'The Ladykillers' review

Malvern Festival Theatre

THE LADYKILLERS (Fiery Angel Productions)

Paul Bown

As Malvern Festival Theatre’s autumn showcase of fantastic productions comes to a close, it seemed a tall order to match last week’s sell-out performance of The Mousetrap and yet they did better than match it, they smashed it, saving the best until last! The Ladykillers is magnificent, hilarious, stunning, wonderful… simply awesome!!!!

Clive Mantle

A strikingly, awe-inspiring set, the genius of Michael Taylor, full of surprises right to the final curtain, provides the perfect environment for the shenanigans of an ill-fated collection of crooks as they concoct a scheme to undertake a grand robbery. Disguised as musicians, they end up unavoidably embroiled in the life of their delightful landlady with unexpected, deadly consequences.

Shaun Williamson

The gifted Graham Linehan must be congratulated on taking this Ealing comedy classic and scripting such a superb stage show. An incredible cast of great theatrical talent perfectly bring director, Sean Foley’s creative vision to life. His staging and impressive physical comedy is beautifully executed with shocking hilarity.

Michele Dotrice

The actors ooze with talent from every pore and all equally revel in their respective roles, with Michele Dotrice as the doddery, old landlady, Mrs Wilberforce, Paul Bown’s Professor Marcus, the brains of the bunch, Clive Mantle as curious Major Courtney, William Troughton’s pill-popping Harry Robinson, Chris McCalphy as the not-so-clever, One-Round and Shaun Williamson’s moody ganster, Louise Harvey. Marcus Taylor and Beverley Walding present a couple of delightful cameos ably supported by aspiring actors from the local community who made up a giggling, gaggle of geriatrics.

The Ladykillers is gob-smackingly brilliant and one you must absolutely go and see!

'The Mousetrap' review

Malvern Theatre Review

THE MOUSETRAP (Sir Stephen Waley-Cohen & Adam Spiegel)

Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap Tour

After a record-breaking run in the West End, The Mousetrap is celebrating its monumental 60 years on stage by undertaking it’s first ever tour of the UK. Penned by the mistress of murder mystery, Agatha Christie, the show is playing to packed theatres all over the country. An opening night sell out is a phenomenon usually reserved for Andrew Lloyd Webber shows and Blood Brothers but the full house at Malvern Festival Theatre is a reflection of the popularity and intrigue of this timeless classic.

Ian Watt-Smith perfectly directs a brilliant cast of eight characters who, due to extreme winter weather, find themselves cut off in the isolated Monkswell Manor, while reports of the murder of a woman in London circulate the country. The hunt for her killer leads to the country house and the discovery that the killing spree may not be over, but whodunit?

Bruno Langley and Jemma Walker charmingly play the inheritors of the manor, who naively decide to open it as a guesthouse. Steven France is superb as their first arrival, in the guise of Christopher Wren, whose childish enthusiasm quickly irritates most in his company, particularly the pernickety Mrs Boyle, superbly characterised by Jan Waters. Graham Seed is wonderfully aloof as Major Metcalf and Clare Wilkie is excellent as the strikingly self-assured Miss Casewell. Karl Howman and Thomas Howes revel in their respective roles of Mr Paravicini and Detective Sergeant Trotter, the unexpected guests that make up the fated eight.

A beautifully functional set, delightful period costume, atmospheric lighting and sound complete the sparkle on this diamond anniversary production. What makes this different to the other Agatha Christie plays is the quality of script, story and characters. The first act moves the story along at a pace, leaving a trail of clues that tempt us to unravel the mystery of each individual as we play detective to uncover the deadly scheme and unmask the murderer before all is revealed on stage.

'Driving Miss Daisy' reveiw

Malvern Festival Theatre

DRIVING MISS DAISY (Julian Stoneman Associates Limited)

Gwen Taylor as Miss Daisy

The 2012 award winning production of Driving Miss Daisy comes direct from Broadway and the West End to Malvern Festival Theatre this week, absolutely justifying its critical acclaim and rave reviews.

This incredibly heart-warming play affectionately explores the relationship that develops between an elderly, Jewish widow and an aging, black chauffeur, who was hired by her son, despite her objections, after she wrote off her new car, taking out a couple of buildings in the course of the unfortunate event. The story, set in the Southern American state of Georgia, unfolds over two decades from 1948 to 1973, during the height of the Civil Rights Movement.

Despite what many believe, this moving tale was originally written by Alfred Uhry for the stage, premiering off Broadway, before being made into an Oscar winning film, starring Jessica Tandy and Morgan Freeman. Since then it has enjoyed much theatrical success with numerous stars adopting the lead roles, soon to include Angela Landsbury and James Earl Jones in a production in Australia next year.

Don Warrington as Hoke

The immensely talented Gwen Taylor is outstanding in the eponymous role of Miss Daisy, perfectly articulating her Southern drawl and physically transforming, with absolute believability, as the character ages from her early seventies to mid nineties. Don Warrington, another national treasure, is utterly authentic as the driver, Hoke, creating a perfect partnership with whom to share the journey. Ian Porter brilliantly brings the final piece of this ensemble together in the guise of Boolie, Miss Daisy’s frustrated son. The rapport on stage, between these three actors, is a joy to experience.

David Esbjornson, who directed the play’s West End and Broadway debut, uses a simple set and cleverly enhances this production by integrating lovely underscoring with emotive lighting and projections to create a positively enchanting atmosphere for the telling of a tenderly moving tale.

This is possibly the best production to have played at Malvern this year and is definitely worth seeing. Without an interval, it is one and a half hours of uninterrupted indulgence. Driving Miss Daisy runs until Saturday.