North West Archives - Page 107 of 174

26Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Steel Magnolias – Rainhill Village Hall

Robert Harling penned this play shortly after the death of his sister and it is very much based on real life experiences: after his sister’s funeral he noticed how the women who supported her came together to share stories and laugh in a way the men of the family seemed unable to do. Director Michèle Martin has remained faithful to the setting in Louisiana in the heart of the Deep South where the action unfolds in the singular setting of a small-town beauty salon with owner Truvy (Samantha Moores) welcoming the newly arrived but troubled young beautician, Annelle (Katie Griffin) to work with her. But this is more than a hair salon, it is a place of refuge that forges those that need it into ‘steel magnolias’ and where a group of local women come to share their close bond of friendship. ...

Ladyfriends (A Period Drama) – Shakespeare North Playhouse

25Mar

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Ladyfriends (A Period Drama) – Shakespeare North Playhouse

A charming stripped back, playful metadrama recalling a time when Lesbians were “not yet invented”, and women could only possibly be friends. Using multimedia to deliver a stimulating sensory narrative structure which serves its juxtaposition between modern day storytelling in its depiction of an early 20th century queer love story. Written and directed by Clodagh Chapman the performance is centred on a rumoured, historical love affair between political activist and co-founder of the Women’s Social and Political Union, Christabel Pankhurst, portrayed by Ellie Mejia and fellow Suffragette Annie Kenney, played by Lucy Mackay. The Victorian era saw developments in modern language around the understanding of sexual behaviour and identity which has become rooted within our societal construct...

25Mar

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Stone on Stone – Epstein Theatre

Stone on Stone, written by Frank Kenny and directed by Mikyla Jane Durkan, is a drama inspired by Charlie Chaplin’s infamous visit to John Larkin in Sing Sing Prison, New York in the early 1920s. An exploration of the political views of Larkin, the political education of Chaplin, and the constant peril Chaplin’s position as an internationally famous film star with far-left leanings, the exact definition of which he would constantly be deliberately vague in confirming, this play is an interesting look at what might have happened behind closed doors, when Larkin met Chaplin. The play opens with James Larkin (John O’Gorman) discussing Chaplin’s forthcoming visit with the Warden (Franklyn Jacks). Unfortunately, a lot of the impact of this scene is lost due to some apparent confusion in the ...

25Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Bricks – 53Two

“May artists bare their souls in here” intones poet Tony Walsh, as he launches tonight’s collection of short plays with the first reading of his poem, “These Bricks, they speak…”. Under the brick railway arch that 53Two calls home, we are given six vignettes of the human condition, each 15minute snapshot ploughing headlong into hard-hitting themes of childhood abandonment, illicit encounters, sexual abuse, eating disorders and vengeance. It’s a tough ask for any writer, director or actor to deliver the realism, depth and nuance one might look for in tackling such heavy-duty subjects within the timeframe and for the most part, tonight is more a solid display of modern melodrama, inviting the audience to overlook the fact that we can only lightly skim the qualities of the characters be...

<strong>Explorations – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic</strong>

25Mar

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Explorations – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

Explorations is an evening of music to transport you, from the bustling streets of Paris, to the dark and ominous world that can be created with baroque style harpsichord, and finally to the enchanting scenes of Finland’s view of the aurora borealis. Performed by the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra, conducted by Andrew Manze, this was a collection of music which swept you along an epic journey and held a poignancy as the musicians played a memorial tribute to friend of the orchestra, Maurice Henry George. The dramatic powerful opening of Mozart’s Symphony No 31, ‘Paris’ was paired beautifully with the gentle dreamlike woodwind and intricately layered strings. The fantastical elements are heightened in the second movement, with gentle and nostalgic melodies nodding to echoes of th...

24Mar

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

My Fair Lady – Palace Theatre

Bartlett Sher’s revival of ‘My Fair Lady’ has arrived at the Palace Theatre in Manchester until April, being a huge fan of the original 1964 film with Audrey Hepburn and Rex Harrison I had high hopes and an inner excitement to watch this newly revived production. I was also intrigued to see how my 15-year-old daughter would interpret the musical as a representative of our modern-day youth. Director Bartlett Sher has mostly stayed true to the original Lerner and Loewe book, itself based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play Pygmalion, the story of ‘My Fair Lady’ is that of Eliza Doolittle (Charlotte Kennedy), a young Cockney flower seller, and Henry Higgins (Michael D. Xavier), a linguistics professor who after a chance meeting with Eliza makes a bet with his associate Colonel Pickering (Jo...

24Mar

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Cosmic – Liverpool’s Royal Court

Cosmic, written by Joe McNally and directed by Deborah Yhip, is a comedy drama telling the story of Vinnie (Andy McLeod) and the real world he has uncovered through his enthusiastic investigation into the world of conspiracy theories. His interest in the darker side of society was sparked by the death of his father, Billy, from cancer. Convinced that the newly built 5G towers are to blame for the loss of his father, Vinnie is determined to both uncover the truth of the harm caused by 5G and to put a stop to it once and for all. September 11th is the perfect date for him to put his plan into action as this is the anniversary of his father’s passing. Unfortunately, it is also his daughter Kirsty’s (Kalli Tant) sixteenth birthday, and he has promised his mother, Lesley (Claire Hackett) to arr...

24Mar

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

How Not To Drown – Oldham Coliseum

'STOP THE BOATS’ is an easy phrase parrotted by politicians seeking the quick dopamine rush of an approving headline in the Daily Mail or Express. In the rush to demonise immigrants as criminals and scroungers, what is lost is the individual stories of struggle, heartbreak and loss that each one of the statistics actually represents. Writer Dritan Kastrati and ThickSkin Theatre attempt to redress this imbalance in perception, resulting in an authentic voice exploring the journey of one young boy through the asylum and care system in 21st century Britain. Dritan Kastrati was an 11-year-old Kosovan Albanian, when his parents made the decision to remove him from the chaotic aftermath of the Balkan war and send him to the supposed safety and security of the UK. Kasrati told his story to Nic...

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – The Zodiac, Frodsham Community Central

23Mar

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Dirty Rotten Scoundrels – The Zodiac, Frodsham Community Central

If we ever needed a reminder of just how much the world of theatre was tipped on it’s head by Covid, then the fact that it’s taken three years for Zodiac’s production of Dirty Rotten Scoundrels to reach the milestone of opening night will do just that. Retaining many of the original cast, it’s clear from the opening number, Give Them What They Want, that the cast, under the direction of Neil Silcock, are thrilled to finally immerse the audience into the French Riviera, where we meet the debonair Lawrence (Seb Farrell), a sophisticated swindler who charms and disarms several of the female holidaymakers each year, aided by his ‘bodyguard’ (and the town’s Chief of Police), Andre (Phil Murray). He soon takes the vulgar, young upstart Freddy Benson (Chris Doyle) under his wing to teach hi...

School of Rock – The Forum Theatre, Romiley

23Mar

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

North West

School of Rock – The Forum Theatre, Romiley

Based on the film written by Mike White. Directed by Dominic Stannage. For those few who don’t already know the story of School of Rock, the show follows Dewey Finn, a struggling musician who longs to be a rock star. After being kicked out of his own band, Dewey is penniless and jobless. To meet his rent obligations, he disguises himself as a substitute teacher and lands a job at a prestigious private school. Totally out of his depth, Dewey ignores the usual curriculum and focuses on developing the musically talented children. He forms a rock band with the 10-year-olds in the hope of winning the upcoming Battle of the Bands competition – all the while attempting to hide his true identity. There was a considerable buzz in the foyer in anticipation of the start of the show, a very nice...