North West Archives - Page 88 of 178

6Oct

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Wizard of Oz – Z arts

The Manchester Musical Youth (MMY) production of ‘The Wizard of Oz’ graces the Renaker Theatre, Z-Arts for 2 days only. This glorious rendition of L.Frank Baum with music and lyrics by Harold Arlen and E.Y.Harburg is an adaptation of the 1900 children’s fantasy novel ‘The Wonderful Wizard of Oz’ which became the classic 1939’s film we all love and adore starring Judy Garland. MMY Apprentices Director Shannon Holland has done a sterling job on creating a magnificent production with the students, it is hard to believe that these talented youngsters on stage are aged 8 to 13 as they shown a maturity beyond their years. MMY has always prided themselves on igniting passion, nurturing talent and showcasing success and this is a prime example of their ethos as each, and every young person s...

6Oct

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Kinky Boots – The Brindley Theatre

D&S Productions presented Kinky Boots at The Brindley Theatre in Runcorn. D&S Productions are an award-winning community theatre group based in Ellesmere Port/Chester who regularly perform at The Brindley Theatre. D&S is a company that took to the stage in 2021 and belong to the National Operatic and Dramatic Association (NODA). D&S are passionate about creating quality theatre, they pride themselves on valuing people, they’re deliberately inclusive and are committed to raising money for good causes and charities close to their heart. Director Donna Dale is no novice when it comes to theatre being both on stage as a performer and as a fabulous director - she has been involved in performances since the age of 3. Kinky Boots is no easy task to produce as it requires both p...

5Oct

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

Lost in The Beat – Hope Street Theatre

New musical play hits all the right notes with emotional songs and thought -provoking drama. With so many shows being based around well-known hits these days, it’s refreshing to see a new musical play with original well-penned songs. Beat Productions present this multilayered show written by Andrea Orton and composed by Di Healey and Richard Badger. Lost in the Beat examines many issues, but mainly that of early onset dementia against a backdrop of well- constructed melodies and lyrics, performed by a fifteen-strong choir supporting the cast. What a super choir they are! This real community choir threw themselves into this project. A harmonious wall of sound with lovely smiling faces! Behind them, four excellent musicians. Orton’s story is about a 45-year-old woman, a community ch...

Home, I’m Darling – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

3Oct

By Emma WildNo Comments

North West

Home, I’m Darling – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Opening night for Home, I’m Darling at the divine Altrincham Garrick Playhouse and the audience are presented with a phenomenal set (designed by Charlotte Leigh) of a beautiful 1950’s inspired interior. The stairs, centrally placed, lead up to a simple bedroom, painted in hot pink. Downstairs, on the one side, the yellow kitchen (with a superb Smeg refrigerator) and monochrome chequered floor, on the other, a green living room complete with a 1950’s fireplace and minibar! The set construction team (with Mandy Cooke as Scenic Artist) have excelled in the creation of this authentic looking abode. The aesthetics in this show are key to creating the initial allure of the 1950’s and the costumes did not disappoint; a range of colourful 50’s inspired dresses and suits were worn throughout by ...

TONY! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera) – The Lowry

3Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

TONY! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera) – The Lowry

With the Tory party conference infesting the centre of Manchester this week, Salford is sticking a metaphorical two fingers up at Rishi & Co by hosting TONY! (The Tony Blair Rock Opera) in the lovely Quays Theatre at The Lowry. I gladly crossed the River Irwell to witness a musical that had a satirical bite hidden within the high camp farce. With Music & Lyrics by Steve Brown and a book by comedian Harry Hill, we were never going to be presented with a totally serious analysis of political events in the eighties, nineties and noughties, their zany and sometimes surreal take on events allowed younger members of the audience a potted history delivered in an entertaining fashion, without patronising those of us of an older vintage who lived through these episodes. Hill initially...

SIX (Teen Edition) – George Lawton Hall, Mossley

2Oct

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

North West

SIX (Teen Edition) – George Lawton Hall, Mossley

This production would normally have taken place at the spiritual home of NK Theatre Arts at the Romiley Forum, but due to circumstances beyond anybody’s control, this venue became unavailable at very short notice, so it was moved to the George Lawton Hall in Mossley, which was the only place that could accommodate this production at relatively short notice. Within the space of two weeks the stage and production including the technical side was moved over 10 miles to the new venue, so it can only be imagined the difficulties that entailed – and this was before the show even started! Rehearsals were taking place at different venues, and it is amazing that the production went ahead at all! But go ahead it did, thank goodness. Speaking to the director, Paul Wilson, he informed me that they ...

2Oct

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Storm in a Teacup – Royal Court Studio

Laugh out loud comedy and quick one liners together with a generous dash of music from ‘back in the day’; brings life to Esther Wilson’s replication of a working-class scouse family. Brought together by a funeral, they start to reminisce, unpicking some old familiar wounds and dropping some major bombshells with slithers of drama seeped throughout. The small talk and awkward silences typical of a wake don’t last long as we’re introduced to the different personalities of the O’Brien family, all of whom we can relate to. From fondly poking fun to pure annoyance and rage, leaving room for some hurtful home truths, Wilson’s writing provides a nice balance of emotions and pace as we watch the family work through their grief. Produced by Free Monkey Mind, a relaxed informal, co...

27Sep

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

Pornography – 53two

Simon Stephens’ Pornography is a dark, gritty play, spotlighting the lives of 8 people in London at a time of momentous excitement – and horror. It focuses on individuals living through the awarding of the 2012 Olympics, swiftly followed by the 7/7 bombings in the capital, showcasing the crash from euphoria to chaos. Red Brick Theatre, the collaborative, Manchester-based theatre company, took on the task of performing the first professional production of Stephens’ play since 2009, a year after it was published. The piece is written as a collection of seven scenes, published in numerical order to serve as a countdown to the bombings, but Red Brick opted to separate and intertwine these scenes instead – meaning that the performance had a highly fluid nature to it. Upon entering 53two’s...

Bombshells – The Lauriston Studio, Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

27Sep

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Bombshells – The Lauriston Studio, Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

The Lauriston Studio has been a welcome addition to the Manchester theatrical scene over the last few years, giving the opportunity for the estimable team at Altrincham Garrick Playhouse the opportunity to stage productions with more esoteric appeal than can be staged in the main house. So, hot on the heels of their well-received LGBTQ+ season earlier in the year, comes ' A Season of Female Stories', works written by women, starring women and about women, but hopefully not just appealing to that demographic. The first offering this Autumn is 'Bombshells', a 2004 work by Joanna Murray-Smith comprising six monologues varying from a teenage mother struggling to cope to a 64-year-old widow slowly reacquainting herself with her burgeoning sexuality. As directed by Carole Carr, these stories ...

27Sep

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Cats – Stockport Plaza

In my day job, outside of the nights I spend in and around the various theatrical haunts of Greater Manchester, I write about dogs. Yes, I am a canine journalist and yes, that is a real job! Given that my professional life revolves around man’s best friend you would think I would hate Cats but this production was so pleasing that I wanted to take it home, give it a saucer of milk and tickle it behind its ears. However, I did have one problem with the show and I will get the negative out of the way now because there was so much in it to enjoy. My gripe was that for some of the numbers where everyone was singing, I couldn’t hear the words. I don’t know if it was a sound issue but the solo songs were fine. The person I took with me said they had the same problem. As I say, I don’t want to ...