North West Archives - Page 23 of 177

Me, You and The Fit Bloke Next Door – King’s Arms, Salford

24Jun

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

North West

Me, You and The Fit Bloke Next Door – King’s Arms, Salford

It’s not very often I leave a theatre and think “so what”, but I did on Sunday night as I left the Kings Arms Theatre. I suspect what caused me the problem was the play being written for a “fringe” performance. Pip Carew has written a piece which lasted 60 minutes but would perhaps benefit from lasting a bit longer and the time then used to develop the three characters who inhabit this play. We are presented with a married couple of whom I know very little. That back story would tell us what lead to this point in their relationship. As it is, we quickly discover they both fancy the bloke, Alex, from the next flat (of whom we are told a bit more). They proceed to seduce him but make clumsy efforts to engage his interest on their own. The element of of “will they, wo...

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

24Jun

By Harry AltyNo Comments

North West

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Taking on the life story and songbook of two-time Rock and Roll Hall of Fame inductee Carole King is no easy task - but this Altrincham Garrick Playhouse production, fronted by the incomparable Madeleine Healey, is a sure-fire hit. With high-production value, a top-tier company and imaginative staging, this feel-good jukebox musical is truly Some Kind of Wonderful. Director Joseph Meighan seamlessly moves through the nearly thirty musical numbers with simplicity and pace, whilst still managing to craft the emotional story beats between the numbers. Stage management ensures the scenes transition efficiently, as set pieces and decoration create the various environments for this biographical story. The live camera work during One Fine Day tapped into the Jamie Lloyd’s Andrew Lloyd Webber r...

Bad Girls the Musical – Rainhill Village Hall

20Jun

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Bad Girls the Musical – Rainhill Village Hall

A musical adaptation from the 1990s TV series Bad Girls with a few familiar roles amongst the cast such as the gobby and cocky Shell Dockley (Laura Riley) and the loathsome and despicable Fenner (Paul Robinson). When the show opens, you meet a colourful array of characters from the sweet and saintly Wing Governor Helen Stewart (Michelle Williams) who is battling against older, more defiant guards such as Fenner, and the stoic and patronising Sylvia "Bodybag" Hollamby (Ruth Gibb) to bring more humanity and empathy to the prison. Due to an uprising in the block, Stewart (who has been falling for an inmate) is in hot water and her budding love story between her and the strong and defiant inmate, Nikki Wade (Diane Glover), is under threat. A very fragile and naive portrayal of Rachel Hic...

20Jun

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Hope Mill Theatre

Sometimes you see a piece of theatre and it just blows you away. This production was inventive, audacious and stunningly theatrical. Theatrical seems an odd thing to write in a theatre review. Surely all theatre is theatrical. Yet, the fashion these days is to shun theatricality, to underplay, to minimise. Thankfully, the directors of this play were not afraid to create a spectacle. Fittingly, for a play where bewitchment is central to the plot, they created magic in a very small space. From the start, there was dynamism, vivacity, verve and brio which grabbed the attention. And it did not let up. There was a briskness to the direction which gave the play its vim and vigour. It was so compelling that you could not take your eyes off the action. It was co-directed by Amy Gavin and Han...

19Jun

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Calamity Jane – Regent Theatre, Stoke

Time for the good citizens of Stoke to watch their backs as Calamity Jane is in town! Yes, the Regent Theatre has bravely opened its doors to an absolute classic. Lock your doors folks- "Calamity Jane" has arrived! Originally directed by Nikolai Foster and co-directed and choreographed by Nick Winston, this very much ‘updated’ musical was literally all singing and all dancing from the opening scene. Based on the well-known movie starring Doris Day, it tells the story of the charismatic ‘Calamity Jane’ and how her life in Deadwood, Dakota changes subtly when there is a new girl in town. From a strong friendship to the need to control her jealousy, this is essentially a story about love, relationships and personal growth- in a gun slinging way of course! West End star, Carrie Hop...

