The Woman in Black, 2012’s adaptation of Susan Hill’s book of the same name, was an authentically creepy and pleasingly old-fashioned ghost story, hampered somewhat by a poor lead character and an unconvincing performance from Daniel Radcliffe. The Woman in Black: Angel of Death suffers a reverse of the first instalment’s fortunes, boasting as it … >
Given the popularity and critical acclaim of Broadchurch‘s first outing, the new season really needed to give us something spectacular. Judging by Episode 1, however, the show will continue down this positive path as we get an episode full of drama, twists and the introduction of an equally compelling mystery to last year’s ‘Who Killed … >
Less than five minutes into ‘Hard Castle’, and what turns out to be the address of the murderer is found on a scrap of paper on the body of a dead Professor. It’s a rather convenient plot device, but having got it out of the way early on it allows Anthony Horowitz to present us … >
The Musketeers make a joyous return to our screens. ‘Keep Your Friends Close’ begins with the great circle of life and death leaving its indelible ring-stain on the coffee table of our heroes’ lives: just as the Cardinal, a very naughty (albeit rather sexy) man, is laid to his final rest, a bouncing royal baby … >
This year’s feature-length festive special is brimming with the things we love: sumptuous dinner parties, carols by the Christmas tree in the great hall, and happily-resolved plot lines. Not a single dead body anywhere. The episode opens with the Downton crowd preparing to attend a grouse-shooting party at Brancaster Castle. Lord Sinderby has rented it … >
The petty jealousy and absurd one-upmanship continues in this final instalment of BBC One’s Mapp and Lucia. My cringing discomfort at the ridiculousness of the titular characters at times moves me to want to grab them by the kingfisher blue lapels and shout at them that maybe their lives would be a little bit more … >
Insufferable is the word I keep coming back to when I try to find new and novel ways of describing the two titular characters of BBC One’s Mapp and Lucia. Insufferable, insufferable, insufferable. I’m not normally one to engage in schadenfreude; indeed, sometimes I do think my empathy for make believe characters extends far further … >
By the end of the first episode of BBC One’s new adaptation of EF Benson’s Mapp and Lucia, I found myself expressing to my partner in no uncertain terms my gratitude that we live in a midsize city where we don’t know any of our neighbours. Anna Chancellor is Mrs. Lucas – known to her … >
You’ll have heard of Avenue Q before, of course, the delinquent boozy stepchild of Sesame Street. In a supremely confident production, Vancouver’s Arts Club Theatre Company have absolutely nailed the energetic perkiness and gawsh-darned American-ness that’s required to make Avenue Q work. One of the major draws of this show is that it’s much more … >
Appropriate to the season, there’s a jolly panto atmosphere for Vic and Bob’s House of Fools Christmas special. (‘Oh no there isn’t!’) Oh yes there is. The cast are having a merry time; the Fourth Wall has been carted away (and presumably papered over with German Honeymoon Horse wallpaper); and after a successful first season … >