Category Archives: Classical

Review – BBC Radio 3’s Friday Night is Music Night, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 17th April 2026

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Friday Night is Music NightHere’s something a little different! The BBC Radio 3 stalwart of a show, Friday Night is Music Night, came to Northampton’s Royal and Derngate, not, as I originally suspected, as a live broadcast, but to record the programme to go out on May 15th 2026. No strangers to the regular appearances by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal and Derngate, I wondered to what extent this would be similar.

At first, the only difference was the appearance of additional microphones scattered around the stage, including some very tall ones – I guess up in the air they register fewer background noises. And it was the BBC Concert Orchestra, under the leadership of Charles Mutter, who played the tunes under the conducting baton of Richard Balcombe, who had conducted the RPO at the Valentine’s Gala at the R&D in 2025.

The show was introduced and hosted by another Radio 3 stalwart, Katie Derham, who comes across as warm, welcoming and genuinely loving her job. With just a few minor explanations as to how the evening would progress, the whole broadcasting element to the show had remarkably few nuts and bolts getting in the way of a straightforward live concert.

I don’t know why we were surprised at this, but we were: the orchestra members, the conductor, Katie Derham, and our two singers, Patrick Smyth and Katie Birtill, were all smartly decked out in traditional evening wear, just as you would expect for a regular classical concert. Indeed, Ms Birtill even brought a change of dress for the second half!

The programme was a celebration of the work of Richard Rodgers, primarily his music composed in partnership with Lorenz Hart and Oscar Hammerstein; so, we were treated to some beautiful renditions of songs, overtures and instrumental passages from Oklahoma!, South Pacific, The Sound of Music, Carousel and more. Less well-known was his impressive music for the TV documentary Victory at Sea, and the concert concluded with his Slaughter on 10th Avenue from On Your Toes which I hadn’t heard in decades.

Stand out performances (for me at least) came in the form of the glorious Carousel Waltz, the Dream Ballet from Oklahoma! and Katie Birtill’s stunning performance of My Favourite Things. But the whole concert was a joy, and everyone in the audience had a marvellous time by the sound of it. I shall look forward to hearing it again on May 15th!

Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra Valentine’s Opera Gala, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 15th February 2026

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RPO before the Valentine's GalaThe Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Valentine’s gift this year was an Opera Gala played to a busy and enthusiastic audience in the Derngate auditorium. A Sunday matinee, it was a relatively informal affair, totally lacking in Classical Concert Stuffiness and simply designed for everyone to have a good time.

Our conductor was Jordan de Souza, currently Music Director of Theater Dortmund and Chief Conductor of the Dortmund Philharmoniker. It was, he confessed, his first visit to Northampton, and we trust it won’t be his last. He’s one of those very involved conductors, full of excitable facial expressions designed to get the best out of the orchestra and a playful, almost mischievous mentality that shows just how much he has fun up on the podium.

The programme was a chocolate box selection of opera highlights, with four purely orchestral pieces and twelve arias. We started with the orchestra on fine form with a superb rendition of Strauss’ Die Fledermaus Overture, full of lush strings, arresting percussion and terrific expression. The orchestra were particularly daring with those slight pauses during the famous waltz; you could truly visualise the voluminous swirling dresses of those Viennese ladies. A fantastic start.

Then we met our two opera soloists. First up, tenor Nicky Spence OBE, a relaxed, light-hearted presence who grew cheekier as the concert progressed, and who sported an enviably glittering pair of slippers as his footwear. He started off with possibly the most serious aria of the programme, Vainement, ma bien-aimée from Lalo’s Le roi d’Ys, all of which was new to me. Then soprano Anne-Marie MacIntosh sang Ah! je ris de me voir si belle from Gounod’s Faust, better known as The Jewel Song.

Mr Spence returned for En fermant les yeux from Massenet’s Manon, a piece I had not heard before, and which was stunningly beautiful. Then it was Ms MacIntosh’s turn again with Micaela’s aria Je dis que rien ne m’épouvante from Bizet’s Carmen. Hats off to the RPO for giving us one of Micaela’s arias rather than Carmen’s for a change! This led into a performance of the first three parts of the Carmen Suite No 1, the Prelude, Aragonaise and Intermezzo. The powerful emphasis on those opening strings of the Prelude gave it a truly menacing impact. The audience was enjoying the performance so much that we broke etiquette and applauded after the Aragonaise. In some concerts, a conductor might have held his gaze towards the orchestra and made the applause freeze away; but on this occasion Mr de Souza turned to us and welcomed it, which confirmed the informality of the event and the fact that we were all there just to enjoy ourselves.

Mr Spence returned with a short entertaining introduction to his next piece, Tosti’s L’ultima canzone, explaining that it didn’t mean The Last Pizza. And then he was joined by Ms MacIntosh for O soave fanciulla, the aria that wraps up Act 1 of Puccini’s La Bohème, and it was with searing emotion that we went into the interval.

The second half started with the Prelude to Act 1 of Verdi’s La Traviata, followed by Ms MacIntosh singing Ah, fors’è lui… Sempre libera from the same opera. She has a wonderful way of acting out her singing so that you really understand the character behind the aria. Then Mr Spence sang Lensky’s Aria from Tchaikovsky’s Eugene Onegin, another immensely powerful and affecting performance. This was followed by the orchestra once again in full swing with the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, a marvellously stirring and invigorating piece of music.

