REVIEWS Archives - Page 346 of 588

5Jul

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

Titanic the Musical – The Lowry

The RMS Titanic. Owner J. Bruce Ismay wanted to create a legend – it was the largest moving object in the world when it was built. Sadly, the legend of the Titanic we know today is not the one he wanted. In one of the worst tragedies of the 20th Century, 1517 people died when the ship sank on 14 April 1912. This production tells the story of the maiden voyage of the Titanic, and it does so with an extremely high production value. The set and costumes designed by David Woodhead are as epic as the ship itself, and are used to the maximum to indicate at every point where the action is taking place on the ship and which class the passengers are from. The lighting (Howard Hudson) and sound (Andrew Johnson) designs are clever and intricate, used to particularly excellent effect in the Act I f...

5Jul

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

Crazy for You – Gillian Lynne Theatre

Crazy for You is a traditional musical from the Gershwin's catalogue of brilliance, a production revitalized by Joey Parnes, Sally Horchow, and Michael Harrison. It had a run of sell-out performances at the Chichester Festival Theatre and is directed by Olivier award-winning director Susan Stroman. Charlie Stemp star of Half a Sixpence and Mary Poppins as (Bobby Childs) and Wicked star Carly Anderson as (Polly Baker) head up a stellar cast showcasing joyous melodies including the familiar Gershwin classic songs, I Got Rhythm and They Can't Take That Away from Me. The performers acted and danced their way through a 2-hour 20-minute score and brought to life the ‘Folies Bergere’ style and glamour, a delightful spectacle of costumes, color, and synchronicity which filled the stage and a...

5Jul

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

Whiskey Galore – Chester Little Theatre

The Little Theatre in Chester is a charming community theatre offering two spaces and tonight the Liz Stafford auditorium was full to capacity for this jolly romp of a play. Compton Mackenzie’s Whisky Galore was made into a famous film and remade a few years ago but this reimagining, adapted for the stage by Philip Goulding, gives us an all-female cast of seven playing thirty characters (although I didn’t count them). It has some real rip-roaring comedy moments, and it was what attracted director Lexi Fox-Hutchings to bring it to CLT. The fictitious Pallas Players, a touring theatre troupe in the 1950s, transport us back to 1943 in WWII on the two islands of Little Todday and Great Todday, where a shortage of whisky causes mayhem among the villagers. A shipwreck means 50,000 bo...

5Jul

By Andrew LeeNo Comments

North West

Heathers the Musical – Liverpool Empire

If you have never seen the movie of Heathers, it’s unlikely this musical will be what you are expecting. Heathers is a unique musical, both musically and narratively speaking. Veronica Sawyer finds herself finally as a somebody, joining the popular clique of the three Heathers, before deciding it is time to get her old self back and get away from the Heathers. The plot that ensues is dark, funny, and emotionally charged in equal measure. The music for the show is unique, rooted in pop and modern musical theatre singing. There is so much syncopation in the ensemble singing that it is truly jarring, which is befitting of the constant feeling that something is not quite right. The musical numbers are many, and each is as good as the last, it is impossible to mention them all, but the perfo...

Amy Webber: No Previous Experience – King’s Arms, Salford

5Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Amy Webber: No Previous Experience – King’s Arms, Salford

Ambitious opera graduate Amy Webber occupies the King’s Arms theatre space with a stand-up routine composed of music, role-play and just a little bit of job-hunting. Opening with a playful sing-through of her CV, the piece throws in plenty of anecdotes throughout to keep it laugh-a-minute. The way Webber ad-libs lyrics and fumbles on her mini keyboard is reminiscent of Peep Show’s hapless, wannabe musician Jeremy Usborne (in the most complimentary way). Applying an energetic and quick-witted persona as she enacts different occupations- from teacher to therapist- Webber also employs some tongue in cheek audience interaction. While no one offered any exciting career leads for her on this occasion, she shares some frivolous networking pointers nonetheless. Radio impersonations an...

