REVIEWS Archives - Page 300 of 548

26Jul

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

South East

Folk – Frinton Summer Theatre

At first glance, ‘Folk’ is a charming, uplifting play with plenty of folk music that will have you smiling and maybe even tapping a toe, but beneath the sweet Somerset lilt, is a dark story. Set in 1903 in the Somerset Levels we meet two sisters, Louie Hooper (Hannah Traylen) and Lucy White (Gemma Sutton) who have just buried their mother. Life is hard. The machines are coming and they cannot sew gloves fast enough to keep their heads above water. The work songs passed down from their mother keep them working, the melodies express their love for the local environment and appreciation of nature. Enter Cecil Sharp (William Oxborrow), a wannabe English composer from London. He wants to collect local folk songs to preserve them for history – and for the national good. He convinces Louie ...

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet – Hull New Theatre

26Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Matthew Bourne’s Romeo & Juliet – Hull New Theatre

Whenever a ballet comes to town, Hull’s theatregoers go to town, ensuring full venues without fail. And Tuesday evening at the Hull New Theatre was no exception when Matthew Bourne’s Romeo + Juliet performed to a decent-sized crowd. I must have watched dozens of ballets during my reviewing career, yet I still can’t put a name to any of the dance steps. It’s the sheer spectacle of the genre that appeals to me - the costumes, music, make-up, stage settings and, of course, the dancers, all combine to create the perfect form … of entertainment. Luckily for me - and sparing my reviewing blushes - this very different production had none of the steps usually performed in a ballet. Also, away from the ballet norm, there wasn’t a whisper of a tutu or pink satin ballet pump. And, apart f...

Frank Sinatra’s Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! – Cadagon Hall

25Jul

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

Frank Sinatra’s Songs for Swingin’ Lovers! – Cadagon Hall

A one night only extravaganza of songs from the Frank Sinatra’S iconic album; ‘Songs for Swingin Lovers!’ released in 1956, performed by Stephen Triffitt and supported by the amazing Manhattan Swing Orchestra, a full big band with strings. Stephen performed classic favourites such as ‘You Make Me Feel So Young’, ‘Old Devil Moon’ and ‘Come Fly with Me’ and with extra songs such as ‘Witchcraft’ and ending in a rapturous rendition of ‘My Way’ and ‘New York New York’. Stephen included facts and narrative surrounding Franks’ songs, his collaborations with Capital records until he left in 1960 and his lyricist Nelson Riddle. It is an evening of celebration of the magnitude of the Frank Sinatra songbook, Stephen Triffitt undoubtedly is a master of his craft he is very comfortable with the song...

What Happened to Connie Converse? – King’s Arms, Salford

25Jul

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

What Happened to Connie Converse? – King’s Arms, Salford

In the 50s and 60s Greenwich Village, New York, was at the centre of the American Folk Music revival which gave the world performers such as Woody Guthrie, Pete Seeger and, of course, Bob Dylan. There were also female singers and writers performing there such as Joan Baez, Joni Mitchell, Judy Collins and also, on the periphery of this scene, there was an unknown singer-songwriter called Connie Converse. Even though these days she is largely a forgotten figure, her only public performance was on one TV show, there is an intriguing mystery about her as one day she just disappeared and was never seen again. Elizabeth Converse, Connie was a nickname she picked up when she lived in New York, was brought up by an extremely conventional religious family. She decided to rebel against them by...

25Jul

By Bo WarnerNo Comments

North West

Lucifer Speaks -The Fitzgerald

In the 1920s speakeasy-style Fitzgerald bar, Lucifer gives his own side of the story. This short play explores Lucifer as a witty, cynical jilted lover, unfairly victimised at the hand of God, a former lover. It has a distinctly northern rhythm and flair in the back-and-forth banter between Pegeen Murphy and Mike Cunningham who deliver their lines with conviction and total commitment to the bit. Lucifer Speaks describes itself as a ‘comedic take on an emotional […] story’, touching on ‘sexuality, gender and love’. However, the writing falls short of hitting the emotional and comedic beats needed to make this concept fly. The jokes are not brought to a satisfying punchline and therefore fall flat, or never materialise, and chances to fully explore audience participation are lost. ...

25Jul

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

Titanic The Musical – Liverpool Empire

Titanic The Musical is based on the original Broadway production which won five Tony Awards including Best Musical, Best Score and Best Book, as such, there's no Jack and Rose in this story as in the film of the same name. This stage production is based on real-life stories which include romance and heartbreak and are told mainly through song. Based on the book, by Peter Stone with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston the tale is portrayed with precision and composure; Thom Southerland’s direction ensures that the production is played to maximum effect whilst the Production team and the band are to be commended. The distressing tale of the Titanic tragedy is known world-wide and is not one which springs readily to mind to be portrayed in a musical production but despite being such a dist...

25Jul

By Zara OdetundeNo Comments

London

Ride – Southwark Playhouse Elephant

Ride is a British musical that Returns to London after a period at the Charing Cross Theatre last year. This show is back and even better than before. Presented as a pitch for her very own newspaper column we see Annie Londonderry commandeer office assistant Martha and together the two of them narrate Annie’s journey in 1894 to be the first woman to circumnavigate the globe via bicycle. The performers speak directly to the audience as though we are the panel they are pitching to. Which is great for this story especially given the double act cast and small intimate set. The transition between relaying the story to the board vs Annie disappearing into her reality was profound and the shift was palpable via the energy in the audience. All the book, music and lyrics are by Freya Cat...

24Jul

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Henry I – St Paul’s Church

Rabble Theatre presents a fine dramatization of King Henry I’s life. It was truly thrilling to watch history reenacted, made even more pungent by the gore and striking stage combat. I knew very little about Henry I, so it was a delight to learn about the past in a way that was so visceral. We sat on pews before a skatepark of a stage (designed by Sarah Jane Booth), streaked with blood red and earthy tones in the holy setting of the St Paul’s Church. The acoustics brought the play to life and the church setting reflected its reverence to an immersive effect. The in-depth research by writer Beth Flintoff must have inspired and informed the strong character choices which were cohesive with their actions and decisions. I could see parallels between modern archetypes in the characters suc...

24Jul

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

Virtual Dust – The Fitzgerald

If one of the best things about a fringe festival is experiencing theatre you might not normally have paid to see, then there can be few better choices than a collection of short plays. If you don’t like one there isn’t long to wait for another that might take your fancy. Turtle Soup’s selection is a great example of this, showcasing good new writing and some strong performances. The idea behind Virtual Dust is simple. Ideas and work that would otherwise be gathering – you guessed it – virtual dust on a hard drive somewhere in Manchester. It is billed as an ‘eclectic’ night, and this isn’t false advertising. The five shorts cover homophobia, cancel culture, therapy, family rifts, philosophy and grief. Sounds a lot? That doesn’t even scratch the surface. The plays are presented sim...

23Jul

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

The Tempest – Norton Priory

The Multi Award Winning – A Place for Us Theatre Company in partnership with Cronton 6th Form College aimed to present their present Shakespeare’s ‘The Tempest’ in the stunning woodlands theatre space nestled in the 42-acre ancient grounds of the phenomenal Norton Priory Museum & Gardens. A Place for Us presently continues their Shakespeare legacy after a successful run of their previous interpretation of Romeo and Juliet and Macbeth in 2021/2022. Due to our unpredictable seasonal weather in the UK nothing is a given, so a huge credit to the Creative Team, Director/Producer Kate Allerston, Chis Bastock Producer/Music & Sound Design and Stage Managers both consultant and Cronton College students for turning the show around bringing it into the breath-taking Norton Priory Museu...