REVIEWS Archives - Page 298 of 417

11May

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Beryl – Oldham Coliseum

For an astonishing sports career, Beryl Burton may not be quite the household name one might expect, but her achievements are the stuff of legend. At a time when women were expected to prioritise raising families and keeping house, Beryl’s unparalleled domination of the world of Cycling has created a legacy that helped push British cycling to heady heights of success and prestige. Penned by acclaimed actress Maxine Peake, this joyful and creative show gives us a whistle-stop tour of key milestones in Beryl’s life, from her early introduction to cycling from future husband Charlie, through to battles with health issues leftover from a childhood illness that led doctors to repeatedly beg her to stop competing and juggling elite competition with motherhood when her daughter Denise is born....

11May

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Dreamgirls – New Wimbledon Theatre

Loosely based on the story of The Supremes, the multi–award winning musical Dreamgirls is back with a new UK tour. Dreamgirls tells the story of the fictional pop group Dreametts, a talented trio of black female singers from 1960s Chicago as they navigate fame, fortune, and the ruthless realities of show business, pushing their friendships to the limit. Directed and choreographed by Casey Nicholaw, the dancing was certainly a highlight of this show. From the slick quick changes to the non-stop energy of the supporting cast as they jumped and twirled across the stage, the production was extremely fast paced and kept the audience engaged throughout. The set was mostly kept minimal, except for a few changes between scenes, so the real focus was the colourful costumes. Designed by Tim Hatle...

11May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Chicago – Leeds Grand Theatre

I’ve seen umpteen versions of this show, including one on Broadway that made a star of Ruthie Henshall, but the visceral energy and precise steps of All That Jazz may still be for me the greatest opening number of them all. And if ever there was a show ahead of its time, then it’s this one about two morally bankrupt murderesses Velma Kelly and Roxie Hart - aided by dodgy attorney Billy Flynn - who merrily manipulate the media in prohibition murder capital Chicago creating their own web of (mis)truths to escape the noose. It seems that Kander and Ebb were not only a pair of geniuses, they were also soothsayers predicting in this wry and often arch show the age of fake news, and people famous for being nothing other than being morons on vacuous channels like Tik Tok or Instagram. It...

11May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Lord of the Dance – Hull New Theatre

Irish dance phenomenon Michael Flatley can add yet another standing ovation to his tally, after his creation, Lord of the Dance, astounded and mesmerised, yet puzzled, the Hull New Theatre audience, on Tuesday evening. I say “puzzled” because I, for one, have no idea how human feet can move that fast. And to the same beat, at the same time. Billed as “25 years of standing ovations”, it was in 1996 that Lord of the Dance tap-danced its way onto a Dublin stage and has now been seen by more than 60 million people. The Hull show opened with a huge video screen as a backdrop, showing Flatley’s performances throughout his career and, though not dancing live on the night, one later screening was so amazing, it could have been him on the Hull New Theatre stage. The video screen played ...

10May

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Foxes – Seven Dials Playhouse

The Seven Dials Playhouse is across the street from the much-hyped Chick ‘n’ Sours. We arrived at the theatre early, so it seemed rude not to order some ‘disco wings’ and chips. As 7:30 loomed large, we regretfully cancelled our order, dashed back to the venue, and hungrily took our seats for Foxes. The start time passed. A contingent of punters were still whooping it up at the bar. It’s a small studio with cheek by jowl seats, so those who waited in the auditorium became antsy, confused and very warm on this humid May evening. One audience member stormed out and complained. He was placated and coached back to his seat. People continued to amble in 25 minutes late, clutching cocktails and clambering over strangers’ laps and handbags like a grim game of Twister. It was hard not to ...

Jumpers for Goalposts – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

10May

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Jumpers for Goalposts – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

As the football season comes to a close and trophies and league titles are fought for, one wonders if top-flight managers have ever considered ‘taunting the opposition with Enya, possibly T’Pau’ as a legitimate tactic. Jumpers for Goalposts, written by Tom Wells, and in the safe directorial hands of Joseph Meighan, follows the trials and tribulations of the comically named ‘Barely Athletic’, part of a four-team, five-a-side football LGBTQ+ league that coach Viv, kicked out from ‘Lesbian Rovers’ for being too bossy, is desperate to win. As we see her attempts to fire up her team-mates’ competitive hackles, we discover the motivations, personal battles and relationships that may be holding them back from glory. Set within the confines of our team’s locker room, Meighan has assembled...

10May

By Codie WrightNo Comments

North West

Waitress – Liverpool Empire

I’ll be honest, they had me at “all-female creative team”. I’d heard such a buzz about Waitress, but aside from some passionate warblings of “She Used to Be Mine” on many an am-dram stage, it wasn’t one I had quite gotten around to learning about, and so I was going in blind. Adapted from the film by Adrienne Shelly, the show features a heart-manipulating score by Sara Bareilles that takes the audience through a full spectrum of emotions across both acts. I will say that at times some lyrics got a little lost in the mix, which is a shame as there were some amazing laugh-out-loud moments, and real gut punches in the words that I could make out. The live band were set at the back of the stage, with members occasionally popping up elsewhere to build the story - such as a sultry cello narra...

Bigger Than Broadway – Bombed Out Church, Liverpool

9May

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Bigger Than Broadway – Bombed Out Church, Liverpool

Premiering as part of the Little Theatre Festival (LTF), Bigger Than Broadway promises song and dance from the most popular musicals. Performing numbers from Les Misérables, West Side Story, Wicked, Phantom Of The Opera, We Will Rock You, The Greatest Showman and many more, it will appeal to anyone who is a fan of musicals. The content is suitable for ages 10+. Set within the ambience of St Luke’s Bombed Out Church and shared as one of the twelve new works for LTF, Bigger Than Broadway opens with a harmonising score and brief intros to each of the company. Rebecca Casey, Andrew Geater, Jake Holroyd and Michelle Terri then take the audience through a series of some of the most well-known songs from musical theatre. A performance of contrasts, there were high notes and low notes. Some ...

9May

By Aditi DalalNo Comments

London

JV2 2022 – Sadler’s Wells

JV2 2022 is a triple bill of poetry in motion, performed by 16 international dancers from Jasmin Vardimon Company’s Professional Development Diploma. The show presents the fantastic talent of the young performers who use physical language to show the complexities of human lives and societies. ‘Can you hear me now?’ by Mafalda Deville, co-created with the performers, starts off the show with a strong political dance theatre presentation. With terms such as ‘freedom’ and ‘power’ written across their bodies in different languages, the dancers move to the moans and sighs of their own voices. The live vocal sounds merge into recorded echoes, creating an eerie soundscape that draws the audience in. The struggle for freedom, especially freedom of speech, is embodied in the strong and energetic...

Just Aretha – Bombed Out Church, Liverpool

9May

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Just Aretha – Bombed Out Church, Liverpool

Just Aretha, directed by Victoria Evaristo, is a semi-autobiographical one woman show about life as a Black disabled person in today’s Britain. Aretha Nortey gives an energetic and enthusiastic performance in the title role, highlighting the individuality of disability and the effect that it has on her life. Emphasising that she is not her disability, but just Aretha, this is a unique take on the disabled experience which looks at both the highs and lows of life with disability. The set is very colourful with both Ghanian and British flags and a range of other brightly printed fabrics. The play opens with Nortey entering the stage and engaging in a mock photo shoot during which she lists key facts about herself and hobbies. This soon moves onto an account of the stereotypes people assoc...