North West Archives - Page 5 of 134

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Northwich Memorial Court

24Oct

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory – Northwich Memorial Court

Ever since Gene Wilder invited us into a world of ‘Pure Imagination’ in the 1971 film, Charlie and the Chocolate Factory has been a story for the ages; a morality tale of the honest and good being (eventually) rewarded and the horrid and greedy getting their comeuppance. With the popularity of other children’s fantasies, such as Matilda, being translated to the stage, this was an obvious candidate for adaptation. For those who’ve lived in Loompaland for all their lives and haven’t discovered Roald Dahl’s long-adored story, we meet young Charlie Bucket, living in abject poverty with his hardworking mother and four bedridden grandparents. He dreams of Willy Wonka’s chocolate factory at the end of the road. Soon Wonka announces a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity – those who find one o...

Stones In His Pockets – Octagon Theatre, Bolton

24Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Stones In His Pockets – Octagon Theatre, Bolton

When a Hollywood studio arrives in the quiet, rural backwater of County Kerry in the west of Ireland to film their latest big budget drama ‘The Quiet Valley’, there is much excitement in the local community. Told through the eyes of Charlie (Gerard McCabe) and Jake (Shaun Blaney), this tale of thwarted ambition and lost opportunity veers starkly between farcical comedy and dark pathos without really convincing in either genre, despite the extremely strong performances from the gifted cast of two. Written by Marie Jones in 1996, ‘Stones’ has come to be regarded as an iconic show in its native Ireland, winning acclaim for its tragicomic depiction of the differences between the cruel reality of Irish rural life and its idealisation in film and television. Charlie and Jake are initially bot...

24Oct

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Nowhere – HOME Mcr

Where do you go when the unbearable becomes persistent? This is just one of the initial questions asked by Khalid Abdalla in his profound and beautiful piece of theatre, Nowhere, currently playing at HOME, Manchester. It’s a question that, given the current situation in the Middle East, slaps you in the face and makes you pay attention to what is about to be said. What follows is a personal history of multi-generational activism; friendship, love and loss; personal and political protest; family legacy and our personal history. It is Abdalla’s own history that inspires this journey. The son and grandson of political prisoners, it is his involvement in the 2011 Egyptian Revolution and the subsequent counter-revolution that shapes his journey. It is the stories of his forefathers and of...

Sealskin – The Arts Centre, Edge Hill University

24Oct

By Rebecca CaseyNo Comments

North West

Sealskin – The Arts Centre, Edge Hill University

Sealskin is based on a fable about a group of Selkies who appear at every full moon, they peel away their skin and dance. One evening a fisherman steals the skin of one of the Selkies and takes her home. The story is about the events that follow. The piece is devised by Tmesis Theatre and directed by Elinor Randle. A creative thought provoking, mystical tale that really is a must see. A talented, skilful, energetic ensemble cast including Stephanie Greer, Samual Perez Duran and Valentine Ojochegbe Onogu who have all truly mastered their craft. The striking red head Faye McCutcheon plays the leading Selkie, injecting a mermaid likeness to the role and taking us with her on her journey learning the human ways. A stand out performance as the mother of the fisherman, an elderly...

Legally Blonde The Musical – Daneside Theatre

23Oct

By Hannah KellyNo Comments

North West

Legally Blonde The Musical – Daneside Theatre

On a dark and dreary October evening, The Daneside Theatre in Congleton was glowing with hot-pink and the productions opening night appeared lively and high-spirited. Directed by Jill Mason, the Congleton Musical Theatre’s rendition of Heather Hach’s ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ is kitsch, cringe and wonderfully camp. The musical is based on both Amanda Brown’s novel and the 2001 hit-movie starring Reese Witherspoon, following the journey of the ‘Malibu-Barbie’, Elle Woods, as she navigates her way through Harvard Law School and eventually dispels all stereotypes of her ‘Legally Blonde’ persona. The curtain opens to Elle (Abbie Lloyd) and her ‘Delta Nu’ Sorority Sister’s performance of ‘Omigod you guys’, a flamboyant number that immediately characterised Elle and her love for War...