Into the home straight, Ms MacIntosh sang Caro nome from Verdi’s Rigoletto, a delightfully simple and plaintive aria that really touched everyone’s heart; and then Mr Spence gave us the rousing Dein ist mein ganzes Herz from Lehar’s Das Land des Lächelns – one of those pieces of music that you know you know, yet you can’t quite place; definitely it should have its place in Classical Music’s top 50 tunes. Ms MacIntosh joined him for Lippen schweigen from Lehar’s Merry Widow, sung in English, and the whole concert concluded with the celebratory Brindisi from La Traviata. Mr de Souza carefully regulated our clapping along so that we could join in without ruining the music, and it was a superb way to end an afternoon of pure joy. The RPO are next in town in June for another Sunday matinee performance of Beethoven’s Fifth – see you there!

Five Alive, Let Music Thrive!

Review of the Year 2025 – The Fifteenth Annual Chrisparkle Awards

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Greetings again, gentle reader, to the glamorous showbiz highlight of the year, the announcement of the annual Chrisparkle Awards for 2025. Slightly fewer shows seen this year – 230, twenty-four down on last year’s 254 productions; I hope that’s not a sign that I’m slowing down! Eligibility for the awards means a) they were performed in the UK and b) I have to have seen the shows and reviewed them in the period 5th January 2025 to 4th January 2026. Are you all sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin!

 

The first award is for Best Dance Production (Contemporary and Classical)

This includes dance seen at the Edinburgh Fringe, which is just as well, as I only saw two dance productions this year, and they are:

In 2nd place, Matthew Bourne’s charming but undemanding The Midnight Bell, at the Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton, in July.

In 1st place, Saeed Hani’s challenging and emotional Inlet, performed by Hani Dance at Dance Base, Edinburgh, in August.

 

Classical Music Concert of the Year.

Again we only saw two classical concerts this year, both by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal and Derngate in Northampton. The award for the best goes to their Valentine’s Day Gala in February.

 

Best Entertainment Show of the Year.

This means anything that doesn’t fall into any other categories – for example pantos, circuses, revues and anything else hard to classify. Here are the top three:

In 3rd place, our local pantomime, The All New Adventures of Peter Pan at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in December.

In 2nd place, the spectacular extravaganza that is Sleeping Beauty at the London Palladium in December.

In 1st place, the home of great panto, Aladdin at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, in January 2026.

 

Best Star Standup of the Year.

Only four eligible shows this year, so here are the top three performances by Star Standups in 2025:

In 3rd place, Eshaan Akbar in his I Can’t Get No Satisfakshaan show at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton in February.

In 2nd place, Kae Kurd in his What’s O’Kurd show at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton in October.

In 1st place, Dara O’Briain in his Re: Creation show at the Corn Exchange, Bedford in April.

 

Best Comedy Crate/Screaming Blue Murder Standup of the Year

It just so happens that all the top five were from Comedy Crate shows!

In 5th place, Jordan Gray (at the Charles Bradlaugh in February)

In 4th place, Charlie Baker (Edinburgh Preview Weekender in July)

In 3rd place, Hal Cruttenden (at the Charles Bradlaugh in January and at the Edinburgh Preview Weekender in July)

In 2nd place, Mike Rice (at the Charles Bradlaugh in May)

In 1st place, Thor Stenhaug (Edinburgh Preview Weekender in July)

 

Best Musical

I only saw nine musicals this year, and here’s the top five:

In 5th place, The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in May.

In 4th place, The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum, in April.

In 3rd place, the post-West End touring production of Dear Evan Hansen at Royal and Derngate Theatre, Northampton, in January.

In 2nd place, a curiosity-driven revisit to see Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre, London, in February.

In 1st place, Evita, at the London Palladium, in July.

 

Best New Play

Just to clarify, this is my definition of a new play, which is something that’s new to me and to most of its audience – so it might have been around before but on its first UK tour, or a new adaptation of a work originally in another format. We saw seventeen new plays this year, and I awarded five stars to five of them; it therefore follows that they are the top five!

In 5th place, Mischief Theatre’s The Comedy About Spies, at the Noel Coward Theatre, London, in May.

In 4th place, Tom Wells’ adaptation for the RSC of Roald Dahl’s The BFG, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December.

In 3rd place, Karim Khan’s inventive and insightful Before the Millennium, at the Old Fire Station, Oxford, in December.

In 2nd place, James Ijames’ delightful reworking of Hamlet, Fat Ham for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in August.

In 1st place, James Graham’s outstanding Punch at the Young Vic, London, in April.

 

Best Revival of a Play

I saw twenty-four revivals, with six receiving five stars from me; here are the top five:

In 5th place, the RSC’s two-part production of Galsworthy’s Forsyte Saga, adapted by Shaun McKenna and Lin Coghlan at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December.

In 4th place, the RSC’s brave and thrilling production of Marlowe’s Edward II, at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in March.

In 3rd place, Ivo van Hove’s riveting production of Arthur Miller’s All My Sons, at Wyndham’s Theatre, London, in December.

In 2nd place, the RSC’s superbly imaginative production of Hamlet, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in February.

In 1st place, James Graham’s extraordinary exploration of England – both the team and the country – in Dear England, for the National Theatre at the Olivier Theatre, London, in April.

 

As always, in the post-Christmas season, it’s time to consider the turkey of the year – and it’s a toss-up between the six productions to whom I only gave two stars; but the one I feel failed to deliver when it had the most potential to succeed was Unicorn at the Garrick Theatre, London, in March.

