Un Chapeau de Paille d'Italie at the UEA Drama Studio

On the evening of Friday 28th March 2014 I attended the Sacre Theatre performance of Eugene Labiche's Un Chapeau de Paille d'Italie at the Norwich UEA Drama Studio. Sacre Theatre is the UK’s longest-running permanent French language theatre company.

Written in 1851, Eugene Labiche's vaudeville, Un Chapeau de Paille d'Italie, was immediately successful and has been revived many times, often adapted to a more modern era. Largely intended as entertainment, it also depicts the petite bourgeoisie of its day, and much of this (concerns over money and moral hypocrisy, for example) remains relevant. However, the plot consists of a string of misunderstandings and breathless chases verging on the absurd.

This is Fadinard's wedding day. He is to marry Helene, the pretty daughter of Nonancourt, a country nurseryman (pepinieriste), a class somewhat below his own. Early that morning, as Fadinard was riding through a wood, his horse ate a straw hat belonging to Anais (married to Beauperthuis) who was secretly meeting her lover, Emile. The consequences of the horse's greed are about to unfold.

I had a fantastic time at the Norwich UEA Drama Studio as the Sacre Theatre told us the story about the horse that ate an Italian straw hat with all the hilarious consequences. The Sacre Theatre perform every year at the Norwich UEA Drama Studio, often at the end of the spring semester.

As You Like It at the Maddermarket Theatre

On the evening of Thursday 27th March 2014 I attended the Norwich Players performance of William Shakespeare's As You Like It at the Maddermarket Theatre. To celebrate the 450th anniversary of Shakespeare's birth this production is set in another year of cultural awakening: 1967, the summer of love.

Take a trip from the stifling court into the depths of the forest, where conventions and costumes are cast off and the trees cloak reality. As You Like It has all the elements of Shakespeare's great comedies: cross-dressing, unrequited love, an evil Duke taking the place of a banished one, brothers locked in combat, and, of course, a philosophical Fool. The cast's antics were infused with music and song, rousing the Sixties' spirit.

This was a fantastic evening at the Maddermarket Theatre with Rosalind and Orlando uniting to live beneath the sun in pursuit of the simple life. The Maddermarket Theatre opened in 1921 with a performance of As You Like It and tonight was an evening of celebrations and great acting. This production was directed by Chris Bealey.

Starred Up at Norwich Vue Cinema

On Tuesday 25th March 2014 I attended the screening of Starred Up at Norwich Vue Cinema. This British prison crime drama film was directed by David Mackenzie and scripted by Jonathan Asser. The film stars Jack O'Connell, Ben Mendelsohn, and Rupert Friend. This drama is based on Asser's experiences working as a voluntary therapist at HM Prison Wandsworth, with some of the country’s most violent criminals. The title is a term used to describe the early transfer of a criminal from a Young Offender Institution to an adult prison.

19 year-old Eric Love is a violent and troubled teenager making the difficult transition from a young offenders' institute to an adult prison. He seems to be destined for a life behind bars, but the prison's unconventional therapist is determined to help Eric find a way through, assisted by of one of the prison's longest serving inmates, Neville who just happens to be Eric's father. Starred Up is a very gritty movie and will instantly become a cult classic.

Under The Skin at Norwich Cinema City

On Sunday 23rd March 2014 I attended the screening of Under The Skin at Norwich Cinema City. Under The Skin is a science fiction art film directed by Jonathan Glazer. The movie was produced by James Wilson and Nick Wechsler and was written by Glazer and Walter Campbell as a loose adaptation of Michel Faber's 2000 novel of the same name. The film stars Scarlett Johansson as an alien seductress who preys on men in Scotland.

A voluptuous woman of unknown origin combs the highway in search of isolated or forsaken men, luring a succession of lost souls into an otherworldly lair. They are seduced, stripped of their humanity, and never heard from again. Based on the novel by Michael Faber, this film examines human experience from the perspective of an unforgettable heroine who grows too comfortable in her borrowed skin, until she is abducted into humanity with devastating results.

