Shakespeare in the Garden: A Midsummer Night's Dream (2014)
directed by Laura Colgan for C theatre
"A charming, short and swift production which allowed the text to do the work. It was lovely to see many young actors practising and honing their craft, with particular performances of note being James Beglin's Bottom and Jessica Brien's Helena." The Red Room
"...the funniest moment is the lover’s confrontation. It’s a tangle of passionate voices, flailing limbs and fantastic chemistry. The pomposity of the hopelessly privileged nobles is sent up marvellously, with nothing taken away from the sweetness of the ending; making this is a performance with heart, soul and very funny bones." TV Bomb ****
The Snow Queen (2014)
directed by Bernie C Byrnes for C theatre
"The best performances of the show came from the Snow Queen’s lackeys: a physical, dynamic pair who own the stage, whether in disguise as creepy flowers, slow-witted bandits, or crows, as they embark on their own journey to escape their evil queen." Broadway Baby
"This adaption is efficently economical, particularly in the way that all of the creatures, princessess and villians that Gerda meets on her quest are actually the Snow Queen's sidekicks in disguse (James Beglin and Jessica Brien). It's a clever narrative trick that manages to cram a lot of the original text's more wandering passages into a lean performance. These two performers, incidentally, do a lot of the heavy lifting in terms of getting laughs from the audience, and both are hugely engaging personalities." Recommended Show - Fringe Review
The Winter's Tale (2014)
directed by Mark Akrill for The Bridge Theatre Training Company
"The standout performance for me [...] was that of Paulina. Jessica Brien played this part with great conviction and dignity, adding a disciplined passion to the unravelling events. As I walked out, I heard another member of the audience saying, "Paulina was very good". Very good indeed. Indeed, it all was." Migrant Press
Flight (2015)
directed by Stephen Barlow for Opera Holland Park
2016 Whatsonstage Opera Poll EVENT OF THE YEAR / OUTSTANDING CONTRIBUTION TO THE UK OPERATIC SCENE Runner-up: Stephen Barlow (director) and the ensemble company of Flight (Opera Holland Park)
***** The Times
***** West End Wilma
http://www.westendwilma.com/flight-opera-holland-park/
***** Bachtrack
https://bachtrack.com/review-dove-flight-barlow-opera-holland-park-june-2015
***** Planet Hugill
http://www.planethugill.com/2015/06/flight-takes-off-at-opera-holland-park.html
Reviews
