Preview: One Man Poe: The Business Man and The Case of M. Valdemar

Get the man a medal he’s done it again.

Stephen Smith, who I've often referred to as the hardest working actor at Watford Fringe, is this year presenting a preview of two new short stories in his growing collection of One Man Poe. I’ve previously reviewed the Tell Tale Heart, The Pit and the Pendulum, The Black Cat and The Raven here should you wish to read.

Over the past five years Smith has become a multi award-winning specialist in presenting the gothic grotesquery of Edgar Allen Poe on stage. There is to my knowledge no better way of experiencing the stories of Poe than through his unique, charismatic and thoughtful interpretations.

This year he adds two new short stories to the catalogue. The first, The Business Man, is an interesting exploration of the line between the pursuit of profit and the social contract, which viciously satirise the American Dream. Our antihero is a man called Peter Proffit (a pun which helps illuminate the theme) who recounts his lifetime of dubious enterprise. Instead of the usual gruesome horror this is scathing critique of consumerism and capitalist culture, this story's momentum is sustained by a sense of humour and the fact that each of his jobs seems considerably more questionable than the previous. It's only when we reach the final money making scheme that Poe's vicious horror returns sharply to the fore.

The second story, The Case of M Vlademar is an unsettling account of a mesmerist who wants to experiment with the impact of his craft on somebody close to death. We are back in traditional Poe territory, and this frightening story is accompanied by a much more frightening narrator. Smith douses his face with streaked white paint, gussets himself in a ring leader‘s red coat and covers his hands in revolting pair of sinister black gloves that shine like slime and make you shudder at each hand gesture.

As with the Peter Proffit, the Mesmerist talk directly to the audience as if at a press conference, which generates an immediate sense of rapport. But as the story plunges its sinister depths and we hear the sad account of this poor gentleman who is trapped in a zombified paralysis between life and death, the atmosphere chills. I was particularly impressed by the special lighting effects at the podium which transformed the mesmerist into the talking head of the unfortunate experimental patient.

One one of my delights in watching Smith perform Poe is watching him physically transform from one character to another on stage, altering his costume, facial features and gait all within sight of the audience. As this was a preview we didn’t get to witness that transformation but I understand it will take place in the Edinburgh shows which will follow, details here. Those audiences are in for a treat.

Now with six short stories under his belt, Smith demonstrates a convincing ownership of this material. Careful and distinct delineation of character, confident construction of different gothic worlds, and an astounding mastership of Poe's archaic language and wordsmithery ('supervene' made me shimmy with delight!) all combine to create a masterful theatrical experience. If you haven’t seen any of the other Poe's, my advice is don’t wait. See these new additions first and then make it your personal mission to catch the other four. A thrilling entertainment.

Review: Harling Fringe Festival 2026

This year saw the first ever Harling Fringe Festival take place from the 10th to the 12th of July. Although I’m Watford based it was a pleasure to jump on the Metropolitan line to Liverpool Street and switch to the train up to Diss to join the residents of Harling for their celebration of creativity and art. 

The reason I made the journey was primarily because I'd been invited to perform as the headline act. So although I didn’t get to enjoy the whole weekend, fortunately I arrived early enough to take in many of the Sunday performances. And what a delightful array of activities it was.

The first thing I attended was the Harling Horsepower Classic Car Show at the charming Peppers venue. It was a free event which pulled in a substantial crowd of people not only showing off their gorgeous motors but also having a leisurely wander around taking in the aesthetic beauty and engineering wonder of vintage cars from across the decades.

Next I hotfooted it to Saint Peter and Saint Paul's Church where there was an art exhibition featuring several local artists including internationally renowned Maz Jackson SGFA, who has spent a lifetime drawing and painting in rural Norfolk but whose work is now exhibited and purchased all over the world. The exhibition offered a wonderful collection of work, most of it available for purchase. Many of the artists had rural subjects as their key theme including some pen sketches of bird life, sculpture of rabbits and sheep, and oils and acrylics of natural landscapes. But there was also a lot of abstract and impressionistic work which added to the characterful and colourful variety.

