Category Archives: Music

Review – That’ll Be The Day – That’ll Be Christmas, Royal and Derngate, Northampton, 26th November 2025

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©Prestige Productions

Whamageddon doesn’t start until 1st December, but Prestige Productions’ That’ll Be Christmas is already rocking out theatres and getting everyone in the mood for an early festive celebration. Trevor Payne’s That’ll Be The Day show notches up its fortieth anniversary next year; it’s a hugely successful, constantly changing touring production mixing music and laughter – and That’ll Be Christmas is their seasonal special, taking Christmas hits from throughout the decades and delivering them with pizzazz and glamour.

©Prestige Productions

Not only Christmas hits, but also plenty of nostalgic evergreen Christmas songs that we all grew up with, as well as some other songs given a Christmassy treatment. No spoilers, but I remember Abba’s Fernando being a summer hit – but here it glistens with sparkling snowflakes and makes you fancy a mulled wine. Part of the fun of the show is how it combines songs that you expect to hear – and have every right to expect – with songs that surprise you that they’ve been included; and for me, that was the most enjoyable aspect of the night. Of course, with every wonderfully nostalgic rendition, every so often a song comes along that you could really do without – but then, life would be dull if we were all the same! My teeth clenched at hearing the UK chart topper that fortunately was knocked off the top just in time not to make the Christmas No 1 in 1972… you’ll have to do your research to discover which little gem that is unless you’ve got a long and very good memory. Clue: I was one of those who will not sing.

©Prestige Productions

A long memory is actually a big bonus in the enjoyment of this show. The music covers the four decades from the 1950s to the 1980s, and the loyal fanbase audience are of an age where they’ll remember them all from their teenage years. It’s a family show – but – don’t tell anyone – I’m 65 years old and if you’re any younger you won’t get many of the references.

©Prestige Productions

It’s more of an event than a theatrical production, with a distinctly happy and excited vibe in the foyers, and patrons dressed in Christmas jumpers and tinselly hairbands. The stage looks great, with dynamic lighting and absolutely no expense spared on the costumes – you’ll lose count of the number of costume changes. There’s also a much-utilised back projection on stage, adding to the colour, the context and the memories.

©Prestige Productions

The musical numbers are broken up every so often with a comedy sketch or routine; you may have to delve very deep into your past to remember how much you appreciated Laurel and Hardy or Steptoe and Son when you were a kid; Gary Anderson’s vocal impersonation of Harold Steptoe is totally spot on! Some of the comedy is – dare I say it – both a little dated and a little crude, revealing that comedy develops over the years, but classic music always stands the test of time. I do love that particular excerpt from Till Death Us Do Part though!

©Prestige Productions

There’s a talented cast of vocalists and musicians, many of whom both sing and play instruments, and who all bring their own special creative spark. The show is fronted by That’ll be the Day mastermind Trevor Payne and his partner in crime Gary Anderson who use their clearly cheeky personalities to give us some devilish musical impersonations – capturing the essence of their characterisations whilst still impressing with their musical performances.

©Prestige Productions

No spoilers (again) but the show ends with a sequence that blends 70s and 80s Christmas No 1s with timeless festive songs, gets the whole audience up on their feet, and truly sends everyone home on a high. It’s really no surprise that That’ll Be The Day has been treading the boards since 1986, and I’m sure on this showing it will continue to tread them for many years to come! That’ll Be Christmas is now well into its UK tour, with a very busy schedule taking in almost forty venues in November and December. Here’s the link for tickets. My guess is that if you want to see the show, you’ll have to get your skates on, there were hardly any free seats at the Royal and Derngate on Wednesday!

Oh – and you WILL hear Last Christmas!

4-starsFour They’re Jolly Good Fellows!

P. S. Reading the cast biographies after the show I have a fresh admiration for TBTD supremo Trevor Payne. We have happy memories of a 1992 holiday to Malta, where the song Maltese Calypso was heard everywhere, and indeed we bought the 7-inch single – Trevor Payne wrote and performed it!

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.