Under The Skin is one of my favourite movies of the year with some great scenes shot in Glasgow. Scarlett Johansson is fantastic in this Indie dark masterpiece. This movie is disturbing in parts as well as moving, Under The Skin always keeps you guessing to what will happen next.

The Grand Budapest Hotel at Norwich Vue Cinema

On Tuesday 18th March 2014 I watched the screening of The Grand Budapest Hotel at Norwich Vue Cinema. This was definitely a Super Tuesday with this showing of Wes Anderson's comedy starring Ralph Fiennes.

The Grand Budapest Hotel recounts the adventures of Gustave H, a legendary concierge at a famous European hotel between the wars, and Zero Moustafa, the lobby boy who becomes his most trusted friend. The story involves the theft and recovery of a priceless Renaissance painting and the battle for an enormous family fortune, all against the back-drop of a suddenly and dramatically changing Continent.

I really enjoyed The Grand Budapest Hotel and I'm sure it will be one of my movies of the year. Wes Anderson has created a wonderful world for us to explore with lots of laughs and a great plot. The Grand Budapest Hotel is a great place to visit and I'm glad I was able to pop into this magnificent building at Norwich Vue Cinema.

Hitchcock Blonde at the Maddermarket Theatre

On the evening of Thursday 27th February 2014 I attended The Norwich Players performance of Hitchcock Blonde by Terry Johnson at Norwich Maddermarket Theatre. This production directed by John Holden starred Edward Wallis, Libby Waite, John Mangan, Gemma Johnston, Dave Myers and Mandy Jean Jordan.

Media lecturer Alex tries to seduce a young blonde student with a trip to his Greek villa to investigate a collection of old film canisters. Will the heat of a Mediterranean summer and the temptation of discovering a lost Hitchcock film break down her resistance?

Cue to Hollywood in 1959 - Hitchcock is auditioning a blonde for the Psycho shower scene. But she has designs on being Hitch's next leading lady and is prepared to do whatever it takes... or is she? These two stories spooled out and intertwined as the two men pursued their image of the perfect blonde.

Hitchcock Blonde was about sex, obsession and yearning for the unobtainable. There were some fantastic performances from The Norwich Players as the audience were taken to the Mediterranean and to Hollywood in a play that drew parallels between the fantasy world of film and the real world of vulnerable young women and the men who exert power and influence over them.

12 Years A Slave at Hollywood Cinema

On Tuesday 25th February 2014 I saw 12 Years A Slave at Hollywood Cinema, Anglia Square, Norwich. This very powerful and brilliant movie was directed by Steve McQueen and starred Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup. 12 Years A Slave also featured Benedict Cumberbatch, Brad Pitt, Michael Fassbender, Paul Dano and Lupita Nyong'o.

In the pre-Civil War United States, Solomon Northup, a free black man from upstate New York, is abducted and sold into slavery. Facing cruelty at the hands of a malevolent slave owner, as well as unexpected kindnesses, Solomon struggles not only to stay alive, but to retain his dignity. In the twelfth year of his unforgettable odyssey, Solomon's chance meeting with a Canadian abolitionist will forever alter his life.

12 Years A Slave is a must see movie which I would recommend everyone watches. The movie has an important message and is full of powerful performances especially from Chiwetel Ejiofor as Solomon Northup. This is a masterpiece from Steve McQueen and a piece of cinema history.

Last of the Red Hot Lovers at the Maddermarket Theatre

On the evening of Saturday 25th January 2014 I was back at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich to attend the Norwich Players performance of Neil Simon's Last of the Red Hot Lovers. This play was written by the author of the wonderful comedy The Odd Couple, with the Norwich Players being directed by Rob Morris.

Forty nine year old Barney Cashman who has been partnered with his wife for what seems most of those years decides to have an affair. With each attempt he fails completely to understand the fact that there is another needy person involved, who is looking for something rather different. Needless to say he gets a lot more than he bargained for, just about everything but an affair.

