs and some that don’t, that’s what it’s all about. Even so, the hour flew by and everyone had a good laugh; and you can’t say fairer than that.

7pm – Glenn Moore in The Charles Bradlaugh

Another favourite comedian, Glenn Moore does have an Edinburgh run coming up, but it’s a work-in-progress show at Monkey Barrel Comedy from 3 – 16 August, before going on a national tour afterwards. Glenn Moore cuts an imposing figure on stage; I always think he looks like a super intelligent chief executive, which has to be a compliment. He takes a scattergun approach to his work in progress, with no obvious connection between any of his comic ideas, and he is brutal in rejecting anything that he doesn’t feel gets a loud enough laugh – even though you can tell he’s dismissing some pretty good material. Nine out of ten jokes were brilliant – high standards have clearly got him where he is today. Always reliable for top quality, well thought-through observations, this is obviously going to be another winning combination when he’s satisfied that he’s got it as perfect as possible!

8.30pm – Rhys James in The Charles Bradlaugh

New to us, but with a good reputation, our final act of the day was Rhys James, whose Chop Logic show will be at the Pleasance Courtyard in Edinburgh from 17 – 30 August.  I guess this was a work in progress in preparation for that run, but the act is pretty much immaculate all the way through and certainly Fringe-ready. A remarkable find, Rhys appeals to young and old because his material is always fresh, creative and incredibly funny. I loved his inventive material about how we should all emulate the Turkish economy, how he’s branching out with his painting hobby, the perils of transporting a poo sample, and a delicious way of teasing pensioners. Polished, confident, and constantly rip-roaringly funny, he’s the real deal and no mistake. A fantastic end to the day.

There are several more Edinburgh preview shows in the offing with the Comedy Crate, and of course Part Two of their weekend All Dayer in July. Can’t wait!

Review – Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo, aka The Trocks, Milton Keynes Theatre, 2nd June 2026

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For over fifty years now, The Trocks have been the foremost gender-skewering comedy ballet company (their words, but I couldn’t have put it better myself) in the world. Never surrendering their primary skill – being extraordinarily good exponents of classical ballet – and combining it with a unique comic slant, always affectionate and never cruel, makes them the must-see act in their field of entertainment. Fortunately for us, they have never confined themselves to their New York roots, but are constantly touring worldwide, including regular visits to the United Kingdom.

Their current tour started in Dublin in April, and has six more venues after Milton Keynes, before they return to the US of A. Their programmes invariably begin with their signature dish of Swan Lake Act Two, then there’ll be a pas de deux followed by another dance, topped off with the dying swan, and then a rumbustious final number to send everybody home happy. Why change a winning formula?

Each Trock adopts their own ballerina and ballerino, investing them with as much personality as they can get away with whilst still performing as a credible danseur/se. Harking back to the grand Russian tradition of classical ballet, many have outrageously Russki monikers: in the past we had the divine Comrade Ida Nevasayneva, and the matchless Larissa Dumbchenko, for example, as well as the famous and still current Legupski brothers, who, as the programme notes always insist, are not really brothers. As always, Natasha Notgoodenuff was not dancing last night, as she was winging her way on her usual errand of mercy to assist the ailing ballerinas at – this time – Les Grands Ballets Impérials de Luton. Poor Natasha’s always on the road.

Our Odette for Swan Lake was the always remarkable Varvara Laptopova (Takaomi Yoshino) who’s been with the Trocks for nearly eight years but still looks about sixteen. La Laptop’s pointe work is exceptional, and her spinnability is second to none. She was partnered with the delightfully bewildered Araf Legupski (Andrea Fabbri) and pestered by a hilariously fretful Benno danced by Jacques d’Aniels (Antonio Lopez). Von Rothbart was in the super capable hands of Yuri Smirnov (Robert Carter), hurtling around the stage like a wizard possessed, threatening swans left right and centre. The corps de ballet was the usual gathering of mismatched étoiles, their elegant smiles and dynamic pliés only surpassed by the occasional hairy chest. The quality of the dancing was immense, and the attention to comic detail brilliant.

Our pas de deux was from Le Corsaire, with M. D’Aniels, this time with feather in cap, partnering Maya Thickenthighya (a fresh reincarnation from new Trock Peter Gwlazda), an opportunity for both to show their amazing mastery of the art. The centrepiece was the perennial favourite, Go for Barocco, with six dancers intertwining some truly elegant shapes and routines with the Barocco trademark Olympic Road Race walk. I bet Bach never expected his Brandenburgh Concertos to be used for that. For the Dying Swan we welcomed the inimitable Olga Supphozova for a gorgeous swansong, the swan’s last minutes marked by her desperate attempt to reattach her dropping feathers before finally toppling over. No one executes the terminal fowl like Olga.

