Theatre Review - BLEAK EXPECTATIONS, PEOPLE'S THEATRE, NEWCASTLE

 

As the title may suggest, Bleak Expectations by Mark Evans is mainly a humorous mash-up of two Charles Dickens’ novels - ‘Bleak House’ and ‘Great Expectations’ - with multiple references to many other classic Dickens’ stories besides. The show follows the optimistic ‘Pip Bin’ as he is thrown from his happy childhood and hurled headlong through various plot points from the aforementioned books. The whole show is very tongue-in-cheek, with plenty of absurdity to keep the audience laughing through even the more serious moments.

Director Steven Wallace saw to it that the audience’s experience of the show was nowhere near bleak. It almost felt like a pantomime of Dickens, minus the audience participation (except through laughter). There was nothing that was not, or couldn’t become, an even funnier joke than before. It was also really nice to see everyone, including stage hands, act like the props were ‘real’ e.g. an anvil was treated as heavy throughout. The simple black-and-white set had an almost cartoonish feel (designed by Kaila Moyers), a blank canvas to highlight the humour. Lighting (designed by Claire Brissenden), set the scenes well and added to the shows’ interpretation. The Wardrobe team, Linda Girling and Heather Allan, had a mammoth task with such a large cast, dressing all of the many characters with exceptional skill. The Props team (led by Sam Sanford), also created some great monotone objects that fitted the overall style and tone of the show perfectly and really added to the show and its humour.

The whole cast had very good comic timing as joke upon joke landed perfectly. The Ensemble (Adam Lowe, Ruariri Reed and Hannah Mitchell), added a great deal of support to other cast members and brought out their own well-timed laughs. Hannah Kisiala was charming as Flora Dies Early.  Emily Jeffery was steamy and yet also sweet as Ripley Fecund. Paul Carding had the audience giggling as the various Hardthrasher Siblings. Sam Burrell was hilarious as Bakewell Havertwitch. I had no idea what the joyful Lauren Alllison would say next as Harry Biscuit, but I felt sure it would involve swans. Steve Robertson was wonderfully different in his two roles of Skinflint Parsimonious and Broadly Fecund. Glen Kingston was endearing as the accident-prone Thomas Bin, while Helen Parker played his wonderfully mad widow, Agnes Bin. Of their children, Erin Thwaites time on the stage was far too short as the delightful and droll Poppy Bin, Ellie Carroll was amusing as the hardworking and innovative Pippa Bin and Thomas Kelly was not just funny but also lovable as the ‘central' character, Pip Bin. Roger Liddle had the whole audience engaged with his tale from the moment he set foot on stage as the narrator of his own life story, Sir Phillip Bin. As his nemesis, Sam Hinton, as Gently Benevolent, clearly had fun as a character who was anything but - his comedy timing was exceptional and a joy to see on the stage.

Harrumble! Bleak Expectations; a suitably silly romp through Literature. Showing at The Peoples Theatre until 22^nd November.

Theatre Review - THE SIGNALMAN - DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

 

Set in 1880 on a desolate stretch of railway line, The Signalman, adapted from Charles Dickens’ classic ghost story, offers a compelling and atmospheric evening of theatre. This production took me into a world of isolation, psychological unease, and supernatural dread with remarkable precision.

The set design is particularly striking. On one side, the raised, cutaway interior of the signal box reveals the confined, solitary life of the Signalman. Opposite, the shadowy entrance to the railway tunnel looms ominously, evoking a sense of danger and the unknown. This visual contrast cleverly mirrors the play’s central tension between reality and the spectral.

Chris Walker delivers a powerful performance as the Signalman, capturing the character’s quiet torment and growing paranoia with subtlety and emotional depth. His every glance toward the tunnel builds suspense, drawing the audience into his haunted world.

John Burton, as the Traveller, provides a calm and grounding presence, acting as both confidant and observer. Their exchanges are natural and compelling, anchoring the ghostly narrative in human emotion.

Brief moments of humour break the tension, offering the audience a welcome breath before the suspense builds again. These lighter touches are well-placed and never detract from the story’s eerie tone.

The supporting cast, though appearing briefly, makes a strong impression. Bruce Chattan brings warmth and authenticity as the Innkeeper, while James Morley (Inspector) and Adam Mort (Tom) add urgency and emotional weight in the play’s final scenes. Their contributions help flesh out the world beyond the signal box, adding realism and resonance to the story.

