REVIEWS Archives - Page 329 of 417

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Birmingham Hippodrome

8Jan

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Birmingham Hippodrome

If you go down in the woods today, you’ll be sure a vibrant explosion of panto frolics and furry fun at the Birmingham Hippodrome where, after a covid-induced hiatus, the annual treat comes crashing back forming the cherry on top of a very rich Christmas cake. The newly formed Crossroads Pantos rose phoenix-like from the remains of previous panto producers Qdos and transformed panto-like into the shiny new makers of our yuletide jollity with just enough traces of their previous incarnation blended with dollops of freshly minted ideas to justify their name change. “Goldilocks and the Three Bears” is a plot rarely visited in pantodom. It’s scant and thin with only one familiar scene so it’s unsurprising Crossroads have taken to building out the story with some astounding circus artiste...

School of Rock – Palace Theatre Manchester

5Jan

By Blathine MaguireNo Comments

North West

School of Rock – Palace Theatre Manchester

Andrew Lloyd Webber is one of the most famous composers when it comes to the world of musicals but what some may not realise is that as well as his classics such as ‘Jesus Christ Superstar’, ‘Evita’, ‘Cats’ and ‘Phantom of the Opera’ written in the 70s & 80s, he more recently wrote ‘School of Rock’ which premiered on Broadway in 2015. To kick off this new year of 2022, this smash hit musical has come to the Palace Theatre to rock the socks off this Manchester audience! Based on 2003 film, this musical follows the story of Dewey Finn (Alex Tomkins) who is desperate to make it big in a mighty rock band. Dewey takes an opportunity to make some money as a substitute schoolteacher, posing as his best friend, Ned Schneebly (Matthew Rowland). When he meets the kids of Horace Green Primary ...

Into The Night – Original Theatre Company

29Dec

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

REVIEWS

Into The Night – Original Theatre Company

On the 19th December 1981, the Penlee lifeboat the ‘Solomon Browne’ was launched with a crew of eight men (including the coxswain), to rescue the crew from a coaster, the ‘Union Star’, which was in danger of foundering on the jagged rocks of the West Cornwall coastline. There were sixteen lives lost that terrible night as the bad weather conditions made the rescue impossible. The Original Theatre Company, in collaboration with writer Frazer Flintham and the author of ‘Penlee – The Loss of a Lifeboat’, Michael Sagar-Fenton, have brought together their skills as theatre makers, with North South who specialise in bringing the stage to the screen. Writer Frazer Flintham had the difficult task of bringing together the historical detail, whilst always considering that the viewe...

22Dec

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Julie Madly Deeply – Park Theatre

Dame Julie Andrews is one of the few genuine British theatre icons, beloved by millions the world over, and with a career spanning seven decades. One of those fans - a mega-fan in fact - is Sarah-Louise Young, who in this funny, affectionate and joyful tribute celebrates the life and work of the woman everyone knows as Mary Poppins or Maria von Trapp. Young may have written a fan letter to Andrews when she was a child, but she avoids simply gushing about the highs of Julie Andrews' career, also presenting the other side of her life, the failed marriage, the casting of Audrey Hepburn in the film of My Fair Lady despite Andrews' stage triumph in the role, the 15-year low point and lack of work after her topless appearance in second husband Blake Edwards' movie, S.O.B., the devastating ...

22Dec

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Dreamgirls – Liverpool Empire

In its simplest form Dreamgirls is a story about dreams. It asks the question of how far people will go to get them, will they step on the dreams of others to get them. Add to this the backdrop of how people have historically stolen other people dreams in the music industry, and you have a story with depth, soul and glamour. One thing is for absolutely sure, and that is that Dreamgirls has all the ingredients to be an incredible piece of theatre; show-stopping songs, an important historical backdrop, fascinating characters, dance numbers, and Effie White. The only question you have to ask yourself is whether this production would succeed at getting the recipe right. The answer is a resounding yes. This production of Dreamgirls is without a doubt one of the best shows to come to Liver...

