Lou Steggals, Author at North West End UK

26Nov

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Top Hat – Opera House

Following a hugely successful revival in Chichester, Top Hat is bringing old-school Hollywood glamour to venues around the UK and is about to tap dance into the hearts of tonight’s audience in Manchester. Based on the iconic Fred Astaire and Ginger Rogers movie with a sparkling Irving Berlin score, Top Hat – under the assured helm of the multi-award winning director/choreographer Kathleen Marshall - weaves its comedy via many classic tropes – mistaken identity, spying on each other, marital disharmony and love triangles – with lashings of charm, showmanship, and the breezy, effervescent joy that defines a true musical comedy. From the moment opening number ‘Puttin’ on the Ritz’ sparks into life, the stage erupts with breathtaking choreography and a surge of high-voltage energy from t...

The Addams Family – The Brindley, Runcorn

19Nov

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Addams Family – The Brindley, Runcorn

For those who are resisting the total takeover of tinsel, they may find comfort in a date with America’s spookiest family. The Addams Family packs lots of nostalgic charm for those who loved the various TV shows and films. In this adaptation, everyone’s favourite young goth, Wednesday, has a nasty shock for her family that, for once doesn’t involve the usual collection of weaponry and torture devices – instead she has fallen in love and, to the horror of the kooky clan, he and his family are ‘normal’ – and guess who’s coming to dinner? Centenary Theatre Company’s production, directed by Claire Littlemore, and with musical direction by Emily Woodward, boasts all the hallmarks of their high standards. A splendidly macabre set brings us into heart of the Addams’ home and the slick light...

It’s a Wonderful Life – Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio

13Nov

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

It’s a Wonderful Life – Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio

Considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, Frank Capra’s wholesome tale of community, love and redemption has become a staple of the Christmas movie selection. Adapted by Mary Elliot Nelson, tonight is a reimaging of the tale of George Bailey who, contemplating ending his life following the collapse of the business and town that he has given up his own dreams to keep afloat, is given a glimpse of what life would be like if he had never been part of it. Old Fruit Jar Productions, have revived their previous, highly praised staging, playing once again to a packed house. Whilst the original play was written for four multi-role actors, the team, under the steady direction of Alex King, has expanded the production to a company of 12. Utilising a simple set where signage and smal...

10Nov

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Playing Burton – The King’s Arms

Many times, actors get labelled as icons, legends and titans of their craft. Richard Burton was someone who would be extolled as such yet tempered by opinions that his was a wasted talent, squandered in the depths of a bottle of gin and never truly realised on account of his untimely death at the age of 58. Resurrecting the man via Mark Jenkin’s rich and lyrical script is a tall order for anyone, especially where they are required to hold their audience through a long monologue. And Burton was renowned for his love of the spoken word whether in the prose of Shakespeare, the poetry of Dylan Thomas or within the scripts of the Hollywood epics he was adored for, so delivery is critical. Off the bat, Sean Cernow neither looks, nor sounds, like Burton so it is best to put a pin in ...

24Sep

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Last Laugh – Liverpool Playhouse

Paul Hendy’s The Last Laugh arrives at the Liverpool Playhouse as both tribute and portrait of three of Britain’s most iconic comedians – Tommy Cooper (Damian Williams), Eric Morecambe (Bob Golding) and Bob Monkhouse (Simon Cartwright) with an imagined meeting of the three in a slightly dilapidated dressing room of an unknown theatre. It’s a warm-hearted evening and our trio of actors are clearly accomplished mimics. However, with a sense that the show is a bit of an excuse to show off these talents, the show occasionally struggles as it slips uneasily between original theatre, greatest-hits homage and meandering biographical lecture. Each actor has an expert ear for the vocal cadence and physical timing of our comedians, honed through their own solo tribute shows, making the imper...

Rambert x (LA) Horde: Bring Your Own – The Lowry

17Sep

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Rambert x (LA) Horde: Bring Your Own – The Lowry

(LA) Horde’s collaboration with Rambert, Bring Your Own, is an ambitious attempt to bottle the unruly energy of nightlife and stage it as contemporary performance. Over the course of several distinct pieces, the production draws on social dance, rave culture, and acrobatic spectacle, pushing the 14-strong Rambert ensemble into a space where technique meets abandon. The result is fast, furious, and undeniably compelling, though not always as coherent as it aspires to be. The opening section, Hopestorm, is a striking fusion of Lindyhop and rave. Dancers charge through fifteen minutes of relentless partnering and synchronised group work, with echoes of Broadway chorus lines interlaced with rock ’n’ roll. Snatches of Elvis Presley’s “Hound Dog” surface beneath a pounding rave soundscape, wh...

26Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Robo Bingo 2.0 – The King’s Arms

‘IT Consultants’ Lloyd Henning and Peter Sutton, better known as Foxdog Studios, have, in true IT style ‘turned it off and on again’ on one of their popular shows, Robo Bingo, rebooted as 2.0 with new wi-fi, new games and a whole lot of new coding headaches to keep both our dynamic duo and audience on their virtual toes. Mixing Flight of the Conchords musical jamming with the social awkwardness of The IT Crowd, Foxdog invite the audience to play along not only in games of bingo but also classic childhood games of Snap, Guess Who and Spot the Difference albeit constantly interrupted with a variety of pop-ups and other technological interludes. Henning and Sutton are a charming and witty duo, with quips and quick thinking as they navigate the chaos, bringing gales of laughte...

23Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Leeches – The King’s Arms

How far would you go for influence? Would you be prepared to use work colleagues, friends, or even family, in the name of ambition? Leeches, written by Kieran Scott and slickly directed by Thomas Bateman explores themes of insecurity, cancel culture and personal ethics, amongst others, through the eyes of three highly flawed narrators. When a protest erupts in the city centre, it results in a moment of violence that has significant repercussions for all three. Simple staging with nothing more than a crowd control barrier and a couple of chairs allows the spotlight to shine on three strong actors from the Manchester School of Theatre, who do an excellent job of showcasing Scott’s tight and compelling script, peppered with deft touches of levity, and which itself smartly exposes an...

Your Therapist is Clueless – The King’s Arms

19Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Your Therapist is Clueless – The King’s Arms

Holding an audience rapt for any period of time where the subject is the meaty, nuanced and personal elephant that is mental health support in the UK is a very big ask of any performer. One thinks of writers such as Adam Kay, who’s book and tour, This is Going to Hurt, vividly brought to life the warts and glory of being an NHS doctor. Or copper turned stand-up comic Alfie Moore’s It’s a Fair Cop in which, by allowing the audience to play police, he highlights the idiosyncrasies and impotencies of the criminal justice system. Tonight, performer Nathaniel Tresise shares his experiences of working for a Greater Manchester mental health charity where a dreadfully under-resourced service attracts people with all the quirks you expect, often risking those with genuine, urgent need bei...

14Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Wink – 53two

In the dimly lit arches of 53two, an unsuspecting audience is about to receive an almighty gut punch, courtesy of Phoebe Eclaire-Powell’s darkly funny and unsettling play, Wink. Updated from its 2015 debut with the latest social media and cultural references, Wink is brutal in its timeliness, holding a mirror to the worst excesses of online culture - from toxic ‘alpha male’ influencers through to the horrendous consequences of Catfishing. Photo: Shay Rowan Despite the heavy source material and a worryingly long list of trigger warnings, the play remains hugely compelling and crackles with humour. We meet 16-year-old Mark who idolises his too-cool-for-school French teacher, Mr Martin. Unbeknownst to him, Mr Martin is struggling with his own frustrations, particularly around his cru...