The Incident Room

 

Review by Paul Towers, 10/11/25

The Incident Room by Olivia Hirst and David Byrne

Directed by Jake Leonard

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 27^th June 2026

In 1975 West Yorkshire Police in Leeds had the unenviable task of trying to hunt down the killer ultimately labelled The Yorkshire Ripper, Peter Sutcliffe.

Calling on the wealth of paperwork, interviews and records of the hunt Incident Room attempts to highlight the many failures of the police that led to 13 women being murdered and a further 7 attempted murders. Sutcliffe was eventually caught but who knows if the tally of victims is more?

In hindsight so many red herrings were chased, the media was mishandled and hoaxes were given unwarranted credence. Of course by modern computerised standards they were in the Stone Age and relying on paper and index files. It is no wonder things were missed.

The ensuing 6 years of the investigation are played out by a creative cast. Leading the narrative is DS Megan Winterburn (Natasha Carr) who, new to her rank, is constantly fighting the misogynistic boy’s club that is CID at the time. He is up against her superiors in the shape of Dick Holland (Andy Longley-Brown) and George Oldfield (Matt Evans). Jim Hobson (Russell Hughes) is another prehistoric chauvinist who dismisses Megan’s expertise.

Over on the desk at the other side of the office is Sylvia Swanson (Jane Towers) who is far too long in the tooth to put up with the laddish banter.

Newly promoted from PC to Detective Andrew Laptew (Joe Allen) is largely ignored by most of his colleagues but still manages to finally make the connection between Sutcliffe and the murders.

While the production rightly avoids glorifying any of the Ripper’s exploits and also neatly steers way from causing the dead girls’ relatives further anguish by dwelling on their appalling injuries one survivor, Maureen Long (Natalie Tebbutt), is used to show the pain of even those who escaped Sutcliffe’s clutches.

The Press in the form of reporter Tish Morgan (Holly Matusiewicz) don’t get away scot free either as their misguided attempts to help often hindered the police’s efforts to weed out hoaxes.

As expected this is a hard watch and you are entitled to come away cursing the inefficiency of the authorities to stop Sutcliffe earlier. However the authors have managed to lighten the mood from time to time with some laughs.

Pics: Jonathan Pryke

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Curtain Up!

 

Review by Paul Towers, 16/6/26

Curtain Up! by Peter Quilter

Directed by Jo Gallagher

Produced by Leigh White for QT Theatre Group

At QT Theatre til Friday 19^th June 2026

I seem to have hit a nice hot spot of Peter Quilter plays of late. Quilter has a happy knack of writing well for women, especially older women. Curtain Up! is a show about five women who have been forced to come together to try and restore an old theatre to its former glory. This tetchy quintet have been left the dilapidated building by recently deceased Michael. His daughter Theresa (Amy Hollis) is over-excitedly optimistic and tries desperately to get everyone to get on. Which is a mammoth task when she has Michael’s widow Jackie (Sarah Johnson) and his ex-wife Pam (Cathy Rackstraw) biting verbal lumps out of each other. Theresa’s Grandmother Betty (Margaret Glenn) has a wonderful way of having sly digs while pretending innocence. Making up the fifth is Michael’s ex-secretary Sharon (Ranata Maynard) who tries to keep the peace.

All in all this typical laugh out loud Peter Quilter. He joyously brings together five women who, in their various ways, are stronger than they think as each finds their way through the mayhem of grief.

Each of the actresses give great performances on QT Theatre’s intimate stage tucked away in Syston. Although they only do two productions a year The Old Chapel has other events as well.

The Old Chapel

https://www.qttheatregp.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Allegra

 

Review by Paul Towers, 10/6/26

Allegra by Peter Quilter

Directed & choreographed by Stephen Mear

Produced by Thomas Hopkins Productions

At Richmond Theatre til Saturday 13^th June 2026 the continues touring.

Allegra is perfectly happy in a world soundtracked by old showtunes, often in her head but sometimes out loud, much to the annoyance of some of the locals.

Allegra (the ever fabulous Dame Maureen Lipman) is definitely a glass half full, type of gal. Her brother Ronen (Emmerdale’s John Middleton) is the permanently catastrophising glass almost empty type of guy who is forever attempting to reign in his sister’s exuberance. As she is forever getting under people’s skin and is in need, he thinks, of a calming influence, he hires a companion/help in the shape of Czech Anna (Elizabeth Bower). Despite his best efforts Ronen has to contend with regular visits from the local bobby Officer Rogers (Bailey Patrick) who Allegra rather takes a fancy to.

Allegra’s go-to method of coping with life’s little bumps and hurdles is to fantasise about old showtunes. So, on a regular basis, the lights go down, the spot comes on and she drags out her old repertoire of standards. All much to the delight of the audience (the real one).

Once again Peter Quilter has created a showcase production for one of our older actresses (Ms Lipman is 80!). His previous hits include Glorious! and Over The Rainbow. Funny how ex-Coronation Street actresses seem to fit into his writing. I look forward to seeing his next sure fire hit.

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Ken Ludwig's Baskerville

 

Review by Paul Towers, 8/6/26

Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville

Directed by Ruth Cheetham

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 13 June 2026

In 1901-2 renowned author Arthur Conan Doyle wrote his third Sherlock Holmes novel, The Hound of The Baskervilles. It proved such a success that it revived the Holmes character who  Conan Doyle had tentatively killed off in The Final Problem.

