11/06/2026 by Peter Viney
The award winning 2013 production of THE AUDIENCE (follow link to review) starring Helen Mirren as the Queen is on NT At Home. Richard McCabe won an award for his portrayal of Harold Wilson. Haydn Gwynne is a terrifying Margaret Thatcher. I’m a great fan of NT At Home, and while they may have had this for years, it popped up as first pick on their site this week. Well worth it. Pictured are the stage versions of John Major, Winston Churchill, Harold Wilson, Margaret Thatcher.
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10/06/2026 by Peter Viney
A short review of DISCLOSURE DAY (follow link). Short because I don’t want to disclose too much. So it’s a Stephen Spielberg story, directed by Stephen Spielberg. John Williams did the music. Brits dominate the cast- Emily Blunt, Josh O’Connor, Colin Firth. It is as you’d expect, classic Spielberg. Go and see it!
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06/06/2026 by Peter Viney
Review of THE TEMPEST at the Royal Shakespeare Company (follow link), featuring Kenneth Branagh as Prospero. It’s sold out, not surprisingly, but it will count as a major production of the play. It’s Branagh’s return to the RSC after thirty years. It’s Richard Eye’s first RSC production at age 83. Have a look:
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31/05/2026 by Peter Viney
This is one you can see. It’s streaming to cinemas, so will soon be on NT At Home. J.M. Synge’s THE PLAYBOY OF THE WESTERN WORLD at the National, featuring Nicola Coughlan. Follow link to the review. The review contains autobiographical asides, as I met Karen doing the play 55 years ago. Then the production has some folkloric asides. Still, it’s a major production of the great Irish play that influenced Brian Friel, Conor McPherson, Martin McDonagh and Jez Butterworth.
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29/05/2026 by Peter Viney
Follow the link to my review of Eclipse by John Morton at Chichester Minerva Theatre, directed by John Morton as well as written. It’s hard to describe. A family gather for the end of their dying father (we never see him) and it manages to be funny as well as poignant. It’s apparently nearly sold out for the last week, but given Chichester’s success at moving productions on there’s a good chance that it will re-emerge somewhere.
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23/05/2026 by Peter Viney
Review added of THE UNTHANKS at POOLE LIGHTHOUSE. Follow link to review. We never miss them. As ever a music of sublime singing and superb piano and violin. They veered to the poetic side tonight … Emily Brontë, Siegfried Sassoon, Molly Drake and the Songs From The Shipyards. The set is different every time we see them. This was the more somber end of their catalogue.
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23/05/2026 by Peter Viney
Follow the link to my review of A MIDSUMMER NIGHT’S DREAM at Shakespeare’s Globe, 2026. This is the 25th review I’ve done of the Dream. It’s my favourite play. This did it justice in a rollicking audience-participation version which was perfect for the day. I want to see it again! Directed by Emily Lin.
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17/05/2026 by Peter Viney
My rant on Eurovision 2022 has been updated with a section on 2026, FOLLOW THIS LINK
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11/05/2026 by Peter Viney
I’m adding more to the 60s film retrospective reviews with a focus on New Wave / Kitchen Sink. This is part of an Alan Sillitoe bing.e There will be more eary 60s reviews coming. The latest is SATURDAY NIGHT AND SUNDAY MORNING (link to review) , by Alan Sillitoe, directed by Karel Reisz, produced by Tony Richardson. This was Albert Finney’s breakthrough film.
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A return to my retrospective 1960s film review. The Loneliness of The Long Distance Runner (follow link to review) directed by Tony Richardson, based on the story by Alan Sillitoe. It’s 1962, and the story of a lad in Borstal. It was Tom Courtenay’s breakthrough role, and also features Michael Redgrave, James Bolam and Avis Bunnage in major parts. It’s an important British film and well worth re-watching.
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