THEGAYUK

Tag: Theatre Tour

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Little Shop of Horrors – Sheffield Theatres and National Tour

    ★★★★| Life isn’t so great at the Mushnik Flower shop down on Skid Row. Mr Mushnik is on the verge of closing his shop, Audrey is dating a semi-sadist dentist and Seymour’s crush on Audrey is going nowhere. But with the arrival of a strange and interesting new plant, things start to change, especially when Seymour realises that the plant, Audrey II, has a taste for human blood. As things start to look up at the flower shop, Audrey II gets bigger and bigger, as does the list of missing people.

    Photo Credit – Matt Martin Photography

    Written by Howard Ashman and Alan Menken, the songwriting partnership behind some of the biggest Disney films, including The Little Mermaid and Beauty and the Beast, Little Shop of Horrors crams in the musical numbers, including “Somewhere That’s Green”, “Suddenly Seymour” and the title track “Little Shop of Horrors”. With a flavour of do-wop, funk and Motown running through it (even including a down on their luck version of The Supremes); and a bouncy and animated feel to the whole thing, this show is tremendous, kooky fun.

    Sam Lupton excelled as Seymour, with a strong, natural vocal performance and a geeky clumsiness; as did Stephanie Clift as Audrey, bringing out the optimistic side of her character whilst maintain her vulnerability. The two leads gel together perfectly, especially with their show-stopping rendition of “Suddenly Seymour” and they are an absolute delight to watch. Romantic leads as good as these two are few and far between. Rounding off the main cast was Rhydian, who played the “slightly” manic dentist, Orin, with enough gusto to keep it his performance just on the right side of caricature, and with his strong operatic voice lending itself to his big number very well. However, the star of the show was Audrey II, the giant plant, who grows and grows and becomes more animated as the story progresses.

    This touring production boasts a thoroughly detailed and well-designed set, with a cartoonish feel and an eye for detail. Add to that some clear, crisp and perfectly balanced audio, an effective lighting design and an all-round top notch cast and you have an impressive show which is highly polished.

    Little Shop of Horrors has gained a cult following over the years and it is easy to see why. At the heart of it is a love story about a guy who will do anything to get the girl of his dreams. The songs are catchy and feel instantly familiar, the story is undemanding, and the script has plenty of moments to make you laugh.

    With a healthy nod to 1950’s B-Movies and a musical mish-mash of styles with everything from Motown to Yiddish Folk Music thrown in there, Little Shop of Horrors is a cracking musical comedy which is pure escapist fun.

    Little Shop of Horrors is currently on national tour and details can be found on their website at www.littleshopuktour.com. The show was reviewed at Sheffield Theatres, whose upcoming production of Everyone’s Talking About Jamie opens soon (https://www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk/whats-on/everybodystalking-jamie)

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Ballet Black Triple Bill – CAST Theatre and National Tour

    ★★★★ | Comprising of a trio of pieces, this mixed programme from Ballet Black combines abstract dance, drama, passion and narrative storytelling in a triple bill of short pieces which amounts to a stunning evening of dance.

    Photo Credit – Bill Cooper

    The piece opened with Cristaux, an abstract piece centring on the beauty of crystals and how mesmerising they can be. The piece was performed by Cira Robinson and Mthbuthuzeli November, who both carried precision, synchronicity and poise in their movement. Robinson’s costume was beautifully decorated with 1500 Swarovski crystals, which glistened in the light as the pair traversed the stage.  Despite the quality of the choreography and performance, this was the weakest of the three pieces, primarily as a result of its soundtrack comprising of tinny bells ringing in a mish-mash of patterns. Despite sitting well with the theme of the piece, the composition held the piece back, which is unfortunate for something which otherwise had a lot for it.

    The second piece, To Begin, Begin was choreographed by Christopher Marney, a former performer with Matthew Bourne’s New Adventures. Warming the stage with subtle lighting comprising of hues of blue and orange; and accompanied by gentile compositions of swathing strings and piano, this piece had a warm, dreamlike quality to it which felt comforting and familiar. The second abstract piece of the evening had a more contemporary slant to it, and knitted together both the traditional and modern movements beautifully; and kept building the momentum with the music and movement. To Begin, Begin was evocative, atmospheric and utterly absorbing.

