Scot Cunningham, Author at North West End UK

17Oct

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Young Frankenstein – Hope Mill Theatre

Mel Brooks’ musical adaptation of the 1974 black and white horror comedy Young Frankenstein made its UK debut in Newcastle back in 2017, before taking the West End by storm. Now, in celebration of Hope Mill’s 10th anniversary, this spine-tingling spoof has been reanimated for the spooky season. When esteemed neurosurgeon Dr Frederick Frankenstein learns that he has inherited his infamous grandfather’s estate, a trip to Transylvania soon entices him into revisiting Victor’s outrageous experiments. Slick direction from Nick Winston ensures an excellent blend of sci-fi and silliness transfers from screen to stage; from flouting horror film tropes to dancing with double meanings, one scene effortlessly flows into the next as Dr Frederick and co descend into chaos. This remains both a sat...

Canal Street Lonely Hearts Club – Hope Mill Theatre

6Sep

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Canal Street Lonely Hearts Club – Hope Mill Theatre

With an inspired creative vision, the updating of a theatre piece can breathe new life into it, bringing entirely new meanings to the story and characters. The gender-swapped Company revival provided a female-centric look at the thirty-five-and-still-single life, questioning societal expectations, while &Juliet allows the queerness of Shakespeare to be a lot more overt. But when Rupert Street Lonely Hearts Club writer Jonathan Harvey‘s motivation for a modern, Northern version of his 90s London-based play doesn’t go beyond ‘f*** it, why not?’, its purpose is thrown into question before the curtain has even lifted. In a Canal Street flat, two brothers (Shaun, straight and Marti, gay) contemplate their love lives as the former’s girlfriend is being unresponsive while on holiday in...

20Aug

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

The Diana Mixtape – The Lowry

Succeeding a world premiere in London, The Diana Mixtape makes a Royal Visit to the North for a limited, three-day run. This concert-style jukebox of a Di-opic declares a need “to set the record straight”, centring on the People’s Princess’ turbulent relationship with Charles the Third. Five drag queens share the titular role as they blast through a contemporary pop playlist of female anthems. Photo: Harry Elletson It starts out strong with the queens delivering fast-paced, irreverent comedy as a lovestruck Lady Di meets her future husband for the first time. Well-chosen songs promptly introduce the audience to other characters: Elizabeth II- played by Keala Settle- rules the stage with Commander. Meanwhile, the sensational Lucinda Lawrence demands undivided attention as Camilla s...

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) – The Lowry

19Mar

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) – The Lowry

After its 2018 debut at The Tron, Glasgow, Pride & Prejudice* (*sort of) enjoyed a stint in the West End as well as a nationwide tour. With ballgown and boombox at the ready, this musical medley of classic meets comedy ventures out to entertain once more. This irreverent adaptation of the Austen novel is delivered by 5 actors soon to portray servants in a “proper” performance of it: think play-within-a-yet-to-start-play. They are tired of being the unsung heroes and so take on the leading roles in their own loud, rough and ready interpretation. Unwavering passion from an all-female troupe ensures that the utmost humour is squeezed out of every interaction, every song, every gesture. Emma Creaner delights as a pompously charismatic Charles Bingley, later slaying the audience as hi...

12Dec

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Miracle on 34th Street – HOME Mcr

This clumsy interpretation of the classic seasonal flick presents itself more as a school play than an actual musical. Forgettable songs, cracker-quality jokes and unembellished choreography feel like several lumps of coal in the stocking, delivered by the least convincing Santa Claus this reviewer has ever seen. Miracle on 34th Street follows Susan (Karis), a sceptical girl whose doubts about the marvel of Christmas have been handed down by her no-nonsense, workaholic mother, Doris (Jessica Joslin). When neighbour Fred (Matthew Hawksley) hears of Susan’s lack of belief, he makes it his mission to change this. A magical unveiling of Ciaran Bagnall’s charming toy shop set promises something wonderful, with floor-to-ceiling shelves brimming with teddy bears, footballs and rocking horse...