Now we come on to our four categories specifically for the Edinburgh Fringe. The first is:

 

Best play or musical – Edinburgh

We saw 106 productions of plays and musicals in Edinburgh this year, 18 of them got 5* from me, and here are the top 5:

In 5th place, Louisa Marshall’s savage and innovative exploration of weaponised incompetence, Clean Slate (Summerhall)

In 4th place, Dylan Kaueper and Will Grice’s wickedly inventive examination of childhood friendship, Cody and Beau (The Space on the Mile)

In 3rd place, Tony Norman’s beautiful musical about the Van Gogh brothers, Vagabond Skies (Gilded Balloon at the Museum)

In 2nd place, Priyanka Shetty’s shattering reconstruction of the rise of the Alt Right, #CHARLOTTESVILLE (Pleasance Courtyard)

In 1st place, creating satire where you might think it’s beyond satire, Miss Brexit (Underbelly Bristo Square)

 

Best Individual Performance in a Play or Musical – Edinburgh

As always, an impossible choice, and it’s as close as close can be. Nevertheless, here are the top five (and yes I am cheating for 5th place):

In 5th place, Dylan Kaueper and Will Grice for Cody and Beau (The Space on the Mile)

In 4th place, Priyanka Shetty for #CHARLOTTESVILLE (Pleasance Courtyard)

In 3rd place, Louisa Marshall for Clean Slate (Summerhall)

In 2nd place, Quaz Degraft for In The Black (The Space at Surgeons’ Hall)

In 1st place, Christoffer Hvidberg Ronje for The Insider (Pleasance Dome)

 

Best Comedy Performance – Edinburgh

We saw forty-one comedy shows this year, of which eight received 5* from me, and here are my top five:

In 5th place, Matt Forde: Defying Calamity (Pleasance Courtyard)

In 4th place, Sam Lake: You’re Joking, Not Another One! (Monkey Barrel at the Tron)

In 3rd place, Robin Grainger: People Pleaser (The Stand Comedy Club 4)

In 2nd place, Tom Stade: Naughty by Nature (The Stand Comedy Club 1)

In 1st place, Casey Filips as the impossible Tobias Finlay-Fraser in Virtuoso (Assembly George Square)

 

Best of the rest – Edinburgh

From a shortlist of seven, here are my top five:

In 5th place, mixing a real live date with comedy improvisation, Looking for Laughs (Gilded Balloon Patter House)

In 4th place, the irrepressible Accordion Ryan with his Pop Bangers (Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower)

In 3rd place, Broadway’s Laura Benanti in Nobody Cares (Underbelly Bristo Square)

In 2nd place, Chase Brantley’s truly hilarious Don Toberman: Ping Pong Champ (Pleasance Courtyard)

In 1st place, a star is born: Arthur Hull’s FLOP: The Best Songs from the Worst Musicals Ever Written (Gilded Balloon at Appleton Tower)

Three shows received a dreaded One Star review from me: and for me the Edinburgh turkey of the year was The Fiascoholics’ 4’s a Crowd, which contained just too much of everything it didn’t need.

 

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Musical

Time to get personal. Here’s the top five:

In 5th place, Alice Fearn as Heidi in Dear Evan Hansen at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton in January.

In 4th place, Lucie Jones as Fantine in Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre, London, in February.

In 3rd place, Sharon Rose as Garage Girl and Kate in The Unlikely Pilgrimage of Harold Fry at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in May.

In 2nd place, Frances Mayli McCann as Daisy in The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum, in April.

In 1st place, Rachel Zegler as Evita in Evita at the London Palladium in July.

 

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Musical

Here’s the top five:

In 5th place, Corbin Bleu as Nick Carraway in The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum, in April.

In 4th place, Luke Kempner as Thenardier in Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre, London, in February.

In 3rd place, Ian McIntosh as Jean Valjean in Les Miserables at the Sondheim Theatre, London, in February.

In 2nd place, Diego Andres Rodriguez as Che in Evita at the London Palladium, in July.

In 1st place, Jamie Muscato as Jay Gatsby in The Great Gatsby at the London Coliseum, in April.

 

Best Performance by a Female Actor in a Play

Nineteen in the longlist, and ten in the shortlist, and here’s the top five:

In 5th place, Freema Ageyman as Beatrice in the RSC’s Much Ado About Nothing, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in April.

In 4th place, Gina McKee as Annie in The Years, at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London, in April.

In 3rd place, Marianne Jean-Baptiste as Kate in All My Sons, at Wyndham’s Theatre, London, in December.

In 2nd place, Beverley Knight as Rosetta in Marie and Rosetta, at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in July.

In 1st place, Tuppence Middleton as Annie in The Years, at the Harold Pinter Theatre, London, in April.

 

Best Performance by a Male Actor in a Play

Twenty-three in the longlist and nine in the shortlist, each of whom could easily deserve the award, However, here is the top five:

In 5th place, Daniel Evans as Edward II in the RSC’s Edward II, at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon in March.

In 4th place, Jonathan Bailey as Richard II in Richard II, at the Bridge Theatre, London, in February.

In 3rd place, Olise Odele as Juicy in the RSC’s Fat Ham, at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in August.

In 2nd place, Joseph Millson as Soames in the RSC’s Forsyte Saga, at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December.

In 1st place, David Shields as Jacob in Punch, at the Young Vic, London, in April.

 

Congratulations to the winners – special mention this year for James Graham whose Punch and Dear England feature so highly – commiserations to the losers and thanks for your company again throughout the year, gentle reader. Here’s to another year full of artistic excellence!

Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 31st May 2025

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A packed house as always welcomed the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra to one of their regular second homes, Northampton’s Royal and Derngate, on Saturday night for a programme of three much-loved, passionate pieces of classical music. It’s always a delight and a privilege to see them there.

Our conductor for the evening was Antonello Manacorda, the epitome of Italian elegance and authority, but with an affinity for the Germanic. His conducting style is very enthusiastic, bouncing off his shiny patent leather toes to stretch far forward to reach those musicians at the back of the stage, constantly cajoling the whole orchestra to give of their best – and it works wonders.

