REVIEWS Archives - Page 440 of 549

8Apr

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

& Juliet – Shaftesbury Theatre

“What if Juliet didn’t kill herself?” is the premise of & Juliet, a fun, feminist retelling of Shakespeare’s famous love story. David West Read’s book reimagines what would happen when Shakespeare is persuaded by his wife Anne Hathaway to re-write the ending, bringing Juliet back to life for a whirlwind journey of self-discovery. With music and lyrics by Max Martin, Luke Sheppard’s production takes everything we know about Romeo and Juliet and gives it a glittery, pop-fuelled makeover that on paper sounds crazy but in reality, is quite the opposite. With Max Martin and his collaborator's extensive catalogue of songs, from Katy Perry to Ariana Grande, each number is carefully thought out, adding a new dimension as the plot moves along, which other jukebox musicals often struggle with...

7Apr

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

Project Dictator – New Diorama

Project Dictator takes control at the New Diorama exploring totalitarianism through clowning and protest. It looks fairly simple but it’s far from, throwing curveballs at any second. Watch as two enthusiastic performers and their DJ explore the rise of political leaders through art but soon take it to a step too far where there is only one exit. Award winning company Rhum + Clay take us through a piece that is entrancing, allowing us to revolt against the piece itself but perhaps then question whether that was the right thing to do, or the right person to follow. Both performers begin very excited about what they’re about to share, the writer clutches tightly to their play like it’s their first born. The other who is playing ‘everything else’ questions the energy of the play, that maybe...

7Apr

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Dreamgirls – Edinburgh Playhouse

Effie White (Nicole Raquel Dennis), Lorrell Robinson (Paige Peddie) and Deena Jones (Natalie Kassanga) are the talented young 60s R&B group The Dreamettes. This musical charts their journey to stardom over a ten year period (subtly done through music genre and changes in costumes and wigs, by Suzanne Runciman, Danielle Bryson, Poppy Camden, Natalie Onoufriou, Lee-Ellen Wilson, Maria McLarnon, Olta Citozi, Aimee Harrison and Kirstie Lavin). It's not all singing and dancing though, with their journey including compromise, broken friendships (as seen in their name change from the Dreamettes, to The Dreams, and later Deena Jones and The Dreams) and the inherent issues of trying to make it as a black person in a white-dominated industry, aided and hindered by Dom Hartley-Harris as Curtis Ta...

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – Wolverhampton Grand

7Apr

By Clare ChandlerNo Comments

West Midlands

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – Wolverhampton Grand

The iconic Disney film Bedknobs and Broomsticks has been adapted into a ‘magical musical’ with additional songs from Neil Bartram, and a new book by Brian Hill. Adapting a beloved film for the stage can be risky, but Candice Edmunds and Jamie Harrison navigate the challenges with some flair and ingenuity. Harrison’s clever design references the original film’s animations, which also influence Gabriella Slade’s costume designs and Sam Cox’s hair and wig work. The opening sequence cleverly situates the piece in London during the Blitz as the Rawlins’ children’s world explodes. Following a bomb blast their bedroom shatters, its fractured parts framing the stage providing a constant reminder of the reality of war. There is some clever theatrical magic as we see the Rawlins’ children evacuat...

7Apr

By Donna M DayNo Comments

London

Telethon – Shoreditch Town Hall

Telethon, written and directed by Stu Barter and Clare Dunn, is a surreal dark comedy exploring the division in today’s society and how this is exacerbated by social media, as well as performative action and how people use this to make themselves feel better about situations in which they are otherwise helpless or unwilling to take action drastic enough to make a real difference. The show is presented as a live TV charity variety show, presented by veteran TV presenter, Jennifer (Katie Lovell), breakout children’s TV presenter, Erica (Clare Dunn) and successful YouTube vlogger, Chris (Archie Backhouse). All three are super enthusiastic about raising enough money to plant one million trees in the UK to fight climate change, but as Jennifer’s scandalous history starts to impact their effo...

