Jane Hair- The Brontes Restyled by Kat Rose Martin & Kirsty Smith, Buglight Theatre
“As the women bicker, share inside jokes and lovingly tease their hometown, their sisterly bond is thoroughly believable. Joelle Brabban is great as quick-to-anger and fiercely defensive Emily, Stephanie Rutherford ensures no one will forget or underestimate passionately feminist Anne in the future, and Keeley Lane captivates as Charlotte, the overprotective older sibling buckling under the pressure of keeping the family afloat.
The sisters’ “towel-ography” is thoroughly entertaining and at one point, Charlotte and Emily blast Anne’s face with hairdryers so that her tresses flutter while she gives a rousing speech about women’s liberation.”
“Joyous, Quirky, Feminist”- Reviews Hub
Written by Kirsty Smith and Kat Rose-Martin, produced by Buglight Theatre and directed by Chantell Walker, this was a no nonsense, fast paced, entertaining and innovative play"- The Yorkshire Post
Dancing out by Jan McVerry, Hope Mill Theatre
Shelley (Victoria Oxley) is a wonderfully conflicted and very human character, cheerfully gossiping about the fine details of running a dance troupe while agonising over the implications of a rash course of action. Oxley gives an excellent performance as a woman who is aware of her limitations but determined to find a solution to her problems, making Shelley a character to whom everyone can relate. Although Dancing Out is a monologue, director Chantell Walker creates a very physical tone including Shelley breaking into a sprightly dance.- British Theatre Guide
Stand-out pieces include Jan McVerry’s Dancing Out, containing the immortal line “she looks like she brushed her hair with a toffee apple” - The Reviews Hub
Bottleneck by Luke Barnes, Hiding Place Theatre
“The visual story-telling is matched by real emotional depth. Sensitively directed by Chantell Walker, there’s nothing mawkish about it. Lean, focused and increasingly tense, the production is determined to do justice to the events being depicted.”- Circles & Stalls
“This is storytelling at its most simple and yet also its most vivid and absorbing.
Barnes’ potent text, which moves stealthily from high-spirited, carefree naivety to something much, much darker, is delivered with fizzing energy and considerable skill”- Arts City Liverpool
"The text is something of a Mount Everest for a single actor to scale, but Daniel Cassidy is more than a match for the task. Under the direction of Chantell Walker he maintains a perfect balance throughout. From the comedy of the first section, which lulls us into a false sense of security, to the mounting terror of the latter half, he never allows the tension to lapse."- Good News Liverpool
"This is a wonderful example of local talent and a perfect illustration of how brilliant theatre can be created with good writing and direction using only a simple set, very few props and one very talented young actor with an extremely bright future ahead of him."-North West End
Eggs by Florence Keith-Roach, Tristan Bates
“This is a play worth seeing and a company worth looking out for. With sharp, well crafted performances from two very talented performers, superb direction and a very funny, thought-provoking script”- Reviewer Number9
“Despite several scene changes – all of which require a new costume for both cast members – director Chantell Walker keeps the action moving along smoothly, with a bit of help from an epic 90s playlist. Emily Curtis and Lauren-Nicole Mayes give great performances as the unlikely pair; they bounce off each other really well, and the fraught friendship between the two of them is completely believable in both its highs and its lows”- My Theatre Mates
"A sweet nostalgia of the 90’s era echoed throughout the play, which heightened the girl power vibes. The scene transitions were slick, and the actors used good use of the space; overall great direction from Chantell Walker"-North West End
"This is very much a two-character hour-long tour de force, testament to a binding emulsion of skilful acing which still had the raw resonance of adaptability on the stage – the characters moulding and shifting according to their experiences – brought together with punchy, powerful direction from Chantell Walker"- Louder Than War
Thorn by Tim Keogh, Oldham Coliseum
"The show is made to be believable through a combination of factors, most notably the near-hypnotic power of the excellent music, and a convincing portrayal of unchallengable attitudes from a macho, male-dominated era that we know once did exist" - The Greater Manchester Reviewer
"Chantell Walker’s adept direction flatters Keogh’s script and smooths out its minor humps and bumps. The play squeezes a lot in to just over 70 minutes, and Walker teases out vivid performances from the nine strong cast. Some of the parts are fleeting, but that doesn’t mean characters aren’t well drawn both in terms of script and performance" - Circles & Stalls