REVIEWS Archives - Page 335 of 549

The Woman Who Turned into A Tree – The Omnibus Theatre

7Apr

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The Woman Who Turned into A Tree – The Omnibus Theatre

Presented by Omnibus Theatre and Collide Theatre, The Woman Who Turned into a Tree is an examination into external validation and the pressures placed on a young woman in today’s age. As a woman rhythmically sways in a dark, grungy club, an identically dressed woman enters the stage and the two watch each other intently. Daphne, as she introduces herself, is an ambitious event organiser fuelled by a need to fulfil this fantastical self-idealisation she constructed. Gradually, a force takes over and guides her towards freedom and finding peace in herself, as she metaphorically transforms into a tree. Her battle between different self-concepts is visually represented through the two versions of Daphne. Bathsheba Piepe conveys Daphne’s wide-eyed furious desperation, sinuously moving betwee...

Around the World in 80 Days – Theatre by the Lake

7Apr

By Karen Morley-ChesworthNo Comments

North West

Around the World in 80 Days – Theatre by the Lake

The new season at Theatre by the Lake has kicked off with a classic production of Around the World in 80 Days which surprises, delights and has audiences in hysterics. Like the ticking clock timing Phileas Fogg’s journey to circumnavigate the globe in 80 days or less, the timing of the action is precise. From the opening scenes, depicting Fogg’s meticulous daily routine, the choreography of this piece of theatre is set high and is delivered with style and humour. This hilarious production is nothing like the recent TV adaptation of Jules Verne’s classic book. This is the story of a man’s wager that he could travel around the world in 80 days - and failure would mean a loss of his colossal personal wealth. Stefan Adegbola is so perfectly cast as Fogg, combining the high-handed, aloofn...

7Apr

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Family Tree – Traverse Theatre

This production, by Actors Touring Company and Belgrade Theatre Coventry, in association with Brixton House, is about Henrietta Lacks (played here by Aminita Francis) the African-American woman who was the unwitting source of the cancer cells now known as the HeLa cell line, the first immortalized human cell line and one which continues to be a source of invaluable medical data to the present day, from helping fight cancer, to HIV, to COVID. However, her cells were taken without her or her family’s knowledge or permission (they only found out decades after her death, and by accident) and continue to be exploited financially. Henrietta was not the only black woman whose body has been exploited. In some cases, such as this, it was by the medical establishment with some kind of medical bas...

JV2 Program Premiere – Lilian Bayliss Studio

7Apr

By Marita MatarNo Comments

London

JV2 Program Premiere – Lilian Bayliss Studio

Dancers from the JV2 Professional Development Diploma program presented a dance ensemble of choreographies led and devised by Vinicius Salles for the piece ‘It’s Not Unusual’ and André Rebelo for the piece ‘Mystique’, two associates of the Jasmin Vardiman Company, together with the dancer’s creative input throughout the processes. For several years, the JV2 Professional Development Program led young artists to develop multi-disciplinary skills alongside a rigorous training in technique to train artists and go forward with their careers. ‘It’s Not Unusual’ commences with the dancers entering the space, occupying it one by one with an interesting exposition of masculinity performed by a cast predominantly assigned females. One could easily pinpoint the masculinity investigated; the to...

7Apr

By Melissa JonesNo Comments

Scotland

H.M.S. Pinafore – The Bedlam Theatre

H.M.S. Pinafore or The Lass That Loved A Sailor tells the story of a timeless trope - despite societal differences, love really does level all ranks. But because this is Gilbert and Sullivan’s take on the matter, there’s a lot of wry satire, some song and dance and a bit of farce before we reach that delightful conclusion. The story is simple, Josephine Corcoran (Helen Brown) daughter of Captain Corcoran (Harry Lempriere-Johnston) of the H.M.S Pinafore, is in love with Ralph Rackstraw (Owen Hatch) a lowly seaman. As her betrothed Sir Joseph Porter, First Lord of the Admiralty (Charles Barber), steps on board the ship, Josephine must make some important life changing decisions about which man she should marry. Upon arrival the Bedlam Theatre does not look like it can stomach a Gilbert...

