Luke Stephenson, Author at North West End UK

16Mar

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Bingo Star – Liverpool’s Royal Court

A new show is bestowed on the Royal Court stage in Liverpool called Bingo Star written by Iain Christie and directed by Emma Bird. Bingo can offer a mixed bag of emotions such as excitement, suspense, tension and laughter. This was certainly inhibited the same feelings when watching bingo star. I say this in a literal sense because audience members can have a chance to win £50 per game of bingo (3 in total) if you’re lucky enough to win the game the cast sing a ballad to the winner such as We Are The Champions by Queen. As well as getting the audience members involved with various call outs. For example, if you’re a lucky winner you don’t shout bingo, no you shout EE ah Lad. But as bingo caller Arthur says you don’t win until he says the win is legit and audience members have to shout b...

15Mar

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

An Inspector Calls – Liverpool Empire

Upon writing this review I’m still trying to process what I saw upon the empire stage last. I can’t put into words (ironically) how good it was, but I will certainly give it a go. It also comes with a bit of sadness because usually when I write reviews, I hope that it encourages people to watch however, this run has already completely sold out so if you like what you are reading do check out where it is performing if it’s in your area or an area near you be quick and snap up tickets. I studied ‘An Inspector Calls’ by J B Priestley in school I would say it’s one of the first plays that gripped me and drew me in and got me in to theatre so when given the chance to see it live I was very excited. This production was directed by Stephen Daldry. It was a dark rainy night; children were pl...

The Wizard of Oz – St Helens Theatre Royal

18Feb

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

The Wizard of Oz – St Helens Theatre Royal

It’s Pantomime season again in St Helens with this half term’s offering of The Wizard of Oz Directed by Reece Sibbald. Dorothy (Maddie Hope Coelho) is caught in a twister storm and is transported to the Land of Oz with her little companion the very cute and adorable ToTo the Dog. However, in order to get home she must seek to find the almighty Wizard of Oz down the yellow brick road. However, it wasn’t going to be quite so easy as she first thought as the Wicked Witch (Bethany Grace) vowed to make Dorothy pay for killing her sister when her house landed on her after the twister. Glinda (Hayley Russell) reassured Dorothy by saying as long as you have those Ruby Shoes on your feet the wicked which couldn’t harm her. Upon her journey she found a Scarecrow (Reece Sibbald) who needed a Brain...

<strong>Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk – Liverpool’s Royal Court</strong>

17Nov

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk – Liverpool’s Royal Court

It’s the beginning of the pantomime season up and down the country and I’m pleased to be welcomed back at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool to review this year’s pantomime of Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk written by Kevin Fearon and directed by Stephen Fletcher. Deep in Crosby Jack Jones (Micheal Fletcher) is a lazy lad he gets high and wants to find treasure on an adventure, his mum Mrs Jones (Lindzi Germain) is fewmin. The bills are sky high and the milk from daisy the cow (Jake Abraham) is barely enough to cover the rising costs. So, she sends Jack out to get a job. So, he goes off to the Greatie Market. The council have their share of problems to as the city is broke there is no money and the mayor (Liam Tobin) has to make drastic cuts to make the big Eon in the sky happy, with t...

<strong>The Mousetrap – Liverpool Empire</strong>

9Nov

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

The Mousetrap – Liverpool Empire

There's been a murder within the community. Now when you think of murder mystery shows you either get a 3-course meal or your gathered around a Cluedo board wondering if it was Colonel Mustard in the billiard room with the knife. But this, however, was a full-scale production at the Liverpool Empire theatre. Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap directed by Ian Talbot OBE and Denise Silvey. A new guest house has opened, and the hosts Mollie Ralston (Joelle Dyson) and Giles Ralston (Laurence Pears) are ready and waiting to welcome their guests. However, all is not as it seems, a murder has been committed by someone in a long coat, light scarf and a velvet hat. Everyone is a suspect. The first guest to arrive is Christopher Wren (Elliot Clay) an architect who loves to cook and find every person...

