REVIEWS Archives - Page 135 of 548

7Nov

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Book of Mormon – Bradford Alhambra

Most of us have heard the doorbell go and opened it to find a pair of earnest Mormon missionaries keen to discuss their faith dressed in their trademark white shirts and black name badges. Imagine if two of those naïve teenage missionaries were dispatched to Uganda to spread the word of Mormon founder Joseph Smith to a nation ravaged by brutal warlords, poverty and AIDS, and there you have The Book of Mormon. Along the way, devout Elder Price and nerdy Elder Cunningham find out that the local population are just a tad cynical that any god will help them, but somehow through the violence and a not a few moments when their faith is sorely tested manage to find some common humanity. It all sounds a bit grim, but this ribald musical is the brainchild of South Park creators Trey Parker...

Flint Street Nativity – The Little Theatre, Birkenhead

7Nov

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Flint Street Nativity – The Little Theatre, Birkenhead

As the first play of their series, The Carlton Players bring Tim Firth’s Flint Street Nativity to the Little Theatre in Birkenhead. As I enter the Little Theatre this evening, I instantly feel warm and welcome. My first visit to this lovey theatre and it certainly won’t be the last. With a lovely bar/waiting area downstairs and the auditorium upstairs, the ushers couldn’t do enough to make our visit a great one. One thing that stands out is the accessibility of the building, for such an old building, there is a lift down to the bar and a lift up to the auditorium, something that makes a return visit cemented in my eyes. Directed by Marc Smith, we are transported to Miss Horricks’ class where the juniors are putting on their nativity. But will everything go smoothly? We are about to f...

Beauty and the Beast – Gladstone Theatre

7Nov

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

Beauty and the Beast – Gladstone Theatre

West Kirby MTC always turn out an excellent, entertaining show and after recent successes with A Christmas Carol and Betty Blue Eyes, this year they take on the well-loved story of Beauty and the Beast. It was evident that a lot of hard work and dedication had gone into this production, and we all know how much fun it is for all the participants, especially the youngest, for some of whom it may be their first performance. This ’Tale as old as Time’ is indeed a big challenge for director Sharon Henderson, as the show demands big sets, big costumes and big musical numbers and the Gladstone theatre is far from a big stage. Sensibly they have scaled down the scenery to include back projections and minimal pieces of set. In the main this worked well as the wonderful costumes really make thei...

Only Fools and Horses the Musical – Edinburgh Playhouse

6Nov

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Only Fools and Horses the Musical – Edinburgh Playhouse

Nothing compares with a theatre full of supportive fans who love what is going on up there on the stage. So, it was with Only Fools and Horses and the West End cast performing in Edinburgh. The jokes are wonderfully familiar, the characterisation excellent and the musical interludes perfectly pitched. This show is an out and out winner for Del Trotter fans and Rodney’s fellow aspiring art students. Co-written by Jim Sullivan (the original writer, John Sullivan’s son) and the prolific, Paul Whitehouse, this show hits the target again and again. It is played for fans of the long-running television sit-com which hit our screens in 1981 and, if my dad was still alive, he’d have loved it! The set works fluidly and looks ideal, thanks to Alice Power’s design. The ensemble dancing an...

6Nov

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

Tones: A Hip-Hop Opera – Brixton House

To pull off a solo show, a performer needs to possess a deeply commanding presence, superhuman confidence, and a sense of great comfort within the space that puts the audience immediately at ease. To pull off a solo show that is almost entirely rapped? That requires something truly special — and that’s exactly what Gerel Falconer, writer and performer of Tones - A Hip-Hop Opera has in abundance. In this show, Falconer plays the role of Jerome (AKA The Professor), a young Black British man navigating our society where race, class, and culture still play a huge role in our sense of belonging. Feeling not Black enough for the area he grew up in yet too Black for the rest of the world, Jerome is forced to confront the impact that assimilation has had on his identity. With his sole compan...

Murder on the Orient Express – Richmond Theatre

6Nov

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Murder on the Orient Express – Richmond Theatre

On the famous Orient Express in between Istanbul and Calais, a disparate group of passengers are bound together. First by the train being forced to stop in a snowdrift and then by the discovery of a dead body, murder most foul! Who among them could have wielded the knife? Straight onto the case is the world-renowned Belgian (not French!) detective Hercule Poirot who uses his ‘little grey cells’ to unravel the mystery. Yes, this is Agatha Christie’s most iconic tale, now brought to life on the stage in an adaptation by Ken Ludwig, directed by Lucy Bailey. High praise to set designer Mike Britton for the fantastic train carriage set on display. The neat trick is making the carriages breakaway into different compartments which can be moved in and out of the set to bring us to the differ...

5Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Come From Away – Wolverhampton Grand

From its first thumping, stomping almost tribal driving rhythms at the top of the show “Come From Away” sets out its stall clearly and emphatically not giving an inch and not compromising on its passionate message. As we probably all know by now, the show tells the tale of the little town of Gander in Northeastern Newfoundland, which threw open its doors and hearts to 7000 passengers who found themselves diverted from US air space on that notorious date September 11th 2001. Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s book, music and lyrics summarises the event and epitomise the humanity with panache, respect, dignity and kindness. 38 planes landed unexpectedly in Gander and everyone had to be accommodated. And they were as the entire community came together to help, support and care for hundreds of ...

The Election Monologues – Traverse Theatre

5Nov

By Tom ScottNo Comments

Scotland

The Election Monologues – Traverse Theatre

It was a privilege to be part of the audience for this unrehearsed reading of ‘The Election Monologues’ in the bar of the Traverse. This was a global theatrical event with readings also taking place on 4th November in England, Australia, Greece and the USA. Suzie Miller’s powerful script is based on interviews with librarians and doctors working in the state of Idaho, USA. Conceived by Abigail Gonda, this is intended to be a wake-up call on the eve of the US Presidential election. The message is clear: there is an attack on liberal democracy. Rights and freedoms we have taken for granted for decades are threatened. And the danger is not just to America. Far right activism and populism are evident in many countries including the UK. In 2022 the US Supreme Court overthrew the landma...

2024 Fireworks Festival – Alexandra Palace

5Nov

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

2024 Fireworks Festival – Alexandra Palace

The 2024 Fireworks Festival at Alexandra Palace Park made a vibrant return, treating visitors to a dazzling display and a full evening of entertainment. Spanning the expansive grounds, the event featured activities and attractions spread across various areas, creating an atmosphere that was lively yet well-organized. From the outset, entering the park was a smooth experience. The event staff were attentive, efficiently managing the flow of guests and ensuring a welcoming and easy entry. Depending on your entrance, you were immediately immersed in the bustling energy of the festival. Inside the park, the variety of food trucks and bars added to the festive feel, offering an array of delicious options, including both meat and vegetarian choices. The bars were well-stocked, and the wint...

Pop Off, Michelangelo! – The Other Palace

5Nov

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

Pop Off, Michelangelo! – The Other Palace

If you asked me to describe my dream show, I’d probably tell you it would be a musical, with stupidly clever comedy, and plenty of niche pop culture references. Luckily for me, The Other Palace is serving up a shining example of this with Dylan MarcAurele’s Pop Off, Michelangelo!, directed by Joe McNeice. An unashamedly untrue retelling of how Renaissance artists Michelangelo (Max Eade) and Leonardo Da Vinci (Aidan MacColl) became frenemies, this show introduces us to the pair as young pals who soon realise they have something in common: they’re both gay, but can’t live as their truest selves out of fear of punishment by the church. Figuring out their simplest route to divine forgiveness is to win over someone who has a direct line to the big man himself, the friends head to art scho...