REVIEWS Archives - Page 28 of 456

18Jan

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Swan Lake – Opera House

It’s January, it’s cold but last night attending Swan Lake at the Manchester Opera House, brought to life by the supremely talented Mergaliyev Classical Ballet, was nothing short of magical. It was the perfect tonic for the January Blues. This timeless masterpiece, with Tchaikovsky’s exquisite score conducted by the masterful Guntars Bernats, transported us to a realm of beauty, grace, and wonder—a perfect escape from the hustle and bustle of modern life. The troupe’s exceptional talent was evident from the very first scene. Nilay Tahiroglu, as Odette, delivered a performance of breathtaking finesse. Her delicate movements and emotional depth captured the swan princess’s vulnerability and strength with stunning precision. I also have to mention Kadir Okurer who was outstanding as the...

The Tales of Hoffmann – Royal Ballet & Opera

18Jan

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

The Tales of Hoffmann – Royal Ballet & Opera

Offenbach’s The Tales of Hoffmann is one of his most enduring operas, with the suggestion that it is incomplete – it premiered some four months after its composer’s death – lending it to interpretation which director Damiano Michieletto has taken full advantage of here in this lavishly visual staging which weaves magic and mystery through oft-imagined memories. At the tavern, poet Hoffmann (Juan Diego Flórez) is losing himself to drink. His rival in love, Councillor Lindorf (Alex Esposito), claims that Hoffmann knows nothing of the heart, and so goads Hoffmann into telling the tales of his three great loves – each destroyed by a villain who bears an uncanny resemblance to Lindorf… Accompanied by Nicklausse (Julie Boulianne), the oft ignored voice of reason throughout, Hoffmann te...

Bernstein, Barber and Glass – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

18Jan

By Johanna RobertsNo Comments

North West

Bernstein, Barber and Glass – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra

Young said in an interview on KALW in 2023 that he wants his shows to be ‘not only accessible but relatable’, as there is ‘music out there with which the audience may not be familiar’. This all-American programme, which sees a selection of dances from Bernstein’s West Side Story and On the Town combined with works by Barber and Glass not only reflected this ethos but also clearly demonstrated why Young is one of the most compelling conductors of the current day. Young, who in his youth was surrounded by band and gospel music, knew he wanted to be a conductor from the age of 16. Barber, whose family included several famous musicians, was even younger in deciding his future in music, telling his mother at the age of 7 that he wanted to be a composer. His earlier style is characterised...

17Jan

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Bull – Playhouse Sheffield

A disturbing yet utterly compelling play with microscopic intensity that doesn’t allow you to look away. A decade after Mike Bartlett’s Olivier - Awarding winning production Bull departed Sheffield for its transfer to the Young Vic in London, Mesh Theatre co. brings it charging back to its homeland. Mike Bartlett initially penned this play after watching a Bullfight in Mexico City ‘It elicited something disturbing in the audience and yet thrilling… I am asking why we enjoy cruelty’. This quotation sums up this razor-sharp one act play, intended to be witnessed from ringside seats, close to the action, the fear and the brutality. It is shocking and so very familiar - Bullying, we witness this behaviour from cradle to grave, in school, in the workplace, in every interaction with oth...

17Jan

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

The Lonely Londoners – Kiln Theatre

This is unusual and creative adaptation of Samuel Selvon's 1956 book, which was one of the first.to focus on the lives of poor working class black people settling in England following the enactment of the British Nationality Act 1948. Set in the 1950s it provides vignettes of the life of a small group of black Londoners as they try to adjust to the cold and the blatant racism of the time, finding inevitably that London's streets are not paved with gold which they had been promised back in their home countries. This production, which has transferred to the Kiln theatre after a very successful run at the Jermyn Street theatre is a mixture of theatre and movement. The eight strong cast worked very well as an ensemble with members of the cast not directly involved in the current...

Pride & Prejudice (*Sort of) – Sheffield Lyceum

15Jan

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Pride & Prejudice (*Sort of) – Sheffield Lyceum

Without doubt, the best theatre I have seen in years! Jane Austen’s classic Romantic Comedy novel, Pride & Prejudice published in 1813, is given this reshaping with exquisite insight and the voice of today’s much freer woman by Isobel McArthur in this modern stage version. The result has all the idiosyncrasies of the original with its underlying disclosure of reputation and family, still allegorically coded within but now with a freedom that allows a modern audience to heartedly laugh at the societal pressures of the era. This 21st- century microscope of a show, still explicably explores the interwoven themes of sexism, class and, the ache of relevance and foremost, the production retains the ‘Love’ questions, should love be enduring? Is there a perfect ‘one’? Or maybe love is someo...

14Jan

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

Mariupol Drama – HOME Mcr

The word ‘unforgettable’ is overused. Especially in reviews. So many “unforgettable” theatrical experiences soon fade from the memory. However, the hundreds of innocent Ukrainian civilians who took shelter in Donetsk Regional Academic Drama Theatre will never be able to forget the time they spent in a space they hoped would be safe. Mariupol Drama is the story of some of those who survived the deadly bombing that followed. Told by the survivors themselves. It is, truly, unforgettable. Olena Bila, Ihor Kytrysh, their son Matvii, and Vira Lebedynska are now refugees in their own country, after their home was besieged by Russian forces in 2022. Following a meeting with Manchester actor David MacCreedy, arrangements were made to bring the production they had created to the UK. A...

14Jan

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

10 Nights – Riverside Studios

10 Nights is a funny and earnest play that sadly fails to live up to its full potential. The play follows Yasser, played by Adeel Ali, who decides to undertake I’tikaf, a 10-day period of isolation, prayer and spiritual cleansing at the end of Ramadan. For Yasser, more interested in TikTok than religion, this is a daunting prospect. One of the play’s strengths is in the themes it sets out to explore. Of these, imposter syndrome and social exclusion feature prominently. Yasser is made to feel uncomfortable by religious busybodies. His impassioned assertion that the mosque is supposed to be a place for everyone produced audible reactions of affirmation from the audience. Yet most of the play’s themes feel underexplored. Yasser is a character wracked by a central guilt, but we never fully ...

14Jan

By Johanna RobertsNo Comments

North West

Handel’s Messiah – Philharmonic Hall

What better way to shake of the Christmas/New Year blues than with the performance of Handel’s Messiah at the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Hall in a tradition dating back to 1849. Handel composed the oratorio in a mere 24 days in 1741, but despite a warm reception at its premiere in Dublin, it received a cooler response at its subsequent performance in London. Nonetheless, it has since become one of the jewels of English classical music, and the light shone upon it by each conductor reveals new facets and highlights different elements, and it never fails to sparkle. Photo: Gareth Jones This year’s performance saw baritone Ben Appl, a former BBC New Generation Artist (2014-16) and current Artist in Residence at the Philharmonic, making his conducting debut. He introduced the piece ...

12Jan

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

PASS Double Bill – Traverse Theatre

The BA Dance and Drama students from PASS showcase their artistry in two ensemble pieces, created in collaboration with Dance Base. First up, the cryptically titled YGNEREME. The blurb in the programme talks about grief, collective action and emergency. A single dancer, Clara Browning, moves playfully in a spotlight, but then something changes and she is swept away by the collective. Assimilated, if you like. There is a pulse-driven techno soundtrack which enhances the feeling of ritual, and of not being quite what one was before – the sounds being machine-like. The rituals we use to navigate grief have ancient roots, and their comfort comes from following a well-established path. The movements emphasise rhythm and are all about the collective: there are few moments where individu...