23/08/2025 by Peter Viney
HEDDA (follow link here to my review) is written and directed by Matthew Dunster and is a reimagining of Henril Ibsen’s Hedda Gabler storyline, set in present day Frome. It is extraordinarily harrowing and powerful version, starring Lily Allen as Hedda, and Tom Austen as the tortured writer, Jasper. Brendan Coyle is Brack, now an MP rather than a judge. Ciaran Owen is the dull hubbie, George and Imogen Stubbs is his sweet Aunt Julia. We are on the most positive end of the reviews.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
23/08/2025 by Peter Viney
Review of a major production of AS YOU LIKE IT at Bath Theatre Royal. Follow the link to the full review. This is part of Bath’s 2025 Ralph Fiennes Season, and is directed by Ralph Fiennes. It has some glowing reviews. We saw it the day before press night, and were pretty critical. Read the review. The photo is the final song. It is easily the best thing in the production.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
16/08/2025 by Peter Viney
REVIEW added of The Ballad of Wallis Island (follow link). It must be one of the films of the year, simple, beautiful to look at, great to listen to, excellent story. A must see. Check the review which avoids serious plot spoilers and jokes!
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
15/08/2025 by Peter Viney
Review of Irving Berlin’s TOP HAT: The Musical at Chichester Festival Theatre (follow link to review). I hate reviewing things no one can see, but this is going on a SIXTEEN city tour after Chichester. So this is one you can see and you really should. There is an issue. It’s a classic 1935 tale originally featuring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers on film. So it’s a dance piece about dancers. We enjoyed it immensely, but is IS retro or if you prefer, faithful in style, but in colour and live with better performed music.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
13/08/2025 by Peter Viney
New at AROUND AND AROUND. Follow this link to the article. Should this be a producer label, because Gamble & Huff produced virtually everything on it, or should it be in the CBS / Sony section because it was an integral label during its best years? It’s under ‘Producer labels’ but linked from CBS / Sony Group. An important label for the 1970s. O’Jays, Three Degrees, Intruders, Harold Melvin & The Blue Notes, Archie Bell & The Drells, Patti LaBelle, Dee Dee Sharp and more.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
10/08/2025 by Peter Viney
Review of CHOIR by Gurprett Kaur Bhatti at Chichester’s Minerva Theatre (FOLLOW LINK to review). This is about a community choir meeting and singing modern popular songs. They are a strange mix. One is described as ‘weird,’ another says ‘we’re all weird.’ It is very funny indeed, the renditions of the songs are marvellous. It is a highly enjoyable and runs till the end of the month. The matinee was full. You may have better luck in the evening. it is well worth the trip to Chichester.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
03/08/2025 by Peter Viney
Tom Deveson asked for comments on Garth Hudson’s birthday. I started. It turned into an article, so I’ve added it here (under Concerts). I’ve told the tale many times, perhaps not at this length. Follow the link here to read the article.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
01/08/2025 by Peter Viney
This is rather late. The run ends tomorrow, but there will no doubt be a DVD or streaming one day, and it is of interest as a very different version of ROMEO & JULIET (follow link to review). This is the wild west one, but manages to get much more comedy than usual in the first part, while still being poignant in the second. A comic Mercutio? Friar? JULIET? Read the review.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
26/07/2025 by Peter Viney
At Around and Around, the latest label is Portrait (follow link) CBS introduced Portrait as a sub-label of Epic. Its first incarnation with Heart and Joan Baez fizzled out, but it was revived and Cyndi Lauper and Toyah were the discoveries, while Sade was licensed for the USA. The Portrait label throws light on the workings of CBS / Sony.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
25/07/2025 by Peter Viney
THE WINTER’S TALE currently playing in the Royal Shakespeare Theatre is directed by Yaël Farber. (FOLLOW LINK TO THE REVIEW). It was one of the hardest to assess since I started doing these reviews fourteen years ago. It veers from five star to one star and back again. It is challenging. It is different. Read the review.
Posted in Uncategorized | Leave a Comment »
Peter Viney's Blog