For most people, an evening out at the theatre is a treat, an evening of entertainment, stimulation of the mind, or simply pure indulgence. We take pleasure in hearing what others have to say about a play or a theatre production, and this may influence our decision whether or not to buy tickets for ourselves.

Here at Ipswich Town & Waterfront we are pleased to be working in partnership with the New Wolsey Theatre and with University Campus Suffolk on a project which aims to give undergraduates a real life opportunity to demonstrate skills that will be useful to them as they progress beyond their studies and into new careers.

As part of our commitment to the local communities, and to support students and employers, we are pleased that each month students from UCS will visit a performance at the New Wolsey Theatre or the New Wolsey Studio, and will then write up a review of their experience, with consideration for the production as well as the experience of visiting the theatre.

In this first review, Angela Wright, 3^rd Year Tourism and Event Management Student, reflects on her visit to see Our House.

I found the prospect of seeing the production of Our House at the New Wolsey Theatre very exciting for three reasons; firstly what’s not to love about the back catalogue of Madness songs?, secondly this was to be my first trip to the New Wolsey Theatre, and thirdly I had been given the opportunity of being an entertainment critic for the night! A role I was taking very seriously.

I attended the show with a friend, who has seen many musicals and been a Madness fan for some time having seen them live, twice! On entering the theatre we found ourselves in the foyer which was bustling with people chatting excitedly in anticipation of the show. We easily found our way around and after collecting our tickets and purchasing refreshments from the friendly, cheerful staff we sat on a comfy sofa to take in the atmosphere. Five minutes prior to the start of the performance, we were politely ushered to our seats and once seated we found that although the New Wolsey could be regarded by some as a small theatre, all the seats appeared to have a good view of the stage and we found the auditorium a really comfortable space.

I was a little apprehensive about the show as, having agreed to write an honest review, was worried I may find it to be just a string of Madness hits put together with a disappointing story. I crossed my fingers as the lights went down and the music began…

I am delighted to say my apprehension was short lived and before long I was fully immersed in the story, so much so at times that surprisingly it seemed as if the music had been written to complement the plot rather than the other way around. The story focuses on Joe Casey on his 16^th birthday and the different circumstances he finds himself in as a consequence of his actions. On the surface this musical comedy appears to be mainly a love story, but this soon develops at a fast moving pace into much more, as good versus bad is played out in scenes which at times I found thought provoking and quite moving. The audience, consisting of all different ages, were fully engaged as the story unfolded, and the music of Madness complemented to great effect creating smiles all round. This was my first experience of an actor musician production which I found amazing as the cast effortlessly moved between acting scenes and musical instruments. Alexis Gerred and Daniella Bowen portrayed convincing roles as lead characters Joe and Sarah, and were supported by a very talented cast. With a clever set design that made excellent use of the space and great costumes, I found it difficult to fault any part of the production.

The show concluded with a lively musical finale and a standing ovation; with everyone in the theatre on their feet we were treated to an encore in which we all joined in the singing and dancing as if part of the production. A fabulous end to a fantastic show!

This experience has made me realise how lucky Ipswich is to have such a great theatre that can produce shows that equal some of those I have seen in London’s West End theatre.

Well done New Wolsey, Our House cast and crew. We had an excellent evening and thoroughly enjoyed the whole experience. We will be recommending the show and theatre to everyone we know and fully intend to return with friends and family before you go on tour!

Reviewed by:

Angela Wright

3^rd Year Tourism and Event Management Student

University Campus Suffolk

Blogs and reviews posted on Ipswich Town and Waterfront are generated by the people who make up the community of Ipswich. If you are passionate about Ipswich and have a great story to share about our town then please get in touch. We’d love to hear from you.

Natalie Chaplin