By Martin Brisland. Benjamin Britten’s 1945 opera Peter Grimes saw the young composer’s emergence as a fully formed musical dramatist, and it remains his defining work. A near capacity Mayflower Theatre audience witnessed a real treat with one of the Welsh National Opera’s best productions (30/4/25). Fisherman Grimes is...
Articles with the Tag Theatre
Review: Hamilton, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
By Graham Hiley. Photos by Danny Kaan. If you’ve never seen Hamilton then you really do need to be in the Room Where It Happens. If you have already seen this magnificent musical, You’ll be Back. And if you have been living under a rock and have no idea...
Review: Picture You Dead – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
By Dan O’Farrell. The crime genre has been a massively popular feature of British cultural life since the first Sherlock Holmes stories rolled off the Victorian printing presses. TV schedules are still awash with ‘whodunnits’, murder-mysteries and increasingly dark thrillers, and crime fiction remains the most reliably high-selling flavour...
Review: Hey! Christmas Tree, Minerva Theatre, Chichester
By Graham Hiley. If only my new grand-daughter was a couple of years older! She would absolutely love Hey! Christmas Tree at Chichester’s Minerva Theatre. Aimed at three to seven-year-olds this charming story is the perfect introduction to theatre for younger children. In fact, it is something of a...
Blue Apple Singers to perform at Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market
Blue Apple Theatre’s Singers will be spreading festive cheer with a performance of seasonal songs at the Winchester Cathedral Christmas Market on Monday 2 December at 5pm. The Blue Apple Singers are known for their heartfelt performances. The performance promises to add to the magic of the market, showcasing...
Review: An Officer and a Gentleman, The Musical – Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
By Nick Mabey. Opening night of a five-show stint at The Mayflower, Southampton and a near-capacity crowd was treated to an enthusiastic and emotional performance of the adapted iconic 1980’s film (25/6/24). An Officer and a Gentleman The Musical was conceived and first performed in 2012. After a stop-start...
Review: Chitty Chitty Bang Bang, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
By Graham Hiley. It’s not every day that an inanimate object gets a standing ovation – but then it’s not often that a car is the star. And Chitty Chitty Bang Bang is no ordinary vehicle. It has a life and a personality of its own which shone through...
Southampton’s oldest musical society celebrates its centenary
SOS Presents (“SOS”) is the performing name of Southampton Operatic Society, the city’s oldest musical society, which celebrates its centenary this year. Having performed shows at the Guildhall, the Mayflower and the Nuffield Theatre in the past, in 2022 SOS adopted the wonderful MAST Mayflower Studios as its new...
Review: And Then There Were None, Mayflower Theatre
By Martin Brisland. Image: Manuel Harlan. With a Mayflower programme full of musicals, concerts, opera and ballet it is refreshing to see a classic ‘whodunnit’ play with an intricate plot delivered by a company of excellent actors. Agatha Christie is the undisputed Queen of Crime and the creator of...
Death Trap – Rambert Dance Company, Mayflower Theatre, Southampton
By Joy McKay. Following their hugely successful tour of Peaky Blinders stalwarts of the British Contemporary dance scene, Rambert, are back in Southampton with Death Trap. A show of two short modern pieces by Ben Duke, connected by one intriguing theme; death. Rambert brought Peaky Blinders to The Mayflower...