REVIEW: Camelot at the Watermill Theatre

The Watermill has led the way with its short season of outdoor theatre in its delightful grounds. Following its tongue in cheek version of The Hound of the Baskerville, the artistic director, Paul Hart has directed a concert version of the 1960 musical Camelot by Lerner and Loewe with his usual trademark actor-musician casting. It is a simple but charmingly effective staging that showcases the fabulous score.

I am predisposed to enjoy the evening partly because of the warm welcome and consistently high standards the Watermill productions deliver but mainly as the show brings back strong memories of the 1982 production of Camelot with Richard Harris as Arthur and Fiona Fullerton as Guinevere at the Apollo Victoria, which remains one of my all-time favourite musical productions. Harris's powerful charismatic stage presence made up for his lack of singing voice and he rang every emotional response from his final rallying call to young Tom to carry the legend of the knights of the round table home.

Stand out Performances of 2018

2018 saw many kinds of theatre; ground breaking theatre like The Inheritance, gender swapping in Company, new musical theatre like Unexpected Joy at the Southwark, twisting and retelling of loved  shows like Little Shop of Horrors and revivals of classic like Pinter at the Pinter. Within that we have seen some incredible performances and we wanted to highlight some of our top performances of the year. What are yours?! 

Rosalie Craig in Company at the Gielgud Theatre

The first Female to tackle the role of Bobby (Or Bobbie in this adaptation) in Stephen Sondheim's Company, she succeeds in every way possible. She gives a real and genuine performance that is natural and precise, this role could have been written for her. Alongside one of the best ensemble of actors in the West End, she proves exactly why she is the true meaning of a Leading Lady. Company closes on the 30th March, so get down to see her quickly!

Marc Antolin in Little Shop of Horrors at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre

After seeing Marc in quite a few things over his career, we knew he was great but after seeing him as Seymour in Little Shop of Horrors over the summer at Regent's Park Open Air Theatre, we finally saw how truly versatile and brilliant he is as an actor. Maybe not the obvious choice for the role aesthetically but he was absolutely the perfect choice in this wonderful and ground breaking production.

THEN AND NOW: Little Shop of Horrors

Little Shop of Horrors opened at the Open Air Theatre, Regents Park in a production like we've never seen before. So as part of our new 'Then and Now' series we thought this show would be thee perfect one to kick things off. We decided to look back at the different productions we've been treated to over the years, both here and in the US. Take a look and share your favourite moments of the show with us on Twitter! @PocketSizeBlog #PocketThenNow

Seymour Krelborn

Lee Wilkof (1982), Hunter Foster (2003), Paul Keating (2006), Sam Lupton (2016) & Marc Antolin (2018)

Audrey 

Ellen Greene (1982), Kerry Butler (2003), Sheridan Smith (2006), Stephanie Clift (2016) & Jemima Rooper (2018)

REVIEW: The Flying Lovers of Vitebsk at Wilton's Music Hall

Picturesque visuals and evocative lighting offer a vivid portrayal of early modernist painter Marc Chagall (Marc Antolin) and his wife, Yiddish writer Bella Rosenfeld (Daisy Maywood). A white canvas, fragmented like the artist's famous stained windows, is used as a background for the gentle brushstrokes that, in the form of brightly coloured floodlights, are superimposed to create striking tableaux vivants.

The couple feature the same characteristic outfits of the many paintings where they're shown flying above fields and houses, propelled by a whirlwind love. A bright green blouse, worn over black trousers and white spats, and a floating black dress, adorned with white collar and cuffs.

Defying gravity, a sloped stage is surmounted by gnarled bare logs, from which hang ropes, flower pots, a small bell and a pendulum. The space is overloaded with props that pay tribute to the artist's most recognisable artworks, like a green cow and a colourful cockerel.

Shakespeare’s Globe announces full casting for Emma Rice's new musical Romantics Anonymous

Shakespeare’s Globe is delighted to announce the full cast of Romantics Anonymous, a new musical in the Sam Wanamaker Playhouse directed by Emma Rice, with book written by Emma Rice, lyrics by Christopher Dimond, and music by Michael Kooman, presented by special arrangement with Radio Mouse Entertainment. 

This funny, charming and awkward love story is adapted from the French-Belgian film Les Émotifs Anonymes written by Jean-Pierre Améris and Philippe Blasband. The musical follows Angélique, a gifted chocolate maker inhibited by social anxiety, and Jean-René, the awkward boss of a struggling chocolate factory, in an unusual and tender love story about finding the courage to be happy. Romantics Anonymous will be the final new production directed by Emma Rice as Artistic Director of the Globe. 

Carly Bawden will play the role of Angélique, having just appeared on The Globe stage as Maria in Emma Rice’s Twelfth Night earlier this summer. Carly’s other recent theatre credits include the role of Alice in Wonder.land (National Theatre), McQueen (Theatre Royal Haymarket), Assassins, Pippin (Menier Chocolate Factory), Dead Dog in a Suitcase and Other Love Songs, Tristan & Yseult, The Umbrellas of Cherbourg (Kneehigh) and My Fair Lady (Sheffield Crucible). Television includes Close to the Enemy (BBC).