North West Archives - Page 122 of 129

A Night at the Opera – St Mary’s Church Eastham

23Aug

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

A Night at the Opera – St Mary’s Church Eastham

Just over three years ago a friend asked a favour of me to review a young company performing an English libretto version of Così fan tutte in the backroom of a pub in Liverpool: it proved to be one of the best things I ever did as it introduced me to Flat Pack Music. Having had the pleasure of watching many of their productions since, and with the challenges and travails of a pandemic almost out of the way, it was a delight to see their return with A Night at the Opera at St Mary’s Church in Eastham, where it all began for them four years ago. Four professional soloists – Soprano Sarah Helsby Hughes, Soprano Heather Buckmaster, Tenor Joseph Buckmaster and Baritone Peter Lidbetter – were joined by Accompanist Jonathan Ellis to serve up some of operas most famous works as they performe...

18Aug

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Bouncers – Liverpool’s Royal Court

Last night was the opening night of bouncers. Before I get into my review, a massive thank you to the Royal Court theatre Liverpool for accommodating myself as I arrived a little earlier than planned. 5 days to be exact. So, thank you for being legends. As I walked into the theatre there was a love DJ on the stage. Which to me was new and immersive as soon as you walked in along with bouncers walking round the dining area. Upon sitting at my table I got the impression that If someone built a nightclub with theatre seating watching the Merry patrons in the club, this would be what they had in mind. The show was originally penned by John Godber in the 1970s he was also known for writing teachers and up ‘n’ under. The original was also set in Yorkshire; however, this was adapted new versio...

18Aug

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Play That Goes Wrong – The Lowry

It’s the grandaddy that launched a juggernaut of disaster theatre. An above the pub fringe show that became a West End and Broadway sensation, The Play That Goes Wrong is now into its seventh year with a slew of award wins and nominations in its wake. From the moment a hapless stagehand appears pre-show pleading with the audience to be on the lookout for the show’s missing canine performer, before being joined by the ‘director’ Chris Bean (a fabulous Tom Bulpett), apologising to those in the audience who thought they’d booked tickets for ‘Everybody’s Talking About Jamie’, the show lives well and truly up to its name. We join the members of the infamous Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society to witness their presentation of the 1920s-eque whodunnit, Murder at Haversham Manor. As the player...

Dirty Dancing – Winter Gardens, Blackpool

18Aug

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Dirty Dancing – Winter Gardens, Blackpool

The classic film, brought to life on stage in front of your eyes… It truly is the film on stage, everything that you love about it, everything that made you laugh and cry… on stage with the same charm as the film. Set in the summer of 1963 the story follows daddy’s girl, Frances ‘Baby’ Houseman on her family holiday in New York’s Catskill Mountains. Baby becomes mesmerised by the raunchy dance moves and the pounding rhythms she discovers from the staff, especially when she catches sight of Johnny Castle the resort dance instructor. A guilty pleasure, that I don’t feel too guilty about, but I have always loved the 1987 film starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, I mean, who doesn’t. But as a self-confessed musical nerd, I really didn’t think I would enjoy this show, worried it wou...

14Aug

By Harriet AndrewsNo Comments

North West

Chess – Empire Theatre

Chess is a musical with so much to talk about, a fantastic score, with beautifully textured orchestral and vocal writing. It has some of the most difficult roles and arias in all of musical theatre, and a concept full of incredible depth. The Chess world championships act as only the top layer of this dynamic narrative, with the Cold War, East/West relations, and hierarchy in society acting as the underpinning concepts. The narrative of ‘Chess’ is often convoluted, difficult to understand and a bit dull, but this production should be noted for providing lots of clarity on this, and the narrative drove forward right throughout. The first thing to say about this performance is that the vocal performances of the principal cast were sublime - truly of tip top professional quality. The th...

The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Manchester Cathedral

12Aug

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

The Hunchback of Notre Dame – Manchester Cathedral

Gargoyles watch gargoyles as Manchester Cathedral becomes Notre Dame. Who needs scenery when you can stage a musical about a gothic cathedral in a gothic-style cathedral that was built over 600 years ago? National Youth Music Theatre, all members aged 23 or under, have done just that this week for their production of The Hunchback of Notre Dame at Manchester Cathedral. So many little touches were added throughout the evening to blend the building and the show together, like George Dennett as Frollo using a censer to spread incense across the auditorium as the last entrants were taking their seats. And the chorus of gargoyles (the Hunchback’s imaginary friends) singing under the cathedral’s own magnificent gargoyles (be sure to look up if you see the show as those sitting ...

12Aug

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Anna X – The Lowry

It could be said that all plays are about identity at some level. Acting itself is about artifice, cultivating a character, creating a believable personality, a person that can convince. In our ordinary lives we wear a mask to hide our true selves and present a version of ourselves we feel people will accept, or even, perhaps, like. Of course, everything is judged, in these days of social media, by the like. People evaluated by how many likes, shares and comments they gained for an image posted or an opinion given. Social media identities are as much of a pretence as a real life mask. They are idealised, a Sunday-best version of the real person. Often, the social media personality just wants to create envy, to show off, to be the person they wish they could be. Influencers, YouTubers...

9Aug

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

RENT – Hope Mill Theatre

After almost three years in the making, a short run in 2020 which became a casualty of COVID-19 and a very successful online run, RENT at Hope Mill is back and it is explosive, imaginative and full of character. The stage is open with a very minimal set, but it needs no more as the storytelling fills the space and makes the room feel full. As the cast enter and take their seats around the edge of the stage area, you can feel the buzz and excitement in the room, a full capacity audience ready to soak in the story, the music, the love. As soon as the song ‘Rent’ began, you could feel the electricity in the room as the whole stage came to life and we were taken on a journey of friendship, love, life and loss. The cast were visible the whole time, whether on the stage or not and th...

8Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Love, Liverpool – Liverpool Playhouse

Love, Liverpool, created by Chloë Moss and directed by Nathan Powell, is a tender and varied homage to Merseyside and its people. Combining video, stage performance and a vibrant soundscape, this is a love letter to a city and its surrounding areas, which exposes the high points and the low points, the good days and the bad, and focuses in on the core of love and hope which is left when all is said and done. Before the show opens, snippets of recordings of people’s memories of Liverpool, curated by Sound Designer, Xenia Bayer, play as a map is projected on the stage with the words “I love Liverpool” is various languages alternate over it. The play opens with a projected image of a Merseyrail train, and simple setting creating the journey from New Brighton to Liverpool. The first of a...

31Jul

By Tracy RyanNo Comments

North West

Sleepover – Unity Theatre

This is my first sleepover. I am 54 and sitting on a bed in Kelly house, reading Just Seventeen and drinking Malibu, while four teenage female friends laugh, gossip, talk crushes & nipple hair, improvise dance routines & do a bit of karaoke – as well as snog some of their posters. This is All Things Considered’s delightful, nostalgia-fest, a 90-minute interactive celebration of friendship, sisterhood & all things teenage girl in the 1990s – a heady time where New Kids on the Block, White Musk perfume & Regal ciggies reigned. The audience (13 women & one privileged young bloke) are escorted to beds encircling the action on arrival by the cast; we’re immediately engaged in conversation & faced with a torrent of excitable questions - and from there things become eve...