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HAMILTON TOUR. Akmed Junior Khemalai George Washington and Company. Photo Danny Kaan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n “Have you seen it before?” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/strong><\/p>\n\n A question I have never been asked so many times before seeing a production, and one I could easily answer with a “No!” <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Although that was not quite correct, as I had tried to watch the stage recording of Hamilton that Disney+ broadcast one sleepy afternoon, and I gave up. I didn’t get it. But there again, I haven’t ‘got’ any theatre on TV, it just doesn’t work for me.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Yet everyone who asked me that question had seen Hamilton at least two, three, even five times. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n It was wild. It was obvious there was something about this show that drives people to return. Will it do the same to me?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Even the Mayflower Theatre’s Chief Executive, Michael Ockwell, told me “In my opinion Hamilton is the greatest modern musical” and to prove his point, when the lights went down, the cheers went up, excited voices were raised, people were clapping, anticipation was at maximum.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Now I understand why.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n For once I was glad I was in the Dress Circle because in front of me, taking up my whole vision, was the whirlwind of revolution brought to life.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n At times cast, orchestra, lighting, stage and crew combined every ounce of effort to bring you a view of history like no other.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Not only was every inch of stage covered by action, with tiny individual moments combining into whirls of movement, but the music and the raps spiralled around the auditorium, propelling the story and audience to the moment of war, while the lighting contracted and expanded to provide width, depth and moments of intimacy, joy and anger, like no other production.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n And if there was an award for best use of a rotating stage, this production would win it every year.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n But why raps? And why a mainly black cast when this is white history? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Why not? This is revolution, baby! Why not turn things on their head? <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Rap is all about battles, the early 80s saw MCs battling it between themselves, live rapping, swapping insults and gibes back and forth, in front of a baying crowd. You lived and died on the stage, just like debates in parliaments around the world.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Yes, you might not pick out every word, but there again how much of Shakespeare do you truly get?<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n This is a story about massive change, breaking a global mental paradigm and shifting the vibration of a nation, an authentic reproduction just wouldn’t enthuse the public like this show.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n The cast were fabulous, there isn’t enough space to pick out individuals but they should all be very proud of what they are doing. In the future, all they need to say is "I was in Hamilton" and there quality will be known. They worked together like the intricate pieces of a pocket watch. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n They took us from the birth of the idea, through to the battle against the English with hardly a pause, thousands of words delivered at pace with grace, humour and aggression, wise words tumbled round us, actual lines from history brought to life, passions were raised, and if you arrived at the theatre with an idea for change, you should have left, energised to accomplish your task.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n One of the main characters has the line “I want to be in the room where it happens”, you need to be in the theatre when this happens, but take what you see, feel and hear and do something with it. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n I cannot reiterate this enough, every person on and behind the stage, in the orchestra pit and driving the lights and sound, is working in harmony, creating with Hamilton theatre at its very best.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Book your seat here: Mayflower Theatre<\/a><\/strong> <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n . <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n\n Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake - Photo by Johan Persson<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n This was the first time I had seen Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake and in all honesty I didn’t know what to expect, apart from the corps de ballet being made up of male dancers.<\/p>\n\n Now in its 30th year, this production has been a worldwide phenomenon is a contemporary ballet but keeping Tchaikovsy’s classical musical score.<\/p>\n\n It differs from the traditional ballet. <\/p>\n\n Instead of the young prince Siegfried falling in love with a swan maiden, Odette, who has been cursed by the sorcerer von Rothbart resulting in her to be a swan by day and regaining her human form at night by a lake, Bourne’s ‘Swan Lake’ features a young prince who falls in love with a male swan.