Lou Steggals, Author at North West End UK

14Sep

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

And Here I Find Myself – The Lowry

There’s an added edge to tonight’s show. We will hear repeatedly how the past feels condensed into a moment that has only just happened. Under the shadow of the very recent death of the Queen, with two major shows in full swing in the Lowry’s larger theatres this theme will probably resonate far more strongly than may have been expected. Created and performed by Wayne Steven Jackson, we are guided through milestones of Wayne’s life, trying to navigate the world and its expectations of conformity, despite the apparent relaxation of attitudes towards LGBTQ+ rights. Suddenly facing 40 and having failed (through surrogacy) to become a father, Wayne has a choice to make – keep pushing towards ‘ticking the boxes’ (marriage, family, career etc.) or reject these rules and forge his own path. ...

Little Shop of Horrors – Liverpool Empire

27Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Little Shop of Horrors – Liverpool Empire

Brimming with camp, B-Movie schtick, damsels in distress and botany with a bite, Little Shop of Horrors has long been a cult favourite. Liverpool Empire’s Youth Theatre group has done itself proud in bringing this quirky and energetic musical to the stage. If you’re not familiar with the story, it follows the nerdishly charming Seymour Krelborn, a flower shop boy who comes into the possession of a strange, exotic-looking plant during a solar eclipse. Seymour wants nothing more than to win the heart of his fellow shop assistant, Audrey, but the plant’s unusual feeding regime soon gives him something far more gruesome to focus on. Surrounded by an excellent set, with spot-on costumes, and supported by a superb band under the ever-reliable baton of Musical Director Paul Lawton, direc...

Play…in your bathtub 2.0 – Camden Fringe Online

9Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

London

Play…in your bathtub 2.0 – Camden Fringe Online

Theatre makers have long been pushing the boundaries around staging works but using your own bathtub as a venue is certainly a new one. However, that is where I find myself to experience This is not a Theatre Company’s ‘immersive spa experience’ Play…in Your Bathtub 2.0. Created at the height of covid lockdowns, and directed by E.B. Mee, this participatory, multi-sensory piece is a 20minute meditation bringing in poetic monologues, classical piano music, toe wiggling and ASMR-style watery sound effects. Whilst the bath is the recommended scene, you can also opt for a footspa, shower, or even a bucket. It’s certainly a different experience, where you bring your own props of choice that relate to a specific sense (touch – warm water and bubble bath, taste – a beverage of your choice, s...

18Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Make Up – The Kings Arms, Salford

What do you do if your life in drag has become just that – a drag? Written and directed by Andy Moseley and performed by Moj Taylor, Make Up is a snapshot of the somewhat world-weary mind of drag performer Lady Christina, behind who hides the much more mundane Chris. As Chris catches sight of his father in his reflection in the mirror as he’s taking off his make up for what may be the last time, we listen in on his musings on the impact of his dad’s rejection of him for being gay, and how his alter ego allows him to both escape the tedium of reality, whilst secretly reconnecting with his mother. This one-hour show is an engaging exploration of identity with some lovely snippets that emerge from Chris/Christina’s monologue. It certainly feels timely as he declares ‘tolerance is goi...

Strictly Presents: Keeeep Dancing – Floral Pavilion

30Jun

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Strictly Presents: Keeeep Dancing – Floral Pavilion

Imagine dancing all your life, becoming one of the best Ballroom and Latin dancers in the country, and then getting a phone call from the Strictly Come Dancing production team…only for them to ask for your (now ex) wife. That’s the amusing moment we see played out by Neil Jones, one of ‘Strictly’s’ pro veterans (who did get his own call) as we are introduced to our ensemble tonight. ‘Strictly Presents…’ is an extension of the live tour that followed the behemoth BBC show, which itself continues to draw in millions of viewers each series. Former celebrity contestants Maisie Smith and Rhys Stephenson join a team of four ‘Strictly’ Pros (Jones, Cameron Lombard, Jowita Pzystat and Nancy Xu) alongside fellow alumnus Max George from The Wanted providing a few musical turns throughout th...