Edinburgh Fringe 2025 Reviews – How Not to Fund a Honeymoon, A Small Town Northern Tale, Alright Sunshine, Colours Run, The Sculpture, and Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers

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How Not to Fund a Honeymoon, The Space Triplex.Gwendoline and Charlotte are a bit short for cash, and there’s a honeymoon in the Maldives to pay for. However, Gwen’s Aunt Robyn is on holiday in Corfu, and Charlotte knows exactly where she keeps her safe in the kitchen. What’s a little breaking and entering between relatives? How Not to Fund a Honeymoon starts so promisingly with two cracking scenes showing the ghastly uncaring Robyn and the delightfully inept wannabe thieves – and it’s a fun concept and it’s an ingenious plot. However, there’s a cringeworthy questioning scene including an incompetent comedy PC Plod straight out of the pages of Enid Blyton, and the final scene is ruined by a lot of shouting. A shame, because this is a good idea that gets let down by the script. 2 stars.

A Small Town Northern Tale, Underbelly Cowgate.4-starsYoung David was happy in his early years, brought up as an inner-city kid with a loving mum and grandfather, and even a brother he got on with – unfortunately, his father was not so loving, but everyone has their cross to bear. But when David’s mother decides enough is enough, they move out to a small northern town, where David – as a mixed-race kid, the only one in the district – finds it hard to fit in. But he does have one friend, Lee, and together they become teenagers and occasionally David has doors of opportunity open up, only to have them slammed in his face again. This remarkable tale of David’s formative years – inspired by real life events – is told with energy and passion by Nathan Jonathan, who brilliantly expresses all that teenage goofiness, uncertainty and awkwardness, as he grows into a young man who can stand on his own two feet and fight his own battles. Engrossing from the very start, and full of atmosphere and incident, Nathan Jonathan is a fantastic storyteller and this is a riveting hour to which everyone can relate. 4 stars.

Alright Sunshine, Pleasance Dome.4-starsIt’s one thing to take pride in your work; it’s another thing to take it to extremes. Nicky is a police officer patrolling The Meadows in Edinburgh – as she points out, it’s only a circus venue for us soft Fringey types, but for the other eleven months of the year it’s a busy, action-packed patch of land used by anyone and everyone. Any time of day or night she might be there, watching, waiting, trying to keep one step ahead of whatever criminality might be lurking. The Meadows are her patch; she lives to keep it safe, even if that’s to the detriment of her own family life. It’s so easy just to overstep the mark when you’re a police officer, as Molly Geddes’ superb performance in Isla Cowen’s constantly surprising play demonstrates. Beautiful writing – the descriptions of daily life on The Meadows are almost poetic in the way they conjure up the atmosphere – and terrific acting make this a tense and exciting drama. 4 stars.

Colours Run, Summerhall.Brothers Pongo and Pete support Hibernian; Pete loves to wear the scarf and hat, and as for Pongo, he likes to express his football interests in another way. In an examination of toxic masculinity that’s both disturbing and gut-wrenchingly unpleasant, Pongo bullies his brother – who clearly has some form of learning disability – and deprives him of freedom and choice. That abuse started when they were young – and goes further than either of them can dare express in words. When Pongo discovers that Pete has somehow managed to connect to the Internet, what retribution will he take? Two very good performances from Ruaraidh Murray as Pongo and Sean Langtree as Pete, but in a play that’s truly hard to watch; repetitive, and with a constant threat of violence just around the corner. There’s a quiz interlude that I think is meant to lighten the mood of the play but just comes across as irrelevant padding. As a play about an irredeemably bad man, it’s a bold subject for a dark comedy, and indeed it is not very funny. I admire the attempt to convey something different and they certainly conjure up a threat of menace, but personally I found it too unpleasant to enjoy. 2 stars.

The Sculpture, Just the Tonic at the Caves.3-starsHave you ever heard of Molly O’Day? I certainly hadn’t, but Northern Lights Theatre are here to plug your education gap with this surprisingly emotional musical play by Jack Hewitt about the Hollywood star of the 1920s and 30s who shot to fame at the age of 16 in the film The Patent Leather Kid, but who couldn’t keep her initial stardom because she wasn’t as slim as the movie industry and the hard-nosed journos demanded. The script emphasises how the criticism of her weight and the newspaper tittle-tattle affected her mentally. Engagingly performed by an ensemble of seven actors, including a terrific performance by Lucy Bytheway as Molly. Informative and thought-provoking, as well as entertaining. 3 stars.

