The Feltham Chronicle from Hounslow, London, England • 26

News 0181 572 1816 Advertising 0181 572 4141 Nick Fletcher as Mathieu and Richard Heffer as Jean Marc Star turn The House Among The Stars at The Orange Tree Theatre Richmond until December 5 THE lyrical and touching play The House Among The Stars may be set in a modest log cabin but tackles all the passions loss and laughter of three generations In the 1990s gay couple Mathieu (a wonderfully uptight Nick Fletcher) and Jean Marc (a solid performance from Richard Heffer) arrive at the home of Jean ancestors a rustic log cabin in Duhamel Quebec son Gabriel (a truly versatile Robert Lowe) triggers memories from the past generations as the action begins flowing between 1910 1950 and the present day with characters from each time sharing the stage Lowe plays the child in each generation Sebastian the son of brother and sister Victoire (Sarah Tansey) and Josaphat (Jeremy Crutchley) in 1910 then Marcel son of monstrous matriach Albertine (an excellent Emma Gregory) in 1950 ALL-ELECTRIC THEATRE PRODUCTIONS In association with KATHARINE ASHTON PROUDLY PRESENT with relish And all credit must go to director Dominic Hill for perfectly orchestrating the moves so characters from each generation glide past each other unawares irresistably repeating patterns from the past until their words begin to blur together TAMSMS1ARR Josaphat made compelling viewing tapping into a rich vein of poignant lyricism in his storytelling and playing the heartbreak of a father losing his only child with breathtaking anguish And David Timson as the cross-dressing Edouard provided some well-timed light relief camping up the comedy Michel script pulls off a neat trick presenting the scandalous subjects worming their way into the family tree incest cross-dressing and single parent drudgery with a poetic beauty which transforms their soap opera truths into something infinite and tragic Jeremy Crutchley as It may be Picasso but is it art? Clueless Bridget Bree Daniel O'Bey and Richard Lancaster Picasso: Art Is Crime at Riverside Studios Hammersmith until November 7 KIERON new musical Picasso: Art Is Crime has all the ingredients of a box office hit but the pieces quite fit together The story revolves around 90s girl Rebecca (Laura Matthews) who cannot choose between suitors unscrupulous lawyer Meldon (Alan Mosley) and poor besotted waiter Dr Homes (John Shwab) Through a series of short snappy scenes the action moves at breakneck speed as a team of comically useless detectives discover the theft of a priceless Picasso painting Suddenly the action steps back in time and the story unfolds to reveal the thief Moody blues funky guitar and rousing big band sounds from the talented Picasso band set the mood for each Sy Park CHRISTMAS VISIT London's SPECTACULAR NEW 5-8 November Adult £5 OAP £4 Child (5-15) £150 Gift Craft Fair Syon Park Isleworth West London 19 10am-5pm FREE Parking RICHMOND UPON THAMtS ji tf iM Pi id ly Nuvt-nil'-i (ith li Thuc I 1'th it )- I ODEON -72 HILL STREET SNAKE EYES (15) WO 60 N- irv! oO iC 3C ANTZ (PG) 3 30 3f: i A THE EXORCIST (18) 2 00 6 00 9 00 MULAN (U) i I O-n i ODEON STUDIO -6 RED LION STREET ELIZABETH (15) 1 TO 30 a (O THE TRUMAN SHOW (PG) 1 10 1 '0 00 9 10 A PERFECT MURDER (15) 1 00 N(T Sun i 0 10 THERE'S SOMETHING ABOUT MARY (15) 100 39 EVER AFTER (PG) Sat So''- i 00 MOVIE MOB OiL': Slut Snr LOST IN SPACE (PG) PAULIE (PG) A PARROTS TALE (U) MOUSEHUNT (PG) THE MAGIC SWORD QUEST FOR CAMELOT (U) 24 HOUR BOOKING INFORMATION 0181 3IS 4218 BOOKING Hi wwwodeoncouk winning a ripple of applause from the audience for his dynamic song and dance displays making fun of power-crazy men who preen their oversized egos Innovative designers went to great lengths to create a stunning set complete with angular picture frame which loomed above the audience but the action failed to hold my attention for a long two and a half hours BECKY GAUNT scene and led the actors into frequent but sometimes inappropriate bursts of song But there were splashes of brilliance from gifted singers Thomas Aaron (waiter Professor Bailey) and plum-toned Rebecca who appeared dull and unsexy in character but blossomed into a passionate heroine when she started to sing Above ail Alan Mosley played the eagle-eyed baddie Meldon to perfection A marriage of comic and tragic An Ideal Husband at the Garrick Theatre Hampton School THE Old production of An Ideal Husband trod the very thin line between comedy and tragedy with confidence Adventuress Mrs Cheveley attempts to blackmail society figure Sir Robert Chiltern with a letter betraying his youthful indiscretions But her efforts are thwarted when Chiltern wife exposes the blackmailer as a fellow schoolgirl who was expelled for theft Mrs Cheveley was played with a remarkable combination of surface charm and deep-seated viciousness by Andrea Harris John Roth as Chiltern coped with every emotion with real conviction especially his realisation that the loss of his career is nothing compared to the loss of his wife's love His wife was played by Pam Bosanquet with just the right amount of unthinking high morality The smaller roles were filled with distinction and made points without labouring them while Colin set was beautifully apt This production was the most convincing I have seen of this play in a long time GEORGE MIAN.