#Review by Lou of The Seagull by Anton Chekhov – UK Tour starring Caroline Quentin and an ensemble cast – 5 STARS #Theatre #TheatrePlay @cqgardens @quentyquestions @forbesmasson @chichesterft #TheSeagull #WhatsOnStage #UKTour

The Seagull
By Anton Chekhov

Adapted by Mike Poulton
Directed by James Brining

Review written by Louise Cannon

The Seagull was a play I bought a ticket for as a treat to myself to and was not disappointed, so I have chosen to write a review.
The Seagull is currently touring. I saw it at the Lyceum in Edinburgh. Next it will swoop into Chichester Festival Theatre, see link below.

The Seagull is a relatable masterpiece!

The play may have been written many years ago, but it still feels fresh today with its eternally modern themes of a family estate which includes a fading actress, a writer and all their desires, ambitions and regrets. It’s fascinating dynamics to observe how everyone emotionally relates to each other, which is sometimes subtle and other times quite explosive in a backdrop of beautiful, well-crafted scenery.
You can really see and feel the chasm that’s created between the ageing actress who likes the traditional and the younger writer who wants to bring something new and more imaginative to theatre. It was a delight to see a bit of play within a play.
Throughout the play, you can see the vulnerabilities showing in how the characters express themselves outwardly and feel, inwardly. It’s a powerful play and one that’s still perfect for our times as the human condition is played out in its many forms, portraying the tragic and comedy of life.

Caroline Quentin sparkles with an exceedingly strong and impressive performance as ageing actress, Irena Arkadina. Her performance transcends into the audience as both the tactlessness and vulnerable sides to her can be both seen and felt. Her timing and ability to portray many emotional complexities within one person are sublime!

Lorn Macdonald plays Arkandina’s ambitious, yet depressive son, Konstantin with sensitivity, vulnerability.

Other stand out performances were Forbes Masson as Dr. Dorn, showing hidden depths, Tallulah Grieve as Masha who gave an expressive performance about how she feels about life, Harmony Rose-Bremner as Nina is convincing as the muse.

The others in this ensemble cast also held their own and gave strong, expressive performances that lure you into their psyche and lives. Together the cast is so powerful that this play makes you care, think, feel many emotions and draws you into their world.

This was the first Chekhov play I’d seen and I urge you not to miss it.

You can book The Seagull at Chichester Festival Theatre here: The Seagull

*please note I am not affiliated to any theatre nor performer. I bought my ticket and I was so impressed I wanted to write a review.

#EdFringe News – Graham Norton Is Appointed as An Ambassador Of The Edinburgh Fringe Festival #GrahamNorton #EdinburghFringeFestival

Comedian and broadcaster Graham Norton named as the newest Ambassador of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe

Globally recognised comedian, author and television presenter joins fellow Ambassadors Brian Cox, Suzy Eddie Izzard and the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society’s honorary President, Phoebe Waller-Bridge, as Ambassador for the festival

Today, Wednesday 29 October, the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society is delighted to announce Graham Norton as the newest Ambassador of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe. The role will see Graham act as Ambassador for the festival, alongside previously announced Ambassadors Suzy Eddie Izzard and Brian Cox and honorary President of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, Phoebe Waller-Bridge.

Known for his popular BBC1 chat show, and as the UK’s host for Eurovision, Graham’s entertainment career dates back to 1991 when he was refining his craft as a standup comedian at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, performing ‘Mother Teresa of Calcutta’s Grand Farewell Tour’ in the Pleasance Attic, a newly opened 60-seat venue at the Pleasance. In the years following he made the move to mainstream television (as priest Father Noel in Father Ted) while still making frequent appearances at the Edinburgh Fringe, culminating in him being shortlisted for the prestigious Perrier Award in 1997.

Launched in 2007, The Graham Norton Show is one of the BBC’s top-rated entertainment shows, with stars from across the world taking to the red sofa every Friday night in what is seen as a key fixture of the network’s programming. Such is Graham’s star power; it was where Taylor Swift gave her first broadcast interview during the release of her recent album.

Graham continues to support the Fringe and returns most summers to watch shows, support friends and check out the next generation of talent making their name at this unparalleled global marketplace for the arts. Graham is also a celebrated author, with several published novels under his belt, and hosts the popular podcast Wanging On with Maria McErlane.

Speaking of the appointment, Graham Norton said: ‘It’s hard to believe that my connection to the Edinburgh Festival Fringe dates back nearly 35 years. As an emerging comedian back in the early nineties, everyone in the industry knew that you had to make the journey to Edinburgh and its Fringe for the opportunities that you have to develop your craft with a live audience, but also to meet and network with the thousands of industry that go there to look for talent.

Through my chat show I meet and talk to those across the entertainment industry every week, and you’d be hard pressed to find someone on the sofa that hasn’t been to the Fringe either to perform or to watch shows at some point in the past. I’m delighted to be announced as an ambassador of the Edinburgh Fringe and look forward to visiting the festival next August.’

