North West Archives - Page 113 of 186

11May

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Stars – Contact Theatre

Performed by one woman and a live DJ, this Afrofuturistic Space Odyssey uses music, drama and projected animations to tell us the story of a woman in search of her lost orgasm. Sprinkled with dustings of African mythology and folklore, this queer, feminist rallying call took the audience on a journey which explored desire, touch and reclaiming your pleasure. We meet Mrs (Debra Michaels), an elderly woman looking back with some frustration that her orgasm has never really emerged, and she does not know where to find it. Naturally, she embarks on a space odyssey to remedy the situation. She tells the story of her disappointing marriage to a disappointing man and the opportunities that have slipped by her or never materialized. She experiences rejection and judgement from the memb...

11May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

RENT – The Brindley Theatre

Directed and Choreographed by Donna Dale, Assistant Director Charlotte Allmand, Assistant Choreographer John Sprung-Murphy and Musical Director Craig Price have produced the latest D&S Production of ‘Rent’. Set in the East Village of New York City, 'Rent' is about falling in love, finding your voice, and living for today. Winner of the Tony Award for Best Musical and the Pulitzer Prize for Drama, 'Rent' has become a pop culture phenomenon. 'Rent' follows a year in the life of a group of penniless young artists and musicians struggling to survive and create in New York’s Lower East Side, under the shadow of HIV/AIDS. Johnathon Larson’s 1996 rock musical focus is around the interconnected lives of three couples: Roger (Elliott Tutt) and Mimi (Sara Haynes), Maureen (Francesca Forbes...

10May

By Grace AnnabelNo Comments

North West

Annie – Regent Theatre

Annie, a classic musical adaptation much loved by global audiences. I had the privilege of watching the musical adaptation of this classic film on its UK Tour, in the large-scale Stoke Regent Stage. With countless revivals, I was intrigued to see how this show has evolved and adapted since the last time I watched this production, many years ago. The tone was set from the beginning, by our 7 main orphanage residents rushing onto stage, before the show had even begun, immersing our audience in their harsh reality from the outset and creating an electric build-up within the theatre. With direction from Nikolai Foster and choreography from Nick Winston, I knew before the show begun, that we were in the comfortable hands of true professionals. Having been many years since visiting the gra...

10May

By Coral MourantNo Comments

North West

Worth – Storyhouse, Chester

Four siblings turn a sad day of remembrance into a battle of “who suffered the most” when their deceased Mother leaves them next to nothing in the will. A brilliant premise makes a funny yet dark tale that doesn’t shy away from major themes. The list of trigger warnings in the play’s description will show you that this is no light and fluffy family affair, and although it is hard-hitting at times, you’ll still be laughing. A simple living room set up is littered in family heirlooms, and the mother looms over all as her portrait stares down on the action. Sudden red surges of light and booming sounds are dispersed throughout the scenes (a clever, unnerving tool used by Jai Morjaria and Nicola T. Chang), as the play descends more and more into chaos. The five-piece cast are strong ...

10May

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

The King & I – Palace Theatre

In the aftermath of the coronation of King Charles III it seemed somehow appropriate to see this famous musical about an altogether different type of monarch. Rodgers and Hammerstein’s hit musical was written in 1951 and was based on Margaret Landon's novel, Anna and the King of Siam, which in turn is based on the memoirs of Anna Leonowens, governess to the children of King Mongkut of Siam in the early 1860s. Most people will know the 1956 film starring Deborah Kerr and Yul Brynner, but this production was better than the film. It was full of fun, at turns amusing, emotional, lively and at its very heart lavishly entertaining. Underneath its effervescent charm lie a number of issues that are bound to emerge in a cross-cultural musical, especially in this day and age. Anna’s attemp...

10May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Maria – Unity Theatre

Commissioned by Unity Theatre and Culture Liverpool as part of the Eurovision Cultural Festival 2023, and supported by The Lowry in Salford, Yurii Radionov and Shorena Shoniia’s world-premiere production of Ulas Samchuk’s 1934 novel, follows the life of a young woman through the history of Ukrainian upheaval from the 1861 emancipation of serfs in the Russian Empire under the Tsars through to Holodomor: the communist-regime’s induced mass starvation in Soviet Ukraine in the early 1930’s. As well as marking the 90th anniversary of this horrific and unimaginable event, it is a timely parallel to the events that continue in Ukraine following the attempted invasion by Russia in 2022, echoed by its performance from a cast of seven Ukrainian refugee actors currently living in the UK as a resul...

9May

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Our Town – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Directed by Joe Meighan, 'Our Town' is written by American playwright and Pulitzer Prize winner, Thornton Wilder and is performed at The Altrincham Garrick Playhouse this week. The Garrick are a very exciting company to watch and with an impressive three acts to the play, ‘Our Town’ is no exception. The story is set in the fictional ‘Grover’s Corners’, New Hampshire and takes place between 1901 and 1913. Despite the era, the entire feel of this story is that it is entirely relatable, focussing essentially on life and death (and all the key moments in between) with reference to the people who live here. It follows the love story of neighbours George Gibbs (Luke Grewer) and Emily Webb (Lauren Robinson) but is actually about so much more. Opening up 10 minutes prior to the ma...

Family Tree – Everyman Theatre, Liverpool

8May

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Family Tree – Everyman Theatre, Liverpool

Matthew Xia has produced an outstanding serving of unremembered history. A fascinating celebration of black life, past and present, and the importance of what connects us all in the human condition. Mojisola Adebayo’ s powerful words were tackled by the cast with sensitivity and flare, and a quick mention to Aminita Francis for handling the difficult poetic language of Henrietta Lacks with nuance and verve. This is a story that spans ninety minutes but captures centuries. A performance that does not shy from cultural celebration but shares the infectious energy of Diane Alison-Mitchell’s traditional dance and Francesca Amewudah-Rivers cultural song. It will definitely make you smile. It was evident that a lot of research has been put into this production. It is a searing lesson of...

5May

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

If You Fall – HOME, Manchester

So, what happens when you lose your independence, your voice, your mind – the essence of what makes you, you? This question is answered by Ad Infinitum, a multi award winning Bristol based theatre company directed by Helena Middleton, currently settling into a run at HOME as part of a UK tour. This is a collaborative piece of devised theatre which tells the stories of Margaret and Norson. A story about care, love and the end of our lives. Using personal testimony, the company ensemble has created an imaginative, real and compassionate piece of physical theatre. We first meet Margaret at her funeral objecting that her Eulogy appears to be focused on the end of her life rather than the sum of it. She does not want to be remembered as in a care home with vascular dementia but that she w...

5May

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

A Gen-Z Guide To Life – 53Two

53Two is a great little theatre venue, bar, café and overall cosy setting. Based under the iconic Manchester arches, 53Two was created by Manchester Actors' Platform, MAP, established to provide affordable, professional services for actors. In doing so, it plays home to new and emerging theatre such as this new play performed by graduating students from the Institute for Contemporary Theatre: the company ‘Groundwork’ present, A Gen-Z Guide To Life. As part of the ‘53New’, this show is at the beginning of its journey, performed in a safe and supportive space as the production starts to take shape. As stated by Groundwork at the end of their piece, they’re looking for feedback to improve and refine their performance to take forward as part of their dissertation. The short performanc...