North West Archives - Page 113 of 174

Faustus: That Damned Woman – Storyhouse Chester

8Feb

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Faustus: That Damned Woman – Storyhouse Chester

A co-production between Storyhouse Originals and Fallen Angels Dance Theatre has opened at Storyhouse in Chester. Reimagined and written by award winning Playwright, Chris Bush, the story takes us into a world of despair, sacrifice and consequence. Faustus: That Damned Woman draws on themes that resonate with many people on the addiction recovery journey, and this is what makes the partnership with Fallen Angels Dance Theatre even more important. Johanna Faustus (Olivia Sweeney) is trying to prove her mother’s innocence, making a deal with Lucifer to get the answers that she needs but soon realising that this was a mistake and that she should have been more careful what she wishes for. After selling her soul to the devil in exchange for 144 years on earth and an apprentice, Mephistop...

<strong>Blood Brothers (The Play) – Daneside Theatre, Congleton</strong>

8Feb

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

North West

Blood Brothers (The Play) – Daneside Theatre, Congleton

Bringing to the stage the play version of this tale, written by Willy Russell for Merseyside Young People’s Theatre in the early 1980’s, with the pre-requisite that the play must be only 70 mins long; a five hander with no set; and very little lighting as it was to be performed in a school hall. This short play version of Blood Brothers was later lengthened into the Musical that most of us know, and began touring in 1983, with the star of the show – Barbara Dickson. Congleton Players along with director Louise Colohan, have given this play a re-birth, bringing this 1980’s idea into the 21st century. For those who do not know the story, the tale begins with Mrs Johnstone (Sarah Francis) being swept off her feet by her husband (Andrew Bours), but when children arrive in very q...

8Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Spring and Port Wine – Octagon Theatre

When the Octagon Theatre announced it was producing 'Spring and Port Wine' as its first show of 2023 I jumped at the opportunity to make the short trip to Bolton to review. In the two years since its £12 million refurbishment, and under the Artistic Director Lotte Wakeham, the Octagon has quietly been adding to an already strong reputation as one of the most interesting and innovative theatres in the north of England. With 'Spring and Port Wine' they have brought a quintessentially Boltonian story back to its roots, delighting this partisan opening night crowd into a raucous standing ovation at the conclusion. Writer Bill Naughton is often wrongly categorised as part of a group of playwrights who came to prominence in Britain in the early 1960's', the 'angry young men', responsible for ...

Death Drop 2: Back in the Habit – Liverpool Playhouse

8Feb

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Death Drop 2: Back in the Habit – Liverpool Playhouse

Playing to a full audience, there was high expectation for the keenly awaited comeback of Death Drop to the stage. It did not disappoint. If you are looking for an evening that serves, laughs, scares and complete REALness, this is the show to see. With an all-star cast hailing from RuPaul’s Drag Race, the return of the murder mystery (or ‘Dragatha Christie’), to St Babs Convent was a tasteful idea, and one with hilarious possibilities. Drag has sashayed into a whole new format with this kind of theatre, and Jesse Jones has allowed these queens to shine. The current vocabulary, inclusive dialogue, and killer soundtrack all added to the crowd's appreciation for the performance of Mother Superior and her nuns. Photographer: Matt Crockett Set in the wonderful Playhouse, the modern mee...

Shakespeare in Love – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

7Feb

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Shakespeare in Love – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

With numerous accolades, including an Oscar Winning film performance and the acquisition of seven Academy awards, ‘Shakespeare in Love’ is performed this week at The Altrincham Garrick Playhouse. Based upon the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard and adapted for stage by Lee Hall, this popular romantic comedy performed by the Garrick Ensemble is produced and directed by Joseph Meighan. For those who have not seen the film, the story is essentially about a certain young playwright, ‘Will Shakespeare’ (Loui Quelcutti) who meets the wealthy ‘Violet de Lesseps’ (Ciara- Alexandra Booker) who dreams of becoming an actor. The two fall deeply in love, however Violet's father, ‘Sir Robert de Lesseps’ (Paul O’Dwyer) insisted she married Lord Wessex (Tom Broughton) and so a love affair betw...

