Jackie Foottit, Author at North West End UK

23Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Lord of the Dance – Hull New Theatre

Michael Flatley, creator of the legendary Lord of the Dance, says his “job in life is to make people happy”. Well, all I can say, Sir, is job very well done. On Wednesday evening, the crowds flocked into the Hull New Theatre to watch Flatley’s 30th anniversary tribute show to his creation with Lord of the Dance 30 amazing years of standing ovations. This was my third time of seeing the super-talented Irish man’s show and, each time I think it can’t get any better, it bloomin’ well does. The 30th Anniversary Tour promises brand-new choreography, stunning costumes, state-of-the-art special effects and cutting-edge lighting, ensuring an “unforgettable experience”. At curtain up, I was about to see if it would live up to its promise. A first look at the stage setting and it was ...

The Ballad of Johnny & June – Hull New Theatre

15Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Ballad of Johnny & June – Hull New Theatre

The applause started immediately after curtain up on Tuesday night when The Ballad of Johnny & June hit the Hull New Theatre stage. We were showing our appreciation for the fantastic music being played by on-stage musicians who were sometimes visible, yet mostly obscured, throughout the production - a production that would have been nothing without their amazing, tuneful contribution under Connagh Tonkinson’s direction. This new musical, from the book by Robert Cary and Des McAnuff (who also directed) being the story of country music legends Johnny Cash and his wife, June Carter Cash, was obviously going to be brimful of harmonies, yet behind those famous tunes - Jackson, I Walk the Line, A Boy Named Sue and Ring of Fire to name just a few hits - lay a world of drug-taking, trage...

7Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Operation Mincemeat – Hull New Theatre

Hull New Theatre-goers are used to having their bags searched upon entering the venue, but on Monday evening, my sister, Chrissy, who accompanied me to the theatre to watch Operation Mincemeat, a new musical, was scanned with a metal detector by a kindly security person. We wondered if this was part of the production - one that involved espionage, skullduggery, death and deceit, where a metal detector might be of some use. But, no, dear reader, my sis was scanned for real. It was a prelude to new security measures coming to public buildings mainly because of the Manchester Arena attack in 2017 (or so it was explained to us). Anything that keeps us safe on our beautiful planet is OK with me. Right, back to the show. The award-winning Operation Mincemeat (from the book, music and ly...

2Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Car Man – Hull New Theatre

Sparks literally flew as Matthew Bourne’s award-winning The Car Man hit the Hull New Theatre stage on Tuesday evening. Performed by Bourne’s New Adventures dancers, it’s billed as “Bizet’s Carmen re-ignited”. Set in a 1960s garage, the sparks we saw were presumably from a welding gun used by one of the dishiest set of mechanics I’ve ever set eyes upon. All the action takes place in the US town of Harmony; however, events are far from harmonious after a drifter answers Dino’s Diner and Garage’s ad for “man wanted”. Garage owner, Dino Alfano (Alan Vincent), is married to the beautiful, younger Lana (Ashley Shaw). He has no idea what tragedy will enfold by employing the traveller, who goes by the name of Luca (Harrison Dowzell). The stage setting was a hive of activity even before...

Remember, Remember! – Hull Truck Theatre

19Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Remember, Remember! – Hull Truck Theatre

Hull Truck’s John Godber studio was all abuzz on Thursday evening, full of theatregoers eager to hear what really happened when Guy Fawkes attempted to blow up Parliament in 1605. And who better to tell the story than WIT? Theatre Company members Kluane Saunders, Ross Tomlinson, Lucy Buncombe and Tom O’Kelly. And as the lights dimmed, aka curtain up, I listened to “their truth” with baited breath while lots of mental “surely nots” “OMGs” and “come off its” ran through my head. I exaggerate, of course, I didn’t believe a word the four uttered, sang, shouted or sexily whispered, but I thoroughly enjoyed their lies. The Gunpowder Plot was led by Robert “Robbie” Catesby (Saunders), in a vain attempt to blow up the House of Lords during the State Opening of Parliament to end Protest...

9Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Amateur Killer – Bilton Theatre

Not many murder mysteries kick off with what appears to be the murderer about to kill their victim - which would have taken the mystery out of events somewhat. But that’s exactly what happened at curtain up, on Thursday evening, when the actors of Bilton Amateur Dramatic Society (BADS) took to the stage of their intimate little theatre in Bilton, near Hull. Just as the evil perpetrator was about to pull the gun’s trigger, a loud voice off-stage boomed out to halt proceedings. Phew! The murderous action was all part of rehearsals for an am-dram performance called Adieu and the booming voice belonged to the am-dram group’s director, Daniel Healy (Matthew Broderick). By the looks on their faces the couple on stage, Lucas Thompson (Jordan Lill) and Natalie Prescott (Cora Gerrard) d...

4Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Barnum – Hull New Theatre

Never was a standing ovation so well deserved as that given to the cast of Barnum, The Circus Musical after they thrilled a full-ish Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening. For over two hours we were entertained with sensational singing, dancing, acrobatics, magic tricks, music from multi-talented musicians - and Jumbo, the elephant circus owner Phineas Taylor Barnum (1810-1891) once advertised as “the largest in the world” in order to draw in the crowds. It was later discovered he had enhanced Jumbo’s skeleton after the animal had died, by packing it with blocks of wood and positioning its tusks to make it look extra massive. However, the huge elephant puppet on stage on the night was one of the best I have seen in any show, so hats off to its designers, Mervyn Millar and Tracy Wall...

26May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Mean Girls – Hull New Theatre

On what is being called “the hottest May Day ever”, it was a relief to enter the relative coolness of the Hull New Theatre, on Monday night. The Mean Girls were in town and I was curious to know if this stage version would live up to both the original 2004 movie, starring Lindsey Lohan, and the 2024 remake. Notes in the glossy programme inform us the Mean Girls transition from movie screen to stage was not a decision taken lightly; among the successful transitions mentioned are Dirty Dancing and The Bodyguard, that both “pulled in people who might not otherwise be willing to try the theatre”. Well, on Monday the venue was pretty full of theatregoers of all ages - no mean feat (pun intended) for a Bank Holiday night when folk usually have other activities on their agendas. The s...

13May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Fawlty Towers – Hull New Theatre

It was standing room only in every bar and eaterie at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday night; theatregoers were even sitting on the stairs pre-curtain up. We were all there to watch Fawlty Towers the Play - a brand-new stage production adapted by John Cleese. Who, along with his then wife, actress Connie Booth, wrote and acted in the 1975 TV comedy, Fawlty Towers, a hotel at 16 Elwood Avenue, Torquay, boasting “traditional English hospitality”. Fast forward over 50 years and Cleese has chosen three of his favourite episodes out of the original 12, to delight audiences once again. Directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, those three - The Hotel Inspectors, The Germans and Communication Problems - are so cleverly and seamlessly merged into one story, we couldn’t see the join. The stage se...

22Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Here & Now – Hull New Theatre

From the first minute the “curtain” rose on Here & Now at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening, I couldn’t get over how absolutely wonderful the stage setting was. The brand-new musical is based on the music of the 1990s iconic group, Steps, with a storyline centred around the staff of supermarket Better Best Bargains (BBB for short). Set designer Tom Rogers brings that environment to life by creating floor-to-ceiling partitions, left and right, graduating to the back of the stage. Each partition is filled with “groceries” and lit continually with the most amazing colours. Overhead are aisles 5, 6, 7 and 8 (there’s a song in there somewhere), while, occasionally, a graffiti covered wall drops for outdoor scenes, and serving counters are pushed and pulled throughout the show. ...