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A packed Studio Bar was treated to a wonderful performance from this chamber sextet. Instrumental ‘Berliner Luft’ typified their sound, with guitar and violin chugging like a train as the reeds tooted over the top. Craig Fortnam’s upright piano and harp-like acoustic guitar added to the clean, organic sound of the group’s wistful, folky vignettes, which vocalist Sharron added emotional expression too – like a Nordic Kate Bush. Several pieces were inspired by Hardy, Blake and Yeats, and the clarinet arpeggios sweeping over the bassoon’s bass signatures recalled a rolling English countryside of yesteryear. The audience were silent throughout except to applaud each song.

Komedia, 4 December 2011
Rating:
Steve Clements

The show was a bit ring rusty, however it’s on a long run and I have no doubt it will get better/tighter. The story is very well known and of course all the ‘traditional’ elements of a modern day panto were there: the obligatory “he’s behind you”, the smattering of corny gags and audience participation. However the mistakes were what made the show; the actors corpsing, ad-libbing and trying to bring it back on track was great to watch. Too many unnecessary chart songs for my liking but the cast were good and kept it going nicely. Great for kids and adults alike.

Connaught Theatre, Worthing, 3 December 2011
Rating:
Lee Stevens

Note perfect renditions of songs from the Beatles’ canon coupled with spot-on vocals instantly create the illusion that it really is the Fab Four up on stage. It’s odd, a little unsettling but utterly thrilling too – a show which never degenerates into pastiche; any element of side-show freakery is happily absent. It’s all about the music – and what music. These guys know the material inside out and they play with such joy and enthusiasm that it’s impossible not to be swept along. The waves of pure pleasure emanating from the audience were a thing to behold. More than a few nostalgic tears were shed. Utterly fabulous.

Concert Hall, Brighton Dome, 4 December 2011
Rating:
Gary Mepsted

A beautifully shot short introduced us to Eden, a young woman with a neurological disease, at home and at play, and showed how her friends and family demonstrated a pragmatic and loving approach to her well-being. Andrew Kotting’s main feature was billed as a portrait of the family’s ramshackle Pyrenean chateau but what followed was a poorly constructed collection of shaky home movies, interwoven with old radio and educational recordings and shots of dead animals. Feeling like an amateur 60’s art movie, the film was an endurance test from the start with several punters walking out. Pretentious and self indulgent.

Sallis Benney Theatre, 1 December 2011
Rating:
Steve Clements