REVIEWS Archives - Page 328 of 549

Twice Nightly – Royal Court Studio Liverpool

30Apr

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Twice Nightly – Royal Court Studio Liverpool

‘We do it twice nightly, it’s exhausting quite frankly.’ With a name like Twice Nightly, this was a show that needed to live up to the double entendre suggested from the title and it sure didn’t let us down! Showing us Liverpool’s variety theatre scene in 1931, Don and Madge, a comedy song and dance double act are loving their lives, until things suddenly take a drastic turn. They need to remember, and alcohol fueled evening to allow them to get to the theatre in time for their second show of the night, but that is proving more difficult than it sounds. Will they make it in time? Written by and starring Michael Alan Bailey and Maria Lovelady as Don and Madge, it is clear that these two really get on, as the best friend energy coming from the characters is obviously evident. They’ve w...

30Apr

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Richard III – Rose Theatre

What is the right way to do Shakespeare? Is there a right way? Is there only one way? How are his characters seen today, and what do they mean for today's audiences? Adjoah Andoh takes a bold swing at one of Shakespeare's most hateful villains, and strikes the audience with wit. This staging of Richard III, coproduced by Rose Theatre and Liverpool Everyman & Playhouse Theatre, toys with the idea that the non-able bodied title character is being judged by his appearance more than his actions. All the historical explanations notwithstanding, it is interesting to think about discrimination and marginalization based on physical appearance. It's just… well… according to the text, Richard did order the murder of two children who were in his way, amongst several other people. The question ...

David Walliams’ Demon Dentist – Liverpool Empire

28Apr

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

David Walliams’ Demon Dentist – Liverpool Empire

David Walliams is now a well-known author and his children’s books have become infamous for their comedy and down-to-earth themes; he is probably classed as one of the most contemporary influential writers of children’s books at the present time, his characters are both endearing and outrageous whilst he also touches on the plights of unhappy and unloved children and their escapades. Demon Dentist is a stage adaptation of his latest book following on from Gangsta Granny and Billionaire Boy. This production is directed and adapted by Neal Foster of the Birmingham Stage Company. This story centres on Alfie (Sam Varley), a boy who has cared for his disabled dad since his mum passed away. After an unpleasant experience at the dentist six years prior to where this story ...

28Apr

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

The Witches – The Brindley, Runcorn

With the storyline hinging on magic, mayhem and turning children into mice, I wasn’t sure how Roald Dahl’s much-loved classic The Witches would translate onstage, especially when performed by an amateur dramatic group whose budget wouldn’t stretch to fancy pyrotechnics and feats of theatrical excellence. The staging was simple, to be sure - perhaps a little too simplistic to really set the scene - but most of the ensemble within Encore Productions were strong enough to cast and maintain the spell over the audience for most of the performance. For me, the standout performers were Alfie Okell as the pre-pubescent protagonist The Boy and Julie Lord’s striking portrayal of The Grand High Witch. Special mention should also be given to Hannah Smith as Mrs Jenkins, whose deliberate o...

The Marriage of Figaro – Royal Opera House

28Apr

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

London

The Marriage of Figaro – Royal Opera House

Mozart’s classic four-act comic opera, an adaptation with Da Ponte of Beaumarchais’ banned 1778 play about warring masters and servants, is delightfully brought to life in director David McVicar’s own revival of his 2006 production, again conducted by Antonio Pappano, of this satirical and deeply human drama. As the day of Figaro (Riccardo Fassi) and Susanna’s (Giulia Semenzato) wedding arrives, it becomes clear that their master, Count Almaviva (Davide Luciano), is keen to exercise his ‘droit du seigneur’ – his right to bed a servant girl on her wedding night – and they conspire with the forsaken Countess (Federica Lombardi) to outwit her husband and teach him a lesson in fidelity. Plans however are thrown awry when Bartolo (Henry Waddington), seeking revenge against Figaro for thwarti...

Love Talk – New Wimbledon Theatre Studio

28Apr

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Love Talk – New Wimbledon Theatre Studio

How would it feel to see a very toxic relationship described as love? How would it look like to see the representation of a separation letter gone wrong? In this production of Love Talk, written and directed by Emma Gueye, the audience is presented with the characters of Lauren, played by Megan Cooper, Adam, played by Will Charlton, and Ethan, by Chris Austin. The set and costume design are minimal and have little to no interest in the performance, but that will come back later. When the audience enters the theatre, there seems to be a party going on, with between 6 to 10 people having fun, talking, and laughing on stage. This is a very promising start that is, however, deceptive. The rest of the play will be surprisingly static, not only from a corporeal point of view, but from the ...

27Apr

By Emma WildNo Comments

North West

School of Rock – The Met, Bury

Without doubt The School of Rock is directorial triumph for Mark Rosenthal! Starting with the perfect casting of Alex Cohen in the lead role as dreamer, wannabe rock star, Dewey Finn. Once Cohen appeared, with the mannerisms and facial expressions of Jack Black (who starred in the 2003 film) down to a T, the audience knew they were in for a fun-filled night. Cohen’s energy, spectacular vocals and comic timing were superb throughout. Cohen’s acting was wholly believable as the unconventional rebel, who eventually changes attitudes in the prestigious Horace Green School. Tracey Dawson, as the Head Teacher of the elite, $50,000 a year school, perfectly contrasted Cohen’s anarchic character of Dewey Finn. Clearly a gifted actor, Dawson portrayed the different characteristics of Rosali...

27Apr

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

F**king Men – Waterloo East

F**king Men by Joe Dipietro is based on Schnitzler’s La Ronde, written in 1897 and first performed in 1920. It provoked an almighty scandal that escalated into anti-Semitic attacks on Schnitzler and a court case where he was accused (but acquitted) of obscenity. The primary text is laughably tame and early productions left the sexual encounters to the audience’s imagination, but the playwright was still labelled a ‘Jewish pornographer’. La Ronde dared to suggest that sexual desire cuts through class barriers and unwise copulation is a universal human frailty. This is no longer news in 2023 and perhaps Dipietro was chasing the original’s provocative vibes when naming this adaption and filling the stage with rampant, often naked, gay men. Either way, the gambit proved a box office smash. ...

27Apr

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

The Mousetrap – Edinburgh Playhouse

Agatha Christie’s “The Mousetrap” is most famous for being the longest continually running show in the world. Still being performed in the West End, it is now celebrating its 70th year with this anniversary tour. There is one original cast member still performing to this day! That is the voice of Derek Guyler, playing the radio announcer. Set in the early 1950s at a remote countryside guest house, five guests and the newlywed owners of Monkswell Manor are snowed in, with phone lines out of action and roads closed. Then a detective sergeant arrives on skis, with news that a killer is amongst them. The play was originally written for radio with the title “Three Blind Mice” and the somewhat eerie refrain of that nursery rhyme provides a suitably atmospheric th...

26Apr

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Liverpool Playhouse

An explosive fusion of live action and multimedia technology pops off the stage and saturates the senses, with this self-described ‘neon noir thriller’ styled interpretation of the Bard’s ‘Scottish Play’. Technical theatrical ground breakers, Andrew Quick, Pete Brooks and Simon Wainwright, otherwise known as Imitating the Dog, produce and direct this postmodernist retelling of Shakespeare’s “Wonder Boy”, Macbeth, brilliantly portrayed by Benjamin Westerby. The multiple layers of this clever production really do test the senses with various points of action taking place simultaneously, taking us on a rapid adventure through this tragic tale of the psychological and physical effects that come with the pursuit of power. If you’re familiar with the aesthetic of DC’s Got...