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Considering it was a Monday night there was a reasonable turn out for Andrew Doyle’s (both enticingly and appropriately named) Crash Course In Depravity. The show was hilarious and this was solely down to Doyle’s quick wit, sharp humour and seamless delivery! Not at all unnerved by the audience, he had won them over within in minutes with his charm and confidence. Doyle delivered a refreshing, intelligent and very amusing performance that kept everyone in high sprits throughout the hour that he graced the stage! All in all, a great night out.

30 May, The Quadrant

4/5

Carla Read

Spoof Stockport housewife and mum Mrs Barbara Nice is, well, nice. Though overly-obvious jokes and panto interaction became wearisome, only the most cynical reviewer could fail to be charmed by this malapropism-wielding, Take A Break-reading, stage-divingly silly creation.

Co-headliner, fellow character comic Joanna Neary, got off to a shaky start with her too-convincing unfunny student stand-up character. Luckily, she improved vastly. Neary was best lampooning Brighton’s ridiculous cliches with fast-paced impressions of pretentious open house curators and amateur pole dancers. More hit than miss, these two talented performers made for a nice night’s entertainment that nearly, though not quite, got belly laughs rather than chuckles.

Komedia, Gardner Street, 29 May
Rating:
Nick Aldwinckle

This enthusiastic production of the musical version of Frank Wedekind’s play left me confused. There was no doubting that this was a great production but for me it is the work that is flawed. Set in the late 19th century and done in period I was left cold by the crass late 20th century vernacular of the lyrics. In fact it was the lyric content that let it down. The cast gave 100 per cent with great sets and lighting and great choreography too. I felt that whilst the girls in the company were by far the better singers, the boys had the upper hand, pardon the illusion, when it came to acting. One boy, in the chorus for the most part, did have a stunning voice and both principals had one number each that they nailed, but were less confident in the rest. Lizzie Jay who plays Wendla had a stunning voice. If this review seems mean please note that it is criticsim in the main for the work rather than this excellent team of young performers.

Sallis Benney Theatre, 20 May
Rating:
Andrew Kay

It was a packed house for Arthur Miller’s play about social responsibility versus business, and by the end there were few dry eyes. Director James Newton and his cast were true to the script as the residents of a community on the outskirts of an American town who have lived through a scandal. The company were well-cast; in particular, Tim Blisset who gave a wonderful and sinister performance as the lovable, all-American patriarch whose shady past is closing in. His fragile wife, played by Lyn Fernee, looked as though she might snap in two at any minute and the final member of the Keller family, in a charming performance given by Matthew Lawson, poured his heart out as the show’s social conscience. His apple-pie fiancée, played by Emily Gallichan, was so natural that I didn’t notice she was acting. I left the theatre with a lump in my throat.

New Venture Theatre, 15 May
Rating:
Matt Robinson