The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure – Liverpool Everyman

17Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Walrus Has a Right to Adventure – Liverpool Everyman

Writer Billie Collins’ interweaving of three tales that from different parts of the world, loosely inspired by true stories seen in the news, promises much but sadly falls and I can’t help but feel that in its current guise it would be better suited for the radio. From Norway’s glittering fjords to Colorado’s stunning peaks to Halewood’s majestic Tesco, three people are getting on with their lives as we meet Oskar (Reginald Edwards), Hazel (Princess Khumalo), and Rio (Tasha Dowd): they’ve never spoken; they’ve never met; yet they share the experience of a wild animal encounter that is to prove transformative to each of them. The idea is a good one and whilst strong performances from the cast – who each feature in ensemble roles within each other’s stories – hold the attention well, t...

15Jun

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Rum – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Grafting through the grief, a beautifully vulnerable, and nuanced portrayal of the psychology rooted in working-class masculinity. Max Emmerson Productions present a deeply authentic portrayal of working-class masculinity—its constraints, contradictions, and quiet vulnerabilities. Joe Mallalieu’s brilliant solo performance is raw, emotive, and powerful. Over the course of an hour, we are deeply drawn into a part of society rarely given such unflinching, unapologetic, and compassionate focus on stage. Under Tess Seddon's astute direction, Mallalieu writes a piece that is not only theatrically engaging, but also socially urgent. Mallalieu, a former plasterer himself, brings a lived-in truth to his performance. His presence is magnetic—naturalistic, grounded, and emotionally nuanc...

A Taste of Funny – St Hilda’s, Hunts Cross

14Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

North West

A Taste of Funny – St Hilda’s, Hunts Cross

Woolton Drama Group’s inaugural ten-minute play festival in Liverpool, ‘A Taste of Funny; served up five fresh pieces of work, all being performed for the first time, tickling many a funny bone judging by the audience’s reaction throughout the night. An eclectic evening commenced with A Ghost on Penny Lane written by Zoe Marras & Adam Wareing and directed by Marras. Self-centred scouser Billy (John William Reynolds) is visited by a Beatles-obsessed ghost from the 1960s in need of his urgent help. Will Lucy (Ife Babatunde) be able to convince him to do the right thing, or will he just continue to wallow in misery? A humorous tale of relationships and reminiscing. The Morning After written by Kathryn West and directed by Alan Morris introduces us to Brian (Elliot Ross) and Eliza (H...

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope – Shakespeare North Playhouse

14Jun

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

Quentin Crisp: Naked Hope – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Actor and writer Mark Farrelly’s portrayal of Quentin Crisp is mesmerizing. Under Linda Marlowe’s careful direction, Farrelly delivers a 75-minute performance that is both insightful and engaging. His ability to embody Crisp’s unique mannerisms, voice, and flamboyant style transforms this solo act into an intimate and deep theatrical experience. Naked Hope depicts Crisp at two phases of his remarkable life, firstly alone in the 60’s in his Chelsea flat convinced that life had passed him by and thirty years later as a celebrity who has conquered New York. Crisp, born Dennis Pratt was known for his sharp wit, and Farrelly makes sure these one-liners hit with the right mix of humour and emotion. From the funny yet bittersweet line, “Sex is the last refuge of the miserable; if we do not suf...

13Jun

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

North West

Finding Nemo Jr. – The Forum Theatre

This show was performed by the NK Theatre Arts junior youth theatre members (all 85 of them!) and I cannot remember ever seeing such an enthusiastic bunch of children, many of whom were taking part in their first ever stage show. I must say at the outset that HUGE congratulations must go to Hannah Thomas who in addition to directing the show also took on the role of musical director and choreographer and she excelled in all of these disciplines. I have to say that, going back many years, this must be just about the best production I have seen that Hannah has taken charge of. She really does excel in bringing out the talents of the youngsters in her charge. The storyline of the production is based on the 2003 Pixar animated film of the same name. Living on the great barrier reef off ...