North West Archives - Page 5 of 174

Blackadder the Third – The Little Theatre, Birkenhead

6Nov

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Blackadder the Third – The Little Theatre, Birkenhead

A thoroughly entertaining production, providing plenty of belly laughs. A lovely homage to a popular cult comedy classic. The Carlton Players take on one of the most iconic British sitcoms, Blackadder the Third. Written by Richard Curtis and Ben Elton, the scripts provide an absolute feast of sharp wit, blistering sarcasm, and fast-paced satire that would keep even the most seasoned actors on their toes. So, full kudos to this company for tackling such a challenge with evident enthusiasm and affection. Director Mike Sanders successfully pulls together a performance that captures the heart and soul of Blackadder. The decision to stage three of the series’ most memorable episodes — Ink and Incapability, Nob and Nobility, and Amy and Amiability — makes for a cleverly structured even...

6Nov

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Fawlty Towers The Play – Opera House

Few British comedies have stood the test of time quite like Fawlty Towers, a series that remains one of the finest examples of farcical writing and impeccable timing ever to grace our television screens. Now, John Cleese himself has adapted the mayhem of Torquay’s most dysfunctional hotel to the stage with Fawlty Towers - The Play, directed by Caroline Jay Ranger, and currently at the Manchester Opera House as part of a UK Tour. The play cleverly combines some of the most beloved episodes from the original two series, creating a sort of ‘best of’ Fawlty Towers experience. From the chaos of the missing salad to the unforgettable fire drill and the classic German guests, the production cleverly went from one disaster to another. The two-tiered set perfectly recreates the hotel’s familiar ...

6Nov

By Anna SmithNo Comments

North West

Little Women – Liverpool Playhouse

Louisa May Alcott's classic heartwarming story is one of my favourites and centres around the coming of age of the March Sisters and is adapted by Anne-Marie Casey for the stage and directed by Loveday Ingram. The American Civil War is the backdrop and follows the lives of the four March sisters Meg, Jo, Amy and Beth as they navigate their way through life dealing with love, loss, their different ambitions and the transformation they each go through. Ruari Murchison's clever set is simple but so effective. The bare tree trunks on the stage work so well letting us imagine the outdoors and there is even a gentle falling of snow. The clever use of Matthew Buggs atmospheric music helps capture the mood and completely suits the period Li...

Mozart Symphony No. 41, Jupiter – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

4Nov

By Bethany EastonNo Comments

North West

Mozart Symphony No. 41, Jupiter – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

Upon simply stepping into the Philharmonic hall there is a sense of calm to be felt and the concerts in this grand venue are a welcome outing to be had. The afternoon’s concert was principal cellist Jonathan Aasgaard’s last with the orchestra and so the afternoon began with a celebration of his career and a speech from the man himself. Here he celebrated his colleagues and noted how lucky Liverpool is to house the orchestra in the city. Aasgaard also noted how the musicians make playing look easy, but that they all work incredibly hard. The audience shared their agreement and the concert began on a high after a wonderful community moment. Conducted by Domingo Hindoyan, the afternoon focused around Mozart’s last symphony No.41 Jupiter which is split into four movements. Surprisingly, ...

Manchester Musical Youth’s 11th Anniversary Concert – Manchester College

2Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Manchester Musical Youth’s 11th Anniversary Concert – Manchester College

Manchester Musical Youth (MMY) marked its 11th anniversary in spectacular fashion with a celebratory concert at Manchester College, showcasing the incredible breadth of talent that has become synonymous with this outstanding theatre group. With over 100 students taking part, from apprentices to main stage performers - this was more than just a concert; it was a heartfelt celebration of eleven years of nurturing young talent and transforming passion into performance. Headed by the dynamic husband-and-wife duo Kimberly Holden (Musical Director) and Dave Holden (Director), MMY once again proved why it is renowned for producing some of Manchester’s finest young performers, many of whom have gone on to excel on professional stages and screens. The evening featured 23 musical numbers s...

