Jan Mellor, Author at North West End UK

The Phantom of the Opera – Brindley Theatre

15May

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Phantom of the Opera – Brindley Theatre

I have no words! I will try to express to you all the absolute stunning masterpiece that this production is. The iconic story of a disfigured musical genius, that lives under an opera house in Paris, who is besotted by a talented singer Christine and evokes fear and carries out murderous evil to get his way but whose love is lost as Christine finds love with an old flame, has been an Andrew Lloyd Webber work of genius for nearly 40 years and for the Centenary Theatre Group to have the opportunity to present this phenomenal musical in a local theatre is an opportunity this magnificent company could not resist – and rightly so. The talented cast, whom I have seen in various performances, give every show 100% and constantly show their amazing skills in both singing and dancing at every per...

10May

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Sound of Music – Liverpool Empire

Arriving at the bustling Empire theatre at Liverpool where rows of excited people were queuing to see the iconic story of a nun who becomes the mother of seven children, I was delighted to see that my favourite all time musical was still as popular as it was in the 60’s, when I went every weekend without fail, to see the film in my local cinema- ironically, here in Liverpool. So, for opening night to see the story brought to light by the BOST musicals company was, I knew, going to be a real treat. From the start, with the ever changing backdrop – bringing us the convent, the mountains and the exterior and the interior of the grand house ( great work by the projection designed Julian Butler) we were magically transported through this journey of Maria’s self-discovery from the start with ...

8May

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Kite Runner – The Lowry

I was not aware of the sport that is part of everyday life for young Afghan people – the joy and obsession of kite flying across the city of Kabul. This hobby is our equivalent to conker fights in the playground but enjoyed with far more passion and pleasure. This hobby can be enjoyed by the rich and poor alike and has been a tradition in Afghanistan for hundreds of years. Kite flying originated in China 3,000 years ago and although a sport of young boys is a hobby that continues throughout adulthood with equal determination, competitiveness and joy. The play “The Kite Runner” is the story of two young boys- Amir (played superbly by Stuart Vincent) a Pashtun who in the 1970’s lived in a large house with his strict father (played wonderfully by Dean Rehman) and their servant ...

19Mar

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Sister Act – Palace Theatre

Arriving at the bustling theatre, where red carpet welcomed many an actor from the phenomenon that was Coronation Street, the evening started with fans in awe, the atmosphere electric and everyone ‘giddy’ with excitement for the show ahead. The Coronation Street actors had come along in their numbers to support their colleague the nominated favourite female soup star Sue Cleaver who for this epic show of female comradeship was playing the Mother Superior. Many people may know the film of Whoopi Goldberg played the husky blues singer Deloris Van Cartier desperate to make it big but in falling for a married mobster ends up, after watching this crook Curtis murder a gang member, is on the run for her own life. For this show, the threatened disco diva is played amazingly by Britai...

Richard, My Richard – Shakespeare North Playhouse

13Mar

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Richard, My Richard – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Fantastic! Gripping! Awesome! Mesmerising! Stunning! I could end this review there - describing the thrill of watching this truly inspirational play, the first from the historian author Philipa Gregory, but I won’t - as I need to share this amazing piece of theatre. As you may know, Philipa Gregory is a historian who has written novels covering the history of England’s traumatic times during the War of the Roses. Of these times, when the dissolving Plantagenets were to be overthrown by the Tudor dynasty, a certain great playwright, William Shakespeare, felt inspired to share his views of these treacherous years and penned Richard III, convincing his readers and theatregoers into believing that this king was an evil, disfigured, murderous, tyrant. We have all believed this of Richa...

The Full Monty – Liverpool Empire Theatre

17Jan

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Full Monty – Liverpool Empire Theatre

Well, we have all probably seen the film – a bunch of middle -aged men – ex steel workers – who when the steel mills and factories close, are left broke, desperate and powerless. A story with its iconic scenes, music and humour that everyone – especially females – remembered - The Full Monty - when a bunch of men, for one night only, become cabaret strippers. So, how was this going to translate from screen to stage? I was intrigued to find out. The Liverpool Empire theatre was packed to the rafters – mostly women I have to say, and there was a deep breath of anticipation across the auditorium as the show started. A large steel construction, a scaffold frame that was a formidable centre piece, drew us into Sheffield’s former glory of theses skyline -consuming steel factories ...

The Book of Will – Shakespeare North Playhouse

22Oct

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Book of Will – Shakespeare North Playhouse

For those amongst you who are fans of Shakespeare’s amazing plays – it is unbelievable to think that if his Kings men friends John Heminge and Henry Condell had not had the courage and devotion in 1619 (3 years after the playwright’s death) to gather his works in the first folio , that a lot of his works of art (up to 18) would be lost to history forever. The likes of King Lear, Romeo and Juliet, the Tempest, Measure for Measure, Julius Ceasar, Macbeth and A Midsummer nights’ dream, may never have been in our lives at all. Following the bard’s death in 1616, his works were strewn across the city of London. During the times that the plays were shown at the Globe in London, the actors were only given their own lines, as to not have the plays stolen or lost. During these times and af...

7Sep

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Shakespeare North Playhouse

What more apt way to celebrate a theatre company’s 30th birthday, than to deliver a production of Shakespeare’s most popular plays Macbeth internationally, and to start this amazing tour at the iconic Shakespeare North Playhouse in the heart of the Northern town of Prescot. This is exactly what the ETT theatre company did. We are all familiar with the 17th century tale of deceit, corruption and guilt. How Macbeth, an ambitious yet submissive man, with his narcissistic and controlling wife, murder King Duncan, as he sleeps. Who, then adding to this horrendous crime, also murder Duncan’s friend Banquo, to further clear their way to power. We know that these crimes haunt them throughout the play, torturing their tormented minds and souls but ETT have taken this tale into a new exhil...

10Jul

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Electric Dreams – Norton Priory

I was very excited to be invited to the opening night and start of PRIDE week activities in Halton, Cheshire for the eclectic take on Shakespeare’s fantasy tale “A Midsummer Night's Dream” that was being performed by local young talent A “A Place for us Theatre Company CIC” in the holy ground of the remains the 12th century Norton Priory. To such deliver such a wonderful love story in such an amazing sacred space was the ingenious idea of Kate Allerston & Chris Bastock -Artistic Directors of Norton Priory Theatre Spaces who worked in partnership with Norton Priory Museum & Gardens and “A Place for Us Theatre Company CIC” for this unique experience. Thankfully the storm that had drenched everyone earlier in the day, had now subsided and the evening was sunny and bright just as the ...

Richard III – Shakespeare North Playhouse

30Jun

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Richard III – Shakespeare North Playhouse

I was intrigued – as an avid Shakespeare fan, frequent visitor to the amazing Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescott and having an avid fascination of the venomous Richard III (as most people have), I was really looking forward to seeing Richard III a one person show in the intimate Brite theatre. To cover the unscrupulous story of Richard III - a King renowned for his deformed body as much as his villainous ways, (his notoriety recently escalated due to his remains being found in a Leicester car park), was, I would imagine be no mean feat. But the magnificent Emily Carding, who has performed this show internationally across the UK, Iceland, Prague (winning every single award at the Fringe), Edinburgh (winning the ‘Bobby award at the Fringe), Rome, Verona, Slovakia, Romania, Pakistan, St...