REVIEWS Archives - Page 287 of 417

24Jun

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Dreamgirls – Leeds Grand Theatre

The tough world of showbiz has always been fertile ground for musical theatre and Dreamgirls puts the spotlight on the ruthless music industry. It’s a story as long as recorded music has been around when three young black women form a vocal harmony group performing in 1960s Detroit, and thanks to a ruthless manager find success before their friendship implodes as the money rolls in. If that sounds familiar it might be based on a certain girl group who reigned supreme in the 60s as the sound of young America. Effie White has the biggest voice and attitude in The Dreams, but shy bandmate Deena has the right image that hard charging former mechanic turned manager Curtis Taylor Jr sees has the biggest potential to cross over from soul to pop. He forces the vulnerable Effie out as t...

22Jun

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Singin’ in the Rain – Liverpool Empire

Don’t you know everyone wants to laugh? The stage production of what is arguably one of Gene Kelly’s most famous films, Singin’ in the Rain, is once again making its way around the UK once more and is continuing to entertain audiences, just as it did in the 1950s. With such a famous score, including the titular track, ‘Good Morning’, ‘Moses Supposes’ and ‘Make ‘Em Laugh’, to name but a few, the musical really does make the film come to life right in front of your eyes. In 1927, Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont are at the height of their fame as silent movie stars. Their latest movie is a massive smash hit, and they are about to start working on the next film, when news reaches them, about Warner Brothers’ next film – a talking picture. What can they do to maintain their stardom and what ...

Calendar Girls – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

21Jun

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Calendar Girls – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

The traditional view of that redoubtable British institution, The Women’s Institute (or WI to its friends), is one of middle-class ladies of a certain age baking and knitting in a cosy village environment, far from the struggles of the real world. Subverting this stereotype, a branch from Yorkshire decided to produce an ‘Alternative WI Calendar’ to raise money for a new sofa in the wait room of a local hospital, following the cancer diagnosis of a friend. The twist was that all the ladies appeared in various states of undress whilst posing in a variety of mundane activities. The idea was a runaway success, eventually raising over £3,000,000 for Leukaemia Research and subsequently spawning a successful play, film and this stage musical in 2015. Penned by Tim Firth (Kinky Boots, Neville’s...

19Jun

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

That Is Not Who I Am – Royal Court

"Just cos it's in your imagination doesn't mean it's not real." Dave Davidson's first (and possibly last) play is a conceit, wrapped in an enigma, inside just about every conspiracy theory on social media. Set in the style of those ever-popular true crime drama documentaries, the playwright acts as narrator, but he/she is also hiding in plain sight. Undercover due to alleged Government surveillance, writer Lucy Kirkwood (Chimerica, Mosquitoes) gives actor Priyana Burford the job of setting the scene and giving voice to the various possibilities of what actually happened. It's the account of Noah and Celeste Quilter, who meet on a blind date, banter, lie to each other, get married, have a much-wanted baby and then fall down the rabbit-hole of conspiracy theories, all while in the grip of...

18Jun

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Darkie Armo Girl – Finborough Theatre

Karine Bedrossian stuns in her fast-paced one-woman play. Her rollercoaster of a journey begins as a sprightly eight-year-old with a passion for dance who struggles with a lack of belonging and isolation due to her Armenian heritage. As she grows up and as her unhealed wounds take hold, she relentlessly searches for some kind of peace or fulfilment amongst chaos. Bedrossian’s writing is excellent with witty dialogue, dark humour, and a strong narrative thread. It is almost like reading a diary, with its intimacy and unabashed truthfulness. The events are retold in an unanticipated and sporadic way, much like Karine’s buzzing character which is exciting and dizzying to watch. She is emotionally raw and engaging without any indulgence or pretence. There is an honesty and concentration ...

Impromptu Shakespeare – New Wimbledon Theatre

18Jun

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Impromptu Shakespeare – New Wimbledon Theatre

"The best actors in the world, either for tragedy, comedy, history, pastoral, pastoral-comical, historical-pastoral, tragical-historical, tragical-comical-historical-pastoral; scene individable, or poem unlimited." Polonius (Counsellor to King Claudius in Hamlet) would likely be itching to be involved in Impromptu Shakespeare if he was around now. This talented troupe of improvisers take random words from the audience - acrobat, gaolers, window, rift - and weave a complex, chaotic and bonkers tale of love, castles, self-loathing, lobsters and twirling. As it's shaped by audience intervention, every performance is different, the cast of five (from a company of thirteen) taking on a variety of roles, whatever is required to create the Shakespeare-esque tale. Producing a Sh...

18Jun

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

King Lear – Shakespeare’s Globe

An epic event overtakes The Shakespeare’s Globe this season in King Lear as the long-awaited return of director Helena Kaut-Howson, 25 years after debuting Kathryn Hunter in the role of King Lear the duo have reunited to place the production in the grandest of arenas. And even more of a treat is to spot Artistic Director, Michelle Terry as the Cordelia/ Lear’s Fool as she handles the text beautifully- we are watching a piece where masters of this craft manoeuvre us through a very complex tragedy with grace and fine tuning to each line spoken. It was a pleasure to see the excitement of the cast- the energy of the space was heightened by the meaning of placing this production back on a stage 25 years on. I wonder how the creatives tackled this piece differently, which parts hold different me...

18Jun

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

The Kid – HOME, Manchester

Charlie Chaplin is one of those iconic movie characters that I am embarrassed to admit I've never seen on screen until Manchester Camerata's live orchestral accompaniment of The Kid. The beauty of his movies is that a story can be followed without the use of dialogue. At first, I thought this would be screened on one of the cinema screens at HOME, however it took place in their main theatre space. The movie is projected onto a screen at the back of the stage. Given the movie was originally released in 1921, the person who managed to digitally restore and bring it up to viewable quality should be applauded. The movie, as you can imagine, is silent. Yet it is filled with humour from beginning to end. Obviously for the movie to work without any dialogue it does rely quite heav...

18Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Les Misérables – Hull New Theatre

I was not surprised when the applause rang out at the Hull New Theatre on Friday evening for the spectacular that is Les Misérables. What did surprise me, however, was that the applause from the audience in the jam-packed theatre started before the show had even begun after a disembodied voice reminded us to turn off our phones and enjoy the show. Let me start my review by showing my appreciation for the amazing stage setting which brought to life the uprising by the poor of Paris, in 1832. Marvellous costumes, dramatic lighting, sounds and rousing music from talented musicians conducted by Ben Ferguson, all helped to create a production that took my breath away. But all the above would be nothing without actors who, to a man, woman and child (or children in this case, stars of...

Ten Days in a Madhouse – The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre

17Jun

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Ten Days in a Madhouse – The Brockley Jack Studio Theatre

This multimedia adaptation by Douglas Baker is based upon the real-life account of Nellie Bly of her spell in New York’s notorious Blackwell’s Island Asylum in 1887. It documents her initial unsuccessful attempts to be employed as a journalist by the misogynist editor of the New York World, John Cockerill, who, taking advantage of her youthful enthusiasm to pursue investigative stories, sent her undercover to be committed to the asylum as a patient. The abuses of patients that she uncovered were published in The World and led eventually to the closing down of the asylum, as well as to a surge in young female investigative journalists. Although there are many characters in this story, there is only one actor, playing the role of Nellie Bly. Most of the other characters are portraye...