F*cking Men-

‘Now playing at the Vaults is Mark Barford’s essentially faultless production of F*cking Men, Joe Dipietro’s 2008 adaptation of Schnitzler’s classic. Barford manages the production with consummate ease… It is beautiful direction… F*cking Men represents a dense but rewarding time in the theatre and the main West End stages have little to match its quality and charm. Nothing presently at the National Theatre comes close to the effectiveness of this production, yet the National Theatre is a place where this play should run - it has much to say to everyone.’ Live Theatre UK

‘Right from the first word, in the first scene the play gets under the skin; as if a hook and line, it reels you in. It is mesmeric… These actors rose to the challenge very well, moving from one persona to the next under excellent direction from Barford. The characterisations are exceptionally well developed… 5 stars.’ London Pub Theatres

‘Director Mark Barford’s exploration of this character-driven story is intense and meaningful, telling us a lot about them and ourselves…This is a drama that wants to be explicit and hard-core but is actually a beautifully acted tale of hope and yearning…Beautifully acted and fluidly directed.’ Stage review

‘F*cking Men is an amazingly well-written piece of theatre with a superb cast that draws the audience into the world of these men and makes you care and identify with them… I had a tear in my eye and was very happy this play had come into my life.’ London Theatre 1

‘Swiftly directed by Mark Barford, written by Joe DiPietro this is the third airing at this venue and having received 5 star reviews I can wholeheartedly agree - a play well worth seeing.’ Remote Goat

The Phantom of the Opera-

‘ICW’s final production for 2014, was like its stablemates, a beautifully realised production with very high production values, expertly sung and lovely to watch… Mark Barford led a huge cast, with 60 in the ensemble to create an impressive fully fleshed production. ICW’s musicals are of an incomparable standard for a local production and well worth a look.’ Stage Whispers

‘It is no small task to take on ‘Phantom’, and the weighty expectations of almost 30 years of theatre history. Thankfully, the cast and production team of this performance have ensured their rendition lives up to that storied past…Director Mark Barford has expertly executed a technically complex show.’ Colosoul Magazine

The Sound of Music-

‘Sound of success for classic - From the first sounds of the nun singing in the Nonnberg Abbey it is evident that this production of the world’s most familiar musical will be a class act….Our eyes and ears are on the characters because this is a character-driven show… There is a lot to admire in this production’s style, confidence and dramatic intensity… 4 stars’ The West Australian, 2014

‘The Sound of Music opened to deservedly enthusiastic reception at The Regal Theatre. This is a production with distinctly professional values and a wonderfully lavish feel and is strongly directed with warmth by Mark Barford…The Sound of Music is an outstanding production with standards you would expect of a professional Australian tour.’ Stage Whispers

‘…a great staging of the much loved musical. From its epic sets, to captivating performances and a huge cast this is a show that delivers…The cast of this production superbly claim the roles as their own and within minutes of the curtain raising you are absorbed by their performances.’ Out in Perth

The Mikado-

'We have come to expect a high standard of theatre from ICW productions, and indeed that’s just what we get with this clever and entertaining production of the most popular of all Gilbert and Sullivan operettas. The pseudo-Japanese setting gave the creators open slather. They sent up almost every institution known to politics, took the micky out of toffs and commoners alike and pointed out a few home truths about the human condition in general. Director Mark Barford brought out all these elements in his production. He had excellent material in his cast, all of whom, from Nanki-Poo (Richard Symons) to the well-drilled chorus, excelled in their roles. The company comprised over 30 performers, and none was less than excellent. In short, there was never a dull moment. 4 stars out of 5' Arts Hub

'Sometimes the old classics need a little 21st century reboot. ICW Productions and Mark Barford have updated the perennially popular Gilbert & Sullivan comic opera The Mikado at the Regal Theatre with a lot of flair, new lyrics and a few iGadgets. Taking his visual cues from Japanese Anime and his re-written lyrical cues from current headlines, Barford has given this Victorian British satire a decidedly modern Western Australian slant. One of the joys of these types of modernisations is the anticipation of seeing what gets reinvented scene by scene; there’s plenty of that to look forward to, although the updates probably won’t upset the traditionalists either… The plot is of course terribly silly, but mercifully Barford doesn’t go overboard and milk everything to death... This isn’t your typical Mikado, but it’s definitely a crowd-pleaser, and will keep your traditionalists happy as well as offer something fun for those who don’t normally put G&S high on their theatre to-do list.' Aussie Theatre

'When Gilbert and Sullivan's The Mikado premiered in 1885, British society was enamoured of Japanese culture. Perhaps more than any time since, the present Western fascination with Anime and other Japanese social phenomena, means everything Japanese is popular again. With this in mind, director Mark Barford sets this Mikado in the world of present day Anime to explore present day local issues in a similar manner to the original production. This production has cartoonish Ninjas, schoolgirls who look like friends of Sailor Moon and who are the epitome of "Kawaii" (cute), smart phones and selfies and messages coming via email to ipads...This was a stunning looking production…A top quality modern interpretation of a delightful operetta.' Stage Whispers

CATS-

‘Work has been done on strengthening the relationships among the cats as well as that between the cats and the audience. The result is an exhilarating new interpretation of this well-loved show… 4 out of 5 stars.’ Arts Hub

‘It is rare for an Andrew Lloyd Webber musical to be given a makeover. Usually, independent producers play it safe and attempt to clone the original West End version, banking of familiarity to draw an audience. But this local production of Cats has a complete new look… This production dares to be a little different and is enjoyable for that reason.’ The West Australian

Company-

‘an absolute delight… highly polished, professional performance.’ Radio Fremantle

‘The opening night crowd certainly enjoyed the excellent script and music and appreciated the efforts and talents of the cast and crew.’ Aussie Theatre

Never Mind the Monsters-

‘Never Mind the Monsters is the latest sleeper in a particularly narcoleptic Fringe Festival. Comprising two short plays about mental illness, Monsters is both funny (the latter especially so) and genuinely illuminating. Two outstanding performances, by Melanie Bennett and Summer Williams, nailed these hard, often shrouded, subjects to the wall. I hope Monsters gets a full run soon.’ The West Australian

The Cat in the Box-

‘Director, Mark Barford, has gathered the cream of local actors, Not surprisingly, the cast - all of whom have acting awards - were brilliant. A hilarious dark comedy exquisitely presented.’ Theatre Australia

‘Mark Barford’s direction and design interpret Glance’s light touch well, and depth is added by the beautiful haunting music of Jangoo Chapkhana, recorded by Courtney Pittman - and the excellent lighting of Chris Donnelly.’ Arts Hub