REVIEWS Archives - Page 294 of 417

20May

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Werq the World – AO Arena, Manchester

AO Arena in Manchester played host to some of the most fabulous drag queens from RuPaul’s Drag Race last night. Featuring probably the world’s most malfunctioning time machine, Werq the World was full of laughs, fantastic costumes, bad lip syncing and amazing hairography. If you’re looking for a slice of diva, then you’re definitely in the right place. Hosted by the fabulous Asia O’Hara, the premise of the show is she is trying to use the time machine to take her back to Season 10 of Ru Paul’s Drag Race, where she can go back and snatch the title. What was amazing to see at AO Arena on this night, is not only how much love there is for the drag queens, but that it comes from all walks of lives. Some people had waited two years to see this show as the original run was cancelled due to...

20May

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Kabul Goes Pop – Brixton House

Brixton House is a sparky new venue, in the centre of ever-gentrified Brixton, boasting superbly friendly staff. So, it’s a bit of a shame and a tragic oversight that the seating in the theatre is cramped, awkward and after a short time, quite uncomfortable. The café bar, in contrast, is a spacious, beautiful area with designer sofas and room to ponder, luxuriate and roller-skate, should the mood take you. Like going from EasyJet to private jet. With Kabul Goes Pop starting 25 minutes late, it meant many in the audience were already antsy and wishing to stretch their ligaments before a shape had been thrown or a poetic word spoken. The unfortunate delay gave us time to ponder the impressive set, which was a high-tech mock up of a flashy TV studio featuring video screens and more f...

Dirty Dancing in Concert- Eventim Apollo

20May

By Khushboo ShahNo Comments

London

Dirty Dancing in Concert- Eventim Apollo

The timeless classic, Dirty Dancing, hit the cinema screen once again celebrating the film’s 35th anniversary at Eventim Apollo on 19 May 2022. But this time, it returned with a powerful live band to give the audience ‘the time of their lives…’ Written by Eleanor Bergstein and directed by Emile Ardolino, starring Patrick Swayze and Jennifer Grey, the 1987 summer romance was brought to life by Lionsgate, TEG MJR, GEA Live and the producer of the stage musical version of the film, Karl Sydow. The audience cheered as the concert performers took centre stage and started their rendition of ‘Be my Baby…’ while the opening credits played on the screen. Set in Catskills resort in the summer of 1963, the film portrays the summer romance of Baby Houseman (Jennifer Grey) and Johnny (Patrick Swayze...

20May

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

London

My Fair Lady – London Coliseum

It’s hard to believe that ‘My Fair Lady’ is rapidly approaching its 60th anniversary. The classic tale, based on George Bernard Shaw’s 1913 play ‘Pygmalion’, hasn’t been seen in London since the National Theatre’s Oliver-winning production in the early 2000s. Director Bartlett Sher’s 2018 Broadway production has now taken up residence at London’s Coliseum, where it plays until late summer. But is the story of plucky Eliza Doolittle’s transformation from common flower girl to sophisticated socialite at the teachings of Professor Henry Higgins still as “loverly” as it once was? The world has changed massively in the decades since the play and subsequent musical were written, in terms of attitudes towards women and gender equality, and in this regard “My Fair Lady” does s...

20May

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Get Dressed! – Unicorn Theatre

Get Dressed! is an inventive, fun, and friendly show which tells the story of a young girl (Marieme Diouf) and her father (Joseph Barnes-Phillips) navigating family life. The show explores a young girl finding her identity through her wardrobe, her surroundings as she learns how to dress herself. The show is energetic and warm, with the set being used to its fullest, allowing for the actors to move around and interact with each other playfully. Amongst the set is a bed, climbing frame, a chest, climbing wall and the most interactive of all, the washing machine. Diouf moved around the stage effortlessly, making it believable that the stage was her home. Lighting and sound was used beautifully throughout, working well with the staging, and allowing the audience to be fully engaged in t...

20May

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Bliss – Finborough Theatre

This is a new play by Fraser Grace, based upon a short story written by Andrey Platanov in 1936, and tells the story of Nikita Firsov, a soldier returning from the Russian Civil War in 1921. It is a portrayal of what we would now call the effects of battlefield PTSD, but which at that time was not specifically recognised, and also shows the grim reality of life for the rural peasantry in Russia at this time of famine and political upheaval. The pace of the play mirrors the harshness of the prevailing conditions. It is slow-moving, with many pauses, and everything about the production contributed to depicting the dreariness and struggle of the life of the characters. The acting was universally excellent. Jesse Rutherford as the returning soldier, Nikita, and Bess Roche as the girl to who...

Much Ado About Nothing – Network Theatre

20May

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Much Ado About Nothing – Network Theatre

Network Theatre’s take on Shakespeare’s enemies to lovers play is refreshingly modern and original. Beatrice and Benedict’s disdain for each another and their vow of celibacy soon dissolves as their friends conspire to matchmake them. As their defences unravel, the two face feelings of vulnerability and openness. This play is particularly suited for an LGBTQ+ interpretation because of those feelings and the heightened uncertainty that those in LGBTQ relationships may face. It begins with a series of snippets of Beatrice and Benedict together, making the tension in their relationship an undercurrent throughout the play. The whole cast conveyed the story and its confusing plot effectively. The playful dynamic between Naomi Bowman’s Beatrice and Lio Lylark’s Benedict was exciting to wa...

Shrek The Musical – Northwich Memorial Court

19May

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Shrek The Musical – Northwich Memorial Court

Knutsford Musical Theatre Company (KMTC) return to tread the boards in Northwich again, only this time it is the swamp that takes over the stage, as Shrek and friends pay a visit! Directed by Ben Ireson, the musical is based on the well-known, Oscar winning film by DreamWorks – an ambitious task perhaps but one that KMTC have wanted to embrace for several years having been given the rights to perform it five years ago. With recent outstanding performances in terms of KMTCs productions of ‘Do you hear the people sing?’ and prior to that the fabulous ‘Ghost The Musical’, it is safe to say that ‘Shrek The Musical’ is a mammoth task, surely even for this award-winning musical theatre company. Intrigued prior to the performance and with so many questions such as ‘How will the swamp appear on...

19May

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

This Last Piece of Sky – The Space

This Last Piece of the Sky, written by French writer Kevin Keiss, tells the story of a young boy Louis and a young girl Sarah who have the ability to see each other’s lives in their minds. Louis is on one path; Sarah is on another. It is winter. Louis believes he has found the secret of the universe and dreams of a girl called Sarah. However, his family struggles to cope with his newfound revelation and the behaviour that comes with it. In another city, in the intense heat of summer, the Sarah whom Louis dreams about and her family are adjusting to living under a military coup. This lyrical play attempts to explore our ability to transcend boundaries and look beyond our accepted reality, however it portrays a fine line between psychosis and mania but does little exploration. The plot...

19May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Jersey Boys – Hull New Theatre

So engrossed was I in the storyline during my third viewing of Jersey Boys (I’ve seen it once before as a reviewer and once as a civilian) at the Hull New Theatre on Wednesday evening, that I almost forgot to do my reviewer-ly duty, and check out the scenery, lighting, musicians, costumes etc etc. The story of the rise, fall and rise again of four young American boys from New Jersey, who became the worldwide rock stars Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons, was told with humour, passion, anger and regret to name just a few of the emotions expressed by a super-talented cast of individuals. And when they were lost for words, their singing took over - and what singing! Michael Pickering’s portrayal of Frankie Valli was spot on - close your eyes and it could have been the legend himself ...