Posts by David Petherick
The Darling Monologues
You’re not likely to meet three much more different women in 50 minutes than Lily, Sadie and Ruby, but all are revealed in acute detail and vivid characterisation by Angela Jackson, until now better known as a writer than an actress. The main character of the Darling Monologues is male – Mark Darling. The clever…
Read MoreGlory on Earth
[et_pb_section bb_built=”1″][et_pb_row][et_pb_column type=”4_4″][et_pb_text] A vibrant, youthful and feisty Mary Stuart duels verbally with a dark, dour and determined John Knox. But when you suddenly realise that the harp playing on stage is actually rendering Party Fears Two, an ’80s Associates song, you realise that this play is here to remind us that history can still…
Read MoreHay Fever
Noel Coward was, and still is known for his fast wit, and for snappy dialogue in his writing, and Hay Fever is one of his most enduring works. But it’s difficult to follow a conversation when the dialogue is too fast. Unfortunately, that’s what’s taking place on stage right from the start. The actors playing…
Read MoreThe Winter’s Tale
If ever you wanted to know just how joyous and vibrant Shakespeare can be, come see this production. But don’t expect the cast to be leaping around in tights and cod-pieces. The shift of costume is to the 21st century, and to a very Scottish place – it also has a shift of language and…
Read MorePicnic at Hanging Rock
There’s a volcanic rumbling beneath this deftly staged production, and the stark minimalism of the set design and staging add to the sense of something dark, primal and unstoppable at work. The story at the heart of Picnic at Hanging Rock centres on the unexplained disappearance of three schoolgirls and one of their teachers on…
Read MoreThe Suppliant Women
There are a few things that immediately set this production of The Suppliant Women apart. One is the libation at the start – a local politician is invited to use a bottle of wine to anoint the thrust-forward, open stage. Real politician. Real wine. The names of those who have contributed financially to the play…
Read MoreIsabelle Georges – Oh Là Là
Oh boy – can this lady sing! And move. Isabelle Georges is a force of nature – and it’s a very specifically Parisian force of nature. From the very start, she dominates the room with her stage presence and her voice and movement. You’re in the presence of a brilliant performer, with a brilliant band…
Read MoreCan I Stop You There?
In this show, the compères interrupt the comedians. Several times over. And every night, it’s a new set of comedians and a new set of interruptions. Add to this the fact you’re in an intimate venue, it’s after 11pm, and many of the audience are ‘quite receptive to laughter’ or ‘a wee bit drunk’ and…
Read MoreJo Caulfield – Pretending to Care
I’m not sure Jo cares about show reviews. And I’m not sure this reviewer cares that she cares. But I have to report that her show is tight, funny, focused, and may occasionally make you snort, titter, wet yourself or cause you to cast your spit on the person in front of you. That is,…
Read MoreChristine Bovill – Paris
It’s a good job it’s dark inside the Spiegeltent, because nobody could see the tears that kept appearing out of the corner of my right eye. Hrumph. Must have been a bit of grit in there. Christine Bovill. Photo by @nazipova Christine Bovill is probably best known for her iconic Piaf perfromances, where she devastates…
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