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Arena Theatre Company Regent Centre Christchurch April 2004  (with a few other familiar quotes thrown in for good measure) but it’s light years away from Shakespeare as we know it.But I can’t help thinking that the Bard would have loved this two-hour space journey to the planet D’Illyria, home of scientist Dr Prospero and his daughter Miranda (John King & Emma Purchase) and their roller-skating robot, Ariel (Adam Donaghue).  And the ship’s crew – led by Captain Tempest (Nick Guy), Bosun Arras (Helen Walton), Cookie (Gareth Richards) and Science Officer (Lorraine Rowan) – are as sparky a group as anyone could wish for.  Lift-off was a tad slow, but once we reached full throttle there was no holding back and it was all a real blast. The seven-piece band under musical director Jonathan Spratt is out of this  world, the songs are a joy, costumes and on-screen effects brilliant and comic touches – particularly the space craft in which the Science Officer makes her escape, and which crosses the entire auditorium – delightful.  It’s quirky, it’s fun, and excellently directed by Neil Mathieson, who pops up in various guises throughout the show in a fine example of real hands-on participation. Review by - Linda Kirkman Courtesy of the Bournemouth Daily Echo Photographs of the casr are courtesy of Neil Mathieson and feature the following - 1. Ariel the Robot ( Adam Donohuge), Miranda (Emma Purchase), Prospero (John King) and Captain Tempest (NIck Guy) 2. Prospero (John King) and Cookie (Gareth Richards) 3. Captain Tempest (NIck Guy), Prospero (John King) and Miranda (Emma Purchase) 4. Captain Tempest (NIck Guy) and Bosun Arras (Helen Walton) 5. Cast and crew wait for take-off. |