Next up in my whirlwind tour of Harling was the comedy show Offgridleand at the Sports and Social Club. This was a really inventive claustrophobic piece that blended theatre and stand-up traditions with some innovative technology. Multi-award winning writer/performer Paul Richards starts the play by pressing play on his laptop which then sets an audio file going and the whole piece is performed in real time as he interacts with the various sounds and voices that emerge. It was interesting to see how he times his jerky actions and stuttering speech to fit in chronologically with the recording whilst making it feel completely spontaneous. After the show it was delightful to sit down with him and a band of locals to have a good old chat about theatre, art and culture in the way that really only fringes allow.

Next step was a show that is pulling out all the stops to prepare itself for a transfer to Edinburgh in August. Who Remembers the 90s is an ingenious blend of comedy sketches, parody songs and madcap physical humour providing a nostalgic trail through Tamagotchis, Mr Blobby, Friends, Power Rangers and even the rise of New Labour. Sonic the Hedgehog had a particularly memorable appearance and I had the dubious pleasure of holding up one of his golden rings! An incredibly enthusiastic and quite frankly bonkers performance from Adam Larter which I think the whole enjoy audience enjoyed immensely.

Finally it was my own turn to perform and I headed to the Nag's Head pub to share Tiger Jazz Sings, my joyful rendition of beloved and less well known songs from the Great American Songbook. The set was met with huge appreciation from the Harling audience and I was incredibly touched by the warm welcome and rapturous response they shared with me.

The whole event has arisen courtesy of the magnificent Festival Organiser Sharon Gaffney, who I know well from our work together at the Pumphouse Theatre in Watford. As a founding organiser of the Watford Fringe, now in its tenth incarnation, she has the perfect skill set and experience to make this new Harling Fringe a tremendous success. I wish her every success with this new creative impulse and hope to see it develop, blossom and flourish in the years to come. I certainly can’t wait to return in 2027.

Review: Echo House

Echo House is a really interesting concept. It tells the story of a mother who had a son at 15 who is subsequently adopted, and they are estranged from one another for 50 years. From that simple premise spin out a myriad of different trajectories and outcomes based on suggestions from the audience and inspired by a series of improvisational games.

The title Echo House perfectly evokes the sense that a house contains layered incarnations, almost ghosts, of its occupants, their lives and the different directions they could have developed. And as people return to the house, the memories of actions past echo back to them in truthful and in misremembered ways. It’s ultimately left up to the audience to decide which version of the story is most true or 'best'.

The kaleidoscope of versions of this troubled mother-son relationship is immediately intriguing as a dramatic structure. With each passing scene the you are asked to reconsider whether the son is welcoming or unwelcoming, and whether the mother is delighted or anxious at the prospect of meeting her son after half a century apart. You’re even asked to consider the drastic possibility that one or other of them may have died by (depending on your audience) suicide, fork in the toaster, car accident or Wallaby kick!

This experimental way of storytelling is in its early stages of development for The Two Jays, a writing and performing duo made up of John Harper and Julia Bolden. Harper is a towering presence whose charming smile counteracts his imposing frame. Bolden is much shorter, a contrast which they jovially play for laughs, and her laid-back demeanour brings a relaxed, chilled energy.

At present while the opening scene carries a lot of exciting dramatic potential, the following scenes lack momentum and drive. The improvisational games don’t make enough of the audience suggestions. As we enter the auditorium, the audience are asked to write down suggestions which are put into a small wooden box to be used later in the show. The box is used during two monologues, by mother and son, but the suggestions are effectively just read out as a list. They're not used to change or develop the story. Furthermore, the only person who knows their suggestion has been read out is the person who wrote it because there's no wider sharing of what those suggestions are before the monologues take place.

Similarly, when we were asked whether we want the son to be welcoming or unwelcoming to his mother when she arrives at his front door, the audience resoundingly voted for welcoming and the scene was played out. But then the unwelcoming scene was played out as well. The audience suggestion turned out not be a decisive moment in the evening's narrative, but just a decision over which narrative we'd see first.

