North West Archives - Page 37 of 113

11Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Idlib – Theatre Porto

Written and directed by Kevin Dyer, and produced by Laura Duncalf, Idlib started as a piece of prose as a prelude for a play that morphed into a short story before becoming the script for a monologue first performed online in 2021. Based on the story of a Syrian baker who wanted to return home and real interviews with Syrian refugees and escapees across Europe, it tells the story of a woman (Anoush Kendrick) who has hope, but it is both the prelude to this tale and what follows afterwards as well that make this such a special evening. I have seen this production twice before – online and in-person at an intimate space several months ago – but I couldn’t resist the attraction of participating again at a new venue (for me) and with a new performer. It transpires that this is the start...

Vardy v Rooney – The Wagatha Christie Trial – The Lowry

11Jun

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Vardy v Rooney – The Wagatha Christie Trial – The Lowry

We all remember that day in October 2019 when Colleen Rooney posted that now infamous line on social media "It's......Rebekah Vardy's account". After a turbulent court case, the transcript has now found its way on stage. While Lisa Spirling's adept direction lends a captivating dynamism to the court scenes, as attorneys demonstrate their prowess in a thrilling simulation of a tennis match, it's hard to ignore the signs of rushed production in "Vardy V Rooney: The Wagatha Christie Trial". Despite its moments of brilliance, the production bears the unmistakable marks of hasty assembly and never really distinguishing if it's a comedy or drama. This theatrical piece offers a fresh take on a tale that has already etched itself into the public consciousness. However, it fails to seize the op...

9Jun

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Lear – Hope Mill Theatre

The opportunity to see any new interpretation of one of Shakespeare's 'biggies' is never one that this reviewer will pass up, so when my June list included HER Productions' all female twist on ‘King Lear', I was excited to see what fresh perspective they could offer. Unfortunately, what we witnessed was uneven performances, poor delivery and confused themes, only partially redeemed by a couple of strong performances. We open with a sparse set and red curtain backdrop with the small brick lined theatre at Hope Mill harshly lit by overhead fluorescent strips. Lear (Christine Mackie) is relinquishing her power and dividing the realm between her three daughters according to the love they demonstrate, the resulting decisions leading to civil war and the fall from grace of this all powerful ...

The Pearl Fishers – Opera North at The Bridgewater Hall

9Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Pearl Fishers – Opera North at The Bridgewater Hall

Bizet’s first full length opera took six months from being commissioned to being performed in 1863 and whilst receiving a hostile reception from the critics, it was popular with audiences as, set in the then Ceylon, it draws upon its exotic setting to explore issues such as the conflict between love and duty, and jealousy whilst testing out new musical ideas and motifs that were ultimately to come to the fore in Carmen some twelve years later. Zurga (Quirijn de Lang) and Nadir (Nico Darmanin) are old friends who reminisce that despite having fallen in love with the same young women years before, it hadn’t got in the way of their loyalty to each other. With Zurga now the leader of their village, their relationship is about to be tested again with the arrival of a veiled young priestess,...

8Jun

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

The Crucible – Gladstone Theatre

A bold, original attempt at this classic, which ascends to a powerful ending. The Crucible is one of the seminal and most popular plays of the mid 20thcentury. Miller’s chilling parable of mass hysteria parallels the Salem witch-hunt of 1692 against The McCarthyism of 1950s America, and it is still examined in school rooms, as well as being performed by amateurs and professionals. It is a play which should feverishly bubble and burn, as it builds from what was a girlish prank, to a community that destroys itself from within with its frantic frenzy of accusations. It is a claustrophobic, intense ‘wailing’ of a play that can fall victim to overflowing and reaching boiling point too soon. The alchemy is in getting the temperature and consistency right as the plot thickens. It is a b...

Last Summer at Bluefish Cove – Lauriston Studio, Altrincham

7Jun

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Last Summer at Bluefish Cove – Lauriston Studio, Altrincham

For the final production in their season of LGBTQ+ plays in the Lauriston studio, Altrincham Garrick have produced a masterful retelling of a play that is little known on this side of the Atlantic. Not only is it extremely funny and touching, it should also be seen as an important milestone in the development of queer theatre history. For the first time it allowed gay characters to be portrayed as three dimensional beings, rather than the troubled stereotypes which had populated the theatre prior to its production. We arrive in the eponymous Long Island resort with Eva (Madeleine Healey), recently divorced from husband George, she is emotionally lost and confused and still grieving the loss of her son Lenny six years earlier. She meets Lil (Phillipa Shellard) whilst walking on the beac...

7Jun

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Annie – Liverpool Empire

This timeless classic is about Annie who’s a confident, fiery 11 girl waiting for her parents to come rescue her from Miss Hannigan’s orphanage. Set in the 1930’s during the Great Depression Annie’s optimism shines through when she’s chosen to spend Christmas with famous billionaire, Oliver Warbucks. Of course, Annie is delighted to spend time away from scrubbing the floors and sets out to search for her real family. Knowing there’s a $50,000 reward to find Annie’s real parents, Miss Hannigan hatches a plan with her crony brother to reap the benefits. Any musical that you recognise the songs from without having seen it before shows that it’s iconic. My foot was tapping along with the orphan girls polished rendition of ‘It’s the hard knock life’, if you’ll pardon the pun. This ...

The Commitments – Opera House, Manchester

6Jun

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

The Commitments – Opera House, Manchester

The Commitments Musical, stopping off at the Opera House in Manchester on its nationwide tour, takes on the daunting task of bringing a classic film to the stage. The result is a performance that might be aptly described as 'Commitments Lite', yet it is filled with sensational soul and a cast rich in talent. The story is simple. Jimmy, played by James Killeen, forms a soul band from a group of unlikely characters in the town who draw on the essence of being Dubliners to create their original sound. The band experiences a fleeting moment of massive success before falling apart. This narrative is supported by a plethora of fantastic numbers, performed by an array of talented actor-musicians. James Deegan stands out as Deco, a character brimming with charisma and a voice that rises to a ...

2Jun

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

The Incident Room, Black-E, Liverpool

Old Fruit Jar Productions’ performance of The Incident Room, directed by Alex Carr, is an intense and thought-provoking look into the police investigation into the crimes of the Yorkshire Ripper. The tragic events surrounding these violent offences and their massive impact on the people of Yorkshire are distilled into one tiny room in Millgarth Police Station, where the action takes place. As a venue, the Black-E is perfect. Venues usually only stand out when they have a negative impact on a play, and when the venue is suitable, it fades into the background. In this case however, before the audience even see the stage, the stone spiral staircase leading to the performance space, which happens to be identical to staircases seen in many of Yorkshire’s courthouses, creates a sense of imme...

2Jun

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

Crave – 53two, Manchester

Sarah Kane’s poetic masterpiece Crave marked a significant departure for the playwright when it was first performed in 1998. Whereas Kane’s previous work had featured graphic violence and sex, Crave relied on language. A quarter of a century on and it is clear the power of Kane’s words has hardly subdued. Four characters - A, B, C and M - take to the simple but beautifully-lit stage under the atmospheric 53Two arches. A black curtain backdrop and four stylish grey chairs are the only set dressing. This could be a waiting room or a therapy session or both those things or something else entirely or nothing at all. What follows are four haunting monologues or conversations beautifully interwoven together in a way that is almost impenetrable and yet totally understandable on a human lev...