Rott£n

 

Review by Paul Towers, 23/3/24

Rott£n by Josie White

Directed by Rikki Beadle-Blair

Produced by Emmerson Ward Productions

At Curve 22 & 23 March 2024

“hilarious, satirical and wildly improbable”

Having followed the work of Emmerson Ward Productions for some years I was not expecting this work from new playwright Josie White. It was hilarious, satirical and wildly improbable. Or was it?

Three aspiring actresses Saoirse (Nicola Taggart), a ballsy Belfast girl doing self-taped auditions, Coco (Narisha Lawson),  a mixed race go-getter and Sonia (Kavita Vyas) an Asian princess who has spent her allowance from Daddy. These three are living in a grotty flat hardly able to pay the electric of Netflix bills. London is a lonely place with no work and no money.
However what they do have in this digital world is an aspirational peek on their phones at the life of Instagram influencer Iris Montague-Willis (Alice Berry) living across the street with her rich husband. Having filmed Ms MW in a compromising position with a girlfriend they, along with Sonia’s on-off toe rage boyfriend Ross (Sam Butters), decide to blackmail her.
As with the very best of comedic thrillers things go wildly wrong with more plot twists than an M1 contraflow!

Josie White’s pin sharp script mixes cultural references with biting wit to produce an hilarious hour of satirical tropes.

Director/designer Rikki Beadle-Blair keeps the momentum going right up to the denouement, which I guarantee you will not see coming.

I sincerely hope that Josie White continues her collaboration with both Curve and Emerson Ward in the future. She has a great ear for dialogue and I look forward to whatever she does next.

Check out the website for future touring dates

www.emmersonandward.com

www.curveonline.co.uk

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

The Secret Garden - The Musical

 

Review by Paul Towers, 22/3/24

The Secret Garden by Marsha Norman & Lucy Simon from the novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett

Directed by Keiran Whelan-Newby

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre until Saturday 6^th April

“A musical version of the much loved book and film”

Based on the 1911 novel by Frances Hodgson Burnett The Secret Garden is set in the early 20^th century in the days of the Indian Raj. A cholera outbreak orphans Mary Lennox and she is sent to England and her only living relative, Archibald Craven, someone she has never met.

As Mary Lennox Olivia King leads the company with aplomb. The other child character, Colin is brightly played by Edward Lander alternating with Harry Woodward. Director and Musical Stager Keiran Whelan-Newby takes the role of Archibald Craven the self-pitying widower who seems to revel in the disability his hump gives him. Also resident in the cold, stone manor is Dr Neville Craven (Russell Webster) the manipulative brother who has groomed young Colin into thinking he is on death’s door and is wheelchair bound. The final resident is the housekeeper dour Mrs Medlock (Karen Gordon). It has to be said that none of these characters are in the least bit likeable. The children are entitled brats who I just wanted to slap. It isn’t until the last few minutes that they are redeemed when the Secret Garden works its magic.

Much needed lightness is provided by Dickon (Simon Butler) who befriends Mary and Ben Weatherstaff (Martin Bell)  the old retainer who has been secretly tending the garden.

The back story of both Mary and Archibald are represented by a variety of ghosts and memories. A live band hidden away gives an immediacy to the singing.

The set by Gem Greaves is a very impressive collection of arches and a walkway while lighting by Alex Crooks & Andy Crooks creates a credible French backdrop.

The Secret Garden is on at The Little Theatre until Saturday 6^th April with a short break over the Easter weekend.

Pics by Dave Morris

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk

 

Dial M For Murder

 

Review by Paul Towers, 4/3/24

Dial M For Murder by Frederick Knott

Directed by Mary Jones

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 9th February 2024

“a good, old fashioned crime thriller”

Back in 1952 when Dial M For Murder was written things were very different. Men went out to work and provided for their family and women stayed home and kept house. But, behind closed doors, all is not as it seems.

Tony Wendice is an ex professional tennis player married to wealthy socialite Sheila. They live in a very nice ground floor mansion apartment in West London but Sheila (Amber Goddard) has been cheating on Tony (Andy Longley-Brown) with Max Halliday (Sam White). Unfortunately Tony knows about the cheating and is plotting to kill his wife and inherit her fortune. Tony inveigles an old school colleague, Tony Swann, aka Captain Lesgate, (Paul Large) into committing the murder for £1000 on his behalf. It will be, he says, the perfect crime. And so, as we approach the end of the first half, the murder is committed. Only the wrong person ends up dead!

Unusually we, the audience, already know who got killed, by whom, and how. It is now up to the indubitable Inspector Hubbard (Adam Jones) to unravel the mystery. Tony Wendice proves to be an arch manipulator and seems to be on the verge of getting away with it while his wife is awaiting the hangman’s noose. But her lover, Max, is determined to save her.

Dial M For Murder is a good, old fashioned crime thriller beautifully acted in a wonderful 1950’s set designed by Gemma Greaves. Mary Jones’ direction is faultless and the actor’s clipped accents perfectly place them in post war middle class London, a world of landlines and prompt policemen.

Dial M For Murder is at The Little Theatre until Saturday 9^th March

 

Pics: Mary Jayne Harding Scott

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk/

www.ptheatre.blogspot.co.uk