7Feb

By Daniel CoxNo Comments

North West

Bugsy Malone – Liverpool Empire

Bugsy Malone tells the story of a battle for power between Fat Sam & Dandy Dan based in New York City. Its story is loosely taken from gang events during the Prohibition era but this musical changes 'machine guns' for 'splurge guns' in order to make it more appropriate for family friendly audiences mixing in slapstick musical comedy whilst following the storyline of Bugsy and his new love Blousey alongside the hilarious chaos. Bugsy Malone is taking a Charleston Step out on tour for the very first time, touring the UK following its Christmas Season at Alexandra Palace in London treating audiences to this energetic revival of the acclaimed Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production. It's a production that showcases both child and adult actors and they do deliver with a BANG (and a crack of th...

Husbands and Sons – Manchester School of Theatre

3Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Husbands and Sons – Manchester School of Theatre

DH Lawrence called success 'the bitch goddess', during his lifetime he suffered constant vilification with his work dismissed as little more than pornography, dying before he could see his vindication as one of the most important writers of the 20th century. His depiction of the details of working-class life in Nottinghamshire in the years before and after the first World War finds its apogee in 'Sons and Lovers' and 'Women in Love', but it is a 2015 condensing of three of his short plays, adapted by Ben Power, that Manchester School of Theatre present this evening. Despite some excellent central performances and innovative direction, the piece never wholly manages to satisfy as a single entity. We begin with 'A Collier's Friday Night' exploring the simple lives and loves of the Lambert...

September In The Rain – Little Theatre, Birkenhead

3Feb

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

September In The Rain – Little Theatre, Birkenhead

A charming, funny piece of nostalgia. The Carlton Players continue their season with Godber’s nostalgic and gentle comedy, loosely based on the writer’s own grandparents. Liz and Jack have holidayed in Blackpool from newlyweds in the 1950s until old age in the 1990s. Never missing a year, they’d make their way from Yorkshire across the A59 to the seaside resort with its boarding houses, fun fair, deckchairs and donkeys. Originally written as a radio play, this has been a popular choice for theatre groups over the past forty years. A two-hander, where both characters speak to the audience and take on the roles of other characters to recall their stories: some sentimental or amusing, others laugh-out-loud funny. Liz and Jack certainly have their spats and shouting matches b...

2Feb

By Grace AnnabelNo Comments

North West

Mamma Mia – Opera House, Manchester

Mamma Mia! The smash hit jukebox musical opened tonight to a raving full house of ABBA fanatics and theatre enthusiasts, all head- bopping to the renowned hits from the overture to finale. As soon as the band began taking us through a medley of ABBA’s greatest hits during the overture, I could feel the electric energy and could tell this would be an unforgettable night of musical theatre. The creative team is comprised of highly acclaimed and accomplished theatre professionals. Directed by Phyllida Lloyd, choreographed by Anthony Van Laast and musically directed by Carlton Edwards - this collective is a powerhouse, creating a truly triple-theatre piece of theatre right from the get-go. During the show we were greeted by a simplistic set. This was used to created a multitude of ...

2Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Head Over Heels – Hope Mill Theatre

Musical theatre productions that challenge conceived norms and push back the boundaries are nothing new for Hope Mill Theatre, their latest offering gives a European premiere to this 2015 'queer jukebox musical' and is thoroughly vindicated with a hugely entertaining spectacle that poses pertinent questions around love and acceptance in the modern world. There is no denying that the genesis of 'Head Over Heels' is an oddity. Not many people would have thought of making a Broadway musical based on 'The Countess of Pembroke's Arcadia', a prose romance written by Sir Philip Sidney in 1593; still fewer would have then decided to add in songs from late 1980's indie-punk popsters, The Go Go's. Then again, not everyone is the iconoclastic figure of Jeff Whitty, the writer of Avenue Q, who once...