BARONESS Orczy’s thrilling tale of international espionage, The Scarlet Pimpernel, first published in 1905, is the inspiration for Christopher William Hill’s Christmas show at the egg in Bath. Kate Cross’s production, on until 13th January, fills the stage with poodles, wigs and food as well as swashbuckling adventures. The moral complexities of the original children’s…
CHRISTCHURCH Regent Centre welcomes back the Glad Rag Company for Christmas Spectacular 2018, on stage from Wednesday 19th to Monday 24th December. This is the company’s seventh season at the theatre, where there will be six evening shows at 7pm, as well as 2pm matinees on Saturday, Sunday and Monday. This year’s show is once…
NEVER work with children, animals or Brian Conley – that’s how the pantomime adage ought to go. He’s playing Buttons in Bristol Hippodrome’s Cinderella, on until 6th January, by which time his fellow cast members may know what he’s about to do … but I doubt it. This is the most popular of all pantomime…
IN an era when it is fashionable to put your own interpretation on classic stories, rather than faithfully adapt them from the page to the stage, it was a pleasure to find an adapter, Mike Kenny and director Toby Hulse with enough faith in Edith Nesbit’s original text to let it stand on its own…
THE story of the poor boy from (in this case) Poole who goes to London, where the streets are paved with gold, to make his fortune and fulfill his destiny is a pantomime perennial – with plenty of colourful characters, including the wicked King Rat. It is given a bright and family-friendly sparkle at this…
SPIRITS of Dorset’s Christmases past will be brought to life in Shire Hall court room in Dorchester on Thursday 13th December, in an evening of entertainment and song to raise money for Dorset Mind in West Dorset. The New Hardy Players and Dorset band Tatterdemalion will perform plays based on court cases and historical events….
LANDSCAPE artist Alan Hayden is back at the Regent Centre gallery in Christchurch for another exhibition of his evocative local scenes in oils, watercolours and other media, on view to 28th December. With an emphasis on Christchurch Harbour and the Avon Valley, the exhibition provides a visual panorama of local landmarks between Ringwood and Hengistbury…
BOURNEMOUTH Symphony Orchestra and Poole’s Lighthouse have got together this Christmas to bring The Snowman and Little Red Riding Hood to their audiences on Sunday 16th December, at 3 and 7pm. Join the Snowman and James will be taking their magical journey through the winter sky in a special showing of the festive classic The…
SLOT Machine Theatre takes all your favourite toys on a combined adventure in Your Toys, on at the Sherling Studio at Poole’s Lighthouse from Wednesday 12th to Monday 24th December. The company’s puppetry skills bring Buzz Lightyear, Barbie, the blue Brontosaurus and more to life in a heart-warming story about friends pulling together. Full of…
THE unique atmosphere of Riding House at Wolfeton Manor near Dorchester will be a perfect setting for Lost Lore, an evening of sound, animation and storytelling from new company Lost Tail Theatre, on 21st and 22nd December. Lost Tail is director Ellis Buckley and performers Lucy Alexandre and Gill Morley, who met on Falmouth University’s…