Accordion Ryan’s Pop Bangers, Gilded Balloon @Appleton Tower.An hour in the company of Accordion Ryan is a musical treat quite unlike any other. Cheekily grinning from under his flowing locks, Ryan oomphs up the energy by getting his crowd singing and clapping along, sometimes to an accordion version of a pop classic, sometimes to his own compositions – which are either charming and wistful, or, more likely, comical and quirky. He makes you feel completely at ease, and – be warned – there is quite a bit of audience participation (always good natured) and you may well get wet! Come with an open mind, a warm heart and a voice in good tune and you’ll have a whale of a time! His Scottish medley is a particular highlight – no spoilers, but the Bay City Rollers played on the accordion? Genius! 5 stars.

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!

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!

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 Reviews (final day) – Moscow Love Story, Black Velvet, The Scot and the Showgirl, and Tom Greaves: FUDGEY

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Moscow Love Story, Pleasance Courtyard.

4-stars

With the help of cassette tapes from 23 years ago, Paul Jenkins relives the time when he moved to Moscow to teach English for a year and to spend the time embracing Russian culture, food, music and getting to know the people. It had been well over ten years since the fall of the Berlin Wall and things were very different in Moscow from the Communist era, with a much greater Western influence; for every pickled cucumber seller, you’d find a Gucci handbag on sale. While he was there, Paul met Angie, a student from Manchester, and they had a riotous time together, trying different experiences – in retrospect, not all of them advisable – as well as falling in love. Moscow Love Story demonstrates that you should never deny the experiences of the past, even if you wouldn’t choose to do them today. A fascinating structure for the show, and Paul Jenkins brings his memories to life with a riveting and engaging performance. I found the story spellbinding!

Black Velvet, Bedlam Theatre.

4-stars

Llew goes to visit his mum’s grave for a catch-up chat with her; he brings his tea and biscuits – they could be in for a long session. Just as he’s settling down he realises a young Irish girl, Aoife, has been sleeping rough behind the grave. Neither is best pleased to realise that they’re not alone, but a series of turbulent conversations sees them both accepting and learning from each other. Grief takes many forms, and this play not only considers the effect when one’s parent dies through suicide, but also examines the unusual problem of a child losing a parent to early-onset Alzheimer’s. A tough and moving problem indeed. Engaging, at times troubling, and always thought-provoking, it’s immaculately performed by Charles Ison and Christina Knight, whose Irish accent is phenomenal! Very impressive throughout.

The Scot and the Showgirl, Pleasance Dome.

A cabaret-de-force from the incredible Frances Ruffelle and Norman Bowman (the Showgirl and the Scot in reverse order), telling the story of their relationship through an inspired selection of songs from the shows and other popular music, accompanied by the terrific Kate Shortt, Nick Anderson and Ryan McKenzie. So many musical highlights include a spiky Country House duet from Follies, a stunning performance by Beausy of Burt Bacharach’s A House is not a Home, a fantastic Man That Got Away by Frances Ruffelle and – to make the hairs on your arm stand up on end – Frances gives us a tear-inducing On My Own from Les Miserables – she was the original Eponine, after all. A truly quality of hour of emotional musical power – I loved every minute of it.

Tom Greaves: FUDGEY, Assembly Roxy.

We all know a Fudgey. He teases, he boasts, he charms and he bullies. He’s got great mates, but only if he can get the better of them. He oozes confidence, but it’s built on a precipice of fragility that only he needs to know about. And who is Fudgey? He’s the product of an archaic educational system where a boy goes to boarding school at the age of seven to make a man of him; ignoring the fact that at seven you’re neither a man, nor do you need to be one. Tom Greaves’ blisteringly funny but heartbreakingly painful Fudgey propels a boy who can’t even pronounce Maid Marian correctly into the realms of sporting hero and misogynistic smartarse. A mixture of superb physical comedy, clowning, brilliant crowd interaction and – let’s not deny it – outright therapy, Fudgey is a stunning show that develops in the mind and the heart long after you’ve gone home. Amazing work – highly recommended.