Lighting and sound design are used to great effect. The echo of unseen trains and the subtle use of mist and shadow around the tunnel create an immersive soundscape that heightens the tension throughout. The tunnel itself becomes a silent, menacing presence—almost a character in its own right.

This production of The Signalman is a triumph of mood. It captures the eerie essence of Dickens’ tale while offering a visually and emotionally rich theatrical experience. A must-see for fans of gothic drama and psychological thrillers.

The Signalman runs until Saturday 8^th November at Darlington Hippodrome.

Theatre Review - COME FROM AWAY - DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

credit Scott Akoz Photography

Come From Away is a powerful and uplifting musical that shines a light on an extraordinary act of kindness during a time of global crisis. When the skies over North America were suddenly closed on September 11, 2001, 38 planes were rerouted to the remote town of Gander, Newfoundland, leaving nearly 7,000 passengers stranded in an unfamiliar place.

What followed was a spontaneous and heartfelt response from the people of Gander. With no warning and limited resources, they opened their homes and hearts to complete strangers. Through simple acts of compassion, the spirit of community flowed — warm, generous, and deeply human.

credit Scott Akoz Photography

Now, newly released for amateur performance, Come From Away has been brought to life by DarlingtonOS, who have once again proven their theatrical excellence with a deeply moving and entertaining production. The main cast is split into two teams; I had the pleasure of seeing the Yellow Team on the evening I attended, and they were faultless throughout.

This is truly an ensemble piece of theatre. Every member of the cast was perfectly in sync, bursting with energy, and seamlessly transforming into various members of the Gander community and the unexpected visitors. The mood shifted smoothly from moments of tension to tenderness, humour, and hope — a testament to the cast’s cohesion and emotional range.

credit Scott Akoz Photography

Director Joanne Hand’s choreography and staging were clever and slick. With minimal set changes, the cast used chairs and props to transform the stage into airplanes, shelters, and pubs, maintaining clarity and momentum throughout.

Musical Director Steven Hood led a live band positioned upstage, effortlessly woven into the fabric of the performance, adding drive and emotional depth to every scene.

credit Scott Akoz Photography

DarlingtonOS’s production of Come From Away is a triumph — heartfelt, energetic, and beautifully executed. It’s a story that reminds us of the power of kindness, and this company tells it with sincerity and skill.

Come From Away runs until Saturday 1st November at Darlington Hippodrome — don’t miss it.

Theatre Review - LITTLE WOMEN - DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

Belinda Lang - credit Nobby Clark

Little Women is a classic novel familiar to many, Having never read the book, I approached the story with very different expectations from others in the audience, though I had seen the stage musical version many years ago.

This version of Louisa May Alcott’s story has been adapted by Anne-Marie Casey. Following the lives of the March sisters, Jo, Meg, Beth and Amy with this coming-of-age themes of love, loss and ambition. Set at the time of the American Civil War, their father has gone to war and the family struggles financially. Their mother known as Marmee holds the family together along with the domineering Aunt March.

The four sisters all bring different elements to their characters. Jo, Natalie Dunne, is fiercely independent and goes through the greatest emotional changes and feels she has more depth as the character than her sisters. Meg, Jade Oswald, has an inner strength with a hint of pureness. Beth, Megan Richards, is much more tender and timid. Amy, Jewelle Hutchinson, appears full of self-importance and materialistic before maturing.

Marmee, Juliet Aubrey, is very business-like as she keeps the family together trying to keep everyone protected and safe.

Aunt March, Belinda Lang, is stern, imposing and forceful, but shows humour and a tenderness with possible weaknesses in herself.

The effective set design creates not only the interior of the March family home, but is also interspersed with bare tree trunks giving the sense of the exterior and interior. This is the style of setting I really enjoy as it allows our imagination to enter their world in several ways, especially during the ice-skating scene.

Usually in the second act the pace of a show speeds up towards its conclusion, but here it slows down developing a deeper poignancy leading to the point where we leave the March family.

Join the March family at Darlington Hippodrome, for a mix of humour, love and loss. It will be well worth the visit.

Little Women runs until Saturday 4^th October, Darlington Hippodrome.

