REVIEWS Archives - Page 6 of 545

18Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Susanna – The Lowry

Director Olivia Fuchs and Choreographer Marcus Jarrell Willis combine perfectly with this fourth major collaboration between Opera North and Phoenix Dance Theatre delivering an all-too prescient take on Handel’s celebrated Biblical operetta whose themes of chastity, integrity, and corruption are explored in terms of power, gender, and judgement. Susanna (Anna Dennis) and Joacim (James Hall) celebrate their love for one another while her father, Chelsias (Matthew Brook), shares in their happiness, before Joacim is called away on business leaving Susanna with a sense of foreboding. Two elder statesmen (Colin Judson; Karl Huml) confess their lust for Susanna to each other, and when she seeks respite from the heat of the day by taking a bath in her garden, they first spy on her then, whe...

16Nov

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Through the Mud – Traverse Theatre

Spanning past and present, Apphia Campbell’s Through the Mud explores racism in America during the Black Panther movement as well as Black Lives Matter. Filled with a gospel and blues soundtrack, sung live by the performers, this is a show with a strong message but some struggle of identity. With only two actors, we follow the stories of Assata Shakur (Apphia Campbell) during the civil rights movement and Jim Crow laws while flipping back and forth to Ambrosia Rollins (Tinashe Warikandwa) a college student wrapped up in the Black Lives Matter protests in 2014. Both actors also play smaller, secondary roles in their counterparts' stories. Initially, these changes between past and present can feel confusing, trying to keep up with what time period we are in. Accent changes are quite subtl...

The Gardening Club – New Wimbledon Theatre

16Nov

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

The Gardening Club – New Wimbledon Theatre

It is the 1960s in Georgia, USA. In Savannah, five young women – a journalist, a nurse, a housewife, and two teenaged sisters – form a gardening club. Only, they have no intentions of discussing petunias or pesticides. This in fact will be a cover for drug dealing as they try to get their hands on (and distribute) birth control pills. At the time, these were legally available only to married women: “no pill without a ring”. The Gardening Club is a pop-rock musical written and produced by Carleigh McRitchie and Bella Wright, directed by Tara Noonan. Set in a time when women had precious little by way of body autonomy, this club is a revolutionary idea born out of the need to have some control over their lives. What sounded exciting on paper did not, unfortunately, transfer well on to ...

16Nov

By Dylan MooneyNo Comments

Scotland

Òran – Traverse Theatre

From the fantastic minds of Wonder Fools comes Òran, a contemporary retelling of the famous greek myth of Orpheus. Fresh from its 2024 Edinburgh Fringe Festival run, this piece, written by Owen Sutcliffe and directed by Jack Nurse, has embarked on a new tour. Òran (Robbie Gordon) has a difficult relationship with his parents, particularly heightened by the loss of his older brother. Alone, he strikes up a strong friendship with Liam. However, as two young boys living in the modern age of social media, this friendship soon goes awry as indecent images are shared by the young boys in an immature attempt at revenge. Like the Greek myth, Òran heads into the underworld to make amends with Liam, who serves as a Eurydice-esque character. Robbie Gordon performs the poetic, spoken word-in...

16Nov

By Ralph JeffreysNo Comments

London

L’Indiscipline – Theatro Technis

L’Indiscipline is a mad show full of creativity and promise and an exemplar of what fringe theatre is all about. The play focuses on the Salpetriere hospital and its celebrity doctor Jean-Martin Charcot. We begin in a lecture, ourselves as the audience, as Charcot and his assistant Gilles demonstrate their various patients, turning their mental disorders into a psuedo-scientific circus show. Their star patient however, a ‘hysteric’ called Louise Gliezes, has disappeared. Gradually, clues are fed to us that this disappearance might not be temporary: a blood stain, a stolen car, a missing gun. From here the control of the two doctors unravels as they try and work out what is going on, all while trying to control their patients and maintain a calm image for us, their lecture audience. A...

16Nov

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

COVEN – Kiln Theatre

Inspired by England’s notorious witch trials of the 17th century, Rebecca Brewer’s Coven tells the story of Jenet Device in 1616 Pendle, Lancashire, who at nine years old accuses her family of witchcraft. Over two decades later, she finds herself imprisoned for the same crime amongst wrongfully accused women, forcing her to confront her painful past, her beliefs, as well as her identity. Directed by Miranda Cromwell, Coven could be likened to SIX and Sylvia in some ways, powerful women historically shunned by society, reclaiming their narratives and rewriting their stories in a deeply rooted patriarchal world. Jasmine Swan’s set is dark and intimidating, grey stone covers the stage with formidable jail bars centre stage, a constant reminder that these condemned women are trapped, whi...

15Nov

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

After Sunday – Bush Theatre

After Sunday is an intimate and thought-provoking production set within a secure hospital where the characters join a Caribbean cooking group. Through this unique setting, the play allows us to explore how individuals cope with the emotional and psychological challenges of being in such an environment, especially when their stay has no defined end. The production sensitively portrays the complex emotions of those trying to find meaning and comfort through cooking, an activity that not only passes the time but also becomes a form of therapy. It’s a way to manage trauma, foster control, and help both patients and therapists connect in a more relaxed, human way. The cast delivers exceptional performances throughout, but Corey Weekes as Ty truly stands out. His portrayal is powerful and ...

A Scouse Christmas Carol – Liverpool’s Royal Court

15Nov

By Anna SmithNo Comments

North West

A Scouse Christmas Carol – Liverpool’s Royal Court

A Scouse Christmas Carol – Liverpool’s Royal Court It may not be what Dickens had in mind when he wrote A Christmas Carol but A Scouse Christmas Carol directed by Mark Chatterton hits the mark providing laughter and mischief in the Royal Courts festive offering. Kevin Fearon has taken the traditional story by Charles Dickens shaken it up and given us a mix of ghosts, live music, humour and a murder mystery all delivered with heart, wit, warmth and festive fun. We laughed from the very first minute. Victorian London is brought to life with a beautiful cleverly designed set which makes full use of the revolving stage and the lighting sets the night time scenes. The live band are fantastic and a huge part of the show. Jacob Marley is dead but who has killed him? His widow, ...

14Nov

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Miss Saigon – Palace Theatre

The 2025 tour of Miss Saigon has descended upon Manchester’s Palace Theatre, a moment I approached with a mixture of excitement and nerves. This musical is, without question, my unrivalled favourite of all time. Having seen it over 50 times, I know the script, staging, and emotional landscape inside out. So, would this new version soar like a phoenix… or fall short? Miss Saigon follows Kim, a young Vietnamese girl forced to work in a Saigon bar after losing her family. There she meets Chris, an American soldier, and over one night their lives become bound by a powerful, unexpected love. When Saigon falls, Chris is airlifted out in the chaos, unaware that Kim has survived and is now raising their son, Tam. Determined to protect her child at any cost, Kim endures years of hardship while C...

14Nov

By David S ClarkeNo Comments

North West

The Graduate – The Forum Theatre

I’m pleased to see Richard Parker getting another opportunity to direct a production at the Forum Theatre, Romiley, having made his directorial debut with NK earlier this year with what was probably my favourite show that I have seen this year, namely “Teechers” by John Godber. It was always going to be a difficult task to bring to the stage an adaptation of such an iconic and well known film with amazing stars (Dustin Hoffman, Anne Bancroft and Katherine Ross) but I must say that the director and cast have done a great job with the interpretation of the characters. The Graduate premiered on stage in London 25 years ago and is the story of young Benjamin Braddock and his seduction by the infamous Mrs Robinson and his falling in love with her daughter Elaine, which leads to all sorts of ...