 

Edinburgh Fringe 2024 Reviews – What the F*ck Happened to Love and Hope, Phil Henderson: Space Cowboy, Ben Miller: Volcano, Annaliesa Rose Sings the Peter Allen Songbook, Werewolf, Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow, and 4 girls the first letter e

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What the F*ck Happened to Love and Hope, TheSpace on The Mile.

4-stars

Faye and Nina are trying to play it cool at school, both of them fancying Harry – but it’s clear that Harry prefers Faye to Nina, so Nina’s brave attempt to ask him out is fruitless. Still, she can (just about) forgive her for stealing her not-yet boyfriend and have a giggle at sexting and dickpics instead. But a real night out on the town gets disastrously out of hand for both of them. Powerfully written and performed, the play highlights the vulnerability of young women and girls when boys and young men don’t care about the consequences of their own actions. Rape can take many forms, but – no excuses – rape is always rape. Excellent performances from Heidi Steel and Olivis McGeachy, who also wrote the play. A painful watch, but an important one.

Phil Henderson: Space Cowboy, Just the Tonic at the Mash House.
4-stars

Do you know what a white cowboy hat signifies? I didn’t, but I do now, thanks to Phil Henderson’s Space Cowboy show. To be fair, there’s not a lot of actual cowboy content, but Mr H does have a huge amount of extremely funny and original material, exploring sexuality, politics, prejudice, and what it was that really appealed to him about his late cat. Phil Henderson has a terrifically unhurried yet confident style; his material flows naturally and often brings us back to his love of wordplay – which is superbly judged (not too much, not too little). A very likeable persona on stage with some first-rate punchlines and observations – many of which take you by surprise as being unexpectedly challenging. A great show that deserves a bigger audience!

Ben Miller: Volcano, Just the Tonic at the Caves.

4-stars

Ben Miller (not THE Ben Miller – as he points out in the show) takes us through an illustrated journey of his time as Artist-in-Residence at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park. As well as facts about volcanoes, Mr Miller also includes topics such as the dumb questions that people ask Volcano Park Rangers, the poverty of Pompeiians, and when does magma become lava. Who says the Fringe isn’t educational? Ben Miller has a charming, wry, laconic delivery and the show is full of very funny lines and observations as well as… well… more stuff about volcanoes. An unexpectedly entertaining and undoubtedly unique show!

Annaliesa Rose sings the Peter Allen Songbook, Speakeasy at the Royal Scots Club.

4-stars

Here’s a show that does exactly what it says on the tin. As Annaliese Rose points out early in her set, it’s a huge surprise to most Australians that the British have absolutely no idea who Peter Allen was. However, as Mrs Chrisparkle was brought up down under, Peter Allen is no stranger to our household, and the show is a delightful reminder of some of his amazing songs. They wanted to bring some of his less well-known numbers to the Fringe, and there are certainly a few songs in the set that were new to us; but you’ll enjoy hearing old favourites like I Still Call Australia Home, Tenterfield Saddler and Quiet Please, There’s a Lady on Stage. However, in their quest to bring his more obscure songs to our attention they omit I Go to Rio, which really ought to be a sackable offence! Annaliese Rose has a great jazz voice and is accompanied by her musical director Daryl Wallis on the keyboard. A charming and nostalgic afternoon’s show.

Werewolf, Summerhall.

Welcome to the containing room; a room that is your safe haven. Enter the room and sit on a seat with a card on it. The information on the card is for your eyes only, and for you to act on it, when the time is right. Before long, it becomes clear that two wardens are patrolling and looking after the people in the room. They’re there for our safety, right? A third warden arrives late. Suspicious? Perhaps. And we’re there for seven days – unless the werewolves get us first. Part immersive theatre, part role-play, part improvisation; these all combine to make a thrilling and scary hour where you’re confronted with questions of trust, conspiracy theories and a spot of lycanthropy. New Zealand’s Binge Culture cast guide us all through this spooky and alarming set-up, with bags of uncomfortable and awkward laughter and sudden unexpectedly missing audience members. Stella Reid, Hannah Kelly and Joel Baxendale are brilliant as our helpful wardens, and this is a hugely entertaining and totally unique theatrical experience.

Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow, Assembly George Square Studios.

3-stars

Love, respect and generational differences are highlighted in this rather charming and emotional little show about an uncle and nephew DJ team, bringing a bit of Bhangra and Bollywood to the wedding parties of Southall. Older Uncle Pali has his problems, with an imminent divorce, fertility problems (a big no-no to confess when it’s the man who is “to blame”) and an unlikely and illogical fear of his audience and clients. The younger Jay has no fears and few boundaries but he’s too lazy to wash his own clothes and gets videoed throwing up outside a gig after drinking too much – such behaviour is not good for business and is not what the nice folk of Southall are willing to put up with. Cleverly put together with two likeable performances from Tez Ilyas as Pali and Viraj Juneja as Jay (who also wrote the play); my only criticism of the show is that it probably could lose a quarter of an hour and be a little punchier as a result. But it’s an entertaining look at the Southall showbiz scene and a heartwarming portrayal of a family dynamic.

4 girls the first letter e, Greenside at George Street.

I was at a severe disadvantage watching and appreciating this show. Firstly, I have no experience of gaming online against live opponents (things have moved on since I started playing Tetris and Mah-Jongg); and I’d never heard of the Slenderman or the event when two girls stabbed their friend on his instruction. As a result, I watched this play in total bafflement as to what was going on; I appreciated that the four girls were playing a game and that the goal was trying to please The King, but that was as far as it went; in fact, at one stage, I wondered if it was a religious allegory. It was only in conversation on the way home that – I think – I understood part of it; that The King is a paedophile who uses “the game” to entrap vulnerable children. Sadly, I think I’m forty years too old to appreciate this play. I’m afraid I also found it rather boring. That said, I can now see that it’s a clever way of telling its story. But more than that, I am not qualified to comment!

The Edinburgh Fringe All Month Long – 23rd August 2024

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What’s on the slab for today?

Here’s the schedule for August 23rd.

10:00 – What the F*ck Happened to Love and Hope?, theSpace on the Mile. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

“Teenager Nina and best friend Faye are tangled in the terrifying culture of spiking and assault in this powerful new work written by an 18-year-old. Nina is cheeky and bubbly, until a night out takes a horrific turn, leaving her to navigate the devastating aftermath. Confident, outspoken, Faye’s okay. Definitely. When Harry from school removes the condom midway through sex without her consent, she struggles for the first time to pretend she’s fine. Playing Nina is Olivia McGeachy (also writer) and playing Faye is Heidi Steel (star of Summerhall’s The Fish Bowl).”

A hard-hitting and contemporary play to start the day, with issues of consent and the ever-present risk of spiking examined in what I trust is a serious and mature piece of writing. Hopefully this will be very powerful.

11:30 – Phil Henderson: Space Cowboy, Just the Tonic at The Mash House.

“’Phil has extracted my loudest laugh of the Fringe’ (Scotsman). West End New Act of the Year (2022) and Telegraph Top Jokes of The Fringe nominee Phil Henderson returns with his debut solo stand-up comedy show. Space Cowboy: a journey through the cosmos exploring identity, cowboys, fatherhood, the appeal of Matthew McConaughey and more. A self-deprecating, left-field and occasionally dark analysis of life through the eyes of the pun-loving and slightly confused Phil Henderson. ‘Impressive across a slew of different comedy styles… Henderson pretty much nails them all.’ (Scotsman).”

Phil Henderson is a new name to me, but it sounds like he’s a name worth seeing. Hopefully his reviews speak for themselves!

13:05 – Ben Miller: Volcano, Just the Tonic at The Caves.

“What happens when a comedian walks into a volcano? In 2023, Ben Miller was the artist-in-residence at Hawai’i Volcanoes National Park, the first stand-up comedian ever selected. This was probably a terrible idea on their part. Come watch this show where scientist turned stand-up comedian Ben Miller explores volcanology, entomology, Hawaiian history, cats, cookies and more. And yes that photo is real. Ben has made people laugh in front of a burning lava lake, and he is not afraid of you.”

