Madeleine Burton

Feb 17, 2025 | hertsad.co.uk | Madeleine Burton

The cast and crew of 'Ladies Down Under' (Image: Ilka Antippa) Grab those tinnies and get ready for fun in the sun in the Southern Hemisphere with the latest production from Breakaway Theatre Company. By coincidence the play, Ladies Down Under, is a follow-up to Ladies Day, performed by the Company of Ten last month and by Breakaway in 2022. So it’s a fairly safe bet that anyone who saw either of those two earlier productions will enjoy Ladies Down Under just as much.

Feb 3, 2025 | hertsad.co.uk | Madeleine Burton

It’s hard to imagine that the hallowed walls of St Albans Cathedral have ever witnessed anything like last week’s production of Godspell. Loud, raucous, colourful, with an array of talent on display, many of whom were new members, it was performed by St Albans Musical Theatre (SAMT) in the cathedral over 50 years since it was first staged. Given a new contemporary feel, the cast danced, sang and flaunted sequins, fishnets, basques and other striking costumes to bring the musical alive.

Jan 27, 2025 | hertsad.co.uk | Madeleine Burton

Even if the run had not been sold out, the Company of Ten’s production of Ladies’ Day would be a banker with St Albans’ audiences. The play by Amanda Whittington is, as its name suggests, about the ups and downs experienced by four fish packing workers when they go for a day at the races. It is funny, poignant and heartwarming and features a cast of characters that even us soft southerners can identify with.

Nov 12, 2024 | hertsad.co.uk | Madeleine Burton

Nell Gwynn at the Abbey Theatre in St Albans (Image: Jon Schick) Pretty witty Nell was far more than just one of the women who caught the eye of the lascivious Charles II. She was a talented actress, singer and comedienne and in the hands of Rachel Maloy as Nell Gwynn in the play of the same name currently being performed by the Company of Ten in the Abbey Theatre, she comes alive.

Oct 16, 2024 | hertsad.co.uk | Madeleine Burton

At the risk of sounding crass, Rory Byrne is giving an unforgettable performance in the Abbey Theatre Studio this week. Insensitive perhaps because the play, The Father by Florian Zeller and translated by Christopher Hampton, is about dementia and how its accompanying memory loss can have a terrible impact on the sufferer, their loved ones and their carers.