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Shirley Valentine – A Jodie Prenger Masterclass
Jodie Prenger proved, once again, what an amazing talent she is as she brought Willy Russell’s 1980s heroine Shirley Valentine to life at the New Alex Theatre last night in a one women tour de force. Leaving a note on a post-it on the fridge, explaining that she had ‘gone to Greece, be back in two weeks’, Shirley Valentine has proved to be one of Willy Russell’s most enduring and beloved characters. Shirley is a bored surbuban housewife who feels that life, and all it has to offer, has passed her by at the age of 42. Her kids are grown up, and she has grown apart from her husband…
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A Judgement in Stone at Birmingham’s New Alex Theatre
April 1978. Two detectives are investigating a particular gruesome occurence at Lowfield Hall. The Coverdale family have been murdered in their own home, shot at point blank range in an execution style killing. The only real witness to what happened is Eunice Parchman, a strange, shy, subservient women who was the live in housekeeper, although she had been relieved of her post and was all set to leave the family home the when the murders occured. Detectives Vetch and Challoner are stumped as to who could’ve committed the murders, but little by little the whole horrifying tale begins to unravel, revealing a seemingly minor secret that might be the key…
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The Buddy Holly Story at the Wolverhampton Grand
As a teen I loved The Wonderstuff and their album ‘Never Loved Elvis’. This was partly because the title was true. I’d never loved Elvis, it had always been about Buddy Holly in our house. From an early age I can remember ‘That’ll be the Day’ ringing out from my little record player, the graffiti emblazoned cover of ‘Buddy Holly Lives’ on my bedroom floor. It’s a memory and love that has remained with me, and was resurrected in supreme style last night, as the brilliant ‘The Buddy Holly Story’ electrified the Wolverhampton Grand. ‘The Buddy Holly Story’ is the story of Buddy’s meteoric rise to fame. If your image…
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Birmingham Hippodrome New season review Part 2.
Following on from Part 1 of the Birmingham Hippodrome New Season review, which appeared on the blog last week, today I bring you the second part of the Q&A sessions, this time featuring David Bintley, the creative director of the Birmingham Royal Ballet, and Kash Bennett from the National Theatre, who was talking about the phenomenal success of The Curious Incident of the Dog in the night-time. David Bintley – Birmingham Royal Ballet David Bintley’s Cinderella is part of the new season at the Birmingham Hippodrome, coming to the theatre in February. David explained: “I felt there was a gap for a real Cinderella. The Ugly sisters needed to be…
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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…
