Author: Brett Herriot

Since completing training, Brett has enjoyed a varied career across the arts as an actor, writer, performer, producer, company manager, stage manager and arts critic. Brett embraces the arts with a passion in all its forms. Away from the world of theatre, Brett is a vegetarian, loves an occasional glass of wine, chatting with friends and travelling when time permits
Brett Herriot Review

The Sound of Music, Broughton High School Theatre Edinburgh, Review:

Brett Herriot

*** (3 Stars)

“Filled with classic musical joy!”

Astonishingly it’s been sixty six years since Rogers & Hammerstein most famous collaboration, The Sound of Music, made its debut in 1959 in Connecticut at the Shubert Theatre before moving to Broadway at the Lunt-Fontanne Theatre starring the legendary Mary Martin in the title role of Maria.

The show went onto become a beloved classic for generations thanks to the 1965 motion picture adaptation  starring  Dame Julie Andrews as Maria. The show is also eternally popular with local and community companies and always draws the audiences so it’s no surprise that Edinburgh’s Forth Children’s Theatre have produced there third production of the show which is enjoying a week long run at Broughton High School Theatre and delivers a production filled with classic musical joy!.

The Sound of music adapted from the real life story of the Von Trapp Family singers tells the story of Captain Von Trapp, living in the mountains of Austria finding love again with his governess, Maria, sent to him from the local abbey, she has to discover the powerful truth of love of faith and love of the heart as she wins over the heart of Captain’s seven children. This is set against the turbulence of Nazi Germany’s sweeping power over Europe in the late 1930’s. Can they find true love and freedom? This musical will give you the answer.

This production directed by Aoife Summers, Choreographed by Jayne Orchard with musical direction from Jack Gardner delivers many astonishing performances from a truly gifted young cast but does get slightly bogged down due to its slow pacing and often clunky scene transitions. Given the show already has a lengthy running time (Act one coming in at 90 minutes alone) these longer than needed transitions make it feel all the longer.

That being said performances across the board are excellent especially from the companies leads. Maria McDonald takes on the title role of Maria and delivers a truly charming performance filled with heart and glorious vocals to boot; a career in the industry awaits this talented gem. Harry Aspinall’s Captain Georg Von Trapp shows real acting chops. His journey from strict authoritarian to losing his heart in a way he never though he would again is equally engaging as it is truthful. All seven of the von trap children shine in there moment in the spotlight especially Orla Harrison as Liesel Von Trapp who captures brilliantly the transition of teenage years to adulthood with ease. Special mention also has to go to Elyssa Tait as Mother Abbess whose peerless vocals provides a true show stopping moment to bring the curtain down on act 1.

The thirty strong ensemble company make the most of their stage time and deliver extremely well with Jayne Orchards (assisted by Mirrin Macleay) choreography that not only see the cast dancing but also the sets pillars. The show also features a classy 15 strong pit orchestra under the baton of Jack Gardiner who bring real polish and Gardiner has achieve many spring tingling vocal arrangements from the cast which is impressive given the age of the performers.

Production wise however work is needed to smooth the rough edges. Gavin Macleay’s set design does invoke the Austrian mountains well and the clever use of gauzes allows the orchestra to be brought into the piece but the stylisation of brick work is a strong choice that doesn’t always work. The show is lit well by lighting and sound designer Callum Farrell and given how expansive the venue is the lighting makes the most of its abilities. The sound design does have problems with a few mics failing to come on but this probably more opening night nerves that will ease as the show beds into its run.

FCT’s The Sound of Music delivers well and the directorial choice to really bring out the very best performances from the cast is inspired and if the company can tighten the transitions and smooth out the sound issues then a fourth star is within their grasp.

For now This Sound of Music offers up an engaging night of musical theatre fun that charms its audiences and those performances really do capture from the curtain up! So head to Broughton High School and see for yourself the hills coming alive to the sound of music.

