★★★★☆ Each year, The Alexandra runs a two-week intensive masterclass of theatre that culminates in three days of performances. Young performers between the ages of 9 and 24 can apply to take part in Stage Experience, dedicating a fortnight of their summer to putting on a musical. This year, the chosen musical was West Side Story, and James and I attended its first performance yesterday evening.
★★★★★ Back in 2016, Paul Hendy wrote, directed, and produced a twenty-minute short film called “The Last Laugh.” The film imagines a meeting between three British comedy greats in a theatre dressing room. Last year, this was adapted into a stage play and stole the show at the Edinburgh Fringe. It has since moved to the West End, New York, and is now on a UK Tour. James and I were lucky enough to attend the press night at The Alexandra in Birmingham last night, where we were thoroughly entertained for an evening.
★★★★★ Although I’ve read many Michael Morpurgo stories, including The Nine Lives of Montezuma, which holds a special place in my heart as a childhood favourite, War Horse was one I managed to miss. Yesterday, Lydia and I attended the stage adaptation of War Horse at The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham. We were both utterly captivated by the production & it definitely left a lasting impression.
★★★★★ Dear Evan Hansen is one of my all-time favourite musicals, and James and I were fortunate enough to see it last October. When it returned to Birmingham as part of the extended tour, I knew I wanted to take Lydia along to experience the show, and she absolutely loved it.
★★★★★ In 2025, Les Misérables, the world-famous Cameron Mackintosh musical based on Victor Hugo’s novel, celebrates its 40th anniversary. To mark this Ruby Anniversary, eleven amateur theatre groups across the UK were invited to stage their own productions, bringing the musical to life in their local communities. This is the first time in four decades that Les Misérables has been licensed for production by amateur theatre groups in the UK, and what a wonderful job BMOS have done in Birmingham of the project. I have loved the music of Les Misérables since I was a young girl listening to my parents’ CD album, and I feel privileged to have been invited along to see this special anniversary staging of the show.
★★★★☆ It’s hard to review a play when it finishes with a plea to keep its secrets, but I will do my best…
Last night James & I went to the Alex to experience the UK tour of Ghost Stories, a 90 minute play that promises to have you trembling with fear in your seat.
★★★★★ James & I hopped on a train to the city centre yesterday evening to attend the press night for An Inspector Calls at The Alexandra.
JB Priestly’s multi-award-winning play, An Inspector Calls, tells the tale of Inspector Goole’s investigation into the death of a young woman. Stephen Daldry’s National Theatre production of this crime thriller has returned for another UK tour, following the record-breaking success of the sold-out 2022 tour.
★★★★☆ Yesterday evening James & I went to The Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham city centre to attend the press night for Ghost the Musical, which just has a couple more stops on the 2024 – 2025 UK tour. It has been years since I last saw the original film, but this musical version definitely lived up to my memories of it, with some great music, phenomenal singing, and an engaging story.
★★★★☆ Earlier this year, we took Lydia to watch the musical adaptation of one of her favourite books, Rick Riordan’s The Lightning Thief. It’s the first book in his Percy Jackson & the Olympians series and also the first book in his broader fictional and mythological universe. I introduced her to the Percy Jackson books when she finished the Harry Potter series, and Lydia has devoured every book Rick has written since that first read through of The Lightning Thief (and is very excited that he has returned to his original trio of characters with his latest books).
★★★★☆ At the weekend we headed over to the Artrix, Bromsgrove, to check out their Christmas panto; Dick Whittington. Produced by Elite Pantomimes, this panto tells the story of the ambition Dick Whittington and his loyal feline companion Tommy, as they try to attain fame & fortune in London – and to get the girl, too.
