Tag: New Venture Theatre

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The Snow Queen and Mixie

I’ve seen so much great theatre recently. It makes my little heart happy. And most of the time I love crafting a review about it. I mean I want to wax lyrical about things I’ve seen, so why not do it in writing?

The Snow Queen produced by This Is My Theatre was one of those. Gorgeously magical and ethereal and yet grounded. They have a style all of their own which I absolutely love. It reminds me of reading Famous Five books when I was little: taking you to a place where your imagination can still play with what you are seeing. My Brighton Source review is here.

Then I’d actually bought a ticket to see a production at New Venture Theatre: NVT, not with the intention of reviewing, but just because I wanted to see it. But I was so taken with it that I spoke to the director afterwards and offered to review, which he was delighted with. So my intended night off didn’t pan out as planned, but writing about it was so worth it: it helped me process what I’d just seen, as I sat in the theatre after it finished and said out loud “someone needs to explain to me what I’ve just watched…” BUT, thinking about it, sleeping on it, I was fired up with ideas and concepts. It’s more abstract than things I usually go for as I love a good story more than anything, but having said that, this was exceptional. My Brighton Source review is here.

Both productions are still available to see – if you’re quick, so enjoy the read!

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Intense week of Brighton Fringe

Last week was filled with mostly incredible Theatre.

I absolutely loved “Those Magnificent Men” – 4 stars

Roared with laughter at “Frankenstein the Pantomime” – 4 stars

And was absolutely stunned by “A Steady Rain” – 5 stars

I also saw another play which I thought was awful, the publicity was misleading yet I really do admire the director who I think did a decent job with the awful script and an actor who failed to connect with the material, at least at the performance I saw. This is of course perhaps controversial because there were two in the audience who it obviously resonated with as they were sobbing; however some were yawning and looking at their watches. What I wanted to write in the review but couldn’t was that it was all terribly up it’s own arse.

Then there was “Hysteria” at New Venture Theatre (NVT) which was an interesting script of absolute darkness and details of child abuse juxtaposed with farce. It wasn’t my favourite script as I don’t think you can mix those two successfully in theatre, but if anyone was going to make the show a poignant and enjoyable event it was director Bob Ryder and lead actor Dan Dryer. And yes, they are friends of mine and I feel honoured that they are, but this is my honest opinion of the calibre of their skills: if I did not believe what I’m writing I simply wouldn’t write anything.

NVT always provides a quality detailed set, lighting and sound and it’s always a pleasure to go there. The direction and all the actors were superb. Huge well done to everyone involved.

I also went to see “Damien” the week before – a one man show about the true story of the minister of Molokai the Leper Colony, which might sound like a dire thing to watch but it was the most extraordinary theatre, an emotional roller coaster including humour and heartbreak. Absolutely superbly acted by Daniel Finley and directed by Janette Eddisford. Clearly I could not review this show officially as I trained at ACT (Academy of Creative Training) with those two incredibly talented awe inspiring people! But Fringe Review and Fringe Guru agree with me: 5 stars, ‘Must See Show’. I urge you if you have time, catch this if you can.

This coming week is a little less full of theatre due to other commitments and half term… but how we love Brighton Fringe, oh yes, how we love it.