North West Archives - Page 87 of 128

8Jul

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

Gypsy – Buxton Opera House

Let Me Entertain You! And we certainly were entertained last night as Gypsy opened at the Buxton Opera House as part of the annual Buxton International Festival. Gypsy, written by Jule Styne (music), Stephen Sondheim (lyrics) and Arthur Laurents (book), premiered on Broadway in 1959, and tells the story of Mama Rose and her two daughters: June and Louise, as they navigate the world of American Vaudeville in the 1920s and 30s. Rose has become known as the ultimate show business mother – the pushy mum who puts all her energy into seeking success and stardom for her daughter; but there is so much more to this story, which I won’t spoil here if you haven’t seen it yet! This is by far the funniest production of Gypsy I’ve ever seen; director Paul Kerryson has leaned into every singl...

8Jul

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Much Ado About Nothing – Victoria Baths

For one night only, the stunning Victoria Baths in Manchester is converted into the Messina Holiday Camp, as the Time & Again Theatre Company bring their touring production of 'Much Ado About Nothing' indoors into this stunning Edwardian water palace. Substituting the location of Shakespeare's most performed comedy from 16th Century Sicily to a 1950's British seaside resort may seem incongruous, but it allows the deck chair and parasol props to be placed in an idealised fantasy world, utilising the sumptuous fabric of the building to create a convincing whole. In addition to the relocation, the company made the decision to cast some of the leading roles as female to represent the existence of same sex relationships in every period of history, even buttoned up post-war Britain. This ...

6Jul

By Codie WrightNo Comments

North West

School of Rock – Liverpool Empire

I left School of Rock at the Empire on Tuesday a mixture of feelings: on one hand, I was buzzing with the energy of a fantastic show, with an electric finale and ultimate feel-good vibe. On the other hand however, I was deflated - knowing I will never, nor have ever been, as equal-parts cool and insanely talented as the child cast that were on the stage tonight. Because as Andrew Lloyd Webber himself assured us at the start of the show, yes, they do play their own instruments live! The story follows the film almost exactly. Dewey Finn (Jake Sharp) is living with, and sponging from, his best friend Ned Schneebly (played exquisitely by Matthew Rowland) and his long-suffering girlfriend Patty (Nadia Violet Johnson). He has been threatened with eviction by the pair, as well as being kicked ...

The Crisp Review LIVE – King’s Arms, Salford

6Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

The Crisp Review LIVE – King’s Arms, Salford

‘The Crisp Review LIVE’ does what it says on the packet: crisp connoisseur Adam Evans brings the antics of his snack-rating vlog to a live audience for the very first time. Set up in lockdown, The Crisp Review was born out of the desire to receive free crisps in exchange for an all-encompassing video critique. Adam shares his taste-testing methods, which cover everything from texture to value for money, and have even managed to bag him some complimentary samples. The show starts out strong, with Adam’s dry wit and self-effacing humour tickling the whole room. On-stage musings are interspersed with comedic highlights from his social media channels; his disapproval of saucy branding and triangular tubes are as relatable as they are on-topic. A light-hearted yet informative Q and...

5Jul

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Sister Act – Palace Theatre, Manchester

30 years ago, Whoopi Goldberg played potentially her most iconic role of Deloris Van Cartier in the blockbuster classic; Sister Act. The movie has since been transferred to the stage as a musical. Despite being postponed two years due to the pandemic, it was definitely worth the wait and is of course, ‘Fabulous Baby’! In a cast that boasts many well-known faces including Jennifer Saunders, Keala Settle and Lesley Joseph, in comparison it is the relatively unknown ‘Sandra Marvin’ who plays the leading role. She certainly brought the sass needed to play the iconic role of Deloris. However, if I am being constructive, she does have a great voice, but it’s not that wow start quality that I would have expected from the leading lady. Saunders was hilarious in the role of Mother Superior. S...

