The script writer had the month off, as there were so few words spoken, the CGI creators went into overdrive with convincing apes and lush sets
The story was dreadful, a hybrid Western Revenge story with dollops of cod philosophy thrown in. It follows a new group of characters featuring Noa an ape who is learning about the human world and what Caesar was. After his village was attacked by a tyrannical Ape named Proximus. Noa and a human Mae ( Freya Allen ) have to work together to help stop him. There are factions between humans and apes and these factions have confrontations, but it all seems contrived even though some time has been spent on the ape’s culture , traditions, habits and costumes.
But the narrative is desperately slow, the action sequences contrived and pasted together to attempt to create some pace, but even that fails, a generic jeopardy/rescue scene on a bridge is laughable with the cliched outstretched hand ( think Cliffhanger) risible. Director Wes Ball echoes the established ape society precepts of fairness, loyalty and communal solidarity slavishly.
I was a fan of Winehouse contemporaneously, and still am. Given her chaotic, controversial career I approached this with trepidation. My verdict? An entertaining watch, but a flawed experience.
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Her early years are pretty much bypassed, her first meeting with the notorious , soon to be her husband Blake Fielder-Civil (Jack O’Connell) doe eyed, rose tinted and gushingly sympathetic- maybe with one eye on a law suit from Fielder
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Marisa Abela is visually convincing as Amy; her relationship with her father less so, Mitch (Eddie Marsan), is treated sympathetically ( the family endorsed h film and cooperated and his pull on her underplayed. The Camden Town location shots are good. But her death is treated suddenly, perfunctorily and unsatisfactorily
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Fans of her music will have enough to enjoy, students of her history will not.
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Director Sam Taylor-Johnson’s focus on Amy’s personal life is entirely speculative – the role of Mark Ronson is largely ignored,
I do not enjoy long flights, and the 8.5 hour o Bridgetown Barbados was made palatable only by the knowledge of our destination. Having arrived in later afternoon , our arrival ws a whirlwind. No passport control no baggage collection- it was packed straight onto the coach .Within 15 minutes we were speeding through largely deserted streets past wooden and tin shack housing before entering Bridgetown itself and the unremarkable port.
Boarding was quick, easy, and efficient onto Explorer 2
First stop St Lucia where we enjoyed a fabulous day trip organised by an ad hoc facebook group. Stops included a rum tasting, the Pitons ( literally the tits)mountains and the volcanic springs, so hot I passed out afterwards.
The French dependency Guadeloupe was next and a shared taxi ride to the beach which was brilliant. A classic Caribbean beach with beach towels I wish I had bought but didn’t and great seafront resturants where I made the mistake of ordering lobster by the helping and not by weight leaving me 100 euros poorer an a lot wiser at the end.
Antigua, an old British colony was last, and it felt very British- without the rain. A lobster boat and beach trip was particularly memorable
And then six days at sea losing an hour each day, which by the end became tiring before we reached the Azores first Ponta Delgada
Then Horta
Another day at sea
before my first time in Cadiz, a magnificent coastal, maritime city at which I wish we could have spent more time.
Engine problems meant we had to miss our last scheduled stop at messina, Sicily,Italy which was a great shame But all was forgotten for the sail into Dubrovnik which was beautiful followed by an equally scenic drive to the airport.
Our adventure started in a still warm Malaga , Spain on 27th Nov 2023.
Our first voyage on Explorer 2. The weather was fine and pleasant enough to sunbathe on the pool deck.
Our first stop was Gibraltar which we had visited twice before, so we disembarked to stretch our legs only, having done the sights before.
We were disappointed to be informed that our scheduled stop at Madeira was cancelled due to industrial action at the port, but delighted to learn that had been replaced with a visit to Las Palmas Gran Canaria, which we had not visited before.
Having previously turned my nose up at the Canary Islands I was very pleasantly surprised, and impressed.
We had visited Antigua earlier on in the year and were delighted to visit again. It did not disappoint.
