Category Archives: Behind the Arras Reviews

Aladdin- Sutton Arts theatre

Posted on December 13, 2025 by garylongden

Panto returns to Sutton Arts after a three year break with  a record breaking sold out run. Harriet Gordon stars as Aladdin giving the role, style, pizzazz , and a fine singing voice. – This is on of my favourite … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Cinderella- Lichfield Garrick

Posted on December 13, 2025 by garylongden

Cinderella The safe option. A traditional panto, at a traditional panto theatre, performed by an experienced traditional theatre company albeit with untraditionally climbing ticket prices. – Firstly, a disclaimer, I have known the star, Dame Sam Rabone for fifteen years … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Oliver Twist- Derby Theatre

Posted on December 5, 2025 by garylongden

**** Christmas?  Bah humbug!  This is not the musical, instead an adaptation by Deborah McAndrew, directed by Sarah Brigham, of Dickens’ classic tale incorporating traditional tunes and original songs, played   and performed onstage by the cast, Eliza Waters realises it … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

Moulin Rouge – Birmingham Hippodrome

Posted on November 15, 2025 by garylongden

***** Wow. The most spectacular stage musical I have ever seen. The most expensive theatre ticket I have ever bought- for the most lavish production that I have ever seen. there is probably an equivalence there. Could the zany opulence … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Haunting Julia – Sutton Arts theatre, Sutton Coldfield

Posted on October 23, 2025 by garylongden

***** Haunting Julia- Sutton Arts Theatre A welcome revival of Alan Ayckbourn’s  1994 play, the first part of a trilogy  of Things That  Go Bump. The 2002 play Snake in the Grass ,and  Life and Beth,  being parts two and … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Sunny Afternoon- Alexandra theatre, Birmingham

Posted on October 22, 2025 by garylongden

Sunny Afternoon- Alexandra theatre Birmingham ***** This is a terrific hybrid of the jukebox musical genre  featuring a band, the Kinks, who were at the heart of the 1960’s Great British musical invasion, and their inspiration, Ray Davies. Their story … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment

Top Hat – Nottingham Theatre Royal

Posted on October 12, 2025 by garylongden

Autumn is here. Its becoming cold-  surely a cue for some old style Hollywood glitz? If you like song and dance, particularly tap dance, then this is your show. Visually it is  a sparkling, frothy  fizzy cocktail of mistaken identity … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , , , | Leave a comment

The Great Gatsby- Derby Theatre

Posted on October 7, 2025 by garylongden

**** Hitherto The Great Gatsby has been defined by the original  F Scott Fitzgerald novel and the 2013  Baz Luhrmann film.  For this production  which debuted earlier in the year at the Pitlochry Festival Theatre, Elizabeth Newman has adapted the … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , , | Leave a comment

Dear England – Nottingham Royal Court Theatre, 24/09/25

Posted on September 25, 2025 by garylongden

***** A fan once said to legendary Liverpool football manager Bill Shankly: ‘To you football is a matter of life or death!’ , he replied:  ‘Listen, it’s more important than that’. The two great loves of my life are football … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , , | Leave a comment

Murder at Midnight

Posted on September 10, 2025 by garylongden

It is September  , the children are back at school, temperatures are falling and Derby Theatre has a scorching world premier  tour from leading contemporary playwright Torben Betts to open the autumn  season. A strong cast of television veterans includes … Continue reading →

Posted in Behind the Arras Reviews | Tagged , | Leave a comment