The evening started with a superb musical amuse bouche – the six minutes of Mozart’s Magic Flute Overture, K.620. It’s a relatively tiny piece of music but it’s crammed with so much energy and vitality, full of wonderful tunes – as well as its famously Masonic symbolism – that really pack a punch. A terrific start.

We then welcomed our soloist for the evening, Johan Dalene, for Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor, Op. 64. It should be a crime that someone so young can be so talented, and 24 year old Mr Dalene beamed onto the stage looking truly delighted to be there. The Violin Concerto hits the ground running with its instantly captivating main theme, and Mr Dalene tackled the whole concerto from memory, making something so technically brilliant look so easy. The clarity and purity of his playing is most impressive; even though the piece is often played at a fast and furious pace, he ensures you catch and savour every individual note. And when Mr Dalene plays, the audience sits up and takes notice – he demands our profound silence and attention.

The programme notes tell us he plays the 1725 Duke of Cambridge Stradivarius, an instrument of glorious warmth and tone, which itself has had a fascinating history over the years. The support from the orchestra was outstanding, as you would expect; you could clearly see a true understanding between the soloist and conductor that enhanced the piece even more. That subtly bold moment where the first movement links to the rest of the piece with the plaintive bassoon was performed immaculately! An amazing performance.

After the interval, we returned for Tchaikovsky’s Symphony No 6 in B minor, Op. 74, the Pathétique. Another powerful performance of a curiously structured symphony that features so many gripping melodies and exciting sequences, fooling the audience into thinking it has ended with the vivacious climax to the third movement, only then to wrap up with a very sombre adagio. Martin Riddell led the orchestra through all its passionate playing, with tremendous performances from the brass and percussion in addition to all the other instruments. A riveting night of music, performed expertly and exquisitely; and the Royal Philharmonic will be back with three more concerts over the next year.

Review – Valentine’s Gala with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 15th February 2025

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The Royal Philharmonic Orchestra’s Valentine’s gift to the people of Northampton this year was a delightful gala programme of romantic music from the 19th and 20th centuries. There was a buzz of excitement in the very full Derngate auditorium as we awaited the arrival of our conductor for this concert, Richard Balcombe, a very smart gentleman who reminded me a little of the late great Bob Holness. Whilst he might not give us a P, I’m sure he could be relied on for an excellent Middle C; just a small joke there for people of my age. He has a relaxed style of conducting – no baton, very inclusive, and giving the audience a few introductions to the various pieces to be performed during the concert.

Opening salvos were fired with the first item of the night, Tchaikovsky’s Sleeping Beauty Waltz, an instantly captivating tune delivered with true gusto by the full orchestra, under its usual leadership of Duncan Riddell. Then we welcomed our guest soloist for the concert, Irene Duval, to play Bruch’s Violin Concerto No 1. Ms Duval delivered those fantastic romantic themes with sensitivity and energy with her Jean-Baptiste Vuillaume violin; no wonder listeners to Classic FM named it as their number one piece in the Classic FM Hall of Fame. The first half of the concert ended with Khachaturian’s Adagio from Spartacus, which of course was the theme to BBCTV’s nautical drama The Onedin Line in the 1970s, even though it was originally a dance from Khachaturian’s 1954 ballet. But when you hear that superbly timed crashing symbol, you’ve no other mental image other than a massive wave breaking on a rocky shore.

After the interval, we started with the second of our three Tchaikovsky pieces, the Polonaise from Eugene Onegin, another rousing and emotional number that opens Act III of the opera. Then came Mascagni’s Intermezzo from Cavalleria Rusticana, gloriously played to release maximum emotion, and I always think, a sense of tragedy. It’s a piece I’ve known since I was a wee lad – the story of how Mascagni wrote the intermezzo so that his two act opera could be entered in a one-act opera competition – which he then won – always made me feel strangely happy for him!

Then came Bizet’s Carmen Suite No 1, six of classical music’s best tunes all wrapped into a fifteen minute musical sensation. Standout moments included the fantastic percussion in the Aragonaise, the beautiful flute playing in the Intermezzo, the mysterious atmosphere of Les dragons d’Alcala and the immense energy and enthusiasm of Les Toréadors. We resolved to go home and dig out the CD instantly! Two modern pieces followed, Maurice Jarre’s Lara’s Theme from Doctor Zhivago, arranged by Christopher Palmer, and the John Dunbar Theme from John Barry’s music for Dances with Wolves. And the evening ended with our final piece of Tchaikovsky, the Romeo and Juliet Fantasy Overture that always leaves you wondering where it’s going until it establishes that rich, unforgettable tune.

A brilliant night out which got a massive reception from the enthusiastic audience. The Royal Philharmonic return to the Royal and Derngate on May 31st for Tchaikovsky’s Sixth Symphony – can’t wait!

Review of the Year 2024 – The Fourteenth Annual Chrisparkle Awards

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Greetings again, gentle reader, to the glamorous showbiz highlight of the year, the announcement of the annual Chrisparkle Awards for 2024. This year was a record-breaker for me in that I saw 254 productions throughout the year – three more than last year; and that’s an awful lot of shows! Eligibility for the awards means a) they were performed in the UK and b) I have to have seen the shows and reviewed them in the period 10th January 2024 to 4th January 2025. Are you all sitting comfortably? Then we’ll begin!

 

The first award is for Best Dance Production (Contemporary and Classical)

This includes dance seen at the Edinburgh Fringe, however none of the top three comes from that prestigious festival! These are the top three:

In 3rd place, the informal collection of dances by stars of the future in Birmingham Royal Ballet BRB2, Carlos Acosta’s Classical Selection, at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in May.

