BOO-KHAKI, which I have purposely written phonetically in case it sets off all sorts of bad language alerts and filters on computers, is an extreme sexual act, one which should not be Googled, and one of many listed in the title song of this, the latest offering from Living Spit; listed as things which Elizabeth…
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra Leader Amyn Merchant Kirill Karabits: Conductor Andreas Ottensamer, Clarinet MOZART: Clarinet Concerto BRUCKNER: Symphony No. 7 A PROBABLY apocryphal story tells of how the conductor Otto Klemperer was once asked who he thought was the greatest composer. “Beethoven, without doubt”, he replied. Struck by the speed of his answer, his questioner replied…
THE spaces in between the words we say and our thoughts are explored with poetic beauty in Woman Of Flowers, a powerful contemporary reworking of one of the ancient Celtic myths contained in the Welsh treasury known as The Mabinogion Written by Kaite O’Reilly for the supremely versatile deaf actress Sophie Stone, Woman Of Flowers…
AMATEUR is a word that will soon no longer be needed, at least not in the theatre, and certainly not in Yeovil. With world-class intimate plays at the Swan Theatre and big full-stage, huge-cast musicals at the Octagon, it is hard to distinguish between these shows and the professional output on show at Bristol Hippodrome and…
SITTING in the dark for almost an hour, in complete darkness, with not even a speck of light, whilst wearing headphones, and listening. That is all that is asked of the audience by Fuel Theatre in their latest work, the second such show I have attended – it would inaccurate to use the word “seen”!…
THINK of Bizet’s Carmen and you think of sultry heat, intense colour and tangible passion … or at least, I do. So Jonathan Miller’s touring production for Mid-Wales opera comes as a bit of a surprise, on many levels. Of course the timeless story can be set in all sorts of periods, and here in…
THEREMINS seem to be everywhere this year: Rick Wakeman and Bill Bailey have both played them on recent tours and the whining electronic hands-free instrument used in the theme tune to Midsomer Murders also features as part of the live soundtrack to Abram Room’s 1929 film The Ghost That Never Returns, shown as part of…
WORD has it that Dramatic Productions’ latest show, Oscar Wilde’s enduring comedy The Importance of Being Earnest was beset with problems with both actors and director unavoidably dropping out. A play that should have been an absolute joy to rehearse must have had some exceedingly anxious moments. It was clear from Dramatic Productions’ opening night…
Bournemouth Symphony Orchestra, leader Amyn Merchant Kirill Karabits: Conductor Robert Levin, Piano PROKOFIEV: Symphony No 1 “Classical” BEETHOVEN: Piano Concerto No. 1 in C R STRAUSS: Also Sprach Zarathustra The next CD in the BSO’s much-praised cycle of Prokofiev symphonies will consist of the first two symphonies and the Sinfonietta. We had heard a memorable…
BATH Light Opera Group’s production of Jesus Christ Superstar marks the Society’s entry into the glittering world of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice. Originally written as a rock opera album, it exploded onto the Broadway stage in 1971 before transferring to the West End the following year where it ran for eight years. The…