04 February 2025

The Breath of Life

 


Review by Paul Towers, 3/1/25

The Breath of Life by David Hare

Directed by Ruth Cheetham

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre til Saturday 8th February 2025

David Hare’s powerful two-hander is a tour-de-force for the pair of actresses who play the wife (Angela Hill) Francis and mistress (Liz Kavanagh) Madeleine of absent lothario Martin Beale who has decamped to America with a ditzy blonde.

Francis has only recently found out about Madeleine and turns up on her doorstep wanting to find some sort of closure on her failed marriage. While both women are in their sixties it turns out they have both been in Martin’s life for more than 40 years.

Over the course of a day and night the two women talk and sometimes scream at each other while they attempt to untangle their emotions both towards Martin and each other.

While this may seem, on the face of it, an emotionally heavy piece of theatre it is sprinkled with some laugh-out-loud moments to alleviate the atmosphere.

A beautiful set by Nadine Hall invokes the Isle of Wight seafront that Madeleine has retired to.

The Breath of Life runs until Saturday 8th February.

Pics: Sally Evans

https://thelittletheatre.co.uk/

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/ 





24 January 2025

It could be any one of us

 


Review by Paul Towers, 20/1/25

It Could Be Any One Of Us by Alan Ayckbourn

Directed by Mary Jones

Produced by Leicester Drama Society

At The Little Theatre until Saturday 25th January

Alan Ayckbourn’s take on a comedy thriller hits The Little Theatre this week.

Norris Honeywell (Paul Large) and his partner Jocelyn Polegate (Karen Gordon), a failed novelist, live in a ramshackle old house that belongs to Jocelyn’s brother Mortimer Chalke (Adam Jones) along with her other brother Brinton (David Stevens), a failed painter, and her teenage daughter with Norris Amy (Steph Allured).

There has always been tension between Mortimer, who has written dozens of pieces of music but has never had any performed, and Norris who resents Mortimer’s lording it over the rest of the family.

Tensions are further inflamed when Mortimer announces that he has changed his will and is leaving everything to Wendy Winwood (Nikki Favell), an ex pupil of his.

Most of the comedy comes form Mortimer’s acidic put downs to various family members. While Norris, flapping around like an injured seagull, creates hilarious moments with his stream of consciousness narrative.

Jocelyn, meanwhile, is trying to keep the peace between everyone and also motivate her stroppy teenage daughter, Amy.

Brother Brinton wafts around dreamily declaring his love for Wendy.

Everything gradually winds up and a series of ‘accidents’ point towards someone trying to kill Wendy to prevent her inheriting. A dead body means that ‘it could be any one of us’ who is a murderer.

This is a comedic Country House murder mystery that will have you laughing from the start.

It Could Be Any One Of Us runs at The Little Theatre until Saturday 25th January

 

www.thelittletheatre.co.uk

https://ptheatre.blogspot.com/