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2010 SEASON - REVIEWS
ROMEO AND JULIET
A fast-paced peformance by a gifted cast of five who engaged the audience and certainly brought Shakespeare alive to the masses. The thrilling sword fight scenes were magniciently choreographed, the romance touching but it was the respect and terrific high-speed command of text that most impressed in Oliver Gray’s plucky production.
Blackpool Gazette
THIS isn't simply an interesting interpretation of Romeo and Juliet. It's also well up to Illyria's high standards when it comes to entertainment. A cast of just five did justice to Shakespeare's verse: it was beautifully spoken. William Finkenrath, who was also Lady Capulet, was superb as Mercutio, throwing in some Tommy Cooper and Frankie Howard as a bonus, and going into the audience during the Queen Mab speech. His scenes with Annie Lees Jones as the Nurse were outstanding. Paul Hayden's Romeo was good; his Capulet was even better. Theresa Brockway was a strident Juliet.
This particular production of a great play, in an unbeatable setting, is ideal for a summer's evening.
Nottingham Evening Post
The cast, consisting of only five people, at first seemed far too small to pull off a play as big as this, however due to lightning quick costume changes (thank goodness for Velcro) they managed to play all the necessary characters. The play itself turned out to be extremely funny, even with the dense Shakespearean language the well known plot was easy to follow. We liked how they mixed modern and historical aspects and counteracted the tragic death scene with the appearance of four minstrels looking suspiciously like the Beatles. All in all it was a thoroughly enjoyable and entertaining performance made better by the atmospheric outdoor location.
Hanover Directory
JAMES AND THE GIANT PEACH
A talented six strong cast served up a delicious adventure which captivated young and old alike. James’s magical journey was lifted from the page to stage in a way that was designed to enthral from the outset. You could hear the gasps at the appearance of a giant octopus, the arrival of a deadly shark, a host of seagulls and of course the giant peach, which at one point bounced across the heads of the picnic-eating audience to huge laughter. James and his beautifully detailed insect friends were just bursting with character as could be seen by the sea of young smiles that surrounded them.
Blackpool Gazette
A perfect day for a well nigh perfect production, adapted from Roald Dahl's classic tale for children by David Wood and directed by Oliver Gray, the children, just as I did, loved every one of its many magical moments. Filled with "marvellous things", from the Giant Peach itself, which looks as if it might get lift-off at any moment and leave the Minack for the Empire State Building for real, to an equally giant octopus, plus several amusing spots of audience participation, it is as engaging as it is enthralling.
The Cornishman
With a cast of just six, Illyria showed their real talent in improvisation, versatility and pure imagination. Costumes were superbly designed with clever simplicity and enabled each actor to adapt and change from one character to another, without confusing the audience. Our four-year-old son was spellbound from beginning to end, as were we. The play swept along with energy, music and laughter while audience participation kept us all on our toes, especially when the giant peach came bouncing in our direction!
Henley Standard
What a fantastic story, in the truest sense of the word. And in the hands of the outdoor touring company Illyria, it is brilliantly told. The props are simple yet imaginative. The giant peach appears in sequences so cleverly choreographed they earn spontaneous applause. The capturing of the seagulls with Miss Spider's ropes and Centipede's wrestle with a giant Octopus also win cheers of appreciation. The six-strong cast playfully brings to life the characters so well depicted in David Wood's adaptation. Lizzy Dive is especially fine, first as ghastly Aunt Sponge, then as Ladybird, her expressions a delight as she registers each bizarre twist in the tale. And the actions of Earthworm (Christopher Barlow) when asked to "act tasty" to lure the seagulls had the audience rolling. Everyone, in fact, has a ball with the setting only adding to the enchantment.
Nottingham Evening Post
PRIDE AND PREJUDICE
There's a very valid reason why, after seven years, open-air theatre-goers all over the land won't let Illyria drop Pride and Prejudice from their repertoire. As this new production again demonstrates, they're extremely good at it.
Again, amazingly little of Jane Austen's plot is omitted; and very few of the characters are cut, yet it moves at a cracking pace. All the detailed touches of humour in character and situation are here - the gallery scene at Pemberley is particularly funny - and there's an awful lot of speed writing with giant feathers. But so are Austen's moral purpose and critical eye; all the proposal scenes are done especially well. It's mainly these which show Elizabeth (an impressive Miriam Jay Allwright) as the moral centre. And there's her demolition of Lady Catherine.
Nottingham Evening Post
Illyria's non-stop version with five actors playing more than 25 characters was simply outstanding as they ripped through the script at an amazing pace, without losing the spirit and energy of the book. Among the excellent quick change cast, Andrew Lindfield as Darcy perfectly captured the character's aristocratic refinedness, his shyness and sense of decorum that come across as apparent stuffiness and disdain, and his underlying passion, all at the same time. Miriam Allwright was equally outstanding as Lizzie, showing her to be tender, witty, thoughtful, while trying to grapple with different feelings as her involvement with Darcy. A memorable evening with an attentive audience, a spectacular location and a first class performance.Blackpool Gazette
It was all wildly camp and hilariously funny, yet surprisingly skilful in creating sincerity for those moments when painful passions and perils broke through the romping comic capers. The cast were superb, especially Andrew Lindfield’s dashing Darcy who morphed in moments into a toadlike Mr Collins and flirty Wickham, Robert Took’s witty Mr Bennett plus outrageously outraged Lady Catherine, and Becky George who took on a medley of young ladies of which my favourite was Lydia, batty as Blackadder’s Queenie and just as imperious. Huge credit to Oliver Grey for adaptation and direction.
Plays International
The Merry Wives of Windsor, 2008
Venue Magazine
Manchester Evening News
The Hound of the Baskervilles (2007)
The Independent
Much Ado About Nothing (2007)
The Scotsman
The List
Macbeth (2006)
Manchester Evening News
The Tempest (2004)
British Theatre Guide
Three Weeks
Pride and Prejudice (2003)
Three Weeks
The Importance of Being Earnest (2001)
Three Weeks
Edinburgh Fringe
Romeo and Juliet (2000)
Westender, VANCOUVER
Glasgow Herald
Orlando Sentinel
The Emperor's New Clothes (2000)
Daily Mail
Glasgow Herald
Twelfth Night (1999)
The Scotsman
Vancouver Sun
Vancouver Fringe
The Taming of the Shrew (1998)
The Scotsman
Nomination, Orlando Fringe
Orlando Sentinel
The Tempest (1997)
The Scotsman
Macbeth (1996)
The Scotsman