To make this show more powerful, the audience suggestions need to be more meaningful and impactful. They need to change the shape and direction of the story as a whole. If you shout stop in a scene as instructed or present a high or low status card it really has to make a difference to the way that scene plays out. 

Overall an exciting concept in how to deliver a semi scripted, semi improvisational work, but it needs more trust in the audience suggestions to take flight.

Julia Bolden speaks eloquently about Echo House on a recent addition of my podcast What's On Watford which you can listen to here.

Review: Heart and Music

In Good Company have become an indispensable part of the Watford Fringe Festival annual lineup. But what exactly are they? As their illustrious leader, West End performer Ashleigh Fleming, pointed out in her closing remarks, they have too much choreography to be a choir, and too great a musical focus to be an amateur dramatics company. So what are they? A show choir? A musical theatre troop?

Whatever we decide to call them, what's certain is that they are a hugely talented, uber-enthusiastic group of dancing, quick-changing vocalists who know how to deliver a jam-packed celebration of musical theatre full of charisma, buoyancy and charm.

This is In Good Company's most ambitious show to date, not only in the diverse song selection but also in the challenging choreography, quick fire costume changes, rapid attack of repertoire and intense emotional layers presented with each number. They don't just sing the tunes, they invest each moment with character, mood and drama.

For a musical theatre fan like me it was a joy to hear a plethora of well-known songs brought alongside more obscure and newer melodies. The projections overhead clearly but unobtrusively pointed out which particular musicals the songs belonged to, which was a helpful and thoughtful addition. Standout favourites included the anthemic 'I Am What I Am' from La Cage Aux Folles, delivered by the five gentlemen singers with not only a sweet sense of comedy camp but also a genuine and sincere integrity. Similarly focused on the theme of equality, diversity and inclusion was the hilarious fairy tale fantasy 'Let Your Freak Flag Fly' from Shrek, presented with a dizzying array of uniquely costumed characters.

Throughout, there were beautiful duets and trios which gave the cast opportunities to show careful vocal blending and close harmonies. I was really moved by the trio of ladies who sang 'I Wish I May' from The Witches of Eastwick. They imbued each overlapping line with a wave-like sense of loss and nostalgia as well as a gentle optimism for the future.

The one drawback perhaps was the venue. Saint Mary’s Church provided a beautiful backdrop and the religious setting actually made many of the secular songs feel dangerous and risky again, as they would have been when first performed. However, it did sometimes mean that sound was compromised. While the brilliant Jon Ben on piano could be heard clearly all night, often the vocals when not amplified were lost. But that never meant we lost the track of the stories, characters or intentions. They were delivered with such confidence and scale that they came across to the very back row of the well attended space.

July promises a stupendous lineup of fringe performances for Watford. This was my first and I couldn’t have hoped for a more rousing start!

Review: Priscilla Queen of the Desert

If you’re looking for a brilliant night out in Watford this week you could not do better than booking tickets to go and see Cassio Productions version of Priscilla Queen of the Desert. It's a fast paced, energetic, laugh a minute show which also has tender, touching moments, razor sharp wit and a story about inclusion, acceptance and love that feels essential vieiwng in today's divisive climate.

If you haven't seen the film, the story is essentially a road trip in which we follow three drag queens across the Australian outback in a dodgy old bus named Priscilla. The journey is initiated by Mitzi, played with a cuddly, disarming sweetness by John Montgomery, who has been invited by his wife to come and perform in Alice Springs so he can finally meet his son.

The star performance comes from Joseph Lucas as Felicia, who is quite frankly just an astounding performer in every respect. A true triple threat, he was belting out disco classics, throwing out catty one liners and high kicking in heels all in the same breath and looking fabulous doing it! I have not seen choreography executed with such sharp and perfection precision on the Watford Palace Theatre stage in a long time. He's an absolute firebrand, a pleasure to watch, and I can’t wait to see him in more productions in the future.

