North West Archives - Page 16 of 173

14Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Wink – 53two

In the dimly lit arches of 53two, an unsuspecting audience is about to receive an almighty gut punch, courtesy of Phoebe Eclaire-Powell’s darkly funny and unsettling play, Wink. Updated from its 2015 debut with the latest social media and cultural references, Wink is brutal in its timeliness, holding a mirror to the worst excesses of online culture - from toxic ‘alpha male’ influencers through to the horrendous consequences of Catfishing. Photo: Shay Rowan Despite the heavy source material and a worryingly long list of trigger warnings, the play remains hugely compelling and crackles with humour. We meet 16-year-old Mark who idolises his too-cool-for-school French teacher, Mr Martin. Unbeknownst to him, Mr Martin is struggling with his own frustrations, particularly around his cru...

The Liverpool Scratch Network – Leaf on Bold Street

13Jul

By NewsdeskNo Comments

North West

The Liverpool Scratch Network – Leaf on Bold Street

This was the sixth Liverpool Scratch Network, a monthly event in collaboration with RBA Management and Liverpool Film Academy, showcasing new work written and performed by both industry professionals and up and coming creatives, with each scene being workshopped a few hours prior to performance with the help of an allocated director. An eclectic evening kicked off with Leather Apron written by James Orford and directed by Thomas Goodison-Fearns. An exploration of the infamous double event murders committed by notorious killer Jack the Ripper. Featuring an array of characters including Abberline (Ray F. Beard), Jack (Rory Gillan), Watkins (Tasia Rhodes), Diemschutz (Sam Prior), Packer (Matty Dwyer), and a Woman in Crowd (Beth Rosebrook), one can certainly imagine this as an audio drama. ...

13Jul

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Penguin – Unity Theatre

Opening this year’s Liverpool’s Arab Arts Festival, Penguin is a timely piece which connects strongly with the recent Refugee Week – the UK-wide celebration of arts, culture, and community – as it tells the story of one man’s extraordinary journey from a village in the Syrian mountains to a new life in the North-East of England. Directed with a suitably light touch by Amy Goulding, the wonderfully charismatic Hamzeh Al Hussien relays his life in just over an hour with a combination of music and physical theatre and liberal doses of humour throughout. Performed predominantly in English, there is some Arabic with surtitles provided in both languages. Jida Akil’s staging and costume design is rightfully kept simple with an array of clothes rails to the rear allowing Hamzeh to seamle...

Pat Goldsack: How to Flirt Well into Your Grave – The King’s Arms

13Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Pat Goldsack: How to Flirt Well into Your Grave – The King’s Arms

If you’ve ever wondered what would happen if your nan discovered TikTok and decided to audition for Love Island, Pat Goldsack might be your fever dream come true. Created from the mind of award-winning Kiwi actress, Katie Boyle, tonight the octogenarian granny is here to dish out her decades of expertise in the game of flirting and relationships. Greeting her audience as they trickle into the cosy side room of the Kings Arms, Pat’s repartee instantly harks back to the warm and genteel comedy of Dame Edna Everage and Mrs Merton – where even the most stinging observations somehow feel like a warm hug. As we ramble through the highly interactive show, peppered with parodies of modern hits (accompanied on the pub’s piano by Nino Raphael) and regular bursts of ‘Bingo was his Name-O...

Pride and Prejudice – Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

13Jul

By Miranda GreenNo Comments

North West

Pride and Prejudice – Grosvenor Park Open Air Theatre

The annual open-air theatre at Grosvenor Park has, of late, sidestepped Shakespeare, both to bring in new audiences and because they’ve “done all the good ones.” Instead, they are showcasing new and edgy productions such as last year’s sell-out Gangs of New York and this year’s The Adventures of Sherlock Holmes. Twenty-twenty’s production of Pride and Prejudice has therefore been revived for 2025 presumably to fulfil the heritage quota. Happily, this chimes with Austen’s 250th birthday. Photo: Mark McNulty However, this is not to say that it will only appeal to a vintage audience. Indeed, the youngest member in last night’s was only about 2 months old. Admittedly she did sleep through most of it… Not so the rest of us, teens through to antique relics, because matters of love, with...

