North West Archives - Page 74 of 178

Pretty Woman – Palace Theatre Manchester

28Feb

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Pretty Woman – Palace Theatre Manchester

The Palace Theatre Manchester opened its doors to ‘Pretty Woman the Musical’ as a part of its UK tour, derived from the book by Garry Marshall and J.F. Lawton with Music and Lyrics from Bryan Adams and Jim Vallance. The 1990 romantic comedy was a huge success on screen starring Richard Gere and Julia Roberts and was directed by Garry Marshall which received several awards during its time, so I was intrigued to see how it would transfer onto a musical theatre stage. The storyline is based on a billionaire corporate raider businessman Edward Lewis (Ben Darcy) who finds himself in Hollywood whilst working on his latest deal, when lost in the city he meets Vivian Ward (Paige Fenlon) a street worker, the confident prostitute manages to win his attention with her cheeky charm and her knowl...

Lettice & Lovage – Little Theatre Birkenhead

28Feb

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Lettice & Lovage – Little Theatre Birkenhead

Director Mike Sanders has Peter Shaffer’s super witty script to work with but whether a mix of first night nerves and learning curves, this production from the Carlton Players doesn’t really take full advantage of its snappy pacing and eye rolling bon mots. Lettice Duffet (Katy Downes), an expert on Elizabethan cuisine and medieval weaponry, is an indefatigable but daffy enthusiast of history and the theatre which she combines in her role as a tour guide at Fustian House, one of the least stately of London’s stately homes. As she theatrically embellishes its historical past, much to a mix of surprise, consternation, and pleasure from visiting tourists (Phyllis Brighouse; Lynda Critchley; Richard Isles; Rebcca Williams; Lucy Ashdown; Sallyanne Nelson; Gareth Crawshaw), she ultimately com...

The Vicar of Dibley – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

27Feb

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

The Vicar of Dibley – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Altrincham Garrick Playhouse’s The Vicar of Dibley transported audiences back to the quirky charm of the beloved TV series, delivering an evening of uproarious laughter and heartwarming moments. Directed by Pete Brassington, the production showcased the talents of a remarkable cast of amateur performers who breathed new life into the iconic characters. Meg Brassington shone as the irrepressible Geraldine Granger, infusing the role with wit, warmth, and a touch of sass. Opposite her, Hugh Everett embodied the pompous yet endearing David Horton, while Dan Ellis captured the bumbling charm of Hugo Horton. Helen Swain charmed as the sweet-natured but somewhat dim-witted Alice Tinker, eliciting plenty of laughs with her comedic timing. Christine Perry brought Letitia Cropley to life w...

The Guildford Poltergeist – Hope Street Theatre

25Feb

By Miranda GreenNo Comments

North West

The Guildford Poltergeist – Hope Street Theatre

Where to start with this play? It’s 1965 and a dysfunctional family of Irish descent (confusingly called Starbuck - a Yorkshire name) have moved from Manchester to deepest Surrey. Following the death of their father, bright seventeen-year-old Tristan must leave school to support his violent, alcoholic mother, Kathleen, and his neuro-atypical, school-shirking sister, Joyce. They’re already outsiders but they’re just about fitting in. Until the arrival of a poltergeist, which brings them infamy and attracts the suspicion of the local community. It also brings them into contact with a paranormalist, the priest, the press and the plod. Playwright Tess Humphrey has a lot to say about, in no particular order: Catholicism, generational trauma, otherness, racism, sexism, neurodiversity, PTSD...

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch – The Lowry

24Feb

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch – The Lowry

Brash, bold and untold, Unfortunate is the story of (arguably) the best Disney villain ever made, Ursula the sea witch. It is the side of the classic 1989 story, The Little Mermaid, as never seen before. The original character was inspired by the triple treat drag queen Divine, so drag culture has been intertwined with the villain from the very start. This musical parody brings the character right back to its roots with an outrageously camp new story. The musical parody dives deep into what really happened all those years ago under the sea. We’re first introduced to a young Ursula Squirt, from a poor family in the depths of the ocean. We see her grow into an intellectual octo-woman and diva. Her relationship with King Triton was not as foretold; they explore their complex relationshi...

