Reviews

The Concert Hall at QPAC was buzzing with anticipation on Tuesday night as the QPAC Chamber Choir took the stage for The Dolly and Cher Show, a glitter-sprinkled love letter to two of music’s most enduring icons. It was an evening that mixed pop sparkle with country soul, wrapped in spine-tingling harmonies and buoyed by the choir’s infectious energy. The program covered decades of hits, from the ‘60s right up to more recent releases, with each song given a fresh twist that felt respectful to the originals yet undeniably the choir’s own.

Ken Ludwig’s Moriarty is a whip-smart, laugh-out-loud addition to the Sherlock Holmes canon, blending a classic mystery with the playwright’s trademark wit and fast-paced theatricality. Following the critical success of Baskerville, Ludwig once again brings Holmes and Watson into a whirlwind case—this time revolving around stolen letters from a Bohemian king, international espionage, and a race to thwart the calculating Professor Moriarty.

Samuel Farr makes his directorial debut with this queer comedy set in the 1950s. Thoughtfully directed, well staged and nicely acted, this show, while funny, also provides plenty of food for thought.

This intriguing commission of seven short plays is directed and produced by Elaine Acworth and Shaun Charles (also writers in the series) with Jess Veurman as Associate Director and Saffron Benner as Dramaturg. The writers’ brief was to deal with today’s personal and political issues in just eight minutes and for only two performers – the brilliant Zoe de Plevitz (Cost of Living, Boy Swallows Universe) and Nick James (A Christmas Carol, Frankenstein).