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The Odyssey – review

24/07/2026 by Peter Viney

Here it is. THE ODYSSEY follow link to my review of the Christopher Nolan film.

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The Cherry Orchard – review

24/07/2026 by Peter Viney

Review of THE CHERRY ORCHARD by Chekhov at the Royal Shakespeare Company (follow link). This is a new version by Laura Wade featuring Sir Kenneth Branagh in his second RSC play this season, with Helen Hunt. If you only look at the production photos, you’ll see how good it looks. Though I have questions …

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My Fair Lady- a partial review

20/07/2026 by Peter Viney

MY FAIR LADY is Chichesters big musical for 2026. It has been acclaimed as the greatest of the classic musicals. FOLLOW THIS LINK TO REVIEW. So why a partial review? The production got cancelled after Part One due to a technical fault. It was the long part. We totally loved it, so a review goes up, even though it will be amended in five weeks when we finally get to see Part Two. What will get you is this is more exuberant than that 1964 film.

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Equus – review

17/07/2026 by Peter Viney

Review of EQUUS by Peter Shaffer at Bath Theatre Royal (follow link to the review). It’s a revival of the highly regarded 1973 play, which we hadn’t seen. It’s a powerful production all round, directed by Lindsay Posner.

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Much Ado About Nothing. Globe 2026 review

09/07/2026 by Peter Viney

Follow the link to my review of MUCH ADO ABOUT NOTHING at Shakespeare’s Globe. Directed by Chelsea Walker, with a magnificent pairing as Beatrice and Benedick in Pippa Nixon and Ken Nwasu. It’s what the Globe does best. Open air comedy, and it runs right through to October (on and off) so you really can get to see it.

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The Choral- film review

02/07/2026 by Peter Viney

Review of THE CHORAL, written by Alan Bennett, directed by Nicholas Hytner with a “Best of British” cast. Ralph Fiennes, Mark Addy, Roger Allam, Alun Armstrong, Amara Okefeke, Simon Russell-Beale. It’s set in 1916 Yorkshire and the choral society is trying to produce Elgar’s Dream of Gerontius. It’s a very pleasant evening’s watching too.

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The Marquise – review

26/06/2026 by Peter Viney

THE MARQUISE is a rarely performed Noël Coward play from 1927 (follow link to the review). Rare? Barely even heard of. This is its first outing in 22 years. Noël Coward wrote it as an 18th century costume drama, and admitted it was really just a 1920s play with costumes added. This production sets it in the 1930s and removes the wigs and long skirts and does the underlying play it always was.

The critics said not a lot because they didn’t go to see it. It’s a constant complaint. They can shift themselves to a tiny theatre in London, like the Menier Chocolate Factory or the Donmar Warehouse, but they won’t come out to see a touring play that left large happy audiences in Windsor, Bath, Oxford, Guildford, and next week, Cambridge. This is real theatre at your local playhouse, at prices normal people can afford. They’re also theatres where you can get a seat without being a ‘friend’ and buying tickets six or nine months before. It’s not a lost masterpiece by any means, but it is good entertainment.

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45 Years

24/06/2026 by Peter Viney

Review of the play 45 YEARS at Chichester Minerva Theatre (follow link). Small cast of three, short (80 minutes). Geraldine James and Gabriel Byrne as the couple awaiting their 45th wedding anniversary are 90% of the play. Gillian Bevan is their old friend. It’s a play about age, sand a long suppressed secret.

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Leo Jones

17/06/2026 by Peter Viney

I’ve just added a page in memory of Leo Jones. Readers from ELT will know him as a great innovator. We knew him as a colleague and friend for 55 years, and I met Leo before I met Karen. These are my memories and some photos. RIP, Leo.

LINK TO THE PAGE FOR LEO JONES HERE

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Atonement, play review

14/06/2026 by Peter Viney

Follow the link to my review of the stage version of Ian McEwan’s ATONEMENT at Chichester Festival Theatre. The play is scripted by Christopher Hampton who scripted the film. It got mixed reviews inevitably when a novel is so treasured. I’m highly positive though.

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