REVIEWS Archives - Page 390 of 427

The Callaway Sisters: Side By Side (Online)

24May

By Chris HughesNo Comments

REVIEWS

The Callaway Sisters: Side By Side (Online)

Following successful previous collaborations, multi-talented sisters, Ann Hampton Callaway and Liz Callaway join forces again for their delightful live-streamed concert-‘Side By Side’. In addition to starring on stage in the likes of ‘Evita’ and ‘Cats’, Liz has provided the singing vocals for animated characters such as Jasmine in ‘Aladdin’ and the titular role in ‘Anastasia’. Ann, who has extensive credits as a composer, appeared in the Broadway musical, ‘Swing’ and the film, ‘The Good Shepherd’. Both are prolific recording and cabaret artists. The Tony-nominated pair have performed around the world together to great acclaim in their shows: ‘Sibling Revelry’, ‘Boom’ and ‘Broadway The Calla-way!’ The joy felt by both at their reunion after a 14-month pandemic imposed separation has b...

24May

By Amanda HodgsonNo Comments

North West

C-O-N-T-A-C-T – Salford Quays

A young woman, Sarah (Chloe Gentles), goes about her day in silence, troubled by erratic thoughts and a pain in her sternum that won’t go away. When she sits on a park bench, lost in thought, a stranger (Cellan Scott) tries to strike up a conversation which she initially spurns. But all is not as it appears, and soon she is propelled on an emotional journey that will change her life forever. The idea behind this production from C-O-N-T-A-C-T theatre is intriguing. Set entirely outside, the audience follows the actors around an outdoor environment, watching their movements whilst listening to voice-over and music provided by a digital app on their smart phones. This is both a refreshing change from more traditional theatre experiences and a timely approach in the context of the pandemic ...

The Show Must Go On – St Luke’s Bombed Out Church

24May

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

The Show Must Go On – St Luke’s Bombed Out Church

Mark Chatterton and Sarah Nixon, writers of the infamous Rock-n-Roll panto at the Liverpool Everyman, staged every year, have adapted to the COVID pandemic by writing this new theatre show. The production is a specially scaled down version of a full musical the husband-and-wife team were working on with composer and musician Ben Beer when the pandemic struck. Because theatres are not currently allowed to open, it is being staged outdoors at St Luke’s Bombed Out Church, in the heart of Liverpool. Luckily for the audience, it had been a surprisingly warm, sunny day, after a few previous days of torrential rain and gusty winds. But, at the start of the performance the sky was still blue and the late evening sun was edging its way into the makeshift amphitheatre, through t...

23May

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

Theatreland – Theatre Royal St Helens

Curtis Productions bring Theatreland to the Theatre Royal in St Helens. After numerous tries and a desperate change of plans through no fault of their own at the 11th hour, the Theatre Royal stepped up and brought their theatre opening date forward to help produce this spectacular piece. And what a show it was. If this is how live theatre is going to burst back in to our lives then I'm so excited to see what's to come. Direction from Adam and Charlie Curtis and Musical Direction from Adam Curtis, what this company have managed to bring in such a short time in a new venue is something to be extremely proud of. From the minute the lights went down and the first couple of notes started, the magic was there. The show burst to life and it continued to impress and wow us right through to t...

22May

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

REVIEWS

Child’s Play by Mark Davoren

I have had the pleasure of watching several of Mark Davoren’s monologues. He wrote North West End UK’s series ‘Home Schooling’, which was very popular, and his short play ‘Child’s Play’ is part of the LightNight 2021 Festival. Davoren seems to be particularly good at writing short pieces, and herein lies the challenge, to create an interesting storyline in such a short space of time. Filmed on location by Daniel Lewis Wilson at Lowlands, home of West Derby Community Association, the scenic back drop adds a vibrancy of colour from the beautiful magnolias set off by the background of the white walls. The location was well chosen as within the play, the story moves locations, and the four different backdrops create a feeling of a four-scene play. The narrat...

22May

By Julia PanovaNo Comments

REVIEWS

Cyber Labyrinth Online Experience

Journey through a wide spectrum of graphic, futuristic visionaries all on your own terms including but not limited to video art, music video, performance art and animation. Immerse all thoughts into your machine with the radiant colours and hypnotic music sure to seep its way into one’s sense of reality. This techno-heavy playground is one waiting for travellers. Game starts in three, two, one, zero... Your expedition of gadgetry fortune begins surrounded by purple as far as the eye can see. Once the audience gets to grips with the surroundings using the easy to navigate ‘point and click’ system, a roundup of the experimental works to be shown can be accessed. This gives you a sense of what you are to experience shortly, right before you get to the entrance point of the labyrinth. On...

22May

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

Harm – Bush Theatre

Harm is a one-woman show, written by Phoebe Eclair-Powell and produced by the Bush Theatre, which explores the fickle nature of human relationships in the backdrop of social media obsession and the ends to which one would go to attain the #blessed life. Commissioned with the support of the UK Government’s Culture Recovery Fund, the show is a thrilling and sharp-witted commentary on the effects of social media and isolation. It was staged live at the Holloway Theatre which serves as the Bush's main space with all social distancing protocols being followed — reduced seating, separate entry points, mask on policy unless exempt – which was reassuring. At the centre of Harm is an unhappy estate agent, played by Kelly Gough, who finds herself stuck in a dead-end job with little to look forwar...

22May

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

ABBA MANIA – Shaftesbury Theatre

“You can dance, you can jive, having the time of your life…!” There really are no better lyrics to sum up Shaftesbury Theatre’s grand re-opening after what has been a challenging and lengthy journey out of lockdown. The night kicked off with an emotional welcome from the theatre's CEO, thanking the audience for returning to the West End, and showing honest appreciation to his team for sticking with him during the pandemic. You could sense from everyone a real gratitude that we were back, and the words “thank you for coming” repeated throughout the evening holding a true sincerity and purpose. It was impossible not to start the evening feeling emotional and it provided the perfect foundation for what proved to be a lively and exhilarating experience for all. However, that sai...

Play Up from Lantern Writers – St Lukes Bombed Out Church

22May

By Bob TowersNo Comments

North West

Play Up from Lantern Writers – St Lukes Bombed Out Church

It was a subdued Light Night Festival in Liverpool this year due to several days of constant downpour and the slow and cumbersome emergence from lockdown restrictions. Lantern Writers (a Liverpool-based playwright collective) staged eight short plays early evening at a small outdoor area in front of a small but hardy audience accommodated under a tiny cover and out-numbered by near-by drinkers. Child's Play. Written and directed by Mark Davoren With Natasha Hale, Chris Hird and Jen Morrow This piece relates some of the writer’s own memories as a boy growing up with two older sisters who conspire to exclude him from their games. The girl's mantra is 'I don't like boys' and he is the fall guy for their tricks with only occasional mediation shouted from an off-stage father. Clearl...

21May

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Herding Cats – Soho Theatre

As I was not able to make the live performance, this review was conducted virtually. Even though I was not in attendance at Soho Theatre, it was thrilling to hear the buzz of the audience as they found their seats, with a feeling that live theatre is once again possible. To enhance this experience, Soho Theatre have used new technology to deliver the first of its kind, a transatlantic theatre experience with two actors performing live on Soho Theatre’s stage, while a US based actor performs live in a studio in LA. To prepare us for this modern age experience, the staging has a backdrop of a large screen which will be used to beam actor Greg Germann (Saddo), virtually onto the stage. The play begins with Justine (Sophie Melville) unpacking her shopping, onto...