North West Archives - Page 101 of 128

Dreamboats and Petticoats – Palace Theatre

15Mar

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Dreamboats and Petticoats – Palace Theatre

Bill Kenwright’s and Laura Mansfield’s presentation of Dreamboats and Petticoats opened for its one week run of the 2022 tour at the magnificent Manchester Palace Theatre. This juke box musical is written around a compilation of hit songs from the late 1950’s and early 1960’s, the storyline is thin but still noteworthy where we see a group of youngsters trying to make a success of their musical careers. Laura (Elizabeth Carter) the most successful of the group and her beau Bobby (David Ribi) who has taken a backstep from the limelight due to stage fright. The couple take summer jobs Laura alone in Torquay and Bobby in Butlin’s Bognor Region with the rest of the gang. Another significant coupling in the script is Norman (Alastair Hill) a cool and flirtatious lead singer and the mother of...

15Mar

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Kes – Octagon Theatre, Bolton

The most frequent responses to my reviewing this new adaptation of 'Kes' at the newly refurbished Octagon Theatre in Bolton a co-production with Theatre by the Lake, were ' Ooh, I read that at school' or 'I love the film' (often followed by an impersonation of Brian Glover as the PE teacher). Any of the audience attending last night expecting a faithful rendition of the novel, or wanting a staged version of the film, would have been disappointed. What they got instead was an intensely theatrical experience; a story of 'a boy, not a bird', that should be appreciated for its own considerable merits. This northern story of Billy Casper (Jake Dunn) finding and training a kestrel is so embedded in the psyche, that the initial moments of this new adaptation by Robert Alan Evans are disorienta...

Dave Allen… A Journey Through Life… and Death – King’s Arms

15Mar

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Dave Allen… A Journey Through Life… and Death – King’s Arms

Dave Allen was brilliant at pointing out the ironies and absurdities of life... and death. He was a storyteller who loved to poke fun at religion at a time, particularly in his native Ireland, when the church was extremely powerful. His shows were banned by the Irish broadcaster, RTE. He said, “I’m an atheist, thank God,” and he insisted he was not making fun of religion but people’s concept of religion. As a child at a strict Catholic school, even though they tried to scare him with hell and damnation, his natural intelligence and curiosity made him question faith and belief. Kieran Cunningham completely embodied the comedian, who has been called the father of alternative comedy. From the voice to the hand gestures and all his other little mannerisms he brought Allen back to life. W...

15Mar

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Chicago – The Regent, Stoke

Originally directed by Bob Fosse, based on the play by Maurine Dallas Watkins and with music by John Kander, ‘Chicago’ graced the stage of the Regent Theatre in Stoke on Monday night. Directed originally by Walter Bobbie and with a recreation of the original direction by Stacey Haynes, ‘Chicago’ was set in the decadent 1920s and tells the story of the flamboyant ‘Roxie Hart’ (Faye Brookes) whose lover is murdered when he threatens to leave her. The story unfolds as she is desperate to avoid conviction. With several well-known names in this particular cast, the surprise of the night was the role of classical tenor, Russell Watson. Whilst his vocals were never in doubt, his acting was unknown but from his performance with ‘the Girls’ to ‘All I care about’ it was evident he would not disap...

13Mar

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Sweeney Todd – Hope Street Theatre

Sweeney Todd opened his shop in Liverpool’s Hope Street theatre. A show by Off Topic Productions, a northwest based company. The state that “their style is experimental and attempts to put new spins on classic forms of theatre.” It starts with Mr Todd (Ioseph Myrddin) coming home from imprisonment after being held for a crime he didn’t commit. He’s a new man, a man who will now act revenge on those who wronged him. Mr Todd is reunited with his razors from Mrs Lovett (Elisa Edwards) and has a competition to be the best barber. After taking solace in the room above Mrs Lovett’s bakery he welcomes customers to his barbershop. It is here where his killing spree begins. He and Mrs Lovett become lovers and decide to use the dead corpses for meat in her pies to avoid the meat crisis. Incidenta...

13Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Alcina – The Lowry

The staging of Handel’s Alcina presents a challenge and from what I saw tonight, the jury is still out; if we focus instead on the delivery of some of the finest vocal writing ever written and all-round musicality, then this performance should be considered a success. Searching for her fiancé Ruggiero (Patrick Terry), Bradamante (Mari Askvik) arrives on an island belonging to the enchantress Alcina (Sky Ingram). Bradamante has adopted the disguise of her own brother, Ricciardo, and is accompanied by her protector, Melissa (Claire Pascoe). Alcina’s sister, Morgana (Fflur Wyn), instantly falls in love with ‘Ricciardo’ despite already being in a relationship with Oronte (Nick Pritchard), whilst Bradamante is distraught when she discovers Ruggiero and Alcina are lovers. Within this medle...

ADHD The Musical – Royal Court, Liverpool

11Mar

By Clare ChandlerNo Comments

North West

ADHD The Musical – Royal Court, Liverpool

ADHD The Musical is an enjoyable and informative show that explores the realities of life when your brain is ‘differently made’. Written and performed by Dora Colquhoun the show is part musical parody, part stand-up and part ADHD infomercial. Colquhoun is an incredibly engaging performer who is ably supported by the excellent Karl LLorca (who provides BSL interpretation). Indeed, Llorca was gifted a show stealing moment when Colquhoun’s mic pack malfunctioned, and he and musical director Luke Thomas, were required to entertain the sold-out Royal Court studio. Given the huge diagnosis gap between men and women with ADHD, with men almost three times more likely to be diagnosed, this is an important topic and one that Colquhoun, with collaborator Izzie Major, str...

11Mar

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Carmen – The Lowry

Carmen is stuffed full of well-known arias and melodies, or as one audience member put it as she left the theatre, “I was surprised by how many songs I already knew.” From the Toreador’s song to the Habanera and the Seguidilla the music is easily recognisable by most people even if they have never been to an opera. This boisterous production by Opera North updated events from 19th century Sevilla to a border town in the late 1950s early 1960s. This was a clever idea as this was a time of rebellion, of counter-culture, where young people wanted to be free and do their own thing. To live and love on their own terms. For the character of Carmen love is transitory. She is open and honest in saying that she falls in and out of love with ease. She just wants freedom and is unconcerned with...

10Mar

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Kerbs – Unity Theatre

Kerbs, written by Michael Southan and directed by Nickie Miles-Wildin, is a brutally honest and delightfully awkward story about dating with disability and fighting for your independence while keeping your relationships, romantic and otherwise, alive. Fully subtitled throughout, with audio description available, the play cleverly uses set and graphics to bring life to an original take on the boy meets girl story. Lucy (Maya Coates) has signed up to a dating app and it’s clear from the start that she’s looking for sex rather than love. As is always the way, there are a few cringey profiles that she quickly blocks, but sparks fly when she “meets” David (Jack Hunter) resulting in some heavy flirting in the DMs. They soon meet up in person for drinks, but a fun evening which both are hoping...

10Mar

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Billionaire Boy – Palace Theatre

When a boy has everything in the world you would think he was the happiest person ever. Gifted 1 million pounds every birthday and a further 100,000 pounds a week for pocket money. He had all the games and consoles you could imagine. What a life Joe Spud (Matthew Gordon) lead. However, poor Joe wanted the one thing that money can’t buy, a true friend. Everyone at his school would tease him because his dad (Matthew Mellalieu) made his billions from selling Bum Fresh toilet rolls, that also had a catchy jingle. Joe decides to go to a state school instead of his very expensive private school, as it was there that he could start a fresh. Because nobody knew him, he could be anybody he wanted and not be asked for money and deal with fake friendships. Joe Spud loved his new school he met all ...