Category Archives: Dance

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 – Birmingham Royal Ballet, BRB2, Carlos Acosta’s Ballet Celebration – Diaghilev and the Birth of Modern Ballet, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 23rd May 2026

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It’s always a delight to welcome members of the Birmingham Royal Ballet to the Royal and Derngate; this time the dancers were largely drawn from the BRB2 company, their emerging talent and rising stars of the dance world. There was much to thrill and enchant one’s inner balletomane on Saturday night, with a highly entertaining programme of works, all of which were first performed by the Ballets Russes between 1909 and 1924. With the exception of the two short dances from Les Biches, choreographed by Nijinksy’s sister Bronislava Nijinska, all the choreography was by Mikhail Fokine, no finer exponent of the art (imho).

The first part of the evening was devoted a performance of Les Sylphides, with Chopin’s music played live on the piano by Jeanette Wong. That opening tableau is one of the most iconic images in all classical ballet, with the corps de ballet slowly peeling off, whilst the main characters remain unmoving until their dances finally begin. The stark white of the costumes against the dark background creates a powerful impression, and there’s no hiding place during that sequence; any imperfection is instantly noticeable. To be honest, there were a couple of minor wobbles at first, but these were far outweighed by the overall excellent standard of dancing. The pointe work is extraordinary, and the fluidity, grace and delicacy of the performance was superb. My personal favourite sequence was Airi Kobayashi’s Mazurka; Ms Kobayashi has a remarkable lightness of touch, and she was always a sheer delight to watch. Marlo Kempsey-Fagg’s performance as the poet was also very engaging and precise, giving excellent support to his ballerinas, and delivering his solos with style.

After the interval, we had four shorter sequences of dance, starting with what was probably the best individual performance of the show, the pas de deux from Rimsky-Korsakov’s Sheherazade, performed by Yoli Meurisse and Alfie-Lee Hall. The Birmingham Royal Ballet spares no expense on costumes, and this performance truly evoked the exoticism of the east. Ms Meurisse and Mr Hall had tremendous chemistry together, full of playfulness and excitement, and created a very rewarding and enjoyable dance.

Next came Le Spectre de la Rose, with Tom Hazelby giving a riveting performance as the spirit of the rose that falls from the hands of the sleeping young girl as she dreams of the ball she has just attended. Then followed two dances from Les Biches; Airi Kobayashi wickedly rattling her pearls as she performed an elegant Mazurka, and Hannah Martin and Jacopo Bianucci’s witty pas de deux – her, aloof and majestic; him, trying to impress as a strong man straight from the beach.

The final dance was a pas de deux from Stravinksy’s Firebird, a demanding and expressive piece full of angst and power, given a strong performance by Ellyn Knol and Ixan Ferrer. As a finale, the corps de ballet from Les Sylphides returned for a final dance before being joined by all the artists from the other dances; merging all the performers in their disparate costumes demonstrates the range of performance styles, skills and talents that they can all offer. It was a delightfully irreverent final combination and brought an engrossing and beautiful evening of dance to a very positive conclusion. There is one more performance of Carlos Acosta’s Ballet Celebration – Diaghilev and the Birth of Modern Ballet, at the New Theatre Peterborough on 29th May. Highly recommended!

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

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!

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 – It’s a Wrap!

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And that’s another Fringe done and dusted! We arrived on 29th July and we left on the 26th August. During that time we saw 154 shows, which was four fewer than last year, with just one cancellation due to ill health on the part of the performer, and one sneaky extra booking when a slot became free – which turned out to be a 5 star show!

Here’s a quick reminder of the 4 and 5 star shows we saw, by star rating and in date order of when we saw them:

 

 

5 STARS:

Vagabond Skies

Do You Accept These Charges?

Virtuoso

Dead Air

Robin Grainger: People Pleaser

Don’t Tell Dad About Diana

Odds Are

Max Fulham: Full of Ham

Ah-Ma

Cody and Beau

Miss Brexit

Lady Macbeth Played Wing Defence

Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers

Clean Slate

FLUSH

Matt Forde: Defying Calamity

#CHARLOTTESVILLE

Girlz

Mr Jones

Laura Benanti: Nobody Cares

Don Toberman: Ping Pong Champ

In The Black

Inlet

Arthur Hull’s FLOP

Sam Lake: You’re Joking, Not Another One!

