Jackie Foottit, Author at North West End UK

22Jan

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Miss Saigon – Hull New Theatre

The musical, Miss Saigon, has been watched by over 33 million worldwide. You can add probably a few more thousand on to that figure, if Wednesday night's attendance of the show at Hull's New Theatre is anything to go by. The place was packed. Miss Saigon is in the city as part of a major UK and Ireland tour and relates to events during the last days of the Vietnam War, in 1975, exactly 50 years ago. As soon as the opening stage screen, depicting a huge sacred bird, rose, it was non-stop drama all the way. Many theatre productions now have glorious video backdrops which, brilliantly, showcase much of the story that there would be no time to explain in words. And this production was no different with opening images of bombing, fighter aircraft et al showing us the horrors of w...

16Jan

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Lear’s Shadow – Hull Truck Theatre

On Thursday evening, a really bizarre thing happened to me in my long theatre reviewing career. I was at the Hull Truck Theatre to watch a one-man, one-night production - Lear’s Shadow - and, searching out my seat, E4, I found it occupied by - wait for it - an Avatar. Urged to “get rid of it!” by my theatre buddy sister, I gingerly picked it up and deposited it on the row behind. During the 70+-minute performance by lover of all things Shakespeare, actor Colin Hurley (who also devised the production), the Avatar presence became clearer for I noticed several more occupying red chairs on the stage - a stage adorned only with the chairs, a bench, two tables and a small suitcase, as well as Mr Hurley, of course. A banner stating “Lie here and rest awhile” hung as a backdrop. The...

15Dec

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Beauty and the Beast – Hull New Theatre

Panto season is upon us once more and as young and old packed into Hull New Theatre on Sunday evening to watch Beauty and the Beast, the excitable atmosphere among theatregoers was palpable. As a reviewer, I have been fortunate to watch many such productions at the New Theatre. But would this year’s offering live up to its billing as “The Spellbinding Pantomime”? Just after 5pm, the curtain rose to reveal a huge throne, upon which sat the handsome Prince Sebastian (Scott Royle) in all his purple silk finery. Rudely shooing away an old hag begging for help, he soon becomes more friendly when she reveals her youthful, beautiful self. However, his fate is sealed as the woman turns out to be an Enchantress (Sharon Sexton) who casts a spell on him, turning him into an ugly beast. Th...

4Dec

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Oliver Twist – Hull Truck Theatre

Published as a serial between 1836 and 1839, Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has undergone a myriad of adaptations, and Deborah McAndrew’s dramatic and highly theatrical take on this age-old classic is currently wowing audiences at Hull Truck Theatre. The venue was packed on Tuesday night with all ages of theatregoers eagerly awaiting curtain up at 7pm. Of course, regular Truckers will know there never is a curtain to actually rise; every nook and cranny of the stage for whatever production is always totally on show giving one a chance to have a pre-production nosy. At first glance, the stage for this show looked quite empty. However, towards the rear there rose huge arched windows and spaced columns, with an elevated walkway reached by a hefty spiral staircase. The atmospheres w...

20Nov

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

A is for Arsenic – Bilton Theatre

The snow lay inches deep in Bilton, near Hull, on Wednesday evening, but that didn’t deter theatregoers from making their way to the Bilton Amateur Dramatics Society’s (BADS) theatre to watch the comedy murder mystery, A is for Arsenic. Written by David Pemberton and directed by Carol Hawxwell, the play is performed by arrangement with Lazy Bee Scripts. But there was nothing lazy about the six actors who brought the play to life - I really do think it was one of the best this small, talented company has brought to the stage so far. The curtain opens on a brick-walled basement room - table, chairs, bookcase, white board with stand and little else. Over time, members of a crime writing group - yoga teacher Sally (Mandy Grimston), housewife Fay (Helen Davison), and Brian, insuranc...

23Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Outlawed – Hull Truck Theatre

I might possibly need counselling after sitting through a performance of Outlawed, at the Hull Truck Theatre, on Wednesday night. And I’ve only myself to blame for breaking my own lifetime golden rule and willingly “audience participating”. I’ll never know what possessed me to roll a chunk of dry bread up into a ball and throw it at Robin Hood performing a heartfelt ballad on the stage. Poor thing didn’t deserve it. Mind you, it’s a good job my theatre buddy sister, Chrissy, was more restrained and didn’t throw a large potato gifted earlier to her by the balladeer - now that would have hurt. On second thoughts, I’m putting all the blame on my demise on to the four madcap performers acting out a night of burlesque, drag and comedy. The intimate Godber Studio at Hull Truck was...

The Shawshank Redemption – Hull New Theatre

23Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Shawshank Redemption – Hull New Theatre

At precisely 7.30pm on Tuesday evening, the chatter among the Hull New Theatre audience quieted as the curtain rose on a production of The Shawshank Redemption. Seconds later the chatter resumed - the curtain having changed course and descended downwards. An apology resounded around the theatre. However, it was only another few seconds before the curtain rose again; and the aforementioned chatter ceased once more. That damn curtain seemed to have a life of its own as it descended once again; this time joined by its accomplice in crime, the fire safety curtain. Ten minutes after the scheduled start time, both barriers to the stage rose revealing the grey, grim interior of the Shawshank Maximum Security Penitentiary, in Maine, US. At first I thought I was watching The Full ...

Cirque Éloize: iD Reloaded – Hull New Theatre

19Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Cirque Éloize: iD Reloaded – Hull New Theatre

If I had a tenner for every time I said “oh my God!” while watching the unbelievably talented Cirque Éloize circus crew perform at the Hull New Theatre, on Friday evening, I would be laughing all the way to the bank. This production, iD Reloaded, is inspired by the company’s international hit, iD, created in 2009. Presented by Dance Consortium and directed and created by the Canadian company’s co-founder, Jeannot Painchaud, I was immediately impressed by the wonderful opening stage setting of industrial metal frames with a backdrop of a built-up city scape - an eye-popping video backdrop that changed and dazzled throughout the performance. The action takes place in the heart of a busy city, out in the open, in a space that encourages individuals to express their personalities and ...

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Hull New Theatre

2Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Hull New Theatre

When C S Lewis wrote The Chronicles of Narnia, he couldn’t have envisaged that the second in the series, The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe, would still be entertaining folk 75 years after it was first published. To celebrate the anniversary, this week Hull New Theatre plays host to the West End smash-hit production and, taking my seat on Tuesday night, I noticed theatregoers of all ages in attendance. Before curtain up we were entertained by a pianist, tinkling the ivories of an upright piano and dressed as a Second World War air raid warden, complete with steel helmet and overcoat. As the strains of We’ll Meet Again rang out, this first scene, on a darkened, misty stage, brought the Second World War years into focus. The story centres around the four Pevensie si...

24Sep

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Pride & Prejudice – Hull Truck Theatre

On Tuesday evening, make-up intact, I took my front row seat at the Hull Truck Theatre to watch a performance of Pride & Prejudice. Nearly three hours later, at the show’s end, I had acquired panda eyes and could have kicked myself for not wearing waterproof mascara. The person responsible for my facial demise? Ben Fensome. In this Jane Austin classic, made extra famous by the TV series starring Colin Firth (who could forget that wet shirt scene), Fensome has a dual role - that of dashing soldier Mr Wickham and ingratiating clergyman, Mr Collins. It’s his portrayal of the latter that caused my tears of mirth. Tall and slim, every move he made in his all-black apparel had the audience in stitches. But it was his rubbery facial expressions that did the damage to my face. Y...