Phonebox Magazine

27/09/2025

Eric Clapton tribute on tonight at the Stables Theatre Milton Keynes

Members of the hugely popular Classic Clapton band will be going unplugged on their return to Wavendon venue The Stables this Saturday night.

24/09/2025

Review of Top Hat The Musical
Get ready to be entertained by this uplifting and entertaining romantic comedy. Great songs and music, tap dance choreography and laugh out loud jokes means there is something for everyone. The costumes are sumptuous and spectacular with lavish sets to show them off. You’ll also be toe tapping to many of the great songs of another time from Let’s face the music through to Cheek to Cheek. The stage show effortlessly slips us into another era.
The story is based on the classic 1935 film starring Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers and has been adapted for the stage winning the 2013 Olivier Award for best new musical.
Philip Attmore as Jerry Travers and Amara Okereke as Dale Tremont are superbly supported in this "big show" as they journey from New York to London and finally to Venice. Typically, true love never runs smoothly but the simple story amuses and delights the audience.
Look out especially for the highly versatile Bates.
So enjoy “Putting "on the Ritz" and watch out "for trouble ahead" in this toe tapping, laugh out loud production.
Top Hat The Musical is on at Milton Keynes Theatre until the 27th September 2025.

16/09/2025

Theatre Review
2:22 A Ghost Story.

To believe or not to believe, that is the question…
The author of this thought-provoking play (Danny Robins) brings us into the lives Sam (played by Kevin Clifton) and Jenny (Stacey Dooley) as they manage life with their baby in their new home. The dynamics of relationships with Sam’s university friend, Lauren (Shvorne Marks) and her partner, Ben (Grant Kilburn) depict the deep and often humorous events over the course of a Saturday night. Rational explanations are used to prove and disprove experiences and events. Do ghosts exist?
The simple set is filled every-day props found in many homes brings a comforting familiarity that the audience can relate to. Clever lighting and sound effects bring many moments to cause viewers to jump in their seats. (On the opening night, in the filled auditorium, a ripple of soft sighs of relief could be heard when we discovered all remained well…)
The tension builds as the evening progresses; the drink flows and time moves on. The audience quickly find that the clock is an integral prop in the storytelling. In fact, this is one of the only performances when clock-watching is advised! Quick time-checks build the anticipation to what is going to unfold.
An excellent evening’s entertainment, with talented actors who effortlessly bring the characters to life. No big spoilers here, but if you were fortunate enough to see this play before would you go again? I would! It’s easy to come away with questions, such as ‘What did I miss?’
A mention must be made to the huge team, including additional actors and special effects professionals, who all contribute to what the audience see on stage. This play really comes to life through their input.
2:22 A Ghost story runs at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday, 20th September.

04/09/2025

The Lightening Thief. The Percy Jackson Musical.
Wednesday saw the opening night of this energetic adaptation of one of Rick Riardan’s books about the teenager who finds himself thrown into a world of mythology and monsters. There was a buzz of excitement from a refreshingly young audience ready to follow Percy as he finds his identity as a “half-blood”, finds friendship and masters new skills.
The musical may seem a little disjointed at times, particularly for those unfamiliar with the storyline. However, it is highly entertaining thanks to the talents of the whole cast. The choreography and very catchy songs are extremely well-executed by the relatively small cast for such a big show. Strong harmonies and beautiful solos wave their way throughout the performance. The tour of the musical includes debut professional appearances and early careers of others, including lead actors, all of which are excellent.
Costumes and special effects aid the story-telling, which include simple puppetry and clever lighting. Characters are strong, offering some laugh-out-loud moments, keeping the audience captivated.
So, brush up on your Greek mythology and head over to Milton Keynes Theatre to be reminded that “normal is a myth.” The musical runs until Sunday, helping to allow those who have just returned to school an opportunity to see their popular hero on stage.
Show is on until Sunday 7th September at MK Theatre.

