Latest 7 magazine

ARIES {Mar 21–Apr 20}
You are seen to be independent from the group and you also feel separate; this is perhaps the price of going your own way. It can be lonely place when you don’t fall into line and do what’s expected. Don’t let hardship get you down.

TAURUS {Apr 21–May 21}
No-man is an Island and unless you are alone on an Island, then the likelihood is that you are working with people. Remember then, that while your ruler is in Aquarius, it’s through teamwork and friendliness that you will get results. Read the rest of this article »

Christmas traditions

Everybody has their own family Christmas traditions. The first time I had Christmas with a family that was not the one I was born into I found myself stopped from opening presents in the free-for-all my own gene pool had embraced and sitting in a circle around a tree festooned with brightly coloured packages waiting patiently. Waiting for the person currently opening a gift to randomly pick a present with my name on it, following which I would duly pass on the present-opening baton and randomly pick the next gift under the tree to deliver to someone. It was a good tradition as we all got to share the giving and receiving of each carefully chosen treat. However, there are less conspicuous Christmas traditions that I was not prepared to bend on. Like the rigid appointment watching of Christmas Day’s Doctor Who. The Queen can wait; the TARDIS is time critical. Read the rest of this article »

My love of pantomime will never go away, but if I have to make a choice between a third rate panto and a first class Broadway and West End show then there is no competition. To my mind panto is all too often a debased art form these days so the arrival of Spamalot as Theatre Royal Brighton’s Christmas offering fills my heart with cheer, and it’s easy to explain why. From the moment the curtain rises to the final bow I roared with laughter. The pure, unbridled silliness of the Monty Python sense of fun is alive and kicking in Eric Idle’s superb musical version of their Holy Grail epic. It’s all there from the silly Frenchmen to the knights who say ‘nt’. But what Idle achieves where so many translations to musical fail, is a score that you will leave the theatre humming. The songs are not only hilarious, they are contagiously memorable.

So on to the company, a merry band of professionals who can sing, dance and deliver the comedy, there’s not a weak member in the company and most of them play several roles. The stars are equally compelling. Marcus Brigstocke’s King Arthur is a lovable upper class duffer and since first playing the role two years back he has gained a confidence in his singing capability that underpins his ability to deliver the laughs in the script. Todd Carty has it all, brilliant characterization, a decent voice but above all, comic timing. His portrayal of side-kick Patsy is a comic tour-de-force – and the audience love his affable gurning and bewildered innocence. Jodie Prenger once again shows that she can deliver a song with power and conviction but in Spamalot she is given the scope to use her comedic talent too and this she does throughout.

I hope I do see great panto at the Theatre Royal again but this starry piece of musical comedy has enough of the panto about it to eclipse any second rate Cinderella. Three cheers and five very glittery stars for a first class Christmas show. Simply unmissable seasonal fun.

Theatre Royal Brighton, December 16 2011
Rating:
Andrew Kay

This production did exactly what a pantomime should do. The cliché’s were laid on thick and fast, the dancers were at times exotic, the audience booed and cheered and there was some nice original music too. Darren Day filled the villain’s shoes with gusto and worked the audience well. The whole cast worked as a tight, well rehearsed unit on a lavish set. A special mention for Sean Rollason who played Smee; considering he was in nearly every scene, his energy remained high throughout and he had brilliant interaction with the audience especially the children. A great seasonal treat.

Pavilion Theatre, Worthing, 16 December 2011
Rating:
Lee Stevens