REVIEWS Archives - Page 508 of 548

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Garrick Theatre

8Jun

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Showstopper! The Improvised Musical – Garrick Theatre

As the theatres gradually re-open, audiences are like kids in a toy shop, wide-eyed, rushing around not sure what to see first. Well it's a no-brainer. Book tickets for Showstopper! It sounds absolutely crazy - a musical improvised on the fly with suggestions of setting, musical styles and show title provided by the audience - but it has been running to incredible and well-deserved success since 2008. After a long stint at the Edinburgh Festival Fringe, the show had two West End runs and a series on BBC Radio 4. And along the way they picked up an Olivier award. It's funny, clever, interactive and unique, each night becoming a completely different show full of references to styles the audience can recognise. A bit of Shakespeare here, a Hamilton-esque sequence there, an homage to ...

8Jun

By Donna M DayNo Comments

South East

The Great Gatsby – Brighton Fringe

The Wardrobe Ensemble’s The Great Gatsby, directed by Tom Brennan with assistance from Frazer Meakin, is a unique reimagining of Fitzgerald’s Great American Novel. A two woman show, performed by Tamsin Hurtado Clarke and Jesse Meadows, this brilliant reinterpretation blends the 1920s story with modern themes and references to create a special and entertaining piece of theatre which breathes new life into a familiar cast of characters. The piece opens with images of fireworks and scenes of partying from various eras. The hedonistic events shown feel so long ago in today’s world, and when we see Meadows, lying alone on the stage with clothes and wine bottles strewn around, the loneliness of our recent isolation is brought to the fore. As Meadows gets up and begins cleaning up the alcoh...

The Greatest Play In The History Of The World … – Hull Truck Theatre

8Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Greatest Play In The History Of The World … – Hull Truck Theatre

Hallelujah! Theatres are open again and I had a front row seat at Hull Truck Theatre. Best of all, because of social distancing, I was the only occupant on that row. However, the “front row” in question was my sofa; yes, I was watching online. Julie Hesmondhalgh, she of Coronation Street fame, was the only human on the stage - a stage she shared with numerous pairs of shoes held in cardboard boxes on two large metal frames. This very plain setting, though at times a bit too unlit for my liking, was welcome as it didn’t detract from Hesmondhalgh’s amazing performance, in this first of a trilogy of monologues at the theatre in the near future. Dressed casually, Hesmondhalgh (who happens to be writer Ian Kershaw’s wife) recounts, in a loud, clear and, for want of a better word, me...

Am I A Terrible Person? – Brighton Fringe

8Jun

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

South East

Am I A Terrible Person? – Brighton Fringe

Ant Lightfoot’s autobiographic short film is a poignant, deeply personal and emotive statement about his OCD and the issues that emerge from this condition. It’s a film that explores the many intrusive thoughts and actions that Lightfoot has to deal with in his life and the film is heightened by some startling visuals and unsettling sound bites. It is probably one of the most thoughtful and heartfelt essays on mental health that I have seen and although the film is quite brief, it really does pack a powerful punch. What we see is Lightfoot’s truth and his truth about his condition is wholeheartedly honest and very revealing throughout. The opening sequence when he is asking personal questions to and about himself is almost mesmeric in feel and rhythm and it sets the tone for t...

The Last Five Years – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

8Jun

By Alison BainesNo Comments

North West

The Last Five Years – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

The award winning The Last Five Years has got to be one of my favourite musicals. With a stunning musical score by Jason Robert Brown, the one act musical requires actors with a broad range both vocally and emotionally to portray the joy, hardship and heartbreak Cathy and Jamie endure throughout. With a tiny cast of just two actors, and directed by new Garrick Artistic Director Joseph Meighan, The Last Five Years is an intimate look at the relationship between two New Yorkers: a writer and an actress The musical follows their love story in a fresh, modern way, as its unconventional structure tells Cathy’s story in reverse and Jamie’s chronologically. You may have seen Hollywood star Anna Kendrick and Broadway sensation Jeremy Jordan in the film adaptation released in 2014, so Ella- M...