The Spitfire Grill – Hope Street Theatre

4Jul

By Daniel CoxNo Comments

North West

The Spitfire Grill – Hope Street Theatre

Liverpool Theatre School has been producing strong triple-threat performers in the heart of the city for many years. Supported by a strong faculty of teachers in all discipline’s graduates have gained and are continuing to gain a variety of credits including West End and more. From 29th - 30th June - third year musical theatre students at LTS have performed The Spitfire Grill directed by Freyja Winterson and with musical direction from George Strickland. The Spitfire Grill is an American musical based on the 1996 film, which tells the story of a young woman fresh out of prison finding her way in a small town in Wisconsin. Since the musicals first workshop in 2000 it has since developed worldwide in regional theatre productions and festivals including its arrival to the UK in the 2008 Ed...

2Jul

By Julia PanovaNo Comments

North West

After Shark – GM Fringe Online

Who knew a casual stroll down a Cornish beach, could lead to a shark sighting? ‘After Shark,’ is a part of The Greater Manchester Fringe line-up this year. It wonderfully displays the consequences of living in an environmentally changing world and how people should rise as a community to help these issues, for humanity to live in a greener world for years to come. “It’s time to take a stand.” Based on the true events at Newlyn Harbour earlier this year, the 36-minute show aims to make an audience think about what they can do to enjoy the natural beauty of the world around them. Written by Lita Doolan, the show includes a talented cast of actors such as: Jo Philips-Lane, Julie Broadbent, Kara Cole, Ian McShee and Sara Haggerty. The production took on a modern approach, it in...

2Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

North West

Tree Confessions – GM Fringe Online

As I logged on (no pun intended) to listen to Tree Confessions, part of the 11th Greater Manchester Fringe Festival, I realised if I was a tree, I would be a solid oak and not a willowy sapling. You see, at the opening of the audio production, we were advised to sit down under a tree, press play and listen. However, the weather outside was atrocious so, much as I love trees, I wasn’t prepared to get my hair wet for them, so made an executive decision to sit under our giant indoor plant, a Rose-painted Calathea. Big mistake. Getting back up proved nigh impossible. What on earth was I doing? There was no bark on the plant for me to press my ear against, so I plopped back onto the sofa and pressed play. With no other distractions, such as audience members passing by, musicians tuning...

The Day the World Came to Huddersfield – King’s Arms

2Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

The Day the World Came to Huddersfield – King’s Arms

Did you know that the UK’s first ever national Pride took place in Huddersfield in 1981? A diverse ensemble revisits this forgotten but significant chapter of LGBT+ history through a series of rousing vignettes. Unsettled by homophobic political figures likening sexuality to fashion trends as well as the lack of historical records about this unique Pride march, producer Stephen M. Hornby felt urged to create ‘The Day the World Came to Huddersfield’. The stories are inspired by those who attended it; adroit direction from Helen Parry and Olivia Schofield ensures each one is dynamic and punchy throughout. To kick off the evening, John Addy (Simon Hallman) recounts how his running of Huddersfield’s gay night club, The Gemini, became fraught with difficulties when new, anti-LGBT law enfo...

Strictly Presents: Keeeep Dancing – Floral Pavilion

30Jun

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Strictly Presents: Keeeep Dancing – Floral Pavilion

Imagine dancing all your life, becoming one of the best Ballroom and Latin dancers in the country, and then getting a phone call from the Strictly Come Dancing production team…only for them to ask for your (now ex) wife. That’s the amusing moment we see played out by Neil Jones, one of ‘Strictly’s’ pro veterans (who did get his own call) as we are introduced to our ensemble tonight. ‘Strictly Presents…’ is an extension of the live tour that followed the behemoth BBC show, which itself continues to draw in millions of viewers each series. Former celebrity contestants Maisie Smith and Rhys Stephenson join a team of four ‘Strictly’ Pros (Jones, Cameron Lombard, Jowita Pzystat and Nancy Xu) alongside fellow alumnus Max George from The Wanted providing a few musical turns throughout th...