North West Archives - North West End UK

27Sep

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

North West

BULL – HOME Mcr

Imagine if David Brent busted a few moves and communicated in British Sign Language (BSL) then you get a sense of what BULL was all about. Like Mamet’s masterpiece Glengarry Glen Ross this was on one level a play about toxic office politics, but also a perceptive examination of power, and more importantly which of the characters had it. What sets BULL apart is that the cast communicate in BSL throughout with hearing members of the audience relying on captions above the stage. I’d seen a few works at Leeds Playhouse where BSL had been partially integrated but Deafinitely Theatre as the first deaf led company had gone much further as the hearing amongst us found ourselves where people with hearing issues routinely find themselves in theatre land. As director Paula Garfield no...

Achy Breaky Bride – Theatre Royal, St Helens

27Sep

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

Achy Breaky Bride – Theatre Royal, St Helens

‘A wedding, a bridal shop and a whole lot of country-pop fun.’ Forget the traditional wedding bells — Achy Breaky Bride brings guitars, sequins, family drama and plenty of chaos to the Theatre Royal St Helens in a lively comedy that is guaranteed to put a smile on your face. Starring Merseyside favourite Leanne Campbell as Jolene, alongside X Factor star David Heath, Rachel Wood, Conor Barrie and Liverpool drag queen Sania Pain, the production brings together a colourful cast who clearly relish the opportunity to have some fun. Set inside a bridal shop in St Helens, the story follows the increasingly complicated events surrounding a bride-to-be as wedding plans begin to go spectacularly off course. Throw in family tensions, romance, misunderstandings and a generous helping of musi...

24Sep

By Rebecca CaseyNo Comments

North West

We Will Rock You – Winstanley College

Tonight was my first time at Winstanley College and my first time seeing a production by Orrell Musical & Dramatic Society (OMADS). The company was set up in 1967. I have seen the Westend production of We Will Rock You but working it out it must be 20 years ago. We Will Rock You is a jukebox musical Featuring over 20 hit songs by the British rock band Queen formed in the 70s. Story and script by Ben Elton a comedian and writer. Set in a post-apocalyptic future it tells the tale of a world where music and individuality is banned. At the core of the story, the principal cast, Emily Reacher as Scaramouche and Jerome Antony Pargetor as Galileo. Pargetor was the epitome of a triple threat musical theatre performer, his dancing was strong, the vocals flawless. As a pair these too...

The Opera Boys: The Farewell Tour – Floral Pavilion

22Sep

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

The Opera Boys: The Farewell Tour – Floral Pavilion

There are some concerts where you know from the opening notes that you’re in for an evening of big voices and bigger emotions. The Opera Boys – The Farewell Tour, at the Floral Pavilion on 19th September 2026, did exactly that, with Britain’s Got Talent star Paul Potts joining the group for what is billed as a special farewell tour. The combination of The Opera Boys’ operatic crossover style and Potts’ instantly recognisable voice makes for an intriguing pairing, bringing together classical music, musical theatre and popular favorites in a format designed to appeal well beyond the traditional opera audience. The Opera Boys have built their reputation around bringing opera and classical crossover to mainstream audiences, and their performance combined vocal precision with plenty of pe...

Letter to Brezhnev – Liverpool’s Royal Court

22Sep

By Carole BaldockNo Comments

North West

Letter to Brezhnev – Liverpool’s Royal Court

We begin with quite a dilemma because the curtain rises on one of the most intriguing, complex sets I’ve ever seen - but no wish to spoil the impact, so let’s call it multi-level, multi-layered and multi-purpose, covering a lot of ground, from Russia to the UK: ship and Kremlin to a council house, pubs and the Kirkby Chicken Factory. The set ingeniously changes the scene with fittings sliding in and out, back and forth, or even turned around, while manhandling the props is skilfully done. However, considering so much care has been taken, the devil is in a couple of details: Elaine threatening somebody with using her stilettoes as a weapon when she is wearing flats, and Nan’s 80th birthday party – with no sign of Nan. On the bright side, set in 1985, when two Liverpool lasses meet up wit...