In 2nd place, the powerful Romeo and Juliet performed by Northern Ballet in association with the Royal Shakespeare Company, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in September.

In 1st place, the irrepressible Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake, performed by New Adventures at Sadlers Wells, London, in December.

 

Classical Music Concert of the Year.

We saw three classical concerts this year, all by the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra at the Royal and Derngate in Northampton. The award for the best goes to their Film Music Gala in November.

 

Best Entertainment Show of the Year.

This means anything that doesn’t fall into any other categories – for example pantos, circuses, revues and anything else hard to classify. Here are the top three:

In 3rd place, our local pantomime, Cinderella at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in December.

In 2nd place, the extraordinary spectacular extravaganza that is Robin Hood at the London Palladium in December.

In 1st place, the outstanding and uniquely successful Snow White at the Lyceum Theatre, Sheffield, in December.

 

Best Star Standup of the Year.

Last year this award was combined with the Comedy Crate/Screaming Blue Murder award, but this year the committee decided to return to its previous practice of splitting them in two. So here are the top five performances by Star Standups in 2024:

In 5th place, the effortlessly compelling humour of Sarah Keyworth in her My Eyes Are Up Here Tour, at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in September.

In 4th place, the daring and groundbreaking comedy of Omid Djalili as part of the Mixed Bill Megashow at the Royal and Derngate in April.

In 3rd place, the return of the OG PC comedian par excellence, Ben Elton in his Authentic Stupidity Tour at the Royal and Derngate in November.

In 2nd place, the utterly hysterical and always reliable Sarah Millican in her Late Bloomer Tour at the Royal and Derngate in January.

In 1st place, a comedian with a unique place in the nation’s heart, Guz Khan in his Live Tour at the Milton Keynes Theatre in January.

 

Best Comedy Crate/Screaming Blue Murder Standup of the Year

In 5th place, the experienced and consummate comedian Richard Morton (Screaming Blue Murder – March)

In 4th place, the fabulous Maisie Adam (Comedy Crate Edinburgh Preview Weekender – July)

In 3rd place, the total superstar that is Jen Brister (Comedy Crate – March)

In 2nd place, the evergreen and always deeply creative, Paul Sinha (Comedy Crate – September)

In 1st place, for the second year running, the comedy powerhouse that is Tom Stade (Comedy Crate Edinburgh Preview – July)

 

Best Musical.

I saw fourteen musicals this year, by far the majority were revivals, which just goes to show how difficult it can be to find a new musical! Seven made the shortlist and here’s the top five:

In 5th place, a show that’s just going to grow and grow over the years, Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 4th place, a superbly enjoyable production of a favourite show, Hello Dolly at the London Palladium, in July.

In 3rd place, a show that has become synonymous with the kindness of the human spirit, the touring production of Come From Away at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in March.

In 2nd place, the amazingly successfully revitalised Oliver! at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in September.

In 1st place, despite a couple of criticisms of its updating, there is no finer musical than A Chorus Line, at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in July.

I must make an honourable mention of the wonderful Our Little Hour that ran for three nights at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in October. It’s impossible to compare it with the other huge productions here, but it fully deserved its five stars from me!

 

Best New Play.

Just to clarify, this is my definition of a new play, which is something that’s new to me and to most of its audience – so it might have been around before but on its first UK tour, or a new adaptation of a work originally in another format. Just like last year, we saw eighteen new plays this year, but I only awarded five stars to two of them; I’m definitely getting stricter in my old age!

In 5th place, Apphia Campbell’s incredible one woman play inspired by the life of Nina Simone, Black is the Color of my Voice at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in February.

In 4th place, Mike Poulton’s riveting adaptation of Philippa Gregory’s novel about Mary Boleyn, The Other Boleyn Girl, at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in May.

In 3rd place, the thrillingly unusual and highly entertaining account of the Rolling Stones, Marianne Faithfull and the young Nigel Havers, Charlotte Jones’ Redlands, at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in October.

In 2nd place, a terrifying look at modern day democracy, David Edgar’s The New Real for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, in October.

In 1st place, Emma Rice’s stunning, heartwarming and endlessly fascinating adaptation of Hanif Kureishi’s The Buddha of Suburbia for the Royal Shakespeare Company at the Swan Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in April.

 

Best Revival of a Play.

I saw twenty-two revivals, leading to a shortlist of eight, and here’s the very closely fought top five:

In 5th place, the RSC’s laugh-a-second production of Shakespeare’s Merry Wives of Windsor at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in June.

In 4th place, the immaculate acting and characterisations in Pinter’s still immensely powerful The Caretaker, at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in June.

In 3rd place, the joyful inventiveness of the RSC’s sensational Twelfth Night, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December.

In 2nd place, the RSC’s literally magical production of Shakespeare’s Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in February.

In 1st place, the captivatingly hilarious and outrageous production of Oscar Wilde’s The Importance of Being Earnest, for the National Theatre at the Lyttelton Theatre, London, in December.

As always, in the post-Christmas season, it’s time to consider the turkey of the year – and whilst it very nearly went to the ambitious but falling-short-of-the-mark Spymonkey’s The Frogs at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, the most disappointing production I saw all year was the RSC’s Othello at Stratford’s Royal Shakespeare Theatre.

