Lyceum
Laurel & Hardy
★★★★☆ Skilfully hilarious
There is a deeply felt element to Laurel & Hardy at the Lyceum, that enhances the hilarity on display in note-perfect recreations of classic comedy.
Red Ellen
★★★☆☆ Diffuse
Red Ellen, at the Lyceum, co-produced with the Nottingham Playhouse and Northern Stage, suffers from many of the faults that affect biographical drama, and is far too long for its own good. Nevertheless, it has an abundance of compassion, and an excellent central performance from Bettrys Jones.
Keli – an audio drama
★★★★☆ Intense
Martin Green’s audio drama Keli, previewed earlier this month at the Lyceum, has arrived on the theatre’s Soundstage audio platform. While there is much that is odd about its presentation, it is an absolutely engrossing piece.
The Meaning of Zong
★★★★★ Stunning
The Meaning of Zong at the Lyceum for a two week stay is a hugely important, superbly staged piece of theatre.
Keli – A Live Preview
Preview
In the middle of the Lyceum’s fortnight-long Wonder festival, packed with works in progress, Martin Green – one-third of the adventurous folk trio Lau – invited the world in to see and comment on his latest venture.
The Scent of Roses
★★★☆☆ Lacks urgency
The Scent of Roses, from writer-director Zinnie Harris at the Lyceum, features a top-notch cast and dialogue that often rings true regarding how self-delusion and self-evasion wreck our relationships with each other and the world around us. However, the production as a whole never truly ignites
Christmas Dinner
★★★★☆ Touchingly funny
Christmas Dinner may be something of a stopgap as this year’s Lyceum show, but it proves a success in its own right. Amusing, energetic, and wearing its considerable profundity lightly, it should appeal to the widest possible audience.
Life is a Dream
★★★★★ Glorious
The Lyceum’s Life is a Dream is a necessary and exquisite reminder of the possibilities of live theatre. Originally planned to end the 2019/20 season, this production has emerged into a completely changed world.
Who Are You?
★★★☆☆ Timely
Who Are You? – the last in the series of audio presentations from the Lyceum and Pitlochry Festival Theatre – is a strange piece both in atmosphere and in execution. Philosophically weighty but artistically less convincing, it has an initial impact that it cannot sustain.
History
★★★★★ Outstanding
History by Roy Williams is not only the best so far of the offerings on the Lyceum and Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Sound Stage audio platform, it must also have a claim to be the most essential of all the audio dramas provided by theatres in the last 18 months.