5Jun

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

South East

MNQUMA – Brighton Fringe

Xolisile Bongwana’s MNQUMA tells the story of a man on a quest to reconnect with his roots and reclaim the legacy of his ancestors whilst discovering his own identity. We see Bongwana express his thoughts and feelings on this journey through the traditional dance forms of Xhosa and Bhaca. With music compositions by Bongwana himself alongside Elvis Sibeko and No-Finish Dywili, the songs felt personal, Bongwana’s voice blending seamlessly with every note from start to finish. Bongwana delivers an emotional performance, his inner conflict is palpable in his dancing and singing as he struggles to battle with himself. He gives an especially stellar performance as he undergoes his transformation from boy to man, seemingly experiencing a lot of challenges on the way. The set has been...

The Death of A Black Man – Hampstead Theatre

5Jun

By Gaurav SinghNo Comments

London

The Death of A Black Man – Hampstead Theatre

In 1975, The Death of a Black Man by Aflred Fogan made its premiere at the Hampstead Theatre. 46 years later, the darkly compelling drama makes a return to its Main House as part of an effort to remember, and celebrate, a range of plays from every era of Hampstead’s history. Directed by Dawn Walton and starring Natalie Simpson, Toyin Omari-Kinch and Nickcolia King-N’da, this show captures the trials and tribulations of young working class Black British citizens as they set out to carve a future for themselves and the limits to which they’ll go in order to succeed. At the centre of the story is a flat in Chelsea, London where we meet Shakie, played by King-N’da, an 18-year old entrepreneur whose business of selling African art and handicraft items (which are actually sourced locally from...

Perspectives on Visibility: Outside Inside – Brighton Fringe

5Jun

By Donna M DayNo Comments

South East

Perspectives on Visibility: Outside Inside – Brighton Fringe

Perspectives on Visibility: Outside Inside, performed by Ebony Rose Dark, is a beautiful piece of physical theatre, exploring accessibility and what it means to see and be seen. Audio described by Dark and Benjamin Redgrove throughout, with captions and BSL interpretation by Radha Starr, this is an audio and visual treat. The show combines beautiful shots of the sea and beach in Cyprus with a bland, empty London flat, with peeling paint and dull grey floors. Dark enters in a striking purple gown carrying their white cane explaining how as a visually impaired performer, they are going to map the space, which is a technique used by some visually impaired performers. They beautifully show how they need to navigate obstacles, such as the pillars in the room, and how their actions are inf...

5Jun

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

Judy & Liza – Floral Pavillion

What an absolute joy and honour it was to be able to be at the first show at the Floral Pavilion, whose auditorium has been closed to patrons since March last year. The staff and regulations that have been put in place to allow people to feel safe, have definitely done just that. And what a show to reopen the theatre with! Judy & Liza is a bit like the concert a lot of people would have wanted to see, but never got the chance to. 45 years after they performed together at the London Palladium, this vaudeville-style concert of a show tells us a brief history of Frances ‘Baby’ Gumm and her daughter Liza May Minnelli. It’s been well thought out and put together so well, that at times you forgot you were watching actors playing the roles and not the legends themselves. Helen Sheals as Ju...

The Language of Kindness – Shoreditch Town Hall

4Jun

By Jessica BattisonNo Comments

London

The Language of Kindness – Shoreditch Town Hall

“I don’t remember the doctors, I don’t remember the medicine, all I remember is the nurse.” Arriving at Shoreditch Town Hall for the final leg of its three-stop tour, The Language of Kindness is a beautiful celebration of NHS nurses. Based on Christie Watson’s bestselling memoir of her 20 years a nurse, Wayward Productions present the touching true tale, embracing the seamless physicality of Complicité. Directed by Sasha Milavic Davies and James Yeatman, the dance-theatre piece is simply gorgeous. There is a true poignancy throughout as the love letter production explores themes of humour, tragedy, and grief. Showcasing the work of hospital nurses and staff, we witness the emotions nurses both feel and impose as they go about their day-to-day job. The Language of Kindness highlights ...