REVIEWS Archives - Page 139 of 548

Legally Blonde The Musical – Daneside Theatre

23Oct

By Hannah KellyNo Comments

North West

Legally Blonde The Musical – Daneside Theatre

On a dark and dreary October evening, The Daneside Theatre in Congleton was glowing with hot-pink and the productions opening night appeared lively and high-spirited. Directed by Jill Mason, the Congleton Musical Theatre’s rendition of Heather Hach’s ‘Legally Blonde: The Musical’ is kitsch, cringe and wonderfully camp. The musical is based on both Amanda Brown’s novel and the 2001 hit-movie starring Reese Witherspoon, following the journey of the ‘Malibu-Barbie’, Elle Woods, as she navigates her way through Harvard Law School and eventually dispels all stereotypes of her ‘Legally Blonde’ persona. The curtain opens to Elle (Abbie Lloyd) and her ‘Delta Nu’ Sorority Sister’s performance of ‘Omigod you guys’, a flamboyant number that immediately characterised Elle and her love for War...

Murder on the Orient Express – Festival Theatre

23Oct

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

Murder on the Orient Express – Festival Theatre

On the 22nd of October, Edinburgh Festival Theatre played host to an adaptation of one of Agatha Christie's most beloved mysteries: Murder on the Orient Express. This new production, directed by Lucy Bailey and starring Michael Maloney as Hercule Poirot, promises to be a thrilling and immersive experience for fans of classic crime drama and theatre alike. Set in the winter of 1934, the story unfolds on the luxurious Orient Express after it finds itself trapped by an avalanche in the snowy Balkans. With the train at a standstill and a murder on board, Poirot must solve the mystery before the train resumes its journey—and before the killer strikes again. The ensemble cast includes Bob Barrett, Mila Carter, Rebecca Charles, Debbie Chazen, Simon Cotton, and more. Based on Christie’s ow...

23Oct

By Louise PennNo Comments

London

Kidults the Musical – Bridewell Theatre

Are our schooldays really the best of our lives, or are they a kind of hell? And is ‘kidulthood’, that space between being a child and being an adult, all that easy to navigate? Mark Tunstall, who writes, directs, and stars as a kind of Fagin/circus master type of ‘Narrata’, started developing this project as a book of poems, a set of “cautionary tales for adults”. With the input of Lulu Chen and others, the poems became songs for this musical, which is now receiving its stage premiere at three venues across London. We are considering the age of thirteen, the start of the teenage years, in the group of children depicted. They are all played by adults, with Tunstall’s character as the only actual ‘grown-up’ on stage. Although there is a promise of a cohesive story, the songs really ar...

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

23Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

If you were born in this new century and nestle within the demographic that favours “Glee” “Big Bang Theory” then “Dear Evan Hansen” seems designed just for you. For those of us outside that very slim group it remains an anomaly. The show itself has an undoubted pedigree having opened on Broadway in 2016 with music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (whose credits include the glorious “The Greatest Showman” and the awful sounding “Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz”) with a book by Steven Levenson, produced by Marc Platt and starring Ben Platt - note the shared surname making lesser critics wonder if that nepo-element may go some way to explain the show’s weaknesses, but, hey, it won nine Tony Awards! The show has toured endlessly, had a long West End, a badly received film - and people love...

23Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Frankenstein – Hull Truck Theatre

A cast of six brought the world’s most famous monster to the Hull Truck stage on Tuesday evening with a thought-provoking adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. As the 1818 thriller, now set in the war year of 1943, begins its second major UK theatre tour, would its producers, Tilted Wig Productions, have a monster hit on their hands? Stage settings are always something to look forward to at this popular local theatre and Tuesday evening was no exception. Though dark, unfussy and dimly lit, with sparse furnishings, the interior of a wooden cabin perfectly set the tone for the well-known horror story. I found the theatre itself was very cold on the night, which, though uncomfortable, added to the atmosphere. The cabin’s shabbily-dressed occupant, Captain (Basienka Blake - wh...

22Oct

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Chicago – Bradford Alhambra

There is no better opening in musical theatre than Chicago as a troupe of ripped and toned dancers shimmy, strut and shoulder roll their way round the stage in perfect unison as vaudeville performer turned murderess Velma belts out All That Jazz. Originally choreographed by the great Bob Fosse this is a show full of ‘jazz hands’, which is a concept that many people sneer at, but as Craig Revel Harwood constantly points out on Strictly strong hands make for great dancing. There is something really elemental about a simple move like a hand roll, and the dancers in this cast nail some of the toughest and naughtiest routines in any show. At heart Fosse’s wonderfully cynical book is both a tribute to the exuberance of vaudeville and to the nature of fame, aided by the med...

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

22Oct

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Perhaps better known for his award-winning podcast Off menu with James Allcaster or for winning season nine of Taskmaster, the man-child that is Ed Gamble was a regular on the Stand-Up circuit long before pod casts even existed, and returns to his roots tonight in a laughter filled show at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh’s biggest stage. And despite the hurricane inspired winds outside it didn’t deter a packed house from enjoying almost two hours of lively entertainment. Ed is very ably assisted by noteworthy warm-up act, Chloe Petts, who fills the first thirty minutes with easy laughter, starting with her tales of being a ‘child geezer’, at age 13, six foot one tall, at an all-girls school and parents asking at ballet class lessons, why there is a bouncer in the room. She also hila...

Candlelight Original Sessions – Manchester Cathedral

21Oct

By Mary FoggNo Comments

North West

Candlelight Original Sessions – Manchester Cathedral

A beautifully intimate evening gracing Manchester Cathedral's skies with whimsical live music, storytelling, and candlelight. This Candlelight Original Session (that sold out in just 11 minutes!) brought Bastille fans to Manchester to celebrate the release of their new album Bastille Presents “&” (Ampersand) amongst the beauty and magnificence of Manchester Cathedral. It was on a very wet rainy evening that I made my way to the stunning Manchester Cathedral situated in the city to watch Bastille, who formed in 2010, with frontman Dan Smith perform a special candlelit live preview of Bastille’s new album “&” (Ampersand). On turning the corner and ‘doors opening’ not for a while yet, I was thinking surely no one will be queuing in this torrential rain. I was amazed to see the tops...

21Oct

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

reINCARNATION – Festival Theatre

Nigeria’s population is overwhelmingly young, and unemployment is high. Amidst the hardship, dance is a popular creative outlet, and many young Nigerians share their talents through videos on social media. In 2014, Qudus Onikeku returned to his home city of Lagos, having achieved acclaim as a choreographer in France. He was inspired by the abundance of creative talent, and invited some dancers to a workshop. The workshop grew into a school, and the Q Dance Company is a creative home for the school’s graduates. The rehearsal period began with an improvisation session. Onikeku instructed the dancers to allow their bodies to take the lead, and let the dance pass through them. Throughout the session, Onikeku sketched, and he refined the ideas to devise the piece. The resulting choreo...

21Oct

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Bridge Command – Mission: Intrigue

Bridge Command was a fully immersive experience from the moment you step inside. The actors and staff actively encourage you to engage and make the experience your own. Upon arrival at the venue, conveniently located near Vauxhall station, you're asked to suit up in your uniform, preparing for your mission. Next, you're taken through a “teleportation” sequence, which transports you to a new area: the bar. While the teleportation effect is very cool, it involves a lot of flashing lights. If you're sensitive to this type of lighting or have any conditions affected by flashing lights, it's a good idea to inform the staff beforehand, which they also check for before entry. The bar itself is fully decked out in a space-themed design. The bartenders were cheerful and chatty, making it a gr...