REVIEWS Archives - Page 301 of 417

If This Is Normal – Liverpool’s Royal Court

4May

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

If This Is Normal – Liverpool’s Royal Court

If This Is Normal, is a dark comedy drama about coming of age, the first time for everything and what happens when the lines between love and friendship blur. Written by Lucy Danser and directed by Helena Jackson, this highly emotional show takes you on a rollercoaster of highs and lows, making you laugh, cry and get lost in the euphoria and dread of first love, first heartbreak and that one defining moment everyone has where they realise that all too suddenly, they’re all grown up. The play opens with three wooden chairs facing the back of the bare stage with Alex (Aoife Smyth) and Maryam (Zarima McDermott) sitting while Madani (Isambard Rawbone) paces up and down while talking about his love of boxing and fledging career training local teenagers in the sport. More sporty than academic...

4May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Cher Show – Hull New Theatre

People may think the life of a theatre reviewer is one of freebies - free show tickets, free programmes, free interval drinks. But every so often, expenses are incurred and that was my lot after watching The Cher Show at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening. The expenses? Well, I enjoyed the spectacular so much, back home I downloaded every Cher hit I could find - and, at 99p a pop, it created a sizeable dent in my pocket money! But I will get such enjoyment listening to Cher’s songs after being reminded of her wonderful career so far, in a glittering show that did more than justice to her musical legacy. Aided and abetted by a very atmospheric stage setting, lighting and live music from a talented group of musicians, plus, costumes to absolutely die for throughout, the stor...

4May

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Cluedo – The Alexandra

If you love classic board games, then you are in for a real treat because the detective board game Cluedo, a fan favourite has been made into a play. This play is a brand new comedic whodunnit. The Hasbro board game has had several versions and has seen many alterations over time. There was also a 1985 hit film called CLUE based on the game itself. This new stage play is directed by Mark Bell who is known for The Play That Goes Wrong, another comedic spoof on stage. This is no different and is just as farcical and nonsensical, however, this only adds to the experience, I could clearly hear the audience in hysterics at almost every other line spoken. The plot occurs on a dark, stormy evening at a country house where Miss Scarlett, Professor Plum, Mrs Peacock, Reverend Green, Mrs White...

Akram Khan’s Jungle Book Reimagined – Birmingham Hippodrome

1May

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Akram Khan’s Jungle Book Reimagined – Birmingham Hippodrome

Beyond reclaiming a colonial text, character names and a pun on the words “urban jungle” there is little to connect “Akram Khan’s Jungle Book - Reimagined” with “The Jungle Book” by Rudyard Kipling. It is very inventive, though, but with a kind of invention usually the preserve of student shows and the fringe. Card boxes, which were plentiful, were gainfully employed in various roles and made for an intriguing Kaa, but my heart sank when I saw yet another company wafting a large sheet on stage to portray the sea. It had great intentions. It was a noble attempt to use the original story as a metaphor for the present ecological crisis and if you don’t clock that then Great Thunberg’s voice will undoubtedly confirm its credentials for you. The scant and surprisingly spartan set was supplem...

1May

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North West

Eric & Ern – Floral Pavilion

How do you replicate the diamond duo of Morecombe and Wise, held in Britain’s comedy consciousness with an abundance of affection? Can the captivating chemistry between them ever be replicated? Watching actors Jonty Stephens and Ian Ashpitel on stage, you’d be forgiven for thinking you’re in a time-warp! They are exceptionally uncanny. Playing all the right notes in the right order, Eric & Ern manages to imitate the inimitable. It is unmissable. Not only do they look incredibly convincing as the renowned double-act, their mannerisms and timing mesh together to create a live show that captures the essence of Morecombe and Wise’s magic – nothing is lost. It is a true feat of necromancy. With high expectations from fans and newbies alike, we’re greeted by Stephens and Ashpitel openi...