This was my first visit to the Dominican Republic, a highly prosperous ex Spanish colony sharing an island with the chaotic and anarchic Haiti. Amber Cove, Puerta Plata was a purpose built cruise stop, and felt it, an artificial commercial stopover. We could have been anywhere and felt like a Florida style Disney creation
Next stop should have been Grand Turk , an island in the Turks and Caicos Islands, a British Overseas Territory, tropical islands in the Lucayan Archipelago of the Atlantic Ocean and northern West Indies, the largest island in the Turks Islands. Unfortunately bad weather meant we could not dock there so we proceeded to Ocho Rios Jamaica which I was pleased about as it gave us a full day on an island I had not previously visited.
And finally the magnificent Montego Bay, Jamaica, the highlight of which was an armed escort for our coach through the stationary local traffic to the airport. A marvellous trip the only downsides were losing an hour a day as we headed west- it catches up with you after a week and the long flight home after a short flight to spain.
We are finally unpacked following our Ottoman odyssey week, our fourth Marella cruise. Here are my thoughts:
Our Gatwick flight was delayed by half an hour, but apart from some seat swapping after a new aircraft was procured it caused no problems. The three and a half hour flight was bearable and uneventful. but i hate Gatwick.
Dalaman airport physically impressed, as did its high prices. The Turks are spending a massive amount of money on infrastructure shaming the Uk’s torpid progress. Security was high reflecting the presence of drones in military hangars on the other side of the airport with Syria, Iraq and Lebanon all within easy flying distance.
I found the 90 minute coach transfer a welcome opportunity to take in my surroundings, mountains, rivers, a flood plain marble quarries and lots and lots of building materials yards.
We were last on Discovery in the Far East, justs pre covid, and seeing her was like greeting an old friend with many happy memories flooding back. Embarkation formalities were lightning fast, we were on board within five minutes of the coach pulling into Marmaris , a place which immediately impressed.
We like sea days, day one gave us a chance to familiarise ourselves with the ship again, take in the evening show and prepare for Istanbul. My decision to pay for a balcony cabin was immediately vindicated during a magnificent sail into this wonderful city, having set the alarm to witness the event.
the £4.1 billion new Gallata port cruise terminal
I have been to Istanbul before, you could visit for a week and jus scratch the surface. In the morning we took in Istanbul Modern the tremendous new gallery dedicated to modern art opened in May 2023, built on the site of a famous brothel dating back to Genoese times.
The five-story, 10,500 m2 (113,000 sq ft) building was designed by Pritzker Prize-winning architect Renzo Piano, and has a fabulous terrace restaurant overlooking the Bosphorus. We spent the entire morning there, but could have spent all day.
Thereafter we wandered around the Galata Artistic quarter, full of art and restaurants including this magnificent breakfast before taking a Bosphorus cruise down both sides of the strait for half the price of the ship excursion. A successful day!
Day 3 was a visit to the island of Bozcaada which I had never heard of before. I love tender visits, although those on the tender whose engine seized as the weather deteriorated probably didn’t!
The island was pretty with brightly painted buildings, quaint side streets and the inevitable castle, and the museum fascinating, we spent longer than we anticipated there as a thunderstorm broke over the island. Memorable for that reason, but half day sufficed ashore.
Day4 Bodrum was a delight with good weather and loads to see as we walked the front to the castle. A beautiful marina and some nice restaurants too
It was amazing to see Socrates ‘ shop still trading!
Day5 Our first organised tour- to Knossos and a “traditional Cretan village”. Knossos was a delight, only 20 minutes drive, but the 90 minutes spent there was far too brief. The “ traditional Cretan Village” ( I should have guessed) was a Disney creation adjunct to a hotel complex. The “museum” and “traditional craft” shops were closed, lunch comprised a glass of wine a bit of green salad, some bread and nuts. At £104 for two I felt cheated. We were not the only complainees at destination services.
Day6 Rhodes was delightful and the perfect port to wander around at leisure which we did.