Now we come on to our four categories specifically for the Edinburgh Fringe. The first is:

 

Best play or musical – Edinburgh

I would normally have included musicals in with the “Best of the Rest” category, but I feel it is more appropriate to include them in the “Best Play” category. We saw 90 productions of plays and musicals in Edinburgh this year, 13 of them got 5* from me, and here are the top 5:

In 5th place, Sarah Cameron-West’s self-performed hilarious and memorable journey through heartbreak and beyond, KAREN (Underbelly Cowgate)

In 4th place, another extraordinary one-woman play, about how a celebrant can become triggered by their work, Catafalque, written by Amy Conway and produced by Scissor Kick (Summerhall)

In 3rd place, a hilarious play that made you look at a familiar story from a completely different direction, Galahad Takes a Bath, written by Jojo Jones and produced by Juggler’s Mistake (Zoo Southside)

In 2nd place, a moving and superbly structured musical based on a true story, Our Little Secret: The 23andMe Musical, written by Noam Tomaschoff and Ryan Peters and produced by Russell Citron (Gilded Balloon Patter House)

In 1st place, the brilliantly created, extremely funny and superbly performed look at living with Climate Change, Weather Girl, written by Brian Watkins (Summerhall)

 

Best Individual Performance in a Play or Musical – Edinburgh

As always, an impossible choice, and it’s as close as close can be. Nevertheless, here are the top five:

In 5th place, Lucas English for The Shadow Boxer (TheSpace @ Niddry Street)

In 4th place, Forest Malley for Galahad Takes a Bath (Zoo Southside)

In 3rd place, Jennifer Vuletic for MILF and the Mistress (TheSpace @ Niddry Street)

In 2nd place, Julia McDermott for Weather Girl (Summerhall)

In 1st place, Noam Tomaschoff for Our Little Secret: The 23andMe Musical (Gilded Balloon Patter House)

 

Best Comedy Performance – Edinburgh

A change from previous years, where this category was entitled Best Stand-up Comedy Show; this now includes sketch shows and otherwise undefinable comedy performances! We saw fifty-five comedy shows this year, but only six received 5* from me, and here are my top five:

In 5th place, boldly going where angels fear to tread, Garry Starr with his Classic Penguins show (Pleasance Courtyard)

In 4th place, the clever combination of brilliant comedy with a touch of sadness, Tom Greaves with his Fudgey show (Assembly Roxy)

In 3rd place, the irresistibly engaging Josh Jones with his Put a Sock in It show (Monkey Barrel at the Tron)

In 2nd place, the innately funny Robin Grainger with his beautifully structured Refurb show (The Stand Comedy Club 2)

In 1st place, the incredibly inventive and outrageously funny Emma Sidi with her Emma Sidi is Sue Gray show (Pleasance Courtyard)

 

Best of the rest – Edinburgh

From a shortlist of eight, here are my top five:

In 5th place, the amazing magic and entertainment of Pete Heat: Bogus (Pleasance Dome)

In 4th place, the terrific cabaret combination of Frances Ruffelle and Norman Bowman in The Scot and the Showgirl  (Pleasance Dome)

In 3rd place, a true tour de force by Sarah Louise Young in I Am Your Tribute (Voodoo Rooms)

In 2nd place, fantastic music delivered with a message for the world, Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret (Pleasance Dome)

In 1st place, and I still don’t know why she hasn’t been given her own chat show, the incredibly entertaining Mhairi Black: Politics isn’t For Me (Gilded Balloon at the Museum)

Unlike last year, I didn’t award any Edinburgh shows the dreaded One Star review. However, there are still several contenders for this year’s Edinburgh turkey, of which I feel I must draw to your attention two; FUFC (TheSpace on the Mile) had a powerful message about prostate cancer but was poorly written and acted, and almost the opposite, Nerine Skinner’s The Exorcism of Liz Truss (Just the Tonic at the Caves) boasts a brilliant impersonation of Liz Truss but dull material that goes nowhere.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Musical.

Time to get personal. Here’s the top five:

In 5th place, Jenna Russell as Irene in Hello Dolly at the London Palladium in July.

In 4th place, Georgina Onuorah as both Audrey in Little Shop of Horrors at the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield, in December, and as Lois in Kiss Me Kate at the Barbican Theatre, London, in July.

In 3rd place, Kat Ronney as Rose in Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 2nd place, Molly Lynch as Eliza Doolittle in My Fair Lady at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in December.

In 1st place, Imelda Staunton as Dolly in Hello Dolly at the London Palladium in July.

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Musical.

Here’s the top five:

In 5th place, David Seadon-Young as Henry Higgins in My Fair Lady at the Curve Theatre, Leicester, in December.

In 4th place, Marley Fenton as Danny in Grease at the Royal and Derngate, Northampton, in May.

In 3rd place, Jordan Luke Gage as Cal in Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 2nd place, Layton Williams as Seaman/Iceberg in Titanique at the Criterion Theatre, London, in December.

In 1st place, Simon Lipkin as Fagin in Oliver! at the Festival Theatre, Chichester, in September.

 

Best Performance by an Actress in a Play.

Seventeen in the longlist, and six in the shortlist, and here’s the top five:

In 5th place, Apphia Campbell as Nina Simone in Black is the Color of my Voice, Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in February.

In 4th place, Martina Laird as Rachel Moss in The New Real, The Other Place, Stratford-upon-Avon, in October.

In 3rd place, Freema Ageyman as Olivia in Twelfth Night, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in December.

In 2nd place, Jodie Whittaker as The Duchess in The Duchess, at the Trafalgar Theatre, London,in November.

In 1st place, Sharon D Clarke as Lady Bracknell in The Importance of Being Earnest, at the National Theatre Lyttelton, in December.

 

Best Performance by an Actor in a Play.

Twenty-one in the longlist and ten in the shortlist, each of whom could easily deserve the award, However, here is the top five:

In 5th place, Luke Thompson as Berowne in Love’s Labour’s Lost, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon in April.

In 4th place, Hugh Skinner as Jack in The Importance of Being Earnest, at the National Theatre Lyttelton, in December.

