Being Mr. Wickham ★★★★★ The Original Theatre Company (online) | Apr 30 - May 1, 2021


"What ever happened to...?" In this quite wonderful one-man show we catch up on the life of George Wickham, the charming scoundrel from Pride and Prejudice. George is turning sixty and reflects on his life. There are moments of self awareness, lots of self-justification and more than a little self-deception. How seriously one judges the man or how much his claims to have lived fully and survived charm you depends on the viewer. Adrian Lukis brilliantly creates a complex character who beguiles and bemuses. This is tour-de-force of acting and it is very ably supported by a strong script from Lukis and his collaborator, Catherine Curzon. Guy Unsworth deftly directs the production and Libby Watson's design is terrific. So many filmed stage productions seem unsatisfying and wooden because they are neither films nor theatre. But here, the piece successfully navigates the challenge, employing techniques from both genres and creating a hybrid that finally works. The lighting, sets and use of the Theatre Royal Bury St Edmunds venue absolutely delight as they both take one into a theatre and yet avoid the 'staginess' that undermines so many filmed theatrical productions. The current run for this piece is unfortunately short, but like Mr. Wickham we would be very happy to see it back!

Rated: ★★★★★

Reviewed by J.C.
Photo by James Findlay.

Want to save on tickets? See our Tips page

When, Where, Getting there:

Most Popular

Five Characters in Search of a Good Night’s Sleep ★★★★ Southwark Playhouse | Apr 27 - May 21, 2022

Image
The title says it all. These are five monologues delivered by characters who are apparently suffering from insomnia. They are five very different people, but they all endure the same malady and in doing so they have time to recount their memories, regrets, fears and aspirations. Helen (Sally Knyvette) is a middle class woman who is self-contained and house proud; Bill (Vincenzo Nicoli) is a gentle chef with a romantic nature; Hugo (Gary Lilburn) is an Irish sculptor who as a child was abandoned by his father; Terry (Geraldine Alexander) is a woman who has lost a child and is now a caregiver for her own mother; Harvey (Andrew Hawkins) is a left-wing teacher who has been sacked from his job. All of the characters have interesting stories and all of the actors do absolutely first rate jobs at bringing them to life. Indeed, the quality of the acting is what makes this an exceptional production. However for us, the writing and construction of the work did not always rise to the high standar
Full Details »

Future Shock ★★★★ 180 The Strand | Apr 28 - Aug 28, 2022

Image
Presented by Fact and 180 Studios this exhibition takes one into a series of immersive audio-visual experiences that question both reality and how we view it. The installations seek to blur the distinctions between the actual and the virtual, using AI, 3D digital mapping, lasers, holographic projections and some good old smoke and mirrors. The artists and collectives represented are creating situations which cause the viewer/participants to reconsider their relation to time and space and to re-evaluate the nature of their perception. With United Visual Artists' Vanishing Point 3:1 and Topologies , one is invited to participate in a surreal journey that both disorients and resituates. It is a profound and moving event. We also particularly liked Lawrence Lek's Theta . However, it's unfortunate that there is not a timed entry so that one experiences the narrative from the beginning. The works of Weirdcore and Nonotak, Subconscious and Daydream V.6 , also stood out for us a
Full Details »

Space Station Earth ★★★★ Royal Albert Hall | May 15, 2022

Image
Space Station Earth combines original music by Ilan Eshkeri with images from the International Space Station to create an experience that seeks to offer the audience a new perspective on our planet and our place in the universe. The concert is preceded by a discussion between the composer and British, European Space Agency (ESA) astronaut, Tim Peake. Peake talks about approaching Eshkeri with the idea for the project and about his own experiences travelling to the Space Station and living there. He does a terrific job of communicating his enthusiasm for space travel and for this collaborative effort which seeks to share that adventure. The concert itself strives to immerse the listener/spectator in the myriad of feelings provoked by a voyage into space. As Eshkeri notes "There are so many facts and figures about travelling to the International Space Station, but no one has ever told the emotional journey that astronauts go on." Eshkeri's lush and uplifting composition wh
Full Details »

Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show ★★★★★ Richmond Theatre | May 23 - 28, 2022

Image
If you've ever wondered about the appeal of this cult classic, the current production will definitely answer any questions!  Richard O'Brien's Rocky Horror Show is a manically delightful evening in the theatre. Ore Oduba and Haley Flaherty are simply perfect as the naïve young Brad and Janet whose car breaks down and who then stumble into a world of questionable pastimes and forbidden pleasures. Oduba's rendition of "Dammit Janet," supplemented by the obligatory audience commentary, sets the tone for a hilarious rollercoaster of a night. From that point on, we are off and running, and the pace never flags as the horror/science fiction narrative bewilders and bemuses. Some of the funniest ripostes come from the audience itself, but the Narrator, Philip Franks, contributes a superb commentary, laced with some pithy comments about the contemporary political situation, that adds to the mayhem. Lauren Ingram as Columbia does a quite brilliant comic mime, and Suzie
Full Details »

