The Woman in Black  (written by Susan Hill and adapted for the stage by Stephen Mallatratt) has always been a show I’ve been unsure about wanting to see, due to the anticipation of it being terrifying, (which is strange even to me, as my favourite books are psychological thrillers).  When I was invited to review the play at Oxford Playhouse, I decided to face my fears. I went in without any knowledge of the play whatsoever, just a sense of anxiety due to whispers I’d heard ye

Sunny Afternoon  is a jukebox musical about 60s band The Kinks. The musical is now on tour and I was invited to review it at the New Theatre in Oxford. At first view of the stage it was obvious the show was music based, most of the set (Miriam Buether) comprising of speaker units, with a window into a recording studio part of the backdrop. I was pleased to see instruments on stage as I love being able to see the musicians during a musical. For me it was a huge bonus to discov

The Constant Wife by Laura Wade is an adaption of W. Somerset Maugham’s text, first written in 1926. This RSC production, directed by Tamara Harvey, is currently on tour and I was invited to review it at Oxford Playhouse. The first thing I noticed when entering the theatre was the eye-catching set. Designed by Anna Fleischle, this was visually beautiful and instantly transported us to the 1920s. At the start of the play, we hear Constance’s sister and mother discussing wheth

Stephen Sondheim’s Company  may initially seem a strange choice for a student company to tackle, coming from a time before any of the cast had been thought of, let alone born. But Fennec Fox Productions have taken this piece and made it their own, showing how timeless some themes can actually be. The musical focuses on Bobby, turning 35 and single, as he celebrates his birthday among his friends, who are all either married or engaged. Back when Company was written, there wou