REVIEWS Archives - Page 121 of 409

18Oct

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Metamorphosis – Liverpool Playhouse

Originally written in 1915 as a novella Franz Kafka’s claustrophobic and deeply unsettling classic is brought to the stage by one of this country’s finest physical theatre companies, Frantic Assembly. Poet Lemn Sissay OBE has successfully adapted Kafka’s dark story of devilish transformation and its presented here in all its surreal and muscular glory. Kafka’s dark fairy tale is simple in its construct , telling the story of Gregor Samsa a travelling salesman who slowly turns into a gigantic insect much to the horror and distaste of his dysfunctional family. Given that the subject matter would be quite difficult to translate to either film or stage Frantic Assembly and Lemn Sissay have achieved some success in delivering an uncompromising and totally addictive piece of theatre. ...

18Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Sweeney Todd – Waterside Arts

I always jump at any chance to see a show written by Stephen Sondheim, and as we approach the second anniversary of his death next month opportunities on both the professional and amateur stage approach thick and fast. Tonight, Sale & Altrincham Musical Theatre present 'Sweeney Todd' written by Sondheim and his long time collaborator Hugh Wheeler, a production that despite some excellent individual performances never fulfils its potential as the 'sensational horror show' that Sondheim conceived. Written at the zenith of his productivity in 1979, 'Sweeney Todd' is the tale of a tortured barber (played this evening by Richard Ross), escaping from transportation to Australia for a crime he did not commit, returning to Victorian London to exact his revenge on evil Judge Turpin (Jon Gard...

17Oct

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

42nd Street – Opera House, Manchester

Timeless, famed, genre-defining: all befitting words to describe this classic backstage musical considering its screen debut ninety years ago, later followed by an 80s stage adaptation. Arriving in New York City, wide-eyed, budding performer Peggy (Nicole-Lily Baisden) has her heart set on stage stardom- and the right set of circumstances soon land her a spot in a new musical’s chorus line. As opening night approaches, an accident involving the leading lady then gives Peggy the unexpected chance to make it big. A paper-thin storyline matters little when outstanding tap numbers are in such plentiful supply. Exuberant and unremitting, the ensemble commands attention with their well-honed coordination. Dance sequences in We’re in the Money as well as the titular song make them unforgett...

14Oct

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Jock Night – Seven Dials Playhouse

A decade ahead of its arrival to these shores, I was the first journalist in the UK to write about crystal meth in the gay press. In 1997, after spending a deranged summer in San Francisco, I returned to London and in the pages of QX warned readers of a highly addictive new drug that was decimating the community on the West Coast. That same year, I wrote and performed ‘Twisted’ with Wayne G, arguably, the first ‘chemsex’ dance tune. That portmanteau had yet to be coined by the late, great David Stuart, but excessive drug use and epic sex sessions were the central themes of that record. They are also the driving forces in Jock Night, a new play by Adam Zane. Methamphetamine hydrochloride (aka ‘ice’ ’Tina’ ‘crank’ ‘meth’ ‘tweak’) took almost 20 years to get a foothold in the UK, unlike in...

Plays in the Key of Life – Hope Street Theatre

14Oct

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Plays in the Key of Life – Hope Street Theatre

Plays in the Key of Life is an anthology of four short plays, presented by Writers Inc. Productions, a Liverpool based company founded by the four playwrights whose work is being presented. Each play has a different theme, but they are all united by explorations of loss, particularly loss caused by abandonment. The first piece is The Tramp and The Lady, written by Bob Towers and directed by Brian McCann. The play is presented with a simple set of two fold up chairs, representing the outside of a train station, and Mike Sanders, playing a homeless man, does a good job of creating a sense of a cold wet day. The atmosphere becomes even more unpleasant with the entrance of Abi Tyrer, the ironically named “lady” of the title, who is judgmental, rude and very nasty to both her partner, whom s...