Although Mitzi is the spine of the show, giving it the necessary narrative drive, the character in this production who pulls most forcefully on the heart strings is Bernadette, sensitively and convincingly portrayed by a regal Richard Sellek. The dignity and humanity with which he imbues the character is, as the Australians say, 'knock out'. This was a woman who knew all about the challenges and set backs of life, but was still filled with an iron optimism. Her banter with Felicia creates many of the evening's funniest moments, but her gentle observations about life and love produce many of the most philosophical and inspirational. A deftly handled balance.

There are also several cameo roles for the company to get their teeth into. The three divas (Sarah Clampton, Sam Keyte and Georgia Tomlinson) astound in a staggering array of costumes from glittering angels to green cakes, and tackle some difficult disco harmonies with confidence and aplomb. Charlotte Silvey opens the show with fizz and frenzy as drag queen Miss Understanding, building a camp rapport with the audience that sets the right tone for the night. And Judi Campion is comedy gold as the backwater bogan Shirley, dressed in ripped denim and scratching her armpits as she shows a radically different side to what femininity can be. And of course the scene which everybody waits for with bated breath is played by a dazzling Debbie Day, whose charm and restraint make what could be a challenging role for many reasons fit comfortably within the show. Again, if you haven't seen the film, be warned: you may never see table tennis the same way again.

With costume and staging of professional quality, this is a brilliant night of disco madness, infused with sequins, towering wigs, superb choreography and generous humour. Definitely one not to be missed!

Review: Emma Smith 'Doing It My Way'

Watford Palace Theatre was once again abuzz with anticipation as the Watford Jazz Junction festival presented its gala evening for 2026.

The night commenced with Parmiter's School Big Band, conducted by Stuart Bates. Introduced by Chair of Watford Jazz Junction Orphy Robinson, it was made clear how important music education and supporting the next generation of jazz musicians is to the festival team. As they walked onto the stage beaming and gleaming, there was a duly enthusiastic round of applause to welcome them. But after they knocked us out with a 30 minute set of standards delivered with a laid-back confidence, virtuosic solos and a strong, characterful sound, the closing applause was of rapturous delight. It’s such a privilege to be able to watch young performers blossom in front of your eyes and genuinely feel you are at the beginning of what may well be incredible musical journeys for them. These are the stars of the next generation and Watford Jazz Junction has always made space to highlight and celebrate them. Particular standout moments were the cheeky rocky rhythms of Route 66, a surprisingly smooth and relaxed version of Mac the Knife, and a sharp and swinging rendition of Perdido.

After the interval came the main event: Emma Smith 'Doing It My Way'. And boy, did she! Not only is she a consummate vocalist, delivering pin point precision on her melodies before bending and contouring them into a plethora of inventive and unexpected lines, but she is also unparalleled when it comes to humour and building rapport with the audience. A local girl from Radlett and trained at the nearby Purcell School of Music, she was able to fill the auditorium with not only music but also a sense of homecoming. It really felt as if she had a special affection and love for the Palace Theatre and the Watford audience, and the sentiment clearly flowed both ways.

She regaled us with anecdotes and stories of her own family's musical background, including her grandfather, a trombonist who played on the James Bond soundtracks. Then it turned out Daniel Higham, the trombonist in her line up, was not only a dear friend from childhood, but had been gifted her grandfather's mouthpiece, the mouth piece he used when accompanying Frank Sinatra at the Royal Albert Hall... and which Higham was using tonight! Cue a uniquely delightful rendition of I've Got You Under My Skin. Such beautiful moments mixing memory, family and friendship kept popping throughout the evening, making it feel like a truly once in a lifetime event.

Smith took to the stage resplendent in a dazzling red gown, giving her the hour glass silhouette of a 1950s bombshell. If you picture a raven-haired Jessica Rabbit, you wouldn't go too far wrong. And indeed there is something flirtatiously seductive and playful in her banter, and more than a hint of burlesque in the swing of her waist, the sway of her arm and the tilt of her wrist. Utterly bewitching to watch as well as listen to. A good example would be her opening song, a swinging version of The Lady is a Tramp, with wittily updated lyrics that kept to the spirit of the original but made the comedy feel fresh.

