Murder On The Orient Express

Review by Paul Towers, 15/10/24

Murder on The Orient Express by Agatha Christie, adapted by Ken Ludwig

Directed by Lucy Bailey

Produced by Fiery Angel

At Curve til Saturday 19^th October 2024

I am sure most people will know Murder on The Orient Express from the many films and TV adaptations over the years. So the reason many people will go and see a new stage version is a combination of how the various characters are played and, just as importantly, how to stage a production that takes place almost entirely on board a train stuck in a snow drift.

This current touring production delivers in both areas. Headed up by Michael Maloney as the inimitable Hercule Poirot, the cast is a smorgasbord of easily identifiable international stereotypes.

Poirot, travelling from Istanbul to London courtesy of his friend Monsieur Bouc (Bob Barrett), director of Wagon Lit, the company that runs The Orient Express, is plunged into the middle of the extraordinary mix of international passengers in the sold out First Class carriage.

Loud mouthed and obnoxious American Sam Ratchet (Simon Cotton) seems to be upsetting everyone with his demands. Even the audience heaves a sigh of relief when, only a few minutes into the journey, he is found stabbed to death.

As he is onboard Poirot is co-opted by his friend Monsieur Bouc into investigating the crime in order to be able to hand over the miscreant to the police once the train has extricated itself from the snow drift.

So begins what happens in every Agatha Christie an analysis of every character present.

The witnesses are Countess Elena Andrenyi (Mila Carter), a very glamorous trained nurse; Princess Dragomiroff (Debbie Chazen), an imperious Russian in exile; Greta Ohlsson (Rebecca Charles) the Princess’ hysterical God-fearing maid; Helen Hubbard (Christine Kavanagh) another loud and irritating American; Hector MacQueen (Paul Keating) Ratchet’s secretary; Mary Debenham (Iniki Mariano) the secret beau of The Colonel (Rishi Rian). Serving the entire coach is Michel (Jean-Baptiste Fillon), the Train Conductor.

With the train stuck fast in a snow drift there are only a limited number of suspects for the murder so Poirot must use his ‘leetle grey cells’ to bring the culprit to justice.

Special mention has to go to the extraordinary set by Mike Britton who has managed to create a remarkable train that makes good use of Curve’s revolve so you get to see both sides of the train.

Murder on The Orient Express is at Curve until Saturday 19^th October and then it continues to tour.

Pics: Manuel Harlan

www.murderontheorientexpressplay.com

www.curveonline.co.uk

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

The Wizard of Oz

 

Review by Paul Towers, 8/10/24

The Wizard of Oz by L Frank Baum, music & lyrics Harold Arlen & E Y Harburg

Directed by Mitchell Smith

Produced by Ian Phillips for IDOLS

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 12th October 2024

I think pretty much everyone knows the story of The Wizard of Oz. Fractious teenager Dorothy Gale throws a tantrum and runs off on the Kansas farm where she lives with her aunt and uncle. A tornado sweeps in and she gets hit on the head by a piece of flying debris. Unconscious her fevered dream takes her on a salutary lesson in gratitude to the land of Oz where she meets new friends Scarecrow, Tin Man and The Cowardly Lion.

The IDOLS team, culled from various NHS facilities in their spare time, have put together an ambitious new production of this classic family favourite.

As Dorothy Stacey Henson puts on a stella performance despite having spent the last fortnight in hospital battling pneumonia. She was faultless.

Dorothy’s new friends provide much of the comedy in the story. Scarecrow (Ben Cusack) is a bundle of insecurities due to having been stuck in a field with a pole up his back. Tin Man (Lizzie Bywater-Florance) has rusted up in the rain. Once unstuck he turns out to be a good dancer. And, of course, The Cowardly Lion (Norman Buckby), every child’s favourite, has the most fun with being scared of his own shadow.

Now, every Dorothy has to have their very own Toto and this one is the adorable Anabel, a treat obsessed dog with absolutely no ability to take direction.

Of the two witches Elphaba, for those who know Wicked, is played with gusto by Abbie Stocker while Glinda, the good witch, all sparkles and goodness, is played by Nikki Miles.

These principal players are ably supported by both an ensemble of eleven singers and dancers but also by two rotating teams of youngsters playing various roles as well as the eponymous Munchkins.

There is also a live band of 12 under the baton of musical director Derek Hunter

The Wizard of Oz is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 12^th October.

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Dear Evan Hansen

 

Review by Paul Towers, 2/10/24

Dear Evan Hansen by Steven Levenson, music & lyrics by Benj Pasek & Justin Paul

Directed by Adam Penford

Produced by ATG productions

At Curve til Saturday 5th October 2024

Dear Evan Hansen is a musical best aimed at neurotic, self-obsessed socially awkward teenagers looking to validate their misery. And their poor parents.

