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If a lifetime is on average 79 years, statistically seven of those years will be spent in the bathroom – so says Alex Horne at the start of his remarkable journey through one life, alphabetically, humorously and engagingly in a single hour. Using props, audience members, a Powerpoint presentation and his own soundscape combining music and pre-recordings of his own voice, Horne took us to the eccentric world of the average man, with each major activity lived in one solid sequential fraction of the whole. Highly enjoyable and just the ticket to enable your mind to escape to a Heath Robinson-style world of infinite possibilities and much mirth.

Pavilion Theatre, Brighton Dome, 12 October
Rating:
Victoria Nangle

With every seat taken, it was standing room only for the first night of the tour by Australian Emily and her talented female trio. ‘Ropes’ featured cello, violin and accordion and the ensemble’s harmonies were heavenly. Adding flute brought a pastoral feel while ‘Pause’, her second TV detective theme, was sparse and haunting. ‘Calendar’ raised the tempo and received a huge cheer. James from The Miserable Rich duetted on a tale of fractured love and her take on Ewan MacColl’s ‘First Time’ was achingly delicate. With every arrangement complimenting the literary lyrics, this was modern folk at its finest.

Komedia Studio, 12 October
Rating:
Steve Clements

After decent support from his “favourite” comedian, anal-obsessed yet somehow charming Alistair Green, Joe Wilkinson held court on his first headlining tour. The South Londoner, immediately likeable in an affable beardo way, presented a show revelling in mundanity’s humorous side. Though pretty straightforward observational stand-up, with content ranging from the quirks of parents to more faecal (subject) matter, Wilkinson has that rare ability: he seemed naturally funny, without contrivance. Here stood a man proud to tell the littler stories of human humiliation: though we’d heard similar jokes before, no-one cared. As the saying goes, it’s how you tell ‘em.

Komedia, 12 October
Rating: Nick Aldwinckle

This much anticipated production of Sondheim’s masterpiece delivered on every level. It looked good, sounded good and made you feel good – well good and bad as the macabre story unfolded in a thrilling and chilling way.

The grand scale of the work sat well in this theatre and Jonathan Kent’s production had the heart pounding with excitement as the plot swooped from horror to black humour and back. Michael Ball gave yet another great performance, proving he can act and sing almost anyone off any stage. He may be the grinning crowd pleaser on his concert tours but he has to be regarded as one of the finest musical theatre stars out there. His characterisation of Todd was superbly dark and yet hauntingly likeable and in true Chichester style he sang the songs in character rather then in West End mode. Coupling him with Imelda Staunton was a stroke of genius. She matched his performance stroke for stroke and in her own way note for note. She may not have his vocal technique but she delivered the songs with the same dramatic impact.

Sondheim’s works need many qualities to succeed but above all they need great musicality combined with great acting and in this production we are given both. Five stars for a thrillingly good ensemble who packed the complexities of the score with power, precision and real drama. Five stars each for all of the major roles and for the set and the lighting and the costumes. Five stars for the direction, the band… in fact, a galaxy of stars for one of the most exciting evenings of any kind of theatre I have seen in many years. This production surely has to transfer to the West End and even Broadway.

Chichester Festival Theatre, 7 October
Rating:
Andrew Kay