The Legends of American Country – Floral Pavilion

30Apr

By Blathine MaguireNo Comments

North West

The Legends of American Country – Floral Pavilion

JMG music group present ‘The Legends of American Country show’ which is currently touring around Ireland and the UK and tonight, the delightful Floral Pavilion had the pleasure of finally hosting this celebration of country music after it was postponed one year ago. The show is opened by our host Anthony McBrien who comes from a village named Derrylin in County Fermanagh. Anthony is joined on stage by his co-star Tracy McCauley from Banbridge in County Down. It is no surprise that the stars of the show come from Ireland given the huge Irish-American connections when it comes to country music although it was a delight to see a full, enthusiastic, country-loving audience ready to greet them tonight in New Brighton. This show prides itself on “taking you to Nashville and back” in one ni...

Much Ado About Nothing – The Globe Theatre

30Apr

By Paul AckroydNo Comments

London

Much Ado About Nothing – The Globe Theatre

Shakespeare's Globe has started their summer 2022 season with a cracking production of the ever popular Much Ado About Nothing. Lucy Bailey's production maintains Shakespeare's traditional Italian villa setting but updates it to 1945. The production is fast moving, very funny and extremely comprehensible while retaining all the essential elements of the original text. Joanna Parker' s design conjures the exterior of an Italian villa with grassy banks and ivy-covered walls. The updating to 1945 provides the opportunity for some gorgeous period costumes supervised by Caroline Hughes and contemporary music played beautifully by an ensemble of five accordion players who moved around the stage accompanying the action. Director Lucy Bailey makes extremely good use of the ...

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Buxton Opera House

30Apr

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

Sweeney Todd: The Demon Barber of Fleet Street – Buxton Opera House

Following the death of Stephen Sondheim in November 2021, it was inevitable that many of his shows would be performed this year, but I was surprised to see a community theatre group tackling this particular production. Putting on the story of Sweeney Todd is a big challenge for any theatre, and this company has risen to that challenge and smashed it! Director and choreographer Paul Kerryson, who also serves the High Peak Theatre Trust as its CEO, has clearly provided excellent leadership for this Platform 3 production, part of the Buxton Opera House’s learning and engagement initiative. One of Sondheim’s more widely known musicals, thanks in part to the 2007 film adaptation by Tim Burton, the story follows Sweeney Todd as he returns to London, determined to seek revenge for his exile an...

Five Characters in Search of a Good Night’s Sleep – Southwark Playhouse

30Apr

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Five Characters in Search of a Good Night’s Sleep – Southwark Playhouse

Five characters reveal their subconscious minds as they grapple with their day-time angst and woes. They sit in chairs, each in their individual homes but sharing a temporal space in a dream-like lilac and blue clouded set designed by Agnes Treplin. Devised by Mike Alfreds, Sonja Linden and ViSiBLE, it has the feel of verbatim as the stories are inspired by the actors’ own lives. All of the cast fully inhabit their characters so that from their first few lines, you immediately get a strong sense of their personalities. The triviality of their problems and their unextravagant, ordinary lives are endearing and poetic in their realism. This and the truthfulness with which these stories are told make it easy to become invested in and hang on their words. Sally Knyvette’s Helen ...

29Apr

By Coral MourantNo Comments

Wales

The Play That Goes Wrong – Theatr Clwyd

A mishap or two can happen in a show. There may be a slight delay in an actor’s entrance, or a slip up on a line and then you'll probably get a snigger from the audience. It's understandable that we get a little light-relief from a comical mistake, but this show is a lot more than just schadenfreude. What Mischief Theatre have put together is a chaotic concoction of the most terrible onstage misfortunes. All for your pleasure. The Cornley Polytechnic Drama Society are staging a 1920’s murder mystery play, and are hoping that after years of underwhelming productions, this time they get it right. As you may have guessed, they definitely do not. Falling set pieces, haphazard actors and an incompetent crew deliver a laugh a minute (or more like every twenty seconds). When you think it can’t...