North West Archives - Page 72 of 178

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Stockport Plaza

13Mar

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

North West

Priscilla Queen of the Desert – Stockport Plaza

Sometimes, reviewing theatre productions can be a bit like pulling hens teeth. You sit there, you get acted at, you clap then you leave. All very nice, but you can’t say very much about what you’ve seen. Then there are the nights when you get blown away by a production. A production so good, you can’t stop saying things about it. I saw one of those tonight. By any criteria you can name, this production of Priscilla, Queen of the Desert was a joy from start to finish. I guess you will know the plot by now. Three drag queens schlep across Australia in an old bus, (the titular Priscilla). They encounter the sort of people who don’t take naturally to people who are different. They are despised, assaulted in the vilest way. One finds romance, one a family but they all have adventures they wo...

13Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Murder in the Dark – Floral Pavilion

As the audience opens their programmes for tonight’s performance, they are greeted with a simple plea – do not spoil the show for others. With that in mind, what can be said about the show is that it absolutely won’t be what you expect. I’m just not sure that’s a good thing in this case. We start with a simple premise. Faded pop star Danny (Tom Chambers) and his young girlfriend Sarah (Laura White) arrives at a ramshackle cottage with a handily unreliable power supply and no wi-fi, having crashed his car. They are taken under the wing of the eccentric owner Mrs Bateman (Susie Blake) and soon joined by the car’s other passengers; Danny’s estranged brother William (Owen Oakeshott), ex-wife Rebecca (Rebecca Charles) and his uninterested son Jake (Jonny Green). Directed by Philip Fra...

Richard, My Richard – Shakespeare North Playhouse

13Mar

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Richard, My Richard – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Fantastic! Gripping! Awesome! Mesmerising! Stunning! I could end this review there - describing the thrill of watching this truly inspirational play, the first from the historian author Philipa Gregory, but I won’t - as I need to share this amazing piece of theatre. As you may know, Philipa Gregory is a historian who has written novels covering the history of England’s traumatic times during the War of the Roses. Of these times, when the dissolving Plantagenets were to be overthrown by the Tudor dynasty, a certain great playwright, William Shakespeare, felt inspired to share his views of these treacherous years and penned Richard III, convincing his readers and theatregoers into believing that this king was an evil, disfigured, murderous, tyrant. We have all believed this of Richa...

13Mar

By Grace AnnabelNo Comments

North West

Come From Away – Liverpool Empire

This evening, I was honoured to have been invited to the first ever UK tour of ‘Come From Away’ - Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s show that has truly moved the masses, telling a remarkable tale of human spirit in times of tragedy. ‘Come From Away’ is set in the wake of 9/11 and follows the lives of air passengers from all over the world who were grounded in the small town of Gander, Newfoundland. It shows how the close-knit community welcomed strangers into their lives with open arms in a time of desperate need, and how unlikely friendships and bonds were forged for a lifetime. This show can only be described as uniquely thought-provoking. As the show begins, the scene is set with such simplicity, with the stage only comprising of a large wooden panel lining the entire back wall of th...

13Mar

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Frankenstein – The Lowry

imitating the dog's production of Frankenstein at The Lowry Theatre in Salford attempts a daring fusion of Mary Shelley's classic gothic tale with the personal journey of a modern couple on the brink of parenthood. While this ambitious endeavour promises a fresh interpretation of a timeless story, the execution ultimately falls short, resulting in a bewildering narrative experience that leaves much to be desired. The decision to intertwine the lives of the modern couple with the character of Victor Frankenstein proves to be a double-edged sword. On one hand, the juxtaposition of Shelley's cautionary tale with the intimate struggles of impending parenthood holds promise for a thought-provoking exploration of creation, responsibility, and the human condition. However, in practice, the ble...

