Peter Viney's Blog

The Winter’s Tale- Branagh Review

08/11/2015 by Peter Viney

Review of Shakespeare’s The Winter’s Tale by The Kenneth Branagh Company,(FOLLOW LINK HERE) featuring Kenneth Branagh and Judi Dench. This review has been held back until after press night (November 7th), even though it’s entirely positive. We could only get tickets early in the run, they were full price and not marked “preview.” Directed by Kenneth Branagh. This is one of the major Shakespeare productions of 2015, playing in repertory with Harlequinade. I hate posting multiple reviews on one day, because earlier ones get far fewer “hits” … so do see Congreve’s LOVE FOR LOVE by the RSC below too!

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Christopher Oram, Jessie Buckley, Judi Dench, Kenneth Branagh, Kenneth Branagh Company, Michael Pennington, Miranda Raison, The Winter's Tale, Tom Bateman | Leave a Comment »

Love for Love – Review

08/11/2015 by Peter Viney

Review of Love for Love (LINKED HERE) by William Congreve, Swan Theatre, Royal Shakespeare Company, Stratford-upon-Avon. A bawdy, lusty and five star production of the play, done as strolling players.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Daniel Easton, Hermione Gulliford, Jenny Rainsford, Jonathan Broadbent, Justine Mitchell, Love for Love, Michael Thomas, Nicholas le Prevost, Robert Cavanah, Selina Cadell, Tom Turner, William Congreve, Zoe Waites | Leave a Comment »

Sam Lee & Friends review

04/11/2015 by Peter Viney

For folk fans, review of Sam Lee & Friends (LINKED) at Poole Lighthouse. A wonderful evening from the Mercury Award nominated singer.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Flora Curzon, JohnWhitten, Josh Green, Sam Lee, Sam Lee & Friends | Leave a Comment »

The Magna Carta Plays- review

31/10/2015 by Peter Viney

Review of The Magna Carta Plays, four one act plays commissioned by Salisbury Playhouse to reflect on the 800th Anniversary of the Magna Carta. I fall over backwards to avoid negative reviews. However, this was the worst stuff I’ve seen in a theatre in three years. Four very poor short plays. But hey, negative reviews can be more interesting than my normal positive ones.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Anders Lustgarten, Gareth Machin, Howard Brenton, Salisbury Playhouse, Sally Woodcock, The Magna Carta Plays, Timberlake Wertenbaker | Leave a Comment »

Measure for Measure – Young Vic review

29/10/2015 by Peter Viney

Review of Measure for Measure at the Young Vic. A complete contrast to this summer’s hilarious Globe production. Directed by Joel Hill-Gibbins, lots of projection, live video feeds, modern dress.

Photo is Duke Vincentio, with the condemned Claudio projected from a live video feed.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Joe Hill-Gibbins, Measure For Measure, Paul Ready, Romola Garai, Zubin Varla | Leave a Comment »

The Weight – cover versions

24/10/2015 by Peter Viney

I found a New Musical Express with the adverts for the initial release of three competing versions of “The Weight” on 7th September 1968. It inspired an article to display the pictures … linked HERE.

Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »

Photograph 51 – review

23/10/2015 by Peter Viney

Review added of “Photograph 51″ by Anna Ziegler, in the London production by the Michael Grandage Company, starring Nicole Kidman. Play about the discovery of DNA and the credit which went only to the male scientists involved. Nicole Kidman plays Dr Rosalind Franklin.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Anna Ziegler, Crick & Watson, Edward Bennett, Hotograph 51, Joshua Silver, Michael Grandage, Nicole Kidman, Patrick Kennedy, Stephen Campbell Moore, Will Attenborough | Leave a Comment »

Monsieur Popular

18/10/2015 by Peter Viney

After an intensive week of Chekhov and Shakespeare, a total change in Monsieur Popular by Eugene Marin Labiche, a classic French farce from 1863 at Bath;s Ustinov Studio.

Posted in Uncategorized | Tagged Bath Ustinov, Charlotte Wakefield, Eugene Marin Labiche, French farce, Gregory Gudgeon, Howard Ward, Jeremy Sams, Monsieur Popular, Raymond Coulthard | Leave a Comment »

The Wars of The Roses

17/10/2015 by Peter Viney

The Wars of The Roses at Kingston-on-Thames revives the 1963 RSC John Barton and Peter Hall’s adaptation of Henry VI Parts I. II and III plus Richard III into three plays in a day. It was our second three plays in a day in a week.