Tom Stade: Naughty by Nature

Liam Withnail: Big Strong Boy

Refuse

The Insider

Hot Mess

4 STARS:

Lovett

Falling: A Disabled Love Story

Falling in Love with Mr Dellamort

MARIUPOL

Kate Owens: Cooking with Kathryn

Christopher Macarthur-Boyd: Howling at the Moon

Call Me Crazy

Chloe Petts: Big Naturals

Bloody Influencers

The Naked Neds

How to Win 5 Grand on the Internet

The City for Incurable Women

Courier

Will Owen: Looking Fab at 50

Three Can Keep a Secret

Homo (Sapien)

Brainsluts

Big Little Sister

Sauna Boy

Trust Me, I’m From Essex

Rachel Morton-Young: Dutch Courage

Some Masterchef Sh*t

Nick it for Munich

The Birthday Party: A Theatrical Catastrophe

LEI – LDN

A Small Town Northern Tale

Alright Sunshine

Supermarket 86

NIUISA

God is Dead and I Killed Him

I Was a German

Motorhome Marilyn

Kieran Hodgson: Voice of America

Going

It’s Gonna Blow!

Ali Woods: Basher

Will You Be Praying the Entire Flight?

Cabin Fever

Windrush Secret

Saaniya Abbas: Hellarious

Ruaridh Miller: It’s Pronounced Ruaridh

Bury The Hatchet

Paul Savage: Hopes Under the Hammer

Help Me!

Stuart McPherson: Crisps and a Lie Down

Derby Day

VOTE: The Musical

Pauline Eyre: Anyone For Tennis

Down to the Felt

Alex Farrow: New Order

An Adequate Abridgement of Boarding School Life as a Homo

The Leeds Tealights: Never Not Forever

The Essence of Audrey

Aaron Wood: More to Life

Saria Callas

Looking for Laughs

The Truman Capote Talk Show

Managed Approach

Centre of the Universe

Paldem

Our Brothers in Cloth

Seating Plan

Amanda Hursy: Carted

Congratulations to all these great shows. Just as a cheeky comparison, I’ve awarded 4 stars to 17 fewer shows than last year – but there are also 3 more 5 star shows than last year. I did sadly have to award two 1 star shows, which is never something I do lightly, but I have to be honest. And as to working out which of them are the absolute best – you’ll have to wait until the Chrisparkle Awards for 2025 are announced in January!

Remember – reviews are only what one person thinks, they’re purely a personal reaction. And star ratings are even more unreliable!

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Reviews – In The Black, Yellow, Paul Savage: Hopes Under the Hammer, Hail Mary, None of the Grace, Inlet, Alfie Packham: My Apologies to the Chef, and Arthur Hull’s FLOP: The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals Ever Written

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In The Black, The Space at Surgeons’ Hall.Kofi’s in jail. They nickname him Calc, because he has a reputation of being a whizzkid with numbers. 3246 x 172? No problem, he can work that out in his head in less than a second. There are worse reputations to have in jail. But how did he get there? Kofi tells us his story of growing up in New York with an ambitious and strict Ghanaian father, who instilled in his son an ambition to do well in finance. And there’s always room for a romance to develop at work too! But how does this lead to jail? Quaz Degraft gives an outstanding performance in his finely written and structured one-man play that makes us question the important things in life. His compelling storytelling has us hanging on his every word, as he introduces us to an entertaining cast of characters who all play a vital part in his tale. Written with an excellent feel for light and shade, with delightful comical moments breaking up the serious story, it’s a privilege to watch a young master at work. 5 stars.

Yellow, The Space at Niddry Street.3-starsHaving left the service of politician Olivia Horvath due to an embarrassing fancy dress faux pas, Mal now finds himself ensconced in a lawyers’ office, working on defending those accused of financial criminality. But when new recruit Rosie joins the firm, she opens his eyes to the big world out there and how together they could make a difference. Geoffrey Mamdani’s Yellow starts promisingly with a funny opening scene between Rosie and Big Boss Tony Marchant, but then it gets bogged down in a turgidly written conversation between Rosie and Mal, and from then on it’s an upward battle to re-engage with the plot. Good performances – mostly – including an amusing turn from Peter Wilding as Tony and solid work from Heli Pärna as Rosie and Yorgos Filippakis as Mal. The play impresses as a clever modern reimagining of Twelfth Night – just a shame it couldn’t have benefited from a lighter touch. 3 stars.

