Alison Baines, Author at North West End UK

We Need To Talk, a Jazz Cabaret – International Anthony Burgess Foundation

20Jul

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

We Need To Talk, a Jazz Cabaret – International Anthony Burgess Foundation

In the scorching Manchester heat (not very often we can write that), there’s no better escape than an air-conditioned room listening to some jazz… As part of Manchester’s Fringe Festival, We Need to Talk is a Mancunian’s story of a breakup told through the beauty of jazz. Blue Balloon Theatre is a female-led, not-for-profit theatre company. Led by actor, singer and poet Rebecca Phythian, alongside actor, singer and the evenings cabaret storyteller Jas Nisic, the company aim to develop and showcase their own, original work. Jazz is unfortunately heard less and less in this modern time of hip-hop, dance and pop music. First generated in the communities of New Orleans in the late 18th and early 19th centuries, Jazz music has shot many stars to fame including Ella Fitzgerald, Eva Cassidy...

12Jul

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Arcadia 87 – Salford Arts Theatre

In this Manchester Fringe Festival production in the heart of Salford, we’re transported back to an 80’s era Brighton Pier. Live a Little perform their debut show Arcadia 87. The company consisting of 5 MA graduates from The Liverpool Institute of Performing Arts (LIPA); 3 Brits and 2 Americans, who endeavour to create new, innovative devised theatre that connects their stories. The story sees 4 strangers brought together when a storm hits the pier: when they become locked in an arcade to hide from the rain, things move very quickly, and they find themselves spilling their deepest, darkest secrets in order to be released. The script is a bit rough around the edges, it lacks cohesion, moving rapidly through the plot whilst never giving enough to develop characters, relationsh...

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat – Opera House, Manchester

30Mar

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat – Opera House, Manchester

Andrew Lloyd Webber’s first staged musical ‘Joseph and the Amazing Technicolour Dreamcoat’ arrives in Manchester. The iconic duo of Lloyd-Webber and Tim Rice wrote this much-loved production back in 1986 as a school play… little did they know the sensation it would become. The brand-new production is a modern take on a timely classic: it is exactly the star-studded, colourful spectacle you want and expect. Alexandra Burke takes on the leading role of The Narrator, young talent Jac Yarrow takes the title role of Joseph and Jason Donavan returns to the show he once conquered, now as the heartthrob, Elvis-styled Pharaoh. Any musical theatre fan - if not, everyone in the UK - knows the music from this work of art, featuring songs such as Any Dream Will Do, emotional ballad Close Every Do...

16Mar

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

The Glee Club – Oldham Coliseum

Britain, 1960’s: a decade of change and of course the birth of the swinging sixties. The Glee Club, set in Yorkshire 1962, takes us right back to this era as we follow the story of six miners and their love of music. The Glee Club is a six-man musical group, who come together to escape their daily lives and share their love of music with their friends. They are preparing for the annual gala, but as they do, we begin to see their lives unfold, and change for good. The story, although not action packed, is one of male camaraderie, friendship and troubles. The play begins and ends with narration from Colin: the youngster of the group, with a big voice and bigger dreams of becoming a pop star, but unfortunately doomed to fail as life has other plans for him. Each of the six men dea...

23Feb

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Fatal Attraction – Opera House

Hide your pets! The femme fatale has arrived in Manchester as the motion picture ‘Fatal Attraction’ hits the Opera House stage – with a soap star studded cast, led by Coronation Street’s Oliver Farnworth and Kym Marsh in addition to Footballer’s Wives star Susie Amy. When happily married Dan Gallagher meets Alex, the pair share one weekend of passion. Dan quickly discovers love is a dangerous game and as he returns home, he realises this is one mistake he cannot forget. Kym plays Alex, a somewhat outdated stereotype of the over-sexualised, psychotic ‘other woman’. Marsh definitely gives the character the desired sensual nature and body language that the character demands, and her regular hysteric interludes bring a dramatic edge and thrill to the play. ©Tristram Kenton Oliver Fa...

