Our Editors pick the best theatre going on over April across Surrey, SW London and Berkshire
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Simon Annand
The Commitments
New Victoria Theatre Peacocks Centre, Victoria Way, Woking, GU21 6GQGuildford and Showtime Editor Jane McGowan's pick of the month for Guildford
April 17-22
Based on one of the best music films of all time – this show packed with toe-tapping, singalong tunes including Mustang Sally, Try a Little Tenderness and many, many more. Set amid the working-class streets of 1980s Dublin, the story follows a struggling band as they rehearse and perform in various smoky pubs and clubs. Fast-moving, funny and fabulous – well worth seeing if you are a soul fan!
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@Moyan Brenn - flickr.com
Wartime drama
Showtime Editor Jane McGowan's pick of the month for Surrey Downs
April 18-22
The very talented Chipstead Players’ Youth Theatre takes to the stage in Satchwell Road Can Take It – the latest instalment of Peter Nixon’s Second World War dramas. Set in 1941, the play centres on the residents of a London street determined to stand firm amid the terror of the Blitz.
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The Crucible
Showtime Editor Jane McGowan's pick of the month for Richmond
April 11-15
If the reviews are to be believed, then this production of the Arthur Miller classic is well worth seeing. Call the Midwife actress Victoria Yeates stars as Elizabeth Proctor, a woman falsely accused of witchcraft and forced to stand trial in a small town whipped into a frenzy by gossip, fear and paranoia. Written at the height of McCarthyism in the USA, when the threat of the spread of Communism led to many liberal writers being branded “Reds” and banished from Hollywood, the play was seen as indicative of American divisions. A timely re-staging, me thinks.
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Spring Offensive
1 Clapham Common North Side, Wandsworth, SW 4 0QWWandsworth & Clapham Editor Sam Laurie's pick of the month
April 18-30
The stage is transformed into a bed and breakfast for this dark comedy which takes a wry look at the First World War tourism industry and those making a buck from it. We've got a pair of tickets to give away to one lucky reader, enter the competition by clicking here.
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Pamela Raith
The Twits
Elmbridge Editor Rosanna Greenstreet's pick of the month
April 5-16
“Mr Twit has a very hairy face. His beard is spiky and smelly. It also contains cornflakes, sardines and even some stilton. Mrs Twit is equally as foul and she hates Mr Twit just as much as Mr Twit hates her.” Yes, it’s another Roald Dahl classic (is there any other kind?), which is sure to entertain adults and children alike. This highly amusing production has all the yuk of the book and is the perfect theatrical antidote to all that Easter chocolate.
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Dafni Kontodima
The Hound of the Baskervilles
Windsor Editor William Gadsby Peet's pick of the month
April 17-22
An ancient family curse, the lonely moors of Devonshire, a spectral hound and deranged killer on the loose, what more could you want? Equally suited for both hardcore Sherlock sleuths and those new to the Deerstalker-clad-detective, this promises to be a classic evening of whodunnitry. The game is most certainly afoot dear Watson!
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The Red Shoes
Picked by Wandsworth & Clapham Editor Sam Laurie
April 11-15
A beloved fairytale and Academy Award-winning movie, The Red Shoes has seduced audiences and inspired generations of dancers with its tale of obsession, possession and one girl’s dream to be the greatest dancer in the world. Victoria Page lives to dance but her ambitions become a battleground between the two men who inspire her passion.
We gave this production a stunning 5 STARS when we reviewed it earlier in the year at Woking's New Victoria Theatre. You can read the review by clicking here.
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Easter fun for kids at the G Live
Picked by Showtime and Guildford Editor Jane McGowan
April 5-6, 13, 15 & 25
The Guildford arts venue has come up trumps again this Easter with some great shows to keep the kids entertained. On April 5 and 6, there’s “monsterously” good fun to be had with Monstersaurus while CBBC favourite Naomi Wilkinson brings a whole host of creatures in Naomi’s Wild & Scary on April 13. On Garlic Theatre stage Jack and the Beans Talk – a fresh and funny retelling of Jack and the Beanstalk, at the Bellerby Studio on April 15 before everyone’s favourite gardener, Mr Bloom, takes to the stage on April 25 with Mr Bloom’s Nursery – Live!, featuring best-loved songs from the popular CBeebies programme.
