REVIEWS Archives - Page 493 of 548

24Aug

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Heathers the Musical – Empire Theatre

How very anticipated. You could feel the excitement and anticipation in the air upon arrival at the theatre. Whilst it was a week later than planned, you could tell for the majority of the audience, it was their first return to the theatre since they were shut last year and boy where they excited to see this cult classic on stage. You couldn’t tell that the cast had been off unexpectedly the week before, the energy and joy of them being back on stage was met with the reactions from the audience. It was difficult to tell who was more excited to be there, the cast or the audience. The show, based on the film of the same name, is a dark comedy about how a ‘nobody’ Veronica Sawyer becomes friends with the popular girls at school, who are coincidentally all named Heather (Chandler, Duke a...

24Aug

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

The Woman in Black – Palace Theatre

Theatre is back! The Palace Theatre in Manchester swung open their doors for the first time since March 2020 to welcome theatregoers to The Woman in Black. A bit of a dark show for the first one back! Prior to this evening I had never seen The Woman in Black. I didn’t know what to expect, other than the promotional material that made me think it would be a thriller. I was actually pleasantly surprised to discover it was quite humorous in places. Fun fact - The Woman in Black is the second longest running show on London’s West End after The Mousetrap. It is said to be the most terrifying live theatre experience in the world - but I’ll leave that open to interpretation. This is a stage production based on the novel written by Susan Hill. In the beginning we are in a rehearsal studio...

24Aug

By Max EdenNo Comments

North West

Groan Ups – The Lowry

Mischief Theatre Has had what could be described as its own residency at the Lowry theatre in the past few weeks; with productions; ‘The Play that Goes Wrong’ and ‘Magic Goes wrong’ all delighting audiences returning to live theatre. Their third production to frequent the Salford Quays theatre this Summer is Groan Ups and it’s a departure from their usual escapades and calamity-laden gags - this is play, with no sets falling down, no props inadvertently missing, it’s something very different. Groan Ups follows the lives of five children as they grow into adults, highlighting three different chapters of their lives on stage. The production opens with the characters being 6-year-olds in the second year of primary school then developing into teenagers and lastly as 30-year-olds at a sch...

The Day the Devil Came to Tea – Edinburgh Fringe

24Aug

By Nicky LambertNo Comments

Scotland

The Day the Devil Came to Tea – Edinburgh Fringe

Presented by Mermaids, ‘The Day the Devil Came to Tea’ (written by Charles Vivian) is a clever play with just enough darkness to be chilling but well balanced with an occasional light touch of humour. Three flatmates are in the aftermath of bereavement as the fourth flatmate, Phil, died two months ago. His death has triggered changes in each person’s life. One day, the Devil arrives, ingratiates himself into their flat and demands an Earl Grey with five sugars. He announces that by the time he has finished his drink, one of the three will be coming with him....and if they can’t decide which one, he will make the decision. (Rather an extreme version of the parachute debate!) Sarah (Molly Luckhurst), Tanya (Isabella Zeff) and Caroline (Catriona Ferguson) are initially adamant that n...

Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies – Edinburgh Fringe

24Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

Scotland

Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies – Edinburgh Fringe

Bette Davis Ain’t for Sissies, written and performed by Jessica Sherr, and directed by Karen Carpenter relates the turbulent career of Bette Davis against the background of her relationship with her parents, her four marriages and numerous affairs, and bitter feuds with other actresses in Hollywood. The set is busy, filled with pictures, memorabilia, dresses and a half drunk bottle of whisky. From the moment Sherr bursts onto the stage she embodies Davis and her vibrant personality through a series of flashbacks and flashforwards which loop around to relate her entire life in miniature. It is the night of Vivian Leigh’s Oscar win for Gone with the Wind, and Bette Davis has left the ceremony in a temper. Using the excuse of needing to be up early to begin filming for Juarez in order t...