The Rainbow Monologues, LIVE! – Arts Bar Studio 3, Liverpool

14Oct

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

The Rainbow Monologues, LIVE! – Arts Bar Studio 3, Liverpool

A colourful collection of eight monologues which delve into the lives of people from all walks of life with a LGBTQ+ perspective. Liverpool’s longest running LGBTQ+ fringe company, Grin Theatre, return for one night only with their award-winning LGBTQ+ monologues as part of the Liverpool Fringe Festival. The Arts Bar Studio is the perfect setting for these new offerings from writer Wes Williams. Produced by Francis Brack, we’re treated to a nice range of performances, and under Nathan Dunn’s direction, the variance in pace between the styles of presentation and themes within the monologues, or rather snapshots, avoids the potential monotony that can sometimes be found from a series of monologues. The actors are sat positioned across the back of the stage, focused througho...

14Oct

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Delinquent Dad – Tabard Theatre

This kookily animated production took me back to watching My Parents Are Aliens on the TV. Yet, this play is set six months into the future, envisioning increasing rent bills, crypto cases, and an elevated housing crisis. Its incidentally interweaving connections tie into the small-world-feel of the sitcom trope, and the gloriously indifferent, haphazard Dad (John Gorick) makes for a likeable and oddly believable protagonist. A young couple, a pair of millennials as they call themselves, are baffled when what is meant to be a meal for the rents turns out to be a savage split, as Matt’s Dad is dumped on his doorstep with a holdall catapulted into the room by a furious wife. The timing couldn’t be worse – Matt (Bradley Crees) and Cara (Elizabeth Back) are in the midst of a rent strike, to...

A Night with Me, Myself and Bipolar Brenda – Etcetera Theatre

14Oct

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

A Night with Me, Myself and Bipolar Brenda – Etcetera Theatre

I’ve struggled with writing this review, as I have in the past when I've felt that the line between entertaining and educating are blurred in a production. In creating “A Night with Me, Myself and Bipolar Brenda”, actress and writer Natasha Rae has used her own experiences with bipolar disorder and anxiety to paint a brutally honest picture of how she experiences life and motherhood under the cloud of mental illness. Rae is passionate and engaging, her manic energy on stage mirroring the periods of mania she has experienced as part of her illness over the years. She reflects on the impact bipolar has had on her loved ones, covers her coping mechanisms as well as her darker times which felt refreshing, and washes the show through with a thorough dose of self-deprecating humour. That ...

12Oct

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

The Incident Room – Royal Court Studio

A dynamic and engaging fresh insight behind the scenes at the Millgarth incident room during Britain’s largest and most expensive manhunt. A catalogue of failures, did nothing but promote the macabre mystic of its elusive killer, the Yorkshire Ripper. Sadly, its lasting legacy is the many women it let down. Old Fruit Jar Productions return with The Incident Room following its sell out run at The Black – E. Written by Olivia Hirst and David Byrne, it depicts the gripping search for the notorious serial killer, Peter Sutcliffe, commonly known as the Yorkshire Ripper. The play is set between 1975 and 1980, when Sutcliffe murdered 13 women and is known to have attacked another 8. The multiple failures and missed opportunities to catch Sutcliffe by West Yorkshire Police is well documented. ...

High Times and Dirty Monsters – Liverpool Everyman

12Oct

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

High Times and Dirty Monsters – Liverpool Everyman

A colourful, vibrant celebration of how it feels to be young and different in today’s society. Keith Saha has developed a production that is going to start important conversations and that is testament to the honesty of the stories and the real issues that they explore. Structured as a collection of four short stories following four young British people that have to deal with issues not limited to homelessness, ableism and financial difficulties, the play presents an earthy realism, and the representation is broad and necessary. As a whole, the piece is a sensory delight. Visually and audibly the three companies that created this show, 20 Stories High in a co-production with Graeae, Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse and LEEDS 2023 have produced a space that is inclusive and wholesom...