New shows to book for groups

It’s officially summer! The Open Air Theatre, Regent’s Park, London has now opened. The first production this year is a most delightful musical that has come from Broadway. SHUCKED ***** is a super show, full of delightful humour with great dancing, good singing, and actors who know how to put across this very corny musical. Only until 14 June, so hurry!

Photo: Pamela Raith

Maizy (Sophie McShera) is about to marry her childhood sweetheart, Beau (Ben Joyce) when they, along with the other inhabitants of Corn County, notice that their corn, which is the lifeblood of the small town, is dying. The wedding is immediately  cancelled. Although the other inhabitants tell Maizy not to leave, she goes to Tampa, Florida, and returns with a foot doctor, Gordy (Matthew Seadon-Young), a conman who she believes to be a corn doctor. He only wants the ‘rocks’ that he sees on Maizey’s bracelet. This is really all the story is, but, under direction of Jack O’Brien, it is a laugh a minute as the corny jokes proliferate. There’s a delightful performance by Keith Ramsay, who plays Beau’s supposedly dim brother Peanuts who comes out with a constant string of puns and innuendos. The audience explodes with laughter as the cast, led by the narrators., Monique Ashe-Palmer and Steven Webb , exuberantly sing, dance, and act in a constantly moving production. Set in a slightly tipsy barn, it’s a truly magical night as the light in the sky dims.

Tamsin Grieg gives us a tremendously well-nuanced performance as Hester in THE DEEP BLUE SEA ***** (Theatre Royal Haymarket, London, until 21 June).

Photo: Manuela Harlan

Hester is found on the floor of her gas filled flat in post-war London, having attempted suicide. She is rescued by a young couple living in the same house, kindly landlady (played by Selina Cadillac – interesting to see her without the usual neck brace, she wears in the Doc Martin TV series), and struck-off European Dr (Finbar Lynch).  When her husband (Nicholas Farrell) arrives to try and win his wife back in a somewhat passionless way, she explains that her suicide attempt is because she knows that her ex Battle of Britain pilot lover does not really care for her. Nevertheless, she refuses her husband‘s offer. Beautifully acted by everyone, Terence Rattigan’s 1952 play is revived here by Lindsay Posner and is certainly worth taking a group to.

MURDER SHE DIDN’T WRITE *** is an improvised show, dictated by the audience who suggest the title for the play, the article to use – on this night a rubber chicken – and other aspects for the performance of a murder mystery. There was no programme and different actors appear at different performances. I saw it at the Duchess Theatre, but it is currently touring the UK. The audience appeared to enjoy it, but I found most of the acting to be substandard.

Written by CARLIE NEWMAN