REVIEWS Archives - North West End UK

4Dec

By Charlotte MansfieldNo Comments

London

The Horse of Jenin – Bush Theatre

Alaa Shehada’s one man show about growing up in Jenin is a funny and powerful tale of Palestinians trying to lead ordinary lives under the ever-present threat of violence. Comedy is the tone from the outset, as Shehada begins by engaging with the audience, getting us to laugh, clap along to music and interact with him to ease us in. He then tells us about his birth, the first boy born to his parents, passed around by all his aunts and uncles in celebration. At the same time, another boy was born in the area, Ahmed, who becomes Shehada’s best friend. When a German artist comes to Jenin and starts collecting the debris from the latest Israeli attack, the boys are confused at first – why would someone want this rubbish? But then a sculpture of a horse is unveiled, piec...

The Christmas Thing – Seven Dials Playhouse

4Dec

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

The Christmas Thing – Seven Dials Playhouse

Tom Clarkson and Owen Visser have returned with their anarchic Christmas show, The Christmas Thing. The vague title is perfect for a show that veers wildly between songs, slapstick, games and skits. It harks back to the Morecambe and Wise Christmas Specials of the 1970s, with music, sketches, slapstick, cracker jokes and a bit of topical satire thrown in - if that legendary duo had been high on magic mushrooms. The set-up is a live TV studio, with members of the audience offering up their party pieces as they become the show's "special guests". So in between songs and sketches, audience members gargle the National Anthem or do the splits or hunt for a missing box of Christmas cheer. The frenzied pace is interspersed with some whizzy and technically clever video pieces introducing ...

Dick Whittington – St Helens Theatre Royal

4Dec

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Dick Whittington – St Helens Theatre Royal

It’s December and that can only mean one thing: it’s almost Christmas—well, two things, because now it’s panto season. Last night’s offering was Dick Whittington at St Helens Theatre Royal, who regularly put on four pantos per year. However, they go all out for their Christmas pantomime. It’s a Regal Entertainment production, written by David Phipps-Davis and directed under the helm of Chantelle Joseph. For those who are unfamiliar with the story, Dick Whittington (Matthew Wolfenden) has walked the long journey to the bright lights of the English capital, London, all the way from Yorkshire—specifically Emmerdale Farm. His adventure comes with many a twist and turn. Firstly, he gains a little pussy cat called Tommi (Jenna Sian O’Hara), who has spent many a year at the circus because she ...

Broke and Fabulous in the 21st Century – Etcetera Theatre

4Dec

By Charlotte MansfieldNo Comments

London

Broke and Fabulous in the 21st Century – Etcetera Theatre

How do you live a life as beautiful as the one that’s in your head? This is the question facing the characters of Dale Robertson's one act play. Described as a ‘dramedy for today’s generation’, it is a commentary on navigating the modern world told through the eyes of two friends, Alex and Petunia, both broke and in their 30s. As the audience enters, Alex (Dale Robertson) is already on stage, lying on a low bed, pouting and scribbling in a notebook. Clothes are strewn around the room, partly a result of his latest sexual encounter with not-quite-boyfriend Tom (Rowland Stirling) and partly because this is his lifestyle - chaotic, messy bohemian. He's an out of work actor and writer who can only afford one meal a day (but has enough for alcohol and drugs when he wants th...

4Dec

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Oliver Twist – Hull Truck Theatre

Published as a serial between 1836 and 1839, Charles Dickens’ Oliver Twist has undergone a myriad of adaptations, and Deborah McAndrew’s dramatic and highly theatrical take on this age-old classic is currently wowing audiences at Hull Truck Theatre. The venue was packed on Tuesday night with all ages of theatregoers eagerly awaiting curtain up at 7pm. Of course, regular Truckers will know there never is a curtain to actually rise; every nook and cranny of the stage for whatever production is always totally on show giving one a chance to have a pre-production nosy. At first glance, the stage for this show looked quite empty. However, towards the rear there rose huge arched windows and spaced columns, with an elevated walkway reached by a hefty spiral staircase. The atmospheres w...