21Sep

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Cluedo – Blackburn Empire

Blackburn Drama Club’s staging of Cluedo is an absolute blast of nostalgic entertainment. Based on the beloved board game and the iconic cult classic film, this production delivers a fast-paced, laugh-out-loud whodunit that keeps the audience guessing - and giggling - from the opening storm to the final reveal. The premise is as timeless as it is chaotic. On a dark and stormy night, a colourful array of eccentric guests arrives at the ominous Boddy Manor for a mysterious dinner party. With aliases assigned, a sinister butler handing out lethal weapons, and a host who rapidly turns up dead, the iconic roster - Miss Scarlet, Professor Plum, Mrs. White, Reverend Green, Mrs. Peacock, and Colonel Mustard - must race against time to unmask the killer before they become the next victim. Wha...

16Sep

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Barnum – Liverpool Empire

Step right up, step right up and prepare to be entertained, because Barnum has arrived at the Liverpool Empire! Based on the life of the legendary American showman P. T. Barnum, this bright, colourful musical takes audiences through the highs and lows of the man who famously built an entertainment empire on ambition, imagination and the promise of giving audiences “something they’ve never seen before”. At the centre of this production is Matt Rawle who plays the one and only P. T. Barnum. Rawle brings an infectious charisma and an almost childlike enthusiasm for each of his next big ideas. He is the man with the gift of the gab. There is plenty of humour in his portrayal, but contrastingly we get to see more of an edge to Barnum, a willingness to use others for his own gain, to ma...

16Sep

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Cluedo – The Brindley

Taking on Cluedo in a studio space is an ambitious undertaking. With its frantic action, mounting body count and seemingly endless rooms, it’s a play that demands slick movement both on and off stage. Under Ria Green’s direction, Centenary Theatre Company rises enthusiastically to the challenge, delivering an evening packed with physical comedy, familiar characters and plenty of hilarity. Most people will be familiar with the premise - six strangers gather in a grand manor to meet the mysterious Mr Boddy and attend what quickly becomes a deadly dinner party. Sandy Rustin’s adaptation of the 1985 screenplay by Johnathan Lynn relocates the action to England, with our decidedly dodgy collection of suspects drawn from Westminster rather than Washington. Wisely, the cast resist simp...

11Sep

By Carole BaldockNo Comments

North West

Julia’s Song – Epstein Theatre

A setting of white picket fences (?) backed by a row of seemingly terraced houses (?) - in posh Woolton, and Julia breezes in like a breath of fresh air. And she deserves a tribute; my companion compared her with Dolly Parton. Julia too was talented, intelligent, ambitious and free-spirited; vivid, beautiful and vibrantly dressed, but with a mass of red curls. Alison Crawford, in many ways, is the epitome of John’s mother. And in many ways, she would have been described as no better than she ought to be. More accurately, sadly, she never had the chance to better her life; given a break, you could imagine she may well have almost been the next best thing since… The Beatles. Unfortunately, this biography, although accurate (writer and director, Sylvia Hall, was custodian at the childhood hom...

Come From Away – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

11Sep

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Come From Away – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Some musicals are written to entertain, some are emotional and then there's Come From Away, which takes you on a journey through both and leaves you with a sense of hope in humanity. Altrincham Garrick Playhouse's performance is a wonderful reminder of why this extraordinary musical has captured audience’s hearts around the world. Set in the aftermath of the events of September 11th, Come From Away tells the remarkable true story of the small Newfoundland community of Gander, which suddenly found itself welcoming around 7,000 passengers whose flights had been diverted and grounded. What could have been an overwhelming crisis became a story of kindness, generosity, friendship and human connection. What makes the story so powerful is that it doesn't focus on the tragedy itself. Instead...