REVIEWS Archives - Page 168 of 346

<strong>Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella – Hope Mill Theatre</strong>

18Nov

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Rodgers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella – Hope Mill Theatre

Eight years before Richard Rodgers and Oscar Hammerstein famously collaborated on screen with Dame Julie Andrews in 'The Sound of Music', she starred in a 1957 musical version of 'Cinderella' written by the iconic duo specifically for US television. It was a smash hit, during the broadcast the streets of New York were reportedly deserted as around 107 million people tuned in to watch, garnering both critical and public acclaim. Fast forward 65 years and we find another pair of estimable creatives, William Whelton and Joseph Houston the driving forces behind Hope Mill Theatre in Manchester, have sprinkled their special brand of fairy dust over the piece, giving us a pre-Christmas treat to brighten a bleak November night. The time honoured story of Cinderella has many variations and can ...

<strong>Vanity Fair – Church Hill Theatre</strong>

17Nov

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Vanity Fair – Church Hill Theatre

Vanity Fair is, when it's not inspiring magazine titles, a novel by William Makepeace Thackeray, first published serially between 1847 and 1848. It was memorably subtitled "a novel without a hero" due to its protagonist, Becky Sharp, spending its entire duration trying to better her position in life with little care for the repercussions on supposed friends, (richer) husbands or even her own child. Because of this, the story isn't "just" a period costume drama, and any adaptation has to contend with a cynical protagonist doing unlikeable things while still keeping the audience engaged, and possibly even rooting for her. This aspect, which was previously managed so masterfully by a British TV adaptation, was something the twenty-year-old Reese Witherspoon vehicle film (which cast the TV...

<strong>Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk – Liverpool’s Royal Court</strong>

17Nov

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk – Liverpool’s Royal Court

It’s the beginning of the pantomime season up and down the country and I’m pleased to be welcomed back at the Royal Court Theatre in Liverpool to review this year’s pantomime of Scouse Jack and the Beanstalk written by Kevin Fearon and directed by Stephen Fletcher. Deep in Crosby Jack Jones (Micheal Fletcher) is a lazy lad he gets high and wants to find treasure on an adventure, his mum Mrs Jones (Lindzi Germain) is fewmin. The bills are sky high and the milk from daisy the cow (Jake Abraham) is barely enough to cover the rising costs. So, she sends Jack out to get a job. So, he goes off to the Greatie Market. The council have their share of problems to as the city is broke there is no money and the mayor (Liam Tobin) has to make drastic cuts to make the big Eon in the sky happy, with ...

<strong>Witch Hunt – Traverse Theatre</strong>

17Nov

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Witch Hunt – Traverse Theatre

One could happily have stayed seated and watched this show all over again. Straight away, not tomorrow night (the second and last night in Edinburgh and, sadly, of the entire tour). It had almost everything; music, dance, poetry, slapstick, puppetry, magic, limericks, puns, double-entendre, songs, nudity, but above all… laughter. Abigail Dooley & Emma Edwards did not name their company ‘A & E Comedy’ half-heartedly. There was even some of the most genuine audience participation yet witnessed though in this day and age it’s pretty cathartic to join in with the refrain ‘It’s a shitshow, an asshole rodeo’. A one-woman show with a twist this Ricket and Rattled along from the opening scene - featuring some ill-fitting dentures and malfunctioning hands - through to the last. There’s ...

<strong>A Christmas Carol – Buxton Opera House</strong>

17Nov

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

A Christmas Carol – Buxton Opera House

Charles Dicken’s famous ‘Christmas Carol’ is one of the most memorable and most loved Christmas stories of all time and the Chapterhouse Theatre’s latest touring production of Dicken’s famous festive offering is a true to the book recount. Staged inside the Smaller Pavilion Theatre at Buxton Opera House, The Chapterhouse Theatre have returned once again with their Christmas Carol Production for another year keeping true to the 19th century tale and as a result; it’s the perfect production to go and see if you’re studying Christmas Carol at school or college. It’s quite a stripped back production with quite sparse hand painted props and backdrops which may seem reminiscent of a school production, but this adaptation has real heart and the team use what props and sets they have to get...