Day 7 our return from Marmaris was slick, well organised and uneventful, the closing views delightful
All in all, a wonderful week, the service was excellent, our cabin was fantastic, the food good, we normally dined in 47 and always shared a table to meet new people, the highlight of which was being seated with Rosemary Brown and her husband. Her knowledge is second to none This view at night was worth the balcony money on its own.
The shows were consistently entertaining in the Broadway lounge with the “From Broadway to the West End” show a closing highlight. Sitting close to the front it was apparent that recorded chorus parts were being used together with some guide lead vocals but I don’t think anyone else noticed for a show that was unquestionably a success.
This show has been garnering scintillating reviews ever since its Edinburgh Fringe debut , plaudits and subsequent tour, which continues.
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`I had been expecting improvised chaos. Instead we were treated to a meticulously crafted comedy which was skilfully presented as improvised chaos in the manner which Morecambe and Wise perfected half a century ago.
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The “Say it again sorry” company only use the Oscar Wilde original play as a very rough hook on which to hang proceedings. When the actor playing Earnest fails to appear an audience member is dragooned to replace him proving the centrepiece for the evening. Jake is apparently a teacher whose monosyllabic answers to prompts suggest that his lessons are very short and whose idea of a good time is to take his girlfriend to Nandos.
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Before long Holly is also prised from the audience, but not before successfully auditioning for her part by reciting the song “I’m a Believer” in a German accent.
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What follows is a carefully concocted alchemy of pantomime, slapstick, farce and improvisation. Inevitably Director Simon is frequently needed on stage to sort things out. Played by Josh Haberfield whose appearance and laconic delivery is eerily close to that of Jimmy Carr, director Simon invariably makes things worse and is the dramatic pivot around which all else revolves. He has a sidekick, stage hand Josh, whose ineptitude and doe eyes are eerily close to Manuel in Fawlty Towers. Playing an idiot is no easy task, and Ben Man does so to great comic effect.
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Judith Amsenga has great fun with the part of Lady Bracknell, one of the great female parts in British plays . Similarly Trynity Silk excels as Gwendolen becoming increasingly drunk as the story unfolds.
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Physical comedy abounds as a a jacket is not hung up on the correct peg and alcoholic and non alcoholic drinks swap places. Trynity Silk’s costuming I lush, her single set design utilitarian, functional and eye catching.
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This is unquestionably one of the most original and funny comic stage shows I have ever seen. The closing standing ovation demonstrated that I was not alone, as those who were lured out of Derby’s penumbral byways on an unseasonably wet Tuesday night roared, laughed and cheered. “Earnest” plays again tonight (29th May”) then continues on nationwide tour appearing at Mansfield, Bury St Edmunds, Horsham, Stevenage, Lichfield, Aberdeen. Then on to Edinburgh, and I am told London. Don’t miss it
My introduction to this story was via the 1992 film, starring Whoopi Goldberg as undercover nun Deloris, whose acting, comic and singing abilities defined the story. For this production Landi Oshinowo fills those FM boots.
The musical differs significantly from the film in narrative, script, characterisation, songs and score. Bafflingly, “ I will follow him” is dropped, which is akin to dropping “Don’t Cry for me Argentina ” from “Evita”.
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On the night, the star of the show is Alfie Parker as policeman Eddie Southern. His vocals steal the show, and his comic stage presence lights up the evening. Sue Cleaver’s Mother Superior is posh and restrained ( light years away from her Coronation St persona Eileen Grimshaw) and an effective foil for the effervescent Oshinowo but this production is about the ensemble, not the leads, as Parker, and Elliot Gooch as TJ, demonstrated.
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The music is a curious affair. This is not a soul or gospel show, nor is it disco or funk, but an idiosyncratic hybrid in which each of those forms are referenced, laden by in jokes, with Barry White and “funky weekend” amongst them. A live band in the pit, led by Tom Slade, are punchy and loud with Johnny Mayer’s bass laying down some impressive funky rhythms.