14Jun

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Habeas Corpus – Lyceum Theatre, Oldham

“I’ve never seen anything like it since I was a locum in Liverpool.” So declares the diminutive Sir Percy Shorter in Alan Bennett’s 1973 farcical exploration of the randy side of Little England, named after the Latin legal phrase that roughly translates to ‘have the body’. Set in the residence of a Brighton and Hove GP, Arthur Wicksteed, the play is a saucy seaside postcard collection of characters and carry ons, each loaded with carnal frustrations and foibles. There’s Wicksteed’s wife, the frustrated Muriel who, neglected by her husband, longs to rekindle a past dalliance with Sir Percy. Her sister, the flat-chested Constance, buys fake breasts in the hope of literally boosting her chance of romance. The Wicksteed’s wimpish son Dennis is convinced he’s dying until his head is...

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice – Liverpool Playhouse

17May

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Rise and Fall of Little Voice – Liverpool Playhouse

A Cinderella story where Cinders never wanted to go to the ball in the first place, and is much happier at home, listening to music in her PJs with a cup of tea thank-you-very-much, sounds like a very modern take for a fairy tale. Yet ‘The Rise and Fall of Little Voice’ has solidly morphed into period theatre. Penned by Jim Cartwright, this regularly revived tale introduces us Laura ‘LV’ Hoff, a reclusive young girl who retreats from the world dominated by her brash and bawdy mother, Mari, preferring the company of her late father’s record collection of ‘diva’ songstresses – Judy Garland, Barbra Streisand, Shirley Bassey and more. Her hidden talent for mimicking the singers soon catches the ear of wannabe empresario Ray Say, who pushes LV to perform publicly. The show’s success lives...

11May

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Beryl – Oldham Coliseum

For an astonishing sports career, Beryl Burton may not be quite the household name one might expect, but her achievements are the stuff of legend. At a time when women were expected to prioritise raising families and keeping house, Beryl’s unparalleled domination of the world of Cycling has created a legacy that helped push British cycling to heady heights of success and prestige. Penned by acclaimed actress Maxine Peake, this joyful and creative show gives us a whistle-stop tour of key milestones in Beryl’s life, from her early introduction to cycling from future husband Charlie, through to battles with health issues leftover from a childhood illness that led doctors to repeatedly beg her to stop competing and juggling elite competition with motherhood when her daughter Denise is born....

Jumpers for Goalposts – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

10May

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Jumpers for Goalposts – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

As the football season comes to a close and trophies and league titles are fought for, one wonders if top-flight managers have ever considered ‘taunting the opposition with Enya, possibly T’Pau’ as a legitimate tactic. Jumpers for Goalposts, written by Tom Wells, and in the safe directorial hands of Joseph Meighan, follows the trials and tribulations of the comically named ‘Barely Athletic’, part of a four-team, five-a-side football LGBTQ+ league that coach Viv, kicked out from ‘Lesbian Rovers’ for being too bossy, is desperate to win. As we see her attempts to fire up her team-mates’ competitive hackles, we discover the motivations, personal battles and relationships that may be holding them back from glory. Set within the confines of our team’s locker room, Meighan has assembled...

5May

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Wuthering Heights – The Lowry

“How is anyone expected to follow this? All the names sound the same and everyone is so very, very cross with me!” So, laments Mr Lockwood, new tenant of literary anti-hero Heathcliff, and our introduction to an irreverent and unique take on the Emily Brontë classic. For those not familiar with the text, it follows Heathcliff, taken in as an orphan from the docks of Liverpool to the wild moors of Yorkshire by the well-meaning Mr Earnshaw. He is bullied and resented by Earnshaw’s son Hindley, but finds solace in his friendship with daughter Cathy, which evolves into an intense and toxic love affair. The fact that Emma Rice is the wizard behind tonight’s curtain is the first and biggest clue that the famous novel is likely to have been turned on its head. Her short-lived tenure as A...