Conceived and directed by Guillaume Pigé ★★★★ Pros: Beautiful imagery, haunting original music, a showcase of first-rate physical performances. Cons: Might not be your cup of tea if you don’t like mimes! Without words, the story can be difficult to follow. Our Verdict: A beautiful piece of storytelling, featuring very skilled performers, that captures the magic of the circus. If you like physical theatre, go see it! Courtesy of The Cockpit The Little Soldiers is a mesmerizing tale told through ...

Written and performed by Peter Cutts Directed by Mandy Fox ★★★★ Pros: An exceptional all-round play designed for the stage with imagination, creativity and talent. Fascinates from start to finish. Cons: A rushed latter half and unnecessary musical interludes. Our Verdict: If you want to explain to anyone what’s so great about theatre, take them to this. A piece with plenty of thought invested in it that pays the audience dividends. Courtesy of The Cockpit There’s a saying about acting: ...

Written and directed by Des Dillon ★★★ Pros: A great script. Funny and poignant with strong themes, cleverly delivered in a very credible setting. The cast are fantastic and deliver wonderful comic timing.  Cons: Although pacey and energetic, it is a little drawn out. The early encounters lack the blind anger that could be present when staunch rivals meet in such circumstances. The context outside of Scotland may not relate to all audiences.  Our Verdict: Des Dillon is a very ...

Written and directed by Vanessa Brooks ★★★★ Pros: Beautifully written and very well performed with a great design and excellent music. Cons: I can’t think of any real drawbacks. There is a very clichéd plot twist at one point but it doesn’t spoil the fun. Our Verdict: This show is like a little ray of sunshine. A toe-tapping, knee-slapping evening of pure joy. Courtesy of Dark Horse Theatre I think we can all agree that Spring seems to be taking ...

Sarah Goddard Directed by Phil Willmott ★★★★ Pros: A very clever script with an engrossing tale – you don’t want the story(ies) to stop! Cons: The vocals in the singing components are a little shaky at the beginning, as were the sound cues which didn’t quite do justice to the original score. Our Verdict: This is rich story-telling with a skillful blend of fantasy and reality; well worth seeing. Courtesy of the Cockpit Theatre A Broken Rose doesn’t give much ...