PRESS

A selection of reviews from past productions

THE WASP
Director - Hope Mill Theatre

'An absolute tornado of twists and turns that have you gripped from start to finish.'
NORTH WEST END  ★★★★

'Rarely have I ever been so captivated by a play than while watching the Northern premiere of The Wasp. If you want a play which symbolises all that theatre of the highest quality can offer, this one should not be missed.'
THIS IS LANCASHIRE

'Bold, daring and unique... a taut psychological thriller that will shock and captivate... has a delicious evil streak running through it with a pitch black comedic script.'
OPENING NIGHT  ★★★★

'Young and Brannan put in powerhouse performances in this epic two-hander. A truly brilliant and thought-provoking play. There are so many twists and turns that the audience gasp with each shocking moment.'
REVIEW NUMBER NINE

'Shocking, harrowing and darkly comic... this is thrilling, real edge-of-the-seat drama with exceptional lead performances from Charlie Young and Debbie Brannan. Director Benedict Power revels in the play’s unexpected plot twists, carefully building up tension before delivering some genuine gasp-inducing moments. Aided by Natalie Johnson’s innovative set and lighting design, Power handles the balance between comedy and tension well.'
FRANKLY MY DEAR  ★★★★½

SPRING REIGN
Originator, Producer, Director & Dramaturg - National Tour incl. The Lowry, Nottingham Playhouse & The Albany

'Most compelling – both as theatre and in its attempt to bear witness and give a voice to Syrian people.'
THE GUARDIAN

‘A hard-hitting and incredibly moving piece of theatre.’
YORKSHIRE POST  ★★★★

'A bold and innovative new play with a relevance that stretches across continents, and audiences.'
BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE

'Unnervingly relatable. Benedict Powerʼs concept is a bold one. A very striking performance with a powerful message. Rob Johnstonʼs writing is outstanding. His words transport his audience to a cosy domestic vision of Syria which the cameras never reach.’
THE REVIEWS HUB  ★★★★

'A brave and insightful piece of theatre. Director Benedict Power sensitively documented the events of 2011. Last night’s performance had an extraordinary feeling of community about it... the sheer number of Syrians watching the play was testament to its accuracy.’
MANCUNIAN MATTERS

REAL LIFE
Producer, Director & Co-Writer - in association with The Royal Exchange & touring to Camden People’s Theatre

'A masterful display of tight writing, performance and a great deal of lunacy.'
THE SKINNY  ★★★★

'One of the most engrossing pieces of live comedy we’ve ever seen!'
CREATIVE TOURIST

'Beautifully chaotic’
A YOUNGER THEATRE

'A whirlwind masterclass in the art of surrealism, absurdity and piss-taking. Nothing short of genius.'
MANCUNIAN MATTERS

WAR STORIES
Director, Dramaturg & Co-Producer - International co-commission with 24:7 Festival & You Are Here Festival

‘Beautifully balances direct narrative delivery to audience and storytelling skills with emotional expressiveness and impressive restraint’
THE OBSERVER

‘Exceptional … As quietly moving as anything else I’ve seen on World War One. The audience’s taut silence validates the work.’
MANCHESTER CONFIDENTIAL

‘A haunting experience.’
WEEKEND NOTES

‘Performance and production standards are high throughout.’
THE GUARDIAN

‘Benedict Power finds some lovely moments of lightness and ease. A solid and powerful piece of theatre.’
THE PUBLIC REVIEWS  ★★★★

‘An excellent two-hander… Definitely one to look out for, even if you think you have had your fill of WWI commemorations.’
THE GOOD REVIEW  ★★★★★

THE BUBBLER
Director, Co-Producer & Touring Stage Manager - The Lowry (Re:Play Festival) plus regional tour of pubs and non-theatre venues

'The most perfect depiction of a right wing tabloid reading, acrimonious pub bore... to be avoided at the bar at all costs. Between them, Crabb and Bell have created an absolutely watchable monster of a man.'

'The Bubbler is a great play... a short, sharp, intense, witty dose of powerful entertainment.'

'Dan Street-Brown is the perfect foil to this character... with great comic timing, he seems to take a restrained pleasure in lighting the blue touch paper on Peter’s rants.'
THE PUBLIC REVIEWS

'A play about the need for tolerance and the unhappy consequences of demonising the underclass... Crabb’s exceptional use of the Northern vernacular... her flawless and unflabby dialogue... a perfectly formed piece of dramatic writing.'

'What a performance... Bell mesmerised everyone present, his stream of consciousness made all the more acute by the subtle reactions of Dan Street-Brown.'

'The foil to Bell’s larger than life Satanic shop manager, Street-Brown played it just right – quiet, faintly amused and wary of his most unpleasant customer.'
MANCHESTER SALON

TEMP/CASUAL
Director & Producer - Contact Theatre & 24:7 Festival

‘Wonderfully acted with flashes of brilliant direction. Power, being a trained actor in his own right, has that rare gift of being an ‘actor’s director’ and it’s clear that he’s a talent with feet firmly in both camps.’
WHAT’S ON STAGE

‘Eloquent, moving and completely gripping.’
MANCHESTER EVENING NEWS  ★★★★

‘A very entertaining hour and a bit that leaves you wanting more.’
BRITISH THEATRE GUIDE

‘Engaging, funny and heartfelt. Ben Power’s slick direction and the effective use of a simple yet multi- functional set design, combined with a rousing sound score and multi- media elements also add to this highly accessible production.’
THE PUBLIC REVIEWS