North West Archives - Page 36 of 174

12Feb

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

The Girl on the Train – The Lowry

Bringing a psychological thriller to the stage should create an atmosphere of tension and intrigue, but The Girl on the Train struggles to maintain the suspense that made the novel so compelling. While the adaptation is faithful to the source material and the performances are solid, the production lacks the gripping intensity needed to keep audiences engaged. The script efficiently condenses the book’s plot, ensuring that key events unfold at a steady pace. However, the rapid transitions between scenes leave little room for suspense to build. The mystery remains intact, but it feels more like a retelling of events rather than a story unravelling in real time. Moments that should feel tense or shocking often pass without much weight, making it difficult to feel fully invested in the twis...

10Feb

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Madama Butterfly – Empire Theatre

Ellen Kent’s current revival of her original production adds layers of tone and colour to further enhance this sensitive and moving portrayal of Puccini’s devastating tragedy about a young geisha who falls in love with an American naval officer. Marriage broker Goro (Ruslan Pacatovici) shows US naval lieutenant Pinkerton (Davit Sumbadze) around the home he will share with his bride-to-be in Nagasaki, although American Consul Sharpless (Iurie Gisca) warns him of the tragic consequences that may follow. The Butterfly duly lands in the form of young Japanese girl Cio-Cio-San (Elena Dee) supported by maid Suzuki (Yelyzaveta Bielous), and they are married by the Commissioner (Vitalii Cebotari). Her love makes her willing to sacrifice everything which sees her disowned by her uncle, a Bonze (...

8Feb

By Katy GilroyNo Comments

North West

Beyond the Barricade – Floral Pavilion

There’s nothing like quite the magic of the musicals to brighten up a cold and grey Friday in February, and when the UK tour of Beyond the Barricade stopped off in New Brighton, it was set to be a fantastic evening. The UK’s leading musical theatre concert tour, which has been running since 1999, is usually made up of Andy Reiss, Katie Leeming, Sarah Ryan and David Fawcett – but with David unwell, the group had called upon theatre legend Norman Bowman to step in. As the name suggests, there is a strong Les Misérables theme to the show; all four group members, and Norman too, have played principal roles in the mind blowing musical based on Victor Hugo’s heart wrenching story. Beyond the Barricade opened with a Les Mis number, sung by the quartet, before diving into a world of both cla...

8Feb

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Exposed – Hope Street Theatre

Exposed (written, produced and performed by Laura Tellwright and wonderfully directed by Faye Caddick) is a painful but powerful performance which documents the ups and downs of life through the depths of grief. Don't be fooled into thinking this performance is going to be depressing and morose. Although, yes, you do need tissues in parts, this story really does have you crying, laughing and crying laughing. Very rarely do I see an audience so captivated, entranced and mesmerized. Yes, all similar words but I feel it needs to be shown just what an amazing performance this really is. You feel every emotion, you understand those emotions, you can relate with what is happening on stage, from the raw grief to the comedic take on dating, therapy and sometimes grief itself. By the e...

6Feb

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Here You Come Again – Opera House

Here You Come Again… yes, it is indeed another musical featuring the hit songs of country icon Dolly Parton. If it wasn’t enough to bring Dolly’s movie, 9 to 5, to the stage, here’s another Dolly musical to wet your whistle. If you’re expecting a musical about Dolly’s life and music, then you may be thoroughly disappointed. Instead, the plot takes us back to a time that none of us want to re-live… the COVID-19 pandemic. Kevin, played by Steven Webb, finds himself on the wrong side of 40, heart-broken, living back at home in the attic of his parent’s house, unemployed and in a bit of a ‘p-hole’ (that’s a pity hole for those who have not yet seen the show). Just when things hit rock bottom for Kevin, the queen of country herself, and Kevin’s idol, appears to show him the way. Who bette...

The Merchant of Venice 1936 – Liverpool Playhouse

5Feb

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

The Merchant of Venice 1936 – Liverpool Playhouse

The authenticity in this production is what struck me at rst, with the Jewish culture and language centre-stage for the preamble. And it didn’t matter that we may not understand what they were saying or doing, it was unapologetic. A sentiment carried through the whole production, which was a novel idea, as it gave the relic script a new tenacity and sense of place in the present which is far removed from when Shakespeare was writing. That authenticity is also what made me realise that this piece really was an example of how these celebrated plays can be relevant to today and still teach us something about the human condition. The cast, albeit small, was able to take on the responsibility of a much larger selection of characters. Their ability to multirole was not only impressive but ...

5Feb

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

Kinky Boots – Palace Theatre

A regular feature across Broadway and the West End since its debut 13 years ago, it’s no wonder Kinky Boots has a list of accolades as long as a pair of knee-high boots to its name (including Olivier, Tony and Grammy Awards to name but a few). Music and lyrics were provided by pop icon Cyndi Lauper, who created a score that perfectly underpinned the story and allowed its performers to explore their vocal talents. Lauper even says her participation in writing the songs for Kinky Boots is one of the things she is most proud of in her illustrious 40+ year career. The curtain opens on a young Charlie Price, whose father bequeaths him the family shoe manufacturing business upon his death. A crisis of confidence and identity soon ensues, as Charlie battles with the pressure of inheriti...

5Feb

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

The Shark is Broken – Lowry

Everyone knows that the film Jaws was a box-office smash. It was based on a best-selling novel by Peter Benchley and one critic said of the book, “None of the humans are particularly likable or interesting” and they felt the shark was the most compelling character. Spielberg agreed with them, which is why he changed the characters in the movie after deciding that the book's characters were unlikeable. This play concentrates on the three stars of the film, Roy Schneider (Dan Fredenburgh), Richard Dreyfuss (Ashley Margolis) and Robert Shaw (Ian Shaw) who are forced to wait around on the boat while the film’s techies try to fix Bruce, the broken animatronic shark. At first, it appears that these actors, like the characters in the book, are not “particularly likeable or interesting.” ...

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

4Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

The Curious Incident of the Dog in the Night-time – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Dealing with the issue of mental health on stage in an acceptable and accessible way has proved a challenge for creatives in the theatre. The huge success of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ (in Manchester later this month) as well as ‘Be More Chill’ and ‘Next to Normal’ in the West End and on Broadway, have proved that sensitive handling of the topic and box office popularity are not mutually exclusive. One of the first shows to tread this path was the National Theatre adaptation of Mark Haddon’s 2003 bestselling mystery novel, and this production from Altrincham Garrick Playhouse demonstrates their continuing ability to stage challenging theatre of the highest standard whilst maintaining commercial success. Christopher (Charlie Gallagher) is 15 years, 3 months and two days old and the world is a st...

The Room Where it Happens – The Grange Theatre

2Feb

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

The Room Where it Happens – The Grange Theatre

Theatregoers today have a huge range of shows to choose from and, for musical theatre theatres, it’s always a treat to get a reminder of the dazzling tapestry of pop, rock, hip-hop and opera at the heart of stories that cover themes as diverse as revolution and social equality to absurdities of everyday life. C.A.S.T productions have done just that with an eclectic and electric programme of musical theatre anthems. With the company’s inclusive ethos, we have a diverse mix of vocalists showcasing tunes from stage classics like Guys and Dolls and Gypsy, through to the modern blockbusters like Hamilton and Wicked. Photo - Rob Bentley, Mid-Cheshire Camera Club Director Louise Colohan and Michael Shneck have pulled together a smart set list that gives each cast member a chance to...