A whole generation is growing up thinking that their entire world exists only online and this is the show for them. For anyone over 25 it is a depressingly accurate window into their world and we should all despair for the future.

Evan Hansen (Ryan Kopel channelling Emo Phillips, for the older reader) is the above neurotic, socially awkward teenager living with a single mother. The object of his fantasises  is Zoe (Lauren Conroy), who lives with her druggie brother, Connor (Killian Thomas Lefevre) and their parents Larry and Cynthia (Richard Hurst and Helen Anker). When Connor kills himself Evan pretends to have been his best friend.

All this misery takes place in the first half. It gets worse.

The staging is fairly simplistic with sliding semi opaque sheets that slide across and various bits of furniture going on and off. The cast work hard, Kopel’s vocals are good and the ensemble fill the stage. A live band of nine beef up the sound and some inventive video projections from Ravi Deepres move the story along.

Dear Evan Hansen is continuing to tour next year and is at Curve until Saturday 5^th October

#DEHUKTOUR

https://www.evanontour.com/

Pics: Marc Brenner

www.curveonline.co.uk

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Relative Values

 

Review by Paul Towers, 30/9/24

Relative Values by Noel Coward

Directed by John Bale

Produced by Leicester Drama Society (LDS)

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 5th October 2024

Noel Coward’s first drawing room comedy after the war is a satire of snobbery.

Set just after World War 2 in Marshwood House, Kent, Relative Values is about the drama that ensues when Nigel, Earl of Marshwood (Tom Young) announces that he is engaged, yet again, to a Hollywood star, Miranda Frayle (Nikki Favell). In the natural order of things this will mean that Felicity, Countess of Marshwood (Jane Durant channelling a marvellous cross between Sybil Fawlty and the Dowager Countess of Grantham) will move out to a cottage in the grounds along with her long-time maid Moxie (Alex Elliot). Moxie is determined that when the Master marries Miranda she will be forced to move away, much to the consternation of Her Ladyship. Further cats are put amongst the pigeons when Miranda’s ex-boyfriend Don Lucas (Keir Watson) turns up to try and woo her back.

Central to so much of the narrative are butler Crestwell (Steve Elliot) and the maid Alice (Olivia Phillips giving an almost Mrs Overall).

On the sidelines is Felicity’s nephew, Peter (a quite camp Allan Smith) along with neighbours Sir John Hayling (Andrew Webster) and Cynthia Hayling (Mary Delahunty)

Director John Bale has directed this classy comedy from The Master with aplomb. The set by Phil Newman is suitably opulent.

Relative Values runs at The Little Theatre until Saturday 5th October

Pics – Dave Morris Photography

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Beauty and The Beast

 Review by Paul Towers, 17/9/24

Beauty and The Beast – The Broadway Musical

Directed by Keiran Whelan-Newby

Produced by KW Productions

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 21^st September 2024

I have been seeing KW Production shows for the last 10 years and every show is bigger, better and more professional than the last. Their production of Disney’s Beauty and The Beast is the most ambitious yet.

I am sure everyone knows the story of the petulant, over-privileged prince whose self-absorbed sense of entitlement leads him to ignore the plight of what he thinks is a lowly flower seller. His ignorance has consequences and he is turned into a monster, condemned to live in his isolated castle where even his servants have been turned into the objects they used. The only way the Beast can break the spell is to convince a girl to love him despite his appearance. That girl turns out to be Belle, a village girl similarly ostracised by her neighbours for treasuring books over people.

As The Beast Keiran Whelan-Newby uses his powerful voice to rattle the scenery with his rage at himself and everything around him. Rose Bale’s Belle is no walk over and The Beast has to work hard to win her over.

Of course anyone who has seen the film this show is based on is waiting for the animated pots and pans to provide the comedy and heart of the story. Lumiere (Simon Butler) has great fun as the Candelabra and Russell Webster’s Cogworth, the pessimistic Clock is well matched as his partner in crime. The other really memorable character is Mrs Potts (Siobhan Ball) the teapot and her son, Chip (a role shared by Edward Lander and Hollie Longley-Wilford). The villain of the piece, the predatory Gaston (Vaughan Barton-Ashcroft) has another great comedy partner in Lefou (Matt Barton-Ashcroft). This show has a huge cast of 27 including the ensemble and choreographer Caroline Walsh makes good use of the entire cast. There is much innovative and inventive animation designed by Joe Roberts which helps higher the production values. A live band of 11 is mostly hidden behind the scenery under the direction of Tim Stokes.

