United Kingdom Shakespeare, The Comedy of Errors: Royal Shakespeare Company. Barbican Theatre, London, 23.11.2021. (CS)
Free-wheeling farce and fun: The RSC’s The Comedy of Errors at the Barbican Theatre
Theatre
Dial M for Murder shows its age, but Christopher Harper’s Columbo-like Inspector steals the show
United Kingdom Frederick Knott’s Dial M for Murder: Palace Theatre, Westcliff-on-Sea, Essex, 9.11.2021. (JPr)
Superb acting and singing as Phil Willmott and John Robinson mine a musical out of Lady Chatterley’s Lover
United Kingdom Lady Chatterley’s Lover: a musical adaptation of the novel by D.H. Lawrence from Phil Willmott (book), John Robinson (music and lyrics), Mark Anderson (additional lyrics) and Bjorn Dobbelaere (orchestrations). Filmed at London’s Shaftesbury Theatre in June 2021 and available from 15 October to 21 November 2021 on Stream.Theatre. (JPr)
Superb performances are a feature of National Theatre’s lockdown Romeo & Juliet as it comes to the big screen
United Kingdom National Theatre Live (p)review – Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet: Filmed (directed by Simon Godwin) in the National Theatre’s Lyttelton Theatre in December 2020 and reviewed on Sky Arts. (JPr)
Marc Neikrug explores love and loss in A Song for Mahler at Chamber Music Northwest’s Summer Festival
United States Neikrug, A Song for Mahler: Jennifer Johnson Cano (mezzo-soprano), Kelly Markgraf (baritone), David Shifrin (clarinet), FLUX Quartet. Chamber Music Northwest, Reed College, Portland, Oregon, 6.7.2021. (Available for streaming through 31.8.2021 on 2021 AT-HOME Festival). (RP)
Dorian: A Rock Musical has some impressive moments but doesn’t exactly come of age
United Kingdom Dorian: A Rock Musical (based on Oscar Wilde’s The Picture of Dorian Gray): Filmed (directed by Julia Froud) in June 2021 and streaming from 16.7. to 12.8.2021 on Stream.Theatre (click here). (JPr)
Mike Bartlett’s challenging Contractions got a mesmeric, triumphant production from whatstick theatre
United Kingdom Mark Bartlett’s Contractions: Filmed by Jessye Curtis and Alexander Masika-Ferguson (edited by Kai Cook) at the Etcetera Theatre, Camden, in June 2021 and reviewed when streamed on 4.7.2021. (JPr)
Back to the future, music sets sail in Plymouth on the good ship Mayflower
United Kingdom Jane O’Leary and Jonathan Dawe: Erika Baikoff (soprano), Timothy Nelson (baritone), Plymouth Performing Arts Academy Junior Chorus. Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra’s Kokoro Ensemble / Mark Forkgen (conductor). Theatre Royal Plymouth, 4.6.2021. (PRB)
Mark Forkgen (bottom right) (c) Philip R Buttall