Paul Downham, Author at North West End UK

Twopence To Cross The Mersey – Theatre Royal, St Helens

28Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Twopence To Cross The Mersey – Theatre Royal, St Helens

A novel by Helen Forrester that sold over a million books had been adapted for stage and is now on tour. This particular adaptation was created by Rob Fennah, produced by Bill Elms and directed by Gareth Tudor Price. The synopsis of the story is that it is set in 1931, Helen’s family we’re made bankrupt and decided to start a new life in Liverpool, this was because Liverpool was where Helen’s father John Forrester (Mark Moraghan) made his fortune originally. In the 1930s there was the Great Depression so many people were out of work and those who had work were unlikely to give it up. Helen (Jenny Murphy) was in her teens and wanted to go to school but as her parents needed to find work she had to look after the baby whilst her brothers went to school. What was nice in this show was that ev...

Saturday Night Fever – Palace Theatre Manchester

28Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Saturday Night Fever – Palace Theatre Manchester

Producer and Director Bill Kenwright has taken the iconic 1977 film Saturday Night Fever that originally starred John Travolta and made a successful hit jukebox musical that has toured since 1999. 23 years later and the musical is still a crowd pleaser, the Manchester audience was a prime example of the pleasure this show brings with its feel-good factor pushed to its limit and pure disco tunes of the 70’s by a well-deserved standing ovation at the end. The songs mostly consist of songs that were featured in the film's soundtrack, which in turn were mostly written and performed by the Bee Gees. Throughout the performance AJ Jenks, Drew Ferry, and Oliver Thomson, were dressed as the Bee Gees and stood on a platform above the stage whilst belting out the iconic tunes we all love from this...

24Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

A Night at the Kabuki – Sadlers Wells

The description of Hideki Noda’s ‘A Night at the Kabuki’ sets the tone for the production itself. The classic tale of Romeo and Juliet, taking place at the dawn of the Samurai in late 12th Century Japan, set to the music from Queen’s A Night at the Opera. It’s chaotic, colourful and exciting – a bizarre clashing of cultures which shouldn’t work on paper but culminates in a thrilling and utterly enthralling sensory overload of an evening. Of course, it isn’t quite that simple – no giving the game away here but the audience is invited to join older and wiser star-crossed lovers Romeo and Juliet as they journey back to their younger selves to see if they can rewrite their own tragic love story. The production is performed with subtitles, but dialogue is used sparingly, instead favouring en...

The Incomplete Works of Shakespeare – Shakespeare North Playhouse

17Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

The Incomplete Works of Shakespeare – Shakespeare North Playhouse

I was very excited to visit the Shakespeare North Playhouse in Prescot, being from Liverpool and usually having to travel down to Stratford – upon- Avon or London to see these fine performances. It is such a joy to have this on my doorstep. The building is on the original site of the Shakespearean theatre that was originally built by Richard Harrington from 1597-1603. This rebuild was under the Prescot 1597 Project and was funded by the Lottery Heritage Fund. A great opportunity to have a modern building on the grounds of such a prestigious site. Today the theatre was presenting the “incomplete works” in the small outdoor theatre known as the Sir Ken Dodd Memorial Gardens and again this felt very fitting, as I was a great fan of this wonderful Liverpudlian comedian. The gard...

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series 3 Tour – M&S Bank Arena

17Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

RuPaul’s Drag Race UK Series 3 Tour – M&S Bank Arena

It's too conformist. It's not political enough. There's a diversity problem. The drag debate began long ago and won't be settled anytime soon. But surely, if a show has talent and is attracting a new audience then it's doing something right? If so, there's very little to debate: RuPaul's Drag Race UK Series 3 Tour is bloody brilliant. The latest season of RuPaul on the BBC boasted a stellar line-up. But it's not until each queen is given an equal time to shine that it's clear just how stellar. There are no weak links, everyone is bringing their a-game and the result is mainstream drag at its very finest. A black and white-themed runway opener gives the up-for-it-audience a first glimpse of what's in vogue. The looks are predictably incredible. This review will focus on the performanc...

