REVIEWS Archives - Page 355 of 548

8Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Spring and Port Wine – Octagon Theatre

When the Octagon Theatre announced it was producing 'Spring and Port Wine' as its first show of 2023 I jumped at the opportunity to make the short trip to Bolton to review. In the two years since its £12 million refurbishment, and under the Artistic Director Lotte Wakeham, the Octagon has quietly been adding to an already strong reputation as one of the most interesting and innovative theatres in the north of England. With 'Spring and Port Wine' they have brought a quintessentially Boltonian story back to its roots, delighting this partisan opening night crowd into a raucous standing ovation at the conclusion. Writer Bill Naughton is often wrongly categorised as part of a group of playwrights who came to prominence in Britain in the early 1960's', the 'angry young men', responsible for ...

<strong>Police Cops: Badass be thy name – Vault Festival</strong>

8Feb

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

Police Cops: Badass be thy name – Vault Festival

I’ll be honest, I’m not overly sure I got the storyline right – but what I can tell you: this is the most frenetic, supercharged, high production piece of theatre you’ll likely see at the Vaults. The story is set in the 1990s. Tommy Dixon quits his job because he wants to get more out of life. But he also wants to find his dad who walked out on him when he was younger – not before repeatedly punching a photograph of his young son. As it turns out Tommy then ends up on a quest to become a vampire slayer and finds his dad. And there’s a lot of talk of Manchester and sweets. I wish I could explain more about how all of this makes sense, but I can’t, and I don’t think it really matters because this is a feast (and feat) of physical comedy theatre you rarely get to see. It’s unbelieva...

8Feb

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

Quench – Vault Festival

I bet you’ve walked past a drinks vending machine many times in your life and never given a second thought to the lives of those who reside within. Those cartons, cans and bottles all illuminated and waiting to be picked have lives too – or so that’s what Quench made me realise. Set in a vending machine in a leisure centre facing closure we follow the tragi-comedy lives of Appletania, Sparkling, Fizzy Orange and Electrolyte. If it sounds absurd – it is, but the minimal yet effective costumes and behavioural tics make this an incredibly believable set – and idea. Despite sounding like an insane idea for a play, this works really well to tell the story of the hopes, dreams and fears of life. On the surface this may be a funny comedy, but there’s a depth to the writing that leaves t...

Death Drop 2: Back in the Habit – Liverpool Playhouse

8Feb

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Death Drop 2: Back in the Habit – Liverpool Playhouse

Playing to a full audience, there was high expectation for the keenly awaited comeback of Death Drop to the stage. It did not disappoint. If you are looking for an evening that serves, laughs, scares and complete REALness, this is the show to see. With an all-star cast hailing from RuPaul’s Drag Race, the return of the murder mystery (or ‘Dragatha Christie’), to St Babs Convent was a tasteful idea, and one with hilarious possibilities. Drag has sashayed into a whole new format with this kind of theatre, and Jesse Jones has allowed these queens to shine. The current vocabulary, inclusive dialogue, and killer soundtrack all added to the crowd's appreciation for the performance of Mother Superior and her nuns. Photographer: Matt Crockett Set in the wonderful Playhouse, the modern mee...

Shakespeare in Love – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

7Feb

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

Shakespeare in Love – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

With numerous accolades, including an Oscar Winning film performance and the acquisition of seven Academy awards, ‘Shakespeare in Love’ is performed this week at The Altrincham Garrick Playhouse. Based upon the screenplay by Marc Norman and Tom Stoppard and adapted for stage by Lee Hall, this popular romantic comedy performed by the Garrick Ensemble is produced and directed by Joseph Meighan. For those who have not seen the film, the story is essentially about a certain young playwright, ‘Will Shakespeare’ (Loui Quelcutti) who meets the wealthy ‘Violet de Lesseps’ (Ciara- Alexandra Booker) who dreams of becoming an actor. The two fall deeply in love, however Violet's father, ‘Sir Robert de Lesseps’ (Paul O’Dwyer) insisted she married Lord Wessex (Tom Broughton) and so a love affair betw...