Paul Savage: Hopes Under the Hammer, Hoots @ The Apex.4-starsAs a renter, Paul Savage has had to move house nine times in the past five years. That’s no way to live! Still, it has given him the inspiration for his comedy show Hopes Under The Hammer, so it can’t be all bad. As well as dealing with those charismatic letting agents, he has an extraordinary story about property-selling that should strike fear into anyone on the housing chain, as well as wider subjects like Big The Musical and being a tour guide. Paul has a very affable, natural conversational style of delivery, and his show is full of strong, funny material delivered at a decent pace, and with a natural connection with the audience. 4 stars.

Hail Mary, None of the Grace, Gilded Balloon @Appleton Tower.3-starsMary Kennedy speaks to us from the funeral of her mother, who played the organ at that church for over twenty years. Raised a Catholic, by not only her mother but two devout grandmothers, it’s taken her into her 50s before she feels she can be who she really is. Mary tells her personal story, including the radical realisations that both her mother and one of her children undertake, from a position of quiet, mature self-awareness, and it’s a story full of honesty, sincerity and surprises. When does one finally gain the confidence to cut oneself free from a belief and a culture that is simply no longer meaningful? Riotous stand-up it isn’t; more an engrossing account of one woman’s journey to self-understanding and acceptance. 3 stars.

Inlet, Assembly @ Dance Base.Saeed Hani, Syrian-German choreographer and director of his Luxembourg-based Hani Dance Company, brings his Inlet to the Edinburgh Fringe; a powerful and absorbing work of contemporary dance. Taking the myth of Romulus and Remus as its inspiration, the dance explores the importance and significance of walls and building blocks on society, how they imprison us, and how we can break down the barriers they create. Three dancers, equal in status, emerge as if newborn from behind their individual structures. As they start to form bonds between each other, we begin to see partnerships form and break, until powerplays develop, and a struggle ensues for dominance via possession of the building blocks, which are seen as vital to success. Hani’s challenging and emotional choreography is fully realised by Ana F Melero, Michelle Scappa and Francesco Ferrari in a brave and committed performance which keeps our attention throughout, stimulating thought and impressing enormously with their strength and skill. A gorgeous, riveting work. 5 stars.

Alfie Packham: My Apologies to the Chef, Underbelly Bristo Square.3-starsAlfie Packham is a new name to us, so we went in with no preconceptions of what was in store. Firstly, the title My Apologies to the Chef bears no connection with the substance of his show, so if you think you’re in for some kind of Gordon Ramsay/Fanny Cradock mash-up, you’d be sorely disappointed. Having recently lost his mother, his father is now back on the dating apps, which Alfie finds suitably both impressive and repulsive; but most of his material is a rather free-flowing stream of consciousness, which you feel could go in any direction at any time. He raises an interesting question of the respective values of art versus music versus performance, but he doesn’t take this to any logical – or indeed comedy – climax. In fact, Alfie seems to get a great idea for comic material and the run with it for a while until it runs out of steam; and this becomes the basic structure for the entire show. There is a lot of funny material here, but he also has a few sequences that raise no more than a wry smile. So for me this was a bit hit-and-miss. 3 stars.

Arthur Hull’s FLOP: The Best Songs From The Worst Musicals Ever Written, Gilded Balloon @Appleton Tower.20-year-old Arthur Hull brings his musical show Flop to the Edinburgh Fringe in a blaze of glory… Hang on a sec, did you say 20? You’re ‘avin’ a larf, incha? How can this young man be so talented?! Flop is Arthur Hull’s homage to the world of musical theatre – but in a specific way, taking the best songs from musicals that were flops, either commercially, critically or artistically. And, surprise, surprise, there’s a wealth of fantastic songs out there that come from shows that died a death and of whose name we may never speak again. I’d forgotten the horrors of Diana the Musical, or the film of Cats, plus King Kong and Spider-Man: Turn Off the Dark, as well as many others. Arthur has researched these unsuccessful endeavours so that we don’t have to, and the result is an hour of pure musical theatre joy. But the best thing about the show is Arthur himself, a charismatic singer and instrumentalist, who fills the theatre with glorious vocals and a terrific sense of fun. A star is born. 5 stars.