27Oct

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

The Good Life – The Lowry

Modern society is fascinated with the idea of sustainable, eco-friendly living - rightly so, when the threat of mother nature and climate change are knocking on your door. So, its oddly fitting that the 70’s British sitcom, The Good Life, should focus on ecological living. The TV show was enjoyed by millions when it premiered way back when, in 1975. The show was adapted by Jeremy Sams and it now hits stages for the first time, before heading to the West End. It features Tom and Barbara, as we join them on Tom’s 40th Birthday. In the midst of what Barbara describes as a midlife crisis, Tom quits his job as a designer of plastic toys for cereal boxes and the couple decide to commit to a new lifestyle, in a hope to make for a more interesting life. They set off on their quest to become eco...

Legally Blonde – Champness Hall Function Room

2Oct

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Legally Blonde – Champness Hall Function Room

OMIGOD you guys! Legally Blonde, one of my favourite modern musicals has been undertaken by Rochdale Musical Theatre Company. The hit movie starring Reece Witherspoon brought to life on stage, accompanied by a brilliantly vibrant soundtrack with endless showstoppers. It tells the story of fashion-savvy Malibu girl, Elle Woods, who finds her life turned upside down when she’s dumped by boyfriend Warner. In an effort to win him back she finds out she’s more than just a pretty blonde as she heads to Harvard and takes on a journey of self-discovery where she learns “being true to yourself never goes out of style”. If you’re not familiar with the stage show, it’s a high energy explosion of pink and girl power! It’s a show that requires a large cast full of triple-threats as it’s packed wi...

21Sep

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Lady In Red – The Lowry

“I've never seen you looking so lovely as you did tonight…” it begins with the Chris De Burgh song of the same title. A lady in red, enters a sparce stage; just a table with a Christmas Tree, two chairs and a suitcase, half packed on the floor. The one-woman, short play of only 45 minutes is a story exploring a woman’s struggle to break free from the chains of love. Set at Christmas time, Rose is struggling to remember where she is, how she got there, and why she’s covered in blood and pain. As she weaves through her taunted memories, she bares her struggles to us as she begins to piece together her dark and violent memories. The production is by Certain Curtain Theatre, a company with an established history of exploring the complex issues around domestic abuse. The professional tour...

Bat Out Of Hell – Opera House Manchester

15Sep

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Bat Out Of Hell – Opera House Manchester

The award-winning musical featuring Jim Steinman & Meat Loaf’s greatest hits has rock n rolled back into Manchester where it opened back in 2017 and my goodness has it made itself heard! Of course, when you hear the title ‘Bat Out of Hell’ you can’t help but sing it. Packed to the brim with rock anthems, the production is exactly as you would expect it to be paired with the dramatic, rock songs produced through the years by the well-known pair. The story follows Strat, the leader of the rebellious gang ‘The Lost’, as he falls in love with Raven, the beautiful daughter of the tyrannical ruler of Obsidian, Falco. There’s a real sense of a Romeo and Juliet, star crossed lovers plot, mixed with a hint of the story of Peter Pan’s Lost Boys, as the rebellious crew are forever young, th...

7Sep

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Toxic – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Suicide is a perennially important topic and one that has to be approached with care, compassion and tact. This was the subject of Toxic; no easy task to take on. As part of Manchester Fringe festival, Toxic, at The Altringham Garrick, is a story that follows two best friends and the circumstances which have caused them to spiral. Andy discovers his husband has been having an affair. Stuck in a soul-crushing job, his lifejacket of love was the only thing keeping him afloat. His best friend James is a man’s man who uses gags to disguise his vulnerability. The writer, Dan Lovatt, explores toxic masculinity, with each character clearly defining the traits of men you recognise from your own life. As a woman, the pressures upon men within a toxic society can be alien, but the piece does w...