REVIEWS Archives - Page 54 of 407

7Jun

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Last Pearl – Traverse Theatre

This is the last stop on the ’24 tour for The Last Pearl, via Sligo, Dublin and Glasgow. It is a unique show which almost defies review in the theatrical sense, with no words at all but still plenty to relish. The Blue Raincoat Theatre Co.’s voyage started in 2016, hailing from Sligo, Ireland, clearly with an eye to the horizon, devising, amongst others, new works on explorers Shackleton and Darwin. This is a dreamy production which feels at times more like a yoga session for the senses than a theatrical experience. Some exquisite visual memories await the viewer, enhanced by appropriate sound affects; the quiet sea, the sandpiper, the whisper of wind or, in the turn of a moment, the howling gale and the lashing waves. Here, in the opening scene a long strip of fine silk cloth is tra...

7Jun

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Dumb Waiter – Hope Street Theatre

Moxie on Fire are certainly that with their production of Harold Pinter’s classic one-act play, considered to be one of his best, and certainly one open to much interpretation depending on who you talk to, with director Kaitlin Howard successfully navigating the potential pitfalls whilst still leaving us with plenty to reflect on at its conclusion. Gus (Gareth Llewelyn) and Ben (Richard Cottier) are hit men who are holed-up in a dingy basement kitchen, waiting to be sent out on their next job. Even from before the start of the play it is clear that Ben is the more senior of the two as they lie on their respective beds – Ben reading the newspaper, Gus seemingly asleep. The unravelling scene captures the uneasy frustration between them as they wait for instruction on their next victim ...

6Jun

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The 39 Steps – The Alexandra

“What are the 39 Steps?” is the key line on which the entire narrative pivots in Hitchcock’s 1935 adaptation (featuring the engaging Robert Donat) of John Buchan’s 1915 tale of daring-do, high-jinks and military secrets. Mr Memory, of whom the question is asked, happily reveals his answer before meeting a very unhappy end. (Ooops, plot spoiler. Though I think that only happens in that version.) It’s a story riddled with twists, turns and near misses making it ideal fodder for cinema where it’s evolved into no less than four incarnations plus innumerable TV versions and uncountable radio dramatisations. Clearly a hot title which has kept us intrigued for 90 years. I first saw Patrick Barlow’s version (which evasively credits Simon Corble & Nobby Dimon as “From an original concept by” - ...

5Jun

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Kite Runner – Sheffield Lyceum

Based on the bestselling novel by Khaled Hosseini and adapted for the stage by Matthew Spangler, The Kite Runner is an epic tale of childhood friends Amir and Hassan, set in the backdrop of Afghanistan in the 1970’s. Their tumultuous story is seemingly mirrored by the horrific realities of a country on the cusp of war. The Kite Runner does not shy away from mature themes of the atrocities of brutality, rape, war and political upheaval and handles them with an exemplary display of compassionate sensitivity. Directed by Giles Croft with Design by Barney George and Composition and Musical Direction by Jonathon Girling this production is all encompassing and draws the audience into a time of affronting through Amir’s own story. If you have read the 2003 book, then I would say this production; ...

Northern Ballet: Beauty & The Beast – Leeds Grand Theatre

5Jun

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Northern Ballet: Beauty & The Beast – Leeds Grand Theatre

There have been countless versions of Beauty & The Beast over the years in film and the theatre, but David Nixon’s version for Northern Ballet is a million miles away from the saccharine Disney version delving deep into the darker elements of this love story that has its origins in Ancient Greece. Northern Ballet’s former artistic director looks to Cocteau’s classic 1946 movie for his inspiration, which offers the dancers a much more challenging understanding of how if we fail to look beyond exteriors we will miss things like love, compassion and the inner demons that make us all human. Although this is a far more subtle reading of this fable it retains all the key elements as a vain prince who is cursed by his narcissism to become a beast until he can find true love when someone...

5Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Come From Away – Hull New Theatre

A complimentary badge was handed to me, along with a press pack, as I entered the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening, to watch the musical Come From Away. The badge depicted the Earth surrounded by the words “Wherever We Are”, words relating to one of the 14 songs in this uplifting musical. The story centres around the Newfoundland town of Gander whose inhabitants found themselves playing hosts to almost 7,000 passengers, as American and Canadian planes were grounded on September 11, 2001 after two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York. Although the tragedy was the catalyst for Gander’s upheaval, this lively musical doesn’t dwell on the bad stuff. The all-singing, all-dancing cast, accompanied by talented musicians, portray townsfolk who refuse to be downhearted by thei...

A View From The Bridge – Theatre Royal Haymarket

5Jun

By Eleanor HallNo Comments

London

A View From The Bridge – Theatre Royal Haymarket

Arthur Miller’s encapsulating tragedy of the 1950s stands the test of time. This production remains faithful to Miller’s story centred on an American-Italian family, which brews themes of blood, honour, love and instinct, to ultimately boil beneath the skin of the law and authorities. Eddie, our protagonist, beholds a tangled idea of himself as his niece Kathryn’s father-lover. Throughout the course of the action, he pursues what he believes to be just for his niece. It is in this warped sense of justice that Eddie’s anger and self-martyrisation become wrapped up in his ideals of nationalism, patriarchy, and a fostered fatherhood. The set was comprised of contemporary facades of buildings, perhaps emphasising the protective walls between the immigrant family members and authority, and e...

Di, Viv and Rose – Altrincham Garrick Studio

5Jun

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Di, Viv and Rose – Altrincham Garrick Studio

Opening tonight at Altrincham’s Garrick Studio, the final play of their all-female season, Amelia Bullmore’s Di Viv and Rose explores the theme of female friendship; those relationships found in the formative years of a woman’s life when she meets those women who become her sisters in life, the family that she choses and with whom she grows and develops. Di, Viv and Rose meet in their first term at university, thrown together in a hall of residence and then bonding into housemates as they experience their first taste of independence, follow dreams, have crushes, share secrets and desires and study for their degrees. It follows them through many highs and lows and into womanhood, motherhood, careers and explores their loves and their losses. Eleanor Herdson (Di), Georgina Brame ...

5Jun

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Storm Lantern – Traverse Theatre

They say partnerships are never equal, and such was the case here tonight in this generally well-executed three-hander from Edinburgh youth theatre outfit, Strange Town. This short play follows the true story of Sophia Scholl, the anti-nazi political activist, whose life was terminated prematurely, by guillotine, at the age of just 21, in 1943. Scholl was arrested with her brother Hans after scattering war protest leaflets from the top floor of the atrium of Munich University. Writer Duncan Kidd focuses primarily on the friendship between Sophia and Gisela Schertling, her good friend of several years, who is also romantically involved with her brother Hans. The third character in the piece is Nazi Interrogator, Robert Mohr. Let’s talk about the best bits first. Rebecca Forsyth is ...

5Jun

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

2:22 A Ghost Story – The Lowry

I recently had the pleasure of watching "2:22 - A Ghost Story," and I can confidently say it was an enthralling experience that kept me on the edge of my seat. The premise revolves around a woman determined to uncover the truth behind the strange occurrences in her home. To prove to her sceptical husband, Sam, that she’s not imagining things, she convinces a couple who came over for a dinner party to stay up until 2:22am to witness the phenomena for themselves. The show’s pacing is impeccable, making the entire performance feel swift and engaging. One of the standout features is the use of digital clocks, which progressively heighten the tension as they tick closer to the pivotal moment. This clever device not only builds suspense but also drives the narrative forward, constantly remind...