‘Waving Not Drowning’ by Rosie Rushton

Another teenage fiction novel.

Pretty standard plot – three teenagers, all with individual issues, come together at the end – it was ok.

As we start the second half of the challenge, things are going well:

Monthly Theatre Visit ✅

Different Theatre each visit ✅

It was a bit of a struggle to find a production for July for various reasons, they either wouldn’t fit in the diary or only at repeat venues. But we found one!

Production: Charley’s Aunt

Venue: Sewell Barn Theatre, Norwich

Charley’s Aunt, first performed in 1892 and written by Brandon Thomas, is a farce across three acts. Now it was reasonably funny in places, although there were people in the audience who found it possibly the funniest thing they have ever seen!

Sewell Barn Theatre is a 100 capacity venue set within the grounds of Sewell Park Academy in Norwich. We were attending the afternoon matinee performance, which meant free tea/coffee on arrival.

We quite enjoyed it. We’re not natural fans of the farce, in fact this was probably our first encounter with a live performance. The acting was reasonably good, the plot fast-paced and plenty of opportunity for hilarity and farcical behaviour.

It enters the chart at number 3.

1. An Inspector Calls
2. Dracula
3. Charley’s Aunt
4. 1984
5. Metamorphosis
6. Shakespeare Revisited
7. Edgeland

It’s only taken six months to finally inform the world about this year’s monthly challenge…

2025’s monthly challenge follows last year’s monthly cinema trip and 2023’s gig a month, both very successful experiences.

So the pressure was on to find something that would work. Early thoughts were going down the sport route. Different sport every month? Liked this idea, but thought it probably needed considerable planning, maybe it will become 2026’s challenge. So, we settled on: monthly theatre visit. With the added challenge of attempting to visit 12 different theatres.

Initially, the plan was to do a short little blog of each visit, but of course, that didn’t happen. Hence the six month catch-up.

January

Production: An Inspector Calls

Venue: Theatre Royal, Norwich

Review: Professional West End production, top-notch theatre and great show.

February

Production: Dracula

Venue: Playhouse Theatre, Norwich

Review: Professional touring company production, mid-size lovely theatre and really good show.

March

Production: 1984

Venue: Public Hall, Beccles

Review: Local amateur dramatic group, multi-use public hall, the show was alright.

April

Production: Metamorphosis

Venue: Maddermarket Theatre, Norwich

Review: Low-budget small local group production, not the main space of the venue, small intimate room, slightly disappointed.

May

Production: Edgeland

Venue: Sweet Briar Marsh

Review: Low-budget outside immersive experience, not for us.

June

Production: The Complete Works of Shakespeare Abridged

Venue: Seagull Theatre, Lowestoft

Review: Local comedy amateur dramatic group, nice small independent theatre, it was alright.

That brings us up-to-date. Going forward there will be slightly more detail and might even include a few photos. Very exciting! There will also be a current chart of favourites. Even more exciting!

‘Kiss of Death’ by Malcolm Rose

It’s another teenage fiction. I saw it in the book cupboard at school, it’s only 190 pages, so thought I’d have a read.

A school trip to the village of Eyam ends up with Seth, his twin sister Kim, and his best friend Wes, fighting the dreaded Black Death.

Past and present collide in this exciting thriller.

‘Down and Across’ by Arvin Ahmadi

Teenage fiction. Scott Ferdowski doesn’t know what he wants to do with his life; he can’t commit to anything. But he has a plan: to run away to Washington and talk to a famous college lecturer about grit.

On his travels, he meets Fiora who is into crossword puzzles and causing havoc.

It’s a coming-of-age story that’s pretty good. I liked it.

‘Ghosted’ by Rosie Mullender

This was alright; nice easy read.

Emily’s ex returns as a ghost and asks for her help in discovering how he died. As they spend more time together, Emily realises exactly how good he was for her, and how the New Emily she has become is maybe not what she wants.