Arts REVIEW: The Crucible@Theatre Royal This is a truly magnificent production of a twentieth-century classic; its three hours seem to pass in a blink of an eye as director Douglas Rintoul expertly paces the play so that, in places, it has the heart-pounding intensity of a thriller. It’s also an exploration of moral corruption and decency By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: A Chorus Line@ The Old Market This 1970s’ take on the putting-on-a-musical musical has a central premise fitting for its time: the audition as therapy. Seventeen would-be hoofers are trying for a part in a big Broadway show whose director (Louis Livesey-Clare) seems as interested in their souls as their dancing skills. If the da By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Thoroughly Modern Millie@Theatre Royal Based on the 1967 film, Thoroughly Modern Millie is a frothy, souffle-light musical comedy about sex trafficking. Having written that sentence I’m beginning to doubt my sanity but yes, it centres on an evil hotel owner (Lucas Rush) who kidnaps young women to sell them into the ‘depravity and licenti By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Out of Order@Theatre Royal Ray Cooney’s 1990 comedy is standard issue farce: it’s basically ladies in negligees being shoved into cupboards. Not that there’s anything intrinsically wrong with this, it’s just that Out of Order doesn’t have the charm of a Boeing Boeing, the wit of a Relatively Speaking or the genius plotting of By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
News REVIEW: Not Dead Enough: Theatre Royal In twenty-five years’ of theatregoing you tend to forget things. How many Hamlets have I seen? I’ve certainly seen two Hedda Gablers. Or was it a Hedda and a Miss Julie? Whatever happens I can’t imagine ever forgetting this production of Not Dead Enough. In its own way it was one of the most strikin By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Sunny Afternoon@Theatre Royal Due to my confusion over ‘60s summertime hits I had the vague idea this was a musical celebrating the life and work of Mungo Jerry. Luckily it turns out that Sunny Afternoon is actually based on the far superior back catalogue of the Kinks. By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Blood Brothers: Theatre Royal Having seen it a number of times, I’m always impressed how Willy Russell’s musical is always a brilliantly captivating experience despite its potential drawbacks. Its songs aren’t exactly great – though Marilyn Monroe and Tell Me It’s Not True always hit the mark; its plot is slightly contrived and By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: The Boys in the Band: Theatre Royal Political criticism has dogged Mart Crowley’s 1969 play from the start. Its portrayal of a group of bitchy, self-hating queens has never been on-message as far as the gay rights movement is concerned. It’s the perennial problem with gays – or any minority – that their portrayal could be seen as pres By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Alan Cumming Sings Sappy Songs: The Dome Early on in the show Cumming invites us to ‘open your heart and take off your judgey hat’ – complete anathema to a critic – yet by the close my heart was indeed filled with no small measure of love for my fellow man, and my ‘judgey hat’ (a fur-lined fedora if you must know) had been tossed recklessl By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street at 88 London Road This is a spirited version of Stephen Sondheim’s musical of murder, revenge and madness. It has some very good performances, it’s well paced, finely costumed and designed, and, apart from problems with the acoustics – words are often drowned out by the band which is a shame as Sondheim is such a sup By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Relatively Speaking: Theatre Royal Alan Ayckbourn’s 1967 play takes a deceptively simple idea, stretches to what seems like breaking point, and then incredibly takes it further. By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
Arts REVIEW: Brighton Festival: Stella Neil Bartlett’s two-hander (technically a three-hander) is a complex meditation on gender and identity. It’s based on the life of Victorian cross-dresser Stella (born Ernest) Boulton who survived a scandalous court case and went on to have a successful career as a female impersonator. By Michael Hootman • 2 min read
