REVIEWS Archives - Page 330 of 549

The Shawshank Redemption – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

25Apr

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

The Shawshank Redemption – Edinburgh Festival Theatre

Ben Onwuke, playing Ellis ‘Red’ Redding, carries this story beautifully. He tops and tails it with a mellow voice and a story-telling style to captivate. No wonder he has numerous audio books to his credit. However, the first half is a bombardment of aggression with little remission. No doubt, prison is like that, yet, undoubtedly, there is plenty of subtle menace and understated tension simmering. A mood of depression must prevail in some corners - hence the high rate of suicide. Here we find a storm of high-pitched savagery. As a result, the director (David Esbjornson) offers the cast little scope to build tension and create climactic power. A little more ebb and flow, a smidgen of the off button in the volume would help build and release tension. Even in the supposed searing heat,...

Rock, Paper, Scissors – Traverse Theatre

25Apr

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Rock, Paper, Scissors – Traverse Theatre

Established in 2016, Tandem Writing Collective comprising of three young(ish) writers Mhairi Quinn, Jennifer Adam and Amy Hawes, gave us a sneaky peek of a trio of (in workshop) new plays to a rapt and enthusiastic audience at the subterranean Traverse 2 tonight, for one night only. And with the juicy promise that all three will become fully developed plays later this year. Accompanied very nicely by musos, Celloist Jessica Kerr and keyboard player Aaron McGregor on stage, actors Kim Allen, Natalie Arle-Toyne and Betty Valencia, with scripts in hand bring the three workshop pieces to beautiful and dynamic animated life, to the obvious delight of the writers sitting in the front row with beaming smiles. And why not, all three pieces sounded and looked great and the actors, to a woman,...

Titanic the Musical – Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

25Apr

By Angela KellyNo Comments

West Midlands

Titanic the Musical – Regent Theatre, Stoke-on-Trent

Musical theatre based on a disaster of epic proportions would not initially seem to be a match made in heaven. With such a tragic well-known storyline, ‘Titanic the Musical’ is a brave undertaking. However, having won five Tony Awards, Titanic the Musical is currently celebrating its 10th anniversary of the London Premiere. With music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and directed by Thom Southerland the musical focuses on the individual passengers and their own personal stories on board this renowned Ship that set sail on her maiden voyage from Southampton to New York in April 1912. Not to be confused with the cinema version, this is certainly a musical of two halves. The first and second act are polar opposites in how the story unravels. The first act demonstrates the frenzy and excitement o...

Little White Feathers – Hope Street Theatre

25Apr

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Little White Feathers – Hope Street Theatre

I’m often excited when I get to see new works especially musicals. Last night’s offering was called ‘Little White Feathers’ a story of love, loss and laughter with 17 original songs. This story is a tale of two ladies, firstly Vivian Edwards (Kate Mulrooney) who sadly lost her daughter as a young girl. A pain that never really goes away for a mother. She believes that when she finds a white feather it’s a sign from her late mother that she (her angel) is with her watching over her. Viv owns a costume shop in Liverpool with her husband Frankie (Tony Prince) and their motto is it’s always a yes, no matter of the request. In to the shop walks in a young American girl called Emmy (Beth McShane) from the Deep South. She’s in Liverpool on the search to find her biological father. Upon enterin...

Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror – The Lowry

23Apr

By Hannah WildeNo Comments

North West

Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror – The Lowry

Like many of the audience members filing slowly into The Lowry’s Quays Theatre, I had no idea what to expect from such an enigmatically titled show: Waldo’s Circus of Magic & Terror. However, taking my seat to face a dimly lit stage, complete with ostentatious ceilings, wooden “bleacher-style” seating, and a number of aerial equipment suspended in mid-air, I very quickly got the idea. However, what I was *not* expecting was the way in which this circus was brought to life. This production was presented by the Extraordinary Bodies theatre troupe, combining the extraordinary talents of deaf, disabled and diverse artists. Supported by the Arts Council England and The National Lottery, this company “creates powerful performances that celebrate our vast potential as humans, we explore a ...

