REVIEWS Archives - Page 51 of 342

26Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Romeo & Juliet – Royal Exchange Theatre

In over 40 years of watching and reviewing theatre, I've seen a lot of Shakespeare, some very good, some indifferent and some very bad. The best productions manage to make even the most well known phrases in the canon sound both newly minted and instantly understandable, whilst giving the story a fresh context and relevance to the particular audience it seeks to entertain. The new production of Romeo & Juliet at the Royal Exchange Theatre in Manchester does both of these and much more, ranking amongst the best I have seen in recent years at this lovely venue. Director Nicholai la Barrie firmly embeds his tale of the 'star crossed lovers' in the inner city streets of Manchester, his Verona does not feature the palazzo's and palaces of 16th century Italy instead it is the rain soaked...

Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett – Boulevard Theatre

25Oct

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett – Boulevard Theatre

There was quite a buzz at The Boulevard Theatre for Bernie Dieter’s Club Kabarett. For a rainy Tuesday night in Soho, it was giddy with anticipation and high-volume glamour. The relatively new venue is named after the strip club that used to squat the same space in Walker’s Court, which itself replaced a brothel. In the ‘80s, it was a satellite for the alternative comedy scene that grew as a response to the grim reality of seemingly endless years of Tory rule. Prior to commercial success and hit TV shows, The Comic Strip and Eddie Izzard’s Raging Bull Club evolved in the original building. This slick and impressive space opened in 2019, with much excitement about its 360-degree auditorium and high-tech versatility. In a flash, it can be reconfigured from a theatre space to a live music...

25Oct

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

Nae Expectations – Tron Theatre

As the title suggests, this is a version of Charles Dickens's Great Expectations, relocated North of the English border. Young Pip (Gavin Jon Wright) is now a young Scottish lad encountering Scottish versions of Magwitch (Gerry Mulgrew), Miss Havisham (Karen Dunbar) and, unexpectedly, judgemental cows, on a journey from the Scottish countryside to Glasgow. It's a journey of great, and sometimes nae, expectations as he meets and helps an escaped convict and a twisted lady & young girl in a decrepit house, three people who will have far-reaching, and often sinister, consequences in his ongoing journey for personal betterment. Director Andy Arnold, for whom this is the 40th and final directing turn at the Tron called this story "a wonderful mix of dry and caustic wit combined with...

By the Waters of Liverpool – Floral Pavilion

25Oct

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

By the Waters of Liverpool – Floral Pavilion

Pulse Stage Productions in association with Bill Elms bring the follow up to Twopence to cross the Mersey, By the Waters of Liverpool, to the Floral Pavilion for its final date of the UK tour. By the Waters of Liverpool continues to tell the story of Helen Forrester (Emma Mulligan) and her family in the 1930s as they have been forced to leave behind their nannies, servants and middle-class life as Helen’s father went bankrupt during the Great Depression. The story is told through narration by the actors themselves, talking to the audience to set the scene or tell you how their characters are feeling, which is where, at points, it became a little confusing as there is no separation from dialogue to narration, the actors just continued talking within the scene, feeling quite disjoi...

Trueman and the Arsonists – The Roundhouse Studio

25Oct

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

Trueman and the Arsonists – The Roundhouse Studio

The scene is set by Truman himself played by Adam Owers, sitting in his living room, smoking verbalising his angst and confusion at the constant fires burning outside his window. All across the city fires are burning, as The Arsonists infiltrate homes of the wealthy and establishments of decadent luxury. It’s a plague, “The Arsonists are burning down our homes”, and there is confusion, “why are they doing this”. Truman is smart and he can recognise an Arsonist from a distance, he is smug and reassures his wife Bobsy (Nadine Ivy Barr) there is nothing to fear. He is finds himself in a situation where he takes in a stranger, Joe Smith played by the funny, assertive (Tommy Oldroyd) who turns up at his home wanting a bed for the night, he is...

Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning – Liverpool Playhouse

25Oct

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Dracula: Mina’s Reckoning – Liverpool Playhouse

This play lends itself perfectly to the spooky season. Aberdeen Performing Arts and the National Theatre of Scotland have created a uniquely adapted tale from the late 19th Century. Dreamlike Scottish folk music swaddles you into the world of the play, where the audience held their breaths about what might happen. Scottish culture is not in the mainstream theatrical circuit, so it was educational as well as entertaining for the audience. The way that this production was adapted by Morna Pearson from Bram Stoker’s American story, with detail, humour and a real sense of world building, meant the audience really bought the world of Aberdeen’s hospital for women and the characters in it. Lighting (Aideen Malone) and sound (Fraser Mackie) were parts of the production that I really enjoye...

25Oct

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Beautiful Thing – Leeds Playhouse

Let me take you back to a time when the British government introduced legislation banning the promotion of homosexuality in schools trying to silence educators and the only gay role models on the TV were tired old parodies. It must seem scarcely believable to Gen Z, but for those of us who lived through those dark days it’s a delight that Beautiful Thing has been revived on its 30th anniversary as its core message that love is love was the perfect antidote to the rampant homophobia given credibility by Mrs T. Jonathan Harvey’s warm and funny play was part of an artistic response at the time to bigotry, including the much rawer My Beautiful Laundrette. Harvey went on to write hundreds of episodes of Corrie, so there is a touch of soap opera as sensitive teenager Jamie...

25Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Quiz – The Lowry

'Quiz' begins with a statement; 'the English love a pub quiz as it combines their two favourite pastimes, drinking and being right'. As someone who has always loved both of the aforementioned (and even appeared on 15-1 many moons ago), I was always going to be well disposed to a show detailing the rise and fall of 'The Coughing Major' and his attempt to cheat his way to the top prize on 'Who Wants to be a Millionaire' back in 2001. However, when the writing talents of James Graham are combined with the directorial flair of Daniel Evans, theatrical alchemy is at work and we have a story that makes the leap from the news to the stage in an original, successful and hugely enjoyable manner. Graham is the most prodigious writer working in television and theatre today, ever since his breakou...

Jesus Christ Superstar – Liverpool Empire

24Oct

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Jesus Christ Superstar – Liverpool Empire

High expectation was felt amongst the sell-out crowd and this performance lived-up to and exceeded its title as a classic of British musical theatre. Tom Scutt (set and costume) and Drew Mconie (choreography) brought something new and exciting to this particular production. The industrial feel of the set, the paring back to bare metal really added to it and allowed those performing to shine and the multipurpose props were a savvy touch. Also, the movement elements of this piece were really impressive. Rugged, grounded and grungey would be the terms I would use, which brought a new take to the show to highlight the turmoil and obsessive themes of the story. All cast members gave their all in the physical demands of the routines which paid off, and their energy was felt right to the back...

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

24Oct

By Alexandra SevernNo Comments

North West

Chitty Chitty Bang Bang – Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Only a few weeks ago, and coincidental to being asked to review this show, I had a nostalgic watch of the 1968 film on which this show is based. While some reviews will give a full synopsis, most of us know the plot from hours of watching the film as both children and adults - I’m sure many of us still have nightmares thanks to the Child Catcher (played maleficently by Mike Shaw in the Garrick’s version). We were whisked away on this surprisingly mild October evening to Ian Fleming’s magical world, where frequently we would forget that cars can’t fly - the titular car received a round of applause on its first entrance. With music by the Sherman Brothers, script by Jeremy Sams and first performed in 2002, the show has become a steadfast fixture on the amateur circuit and the Garrick’s c...