North West Archives - Page 3 of 180

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Liverpool Empire

10Mar

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Liverpool Empire

Glittering, joyous, and unapologetically bold, Priscilla Queen of the Desert bursts onto the stage as a dazzling celebration of identity, friendship, and resilience. Directed by Ian Talbot. Based on the 1994 Australian film of a similar name, this stage musical transforms the road-trip story into a vibrant theatrical spectacle packed with iconic disco hits, stunning choreography (Matt Cole) and exuberant costumes (Vicky Gill). A show absolutely NOT to be missed! The story follows three friends Tick (Mitzi) played by Kevin Clifton, Adam/Felicia (Nick Hayes), and Bernadette (Adele Anderson)—as they travel across the Australian outback in a battered old school bus named 'Priscilla'. Along the way, they encounter both hostility and kindness, forcing them to confront prejudice, pers...

6Mar

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Octagon Theatre

Over four hundred years since it was written and first performed, Shakespeare’s Macbeth still proves to be the quintessential study of guilt, paranoia and vaulting ambition. With this modern-dress version of the tragedy, Director Mark Babych produces an accessible and clear rendition of the text that emphasises the domestic trauma of the central couple at the expense of the wider political context of the play. When watching and reviewing any Macbeth, my interest always centres around the decision a director takes to emphasise certain key themes inherent in the text. Will they choose to focus on the political, martial or domestic elements that conspire to push the eponymous character from warrior hero at the outset towards bloody regicide and insecurity, culminating in his fatalistic dea...

5Mar

By Kevin EcclestonNo Comments

North West

War of the Worlds – Liverpool Playhouse

At Liverpool Playhouse, War of the Worlds is not presented as a conventional science-fiction spectacle. Instead, the innovative theatre company imitating the Dog transforms The War of the Worlds by H. G. Wells into a striking exploration of storytelling itself. The result is a production that feels urgent, intelligent and technically daring. From the outset, the audience is made aware that they are watching a story being constructed. The stage resembles a film studio as much as a theatrical set: cameras are visible, miniature buildings sit on tables, and projected backdrops loom across large screens. Rather than hiding the mechanics, the company places them centre stage. This transparency becomes one of the production’s greatest strengths. As scenes of invasion and destruction unfold, w...

4Mar

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Dear England – Liverpool Empire

As someone who can’t bear football, because it is forced upon them so much, I was as shocked as everyone to find how intrigued I was by the Dear England play. Euro ’96 is probably the first big tournament I remember and Gareth Southgate’s penalty being the prevailing moment. And I think that was what made me want to see him and cheer him on as he managed to turn things around over the last decade as manager of the England men’s team. The play starts with that missed penalty that knocked England out of the Euros in 1996. It then cuts to 2016 and Sam Allardyce ‘mutually deciding’ to leave the post with the FA, after being in charge for one singular game. We get to see Southgate being asked to become the Interim manager and follow how he managed to take the team to heights we’ve n...

27Feb

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

The Memory of Water – Everyman Theatre

Welcome to 1996 and into the family home of three very different sisters as they reminisce, reveal and ruffle each other’s feathers after the passing of their beloved mother. Welcome to Olivier award winning comedy The Memory of Water by Shelagh Stephenson and directed by Lotte Wakeham. A quick witted, passionate and heartwarming show which takes you on a rollercoaster of a journey through all aspects of grief. From the anger, sadness, uncertainty, memories and comfort. This comedy takes a deceptively simple premise—three wildly different sisters reunited for their mother’s funeral—and turns it into a sharp, funny, and unexpectedly tender study of family friction and love. Set entirely in the bedroom of their late mother Vi. Entering the auditorium the staging is set (Katie Scott) yo...

27Feb

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Mean Girls – Opera House, Manchester

Few films capture early 2000s nostalgia quite like Mean Girls. The absolute hit of the noughties – starring Lindsay Lohan, Rachel McAdams, Tina Fey and Amanda Seyfried – it has long since cemented its cult-classic status. Much like other fan-favourite films that have recently made the leap from screen to stage - Heathers, The Devil Wears Prada, Legally Blonde and Pretty Woman to name just a few – its story continues to find new life with audiences. Direct from the West End, Mean Girls has landed in Manchester and brings an absolutely ‘Fetch’ cast with it. The story follows Cady Heron, on her transition from home-schooled life in Kenya into the harsh reality of American High School… when she meets ‘The Plastics’ who rule the school, she’ll realise high school is a whole new level of sava...

Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes – Liverpool Empire

25Feb

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

Matthew Bourne’s The Red Shoes – Liverpool Empire

A dancer enters the stage wearing vibrant red ballet shoes, the lighting renders her faceless, the music boldly proclaims that there is drama ahead… I am already hooked. A timeless tale of love, passion and conflict perfectly plays out from start to finish. A ensemble dancer is discovered by a ballet impresario, but are his obsession and her desires compatible? This tour of The Red Shoes celebrates the tenth anniversary of its original production and is a celebration of art and performance. The beautiful score originally composed by Bernard Herrmann is beautifully orchestrated for this company by Terry Davies. The visual identity of the piece is beyond description, and, quite simply, begs to be seen. Lez Brotherston’s set, with its grand moving proscenium arch and clever use of material...

The Woman in Black – Liverpool Playhouse

25Feb

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

The Woman in Black – Liverpool Playhouse

Step back in time with one of the most popular and spine-tingling tales in the history of London’s West End, 'The Woman in Black' by Susan Hill. Currently touring the UK after its successful long reign in London, I had the absolute pleasure of witnessing last night’s production in Liverpool’s very own Playhouse. The playwright for this production was Stephen Mallatratt and it was directed by Robin Herford. The tale of the Woman in Black has had audiences gripped for over 30 years, it’s legacy and accomplishments have led it to become an equally prosperous film franchise starring Daniel Radcliffe. A macabre tale of one Mr Arthur Kripps (Philip Stewart), a young and carefree solicitor who has his future mapped out with his soon-to-be-wife, is sent to an unsettling and ominous estate to fi...

25Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Operation Mincemeat – The Lowry

Back in April 2023, my daughter and I were in London’s theatre-land, seeking something cheerful and light after enduring a four-hour production of A Little Life — a play that had left us both in a numbly depressed state. A tiny show had just opened at the Fortune Theatre, just off Covent Garden, and we decided to take a risk on some cheap, last-minute tickets. It turned out to be a very wise decision. The show was Operation Mincemeat and, in the ensuing three years, it has garnered universal audience adoration, five-star reviews galore, continued success in the West End, and a Broadway transfer with resulting Tony and Olivier Awards recognition. The next step in its seemingly inexorable rise is a world tour, which kicks off with a glitzy “yellow carpet” premiere in Salford — cementing i...

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Palace Theatre

24Feb

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Palace Theatre

The Adventures of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert first frolicked onto the big screen back in 1994, bringing a queer tale of friendship, drag and disco to audiences around the world. With a sequel on the way, what better time to board the lavender bus and relive this musical road trip all over again? Sydney-based drag queen Tick/Mitzi (Kevin Clifton) agrees to perform at his estranged wife’s resort on the other side of the country. Recruiting fellow performers Bernadette (Adele Anderson) and Felicia (Nick Hayes), the trio take a journey through the Outback, stumbling upon a host of beguiling folk along the way. The three leads typify the queens and their distinctive personalities: Clifton offers a level-headed yet anxious Mitzi, Anderson charms while calling the shots as Bernadette, a...