28/08/2025

Blood Brothers review

Blood Brothers is back at Milton Keynes Theatre this week and is not to be missed.
The story? Set in 1960’s Liverpool, single mum Mrs Johnstone (Vivienne Carlyle), is struggling to even pay the milkman. She finally finds a job as a housekeeper for Mrs Lyons (Paula Tappenden) in a more affluent area who sadly wanted a baby without success. When Mrs Johnstone finds out she is expecting twins, she’s devastated as she knows she could only afford one more, not two. Giving one twin up to her employer is heartbreaking and the twins grow up on opposite ends of the socio-economic tracks, coming together at various points throughout their - alas – short, tragic lives.
We could feel every ounce of Mrs Johnstone’s struggles and joys, sensing the audience hanging on every note, and she fully deserved the standing ovation at the end.
For us, Paula Tappenden’s portrayal of Mrs Lyons was the best I’d ever seen – and I’ve been to see this musical a fair few times since 2001. One audience member was on her 15th viewing! Sean Jones, Joe Sleight and Gemma Brodrick have all returned to their roles as Mickey, Eddie and Linda. We saw the excellent Danny Knott as Eddie.
Expect superb music including Bright New Day, Marilyn Monroe and Tell Me It’s Not True, as well as light-hearted comedy, interspersed throughout the heart-breaking narrative. Bring your tissues for the end.

Blood Brothers continues until August 30th 2025.
Book your tickets now at ATGTICKETS.COM/MiltonKeynes

08/08/2025

Joseph - It’s what dreams are made of!

One of the best-known musicals in the history of theatre, Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is back in Milton Keynes!

First presented as a full-length production in 1973, ‘Joseph’ has gone on to play to packed houses in the West End, on Broadway, on UK tours, even an Australian tour, over the last 50 years.

It’s the story of Joseph from the bible’s Book of Genesis and tells the tale of a young man who both has dreams and can interpret them, and about the trouble an amazing technicoloured coat – given to him by his father Jacob – can get him into.

Getting on the wrong side of his jealous brothers who pretend to their father he is dead, Joseph is sold as a slave, thrown into prison, and goes through numerous other adventures in this fast-paced and colourful story.

If you love musicals this one’s for you, this is the epitome of one!

It’s all about the music – and the lyrics – of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice, and everything is delivered beautifully by a star cast including former Joseph and now Pharaoh Joe McElderry and the excellent Adam Felipe who now plays the title role.

It’s only loosely based on a biblical story so it’s not heavy on big messages, more, it’s a joyous celebration of what a great stage musical can be, and it’s played out by similarly talented people.

The show is kept moving through the narrator, on this occasion Christina Bianco who can sing, dance and keep the audience entertained with a wonderful personality and stage presence. Her presence is absolutely show-stopping.

This remake has more child actors in this production, which we were thrilled to see and each character has a genuine role to play in the show. They were fantastic. We saw somersaults, a goat storm off stage and children playing adult roles.

Family friendly cast and family friendly production make this a definite for the summer holidays – it’s one for everyone to enjoy. And to anyone who thinks Joseph is dated and past it now, we have one thing to say: Dream on!

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat is at Milton Keynes Theatre until Sunday 10th August.

01/08/2025

30/07/2025

Calamity Jane Theatre Review
It’s time to saddle up and get yourself down to Milton Keynes theatre before the stagecoach rolls out of town on Saturday!
Calamity Jane is based on the life story of Matha Jane Carney, born in 1856. Almost 100 years later, parts of her life were the subject of the film, staring Doris Day, later adapted to the musical play we know today.
Today, a highly talented cast bring the sleepy town of Deadwood, Dakota to life as they sing and dance their way through this predictable love story. Many of the cast play instruments during the well-choreographed performance, keeping the audience tapping their toes.
Calamity herself, played by Carrie Hope Fletcher, fills the stage with her powerful solo and compliments other strong characters, such as the highly amusing Francis Fryer (played by Samuel Holmes). Samuel has previously collected a Lifetime Achievement Award for comedy on behalf of Monty Python. Traits of such humour can be seen in this musical, with many laugh-out-loud moments. Keep an eye out for clever adaptation of the props through the different scenes; a highlight of which must be the stagecoach itself, allowing the audience to venture out of town.
A show for all ages, with timeless tunes, you’ll leave the theatre with a smile on your face.
The show continues at Milton Keynes theatre until Saturday 2nd August.

23/07/2025

The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe

What a show! This stage performance of C.S. Lewis' classic book, The Lion, the Witch and the Wardrobe, cleverly takes you back to the childhood story loved by many.
We follow the tale of the four siblings—Lucy, Edmund, Susan and Peter—who are evacuated from wartime London and stumble into the frozen world of Narnia.
The audience are thrust into wartime with the music, clothing and suitcases of the time. The actors play violins, cellos and even a double bass on stage. It isn't a musical, but there are songs and music throughout.
There are almost terrifying moments that hark back to the days when stories were frightening for children, but as good triumphs over evil, a happy ending ensues.
The show continues at Milton Keynes Theatre until Saturday 26th July.

