North West Archives - Page 66 of 179

10May

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Tender – HOME Mcr

Supported by Arts Council, England and Derby Theatre, Tender emerged as the new production for Phosphoros Theatre, a London based company running theatre projects for refugees aged 16-25. Featuring young performers from Iraq, Eritrea, Chad, Albania and Ethiopia the work began development in 2021 and is playing at Home, Manchester this week. Given the changes to the Illegal Migration Act and the very recent passing of the disturbing Rwanda Bill it is a timely opportunity to highlight the stories of the young refugees that find themselves between a rock and a hard place with no safety net, no right to work and understandable deep concerns about how they build a future for themselves. Phosphoros Theatre have invited young refugees and artists from around the UK to contribute material...

Accidental Death of an Anarchist – Hope Street Theatre

10May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Accidental Death of an Anarchist – Hope Street Theatre

One of Dario Fo’s most loved and renowned works, Accidental Death of an Anarchist is based on the true story of the Piazza Fontana bombing in Milan in 1969 and the subsequent death of Giuseppe Pinelli whilst being held in police custody. Director Dan Meigh’s re-imagination of the play places us in a modern-day police station where a mysterious Maniac (Mat Oliphant) has just climbed through the wrong window to be encountered by Inspector Berlozzo (Phil Rayner) and Constable 1 (Noah Cambridge) who are already in possession of a warrant for his arrest. With a history tied to disruption and disturbance across the ages, the Maniac makes his escape to the fourth floor and an encounter with a Chief Inspector (Eleanor Martin), Inspector Pisoni (Connor Wray), and Constable 2 (Cambridge). With...

10May

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Sound of Music – Liverpool Empire

Arriving at the bustling Empire theatre at Liverpool where rows of excited people were queuing to see the iconic story of a nun who becomes the mother of seven children, I was delighted to see that my favourite all time musical was still as popular as it was in the 60’s, when I went every weekend without fail, to see the film in my local cinema- ironically, here in Liverpool. So, for opening night to see the story brought to light by the BOST musicals company was, I knew, going to be a real treat. From the start, with the ever changing backdrop – bringing us the convent, the mountains and the exterior and the interior of the grand house ( great work by the projection designed Julian Butler) we were magically transported through this journey of Maria’s self-discovery from the start with ...

9May

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

Nell Gwynn – Neston Civic Hall

A strong cast and brilliant costumes make this a funny, colourful and very watchable show. The historical character of Nell Gwynn is famous for being an orange-seller, an actress and of course mistress of Charles II and in Jessica Swale’s comedy-drama we certainly see her as a witty, outspoken and independent woman. Swale brings together a mix of bawdy, carry-on comedy, some good storytelling and the injection of songs, to make an entertaining piece of theatre, which beyond the titillation and double-entendre, is actually saying something about theatre generally and women’s place in the theatre and society. Neston players, probably more used to presenting drama than comedy, have taken on the play under the leadership of new director Shannon McMullan. As a vibrant group th...

9May

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

JB Shorts 24 – 53two, Manchester

A bare stage in a formerly disused railway viaduct would seem an unprepossessing setting, but when hosted by Simon Naylor and the superb team at 53two, JB Shorts has firmly established itself as a ‘must see’ on the Manchester Theatre scene over the previous twenty-three seasons of its existence. Tonight is no exception, the six plays- each lasting just fifteen minutes - address both the political and personal in modern society and make for an eclectic and enthralling theatrical evening. Isobel Openshaw Saves the Day Writer Joyce Branagh takes the lead as the eponymous Isobel, an Aldi shop assistant who decides to stand for election to parliament against the Conservative forces of darkness embodied by Rory Cheese Bogg (Callum Sim). Elements of Victoria Woodesque writing pepper the scr...

8May

By Katy GilroyNo Comments

North West

Kinky Boots – Storyhouse, Chester

Ready for a two-week stint, Kinky Boots has arrived at Storyhouse in Chester – and boy has it done so in style. Directed by Amber Sinclair-Case, the magnificent cast have taken a show full of heart and made it into a magical display of theatre that will leave you in tears of both gut-wrenching sadness and pure, unadulterated joy. The story, for those unfamiliar, follows Charlie Price (Danny Becker): heir to his father’s failing shoe factory in Northampton, a role he doesn’t want but a reality he has been thrust into. In a bid to save the factory and its team of hardworking, loyal staff – people Charlie has known since childhood – he teams up with larger-than-life drag queen Lola (Duane-Lamonte O’Garro) to make shoes for an ‘underserved niche market’. This show, however, is more than ...

8May

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

The Kite Runner – The Lowry

I was not aware of the sport that is part of everyday life for young Afghan people – the joy and obsession of kite flying across the city of Kabul. This hobby is our equivalent to conker fights in the playground but enjoyed with far more passion and pleasure. This hobby can be enjoyed by the rich and poor alike and has been a tradition in Afghanistan for hundreds of years. Kite flying originated in China 3,000 years ago and although a sport of young boys is a hobby that continues throughout adulthood with equal determination, competitiveness and joy. The play “The Kite Runner” is the story of two young boys- Amir (played superbly by Stuart Vincent) a Pashtun who in the 1970’s lived in a large house with his strict father (played wonderfully by Dean Rehman) and their servant ...

8May

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

RENT – North West Theatre Arts Company

Sick! Festival presents RENT as a part of their shows and events for 2024, they’re noted to face up the complexities of mental health and physical health. They state that they present an outstanding international arts programme, whilst exploring themes through many art forms and commission powerful, innovative and engaging work by artists across Manchester. Sick! Festival has grown and evolved since 2013 and is guided by communities and lived experiences of others whilst tackling sensitive and emotive issues. Directed by Prab Singh and Choreographed by Katie Gough, Assistant Choreographer Tempany Windsor, Musical Director Beth Singh and Associate Musical Director Ross Johnson have produced the latest Sick! Festival’s rendition of ‘Rent’. Set in the East Village of New York City, ‘Ren...

Bonnie & Clyde – Palace Theatre, Manchester

8May

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Bonnie & Clyde – Palace Theatre, Manchester

In just 2 weeks Disney’s Aladdin flies into the Palace Theatre, one of the most anticipated shows of the year. But stop right there! This week Bonnie and Clyde drives onto the Place stage to raise a little hell in what so far, for me is the theatrical highlight of the year. I am lucky enough to be able to see some of the best theatre this country has to offer visiting Manchester and this show leave me after two and a half hours struggling to find fault with it in any way whatsoever. The staging, lighting, sound, orchestra and cast are faultless from the first gunshot to the last. In a story that is never going to have a happy ending Katie Tonkinson (Bonnie) and Alex James-Hatton (Clyde) display a fiery emotional chemistry from the first moment they meet to the final fade of the li...

7May

By Karen Morley-ChesworthNo Comments

North West

Northanger Abbey – Theatre by the Lake

From the novel by Jane Austen comes a play by Zoe Cooper that brings 21st century humour and gender politics to the original early 19th century text, writes Karen Morley-Chesworth. With interaction with the audience, breaking down the fourth wall as well as a number of taboos that would have made Miss Austen blush, this production opens with lively style. Rebecca Banatvala as Cath, the heroin of this and her own story commands the piece with gusto. Banatvala is the powerhouse of this production, which is anything but your expected adaptation of an Austen novel. AK Golding and Sam Newton play a number of different roles that create Cath’s world – her parents, the neighbours who take her to Bath for the season and the first love of her life, Hen and her new found female friend Iz. ...