Whistle Down the Wind has been relocated by Andrew LLoyd Webber from the North of England to the Deep South of America...I appreciate it is probably more believable as religion is so important there... but I found the accents irritating and in the most part not well done! I found the first half really dragged but by the second half things picked up. I think I enjoyed the performances more than the show itself - all the cast gave 100% but special mention must go to Jonathan Ansell who`s voice is superb and the girl who played Swallow who was pitch perfect throughout. I thought a few of the songs were reminicent of Les Mis. Overall I did enjoy it, but would not go to see it again.
Sarah Louise
Southampton

Who is playing Swallow? - Such a great voice. Swallow is Carly Bawden - ed. As have the rest of the cast but she really stood out for me.
Jacki
Pompey

Fanastic, wonderful, loved it! Jonathan Ansell sang so well as did Carly Bawden and the rest of the cast were brilliant. Thank you for a lovely evening, would love to see this again, very moving!
Janet Cumber
Gosport

Very disapointing could not stay even till the end of the first half. we are regular visitors to the Mayflower and can honestly say this is the first time we have not enjoyed the show. The American accents were very poor, the local Police Officer looked like an untidy Postman. The Children looked great and they were obviously enjoying it, pity it was difficult to hear them singing. The advertisments say its the best of Andrew Lloyd Webber since Phantom well we are sorry but he should now give up if its the best he can do, or was it the production team? we would not wish to see it again. Come on Mayflower you can do much better.
Kevin Masters
Southampton

soo much better than i expected.as someone else said the girl that played swallow had an amazing voice. would definatly recomend it.
julie clements
gosport

Every single member of the cast were amazing. The best voices! Jonathan Ansell was so amazing sang and acted with sooooooo much feeling and emotion. Carly Bawden who played Swallow, what a voice! Very moving.
Angela Cannell
Locks Heath

A very emotional and powerful show with some brilliant songs and melodies. Well done to the whole cast esp Carly Bawden (Swallow) who blew me away with her stunning voice. Also Credit to Jonathan who put such effort into a difficult part (I could see him playing Marius in Les Mis). And well done to all the children. The set was well thought out and worked well. But maybe the scene changes were slow. Also I didn't like how the main curtain came down when the barn was set on fire, it wasn't the end of the show and shouldn't have been lowered. The first half sound wise seemed quiet and parts you expected to be more dramatic were too quiet (like in the overture and when emotions build) but the second half was better. This being the first time I have seen this production on stage, I thought it was a brilliant production, and well worth a visit. I hope they make a recording of the new song replacing Annie Christmas, or even an updated recording of the show.
Richard Coleman
Poole

I have seen this show five times in all, this being my third time at the Mayflower and I would rate it as 3rd out of those five. I guess what lowered it for me was the - in my opinion - miscasting of The Man. There is no denying - No Matter What! - that Jonathan Anstell has a beautiful voice but that does not make him right for the part of The Man. An analogy would be to say that Kiri Te Kanawa has a beautiful voice, but she wouldn't be playing Sandy in Grease. For my money, Lincoln Stone, who played the father, had a voice that would have been perfect for The Man and he could also have had an edge to him that Jonathan A did not possess. And of course, the central characted being played, wrongly, in an operatic voice certainly reduced the effect that this show can have. A real pity, but the rest of it was all up to scratch- Swallow held it together for me!
Christine Wolfe
Weymouth

I cannot understand the negative views that some critics have written, this show was absolutely brilliant, the outstanding performances from the young people of Stagecoach Salisbury are a credit to principles Edith and Patrick and their singing coach Linda Cameron. Well done everyone.
John
Stonehenge

This show was another amazing dramatical piece i have seen, although i wouldnt say it was the best. i still think Spike Milligans- Hitler my part in his down fall was a taste of comedy class. I did really enjoy this show though, the actors voices were pitch perfect hitting every note with perfection. I thought the use of lighting was amazing with the adults in red for evil/the devil and all the kids in white to resemble clarity and love, a good point to use in my Theatre Studies As level exam!!!
Alex Field
Rustington