Printers Playhouse Production Reviews
FML
“FML is a laugh out loud funny, insightful, tragic and thought-provoking piece of theatre - all at once. The cast captured the atmosphere and tensions between the different characters brilliantly. Each character was believable, flawed, complex and relatable.
The move from location to location was smooth and the audience was never in doubt about exactly where we were and who the characters were with at any moment - no mean feat when moving from bedroom, to hospital to beachy head and back again using mainly a futon to set the scene - so effective.
The cast are brilliant - I felt totally invested in all the characters. So many times I wanted to give Joe and Jane a good shake and a talking to. So frustrating to watch from the outside and then empathise with both of them!
Fran was wonderful - loveable, kind and tried her very best at life albeit clinging on by the very tips of her fingernails and desperately attempting to convince herself and everyone else she was fine, fine, fine … until she wasn’t.
The presence of Beachy Head, almost as another character, constantly reminding us of the fragility and uncertainty of life, acted as a bridge between the humdrum of everyday and the existential balance between life and death. A stunning production.”
Following a successful run at Printers Playhouse, FML featured at the Camden Fringe and was the first show to be awarded 5 Stars by Reviews Hub.
Sheep Love To Die
“Sheep Love to Die’ captivated me with its exceptional writing, weaving a compelling narrative that kept me on the edge of my seat. The storyline was thrilling, filled with unexpected twists that added depth to the overall experience.
The acting was truly impressive, delivering natural performances that brought the characters to life with authenticity and emotion. A theatrical masterpiece that seamlessly blends superb writing and stellar performances.
This was an extraordinary play, perfectly placed at the Printers Playhouse. Such carefully crafted script and perfectly performed. Very much a play for today, exploring all the interwoven troubles of our time and how we are all connected.
Hamlet
“Imagination is alive and well and living at the Printers Playhouse in their new production of Hamlet. In an abridged version directed by Viv and John Berry, with a masterful underscore designed by John Berry, this show is a triumph. In two hours, I and the audience for Saturday afternoon’s show, were treated to a consummate retelling of the plot with their ‘gender-swapped’ production of the Bard without ever diluting the various roles that go to make this play a landmark in British drama.
There are so many terrific performances from this community cast in this show, but it would be wrong of me not to mention the absolute tour-de-force performance of Isabel Rankine as the eponymous Hamlet.
To be honest everybody in the cast should be proud of their work this afternoon, but I also have to mention the huge dignity and creativity Stevie Gates brought to the playing of Guildenstern; a role that can often slip under the radar in performances of this play.
I am always wary of adaptations of plays such as this, as so much can be lost with the reduced number of lines, but this retained much of the depth and complexity of the text and really created a show that bowled along at a terrific pace. Indeed, it provides the cast with an ambitious challenge to see what they might yet achieve with it in the remaining performances.
I thoroughly enjoyed this afternoon’s performance and can confidently say that those who are yet to see it are in for a treat.
Congratulations are due to John and Viv Berry and their joint ambitions to bring good theatre and community challenge to Eastbourne audiences. You’ve done it in spades!!!!
“I went to see this show on Friday and it was superb! The cast fizzed with an extraordinary power and energy. Congratulations to everyone involved in this wonderful production! This is community theatre at its best.”