Debbie Gilpin - Page 8

“I am determined to prove a villain, and hate the idle pleasures of these days.” There is no pretence between Richard III and his audience; he sets out his manifesto from the very beginning of the play, and we are left to watch in horror as he sees it through – deed by bloody deed.

“I shall gain me glory, or grim-death shall take me”, says the titular hero in the thousand-year-old epic poem. Last night, however, it was the turn of composer Iain Bell to seek a different kind of glory as his new adaptation of Beowulf (commissioned by the BBC) made its world première at Barbican Hall. Conducting the BBC Symphony Orchestra and Chorus was Martyn Brabbins, and they were joined by actor Ruth Wilson as narrator, and tenor Charles Styles (standing in for Stuart Skelton at short notice).

The trend for stage adaptations of already popular material shows no sign of relenting, as a musical version of everyone’s favourite autumn comfort watching comes to the West End. It transfers following a successful run at the Cheltenham Everyman last summer, and stars Haydn Gwynne and John Owen-Jones as judges Pam Lee and Phil Hollinghurst (although we know who they’re really supposed to be). Welcome to The Great British Bake Off Musical!

“A sad tale’s best for winter.” There may be moments of poignancy and outright tragedy in this late Shakespeare play, but Sean Holmes’ vibrant production ensures that the audience is given more than their fair share of comedy and levity throughout.

“The dead are alive.” Even the film’s title is redolent of a haunting presence - although hardened Bond fans will know the true significance of this word.

For music lovers, it’s the anniversary album-in-full gigs. For bookworms, it’s the sneaky extra chapter in the paperback edition. And for cinephiles, it’s the film in concert series.

This two-man show explores what it’s like for a gay Muslim, who’s also dealing with the expectations of his Pakistani family and the wider community; it also investigates the continued threat of the UK’s ‘hostile environment’ – a deadly game of chance for many at-risk individuals.

A few years ago, the concept of a scientist selling out arenas across the world simply wouldn’t compute, but the Professor Brian Cox Effect continues to work its magic. He and Robin Ince are back with a brand new tour that seeks to answer the following question: “What does it mean to live a small, finite life in an infinite, eternal Universe?” Over the course of a couple of hours, the audience is taken on a whistlestop tour of cutting-edge physics, exploring the observable universe and attempting to make sense of black holes with the assistance of a stunning array of images.

The BBC’s very first Earth Prom celebrates all aspects of the BBC Studios Natural History Unit, combining beautiful music with stunning videos to great effect in a packed Royal Albert Hall.

The story of the Gunpowder Plot still resonates 400 years on, whether you’re a Catholic trying to navigate certain aspects of life in the UK, or if you consider the ever-present religious intolerance of various kind.

Enjoying success early in his career by composing Italian operas, towards the middle of the 18th century George Frideric Handel instead turned his attention to English oratorios. One of his more well-known works, Solomon, was recently performed as part of the 2022 BBC Proms – Sofi Jeannin conducted specialist orchestra The English Concert, with Iestyn Davies, Anna Dennis, Wallis Giunta, Benjamin Hulett, and Ashley Riches in solo roles. This performance continues the Proms’ sequence of Handel oratorios.

With themes such as life, death, reflection and the nature of humanity, there’s a risk that a Prom could end up feeling a touch on the heavy side – or overly gloomy – however, the pieces combine to provide as much light as shade across the course of the night.

The show is based on the Pulitzer Prize-winning book Tales of the South Pacific and made its Broadway debut in 1949; it is surprisingly progressive, despite its age, making it a relatively unproblematic revival. It also helps that it contains some of musical theatre’s most recognisable songs, including “I’m Gonna Wash That Man Right Outa My Hair”, “Some Enchanted Evening”, and “There Is Nothing Like a Dame”.

If you grow up and go to school in England, you will definitely know about the Tudors – and yet we seem to have a completely insatiable appetite for this set of monarchs that merely spanned three generations.

“I’m not political. Not at all.” Prab and his wife Kajol are struggling to make ends meet in early 21st century Kolkata. Since the local factory closed indefinitely, they’ve had to take on any jobs going ito be able to support themselves and their baby daughter, Amba. After treating themselves to a night at the theatre, they find themselves backstage with the performers – one of whom just so happens to be the son of the factory owner. Initially hoping to get back in the family’s good books if the factory ever does reopen, Prab inadvertently finds himself with a more stimulating task.

After two years of on and off isolation, connected to fellow humans by electronic devices alone, it is perhaps inevitable that Ivo van Hove has brought his adaptation of Jean Cocteau’s The Human Voice to the West End. This solo show focuses on a woman (played by Ruth Wilson) having one final phone conversation with her lover before he leaves her to marry someone else, contemplating the entire concept of communication through this particular medium.

When you think of Little Women, what probably springs to mind is a group of earnest young ladies in Massachusetts learning how to navigate the adult world – or, potentially, Joey’s reaction to Beth getting sick when he reads the book in an episode of Friends. What you don’t immediately think of is climate change and cocktails. Unless you’re Figs in Wigs, that is.

What a time to be opening a play about war, nationalism, and power. Max Webster’s new production of Henry V is now running at the Donmar Warehouse, and offers us a ringside seat to the harsh realities of warfare, both medieval and modern.

After a couple of years of staying at home and catching up on all the boxsets and films you never got round to watching, it appears the West End has had a similar idea; Saturday Night Fever is the latest movie-based musical to hit the stage, joining the likes of Dirty Dancing, Back to the Future, Pretty Woman, and Moulin Rouge! The Musical. Following a short tour, the Bee Gees & John Travolta classic hits the West End for a limited run.

Public fascination with unexpected celebrity pairings is not a new thing; before 50 Cent and Bette Midler buddied up, two very different artists were thrown together in the hope that some extraordinary work would be produced - what resulted was a genuine connection and a friendship that would endure until their deaths, only 18 months apart. Andy Warhol and Jean-Michel Basquiat’s collaboration is what forms the basis of Anthony McCarten’s new play.