30Oct

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

The Producers – Zodiac Theatre Group

Opening Night, It’s Opening Night. Zodiac Theatre Group have brought the hilarious Mel Brooks musical, The Producers, to the Hammond in Chester this week. A new venue for the company but the space was used extremely well. Directed by Neil Silcock, there were nods from the 2005 film mixed with some fresh and hilarious moments, with lots of physical comedy made possible by the brilliant cast who threw themselves, sometimes literally, into the roles to bring this hilarious musical to life. Gareth Earl leads the company as doomed theatre producer Max Bialystock and lead he does. Earl delivers a fantastic Bialystock, with absolute top notch acting, plenty of physical comedy and some incredible vocals, especially during Betrayed where he recaps most of the story at top speed, including an ...

30Oct

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Top Hat – Liverpool Empire

Glitz, glamour, sophistication and flair, Irving Berlin's Top Hat takes to the stage to reinvigorate and regenerate the musicals of times gone by. A magical reminder of the sheer talent and romance of the theatre. Adapted for stage by authors Matthew White and Howard Jacques and based on RKO's motion picture. Directed and choreographed by Kathleen Marshall. Get your toes tapping from the moment the curtain is raised and watch in awe of the perfectly timed and varied choreography (Richard Pitt, Carol Lee Meadows and Kathleen Marshall) as the dancers showcase some iconic footwork from the soft shoe shuffle to an exciting crescendo for the end of act 1 of precision dancing in a revolution of the stage as a company. The staging (Peter Mckintosh) was grand and took you straight back in ti...

No Woman’s Land – Rose Theatre, Arts Centre, Edge Hill University

29Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

No Woman’s Land – Rose Theatre, Arts Centre, Edge Hill University

No Woman’s Land is a powerful and engaging one-woman performance from Ciara O’Neill that blends verbatim theatre and storytelling to bring to life the voices of Belfast’s women activists. Developed through a series of interviews conducted in October 2024, the piece weaves together biographical accounts that illuminate the city’s vibrant feminist legacy. As a work in progress – although it was far more than that – this review contains observations for consideration as part of the ongoing development process. The simple black box staging was ideal for this multi-character performance with the musical opening of Simple Minds’ Belfast Child setting the scene. O’Neill’s own arrival brings her own unaccompanied rendition of Belfast, which was powerful and moving, and with its repeat at the...

Northern Lights and German Resonance – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

28Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Northern Lights and German Resonance – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

There was nothing Fawlty about the RLPO in last night’s performance—a real Touch of Class, you might say. In that BBC comedy classic, Sybil famously complained about her henpecked husband “listening to that racket”—prompting Basil’s comic rejoinder that it was Brahms’s Third racket. Perhaps she would have preferred his Fourth Symphony, one of the great Romantic masterpieces, brought vividly to life at Liverpool’s Philharmonic Hall by debutant Estonian conductor Kristiina Poska. The programme opened with little-known Swedish composer Ida Moberg’s evocation of dawn, traversed Sibelius’s elemental drama, and closed with Brahms at his most romantic and architecturally grandiose. All of it under the guidance of a left-handed baton—a rare sight, even in Liverpool, the city of famous left-hand...

27Oct

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

The Signalman – Floral Pavilion

As someone who spends a lot of their life on trains, I’ve always wondered what happened in the old signal boxes along the routes… not so much anymore! The Signalman has been adapted for the stage from the short story by Charles Dickens, by Francis Evelyn. With the book only being 30 pages, Evelyn managed to create a 2-act play from it, while still keeping the Dickens essence in it. It tells the story of a signalman in the 1880s, who is rigorous in his routines, being visited by a traveller and them sharing their stories. The signalman is adamant that he is visited by a Spirit, that foretells of a dangerous event occurring – train crashes, women falling to their deaths from trains and so on… It is comprised of a small cast of actors and relies on clever tricks, to convey the presence of ...