The Secret Life of Bees – Almeida Theatre

22Apr

By Akshay RahejaNo Comments

London

The Secret Life of Bees – Almeida Theatre

Set in South Carolina in 1964 and tells the story of Rosaleen, who is fighting for her right to vote, and Lily, who is trying to escape her abusive father. Together, they seek refuge at a remote honeybee farm run by the Boatwright sisters. Abiona Omonua, who played Rosaleen, was the standout performer. The ensemble cast also did an excellent job, including Eleanor Worthington-Cox as Lily, Ava Brennan as June, Tarinn Callender as Neil, Madeline Charlemagne and Shekinah Mcfarlane as the daughters of Mary, Danielle Fiamanya as May, Richard James-Neale as multiple characters, Rachel John as August, Mark Meadow as T-Ray, and Noah Thomas as Zachary. While there were a few moments where the dramatic moment could be anticipated in the performer’s body, overall, the performances were strong and ...

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Hull Truck Theatre

22Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Hull Truck Theatre

I set off for Hull Truck Theatre, on Friday evening, knowing my worst nightmare - audience participation - is probably about to come true. Showstopper! The Improvised Musical invites audience members to create a musical comedy by shouting out their suggestions - suggestions the cast will endeavour to act out. My seat on the front row meant there was no hiding place. So, I determined not to make eye contact with anyone on the stage; keep my head down, be invisible and leave the suggestion-making to anybody - just not me. Billed as a “must-see”, this improvised comedy came to Hull Truck for one night only, as part of a nationwide tour (visit www.showstopperthemusical.com for future venues). Well, dear reader, my “keeping schtum” resolution lasted approximately 30 seconds - that’s...

22Apr

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Splintered – Soho Theatre

‘How do you deal with coming out joyfully in a homophobic culture?’ This is the awkward question asked by Emily Aboud in her prize-winning show Splintered. In truth, same sex love isn’t overly celebrated anywhere on this melting, agitated planet. It’s geographical lottery that decides the level of homophobia one might experience should you start waving a rainbow flag. In Brunei, Iran, Mauritania, Saudi Arabia, Yemen and in some northern states of Nigeria, coming out might end in state enforced death sentence. Coming out in Cheam may be easier than in Chechnya, but unicorns and glitter aren’t guaranteed. Attitudes to queerness in the Caribbean stem from a very complex tangle of elements. It’s only quite recently that there’s been an understanding that laws criminalising homosexual relati...

22Apr

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Dancing at Luhgnasa – National Theatre

Michael casts his memory back to Bellybag, Ireland in 1936 when living in an isolated cottage with his 4 aunts and mother on the summer his uncle returns from Africa. Michael, (Tom Vaughan-Lawlor) now mid 40s narrates what he remembers from that summer as his uncle slowly dying from malaria drifts in and out of a soft psychosis and the 5 sisters struggling to adapt to the introduction of the industrial revolution. The Mundy sisters, all unmarried and combined supporters of their family home are challenged by their individual unfulfilled dreams. Kate, the breadwinner and teacher is under pressure to keep the sisters afloat, but the school threatens her place on the teaching board. Maggie, a beautiful calming presence keeps everyone happy, but a deep depression overwhelms her at times when s...

The Good Person of Szechwan – Lyric Hammersmith

22Apr

By Khushboo ShahNo Comments

London

The Good Person of Szechwan – Lyric Hammersmith

To celebrate the 80th anniversary of the first performance of Bertolt Brecht’s The Good Person of Szechwan, Lyric Hammersmith is an ideal home with its aim of reinventing classics. Boldly translated by Nina Segal, and directed by Anthony Lau, this rendition is surreal, emotionally unsettling, and powerful! True to Brecht’s convention of theatre, but ripped off its extreme didacticism, the creative team should take a bow for cohesively repositioning the production with oomph and wonder. The play begins with Wang, the water seller (Leo Wan) prancing in a swim-suit and flippers, mocking the city-dwellers and their stupidity in paying money for a free resource like water as he waits for the Gods (Nick Blakeley, Callum Coates, Tim Samuels) who appear in pristine white toga outfits whic...