7Apr

By Caroline WorswickNo Comments

London

Pass The Hat – Stone Nest

How many of you have researched your family tree only to come to a dead end because the trail goes cold? Do we secretly hope that we will comes across an ancestor with a colourful family history or a skeleton in the family cupboard? Oliver Bennett’s interest was peeked when he was seven or eight years old when his grandad would not disclose details about his great grandfather. Many years later as his grandad’s memory began to fade and Bennet’s hopes of finding further information disappeared with it, he decided to read a book that had been given to him years earlier which was the autobiography ‘Farewell Leicester Square’ written by his great grandad. It was the pandemic when Bennett had time on his hands as most actors did, and the book sparked an idea, to find out ...

Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Leeds Playhouse

7Apr

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Leeds Playhouse

When the movie version of this show featuring an outrageous and damaged genderqueer rock singer came out it defined the word cult, but it’s central theme of sexual identity was barely talked about nearly three decades ago. Now this joyous revival of the Broadway hit is very much of its time as society is embroiled in a superheated debate about trans rights, and whether we should put ourselves in boxes. Hedwig is a Berlin boy on the wrong side of the wall who is the victim of a botched sex change operation - hence the angry inch - but fights back to become a rock singer before being ripped off by another artist who goes onto mega success. In Jamie Fletcher’s intelligent reimaging a bitter Hedwig was marooned in a seedy Yorkshire club, whilst his rival played nearby Roundhay Park, w...

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Birmingham Hippodrome

7Apr

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Birmingham Hippodrome

If you have an idle moment, Google Mike Holloway. Like Doctor Who, you always remember your first Joseph. He was mine. Pre-Covid, pre-Millenium, pre-pretty much everything, Mike Holloway was the Joseph of the eighties. He was preceded by Jess Conrad who is now in his eighties. On and off I’ve been watching Joseph since 1985 and the show forever proves itself joyous, wholesome and nice. Very, very nice. Starting as a short oratorio for school kids way back in the late sixties, it evolved and grew into a neat and hugely popular stage production from Bill Kenwright (starring the aforementioned JC). Then Andrew Lloyd Webber took it back and mounted an extraordinary production at the London Palladium with Jason Donovan in the title role and now Donovan once more dons Egyptian garb and finds him...

7Apr

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

All Shook Up – Hyde Festival Theatre

“I gotta follow that dream” Elvis once crooned. Two years later than planned, Hyde Musical Society have finally realised their dream to bring All Shook Up, featuring the hits of Elvis, to the stage. The musical is a frothy 50s comedy, loosely based on Shakespeare’s Twelfth Night. ‘Bad boy’ Chad (who, thanks to the family-friendly stylings of the show, is about as dangerous as a glass of milk), swings into a small Midwestern town whose residents cower under the thumb of their very own Mary Whitehouse-type, Mayor Matilda – anything she considers immoral is banned. With less a nod, more a vigorous headbang towards the plot of Footloose, Chad’s hip-thrusting dance moves and rock and roll songs soon upset the applecart as the townsfolk are encouraged to let loose. Local ‘grease monkey’ me...

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast – Palace Theatre

7Apr

By Hazel BumbyNo Comments

North West

Disney’s Beauty and the Beast – Palace Theatre

Not entirely sure where to start with this at all. Oh, my word, from the welcome outside the theatre, red carpet treatment (technically for all the soap stars there, but we walked it anyway) a red rose per special guest/press and a small but scrummy rose fondant cupcake, to the buzz and excitement that seemed to be in every corner… As per usual The Palace Theatre is always on top note on press night and tonight was no exception. Well done to the Palace Theatre and your super staff. The show was incredible from start to finish and what a start it was with an incredibly famous voice kicking off the show off in style. The set was just wonderful with pieces moving seamlessly from one side to another either suspended in air or on the round. Sound and lighting were on point to,...