Forth Children’s Theatre, Presents the Sound of Music, Broughton High School Theatre, Edinburgh, runs until Saturday 12th April, For more information and tickets go to: Upcoming Shows | Forth Children’s Theatre

Mary Woodward Review

Bite-sized concerts at the Brunton: Lark Piano Trio, Northesk Parish Church, Review

Brett Herriot

***** (5 stars)

“Deeply Moving”

Emma Baird, Helen La Grand and Anna Michels met as postgraduate students at the Royal Conservatoire of Scotland.  I for one am profoundly grateful that they decided to join together to form the Lark Trio: today’s lunchtime performance of Tchaikovsky’s piano trio moved me deeply, and I don’t think I was the only member of the audience to be so affected.

Tchaikovsky was determined that he would never write a piano trio, said Anna in her introduction to the performance. However, the death in 1881 of his close friend and mentor, the accomplished pianist Nikolai Rubinstein, deeply affected the composer.  During the following winter he wrote this trio, subtitled à la mémoire d’un grand artiste [to the memory of a great artist] and oh my goodness, it’s an utterly incredible work.

The first of its two movements sounded to me like a lament for a lost lover.  Joy and sorrow intertwined in a journey through memories full of emotion, passionate outbursts of grief and anger, overwhelming deep sadness, moments of calm resignation and acceptance, solemn lamenting, fiery, tempestuous outbursts, small gleams of glorious sunshine and happy memories, and restrained moments made all the more poignant because of that very restraint.  Three strong, individual voices sang out in brilliant melodies, singly and together, taking turns in leading and supporting each other, pouring out a torrent of feelings that swept us all along until the final slow funeral march gradually sank into silence.

How to follow that?  With a theme and variations which some think might portray incidents from the life of Rubinstein – there’s certainly a huge amount of variety of mood, character, and feeling in this movement.  A simple melody, full of feeling and with extraordinary rhythmical character is developed into a string of variations which give each instrument a chance to show off.  The piano begins,  having great fun while the strings play pizzicato; a noble melody, reminiscent of gypsy music, is passed from violin to cello; the piano dances in its upper register while the strings provide a drone bass; a rumbunctious waltz is tossed around by all three; the piano plays monstrous chords reminiscent of Mussorgsky’s Great Gates of Kiyev from Pictures from an exhibition; a delicate muted string line is tossed between the two players while the piano ripples with arpeggios, giving us a moment of calm before a mazurka, which is both lively and very formal, played with almost military precision, allows all three musicians the opportunity really to show off.  A wonderfully lyrical serenade, throbbing with passion, led into a fast, fiery and furious finale – risoluto e con fuoco –which had all three players obviously enjoying themselves, dancing around, now frenziedly, now nimbly, building and relaxing the tension through all the keys you can think of, scampering towards what seemed must be a magnificent climax but…

The music was celebrating what must have been a glorious life – and now we remember the beloved is dead.  The music comes to a stark and solemn ending, a funeral march with sombre strings and dry, detached chords on a piano which slowly falters to silence.

We all sit, so deeply moved it’s impossible to break that silence – and then erupt into tumultuous applause, richly deserved.  What an amazing work; what superbly talented musicians; what a memorable lunchtime!

Please please please may we have the joy and privilege of hearing the Lark Trio again at the Brunton  VERY SOON.

Bite-sized concerts at the Brunton: Lark Piano Trio, Tchaikovsky piano trio in A minor Op 50, Northesk Parish Church, Run Ended

Brett Herriot Review

Beauty and The Beast, Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh, Review:

Brett Herriot

***** (5 Stars)

“Calls to the child like heart in all of us!”

The beloved 1991 Disney animation Beauty and the Beast would launch the Mickey Mouse company into a glorious revival renaissance period that would see the film achieve classic status. The film would also become Disney’s first venture into live stage adaptations and the tale as old as time would become an Olivier award winning smash hit.