In 3rd place, Ncuti Gatwa as Algernon in The Importance of Being Earnest, at the National Theatre Lyttelton, in December.

In 2nd place, Ian McDiarmid as Davies in The Caretaker, at the Minerva Theatre, Chichester, in June.

In 1st place, Mathew Baynton as Bottom in A Midsummer Night’s Dream, at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, in February.

 

Congratulations to the winners, commiserations to the losers and thanks for your company again throughout the year, gentle reader. Here’s to another year full of artistic excellence!

Review – Film Music Gala with the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 8th November 2024

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A packed house of all ages was buzzing for the Royal Philharmonic’s return to the Royal and Derngate for one of their Film Music Gala concerts, a uniquely entertaining offering, guaranteed to please young and old – in fact, it is a perfect way of getting young people into the habit of seeing how different it is to hear music performed by a live orchestra rather than just listening through your headphones!

The whole orchestra (as it seemed to me) were there in force, under the baton of conductor Stephen Bell, an avuncular and enthusiastic host who gives us individual introductions to many of the pieces of music performed. The last time we saw Mr Bell conducting the RPO was for their Last Night of the Proms concert back in 2011 – please don’t leave it so long until your next visit! Stephen Bell is one of those very inclusive conductors who makes sure that every element of the orchestra has their moment in the spotlight, reaching out with his baton at an awkward angle, maybe hopping on one leg to do so. His sheer enjoyment of his job is infectious and helps to make the evening go with a swing.

The programme started with a brilliant highlight – the Flying Theme and Finale to ET by John Williams; it’s such a rich and positive melody, sumptuously arranged, and a total joy to hear. Themes to Gladiator, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Jurassic Park followed, and then we had leader of the orchestra Duncan Riddell playing as a violin soloist for Williams’ moving Schinder’s List theme. Everyone automatically froze at the opening double bass notes of the instantly recognisable Jaws theme; then the main themes to Out of Africa and Robin Hood Prince of Thieves followed, and then the very different style of Ron Goodwin’s 633 Squadron drew the first half to a conclusion.

After the interval, we heard Vangelis’ Chariots of Fire theme; a piece of music I normally expect to hear played primarily by keyboard or synthesiser – it comes across very differently – much more substantial – when played by a full orchestra. Next was a blend of excitement and melancholy with the themes to Apollo 13, the Hymn to the Fallen from Saving Private Ryan and the familiar March from Indiana Jones and the Raiders of the Lost Ark. Mancini’s lilting and romantic Moon River from Breakfast at Tiffany’s followed, and then Sir Arthur Bliss’ rousing March from the 1936 film Things to Come. The evening wrapped up with three different pieces from Star Wars – Princess Leia’s Theme, the Imperial March and the Main Theme.

A Film Music Gala works superbly well as an entertainment because each piece is relatively short and is designed to stand alone. It’s very different from an evening of classical excerpts where you often wish you could hear more from the work from which the extract is taken. But a film theme can last as little as a couple of minutes and is complete in itself. The audience at the Royal and Derngate on Friday had a whale of a time and didn’t want to let the orchestra go home! It’s not often you see a standing ovation at an orchestral concert – which only shows how superb the whole evening was.

Five Alive, Let Music Thrive!

Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Verdi Requiem, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 19th May 2024

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It’s always a grand occasion when the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra comes to Northampton – even more so for this concert, as they were performing alongside the formidable Northampton Bach Choir and members of the Daventry Choral Society. As a result, there was barely a seat to be found and the pre-concert vibe, in the foyers as well as in the auditorium, was truly buzzing.

Our conductor for the evening was Adrian Partington, whom we last saw conducting Sir Karl Jenkins’ The Armed Man two years ago; Mr Partington obviously has a penchant for big punchy pieces of music, as well as a fondness for conducting the Northampton Bach Choir. As conductor of the BBC National Chorus of Wales for over twenty years, what he doesn’t know about conducting choirs isn’t worth knowing. It’s a familiar sight to see a conductor waving his arms around to get the best out of an orchestra, but it was also a joy to see Mr Partington keeping the choir on perfect track simply by enunciating the words towards them. It looked for all the world as though he was lost in his own silent disco.

Verdi’s Requiem constitutes a big beast of a classical night out – 83 minutes (but who’s counting) of passion, fire, attack, emotion – and a whole lot of sung Latin. Helping the RPO and the choirs to deliver this beauty were four fantastic soloists – Hye-Youn Lee (Soprano), Annabella-Vesela Ellis (Mezzo-soprano),Joseph Buckmaster (Tenor) and Ossian Huskinson (Bass-baritone). A forceful presence one and all, standing or seated either side of the conductor for the whole performance, rendering (to my ear at least) faultless vocals of purity and power.

The Requiem is noted for its tremendous Dies Irae, which was performed with dynamic strength and sensational musicality, trumpets a-blazing and the choirs at full pelt. It took your breath away.Other highlights included a perfect blend of soprano, mezzo and chorus for the Agnus Dei, and a particularly stunning finale led by Ms Lee in the Libera me section. The orchestra, led by Duncan Riddell, continually soared with their astounding playing, and the 83 minutes went by in an instant.

At my estimation, there were probably about 200 people on that stage, including the choirs, soloists and orchestra; that means that my £23 ticket bought the musical services of each of those people at a rate of about 8.5 pence for the evening. Amazing value! And it’s truly admirable that all those people were able to come together at the same time with the same purpose to produce such extraordinary music. A massive enterprise indeed, and one that was superbly successful.

Three new concerts with the RPO in Northampton have recently gone on sale; see you there in November for a Film Music Gala Night!

