North West Archives - Page 96 of 178

What the Dog Said to the Harvest – Unity Theatre

14Jul

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

What the Dog Said to the Harvest – Unity Theatre

What the Dog Said to the Harvest is an immersive multi-disciplinary exploration of climate change, presented as part of the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival. Combining song, dance, film and spoken word, the show is a fresh interpretation of the often-explored theme of climate change. On entering the theatre, various footage relating to climate change is being played. There are numerous logs on the stage and on some of the seating and a collection of instruments waiting on the stage. Immersive from the start, the performers begin sitting as part of the audience and when the show begins, call out to each other coming together on the stage in a place of safety and comfort. The performers do a good job of utilising all of the space in the theatre. The logs scattered about the venue confused ...

Things I’d Like To Get Off My Chest – Hope Mill Theatre

14Jul

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Things I’d Like To Get Off My Chest – Hope Mill Theatre

Turns out there are quite a few things that Eva Lily would like to get off her chest and having big boobs is just one of them. This highly entertaining one woman show currently playing at Hope Mill Theatre takes a very honest and open look at the long-term failings of female healthcare and the constant narrative, and subsequent judgement, that the mere existence of women’s bodies creates in our society. But firstly, the boobs. They are big. Really big. At a size 38K, (‘average’ UK woman is a 36DD) they are prohibitively big and the impact of them upon Eva’s life cannot be underestimated. The piece opens with a 13-year-old Eva in the dressing room at Rigby and Pellier, brassiere makers to the late Queen and the scene of the ritual humiliation of her first bra fitting. I don’t belie...

Les & Ali’s Big Balearic Adventure – The Kings Arms

14Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Les & Ali’s Big Balearic Adventure – The Kings Arms

How many of us haven’t had occasional fantasies of walking away from stressful jobs and responsibilities and escaping to a life of paradise? Tonight (part of the Manchester Fringe Festival) we meet newlywed couple Les and Ali – getting ready to jet off on their Ibiza honeymoon following a lavish wedding that Ali isn’t sure they should have gone through with. Not because she doesn’t adore Les, but because of the £30,000 bill she doesn’t know how they’ll pay off. As they settle into their island life, they contemplate making a permanent change of scene. Ali, the pragmatist falls in love with an apparent stray dog she names Jonathan whilst fretting about their responsibilities back home. Les, the impulsive dreamer, imagines the home they could create in a crumbling villa he spots for sa...

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical – Palace Theatre, Manchester

13Jul

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical – Palace Theatre, Manchester

For the next three weeks, the venerable old Palace Theatre will play host to the UK tour of 'Charlie and the Chocolate Factory The Musical'. Whilst it will undoubtedly prove a box office success with families seeking distraction at the beginning of the long summer holidays, unfortunately its saccharine sweetness without any of the counteracting sourness left me feeling slightly queasy by the conclusion. I am not alone in adoring the work of Roald Dahl; his books have sold over 300 million copies worldwide and his work is widely accepted to be amongst the canon of children's literature, everything from 'James and the Giant Peach' to 'The BFG’ has been voraciously read by succeeding generations of schoolchildren over the last six decades. Part of his appeal is that he is deliciously dark;...

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet – Lowry, Salford

13Jul

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo and Juliet – Lowry, Salford

“These violent delights have violent ends.” - Romeo and Juliet, Act 2, Scene 6. The delights of this ballet are not just violent, but they are plentiful and multifarious. How much did I love this show? Let me count the ways. On display tonight was artistry of the highest order. It was superb, sublime and even, perhaps, a tad spiritual. Shakespeare’s romantic tragedy is the ultimate play about love and death. His star-crossed lovers pay a fatal price for their desire. Sir Matthew Bourne, the director and choreographer, has created an adaptation of this drama that is at turns both intriguing and compelling. He takes it in a different direction but keeps the basic narrative intact. He uses Prokofiev’s Romeo and Juliet ballet score but pares it down so it isn’t so bombastic and overwh...