The show is now available to local theatre companies across the UK and Edinburgh’s long running Edinburgh Music Theatre brings the tale to life for a week long run at the Church Hill Theatre in a stunning production that truly calls to the child like heart in all of us.

 Beauty and the Beast with Music by the legendary Alan Menken, lyrics by the late Howard Ashman and Sir Tim Rice featuring a book by Linda Woolverton tells the tale as old as time of a prince forced to live under a enchantment due to his selfish ways only to discover that the power of true love can set him and his servants free.

EMT’s production beautifully captures the spirit of the animated original thanks to the ingenious use of a giant video wall featuring animation creative designs from the shows Director Louise Sables. Sables also ensures her top drawer cast are sprinkled in enough stage magic so it delivers to a professional level befitting any theatre in the country.

Performances are universally excellent with Wallis Hamilton Carmichael as Belle and Seb Schneeberger as Beast leading the company with beguiling performances that capture the characters beautifully and they have the vocals to match too. Andrew Hally’s “Cogsworth” and Peter Tomassi’s “Lumiere” are comedy joy and shine every time there on stage. Special mention must go to Lauren McAnna as “Mrs Potts” whose pathos rich delivery of the title song brings tears to the eyes in a stunningly emotional moment. Every Disney story needs a good baddie and Louis Delaney delivers in spades as “Gaston” he walks a fine line of villainy but succeeds thanks to his onstage partner “Le Fou” played with a wonderful physicality by the sublime Sean Vannet.

David Bartholomew’s “Maurice”, Sheona Dorrian’s “Babette”, Mia Hatch’s “Chip” and Sarah Louise Donnelly as “Madam de la Grande Bouche” all shine whenever they grace the stage as does Lindsay MacLaren, Elizabeth Martin and Amanda Woodhouse as “Les Filles”. The principals are joined by a twenty two strong ensemble company who truly bring Belles world to life especially when delivering Chanel Turner-Ross inventive and well executed Choreography.

Musically the show is a triumph with musical Director Libby Crabtree ensuring every ounce of emotion from the score is felt by the audience thanks to the peerless vocals onstage and gorgeous nine strong pit orchestra under her baton, it’s truly the cherry on the cake.

Production wise EMT has delivered well within the constraints of the intimate theatre that the church hill is. Jacob Henney’s lighting design captures the magic of piece perfectly and Rhys Tuner’s Sound design is faultless ensuring every lyric and note is heard with ease and never overpowers.

The unmitigated high point of the show has to be Lauren McAnna’s (alongside playing Mrs Potts) staggering Wardrobe design. The costumes knock the eye out and while they capture the essence of the original look of the Broadway show they also feel fresh and relevant for a show which has celebrated its thirtieth anniversary and incredible achievement for a local company.  

EMT’s Beauty and the Beast is everything you could wish for and so much more and is a perfect evening of musical theatre magic that rightly deserves its standing ovations and sold out performances its currently enjoying.  You never know you might just be lucky enough to get a return ticket for an EMT show that will go down in history as setting the bar to stratospherically new heights! Wonderful stuff indeed.

EMT Presents Beauty and The Beast, Church Hill Theatre, Edinburgh, runs until Saturday 5th April, For more information and tickets go to: Beauty and the Beast – Edinburgh Music Theatre

Brett Herriot Review

Titanique, the Criterion Theatre, London, Review:

Brett Herriot

***** (5 Stars)

“The true heart of the ocean of comedy musicals!”

James Cameron’s 1997 motion picture retelling of the Titanic disaster featuring the beguiling love story of Jack and Rose has been parodied many times but none more successfully than in 2017 when Titanique debuted in Los Angeles.

Featuring a book by Tye Blue, Marla Mindelle and Constantine Rousouli this comedic tour de triumph retells the movies story from the point of view of Celine Dion, Played by the stunning Lauren Drew in the performance of lifetime. It’s a one hundred minute long romp blending Dion’s hit songs with up to date musical and cultural references in a show that simply can’t fail to raise a smile with its joyful heart.

