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A mosaic of a show, with pockets of improvisation, song and dance, dubbing, Brecht homage, Dario Fo comical hysteria, and a special visit to an Austrian Are You Being Served? (for the most part with surtitles). Together they made up a whole but looking too closely at any one particular part could lose you from the bigger picture. A metaphor it might seem. Combining an anarchist plot, a European revolution, and a student’s determination to demonstrate with utter conviction, these were explosive stories that tripped between humour, drama and tragedy with real moments of shock – specifically one involving a dog in a department store. Not like anything else you’ll see around, this talented cast and production company, Told By An Idiot, have created something absolutely unique and thought-provoking that runs the gamut of genres and captivates throughout.

Pavilion Theatre, Brighton Dome, 17 May
Rating:
Victoria Nangle

A play with songs it seems is not a musical, and normally I would ask why, but with MIdsummer I left the theatre feeling elated. This is a play about falling in love, but done with simple and with disarming honesty. I’ve done the weird, wild, wonderful and dare I say it worthy – Midsummer is worthwhile. It’s a story for all of us who leave it too long before we find love and then don’t know how to cope. Then when it does we run scared.

Midsummer conjures up that world in 90 minutes and sets it in a vivid portrait of Edinburgh that needs no visuals. Cora Bissett and Matthew Pidgeon are superb as Helena and Bob, and the occasional extra character as needed. After a fretful one night stand their paths become clumsily entwined, each denying the need to find a lover and not just sex. She is a lawyer, he a petty criminal, opposites attract. The songs are good and well sung, especially by Bissett who has a raunchily good rock voice. But if there is a third star it is the script which in 90 minutes paints a brilliant picture of not a lost weekend but a found one and it does it with more poignancy, more colour and more joy than many films ever achieve.

Call it a play with songs, call it a musical, I don’t care. What I am going call it is theatre genius that should be seen by everyone, young and old. Maybe we will learn a lesson and allow ourselves the chance to fall in love.

Theatre Royal, 17 May
Rating:
Andrew Kay

Grammy-nominated songwriter Peter Case hit the Green Door stage tonight armed with a clanging, lightning flash guitar and one dead mic. Undeterred, Case projected his hollering vocals across the audience’s heads while a replacement was sought. Further equipment problems (a slowly dying amp, an uncooperative 12-string acoustic) were dealt with in good humour, as Case played an engaging set of folk, blues and psych influenced nuggets to the respectful crowd. Avoiding his powerpop beginnings in favour of the finely crafted songbook of his subsequent career, it was clear why fellow musicians (Springsteen, Richard Thompson) hold Case in such high regard.

Green Door Store, 17 May
Rating:
Stuart Huggett

As Brighton Festival powers to a close Chichester Festival Theatre is full steam ahead

For those of us who still have an appetite for all things theatrical, Chichester’s 2011 season is now in full flow. Following massively successful seasons over the last few years with an amazing number of productions successfully transferring to the west end, CFT has hit its stride and found what is clearly a winning formula.

This year’s promises to be no exception with that clever balance of crowd-pleasing entertainments and thought provoking drama, all delivered with the usual sense of style and often a twist.

Musicals have certainly become the highlight over the last few years and this year we have three to choose from. Already running is She Loves Me.

A witty, warm-hearted romantic comedy, She Loves Me is the story of Georg and Amalia, lovelorn assistants in a 1930s parfumerie. Forever squabbling by day, they secretly find comfort in the passionate but anonymous love letters they write by night, both unaware that each is the other’s correspondent.

This production is directed by Stephen Mear
Next out the classic Singing In The Rain – expect an all singin’, all dancin’, Hollywood romp of an evening and there will be showers on stage, Chichester are good at that.

The final musical of the season is the splendid Sweeney Todd, Stephen Sondheim’s dark and brooding study of the Fleet Street barber’s murderous revenge on all humanity.

Michael Ball says that this is a role that he has long wanted to play and also let slip that Sondheim himself will be here during rehearsals. Ball is joined on stage by Imelda Staunton who will play Mrs Lovett, a darkly comedic role with some of Sondheim’s most challenging singing.

This will be a guaranteed sell out so booking early will be essential.

Chichester always manages to draw stars and this year has plenty. Michael Ball and Imelda staunton join a list that includes Sir Ian McKellen, and Tim Curry has recently been announced to appear in the Tom Stoppard favourite Rosencrantz And Guildenstern Are Dead.

Curry came to most people’s attention playing Dr. Frank-N-Furter in The Rocky Horror Show and subsequent film adaptation, but he has continued to have a wide and varied career in both film and stage.

Recently he played King Arthur in the Monty Python musical Spamalot, both on Broadway and in the West End. In the Stoppard play he takes the role of The Player.

The stars continue with Top Girls, Caryl Churchill’s classic in which top girls from history attend a dinner party. The cast includes Stella Gonet and Suranne Jones who after several stunning years in Coronation Street has gone on to prove that she is equally well equipped to handle serious drama.

Ian McKellen is joined by Michael Pennington for the world premiere of The Syndicate in a new version of Eduardo De Filipo’s black comedy of respectable Naples society as it clashes with the seamier underworld.

For full season listings go to www.cft.org.uk Box Office
01243 781312