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Key Change
Lavender Hill, Wandsworth, SW11 5TNPicked by Wandsworth & Clapham Editor Sam Laurie
April 10-29
This new performance by Open Clasp, made in collaboration with female prisoners from HMP Low Newton, lays bare the moving, heart-breaking, harsh realities of life in prison.
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Rosencrantz & Guildenstern are Dead
Picked by Windsor Editor William Gadsby Peet
April 20, 23 & 25
The NT Live screenings have been a wonderful innovation for theatre lovers, allowing a wider audience to enjoy flagship shows without necessitating an arduous journey to central London. Tom Stoppard’s supremely funny Rosencrantz & Guildenstern is the latest thespian delight to be streamed across the UK, as the Old Vic celebrates the play’s 50th anniversary with a production starring Daniel Radcliffe.
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Sarah & Duck
Picked by Showtime Editor Jane McGowan
April 6 – May 14
Sarah & Duck is a BAFTA-awardwinning show currently screened on Cbeebies. Suitable for children aged three to six, the stage version combines music and puppetry to recreate the enchanting world of this little girl and her best friend, Duck as they plan a birthday party for Scarf Lady in their garden. A lovely Easter day out.
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Shirley Valentine
Picked by Windsor Editor William Gadsby Peet
Apr 18-22
Willy Russell’s heart-warming comedy about a Liverpudlian housewife debuted in 1986 and took the world by storm, it was even adapted into an Oscar nominated film. To celebrate its 30th anniversary, Glen Warner is directing the play’s first major revival, starring Jodie Prenger. You can read our interview with Mrs Prenger by clicking here.
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The Rollin’ Stoned
Picked by Sam Laurie, Wandsworth & Clapham Editor
April 29
Hedonism, wit and good old-fashioned rock’n’roll are on the menu from the band frequently voted the best tribute act in the UK (even Keith Richards’ own mother is a fan). Prepare for a night of sweaty, nostalgic fun.
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When Strawberries Are Not Enough
29 High St Hampton Hill, Hampton, City of London, TW12 1NBPicked by Showtime Editor Jane McGowan
April 25-29
Presented by the light opera company, 1,000 Days Productions, this is something a little out of the ordinary – a musical dealing with anorexia. Written by Teddington resident Charley Williams, the production draws on her own experiences to shine a light on this devastating illness.
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Alice in Wonderland the ballet
Picked by Showtime and Surrey Downs Editor Jane McGowan
April 8
Join Ballet Theatre UK and follow Alice on her magical adventure through the looking glass as she tumbles into Wonderland. Basing his Ballet on Lewis Carroll’s much loved books, Artistic Director Christopher Moore has created a captivating piece, brimming with wit, humour and a certain ethereal charm.
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Monday’s Child
Picked by Showtime and Guildford Editor Jane McGowan
April 13
Monday’s Child is a poetic story of the unique bond between a little girl and an old woman suffering memory loss. Together, in a dream-like garden, they sing and dance and dress up as they joyously explore a treasure trove of memories. Produced by highly rated Irish theatre company, Barnstorm, this promises to be a sensitive and imaginative exploration of how we make and share memories and how they shape who we are.
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The Lottery of Love
Picked by Richmond Editor Fiona Adams
March 30 – May 13
Pierre de Marivaux was one of France's very best playwrights, and his greatest comedy, Le Jeu de l’amour et du hasard, has been expertly translated for English audiences by John Fowles, author of The French Lieutenant’s Woman and The Collector.
Directed by Paul Miller, the plot revolves around a Shakespearean flurry of identity swapping and confusion as Sylvia – betrothed to a suitor, Richard, that she's never met – decides to disguise herself as her servant to get a better idea of the man she is going to marry. Unfortunately for her, Richard has had the same idea with his valet and hilarity ensues in the resulting tangle of mistaken identity and amorous affection.
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Robin Hood the Panto
Picked by Showtime and Surrey Downs Editor Jane McGowan
April 2
A Panto in Easter? Why not! You and the family can join Robin Hood and Maid Marian in a swashbuckling, arrow-slinging, tights-wearing comedy adventure. This production features an all-star cast, including Britain’s Got Talent Winner George Sampson as Robin Hood, children’s TV favourite Dani Harmer from CBBC’s Tracy Beaker and Strictly Come Dancing as Maid Marian and X-Factor Runner-Up Andy Abraham as the wicked Sheriff of Nottingham.
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