Review: The Band at Milton Keynes Theatre this week!

I think the whole audience resonated with the story of the Band. 25 years ago most of us, me included were dragged along to a Take That concert in some enormous arena where we mostly watched the show on a TV screen. To be honest I thoroughly enjoyed it but my ears were ringing for days after; thankfully with health and safety being what it is there’s no danger of that at MK Theatre!

The story of The Band then catches up with the loyal group of girl followers 25 years later when they are settled into their more mundane lives, have put a bit of weight on and are settled into domesticity. They arrange to meet up to see the band reform in Prague.

The story is interwoven with the songs of Take That with a newer and younger group of lads who have their own style and charm. This is not a tribute band at all. The audience absolutely loved the show and were singing along, up on their feet and waving their phone torches to the various ballads. It was just like the old days! For a moment we all felt a lot younger!

The show will appeal to both an older audience who remember back in the day and those younger who have been introduced to the music of Take That since their resurrection. Believe me the older tunes are the best!

It was a packed house so if you want to see this show then hurry for tickets. They won’t last long.

On at MK Theatre until Saturday 9th March.

Tickets from www.atgtickets.com/Miltonkeynes or telephone 0844 871 7652

(booking fee applies)

Review: Matthew Bourne’s Swan Lake

Well it was a privilege to see so much talent on the stage of Milton Keynes theatre. 

Matthew Bourne retells the story of Swan Lake to a modern audience in his own inimitable style. The show is actually 25 years old and originally shocked audiences with the decision to replace the all-female ballet dancers with a male ensemble. What a masterpiece! In this performance we see everything from hissing swans to burlesque dancers.

Swan Lake tells the story of a repressed man striving for love from his mother and ultimately finding his true love but it is of course doomed to end tragically as in all great love stories.

The score of Tchaikovsky has never been more beautifully presented than in this show. The show has been given a fresh makeover with new sets, costumes and lighting as well as tweaks to the powerful choreography. It was good to see Matthew Bourne in the audience too; a man who has turned the dance world upside down. As he says "I trust that this swan will continue to fly, inspire and lift up audiences for many years to come".

Swan Lake is on at MK Theatre until Saturday 2nd February. Tickets from www.atgtickets.com/Miltonkeynes or telephone 0844 871 7652 (booking fee applies)  

Robin Hood – Milton Keynes Theatre

You simply can’t have Christmas time without panto! Us Brits do love the panto and the sillier the better. But we also love a good show with fantastic costumes, acting, music and dancing. Qdos Entertainment’s Robin Hood ticked all the boxes and more: A well-known Bafta-winning TV star? Check. Leads and an ensemble of comedy, TV and voice-over actors? Check. A seasoned West End star? Check. A mighty magician? Check. A group of international comedy acrobats known as The Acromaniacs? Check! A team of young talented dancers from Dancebox Studios? Check!

We all know the story of Robin Hood, with his team of merry men, robbing from the rich to give to the poor, the evil Sheriff of Nottingham getting in their way and of course the lovely Maid Marion whom Robin is keen to woo. Throw in some clowning around, impressive magic tricks, a spirit of Sherwood, a rather scary 3D trip through the haunted forest, crazy acrobatics, dazzling costumes and stage sets then you’ve got yourself a winning pantomime.

The show is fantastic fun for all the family with endless cheers, boos and screams from the children in the audience and plenty of cheeky laughs from the adults as the grown-up jokes and innuendos were well placed and consistent throughout the show. Of course, you must expect plenty of news, politics and current affairs creeping their way into the show too so prepare for insults, poking fun and outrageous laughter – we love it! Music and songs included some from The Greatest Showman and the classic annual Milton Keynes Panto rendition of Twelve Days of Christmas – watch out for those five toilet rolls kids!!

Starring cheeky and charismatic Shane Ritchie as Robin Hood, Peter Piper as Friar Tuck, Gina Murray as the Spirit of Sherwood, Pete Gallagher as the charming and dastardly Sheriff of Nottingham, Jamie Kenna as Little John, Phil Hitchcock as Merlin the Magician and the almighty comedy jumping Acromaniacs as the Merry Men.

For tickets, head to www.atgtickets.com, the panto is running until 13^th January. Be quick, performances are selling out fast!