Category Archives: Behind the Arras Reviews

Robin Hood & the Major Oak- Derby Theatre ***** A fine new Easter production for all the family written by Deb McAndrew who has rebooted the classic tale  for a 21st century audience in a seamlessly integrated BSL production, signed … Continue reading →

What’s this? Panto in Wolverhampton at  the end of February?  Oh yes it is. Having stormed the normal panto  season first in Brighton, then  the Duke of York’s Theatre in London, the audience response was too positive for  it to … Continue reading →

**** Touring theatrical companies are having a tough time as costs escalate everywhere. This production by the Cahoots theatre Company, has the answer, reduce your company to one. – Robert Daws brings Wodehouse in Wonderland to  Derby  in a single-hander … Continue reading →

***** Derby Theatre and Artistic Director Sarah Brigham have done it again. A superb award winning   new play which won plaudits and awards in London  has arrived in town! – This production has  very strong credentials. Having played, pre Covid … Continue reading →

As  a teenager the silky sound of the  Carpenters was just a little too smooth for me even though their songs were ubiquitous. As the years have unfolded, so has my appreciation of Karen and Richard.  Their ethereal vocals and … Continue reading →

After the purgatory of lockdown it was a joy to rediscover live theatre again.  The start of the year was still hamstrung by postponements and cancellations as Covid disrupted performances, three attempts to see “looking good Dead” starring Eastenders’ Adam … Continue reading →

April 2022 **** Like most, my introduction to this story was the eponymous 1980’s film blockbuster. It was not an obvious contender for a stage adaptation. However the original screenplay writer, James Dearden, revisits the original script to remould it … Continue reading →

A typically challenging and interesting programme from Sutton Arts, taking in their annual Christmas panto, and their now traditional late spring musical, but with some surprises in between including  an  off the beaten track play, an uproarious   modern farces, and … Continue reading →

Jack and the  Beanstalk – The Door, Birmingham Rep theatre ***** The Rep has not let us down this year with its Christmas offerings. The main house is presenting “Nativity the Musical” but in the smaller studio style theatre The … Continue reading →

***** Quite simply this is the best theatrical  production of Jekyll and Hyde that I have ever seen. This is not the first time that this story, originally a novella by  Robert Louis Stevenson,  first published in 1886 , has … Continue reading →