    Rounding off the programme was Storyville, a narrative driven piece choreographed by Christopher Hampson. Set in 1915, the ballet tells the tale of a young girl who finds herself working in an infamous dancehall in the red light district in New Orleans. Taken advantage of because of her youth and innocence, her spiral into self-destruction cannot be halted, even by a young sailor that she falls in love with. Brimming with passion and sadness, this piece had a clear narrative relayed by well-defined characters. Added into that was a collection of music which was evocative of the time period of the setting and a subtle undertone of fears of voodoo and black magic, reflective of the culture of New Orleans; which both added gravitas to the piece.  Storyville rounded off the evening perfectly.

    Having never seen this company before, for me, the triple bill was a fascinating insight into the company and an impressive taster of what Ballet Black has to offer, leaving me keen to see more from them.  With a consistency of quality, precision and emotion running through the three pieces and with their impressive choreography and presentation, Ballet Black is thoroughly recommended.

    Ballet Black is currently on tour across the UK. Details of the company can be found at www.balletblack.co.uk . Ballet Black were seen at CAST Theatre, Doncaster, who have a variety of art, dance, performance and shows, from West End shows to world premieres, in their upcoming season. Details can be found at www.castindoncaster.com

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | The Woman In Black – West Yorkshire Playhouse & National Tour

    THEATRE REVIEW | The Woman In Black – West Yorkshire Playhouse & National Tour

    ★★★★ | Set in an old theatre in the late 1950’s, a solicitor, Arthur Kipps, enlists the assistance of a young actor to tell his story. His tale revolves around a terrifying incident when he was younger, when he travelled to Eel Marsh House to settle the estate of a long standing deceased client. Initially finding a conspiracy of secrecy from the locals, he makes his way across the Nine Lives Causeway, which is cut off at high tide. Alone in the mansion, he is plagued by the sound of a pony and trap, an unexplained banging noise and a door which appears to be locked from the inside. What secrets does the estate hold? What lurks in the swirling mist…? And who is the woman in black he keeps seeing?

    Photo Credit - Tristram Kenton (PR supplied Photograph)
    Photo Credit – Tristram Kenton (PR supplied Photograph)

    This chilling and effective ghost story is beautifully crafted and uses simple techniques to create a very taught atmosphere in the theatre. The lighting design in particular was incredibly well done – who would have thought that a dark stage with just a door highlighted would draw worried mumblings from those around you?

    The production slowly cranks up the tension, which quite literally draws you to the edge of your seat and then throws you back into it with “cattle prod” jolts that elicited genuine screams of fright from the audience. The narrative of the piece draws you in; and the production avoids spoon feeding you the story, leaving you as the audience to create your own horrors in your imagination. The set, staging and props were remarkably effective in their simplicity and created an atmosphere where you held your breath with the central character as he explored the darkness. Setting the show in a theatre made you feel very much part of the story and the dark atmosphere and low level lighting only add to the gloominess and intimacy of the piece.

    The performances from the two leads were both very good, with Matthew Spencer playing the part of The Actor and Young Kipps, and David Acton providing the elderly Kipps and the other characters he comes across. It’s a production which shows just how effective a simply staged double hander could be; and the way in which the audience is manipulated via the events unfolding on stage is testament to the quality of writing behind the show.

    This show is faithful to its original source material, the book by Susan Hill, rather than the 2012 film; and The Woman In Black is well crafted fireside ghost story which proves that there is more to what is unseen than what is seen. This show is a chilling pre-Halloween treat and a perfect way to spend a dark, stormy winter evening.

    The Woman In Black is currently at West Yorkshire Playhouse until 29th October 2016 (www.wyp.org.uk) before continuing on its national tour until June 2017 (http://www.thewomaninblack.com/).

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Sunny Afternoon – Sheffield Lyceum Theatre & National Tour

    ★★★ | Sunny Afternoon

    In this musical biopic, the swinging sixties are brought back to life as Sunny Afternoon tells the story of the early days of the classic British band, The Kinks, as they fight with their management and with each other on the road to fame. Featuring a slew of classic songs, including “Waterloo Sunset“, “You Really Got Me”, “Lola”, “Dedicated Follower of Fashion” and “Sunny Afternoon”, the show charts the on-stage antics, backroom bickering and personal lives of one of Britain’s seminal rock and roll bands.