This show directed by book writer Tye Blue features an outstanding ensemble cast lead by Drew as Dion and everyone of them shine and no wonder as it features the very best of the current generation of west end stars.  Rob Houchen “Jack Dawson” and Kat Ronney “Rose DeWitt Bukater” are everything Leo and Kate were and so much more delivering excellent comedy timing and honey soaked vocals throughout. Darren Bennett “Victor Garber”, Charlotte Wakefield “Molly Brown” and Stephen Guarino “Ruth DeWitt Bukater” equally shine and make the most of there on stage time.  Every show needs a good baddie and west end star Jordan Luke Cage delivers in spades as “Cal Hockley” he enshrews panto villainy but captures the comedic potential of the character beautifully.

In the role of Seaman/Iceberg is strictly come dancing break out star Layton Williams who works hard especially in drag as “Iceberg” but as with all the shows Williams does heis simply being himself on stage rather than a character, that being said he does himself awfully well! Rounding out the onstage company are three powerhouse vocalists, Adrianne Langley, Madison Swan and Rodney Vubya who bring extra sparkle and magic to the songs which are delivered in polished style by musical director Adam Wachter and his four piece onstage band.

Production wise this is a show that can hold its head up high with any of the bigger productions and theatres in the west end and proves that while the Criterion is one of the more intimate venues it’s a beacon for the arts. Gabriel Hainer Evansohn and Grace Laubacher’s scenic design perfectly captures the essence of Titanic’s grandeur but also the golden era of musical theatre. This is enhanced by Alejo Vietti stunning costume design that perfectly recreates Jack and Rose from the film alongside the other characters but also ensures Layton looks stunning in full stockings, Heels and silver glittering drag. Paige Seber lighting design makes the most of the Criterion’s stage and auditorium and gives true musical glamour to the whole show which is ably supported by the excellent sound design from Lawrence Schober.

Titanique was due to have limited run in the west end but has proven so popular it’s been extended into 2026 and its the true show of the moment and brings to the stage the one thing we need more than any other right now in our lives and that’s Laughter! This is a joyous extravaganza that is the true heart of the ocean of comedy musicals and long may its heart go on! Unmissable! So grab those tickets now!!!

Titanique, the Criterion Theatre, London booking until January 2026, For more information and tickets go to: Titanique the Musical

Mary Woodward Review

Uprising,Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Usher Hall, Edinburgh, Review

Brett Herriot

***** (5 stars)

“Breathtakingly brilliant”

An incredibly powerful piece, performed with passion and energy.  A vitally important message, conveyed with lyricism and hopefulness. 

A simple story, with strong overtones of the life of Greta Thunberg, and paying homage to the many young climate activists around the world who are fighting for the future of their – of our! – world.  Lola has woken up to the climate emergency: she feels she simply can’t go to school any more, but must make her protest, alone if need be.  She encounters opposition both from her family, who don’t take her concerns seriously, and from her schoolmates, who mock and deride her.  It takes guts to stand alone…

Over the course of the opera, others slowly realise the importance of what she’s trying to say, and a swelling tide of protest grows from people of all ages who begin to realise This is our time/ this is happening now/ and if we don’t stand up/ answer this call/ then who will?  No-one is coming to save us/ but us…  Her sister is the first to support her, then her father, who is full of admiration for his daughter’s strength of conviction.  Her mother is put in charge of a massive construction project – ‘improving’ a road by demolishing acres of forest: convinced that ‘progress’ must be achieved, that ‘more’ is best, and truly believing that this is all for the good of her family.  Various adults try to persuade or bully Lola into backing down, but she stands firm.

The forest is destroyed, there is nothing to hold back the surge of water which sweeps away everything in its path, leaving a desert denuded of flora and fauna.  But “this is progress”, says Lola’s mum –“don’t spoil my triumph” while others lament the deaths of the trees and the disappearance of all the birds.

