North West Archives - Page 25 of 174

Ní Liomsa an Teach Álainn Seo (This Is Not My Beautiful House) – Shakespeare North Playhouse

10May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Ní Liomsa an Teach Álainn Seo (This Is Not My Beautiful House) – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Described as a story of myth, legend, and identity, whilst Anna Ní Dhúill's play is certainly ambitious in exploring what it means to be non-binary, it ultimately comes up short. Cult Collective’s show revolves around an unnamed artist (Seoirsín Bashford) as they wait in their studio for their partner to come home so that they can reveal their secret and finally come out as non-binary. As they wait, they begin to delve into their recent obsession with an old Irish legend about a bull that caused an all-island war many centuries before. When the bull comes alive, a battle of monologues begins, as they fiercely debate whether it is better to live as your true self and potentially be alone for it, or to exist only in other people’s expectations and remain a legend. Whilst the pre...

10May

By Carole BaldockNo Comments

North West

Hamilton – Liverpool Empire

I had intended to open with a merry quip: who has my eye-teeth? Unfortunately, although that did apply, this show ultimately left me somewhat underwhelmed. Unlike the rest of the audience, at one point, the girl behind us got so excited, her drink flew out of her hand down my companion’s back. But I remained confused: history, story and characters; it’s not as if Mr Google is a new acquaintance, I just didn’t expect to have to call on him quite so much and still can’t match some of the name and faces from the cast list. Yes, there’s no denying Lin-Manuel Miranda’s was a brilliant idea, so original it’s like a beautiful, expensive, brand new sportscar compared with yet another weary, worn out bandwagon. He does justice to the under-rated man who was one of the founders of America, and wi...

Of Mice and Men – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

9May

By Harry AltyNo Comments

North West

Of Mice and Men – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

A classic literary tale, often studied by many British students as part of the GCSE syllabus, Of Mice and Men tells the story of George and Lennie as they traverse California in search of work during the Great Depression. Based on John Steinbeck’s novel, originally released in 1937, this production spotlights a typical ranch filled with migrant farmworkers who simply needed to survive the economic landscape. Despite the historic setting, the play’s themes of hope, misunderstanding and brotherhood still resonate with a modern audience, making the piece as poignant now as it was when first performed nearly 90 years ago. Upon entering the theatre, audiences are immediately transported to the Salinas Valley, with a quote from Robert Burns acting as a precursor for the story due to follow. F...

8May

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Making It! – Liverpool’s Royal Court

You know what to expect when you take your seat in front of the Royal Court stage. As ever, this production was overtly scouse, laugh-a-minute and easy watching. If you weren’t looking closely at the show poster, you would be surprised to learn that the entire production is a duologue. A hefty feat for any actor, but a challenge Cath Rice and Andrew Schofield executed with ease and maturity. No matter what character he played, and various he did, Schofield always exudes charm and professionalism on stage. His versatility in this production was as hilarious as impressive as he had to juggle a mixture accents, costume changes and exuberant stage entrances. But I’d expect nothing less from him. Due to the two-hand nature of this production, it was at times extremely dialogue heavy, almo...

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Waterside Arts

8May

By Helen JonesNo Comments

North West

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Waterside Arts

Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was originally a 1994 film starring the sublime Terence Stamp, Hugo Weaving and Guy Pearce. Some years later it was converted into a stage musical, and it is one of the campest but fun musicals around. Sale Nomads have this year brought it to Waterside Arts for a four-day run. The plot takes two drag queens and a transgender woman as they travel together across the Australian Outback from Sydney to Alice Springs to perform at a resort there. One of the drag queens, Tick, has a more important reason for organising the trip. The resort is run by his wife and the six-year-old son he has never met is there. Buying an old bus they name Priscilla, Queen of the Desert, their journey is an experience of rejection, acceptance and frien...

