REVIEWS Archives - Page 252 of 549

Balletboyz: England on Fire – Sadlers Wells

9Nov

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Balletboyz: England on Fire – Sadlers Wells

Based on the book, England on Fire by Stephen Ellcock and Matt Osman, this sizzling production brings England’s eclectic past and present to life. The show begins with a meditative lighting design (designed by Andrew Ellis) projected on the high side walls. This gives way to a sombre, moody, arboreal setting with freakish animal-hybrid characters extravagantly dressed in black, watching the metaphorical birth/death of our protagonist. A dramatic start. The piece is a curation of different dances, each relating to a segment of the book. The setting explores England through time; from the ancient land to the modern day featuring a sparky Arctic Monkeys-esque band, Gag Salon. It is no surprise that the result is outlandish and stylistically fluid. The main thread is this new-born person we...

9Nov

By Aditi DalalNo Comments

London

Scratches – Arcola Theatre

Self-harm and comedy don’t seem like concepts that sit quite right together; it almost feels like a toxic pair. But Aoife Kennan nails this combination, and with such panache! Kennan starts off on stage with a sex story that seems like a one-woman comedy show, only to be interrupted by her ‘best friend’ played by Zak Ghazi-Torbati. Together, the duo challenge stereotypes, take a dig at how ‘diversity and inclusion’ boxes are commonly ticked, how GPs only focus on handing out medication instead of dealing with the feelings and how they can outdo each other’s stage presence - which is a hard contest because they’re both brilliant performers! In the power packed hour, we are able to gently unpack what goes on in the brain and body of those battling with anxiety and depression, and how t...

9Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Wedding Singer – The Grange Theatre

The award-winning musical theatre group ‘The Zodiac’ presents its 102nd production, founded in 1968 they have been entertaining and wowing audiences for over five decades. ‘The Zodiac’ is a registered charity that aims to bring theatre and the arts to their local community making it accessible to all. I was delighted to meet Matt Weaver the Chairman of this superb theatre group who spent time explaining about ‘The Zodiac’ and their training programme. It was heart-warming to hear how the group had evolved and the way they pride themselves on the family ethos. There are honorary life members in the theatre group/cast including Valerie Ball who is the President of ‘The Zodiac’ and was also up on stage as the character Angie in ‘The Wedding Singer’! I had not seen a Zodiac production be...

9Nov

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Beyond Ourselves – Union Theatre

Beyond Ourselves is a new piece of writing, aiming to highlight the challenges for drama graduates and ‘the obstacles they face and the drive and determination to overcome them’. This hopeful premise prompted a personal and emotional response. It’s not just my story, but the woeful narrative of most of my friends. Not only do I have a dog in this fight, my life has been nothing but a canine battle to a symphony of yaps, howls and sighs. Despite heartfelt sympathies and an abundance of experience, my expectations for Beyond Ourselves were low. The thought of giddy drama kids doing high-kicks and forlorn soliloquies sent shivers down my wizened spine. It’s entirely possible that the failures and odd diversions of my own career swayed my judgement. It was a curdled mix of grim curios...

Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella – Waterside Arts Centre

8Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Rogers + Hammerstein’s Cinderella – Waterside Arts Centre

Junior Stage 80 (JS80) presented their adaptation of the classic Rogers + Hammerstein’s ‘Cinderella’ at the beautiful Waterside Arts Centre. It was clear from the buzzing audience that there were many family members and friends of the cast present for the opening night. I hadn’t heard of Junior Stage 80 before this evening, but I believe it to be a well-established group with over 37 previous productions dating from 1985. Julie Besbrode and Tanya Temkin are the JS80 producers who state in the brochure that: “Community is at the heart of JS80 and it always has been and will remain so. It is one of their key founding principles and what glues them together. Their rehearsals are a microcosm of the wider Jewish community where they gather twice weekly for 6 months of the year, as one big...

Breaking the Castle – Old Red Lion Theatre

8Nov

By Aditi DalalNo Comments

North West

Breaking the Castle – Old Red Lion Theatre

There must be something special about a one-man show relating to addiction and mental illness if it has toured multiple venues across Australia and the UK. With outstanding reviews and audiences engaging with the show, it is clear that the dark, heavy and sensitive themes of the play are skillfully dealt with by writer and actor Peter Cook. The audience enters to a stage littered with some props, chairs and stools. These are creatively used across the settings that the play traverses through. Cook is a great storyteller, both with his words and performance. He tirelessly braves through the 75-minute play, sharing his own experiences with addiction and rehabilitation through the fictionalised character of David. The writing is crisp and conversational - and in a space as intimate as the ...

8Nov

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Dirty Dancing – Hull New Theatre

The first couple of minutes of Dirty Dancing, at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday night, was in the dark - had the spotlights failed? It soon became apparent the darkness was on purpose and it made the sudden burst of colour that followed even more memorable and exciting. And the excitement lasted until the very last - make that lasting - standing ovation for a production that is nothing short of perfect. We in the packed theatre were transported back to 1963 America and Kellerman’s Holiday Resort. Regular visitors to the resort are Dr Jake Houseman (Jack Loy), his wife Marjorie (Taryn Sudding) and daughters, Lisa (Daisy Steere) and Frances “Baby” (Kira Malou). At 16 or 17 years of age, Baby really is the baby of the family - but, boy, she certainly grows up thanks to Kellerm...

8Nov

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Life of Pi – Bradford Alhambra

When Yann Martel wrote the mega selling Life of Pi he probably thought it too technically challenging for it ever to become an Olivier winning play, but thanks to the magic of puppetry this epic tale of one man lost on a raft with only a Bengal Tiger for company really works onstage. Life of Pi was such a hit with over ten million readers worldwide that then U.S. President Barack Obama wrote to Martel describing his novel as ‘an elegant proof of God, and the power of storytelling.’ Obama didn’t specify which God, although most deities get a namecheck here, and you don’t need to believe in a higher power to enjoy Life of Pi. The former President was spot on about the storytelling as aside from the forest of allegories this is a rip-roaring theatrical experience, albeit one wit...

8Nov

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

The Mousetrap – Floral Pavilion

What do you get when you combine masterful storytelling and captivating characters? Agatha Christie's The Mousetrap, that's what! The world's longest running play - currently 70yrs old - is still going strong, thrilling theatres and keeping audiences on their toes. It's a classic. Lights dim and the curtains pull back on a stupendously wide set. Time rolls back to reveal the living room of a guesthouse in 1950s England, the ideal setting for a good old-fashioned whodunnit to take place. Christie's unparalleled ability to craft a suspenseful and engaging narrative quickly makes its impact felt. There is a chilling atmosphere of intrigue and mystery from the very first scene. As the tension builds and secrets unravel, the audience is on the edge of their seats, eagerly anticipating the...

8Nov

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Phantasmagoria – Southwark Playhouse

An activist and politician meet in a forest guest house, here they partake in a closed debate ran by Jai (Antony Bunsee) who wishes to relaunch his career with his new channel following a very anticipated and most likely heated debate between the two. Activist, Mehrosh (Hussina Rama) enters anxiously as she never intended to become as admired as she is and in this has lost control of her security. The politician, Bina (Tania Rodrigues) enters with assistant Scherezade (Ulrika Krishnamurti) confident in her ability to intimidate this young woman until she’s squeezed dry of any lingering confidence she might have left. Bina’s goal is to ‘convert’ Mehrosh from activist to politician through threats to family and the promise of safe security. Mehrosh is disgusted by the fake glamour of politic...