16/07/2025

The Midnight Bell review

Bell-isimo! Another Bourne special hits the stage.

Matthew Bourne is well known for taking famous or even iconic stories and putting his style of dance to them.
From Edward Scissorhands to Swan Lake, The Nutcracker to The Red Shoes, Cinderella to The Car Man, there’s a Bourne production for everyone, just waiting to be explored.
This latest work, in which Bourne once again brings not only his genius, but his award-winning dance troupe too, comes to Northampton’s Royal & Derngate. And unusually he chooses a lesser known Patrick Hamilton as his inspiration.
This time it’s The Midnight Bell inspired by the works of English novelist and playwright Patrick Hamilton.
This contemporary ballet is set in a 1930’s London pub. The Midnight Bell is just such a hostelry and forms the backdrop to Bourne’s show, bringing to life the dark, shady and sometimes seedy world of London’s Soho.
It’s to The Midnight Bell that customers come to drink, relax, talk and build relationships – in this production Bourne has added in a homosexual tryst which would have been much more difficult to deal with in 1930 than it is today. You can trust Bourne to handle a subject like this with great skill. There’s also a pr******te, a chauvinist male and a shy spinster among the list of characters. With so many characters and their intertwined stories, it was quite difficult to follow at times, especially the first act, nor was it easy to ve invested in any character so at times was quite confusing. To mitigate this, we would recommend familiarising yourselves with the characters beforehand, unless you enjoy working it all out in real time!
Stage lighting and set design (from L*z Brotherston and Paule Constable) work brilliantly here combining with Bourne’s innate ability to find style and character in seemingly everyday life and bring it to the fore with breath-taking skill and panache. Often, you see two scenes being played out at the same time.
The dancers themselves are exquisite – they wouldn’t have made it into the Bourne troupe if they weren’t, of course – and command the stage with beautiful, thoughtful movement. Music is first class and you’re also treated to an array of wonderful sound effects – a pigeon’s flight, a dog’s bark, some footsteps – to finish the job.
Bourne himself says The Midnight Bell is full of ‘entangled tales of lonely souls, looking for love’. And if you’re looking for a wonderful night of dance and drama, this is the show to go and see.
The Midnight Bell is at Northampton’s Royal & Derngate from Tuesday 15th to Saturday 19th July.
Royal & Derngate

09/07/2025

Phonebox Review: The Last Laugh, Milton Keynes Theatre

Remember when comedy was good, solid, inoffensive fun? When you could go to a variety show and enjoy a couple of hours of great jokes, cheerful songs and slapstick mucking about on stage?

Not everyone will, of course, especially if they’re not old enough to remember those great Town Hall days of comedy. And part of the charm of this latest tour of The Last Laugh is to educate those that didn’t have the pleasure and honour of being there.

Comedy has moved on nowadays and is arguably more grown up, better crafted and slicker. But that doesn’t take anything away from the glory and brilliance of comics like Tony Hancock, Sid James, Max Miller and the three characters in this play: Bob Monkhouse, Eric Morecambe and Tommy Cooper.

These are all men of course (comedy has moved on) and all geniuses who could hold a packed theatre in the palm of their hand and guide them through a journey full of fun, frolics and humour.

In this deeply poignant play, writer Paul Hendy sets the three maestros in a seedy, shabby dressing room. It’s the perfect setting for them to talk about their loves, loathes, successes, regrets and brilliant memories of a life in comedy.

There’s joke after joke, bits of music and lovely little routines as performed by the real comics in their heydays and all brilliantly recreated here by Simon Cartwright (Monkhouse), Bob Golding (Morecambe) and Damian Williams (Cooper).

These actors have all played their respective stars before, and it shows – they have honed to perfection the voices, movements and personalities of their charges.

The script buzzes and fizzes as it keeps the conversation flowing with stories and anecdotes aplenty. There are darker moments, such as when Morecambe says he regrets putting his job before his children or Monkhouse explains how he was selfish with a previous writing partner. And Tommy Cooper tells a heart-breaking story about how he was laughed at by a group of people after he broke down in tears.

All three legends are long gone, of course, and there are references throughout the play about health, illness… and death. Cooper’s infamous 1984 demise, while performing on stage, is well referenced.

Go and see The Last Laugh and you’ll die too – laughing.

The Last Laugh is at Milton Keynes Theatre, Tuesday 8th to Saturday 12th July.

30/06/2025

See our crossword in this month’s edition in anticipation for World Chocolate Day