Hannah Esnouf, Author at North West End UK

12Jul

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Greatest Days – Liverpool Empire

Matt Wesley and his creative team have brought to life Tim Firth’s story of true friendship and finding ourselves within life’s unpredictability. Framed by a fantastic Take That soundtrack I thought the show was hitting almost all of the right notes. A standout aspect of the performance was the orchestra. Josh Cottell and his talented musicians provided an outstanding backing track for the duration of the show. Being visible from the audience, Josh’s conducting was great to watch. Considering the popularity of the soundtrack, they lived up to all expectation and delivered the feet-stomping, hand-clapping kind of music, perfect to fill the grandiose setting of the Empire. For the performers, I must mention a few highlights. Firstly, my appreciation must go to all female actors and sin...

Family Tree – Everyman Theatre, Liverpool

8May

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Family Tree – Everyman Theatre, Liverpool

Matthew Xia has produced an outstanding serving of unremembered history. A fascinating celebration of black life, past and present, and the importance of what connects us all in the human condition. Mojisola Adebayo’ s powerful words were tackled by the cast with sensitivity and flare, and a quick mention to Aminita Francis for handling the difficult poetic language of Henrietta Lacks with nuance and verve. This is a story that spans ninety minutes but captures centuries. A performance that does not shy from cultural celebration but shares the infectious energy of Diane Alison-Mitchell’s traditional dance and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers cultural song. It will definitely make you smile. It was evident that a lot of research has been put into this production. It is a searing lesson of...

The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Liverpool Empire

3May

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North West

The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Liverpool Empire

A celebration of the worlds possible to create onstage. Katy Rudd and Joel Horwood, along with their creative teams have transformed Neil Gaiman’s story into a masterclass of theatre making. The attention to detail and appreciation for the magical realism of the world in and around the Hempstock’s farm, did not go unnoticed. The slick choreography and complicated set changes proved part of the magic and kept the audience gasping and giggling at just how they did it. Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg Standout aspects were Ian Dickinson’s sound design and Samuel Wyer’s puppets. With delicate power, these aspects of the performance brought more life and atmosphere to the stage than any other. A perfect accompaniment to the actor’s performances, that kept us believing in the world onstage a...

30Apr

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North West

The Manopause – Hope Street Theatre

As a new piece of writing, it has promising prospects. I will firstly highlight those aspects that I thought went well. The actor who played Pete, was a solid standout. His way of demonstrating the slouched apathy of life post-50 felt the most natural and was therefore the most comedic. Michelle Parker’s set worked well as your typical pub, but I wanted more, especially between Act 1 and Act 2. Having no change of set, or costume, or position of actors was jarring and begs the question why there was an interval in the first place. Having said that, the audience found the performance and some of the dialogue very funny and relatable (from what I heard!), which is always a good start. To get this play to the next level, it needs some editing. Paul Daley’s writing had great...

29Mar

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

The Winston Machine – Unity Theatre

Brought to us by the critically acclaimed Kandinsky, we see a fusion of worlds decades different, but with mirrored tensions of grief, purpose and place. An awesome use of effects and controlled dialogue led to a crisp performance that I would watch again. The teamwork on stage was apparent and which led to an impressive and at times funny mode of storytelling. Unfortunately, I am unable to identify who exactly played on stage, but each performance lent itself to the quality of the work, with detail and precision used in each moment. The conviction and presence of the players was palpable. Their use of singing, swift accent changes and physical movement were again impressive. Together with an emotive soundtrack with modern flavours meant the audience were fully immersed in the performan...

The Bodyguard – Liverpool Empire Theatre

21Mar

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North West

The Bodyguard – Liverpool Empire Theatre

This performance definitely packed a punch. Serving all the glitz and glamour required in the set, costumes, lighting (and even fire!), to paint Rachel Marron’s celebrity status, the Empire lived up to expectations once again. Melody Thornton as lead, and Ayden Callaghan as her bodyguard looked the part but played comfortably, at times overshadowed by the intense production effects around them. That said, bringing their extensive performing knowledge to the stage, they allowed the other cast members to shine, and who will be the main focus of this article. Iesa Miller, as Fletcher, was a bright spark. His smile shone right to the back row and his voice was not out of place next to the pop stars. Emily-Mae, as Nicki Marron, stole the stage every time. She sang to a brilliant...

10Mar

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Algebra – Unity Theatre

Amongst a packed-out audience, the debut performance of Algebra was well received, and I took the time to appreciate the platform for queer expression that Unity and Stuart Crowther provided. Being a play of two characters, the stage can become a big space. Yet, Stuart and Kieran Mason carried the story with a professionalism and flare, and the space felt perfectly filled. The connection of the actors, and the whole creative team for that matter, was noticeable. Due to the sensitive and intimate themes, it was evident that each artist supported each other in the space, allowing one another to explore the light and shade in the emotional rawness of the story. Sam McKay and Morven Currie chose an uncluttered, open space to frame the story. The plants brought a calmness to the ...

2Mar

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Mother Goose – Liverpool Empire

A special show. For obvious celebrity reasons, this panto was a sell-out, and it met all expectations. This show really does allow you to leave all your troubles at the door because it is laugh-a-minute, and the vivaciousness of the cast and crew fills the room. There was a bright energy from all performers which was felt and proved by a standing ovation. Some wacky highlights to give you a flavour, were a conservative cake-loving pig, a gin-loving Queen Consort, water guns and a golden egg-laying goose, to name a few. Aside from the dramatic royalty that stars in the show (tough they do so with professional aplomb), I want to take time to mention other standout elements. Oscar Conlon-Morrey, playing Jack Goose, brought abounding energy with him when he came onstage. One...

16Feb

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Dead Funny – Hope Street Theatre

From the multiple awards that this show has previously won, my expectations were relatively high. I was pleasantly surprised when the curtains rose as Chamber’s had transformed the intimate space into a quirky 90s living room. In my opinion, the show is a slow starter but worth the wait. As a young audience member, many of references to comedians went over my head. However, if you’re up to speed with the likes of Benny Hill and Frankie Howard, then the recreations of their sketches in this performance will live-up to their comedic value. That said, the commitment to these personas brought to life by these actors, specifically Steven Arnold and Adam Perrott, still brought a smile to my face. Perrott’s performance was a highlight. His character Brian brought an exuberance to the stage ...

Death Drop 2: Back in the Habit – Liverpool Playhouse

8Feb

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Death Drop 2: Back in the Habit – Liverpool Playhouse

Playing to a full audience, there was high expectation for the keenly awaited comeback of Death Drop to the stage. It did not disappoint. If you are looking for an evening that serves, laughs, scares and complete REALness, this is the show to see. With an all-star cast hailing from RuPaul’s Drag Race, the return of the murder mystery (or ‘Dragatha Christie’), to St Babs Convent was a tasteful idea, and one with hilarious possibilities. Drag has sashayed into a whole new format with this kind of theatre, and Jesse Jones has allowed these queens to shine. The current vocabulary, inclusive dialogue, and killer soundtrack all added to the crowd's appreciation for the performance of Mother Superior and her nuns. Photographer: Matt Crockett Set in the wonderful Playhouse, the modern mee...