REVIEWS Archives - Page 197 of 549

5Jun

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Storm Lantern – Traverse Theatre

They say partnerships are never equal, and such was the case here tonight in this generally well-executed three-hander from Edinburgh youth theatre outfit, Strange Town. This short play follows the true story of Sophia Scholl, the anti-nazi political activist, whose life was terminated prematurely, by guillotine, at the age of just 21, in 1943. Scholl was arrested with her brother Hans after scattering war protest leaflets from the top floor of the atrium of Munich University. Writer Duncan Kidd focuses primarily on the friendship between Sophia and Gisela Schertling, her good friend of several years, who is also romantically involved with her brother Hans. The third character in the piece is Nazi Interrogator, Robert Mohr. Let’s talk about the best bits first. Rebecca Forsyth is ...

5Jun

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

2:22 A Ghost Story – The Lowry

I recently had the pleasure of watching "2:22 - A Ghost Story," and I can confidently say it was an enthralling experience that kept me on the edge of my seat. The premise revolves around a woman determined to uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences in her home. To prove to her sceptical husband, Sam, that she’s not imagining things, she convinces a couple who came over for a dinner party to stay up until 2:22am to witness the phenomena for themselves. The show’s pacing is impeccable, making the entire performance feel swift and engaging. One of the standout features is the use of digital clocks, which progressively heighten the tension as they tick closer to the pivotal moment. This clever device not only builds suspense but also drives the narrative forward, constantly remind...

The Merry Wives of Windsor – The Roman Theatre of St Albans

5Jun

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

The Merry Wives of Windsor – The Roman Theatre of St Albans

Approaching Shakespeare with much as much joy and as little reverence as the children’s book “When Pigasso met Mootisse” treats the artists whose work it adapts, this production is technically recognizable as one of the most often neglected of the great playwright’s works but is in many ways a chimera of Elizabethan bawd, modern sensibility, and eighties sound. Not only soundtracked by the hits of that decade, this script is also peppered with cultural references time-specific enough that its heightened accessibility is restricted almost exclusively to audiences Gen X and up. This is not entirely a bad thing. Even the least meddled with performing script of Shakespeare’s The Merry Wives of Windsor has both a humour and a logic inherent to it that demands an adult understanding of money ...

5Jun

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

The Finellis – Wonderville

"The Finellis" based on the 2022 movie of the same name, is a vibrant musical that tells the compelling story of Tony Finelli, portrayed by Mark Janicello, who strives to reintegrate into his family's life after a 15-year prison stint. Janicello delivers a convincing performance as the ex-felon Tony, grappling with reconnecting with his distant children and his ex-wife, who has moved on, all whilst being pursued by the relentless Mafia boss Mr Big, played by Michael Cristopher. The musical kicks off with an energetic start, filled with singing, dancing, and catchy tunes that keep the audience engaged. The pace is brisk, ensuring that there are no dull moments. The ensemble cast, although small, demonstrates remarkable versatility and chemistry, with most actors taking on dual role...

Beckett and the Wake by John Minihan – The Yoko Ono Lennon Centre, University of Liverpool

4Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Beckett and the Wake by John Minihan – The Yoko Ono Lennon Centre, University of Liverpool

The world needs characters and Irish photographer John Minihan showed he is certainly that with this delightful anecdotal and humorous talk that explored his relationship over many years with the great playwright Samuel Beckett, renowned for being nigh on impossible to interview as well as camera-shy. Minihan first expressed a desire to photograph Beckett in 1969, following Beckett's winning of the Nobel Prize for literature, having noticed that all the available photos of Beckett were of such a poor quality it was if Beckett didn’t exist, although his first encounter was not to be until 1980 in London when Beckett was working on a production of one of his plays, Endgame. They met in the Hyde Park Hotel where Minihan’s acclaimed photographic series, The Wake of Katy Tyrell, piquing Beck...

