Jackie Foottit, Author at North West End UK

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet – Hull New Theatre

26Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet – Hull New Theatre

Whenever a ballet comes to town, Hull’s theatregoers go to town, ensuring full venues without fail. And Tuesday evening at the Hull New Theatre was no exception when Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet performed to a decent-sized crowd. I must have watched dozens of ballets during my reviewing career, yet I still can’t put a name to any of the dance steps. It’s the sheer spectacle of the genre that appeals to me - the costumes, music, make-up, stage settings and, of course, the dancers, all combine to create the perfect form … of entertainment. Luckily for me - and sparing my reviewing blushes - this very different production had none of the steps usually performed in a ballet. Also, away from the ballet norm, there wasn’t a whisper of a tutu or pink satin ballet pump. And, apart f...

19Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Blood Brothers – Hull New Theatre

When, in a packed theatre, every member of the audience rises to their feet, as one, the nano-second a production ends, then you know you have witnessed something very special. That was the scene on Tuesday evening, when the legendary Blood Brothers came to Hull New Theatre. Set in Liverpool, it tells of twins, separated at birth - one staying with his impoverished birth mother and the other going to a well-off family, desperate for a child. The twins’ mum, Mrs Johnstone (Niki Colwell Evans), works as a cleaner for Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley), who, with her husband, Mr Lyons (Tim Churchill) is desperate for a child. Hearing that Mrs Johnstone is expecting twins, Mrs Lyons pays Mrs J £50, getting her to swear on the Bible that one of the babies will be handed over at birth. ...

11Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Bodyguard – Hull New Theatre

In my opinion, no-one can beat Whitney Houston and Kevin Costner’s performances in the 1992 smash-hit movie, The Bodyguard. But after watching Emily-Mae Walker and Ayden Callaghan (Emmerdale, Hollyoaks), in The Bodyguard: The Musical, at Hull New Theatre on Monday evening, they certainly could give the superstars a run for their money. A frisson of disappointment ran through the theatre on hearing Pussycat Doll, Melody Thornton, would not be playing the role of Rachel Marron, on stage that night. Her understudy, Walker, would be stepping into her shoes. According to the glossy programme, Walker usually plays Marron’s sister, Nicki, but on this occasion that role went to Rosie Cava Beale, and a great job she did of it, too. Callaghan plays ex-Secret Service agent, Frank Farmer, ...

The Orchestra of Opera North: The Pearl Fishers – Hull City Hall

25Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Orchestra of Opera North: The Pearl Fishers – Hull City Hall

On a sweltering Saturday evening in Hull, members of the Opera North company braved warm stage lights when they performed The Pearl Fishers in the magnificent surroundings of the City Hall. The Pearl Fishers is one of Bizet's earliest operas, first being performed in 1863 and lambasted by the critics on its opening night. Well, 160 years later, here in 2023, this critic can't think of anything "lambastable" about the 24-year-old Bizet's efforts, or Opera North's production either for that matter. Mind you, the hall itself could not have provided a better backdrop, with its amazing 1911 organ - all, 5,505 pipes of it - beneath a colourful Baroque revival style ceiling. Arranged in front of this masterpiece were the tenors, mezzos, sopranos and basses of the Chorus of Opera North...

7Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Sully – Hull Truck Theatre

Take a bow Chris Bewers and Luke James of The Yorkshire Workshop for creating the most basic stage setting for a production of Sully, which came to the Hull Truck Theatre, on Tuesday evening. Basic, but genius. I loved it. Let me explain… Sully tells the story of Hull’s favourite adopted son, Welshman Clive Sullivan, who played for the city’s two rugby league teams in his amazing career - Hull Kingston Rovers (yay, up the Robins), and Hull FC (whatever). The red and white strip of Hull KR is supported by those Hullites living east of the river Hull; the “other team” wear black and white and enjoy the loyalty of those living to the west of the river. I’m east Hull born and bred; my dad (Arthur Lewis) played for Hull KR, so my loyalty has never been in doubt. Back to the afore...