7Feb

By Daniel CoxNo Comments

North West

Bugsy Malone – Liverpool Empire

Bugsy Malone tells the story of a battle for power between Fat Sam & Dandy Dan based in New York City. Its story is loosely taken from gang events during the Prohibition era but this musical changes 'machine guns' for 'splurge guns' in order to make it more appropriate for family friendly audiences mixing in slapstick musical comedy whilst following the storyline of Bugsy and his new love Blousey alongside the hilarious chaos. Bugsy Malone is taking a Charleston Step out on tour for the very first time, touring the UK following its Christmas Season at Alexandra Palace in London treating audiences to this energetic revival of the acclaimed Lyric Hammersmith Theatre production. It's a production that showcases both child and adult actors and they do deliver with a BANG (and a crack of th...

Motionhouse: Starchitects – Birmingham Hippodrome

6Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Motionhouse: Starchitects – Birmingham Hippodrome

The Hippodrome is awash with young, vibrant faces each peering curiously into the gaping chasm of the empty auditorium daunted by its size unaware what they are about to see will blow their minds. Louise Richards and Kevin Finnan founded MotionHouse in 1988 and since its inception it has created an array of world-class, breath-taking circus-danced productions which have toured the globe integrating physicality, acrobatics, strong story and dynamic sound. “Starchitects” is no exception. Opening in a child’s bedroom, young buoyant dancers, each clad in child-like pyjamas, strive try to stave off their night time boredom by inventing games using cardboard boxes to create cars, tricks and, more importantly, a space rocket. So far, so predictable. Many kids shows employ cardboard boxes ev...

<strong>Alpine Symphony – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall</strong>

6Feb

By Ezzy LaBelleNo Comments

North East

Alpine Symphony – Liverpool Philharmonic Hall

As the lights dim and the chatter quietens, conductor and violinist Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider takes his place at the front of the stage. The orchestra sits poised for action. The first note is played and so begins an adventurous musical journey. The concert at Liverpool Philharmonic Hall is comprised of two halves; the first is a relatively short rendition of Max Bruch's Violin Concerto No.1, Op.26, and the second is the more epic Alpine Symphony by Richard Strauss. Embraced by a full orchestra, Nikolaj Szeps-Znaider doubles-up on his role for the first half, participating as the solo violinist and intermittently conducting the ensemble. Opening with delicate drama and tension, the room is quickly captivated. Seamlessly, Szeps-Znaider draws spectators into a sound bubble with him and the...

Husbands and Sons – Manchester School of Theatre

3Feb

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Husbands and Sons – Manchester School of Theatre

DH Lawrence called success 'the bitch goddess', during his lifetime he suffered constant vilification with his work dismissed as little more than pornography, dying before he could see his vindication as one of the most important writers of the 20th century. His depiction of the details of working-class life in Nottinghamshire in the years before and after the first World War finds its apogee in 'Sons and Lovers' and 'Women in Love', but it is a 2015 condensing of three of his short plays, adapted by Ben Power, that Manchester School of Theatre present this evening. Despite some excellent central performances and innovative direction, the piece never wholly manages to satisfy as a single entity. We begin with 'A Collier's Friday Night' exploring the simple lives and loves of the Lambert...

September In The Rain – Little Theatre, Birkenhead

3Feb

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

September In The Rain – Little Theatre, Birkenhead

A charming, funny piece of nostalgia. The Carlton Players continue their season with Godber’s nostalgic and gentle comedy, loosely based on the writer’s own grandparents. Liz and Jack have holidayed in Blackpool from newlyweds in the 1950s until old age in the 1990s. Never missing a year, they’d make their way from Yorkshire across the A59 to the seaside resort with its boarding houses, fun fair, deckchairs and donkeys. Originally written as a radio play, this has been a popular choice for theatre groups over the past forty years. A two-hander, where both characters speak to the audience and take on the roles of other characters to recall their stories: some sentimental or amusing, others laugh-out-loud funny. Liz and Jack certainly have their spats and shouting matches b...