Review – Matthew Bourne’s The Midnight Bell, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 16th July 2025

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Based on the novels of Patrick Hamilton, Matthew Bourne’s Midnight Bell started life as the country was coming out of the Covid pandemic and now has the chance to be seen more widely on a UK tour. Set in the 1930s, the Midnight Bell in question is a London pub, frequented by a range of ordinary people whose lives have their own individual adventures, relationships, power struggles and catastrophes; and Bourne’s choreography draws our attention to each of them separately as they weave their way through various London locations, overlapping with each other or going their separate ways.

It is deliberately not an adaptation of any one of Hamilton’s works but is instead inspired by them all to create an atmosphere and suggestions of stories partly observed, partly obscured. And if there is a problem with the show, that’s just it; there isn’t one story that’s fully told or fully explained. In most cases you’re left to infer what happens, and for me that felt frustrating. Bourne is a brilliant storyteller through dance; and whereas the narrative in the first Act is easy to follow – even though we’re introduced to so many characters at breakneck speed – the storytelling is hard to follow in the second Act.

The usual New Adventures creative team are out in force. Lez Brotherton’s set immaculately recreates that 1930s London gloom and faded glamour, and his costume choices reflect the characters perfectly; Paule Constable’s lighting is evocative and intriguing, and Terry Davies’ original music gives you that 30s feel without ever being a pastiche and still feeling modern and creative, driving the dance forwards. However, I felt the decision for the dancers to lipsynch the words of the recorded songs added nothing to our understanding of the characters, and, if anything, detracted from their dancing. Nevertheless, Bourne’s choreography for the show is full of his usual trademarks and is always assertive and dynamic, creating some excellent duets for his characters, whether they be intimate, comic, shy or brash.

As always in a New Adventures production, the cast dance superbly throughout and give great performances. The dancers mix and match roles on different days, so I can only tell you about the performance on 16th July. The Act Two park bench scene with Dominic North as Bob and Hannah Kremer as Jenny is a true highlight, clearly bringing out each character’s personalities as well as giving us a truly entertaining dance. Cordelia Braithwaite’s Miss Roach is also superb, a terrific combination of the frustrated, the determined and the downtrodden, matched with Edwin Ray’s mischievously deceptive cad Gorse.

Also outstanding are Andy Monaghan and Glenn Graham as Frank and Albert, tentatively then wholeheartedly finding love, only for one of them to reveal a secret later. There’s a nicely observed on-off relationship between barmaid Ella and tedious customer Mr Eccles, danced by Bryony Pennington and Danny Reubens, and a disastrous relationship between the fickle actress Netta and the disturbed George, danced by Daisy May Kemp and Alan Vincent.

Despite all these excellent ingredients, the overall result still feels light on emotion and not especially memorable. Comparisons are odious, but when you know the kind of passion and agony that Bourne’s best dance can stir in your heart, that passion feels notably lacking here. It all feels just a little safe, a bit mild, a tad bland. If this was a half-hour dance in a mixed programme of three, and all the narrative was told much more quickly, I can see how this could feel very satisfying. But as a series of threads without a strong definitive central narrative, there’s just not enough here to sustain an entire evening.

3-starsThree-sy Does It!

 

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 – Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake The Next Generation, Sadler’s Wells, London, 27th December 2024

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By my reckoning, this is the eighth time of seeing Matthew Bourne’s groundbreaking Swan Lake at a theatre, which doesn’t include the countless times we’ve watched the DVD. It’s unquestionably the single most significant dance production I’ve ever seen, and I would probably guess would be in my top ten stage experiences of all time. So you know already, gentle reader, that it’s five stars from me without scrolling to the end.

