Reviews by Nancy Gladstone
Puss in Boots
Nancy Gladstone
It is a real Christmas treat going to Chipping Norton for a proper pantomime in the lovely Chipping Norton Theatre. The venue has a real community feeling about it, though the show had less David ...
5 years ago
Puss in Boots
Doctor Dolittle The Musical
Nancy Gladstone
Unfortunately I had forgotten that the story of Doctor Dolittle pokes
at the cognitive dissonance of this meat-eating nation of animal lovers and had
gone fully flexitarian in Mission Burrito ...
6 years ago
Doctor Dolittle The Musical
Robin Hood
Nancy Gladstone
Co-reviewed by Pascal Andriantahina (age 10) Autumn leaves floating in the clear millstream at the Watermill Theatre are just one reason to make a trip over to Newbury to see this pantomime early in ...
6 years ago
Robin Hood
A 17th-Century Christmas
Nancy Gladstone
Following my first encounter with the Oxford Waits last year, I ruined Christmas for the more musically sensitive members of my family by repeatedly breaking into song - specifically into the most ...
8 years ago
A 17th-Century Christmas
Tosca
Nancy Gladstone
All I knew about Tosca before this Friday was that she throws herself off some battlements at the end - my French horn-playing dad used to tell us that in one production a trampoline was involved ...
9 years ago
Tosca
Oxford Ice Rink Christmas Show: “That's Entertainment”
Nancy Gladstone
The Oxford Ice Rink's Christmas Gala was a spectacular evening with many thrills and fortunately few spills. These youthful skaters must be developing very strong leg muscles as they performed their ...
9 years ago
Oxford Ice Rink Christmas Show: “That's Entertainment”
I Puritani
Nancy Gladstone
Puritan England seems an unlikely setting for this 18th century opera - Oliver Cromwell's army were presumably not great theatre-goers. However, the drama of thwarted desire, battle-hungry militia ...
9 years ago
I Puritani
Dance Connection: Born Fearless
Nancy Gladstone
This very professionally-delivered dance show by Oxford/Berkshire stage school Dance Connection was extremely impressive, if a little confusing. Clearly, a huge amount of work has been put in by ...
9 years ago
Dance Connection: Born Fearless
Sunflowers & Other Sounds
Nancy Gladstone
Project Instrumental is a crack team of young musicians performing challenging music with talent and style. Founder and Creative Director Harriet Allan has forged an original chamber music ...
10 years ago
Sunflowers & Other Sounds
Peter Pan
Nancy Gladstone
Arriving by night, a half moon shining bright above the crystal clear stream, small boys threatening to swing on the weeping willow branches, the scene was most definitely set for Peter Pan at the ...
10 years ago
Peter Pan
The Hunters Grimm
Nancy Gladstone
The Watermill Theatre in Newbury was the perfect scene for this interactive production by the extraordinary Teatro Vivo. This is a very special show. I really wish more children could see it; it ...
10 years ago
The Hunters Grimm
Hansel & Gretel
Nancy Gladstone
Hansel and Gretel is just about the most emotionally engaging story ever. The misery of the children's poverty and betrayal by their parents, the too sweet temptation of the gingerbread house, ...
10 years ago
Hansel & Gretel
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Nancy Gladstone
“I hate puppets!” said a recalcitrant small boy on the way into the theatre. Fortunately, this one man (two puppet) show had him laughing and marvelling within minutes. So that was OK! ...
11 years ago
The Sorcerer's Apprentice
Grandpa's Railway
Nancy Gladstone
Reviewed by Nancy Gladstone (aged) and Pascal Andriantahina (aged 5)
Grandpa’s Railway is a sweet and spell-binding proper play for children over 5. Lovely friendly performances by Grandpa ...
11 years ago
Grandpa's Railway
Robin Hood
Nancy Gladstone
Robin Hood is a cool and quirky show with a bit of the Boosh about it, entertaining for all ages, which was fortunate as I brought a small boy along with me to watch it.
My first memory of the ...
11 years ago
Robin Hood
Grandpa In My Pocket
Nancy Gladstone
Grandpa in My Pocket Live is delightful high energy fun. I brought my 4 year old along to review it and it was a lovely first big theatre experience. “Mummy, look! You don’t need to close ...
11 years ago
Grandpa In My Pocket
Dear Father Christmas
Nancy Gladstone
Christmas is only a few weeks off, and if you are looking for a way to ratchet up the excitement levels in your 3-6 year olds, this will do the trick. Helena Johnson's very friendly elf put the ...
13 years ago
Dear Father Christmas
Ockham’s Razor
Nancy Gladstone
Ockham’s Razor is minimalist circus. The name refers to the medieval rule of parsimony – 'reject irrelevant complexity' – a rule followed by the inventive but simple aerial equipment specially ...
16 years ago
Ockham’s Razor
Luke Wright - Poet and Man
Nancy Gladstone
“It’s hard work being a poet… Daytime TV doesn’t watch itself” There was certainly no rest for these wicked performers. Due to staff shortages at the Burton Taylor, Luke Wright, Dockers MC ...
17 years ago
Luke Wright - Poet and Man
Dancin' Oxford Festival 2008
Nancy Gladstone
Okan’Nijo - ONEPegasus Theatre, Friday 29th February Pegasus theatre regularly gives us the opportunity to be amazed and moved. Bode Lawal Sakoba Dance Theatre was no exception. This is dance that ...
17 years ago
Dancin' Oxford Festival 2008
Dancin' Oxford Festival 2007
Nancy Gladstone
I learnt a little about creative choreography from Joelle Pappas, Tac-au-Tac dance theatre’s director at an introductory Dancin’ Oxford workshop last week and was looking forward to seeing her ...
18 years ago
Dancin' Oxford Festival 2007
Dancin' Oxford Festival 2007
Nancy Gladstone
A highlight of the Oxford Dance Festival, the Anjali Dance Company performed 3 emotionally complex yet lighthearted pieces to a packed house at the Pegasus. Anjali, whose name means 'joining of ...
18 years ago
Dancin' Oxford Festival 2007
Ae Fond Kiss [15]
Nancy Gladstone
"Ae fond kiss and then we sever
Ae fareweel, alas, for ever!" (Robert Burns)
Casim, only son of Glaswegian Pakistani parents, and Roisin, lapsed Irish Catholic, fall in love. If only it were ...
20 years ago
Ae Fond Kiss [15]
Master & Commander [12A]
Nancy Gladstone
Adventure on the high seas, plenty of fights, and a rambunctious Russell Crowe were my expectations when I rather dubiously took my seat at the Ozone multiplex for this film. For once I was glad I'd ...
21 years ago
Master & Commander [12A]