This was a very enjoyable and funny night at the Maddermarket Theatre with wonderful performances from Trevor Burton as Barney Cashman, Lily Cramer as Elaine Navazio, Camilla Webster as Bobbi Michele and Clare Howard as Jeanette Fisher. The play takes place in the New York apartment belonging to Barney's mother. Having an affair isn't quite what Barney bargained for!

The Snow Queen at the Maddermarket Theatre

On Thursday 26th December 2013 I attended the Norwich Players performance of The Snow Queen by Hans Christian Andersen at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich. The Snow Queen was a superb family show and is one of Hans Christian Andersen's most widely acclaimed stories. This production of The Snow Queen was adapted by Stuart Paterson and directed by Peter Sowerbutts.

When Kay is snatched from his beautiful home by the beautiful, cruel Snow Queen, his friend Gerda sets out on an epic journey to rescue him. As she searches, she encounters a series of strangers to whom she tells her tale. Charmed by her story and innocence, each of them helps Gerda, so that, at last, she is able to find the Snow Queen's icy palace.

This was the perfect play to see on Boxing Day and a fantastic Christmas treat. There was a wonderful festive atmosphere at the Maddermarket Theatre as this magical Hans Christian Andersen fairytale was brought to life on the stage at this historic theatre.

As You Like It at the Norwich UEA Drama Studio

On the evening of Friday 6th December 2013 I was back at the Norwich UEA Drama Studio to attend the performance of William Shakespeare's As You Like It. The Arcadian Project was put together by the UEA's students and academics to uncover a major missing tapestry in theatre history.

Combining a unique adaptation of Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia with a production of Shakespeare's beloved comedy As You Like It, the project aimed to shed a brand new light on the works of Britain's most renowned playwright. I attended the performance of Arcadia on Tuesday 3rd December 2013.

In As You Like It, having been banished from the oppressive court, Rosalind and Orlando are forced to flee into the wild depths of the Forest of Arden. Within this strange and wild realm, the roles of gender, politics and nature are turned upside down as their love, wrapped in a game of mistaken identity, begins to blossom. One of Shakespeare's most cherished comedies, As You Like It journeys into a world of freedom and explores how beguilingly bewildering life can be.

As You Like It was directed by Tony Frost and was performed brilliantly by the UEA's Third Year Drama Students. And this our life exempt from public haunt finds tongues in trees, books in the running brooks, sermons in stones and good in everything. I had a fantastic time at the UEA Drama Studio and very much enjoyed As You Like It.

Arcadia at the Norwich UEA Drama Studio

On the evening of Tuesday 3rd December 2013 I attended the performance of Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia at the Norwich UEA Drama Studio. The Arcadian Project was put together by the UEA's students and academics to uncover a major missing tapestry in theatre history.

Combining a unique adaptation of Sir Philip Sidney's Arcadia with a production of Shakespeare's beloved comedy As You Like It, the project aimed to shed a brand new light on the works of Britain's most renowned playwright. I will be attending the performance of As You Like It on Friday 6th December 2013.

Arriving upon the utopian shores of Arcadia two young princes, Pyrocles and Musidorus, disguise themselves as an Amazon and a Shepherd to gain access to the Arcadian Princesses, who have been imprisoned by their father to avoid the dangers foretold by a mysterious Oracle. Together they venture into a world of beauty and deception, where every shepherd is a politician, where the court lies in the country and where comedy cascades into tragedy. Under a tree will I take my rest for, howsoever a man be exalted, the beginning and end of the body is earth.

This performance by the UEA's Third Year Drama Students directed by Anthony Gash took us on a journey through fields and forests in search of the lost golden world. I really enjoyed my evening at the UEA Drama Studio and was able to see how this play influenced Shakespeare's As You Like It. The sword fighting was great as well!

The Seagull at the Maddermarket Theatre

On the afternoon of Saturday 30th November 2013 I attended The Norwich Players performance of The Seagull by Anton Chekhov at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich. Christopher Hampton's brilliant and highly actable translation of Chekhov's masterpiece along with the Maddermarket's daringly theatrical interpretation breathed new life into this enchanting, romantic and heartbreakingly beautiful classic about love, loss and art.

