REVIEWS Archives - Page 13 of 641

Paranormal Activity – Grand Opera House York

30Sep

By Adam CraddockNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Paranormal Activity – Grand Opera House York

Last night I had the pleasure to be invited along to the press night for the UK tour of “Paranormal Activity”, the new play by Levi Holloway inspired by the Paramount Pictures movies. I love a horror play, I think the dim lighting and cold air of a historic theatre is perfectly suited to an unnerving horror experience and Paranormal Activity more than delivers on these expectations. We follow an American expat couple James and Lou, recently moved to London for James’ work, as they deal with some mysterious happenings from an unwelcome spirit in their house. I won’t spoil any major plot points but more generally I have to say the way the supernatural elements were delivered in this production were quite frankly masterful. For me this is the gold standard of horror theatre that I have seen.&...

Murder Before Evensong – Watermill Theatre

30Sep

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Murder Before Evensong – Watermill Theatre

There is something particularly satisfying about watching a production that understands exactly how to use the theatre it inhabits, and ‘Murder Before Evensong, the world-premiere stage adaptation of Reverend Richard Coles’ bestselling novel, feels completely at home at the Watermill Theatre. Intimate in scale but remarkably expansive in execution, this is a beautifully constructed, wonderfully performed production that manages to make this tiny auditorium feel, at times, like a full-scale West End stage. Adapted by Paul Hart and Shaun McKenna, and directed by Hart, the story takes us to the seemingly idyllic village of Champton in 1988, where parish politics, long-standing relationships and simmering tensions surround St Mary’s Church. When murder intrudes upon this comfortably familia...

Pride and prejudice* (*sort of) – Theatr Clwyd

30Sep

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

Wales

Pride and prejudice* (*sort of) – Theatr Clwyd

The outrageously hilarious Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) comes bursting on to the Moondance stage at Theatr Clwyd with an impressive set, wonderful costumes and a group of five incredible women who take us through this story, playing all the roles and leaving the audience on their feet. Written and directed by Isobel McArthur and based on the Jane Austin novel, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) starts with the servants ‘cleaning’ in the auditorium, interacting with the audience, the sound of the bell ringing occasionally. The servants realise they are at work and the show begins. The servants are central to the story, reminding us that even though they are never seen, they are always there. With another ring of a bell the cast jump in to action and with a quick costume change (extrem...

29Sep

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Jersey Boys – Hull New Theatre

Having seen the musical Jersey Boys several times now, both as a reviewer as well as a paying theatregoer, this recent production at the Hull New Theatre shows just why the story of Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons is still filling theatres, 20 years after it was first staged. The group’s music needs no introduction - hit followed hit with the likes of Sherry, Big Girls Don’t Cry, Walk Like a Man, My Eyes Adored You, Beggin’, Rag Doll and many more. And on Monday night in Hull, we in the full-ish theatre were treated to all these songs with plenty of their other hits thrown in. Classed as a “musical biography”, we were not only treated to the most wonderful music and singing, but also to the story of where it all began - in Noo Joisey, oh sorry, got carried away there, I mean Ne...

28Sep

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Dirty Harry – La Belle Angele

There are tribute bands, and then there are those which, for a couple of hours at least, manage to transport you somewhere else entirely. Tonight, Dirty Harry took me straight back to the late 1970s and early 80s, when Blondie were in their prime and Debbie Harry was quite simply one of the coolest people on the planet. First up are The Postcards, who provide an enjoyable warm-up with a slightly more adventurous trawl through the alternative end of the 80s than your average covers band. Orange Juice’s Rip It Up, Simple Minds’ Don’t You (Forget About Me) and a welcome excursion into Echo & the Bunnymen territory all hit the spot. Their venture into The Smiths is perhaps less successful — Morrissey’s voice is a particularly dangerous one to borrow — but you can’t win th...

