STEPHEN Sondheim’s musical Into the Woods is a big show in every way, taking a sweeping overview of fairy stories, psychology and love. So it’s all the more impressive that the best production I have ever seen should be performed in the intimate setting of Wells Little Theatre. The 20-strong cast plays princes and farm…
MARK Hartstone, chef proprietor of La Fosse restaurant with rooms at Cranborne, is famous in the region for his cheeseboard, sharing with his customers his passion for and knowledge of local cheeses. So it was a natural progression for him to devise a tasting menu, so that diners could not only sample small quantities of…
COLIN Hayman’s innovative production of the 1950s classic The Titfield Thunderbolt is taking over the Studio Theatre in Ashley Road, Salisbury until 17th May. Not only has Colin designed a set that takes in a station, a bar and a vicarage, but even the illustrious steam train makes an appearance, just on time! Philip Goulding, brother…
JUKE box musicals, featuring the hits of a single artist or band, can either be loosely biographical, as with Jersey Boys, or completely fictitious, with the songs interwoven into the narrative, as with Mamma Mia or We Will Rock You. 20th Century Boy is one of the former, using a mildly contrived plot where Rolan…
IT seems incredible that it’s almost 80 years ago since Noel Coward’s plays Tonight at 8:30 were last performed together – when The Master and Gertrude Lawrence starred in the 1936 London production. Fortunately, that omission has been corrected by Blanche McIntyre with the Nuffield Theatre in Southampton and English Touring Theatre, and the series…
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, leader Amyn Merchant Kirill Karabits: Conductor Brahms: Symphony No. 1 op 68 in C minor Brahms: Symphony No. 2 op 73 in D major Brahms: Symphony No. 3 op 90 in F major Brahms: Symphony No. 4 op 98 in E minor IN another example of the BSO’s bold and innovative programming,…
TRAVELLING chef Philippa Davis from Shaftesbury has been back to France again (we can’t tell you how much we envy her, but then we don’t cook as well as she does!) and this week’s postcard from Philippa was full of the delights of visiting a lovely family who live in the Midi-Pyrenees, west of Toulouse…
THE Bristol Old Vic Theatre School summer tour always provides audiences around the south and west a first chance to see students from the world famous school at the start of their careers, and this year’s production has an added twist. Director Christopher Scott has double-cast Peter Meyer’s translation of Feydeau’s famous farce Sauce for…
SHERBORNE Abbey Festival came to a glorious and triumphant conclusion at the abbey with a collection of “party pieces” by the Elizabethan composer William Byrd. It may seem an odd phrase to describe music by the serious Byrd, who was well-known as a devout Catholic at a time when to be a supporter of the…
Sherborne Festival Chorus Chamelion Arts Orchestra, leader Simon Baggs Naomi Harvey (soprano), Janet Shell (Mezzo Soprano), Joseph Cornwell (Tenor), Peter Savidge (Baritone), Craig Bissex (Baritone), Jeremy Birchall (Bass) Conductor, Paul Ellis ELGAR’S oratorio The Apostles had its genesis as early as the composer’s schooldays, when a teacher put the idea into the future composer’s head that…