Reviews

American playwright and novelist A.R. Gurney (1930-2017) wrote over 40 plays, many of which are comedies based on shrewd observations about society and relationships. His last play, Love and Money, written in his 80s, is described as “a buoyant comedy about wealth, the nature of trust, and the prospect of aging with dignity.”

The classic Jane Austen novel is brought to life ‘in the round’ of the Tyndale Theatre, with gentle performances from all that entertain whilst raising the consequences of quick judgement and questioning the motivation to marry. The story is primarily about Elizabeth Bennet, swift to judge a Mr Darcy, who similarly forms harsh opinions about Miss Bennet and her family – and the narrative explores how they reconcile their pride and prejudice.

‘A woman must have money and a room of her own if she is to write fiction’ says Virginia Woolf, as part of her talk given to two female colleges at the University of Cambridge in 1928. Rebecca Vaughan is Woolf, delivering a TED-talk long before they were a thing, about the challenges facing women in society – particularly creative and intellectual women, who legally still needed a man for many things now independent of gender.

Oh My Heart indeed. A great story well-told is always going to get my attention, but this new show from Casey Jay Andrews is utterly captivating. It’s the tale of Freddie and her grandfather, who has lived in an old house for what seems like forever, far away from light pollution, and perfect for observing the once-in-thirty-three-year event of the Leonids, a meteor storm (much bigger than a shower) from the comet Tempel-Tuttle.