Phonebox Magazine

03/06/2026

Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo – Milton Keynes Theatre

What happens when world-class ballet meets outrageous comedy? You get an evening with Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo and what a night it was!

Affectionately known as "The Trocks", this internationally acclaimed all-male ballet company has spent more than 50 years delighting audiences with a unique blend of impeccable dance technique, sharp satire and laugh-out-loud humour. Founded in New York in 1974, they have become famous for their loving send-ups of classical ballet while still demonstrating extraordinary talent and athleticism.

From the moment the curtain rose, it was clear this was no ordinary ballet. Graceful swans suddenly became gloriously clumsy, prima ballerinas suffered spectacular mishaps, and the audience roared with laughter at every perfectly timed comic moment. Yet beneath the comedy lies genuine skill. Dancing en pointe, executing demanding choreography and maintaining character throughout, these performers are exceptional dancers first and comedians second.

The genius of The Trocks is that they manage to poke fun at ballet while simultaneously celebrating it. Whether you're a lifelong ballet fan or someone who has never set foot inside a theatre before, there's something wonderfully inclusive about the performance. The jokes land, the dancing dazzles and the whole evening feels like a joyful reminder that the arts don't always have to take themselves so seriously.

By the final curtain, the audience was on its feet, cheering a company that delivers both artistry and entertainment in equal measure. Funny, clever, spectacular and surprisingly moving, Les Ballets Trockadero de Monte Carlo prove that ballet can be both technically brilliant and tremendous fun.

⭐⭐⭐⭐⭐
A wonderfully eccentric evening of world-class dance and belly laughs.

The show continues until Wednesday 3rd June 2026.

29/05/2026

29/05/2026

We’re looking forward to the Buckinghamshire Young Farmers Country Show this Saturday hosted by Newport Pagnell YFC in Haversham. 🚜

Orchard Press Ltd are proud to have created this advert, along with the design work which can be found on page 64 in the show programme.

We hope to see you there!

29/05/2026

As we wrap up the month, we’re highlighting May’s Club of the Month: Olney Senior Citizens Club.

It’s one of the oldest clubs going in Olney — and it’s also one of the friendliest.

They meet every Friday, 2pm-4pm in The Olney Centre.

More information about the club can be found in the May issue of Phonebox Magazine.

27/05/2026

Statement from the Mayor of Olney

This bank holiday weekend at the recreation ground in East Street, Olney, we have seen unprecedented levels of Anti-Social Behaviour (ASB), sadly displayed by young people – behaviour that has scared local residents, leaving them unable to leave their homes or visit our beautiful green open spaces.

This was one of the worst weekends in terms of the sheer number of people coming to the town.

The parking of vehicles was diabolical, utterly selfish without a thought to how their parking would affect residents – blocking driveways, double parking, blocking emergency access at the recreation ground and at the Rugby Club, and if that wasn’t bad enough, cars were seen blocking East Street where our local Fire Service is located – resulting in them putting out a warning that their emergency response times were impacted by illegally parked vehicles in East Street.

Needless to say, my fellow councillors and I were calling TVP and making them aware of the situation, both in terms of the sheer volume of youngsters with alcohol and the appalling obstruction caused by vehicles on pavements and blocking emergency access for the elderly and emergency services.

We were informed that the situation was being monitored, and the advice remained the same: to continue advising our residents to report their concerns.

Both I and a councillor at OTC continued calling in our concerns, highlighting the situation as it continued to escalate.

So much so, later that evening, a dispersal order was activated by TVP and officers on the ground, including an Inspector, who remained until all those present vacated the recreational ground and understood they were not to return whilst the order was in place.

I have been in contact early this morning with TVP, also Head of Parking at MKCC, and the ASB team, requesting an urgent meeting asap with OTC and all stakeholders to discuss ways forward for working together to prevent this from happening again.



Following police advice regarding ASB in Olney, please report the following by calling 999 if the ASB is in progress.

- Someone under the influence who is being abusive

- Drug use in public spaces

- Riding a motorised vehicle on public recreational spaces



Cllr Debbie Whitworth

Mayor of Olney

27/05/2026

The Choir of Man REVIEW
So where to start? The best place is the Edinburgh Fringe in 2017. Since then, this highly entertaining ‘jukebox’ musical has toured land and sea, including London, Sydney, Shanghai and, at last, it’s here… Milton Keynes!
This performance is about community, friendship and mental health. The audience are immersed throughout and welcomed into The Jungle pub. Get there early enough and you can go onto the set for a pint of beer. The format of the performance has changed and currently includes an interval, allowing more of the audience to head to the stage. There’s a big party atmosphere while the cast join in with chat and pub games. (If you have FOMO (fear of missing out) stay in the auditorium during the interval!
Back to the performance… This is a highly energetic, entertaining two hours. The main cast of nine talented individuals play a variety of instruments, sing with incredible harmonies and move and dance with energy and precision. They skilfully adlib where necessary, while members of the audience are serenaded on the stage.
Don’t expect a deep plot with a clear ending, after all, when the barman calls ’Time!’ we all know we need to drink up, say goodbye and go home.
The Cast are supported by a huge team to ensure the show will leave the audience wanting more. Each and every one has a part to play which we can easily overlook. Last night, two of the cast ‘swing’ members stood in with flawless performances. Niall Woodson literally stepped into the (tap) shoes as Handyman, while Lewis Dragisic confidently took on the monologues of the Poet.
The opening night in any of the touring locations are always very special, and last night was no exception. The researchers find out about the communities in which The Choir of Man visits. Local choirs are invited to join the cast to sing one of the songs from the performance. Last night two choirs, consisting of 159 beautiful voices stood up for a powerful rendition of Sia’s ‘Chandelier’, worthy of their standing ovation from the packed audience.
So, if you want an uplifting, feel good evening in which you will be expected to laugh, clap, cheer and generally have a great time, go to visit The Choir of Man. Currently at Milton Keynes until Saturday, 30th May.

27/05/2026

If you’ve missed anything that happened last month, take a look at our News Roundup to stay in the loop. 📰

25/05/2026

George Davies Turf & Stone, founded in Olney in 2001, has grown into one of the UK’s largest independent suppliers of turf and landscaping materials. 🌾

To celebrate the businesses 25th anniversary, founder George Davies recreated the first delivery that launched his company.

You can hear more from George in Phonebox Magazine.

22/05/2026

🎶 Professional singer and vocal coach Lizzie Deane is celebrating leading The Hawkstone Farmers Choir to a Golden Buzzer award on ITV’s Britain's Got Talent.

More information about Lizzie and The Hawkstone Farmers Choir, as well as where you can listen to them, can be found in the May issue of Phonebox Magazine.

20/05/2026

In this months Phonebox Motoring, Tom explains the new annual MOT test changes that the Government have introduced. 🚘