Theatre
Showstopper! The Musical ... Southbank Udderbelly (London) and touring
A musical improvisation sensation, ambitious and fun. The cast, who have been performing together for some years, derive humour and joy from making up a musical on the spot. Dylan Emery, the host/compere/director, elicits suggestions from the audience and then lets his cast loose. Catch them when you can. You won't be disappointed
Theatre
Cruel ... Deborah Colker ... UK tour
Set to exploit the potential of the UK's larger stages during the Spring, Deborah Colker's dancers fly across the performance space at astonishing speed in new work 'Cruel' — a tale of love, lovers and family bonds. Fusing contemporary and classical idioms Colker's bold and accessible work continues to astonish and exhilarate in equal measure.
Book
Plays and Controversies: Abbey Theatre Diaries 2000-2005
by Ben Barnes, Carysfort Press
Answers the question, What does an Artistic Director actually do? and offers an honest and generous-spirited insight into the complex demands, and extreme highs and lows, of steering a national institution through turbulent times.
Book
Young Hearts Crying ... by Richard Yates, Vintage
Another modern American classic from the author Revolutionary Road. Yates reveals the heartbreak behind the American dream and the frailty of the human condition.
DVD
Stranger Than Fiction ... directed by Marc Forster, written by Zach Helm
What happens when you realise your life isn't really yours? Or you're a character in a fictional story and someone else is dictating your future? An author is trying to recover from severe writer's block, her protagonist is starting to rebel against his inevitable demise. A delightful, funny insight into the suffering of the creative mind.
