Inspired by the original ghost story of a damned man condemned to wander the world forever unless he finds someone willing to sacrifice themselves for him in the name of love, OperaUpClose, in partnership with recent RPS award-winning Manchester Camerata, open their new production The Flying Dutchman at Turner...
Heritage: the real life King and I story, and its links to Southampton
by Martin Brisland. The much-loved musical play, which has recently been at Southampton’s Mayflower Theatre, and film tells the real-life story of the tempestuous relationship that develops between King Chulalongkorn of Siam and Anna Leonowens, a British school teacher whom the King brings to Siam (Thailand) to teach his many...
Under the Covers, June 2023: What the Dickens…?
Which Charles Dickens novel is your favourite? That’s the question which set In Common writer Nick Mabey on a two-year reading mission. Finding himself unable to answer because he hadn’t read any Dickens, Nick became aware of this gap in his literary knowledge and resolved there and then to...
Samantha Fish announces UK tour, coming to Bournemouth in October
Image by Daniel Sanda. Following her triumphant “Faster” UK tour in October 2022, American guitarist, and singer songwriter Samantha Fish has teamed up with American rock guitarist Jesse Dayton on a nationwide 10-date UK tour to promote their brand-new critically acclaimed album “Death Wish Blues.” The highly anticipated UK...
Review: Isle of Wight Festival, Friday 16 June
by Nick Mabey. A Different Class Friday at the festival and Newport was rocking. The sun shone, the crowds swarmed, everything was as it should be. For me it was all about Jarvis Cocker but more of that later. First things first; a minor rant. For package holiday makers,...
Applause review: Broadway’s Jukebox Musicals, Freemantle & Shirley Amateur Theatrical Society
by amateur dramatics editor Martin Brisland. Singing is a great way to lift your spirits and that is just what Freemantle and Shirley Amateur Theatrical Society (FASATS) provided for an enthusiastic audience on a hot Friday summer night at Freemantle Community Centre (16/6/23). The ‘jukebox musical’ has become a...
Suburban Safari: Rollesbrook Greenway
by Katie Isham. Did anyone else know there’s basically a jungle in town? Rollesbrook Greenway is a stretch of woodland running through the terraced streets of The Polygon in Southampton’s city centre. A mere stone’s throw from the immaculately manicured lawns of the city parks, here grows the absolute...
Artists’ contributions sought for Gender, Mobility & Technology exhibition at University of Southampton
Calling all artists! A group or researchers at The University of Southampton known as Close the Data Gap have been sponsored by the Web Science Institute and are looking for Artwork for their new exhibition exploring Gender, Mobility and Technology. How do you experience your everyday journeys? Walking the kids...
Punk Rock Factory come to Southampton this November
Punk Rock Factory are hailed as the kings of turning any song into a pop punk masterpiece. The boisterous four piece from South Wales take all your favourite tracks and make them sound like you never quite imagined they could! No-one is immune – these four lads have adapted...
Pay it forward with a book for Southampton school children
To celebrate the release of ‘City of Stolen Magic’ by Southampton’s own Nazneen Ahmed Pathak, independent book store October Books is organising apay it forward book scheme to gift copies of the book to local school children. An organiser of the scheme explained: “We’re super excited here at October...