Reviews

Reviewing a tribute band will always be difficult. Do they sound as good as the original? Do they look the part? Thankfully ABBA Forever came up positive on all these points and I believe the sold-out crowd at the Radlett Centre would back me on this.

I am old enough to remember the original TV versions of the Talking Heads monologues by Alan Bennett. They were gentle and bittersweet, often with a few surprising twists. The Play's The Thing theatre company brought their production, featuring 2 of the most iconic monologues - A lady of Letters & Soldiering On - to the Maltings theatre as part of their regional tour.

I still have strong memories of watching Abigail's Party on the BBC back in 1977. I was a young teenager and alternately bemused, amused and appalled at what I saw and heard. It left a lasting impression and I have followed the work of Mike Leigh and Alison Steadman ever since. It is not the safest of choices for a local theatre, although it can be hilarious in places, the characterisation is very strong and the reputation of the original production is so strong that any new production has a lot to live up to.

I was pleasantly surprised to find out that a local group was to perform 'Spamalot'. St. Albans Musical Theatre (previously known as St Albans Operatic Society) have been producing high-quality productions for some years now and I must say expectations were high. St. Albans is blessed with many high-quality amateur and professional performers (being located close to London being one of the main reasons), as well as directors and choreographers.

I was lucky enough to be invited to sample Champneys new product lines at their Spa in St. Albans. They were launching a new range - Mediterranean Bliss Treatments, which are also available in Boots apparently.

The Alban Arena is a venue with a rich history of welcoming touring acts, some of which have gone on to world-wide fame - such as Dire Straits, who played there in 1978. I saw the legendary Rory Gallagher there in 1988, more recently The Waterboys and The Gorillaz have graced the stage. It is maybe a sign of the times that more tribute bands than original artists perform there these days. So when two of the UKs most respected musical artists were coming to the Alban Arena it was likely to be an evening not to be missed!

Another strong production by The Company of Ten. Well acted and staged. High quality theatre. This is a play that The Company of Ten should be highly suited to and indeed they are! All the main characters are credible and well-acted by the cast. The costumes and scenery are spot on in achieving a look and feel of a pre-war English country house. A very enjoyable and entertaining evening. Highly recommended, running till October 20th.

I have been a fan of Pink Floyd since 1979, when I lost a £1 bet about whether Another Brick in the Wall would reach number one in the singles charts. A friend, who had heard the song and loved it, offered me this bet. I hadn't heard the song, but knew Pink Floyd was not a band that put out singles at all, let alone ones that would top the charts. Well the rest is history. One of the few bets I'm glad to have lost. Anyway, since that time I have seen Roger waters and several Pink Floyd tribute acts. Think Floyd did not disappoint.

There was a real family affair at the Alban Arena on January 20th. Friends, family and fans of the late great rock musician Jim Rodford gathered at the theatre to pay tribute to a local hero. At the side of the stage under a spotlight was a poignant reminder of the musician who had died in St Albans 12 months earlier – his bass guitar and hat.