North West Archives - Page 118 of 173

<strong>Stuffed – unity Theatre</strong>

19Nov

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Stuffed – unity Theatre

‘Stuffed’ is a fantastic piece of theatre, there is absolutely no doubt about that. A series of coherent physical theatre and clown sketches serving to highlight food poverty in this country, social attitudes to it, and the regime’s lack of meaningful action. A concept that seems so important, and something we expect the viewing public to be aware of but told in a way that changes everything we think we know about food poverty and the use of food banks. Every bit of the piece made sense and felt meaningful. There were moments where laughter was closely followed by guilt - how can we as an audience make light of such a dire situation? However, when the piece was ready to get serious you could hear a pin drop in the furthest corner of the room. ‘Stuffed’ is very well choreographed and ...

<strong>Opera North: Orfeo ed Euridice – The Lowry</strong>

19Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Orfeo ed Euridice – The Lowry

First recorded in April 2021 for BBC Radio 3 when Covid restrictions prevented live performance, Opera North present a concert performance of one of Gluck’s key works in his reinvention, in conjunction with librettist Calzabigi, of opera for his own time, as part of their wider celebration of the Orpheus myth which makes up their autumn season. Orfeo’s (Alice Coote) wife Euridice (Fflur Wynn) is dead, and a chorus of nymphs and shepherds mourn her. Orfeo is inconsolable but Amore (Daisy Brown) appears to tell him that Jupiter has taken pity on him and will grant him safe passage to the underworld where he can return Euridice to the land of the living. There is one condition however: he must not look at Euridice until they have reached the light of day. If he does, he will lose her again...

<strong>Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella – Hope Mill Theatre</strong>

18Nov

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella – Hope Mill Theatre

Eight years before Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein famously collaborated on screen with Dame Julie Andrews in 'The Sound of Music', she starred in a 1957 musical version of 'Cinderella' written by the iconic duo specifically for US television. It was a smash hit, during the broadcast the streets of New York were reportedly deserted as around 107 million people tuned in to watch, garnering both critical and public acclaim. Fast forward 65 years and we find another pair of estimable creatives, William Whelton and Joseph Houston the driving forces behind Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester, have sprinkled their special brand of fairy dust over the piece, giving us a pre-Christmas treat to brighten a bleak November night. The time honoured story of Cinderella has many variations and can r...

<strong>Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk – Liverpool’s Royal Court</strong>

17Nov

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk – Liverpool’s Royal Court

It’s the beginning of the pantomime season up and down the country and I’m pleased to be welcomed back at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool to review this year’s pantomime of Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk written by Kevin Fearon and directed by Stephen Fletcher. Deep in Crosby Jack Jones (Micheal Fletcher) is a lazy lad he gets high and wants to find treasure on an adventure, his mum Mrs Jones (Lindzi Germain) is fewmin. The bills are sky high and the milk from daisy the cow (Jake Abraham) is barely enough to cover the rising costs. So, she sends Jack out to get a job. So, he goes off to the Greatie Market. The council have their share of problems to as the city is broke there is no money and the mayor (Liam Tobin) has to make drastic cuts to make the big Eon in the sky happy, with t...

<strong>A Christmas Carol – Buxton Opera House</strong>

17Nov

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

A Christmas Carol – Buxton Opera House

Charles Dicken’s famous ‘Christmas Carol’ is one of the most memorable and most loved Christmas stories of all time and the Chapterhouse Theatre’s latest touring production of Dicken’s famous festive offering is a true to the book recount. Staged inside the Smaller Pavilion Theatre at Buxton Opera House, The Chapterhouse Theatre have returned once again with their Christmas Carol Production for another year keeping true to the 19th century tale and as a result; it’s the perfect production to go and see if you’re studying Christmas Carol at school or college. It’s quite a stripped back production with quite sparse hand painted props and backdrops which may seem reminiscent of a school production, but this adaptation has real heart and the team use what props and sets they have to get ...