Dear Joanna, My Favourite Animals Are Scorpions – Bread and Roses Theatre

28Sep

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

Dear Joanna, My Favourite Animals Are Scorpions – Bread and Roses Theatre

Dear Joanna, My Favourite Animals Are Scorpions is an unsettling exploration of childhood friendship, adolescent obsession and the ways in which seemingly innocent behaviour can develop into something much darker. Written by Julia Rudd and directed by Elizabeth Laurence, the play follows Joanna, played by Grace Maltman, and Dave, played by Joseph Mason-Coombs, from childhood into adolescence. Dave becomes fascinated with Joanna and repeatedly tries to establish a friendship that she does not reciprocate. As they grow older, his attempts to gain her attention become increasingly obsessive. Letters, rumours and eventually voyeuristic behaviour shift what initially looks like an innocent childhood infatuation towards stalking and harassment. The writing is the production’s biggest stren...

Tandem at Ten: A Festival of Words – Traverse Theatre

28Sep

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Tandem at Ten: A Festival of Words – Traverse Theatre

Tandem is a writing collective established and run by playwrights Jennifer Adam, Amy Hawes and Mhairi Quinn. This new writing showcase celebrates their tenth anniversary, featuring a varied, thoughtfully curated selection of pieces including plays, poetry, prose and music. As we enter Trav 1, musician Gillian plays her own hauntingly melodic compositions on the piano, creating an atmosphere of expectation. Cunnison plays transition music between each piece as well. The showcase opens with a short play called The Will of the People, written by Charlotte Smith. A politician (Nicola Roy), and her bodyguard (Jenny Hulse) are waiting for hospital staff to identify a mystery substance thrown at them by a protester. As the scene unfolds, the limits of democracy are exposed. It’s a thoug...

The First Year (of the Gaza Genocide in the Media) – New Diorama

28Sep

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

The First Year (of the Gaza Genocide in the Media) – New Diorama

There is something inherently difficult about making theatre about an event that is still unfolding, particularly one as politically charged and emotionally divisive as Gaza. It requires not only courage, but perspective: enough distance to transform material into theatre rather than simply place it on a stage. For me, this is where The First Year (of the Gaza Genocide in the Media) falls short. The production, developed by BÉZNĂ Theatre with the International State Crime Initiative and Shadow World Investigations, is an ambitious collaboration built from testimony and research. Its credentials are impressive, as is the care with which the material has clearly been assembled. But after 90 minutes, I was left wondering: what is the purpose of this play? The production begins from ...

28Sep

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Balisong – Traverse Theatre

Short but perfectly formed, Balisong occasionally comes perilously close to feeling like a public-information film about the dangers of knives. But perhaps that is hardly surprising. Jennifer Adam's play was originally commissioned by No Knives Better Lives, produced with Fast Forward and developed in consultation with young people. It was subsequently recommissioned twice and, between 2017 and 2019, toured schools in every local authority in Scotland. And yet, sitting in the Traverse, I can't help being affected by it. Isn't that, after all, one of the points of theatre? To write something with purpose, with an allegory; something that seeks not merely to entertain but perhaps to make a difference? Its timing is particularly poignant. A few miles away in Leith stands t...

Exhibition on Screen – James McNeill Whistler

28Sep

By Alice RoseNo Comments

REVIEWS

Exhibition on Screen – James McNeill Whistler

‘Making Art for Art’s sake.’ A quote repeated almost too many times to count and yet, with each time spoken a new weight of how important independent vision truly is to human expression. This film takes us through a spectacular exhibition, starting at Whistler’s early discoveries on page- slowly stretching into new and exciting fields to finally land on some of his work that have stood the test of time. Alongside closer looks at his work, it is paired beautifully with letters sent by Whistler himself explaining his process. It is a wonderful thing to hear an artist express such light and excitement about the journey of artistry. Whistler would often journey into areas most would fear to go, we now have impressions of people who might never have had a chance to get a portrait and in r...