North West Archives - Page 109 of 178

11Apr

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Sleeping Beauty – Epstein Theatre

It felt unusual travelling to the theatre on a very sunny and reasonably warm day to see a pantomime, but everyone’s favourite Christmas activity is making a nationwide spring comeback, with theatres around the UK, resurrecting the festive tradition for the Easter season. The Epstein Theatre’s offering is Sleeping Beauty, the traditional story of a beautiful princess who pricks her finger on the spindle of a spinning wheel on her birthday, falling asleep for one hundred years until awoken by True Love’s Kiss. Written by Liam Mellor and directed by Chantelle Nolan, this fun jukebox musical pantomime features all of the traditional elements with lots of opportunity for audience participation. The pantomime is opened by our narrator, Fairy Sparkle (Katy Mac) who lives up to her glittering ...

Beauty and the Beast – St Helens Theatre Royal

8Apr

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Beauty and the Beast – St Helens Theatre Royal

It’s time for a seasonal pantomime in St Helens and this spring offering is a Regal Entertainment’s version of Beauty and the Beast written by Liam Mellor and directed by Chantelle Nolan. As with all pantomimes here at Theatre Royal and I’ve reviewed many here it was full of audience interactions, audience participation and the odd on the fence joke with an audience member or two getting involved on stage. So, to the story, Fairy Rose (Maria Lovelady) came on to the stage to tell us all about the little town of petit pois. Gaston (Auguste Voulton) with his big muscles and charisma wanted to take Belle (Lauren McCrory) as his bride but she wasn’t interested and definitely didn’t want to marry him, so Gaston and his mother Madame Botox (Abigail Middleton) hatched a plan by slipping a poti...

8Apr

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Barely Visible – Unity Theatre

Unity theatre continues to offer a space for important and thought-provoking theatre to the city of Liverpool, and Barely Visible is no different. The venue is unique because whenever you attend the theatre, you feel that the audience invariably are on the side of the performers, they are there to learn as much as to be entertained, and performer Rowena Gander certainly achieved this. Barely Visible is a piece of physical theatre, including movement and dance around primarily pole work. It highlights social attitudes towards the lesbian community and tackles the lasting effects of some of the key difficulties lesbian women face. Quite often the phrase thought-provoking is banded around, but it is safe to say that many members of the audience left Unity this evening having learned som...

Bach St Matthew’s Passion – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

8Apr

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Bach St Matthew’s Passion – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Revered as one of the greatest choral works ever composed, Bach's St Matthew's Passion is a timeless classic. This performance is to Mendelssohn's arrangement and is sung in German. An emotional, complex and challenging work - a challenge which the Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra and Choir rise to. The stage is packed and the anticipation is palpable. With a quick nod to the audience, conductor Andrew Manze is keen to get going and promptly launches the room into the evening. Dark, throbbing chords echo like a pulse as the opening chorus of The Passion begins. As well as the full Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Choir, the Youth Choir are present for the opening chorus with chorale. The sound is alarmingly mournful. Carrying an edge of dystopia with it, the layers of the choir ring a...

Around the World in 80 Days – Theatre by the Lake

7Apr

By Karen Morley-ChesworthNo Comments

North West

Around the World in 80 Days – Theatre by the Lake

The new season at Theatre by the Lake has kicked off with a classic production of Around the World in 80 Days which surprises, delights and has audiences in hysterics. Like the ticking clock timing Phileas Fogg’s journey to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days or less, the timing of the action is precise. From the opening scenes, depicting Fogg’s meticulous daily routine, the choreography of this piece of theatre is set high and is delivered with style and humour. This hilarious production is nothing like the recent TV adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic book. This is the story of a man’s wager that he could travel around the world in 80 days - and failure would mean a loss of his colossal personal wealth. Stefan Adegbola is so perfectly cast as Fogg, combining the high-handed, aloofn...

6Apr

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Mother Goose – The Lowry

Most people are introduced to the world of live theatre through the medium of pantomime, my own 1970's childhood is littered with memories of Anita Harris and Cilla Black slapping their thighs as Dandini, or John Inman in high camp mode as The Dame, household names at the time that are now consigned to occasional appearances on UK Gold. Maybe these somewhat confusing memories slightly put me off, as in the interests of full disclosure I should confess that despite spending large amounts of my time in the theatre, I don't really like pantomime! However, the opportunity to see Sir Ian McKellen live on stage is a chance any self respecting theatre buff is never going to turn down, so I duly took my seat in a packed Lyric Theatre, prepared for a couple of hours of indulgent, farcical nonsen...

6Apr

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Shrek The Musical – Blackpool Grand

On a wet and windy night in Blackpool the quest for a fairytale happy ending has taken on extra meaning. Forced to postpone from 2020 (a cruel two weeks before opening night), Blackpool Operatic Players have clearly put everything into finally bringing Shrek The Musical to the stage. And, with an outstanding professional set and wardrobe, tonight is a vibrant, visual delight, faithfully translating the hit animation into live action success. Under the assured direction of Neil Townsend, cast and audience alike have a hugely enjoyable show loaded with slapstick, sarcasm and fart jokes to thrill kids and parents alike. And, at the heart of it, a riotous send-up of the classic ‘damsel in distress’ fairytale narrative. For those who have spent any of the past 22 years living under ...

National Theatre Live: Life of Pi – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

5Apr

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

National Theatre Live: Life of Pi – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

In the week that 'Standing at the Sky's Edge' deservedly won the Olivier award for Best New Musical, another show that started life at Sheffield's Crucible Theatre, then went on to win Olivier's galore and wow the West End and Broadway. premiered on the National Theatre's streaming service. If 'Edge' has half the success that this beautiful metaphorical production has so far achieved, the producers will be well rewarded for their risk. Based on the best selling novel by Yann Martel and adapted for the stage by Lolita Chakrabati, 'Life Of Pi' tells the extraordinary story of 17 year old Piscine Molitor (Hiran Abeysekera) and his survival for 227 days in the Pacific Ocean, after a shipwreck which killed his entire family and everyone on board. Following his rescue, he is questioned as to ...

5Apr

By Codie WrightNo Comments

North West

Mog the Forgetful Cat – The Lowry

Bother that cat!" Finally, after 50 years of delighting readers on the page, Mog leaps off onto the stage, in a show that feels like catnip to the soul and engaged my 4 year old and 1.5 year old throughout the entire thing. Some children's book adaptations have a tendency to be a little self-indulgent. To take themselves a little too seriously and to drag a bit too much for the young ones in the audience. Thankfully, The Wardrobe Ensemble adaptation of Mog doesn't fall under that curse and is a warm celebration of children's theatre, that stays true to the Mog we know and love, but with colourful chaos and a pacy plot. We start with the classic, Mog the Forgetful cat, where Mog foils a burglar (although if I'm being picky, she gets a lot of credit for simply miaowing at the window an...

5Apr

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

When All is Said – Unity Theatre

Fuel Theatre’s When All is Said is a collection of five short plays, that are written by Black Trans people, in their own voices and performed over the phone. Each play lasts approximately 30 minutes and tells a different story about what life is like, if you are considered ‘different’ from the people around you. I heard ‘Home is where your heart is lying on the open roads’ which was written by the Curator of the pieces, Travis Alabanza and was performed by Alexis Meshida. It is a taxi journey that journeys into the past and shapes us and the places we live/are from. Meshida was able to convey compassion, empathy, anger and was able to take you on the full journey through the telling of the story. The piece was well written and made you think about your own interactions and actions. The...