Welcome to my blog. My name is William and I am a theatre-holic.
I go to the theatre. A lot. This blog records my reactions, positive and negative, to the plays, musicals and opera that I see. I taught Drama in schools and colleges for a very long time and have written several plays myself. Occasionally, I can be seen trotting around Stratford upon Avon, dressed as Shakespeare and droning on to tourists!
I also write novels. For news about my writing and the occasional free short story, please visit my blog and my Facebook page
Feel free to contact me via Comments or direct to my email: williampxx@msn.com
You can show your appreciation by buying me a coffee, here. Cheers!!
Bum on a Seat 
July 9th, 2012 at 9:45 am
Good morning, William. My name is Heidi and I am the Press & Marketing Officer for Derby Theatre (formerly Derby Playhouse). I have been following you and reading your reviews with great interest and I wondered if you would like to be placed on our PR distribution list and come and see and review some of our productions? If so, then could you please send me your email address and I will ensure you receive our PRs and press night invites. Kind regards Heidi
September 25th, 2013 at 3:10 pm
Hello William,
I have just come across this blog entry here: https://bumonaseat.wordpress.com/2013/09/24/just-one-falsetto/ , and noticed that you have mentioned one of our venues, the LG Arena in Birmingham where the concert was held. Do you think it would also be possible to have a link leading back to the official LG Arena website, so that readers and visitors may find further useful information regarding the venue? That would be most helpful.
Kind Regards,
Aisha Choudhry
Search Marketing Manager – NEC Group
September 25th, 2013 at 3:25 pm
Done – link added beneath photo. 🙂
June 2nd, 2014 at 6:17 pm
Dear William,
I am currently rehearsing for a very exciting 1930’s site-specific piece to be held in Leicester Square at 8pm Friday 13th June, and 6pm on the 14th and 15th. It will be held in an old courtroom, just above Brown’s restaurant, and the audience get to be the jury on my murder trial! It should be a fantastic piece and I would love to invite you to review our piece if you were at all interested?
Please let me know and I will make sure I get a ticket for them, though I have to say, Friday and Saturday are filling up fast.
Thank-you so much and I look forward to hearing from you!
Kind Regards
Tracey Pickup
January 16, 1933. Millionaire, Jai Kapoor, the man who built the London Underground, has been found dead on the streets of our sprawling metropolis. His body mangled by a fall from a height, leaves thousands of investors bankrupt.
Who Killed Jai Kapoor?
Was it a suicide? Or was it his beloved wife, Maya Kapoor? Or perhaps, his mistress, Alice Baker?
Watch Barrister Jones and Barrister Chopra battle it out for your verdict as Alice Baker stands trial.
In this site-specific period courtroom drama, YOU are the jury and YOUR vote will determine her fate!
Aks Arts presents
Night of January 16th
Adapted from Ayn Rand’s original
8 pm on Friday, June 13 | 6 pm on Saturday, June 14 | 6 pm on Sunday, June 15
Courtrooms @ St. Martin’s Lane | 82-84 St. Martin’s Lane | WC2N 4AG (Nearest tube: Leicester Square)
Click on the dates above to buy tickets at £15 each
#WhoKilledJaiKapoor
#NightOfJanuary16
#NOJ16
June 2nd, 2014 at 7:32 pm
Hi Tracey,
Thanks for the invitation – I would very much have liked to have come down to see the show but unfortunately those dates aren’t do-able for me. I am very pleased that you considered me however and I wish you all the best with the production.
Best wishes
Will
June 12th, 2015 at 4:38 pm
Hi Will,
I was wondering if you would like to come and review my play next month at the Blue Orange Theatre before it goes on to the Edinburgh Fringe?
…
AN AUDIENCE WITH GORGEOUS GEORGE!
(The Wrestling Sensation Who Changed a Nation)
A One Man Bio-Play
By Alex Brockie
“I was a star when we still had stars… Not like today where anybody with a torch got themselves a spotlight!” (GG)
Meet Gorgeous George (1915-1963); the first star of American television and the prototype of the modern celebrity… he was also a wrestler. George’s gender-bending persona and outrageous behaviour shocked conservative post-war America and thrust ‘camp’ into the forefront of popular culture.