7Apr

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Electra Untitled – The Cockpit

Bloody your hands if your story is being told without you having a say in it. "Dance, dance, furies, lock your arms!". This rendition of Electra's part of Greek mythology, produced and presented by Vertebra Theatre, explores the story of this controversial character, with the legacy it has had in theatre, through the eyes of four actors and a director, who devised and interpreted it: Alexa Komari, Emilie Largier, Masumi Saito, Elena Stamoulakatou, Mayra Sergiou. Sergiou oversaw the concept, the adaptation and the direction as well. On stage, we also see Gregory Emfietzis, who composed the music and plays the violin, the drum and the electronics. The play introduces us to the pathos of Elektra's story immediately, through the image of four faceless, red-tinted actors, covered in drape...

6Apr

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Sister Act – Sheffield Lyceum

'Sister Act – A Divine Musical Comedy' based on the 1992 smash hit movie starring Whoopi Goldberg and Maggie Smith featuring original music by Alan Menken. Produced by Jamie Wilson, with the book by Cheri and Bill Steinkellner and Lyrics by Glenn Slater the dazzling dance routines and music inspired by Motown, soul and disco is finally brought to the stage at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre after two years delay due to the pandemic. For those of you who haven’t seen the film - 'Sister Act' is the story of a nightclub singer Deloris Van Cartier who witnesses a murder at the hands of her married lover and is taken under protective custody to hide in a convent. Here she learns life lessons and helps her 'Sister's' to find their voice and save their convent whilst Deloris herself finds friends...

6Apr

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Mother Goose – The Lowry

Most people are introduced to the world of live theatre through the medium of pantomime, my own 1970's childhood is littered with memories of Anita Harris and Cilla Black slapping their thighs as Dandini, or John Inman in high camp mode as The Dame, household names at the time that are now consigned to occasional appearances on UK Gold. Maybe these somewhat confusing memories slightly put me off, as in the interests of full disclosure I should confess that despite spending large amounts of my time in the theatre, I don't really like pantomime! However, the opportunity to see Sir Ian McKellen live on stage is a chance any self respecting theatre buff is never going to turn down, so I duly took my seat in a packed Lyric Theatre, prepared for a couple of hours of indulgent, farcical nonsen...

6Apr

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Shrek The Musical – Blackpool Grand

On a wet and windy night in Blackpool the quest for a fairytale happy ending has taken on extra meaning. Forced to postpone from 2020 (a cruel two weeks before opening night), Blackpool Operatic Players have clearly put everything into finally bringing Shrek The Musical to the stage. And, with an outstanding professional set and wardrobe, tonight is a vibrant, visual delight, faithfully translating the hit animation into live action success. Under the assured direction of Neil Townsend, cast and audience alike have a hugely enjoyable show loaded with slapstick, sarcasm and fart jokes to thrill kids and parents alike. And, at the heart of it, a riotous send-up of the classic ‘damsel in distress’ fairytale narrative. For those who have spent any of the past 22 years living under ...

Wish You Were Dead – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

6Apr

By H.S. BakerNo Comments

Scotland

Wish You Were Dead – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Coming less than a week after the final episode of I.T.V.’s “Grace”, this is a timely outing for a play adapted by Shaun McKenna from the Peter James novel featuring Detective Superintendent Roy Grace. The inspiration for the novel stems from a less than comfortable stay James and his wife experienced at a French chambre d’hote while on holiday in the south of France. However, anyone expecting a gritty thriller with D.S. Grace driving the investigations will be sorely disappointed by this play, which is performed mostly for laughs and is more of a comedy horror than serious murder mystery. As with any detective story, it would be unforgivable to give away the entire plot, (not that there are any real surprises), but the crux of it is that the holidaying Grace, played by G...