REVIEW: Waitress the Musical UK Tour – a delectable slice of musical theatre perfection
WAITRESS Tour Lucie Jones as Jenna, Sandra Marvin as Becky, Evelyn Hoskins as Dawn Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 04 October 2021 Reviewer: Gemma Fincher Star Rating: ★★★★ Waitress the Musical is the quintessential tale of a small-town girl with big dreams. Gifted pie-maker Jenna is trapped in an abusive marriage working in a local diner. […]
REVIEW: Looking Good Dead – a formidable adaptation of the Peter James novel
Adam Woodyatt and Gaynor Faye as Tom and Kellie Bryce in Looking Good Dead Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Writer: Original by Peter James, adapted by Shaun McKenna Director: Jonathan O’Boyle Reviewer: Ely King Star Rating: ★★★1/2 Looking Good Dead, a new play adapted from the book by no.1 best-selling author Peter James, begins its weeklong residence […]
REVIEW: Once UK Tour – incredibly talented musicians save what could be a confusing & unfamiliar format for some
Emma Lucia as Girl and Daniel Healy as Guy – Once UK Tour – Photo: Mark Senior Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 17 February 2020 Writers: Enda Walsh (Book), Glen Hansard & Markéta Irglová (Music & Lyrics), John Carney (Motion Picture) Director: Peter Rowe Reviewer: Sam Dunning Star Rating: ★★1/2 Adapted from the 2007 […]
English National Ballet Announces World Premiere Tour
Tamara Rojo – Photo Credit: Karolina Kuras Tamara Rojo CBE, Artistic Director of English National Ballet, will create a new version of the classic 19th-century ballet, Raymonda, after Marius Petipa. Marking her first foray into choreography and direction, Rojo adapts the three-act production for today’s audiences, revisiting this important but rarely performed work of the […]
REVIEW: A perfectly relaxing couple of hours of escapism for the whole family
The Snowman – Photo Credit: Herbie Knott Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 15 January 2020 Star Rating: ★★★ Reviewer: Gemma Fincher The Snowman is a quintessential part of British history and it’s doubtful that anyone in the land will be unfamiliar with it. It may be a dank and dull January, but The Snowman is going […]
REVIEW: Aladdin – Run, don’t walk to this outstanding festive, frolic of a panto
Lee Mead, Joe Pasquale, Debra Michaels and David Robbins in Aladdin at Milton Keynes Theatre – Image: Contributed Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 11 December 2019 Star Rating: ★★★★★ Reviewer: Gemma Fincher Come panto season, Milton Keynes Theatre can always be relied upon to pull out all the stops and deliver a gold-plated production. This year is no […]
REVIEW: Glyndebourne Tour 2019: Rinaldo – a refreshing interpretation of a lesser known gem
Rinaldo (Jakub Józef Orliński) with Siren 2 (Emma Kerr), Woman (Sofia Larsson) and Siren 1 (Madison Nonoa-Horsefield) Photo Credit: Robbie Jack Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 15 November 2019 Star Rating: ★★★★ Reviewer: Alexia Anderson Written in 1711, Handel’s Rinaldo is set during the First Crusade of 1099. It was the first Italian opera written for a London […]
REVIEW: Kinky Boots – Laughter, tears, music, dance & endless fun, all shoe-horned into two sparkling hours…
The cast of Kinky Boots – UK Tour 2019 – Photo by Helen Maybanks Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 29 October 2019 Star Rating: ★★★★ Reviewer: Sam Dunning Many modern musicals showcase music and lyrics written by famous performers. From pop stars to rock groups, the involvement of already well-known and successful musicians is now common place in […]
REVIEW: The Exorcist – Visual effects & the central role turn heads, but other areas lack the same quality
The Exorcist 2019 UK Tour – Image Contributed Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 08 October 2019 Star Rating: ★★1/2 Reviewer: Sam Dunning In 1971 William Peter Blatty wrote a best-selling novel based on the supposedly true events of a child possessed by the devil. He adapted his book into an award winning, yet hugely controversial feature film in […]
REVIEW: The Entertainer – Shane Richie shines in a play of two halves
The Entertainer – Shane Richie as Archie Price Photo Credit Helen Murray Venue: Milton Keynes Theatre Performance Date: 02 September 2019 Reviewer: Sam Dunning Star Rating: ★★1/2 Written and set in 1956 by John Osborne, the original iteration of The Entertainer takes place in Britain during the Suez Crisis. It depicts Archie Rice (Shane Richie), […]