30May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Titanic The Musical – Hull New Theatre

Within minutes of the cast of Titanic the Musical gathering on the Hull New Theatre stage, on Monday night, I was sucked into the story and found myself wondering who would live and who would die. There can’t be a soul on Earth who hasn’t heard of the 1912 tragedy involving the RMS Titanic, billed as the “unsinkable, largest moving object in the world”; so, me questioning who survives and who pops their clogs in the icy cold waters of the Atlantic Ocean, is no spoiler. At “curtain up” the quayside of Southampton bustled with tradesmen carrying their wares on to the ship, which was on its maiden voyage, heading for New York. Two such individuals ran off the stage and past us in the audience, carrying crates of oranges and cauliflowers. What a clever move - it felt as if we were act...

27May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Modest – Hull Truck Theatre

Elizabeth Southerden Thompson was a name unknown to me until I watched Modest, at Hull Truck Theatre, on Thursday evening. The year is 1874, and budding artist Elizabeth (Emer Dineen), dares to not only paint a portrait of fighting Crimean War soldiers (a very unladylike act at the time), but also to enter it into the Royal Academy's public art exhibition at a time when women were neither seen, nor heard. Titled The Roll Call, it is generally assumed the scene represented the aftermath of the Battle of Inkerman; but that fact wasn't the mean reason the members of the Academy were against accepting it. They just couldn't get it into their top-hatted heads that a woman could envisage such a barbaric scene when she should be at home doing needlepoint and sniffing her pomander. The me...

17May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Rock of Ages – Hull New Theatre

“Are you ready to have your face mel-ted?” is the unusual question we in the Hull New Theatre audience were asked, on Tuesday evening, when Rock of Ages erupted on to the stage. Shouted out by the show’s narrator, Lonny Barnet (Tim Oxbrow), before I could make up my mind, yes or no, he had already moved on to other madcap musings - a theme he never wavered from throughout the ear-splitting show. I’ve enjoyed watching many a shake, rattle and roll rock band in my time, but this is the first time my bones have involuntarily rattled and rolled - so piercing and loud was the drumbeat. Even my theatre seat on Row O juddered. I kid you not. The story, set in 1987 Hollywood, centres around The Bourbon Room, a bar/club owned by Dennis Dupree (Kevin Kennedy - Curly Watts of Coronation Stre...

Around The World in 80 Days – Hull Truck Theatre

10May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Around The World in 80 Days – Hull Truck Theatre

Note to self: Be sure to wear waterproof mascara when you next review anything at Hull Truck Theatre in case it turns out to be as funny as Around The World In 80 Days was on Tuesday evening. Having never read the Jules Verne novel, first published in French in1872, all I knew was that a hot air balloon was involved in one man’s endeavour to travel around the globe in 80 days. The intrepid adventurer, a Mr Phileas Fogg (Stefan Adegbola) accepted a wager of £20,000 with fellow Reform Club members, that he could undertake such a journey. That sum is half of Fogg’s fortune, but he leads such a monotonous life in London - his daily habits being carried out with mathematical precision - the thought of such a journey excites him. Having fired his valet for some minor misdeed, he empl...

3May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The King and I – Hull New Theatre

I start this review with an apology to anyone involved with the production of Rodgers and Hammerstein’s The King and I, which came to Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening. I apologise because there simply aren’t enough words in the English - or any other - language, to describe just how good it is. The King and I comes to the city following a sold-out season at the London Palladium, bringing with it the West End’s Annalene Beechey as Anna, and Broadway’s Darren Lee as the King of Siam. Before curtain up, we in the packed theatre enjoyed snippets of some of the show’s well-known tunes, played by a full-scale orchestra whose musical talents were an integral part of proceedings. We knew we would be treated to the complete versions of unforgettable tunes such as Shall We Dance?, Whi...