North West Archives - Page 34 of 178

2Apr

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Red Or Dead – Liverpool’s Royal Court

When the email allocating this review landed in my inbox, I could be forgiven for thinking that my Liverpool supporting editor was playing an April Fool’s prank. The choice to send a Salfordian and Manchester United fan to review a play about the inexorable rise of Liverpool FC - staged in the heart of that city - could be seen as cruel and unusual punishment. I would object, if it were not for the fact that his decision meant I was fortunate enough to attend one of my highlights of the theatrical year, with a stunning central performance and enough heart to fill Old Trafford, let alone Anfield. ‘Red Or Dead’ Is a stage adaptation of the 2013 novel by David Peace telling the story of the reign of Liverpool’s legendary manager Bill Shankly, from his appointment in 1959 through to his une...

Mahler Symphony No. 3 – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

2Apr

By Johanna RobertsNo Comments

North West

Mahler Symphony No. 3 – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

While I’m familiar with Mahler’s Symphony No. 3 from recordings, this was my first time hearing the concert played live, so I was curious as to what the difference would be. Put simply, the difference was astonishing. The symphony is frequently described as ‘epic’, and the sheer size of the orchestra on the stage at the Philharmonic Hall was an indication of what was in store with an air of excited anticipation in the hall. Lasting approximately 90 minutes, the work is divided into six movements, with the central movements bookended by monolithic first and final movements. Mahler’s aim was to reflect on man’s relationship with the natural world, and initially, each movement had a title intimating its focus. While these are useful as guides, it is perhaps better to meet the music on i...

28Mar

By Katy GilroyNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Floral Pavilion

The Scottish Play blew into the Floral Pavilion in New Brighton in a fresh new way thanks to Revision on Tour, allowing GCSE students to immerse themselves into one of Shakespeare’s most famous tragedies. Dickens Theatre Company say “Revision on Tour does exactly what it says on the tin - offering ALL students the chance to experience the texts they have been studying in class in a beautiful theatre, performed by professional actors. During those crucial revision months, we tour the UK with our unique adaptations - staying true to the original texts but performed in an accessible & engaging way, bringing high-quality theatrical experiences to young people, students, teachers, parents and all lovers of English literature.” If you were attending as a regular theatre goer, you m...

28Mar

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Of Mice and Men – Octagon Theatre

At one point over 90% of teenagers taking GCSE English Literature in UK schools studied ‘Of Mice and Men’ and many of the greying press night audience I spoke to had affection for the novel from their distant school days. However, Steinbeck’s moral fable of friendship and companionship has fallen out of favour in academia in recent years due to the overtly racist language, casual misogyny and portrayal of disability, so it was an interesting exercise to see how this stage production would translate to a more critical 21st-century environment. Increasingly in post-Covid regional theatre, we are seeing a movement towards co-productions as a way of mitigating risk and sharing costs, this production combines the resources of Octagon Bolton, Hull Truck, Theatre by the Lake and Derby Theatre ...

28Mar

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Tambo & Bones – Liverpool Playhouse

Seeing other reviews of this production, not to mention the various accolades it has received, my hopes were high as I took my seat in the auditorium. The vibe had a chilled excitement to it, aided by the pre-amble music, but as the clock-ticked on, the audience soon became restless at the late start. However, when the performance did get underway, those feelings were quickly dashed thanks to the gutsy, bold and connected acting onstage. Clifford Samuel and Daniel Ward delivered a Tambo and Bones that were in-sync, funny, unapologetic and warm to watch. The minstrel show for the first half of Act One was a high-class opening, the inclusion of the puppet a particular personal highlight. But the enthusiasm seemed to dip as the show progressed. Into the second half of Act 1, yet another...

27Mar

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Hairspray – Buxton Opera House

Great news for Buxton - Hairspray the musical is touring again. Directed by Paul Kerryson alongside Brenda Edwards, who is making her directorial debut, this toe tapping stalwart of musical theatre is gracing the stage once more. Having taken Broadway by storm back in the day and winning 8 Tony awards, Hairspray then moved to the West End where 4 Olivier awards were also achieved. Its safe to say that an audience’s high expectations will often precede this particular musical. The story, set in the 60s is essentially about a group of teens who were fighting for equality at a time when segregation related to an individual’s colour was rife. Led by Tracy Turnblad and her family and friends, she managed to address this issue through her desire to dance on a popular TV show. The issue of an ...

Flashdance the Musical – The Forum Theatre

27Mar

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

North West

Flashdance the Musical – The Forum Theatre

This production of Flashdance the musical is directed and choreographed by Hannah Thomas of NK Theatre Arts and a wonderful job she has done of it too, ably assisted by Jade Wilbraham. The show is set in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania in the USA and is based on a book by Tom Hedley and Robert Cary, music by Robbie Roth and lyrics by Roth and Cary. It has a distinctive 80’s feel about it and includes a number of well-known songs including “Maniac”, “Gloria” and “What a feeling”. it tells the story of young Alex, whose job is a welder by day and 'flash-dancer' by night, and her dreams of becoming a member of a dance academy and fulfilling her ambition to become a professional dancer. It was good to see many familiar faces in the cast members who took to the stage doing improvised dancing be...

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical – Palace Theatre

26Mar

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical – Palace Theatre

Having not seen the source material for this production - the 1999 hit teen film Cruel Intentions - I had limited understanding of what was in store for me with the theatrical production of Cruel Intentions: The 90s Musical. The stage adaptation had been met with a lukewarm critical response since its debut in 2015, and understandably so. It’s clear to see what the intention of this production was, but the execution left a lot to be desired. Let’s start with the storyline: the story follows vindictive stepsiblings Kathryn and Sebastian, who have somewhat of a Freudian infatuation with each other. This dangerous duo makes a cruel pact that Sebastian must seduce fellow classmate - the virginal Annette - which triggers a series of dark and dangerous events that foreshadows the rest of the ...

26Mar

By Kathryn GortonNo Comments

North West

Evita – Stockport Plaza

Following on from last year’s excellent production of Priscilla comes Romiley Operatic Societies presentation of the popular and multi award winning Lloyd-Webber classic, Evita! This society perform here each year and completely utilises this beautiful, Art Deco theatre with its huge, and I mean huge, proscenium and luxurious auditorium with fabulous sight lines and acoustics. And did they use it well? Oh yes and some. I counted 50 performers on stage in some of the numbers which takes some enormous artistic direction and choreography and logistics to make that work but boy they did and with aplomb. I counted a mind blowing 64 cast members in the programme and that in itself is a remarkable cast size for any production. Evita tells the meteoric rise to fame and popularity as t...

23Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Buckled – 53two

It’s Wine O’Clock somewhere. Hic-Hic-Hooray. Eat, sleep, Gin, repeat. How many of us can honestly say we haven’t reached the end of a working week and our mind has turned to relaxing with friends or family and a few drinks via an alcohol-themed pun or two. But where is the line when enjoying a bevy becomes a serious problem? Helen Jeffery’s slick and thought provoking one-act play, Buckled, which she also directs, gives us a glimpse in the consequences of out-of-control drinking. A simple set of a table and two chairs is thoughtfully used and, through a mix of mono- and dialogues and ensemble speeches, delivered by three excellent actors, and a cleverly curated Britpop soundtrack, we have the opportunity to consider our own relationship with the ‘demon drink’ (and possibly feel s...