Emma Lambe, Author at North West End UK

6May

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Rocky Horror Show – Liverpool Empire

Newly engaged preppy Brad and Janet are stranded after their car breaks down outside Dr Frank N Furter's mansion. They are greeted with his eccentric servants doing the time warp before meeting the sweet transvestite himself. Taking place over the course of one night, they are introduced to a world of seduction and lose their innocence. Camp, eccentric and utterly bonkers. As energetic of a night at the theatre than you’re going to get. There's a reason it's still a cult classic 50 years later. A massive part of the show if you didn't already know, is the audience involvement. Not only do the majority dress up as their favourite characters and boy do people really commit, but they sing along and shout lines at certain bits too. I'll admit, I didn't know these parts having only seen i...

6May

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Rocky Horror Show – Liverpool Empire

Newly engaged preppy Brad and Janet are stranded after their car breaks down outside Dr Frank N Furter's mansion. They are greeted with his eccentric servants doing the time warp before meeting the sweet transvestite himself. Taking place over the course of one night, they are introduced to a world of seduction and lose their innocence. Camp, eccentric and utterly bonkers. As energetic of a night at the theatre than you’re going to get. There's a reason it's still a cult classic 50 years later. A massive part of the show if you didn't already know, is the audience involvement. Not only do the majority dress up as their favourite characters and boy do people really commit, but they sing along and shout lines at certain bits too. I'll admit, I didn't know these parts having only seen i...

23Apr

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Miss Saigon – Liverpool Empire

Miss Saigon is an iconic love story set in the last days of the Vietnam War. 17-year-old Kim is forced to work in a Saigon bar run by a notorious character known as The Engineer. There she meets and falls in love with an American GI named Chris, but they are torn apart by the fall of Saigon. For 3 years Kim goes on an epic journey of survival to find her way back to Chris, who has no idea he's fathered a son. There are some musicals that can stand the test of time, and this is certainly one of them. In this new and updated production of Miss Saigon, it's not so much a reinterpretation, but the same Miss Saigon fans know and love, but with a different creative approach. The role of the Engineer is played by the incredibly diverse Sean Miles Moore, stunning the audience with commanding...

Friends: The Musical Parody – Storyhouse Chester

2Apr

By Emma LambeNo Comments

Wales

Friends: The Musical Parody – Storyhouse Chester

When a TV show is as iconic as FRIENDS, it would be so easy to leave it alone and not attempt to parody. Boy, am I glad they decided to give it a go. Seeing it being brought to life on stage, had the perfect balance of breaking the fourth wall and making jokes that we know and love from the 90's sitcom. Photo: Pamela Raith You could tell it had been created by fans and managed to condense 10 seasons worth of plot and memorable moments into a 2 hour and 10-minute show (including interval). The beginning is super energetic and manages to keep this up throughout in my opinion. Judging by the audience laughs from start to finish, I think they agreed with me. The transitions were slick and worked well with the 'Warner Bros crew members' changing the set from Central Perk to Monica's ap...

The Shawshank Redemption – Liverpool Playhouse

2Apr

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

The Shawshank Redemption – Liverpool Playhouse

The Shawshank Redemption is a based on Stephen Kings 1982 novella, set in a maximum-security penitentiary. It spans over 20 years and follows the inmates stories, primarily focusing on our main character Andy. Joe McFadden plays him in such a genuine, real manner, you can’t help but sympathise and root for him. His chemistry with the mesmerising Ben Onwuke as Ellis ‘Red’ is gripping to watch. Red being the audience’s narrator and having the most dialogue, including several long monologues, still managed to capture the attention of the audience and keep them hooked. There were a few times he made the audience laugh out loud, including a scene where Andy informs Red how much money is waiting for him on the other side, which was a nice break from the heavy going moments. Coronation star Bi...

Young Frankenstein – Liverpool Playhouse

5Dec

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Young Frankenstein – Liverpool Playhouse

Mel Brooks' Young Frankenstein has tickled the funny bone of many over the years. It's no wonder it works so well on stage in this fantastic musical adaptation. The show was packed with energy from all of the cast, right down to the versatile ensemble who played a range of different characters. Each actor brought the silly comedy you expect from a piece like this. The songs were all witty and gave great context for each scene and character. I cannot begin to express how special this cast was. There was no weak unit at all. Coronation Street's star Daniel Brocklebank leads the cast as Dr Frederick Frankenstein (pronounced Frankensteen) He keeps the memento going from start to finish and sets the tone of each scene. Jessica Martin is brilliant as Frau Blucher. The scene where she steps...

Fawlty Towers The Play – Liverpool Empire

13Nov

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Fawlty Towers The Play – Liverpool Empire

John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers the Play is sure to be a great night out for anyone wanting to have a good laugh. I was delighted to see John Cleese’s name on the programme, wondering whether he had any part in the plays production. His is the first name you see on the programme, down as adapted for the stage by. What a difficult task that must have been, trying to keep fans of the show happy with the expected gags, but also making sure it works on stage. Which it sure did. Danny Bayne playing the iconic Basil got the audience laughing as soon as he entered the stage and had his mannerisms and look down to a t. Matched brilliantly by Mia Austen as Sybil. Their energy bouncing lines off each other really set up the play as a whole. It was like you could almost imagine the consequences of Bas...

12Dec

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

The Tale of Nobody Nose – Theatre Porto

This fun, playful interactive show was the perfect way to spread festive cheer. Our 3 clowns Boz, Yolo and Flo were warm and friendly characters from the start and had a natural way with interacting with the audience and getting them involved. They set the tone of each scene so well. Whether it be being mischievous and slapping one another with fish toy props or creating a sense of awe with the use of shadows and projections. They brought each of the puppets to life too. Harrison the puppet was beyond adorable and felt so real as he made his way across the snowy wilderness and travelled across sea, land and air. I was mesmerised each time the puppets took over the stage. Paul, Gemma and Katy-Anne really were fantastic with sharing their creativity and showcasing what Goofus Theatre are abo...

King of Pop: The Legend Continues – Floral Pavilion

5Apr

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

King of Pop: The Legend Continues – Floral Pavilion

Navi has dedicated his career to being Michael Jackson’s greatest impersonator. Not only does he sing, dance and look like him, he used to act as a decoy for paparazzi for Michael and promote albums for him too. In this concert like show we see Michael Jackson’s legacy living on. I found the whole thing fascinating! If he gets Michael's seal of approval than that's good enough for me. His dedication was apparent from start to finish. He charmed the audience in between songs, making jokes with them and high fiving them when he came into the audience for his 'Black and White' number, which earned a big whoop and cheer from the audience. From early on some audience members went to the side aisles and started dancing, which the performer seemed to encourage. Featuring Michael Jackson’s bigg...

28Feb

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Stranger Sings! – Floral Pavilion

Fans of the Netflix sensation Stranger Things will love this tongue in cheek parody of the hit show. Mainly focusing on Season 1 as the source material we get an ensemble cast all of which playing different well-loved characters. It begins with an instantly recognisable set by Justin Williams, consisting of fairy lights and 80's decor in what doubles up as Mike's and Joyce's house. The boys are playing dungeons and dragons and being set in Hawkins, a town where nothing happens, was perfectly normal to cycle back home without supervision. Ahh what a decade. If you've seen the show you will know that Will ends up missing, but is really in the upside realm, a creepy alternative reality. If you haven't watched Stranger Things yet then I would say watch it first, as this is a parody musical ...