Our final dance was Valpurgeyeva Noch, a Bolshoi-ish extravaganza compete with fauns and nymphs, with Boris Dumbkopf (Takaomi Yoshino again) dominating the leaps as Pan but with all the artists of the Trockadero fully committed to make the night go with a bang. You always wonder what dance the Trocks will perform for their encore –  last night it was their irresistible homage to Mikhail Flatleyski and their Lord of the Dance.

A word of thanks to the remarkable Robert Carter, who is performing his final tour this summer. A stalwart of the company since 1995, a Trock beyond compare, who has served his time man and boy, swan and cygnet. We first saw him at the Wycombe Swan in 1998 and since then he’s done Olga and Yuri proud over the years. He’s one of those performers who make you realise that seeing their work is an immense privilege.

After Milton Keynes, they keep on trockin’ to Norwich, Canterbury, Blackpool, Edinburgh, Aberdeen and Buxton. Go see them while you can!

Five Alive, Let Dance Thrive!

Review – Equus, Menier Chocolate Factory, London, 31st May 2026

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One of the most outstanding plays of the 20th century, Equus, Peter Shaffer’s intricate but vivid enactment of a true story, retains an immaculate reputation, bolstered by extraordinary productions in the past. It deals with the inexplicable blinding of several horses by a teenage boy, a story told to him by a friend who died shortly afterwards, with no first-hand knowledge of the crime or perpetrator at all; Shaffer filled the gaps with his imagination. I saw the original production, when it transferred to the Albery, as part of a school trip (!) and we sat on benches on the stage. At the time it was the most thrilling experience I’d had in a theatre and it opened my 16-year-old mind to appreciate some of the extraordinary things that theatre can achieve. I’ve seen it twice since, including the famous Daniel Radcliffe production, and it never fails to astonish. Seeing it again now in the intimate setting of the Menier Chocolate Factory was a no-brainer for me.

Long suffering psychiatrist Martin Dysart is told about the actions of 17-year-old Alan Strang by Hesther Salomon, the magistrate at his court case. With no apparent cause, and with no previous blemish on his character, Strang blinded six horses on a rampage in a stable. Hesther realises he needs help rather than just punishment, so reluctantly Dysart agrees to take him on. Initially obstructive, Strang slowly starts to open up as together they explore the reasons why he did what he did. As the play progresses, we see vignettes from his family life, his introduction to the stable and stable-mate Jill, and his instant infatuation with the horses. Shaffer saves the re-enactment of the blinding for the final scene, one of the most visually and emotionally shattering moments in 20th century drama.

One of the reasons why it’s always a thrill to see a production at the Menier is that you never quite know how the stage and seating will be configured. For Equus, Paul Farnsworth has created a black wooden stage, featureless apart from four benches in the corners, a black wooden walkway around the stage and what appears to be a centre revolve that they don’t use (looks it a bit odd, to be honest). In keeping with the original production, the offstage actors sit in vacant seats scattered around the front row of the audience, which emphasises how we’re all part of the same shared experience. Entrances are crisply made from those seats, the actors circling the edge of the stage until they walk onto it; if you’re used to stretching your legs out in the front row, you can’t do it in this show, or you’d trip everyone up.

At the back of the stage sit the horses, in their stable. Actors from a dance background, they’re motionless for much of the first act, but when they come to life, they roll, they writhe, they stagger, all with elegant choreographic grace. They create the illusion of individual horses, unless they come together when they portray Nugget, the Equus God, in whom Strang is so besotted. They exude an unpredictable strength; they’re not beautiful to watch, but they are mesmeric, eerie and unsettling. There’s no doubt that this presentation underlines the homoerotic nature of the play; it was always there, but in this production it’s beyond question.

It’s a first-rate cast who throw themselves into the production with full commitment. Colin Mace and Emma Cunniffe are excellent as Alan Strang’s parents, Frank and Dora. Both find it hard to express their feelings towards their son. Frank is a traditional man’s man who doesn’t go in for “emotions”, works long hours and refuses to allow a TV in the household, and Dora’s love for God comes first. Both give great portrayals of essentially good people who are totally bewildered by what their son has done.

Bella Aubin is superb as Jill, Alan’s confident young stable colleague, seeking to push Alan gently towards a relationship despite his internal conflict and immaturity. As Hesther Salomon, Amanda Abbington creates a palpable character out of what is really a shoulder on which Dysart can cry (and vent his spleen), advocating powerfully on behalf of Alan to protect whatever future he has. There’s also great support from Paula James as the no-nonsense nurse, David Rubin as stable owner Harry Dalton and Ed Mitchell as Nugget and the horseman.