Chekhov described his play as a comedy with landscapes (a view over a lake), a great deal of conversation about literature, little action and a ton of love. A rather modest description for a ground-breaking stroke of genius which ultimately laid the foundations for modern drama, and whose profound influence is still felt in theatre and cinema today.

The Seagull is a slice-of-life drama set in the Russian countryside at the end of the 19th century. The cast of characters is dissatisfied with their lives. Some desire love. Some desire success. Some desire artistic genius. No one, however, ever seems to attain happiness. This production by Stephen Picton was brilliantly performed by The Norwich Players which proved to be one of the highlights of this year's productions at the Maddermarket Theatre.

Hansel Und Gretel at Norwich Theatre Royal

On the evening of Tuesday 5th November 2013 I attended the Glyndebourne production of Hansel Und Gretel at Norwich Theatre Royal. This opera by Engelbert Humperdinck has long cast its musical spell over audiences of all ages. The score vividly evoked the magical world of fairy tale, and Laurent Pelly's deliciously witty production injected a modern twist into this enchanting classic.

Sung in German this fairy tale opera in three acts featured wonderful performances from Victoria Yarovaya as Hansel and Andriana Churchman as Gretel. The Glyndebourne Tour Orchestra were conducted by Ilyich Rivas. Hansel Und Gretel was first performed at the Court Theatre, Weimar in 1893.

Hansel and Gretel are doing chores. Both are bored and hungry, and to cheer themselves up they start to dance. Their games are interrupted by their Mother, who is angry to find them playing instead of working. In her anger she knocks over the milk jug, losing what was to have been supper. She sends them into the forest to gather strawberries instead. Wearied by their precarious existence, she sinks into a chair, only to be woken by the return of her husband. She is irritated to find him tipsy, but calms down when he produces a sack full of food. When he enquires after Hansel and Gretel, he is alarmed to hear they are in the forest: he warns of the Witch who lives there, and both parents set out to look for the children.

Hansel and Gretel happily gather and eat strawberries. When night falls they realise they are lost, and are frightened by the mysterious shapes in the mist. But a Sandman appears and settles them. They say their evening prayers, and go to sleep. The mist around them turns to clouds from which angels appear, who guard the children from harm.

At dawn the Dew Fairy comes to wake Hansel and Gretel. They are excited to see a house not far away, but when they begin to nibble at it, the Witch emerges and captures them, casting a spell. She puts Hansel in a cage, telling Gretel that her brother needs fattening. She releases Gretel with a spell, in order that the girl may help her with the oven. But Gretel uses the spell to free Hansel, and as the Witch demonstrates to Gretel how to check the oven, the children push her into it. As the Witch dies, the fence of people is transformed back into motionless children. Hansel invokes the formula for breaking the spell, and the children jump up and thank Hansel and Gretel for saving them. The Mother and Father appear, and the family is reunited.

This was a fantastic and magical evening at Norwich Theatre Royal with Glyndebourne bringing the story of Hansel Und Gretel by the Brothers Grimm to the stage. I greatly enjoyed this fairy tale opera which brought world class opera performance to Norwich with Glyndebourne making their annual visit to Norwich Theatre Royal.

Twelve Angry Men at Norwich Theatre Royal

On the evening of Tuesday 22nd October 2013 I attended the performance of Twelve Angry Men at Norwich Theatre Royal. This brand new production paid tribute to the 1957 film version, starring and produced by Henry Fonda. This is often lauded as one of the great must see movies of all time.

Twelve jurors have death on their mind and a life in their hands as they have to decide the fate of a young delinquent accused of murdering his father. But what begins as an open and shut case becomes a dilemma for each of the Twelve, as their prejudices and preconceptions about the trial, the accused and each other, turn the tables every which way, until the nail biting climax.

Twelve Angry Men was written by Reginald Rose who was inspired by his own experience serving on a jury. This production was directed by Christopher Haydon with set and costume design by Michael Pavelka. Martin Shaw and Robert Vaughn gave fantastic performances on a night at Norwich Theatre Royal when a life hanged in the balance.