While Beauty and The Beast runs til Saturday 21^st September you are way too late to get tickets as the entire run is sold out.

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

 

Witness For The Prosecution

Review by Paul Towers, 9/9/24

Witness For The Prosecution by Agatha Christie

Directed by Ruth Cheetham

Produced by Leicester Drama Society (LDS)

At The Little Theatre until Saturday 14^th September 2024

Witness For The Prosecution is arguably Agatha Christie’s perfect theatre production. Originating as a short story called Traitor’s Hands in 1925 it eventually was expanded to become the story we see on stage now. In typical Christie fashion the story has multiple plot twists and red herrings as the tale is played out mainly in the Old Bailey Court.

In 1953 wealthy Emily French is murdered. The newspapers carry appeals for witnesses and Leonard Vole (Freddie Dobrijevic) comes forward to protest his innocence. He is under suspicion because he has been visiting the elderly Miss French who has recently altered her will to make him her sole beneficiary.

The first act is taken up with Vole explaining to his brief Mr Mayhew (Jon Worthy) and Sir Wilfred Robarts QC (David Lovell) how he couldn’t possibly be guilty as he was at home with his wife Romaine (Leeann Rana). The full story is then explained in open court and witnesses start to be called as the prosecution outlines its case led by Mr Myers QC (Charles Moss).

In the second act, as the case continues, more witnesses are called and the plot twists ramp up until there are more red herrings than a Norwegian Fishing Trawler!

David Lovell’s Sir Wilfred has the showiest part as he tries to demolish the prosecution’s case while Leeanna Rana’s Romaine does a fine turn as a Germanic hysteric.

As is usual LDS have launched their new season with an Agatha Christie and Witness’s big cast is perfect for introducing lots of newer members to the stage.

Running til Saturday 14^th September Witness For The Prosecution is prime Christie. Grab a ticket and see if you can work out who dunnit. I bet you can’t.

Pics: Sally Evans

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

The 39 Steps 2024

 Review by: Paul Towers, 31 July 2024

Alfred Hitchcock’s The 39 Steps adapted by Patrick Barlow

Produced by Fiery Angel

At Curve from 31 July to 3^rd August

“an hilarious spoof thriller!”

John Buchan’s novel The 39 Steps was first published in 1915 as a cerebral thriller told from the hero, John Hannay’s, perspective as he traversed the awesome majesty of the Scottish Highlands. Not great film or theatre fodder. However the three resulting films transformed the basic story into the entertainment that has become adaptor Patrick Barlow’s masterpiece of comic theatre.

The story is fairly simple, a bored, intelligent young man stumbles into a plot to smuggle military secrets out of the country. He is framed for a murder he didn’t commit and travels the length of the country in an effort to find and stop the spymaster truly responsible.

Given that the story famously involves car chases, airplane chases, train chases, escape across the Forth Bridge and even more car chases you would think this was not a natural story for theatre. But the designers, Peter McKintosh, Ian Scott and Mic Pool, along with movement director Toby Sedgwick have come up with a phenomenal production that not only tells the story with just four actors but manages to convey a myriad of locations with just a few props, a single set and some remarkable sound & light.

The tiny company of just four actors provide a cast of dozens.

Tom Byrne as John Hannay is all Boy’s Own hero with a smile that you expect to ping with brightness underneath a ‘surprisingly sexy pencil moustache’. Clad in an expensive tweed suit he strides around the stage striking heroic poses as he gestures with his pipe.

Safeena Ladha plays the three female characters in the show, including the initial murder victim that sets the ensuing drama in progress.

Eugene McCoy plays Clown 1, a somewhat unassuming name for the huge number of roles he plays. Along with Maddie Rice as Clown 2, this pair of hugely gifted actors people the stage with an astounding number of characters which appear at an astonishing rate with quick costume changes that defy logic at times. Add to this the accents they need to master, sometimes in the blink of an eye, and you have great theatre. At times their patter is reminiscent of ITMA’s Claude & Cecil while at other times you feel you are watching a Two Ronnies weekly serial.

As if this isn’t hilarious enough in itself you have the bonus of things like the train running across the front of the stage, deliberately mistimed sound effects and the spectacularly funny sight of a giant shadow puppet show depicting the escape across the Scottish Highlands complete with an obligatory Alfred Hitchcock cameo overseeing the getaway.

This is theatre at its very best. Grab a ticket if you can and find out why this show played to packed out houses in London’s West End for nine long years.

www.love39steps.com/

www.curveonline.co.uk

http://ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk/