“This is a highly physical production concluding with a very convincing duel.”
“…and there is a powerful portrayal of Lady Macduff by Kaitlin Howard who is also the fight director. Kaitlin has created many stunning, realistic scenes. A highlight is a beheading to behold which would not look out of place in a Hammer Horror film.”
“There’s a great trio of Weird Sisters whose prophecies drive the story, and they get their message across with Wagnerian theatricality from behind the murky darkness of a stage gauze, returning periodically to underline the plot.”
“The murder scene was particularly powerful.”
“The true climax of the show came in the form of the use of physical drama. Macbeth is a physically strong play, and the use of stage combat cannot be ignored. The cast and production team have truly risen to this and each one of the scenes and fights had me worried that someone might genuinely find themselves hurt because of a metal broadsword.”
“Fight Choreographer Kaitlin Howard made excellent use of the talented cast, the brawls that broke out consumed the stage with chaos, shockingly authentic but it was evident the actors were in control and safe and it was easy to enjoy the well portrayed violence.”
“The fights, directed by Kaitlin Howard, are impressively realised and performed with real conviction.”
“…the fights were well choreographed and outstandingly executed by the cast.”
“This is a vibrant exciting production with Kaitlin Howard’s fight scenes so powerful as to make anyone in the front row a little nervous.”
“Crucially, though, it’s emotion that really holds a complex and puzzling story together, largely thanks to the astonishing Kaitlin Howard, who totally owns a quicksilver role that may yet become a new definition for “challenging”.”
“…the production is dominated by a stunning performance from Kaitlin Howard who makes D’Eon an amazing and contrary character – sophisticated but crude, a loyal servant but greedy to the point of corruption and hard as nails but terribly hurt by the slights he/she endured from the government he/she served so well. The sheer physical effort involved in never leaving the stage and performing duels as well must not be overlooked.”
“In D’Eon, Krupinski has sculpted a deliciously juicy and incredibly challenging female role which Kaitlin Howard seizes with both hands. Commanding the stage for the entire two-hour running time, she is utterly convincing in her portrayal, whether hallucinating within the sickly D’Eon’s living hell, viciously slaying oncoming Prussian soldiers, teasing Holstead’s painfully shy Thomas, or bartering for her recognition, Howard is always magnificently watchable, charting the character’s journey effortlessly and movingly. The light, pleasingly back-and-forth chemistry with Holstead allows the audience to relax into the rather dense but pacy first act and establishes their growing relationship. But superb as she is, this is not just a solo effort, Howard being supported by what is surely the tightest, brightest, and most versatile ensemble in town.”
“Kaitlin Howard who plays D’Eon is on stage throughout the entire two and a half hour production. She is absolutely superb in the lead role and delivers lots of light and shade to the character – she made us feel sad when D’Eon was sad and happy when D’Eon was happy. Not only that but she had a lot of choreography and stage fighting to contend with too, which she pulled off with ease.”
“The whole play revolves around a very impressive and powerful central performance by Howard.”
“Kaitlin Howard’s performance as D’Eon is captivating, we are left hanging on her every word […] The chemistry between Howard and William Holstead (who plays Thomas Plummer) is nothing short of electric. Her strength and charisma played against his fear, awkwardness and warmth, whilst delivering a lyrical and straight-talking script keeps this story moving purposefully through what could easily have been a stodgy piece of history.”
“Kaitlin Howard invests the initially downcast Mistress Ford with a hearty spirit, wicked sense of humour and mischievous twinkle in her eye – her scenes with Adam Elms [as Falstaff] as they dance round each other are a joy to behold.”
“Falstaff’s double act with Mistress Ford, played by Kaitlin Howard, was just fabulous. They had a tremendous onstage chemistry, and the audience was in hysterics at it. […] If you saw Kaitlin play The Countess in All’s Well That Ends Well in the first half of the Festival then you will not be surprised to hear her Mistress Ford comes with dignity, control and more than a little humour but also, at the end, with quite a lot of love. I mentioned that her interactions with Adam Elms as Falstaff were just electrifying, they really were quite something together, it was almost unbearable how good they were together. […] I could talk of Adam Elms and Kaitlin Howard all night, they were both magnificent.”
“Regan, with Cornwall, has the dubious honour of the scene where they put out Gloucester’s eyes; always one of the most painful things to watch in Shakespeare. It’s just an horrific moment. Gloucester’s back was to us, thankfully, but the eye scene was gripping and horrific in another sense by the sheer effort that it took Cornwall to get the eyes out, then the display of the long trailing bits behind the eye… it really makes you shudder. […] I’m struggling for adjectives because the scene was very effective, but something most of us would rather never see!”
“Bertram’s mother was magnificent […] The interchanges between Helena and The Countess at the beginning were sparkling, and they worked together very well. They really seemed how I imagined Helena and The Countess to be and now I simply cannot imagine any one else playing those characters. I saw a production some years ago at The Globe and for the life of me cannot remember what the The Countess looked like; when I think of The Countess I will now always just think of Kaitlin.”
“Titorelli will only disclose information about the court if K. beats the three girls, one for each type of acquittal. After all, reasons Titorelli, if K. is innocent he will do anything to escape the court’s clutches. It is one of the most disturbing and powerful scenes I have seen on stage for some time. Titorelli jovial, the girls begging for mercy and K. crying as he continues to beat them.”
“For all their murderousness, Silver’s crew are largely comical, though […] Kaitlin Howard cuts a rather tragic figure as a brain-damaged Joan the Goat with a pot lid fused to her skull, perpertually tormented by the noises in her head.”
“…the stage combat is particularly assured […] The scene in which K is instructed to beat three teenage girls in order to prove his innocence is particularly chilling.”
“…there are plenty of scenes of […] physical torture, abuse and the odd bit of strangulation thrown in for good measure. A very large knife adds to the frightening and disturbing climax to this amazing theatrical presentation.”
“It is a very physical production and, again, the mood switches from humour towards fear as clownish fight scenes lose their cartoon aspect and become realistically disturbing depictions of abuse.”
“During a deadlock in which lots of different people were holding many others at gun point there was a real sense of threat in the air, something quite hard to achieve and expertly done.”
“Kaitlin Howard as Fairy Feathers brings out the comic aspects of her role to great acclaim.”
“…this one-woman, one-hour, all-emotion tour de force […] is performed by local actress Kaitlin Howard — usually a regular in the Coliseum’s famous pantomimes, and here stretching her acting muscles to the limit. The play has been around for a while and has already won several awards, including Manchester Theatre Awards and Manchester Fringe trophies. […] Howard makes three convincingly different women; outwardly bright and businesslike, seemingly sex-obsessed Lily; randy and uncaring Maisie and utterly misplaced Ivy, for whom getting back to some sort of track would be something of a miracle […] this is entertaining material, delivered with power and energy.”
“This monologue play by Renny Krupinski serves as an excellent showcase for actress Kaitlin Howard while offering a good share of character insights, surprises and comedy as well […] It’s a slight piece, but one full enough of surprises to keep you always alert and entertained, with the added pleasure of watching Kaitlin Howard’s expressive range as an actress.”
“In this one woman play [Kaitlin Howard] produces an astonishing performance. […] this is an interesting play with great acting and well worth checking out.”
“Kaitlin Howard puts on a good performance, switching between the characters with minimalistic costume changes. Her stand-out role would be that of the middle generation, playing the thoroughly screwed-over mother and daughter superbly. Her anxiety and haughtiness contrast nicely with the grandmother’s Cockney roots and the daughter’s peppy attitude when recounting the family history. Howard works well to jump between the three different monologues.”
“Actor Kaitlin Howard is great, portraying each character as convincingly rounded.”
