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Reviews
Sinfonia Viva, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 29 October, 2023. 4****: William Ruff
‘Sinfonia Viva in warm, perceptive performances of favourite pieces for string orchestra.’
Petr Limonov (piano), Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 29 October, 2023. 4****: William Ruff
‘Pianist Petr Limonov impresses across a wide range of musical styles.’
BESS – The Other Houdini by Christine Foster. Upstairs at the Gatehouse, Highgate Village , London N6 to 12th November 2023. 3***: William Russell.
‘The potentially interesting story of Houdini’s widow.’
Photo Credit: James Weisz
Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, Royal Concert Hall, Nottingham, 27 October, 2023. 5*****: William Ruff
‘A concert of glorious tunes, virtuoso fireworks and unbridled emotion.’
Influence – Collective Theatre, 2 Tiltman Place, London N7 to 2nd December 2023. 4****: William Russell.
‘You will be bewitched, bothered and bewildered.’
Photo Credit: Hana Kovacs
Chiaroscuro Quartet, Lakeside, Nottingham, 26 October, 2023. 5*****: William Ruff
‘The Chiaroscuro Quartet: playing of wit, elegance and subtlety.’
La Traviata by Giuseppe Verdi The Coliseum, London WC2. 4**** Clare Colvin.
‘ENO’s gripping La Traviata is up to speed.’
Photo: Belinda Jiao
Antisemitism by Uri Agnon. Camden People’s Theatre, 58 Hampstead Road, London NW1 to 28 October, 2023. 3***: William Russell.
‘A flawed musical for today outstandingly performed.’
Photo Credit: Cam Harie
The Boy by Joakim Daun. Soho Theatre, 21 Dean Street, London W1D to 4th November 2023. 4****: William Russell.
‘A moving tale of loss and survival in a new and strange land.’
Photo Credit: TerraCityOne.
Dear England by James Graham. Prince Edward Theatre, Old Compton Street, London W1D to 13th January 2024. 4****: William Russell.
‘A terrific play about the Beautiful Game and the canonisation of Gareth Southgate.’
Photo Credit: Marc Brenner.
Hamnet by Maggie O’Farrell adapted by Lolita Chakrabarti. The Garrick Theatre, 2 Charing Cross Road, London to 17th February 2024. 4****: William Russell.
‘Shakespeare in grief handsomely staged and well performed.’
Photo Credit: Manuel Harlan
Roald Dahl’s Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – The Musical, Birmingham Hippodrome, 18 October 2023 ‘till 04 November 2023, then on tour ‘till 04 February 2024. 4**** David Gray & Paul Gray
‘Roald Dahl’s sense of wicked fun brought to life in a lively musical adaptation.’
Owners by Caryl Churchill. Jermyn Street Theatre, 16b Jermyn Street, London SW1 to 11th November 2023. 4****: William Russell.
‘A fine production of Caryl Churchill’s first play last seen half a century ago.’
Photo credit: Steve Gregson.
Rachmaninoff Piano Concerto No.2, CBSO, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 12 October, 2023. 3***: David Gray & Paul Gray.
‘Some wonderful, large-scale orchestral playing, but a rather lacklustre piano solo.’
Photo of Jeneba Kanneh-Mason
Everybody’s Talking About Jamie, Birmingham Hippodrome, 10 October, 2023. 5*****: David Gray & Paul Gray
‘Strong performances all round in a lively explosion of a show.’
Leonkoro Quartet, Lakeside, Nottingham, 12 October, 2023. 5*****: William Ruff
‘The Leonkoro Quartet: one of the world’s finest chamber ensembles.’
Kazuki Conducts Rachmaninoff, Symphony Hall, Birmingham, 04 October, 2023. 4****: David Gray & Paul Gray.
‘Exceptionally fine playing of what was, predominantly, some rather less than overwhelming music.’
Photo of Sergei Rachmaninoff
All of Us Strangers (2024), Dir Andrew Haigh, Searchlight Pictures UK. 5*****: Matthew Alicoon.
An arc de triumph of a British drama.
Merchant of Venice: William ShakespeareThe Swan, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford Upon Avon. Runs: 2h 10m , one interval. 5*****: Roderick Dungate.
‘Firm hands, sharp intellects, frightening clarity.’
It’s Her Turn Now adapted by Michael J Barfoot and based on Out of Order by Ray Cooney. The Mill at Sonning, Sonning Eye, Reading RG4 to 18th November 2023. 4****: William Russell.
‘A gender bent version of Out of Order – the Ayes have it.’
Photo Credit: Mill at Sonning.