    Picture Credit : Kevin Cummins

    Whilst the production gives a flavour of the band’s history, the narrative is stripped back to allow for the soundtrack to take pride of place. The show never really provides any detailed  or thorough insight into the band, their relationships or into the music industry of the 60s, but instead offers a show brimming with musical numbers which sit fairly comfortably within the story and remind you just how many great songs the band have done. The musical numbers veer from the tender ballads to some raw and energetic performances, with one of the musical highlights of the show being an acapella version of “Days“.

    Using a wall of speakers, the recording studio style set was visually striking; and a runway from the stage leading out into the audience added gravitas to the concert style feel of the piece and drew the audience in. The costumes accurately reflected the stunning sixties style and period detail littered the set; whilst the lighting design fitted the bill without ever being intrusive.

    Ryan O’Donnell provided a charismatic performance as Ray Davies, bringing with it an air of a thoughtful, reflective and somewhat fame-resistant individual to whom music was the most important thing, which was juxtaposed nicely with Mark Newnham’s confident performance as pill popping, hard drinking and cross-dressing Dave Davies. But what impressed most was the musical talent on display with the cast playing a variety of musical instruments; and in a play which holds the musical numbers out as its key feature, live performances like these really bring the show to life.

    Sunny Afternoon presents as a nostalgic slice of the sixties which benefits from a soundtrack comprising of more hits from the band than you thought you knew; and an interesting, if light, insight into the band which helped define the era.

    Sunny Afternoon is currently on tour around the UK until May 2017 (visit www.sunnyafternoonthemusical.com for details) and is currently playing at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until 29th October 2016.

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Breakfast At Tiffany’s – Sheffield Theatres and National Tour

    ★★ | Based on the classic novel by Truman Capote; which was famously immortalised on the big screen by the 1961 film, Breakfast at Tiffany’s tells the story of an unnamed writer’s obsession with his faux-socialite neighbour, Holly Golightly, as she optimistically flirts, romances and blags her way through life via a series of romantic interludes with a number of well to do men.

    Photo Credit – Sean Ebsworth Barnes

    Based more on the book than on the film, this adaptation by Richard Greenberg has its moments. Firstly, the script, whilst wordy, carries with it an essence of Capote’s work, with rhythmically delivered passages of lengthy text which maintain the feeling of a novella rather than a play. Returning the time frame to the original 1940’s setting, the costumes were both glamorous, and, in the case of Holly Golightly, numerous. The set design was beautifully done, sturdily constructed, versatile and filled with period detail; and the lighting design by Ben Cracknell effectively transported the audience between New York downpours and hazy summer days.

    Matt Barber (Downton Abbey) delivers his role as Fred with enthusiasm and an element of innocence as his character falls for his neighbour’s charms; despite the hint of Fred’s closeted homosexuality running through the piece. Georgia May Foote (Coronation Street) is functional and steady as Holly Golightly. Stepping into such an iconic role was always going to be a tough call for any actress and Foote holds her own, never really excelling, but never falling flat either, although she doesn’t quite pull off the charisma and allure of the character entirely.

    The difficulty with this production is that is it, sadly, just plain dull. Golightly comes across as a self-absorbed, egocentric and, quite frankly, dislikeable character, which makes you wonder just why anyone would become so infatuated with someone so narcissistic. The play is heavy, slow going and overlong, which lacks any of the whimsical lightness and charm of the film version; and whilst the play is more reliant on the novella than the film, comparisons are unavoidable. The pacing and momentum of the piece is patchy; it is clumsy at times, there are a number of unnecessarily loud and messy scenes filled with a variety of unlikeable characters; and the audience warmed more to the scene stealing cat, Bob, than most of the actors on stage.

    For those enamoured with the book, this is a relatively good adaptation, and they will not doubt find much to enjoy within this production, which is a grittier and darker adaptation in keeping with Capote’s writing. For those who are smitten with the film, and despite the publicity shots for the play which are tantalisingly reminiscent of the iconic imagery associated with the movie, there is likely to be some disappointment.

    Breakfast at Tiffany’s is on national tour (see www.breakfastattiffanys.co.uk/ for details) and is currently playing at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until 22nd October 2016.