<\/p>\n\n The male swan represents the freedom that the young prince craves, away from the constant royal duties he attends with his unmaternal mother, the Queen, elegantly yet coldly performed by the beautiful Nicole Kabera.<\/p>\n\n In the opening scene of the ballet, the prince, emotionally played by James Lovell, dreams of the swan and he encounters the same swan late at night after leaving a seedy nightclub gliding on a lake at a public park. <\/p>\n\n This vision saves the prince’s life as he was on the verge of committing suicide by throwing himself into the water.<\/p>\n\n Fourteen other male swans appear and dance with great power and intensity.<\/p>\n\n Bourne really highlights swan like characterisation in his choreography - an arm bent at the elbow over the dancers’ heads, arms stretched behind them to represent wings, to name a couple. <\/p>\n\n We also get a sense of how aggressive these creatures can be by the stamping of feet and hissing. <\/p>\n\n A stand out moment for me was the letter ‘V’ formation that the male dancers create on the stage immediately reminding me of swans in flight.<\/p>\n\n The set representing the park is incredibly beautiful. <\/p>\n\n I noticed that the sets throughout, designed by Lez Brotherston, who also designed the gorgeous costumes, are fairly scarce, with one or maybe two large objects depicting the scene. <\/p>\n\n The prince’s bedroom is dominated by a huge double bed and headboard, the palace has two huge torches hanging from the back wall and a few small round tables and the park is represented by a black lake with white ripples on the water. <\/p>\n\n There is a full moon and white branches meet above the stage, perhaps representing the meeting of the prince and the swan.<\/p>\n\n Flushed with love, the prince rips up the suicide note and leaves the lake jubilant and Act 2 ends on a happy note. <\/p>\n\n Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake - Photo by Johan Persson<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n A stranger dressed in black leather trousers and long black coat, appears to gate crash a dance at the palace. <\/p>\n\n He creates a stir as the women are drawn to his masculinity and he flirts and dances with them all, infuriating their male partners. <\/p>\n\n Believing that the Stranger is his beloved white swan the prince is furious when he dances lewdly with the Queen. <\/p>\n\n The two men dance an Argentine tango but the Stranger tells the Prince he doesn’t recognise him.<\/p>\n\n Rebuffed by the stranger, the prince’s mental health deteriorates and his mother and Private Secretary admit him to an asylum. <\/p>\n\n The final Act is heartbreaking. <\/p>\n\n The prince dreams of the swans crawling from under the bed and entering from different sides of his room. The ensemble’s agility is extraordinary as they jump with precision onto the bed. <\/p>\n\n The moment when they leave and the prince’s swan appears is almost reminiscent of a moment in a well known horror film, but I won’t give away any clues and will leave that for you to see!<\/p>\n\n The swans appear again but they attack the prince and then dismember the Swan. <\/p>\n\n Even though this is done by mime and no blood is evident, apart from some scratches when the swan first appears, it is disturbing to watch the dancers opening their mouths wide, almost vampire-esque as they bite the swan and turn towards the audience, mouths still open and chests puffed out. <\/p>\n\n It is a brilliant production and one I will never forget and there are so many fabulous moments throughout. <\/p>\n\n The ballet, watched by the Queen, Private Secretary, the prince and his Unsuitable Girlfriend, played brilliantly with real sass and loveability by Bryony Wood is full of comedy as we watch her constantly annoying the Queen with her inappropriate behaviour - I panicked when a mobile phone rang and realised it was the girlfriend’s and meant to happen!.<\/p>\n\n The bird theme also filters through during the scene at The SWANK nightclub where the dancers are dressed in 1960’s outfit and the ladies don short Mary Quant hairstyles, but some of the dance moves reminded me of bird characteristics, particularly their heads moving backwards and forwards and their hands bent to look like the head of a bird. <\/p>\n\n The themes of love, jealousy, death, anger and mental illness are all prevalent but there are also sprinkles of humour scattered throughout. The audience gave a well deserved standing ovation and clapped, cheered and whistled for ages showing the New Adventures Company their absolute admiration for these talented young dancers.<\/p>\n\n Book your seats here<\/a> <\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67d1c00ebb99b.jpg","author":{"name":"Jenny Rainbird"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.voicefmradio.co.uk\/_app_pages\/stations\/4705\/blogs\/posts\/79533"},{"id":"o754-1333-67c1990495004","url":"https:\/\/www.voicefmradio.co.uk\/community\/blogs\/entertainment-reviews\/post\/review-peter-james-picture-you-dead-mayflower-theatre\/","title":"Review: Peter James Picture You Dead - Mayflower Theatre","date_published":"2025-02-28T11:07:00+00:00","summary":"\"Never has 'fake it until you make it' been such a deadly phrase\" - Xan Phillips","content_html":" <\/p>\n\n Never has “fake it until you make it” been such a deadly phrase and in “Picture You Dead” the art of crime writing is a masterpiece.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n Touted as the most successful modern-day crime stage franchise since Agatha Christie, Peter James has sold millions for books worldwide with Superintendent Roy Grace as his perennial detective hero.