Gill Lewis, Author at North West End UK

15Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Bills 44th – Underbelly, Cowgate

Mr Bean meets Don’t Hug Me I’m Scared in this heartwarming Tragi – comedy, an existential tale of being alone, but never lonely. Have you ever been to a party where there’s more balloons than people? No? Then you’ve never spent a birthday with Bill, who’s getting his modest flat ready to celebrate his 44th birthday. Puppeteering duo Dorothy James and Andy Manjuck in association with Underbelly deliver a thoroughly entertaining piece of laugh out loud storytelling. Working in unison, James and Manjuck’s seamless, skillful control of Bill, creates a range of funny identifiable mannerisms and reactions, which add to Bill’s natural draw and likability. The physicality speaks a thousand words. The sold-out reactive audience showed instant warmth for Bill, evident from...

The Sun, the Mountain, and Me – Underbelly, Cowgate

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

The Sun, the Mountain, and Me – Underbelly, Cowgate

The disclosures of an artist who finds himself spiraling into the darkness, can he find a way of pulling himself out of the path of the big black beast which is running up behind him. First performed as an audio piece during the pandemic, this is a beautifully constructed piece of storytelling which explores the fragility of mental health through the use of art and literature. Bedivere Arts present this solo show written and performed by Jack Fairey who has a warm and captivating energy throughout the piece. His commitment and motivation behind each character and their movement enriches the storytelling, and the imagination of the audience. Struggling artist Arthur, tries to find solace and inspiration in the teachings of Greek mythology, with Icarus who flies too close...

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

The Big Bite-Size Breakfast Show – Pleasance Courtyard

The sweet smell of fresh, warm croissants, strawberries and a hot beverage is the perfect way to start a day at the Fringe. Bite-Size is back with another light and entertaining sketch show which will have you laughing as you tuck in to your pastry. Celebrating their 16th year on the Fringe, Bite-Size Plays have partnered up with The Pleasance to serve up their three-rotating menus, and there is plenty of ridiculousness to choose from. Menu 2 is a mixed bag of comedies and mini dramas. There are plenty of laughs and witty one liners with lashings of absurdity and silliness. Stand out sketches include, ‘Criminal Behavior’, a bumbling armed robbery, and ‘Jitters,’ where we meet the company ‘Think Twice’, trying to keep the divorce rates down by checking brides are not having second...

Lash: A Pulsating New Play About Going Out Out! – Pleasance Courtyard

14Aug

By Gill LewisNo Comments

Scotland

Lash: A Pulsating New Play About Going Out Out! – Pleasance Courtyard

Boost your adrenaline and immerse yourself in this part gig, part theatrical experience, which proves to be a treat to the senses. This is storytelling that stirs up memories of long, booze-soaked late-night club shenanigans and regretful drug fueled streams of consciousness. There’s nothing more exhilarating than getting ready to go ‘out out’ on the town after a long, boring, mundane day at work. With the night threatening to go one way, or the other, with the line between reality, drugs, and booze blurring the vision threatening all of the senses, concepts which this unapologetic production thrives on. Written and directed by Phillip Stokes the dark and dingy cobbled Bunker One is the perfect setting for this claustrophobic, loud and noisy piece. We’re hitting the town, big st...

Sunny Girl – New Adelphi Theatre, Salford

24Jul

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Sunny Girl – New Adelphi Theatre, Salford

Bringing plenty of sunshine and humour, Rain Man’s counterpart, Sunny Girl, is just an autistic girl living in a neurotypical world. Written and performed by Beth Westbrook ‘Sunny Girl’ tells the story of Erin, which is closely based on Westbrook’s own experiences of navigating through the five categories that make up the intensive assessment for Autism. The plays depicts the process in which an individual, with support from their family, needs to recall past feelings, experiences, and behavioural traits in order for a specialist to determine whether they meet the criteria for Autism. Sunny Girl takes a look at each category and the related memories, which are recalled within the safety of Erin’s ‘Mind Palace’, an explosion of colours, textures and objects which are used to help repr...

