Kiss of the Spider Woman 2026

 

Review by Paul Towers, 8/4/26

Kiss of the Spider Woman by Terrence McNally, music  John Kander, lyrics Fred Ebb

Directed by Paul Foster

Produced by Curev, Bristol Old Vic & Mayflower Southampton

At Curve til Saturday 25^th April 2026

Kiss of The Spider Woman is based on a book by Manuel Puig. It was successfully staged as a play (without music) in 1983 but it was a further 10 years before Kander & Ebb (renowned for hit musicals such as Cabaret and Chicago) added songs and broadened the story out with the help of Terrence McNally’s libretto. It is this full blown musical version that Curve is staging in a co-production with Bristol Old Vic and Mayflower Southampton.

Starting with the set you could be mistaken for thinking that this was Chicago. But no, while the song writers obviously have a fascination with prison stories, this is a far earthier, violent penitentiary. Argentina in the mid 70’s was a lawless military-ruled dictatorship where violence was the norm for anyone who came into contact with the regime (sound familiar?)

Against this background Luis Molina (Fabina Soto Pacheco), a flamboyantly gay window dresser has been arrested after being caught with a supposedly under-age agent provocateur. He is forced to share a cell with a homophobic Marxist activist called Valentin (George Blagden). In order to try and maintain his sanity Molina constantly reruns in his head the many movies of his idol, Aurora (the ever fabulous Anna-Jane Casey). Luckily for us we get to actually see the divine Aurora in a multitude of every more drag-queen-esqe frocks (designed by Gabriella Slade) emoting from her back catalogue as Molina lip-syncs along to his favourite songs and dialogue.

While Valentin is constantly beaten and tortured in order to get the names of his collaborators, Molina is bribed with the thought of early release to see his dying Mother if he can get the names from his cell mate.

As the weeks and months drag on Molina and Valentin become closer until the latter’s homophobia is replaced with genuine love for the former and they consecrate their union.

This production makes full use of Curve’s astonishing video capabilities with very realistic effects designed by Andrzej Goulding and atmospheric sound by Matt Peploe. The ensemble are choreographed by Joanna Goodwin.

Kiss of The Spider Woman is a love story set against the horrors of incarceration in a barbaric hell. It runs at Curve until Saturday 25^th April and then tours to Southampton and Bristol

Pics: Marc Brenner

www.curveonline.co.uk

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Barnum

 

Review by Paul Towers, 2/4/26

Barnum, The Circus Musical by Mark Bramble, music by Cy Coleman, lyrics by Michael Stewart

Directed by Jonathan O’Boyle

Produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd

At Alhambra, Bradford til Saturday 4^th April 2026

Barnum is the fictionalised story of master showman PT Barnum, the original hustler in 19^th century America, famed hoaxer and co-creator of Baily & Barnum’s circus.

Starting out as a newspaper owner he quickly learned the art of exaggeration. This led on to his renowned museum of curiosities which included a ‘mermaid’ and Col Tom Thumb (Fergus Rattigan).

Barnum the musical, currently touring with Lee Mead in the title role, really is a circus with a musical story set around it. PT’s wife Charity (Monique Young) is constantly attempting to rein in his wilder ideas, including signing up a Scandinavian opera singer called Jenny Lind (Penny Ashmore) who also plays the harp! The Ringmaster (Eamonn Cox) narrates and keeps the story flowing. A hugely talented ensemble of singer/dancers/musicians/circus performers provide all the thrills and spills that a circus needs.

This is a hugely entertaining production with just the right amount of hokum.

Barnum continues to tour nationwide.

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

The Lightning Thief

 

Review by Paul Towers, 17/3/26

The Lightning Thief, book by Joe Tracz, music & lyric by Rob Rokicki

Directed & choreography by Lizzi Gee

Produced by Bill Kenwright Ltd

At Curve til Saturday 21^st March 2026

Percy Jackson is a 12 year old American boy with ADHD and dyslexia. Having been excluded from multiple schools his mother, in desperation, enrols him in the recommended Half Blood Summer Camp. It is here that Percy (Vasco Emauz) finally finds his ‘tribe’ and discovers he is a a demigod, half human half Greek god.

