Stephanie Wiswall, Author at North West End UK

14May

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Shrek the Musical – The Brindley

Step into the magical mythic tale of Shrek the Musical and follow him and his band of fairytale creatures on a journey with his beloved sidekick Donkey and his enchanted Princess Fiona as they save the Kingdom of Duloc from the evil Farquaad and find true love. Directed by Dean Callow. This performance, although it may be performed by an amateur company, is anything but amateur. A show which is guaranteed to have audiences laughing, singing and shouting for more. Audiences are captivated from the moment they enter the auditorium as the staging and set are eye catching and transport you into a magical wonderland. Then, you are hit with the most stunningly enchanting costumes which perfectly identify each individual character easily, full of colour, sparkle and pizazz. The Musical D...

Beauty and the Beast – Empire Theatre, Blackburn

6May

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Beauty and the Beast – Empire Theatre, Blackburn

Glitter, bubbles, laughter and love, this performance of Beauty and the Beast has it all. It was an absolute honour to review this production by Blackburn Musical Theatre Company, directed by Tony Fry. I can honestly say it's one of, if not THE best amateur production I have seen. Definitely get yourselves down to the Empire Theatre in Blackburn to witness this magical production, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. The audience were enchanted and engaged from start to finish, I spoke with many people and not one had a bad word to say about this sparkling production. I'll start with the wonderful Belle (Leanna Wharf) who encompassed the role beautifully and whose vocals shone. She was a delight to watch and listen to and her solos were incredible, hitting some very difficult an...

7Apr

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Cinderella – St Helens Theatre Royal

We all know the tale of Cinderella. Well, add a little sparkle and magic and you will find the cast of St Helens Theatre Royal and their portrayal. A wonderfully staged production which is bound to bring joy to many children and families over this Easter holiday. The cast is comprised of Coronation Streets Kimberly Hart-Simpson who plays the wonderfully sweet and fun Cinderella, Ben Keith as the very handsome and wholesome Prince Charming. Back by popular demand as always with his high energy as Buttons, Lewis Devine. The fabulously funny, and gruesome twosome ugly sisters portrayed by Shania Pain and Richard Aucott. Conor Barrie as the lively and cheeky Dandini and finally Rachael Wood as the glittering and captivating Fairy Godmother. This pantomime showcases some beautiful vocal t...

The Story Forge: Make Your Own Myth – Unity Theatre

5Apr

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

The Story Forge: Make Your Own Myth – Unity Theatre

Creative, fun and delightfully unique. If you are looking for a family fun show to suit all ages and really get yourself immersed into a show then look no further, the Rubbish Shakespeare Company has you covered with their hilarious and eccentric performance 'The Story Forge; Make your own Myth. As the title suggests, you the audience are involved in the creativity of what you see in front of you. Every person in the theatre was engaged, laughing and left with a smile. Two very talented actors with fantastic improvisation skills, comedy and physical theatre will immerse you, and especially those children in the audience in an engrossingly lively story using information, props and input from the audience. The show could go in any direction and trust me it does, this certainly isn't a sho...

8Feb

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Exposed – Hope Street Theatre

Exposed (written, produced and performed by Laura Tellwright and wonderfully directed by Faye Caddick) is a painful but powerful performance which documents the ups and downs of life through the depths of grief. Don't be fooled into thinking this performance is going to be depressing and morose. Although, yes, you do need tissues in parts, this story really does have you crying, laughing and crying laughing. Very rarely do I see an audience so captivated, entranced and mesmerized. Yes, all similar words but I feel it needs to be shown just what an amazing performance this really is. You feel every emotion, you understand those emotions, you can relate with what is happening on stage, from the raw grief to the comedic take on dating, therapy and sometimes grief itself. By the e...

A Man and His Circumstance – Hope Street Theatre

31Jan

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

A Man and His Circumstance – Hope Street Theatre

A man and his circumstance is a thought provoking and educational piece of theatre based around breaking the stigma of talking about male health issues and opening the floor for men to talk. Written and produced by Tom Cain, owner of his own independent theatre company Tom Cain Theatre. The performance is portrayed by three very talented actors, some of whom take on multiple roles throughout the performance. Firstly, Matthew Swinnerton who plays Joel, a friendly, down to earth, relatable lad next door type. He is the main character and narrates the whole story. You empathise with his health struggles, and he portrays a guy's different personalities within different settings and social groups extremely well. Also, portraying touching more delicate moments with ease. Thoroughly ...

25Jan

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Breezeblock Park – Hope Street Theatre

Breezeblock Park, set in Liverpool, during Christmas of 1975, following the highs and lows of a Scouse family as they encounter a different class, a shock revelation and try with all their might to maintain their Christmas spirit throughout. Written by Willy Russell, directed by Clayton Travis and performed by Off Topic Theatre Company. This performance is lengthy, hard hitting and diverse. The cast did extremely well with such a performance and each character portrayed their own morals, characteristics and mannerisms well, meaning the audience had a good grasp of the types of personalities, temperaments and natures which graced our stage. The story follows rebel Sandra (Chloe Gratton) who is trying to break free from her family class and norms to experience a wider world. Her dy...

Spotlight on Showstoppers – Rainhill Village Hall

18Jan

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Spotlight on Showstoppers – Rainhill Village Hall

An evening of energy and laughter with Rainhill Musical Theatre Company and their concert ‘Spotlight on Showstoppers' which showcases crowd pleasing favourites from old and new musicals. With a cast of only 10 including wonderful harmonies and performances from Pip Bradshaw, Ruth Gibb and Suzi Davies, they did a tremendous job in keeping us all entertained. A few favourites stood out and had the audience talking from a beautiful ballad of 'Tell me it's not true' performed by Barbara Marsh to lively and upbeat 'All that Jazz' confidently performed by Claire Jones. Claire Heaton was there to get the audience clapping and singing along with her rendition of 9 to 5 and Meg Charlton and Claire Jones performed 'What is this feeling?' from Wicked excellently, it was very entertaining ...

11Jan

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Sleeping Beauty – Thingwall Players

Thingwall players should be very proud of themselves for their fun and energetic retelling of the traditional tale Sleeping Beauty. From the moment we entered it was a welcoming atmosphere. With a cast of mixed ages with excellent chemistry which shines through on the stage ensuring their audience leaves with a smile. One thing to note, this venue is a small, cozy and intimate venue which would be a fantastic performance to see for any children or adults who struggle with crowds or larger venues. But don't underestimate the talent and execution of this performance based on the venue size. It will have you beaming from ear to ear all the way home. Don't be fooled into thinking this is just an ordinary retelling of the tale. Brilliantly written by Nigel Holmes but superbly directed by ...

28Sep

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Wonder Boy – Liverpool Playhouse

Wonder Boy is a beautifully written piece of theatre which gives the audience a real insight into the struggles of living with a stammer. Following the character of Sonny and following his journey from frustration to freedom. Written by Ross Willis and directed by Sally Cookson with thought, precision and an excellent and imaginative portrayal of the frustration and expression of speaking with a stammer. A beautifully put together play which captivates you from the beginning, you are immediately drawn and sympathetic to the main character of Sonny, who was performed by Hilson Agbangbe who produced a strong and diverse performance and helped you to warm easily to the character and depicted Sonny's difficulties within the real world. Sonny's character cannot be mentioned without the excel...