11Jul

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

North West

Fame Jr – NK Theatre Arts

This show was performed by the NK Theatre Arts senior youth theatre members, so we are talking about young people aged 16-18. It was great to see Hannah Thomas reprising the role of director, musical director and choreographer which she had previously undertaken when NK last performed this show 10 years ago. The show is a musical adaptation of the film and television series “Fame” and follows a group of students at the New York City High School for the Performing Arts. The script showcases the experiences of the students as they pursue their dreams of a career in the performing arts. The cast is led by the extremely talented Olivia Barton in the role of Carmen Diaz who is developing into a multi-talented singer, dancer and actress who succeeds in all that she attempts. She was given...

Mitch Benn: The Tom Lehrer Effect – The Anthony Burgess Foundation

11Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Mitch Benn: The Tom Lehrer Effect – The Anthony Burgess Foundation

The task of a comedy songwriter is a tough one. There’s deciding whether you want to simply write funny songs were the humour may come from precarious stunt-rhyming or mocking a popular musical style, through to packing lyrics with biting satire and political observations. Before the likes of Weird Al Yankovich, Bill Bailey and Tim Minchin there was Tom Lehrer, a 1950s/60s musician who later turned mathematician, noted amongst other things for singing the periodic table to the tune of ‘Modern Major General’ and writing music for the cast of the US version of That Was The Week That Was (never getting to perform the songs himself much to his annoyance). If he was raised on a diet of Radio 4 classic comedies, British cynicism and been handed a loop pedal, you’d end up with something...

10Jul

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Wannabe – The King’s Arms

Following on from Amy Webber’s awarding winning show ‘No Previous Experience’, Wannabe is an autobiographical exploration of her lifelong desire to be famous in the form of a one woman opera -standup - spoken word- pop song. Webber is extremely warm and welcoming to her audience, immediately putting them at their ease and instantly engaging them with her funny, quirky, humble and open style. From the moment she enters the space in the wonderful Kings Arms, she owns it and shares it in equal measure. Inspired by a visit home during which her mother ‘sorts out’ some of her childhood memorabilia, Webber uses her box of ‘junk’ - the trinkets, mementos, diaries, letters, poems and songs of her childhood, to shape a hilarious tale of longing, searching and learning that is utterly enga...

8Jul

By Abigail PendleburyNo Comments

North West

Sounds of the East – Bridgewater Hall

Under the baton of Principal Conductor Kahchun Wong, Sounds of the East at Bridgewater Hall offered a thrilling musical journey that blended tradition, and innovation with striking cohesion. Featuring the Hallé Orchestra and guest musicians from the Singapore Chinese Orchestra, the program offered a wide range of musical magic that could be enjoyed by all. The evening started with a wonderful pre-concert talk with conductor Kahchun Wong and composer Chinary Ung, which featured in great detail how both Wong and Ung create their masterpieces. Particular attention was on Chinary Ung’s Grand Spiral (Desert Flowers Bloom), a piece that was having its European Premiere at the Bridgewater Hall. It was particularly interesting to hear how he named the piece, and also how he created such a beaut...

Don’t Call Us We’ll Call You – Unity Theatre

8Jul

By Clare ChandlerNo Comments

North West

Don’t Call Us We’ll Call You – Unity Theatre

RAWD began over a decade ago as a disability drama group, meeting weekly in a church hall. Since then, it has grown into an arts organisation with a mission to tackle inequality and celebrate disabled creativity. Previous projects include Boards Are Boring, which challenged governance structures; Creative Wellness, exploring inclusive wellbeing; and their ongoing Facilitator Training Programme, which empowers the next generation of practitioners. Don’t Call Us, We’ll Call You is part of a broad programme of creative offerings for Disability Pride Month, as RAWD celebrates the next step in their journey - their official launch as a charity. It’s a timely reminder of the company’s commitment to making space for disabled voices: on stage, in leadership, and beyond. RAWD have partnered w...