Busman's Honeymoon ★★★ The Mill at Sonning | Apr 28 - Jun 25, 2022

Image
The Mill at Sonning remains the perfect dinner theatre experience. The meal is always first rate and the setting is a positive delight. For a summer afternoon or evening out, this is a venue that always delivers a delightful break from the city while offering amazing value. The current production is Dorothy L. Sayers' final Lord Peter Wimsey mystery, Busman's Honeymoon . The perspicacious detective has finally married Harriet Vane, the love of his life, and they've purchased Talboys, a quiet country house in Hertfordshire. But, as it turns out the honeymoon hideaway is very far from providing a pastoral idyll. Murder is afoot and Wimsey is drawn into the proceedings. For lovers of the classic whodunit, the puzzle will definitely confound them as Wimsey declares the solution is to be found not in the "why" but in the "how" of the crime. Sayers' world and characters are studied, stylised creations and, by its very nature, the genre has a certain brittl
Full Details »

Bad Nights and Odd Days ★★★★ Greenwich Theatre | June 23 - July 10, 2021

Image
Bad Nights and Odd Days is a long evening of short plays. Dating from 1971 to 1980, the four fascinating pieces by Caryl Churchill are supremely well acted under James Haddrell's tight direction. In Seagulls , Churchill explores the effect of unwanted celebrity on the telekinetic Valerie who cannot cope with fame. This is an excellent portrayal from Kerrie Taylor. Put simply, Three More Sleepless Nights sees two couples suffering relationship turmoil. Churchill's signature overlapping dialogue appears here, and performers Paul McGann and, especially, Gracy Goldman excel; meanwhile, Dan Gaisford, as Pete, wibbles on about the plot of Alien seemingly unaware that Dawn (Verna Vyas) is disintegrating beside him. The third play, Abortive , doesn't quite delve deeply enough into its subject of abortion after rape, although McGann (Colin) and Taylor (Roz) again give outstanding performances. Finally, Not Not Not Not Not Enough Oxygen sees Churchill in an unusual foray into fut
Full Details »

What the Ladybird Heard ★★★★★ Palace Theatre | Jul 15 - Aug 29, 2021

Image
In What the Ladybird Heard Julia Donaldson demonstrates how to talk to children without talking down to them. This is an ingenious way of teaching small people how to connect animals to the noises they make. Aimed principally at three to five-year-olds, the picture-book farmyard set by Bek Palmer looks delightful, even managing to make the cavernous stage of the Palace Theatre seem intimate. We felt we had wandered onto Brookfield Farm in The Archers ! All the puppet-like animals were perfect, but we especially loved the dog made from broomsticks and the wobbly-legged foal. Led by Roddy Lynch's Farmer and with Nikita Johal as Lily, the four main performers have just the right touch. Matthew McPherson and James Mateo-Salt came into their own as the robbers; their routines were spot on and particularly amused the slightly older audience members – it has to be said that the very young ones lost a bit of interest during this scene. James, as the not very bright Lanky Len, was a partic
Full Details »

Shackleton's Carpenter, The Jermyn Street Theatre - ★★★★★ - Until August 17, 2019

Image
This is the story of a man in a desperate situation who speaks truth to power and who then wonders if he has been punished by a resolutely optimistic leader who brooks neither doubt nor opposition. It sounds like a question that might be facing many in our current political situation. Shackleton's Carpenter is also a tale which evokes Coleridge's ancient mariner who held his audience entranced by the horrific recounting of a disastrous voyage at sea. But political and literary allusions aside, this is ultimately an evening in which Malcolm Rennie brings to life Harry McNish, the carpenter on Sir Ernest Shackleton's fateful antarctic voyage of 1914. McNish's story has many resonances, but writer, Gail Louw, never allows them to overwhelm the reality of an ordinary sailor caught in extraordinary circumstances. Haunted by the ghosts of his past, by the disappointment that he was singled out not to receive the Polar Medal and by memories of the slaughter of his pet cat,
Full Details »

The Human Connection ★★★★ Omnibus Theatre | June 22 - July 4, 2021

Image
The Human Connection , a double bill by Eugene O'Hare, is not exactly well balanced. The first monologue ( Larry Devlin Wants to Talk to You About Something That Happened ) lasts around twenty minutes, whilst the second ( Child 786 ) is a two-hander running for over eighty minutes. For us, the first piece was much more impressive; it was considerably better written and superbly performed. Stephen Kennedy is in award-winning form as Larry. Standing alone in a pool of light, he nervously fiddles with his fingers and scratches his ear as he passionately recalls painful memories of hitting his eight-year-old son over twenty years ago. He gives a frightening and faultless performance. Perhaps, the writing, good as it is, lacks an overarching shape but it remains powerful stuff. Before a final shock, we suffer much of Larry's torment and heartbreak. This is spellbinding theatre! Child 786 left us with too many unanswered questions. O'Hare's take on the pandemic feels a littl
Full Details »

Disney's The Lion King ★★★★ Lyceum Theatre | Extended Run

Image
It is hard to believe that Disney's The Lion King has been running in the West End for over twenty years. It is certainly one of the company's best loved musical productions, and the audiences continue to fill the theatre. The tale of the lion cub, Simba, dealing with his own youthful shortcomings and overcoming the malevolence of his uncle, Scar, continues to resonate with audiences around the world. The narrative of the cub's growth to maturity and his assumption of his rightful place in the order of nature is brought to life by the extraordinary music and lyrics of Elton John and Tim Rice, and the ground-breaking costume and puppet design of Julie Taymor and Michael Curry. The scenic design of Richard Hudson is unforgettable and the opening sequence of the "Circle of Life" is positively awe-inspiring. The current cast with Thenjiwe Thendiva Nofemele as Rafiki, Shaun Escoffery as Mufasa, and George Asprey as Scar continue the strong tradition established by the
Full Details »

The City Life Magazine | Reviews & Ratings