The Tower Archive

Reaction to our shows
 
The Tower Archive

Reaction to our shows


Here's a selection of comments we received on our productions during 2020 and 2021 ...


Mules Mules
I really enjoyed the production of Mules by the Tower Theatre Company. I know the play from when I was Chief Executive at Clean Break, which originally commissioned the play from Winsome Pinnock. I joined the Company some time after the acclaimed Royal Court/Clean Break co-production in 1996 and so was pleased to see it finally at my local theatre! Congratulations to everyone for the excellent staging of this important play.
(Lucy Perman MBE [former Chief Executive of Clean Break].)
It was brilliant. Congratulations to you all.
(Winsome Pinnock)


Kensuke's Kingdom Kensuke's Kingdom
The magic of Micheal Morpurgo’s Kensuke's Kingdom was brought to life at the Tower Theatre. Using simple but effective props the chorus were able to transport the audience from the British land to the seas and on to Kensuke's island … This show certainly has some beautiful puppetry transforming the animals in the story into fully fledged characters that you are invested in and touch your heart. This is a wonderful show for all audiences, whether you are new to the world of Kensuke's Kingdom or whether you read the book as a child.
(Afia H for U.K. Theatre Network)
Brilliantly imaginative show on at the Tower ... Wonderful ensemble work, direction and design. Funny, moving and inspiring. Quality production.
(Audience member C.G.)


Three Birds Three Birds
What an enjoyable experience. The writing, acting and direction top notch. A great start to Black History Month.
(Audience member A.G.)

 


The Merchant of Venice The Merchant of Venice
Stoke Newington is quite a hike from Catford ... BUT worth it for the best ending to Merchant of Venice I have ever seen. I’m still reeling as I start the long trek home.
(Susan Elkin for Sardines magazine)
A classic, twenty four carat performance ... ... a word on the Tower Theatre. I cannot thank you enough for this production. My first Shakespeare play since lockdown. A socially distanced auditorium, a lovely warm welcome in the foyer, a small but perfectly arranged theatre and a fantastic troupe of actors. This was exactly what I had been hoping for, longing for even, after such a dreadful passage of restrictions.
(Eddie Hewitt for Connected Cultures)
I really enjoyed this production … the setting for the show was the 1920’s, this worked really well with a clever yet minimal set designed by Peter Foster, and excellent costuming from Lynda Twidale and Kathleen Morrison. The casting was excellent, Cambridge graduate Nisha Emich was the perfect Portia, but then the rest of the cast were also superb, Ian Recordan definitely deserves a mention for his portrayal of Shylock, as does his counterpart Antonio played by Nick Hall. It’s also worth mentioning there were a lot good small roles, particularly the double act of Alison Du Cane and Fiona Costello as Solanio and Salaria and Rahul Singh’s unforgettable performance as the butler Launcelot … this was a well packaged and well performed piece of Shakespeare.
(Siwan Hill for UK Theatre Network)


Metamorphosis Metamorphosis
Using the zoom platform for this particular thirty-minute novella works perfectly as the audience never seeing the metamorphism of Gregor, doesn’t take anything away from the image one can form about how he now looks. The sound effects of extremely high pitched buzzing enables you to use your imagination and fill in the missing images. I can highly recommend taking thirty minutes out of your day to watch Metamorphosis and see for yourself how it has been brilliantly adapted to be seen on the frequently used zoom platform.
(Elaine Chapman for Theatre, Films and Art Reviewsem>)


Sweat Sweat
Ian Hoare ably directs ... he's aided by the admirable efforts of an adept and committed cast. Both Isaiah Bobb-Semple as Chris and Nick Edwards as Jason provide accomplished and well-defined interpretations of their characters and there’s good work too from the trio of female friends – Julie Arrowsmith as Tracey, Landé Belo as Cynthia and Katie Smith as Jessie. Matthew Vickers is also impressive in his depiction of barman Stan ... and I also enjoyed Carlos Fain-Binda’s subtly understated and unassuming Oscar.
(Peter Brown for Act Drop. Awarded 4 stars)
The Tower Theatre’s beautiful space and intimate thrust stage works exceedingly well for the production. The play is further brought to life with the attention to detail to the time period … this may be a production with a more humble budget than those of Broadway and the West End, but this allows the team to give it more focus. It’s astonishing to consider that the entirety of the cast, creative team and production team is volunteer-run. With such high-quality offers in such a pleasant space, I would recommend visiting the Tower Theatre soon.
(Amy Toledano for Within Her Words)
Director Ian Hoare directs the unfolding tragedy almost reverentially, clearly having a great admiration and respect for the material. Under his careful, light-touch stewardship, things move along at a good pace, and tension builds and maintains itself nicely throughout, with the sense of time and place reinforced by the Tower Theatre’s by-now customarily excellent set design and use of sound to enhance their dramas … A strong ensemble plays out the tragic drama, with the entire cast putting in earnest and impassioned performances … it makes for a bold and compelling night of theatre.
(Christopher O'Dea-Giordano for London Theatre Reviews. Awarded 4 stars)


A Passage to India A Passage to India
Rahul Singh is an appropriately troubled Aziz …. Rebecca Allan provides a committed and believable portrayal of Adela … the authoritative and urbane performance of Adnan Kapadia … Simon Lee convinces as the troubled and conflicted Cyril Fielding … as Mrs Moore, Alison Liney meets the challenge totally in a detailed and totally effective portrayal. A large and diverse cast portray the other characters, British and Indian, as well as the occasional rock or elephant. The Tower will be the envy of many other companies in their ability to attract a cast diverse enough to put on productions such as this. The Tower production is greatly enhanced by the set design from Max Batty (and costumes from Sue Carling and Elion Mittiga), lit by Stephen Ley, where the appropriate ochre colour is all that is needed to suggest the heat and dust of India, and good use is made of the upstage area whether as a courtroom or to enable key events to be portrayed in shadow. The overall effect is nicely enhanced by Rob Hepplethwaite’s subtle and effective sound design, as well as the live backing from composer Tamara Douglas-Morris and the musicians. This is an authoritative production of a little-known adaptation, and is a worthy addition to the Tower Theatre Company repertory.
(Chris Abbott for Sardines magazine)
A large ensemble capably maintain momentum which, along with some impressive individual performances, collectively deliver an entirely absorbing evening’s theatre.
(Peter Brown for ActDrop. Awarded 4 stars)
Rahul Singh is captivating in his role as Aziz … Ably assisting him is Simon Lee as Cyril Fielding …Mention should be made of Rebecca Allan (Adela Questad) and Alison Liney (Mrs Moore) whose chemistry is tangible and their breaking of the fourth wall very effective. Adela is a complex character and Allan was never at odds to convey that. Holding everything together and giving a sterling performance is Adnan Kapadia as Professor Godbole; able to convey just the right amount of pride and prejudice when required together with being an expert conduit who went to great lengths to explain what could have perhaps been lost in translation both in terms of language and the fast paced nature at which the piece moved. Should this production ever make it to the West End it would be delightfully received, I feel.A strong production that is definitely worth seeing.
(Kay Johal for London Theatre Reviews. Awarded 4 stars)