4Dec

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Miss Saigon – Leeds Grand

When I was a student in London I saw all the big musicals, but for some reason I missed Miss Saigon which was smashing box office records at the time. Thankfully legendary impresario Cameron Mackintosh and Michael Harrison have joined forces to bring this sung through musical about the Vietnam war back on the road, exactly 50 years after that bloody conflict ended. Given the perilous state of the world reviving a musical based on Puccini’s Madame Butterfly about the cost of war is really timely. Like most musicals the narrative is driven by a love story, but the tale of GI Chris falling in love with a seventeen-year-old bargirl Kim being exploited by an odious pimp The Engineer in war torn Saigon is far, far gritter than most musicals. Years later Chris finds out his lost love has ha...

4Dec

By Bethany EastonNo Comments

North West

Matilda The Musical – Liverpool Empire

Roald Dahl’s classic Matilda, turned into a musical by scriptwriter Dennis Kelly and Songwriter Tim Minchin, arrived at the Empire this week to great applause from the Liverpool audience. This nostalgic journey back into a well-known children’s book was a fun filled and laugh out loud exploration of the story. Many may have seen the film version out in 2022 and the hype around this musical continues. Having spent over a decade in London, this touring production offers the rest of the UK the opportunity to delve into Matilda’s world. And no wonder it has proved so popular, the show is a gift where theatrics and cinematography combine and you’ll be questioning – how did they do that effect? The main cast are child actors, and all are incredible, showcasing their multi-talents and maki...

Tannhäuser – Sofia Opera and Ballet, Bulgaria

3Dec

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

Tannhäuser – Sofia Opera and Ballet, Bulgaria

This summer’s Sofia Opera Wagner Festival was bookended by performances of Richard Wagner’s Tannhäuser so it was fitting to see a winter revival from director Plamen Kartaloff and a lovely prelude to next summer’s Wagner Festival where it will once again feature alongside Der Ring des Nibelungen. Tannhäuser (Martin Iliev) awakens in Venus’ (Radostina Nikolaeva) embrace at her cave where she reveals to him the wonders of her kingdom, but when he utters the name of the Holy Mary, her spell is broken. The pilgrims’ hymns echo through the valley of Wartburg as the men travel towards Rome and Tannhäuser decides to join them and beg for forgiveness for his sins. Herman (Petar Buchkov), the landgrave of Thuringia, arrives accompanied by many of the most famous minnesängers. Wolfram (Ventses...

3Dec

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Freaky Friday – HOME Mcr

Disney’s Freaky Friday has had several incarnations over the decades, yet this musical version manages to feel lively, warm, and surprisingly moving. Rather than leaning on nostalgia, it approaches the familiar story with modern humour, heartfelt character work, and two central performances that elevate the entire production. At its heart are Katherine, played with effortless comedic timing by Rebecca Lock, as Ellie, portrayed with sharp wit and authentic teenage exasperation by Jena Pandya. Katherine is a single mum trying to hold together her business, her upcoming wedding, and a household on the brink of chaos. Ellie is equally overwhelmed, navigating friendship politics, crushes, and the intense importance of her school’s annual scavenger hunt. When a heated argument erupts between ...

2Dec

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Beyond Monet – Royal Highland Centre

There’s something delightfully odd about stepping into one of the colossal cattle halls of the Royal Highland Centre and finding yourself transported into Monet’s luminous world of haystacks, lily ponds, and steam trains. Edinburgh’s Beyond Monet is the smaller sibling of last year’s Glasgow Beyond Van Gogh installation, but size, as it turns out, is only part of the story. The Royal Highland Centre, by contrast, offers a more contained, unified volume. Here, the projections encircle you on all four walls with complete synchronicity, transforming the experience into something more cohesive. Instead of moving through fragments and competing tableaux, you sink into a single visual world. Oddly enough, the smaller building produces a bigger emotional effect. The room becomes womb-like, dar...