Tezza's Theatre Place

I enjoy writing, but I’m certain nothing I write will ever change the world, and that’s probably true of most writers. However, in 1897, a certain Irish author by the name of Bram Stocker wrote a book that not only changed the world but also set the standard for every book, play, radio show, film, etc that followed. The book was, of course  Dracula and 121 years after first being published a new version of the play has arrived at the Jack Studio Theatre in Brockley. I’m assuming that most people will know the basic story but just in case you don’t here’s a quick synopsis. Newly qualified solicitor Jonathan Harker (Conor Moss) is on his travels. As he goes he writes to his fiance Mina Murray (Beatrice Vincent) telling her of what he has seen and how much he is looking forward to arriving in Transylvania where he will be meeting his client, Count Dracula (Christopher Tester). Back in England, Mina excitedly shares news of Jonathan’s travels with her best friend Lucy Ioannou (Lu...

https://www.londontheatre1.com/news/186632/review-lord-dismiss-us-above-the-stag-theatre/ Lord Dismiss Us Top L-R David Mullen Lewis Allcock Bottom L-R Jonathan Blaydon Joe Bence Joshua Oakes-Rogers Matthew McCallion – Photo by PBGSTUDIOS How many times did you get told as a child that “School Days Are The Best Days Of Your Life”? I’m sure for some people this is very true. Personally, I’m not so sure that I agree with the phrase. For most children and adolescents, the final few years are probably a horrendous time as their hormones kick into overdrive, they sit their various exams and have to make a life setting decision on what to study at university. That’s a lot of pressure for anyone to take but just imagine if, during this period, you had also found out that not only were you not going to be considered normal by society at large but were about to embark on a life that was totally illegal. That’s the fate awaiting some of the boys at quintessentially English public school Weath...

https://www.londontheatre1.com/news/174739/my-country-a-work-in-progress-theatre-royal-stratford-east/ My Country, Penny Layden (Britannia) and the company by Sarah Lee It’s only been a year, but the effects of the Brexit referendum are still being felt by the country. In fact, whatever your opinion of the outcome, Brexit is going to drag on for years to come. So, you might think this is an opportune time for the National Theatre to go on tour with their Brexit play My Country; a work in progress which I caught at the Theatre Royal, Stratford East. June 2016 and Britannia (Penny Layden) has called an emergency meeting of the six parts of the United Kingdom – Caledonia (Stuart McQuarrie), The North East (Laura Elphinstone), Northern Ireland (Cavan Clarke), Cymru (Christian Patterson), The East Midlands (Seema Bowri) and the South West (Adam Ewan) – to discuss the Brexit referendum. Britannia represents Westminster and the ruling heart of England and the other parts represent variou...

https://www.londontheatre1.com/news/167017/a-clockwork-orange-park-theatre-review/ Did you know that as at the time of me writing this, there are over 88,000 people languishing in one of Her Majesty’s jails in the United Kingdom. According to the Home Office, the cost of keeping one prisoner in jail is just over £33,000 per year. Multiply the first figure by the second and that’s a lot of money that could be spent on other things. It’s no wonder that rehabilitation is one of the main purposes of the penal system. So, if you are, for example, Minister of the Interior and a doctor comes to you with a bold new treatment that is guaranteed to reform any prison inmate and within two weeks make them a safe, member of society, able to be released once more into the world then you would give it a try wouldn’t you? This is the backbone of Action the Word’s award-winning production of  A Clockwork Orange  which has just opened at The Park Theatre. Based on Anthony Burgess’ novel of...

http://www.carnstheatrepassion.com/review-henry-v/ I n 2015, Antic Disposition celebrated the 600th anniversary of the Battle of Agincourt, the 400th anniversary of the death of Shakespeare and the 100th Anniversary Battle of Loos in Northern France with a production of Henry V which I saw in Temple Church. Two years later and they are back with a cathedral tour of the play which I was lucky enough to catch at Southwark Cathedral. Photo Credit Scott Rylander Using a play within a play format, this version of Henry V begins in a field hospital in France in 1915 a group of French and English patients decide to put on a version of Henry V. Shakespeare’s play takes place 500 years earlier and concerns the young King Henry (Rhy Bevan) being maneuvered by his court to take up some dubious claims to Dukedoms in France. Following a visit from the Herald Montjoie (Marious Hesper) who brings, shall we say, a less than complimentary reply to Henry’s demands from the French Dauphin (Dean ...