Sister Mary Ignatius Explains it all for You


Intuition tells you straight away that anything from a company called Farr Out & Luckybitch Productions is bound to be a tad unusual. Thankfully, that is the case here where, once a reverential hush has decended on this tiny space, Valerie Farr as the Sister Mary in question holds court on what makes the religious world tick - at least according to her unforgiving doctrine. Serene, then suddenly ranting and raving and with a face that could curdle milk at a hundred yards, Farr gives an impressive performance, one minute comical, the next quite terrifying as she lays down her rules as to how people should lead their lives. Sex, she says, is for procreation not recreation. And that is just for starters. All the time, her young pupil Thomas, played with confident choirboy charm by Thomas Knight, hangs on her every word. It is not long, of course, before everything unravels, courtesy of four returning old students of Sister Mary. Having staged a truly Pythonesque reconstruction of the life and death of Christ - complete with ludicrous comedy camel - it emerges they are actually intent on revenge, for the long- term effects her strict teachings wreaked on them. Diane's tale of rape and subsequent abortion brings a highly-charged and passionate moment from Malanie Bond. Devout believers, of course, would do well to stay away - for the sound you imagined hearing at the end was that of Mary Whitehouse turning in her grave faster than a spin drier. As reviewed by Derek Smith for 'The Stage' on 26 June 2003 (page 10)
OFFICIAL REVIEWS

The Snowman


As escapist fantasies go, Raymond Briggs' book is a perfect seasonal treat for children. It's now developed into something of a colourful Christmas institution as this musical adaptation returns for a 6th year at the Peacock theatre. A boy embarks on a magical adventure with his snowman, the pair venturing to the North Pole for some festive frolics before returning home in time for Christmas morning. Containing all the right ingredients to delight the under sixes, the show's big pluses are Paul Clarke's delightfully bumbling Snowman and Thomas Knight's terrific performance as the boy. He projects complete ease on stage and is thoroughly persua sive as a child given his own glimpse of a magical winter wonderland. Whether dancing with a pineapple from the fridge, seeing his hands turn into icicles at the kitchen sink or merrily waltzing with a penguin, Clarke's Snowman is equally impressive. Some of Bill Alexander's sequences are a trifle over-sentimental and the enchantment factor wavers but the show does possess genuinely uplifting moments such as the delightful flight to the strains of "Walking in the Air" which concludes the first half. At the very end the boy discovers that his snowman has melted in the morning sun but then it begins to snow afresh; it's the perfect metaphor for the show itself as any disappointment is compensated for with glimpses of real charm . Reviewed by Amanda Hodges  http://www.londontheatre.co.uk/amandahodges/reviews/snowman03.htm

Having been a huge fan of the film, the concept of the Full Monty on stage was going to be an exciting, albeit difficult one.
I don't know why I was surprised when the theatre foyer was filled with large groups of women and only a handful of men, considering the show is about male strippers. My fears were confirmed when the opening scene greeted us with a male "hunk" thrusting his bits at the audience who where whooping and screaming. I suppose there is a need for realism.
After the scene had been set, and the scenes were simply but effectively set, I had to come to terms with the fact that we were in Buffalo and not Sheffield and for me, the American twang could not compete with the grittiness of a Yorkshire working class accent.
The women in the cast came across stronger than the men, with the exception of Dave, "the fat b*stard" played by Sion Lloyd, who was fantastic, with a great voice and emotional performance. For me, he stole the show . The part of Nathan was played by Tommy Knight and he gave a very impressive performance, particularly with the horrified face he held for several minutes as Ethan drops his pants to the audition panel.
 The relationship between Jerry and Nathan seemed to lack emotional attachment, compared to the film, but then again, Robert Carlisle is a hard act to follow. The dance scenes were excellent with a very humorous routine from Horse and clever choreography to adapt basketball moves into dance.
The first half felt slightly too long with some of the scenes having a dip in energy, but overall the show was very entertaining and funny with a tendency to lean towards a female audience. The show built to an exciting ending and held the atmosphere of a club.

You won't leave singing the songs, but you will leave with a smile on your face. http://www.bbc.co.uk/kent/stage/your_reviews.shtml#monty

The Full Monty