“Kaitlin Howard is a brave, subtle and versatile actor – she plays all three characters with conviction. First on stage is Ivy who appears naive and wide-eyed, talking into a camera mounted on a tripod, she describes her mother and grandmother. A leopard print faux fur jacket later and Howard transforms into grandmother Maisie – her face hardened and her hands shaking, ravaged by drink and bitterness. A particular highlight is Lily, a well-spoken and deeply intimidating character who addresses the audience directly and holds their gaze for slightly longer than is comfortable. And it is through this that Howard succeeds in creating a chilling, mysterious and heightened theatrical experience”
“Kaitlin Howard delivers a bravura performance in a difficult series of roles.”
“We have one performer, Kaitlin Howard, taking on the three roles of Grandmother, Mother, and Daughter […] a considerable challenge for Howard who […] smoothly takes charge of all three. […] Not every actor would or could take on these demands. […] However we should consider no fellow cast members for back-up, few costume changes for character, and no interval for respite. Kaitlin Howard bravely copes with it all.”
“Kaitlin Howard gives a remarkable performance creating three very different characters. The rather gushing and somewhat naïve Ivy gives way to the embittered Maisy whose love life is described as never getting above tepid yet who regarded her courtship as the happiest days of her life. Lily is a particular triumph; Howard adopts an accent that shows no trace of her humble origins and makes Lily’s defensive use of her body and brittle nature frightening rather than eccentric. The characters draw sympathy being depicted sharing the urge to escape, whether from a squalid home life or an inappropriate sexuality, but Howard ensures that the sneaky and sly self-justification of the deceiver is also apparent […] a powerful play with a superb central performance.”
“What it has immediately to its advantage is a cast familiar with each other from Gold Tops duty and consequently able to steer to calm waters through complete confidence in each other […] Nuggety northern humour, the borrowed football sayings (courtesy of the likes of Bill Shankly) and love in its myriad forms are delivered in typically enjoyable performances by Angell, Brooks and Howard, in particular.”
“…cheeky Scouser Buff and and no-nonsense, strapping Yorkshire lass Biddy, are a sort of double act, such is the instant rapport of company newcomer Zoe Land and the returning Kaitlin Howard. Their scene on a bike, bumping across the Yorkshire landscape, is an immediate classic.”
“The cast of three performers show great talent, versatility and stamina in playing all of the roles, particularly as all are also required to sing […] Kaitlin Howard plays Edwin’s girlfriend Marion along with several other contrasting roles and is able to show off her vocals in several standout numbers.”
“Choreographer and Fight Co-ordinator Kaitlin Howard deserves a special mention, as do the cast involved […], as the fight and other action scenes were very realistic. The scene where Fagin instructs his young charges in scarf stealing was particularly entertaining.”
“Wow. That one word sums up the stunning piece of theatre that was The Newark Passion […] the fight in the garden and Jesus being hit was wonderfully staged – well done to the choreographer.”
“There are strong performances from Paul Michael Giblin as the honourable young man with only one way to support his family and Kaitlin Howard doing more than you might expect with the Adrian role of the fighter’s wife.”
“The fights are brilliantly done and the scene where Cornwall (Gary Keane) plucks out Gloucester’s (David Hawley) eye and Regan (Kaitlin Howard) sticks a lighted fag in the other is a joy.”
“Kaitlin Howard was an excellent Regan.”
“The fight scenes, choreographed by Kaitlin Howard, were stunning.”
“Beatrice and Benedick, the bickering pair of not-yet-lovers, were played by Kaitlin Howard and Phil Yarrow and their dialogue was just as slick and barbed as it should be.”
“This was a madcap and hilarious romp through one of Shakespeare’s much loved plays. The cast were witty and engaged the audience with their seemingly “off the cuff banter” and made the play totally accessible to all watching […] The performance of Yarrow and Howard arguing and exchanging insults was one of the many highlights of this unique production.”
“We were presented with a very fine Beatrice and Benedick, as good as any I’ve seen on posher stages in recent years. Kaitlin Howard was a finely spoken and feisty Beatrice with a beautiful singing voice and a clear grasp of martial arts.”
“The fleeting elfin-chanteuse vocals of Kaitlin Howard only add to the mystique surrounding this release.”
“Following a shockingly realistic beating comes the bloodbath that makes Hamlet look like a vicarage tea party.”