Reviews

I have encountered Impromptunes a couple of times now, and I am pleased to say they are back to their best. At my second encounter they had changed their format, which didn’t work as well, and they have now reverted to the original intention.

This was to present an original musical based on a title supplied by the audience. In this case it was “Catastrophe at Trades Hall”. Unlike the first airing, where they went into a huddle before starting, they launched straight into the musical, which gave the impression that the suggestion came from a plant.

Once again the weather was stunningly kind for the opening night of this, Giacomo Puccini’s very last opera. Set in China, it tells the story of the icy princess Turandot, who avenged the barbaric humiliation of her ancestor, Lou-Ling, thousands of years ago by executing any suitors that could not answer three esoteric riddles. That is until Calaf, an exiled Mongolian prince, falls in love with her and determines to win her.

Sam Donnelly brightly portrays no fewer than seven larger-than-life characters in this celebration of the quirky secrets hidden, and not so hidden, in all of us.

There is a lot to like about this intimate, look-straight-in-your-eyes comedic monologue. Star Trek fans will relish the detailed references to the original series, movies, memorabilia, and social-suicide moments, not to mention the topical, undisguised barbs made about Star Wars.

This timeless classic (written in 1962) is probably best remembered for the “gutsy” performances of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton in the 1966 film version.

Noella Johnson, once again, has brought out the best (or worst?) in her cast in this memorable play.

Cast in the Taylor and Burton roles are feisty Kate McNair as Martha and Noel Thompson as her academic husband, George and the younger couple, Honey and Nick, are Carmen Trevino and Nathan Wright - the unwitting pawns in this game of “cat and mouse”. All deliver strong performances.