Beauty and the Beast – Empire Theatre, Blackburn

6May

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Beauty and the Beast – Empire Theatre, Blackburn

Glitter, bubbles, laughter and love, this performance of Beauty and the Beast has it all. It was an absolute honour to review this production by Blackburn Musical Theatre Company, directed by Tony Fry. I can honestly say it's one of, if not THE best amateur production I have seen. Definitely get yourselves down to the Empire Theatre in Blackburn to witness this magical production, I'm sure you won't be disappointed. The audience were enchanted and engaged from start to finish, I spoke with many people and not one had a bad word to say about this sparkling production. I'll start with the wonderful Belle (Leanna Wharf) who encompassed the role beautifully and whose vocals shone. She was a delight to watch and listen to and her solos were incredible, hitting some very difficult an...

Highlights from Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Concert – Liverpool Philharmonic

5May

By Mark HumphreysNo Comments

North West

Highlights from Wagner’s Ring Cycle in Concert – Liverpool Philharmonic

Wagner’s monumental Ring cycle, often described as a feat of artistic ambition and endurance, was distilled into a thrilling concert experience at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall last night with soprano Elena Pankratova under the assured baton of Domingo Hindoyan. This handpicked journey through the Ring brought drama, grandeur and pathos to life in a way that transcended the absence of sets and staging. But it was far from a bare stage. No fewer than six harps, four Wagner tubas, and an expanded instrumental palette that included bass clarinet, contrabassoon, bass trumpet and contrabass trombone made it clear: Wagner liked his low notes. The evening opened with the Entry of the Gods into Valhalla from Das Rheingold, a piece that shimmered with prophetic splendour. Hindoy...

Murder at the Three Ring Circus – Ellesmere Port Civic Hall

4May

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Murder at the Three Ring Circus – Ellesmere Port Civic Hall

AMT productions presents Murder at the Three Ring Circus at Ellesmere Port Civic Hall. This is no ordinary theatre production as you are transported to the Circus as soon as you enter, with different acts dotted around the bar area, posters of the main acts hanging from the ceiling and little stalls dotted around to entice and involve you from the beginning. Once the main ‘Circus’ is open, we enter the auditorium which has been fully transformed to make you feel like you're in a big Circus tent, with seating around three sides of the Circus Ring. The set up is brilliant, with ‘backstage’ announcements taking place from the stage manager and the acts running around getting ready for the show. The show takes place over two levels, with the main story taking place down at audience l...

Liverpool Improvisation Festival 2025 – Unity Theatre

4May

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

North West

Liverpool Improvisation Festival 2025 – Unity Theatre

As the dust settles, and the individual show reviews have now been written, it seems like a good time to take a step back and reflect on last weekend’s improvisation festival. The four-day event consisted of three days of improvised shows, and the final day was workshops aimed at fellow improvisers. The Unity Theatre offered two good sized spaces, so it was easy to move between the two theatres whilst the organisers set up the next act. The vibe of the event was one of community, and inclusivity, and a warm welcome was given to all who came to the event. I attended one whole day on the Saturday, which offered a varied schedule, beginning with a charming family show, ‘Jungle of Emotions’ which encouraged children to join in, by making their own suggestions, and th...

The School Of Night – Liverpool Improvisation Festival – Unity Theatre

4May

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

North West

The School Of Night – Liverpool Improvisation Festival – Unity Theatre

Twenty years ago, under the stewardship of Ken Campbell, ‘The School of Night’ was formed and made its first appearance at Shakespeare’s Globe Theatre. It is interesting to note that the original members of the Elizabethan version of The School of Night, were such luminaries as Sir Walter Raleigh, Thomas Harriot, Christopher Marlowe et al, who may very well have frequented the original Globe Theatre, which was built in 1599, which makes The School’s anniversary feel significant. It is thought that the name ‘The School of Night’ came from a line in Shakespeare’s play ‘Love’s Labour’s Lost,’ but there were other possibilities for the original name of this group of radical freethinkers. These include ‘The School of Atheism,’ and the ‘Durham House Set’ named after Sir Walter Raleig...