Author Archives: garylongden

Clash of Empires- Ben Kane. Novel review

Posted on March 11, 2020 by garylongden

  This was my first introduction to Kane’s work I was disappointed. It was swamped by too much unnecessary detail, diluted by multiple sub plots which either went nowhere or added little, and was careless with character. In one strand … Continue reading →

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Traitors of Rome – Simon Scarrow, Novel Review

Posted on March 11, 2020 by garylongden

  The eighteenth instalment of the “Eagles of the Empire” series takes our leading protagonists to the Eastern edge of the Roman Empire, Parthia, for their latest adventure. Aficionados, of which I am one, will find it fits like a … Continue reading →

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The Book of Mormon – Birmingham Hippodrome

Posted on March 9, 2020 by garylongden

I waited for curtain up with no preconceptions. I did not know the plot. I knew none of the songs. I did know that the show has been phenomenally successful on Broadway and the West End grossing over $500m since … Continue reading →

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Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat – Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on February 26, 2020 by garylongden

**** On a wet, windy, wintry Wolverhampton midweek evening, there has to be a very good reason to go out. Fortunately, this production of “Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat”, music by Andrew Lloyd Webber, lyrics by Tim Rice, provides … Continue reading →

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Red Shoes – Birmingham Hippodrome

Posted on February 12, 2020 by garylongden

  Red Shoes – Birmingham Hippodrome ***** I am slowly working my way through Mathew Bourne’s repertoire. Single-handedly, he has introduced me to ballet as an enjoyable art form. He seems to have had the same affect on others, the … Continue reading →

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Bohemian Rhapsody – the film

Posted on February 8, 2020 by garylongden

I had been looking forwards to this. Queen were a great band, the reviews had been enthusiastic, but the experience of watching it fell short of my expectations.   The entire film felt contrived, a construct by Brian May and … Continue reading →

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Aladdin – Town Hall, Sutton Coldfield

Posted on December 11, 2019 by garylongden

***** Pantomime at the revamped Town Hall is fast becoming an essential feature of the Sutton Coldfield Arts scene. This year it returns, courtesy of the Production Exchange, with a revamped “Aladdin”, amongst the most traditional of pantomime shows. An … Continue reading →

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“A Self Help Guide To Being In Love With Jeremy Corbyn” – An Evening with Jess Green at the Lichfield Hub

Posted on December 8, 2019 by garylongden

  I had heard much of Jess before, but never seen her perform. I have also lived around Lichfield for almost thirty years, but never seen St Mary’s Church upstairs used as a performance space. So I approached the performance, … Continue reading →

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A Day With the World’s Fastest Hypnotist

Posted on November 15, 2019 by garylongden

Jane Osborne’s  life is wonderfully full, and busy. Sometimes too busy. Last week she  had the pleasure of a day’s training with internationally renowned hypnotherapist Freddy Jacquin at the UK National Hypnotherapy Conference in London. Simultaneously, Sean Michael Andrews, the … Continue reading →

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NEC – Well Being Show, 1st – 3rd Nov, 2019

Posted on November 14, 2019 by garylongden

I have had numerous enquiries from within the MBS community about Jane Osborne’s experiences of exhibiting at the above event. Rather than reply individually I thought that I would do a blog to both reply to one and all, and, … Continue reading →

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