24Feb

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Smiler – Pyramid Arts Centre

Soup Productions presented ‘Smiler’ at Warrington’s Pyramid Arts Centre written by Michael Pirks and Directed by Michael Ridd. Soup Productions is a relatively small theatre company that established itself in 2017 and has had one previous successful production of ‘Little Red’ which was performed in 2023. It is extremely rare that actors are blessed with new writings and are given the opportunities to use new material as nowadays everything is rehashed or is a reimagined versions of something that already exists. New material is so unique for actors to be given the scope to be a new character that has no stereotype and has only the characteristics from the genius’s head that it came out of. The actor has only the writers’ ideas that they can base and build the character on. The actor ...

Grieg’s Piano Concerto – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

23Feb

By Mark HumphreysNo Comments

North West

Grieg’s Piano Concerto – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

“Easy on the banjos!” warned Eric Morecambe when André Previn (or Andrew Preview) famously attempted to conduct the Grieg Piano Concerto in the classic 1971 Morecambe and Wise Christmas Special. The one time I ever saw a banjo on stage with the RLPO my Facebook post quoting this zinging one-liner garnered precisely zero likes. It must be a generation thing. For this 2024 performance, Liverpool welcomed back its prodigal son and former Chief Conductor, Vasily Petrenko. Turning from the podium, orchestra poised to start, to acknowledge an errant mobile phone ringtone with a wry raise of the eyebrow, he held the audience in the palm of his hand - comic timing worthy of the much-missed double act themselves. First on the programme was Bohuslav Martinů’s La Bagarre, composed w...

23Feb

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

The BFG – Theatre Porto

Disley Theatrical Productions are back with their second production, the fantastic BFG. Originally written by Roald Dahl and adapted for the stage, DTP have done an incredible job at bringing this wonderful story to life at Theatre Porto in Ellesmere Port. Directed by Phil Cross, you can see from the off how much work has gone in to bringing this classic to life, but not in any ordinary way. This version invites the audience to dive into this new world with the use of inventive lighting, shadows, puppetry, and a wonderful imagination. You feel like you’ve been completely transported into a whole other universe which is run by Giants, easily losing yourself in that world with the incredible storytelling of this company. It's Sophie’s birthday and she receives The BFG book as her birth...

22Feb

By Paddy Darnell-WalshNo Comments

North West

Bouncers – Blackpool Grand

If your name’s not on the list, you’re not coming in… Bouncers is back in Blackpool with a bang! Named as one of The National Theatre’s ‘Plays of the Century’, John Godber’s classic is at the Grand Theatre for a very limited run. With a contemporary introduction for a 2024 audience, Bouncers quickly returns to its roots. Keeping faith with Godber’s original script, packed with humour and nostalgia, this new production takes us back to the 1980s when disco was king, and everyone lived for the weekend. Les, Ralph, Judd and Lucky Eric (played wonderfully by George Reid, Tom Whittaker, Nick Figgis and Frazer Hammill respectively) take us on the journey back to relive a night in nightclub “Mr Cinders”. With an exhilarating, toe-tapping 80s soundtrack, this production is as fantastic for its ...

22Feb

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

Edward Scissorhands – Empire Theatre

A magical production that is simply stunning! There is nothing like seeing a live ballet and when Matthew Bourne is the choreographer you know it will not disappoint. He is a magician of imagination and originality, bringing stories to life for contemporary audiences. Tim Burton’s gothic fantasy Edward Scissorhands, was a strange, yet hauntingly beautiful fairytale, which came to the cinema in the 1990s. Bourne developed this bittersweet story, and it was first performed in 2005 with subsequent tours. Despite seeing many of his other magnificent ballets, this was my first time seeing Scissorhands - and it was simply stunning! Bourne works his magic once again, to give us an enchanting visual feast for the eyes, as well as really bringing out the comedy moments, which the packed ho...