14Nov

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

After the Act – HOME Mcr

A new musical inspired by the nationwide societal impacts of Section 28, After the Act continues its winter tour with a penultimate stop in Manchester- long a welcoming city boasting one of the country’s largest LGBTQ+ populations. Ellice Stevens, Nkara Stephenson, Ericka Posadas and Zachary Willis deliver monologues from those who experienced the oppressive, anti-gay culture of the late 1980s as an ensemble, with Frew providing live music. The Conservative government’s law prevented schools and councils from “promoting” homosexuality. While the source material is discernibly moving, its delivery is drawn out by being overly verbatim: every single “um”, “er” and false start is unnecessary. Where this doesn’t result in anecdotes losing their focus, activity from the non-speaking cast ...

13Sep

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Gwyneth Goes Skiing – Hope Mill Theatre

It’s barely been a year since Awkward Productions tickled and perplexed Manchester audiences through Diana: The Untold and Untrue Story, yet this queer little theatre company is back at Hope Mill with another not-entirely-accurate story of a style icon to tell. Adversity strikes for the otherwise carefree actress-turned-entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow (Linus Karp) after a ski crash with optometrist Terry Sanderson (Joseph Martin) leads to a court battle. The real-life incident occurred in 2016 but wasn’t brought to trial until 2023. An understanding of goop-founding Gwyneth’s background helps to appreciate the humour of this part-musical, part-comedy, as references come hurtling down the Deer Valley slopes thick and fast. The script confidently covers it all, from her incalculable f...

24Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

A Chorus Line – The Lowry

In 1975, choreographer Michael Bennett turned taped interviews with Broadway dancers into a pioneering musical by giving a voice to those historically-unsung background performers. Having enjoyed a return to Curve, Leicester, A Chorus Line begins its summer tour at The Lowry. As part of the final audition stage for an upcoming production’s ensemble, seventeen hopefuls pitch themselves- and their talent- to director Zach (Adam Cooper) whose final casting decisions will cut their number down to eight. The pieces runs without an interval to mimic the real-time duration of the audition. Collective ambition is energetically established thorough the opening song I Hope I Get It. Sitting through every auditionee’s introduction (name, age, a bit about themselves) after this may border on ted...

13Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

I Was Dancing in the Lesbian Bar – The King’s Arms, Salford

In a packed-out King’s Arms, musical stand-up Holly Redford Jones’ tuneful contribution to Greater Manchester Fringe seeks to answer the question: where have all the lesbian bars gone? Redford Jones instantly draws the audience in with a reassuring stage presence, achieving many laughs through the sardonic delivery of her musings. Social critique remains sharp as well as facetious throughout. The show’s description promises many things- including a celebration of queer women of the past, present and future. It was therefore a missed opportunity for the piece to be noticeably light on sapphic content. Where did all the lesbian bars go? A brief history of the country’s venues- from the 1930s’ Gateways Club to London’s newest joint La Camionera- would have been a welcome inclusion. ...

Chris Tavener is Faking Cool – The King’s Arms, Salford

11Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Chris Tavener is Faking Cool – The King’s Arms, Salford

Armed with debonair wit and a trusty guitar, singer-songwriter Chris Tavener - no stranger to a gig - invites us into The King’s Arms to convince another of his audiences that he’s cooler than cool. Threatening to blow his cover, though, are those discordant, intrusive thoughts. It’s immediately made clear just how well Tavener knows his way around a guitar: he plays with instinctive confidence, continuously filling the space with foot-tapping riffs and melodies. His doubting inner voice plays out loud between songs, enabling the audience to hear the anxious musings that contrast Tavener’s tongue-in-cheek lyrics. This largely successful comedic device could be further deployed by using it to string a narrative; as implied by the title, the perceptibly-cool exterior battling with an i...