Friend (The One With Gunther) – Edinburgh Fringe

23Aug

By Melissa JonesNo Comments

Scotland

Friend (The One With Gunther) – Edinburgh Fringe

70 minutes to recap Friends? Starting with Rachel’s wedding day catastrophe and then ending with the one where they all leave? Everyone’s favourite coffee shop manager, Gunther (Brendan Murphy) gives it his best shot. There’s absolutely no stone unturned, from Janice to Joey (yes, *that* spin off). Murphy is a tour de force, leaping back and forth over the famous sofa, changing from Richard Burke to Janice quicker than you can say ‘we were on a break’, and spitting quote after quote with hilarious impressions at lightning speed. The stamina and versatility on show from Murphy is remarkable. Supported by impressive lights and sound cues, it’s only the setting of the venue that leaves it feeling slightly amateurish. Is it a homage, a critique, a satire, a celebration? We’re not sur...

A Night at the Opera – St Mary’s Church Eastham

23Aug

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

A Night at the Opera – St Mary’s Church Eastham

Just over three years ago a friend asked a favour of me to review a young company performing an English libretto version of Così fan tutte in the backroom of a pub in Liverpool: it proved to be one of the best things I ever did as it introduced me to Flat Pack Music. Having had the pleasure of watching many of their productions since, and with the challenges and travails of a pandemic almost out of the way, it was a delight to see their return with A Night at the Opera at St Mary’s Church in Eastham, where it all began for them four years ago. Four professional soloists – Soprano Sarah Helsby Hughes, Soprano Heather Buckmaster, Tenor Joseph Buckmaster and Baritone Peter Lidbetter – were joined by Accompanist Jonathan Ellis to serve up some of operas most famous works as they performe...

23Aug

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

Scotland

The Nobodies – Edinburgh Fringe

Amy Guyler’s cleverly constructed political drama is set against the backdrop of cuts in the NHS and the ominous shadow of privatisation. Three young friends - Aaron (David Angland), Curtis (Joseph Reed) and Rhea (Lucy Simpson) are brought together by their shared passion to save their local NHS hospital and heal the fractured community that they are a part of. A piece of vital information is disclosed to the three friends and this in turn sparks a buzz of palpable revolution in the air - events start to dramatically overtake all three characters and their shared story. Directed with finesse by Sam Edmunds and Vikesh Godhwani, this is a powerful piece of theatre that says a lot about society and how people can make themselves heard and understood. It is also a play about change, whether...

Alex – Or, What Happened on the Train to London – Edinburgh Fringe

23Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

Scotland

Alex – Or, What Happened on the Train to London – Edinburgh Fringe

Alex – Or, What Happened on the Train to London - Edinburgh Fringe Alex – Or, What Happened on the Train to London, is a new musical about an encounter a group of strangers have on a train to London. Dave is a student on his way to university in London, Alex is a fed-up student whose future career in childcare has become uninspiring, Marc has recently been jilted by his fiancée, Kate is a nervous young mother, and Emma is making her first major journey. Together with Rob, the train conductor, and an abandoned briefcase, these strangers battle with their own uncertainty in a fun musical set entirely in a single train carriage. The set consists of six chairs with the small band of musicians set off to the side. When the musical opens the abandoned briefcase sits ominously on one of the...

Madame Modjeska’s Fairytale – Edinburgh Fringe

23Aug

By Donna M DayNo Comments

Scotland

Madame Modjeska’s Fairytale – Edinburgh Fringe

Madame’s Modjeska’s Fairytale, co-produced by Counter Balance Theater and Helena Modjeska Foundation, is a beautiful piece of art, combining beautiful illustration, hypnotic narration, and original physical theatre and expressive dance. Adapted and directed by Annie Loui, and based on the original text and illustrations from Titi, Nunu, Klemobolo or the Adventures of Two Lilac Boys and a Six-legged dog, by Madame Helena Modjeska, this is a pretty and unique adaption. The piece opens with an embroidered book cover creaking open, and hand drawn illustrations dated 1896. A dedication to a grandchild is the opening to the magical and strange world of the fairytale, narrated in the dulcet tones of Ellen Dubin. Beautiful art and stunning footage are bordered by the page edges of the book t...