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Numerous cameos entertain and impress from the ensemble. Julie Stark’s Sister Mary Lazarus is whacky, Isabel Canning’s Sister Mary Patrick is a strong comic turn and Eloise Runette Sister Mary Robert who finds herself as the show evolves delivers a superb second half solo. The boys have their moment as the hoodlums with their singing trio in the second act.
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The stage set, by Morgan Large is framed by a giant outer stained glass clock face enabling scene changes to be established with props only, making it both imposing and extremely functional.
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I found the first act a little chaotic, but the second act came alive dramatically and musically, with Director Bill Buckhurst pulling out all the stops for a barnstorming finale which must have quadrupled the costume budget. There is a limit to what you can do with a troop of singing nuns in black habits, and choreographer Alistair David combines eye catching routines, with sparkly costumes and a Studio 54 vibe to provide a killer finish which had a full house on its feet on an unseasonably wet and dank Monday evening opening night. The audience loved it, very much a case of “Sisters are doing it for themselves.”
My own view was that Sue Cleavers semi spoken songs (think Telly Savalas with “if”) were not good enough, and that Oshinowo did not have the commanding presence of a lead.
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Runs until Saturday 18th may and continues on nationwide tour.
Author Tom Fletcher has declared: “I want kids to feel this is a show that they are a part of, not just coming to watch.” And for the fifty minutes of this performance he was as good as his word. The only question that adults need answering is, “Will children aged 2-7 be entertained and engaged by the production?” – the answer is a resounding yes.
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I took along a two and five year old as my expert reviewers : “brilliant” was their verdict. They loved not having to sit down and be quiet kind and howled at the mischief which is lovingly transposed from the book, to the stage and helping the monsters along the way.
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A pre show front of house routine sets the scene of how things are going to unfold and introduces the audience to the cast.
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The entire auditorium was dancing along to the choreographed routines led by the four energetic performers Aka the storymakers, it was compulsory for parents and grandparents to join in!
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The Little Monster is the star of the show appearing around the colourful stage and on backlit screens in pantomime style “it’s behind you” routines
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The story makers try everything to get the monster back in his book, but with no luck, until the children become involved, as Little Monster is joined by his friends, Dragon, Alien and Unicorn, and all four go on a mischievous journey.
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The show is absolutely faithful to the original book instantly connecting with those children who have already read it and introducing it to those who have not. The 1pm start time was rewarded with an almost full house and ideal for very young children. It continues on nationwide tour: https://www.ents24.com/uk/tour-dates/theres-a-monster-in-your-show
Richard Shelton is Frank Sinatra in this self penned production. He is best known as a TV actor who performed in ITV’s Emmerdale playing Adam Forsythe between 2005 and 2006, before going on to portray Frank Sinatra in Rat Pack Confidential in London’s West End.
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In RAW he takes us to the Purple Room in Palm Springs USA in 1971 to revisit his career with Dean Martin, Carey Grant, and Sophia Loren in attendance, sadly Ava Gardner was unable to make it. Tonight he has only a keyboard player to accompany him, but on other dates he is joined by a full orchestra. The pared back presentation assists, rather than detracts from, his performance. Sinatra’s talent lay as much in his phrasing as his singing, stripped of peripheral noise we could hear not only every word, but every syllable of every word Of his songs.
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Inevitably the audience is predominantly older, 70+, reflecting his golden era which predates rock and pop. A superstardom fueled by a handful of tv and radio stations providing a media focus of massive intensity and a cinema presence which took him all over the globe.
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Shelton appears solo in an ubiquitous dinner jacket accompanied by a keyboard player only. The format is part concert recital, part “ an audience with”, as Sinatra delivers chronological anecdotes about his career interspersed with live audience interaction and banter which is very slick.
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The anecdotes are part entertainment, and part history, the majority of which I was unaware. Both seamlessly stitch together the song running order capturing the highs and lows of Sinatra’s career. JFK, Bing Crosby, presidential elections, the Mafia Mob and the Civil Rights movement of 1964 are all touched upon.
