John Shand Posts

July 5, 2015 / Theatre Reviews - Archive

Hayes Theatre, June 16 I had a beloved great-aunt who, among other qualities, set herself apart from the family pack simply by being single. Geraldine Quinn is not only single, she is in show-biz, so almost inevitably she radiates cool for her 19 (!) nieces and nephews and offers a…

June 30, 2015 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Sound Lounge, June 13 Krzysztof Komeda was dead at the age of 37. In that truncated life this Polish medical doctor had penned the scores for over 40 films, including most of Roman Polanski’s up to and including Rosemary’s Baby. Simultaneously he was a jazz pianist who did more than…

June 25, 2015 / Concert Reviews - Archive

Blue Mountains Theatre, June 6 Taken prisoner when the Japanese overran Ambon (in modern Indonesia) during World War II Lloyd Swanton’s uncle, Stuart Swanton, died in the island’s notorious POW camp. This grim piece of family history stirred Swanton to commemorate in music an uncle who at grave personal risk…