Priya Gupta, Author at North West End UK

Bhangra Nation: A New Musical – Birmingham Rep

2Mar

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Bhangra Nation: A New Musical – Birmingham Rep

2024 starts with a bhang! Dancing just got serious! The Birmingham Rep presents the UK Premiere of Bhangra Nation. This is a sensational new show about finding your true self and explores the thrilling world of competitive Bhangra dancing. The story follows a university Bhangra dance team. When teammates Mary and Preeti's Bhangra team qualifies for Nationals, they set off on opposing quests to dance to their own beat. Preeti believes that the team needs to stick to tradition, but Mary is passionate about shaking things up to belong to today. Drawing from competitive Bhangra and mixing it with other Indian and Western dance forms, Bhangra Nation – A New Musical is a brash, intoxicating, and joyous musical comedy for today. Photo: Craig-Sugden We are instantly transporte...

10Dec

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Peter Pan the Musical – The Old Rep

Go on and join The Old Rep Theatre for something magical this Christmas as Peter Pan The Musical flies into Birmingham. Based on the infamous novel by J.M. Barrie, with book, music, and lyrics by Piers Chater Robinson. This production is produced by the BOA group. Alec Fellows-Bennett returns to head up the creative team as Director, with CiCi Howells as Choreographer, Stephen Watkins as Musical Director, Daniel O’Neill as Set Designer and Leanne Fitchett as Costume Designer. Alongside them is Will Monks as Lighting and Projection Designer and Clive Meldrum as Sound Designer. The story follows a free-spirited, mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having endless adventures in Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interac...

30Jun

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Guys and Dolls – Alexandra Theatre

BMOS Musical Theatre Company has returned to The Alexandra Theatre Birmingham stage with their rendition of the popular Broadway classic musical, Guys and Dolls. BMOS are Birmingham’s award-winning musical theatre company, clearly excited to bring this funny musical story of luck, gambling, and love under the bright lights of Broadway to life. Guys and Dolls has been enjoyed by audiences since the 1950s, initially as a musical, then as a film starring Marlon Brando, Gene Simmons, Frank Sinatra, and Vivian Blaine. Tonight's press showing coincided with the BSL (British Sign language) performance, and it was nice to see this inclusion within the theatre on stage, allowing the theatre to be accessible to everybody. The production values of this performance were incredible. There were ma...

Magic Goes Wrong – Birmingham Hippodrome

25May

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Magic Goes Wrong – Birmingham Hippodrome

Mischief Theatre is back and back with a bang, literally, well a puff of smoke in this case. Their new show Magic Goes Wrong has arrived at The Birmingham Hippodrome where much havoc is being caused. Right from the start as you wait in your seat for the show to begin the actors break the fourth wall, (a trademark of Mischief Theatre) and are already up on-stage causing chaos. The resultant effect is bursts of laughter from the audience. This show is centred around a magic fundraiser, and everyone has an act. Every character manages to reel you in, testing all your emotions. But of course, nothing runs smoothly and there is blood, sweat, and tears. Amongst all the drama and farce there is still a clear narrative to the show which is easy to follow. The story is fantastically wri...

24May

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

We Will Rock You – Wolverhampton Grand

Calling all rock theatricals, We Will Rock You has stomped its way down to the Wolverhampton Grand Theatre. In light of its 20th anniversary, Ben Elton is back at the helm directing. Whilst this musical has always seemed a little farcical due to the science fiction setting on the now renamed iPlanet it's still a firm favourite for many who were a fan of the iconic band, Queen. The show's story follows two rebels, Galileo and Scaramouche who fight against the oppressive ways of the regime to bring back the much-loved and forgotten rock and roll era. There was audible laughter from the audience throughout the show as the musical was effortlessly funny and there were plenty of comedic moments peppered throughout. The cast spouted lyrics that ranged from Gangnam Style to reciting the lyr...

4May

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Cluedo – The Alexandra

If you love classic board games, then you are in for a real treat because the detective board game Cluedo, a fan favourite has been made into a play. This play is a brand new comedic whodunnit. The Hasbro board game has had several versions and has seen many alterations over time. There was also a 1985 hit film called CLUE based on the game itself. This new stage play is directed by Mark Bell who is known for The Play That Goes Wrong, another comedic spoof on stage. This is no different and is just as farcical and nonsensical, however, this only adds to the experience, I could clearly hear the audience in hysterics at almost every other line spoken. The plot occurs on a dark, stormy evening at a country house where Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs Peacock, Reverend Green, Mrs White...

21Apr

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

Interviews

Diversity talk about Connected on tour

Diversity tells us how Covid amplified the importance of this tour, and how lucky they feel to have such brilliant fans as they talk to our Birmingham reviewer Priya Gupta. Ashley and Jordan Banjo and Perri Kylie tell us on their diversity connected tour the sheer coincidence of their tour is more relevant than ever due to the past couple of years. They also discuss how supportive and dedicated their fan base is. This is a jampacked tour for diversity, with 80 shows in the pipeline. They shared that it feels amazing to be back in jam-packed theatres, being able to do what they love and that getting the crowd’s reaction is something that they have missed. The response has been bigger and better on this tour, and this could be because many of the shows have been sold out. For them it f...

20Apr

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Footloose – The Alexandra

Go cut loose down at The Alexandra Theatre Birmingham where Footloose has unashamedly danced its way into town. This fan favourite musical promises to be a smash hit. This musical is based on the 1984 film of the same name, with music by Tom Snow, lyrics from Dean Pitchford, and the book by Pitchford and Walter Bobbie. The show tells the story of Ren McCormack, an ordinary teen from Chicago who moves to a small town where dancing is banned. Ren attempts to overturn this ban and convince the town to get on its feet, resulting in moments of hilarity, triumph, and self-discovery. The music stole the show for me with classic 80s hits including Holding Out for a Hero, Almost Paradise, Let's Hear It for the Boy and of course the unforgettable title track Footloose. The iconic songs had the...

Diversity Connected Tour – Alexandra Theatre

18Apr

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Diversity Connected Tour – Alexandra Theatre

I don’t know about you, but 13 years have flown by. It feels like only yesterday it was 2009 and Diversity was winning Britain’s Got Talent. Since then, they have gone from strength to strength and have become extremely successful. Now, Diversity is back with an extravaganza of a show. As promised on their last tour, this one is bigger and better than ever! Fans will not be disappointed at this spectacle of a show which is full of powerful and energetic routines. This new show centres around social media, the internet, and the new digital world that we now find ourselves living in. It is aptly named Connected, highlighting how we are all interlinked no matter where we are in the world thanks to this new digital age. This is cleverly done by intertwining visuals alongside video messages ...

Coming to England – Birmingham Repertory Theatre

5Apr

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Coming to England – Birmingham Repertory Theatre

Dame Floella Benjamin’s award-winning and iconic book Coming to England is brought to life in this touching stage adaptation. It's an inspirational story of ambition, tenacity, and victory. Award winning director Omar Okai has created a show full of magic, joy, hope and happiness. The children’s book is a firm favourite by many, with wonderful illustrations captivating Floella’s own journey of emigration from Trinidad to London. These illustrations are brought to life in the simplistic yet colourful use of props and set design. Such as the rows of light up houses that create the streets of 1960’s London to the cabin style beach huts that reflect Floella’s Trinidadian home. The show explores complex issues and themes of racism, overcoming adversity, and personal triumph. It is an insp...