     

  • Theatre Review | Northern Ballet’s Romeo And Juliet – National Tour

    Theatre Review | Northern Ballet’s Romeo And Juliet – National Tour

    ★★★★ | Northern Ballet’s Romeo And Juliet

    Set in 14th century Verona, the rivalries between two families, the Montagues and the Capulets, are intensified when Romeo and Juliet fall for each other. But coming from rival families means that their love faces insurmountable odds, and when the conflict escalates after a street fight ends in bloodshed, with Romeo killing Juliet’s brother, a chain of tragic events is set in motion, as the lovers try to escape the confines of their family loyalties.

    Photo Credit - Andy Ross
    Photo Credit – Andy Ross

    Departing from their signature style, Northern Ballet presents a piece which is stripped back to the absolute minimum. Set against a purely white backdrop of linear shaped screens, splashed only with the occasional coloured lighting wash, the minimalist presentation and lack of any real set, props or backdrops only served to focus the audience’s attention to the frenetic, visceral and energetic choreography and performances. With no smoke and mirrors to hide behind, choreographer Jean-Christophe Maillot lays his work bare on the stage, and this move pays off, providing an incredibly fresh and thoroughly contemporary piece of dance. The choreography encompasses the romantic, the dramatic and the passionate; and the whole thing is dotted with the occasional pieces of humour, which helps to provide respite from the dramatic mood slightly. The costumes, with a hint of John Paul Gautier running through them, stand out from the white background to easily define the family loyalty of each character, and the use of a contrasting colour palette (predominantly cream and black) mirrors the themes which underpin the story; love and rivalry; comedy and tragedy; life and death.

    Most notable amongst the slew of energetic performances was Javier Torres as Tybalt, who portrayed his character with a bullish arrogance. There was also a noteworthy and incredibly supple performance from Mlindi Kulashe as the priest tortured by his own guilt.  The cast’s performances were tightly in unison and technically impressive, in particular, the Dance of the Knights, which was an exciting set piece performed with precision moves and breakneck speed.

    Romeo and Juliet is wholly reliant on its performances and choreography, which does not disappoint. Overall, the show has more of a feeling of modern dance than traditional ballet, but this does not detract from the skill of the performers or from the sheer spectacle of the edgy, angular and visually striking set pieces which are juxtaposed against the traditional score by Prokofiev in a clash of modern and traditional.

    Romeo & Juliet is currently playing at Sheffield Lyceum (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) until Saturday 17th September, before continuing its national tour. Northern Ballet will be continuing to tour throughout the UK this year with a variety of productions, including Romeo and Juliet, Wuthering Heights and Beauty and the Beast. Visit the company’s website at www.northernballet.com for full details.

  • Theatre Review | The Rocky Horror Show

    ★★★★ | The Rocky Horror Show takes the audience on a strange journey, as Brad and Janet, two ordinary high school kids, have a little car trouble and end up at the castle of Frank-N-Furter; a cross dressing scientist cum force of nature, on the evening that he is to bring his Frankenstein-esque playmate, complete with “dark hair and a tan” to life. Featuring the songs The Time Warp, Sweet Transvestite, Science Fiction/Double Feature, I’m Going Home and Dammit, Janet;  will things ever be the same for our two high school sweethearts?

    Photo Credit – Sean Webb

    The role of Frank-N-Furter is so iconic, that you need a larger than life personality to fill the fishnets, and Liam Tamne does a great job blending Frank’s camptastic alluring persona whilst maintaining an underlying gruffness in his vocal performance of the songs, whilst Richard Meek excelled as Brad, particularly in his rendition of Once In A While. Dominic Andersen was the personification of perfection as he filled out the gold hot pants of Rocky, and Norman Pace (of Hale and Pace fame) traded quips with the audience as the Narrator. Sadly, Kristian Lavercombe was a slightly too shouty Riff Raff and Paul Cattermole (S Club 7) was nothing more than functional as Eddie/Dr Scott.

    Rocky Horror is presented here in all its gloriously loud, brash, colourful, neon Day-Glo garishness, with a set which looks luxurious and holds an almost cartoon-like feel to it; all accompanied by an excellent lighting design by Nick Richings which flooded the stage in reds, greens and purples, and some steady direction by Christopher Luscombe. But within that polished veneer, it loses some of the darker undertones of the piece, leaving it with a slight hint of almost being a caricature of itself. The slight stumbling block of this production is that, ironically, it is done so well.