Beckett: Unbound 2024 – The Tung Auditorium

3Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Beckett: Unbound 2024 – The Tung Auditorium

The Beckett: Unbound 2024 Festival’s music curation responds to the theatre and dance programme via six contemporary works, featuring three world-première commissions and two UK / France premières. Composer Barry Guy’s Quindecim for baroque violin (Maya Homburger) and double bass (Guy) is a response to Swiss architect and artist Max Bill’s ‘Fifteen Variations on a Single Theme’ exploring the artist’s idea that ‘once the basic theme has been chosen - whether it be simple or complex - an infinite number of different developments can be evolved according to individual inclination and temperament’. The work incorporates four Beckett texts (Thither, 10 Mirlitonnades, The Downs, One Dead of Night) into its highly intricate ‘molten architecture’. Guy’s work for solo cello and electronics ‘S...

Rough for Radio II – The Tung Auditorium

3Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Rough for Radio II – The Tung Auditorium

Rough for Radio II is a Beckett radio play written in French as Pochade radiophonique and first published in 1975. Beckett translated the work into English shortly before its BBC Radio 3 broadcast on his birthday (13th April 1976). Director Vincent Higgins, in collaboration with Simon Ruding (TIPP), recorded this version in-situ with inmates at HM Prison Liverpool. A man, Animator, makes small talk with his young female stenographer (Orla Charlton): is she ready to get to work, does she have the tools of her trade? The interchange is light and familiar. He then consults a character called Dick: is he on his toes? It is his job after all to ‘encourage’ the prisoner, Fox, to talk with the use of a bull’s pizzle. Beckett’s dialogue cleverly explores the idea that the prisoner is in fact...

They Don’t Really Care About Us – Hope Street Theatre

3Jun

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

They Don’t Really Care About Us – Hope Street Theatre

An intelligent and authentic production with fire in its belly, which does well to tackle complex themes with passionate conviction. Provides an important lesson in the ongoing injustices and experiences of racial and sexist discrimination, leaving room for further development and exploration. TDRCAU is set in the 90s during the immediate aftermath of the murder of Stephen Lawrence. A landmark case in which a public inquiry into the handling of his brutal racially motivated murder eventually exposed institutional racism within the UK police and justice systems. We follow the story of medical student Dinesh Sharma (portrayed by co-writer and co-director, Sab Muthusamy), a local lad of Indian descent who finds himself regularly subject to derogatory racial comments from th...

1Jun

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

May 35th – Southwark Playhouse Elephant

4th June 1989 – This is the date to remember! But, if you live in China or Hong Kong, this date causes their government to have amnesia, and the Chinese government enforces countrywide amnesia on its people. There is no longer a 4th June 1989 in the Chinese calendar, not one that can be discussed anyway. To disguise discussion, this date is now May 35th, and both the date, and the lives of the victims of the Tiananmen Square massacre have been erased from history. In a country where the government uses dehumanisation as a means of controlling its people, this play attempts to overturn this, by bringing together interviews from some of the victim’s families and allows them to speak in one voice. The play centres around a student, Ah Dai who was a hard-working b...

Iain Stirling: Relevant – Festival Theatre

1Jun

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

Iain Stirling: Relevant – Festival Theatre

And, it turns out, good friend and co-writer Steve Bugeja, so more like a double-bill. The two were responsible for Buffering, a TV series that ran from 2021 to 2023, residing now, jokes Iain, amongst the ads on ITVX. It’s doubtful he’s lost much sleep over its demise, proud possessor of a 15-year career that started with CBBC in 2009, taking in presenting, stand-up, writing and acting. Not to mention the narrator’s role on ITV2’s cerebral masterpiece Love Island. Nor Taskmaster, Loose Women and Gogglebox… however, propelled atop a wave of youthful energy, at the age of 36 he’s beginning to wonder if he’s still ‘relevant’. Bounding on to the stage to warm up the audience, Iain announces Steve, who ponders, following a recent break-up, the topic of ‘the ick’, Dunfermline and an awkward e...