Toby Stephens’ Martin Dysart is at the end of his tether from the start. Dysart should be embarking on a tremendous journey of self-discovery during the course of the play, reflecting on his homelife and his marriage, coping with an ever-growing workload, exasperated at himself, his very essence, his clients and the world at large. We know that Toby Stephens is a superb actor, with terrific technical skill, an imposing stage presence and the ability to conjure up all levels of emotion. However, I didn’t sense that this Dysart went on much of a journey, or that there was any significant character development. I didn’t feel his dark night of the soul, there were no penny-drop moments as he works out who he is. This is a play where all the characters should emerge at the end profoundly changed from how they were at the beginning, but for Dysart, it all felt strangely on one level. I know I’m in the minority here.

Noah Valentine, however, as Alan Strang, gives a truly great performance, riveting from the very start, combining insolence with vulnerability, aggression with passivity. Physically, it’s inspired casting; Shaffer’s only description of Alan in the stage directions is that he is a “lean boy of seventeen”, and indeed, Mr Valentine cuts a slim, slight figure, a powerful contrast with the muscular nobility of the horses. His expressions throughout are superb – you don’t need to hear this Alan speak in order to know what he’s thinking. Strang is still just a boy, and Mr Valentine truly convinces as a wayward, uncertain teenager who defaults to impudence and disobedience under pressure; and who could crack at any time. It’s a terrific performance – not to mention one of great bravery – and he will certainly be a name to follow in the future.

Admirably, there has been no attempt to update the play; the programme notes announce that the action takes place in the early 1970s, so Alan Strang’s incessant singing of television adverts is the same as it was fifty years ago. Advertising jingles today just don’t have the same iconic power!

However, there’s one directorial decision with which I completely disagree. Towards the end of the first act, Dysart encourages Alan to re-enact taking Nugget from the stable and leading him into the field. Shaffer’s stage direction states: “he mimes undressing completely in front of the horse”. However, director Lindsay Posner has Alan literally removing all his clothes, so that his final scene before the interval is performed naked. Obviously, this makes a great sudden impact, but in so doing, it detracts from the more significant final scene, the true climax of the play, where Alan is running, jumping, hurling himself about the stage naked whilst viciously jabbing the pick into the horses’ eyes.

To reinforce that final impact, Paul Pyant’s lighting design has to go full manic strobe, and effective though it is, that final scene ought not to need any additional lighting tricks to create its shock. But here it’s necessary because we already have a visual memory of Alan naked with Nugget – the surprise has already been ruined an hour earlier. Call me a purist, but when Shaffer instructed that the first undressing should be mimed, I reckon he knew what he was doing.

Overall, a committed and powerful production of an outstanding play, but somehow it didn’t quite crackle with the electric energy that I would have expected. Nevertheless, there are some superb performances, and Noah Valentine is a star of the future. After the run at the Menier ends on 4th July, the production transfers to the Theatre Royal Bath, who have co-produced it, for two weeks from 14th July.

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Screaming Blue Murder, Underground at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 30th May 2026

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Screaming Blue MurderConstant as the North Star, Screaming Blue Murder returned on Saturday to the Royal and Derngate, under the kindly watch of our regular host with the most, Dan Evans. Battling against the hot weather, he got to know selected members of the full house, including Dean (or was it Paul) and their accompanying stag/hen celebrators, and the teachers at the Academy of Performing Arts (Bedford branch) – I know, that doesn’t sound likely, does it?

In a change to the advertised programme, our first act, and new to us, was Aaron Simmonds, who despite – or maybe because of – his cerebral palsy presents an energetic and boisterous persona on stage and drives his act forward with enthusiasm and attack. He turns his condition into a strength with some very funny – but also challenging – material on the subject of disability, and he has an entertaining tale about one’s priorities at the Paralympics. His material didn’t always land as it should, but his confidence and endless surprises more than made up for it.

Next up, and another new comic to us, was Alex Bertulis-Fernandes, an engaging performer with a quiet, laid-back style that lulls you into a false sense of security and then hits you with a killer line. She has some great material about rescue dogs and sexual liaisons, which she delivers in a gently knowing manner, with excellent timing and an unhurried warmth. Quirky and original, she gave an assured performance and the audience loved it.

Our headliner, and someone we haven’t seen for more than fifteen years, was Alistair Barrie, who comes out of the traps all guns blazing, with terrifically indignant material about the perils of the world today. He has some great material about how little we had to worry about back in 1999 in comparison with 2026, and he mixes intelligent and ribald observations about world politics with his own family experiences. I loved the idea that his aged parents live in a house made from old Daily Telegraphs! Dynamic and fast developing, he has an instantly captivating style and you hang on his every word. A fantastic end to the evening.

That’s the last Screaming Blue of the Spring, but no doubt it’ll be back when Autumn leaves start to fall!