Theatre Review - HOME, I'M DARLING - PEOPLE'S THEATRE- NEWCASTLE

 

Johnny (Sam Burrell) & Judy (Kay Edmundson) photo Paul Hood

Written by Laura Wade, ‘Home, I’m Darling’ is an enigmatic dark comedy that questions gender roles in a ‘normal’ marriage; how and why they have changed over the years. The story follows Judy, who (with the support of husband Johnny), is trying her best to live as a ‘fifties’ housewife. It’s a truly fascinating play that certainly seems relevant in a world full of ‘Trad Wife’ influencers. The audience was completely enwrapped as they watched joy turn into private horror as the ‘perfect’ marriage begins to crumble under the weight of an unsatisfying illusion.

Director Eileen Davidson presents a beautiful vision for the play. Transitions were not only swift, but magical - as performers danced (choreographed by Kaila Moyers and Jonathan Goodman) through and into the following scene. Particularly in the first half, it plays out like a series of dream sequences, adding to the idea that living in the fifties is a fantasy. Sound (Kate Scott and Aleks Carver), Lighting (Xander Burbidge, Robbie Close, Kirstie Corfield and Jez Corfield), Props (Rye Mattick, Ashlyn Brook, Helen Parker and Karen Elliott) and Wardrobe (Jenny Davison and Luke McVeigh) all displayed masterstrokes of care and attention that added to the perfection of the play.

The audience was welcomed in with the blare of fifties rock ‘n’ roll music, giving everyone a chance to appreciate the set. Ah, the set! A complete 1950s style two-story house, designed by Kaila Moyers with such attention to detail I heard a lady say “I want that kitchen!”

Sylvia (Jo McEvedy) & Fran (Steph Moore) photo Paul Hood

As to the cast, it was extremely well performed by all. Excentric mother Sylvia (Jo McEvedy), tries to point out why no one lives – or should want to live – in that era anymore. The sleek and stylishly-modern Alex (Sara Jo Harrison), tries to be polite and professional through some very eccentric nibbles. Fran (Steph Moore), was warm, understanding, amusing and very apologetic as Judy’s slightly sweary friend. Marcus (Sam Hinton), was endearingly funny despite his role having such dark and creepy undertones. Johnny (Sam Burrell), and Judy (Kay Edmundson), were both very likable characters with great chemistry. The portrayal of their characters and their emotions was faultless. Kay Edmundson, in particular, deserves an award not just for her stunning performance but also for rarely leaving the stage all evening.

A dramatic, yet warm and funny show; not to be missed.

Home, I’m Darling is showing at The People’s Theatre, until the 4^th October.

Theatre Preview - OUR PROLOGUE - PLAYHOUSE WHITLEY BAY

 

Reuben Elsworth and Katie Brittle presenting OUR PROLOGUE

Tonight 28-8-25 19:30

Theatre Review - THE HAUNTING OF BLAINE MANOR - DARLINGTON HIPPODROME

 

The Haunting of Blaine Manor has returned to Darlington Hippodrome, after first seeing the show over a year ago, I was hoping it would return and I certainly wasn’t disappointed.

Set in 1953 the play focuses on the American paranormal investigator, Doctor Roy Earle (Peter Slater), who has been invited to Blaine Manor for a séance, where he on arrival encountered a horse causing him to swerve and ended up driving into the lake.

Finding that there have been no stables there for over 100 years, he’s told that anyone who sees the mysterious horseman will be dead by dawn.

Roy declares that ghosts don’t exist, though it appears that something in the house has suddenly been awoken.

The other people gathered in the haunted Blaine Manor included Cairo (Andrew Yates) the stage mind reader, the medium Adolphus Scarabus (Jimmy Allen) the journalist Vivian Rutledge (Jo Haydock) and completing the cast with the representative of the house owner, Vincent (Ed Barry) and the butler Grady (Joe O’Byrne).

The first act methodically introduces the range of characters, as the script, written by Joe O’Byrne, as it cleverly drops in the clues throughout.

In the 2nd act, not only the story, but the house itself came alive. With twists and turns as it reached its unexpected twist at the end.

The set is relatively sparse, with an eerie atmospheric soundscape created by Justin Wetherill, with creative lighting by David Heald all depicting the threat within the house.

A perfect evening for a gentle ghost story with plenty of surprises.

The Haunting of Blaine Manor runs until Saturday 23^rd August at Darlington Hippodrome.