… what better way to welcome the island back to its marvellous theatre than with Festively Theatrical! A laid back, homely concert done by some of the islands most experienced in the amateur dramatic scene.
REVIEW: ‘Ross & Rachel’ – Horse Box Theatre Company
“Tallulah plays both roles in this dialogue for one, and it is her performance that holds the play together. Her inflections, particularly as Rachel, are spot on and her handling of Ross’ darker moments makes this piece, at times, difficult to watch – in a good way.”
REVIEW: The IW Theatre Concert
Around 30 separate performances made up this very special and entertaining show, featuring a wide range of Islanders with two things in common – talent and residency on our lovely Island.
RAISING THE CURTAIN #11: “My Theatre History” by Zoe Divers
“A good friend of mine asked me to write this blog post about my past theatre experiences on the Isle of Wight. This got me thinking. Without the island’s theatre scene, I wouldn’t have met this friend. In fact, I wouldn’t have met the majority of the wonderful, talented people that I am so lucky to call my friends.”
RAISING THE CURTAIN #10: “Shakespeare at the Castle” by Maureen Sullivan
“Hmm, let me think – me, a Shakespeare nut, direct one of his funniest plays in the unique setting of our historic castle, beloved of Keats – less beloved, it has to be said, of Charles I… it took me all of five seconds to say yes.”
RAISING THE CURTAIN #9: “All The World’s a Stage” – by Mitch Hamer
It was in ‘As You Like It’ that Shakespeare wrote the famous words ‘All The World’s a Stage’, and my experience of performing Shakespeare on the Island has proved just that. Who says that the stage MUST be a traditional proscenium arch in the theatre with rows of chairs of audience.
RAISING THE CURTAIN #8: “Why Shakespeare?” – by Maureen Sullivan
Why Shakespeare indeed!
Shakespeare gives us characters who are timeless, who wrestle with the same issues we still grapple with – self-doubt, greed, pride, jealousy, love and hate, wanting revenge – and at the same time his characters are capable of providing farce, slapstick comedy and general stupidity. Most of all, Shakespeare’s characters are human.
REVIEWED: “Greg Chapman (Almost) Live!” – by Greg Chapman
“Combining the best features of live performance and recorded shows, this ‘almost live’ hour flew by, providing some much-needed laughter and entertainment.”
RAISING THE CURTAIN #7: ‘The Costume’s the Thing!’ – by Maureen Sullivan
Let’s not forget the Wardrobe Department. As Maureen says, “the costumes maketh the play…”
RAISING THE CURTAIN #6: “I’m Putting Together a Team” by Olly Fry
The emphasis here is on the word ‘Team’. Our amateur theatre production teams on the Island, are indeed Premier Division. Olly Fy introduces us to an all-star team, where the motto of ‘One for all, and all for one” really does apply.