<strong>Opera North: La Traviata – The Lowry</strong>

17Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: La Traviata – The Lowry

Director Alessandro Talevi’s production is much aided by Madeline Boyd’s sumptuous set and costume design as it relishes its traditional 19th Century roots. At its heart lies a love story which draws upon Alexandre Dumas the Younger’s real-life doomed love affair with well-known courtesan, Marie Duplessis. We open with Violetta (Alison Langer) aided by her friend Flora (Victoria Sharp) hosting a lavish party where she is introduced by Gastone (Gavan King) to his friend, Alfredo Germont (Nico Darmanin), a fervent admirer, who is more concerned for her failing health than her escort, Baron Douphal (James Cleverton). When Alfredo declares his love for her she wonders if he could be the one amidst her desire to be free to live her life. A year on and Alfredo (Oliver Johnston) and Violett...

<strong>Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Liverpool Empire</strong>

16Nov

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Liverpool Empire

It actually felt like I spent an evening at Carnegie Hall, instead of the Liverpool Empire last night. Beautiful tells the story of Carole King. How she became who she was, the peaks and troughs of her career as a songwriter and how that led to her becoming one of the most instantly recognisable artists of all time. The show starts with her famous performance at the prestigious Carnegie Hall, in New York City in June of 1971. We then get taken back to a teenage Carole Klein, writing songs and begging her mother to allow her into the city (from their home in Brooklyn) to try and sell her songs. She manages to sell the song which makes it to number 106 on the Billboard Charts when sung by Bobby Vee. We go through her career and relationship with Gerry Goffin, their friendship and competit...

<strong>Elf The Musical – The Brindley, Runcorn</strong>

16Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Elf The Musical – The Brindley, Runcorn

Centenary Theatre Company’s Director Dan Grimes must have thought all his Christmas’s had come at once when Dean Callow walked in an auditioned for the part of Buddy! As all I can say is WOWSER as I am sure Dan Grimes did too, what a fabulous charismatic actor Dean Callow is, he has as much energy as one human being can possibly have without spontaneous combusting! Dean Callow was definitely on fire on opening night, unfortunately the programme does not tell me anything about Dean (or any of the other cast members), so I do not know any of his previous theatre credits etc. However, I would recommend this show on Dean Callow’s performance alone as he is the perfect Buddy the Elf, who will keep you entertained throughout the evening with his Elf moves, perfect comedy timings and pitch perfec...

<strong>An Evening with Ms Sharon LeGrand & Friends – unity Theatre</strong>

15Nov

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

An Evening with Ms Sharon LeGrand & Friends – unity Theatre

The theme for this year’s Homotopia festival - Queer Joy Is A Protest! - could not be more accurately represented than in An Evening with Ms Sharon LeGrand & Friends. Liverpool’s annual LGBTQIA+ arts showcase is the UK’s longest running celebration of queer culture and it just seems to go from strength to strength. This year, fresh from causing outrage in the nation’s capital, drag queen Sharon LeGrand returns to her native Merseyside to host an evening of cabaret at the Unity Theatre. Sticklers for the Trade Descriptions Act might be a tad disappointed. There appear to be more friends of Ms LeGrand in the audience than on the stage with her. Each introduction only happens thanks to a shouted reminder from the wings of the next act’s name. Even our host declares the show shoul...

<strong>All My Sons – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse</strong>

15Nov

By Helen JonesNo Comments

North West

All My Sons – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

It is seventy-five years since Arthur Miller’s play All My Sons was first produced on Broadway. Three quarters of a century later it is as powerful as it was in the late 1940s. Miller’s writing and crafting of the plot is exceptional. Unlike many of his later plays it also feels the most personal. The family set up is similar to that of his own growing up, with himself as the younger brother, and the story is based upon a true tale told to him by his mother in law. It was also his last chance to write a successful play before he gave up playwrighting altogether. Thankfully it was a success and Miller continued writing until not long before his death in 2005. The play takes place over a period of twenty-four hours. Joe Keller is a ...