Under Milk Wood

I really enjoyed the way this company showed that it was a radio play. The way that all of the different characters were played by only three actors was achieved very well. They made the visual aspects very good by comical conflicts between the voice actors and the actor controlling the sound effects. Loved bobbing along to the music at the beginning whilst seeing the period set which immediately brought us back to a historic era.

Masquerade

Oh no, a dance piece! I really REALLY didn't like this one because it dragged on too long. Once I saw the sequences for 20 second's that was enough for me. I commend the dancer's for dancing non-stop for that amount of time though, especially the old woman.

Avenue Q

This play certainly does not 'beat around the bush' with serious topics and issues we all see in every day life. A very funny and lively play packed with songs and perfect choreography. Although at it times shocked me to the highest degree, I think that was the point to get the audience to see what was wrong with the world.

This is my review for the show:

Avenue Q, a modern musical fresh from New York Broadway tells the story of particularly strange characters getting through life in their dreary town in the hope of making something better for themselves in the future. As far as musical plots go, this is a common story line for many shows of today’s glamorous musical world, however, when the show talks about being racist, questioning the importance of a degree and laughing at people worse off than yourself, you know that you are in for a totally different musical experience. Not to mention all characters are monsters, manned by skilfully trained puppeteers, alluding to our loveable Sesame Street friends from childhood.

We can definitely tell that this is a different musical in itself; for one thing this may be the only show in today’s west end to break the barriers of English political correctness. Issues that people face in everyday life including racial, money problems and of course, the hardship of love are comically woven through upbeat songs and dance numbers. The cast have zero fear as they get the blunt point across which sometimes left me with my moth wide open. What you have to remember with this musical is that when taken with a pinch of salt, it is there to be enjoyed and its aim is to entertain us, telling us that all of our troubles we face in life are ‘only for now.’

The skill and craft gone into this production are evident to see. It is clear that hours of intricate rehearsal have been endured by all of the cast and crew. With sequences of aesthetic delights as the puppeteers worked together to make eye catching parts while singing and dancing, this is a show that is guaranteed to make the tears roll down your face and your soul uplifted.