Candlelight Original Sessions – Manchester Cathedral

21Oct

By Mary FoggNo Comments

North West

Candlelight Original Sessions – Manchester Cathedral

A beautifully intimate evening gracing Manchester Cathedral's skies with whimsical live music, storytelling, and candlelight. This Candlelight Original Session (that sold out in just 11 minutes!) brought Bastille fans to Manchester to celebrate the release of their new album Bastille Presents “&” (Ampersand) amongst the beauty and magnificence of Manchester Cathedral. It was on a very wet rainy evening that I made my way to the stunning Manchester Cathedral situated in the city to watch Bastille, who formed in 2010, with frontman Dan Smith perform a special candlelit live preview of Bastille’s new album “&” (Ampersand). On turning the corner and ‘doors opening’ not for a while yet, I was thinking surely no one will be queuing in this torrential rain. I was amazed to see the tops...

When We Are Married – Rainhill Village Hall

18Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

When We Are Married – Rainhill Village Hall

Director Rosetta Parker’s superb revival of JB Priestley’s hilarious 1938 play takes full advantage of the wealth of talent Rainhill Garrick Society has to offer and even with a cast of fourteen, there was still plenty of talent remaining both back and front of house to deliver this thoroughly enjoyable evening. Set entirely in the sitting room of Mr and Mrs Helliman (Rick Young; Tracey Duffy), it is 1920 and they are entertaining two other couples – Mr and Mrs Soppitt (David Parker; Lynn Aconley) and Mr and Mrs Parker (George Lowe; Alison Mawdsley) - as they celebrate the silver anniversary of their triple wedding. They have got it in for Gerald Forbes (Tom Nevitt), the church organist, who has been seen out with a girl at night, something very shocking for that day and age. What they ...

17Oct

By Anna Ní DhúillNo Comments

North West

Am I Irish Yet? – Unity Theatre

Kate Kerrigan’s autobiographical one-woman show at Unity in Liverpool has the audience rapt as she shares anecdotes about her life in the media, working at a hair salon in London, and her deep connection to her Irish roots. Playing as part of the Liverpool Irish Festival, Am I Irish Yet? kicked off ten days of celebration as the city hosts theatre, commemorations, and talks celebrating Irish heritage. Photo: Alison Loredo My first takeaway of Am I Irish Yet? is that Kate Kerrigan is an amazing woman. Born in London in the sixties, to Irish parents from Ballina, Co. Mayo, Kate is an exceptional role model for any woman who might have been told they aren’t qualified enough. Over the course of ninety minutes, we get snippets of Kate’s life and the important characters that shaped her, a...

Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow – Octagon Theatre

17Oct

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Pali and Jay’s Ultimate Asian Wedding DJ Roadshow – Octagon Theatre

The wedding caterers may not have turned up, but Bhangra beats, Snapchat and sabotage are still on the menu of tonight’s performance. The show’s storyline is a simplistic one – DJ Pali (Jas Binag) is keen to permanently recruit his young assistant Jay (Viraj Juneja, who also wrote the show) to his Asian wedding DJ business, improve their Google rankings, and complete his LED-tile dance floor, goals that Jay seems a little reluctant to commit to. The show is described as am immersive experience, as various threats to Pali’s ambitions present themselves over the course of 75 minutes. Pali and Jay are certainly a likeable pair and the bursts of music certainly get the toes tapping but the rest is less convincing. For an energetic wedding party, it’s a slow burner that seems to only find...

16Oct

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

Play On! – Liverpool Playhouse

This musical show transfers Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night to the 1940’s New York jazz scene and is set in the infamous Cotton Club in 1940’s Harlem. Conceived by Sheldon Epps from a book by Cheryl L. West, the production started out on Broadway where it received three Tony nominations; it has been brought to the UK by the Talawa Theatre Company. Talawa is UK’s Black theatre company, promoting Black Joy 2024, a season of theatre and workshops celebrating Black stories and artists. Directed by Talawa’s Artistic Director, Michael Buffong, the show incorporates music by legendary jazz singer, Duke Ellington and showcases classic and contemporary choreography from Kenrick H2O Sandy. It is an all-singing, all-dancing production with a five-piece live band, comprising musicians, Shane Fo...