13Jul

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Anything Goes – Z–Arts, Manchester

Z-Arts Renaker Theatre hosted Manchester Musical Youth’s (MMY) latest summer production of ‘Anything Goes’. With a cast of over forty young performers, I was intrigued to see how Principle and Musical Director Kimberley Holden would pull this musical off with its huge repertoire of songs, monumental tap numbers, including the sensational choreography that we have come to expect from this classic Cole Porter’s masterpiece. The set is that of the ocean liner S. S. American, where nightclub singer Reno Sweeney (Hanna Cunningham) is on route from New York to England. Reno’s love interest and friend Billy Crocker (Oliver Horton) has stowed away to be his true love Hope Harcourt (Amelia Ruffley), the problem being that his true love is betrothed to be married to a wealthy English Lord – Evely...

12Jul

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Greatest Days – Liverpool Empire

Matt Wesley and his creative team have brought to life Tim Firth’s story of true friendship and finding ourselves within life’s unpredictability. Framed by a fantastic Take That soundtrack I thought the show was hitting almost all of the right notes. A standout aspect of the performance was the orchestra. Josh Cottell and his talented musicians provided an outstanding backing track for the duration of the show. Being visible from the audience, Josh’s conducting was great to watch. Considering the popularity of the soundtrack, they lived up to all expectation and delivered the feet-stomping, hand-clapping kind of music, perfect to fill the grandiose setting of the Empire. For the performers, I must mention a few highlights. Firstly, my appreciation must go to all female actors and sin...

12Jul

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Enough – The King’s Arms, Salford

"Enough," a thought-provoking production by Moonstone Theatre, plunges into the harsh realities of systemic misogyny and sexism within UK police forces. Written by Emily Hunter and inspired by the heart-wrenching Sarah Everard case, the play delivers an essential message, though its predictability somewhat hampers its impact. The script showcases the experiences of Constable Irie Dayton, a role brought to life with remarkable emotional depth by Riah Amelle. However, at times, the dialogue leans towards predictability, reducing the punch that such a profound topic merits. Despite this Fringe production's minimalistic setting, the performances are noteworthy. Emily Hunter, taking on the role of Constable Chris Dash, brings a marked intensity to the play, particularly during a pivotal i...

11Jul

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

North West

Bosie – The Fitzgerald, Manchester

Because of his historical significance we know much about Oscar Wilde, playwright, wit, man about town and sodomite. We know he was infatuated by his muse Lord Alfred Douglas, or “Bosie” to his friends, but perhaps we know a lot less about Bosie himself. Rik Barnett corrects that with this play. Not only writer, but Rik Barnett also has an outing as the subject of this short, but sharp piece of theatre being staged as part of the Manchester festival. First a mention of the venue. The Fitzgerald advertises itself as a “speakeasy” bar and with an entrance of Little Lever Street in the city northern quarter, the heavy dark doors set the scene well. The performance space on the first-floor suits this play very well but might be a bit limiting to other ventures. I look forward to seeing h...

Blonde Bombshells of 1943 – Theatre by the Lake

10Jul

By Karen Morley-ChesworthNo Comments

North West

Blonde Bombshells of 1943 – Theatre by the Lake

Audiences at Theatre by the Lake are whisked back in time with a foot-tapping live swing band which tells the story of one day in the life of a grandma in 1943, writes Karen Morley-Chesworth. Blonde Bombshells of 1943 is a rip-roaring night at the theatre set out in the round, capturing the big break for an all-girl swing band. From writer Alan Platter this production by Theatre by the Lake, Octagon Theatre Bolton and Stephen Joseph Theatre is a musical play with a gripping story, classic music and a talented cast. With a schoolgirl, a nun and a man in a dress trying to escape call up to the army, this wonderful production has the warm, cosy feel of a black and white Ealing comedy - yet in glorious technicolour. When the Blonde Bombshells lose members every time they play an Am...