4Jul

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

Leaves of Glass – Hope Mill Theatre

This play is exceptional. If only I could end my review there! Philip Ridley has written a truly heartbreaking exploration of how we use memory to protect, to manipulate and to hide; and I was captivated from start to finish. As we see glimpses of Steven’s life in the present day, and flashbacks to his childhood, we start to build a picture of Steven and his family. But is everything as clear as it seems? The acting in this play is outstanding. Director Max Harrison has brought out every drop of subtle emotion and humanity from this incredible cast of four. Ned Costello as Steven never leaves the stage. He gives a stunningly authentic performance, whether in the middle of a monologue or with one of his scene partners. His ability to move us from present to past with just a clenche...

Rachel Creeger – Whitefield Garrick Theatre

4Jul

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Rachel Creeger – Whitefield Garrick Theatre

Greater Manchester Fringe is well and truly in the swing of things, and I was honoured to review Rachel Creeger’s latest masterpiece ‘Ultimate Jewish Mother 2023’ at the intimate Garrick Theatre in Whitefield. Creeger is no stranger to the stage as she is a multi-award-winning stand-up comedian, writer, and director, and I believe the only practising orthodox Jewish woman on the mainstream UK comedy circuit. Her debut hour "It's No Job for A Nice Jewish Girl" won the Best Comedy Award at the Greater Manchester Fringe in 2017, which sold out its run at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe where it was a Fringe Review recommended show, and went on to have a critically acclaimed, successful international tour. Her second solo hour "Hinayni!" ran at the Underbelly for Edinburgh Fringe 2019 and ...

Strictly Ballroom the Musical – Leeds Grand Theatre

4Jul

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Strictly Ballroom the Musical – Leeds Grand Theatre

Craig Revell Harwood. He must have been the only serious candidate to direct this fab-u-lous musical version of the cult movie bringing a direct understanding of Aussie machismo and the bitchiness of competitive ballroom dancing as he also impeccably choreographed Baz Luhrmann and Craig Pearce’s book. The opening number, Strictly Ballroom, is full of flamboyant partnerships opening up the dark, backstabbing world of competition dancing, and you shudder to think how long it took to sew the sequins on Mark Walters’ suitably over the top costumes. This smart reworking of Strictly Ballroom - The Musical with new songs is the age-old tale of a rebel like young gun Scott Hastings determined to shake up the staid dance world, and by chance he teams up with ducking ugly duckling novice...

4Jul

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

Choosh – Unity Theatre, Liverpool

People often say they’re scared of clowns. What they usually mean is they’re scared of a thick layer of white greasepaint covering a face with a red nose and overexaggerated red mouth sitting beneath a green wig. Julia Masli is not that type of clown and Choosh, part of Physical Fest 2023, is like nothing you’ve seen before, either in or out of a big top. Masli has worked with dramaturg, Annie Siddons, to create a surreal and unique homage to migration, hunger, desperation felt during a job search, and love at first sight, whether that is for another human or a hot dog. The set is simple: an orange suitcase sits on a floral platform, but of course the simplicity is not what it seems as the suitcase is crammed with Masli’s props and tricks. She bursts onto the stage with an inside out...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Stafford Gatehouse

4Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

West Midlands

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Stafford Gatehouse

A magical Midsummer’s Night in Stafford It is the small details that can make a theatre trip memorable. As I took my seat at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on Sunday 2nd July before seeing the summer Shakespeare production of 2023 (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), I could hear the sound of bird song emanating through the auditorium. Coupled with a view of the Greek taverna set on full display, I was transported to another place before any of the actors appeared. Usually this classic play opens with the Athenians conversing; however director Sean Turner opted to have Puck (a male fairy) start the proceedings, which I thought worked well because Puck’s role is to act as a commentator on the other character’s foibles. It is not just the actors who are commented on here thoug...