 

Review – Royal Philharmonic Orchestra play Dvořák Symphony No 9, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 25th February 2024

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It comes a regrettable surprise that this was our first visit to a Royal Philharmonic Orchestra concert in Northampton for two years! And it was only four years ago that we last saw the RPO perform Dvořák’s New World Symphony – it is indeed one of the most crowd-pleasing choices for an orchestra to perform, as could be witnessed by the packed Sunday afternoon audience at the Derngate.

Our conductor for the programme was Shiyeon Sung, the first female conductor from South Korea to take up the baton at some of the world’s most prestigious orchestras. Whilst some conductors can approach the podium in a frenzy of excitement, Ms Sung adopts a pose of quiet dignity, sombrely turned out, guiding the orchestra with reserved authority. Continuing the international theme of the concert, the orchestra also welcomed a Guest Leader in the form of Swedish violinist Philip Zuckerman, a superb soloist in his own right.

Our first piece was Beethoven’s Leonore Overture No 3 in C Major; if you’ve never heard of the opera Leonore, that’s because Beethoven worked it up later to become Fidelio. The overture starts solemnly and relatively simply, with plaintive chords that build into a rush of excitement and joy. It’s very much an all or nothing kind of piece; it’s either an unassuming placid beat or a rip-roaring riot. The orchestra gave it a great performance; the trumpet fanfares coming from Stage Right were outstanding in their effectiveness.

Next up, we welcomed our soloist for the afternoon, cellist Zlatomir Fung, the RPO’s Artist-in-Residence for 2023-24. Looking for all the world like the happiest young man in all of Northampton, he beamed his way to the podium in preparation for performing Haydn’s Cello Concerto No 1 in C Major. Ms Sung abandoned her baton and conducted the orchestra with her hands only, coaxing out all the emotion of the piece, and Mr Fung produced a gorgeous rich tone from his 1717 Tecchler cello. The concerto demands great skill as it progresses from a stately baroque through to a beautiful central melody, rising to a stunning allegro finish, and Mr Fung demonstrated his amazing skill in abundance. A glorious experience to take us to the interval.

Finally we had the main dish of the day, Dvořák’s New World Symphony, No 9 in E Minor. Much more than just the Hovis theme, it’s a beautifully structured and exquisitely orchestrated series of wonderful tunes, inspired by Dvořák’s experiences in America. In another stand-out performance, Ms Sung helped the orchestra to bring out a brave delicacy in the second movement that you rarely hear, with the confidence to build in meaningful pauses that emphasised the beauty of its theme. And the fourth movement was delivered with such power and a sense of triumph that you had to hold back a desire to sing along! The whole orchestra gave a tremendous performance, and you have to congratulate the percussion for the perfect precision playing of possibly the most significant use of the triangle in all classical music!

It’s always a delight and a privilege to see the Royal Philharmonic on tour. They return to Northampton in May for a performance of Verdi’s Requiem – can’t wait!

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Review – Sinfonia Viva, Beethoven’s Symphony No 3, “Eroica”, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 7th July 2023

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It’s a huge welcome to the Sinfonia Viva for their first classical concert at the Royal and Derngate – at least, I think it’s their first visit to the R&D, the orchestra was founded in 1982 but I confess I’d never heard from them before. And that’s to my discredit, as they’re a funky group of musicians who pack a punch with their showmanship. I’m not quite sure if all 38 of them were on the stage of the Derngate auditorium on Friday night, but they certainly gave a performance of power and passion.

Led by enthusiastic first violinist Peter Liang, whose energy and commitment clearly influences the entire orchestra, our conductor for the performance was Delyana Lazarova, born in Bulgaria, but most recently based in Manchester where she has been working with the Hallé Orchestra. She brings determination and style to the podium, and gets the best out of the orchestra with some occasionally very artistic hand gestures.

The curtain-raiser piece in the programme was the Overture to L’ Amant Anonyme by Joseph Bologne, Chevalier de Saint Georges. L’ Amant Anonyme is the only one of Saint-Georges’ six operas to survive complete. I’d never heard of it, nor him; and if this work is also new to you, gentle reader, that’s perhaps no surprise as the first commercial recording of the piece was only released earlier this year. However, it’s a terrific piece of music, and I think I shall be hunting down that recording for my own collection! In three brief movements, it starts off as though it’s something you recognise, but then it takes unexpected turns, definitely going its own way, and it reminded me of what Bach’s seventh Brandenburg Concerto – if there were one – would sound like. Full of attack and verve and hugely entertaining.

Our second piece was Mozart’s Piano Concerto No 20 in D Minor, K466, with our soloist for the evening, Jerusalem-born Ariel Lanyi. At the age of 25, he clearly has musical maturity and professionalism way beyond his years. The concerto is a much-loved work, and Mr Lanyi and the orchestra played with first movement with straightforward clarity and precision. But it was with the second movement that I really felt the performance took off, as I melted away to the romantic melodies and pure emotion of the piece. Mr Lanyi incorporated a terrific cadenza in the final movement and it all ended with upbeat sweetness and light. The woman seated in front of me gasped an audible wow once it was over. Great stuff.

After the interval Ms Lazarova introduced the main item of the evening, Beethoven’s Symphony No 3 in E flat, “Eroica”, Op 55. She explained the four movements as 1) the trials and tribulations of life, 2) a funeral, 3) rebirth, and 4) celebration, and I found that a very helpful guide to the work. I also enjoyed her comment that talking about music is like dancing about architecture – a good cue to get going! It was a powerful performance all the way through, vivid and exciting, but superbly controlled through the second movement and exhilarating at the end.

I do hope that the Sinfonia Viva decide to include the Royal and Derngate in their future schedules! They are a terrific addition to the theatre’s programming.