Newsdesk, Author at North West End UK

Cast Announced for Homecoming of Masterpiece

18Dec

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NEWS

Cast Announced for Homecoming of Masterpiece

The cast for James Graham’s adaptation of Alan Bleasdale’s Boys from the Blackstuff, coming to the Liverpool Empire Theatre in March 2025, is announced today. Following sold out seasons at Liverpool’s Royal Court and the National Theatre, and in London’s West End at the Garrick Theatre, the production hits the road in 2025, returning to Liverpool at the iconic Empire Theatre in the venue's 100th birthday year. It's 80s Liverpool. Chrissie, Loggo, George, Dixie and Yosser are used to hard work and providing for their families. But there is no work and there is no money. What are they supposed to do Work harder, work longer, buy cheaper, spend less? They just need a chance. Life is tough but the lads can play the game. Find the jobs, avoid the ‘sniffers' and see if you can have a laugh...

Amelie – University of Sheffield Drama Studio

12Dec

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Yorkshire & Humber

Amelie – University of Sheffield Drama Studio

Amelie is a light, layered romantic comedy that interrogates love, loneliness, purpose and progress - and this production by the young cohort of the University of Sheffield was a strong presentation of the famous French work. Alfie Cowgill and Katie Weller’s direction was resolute - an adept understanding of space and dimensions, engaging vignettes and consistent emotional narrative evoked by this ensemble cast. Charlie Harmer and Tessa Chan’s musical direction was equally as well touched, although these driving orchestrations did not always interplay well with each other with some disjointed and missed cues. Some transitions were handled excellently, and the world was well crafted for this. This demonstration of theatrical intellect was fleeting, which is a shame as there was cl...

Evita takes to the London Palladium stage

11Dec

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Evita takes to the London Palladium stage

Michael Harrison for Lloyd Webber Harrison Musicals and The Jamie Lloyd Company announce Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Evita, directed by Jamie Lloyd, opening at The London Palladium. The production runs 14th June – 6th September 2025, with press night on Friday 27th June. Full cast and creatives to be announced. Tickets to go on sale in 2025, dates to be announced. Sign up for priority booking here: www.evitathemusical.com Michael Harrison said “It’s an honour to return to The London Palladium next summer, with my 14th production at the theatre. I’m even more delighted, alongside The Jamie Lloyd Company, to be presenting Tim Rice and Andrew Lloyd Webber’s glorious musical, Evita, and to be collaborating again with Jamie following Sunset Blvd.” Jamie Lloyd said, “After...

11Dec

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Yorkshire & Humber

Snow White – Sheffield Lyceum

Sheffield Lyceum’s pantomime ‘Snow White’ proves once again that this art form is going nowhere and is truly generational fun. It is expectedly raucous, fun, well spirited, cheeky and great family entertainment for all. Damian Williams, yet again, is excellent in his role as Nurse Nellie, and as he seemingly does every year reaffirms himself as panto royalty. His charismatic performance, witty off-cuff asides, facial contortions and vocal bombasticity palette this colourful world aptly. Likewise, there were some joyful and committed performances from The Seven, with Hassan Taj as Loopy a particular delight. Catherine Tyldesley was a sound choice for the evil Queen of this fairytale land, who possesses the appropriately scathing voice and demeanour, and notably one of the most incredu...

Be More Chill – University of Sheffield Drama Studio

1Dec

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Yorkshire & Humber

Be More Chill – University of Sheffield Drama Studio

SUPAS’ production of ‘Be More Chill’ demonstrates there is a strong future in the next generation of creatives, with the only question being left asked of them is to try and emulate more faith in their own abilities and a slightly enhanced focus to get them to the next level. Alice Bell’s direction of Joe Iconis and Joe Tracz’s text, based on Ned Vizzini’s novel, is good. Transitions tend to avoid interrupting the action and there is a strong sense of narrative peaks and troughs successfully struck upon. Although Daniel Brown’s set design is easy on the eye with its simple-but-effective approach, the play is proxemically stagnant and there is no great use of the abundance of depth and height there is to utilise. Bell tidies this up nicely, however, with some great texturing of scenes us...

First images have been released during rehearsals for The Tempest.

28Nov

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NEWS

First images have been released during rehearsals for The Tempest.

