Peterborough Evening Telegraph Review

IT'S both a case of Spot The Dickens and What The Dickens with Eastern Angles' excellent Round The Twist.

After a seven-week run at Ipswich's John Mills Theatre - the home of Eastern Angles - Peterborough audiences will now get the chance to see the top-notch comedy at The Cresset at the end of this month.

The Bretton venue will be transformed into an intimate, two-tiered, theatre curiosity shop from January 24 to 28.

I was invited to see what's in store for Peterborough theatre-goers in this madcap spoof, which is filled with marvellous Dickensian characters, sharp humour, prim puns, novel audience interaction and a festive touch.

Eastern Angles' unique Christmas productions are now well established in Ipswich. After a failed attempt to catch it in December (the train was cancelled) I managed to make it to the final matinee show of the season. All 120 tickets had long gone despite it nearing the end of its mammoth run.

It's a comic melee of Charles Dickens' classics including Nicholas Nickleby and Great Expectations and the audience is made to feel part of the action from minute one.

Sat on the front row, I was just one metre away from the shop floor stage setting and the bustling comings and goings of the actors.

Five performers (Joel Sams, Gabrielle Douglas, Sally Ann Burnett, Greg Wagland and Zach Lee) bring to life a number of weird and wonderful characters centred around an aspiring young playwright called Oliver Nicklefield.

Those familiar with the works of Dickens will be kept amused notching up the references and if you're not, don't worry, as the cross-dressing, singing exploits of Miss Haversack, Dorabella and Jammy Dodger are unmissable.

Traditional pantomimes thrive on a bit of innuendo and there are a couple of running jokes, including reference to Tiny Tom's testimonials, which tickles the crowd.

With a buxom temptress, sneeringly crooked villain and marsh-dwelling fugitive in the line-up, the characters are vitally varied.

You really don't want to miss out on Round The Twist.

I've certainly never seen anything similar to it in Peterborough before.

It's easy to see why it's such an annual favourite in Ipswich.

Shows are at 7.30pm on January 24 and 25; 1.30pm and 7.30pm on January 26; 7.30pm on January 27 and 7pm and 7.30pm on January 28. Ticket prices range from £8 to £14.50 with concessions available and a discount for groups.

Book by calling 01733 265705 or 01473 218202 or online at www.cresset.co.uk or www.easternangles.co.uk

Mark Pearson