REVIEWS Archives - Page 122 of 565

9Mar

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

The House Party – Rose Theatre

August Strindberg's Miss Julie may be approaching 140 years old, but it's themes of sex, misogyny and class remain timeless. Laura Lomas’ The House Party brings this right up to the modern age, dialling up the sex but leaving class - or more specifically money - as an undercurrent throughout Julie (Synnøve Karlsen) is turning 18, her dad has skipped their evening plans to spend the evening with his 24-year-old girlfriend, so Julie throws a house party. Aided by best friend Christine (Sesley Hope) she anxiously awaits any of her guests to arrive. Director Holly Race Roughan has them arrive in full on Frantic Assembly style, slickly choreographed dance, leaps and dips and a flurry of youthful movement to an energetic beat. Without the traditional servant role to tell us how the charact...

9Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Intrusion – Leeds Playhouse

Famously it’s said that cockroaches will be the only living things to survive a nuclear holocaust. So, it makes sense for theatre makers Bric a Brac and Told by an Idiot to use our six legged insect friends acting as a metaphor for how the seemingly more advanced human race are determined to destroy our planet. The Intrusion is set below a devastated earth’s surface as the cockroach’s scheme to take control until they discover the sole female survivor of our species, throwing the world domination plans of Queen of the Insects Cecille into disarray. The really clever conceit of this often amusing, if slightly depressing, piece is that the cockroaches seem as obsessed with pointless hierarchies and destructive power dynamics as are our own billionaires and oligarchs. Along th...

Birmingham Royal Ballet: Cinderella – The Lowry

7Mar

By Abigail PendleburyNo Comments

North West

Birmingham Royal Ballet: Cinderella – The Lowry

A Magical Evening of Dance and Storytelling. Birmingham Royal Ballet's production of Cinderella at The Lowry was a captivating and enchanting performance, blending classical ballet with stunning visuals, exquisite choreography, and a timeless tale. It was a tale of 3 acts that had the audience enraptured with its charm and elegance. Choreographed by the renowned David Bintley, this retelling of the classic fairy tale offered an imaginative and fresh take on the beloved story, while staying true to the traditional charm that has made Cinderella a favourite among ballet enthusiasts. The production was a visual masterpiece, with enchanting costumes designed by John Macfarlane, that added depth and fantasy to each character. From Cinderella’s tattered rags to her stunning ballgown, ev...

The Testament of Gideon Mack – Traverse Theatre

7Mar

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

The Testament of Gideon Mack – Traverse Theatre

‘The Testament of Gideon Mack’ tells the story of a Church of Scotland minister who doesn’t believe in God. However, his dismissal of the supernatural is challenged, particularly when his life is saved by someone Gideon believes is the Devil. This is a fascinating play based on James Robertson’s acclaimed novel, published in 2006. Matthew Zajac’s stage adaptation is enthralling: a captivating piece of theatre which is often moving, sometimes funny and occasionally very painful to watch. Moreover, profound questions are asked about faith, belief, the suppression of feelings, love, grief, death, hypocrisy and the meaning of life. And the play also throws light on the dramatic way religious beliefs in Scotland have changed in a generation. The play is intriguing, leaving some unanswe...

7Mar

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

Twice-Born – Sadler’s Wells

Twice-Born, the Scottish Ballet’s triple bill presentation at Sadler’s Wells, was an evening of fearless experimentation and captivating ensemble work. Opening the night was Dive, a short film by choreographer Sophie Laplane—a piece leaving much to the audience’s interpretation. Its abstract visuals and elusive logic prompted questions about the very nature of movement and ballet. While its meaning remained obscure, it set the tone for an evening that, like a study of modern art, shifted the focus from precise execution and adherence to tradition to an open-ended exploration of the viewer’s own role in the production. Next, Schachmatt (“Checkmate”) by Spanish choreographer Cayetano Soto brought a burst of fresh, playful energy to the stage. With a nod to Bob Fosse’s stylised approach...