She added Stormy Weather to her set, assuming her return to the UK would be met with rain, but in fact it was a lovely sunny day! So much so that more than a couple of summer flies took up residency on stage, almost scuppering her gorgeous rendition of the ballad Midnight Sun. She smartly put the interference down to the spirit of Ella Fitzgerald jealously guarding her riffs! There was a blink and you miss it quote from the theme tune of Bewitched in her version of Witchcraft, among a catalogue of other quotes, and Alexander's Ragtime Band was somehow Dixie and sultry in equal measure, a feat I would previously have considered impossible. She closed, as the title would encourage you to predict, with a brand new arrangement of My Way, and treated us to One More For the Road as an encore.

Her exceptional line up consisted of Rob Barron on piano, Tom Farmer on double bass (whose introduction to Honeysuckle Rose was mesmeric), Luke Tomlinson on drums, Graeme Blevins on alto, Tom Walsh on trumpet and Daniel Higham on trombone. Alex Garnett (as Emma Smith called him, the 'uncle' of the group) was on tenor, and doubled up not only as a vocalist on Moody's Mood for Love, but as serial gag man, bringing a glorious sense of the old style improvisational jazz jams to this polished and pristine performance.

Smith's astounding success (Parliamentary Jazz Vocalist of the Year 2024, collaborations with Buble, Quincy Jones Orchestra, Jeff Goldblum, four year stint on BBC Radio 3, touring with the Ronnie Scott's All Stars) secures her place as one of the great vocalists of her age. This performance reminded us she's also one of it's greatest entertainers.

Review: A View From The Bridge

A View From The Bridge, Arthur Miller’s compelling story of a man torn between a repressed lust for his niece and loyalty to his close knit Italian community feels incredibly relevant to the current times. Directed by Joe Emery, this production does not shy away from the worrying political questions around immigration and border control in the world today, and indeed with a slightly updated setting places the frightening reality of the fearsome (and deadly) ICE immigration force slap bang in the middle of the stage. 

Nonetheless, in this production the challenges of illegal immigration status prove to be only one thematic strand of many explored in this layered story. Mark Maguire as Eddie offered a powerhouse performance in which he pulled apart the conflicts within marriage, family and masculinity with gusto. His central dilemma is the dynamic thrust which pushes the story forward and he manages to ride the intense emotional rollercoaster with conviction. His paternal love for his ward, his niece Catherine (played with youthful innocence by a poised and elegant Meg Reynolds), is contrasted with his hidden desire for her, a desire which gradually comes bubbling to the surface as he feels her slipping away from him when a romance blossoms between her and the immigrant cousin they're housing, Rodolpho.

Trapped between his attraction to Catherine and his cautious requirement to be a good guest, Kieran Welsh as Rodolpho moved superbly between his playful, extroverted and charismatic persona, and the muted version of himself demanded by his circumstance. He was full of smiles and humour, making it clear why Catherine would be so drawn to him. Yet at the same time this exuberance and his bevy of feminine pastimes, from singing to dress making, offered up sufficient provocation to Eddie to make his rage plausible, rather than just an obvious projection of his own incestuous desire.

The role of long-suffering wife Beatrice was played with calmness and grace by Aruna Clinch, offering sympathy, patience and maternal warmth in a household that you felt would otherwise rip apart at the seams.

The whole family drama is watched over by the lawyer Alfieri, played with affable understatement by Chris Robby. Alfieri, as Emery's programme notes point out, is a Greek chorus figure standing on the sidelines watching the action and commenting on it with very little influence on the drama. Interestingly, however, it’s his role which ultimately gives the piece its tragic depth as he reminds the audience how desperately inevitable Eddie‘s ultimate downfall will be. Given this set of characters, this context and this forbidden desire, there is really no other outcome possible. His doom is written, fated, and no amount of good advice can avert it.