The Jamie Lloyd Company’s production of William Shakespeare’s The Tempest at Theatre Royal Drury Lane starring Sigourney Weaver making her West End debut. Directed by Jamie Lloyd, the production opens on Thursday 19th December, with previews from 7th December 2024, running until 1st February 2025. Sigourney Weaver, Mason Alexander Park, Selina Cadell, Tim Steed & Forbes Masson. Credit - Marc BrennerSigourney Weaver (Prospero), Mason Alexander Park (Ariel) & cast of The Tempest. Credit - Marc BrennerSigourney Weaver (Prospero) & Mason Alexander Park (Ariel). Credit - Marc Brenner Sigourney Weaver (Prospero) is joined by Jude Akuwudike (Alonso), Jason Barnett (Stephano), Selina Cadell (Gonzalo), Mathew Horne (Trinculo), Mara Huf (Miranda), Forbes Masson (Caliban), Mason Alexander Park ...

The Rocky Horror Show – Sheffield Lyceum

28Nov

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Yorkshire & Humber

The Rocky Horror Show – Sheffield Lyceum

The Rocky Horror show proves to be the culturally significant powerhouse it was destined to be following its initial ventures in the 1970’s. This production excels in revelry, debauchery, humour and liberation. Jason Donovan’s Frank N Furter is gorgeously eccentric, and though his animation seems slightly stifled and awkward (surprisingly Donovan doesn’t seem completely comfortable in heels), there is still a good fluidity and playful poise that, matched which is excellent stage presence, ultimately makes him very watchable. Connor Carson’s Brad and Lauren Chia’s Janet are excellent caricatures who’s stiff cliche is a perfect match for the unbridled chaos that surrounds them. They allow themselves to be engulfed, and by proxy we are swallowed by the raucous flamboyance. They are precise...

Tickets for West End transfer of Broadway’s smash hit production of The Great Gatsby are on sale now

22Nov

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NEWS

Tickets for West End transfer of Broadway’s smash hit production of The Great Gatsby are on sale now

Producer Chunsoo Shin is thrilled to announce his smash hit new musical adaptation of F. Scott Fitzgerald’s landmark novel The Great Gatsby will make its West End debut at The London Coliseum next spring, one year on from its Broadway opening in April 2024. Preview performances of The Great Gatsby will begin on Thursday 11th April with a press night on Thursday 24th April (7pm). The show will run until Sunday 7th September 2025. Tickets go on sale today (Friday 22 November) via www.londongatsby.com F. Scott Fitzgerald’s timeless, seminal novel comes to the West End stage in a dazzling new musical. The Great Gatsby opened at The Broadway Theatre in April 2024 direct from a record-breaking, sold-out world premiere at Paper Mill Playhouse in New Jersey in late 2023. One of the ...

20Nov

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North West

Blood Brothers – Palace Theatre

Full disclosure that in well over forty years of watching and reviewing theatre I have always managed to avoid watching this musical paean to our Scouse cousins down the M62. I am certainly in the minority, as since its inception in 1983, Willy Russell’s ‘Liverpudlian Folk Opera’ has been garlanded with awards galore, toured the world and clocked up over 10,000 performances in the West End. So, after a little nudge from my Liverpool FC supporting editor, I braved the November sleet and snow and made the trip to the Palace Theatre in Manchester to catch its latest incarnation and finally see what all the fuss is about. The story of the Johnstone twins ‘as like each other as two new pins’ and their enforced separation - one given a life of rich opportunity whilst the other is condemned to...

KENREX to transfer to Southwark Playhouse

18Nov

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KENREX to transfer to Southwark Playhouse

Aria Entertainment and Sheffield Theatres are thrilled to announce that the world premiere of KENREX will transfer from Sheffield Theatres’ Tanya Moiseiwitsch Playhouse to Southwark Playhouse Borough from 14th February – 16th March 2025, with press night on Tuesday 18th February 2025. Following a sold-out run in Sheffield where it garnered multiple five-star reviews, KENREX is part True Crime, part Western, with a foot-stomping live Americana soundtrack, KENREX is devised by Jack Holden (Olivier-nominated Cruise) and Ed Stambollouian. '911, what's your emergency?' 'My husband... they shot him... they all did.' July 10th 1981. Skidmore, Missouri. A man is shot dead in broad daylight. There are sixty witnesses — but no one saw a thing. Photo: Manuel Harlan Jack Holden (Marriag...