Reading that description, I think we’re all in for quite an experience. For me it was an irresistible combination of comedy and chaos, so fingers crossed Mr Miller is a funny guy!

15:00 – Annaliesa Rose Sings the Peter Allen Songbook, The Speakeasy at The Royal Scots Club.

“This show shines a new light on Peter Allen in his capacity as incredibly gifted composer/songwriter, while also showcasing Annaliesa Rose’s unique and diverse vocal expertise, with the fabulous musical director Daryl Wallis on keys. The repertoire includes a mix of well-known songs and hidden gems, in order to celebrate Peter Allen’s legacy as a composer.”

Mrs Chrisparkle was brought up on the music of Peter Allen and he really was a brilliant songwriter and performer. I can’t wait to hear the playlist that Annaliesa Rose has put together for this show!

18:15 – Werewolf, Summerhall.

“Surrender yourself to a comedy-thriller experience inspired by the classic game of deception. What feels like a game by daylight takes on new life when plunged into the night. Created by one of New Zealand’s most innovative theatre companies, Werewolf features chilling sound design and a unique immersive style; you can be a fly on the wall or take charge of the situation. However you decide to play it, you will become part of a community coming together to make it through the night. But what is hiding in the darkness that is making everyone so nervous?”

This sounds like a very intriguing proposal! Really not sure what to expect – but I guess that’s part of their scheming plan!

20:00 – Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow, Assembly George Square Studios.

“From Rifco Theatre, comes an immersive DJ bromance. Whoever said there’s too many actors in LA has never seen the number of DJs in Southall. Facing sabotage, Pali and Jay are on edge – using only their simple DJ set-up and the odd cup of chai, Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow will transport you through time, from Southall’s Biggest Deck-Off 1999 to now. Our uncle and nephew DJing duo must successfully navigate their latest gig to save the company, their future aspirations, and ultimately, their relationship.”

This sounds like a hoot, and with the added bonus of the cast including Tez Ilyas, I’m sure this will be a truly funny show.

21:55 – 4 girls the first letter e, Greenside @ George St

“In 2012, two girls stabbed their friend 19 times at Slenderman’s instruction. This play is loosely inspired by these real events. Evie and her friends are obsessed with the video-game world of The King. As reality and gameplay blurs, how far will they go to save themselves from each other? This show explores how we teach young girls to grow up and who we should really be afraid of. Its sold-out London reading was described by audiences as ‘truly gripping,’ ‘a beautiful balance of light and dark,’ and ‘as strong as (it was) understated.’”

I know very little of the video-game world, and The King means nothing to me; but it sounds like an intriguing and hard-hitting play so I hope it will be written and performed so that everyone can follow and appreciate it.

Check back later to see how we enjoyed all these shows!

The Edinburgh Fringe All Month Long – 3rd August 2024

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Another day of Edinburgh bliss – what’s in store for us today?

Here’s the schedule for August 3rd.

12:25 – Catafalque, Summerhall. From the Edinburgh Fringe website:

“Fern doesn’t get invited to dinner parties anymore. They used to love her tales of the macabre. But now? The mask is slipping. Written by Amy Conway and directed by Beth Morton, Catafalque is a one woman eulogy to death through the lens of a civil celebrant. How do we grieve the ungrievable? How do you speak of death when no-one wants to look? A show about love, loss and a lifetime of secrets. Join Fern as she navigates the complexities of a grieving family and learns to tell the truth when it repels the bravest of us.”

A busy civil celebrant during the times of Covid must have seen more of death than they could possibly have expected or wished; and this fascinating-sounding play has been written from personal experience. I expect it to raise a lot of difficult but intriguing questions; I don’t suppose it will be an easy watch but it’s a very important subject.

14:20 – Janie Dee’s Beautiful World Cabaret, Pleasance Dome.

