Living in London and not having been to the theatre for ages, a trip to a fringe performance in Bedford seemed like a good idea. And I wasn't disappointed. Not quite sure where exactly my friends were taking me - I don't think The Place Theatre is in walking distance of the train station, and even if it was I would never have spotted it. It's located in a bungalow off the beaten track ... Once inside it still feels a bit like a community centre, which I think is exactly what it is rather than a repertory theatre. The auditorium seats around 100 at a guess, the stage set seemed straight from an IKEA catalogue (actually, as it turns out one of the organisers transferred the contents of his living room to the theatre for the duration of the play!). Anyhow, not the easiest of settings to make you forget your surroundings and immerse yourself in a story. But this is exactly what happened, the play (Duet for One by Tom Kempinski) was brilliantly delivered and had us all in tears at the end of the first act. I completely forgot I was in a small theatre in Bedford, and the play triggered long and deep conversations for the rest of the evening - this is what great theatre can do! And at £9 a ticket this was really good value, too. read more