    But that said, the show is a phenomenon, and the atmosphere at any Rocky Horror performance is one which has to be experienced. This production is a fresh take on a classic show and one which engages the audience like no other. So pull on your fishnet stockings, warm up your vocal chords and go and “give yourself over to absolute pleasure”.

    The Rocky Horror Show is at Sheffield Lyceum (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk), who has just launched their new season, until Saturday 25th June 2016 before continuing on its national tour until the end of the year. See www.rockyhorror.co.uk  for full details.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Chicago – Lyceum Theatre & National Tour

    THEATRE REVIEW | Chicago – Lyceum Theatre & National Tour

    Set in the prohibition era, Chicago tells the story of Roxie Hart, who shoots her lover and finds herself of death row; alongside Vaudeville star Velma Kelly. Enter slick lawyer and media manipulator, Billy Flynn, who takes on Roxie’s case and simultaneously pushes Velma out of the headlines. As the two women catfight for the spotlight, the dirty tricks and rivalry escalate as each try to ensure that they make the front page. ★★★★

    Photo Credit - Catherine Ashmore
    Photo Credit – Catherine Ashore

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  • Theatre Review | Dancing In The Streets – Sheffield Theatres & National Tour

    ★★★ | Dancing In The Streets

    Mowtown magic lives on in this musical revue, pulling together the classic artists, the timeless songs and the sound which defined a generation with an unmistakable musical legacy.  Featuring songs from The Temptations, The Four Tops, Martha Reeves, Diana Ross and the Supremes, Lionel Richie and Stevie Wonder; seven singers and a live band bring to life the golden days of Tamla records.

    Photo Courtesy of The Flying Music Company Ltd.

    Musical revues can often come across as slightly polished cruise ship cabaret and their success rests primarily on their subject matter rather than the way in which they are put together. Production wise, one would be hard pressed to find very much to sing about with this show, with nothing more than a static set made up of a handful of podiums for the backing band, three posters of legendary artists, an average lighting set up and a collection of microphone stands. The costumes are functional but nothing spectacular and overall, the whole show remained on a plateau in terms of pace and presentation. There is no narrative, just a relentless set list to carry the show over its two hour running time.

    But it is that set list which really scores the points for this production, with songs including “Superstitious”, “Stop In The Name Of Love”, “Baby Love”, “Reach Out, I’ll Be There”, “My Girl”, “Dancing in the Streets”, “The Tracks Of My Tears”, “Get Ready”, “River Deep Mountain High” and “Ain’t No Mountain High Enough”, the show certainly crams in the classics.  Performed by a five piece band, three female singers and four male singers, the vocals were perfectly functional, with all of the singers taking turns to step into the limelight, and each of them finding their niche with a particular song or two. But where the show succeeds is in getting the audience involved. From the outset, audience members were encouraged to dance, clap, sing and shout throughout the proceedings, and the audience certainly took advantage, barely sitting down for the majority of the show and quite literally packing out the aisles in the theatre as they danced.

    When you compare this show to others similar revues, such as Thriller Live which has the hits coupled with some slickly choreographed routines, Dancing in the Streets is lacking in spectacle and, quite honestly, is visually rather bland. But what it lacks in spectacle, it makes up for in energy and atmosphere.

    So put on your dancing shoes; and provided you go and see this show for the music and the party atmosphere, and not for the production values, then you are highly likely to have an enjoyable night.

    Dancing In The Streets is currently on tour throughout the UK until 19th June 2016. For details, see http://www.flyingmusic.com/our-shows/dancing-in-the-streets/ .The production was viewed at Sheffield Theatres (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) who have announced their new season, including Lady Chatterley’s Lover, Annie Get Your Gun, The Shawshank Redemption and Everybody’s Talking About Jamie.

  • Theatre Review | Priscillia – Queen of the Desert – National Tour

    ★★★★ Priscilla Queen of the Desert | In this joyous musical based on the cult film of the same name, three drag queens “unplug their curling wands and go bush” to travel across the outback; as they bitch, bicker and laugh their way across the desert en route to a show in a casino in Alice Springs.

    The trio continuously ensure that they are looking their best whilst “dressing up in women’s clothing and mouthing the words to other people’s songs” as they fall in love, cement their friendship and learn about life on the way to the show of their lives.

