Lou Steggals, Author at North West End UK

I F*cked You In My Spaceship – King’s Arms

11Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

I F*cked You In My Spaceship – King’s Arms

There may be barely a spaceship in sight in Louis Emmitt-Stern’s sharply witty Queer comedy-drama, but there’s certainly plenty of sex, relationships and increasingly blurred boundaries. Played in the round with no conventional set or props, the Kings Arms’ studio is transformed with a simple overhead rig of paper-lantern ‘planets’, star garlands and one solitary paper rocket. Bathed in pink and purple light as the strains of 2001: A Space Odyssey’s opening theme echoes around the room; we first eavesdrop on the romantic machinations of couple Leo (Ciarán Lockwood) and Dan (Ben Bradfield). As an attempt at alien role-play is hilariously undermined by asthma, we have our tone set for a play that places awkward, authentic conversations inside decidedly offbeat scenarios. In parallel, w...

1Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Bad Habits – The King’s Arms

Imagine Sister Act crashing headlong into St Trinian’s and you’ve got the gloriously chaotic energy of Bad Habits. Stu Meevens’ irreverent comedy throws a convent into crisis as an eccentric order of nuns hatch an increasingly ridiculous plan to save their home from becoming a supermarket, by stealing a collection of holy relics, resulting in two hours of organised theatrical mayhem. Meevens’ script is packed with one-liners, running gags and knowingly daft wordplay. The sisters’ names alone range from gloriously cheesy to outrageously NSFW that would make the Pope blush. Not every joke is original, but even the more telegraphed punchlines land thanks to the confidence and commitment of an experienced cast who know exactly how to sell them. Leading the convent is Dale Vicker’s wo...

Wilder! – The International Anthony Burgess Foundation

30Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Wilder! – The International Anthony Burgess Foundation

In ‘Wilder!’ writers Thomas Billiouw and Dany Van Brabant have cultivated an entertainingly twisted world, where manicured lawns conceal murderous intent and the local gardening club is the beating heart of suburban paranoia and gossip. Imagine Hot Fuzz’sNeighbourhood Watch transplanted into the pristine neighbourhoods of a British Desperate Housewives and you’re somewhere close to the show’s gleefully madcap and macabre tone. At the centre is Gloria, played with wonderful commitment by Dany Van Brabant, who channels the clipped elegance and commanding poise of a homicidal Katharine Hepburn. Every smile feels calculated, every perfectly delivered line hints at barely contained violence, making Gloria both magnetic and deeply unsettling. Opposite her, Thomas Billiouw provides a...

Stevie Parker: Big Bloke with Big Jokes – The Eagle Inn

28Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Stevie Parker: Big Bloke with Big Jokes – The Eagle Inn

You’ve always got to admire someone willing to stand alone on stage for 90 minutes armed with nothing but a microphone and the hope that strangers will laugh. Stevie Parker is undeniably likeable company, and his enthusiasm for comedy never wavers, but unfortunately, he struggles to deliver. Built around the conceit that Parker will attempt to tell 1,001 jokes in a single show – a “non-contractually binding” world record attempt – the set rattles along at a reasonable pace. Yet quantity rarely translates into quality. Many of the jokes are groan-inducing dad jokes and puns, sometimes feeling a bit archaic in their occasional crudeness, while observational routines often wander off into tangents that are never quite brought back together. There are flashes of promise, but the deli...

7Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Baby Brain – Salford Arts Centre

Tonight’s show may have a minimal set – just a chair and a table inside our setting of a mother and baby unit – but that is where the restraint ends. Co-written and directed by Tim Clague and Danny Stack, with input from BAFTA award-winning actor Kimberley Nixon, who stars in the show, this one-hour, one-woman play confronts postpartum mental illness with a fearlessness that is both admirable and, at times, very unsettling. Inspired in part by Nixon’s own experiences, the production tackles postpartum psychosis, postnatal OCD, and depression with unflinching honesty. The show comes with a list of understandable trigger warnings for the heavy-duty topics of suicidal ideation, infant death, and severe postnatal mental illness, and rightly so. We meet Cassie, a wannabe stand-up comedian...

Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man – The Lowry

24Jun

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Matthew Bourne’s The Car Man – The Lowry

On the hottest day of the year in the UK, the return of The Car Man to The Lowry feels almost too perfectly timed. As the temperature in Manchester soars, the heat radiating from the stage proves every bit as intense, transporting us to the sultry, sweat-soaked corner of small-town America where passions burn dangerously out of control. Inspired by Bizet’s Carmen, with an extended version of Rodin Shchedrin’s orchestration, The Car Man remains one of Bourne’s most intoxicating creations. Moving the action to a 1960s Midwestern diner and garage in the fictional town of Harmony, the production pulses with desire, jealousy and betrayal, all underscored by Terry Davies’ thrilling arrangement of the famous music. At the centre of the drama, the chemistry between the lead performers ...

16Apr

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

Wales

Come From Away – Storyhouse, Chester

On September 11th 2001, the world came to a horrifying stop following a terrorist attack in the USA. As it became clear that the first plane crashing into the World Trade Centre North tower was a deliberate act, US airspace was closed and hundreds of planes across the world were diverted. Come from Away tells the tale of the little town of Gander, in Newfoundland, Canada, whose airport became a haven for many of those flights, and shines a spotlight on those in the community who rallied to help those stuck far from home, many initially unaware of what had unfolded that terrible morning as they finally stumbled off the planes they had been stuck on for many hours. Tonight, Tip Top Productions brought the story to life in a production that, quite simply, would rival any professional st...

15Apr

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Ballet Black 25 – The Lowry

Ballet Black has celebrated its 25th anniversary with a compelling and ultimately uplifting double bill that showcases the company’s distinctive voice - emotionally direct, visually striking, and rooted in both classical technique and contemporary relevance. The opening piece, ‘…all towards hope’, choreographed by Hope Boykin, sets the tone with a sense of warmth and inclusivity. The egalitarian costuming—earthy reds, pinks, and browns—beautifully complements the lighting palette, creating a cohesive visual world that feels grounded and human. Boykin’s choreography is the true standout here. Electric yet nuanced, it pulses with energy while allowing space for quieter, reflective moments. Her spoken text threads gently through the work, reinforcing themes of unity and resilience witho...

18Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Battle – Manchester Opera House

In the mid-90s the UK music scene saw the explosion of Britpop where bands such as Pulp, The Charlatans and Elastica dominated the airwaves. The power of Britpop was nowhere more keenly seen than in 1995 when the titans of the genre, Blur and Oasis, went head-to-head in a battle to the number one chart spot when their singles Country House and Roll With It were released on the same day. It became more than just a fight between two bands who were known for their disdain for each other but was seen as a duel between North vs. South: posh art graduates versus working class lads. The media seized upon the apparent battle for the nation’s musical soul and a legendary rivalry was cemented. Author-turned-playwright John Niven has focused his attention on this musical milestone for The Battl...

13Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Marriage of Figaro – The Lowry

Opera North’s 2026 production of The Marriage of Figaro proves that a thoughtful modernisation can illuminate a classic without dimming its original sparkle. Rather than forcing Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart and Lorenzo Da Ponte’s comedy into a contemporary mould, this staging updates the setting with a light touch, trusting the intelligence of the audience and the resilience of the material. The result feels both fresh and recognisable. Often cited among the greatest operas ever written, the story unfolds over the chaotic wedding day of Figaro, valet to Count Almaviva, and his beloved Susannah, maid to the Countess. Their hopes of marital bliss are threatened by the Count’s relentless pursuit of Susannah and by the arrival of a housekeeper armed with a contract demanding marriage from Figaro...