If July was a bit tricky finding a production, August was probably even more difficult.

We’re probably not planning enough in advance, especially as we’re starting to run out of local ‘new’ venues to attend.

But we found one…

Production: Things We Do For Love

Venue: Southwold Theatre

The play, written by Alan Ayckbourn, first performed in 1997 centres on a love triangle between two women and a man.

Southwold Theatre holds around 180, nice little place, serves beer and ice cream.

As for the play, we quite liked it, well written, only four characters, all really good. Great acting, funny in places and staged really well on a small budget.

Goes straight in at number three!

1. An Inspector Calls
2. Dracula
3. Things We Do For Love
4. Charley’s Aunt
5. 1984
6. Metamorphosis 
7. Shakespeare Revisited
8. Edgeland

‘Strange Houses’ by Uketsu

Wasn’t entirely sure what to expect with this one. It starts with a floor plan that is ‘off’ somehow, and then descends into a strange sinister story that includes murder and a family curse.

I really liked the first half of the book, very interesting. Then it all starts to get very confusing and far-fetched.

In the end it left me feeling slightly disappointed.

‘Demon Copperhead’ by Barbara Kingsolver

Slightly late to the party (yet again) with this one.

Well I wouldn’t agree with New York Times Readers’ who said it was ‘Best Book of the Century’, but it was definitely a good read.

It’s probably the longest book I’ve read in a while.

The novel follows Demon, a young lad who is put into foster care because of a drug addicted mother and goes through a pretty horrendous life. Everything negative that you could think of probably happens to him, with a few positives points in between.

I’m not going to say anything else except, it is well worth a read.

‘The Hotel Avocado’ by Bob Mortimer

Loved this. I thought it was even better than Bob’s debut novel, The Satsuma Complex.

The story continues where the first book left off. After Gary’s run-in with some dodgy cops, things are about to get even more worrying.

I would definitely recommend.

‘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