REVIEWS Archives - Page 302 of 548

19Jul

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Choir of Man – Arts Theatre

“Cheers, everybody!” This fresh, innovative and hilarious show has launched itself on the West End, promising solid enjoyment which is sure to leave you fully satisfied at last orders. While the story is a tale of a group’s highs and lows, with some rhyming dialogue and narration by poet Michael Hamway, this is not the key aspect of the show. A little unconventional, The Choir of Man allows audience members to grab a pint at the pub on stage before the performance, allowing for the actors to interact with the audience and set the scene and spirit of the show. Audience participation is a focal part of this show, and is one of the more distinctive parts of this production. Tom Carter-Miles performs a comically romantic rendition of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” to a lucky audience membe...

Heathers The Musical – Bradford Alhambra

19Jul

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Heathers The Musical – Bradford Alhambra

Many musicals flirt with darkness before another tune about empowerment and the power of love comes along to take the edge off, but not so Heathers The Musical which offers a relentless diet of serial killing, bullying, eating disorders, homophobia and date rape. It’s based on the deliciously dark eighties movie Heathers which was a welcome antidote to the saccharine John Hughes films who mistook teens for young adults. Here the teens are feral locked in the cliquey hell that is a typically hieratical US high school as the cool gangs, jocks and nerds try to survive into college. Our (anti) hero at Westerburg High School is geeky Veronica Sawyer who accidentally falls in with the bitchy cool gang trio all named Heather, who delight in making everyone’s life a misery to mask their own ...

Barefoot in the Park – Frinton Summer Theatre

19Jul

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

South East

Barefoot in the Park – Frinton Summer Theatre

When you’re in a long-term relationship it’s sometimes hard to remember why you’re with the other person. Luckily for Corrie and Paul Bratter they’re newly-weds – 6 days married and full to the brim with love for each other and life. Corrie (Olivia Bernstone) is an optimistic happy wife. Carefree and always wanting to look on the bright side of life, she’s the perfect antidote to her more uptight and anxious new husband Paul (Jamie Treacher). Over the course of four days, we watch as the twosome learn to live together and navigate the mundanities of life from their top floor apartment. Corrie’s mother, Ethel Banks (Olivia Carruthers), and their upstairs neighbour, Victor Velasco (Nathan Osgood), provide enough skits to make this period comedy work. ‘Barefoot in the Park’ is about wan...

19Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Blood Brothers – Hull New Theatre

When, in a packed theatre, every member of the audience rises to their feet, as one, the nano-second a production ends, then you know you have witnessed something very special. That was the scene on Tuesday evening, when the legendary Blood Brothers came to Hull New Theatre. Set in Liverpool, it tells of twins, separated at birth - one staying with his impoverished birth mother and the other going to a well-off family, desperate for a child. The twins’ mum, Mrs Johnstone (Niki Colwell Evans), works as a cleaner for Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley), who, with her husband, Mr Lyons (Tim Churchill) is desperate for a child. Hearing that Mrs Johnstone is expecting twins, Mrs Lyons pays Mrs J £50, getting her to swear on the Bible that one of the babies will be handed over at birth. ...

15Jul

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Disruption – Park Theatre

Artificial Intelligence is having a moment. From ChatGPT and now a Google rival, ‘Bard’, to journalists calmly asking robots with near-human faces if they’re planning a rebellion against us, Andrew Stein’s cautionary tale about AI feels perfectly timed. The stage is set for a reunion dinner. Tech entrepreneur Nick is in town, buoyant from his latest business sale and has arranged to meet up with some old friends; three thirty-something couples who are grappling with the kind of first world problems that plague the middle classes like private school fees, whether to buy a bigger house, which exotic destination would be preferable for a holiday and so on. Enter Nick’s mysterious (unblinking) partner, Raven – together, they have a proposition that could solve all of Nick’s friends’ ...

Run to the Nuns The Musical – Riverside Studios

15Jul

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Run to the Nuns The Musical – Riverside Studios

It was a curious, rich and unique evening. The first hiccup to curse Run to the Nuns was a technical hitch, which meant the show opened over 30 minutes late. It was their first night. The upside was that the mysterious delay meant there was ample time for cocktails from the bar. In addition to unruly wires in the theatre, the box office printer broke down. A member of staff wrote out a ticket for me with a biro. It was very analogue. And slightly chaotic. I was into it.We were informed that the performers’ microphones had been abandoned. Instead, they’d be singing without electrical amplification. Tech gremlins were forcing a spontaneous descent into the unplugged old school. Our usher didn’t even check tickets when we finally piled into Studio 3. ‘Just get in and grab a seat,’ she begg...

SEVEN and a half YEARS – Salford Arts Theatre

15Jul

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

SEVEN and a half YEARS – Salford Arts Theatre

Mark Glentworth experienced incredible success as a composer, and then his life changed. But not in the way that you would expect. This autobiographical one-act musical tells the story of what came next: it is a journey that takes Glentworth from the heights of his success to the depths of his despair and isolation, ending with his first steps towards a new start. The production makes the most of the simple set and lighting designs, and Glentworth moves around the space well. It is his authenticity that is most striking; it cannot be easy for him to perform this material over and over and relive the best and worst moments of his life. Glentworth is clearly an outstanding musician, and the music in the show – which switches seamlessly from prerecorded tracks to live piano and back...

14Jul

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Miss Saigon – Crucible Theatre

Billed as Sheffield Theatre’s new production of Boublil and Schonberg’s Miss Saigon, this production marks my 40th visit to see this show. My first being back at Drury Lane in late 1989, and I have also been lucky enough to direct the show back in 2018, therefore, I would consider myself to be a bit of a connoisseur. Yes, I am aware of the political issues that surround it, I am aware that creating a new production was met with anger from some, but I am also aware that highlighting issues allows the audience to formulate their own responses … our history is relevant to our future. I have given myself a length of time to digest what I saw last night before reviewing this production. It is new, it is different, it is edgier, starker, less self-indulgent in its direction and more invested ...

What the Dog Said to the Harvest – Unity Theatre

14Jul

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

What the Dog Said to the Harvest – Unity Theatre

What the Dog Said to the Harvest is an immersive multi-disciplinary exploration of climate change, presented as part of the Liverpool Arab Arts Festival. Combining song, dance, film and spoken word, the show is a fresh interpretation of the often-explored theme of climate change. On entering the theatre, various footage relating to climate change is being played. There are numerous logs on the stage and on some of the seating and a collection of instruments waiting on the stage. Immersive from the start, the performers begin sitting as part of the audience and when the show begins, call out to each other coming together on the stage in a place of safety and comfort. The performers do a good job of utilising all of the space in the theatre. The logs scattered about the venue confused ...

The Flying Dutchman – The Grand Junction

14Jul

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

The Flying Dutchman – The Grand Junction

Glyn Maxwell and Laura Bowler's reworking of the mythic tale of the seaman condemned to sail the seas unless he finds his true love puts a topical spin on Wagner's 1843 opera, "Der fliegende Holländer". In this version, England's borders are closed to strangers, the vigilante Watch group scan the sea from the cliffs on the look-out for anyone trying to "invade", harsh measures are being implemented to deter those trying to cross the sea. One of the Watch, Starlight, begins to empathise with those seeking refuge and tries to persuade others to have more compassion. Mari, leader of the Watch and the antithesis of Starlight, sees her sympathy as treason. There's also a thread of unrequited love coming into play between Mari and Starlight. Meanwhile, the Mariner, injured and alone on his raft,...