Tony Lankester, Chief Executive of the Edinburgh Festival Fringe Society, said: ‘Our Ambassadors represent the critical role the Fringe plays in the lives of so many who got their start on the stages of Edinburgh and, today, are at the top of their game in the world of the arts. Welcoming Graham to the fold is a real pleasure – he is someone who exemplifies the joy and generosity of the Fringe spirit, unapologetically passionate about the arts and a huge advocate of the importance of the Fringe in his own career. As an Ambassador he will be uniquely positioned to help inspire the next generation of artists, and we’re excited to be working with him on this mission.’

#Review by Lou of Christmas at Hollybush Farm by Jo Thomas @jo_thomas01 @PenguinUKBooks @RandomTTours #Christmas #ChristmasAtHollybushFarm #BlogTour

Christmas at Hollybush Farm
By Jo Thomas

written by Louise Cannon

Jo Thomas welcomes readers to feel all festive and explore Hollybush Farm.
Today, I am delighted to be he closing the Random T. Tours blog tour, reviewing a book fit for cosying up for some Christmas reading, thanks also to Penguin Books for supplying the book. Check out the blurb and review below.
(all opinions are my own).

Blurb

Jemima Jones is driving home to her family’s magical hill-top farm for Christmas…

And on arrival, she soon learns that her dad has been keeping a secret – all is not as it seems, and Hollybush Farm is struggling to make ends meet! Worried about losing the childhood home she loves, Jemima must pull on her winter wellies and get stuck in.

Amid the chaos of chasing after escaping sheep and organising the Christmas tractor run, Jemima begins documenting her slice of farming life on social media. As she builds a supportive online following, she also forms an offline connection in the shape of charming, retired rugby player Llew, her very own Santa’s helper.

With a sprinkle of festive cheer and a dash of goodwill, might the community pull together to help save the farm in time for Christmas?

Review

Farms aren’t having an easy time of it at the moment and in some respects part of this is illustrated at Hollybush Farm. It shows the secrets kept in quite a human way as her dad wants to protect his family from the truth of the struggles the farm is going through. This in itself is heart-breaking, more so because it shows real family issues that are happening off the page, in real life. Farms may look idyllic, but their importance is often not noted nor taken into consideration, nor the strain put upon many families, which is illustrated rather well in this book.

Demonstrated, rather well is also the resilience and creativity that farming families have been developing over the years to continue producing the food we eat and a spacious habitat for nature to thrive.

Jemima Jones is the daughter of the family who work the land at Hollybush Farm, who has arrived for Christmas. She has determination to get stuck in to try to get the farm back up on its feet so it can be kept in the family, once the sad secret is out. She also gets creative with social media to create a presence for the farm online and get people caring about its existence. She also creates a life and connections outside the social media world too, just in time for Christmas.

In many ways, from the characters to their actions, Christmas at Hollybush Farm is both heartwarming and thought-provoking about how we view farms and their communities.

Hollybush Farm is a great Christmas read to cosy up with on a wintry day or would make a lovely Christmas present.

#Review by Lou of The Cat And The Christmas Kidnapper by L T Shearer @LTShearerOfficial @panmacmillan @RandomTTours #Cats #Christmas #Mystery #CosyCrime #CrimeFiction

The Cat and The Christmas Kidnapper
By L T Shearer

Review written by Louise Cannon

Looking for a great Christmas present for cosy crime lovers and/or cat lovers? This book is just a fabulous combination, hitting the spot perfectly.
The Cat and The Christmas Kidnapper carries intrigue and mystery. Join Conrad the cat detective and retired police detective Lulu Lewis this Christmas for another case to solve. Check out the blurb and my review below for Random T. Tours.

Blurb

Join Lulu Lewis, a retired detective with a knack for uncovering secrets, and
Conrad, her extraordinary talking cat, as they take on their latest case.
Hoping for a relaxing break, Lulu sets off with Conrad on her canal boat, The Lark, to the picturesque city of Bath to visit friends. But Christmas cheer soon gives way to festive fear when the pair learn of a ruthless kidnapping plot that is plaguing parents in the area.
As the kidnappers fuel panic with further demands, the pair must unravel clues faster than Conrad can charm with his witty banter if they are to stand any chance of bringing the criminals to justice in time to save the holidays . . .

Review

Cat owners already know their cats communicate well with their owners, but Conrad is something different. He truly speaks, which reminded me of a novel I read a lot of years ago with a cat community who could speak English and read and do all sorts of things, so The Cat and the Christmas Kidnapper is all rather pleasing. It also fits well with that festive cosy crime vibe.

Bath looks festive at Christmas and the holiday vibe is on, or is it?
Retired Lulu Lewis and her rather smart cat are heading down the canal to Bath to visit friends to find themselves with a case on their hands as there is so much crime in the city, with the focus being on kidnappers. Both cat and human are intriguing within themselves, added to that, a crime to be solved and this book has a bit of depth. It is all rather intriguing and entertaining.
The manner of which the book is written makes it a book for curling up with your cat and/or festive treats on a cold, wintry night.