22Dec

By Blathine MaguireNo Comments

North West

Beauty and the Beast – Epstein Theatre

With COVID having affected pretty much everyone and everything possible over the last 18 months, it is wonderful to see theatre’s such as Liverpool’s Epstein reopen its doors to do exactly what it does best: Entertain! This year, the Epstein pantomime is ‘Beauty and the Beast’ starring TV’s Ben Richards as ‘Gaston’. It has to be said in the first instance, that unfortunately, the wicked COVID spell was not far away and tonight, the leading man was replaced by Tom Fothergill, who was one of the cast’s senior dancers but stepped up to play ‘Gaston’ at the last minute. The same goes for the ‘Fairy’ who was replaced by the cast’s choreographer Nazene Langfield, with only around an hour and a half to go! First and foremost, congratulations to this team of experts for pulling off these challe...

The Enormous Christmas Turnip – The Studio, Edinburgh

20Dec

By Roger JacobsNo Comments

Scotland

The Enormous Christmas Turnip – The Studio, Edinburgh

That Ivor MacAskill (Rabbit Hutch) and Rosana Cade (Rabbit Stew) are Glasgow-based was obvious straightaway without consulting the programme. ‘You’ll have had yer tea’ made an early festive entrance as Hutch attempted to stall Stew’s attempt to invite more folks to Christmas dinner. More attendees would require more than the one carrot the two traditionally shared. Broccoli, Cauliflower, Potatoes and (the dreaded) Sprouts for example, but something was still missing, and it started with ‘Tur-‘. After the least bashful audience member of 2021 (five seats to our left) intervened to stop anyone adding a ‘-key’ we were off on a delightful, educational journey following the progress of seeds as they grew into actual vegetables. Adhering to the instructions given by the talking seed (an excel...

It’ll Soon Be Christmas – Rainhill Village Hall

20Dec

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

It’ll Soon Be Christmas – Rainhill Village Hall

Individuality Youth were set up by long-term musical theatre professional Samantha Moores last July as a community venture for children in and around Prescot, Rainhill and Whiston. Despite the background challenges presented by the pandemic they have gone from strength to strength running weekly classes, broken into two groups, for children aged 6 to 18, with this their first production. With the spirit of Christmas very much to the fore – and don’t we need something to celebrate right now – Moores directs and produces with support from choreographer Amy Balfour and technical assistance from experienced hands Tony Dagnall (stage manager), Les Dagnall (lighting) and Karen Woods (sound). The children have been broken into three groups allowing them to perform in ensemble pieces, duets,...

20Dec

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Wendy & Peter Pan – Leeds Playhouse

When Leeds Playhouse announced they were staging yet another version of Peter Pan you couldn’t help but wonder haven’t we had more than enough of the boy who refuses to grow up? What made this bold adaptation by Ella Hickson of the JM Barrie classic different is that it told this beloved story from the viewpoint of Wendy Darling, while still keeping in the Lost Boys, pirates, fairy dust, the flying and a crocodile. The reality is that the boy who refuses to grow up is. like so many adolescent boys, a self-serving narcissist, who is actually a bit of a prat. Peter’s reckless fearlessness put his gang in danger and his compulsive actions meant he could never defeat his arch enemy Captain Hook. Peter Losassa offered a lively Pan unfretted by maturity, who led his gang of forever y...

19Dec

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

She Loves Me – Crucible Theatre

From the moment the ensemble stepped off the trolleybus onto the stage and the doors of Maraczek’s Parfumerie swung open, I was hooked. She Loves Me is a visual feast from start to finish, making the most of every inch of the stunning set designed by Ben Stones. Shop counters fit together like jigsaw pieces, bicycles and beds come and go, and a French-style café appears out of nowhere. Blink for even a second and you’re bound to miss something – maybe even the arrival of autumn or winter! She Loves Me tells a classic story, which has been adapted more than once from the original play by Miklós László; most famously into the 1998 film You’ve Got Mail, starring Meg Ryan and Tom Hanks. It’s a simple plot: two co-workers, Amalia and Georg, who show a strong dislike for one another on the...