But this new production has a few notable changes. It’s styled as Swan Lake The Next Generation because, as Matthew Bourne points out in his programme note, he “wanted to reflect on what [this production] could mean for the dancers and audiences of the future… this is the first revival of Swan Lake where all our principal dancers have come up through the ranks of New Adventures on other productions, as we nurture their talents as leading artists ready to take on such iconic and demanding roles.”

But this isn’t the only change from previous productions. Over the years subtle alterations to the choreography and presentation have developed; the disco scene is performed at a more hectic pace than in the earlier days and some of its (much loved I have to say) characters have moved on; we no longer have the character of the Young Prince in the opening scenes –it’s the same Prince all the way through now. Subtle changes to the final scene choreography make it (for me at least) less creepy when the swans emerge from the Prince’s bed. That said, the array of mini-dramas exposed amongst the guests at the Royal ball are performed with possibly more zest than ever before, bringing a number of fascinating extra insights to that scene.

But the most compelling change with this production is (finally!) the addition of a live orchestra. It’s most welcome to see this change at a time when live music in the theatre (particularly in dance) is fighting for its existence (Northern Ballet take note) and Benjamin Pope’s 25-musician-strong orchestra transforms the experience. Not only does the live orchestra create more possibilities for an individual moment to be performed at a slightly different pace depending on the reactions of the audience, the playing can also adapt to the different strengths of and interpretations by the various dancers. Whatever the reasons, it certainly adds a new and exciting dimension to the work as a whole.

The roles are all shared by between two and four individual dancers, which brings with it its own creative and practical benefits. It goes without saying that technically they’re all outstanding, and it’s a total masterclass in the contemporary ballet style for which Matthew Bourne is rightly praised. At the performance we saw, the Prince was danced by Leonardo McCorkindale, a very bright-eyed and open-faced dancer who gave us perhaps a more optimistic and positive characterisation than I have seen before; this works extremely well in Act Two, when the Prince genuinely finds his true self in partnership with the Swan.

Our Swan/Stranger was danced by Jackson Fisch, who gave us a powerful, charismatic and, yes, loving Swan as well as a delightfully insolent Stranger. Our Queen was Nicole Kabera, and the Girlfriend Katrina Lyndon, precisely the same casting as when we last saw the show in 2018, and they still bring the same superb characterisations – the man-hungry, heartless queen and the common-as-muck girlfriend who despises getting caught up in the Royal household’s duplicitous scheming. And our Private Secretary was danced by James Lovell, an extremely believable characterisation, delighting in leading that wonderfully louche dance at the ball with that mischievously beckoning hand at the hip.

At last glance the entire run at Sadler’s Wells has sold out, so that tells its own story of how successful this show is. But don’t worry if you haven’t seen it, this production is never going to go away, and indeed is touring the UK and Ireland until June. And of course, it is a must-see!

 

Five Alive, Let Dance Thrive!

Review – Romeo and Juliet, Northern Ballet at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre, Stratford-upon-Avon, 19th September 2024

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Ballet at the RSC? Surely not Dame Judi and Sir Ian gracing us with their pas de deux? Although I understand Sir Derek Jacobi’s entrechats are to die for. No! I’m kidding. Northern Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet, a mainstay of their programming over the last thirty years, has been rescued from the disaster that occurred in 2015 when the costumes and sets were ruined by flood damage. Painstaking work by gifted people has restored and renewed them so that once again Massimo Moricone and the late Christopher Gable’s work can be enjoyed by fresh generations.

R&J at the RSCTheir first port of call on their autumn tour is at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre and it’s an inspired choice of venue. Unlike most theatres likely to host ballet companies, the RST has a thrust stage, so it basically has less width but more depth; and for ballet that gives the opportunity for the dancers to perform deeper into the auditorium and share their grace and skill more closely with the audience. The result is that, although the Royal Shakespeare is a large, grand theatre, the performance can take on a surprisingly intimate form; and that’s perfect for a project such as Northern Ballet’s Romeo and Juliet with its stunning choreography and its timeless, tragic love story.

Juliet and ParisLez Brotherston’s sets look good as new, with their suggestion of the Romanesque grandeur of Verona; a central piazza with overlooking balconies and historic ruins yielding a usefully large bare area to fill with dancers. Those restored costumes are literally a sight to behold; the Capulets in black but still brash with colour, the villagers in their drab greys and browns, and the masked partygoers inspired by commedia dell’arte. In contrast, the pale, light simplicity of Romeo and Juliet’s costumes stand out, reflecting their innocence and youth.