#Review by Lou of A Ticket To Ride by Sue Wickstead @JayJayBus #ChildrensBook #ATicketToRide #Stories #Rhymes @rararesources

A Ticket To Ride
By Sue Wickstead

All aboard!!! Got your ticket to ride this fantastically entertaining children’s book. This is a fun children’s book with rhymes and short stories that are great for on the bus or playing around with the idea of the bus in an imaginative manner. Today, I am part of the blog tour for this next instalment in this lovely collection by Sue Wickstead. Check out the blurb and my review below of A Ticket To Ride for 2 years to 12 years, thanks to Rachel’s Random Resources blog tour spot.

This collection of light-hearted poems and stories is perfect for a cosy afternoon reading with your little ones. Perfect for sharing.

Around the corner and up the hill, jumping off when the bus stops still.

Animals and friends hop on and off the bus as it travels through lands near and far, on special days and everyday afternoons. On this journey, you can meet everything from cats and elephants to one very celebratory bee, telling jokes and adding their opinions.

A Ticket to Ride is a fun collection of cheerful poems with a few short stories sprinkled in. I love the silliness as well as the thoughtful moments, and who doesn’t need a few extra knock-knock jokes to brighten their day? This book is a great read-along, with poems for anytime you want to celebrate.

Review

What will your stop be? The book is your ticket to ride to wherever your imagination or heart takes you on a bus. It encourages fun around buses, language and the silly fun that kids just love to be entertained by. They’re also fun if you’re an adult reading to children. This is part of a gorgeously fun collection of complete within themselves books, which I choose to use in some Bookbug sessions (a Scottish Booktrust group for 0-5 year olds) and kids and adults alike have fun with them. Please note, this isn’t part of their collection, but we do have freedom to choose our books outwith too. The book itself is suitable for children of 2 years to 12 years. There are poems galore, some that are acrostic and all manner of other styles, which is what makes it suitable for such a broad age range.

Packed with jokes, animals and more, it’s the journey you and your children don’t want to miss. Meet animals in entertaining places like a Lion In A Bath, a Gutter Beetle, a Mouse Maze, some strange Electric Elephant Rain and more…
The illustrations are colourful, bold and entertaining for all children to enjoy.

The stops and imaginative, interactive aspects remind me a bit of Playbus in the 80’s. It has that level of fun (for adults, that title also makes me think of Ticket to Ride by The Beatles).

I highly recommend this book which encourages fun, imagination, language through rhyme, which is great to read aloud with children or for older children to also share and perhaps read aloud to their siblings or adults in their lives.

#Review by Lou of My Daughter’s Baby by Kate Hewitt @bookouture #MyDaughtersBaby #KateHewitt

My Daughter’s Baby
By Kate Hewitt

My Daughter’s Baby is a highly compelling family based book, published by Bookouture, whom I thank for a spot on the blog tour and for supplying an e-book. All comments/views are my own.

Blurb

As I hold my daughter’s newborn baby to my chest, my heart breaks knowing she didn’t live to meet her son. Someone will need to raise this child, but who will fight the hardest?

When I get the call my estranged daughter Sophie is in labor and that there are complications, I can barely breathe. It’s been months since I spoke to her—I had no idea she was even pregnant. I rush to the hospital, tears streaming down my face. But as I run through the hospital doors and see the nurses’ faces, I realize I am already too late.

I look down at the precious baby she left behind, swaddled in a blanket with perfect rosy cheeks. My husband and I could give him a stable, loving home. It would be a second chance for us. Because we didn’t get it right with Sophie—no matter how hard we tried, I know we failed her. This is our chance to finally make things right.

But then I meet the tear-filled gaze of my son-in-law, Tom, and realize it isn’t going to be that simple. He is the reason we didn’t have a relationship with our daughter. My husband is sure his troubled past will mean we get custody. But now Sophie is gone, is it time to give Tom a second chance? Or is it foolish to trust someone we don’t even know?

My chest aches as I realize I have no idea what Sophie would have wanted, or even what I truly want. Because I have secrets of my own… secrets that Tom doesn’t know and never should. Should I fight to raise my daughter’s baby myself, even if it costs me everything?

An unforgettable, gripping and suspenseful novel that shines a light on what it truly means to be a family. Perfect for readers who enjoy emotional fiction, and for fans of Jodi Picoult, Liane Moriarty and Diane Chamberlain.

Review

My Daughter’s Baby is emotionally charged with suspenseful page-turning chapters. It really examines family life when things are not going to plan. There are ulterior motives, secrets and lives at stake in so many ways.

The well-drawn characters and situation are incredibly moving and the power in the written words leads you into feeling for them all. There’s grief, job loss, family fears, all culminating in rather complex situations and emotive driving forces.

A book for those who like complex family dramas and unexpected twists and turns with suspense that creates a need to read on…