5Sep

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Interviews

Big Fish swims into Northwich

Big Fish the musical is heading to Northwich Memorial Court later this month from Mid Cheshire Musical Theatre Company and our editor, Paul Downham has been speaking to director Louise Colohan to find out what we can expect from this lessor known musical. Mid Cheshire Musical Theatre Company have once again opted to produce a lesser known musical after the success of Sunshine on Leith 12 months ago and American Idiot earlier this year, which both gained huge critical acclaim. This year they bring us Big Fish, tell us about the storyline? Big Fish tells us the story of Edward Bloom, a seemingly ordinary man who, through the tales he tells his son, appears to have led a life full of magic, wonder, love and adventure. As an ailing Edward seeks to reconcile with his now grown-up son, we ...

West Side Story – Theatre Royal Wakefield

27Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

West Side Story – Theatre Royal Wakefield

A Tour de Force of a production in every perceived meaning of the phrase. A long-time favourite of many, West Side Story which is based on the concept of Jerome Robbins – as a modern day telling of Romeo and Juliet - is synonymous with Robbins famous choreographic style. Collaborating with Arthur Laurents as writer and the legendary composer Leonard Bernstein with Stephen Sondheim as lyricist; West Side Story was always going to be a hit. From its film versions in 1961 and 2021 to its innumerable stage productions the musical has engaged people for the last 65 years and continues to do so in Wakefield this week! Set in the 1950’s, the musical resets Romeo and Juliet onto the New York streets and the world of rival gangs, the Jets and the Sharks. Maria, sister of the Sharks gang leade...

20Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

REVIEWS

Midnight – Daniel Lewis Wilson

Midnight – written, directed, and filmed by Daniel Lewis Wilson – is the sobering tale of what happens when an affair goes wrong and two lovers (Natasha Hale; Pete Austen) have to deal with its aftermath. Austen captures the anger and frustration of the man whilst Hale’s more pensive and reflective woman hints towards the twist that will follow in this riveting short piece whose words and performances really hold the attention, with a natural awkwardness to their chemistry befitting of the moment they find themselves in. Filmed in a single location, Wilson’s use of dark, light and shadow techniques, with the merest touch of colour, really adds to the intrigue and suspense, holding our attention whilst Marko Maksimovic’s Dark Ambient provides the perfect accompaniment. With edi...

Blippi: The Musical – Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue

20Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

Blippi: The Musical – Apollo Theatre, Shaftesbury Avenue

For the very first time, the well-loved character Blippi hits the stage in the UK for only three weeks from 16th August until the 4th September. Spanning a variety of media platforms, Blippi has become the soundtrack to many childrens’, and subsequently families’, lives since his inception in 2014. The character Blippi was created, and originally played, by Stevin John before Clayton Grimm took over in May 2021 and is whom we saw today. The show follows Blippi and his buddies in their quest to fix the Party Machine, whilst having a variety of detours courtesy of their vast array of friends in need of help. Even though the show is targeted at families and for ages 2+, I went in with an open mind and was ready to review it with a focus on the kids’ enjoyment more than my own – as...

Much Ado about Nothing – Hope Mill Theatre

19Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Much Ado about Nothing – Hope Mill Theatre

Shakespeare isn’t for everybody, they say. Well, it was tonight in Ancoats! HER Productions & Girl Gang Manchester & Unseemly Shakespeare have produced yet another (this is their fourth Shakespearean outing) magical piece of theatre which allows the wit of Shakespeare’s writing to speak for itself, with an impressive cast who relish the opportunity to perform it. A plot to drive a couple apart and a plot to unite another paring both through trickery and male misplaced notions of the opposite sex. A play about desire and love, this production highlights gender politics acutely; it’s far more than a Tudor rom-com. The gender fluid casting is pure Shakespeare and adds a unique joy to the play. This a comedic play and each line was delivered with a sharpness that made the Elizabetha...