Set amid the spooky moors of Devon in a stately home and involving a large malevolent black dog, trying to present the story on stage in a serious manner is logistically impossible. So in 2015 American playwright Ken Ludwig created Baskerville, A Sherlock Holmes Mystery. Seemingly having taken inspiration from the stage version of Patrick Barlow’s The 39 Steps, Ludwig has written a loving homage to the Sherlock Holmes thrillers heavily laced with humour and jeopardy but with a small cast of just five (plus the Hound ably manipulated by Martin Bell & Thom Jones)

Leading the production is David Lovell as the titular Sherlock Holmes ably assisted by Charles Moss’ Dr Watson. While these two are the backbone of the story it is the incredible talents of Emma Bamford, Robin McFarland and Liz Kavanagh who bring to life the THIRTY ONE other characters. With skilful choreography, minimal costumes and a wide range of accents this trio make you believe there are dozens of cast members.

The story, as is to be expected with a Sherlock Holmes tale, is far from as straightforward as it seems at first sight. A discarded walking stick serves to introduce Dr James Mortimer to 221b Baker Street and the unveiling of a supernatural mystery involving a canine beast roaming the Dartmoor Moors. Sir Henry Baskerville, an American, has arrived in the UK to claim his inheritance but is nervous of the curse of the dog which has supposedly killed off Baskerville ancestors going back 300 years. To add to the tension on the moor a prisoner has escaped from the local prison.

As Holmes investigates he gradually discards various suspects until he has found the guilty party.

While Homes and Watson play it fairly straight it is the side characters who provide so many of the laughs, and the scenery also plays its part in raising giggles.

Ken Ludwig’s Baskerville, A Sherlock Holmes Mystery runs at The Little Theatre until Saturday 13 June 2026.

Pics: Jonathan Pryke

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

An Ideal Husband

 

Review by Paul Towers, 3/6/26

An Ideal Husband by Oscar Wilde

Directed by Nicholai La Barrie

Produced by Lyric Hammersmith & Bristol Old Vic

At Lyric until 6^th June 2026

An Oscar Wilde play is guaranteed to be wickedly funny and deliciously bitchy. An Ideal Husband is all of these things BUT this production suffers from several self indulgent interventions by the director Nicholai La Barrie.

Set in so-called modern London it features a mainly black cast except for the two main leads Mrs Cheveley (Aurora Perrineau) and Viscount Goring (Jamael Westman). I have no issue with colour blind casting but several things jarred about this production. Most of the costumes were of Afo-Caribbean style (by Rajha Shakiry) and two of the characters spoke with pronounced Jamaican accents. On top of that was the excruciating soundtrack used in several places. It was completely over-the-top, loud and irrelevant. There were also the various modern references added to the script.

Wilde’s text has a rhythm all of its own and messing with the content ruins it. You wouldn’t start adding in bits to a Shakespeare and this amounts to the same thing.

That said, there are a few outstanding performances that negate the disappointments. Jamael Westman’s very camp and effete Viscount Goring is a joy, verging on drag-queenery, and probably written as Wilde dreamt of being. Emmanuel Akwafo, Mason in the first half and Phipps in the second is superbly indolent as manservant Mason and hilariously camp in the second half as Goring’s confidant. The third stand out character is Tiwa Lade’s Mabel, Goring’s protentional wife, an hilariously outrageous loud slut about town.

While there were a few jarring elements to this production, by and large you can’t completely screw up an Oscar Wilde play that has been popular for 130 years so long as you are loyal to the script.

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 

Liberace and Liza tribute show

 

Review by Paul Towers 2/5/26

Liberace and Liza written and performed by David Saffert & Jillian Snow

For one day only at Hope Mill Theatre, Manchester

 

Quite the campest show I have seen, and I saw The Cher Show!

David Saffert’s Liberace has the perfect fake sincere voice alongside virtuoso piano playing. While Jillian Snow’s Liza is a very accurate bundle of nervous tics and amazing vocals.

Together they bring us an imagined meeting of two gay icons as they riff with inside jokes and tales from their pasts.

Interspersed with the familiar standards the audience expects they bring their repertoire right up to date with modern classics.

 

Peggs Comedy Club

 

Review by Paul Towers, 26/4/26

Peggs Comedy Club

Produced by Laffalot Promotions

After an unavoidable 10 month hiatus Peggs Comedy Club night is back and will be a quarterly event.

A balmy Sunday night in Swadlincote and I was ripe for an evening of laughs, and Jordan and the Laffalot crew gave us just that.

Peggs Bar is tucked away in a hidden corner of Swadlincote but is well worth the search. Not only does it stage various events but has a reputation for awesome street food.

A packed house waited expectantly for our evening of mirth. First up was MC for the event Andy Gleeks, a Northern Irish breath of fresh air who worked the crowd expertly before introducing us to our first comic turn, Ashley Frieze, a larger than life character with a talent for hilarious original songs. My stand out favourite was his version of George and Zippy from Rainbow singing Britney Spears’ Baby Hit Me One More Time. A great start to the proceedings.

After a beer break Andy introduced us to Mark Row. By day Mark is a drama teacher, by night he is a stand up comedian whose speciality is, understandably, kids, his own and his pupils. My favourite gag of his was when he talked about how his daughter spent her nose in her phone all the time, “like a pound shop Steven Hawkins!”. I almost wet myself so I was glad we got another ‘comfort break’.

The final act of the evening was Pat Monahan. I remember him from a TV show called Show Me The Funny back in 2011. Tonight he gave us an astonishing stream of consciousness riffing off the audience. It seemed there was nothing he could glean from the assembled patrons that he couldn’t get a laugh from. Often he came back to the same people wringing even more laughs from them.

By the time I stumbled out into the cooling Sunda evening my stomach hurt from laughing so much.

Check out the links below for further comedy nights from Laffalot

Peggs Bar

Laffalot Promotions

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/