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Carrie's War

This event has now finished Until Sep 12 2009 Apollo Shaftesbury, Shaftesbury Avenue, London, W1D 7EZ Full details & map

Theatre: West End

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Posted: Wed Jul 29 2009

Adaptor Emma Reeves and director Andrew Loudon, the team behind syrupy productions of 'Anne of Green Gables' and 'Little Women', are back with their version of Nina Bawden's 1973 novel about two wartime refugees. Thankfully, they are a little less liberal with the sugar this time. But their staging is still stymied by a plodding literalism that drains the story of excitement and tension.

Carrie and her brother are billeted in a Welsh village with grumpy God-fearing Mr Evans (Sion Tudor Owen, shamelessly hammy). A visit to Evans's estranged sister, the mysterious Mrs Gotobed (an underpowered Prunella Scales) stirs up family secrets, and introduces the children to her witchy housekeeper. It's a tale that demands a more imaginative approach than this one, which feels old-fashioned, unadventurous and unexceptional.

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Apollo Shaftesbury, Shaftesbury Avenue, London W1D 7EZ

Apollo Shaftesbury

Be warned: Shaftesbury Avenue's theatres are notorious for their vertigo-inducing balconies and the Apollo's may be the steepest of them all. But...

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Comments & ratings

By sue hembrow - Jul 31 2009

I would like to thank the cast for their most excellent portrayal of a childhood favorite of mine.

Mr Johnny gets my vote what a wonderful performance.

Thanks also for bringing the evacuation story alive. A very emotional experience of real life.

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