TybaltMoricone’s choreography blends perfectly with Prokofiev’s score. It pulls no punches with the brutality of the Capulet regime but also allows the tenderness of the star-cross’d pair, whose love was doomed to fail, to come through; both in their ecstatic love dance that concludes Act I and their morning bedroom scene that opens Act III. It also gives Mercutio many opportunities to show off and play the joker, it has a star comedic moment for Juliet’s nurse in the letter-delivery scene, and a sadly funny portrayal of Juliet rejecting the marriage proposal of Paris. Twice. It also tells the story with absolute clarity, and you can’t always say that about ballet. The simple reconciliation at the end between the Lords Montague and Capulet confirms the pointlessness and devastation caused by their stupid family enmities.

Romeo and JulietThere is an elephant in the room; or rather, it’s not in the room, it’s absent. For the first time Northern Ballet are using recorded music rather than a live orchestra. There’s no doubt it’s an excellent recording; but nothing beats the real thing. A live orchestra has one big practical advantage over a recording – it gives flexibility to the stage performance, allowing the conductor to pause for the audience’s reaction to a scene’s climax before continuing. This is especially important with classical ballet as you never know if a star turn is going to produce an unexpected thunderous round of applause. The last thing you want is for the dancers to be forced to continue before the audience is ready. With Prokofiev’s outstanding, sumptuous themes – not just the famous Montagues and Capulets march but his fragile motifs for Juliet, his Gavotte borrowed from his Classical Symphony, and so much more – a live performance of the music would have been the icing on the cake. However, I don’t need to tell you how underfunded the Arts are. Touring with an orchestra is not an inexpensive option; but music and ballet are inextricably linked. It takes a wiser person than me to balance this financial/artistic dilemma.

JulietThe dancers change roles regularly throughout the run, so you may see a different cast. However, at our performance the main role of Juliet was danced by leading soloist Saeka Shirai and she is exquisite. Her expressions, her enthusiasm, her grace, and her amazing pointe work are all just a joy to watch. She’s one of those performers who, when she’s on stage, in the words of Emily Dickinson, saturates sight; you forget to look at everyone else. Her Romeo was Harris Beattie who performs with effortless physical strength and superb technique.

MercutioJun Ishii was Mercutio and Filippo Di Vilio was Benvolio, and the three of them performed some terrific trios, embodying a surprisingly convincing laddish bromance. Mr Ishii threw himself wholeheartedly into Mercutio’s cheeky insolence with a superbly crowd pleasing performance; surely he’s ready for promotion to junior soloist after this run. George Liang was a marvellously surly and acrobatic Tybalt, and Helen Bogatch stood out as a remarkably dour-faced Lady Capulet; there’s one matriarch you wouldn’t want to cross. And Dominique Larose gave us a wonderfully fussy and bustling Nurse, sweetly waddling around the stage and endearing herself to everyone.

Lady CapuletGreat to see this production again – I last saw it in High Wycombe in 1998! It continues at the Royal Shakespeare Theatre until 28th September, before it travels on to Southampton, Canterbury and Newcastle. Northern Ballet’s other current productions, A Christmas Carol, Jane Eyre and Hansel and Gretel, begin touring in November. Will there be any more collaborations between Northern Ballet and the Royal Shakespeare Theatre? Let’s hope so – it’s the perfect staging for grand, yet intimate dance.

Production photos by Emily Nuttall

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 – It’s a Wrap!

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Phew – What a Fringe! We arrived on 30th July and we left on the 27th August. During that time we saw 158 shows, which was four fewer than I had planned but was thirteen more than last year; and last year we also saw thirteen more than in 2022, however I can’t see that record being broken next year. With Oasis currently scheduled to have three concerts during the Fringe, I can’t even see how half the performers will be able to afford to be in Edinburgh!