19Jul

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Some Masterchef Sh*t – 53two

Expect the unexpected in this thoroughly entertaining comedy drama where two unlikely worlds collide as a result of ‘wanting to do something nice for someone’. Taboo is on the table in this down to earth portrayal of when two strangers meet, whilst at the same time, trying not to make things too weird. The debate around the need for content warnings has become a point of contention in the theatre industry, with many viewing pre-performance advisories as a way of removing the element of surprise and the unexpected. Perhaps a conscious decision then by Liam High’s Some Masterchef Sh*t to omit any such content warnings from the programme information. Despite touching on themes worthy of having them, it’s certainly recommended to go into this play without any prior concepts or anticipation,...

They Don’t Really Care About Us – Hope Street Theatre

3Jun

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

They Don’t Really Care About Us – Hope Street Theatre

An intelligent and authentic production with fire in its belly, which does well to tackle complex themes with passionate conviction. Provides an important lesson in the ongoing injustices and experiences of racial and sexist discrimination, leaving room for further development and exploration. TDRCAU is set in the 90s during the immediate aftermath of the murder of Stephen Lawrence. A landmark case in which a public inquiry into the handling of his brutal racially motivated murder eventually exposed institutional racism within the UK police and justice systems. We follow the story of medical student Dinesh Sharma (portrayed by co-writer and co-director, Sab Muthusamy), a local lad of Indian descent who finds himself regularly subject to derogatory racial comments from th...

29Apr

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Borrowed – Unity Theatre

New writing offers a fresh perspective in exploring one’s own bodily autonomy within a world prejudiced by societal expectations and imposed limitations. Back in 2022, in line with its historical patterns of oppression and exploitation, the US revoked Roe v Wade, a piece of legislation which guaranteed the right to access safe abortion care. This reversal saw an assault on reproductive rights, resulting in a worrying reduction in healthcare choices, including those accessing IVF and surrogates, (as well as the people they’re carrying babies for, such as infertile couples, and members of the LGBTQ+ community). Borrowed deals with pregnancy from the perspective of the surrogate, and the choices available pre and post 2022, with our central protagonist Bella, at aged 17 (Sasha Georgette...

Boss New Plays – Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool

22Apr

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Boss New Plays – Royal Court Theatre, Liverpool

How well will a playwright’s words, ideas, and concepts land as they’re writing is brought to its feet. Boss New Plays finds out, by bringing to life the work of four of Liverpool’s local playwriting talents, as the Lantern Writers present the final part of their 2-night showcase. Eat, Sleep, Repeat written by Brian Mutton introduces us to retired married couple Ted (Derek Cross) and his wife Jessy (Linzy Boden), reminiscing on times gone by and the loss of familiarity as they watch on as another new neighbour moves in. Ted’s sudden waves of emotion signal something isn’t right, which becomes clear upon a visit from their new giggly neighbour, the widower Grace (Emma Hind). Directed by John Michael Rooke, the play deals with the process of grief, love, and the struggle to move on,...

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Theatre Royal, St Helens

1Apr

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Theatre Royal, St Helens

Easter half term is well and truly taken care of as Goldilocks rolls back into St Helens along with the biggest, most lavish circus in town. A magical world full of razzle dazzle, and lots of silliness in this thoroughly entertaining production which will get the whole family laughing and dancing in the aisles. Under the competent direction of Chantelle Nolan, an enthusiastic cast deliver stellar performances, whilst visibly having lots of fun. Goldilocks has it all, the porridge and some! An all singing and dancing extravaganza, laced together with cheeky innuendoes, familiar panto tropes, and topped off with plenty of physical comedy as well as some dancing doggy delights. Katy McKenna sparkles as Goldilocks, enchanting and engaging throughout. A steady calm amongst the chaos as he...