ONLINE PLAY: Falling Stars at www.stream.theatre 22-29 November 2020 reviewed by Paul Vates

Spread the love

If songs from roughly a hundred years ago are your thing – this is a show for you!”

If songs from roughly a hundred years ago are your thing – this is a show for you! Conceived and written by the brilliant Peter Polycarpou, Falling Stars is a jam-packed hour full of songs familiar and, perhaps, unknown from the 1920s – many written by Charlie Chaplin! There are also numbers by Irving Berlin and Meredith Wilson, plus many more.

Peter (best known to fans of Birds Of A Feather as Chris Theodopolopodous) is joined by Sally Ann Triplett (most recently seen in Viva Forever! at the Piccadilly Theatre in the West End). Together and individually they embrace the songs with gusto and style. Full of factual information in-between the numbers, the production is directed by Michael Strassen, keeping a tight rein on the whole event. The show was originally planned as a live experience, but during lockdown a decision was made to create this filmed version – which can be viewed by following the links on www.stream.theatre.

Planned and executed over three days, with only one day of rehearsals, the show is a little rough at the edges, but more than makes up for it in energy. For all its bravado, for me the highlight is Peter’s touching rendition of Rose Of Picardy. However, the two do perform Yes, We Have No Bananas where the song actually makes sense!

Although thoroughly enjoyable, I feel this show really needs a live audience to respond to. However, at the moment, we’ve all gotta take what we can get!

.Photography Paul Nicholas Dyke

Producers Ginger Quiff Media and Union Theatre

Writer Peter Polycarpou

Director Michael Strassen

Music Mark Dickman

Running Time 60 minutes

Tickets www.stream.theatre

Shows Sunday 22nd to Sunday 29th November 2020 at 7.30pm

Saturday 28th and Sunday 29th November 2020 at 2.30pm

Price £15 (plus booking fee)

Twitter @Gingerqmedia, @TheUnionTheatre, @stream_theatre

Instagram @Gingerquiffmedia, @theuniontheatre