<\/p>\n\n And you can tell James is a compelling writer, even his programme notes are a cracking read! <\/p>\n\n Adapted for stage from the bestselling Picture You Dead this is whodunnit, that turns into howtheydunnit and ends… well, that would spoil it for you…<\/p>\n\n However, what you can expect is some great acting, fast paced scene changes and a complex world of art and forgery explained through fine strokes on a great canvas.<\/p>\n\n The stage is cleverly split between three main settings, a suburban front room, a stately home study and an artist’s studio.<\/p>\n\n And with slick production, we shift scenes as quickly as cuts on a TV screen, with the actors holding your attention throughout, and the sound design adding a very subtle yet persuasive underscore. <\/p>\n\n If you are an avid soap fan there are plenty of well known names on stage, Fiona Wade, recognised for her role as Priya Sharma in ITV’s Emmerdale, is Freya Kipling the wife of Harry - played by Ben Cutler (Warren in Eastenders).<\/p>\n\n Freya Kipling & Ben Cutler<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n Very convincing as a couple, they kiss as brilliantly as a loving couple would, and by the interval you’re really hoping that nothing sinister could befall them. Even so, they are the ones who’ve purchased a very rare painting at a car boot sale, they are now the centre of attention<\/p>\n\n Of course the villains of the piece seem capable of anything and Jodie Steele, playing Roberta Kilmore certainly finds her inner demon, and for me it is a sign of great acting when you really don’t like the character portrayed on stage.<\/p>\n\n The same can be said for her employer, the odious Stuart Piper, played by Nicholas Maude. As the story develops the darker he becomes, and his obsession for possessing art outweighs his sense of reason.<\/p>\n\n And central to the story is forger turned copyist Dave Hegarty, played by Peter Ash (Coronation Street) and based on real life forger turned copyist David Henty.<\/p>\n\n Ash gives the character a lovely endearing quality that is tested to the limit as the story unfurls, you definitely hope he ends up on the right side, but you just never can tell.<\/p>\n\n And linking this all together is George Rainsford as DSI Roy Grace, and you may well know him as Ethan Hardy in Casualty.<\/p>\n\n Cool, calm and collected, maybe too collected for a man who has uncovered many crimes and potentially one wrecked marriage, Rainsford assembles the palette of clues while guiding us through the sordid world of fine art and sharp dealings.<\/p>\n\n George Rainsford & Gemma Stroyan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n Ably assistant by DS Bella Moy, played by Gemma Stroyan who returns to the character she originated on stage.<\/p>\n\n If you love a good whodunnit you won’t be disappointed. If you haven’t had a thought about fine art you’ll think again, it is a murky world at best, where ownership of amazing works becomes an obsession that deprives the public of art for the sake of greed.<\/p>\n\n And then there are the copyists such as our forger. As skilled as a Master, yet bereft of the ability to create something original.<\/p>\n\n Unlike Peter James who has taken a glimmer of an idea and turned it into a very entertaining play that will hang above the mantlepiece of your mind for some time to come.<\/p>\n\n Book your seats here - mayflower.org.uk<\/a><\/p>\n\n![\"HAMILTON](\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67deb6a2ede25.jpg\")
\nHAMILTON TOUR. Marley Fenton Alexander Hamilton and Company. Photo by Danny Kaan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n![\"HAMILTON](\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67deb730b533e.jpg\")
\nHAMILTON TOUR. Billy Nevers Aaron Burr Roshani Abbey_ Chasity Crisp and Naomi Katiyo Schuyler Sisters. Photo by Danny Kaan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n![\"HAMILTON](\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67deb5dc9b4b5.jpg\")
\nHAMILTON TOUR. Marley Fenton Alexander Hamilton and Billy Nevers Aaron Burr. Photo by Danny Kaan<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n
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\n <\/p>","image":"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67deb1b7083f9.jpg","author":{"name":"Xan Phillips"},"_mobile_inapp_url":"https:\/\/www.voicefmradio.co.uk\/_app_pages\/stations\/4705\/blogs\/posts\/79701"},{"id":"o754-1333-67d1be0fd23a7","url":"https:\/\/www.voicefmradio.co.uk\/community\/blogs\/entertainment-reviews\/post\/review-matthew-bournes-swan-lake-at-mayflower-theatre\/","title":"Review: Matthew Bourne's Swan Lake at Mayflower Theatre","date_published":"2025-03-12T17:02:00+00:00","summary":"\"It is a brilliant production and one I will never forget!\" Jenny Rainbird","content_html":"![\"Matthew](\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67d1c00ebb99b.jpg\")
<\/p>\n\n![\"Matthew](\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67d1c0926ac4a.jpg\")
\nMatthew Bourne's Swan Lake - Photo by Johan Persson<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\nEvents turn dark, though in Acts 3 and 4. <\/h2>\n\n
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\nMatthew Bourne's Swan Lake - Photo by Johan Persson<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67c197aa6f067.jpg\")
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\nNicholas Maude and Jodie Steele<\/strong><\/em><\/p>\n\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/mmo.aiircdn.com\/754\/67c197bb452b5.jpg\")
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