Along with his new best friends, Grover (Cahir O’Neill), a satyr, and Annabeth (Kayna Montecillo) he sets off on a Quest to Hades to find Zeus’ Master Bolt.

Inspired by the Greek Gods’ Myths The Lightning Thief is based on Rick Riordan’s Percy Jackson books beloved of many teens. Having started as a series of books it became  a TV series, a film and finally a rock musical.

With a thumping original soundtrack performed by a live band of five hidden behind the set, this show is full of magical illusions (courtesy of Richard Pinner), puppetry and imaginative fights. Expect lots of smoke and explosions as the daring trio fight off demons and wraiths.

It is all huge fun and excitement. This week at Curve is the last chance to catch The Lightning Thief on this tour.

www.curveonline.co.uk

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

The Mirror Crack'd

 

Review by Paul Towers, 16/3/26

The Mirror Crack’d by Agatha Christie, adapted by Rachel Wagstaff

Directed by Mary Jones

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 21^st March 2026

Once again Leicester Drama Society has staged a cracking (pun intended) Agatha Christie murder mystery in The Mirror Crack’d.

Set in 1962 with the action moving between Miss Marple’s cottage, Gossington Hall and the film studios this is a typical Christie full of red herrings. Just when you think you know who dunnit, another suspect becomes more plausible.

Very cleverly set designer Tristan Knowles and lighting designers Jenny Harding & Martin Scott make switching between the various locations seamless on a single set.

As to the plot, and without giving any spoilers, Miss Jane Marple (Elizabeth Pendlove) is laid up with a sprained ankle which means her friend Dolly Bantry (Karen Gorden) does all the running around for her while Cherry Baker (Katie Apted) helps run the house. Coinciding with the arrival of Jane’s nephew Chief Inspector Caddock (Pavan Maru) a murder occurs at Gossington Hall when Heather Leigh (Leanne Mitchell), super fan of film star Marina Greg (Holly Matusiewicz) dies.  Marina is starring in a production at the Hall along with ingenue Lola Brewster (Rachael Humphry). Marina’s husband, Jason Rudd (Gwyn Johston-Wright) is directing the film and, it has to be said, being over-protective of his wife. Marina also has two factotums, Giuseppi Renzon (Martin Bell), butler and Ella Zielinsky (Angelica Robinson) her PA.

As the evening progresses old dormant secrets bubble up and murders occur.

As always the acting is superb and you will be as baffled as I was right up to the closing scene.

The Mirror Crack’d is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 21March.

Pics: Jonathan Pryke

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Glorious!

 

Review by Paul Towers, 25/2/26

Glorious! by Peter Quilter

Directed by Kirk Jameson

Produced by Hope Mill Productions

At Derby Theatre til Saturday 28 th February 2026

Many years ago I happened upon a music cassette in a battered box. It was a recording of one Florence Foster Jenkins, an American opera singer. For the few pence I paid for the cracked case and unrewound tape, I was willing to gamble on it being of interest. It was. But for all the wrong reasons.

Miss Foster Jenkins was possibly the very worst singer ever to appear before an audience, let alone preserve her performance on acetate. Unbelievably she committed her warblings for posterity on a series of five 78rpm records. She self-published them and sold them to her ‘adoring fans’ for $2.50 a time. As she was a wealthy widow she donated proceeds to her favourite charitable cause, rumoured to be abused penguins.

In 1944 she ‘bowed to public pressure’ and sold out Carnagie Hall in New York. Several weeks later she died supposedly of syphilis.

Glorious! is an hilarious interpretation of her life as an entertainer and how her undying self belief, despite so may indications of her total lack of talent as a singer, buoyed her up in her later years to such an extent that she allegedly died with a beatific smile on her face.