Rationale's In My Shoes at Norwich Playhouse

On the evening of Tuesday 1st October 2013 I attended Rationale's performance of In My Shoes at Norwich Playhouse. Through exhilarating and witty choreography, Rationale are set upon bringing hip-hop theatre into the community, inspiring its audiences, and bridging the gap between old and young. Rationale promises to transform the four walls of a theatre into an exciting melting pot full of passion, energy and street dance.

The Rationale mission statement is to produce high quality theatre productions that are accessible to all, both nationally and internationally. To push the boundary of hip hop theatre through innovative, unique and inspiring practices both on a professional and community level. In My Shoes centres on the troublesome relationship between a father and son. In a desperate attempt to confront their problems, they attend an extreme therapy session where they finally begin to understand how it feels to be in another person's shoes.

Rationale put on a performance which combined slick theatre and highly skilled, exhilarating dance. This was a story portraying life's challenges which got the Norwich Playhouse audience hand clapping combined with lots of laughter. This Was a fantastic night's entertainment at Norwich Playhouse.

Hairspray at Norwich Theatre Royal

On the evening of Wednesday 25th September 2013 I attended the performance of Hairspray at Norwich Theatre Royal. This is the big hit musical with big hair and a big heart. A show to enjoy and be happy.

Hairspray tells the story of Tracy Turnblad, a big girl with big hair and an even bigger heart as she sets out to follow her extraordinary dreams, inspire her mum and win the boy she loves. This ultimate feel good show is packed with uplifting songs, breathtaking choreography, 60's inspired costumes and the most incredible array of wigs you will ever see.

There were fantastic performances from Mark Benton, Lucy Benjamin, Marcus Collins and Freya Sutton who starred as big hearted, big haired teen heroine Tracy Turnblad. Good morning Baltimore. Every day's like an open door, every night is a fantasy, every sound's like a symphony. Good morning Baltimore and some day when I take to the floor the world's gonna wake up and see Baltimore and me.

This was a fantastic night at Norwich Theatre Royal as we were taken to Baltimore in the 60's and given a brilliant feel good show that put lots of smiles on faces at a packed Norwich Theatre Royal. Hairspray is the most happy, funny, sunny show in town.

New Electric Ballroom at the Maddermarket Theatre

On the afternoon of Saturday 3rd August 2013 I attended the matinee performance of Enda Walsh's New Electric Ballroom at the Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich. The Norwich Players cast for this performance was Ada - Kate Cox, Clara - Dot Binns, Breda - Etta Geras and Patsy - Dean Bramwell. The director of this play which won the Fringe First Award at the Edinburgh Festival was Adina Levay.

The New Electric Ballroom is a tale about three sisters, who live in an isolated Irish fishing village. Clara and Breda never leave the house, Ada, the youngest sister is the only one with any semblance of ties to the outside world. Each day Clara and Breda re-enact a life changing event of a heartbreak from their youth.

The two put on the show complete with costumes, atmospheric lighting and sound effects for the never been kissed Ada partly for entertainment, but also as a cautionary tale. Ada is imprisoned by the spell of words cast by her mad sisters.

Their daily routine is interrupted by Patsy, a lonely fishmonger whose seafood deliveries are as predictable as the tides. Breda invites Patsy in to become part of their bizarre ritual and perhaps to rescue Ada. This is the story of three sisters that have created their own world, who talk to avoid truly living.

This was a moving and entertaining play with brilliant writing from Enda Walsh. New Electric Ballroom is full of amazing characters and lots of situations that brought laughter to the Maddermarket Theatre. I found the play very interesting and enjoyable.

Evita at Norwich Theatre Royal

On the afternoon of Saturday 27th July 2013 I attended the matinee performance of Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber's Evita at Norwich Theatre Royal. Bringing to life the dynamic, larger than life persona of Eva Peron, wife of former Argentine dictator Juan Peron, Evita tells the story from her young and ambitious beginnings to the enormous wealth and power she gained and her ultimate rise to sainthood.

This fantastic performance of Evita starred Marti Pellow as Che, Madalena Alberto as Eva and Mark Heenehan as Peron. We were treated to all the musical numbers including Oh What a Circus, Another Suitcase in Another Hall and Don't Cry For Me Argentina. Evita has more than twenty major awards to its credit and was always going to be one of the highlights of the year at Norwich Theatre Royal.

In a cinema in Buenos Aires in 1952, the film is interrupted by a news announcement: Eva Peron, the thirty-three-year-old wife of Argentina’s President Juan Peron, has died. In flashback, we see scenes from Eva’s extraordinary life. Born Eva Duarte, the youngest of five children of a single mother, she escapes her origins in the small town of Junín and heads for the bright lights of Buenos Aires, where she works  her way to a career as a radio actress and film starlet before becoming first the mistress and then the wife of Juan Peron, soon to be president of Argentina.

Adored by the common people, who affectionately call her Evita - Little Eva, she is regarded with suspicion by the military and social elite. Sceptical too is the figure of Che, who acts as a narrator and commentator throughout this remarkable story of a woman who rose to become the spiritual leader of her nation.

This was a brilliant afternoon to be at Norwich Theatre Royal as the story of Evita took us on an emotional journey full of passion and style. The drama and music of Evita are very compelling and intense. This was a show to remember that thrilled a full Norwich Theatre Royal and received loud applause at the end of the performance.

Birdsong at Norwich Theatre Royal

On Saturday 13th July 2013 I attended the matinee performance of Sebastian Faulks's Birdsong at Norwich Theatre Royal. This stage version by Rachel Wagstaff brings the bestselling novel to the theatre which tells a mesmerising story of love, courage and sacrifice set both before and during the Great War.

In pre-war France, Stephen Wraysford embarks on a passionate and dangerous affair with the beautiful Isabelle Azaire that turns their world upside down. As the war breaks out, Stephen must lead his men through the carnage of the Battle of the Somme, and through the sprawling tunnels that lie deep underground. Faced with the unprecedented horror of the war, Stephen clings to the memory of Isabelle as his world explodes around him.

There were fantastic performances from Jonathan Smith as Stephen Wraysford and Sarah Jayne Dunn as Isabelle Azaire at Norwich Theatre Royal as we were taken on an emotional journey. This was a moving and imaginative production that shown an insight to the sufferings and sacrifices made during the Great War. This was drama at its best at Norwich Theatre Royal.

A Midsummer Night's Dream at The Whiffler Theatre

On the afternoon of Sunday 7th July 2013 I attended the Chapterhouse Theatre Company's performance of William Shakespeare's A Midsummer Night's Dream at the Whiffler Theatre at Norwich Castle Gardens. This event was part of the Lord Mayor's Celebration which was taking place in Norwich throughout the weekend.

Chapterhouse Theatre Company is a professional touring theatre company, bringing its wide range of experience to venues across Britain. The company prides itself on fully accessible, traditional, but innovative productions. They are in their twelfth season of productions, with a selection of ever-popular Shakespearean plays, adaptations of fine, classic English novels and their beloved children's show, featuring Milky-White the cow touring country houses and gardens throughout the UK and Ireland.

A Midsummer Night’s Dream, William Shakespeare's most popular comedy, was written around 1595. It portrays the adventures of four young lovers and a group of amateur actors, their interactions with woodland fairies and a duke and duchess. Taking place in a mythical Athens and an enchanted forest, there is a handsome fairy king, a misguided parent, star-crossed lovers, a weaver who's transformed into a half-donkey, wood sprites and elves. This work is widely performed around the world, and no wonder - it's about the world's most popular pastime, falling in love. But as Puck knows, falling in love can make fools of us all.

There was a large audience on a sunny afternoon in Norwich Castle Gardens to see the Chapterhouse Theatre Company perform a wonderful and fun A Midsummer Night's Dream. This was a free event as part of the Lord Mayor's Celebration and proved to be a very enjoyable comedy, with the Chapterhouse Theatre Company putting on a brilliant performance at the Whiffler Theatre.