Uprising is the vehicle for an outstanding performance from the RSNO Youth and Changed Voices choruses, without whom much of the drama could not have been so powerfully conveyed.  They sing as a chorus, take individual roles as part of the narrative, and throughout it represent the forest, the birds and other creatures that live in it, and the inexorable power of the tumbling, surging waters that destroy everything in their path once the forest is not there to restrain them.  Simple hand and arm movements have stunning effect: and goodness me how on earth did they manage not only to learn and perform from memory a very long and complex musical score but combine with this brilliantly simple choreography for hands, arms and bodies??  Massive credit to their directors, Patrick Barrett and Frikki Walker!

The RSNO chorus and Chorus Academy also play a major part in the action – again, not just singing, but becoming objectors, supporters, construction workers and a police squad.  The RSNO orchestra, for once not in penguin suits, was magnificent, filling the Usher Hall with a rich and melodious tapestry of sound, creating a magically shifting atmosphere in which all the action takes place.  Holding this all together was conductor Ellie Slorach – watching her incredibly dynamic conducting style made me think that singing or playing under her baton must be such FUN!

Riding on this sea of glorious music are the soloists. Rhys Batt as the creepy doctor wanting to use electric shock treatment to ‘cure’ Lola and Edwin Kaye as the peacocking Mayor who regards Lola’s protest as ‘a blight on our lovely town’ make the most of their roles.  Edwin Kaye returns as Quercus, the mighty oak tree which presides over the forest whose inhabitants try in turn to show Lola’s mum how essential each of them is to the health and survival of the forest.

And then there’s the Green family… Mum Angela is brilliantly played by Madeleine Shaw – it’s really hard to like her at all, as her beliefs and attitudes are so diametrically opposed to mine – but she’s magnificent in her self-absorption and conviction that she’s doing the best for her family, even in the face of the disasters unleashed by the destruction of the forest.  Judith Lozano Rolong was slightly overshadowed by her overbearing mother, but gave a good performance as the older sister, initially hostile and jealous of her ‘attention-seeking’ sister, but slowly changing her views and siding strongly with Lola. 

Marcus Farnsworth’s subservience to his wife’s strength of conviction, his pride in her success, are slowly replaced by a growing admiration for his younger daughter’s courage and determination.  At first convinced that Lola will soon see sense if the family are nice nice nice to her, he is very uncomfortable with the proposed electric shock treatment; he is amazed at the way Lola’s schoolmates begin to listen to her and join in her passionate protest; at the end, he is really sorry for what he and humanity have done to the world.

And then there’s Ffion Edwards.  There really aren’t enough superlatives to describe her performance as Lola – the anguish which drives her to protest in the first place; the courage with which she continues in the face of determined opposition; the depression which hits her when she feels so alone and getting nowhere; the energy with which she responds to those people who begin to support her; the flaming passion with which she encourages those supporters and leads them to emulate young people like Greta Thunberg and the other young climate activists who are brought before us by members of the young choruses – all this pours out from her clear bright soprano which soars over the rest of the cast and inspires us to believe in her and hope that she, and others like her, will succeed in making humanity see sense and work to save, rather than destroy, the planet on which we live.

Uprising is a breathtakingly brilliant piece.  It would be so easy to write a piece of gloom and doom, and leave us all thoroughly depressed – but Jonathan Dove and librettist April De Angelis offer us the hopeful prospect of rewilding, regrowth, if humans stand back and let nature repopulate the areas devastated by a blind and uncaring human race.  I wish that all world leaders and heads of multinational corporations would have to attend a performance…

We want our dream – Nature first.  You can join us or you can leave.  Which will you choose?

Jonathan Dove, Uprising,Royal Scottish National Orchestra, Usher Hall, Edinburgh – Run Ended