A View From the Bridge – Players Theatre

12Mar

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

A View From the Bridge – Players Theatre

Directed by Josh Holden, Arthur Miller’s classic drama, ‘A View From the Bridge' is being performed this week at the Players Theatre in Cheadle Hulme. First performed in 1955, it must be acknowledged that to take on such a classic tale is a brave undertaking for any amateur theatre company. However, one thing that is certain is that this award-winning group are consistent in their passion to produce quality productions.Set near Brooklyn Bridge, the story follows ‘Eddie Carbone’, a working-class longshoreman and the arrival of his wife Beatrice’s two cousins who arrive illegally from Italy and stay with them in their apartment. Eddie had also become fixated by his wife's niece ‘Catherine’ and struggles to keep his complicated feelings to himself. The struggle deepens as Catherine falls in l...

Birmingham Royal Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty – The Lowry

8Mar

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Birmingham Royal Ballet: The Sleeping Beauty – The Lowry

As the curtain rises on the opulent set of Birmingham Royal Ballet’s revival of Sir Peter Wright’s classic production in its 40th anniversary year, you wouldn’t suspect that this is a company that has seen swingeing funding cuts following the all-but-bankrupt city council’s arts budget wipeout. Putting their potential money troubles to one side, tonight the team bring a show with the panache that makes little children dream of being ballet dancers – beautiful costumes, grandeur and, of course, superb dancing. Running just shy of three hours including two intervals, The Sleeping Beauty is a demanding ballet of both its dancers and its audience. Many points feel more like vignettes showcasing the technical skill of the company, rather than moving along the narrative. But the troupe ...

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Gladstone Theatre

7Mar

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest – Gladstone Theatre

High energy last night at Bebington Dramatic Society’s production of One Flew Over the Cuckoo’s Nest, starting its run at the Gladstone Theatre until Saturday. Many will still remember the famous Oscar-winning film, but it was originally a novel (1962) by Ken Kesey, which was adapted for the stage the following year by Dale Wasserman. The play continues to be performed around the world after 70yrs. This story of rebellion against authority, instigated by the anarchic, time-bomb that is McMurphy, has a lot to say about mental health in a US psychiatric ward, showing both the brutality and humour of the ‘therapeutic community.’ Director James Kay has brought together a strong local cast to recreate these unforgettable characters. An excellent set which uses the stage well, wit...

7Mar

By Rebecca CaseyNo Comments

North West

Legally Blonde – Opera House, Blackpool

A wonderful, vibrant, colourful evening of song and dance this evening at The Winter Gardens, Blackpool. Encore Productions brought us an array of local talent taking us on a journey of the classic story that we all know from the movie of the same name. The show follows the character Elle Woods on a journey from a Barbieesque sorority girl, to attending Harvard law school, in the hopes of winning back her ex-boyfriend. With choreography and musical direction from industry professionals the cast were in good hands, Natalie Pollard provided creative routines and ‘Whipped the dancers into shape’ Ed Rugman ‘used the talented singers to provide a well rounded, strong ensemble with nice clean harmonies. The cast were full of energy and some outstanding performances this evening that would ...

Crab Tragedy: A Greek Myth told Sideways – Capstone Theatre

7Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Crab Tragedy: A Greek Myth told Sideways – Capstone Theatre

A special adaptation for families of their previous ‘Sirens, Men and Crabs’, Teatro Pomodoro’s Crab Tragedy is an hour-long surreal comedy that turns Ancient Greece upside down with this performance pre-empting a soon to follow national tour. A cast of three take on the fishy tale of Ulysses (Simone Tani) and the Siren (Carmen Arquelladas) but it’s all about the Crab (Miwa Nagai) thrown in for good measure with the cast taking on other characters to keep the story sailing on to its inevitable albeit unexpected conclusion. There’s a low-budget atmosphere reminiscent of The Play That Goes Wrong but here the money has been spent wisely with thoughtful and considered staging and expertly adapted props that aid and support strong performances: don’t be fooled, the creative skill and artis...