6Oct

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Epstein Theatre

Now I’ve never been a person to like Shakespeare or even understand it but the beauty about this job is my mind is open to all theatre. So, I went to watch Macbeth (otherwise known as the Scottish play) at Liverpool’s Epstein theatre. It was a Daniel Taylor productions piece directed by Daniel Taylor himself. With local Liverpool actors and actress’s making up the cast. In case you are not familiar with the story. Macbeth (Tomas Loftus) comes in to contact with 3 witches/weird sisters (Gillian Hardie, Kaitlin Howard and Helen Jeffery) who tells Macbeth that he is to be King. When his wife Lady Macbeth (Tracy Spencer) hears of this tale she encourages Macbeth to kill the current King Duncan so that the tale becomes a reality. Which almost gave the impression that lady Macbeth is the v...

YNWA – Let’s Talk About Six…Baby – Royal Court Liverpool

4Aug

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

YNWA – Let’s Talk About Six…Baby – Royal Court Liverpool

Now before I start this review, I must admit was a little nervous about reviewing at The Royal Court Liverpool’s show ‘Let’s Talk About Six….Baby’ by Nicky Allt. Mainly because I’m clueless about football. Instead of shouting go the night reds and boo the blues I normally shout go everybody. However, knowing I’ve never seen a bad show at the royal court I was excited to expand my knowledge and last night was no exception from the moment the lights went down, and Led Zeppelin came out the speakers. It started with Tommy (Jake Abraham) Paula (Lindzi Germain) Tia (Lydia Morales - Scully), Gerry (Mark Monaghan) and Kenny (Lenny Wood) walking on to the stage to say their final farewells to their dad and grandad. Once back at the pub Tia and Kenny got into an argument on who’s the biggest fan...

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em – St Helens Theatre Royal

3Aug

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Some Mothers Do ‘Ave ‘Em – St Helens Theatre Royal

Theatre Royal St Helens welcomed Frank Spencer and his chaos to the town last night in ‘Some Mothers do ‘Ave ‘Em a popular comedy in the 1970s with Michael Crawford. The same Michael Crawford who was phantom. This stage show was written and directed by Guy Unsworth. The leading man playing Frank Spencer was the hugely funny Joe Pasquale who can cause a riot of laughter just by walking on stage. Frank is currently out of work and in between jobs or as he puts it, he’s in between his old one and waiting for a new one. He has just received a letter from the BBC to say he has a audition for a top talent competition and will be over shortly to film his magic act. His wife Betty played by Sarah Earnshaw, has news of her own but is finding it hard to tell Frank. Frank and Betty are having a dinne...

25Jun

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Tick Tock – Hope Street Theatre

A new play was written and performed at Liverpool’s Hope Street Theatre called Tick Tock by Debbie Redcliffe (The Responder, Moving on). Before you ask, no I don’t mean the social media app where you can floss and lip Sync. This play Tick Tock, directed by Margaret Connell (Forgotten Voices and Blood Runs Deep). Follows the story of Sarah, Jenna and Pauline. Sarah (Debra Redcliffe) has dreams to be a mother, she was forever eating healthy, checking her temperature and when it was time to do the deed made sure her husband Danny knew about it. However, whilst trying it became clear that not all seemed right. The tests were negative, and hope was drifting away. Jenna’s life (Lisa McMahon) unfolded where she opened up about the miscarriages she had gone through. Whilst she had a family o...

Hey Bunny Get Loose – Liverpool’s Royal Court

13May

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Hey Bunny Get Loose – Liverpool’s Royal Court

A new play from the royal court theatre in the studio took place last night. Written by Wendy Dickinson, the play sees 30 something Gemma trying to write a blog. Her life has taken a bit of a downward turn. Her marriage is on ice and has unexpectedly been thrown in to caring for 3 rabbits Trent (Alexander Arnold), Mo (Salah) and Firmino. The show has occasional flashbacks in Gemma’s life that led her to this point in the present day. Her blog begins to take off and reaches the national press including the one show as people online want to know everything about her and her buns (bunnies) as well as Trent. Gemma was never one for children at least until Firmino (Robert Firmino) had a litter of bunnies. The show was full of comedy lines and indeed perfect comedy timing. But it also had a d...