The premiere of An Audience with Gorgeous George will be in Birmingham on Saturday 25th July (7pm) at the Blue Orange Theatre – as part of Birmingham Fest 2015. Please let me know if you would like some seats reserved.
Facebook: aawgorgeousgeorge
Twitter @alexbrockie1
Kind regards,
Alex
November 18th, 2015 at 1:37 am
Hello 🙂 we are currently performing Twelfth Night at The Crescent Theatre, and are a fan of your site. We would love it if you could come see us and review us, if you are interested of course? We are on for the next two weeks and if you are free, we would be happy to arrange a ticket for you.
Many thanks, hope to see you there.
November 18th, 2015 at 8:16 am
Hi Rachel. Thanks – I could make it to the Sunday matinee this weekend, if that’s possible?
Glad you like my site.
Best wishes,
William
November 19th, 2015 at 3:09 am
Fantastic, thank you 🙂 I shall leave a ticket for you at box office in your name. Many thanks and I hope you enjoy!
Rachel
November 22nd, 2015 at 11:58 pm
Thank you for coming to review Twelfth Night today, I shall take your feedback on board 🙂
Rachel
January 5th, 2016 at 8:08 pm
Hi William,
Would you be interested in reviewing a modern verse play I’m producing on Jan 29th at the mac? The play, ‘Free for All’, looks at the conflicts around the free school movement and how it relates to social privilege and equality of opportunity: particularly relevant in the current political climate. It’s also written in iambic pentameter, and is part of a larger project to see how poetry can work in the modern theatre. I’m based in the Jewellery Quarter and my company, Haunted House Theatre, is made up of talent from BSA and Stratford-upon-Avon. In the 2016 Shakespeare anniversary year, it’s a good time to ask why it’s usually so rare to see contemporary poetry onstage. There is more information on all of these issues in our press pack, if you would like me to send it over, and practical information is available here: http://macbirmingham.co.uk/event/free-for-all/ – of course we could arrange a complementary ticket if you’d like to come along. Thanks for reading, and do let me know if you have any questions.
Best wishes,
Richard
April 4th, 2016 at 5:06 pm
Hello,
I’m from the Blue Orange Theatre and would like your email address if possible, please, so we can formally contact you. Please get in touch via info@blueorangetheatre.co.uk if you’d like to review some productions for us.
Kind regards,
Jasmine
April 10th, 2016 at 7:07 am
Hi there. Two shows that may be of interest to you:
* Austentatious is an entirely improvised play in the style of the Jane Austen. Stratford Arts House April 30.
* Box of Frogs perform comedy sketches based on audience suggestions. Blue Orange Theatre April 18.
I don’t have any connection to Austentatious, just highlighting it as it seems to fit with other shows you have reviewed. I do have a connection to Box of Frogs & the other Birmingham-based groups so if you are interested let me know.
Enjoyed looking at your website. Keep up the good work.
https://midlandsimprov.com/2016/03/15/gig-guide-april-2016/
June 5th, 2016 at 6:03 pm
Hello,
My theatre company Theatre63 are putting our new show; Cockroached on at the old joint stock theatre on the 9th and 18th June. Would you be able to attend and write a review for us? We will offer 2 free tickets, a glass of wine and a cake. Here is a link to the trailer http://youtu.be/Ibpq0N5-xgk
June 5th, 2016 at 6:07 pm
Hi Ruby,
Thanks for getting in touch. I’m afraid neither of those dates is do-able for me – otherwise I’d be happy to come along.
Best wishes
William
December 23rd, 2016 at 10:10 pm
Hello,
Im currently directing a production of Marivaux’s One act comedy ‘The Will’ at the crescent theatre in Birmingham on the 7th January for one night and would like to other you a free ticket to review the performance?
Best wishes
Dewi
dewi_14@hotmail.co.uk
December 23rd, 2016 at 10:11 pm
Offer*