REVIEWS Archives - Page 2 of 342

1May

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Blood Brothers – Birmingham Hippodrome

It’s not surprising that two of the greatest, and longest-lasting, touring shows in the history of the British theatre (“Blood Brothers” and “Joseph”) have outlasted the producer of both, Bill Kenwright. It was his acumen as well as his insight which spotted their potential for longevity - and he was certainly proved right. Not only was Kenwright a powerhouse of theatre production for many years, but the progenitor of numerous solid, lucrative tours giving work to hundreds, if not thousands, of actors, singers and dancers. It’s with these two shows Kenwright will be synonymous, and both have toured forever without a conclusion in sight. “Joseph” has lasted pretty much continuously for forty years with “Blood Brothers” trailing behind with a mere thirty or so under its belt. Where “Joseph”...

1May

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Frozen – Greenwich Theatre

Nancy (Kerrie Taylor) finds herself with her hands full, managing the squabbles of her two young daughters. She sends the youngest, Rhona, on a small errand only for her to encounter Ralph (James Bradshaw) along the way - a man who preys on young girls who abducts her before assaulting and killing her. Indra Ové takes on the role of Agnetha, an American academic who travels to England to study Ralph and his crimes. In case you have not gathered, Bryony Lavery’s Frozen is far from a light-hearted play; it bears no resemblance to the musical of the same name playing nearby along the Thames. We follow Ralph and Nancy over two decades as his crime haunts Nancy and resonates through her life. Director James Haddrell's has clearly given a lot of thought to the staging, as Ralph and Nan...

30Apr

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Rage Room – Traverse Theatre

Writer Mhairi Quinn, one third of Tandem Writing Collective, returns with a rewritten and expanded version of her new play, Rage Room, following on from an original 20 minute read through at the same venue one year ago. This is part of a series of three new plays under the collective title of Rock, Paper, Scissors, developed with funding from Creative Scotland. Still at workshop stage we are treated to a script-in-hand performance by a trio of fine actors. Kim Allen as the 35-years-old socially inept, introverted daughter April, Natalie Arle-Toyne as the domineering and critical mother and Betty Valencia as Jos, the younger daughter, a socially successful feminist podcaster with thousands of followers. Allegedly, the ‘Number 1 Feminist Podcaster for Glasgow and West of Scotland’, Jo...

30Apr

By Zara OdetundeNo Comments

London

Minority Report – Lyric Hammersmith

Minority Report is a staging of a Nottingham Playhouse and Birmingham Rep co-production. This premise is best known for the 2002 film starring Tom Cruise. This play explores free will and the idea of justice in this adaptation of Philip K Dick’s short story of the same name, written by David Haig. The play opens with a ceremony of the 10th Anniversary of the British Pre-crime department. In which the CEO Dame Julia Anderton is extolling the virtues of detecting Pre-criminals. However, she soon finds out that she has been identified as a pre-murderer. She must go on the run in an attempt to prove her innocence and discover truths about her organisations that have been long buried. Jodie McNee led this play as Pre-crime CEO Julia, she commands the stage and explores so many emotions a...

Pippin: 50th Anniversary Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

30Apr

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Pippin: 50th Anniversary Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Packed full of Stephen Schwartz's memorable songs, such as "Corner of the Sky" and "Magic To Do", Pippin is a show that has been re-produced and re-imagined over the last 50 years around the world, including in the West End and on Broadway. At its heart there's the simple tale of a young man, a prince, at a loss of what to do with his life, the curse of princes throughout history. Pippin is the son of King Charlemagne the Great and heir to the Frankish throne. He seeks fulfilment, believing that, as he's extraordinary, he should find something extraordinary to achieve. In his attempts to break through this existential despair, he tries leading an army, but only succeeds in losing most of his men. Then he has a period of debauchery, but that leaves him empty. Art and religion also fa...

This Is Memorial Device – Riverside Studios

29Apr

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

This Is Memorial Device – Riverside Studios

Capturing an art induced euphoria and a sense of estrangement, we are shown the meaning in the small, contained world of fictional band, Memorial Device. Graham Eatough brings to life David Keenan’s novel that merges an imagined world and the 80’s music scene in Airdrie. The set and concept was intriguing and provoking. The mannequins on stage was such a beautiful idea (slightly absurd and eerie nonetheless) - enlivening the way the band and the music made the speaker feel. Deeply poetic, lyrical words were woven in between the candid. The running thread through the script was of feelings; of awe and searching to reconnect to an ecstatic moment, and a feeling of mourning. In ways, it felt like an ode, and a eulogy. Actor Paul Higgins took us on a journey in this strange suspended time,...

29Apr

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The Tempest – Drayton Arms Theatre

Burnt Orange Theatre Rep Company bring The Tempest to life. In the black box theatre setting, the troupe form a striking ensemble with sizzling choreography as well as impressive individual performances. Such dynamic storytelling with swift transitions made Shakespeare’s language accessible and engaging. The group was cohesive and nimble, heaving to and fro throughout like the waves and the ship, and producing surreal hissing and clicking sound collages. I loved the interpretation of Ariel, with four actors embodying the spirit. They really captured the magic and elemental nature of the play. Ioan Oosthuizen’s fraught Prospero was heavy with responsibility, and it was charming to see his lighter side and fatherly affection around his daughter. As the principal storyteller in the...

29Apr

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Borrowed – Unity Theatre

New writing offers a fresh perspective in exploring one’s own bodily autonomy within a world prejudiced by societal expectations and imposed limitations. Back in 2022, in line with its historical patterns of oppression and exploitation, the US revoked Roe v Wade, a piece of legislation which guaranteed the right to access safe abortion care. This reversal saw an assault on reproductive rights, resulting in a worrying reduction in healthcare choices, including those accessing IVF and surrogates, (as well as the people they’re carrying babies for, such as infertile couples, and members of the LGBTQ+ community). Borrowed deals with pregnancy from the perspective of the surrogate, and the choices available pre and post 2022, with our central protagonist Bella, at aged 17 (Sasha Georgett...

29Apr

By Katy GilroyNo Comments

North West

Totally 80’s – Floral Pavilion

A medley of 80s music at a seaside venue on a Saturday night – the perfect spring evening out or something a little bit cringe? Brand new live music show Totally 80s hit the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, on Saturday; it was a triumphant display of fun and musical talent with plenty of hits to sing along to… With audience members decked out in neon leg warmers and CHOOSE LIFE t-shirts, there was a buzz in the air as everyone took their seats and the band made their way to the stage. With classic tunes from A-ha, Wham, Blondie, Tiffany and many more, young vocalists Ffion Davies and James O’Roarty showed talent and energy from start to finish – with an incredible range of jackets which were switched out to match the songs, as a subtle but brilliant addition to the show. The singers a...

Remembrance Monday – Seven Dials Playhouse

29Apr

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Remembrance Monday – Seven Dials Playhouse

Watching Remembrance Monday, I was reminded of a description I’ve always liked of memories that I read in an interview. The interviewee (it may have been Florence Welch but don’t quote me on that), talked about memories being like photocopies of photocopies, blurring gradually over time as you get further and further away from the original. And so it is with Julius (Nick Hayes), as his recollections of what initially appears to be a regular Monday night with husband Connor (Matthew Stathers) quickly take a much darker turn. In Remembrance Monday, playwright Michael Batten weaves seeds of doubt and confusion very early on, presenting questions about the reliability of Julius’s narration. I’ll keep this a spoiler free zone, but I will say that the twists and unfolding of the plot are per...