Wendi Peters (Coronation Street’s Cilla Battersby) plays her hysterically as a cross between Hyacinth Bucket and Hinge & Bracket. Of course in order to sing so badly, as Miss Foster Jenkins does, you need to be able sing well and Ms Peters sure can sing.

Peters puts in a very physical performance alongside  Matthew James Morrison as Cosme McMoon, her pianist, Sioned Jones as her confident Dorothy and Caroline Gruber as Spanish maid Maria and Mrs Gedge.

The comedy comes quickly and fast as Cosme starts off front of curtain assuring us that this a true-ish story.

While Glorious! runs at Derby Theatre until Saturday 28 Feb the tour continues nationwide.

https://gloriousplay.com/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

The Memory of Water

 

Review by Paul Towers, 23/2/26

The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson

Directed by Leigh White

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 28^th February 2026

“Memory of water” is the hypothesis that specific biological information could be still present (whatever its form) in water samples after the biologically-active molecules have been removed. In other words, there is always an echo of things that happened. It has never been proven but is a nice explanation for how memories suddenly pop up unannounced, but are not always accurate.

Shelagh Stephenson’s emotional, hilarious tale of three sisters reuniting for their mother’s funeral beautifully illustrates how shared memories can somehow get twisted.

Mary (Kat Seddon) is the middle sister, a doctor and, on the surface, the most sensible. Teresa (Laura Brookes) is the eldest and runs a health food business with older husband Frank (Joff Brown). She is neurotic and desperately unhappy. The youngest of the three, Catherine (Nikki Favell) feels desperately unloved and is attention seeking in all the wrong ways.

Mary’s married partner Mike (Jordan Handford) won’t leave his wife but has been quite happy for the last five years to keep stringing Mary along.

To give some context as to how the girls have turned out as they have their dead mother Vi (Karen Gordon) keeps showing up to Mary to twist the knife.

The Memory of Water is a laugh out loud, heartfelt glimpse of how a shared childhood can be remembered in vastly different ways.

As always with LDS productions the acting is exemplary with sharp direction from Leigh White on an eye catching set by Stef Nichols.

The Memory of Water is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 28^th February.

Pics: Jonathan Pryke

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-time

 

Review by Paul Towers, 26/1/26

The Curious Incident of The Dog in the Night-Time adapted by Simon Stephens from the book by Mark Haddon

Directed by Paul Beasley

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 31^st January 2026

Christopher Boone is 15 years old and has Aspergers. He views this not as a disability but rather as a super power. He is a maths genius and has a didactic memory.

One morning he wakes to find a dog speared with a fork outside his house.

This, author Mark Haddon uses as a jump off point to discover what it is like living with a condition where you cannot bear to be touched and cannot lie. Christopher believes that everyone is like him and always tells the truth. It makes life confusing when he is trying to work out who killed the dog. He also often finds himself overwhelmed by noise and shuts down.

As the boy Christopher Tristan Olesiak gives an extraordinarily accomplished performance, especially as this is his first major acting role. His father, Ed (Chris Merricks) has to tread a fine line between disciplinarian and sole parent after separating from his mother Judy (Caitlin Mottram). He often doesn’t get it right. Christopher’s significant female role model, his teacher Siobhan (Karen Sales), encourages him to write about his adventures and this forms the basis for the play.

There are a further five actors (Nadine Beasley, Luke Evered, David Lovell, Holly Matusiewicz and David Stevens) who make up an ensemble and take on several roles.

Huge kudos have to go to the scenic designer, Gemma Greaves and the accomplished carpenter, Dave Towers, for an amazing set of pristine monochrome.

This has to be one of the most stunning productions I have seen at The Little with an accomplished cast and direction worthy of any mainstream company. Grab a ticket and not only be entertained but also maybe learn something.

The Curious Incident of The Dog In The Night-Time is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 31 January.

Pics: Jonathan Pryke

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/