    Following the story of the cult film fairly closely (albeit it with some minor changes) it was a show which is unashamedly flamboyant. The show uses a combination of gay club disco classics, including “I Will Survive”, “I Love the Nightlife”, “Go West” and “Finally”, meaning that the whole audience were clapping, cheering and laughing from the moment the curtain went up.

    In terms of the cast, Jason Donvan was functional as Tick, and poked a little fun at his Neighbours days, but played the part with a little bit too much camp, watering down the interplay between the straight laced Tick and outrageous Adam, whereas Simon Green filled the stiletto’s of Bernadette perfectly, with a rounded, character filled performance. The supporting cast were, as you would expect, ludicrously attractive and threw themselves into the musical numbers with energy and gusto.

    The whole thing was colourful, exuberant and thoroughly entertaining with a sharp, funny script, including many of the quotable lines from the movie and all of the characters  that you know and love from the film (including good ol’ Shirl). But where the show really came into its own was in the musical numbers, taking some from the film and adding some new ones just for the show. The routines were over the top, bold, brassy and ballsy, with costumes to match (flip flop dress, anyone?). Everything from dancing paintbrushes, lizards, Marie Antoinette’s, Ostriches and scantily clad, leather wearing dancers were all on stage in a dazzling spectacular.

    If you haven’t seen the show, then go and treat yourself. If you have, then go again, even if it is to spot a few changes in the production this time around, (although not all of them work – especially ditching It’s Raining Men as the opening number). There is an underlying message of acceptance in society and strength in friendship underneath it all, but it is smothered in a thick layer of campness and kitch which plants the show firmly in realms of the feelgood musical.

    Overall, this was a really great, fun show and a piece of feel-good, uplifting and ultimately heart-warming theatre which has its tongue firmly lodged in its cheek. It’s a real feast for the eyes, the ears, the heart, the soul and the funny bone.

    Priscilla is currently at Sheffield Lyceum Theatre until May 28th 2016 (www.sheffieldtheatres.co.uk) before continuing on it’s national tour. See www.priscillathemusical.com for details.

     

  • THEATRE REVIEW | Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    ★★★ |  Northern Ballet’s Jane Eyre

    In an adaptation of Charlotte Bronte’s iconic novel, Jane Eyre is an orphan who is treated cruelly by her Aunt and sent to an institute for young girls. From there, she moves to work at Thornfield Manor as a governess and swiftly falls in love with her employer, Mr Rochester. But the Manor House harbours dark secrets, and as their love grows, Jane’s independence and fiery temperament surfaces as those secrets are revealed.

    Trying to cram the complex and multi-layered classic novel into a 100 minute ballet was always going to be a difficult challenge, and one which choreographer Cathy Marson takes on with confidence.  The staging of the ballet itself is inventive, with the use of curtains which are moved and positioned across the stage to effectively and cleverly convey both the confines of Thornfield Manor House and the sweeping moors.

    At times the choreography was beautifully done, leaning far more towards the contemporary rather than the traditional, with a lot of delicate lifts, floor work and precise movement, contrasting moments of tender intimacy with complex ensemble pieces. Both Dreda Blow and Javier Torres’ performances were more than noteworthy and displayed their professional competence; whilst overall, the supporting company’s movements were of their usual high quality.

    Whilst the technical excellence of the company meant foot sure and stumble-free performances, the production did falter slightly over the issues of narrative and characterisation. The novel itself portrays so many aspects of Jane’s life, and the ballet hits most of the significant events, but with so much to cover within so little time, the narrative felt rushed, superficial and unclear; whereas the characterisations were not as clearly defined as one would hope, leading to further confusion.

    Overall, adapting Jaye Eyre is a huge task and one which is beautifully staged and performed, but the juxtaposition of the contemporary dance and the period setting, coupled with the rushed narrative amounts to a production which is enjoyable, but doesn’t quite come together to be more than the sum of its parts.

    Jane Eyre had its world premiere at CAST Theatre, Doncaster; who hosts a varied range of performances. Visit their website at www.castindoncaster.com for full details. Northern Ballet is currently touring Jane Eyre, with productions of 1984, Romeo & Juliet, Wuthering Heights and Beauty and the Beast to follow later on this year. Visit www.northernballet.com for details.