<strong>Opera North: La Traviata – The Lowry</strong>

17Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: La Traviata – The Lowry

Director Alessandro Talevi’s production is much aided by Madeline Boyd’s sumptuous set and costume design as it relishes its traditional 19th Century roots. At its heart lies a love story which draws upon Alexandre Dumas the Younger’s real-life doomed love affair with well-known courtesan, Marie Duplessis. We open with Violetta (Alison Langer) aided by her friend Flora (Victoria Sharp) hosting a lavish party where she is introduced by Gastone (Gavan King) to his friend, Alfredo Germont (Nico Darmanin), a fervent admirer, who is more concerned for her failing health than her escort, Baron Douphal (James Cleverton). When Alfredo declares his love for her she wonders if he could be the one amidst her desire to be free to live her life. A year on and Alfredo (Oliver Johnston) and Violet...

<strong>La Clique – The Leicester Square Spiegeltent</strong>

16Nov

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

La Clique – The Leicester Square Spiegeltent

La clique is wonderment, burlesque and excitement. It brings together popular music, extraordinary acrobatic movement and risqué entertainment all in one place. Before the show began, you could sense the enthusiasm and excitement ripe in the air. As the red curtains fall with the Guillaume Tell Overture, we dial back to a forgotten era of charm, poise and curiosity. Clique revels in the forbidden with many classy acts, a burlesque Jesus, a unicyclist putting his clothes on the move, trapeze artists who spin in abandonment, anti-gravity-defying Chinese pole play, and a clown who balances four parasols are some of the magical acts that will leave you spellbound during the show. Each performance bends prim and proper rules; drinking is encouraged in the tent with lots of popcorn and ch...

<strong>Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Liverpool Empire</strong>

16Nov

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Beautiful: The Carole King Musical – Liverpool Empire

It actually felt like I spent an evening at Carnegie Hall, instead of the Liverpool Empire last night. Beautiful tells the story of Carole King. How she became who she was, the peaks and troughs of her career as a songwriter and how that led to her becoming one of the most instantly recognisable artists of all time. The show starts with her famous performance at the prestigious Carnegie Hall, in New York City in June of 1971. We then get taken back to a teenage Carole Klein, writing songs and begging her mother to allow her into the city (from their home in Brooklyn) to try and sell her songs. She manages to sell the song which makes it to number 106 on the Billboard Charts when sung by Bobby Vee. We go through her career and relationship with Gerry Goffin, their friendship and competi...

<strong>Elf The Musical – The Brindley, Runcorn</strong>

16Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Elf The Musical – The Brindley, Runcorn

Centenary Theatre Company’s Director Dan Grimes must have thought all his Christmas’s had come at once when Dean Callow walked in an auditioned for the part of Buddy! As all I can say is WOWSER as I am sure Dan Grimes did too, what a fabulous charismatic actor Dean Callow is, he has as much energy as one human being can possibly have without spontaneous combusting! Dean Callow was definitely on fire on opening night, unfortunately the programme does not tell me anything about Dean (or any of the other cast members), so I do not know any of his previous theatre credits etc. However, I would recommend this show on Dean Callow’s performance alone as he is the perfect Buddy the Elf, who will keep you entertained throughout the evening with his Elf moves, perfect comedy timings and pitch perfe...

<strong>Glory Ride – The Other Palace</strong>

15Nov

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Glory Ride – The Other Palace

A brand-new musical, Glory Ride, makes its first world appearance at The Other Palace in a staged concert performance. Based on the true story of a heroic conspiracy to rescue children from fascist Italy by bicycle, Glory Ride is a tale of passion, friendship, grief and pride. Glory Ride centres around the beloved Italian athlete Gino Bartali (James Darch), a household name in Italy, who cycled across European countries delivering falsified identity cards to Jewish fugitives in order to save their lives. Darch’s soft baritone voice fits perfectly with the tone of the musical. He portrays the complex and conflicted nature of Gino admirably, making the audience root for the character and feel a sense of familiarity. Gino and his relationship with his family pulls on the heartstrings espe...