25/07/2025 by Peter Viney
Review of THE CONSTANT WIFE at the Royal Shakespeare Company. (Follow link) Laura Wade has adapted Somerset Maugham’s 1926 play, rewriting large sections. Costume, set, performances are at the highest level, and the 1920s and 1930s is an era the RSC usually avoids. This one, directed by Tamara Harvey and starring Rose Leslie is such a triumph that I hope we’ll see more of the same era in future. Here Rose Leslie with Luke Norris and Emma McDonald.
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21/07/2025 by Peter Viney
George Brant’s 2016 play about Sister Rosetta Tharpe and Marie Knight MARIE AND ROSETTA (follow link to review) comes to the UK. The singing is phenomenal, both from Beverley Knight (Rosetta) and co-star Ntombizodwa Ndlovu as Marie Knight. The play impressed me more than other critics, lifted by Chichester Festival Theatre’s direction and set design, I feel. It’s touring. Beverley Knight joins my list of all-time great female singers!
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15/07/2025 by Peter Viney
Epic – 45 sleeves and centres (follow link) The second part of the Epic story. This is one for collectors, but also for general interest it features several artists not covered in the main article.
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14/07/2025 by Peter Viney
Over at AROUND & AROUND the latest addition on UK record labels is Epic (follow the link), probably the most successful label since the 1970s in singles chart terms. It’s a massive label, and I had to be selective, but hopefully the visuals, the anecdotes and lists should be interesting.
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13/07/2025 by Peter Viney
Bath Theatre Royal opens its 2025 ‘Ralph Fiennes Season’ with a new play by David Hare, GRACE PERVADES (link to the review). This is the story of the two most famous actors of the late 19th Century, Henry Irving and Ellen Terry, and of Ellen’s theatrical offspring, Edward Gordon Craig and Edith Craig. It’s an intriguing tale, beautifully told. Ralph Fiennes is Henry Irving, Miranda Raison is Ellen Terry.
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11/07/2025 by Peter Viney
A short review of JURASSIC WORLD: REBIRTH, aka #3 in the franchise. Follow link.
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18/06/2025 by Peter Viney
Review of ANNA KARENINA at Chichester Festival Theatre (link to review). This new stage version of Tolstoy’s masterpiece is written and directed by Phillip Breen and stars Game of Thrones Natalie Dormer as Anna Karenina. It is elaborate with a large cast including Jonnie Broadbent as Silva and Naomi Sheldon as Dolly. It has a dazzling array of theatrical styles too. It runs for the rest of June. it’s very likely to go on elsewhere in the future.
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14/06/2025 by Peter Viney
Review of P.P. ARNOLD at Poole Lighthouse, Friday 13th June 2025. Magnificent as ever (though I have harsh words on the venue and support act). FOLLOW LINK TO REVIEW
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12/06/2025 by Peter Viney
The Royal Shakespeare Theatre hosts a bold and innovative HAMLET, combining it with arrangements of Radiohead’s 2003 album HAIL TO THE THIEF played by a live band. Then add choreography and dance of the highest order, and cram it all into just 100 minutes or so (well, add a few minutes for the standing ovations). OK, the text is somewhat “Hamlet: the best lines” but the performances are intense. Running to June 28th … IF you can get tickets. Follow the link to the review of HAMLET : HAIL TO THE THIEF.
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07/06/2025 by Peter Viney
I haven’t done a link to “Around and Around” for a while because I’m stuck in the huge task of the Epic record label. However, I see several things a week and all the articles are updated and grow. Recently, one under Art of The LP has some additions, and that’s “A Girl on the Sleeve” tracing LP illustrations which simply stuck a picture of a girl on the record, especially beloved of Easy Listening and budget compilations. To be in the category, the photo has to be completely gratuitous. FOLLOW THIS LINK.
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