7Mar

By Sadie PearsonNo Comments

London

Punch – Young Vic

A heartbreaking true story of male violence, working class anger and redemption. And a critical exploration of the systems which breed this. Punch at the Young Vic is essential viewing. James Graham’s Punch is a true story, harrowingly so. In 2011 Nottingham city centre, nineteen-year-old Jacob Dunne, threw one punch at a complete stranger, 28-year-old James Hodgkinson. Nine days later, Hodgkinson was dead and the punch, an act of murder. Based on the book Right from Wrong by Jacob Dunne, Graham’s script pays tender tribute to all those involved and leaves you unquestioning that – through the brutal lack of opportunity which fostered Jacob’s behaviour – everyone in this story is a victim. Directed by Adam Penford, the script is brought to stage with a sensitivity and nuance that is v...

7Mar

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

A Special Relationship – Tabard Theatre

Although described as a transatlantic comedy this new play by Tim Marriott and Jeff Stolzer is not about politics; there is only one joke about Trump! Rather, it explores what it is in language, habits and culture which separate the US and the UK. The setting is the Sussex Garden of Monty, an British colonel, played by Tim Marriott, whose daughter is marrying the son of Pete, an American plumber, played by Brian Dykstra. Initially, the comedy is based upon the differences in linguistic usage between the two countries cupboard/closet, bathroom/ toilet etc. All familiar ground but amusingly delivered. More significant are the attitudes between the uptight British middle-class soldier and the much more laid-back American working man. Although Monty at first seems in control, insisting ...

The Incident Room – Blackburn Empire Theatre

7Mar

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

The Incident Room – Blackburn Empire Theatre

Everyone knows the story of Peter Sutcliffe, known best by his alter ego, The Yorkshire Ripper. A sadistic serial killer who plagued the North of England for nigh on 5 years, the Ripper’s legacy and story is synonymous, still with an uncanny ability to send ripples of fear into hearts and minds even 45 years after his reign of terror. As the saying goes: “Real life is often stranger than fiction” - and the story of the Yorkshire Ripper has all the hallmarks of a crime story taken straight from the pages of a novel. An illusive yet fearlessly dangerous serial killer. Well-intentioned law enforcement embroiled in a fatal game of cat and mouse. A half-decade whodunnit, topped off with a generous dose of press sensationalism and public panic for good measure. All the ingredients you need fo...

7Mar

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Wild Swimming – Hope Street Theatre

Directors Dan Meigh and Connor Wray delightfully plunge us into the lives of a young couple whose relationship is firmly in the ‘can’t live with you, can’t live without you’ stage, with their production of Marek Horn’s somewhat timeless two-hander that plays fast and loose with time. Whilst men are from Mars and women are from Venus, Nell (Amy Thompson-Hope) and Oscar (Harry Clark) opt to meet on a beach in 1595 – or is it 1610 – and to which they will return like the tide over the next four hundred years to debate feminism, privilege, literature, sex, and, of course, swimming. Watery metaphors abound for these two very diverse characters; she is witty and acerbic with a sharp tongue whilst he dreams of being a poet and adventurer from the safety of his beach towel, yet the opening k...

7Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Of Mice And Men – Hull Truck Theatre

John Steinbeck’s novella, Of Mice And Men, very nearly never saw the light of day, as the first draft was eaten by his dog, Toby. Thankfully, the American writer persevered and since its first performance on Broadway in 1937, his work continues to entertain theatregoers around the world. On Thursday night I was privileged to watch a stellar cast of actors bring Of Mice And Men to life on the stage of the Hull Truck Theatre. This cosy theatre never fails to come up trumps where imaginative stage settings are concerned, and Thursday was no exception, thanks to set designer Jess Curtis (who also designed the costumes). There was no raised stage to speak of, just a small step-up at the rear. The floor comprised of wooden slats, as did the entire wall at the back which opened to rev...