Arts THEATRE REVIEW: The Kite Runner @Theatre Royal It’s a hard look at the chaos of the unleashing of hugely destructive violent social prejudice from the perspective of a small close nit family. Its use of personal catastrophe as an intersectional metaphor for national tragedy is relentless. It’s also a breathless, almost unbearable personal confe By Eric Page • 4 min read
Arts MUSIC REVIEW: Christmas Oratorio: BREMF This evening’s music was superb, it’s almost as if the BREMF was saving the best till last but this year’s programme has excelled in the quality of its music and tonight was no exception. John Hancorn conducted with a florid grace which kept the music tight and graceful while allowing the complex in By Eric Page • 3 min read
General News REVIEW: TALES IN MUSIC: THE PIGEON AND THE ALBATROSS: Little Baroque Company TALES IN MUSIC: THE PIGEON AND THE ALBATROSS Little Baroque Company The room was full of rows of expectant children and the parents in a semi circle everyone excited. The room was lovely and warm. The musicians were wearing feather wigs, bright colours, looking resplendent in their outfits and engag By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: ORFEO: BREMF Once again the Brighton Early Music Festival shows that you can take problematic and difficult pieces of early music and when stripped down and presented with care and consideration they can be allowed to shine and be appreciated for their own idiosyncratic, early charms. By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts REVIEW: Roots, Shoots and Celestial Flowers: BREMF The Soprano and two mezzos gave some sublime and subtle performances across the evening and I found myself floating off into the ethereal vaults more than once as their voices combined and entwined in perfect harmony and sored into blissfulness. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts OPERA REVIEW: The life to come by Fry & Mander it’s refreshing to listen to the voice of such a staunch eloquent atheist being applied to religious dogma and doggerel and the very real harm it has caused to the expression of love in all it’s infinite variety. It’s the first time in a long time when I’ve thought ‘you deserved that you sanctimo By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts REVIEW: The Real Thing @Theatre Royal Stoppard’s words fly around, they are funny and caustic, the actors obviously enjoy speaking them, even if the sentences are often more than a mouthful, the set piece speeches are entertaining and irritating, clever, deep and shallow and it’s all very showy and apparently entertaining on one level, By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Rodelinda @ENO This is one of the best productions of Rodelinda I’ve seen and the strong Welsh contingent gives it a real Celtic flavour and strength, it’s a three and half hour thumper of a piece and might run over, but for me it could have gone on twice as long and got me all the way home to Brighton in state of By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts REVIEW: An Audience with Armistead Maupin @Theatre Royal This was an unforgettable evening with the Tales of the City author celebrating the launch of his long-awaited memoir Logical Family. From his early life in the conservative South to liberal San Francisco, from his palm-reading Grannie to an awkward chat about girls with President Nixon, Armistead M By Eric Page • 3 min read
Arts REVIEW: PLAINSONG TO POLYPHONY: BREMF Music from the 12th to the 16th centuries culminating in the ultimate polyphonic work, Tallis’s 40-part motet Spem in alium this large gathering of voice had some gentle choreography added to explore the roots of polyphony in ancient chant melodies. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Orpheus Caledonius: BREMF This was a beguiling mix of the 18th century blending with contemporary Scottish folk singing and the talents of Miller and Ozmo which together brought us into a state of sublime simplicity, where the music and atmosphere transcended the event and took us to a very special pure space of perfection. By Eric Page • 2 min read
Arts BOOK REVIEW: A Marvellous Party by Ian Elmslie He shares his respect and joy of the Queer icons who have inspired him, and given him the strength to get through the the tough time, he shares the things he has learned and with insight and amusement and some honest passages that are heart-warming. By Eric Page • 2 min read
