REVIEWS Archives - Page 369 of 417

28Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Magic Goes Wrong – The Lowry

Forget your David Blaines and Copperfields. As the late Tommy Cooper knew in his variety shows of old, there’s big laughs to be had in watching a stage magician flounder and fluster when a much-practiced trick goes spectacularly wrong. It’s a ripe opportunity for the kings and queens of all things Wrong, Mischief Theatre, the team behind the massive smash hit of The Play that Goes Wrong. Almost like the adult movie industry, just name any play or subject and there’s a strong likelihood there’ll be a ‘Goes Wrong’ version of it from this prolific gang. And so, to tonight’s fare, co-written with anarchic magic duo Penn and Teller. In terms of a synopsis, it’s right there in the title. There’s magic, and it goes wrong. Very, very wrong. Under the guise of a fundraiser for ‘Disasters i...

The Two Character Play – Hampstead Theatre

27Jul

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

The Two Character Play – Hampstead Theatre

After its world premiere in 1967 at the very same theatre, Tennessee William’s The Two Character Play returns to Hampstead Theatre in a spellbinding production directed by Sam Yates. When the play was originally written, its writing style was panned by critics as being “too experimental” and categorized as a marked departure from William’s earlier texts that now serve as his dramatic legacy. However, it’s this very departure from the tradition that allows the Hampstead production to shine, combining a multitude of modern-day visual storytelling techniques and a stellar performance by its cast to create a magical and moving experience. As Yates adds, the intent is to create “a theatrical event that will showcase everything that's vital about the live experience” and it succeeds in doing pre...

27Jul

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Piaf – Leeds Playhouse

Imagine if instead of Beyonce the world’s biggest female star was a foul-mouthed Parisian street urchin who was blessed with a golden voice that lifted her out of the slums to global fame. That’s the story of Edith Piaf – aka The Little Sparrow – and this raucous revival of Pam Gems’ musical biography pulls no punches telling the tale of a damaged woman who flew high before crashing back to earth as like Lady Day she was totally unequipped for the price of fame. If anything, Gems tries too hard to pack in too much of Piaf’s rich life, overegging her rough beginnings, and the second half feels a touch padded. This is not an evening for the faint hearted as the C bomb is dropped a couple of times, among an impressive array of expletives, drawing gasps from some of the more genteel a...

25Jul

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

London

Kaleidoscope – Alexandra Palace

Going to a festival during a pandemic may seem a strange choice. But if life is to get back to ‘normal’ then attending an event outside is part of the journey – plus you have to show proof you’ve been double jabbed. The difference with Kaleidoscope is in the setting of Alexandra Park. The gently sloping grounds cradling the main stage (Hilltop) mean you can watch from afar taking in the views of London as an accompaniment to the main act on stage. The awesome sound system means you don’t have to be right up front to hear the action, you can dance on your picnic blanket to your heart’s delight. And if you don’t like the main stage, there’s the bandstand or the terrace or the fringe theatre offering alternative entertainment. Short of options you are not. And talking of options, the...

25Jul

By Harriet AndrewsNo Comments

North West

We’re Queer For It – Unity Theatre

Young Homotopia are here to ask the questions that the LGBTQ+ community have been asking themselves for the longest time. The show began with the question of ‘should I go to pride?’ which has been a question many of us have asked ourselves and I thought this was really thoughtfully developed. The idea of ‘am I too gay, am I not gay enough, am I the right kind of gay, would I fit in?’ Is still a very real train of thought for people of all ages wondering whether to go to pride. Many of the methods of addressing stereotypes and the irony of playing out straight stereotypes was a really interesting idea and really entertaining. The game show idea in particular landed very strongly, I just wish the people delivering it could have stood still. The topic of the piece is really...

25Jul

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

REVIEWS

Naked Hope – Seabright Productions

These days, much is said about people being able to choose pronouns which apply to them. Quentin Crisp is one of the people who might debate his chosen pronoun, yet I get the feeling he would have poo pooed the whole idea. “Be who you are whenever you want” I think I can hear him say in that nasal drawl which was one of his trademarks. That nasal drawl was an attribute Mark Farrelly used sparingly In the first part of the play, but used to great effect in the second part. However, I’m ahead of myself. When we first meet Farrellys’ Quentin recounting his early life, I was distracted by the Phyllis Pearce wig and the dead centre of the forehead microphone. Fortunately, the actor drew me back very quickly with many of Quentin Crisp’s standard phrases “I’m not just a homosexual, bu...

The Play That Goes Wrong – Duchess Theatre

24Jul

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

The Play That Goes Wrong – Duchess Theatre

The first time I’d heard about Mischief Theatre’s The Play That Goes Wrong was way back in 2015, when I was a part of my collegiate dramatics society and found the premise to be absolutely hilarious (and deeply relatable). It was only six months ago that I watched the show for the first time, managing to catch it just before the new year lockdown forced theatres to shut down once again in the UK. When I got the opportunity to watch the show again this week, this time as a press reviewer, I only had one question on my mind – I knew I was in for a hilarious evening, but would the creative team be able to replicate the same spontaneity and surprise that greeted me the first time around? These two elements are the cornerstone for physical comedy, and doing it night after night requires a delic...

23Jul

By Louise PennNo Comments

REVIEWS

Noir – Vertigo Theatre Company

Veronica Smart is as smart as her name. Ambitious, alluring, avaricious. Everything a femme fatale should be. In Vertigo Theatre Company’s 150-minute thriller, filmed largely in black and white with one colour – red – highlighting moments of action or arousal, Mrs Smart plots a dark and sordid revenge when she finds her husband Cliff in flagrante with his secretary. This tawdry tale is introduced by Detective Sal Pelletier, a gravel-voiced man with a permanent cigarette in his hand. As he recounts scene by scene, he watches as we do as the story unfolds. Writer/director Craig Hepworth and producer Karl Burge man the cameras (which are mobile phones) and brought their nine strong cast together in a versatile location – the Great Northern Warehouse in Manchester. Without any experie...

The Show Must Go On! Live – The Palace Theatre

22Jul

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

London

The Show Must Go On! Live – The Palace Theatre

Who would have thought that a song released 30 years ago this year, would have been so relevant today, and even become the mantra/motto of theatres, shows and performers over the last 18 months?! The Theatre Support Fund was set up in March 2020 by Chris Marcus and Damien Stanton, as a direct response to the pandemic. They work alongside Acting For Others and The Fleabag Support Fund, to provide much needed funds and support to the Theatre community with their ‘The Show Must Go On campaign’. Following on from the success of the t-shirts, posters, notebooks sales (other items are also available); Marcus and Stanton put on a concert celebrating the West End’s fabulous talent and wonderful musical productions, when the restrictions were eased in June. If you missed out on tickets or forgot...

22Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Romeo & Juliet – Hull Truck Theatre

Sunglasses? Tick. Suncream? Tick. Raincoat? Tick. Cushion? Tick. Blanket? Tick. Was I packing for a staycation weekend? No, just for a trip to the theatre. Let me explain … Hull Truck Theatre’s production of Romeo & Juliet is being staged at the city’s open-air theatre, Stage@TheDock. Hull, on the east coast, can get every type of weather in one day, so the above were just some of the items we theatregoers were advised to carry with us for the performance on Wednesday afternoon. As the temperature hit the high 20s, this fascinating outdoor theatre began to fill up with people of all ages. We were all here for the most famous love story of all, William Shakespeare’s Romeo & Juliet. A jolly accordion player (Nicholas Goode) musically opened proceedings and he was quick...