“All the world’s a stage, let’s protect it. Multi Olivier Award-winning West End star Janie Dee (National Theatre’s The Motive and the Cue and Follies; Stephen Sondheim’s Old Friends) confronts the climate crisis, and celebrates our beautiful world, through song and spoken word. Unusual and inspiring guests join this green twist on classic cabaret, asking how we can each make a difference in the fight for our planet. Playful, radical, informative, and ultimately hopeful. ‘Is there a more enchanting actress on the British stage than Janie Dee?’ (Times). ‘Passionately green… hilarious… pure class’ (MusicalTheatreReview.com).”

Janie Dee is one of our favourite performers and we have seen her in many productions over the years, so I’m really looking forward to seeing how she tackles the important topic of the future of the planet – really, there shouldn’t be a bigger subject anywhere! It will be fascinating to discover the choice of music and how she performs the songs to best highlight this terrifying plight in which we find ourselves.

15:55 – Karen, Underbelly, Cowgate.

“We open on Protagonist’s 30th birthday at the Alton Towers, where her life takes an unexpected turn. Mid-Calippo, she’s unceremoniously dumped by her long-term boyfriend, Joe. Things go from bad to worse when Joe then starts dating her office arch-nemesis: Karen. Protagonist must now navigate a powder keg of heartbreak and identity crisis which explodes in the ultimate office showdown. Seamlessly breaking the fourth wall, Protagonist will whisk you through a chaos-filled narrative that has been described as Fleabag meets The Office with Cameron-West as ‘the female Peep Show’ (TheNerdParty.com).”

I love how the description simply calls the main character “Protagonist”! Karen has become a rather dismissive term for a certain type of woman, much to the disservice of all the decent Karens in the world! I’m looking forward to finding out how Protagonist deals with this particular example of Karenhood!

18:20 – Kavin Jay: Unsolicited Advice, Hoots @ The Apex.

“The virtuoso ventriloquist, BAFTA nominee and British Comedy Award winner presents an unparalleled, unscripted new show that delves deep into who we are, hijacking faces to spark a bold, hysterical reality warp. ‘Richly entertaining, joyfully funny chaos’ **** (Guardian). ‘It’s genius… gut-bustingly funny’ ***** (Telegraph). ‘Laughs will definitely ensue’ (New York Times). ‘Outstanding! High-level comedy craftsmanship’ **** (Times).”

Kavin Jay is a new name to me but he describes himself as grumpy yet charming, and I can identify with that! I’ve seen some online videos and he looks pretty good so I’m optimistic of a great show.

21:45 – Heckling Masterclass, With Diploma, Laughing Horse at Bar 50.

“Heckling Masterclass, With Diploma. Become the best heckler you can be with this 50-minute course! Legendary stand-up comedian Ben Clover leads the world’s only official heckling seminar, covering all aspects of the noble art – How to heckle, when to heckle, if to heckle, how to heckle better, dealing with comedians’ stock retorts – it’s all covered. This interactive, multimedia course will show you the secrets of the world’s top hecklers, and you get a certificate at the end. (NB not a show where you can heckle, a course about heckling, with practical and theory test.)”

Ben Clover is one of my favourite Fringe comedians, and every year he comes back with a show in which he refuses to include his own name! I’m sure his heckling masterclass will be a delight – and I hope there aren’t too many audience heckles to get in the way!

23:15 – SILENCE! The Musical – The Unauthorised Parody of The Silence of the Lambs, Underbelly, Bristo Square.

“SILENCE! The Musical is the unauthorised musical parody of the Academy Award-winning film The Silence of the Lambs. As rookie FBI agent Clarice matches wits with the brilliant but insane Dr Hannibal Lecter to catch the serial killer known only as Buffalo Bill, a chorus of singing lambs breaks out into show tunes about the most horrific of subjects. Complete with singing serial killers, songs with unprintable titles and a chorus of lambs, SILENCE! the Musical comes charging at you with gleefully unstoppable bad taste.”

This sounds like a terrific idea and if it’s carried off well sounds as though this could be one of this year’s picks of the Fringe. It’s been over twenty years since I last saw The Silence of the Lambs but it’s one of those films that lingers on in the mind and I can’t wait to see what they do with it!

Check back later to see how we enjoyed all these shows!

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!