REVIEWS Archives - Page 2 of 548

Flint Street Nativity – St Hilda’s Church

12Dec

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Flint Street Nativity – St Hilda’s Church

They say never work with children or animals! Well, as you can imagine, directing a nativity performed by a class of seven-year-olds is enough to test the patience of even the calmest of people. Mizzis Horrocks and her class, with their squabbles and specific interests trying to be stubbornly squeezed into the birth of the baby Jesus, culminates in one excellent comedic musical which is bound to get you in the jolly spirit of Christmas. Woolton Drama Group present to you 'The Flint Street Nativity' directed by Georgina Anwyl and Andrew Parsons. Stage Management by Charlotte Titley. An assemblage of diverse characters takes to the stage to entertain and delight you for the evening. Firstly, let's start with the angelic perfectionist Mary herself (Jenny Snell), there's one in every cla...

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch – The Lowry

12Dec

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Unfortunate: The Untold Story of Ursula the Sea Witch – The Lowry

Unfortunate splashes back onto the stage with all the camp, chaos and deliciously wicked sparkle you could hope for. Directed by Robyn Grant and written by Grant and Daniel Foxx, this gloriously irreverent musical flips The Little Mermaid on its tail, giving Ursula the narrative power she has always deserved. In this fabulously filthy retelling, Ursula isn’t the villain but the victim, cast out from her home and from the arms of her one true love, King Triton, after a web of murderous lies twists the kingdom against her. Years later, she finds herself drawn back into Atlantica’s drama when the hopelessly horny and hilariously naïve Ariel decides she wants legs, not for adventure, but for access to the human men and their “genital anatomy.” The result is a riotous, queer, glitter-soaked ...

12Dec

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Kenrex – The Other Palace

A true crime story of a still unsolved crime in small town America, KENREX blends genres, true crime, western, music into something far, far greater than the sum of its parts. What begins as an almost true crime podcast style reconstruction of a murder turns into a study of how a small community shapes its own mythology, and how fear, loyalty and silence can outlast the truth. After acclaimed runs in Sheffield and Southwark Playhouse, this transfer to The Other Palace just confirms how brilliant KENREX is. Ken Rex McElroy was a violent bully who terrorised the small town of Skidmore, Missouri, for years. With no sheriff and no police within an hour's drive, the law was never able to stop him. A snake-oil lawyer (with a brilliant introduction that almost adds musical as a genre to ...

Tchaikovsky’s Heroines & Heroes – Usher Hall

12Dec

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Tchaikovsky’s Heroines & Heroes – Usher Hall

This concert comprises scenes from three of Tchaikovsky’s greatest operas, each with a compelling female character at its heart. Their stories of forbidden love echo the composer’s own heartache from living as a gay man in a homophobic culture. In the aria Da, Chas Nastall from Act 1 of The Maid of Orleans, Joan of Arc (Natalia Kutateladze), bids a bittersweet farewell to her homeland. “You meadows and trees, my foster children, you will blossom and wither without me.” The music, and the performance, are filled with drama and passion, contrasting Joan’s intimacy with her childhood landscape, and the bloodstained violence of the battlefield to come. I was struck by the resolute strength that Kutateladze brought to the character. In a scene from Iolanta, Vaudémont (Robert Lewis) falls ...

12Dec

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Beauty and the Beast – Storyhouse

The festive season has returned and Storyhouse have treated us to a spectacular original version of Beauty and the Beast, full of beautiful scenery, fantastic costumes, songs to please all ages and a stellar cast who put their all in to bring us joy and cheer. Written by Anne Odeke with her debut panto, there are some strong messages throughout about treating people with respect, being kind to others and understanding that everyone deserves happiness. There are plenty of laughs, lots of joy but a lot of heart that will leave you feeling warm inside and maybe shed a little tear or two. Set and costumes, designed by Amy Jane Cook, are beautiful, extremely colourful, especially in Fromageville, shown off in all its glory by the wonderful lighting, designed by Aaron J Dootson. The set is...

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

12Dec

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Altrincham Garrick’s ethos of offering ‘something for everyone’ was certainly present tonight as I caught a mid-week performance of their annual Christmas pantomime, Goldilocks and the Three Bears. Not everyone is a fan of pantomime, myself included, and ultimately it is about children, families and friends coming together to have fun and silliness during the festive period and it was wonderful to see such evident joy and participation in the faces of young ones and the adults having a much needed and very welcome laugh. Set in Dame Gertie’s circus, hard up business owner Dame Gertie (Joseph Meighan) and her useless son, Silly Billy (Daniel Ellis) desperately need to pay their overdue ground rent to local landowner, Baron Wasteland (Mark Watkins), father of Goldilocks (Elise Evans). ...

12Dec

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Sleeping Beauty – Floral Pavilion

As we enter the theatre, a giant replica of the infamous spinning wheel dominates the auditorium, instantly setting the tone for the magic, mischief, and marathon-length storytelling to come. A classic telling of Sleeping Beauty is served up but not without a generous haul of bonus material. And at nearly three hours long (interval included), there is a lot to be squeezed in. The production leans heavily into its storyline, sometimes to the point of slowing the pace, as we’re guided through the well-known tale of Sleeping Beauty. Interestingly, the familiar plot becomes almost a subplot within a larger narrative that repositions our heroine as a brave adventurer rather than a passive, snoozing princess. The Floral seems determined to give audiences both versions: the classic romance com...

12Dec

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Robin Hood – New Wimbledon Theatre

Christmastime always brings with it the joyful traditions of British pantomime, and each year theatres across the country welcome new celebrity cast members to add sparkle to the season. This year, New Wimbledon Theatre presents a lively and colourful production of Robin Hood, made all the more exciting by the appearance of the hugely talented dance group Diversity. Their presence alone elevates this pantomime into something uniquely energetic and memorable. The show follows the familiar story of Robin Hood and his Merry Men as they steal from the rich to give to the poor, all while the villainous Sheriff plots to capture the hero. While the narrative remains classic panto fare, the production values make it feel fresh and engaging. The sets are beautifully designed, bursting with vibra...

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo – Young Vic

12Dec

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo – Young Vic

The basic premise of Bengal Tiger at the Baghdad Zoo prompted a profound reaction in this particular citizen of the planet, who also happens to love theatre. Rajiv Joseph has written a play addressing the cataclysmic consequences of the American invasion of Iraq and downfall of the Saddam regime. This is a topic that’s uncomfortable for many. It’s awkward for those who cheered, engineered and gleefully took part in it. It’s also a thorny subject for the millions who looked away as it unfolded and lazily enabled the horror. The former and current citizens of Iraq undoubtedly have feelings on this matter which run deeper than sporadic discomfort. There are many whose livelihoods and sanity are invested in either keeping this topic off the table, or muddying the waters. Creative projects w...

11Dec

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Cinderella – Epstein Theatre

Panto has returned to the Epstein Theatre in Liverpool. This year’s offering is Cinderella by Regal Entertainment who also have Dick Whittington in St Helens Theatre Royal. This production was under the direction of Kay Nicholson and is fronted by Coronation Street and Hollyoaks actress Katie McGlynn playing the title role. Cinderella lives at home with her two step sisters Mounjaro Hardup (Shania Pain) and Ozempic Hardup (Brenda LaBeau) who are evil and quite frankly horrid to poor Cinderella. On the other side of the town The Prince known as Prince Charming (Micheal Nelson) and his faithful assistant Dandini are looking for a wife for the prince. However, worried people wouldn’t treat him like a normal human being he and dandini swap roles and then they go out to the town to find the bri...