Category Archives: Behind the Arras Reviews

Buddy- Birmingham Hippodrome

Posted on June 24, 2014 by garylongden

This is the 25th anniversary tour of a show which celebrates the songs of an artist whose recording career lasted barely two years, but whose music endures. A jukebox musical, the two halves mainly comprise his rise to fame and … Continue reading →

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Caught on the Hop- Sutton Arts Theatre

Posted on June 19, 2014 by garylongden

Written by Derek Benfield, and first performed in 1977, Caught on the Hop is a romantic farce as popularised by Brian Rix. Its success is wholly dependent upon the energy and brio of the characterisation. Fortunately Sutton Arts were well … Continue reading →

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Design for Murder- Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on June 18, 2014 by garylongden

Set in the 1970’s, this psychological thriller, written by Donald F East, unfolds in the living room of Clive and Moira Richards replete with ghastly furniture and a record player. Although the costume is neutral, with the fashion excesses of … Continue reading →

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Black Adder Goes Forth, Dudley Little Theatre, Netherton Arts Centre

Posted on May 14, 2014 by garylongden

Stage adaptations of television comedy series have a chequered history , but when the script is as well written as this, by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, the company has a head start , and so it proved for this … Continue reading →

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The Kingfisher, Sutton Arts Theatre

Posted on May 1, 2014 by garylongden

This was a left-field choice by Sutton Arts, a seldom performed piece written over a quarter of a century ago. Author William Douglas Home’s lineage is as the maverick brother of Tory PM Sir Alec . He lived in the … Continue reading →

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The Mousetrap, Garrick Theatre, Lichfield

Posted on April 14, 2014 by garylongden

This was part of a 60th anniversary tour, over 60 weeks, for a show still running in its home theatre of St Martins in London, coincidentally almost identical in capacity to the Garrick. The Mousetrap opened at The Ambassadors Theatre … Continue reading →

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Steaming, Sutton Arts, Sutton Coldfield

Posted on March 20, 2014 by garylongden

Laughter, pathos and bathos at the bathhouse. Steaming was written in 1981 by Nell Dunn and was first staged at the Theatre Royal, Stratford, in London, winning the Laurence Olivier Award for Best New Comedy . Sutton Arts publicity promised … Continue reading →

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Paul Bunyan, English Touring Opera, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on March 18, 2014 by garylongden

This bold revival of a seldom performed and relatively obscure operetta was the second offering from the English National Opera during their stay in Wolverhampton, the safer “Magic Flute” having been well despatched the night before. Paul Bunyan, by Benjamin … Continue reading →

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The Magic Flute, English Touring Opera, Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on March 17, 2014 by garylongden

This was the first night of an English Touring Opera double offering ,with Paul Bunyan to come on the following night. The Magic Flute is an opera in two acts by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart set to a German libretto by … Continue reading →

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Some Girl I Used to Know- Wolverhampton Grand Theatre

Posted on February 20, 2014 by garylongden

This one woman show introduces a novel concept, a jukebox monologue, starring Denise Van Outen living out a mid life crisis as alter ego Stephanie, set in a hotel room, belting out some period torch songs,a reboot of Shirley Valentine … Continue reading →

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