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The Snowman enchants at the Birmingham Rep
Celebrating its 25th anniversary this year, The Snowman made a triumphant return to the place where it all started last night, when it opened at the Birmingham Rep, delighting audiences of all ages. The timeless story of a little boy whose snowman comes to life and takes him on a unforgettable adventure is a delight, and in the charming Lewis Chan, it has a truly adorable leading man. The Snowman is based on the classic Raymond Briggs story that was later turned into a animated film that is now a perennial classic, with the beautiful ‘Walking in the Air’ as much a part of Christmas as mince pies are. The…
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Countdown to Cruella Pt 2 – A Chat With The Cast
Following on from my chat with the director of 101 Dalmatians, Tessa Walker, and puppetry designer Jimmy Grimes, this post is, as promised, a chat with some of the cast who will be bringing Dodie Smith’s much loved classic tale to life at the Birmingham Repertory Theatre next month. Emma Thornett and Oliver Wellington We start with a chat with Emma Thornett and Oliver Wellington, who play Missus and Pongo in the new adaptation. If you are unfamiliar with the book, you may be wondering who Missus is, but, as Emma explained, Missus is actually the mother of the puppies, rather than Perdita. Disney merged Missus and Perdita into one…
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Reviewed – Tommy at the Birmingham Rep
The musical Tommy arrived at the Birmingham Rep last night, in a new production by the inclusive theatre project Ramps on the Moon. This version of the iconic rock opera from The Who featured the epoymous lead, the ‘deaf, dumb and blind kid who sure plays a mean pinball’ being played by an actor who also happens to be deaf, the excellent William Grint, and the use of Grint, and other actors who have disabilities, added a new power and poignancy to what is a classic piece of musical theatre. A new opening scene, featuring news footage, showing how people with disabilities are facing additional cuts to benefits and support…
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Ooh Mr Bennett! Pride and Prejudice a triumph at the Birmingham Rep
[affilinet_performance_ad size=468×60] It was the first one of the classics that I ever read, and remains one of my all time favourite books, so I had high expectations for Pride and Prejudice, which opened at the Birmingham Rep last night. Luckily I was not to be disappointed, in the careful hands of a note perfect cast, Pride and Prejudice proved to be as fresh and funny as it was over 200 years ago, when it first appeared in print. The story of Mr and Mrs Bennett, and their five unwed daughters is a literary classic, one which shows that it’s writer, Jane Austen, was well ahead of her times. The…
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The Exorcist at the Birmingham Rep – Gloriously chilling
From the moment the lights are suddenly switched off, plunging the theatre into total darkness, to the minute the final curtain goes down, the theatre version of Williams Peter Blatty’s supernatural horror ‘The Exorcist’, currently terrifying wowing audiences at the Birmingham Rep, never lets up on the uneasy tension. The story of 10 year old Regan whose body and soul is overtaken by a terrifying entity that may just be the devil, has been striking fear into movie audiences for more than 40 years. And now it has been transformed into a truly spellbinding, horrifying theatre experience that is just perfect for those who enjoy their entertainment to be on…