Here’s a quick reminder of the 4 and 5 star shows we saw, by star rating and in date order of when we saw them:

5 STARS:

Mhairi Black: Politics Isn’t For Me

Goose’s Quizzes Elimination Game

Casting The Runes

Tarot: Shuffle

Catafalque

Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret

KAREN

Our Little Secret

The Chaos That Has Been and Will No Doubt Return

Robin Grainger: Refurb

It’s The Economy, Stupid

For The Love of Spam

I Am George Massey

Emma Sidi is Sue Gray

Pete Heat: Bogus

The Book of Mountains and Seas

MILF and the Mistress

Galahad Takes a Bath

1 Moment in Time (Sean Alexander)

I Am Your Tribute (Sarah-Louise Young)

Garry Starr: Classic Penguins

Josh Jones: Put a Sock in It

Werewolf

Weather Girl

The Bookies

The Scot and the Showgirl

Tom Greaves: Fudgey

4 STARS:

Shellshocked

Sell Me I Am From North Korea

Will Sebag-Montefiore: Will Of The People

Reginald D Hunter: Fluffy Fluffy Beavers

Liam Farrelly: Flipbook

Cabaret of Filth

House of Life

Glitch

Arturo Brachetti: Solo

1 Hour of Insane Magic (After Dark)

Kavin Jay: Unsolicited Advice

Heckling Masterclass with Diploma (Ben Clover)

SILENCE! The Musical

Ascension

Daliso Chaponda: Feed This Black Man Again

Malion

The Last Laugh

A Jaffa Cake Musical

Colin Hoult: Colin

The Shadow Boxer

Rob Auton: The Eyes Open and Shut Show

Pillock

Come Dine With Me: The Musical

Rhys Nicholson: Huge Big Party Congratulations!

Dead Mom Play

The Shroud Maker

N.Ormes

Jack Goes To Therapy

The Gentleman of Shalott

Alexandra Haddow: Third Party

Lads of the Flies

Ajahnis Charley: Thots and Prayers

Dan Tiernan: Stomp

Dissociation

Fifty Minutes to Save the NHS

Martin Rowson: Shred the Front Page

Randy Feltface

If I Live Until I Be a Man

Yes We’re Related

Tales from a British Country Pub

Sherlock Holmes: The Last Act

Nick Schuller: Still Dry White

Chloe Petts: How You See Me, How You Don’t

Finlay Christie: I Deserve This

Joe Wells: Daddy Autism

Lessons on Revolution

One Man Poe: The Black Cat and The Raven

Ryan Cullen: Cullen in the Name of

Leni’s Last Lament

Ghost Light

A Montage of Monet

Naughty or Neurodiverse – Magic from Another Planet (I Am a Mentalist – Angus Baskerville)

Sam See: And I Can’t Feel at Home in this World Anymore

Shower Chair

Notice Box

When Vincent met John

Crime and Punishment

Michael Porter: Love and Brain Damage

Milo Edwards: How Revolting! Sorry to Offend

The Grim

With All My Fondest Love

The Dreamer – Live

An Act of Grace

It’s a Mystery!

September 11 1973: The Day Salvador Allende Died

All The Fraudulent Horse Girls

Stuart Laws Has to be Joking?

Best in Class

The Ghost of White Hart Lane

Kelly Bachman: Patron Saint

What the F*ck Happened to Love and Hope

Phil Henderson: Space Cowboy

Ben Miller: Volcano

Annaliesa Rose Sings the Peter Allen Songbook

Joby Mageean: Titty Icarus

Di(n)e

100% My Type on Paper

Little Deaths

Moscow Love Story

Black Velvet (38 more than last year)

 

Congratulations to all these great shows. I’m fascinated to discover that, although we saw 13 more shows than last year, I’ve awarded 4 stars to 38 more shows than last year – but 10 fewer 5 stars than last year. Also – unlike last year – no 1 star shows, hurrah! And as to working out which of them are the absolute best – you’ll have to wait until the Chrisparkle Awards for 2024 are announced in January!

And thank you, gentle reader, for sticking with me throughout this busy month! My viewing/reading statistics continue to climb upwards and are about 50% higher than the numbers who checked out my reviews at the 2023 Fringe – so thank you very much for that! And remember – reviews are only what one person thinks, they’re purely a personal reaction. And star ratings are even more unreliable!