Reviews

Kismet is a big show, so not often tackled by the amateur companies, and unlikely to be produced professionally. Hence it was an ideal vehicle for a semi-staged production by The Production Company, and they did it well. Orchestra Victoria provided the biggest orchestra they have used, and they were in fine form under the excellent Peter Casey, who combined rhythmic vitality with lyrical phrasing.

Life x 3 demonstrates three various approaches to the one evening's events by two couples.  Altogether, the comparison is instructive.  In essence a very serious piece, the play offers as its chief amusement crescendoing clashes of fixed, self-interested viewpoints.

As the title suggests this show tells the story of the three Prozorov sisters, Olga, Irina and Masha. They have been living in a small Russian country town for 11 years after their father, a military man, was posted there. Since their father died the girls have stayed in town, living a high-class life, wishing all the while to move to Moscow. In a desperate attempt to allay boredom they host social events with officers of a local military barracks.

The themes are essentially centred around following your dreams, and the consequences and outcomes of not doing so.

200 Greeks and 200 Lebanese walk into a theatre, what happens?

Two hours of riotous laughter provoked by the outrageous squabbles and self-righteous posturing of the Karrastopoulos and El Masri families.

The divide for this modern day love struck Romeo and Juliet is their Greek and Lebanese roots and all the baggage their heritage and their families constantly drag into their lives, now more complicated by a baby! But in the end loves conquers all, including disputes about whether the Greeks or Arabs created Baklava.