Comments for Cultivated

Comment on Flashdance: The Musical by Z OSBORN

Z OSBORN — Sat, 06 Jun 2026 16:06:20 +0000

FLASHDANCE was brilliant!
Threshold Theatre Company’s casting was superb throughout. C.C., the seedy and manipulative owner of The Chameleon Club, was convincingly portrayed by Craig Mayne, who elicited a wide range of emotions from the audience.
Rachael-Braxton Osborn, as Nurse Louise, brought perfectly timed humour to the stage each time she appeared. Her performance was delivered with both wit and sensitivity as she cared for Miss Hanna, Alex’s mentor, providing moments of warmth and laughter that were greatly appreciated by the audience.
The cast’s energy was electric as they sang and danced their way through wonderfully familiar hit songs while also introducing us to beautifully written music that was less well known. The production successfully balanced nostalgia with fresh discoveries.
Several scenes reminded the audience of powerful themes that remain highly relevant today. In particular, the scene in which Gloria was surrounded and exploited by patrons of The Chameleon Club as they violated her personal space and bodily autonomy was especially impactful. It evoked a powerful range of emotions, including discomfort, anger, pity, revulsion and fear. This was theatre at its most thought-provoking.
Congratulations to Director Carmel Hannant, who guided the audience through a rich emotional journey of nostalgia, joy, tension and reflection. The ability to make an audience both reminisce and feel deeply is the mark of a truly talented director.
The musical direction was outstanding—well done to Matt Rhodes. Daniel Waite’s choreography was equally impressive, blending familiar routines from the original production with exciting new interpretations. I particularly enjoyed the inclusion of contemporary dance practices, such as men performing in heels, while still retaining the unmistakable spirit and style of the 1980s.
Special congratulations must also go to the crew, particularly Alex DeWitt and Dan Elliott. The props & aspects of the set were ingenious, the costumes were authentic to the era, and the set design was simple yet highly effective, allowing each scene transition to flow seamlessly.
Finally, congratulations to the entire cast and crew. Every individual contributed their unique talents while working together as a cohesive team to create a fantastic rendition of Flashdance. Each and every one of you should be immensely proud of what you achieved on stage.

Comment on Gentleman Jack by Mike

Mike — Fri, 29 May 2026 21:17:57 +0000

I have to both agree & – fairly vehemently – disagree with James, here.

Agree:
Lots of promise, some very good performances but yes, stick-banging a little off (but this is a fairly minor flaw).

Vehemently disagree:
I thought the screens & the treadmill were a great idea – & a nice nod to a non-ballet aficionado.
I also think the ‘coy’ sex scenes were quite nicely done too.
Whilst I am by no means a prude & I understand the diaries were pretty explicit (so perhaps, yes, the scenes lacked the punch they could have delivered) nevertheless, I found it rather appealing for more to be left to the imagination than could have been. I felt the scenes conveyed desire & eroticism & I don’t feel anyone, even non-regular ballet-goers, could have been left in much doubt as to what was going on.
I thoroughly enjoyed this & thought it an excellent Northern Ballet production – & I have seen quite a few.

Comment on FreakFest by James Goffin

James Goffin — Tue, 29 Oct 2024 10:43:51 +0000

In reply to Skye Smuth. All names were taken from the FreakFest programme. I've corrected one typo (Esher to Esther, apologies) but if there are others please let me know; for Dead Name the programme has the character's name as both Zack and Zak, so I went with the one used most.

Comment on FreakFest by Skye Smuth

Skye Smuth — Sun, 27 Oct 2024 20:46:49 +0000

Whilst you seem to have some strong opinions, I think this review would have more merit if you had actually gotten people’s names correct. Whilst the thought is appreciated (nobody wants to watch a bad play, of course), perhaps you should stick to being an audience member instead of a critic, Jumes.

Comment on Beauty and the Beast by Duncan Hayler

Duncan Hayler — Sat, 25 Nov 2023 20:23:23 +0000

Well Mr. Goffin,
Apparently it is you who looks at 1980’s catalogues! , not me.

Comment on Uncanny: I Know What I Saw by Vicki

Vicki — Mon, 20 Nov 2023 18:34:00 +0000

I thought it was diabolical

Comment on Edith – In The Beginning by Sylvia Docherty

Sylvia Docherty — Sat, 23 Apr 2022 14:54:02 +0000

The first paragraph of this review is interesting. Surely the play does what the title suggests, “ EDITH – IN THE BEGINNING”. How much do we know about this generous landowner? What kind of person was she? How was she influenced by her past experiences of life, firstly with her father and later by her short marriage to a devoted and courageous soldier? Should not these glimpses of her true life be told? We hear so much about the excavations and the important finds at Sutton Hoo. The story of these finds and the excavations are all there at Sutton Hoo and the treasure is displayed in the National Museum for all to see and hear about, but how were they discovered in the first place? It was through the determination and belief of Edith Pretty and Basil Brown and their knowledge of archaeology that treasure of such national importance was found. Their belief in what they were doing and their trust , respect, friendship, understanding and working relationship between these two people brought it all about. Truly “ EDITH – IN THE BEGINNING”.
The Play is principally about Edith Pretty and Basil Brown and it is right that the playwright “runs around the edges of the excavation” and uses flashbacks which influenced some of the decisions Edith Pretty made following the discovery.
The play shows that Karen Forbes has done an immense amount of research into the life of Edith pretty and her relationship with Basil Brown and significant, true aspects of it are presented to the audience through the talented and experienced Director Rob Little.