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Split into two 45 minute halves the song selection is adroitly chosen and sumptuously delivered. Although I am not a devotee, I knew all the songs which were not confined to the big hits – the lesser known “Summer Wind” was an absolute joy.
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Yes he did close the main set with “My Way”. Live, the debt that David Bowie’s “Life on Mars” owes the song is strikingly apparent, before the “New York” encore brought down the final curtain. Shelton has put together something special, a show in which he plays Sinatra, acts Sinatra, adopts all of his mannerisms and sings Sinatra superbly. Continues on nationwide tour including a Dudley date for Wolverhampton born Shelton: https://highfieldproductions.com/richard-shelton/tour-dates/
As a 2003 film, starring Helen Mirren, Calendar Girls was hugely successful. From The Top Theatre Company takes on the stage version, again written by Tim Firth, about a Northern Women’s institute group who produce a nude calendar for charity recrafted with Gary Barlow songs, as a musical, and first performed as such in 2015. This incarnation however is a significantly reworked version of the 2015 version with characters cut and dialogue and songs reworked. Indeed director Dave Crump has sneaked in some contemporaneous new dialogue too. Knapley in Yorkshire arrives in Sutton Coldfield West Midlands for one week only.
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Its strength lies in its characterisation of some stock figures familiar to any member of a society or social group as snooty Chairwoman Marie ( Paula Lumsden) valiantly tries to maintain order and is lampooned mercilessly while stalwart member Annie struggles with the death of her husband from cancer. Marie’s venomous exchange with Annie in the second act is one of the standout dramatic moments of the evening, not least because it represents such an abrupt mood gear change. This musical is ideal for amateur societies as it has a flexible large cast, multiple female leads and solos, and the foibles of a WI membership are directly interchangeable with an Am Dram group. A school age sub plot with Molly Millen and Fin Waldron is well acted and well executed.
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Many of the audience around me were unaware that this was a musical, their introduction having been via the film. Why the score is not better known is a mystery. Barlow’s songs are strong and appropriate and ooze “Take That” style melodic class. On the night , Williams’ , “Scarborough” was an emotional and technical delight, O’Borne’s “My Russian friend and I” ( Ruth’s homage to vodka and a loveless marriage), Chris’s ( Deb Crump) lovely Sunflower and Paul Lumsden as Colin’s contribution to “Girls” stood out. I encourage you to check out the soundtrack to hear the songs for yourself.
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Tina Williams as Annie deftly manages establishing her relationship with her terminally ill husband John in the first Act before transferring her affections to vampy best friend Chris ( Deb Crump) in the second. It is a demanding task, Dave Crump as John, has the onerous job of garnering our sympathy and support in the first half sufficient that the goodwill spills over into the second despite his absence which he does powerfully and unostentatiously. Deb Crump adeptly handles her friends heartbreak and her errant son’s misbehaviour with engaging stoicism.
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Robyn Klein Christofells pouts and smoulders pleasingly and persuasively as a golfing toff femme fatale.Cora (Tina Romano), and Jessie (Alison Cahill ) offer powerful and essential support, not least with their own vocal slots.
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Director Dave Crump is sure footed and nimble keeping things light, but never flimsy. With a talented cast that sparkle with wit , warmth, and considerable vocal talent. The comedy is fully relaised but not at he expense of the sombre, reflective moments. His adroit handling of the the nude photo shoot itself is logistically brilliant fully utilising the digital wall operated by Dan Thompson. The wall itself ensures a limited set requirement providing an instant changing backdrop.
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Even a show about nudity requires clothes, and the costumes, are well chosen reflecting the lives and personalities of each character with attention paid to each cast members diverse choice shoes, a detail so often neglected in amateur productions.
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The uplifting finale song ‘Sunflowers of Yorkshire’, enables the show to conclude with a heart warming and uplifting ensemble number in a show which exudes warmth, wisdom and positivity. Runs until 11th May
Garyswordz 