REVIEWS Archives - Page 7 of 545

14Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

La Bohème – The Lowry

Phyllida Lord’s classic production, designed by Anthony Ward, is one of the longest running at Opera North having been in their repertoire since 1993. James Hurley’s current revival is big on the comedy but sadly fails to hit the high notes that this staple of the operatic calendar deserves. With the action transposed to late 1950’s Paris, we meet four struggling bohemians living in a garret: a poet, Rodolfo (Anthony Ciaramitaro); a painter, Marcello (Yurly Yurchuk); a philosopher, Colline (Han Kim); and a musician, Schaunard (Seán Boylan), who arrives having had some good fortune and they agree to celebrate by dining at Café Momus. They are interrupted by their landlord, Benoît (Jeremy Peaker), but cleverly trick him into revealing he has been playing around which allows them to throw ...

Voices of Manchester – The Studio, Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

14Nov

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Voices of Manchester – The Studio, Altrincham Garrick Playhouse

Thankfully avoiding the stereotype of the modern Mancunian, with their bucket hat, Adidas tracksuit and simian stroll, writer Duncan Battman has succeeded in producing a new piece of writing that celebrates the values of Manchester without ever resorting to cliché, displaying its innate humanity through six stories of the people who have made their lives here. Rather than being presented with the rather austere format of six separate monologues, Writer/Director Battman chooses to fragment and overlap the stories onstage, the first three being set on a tram heading into the city centre with the trio after the interval moving the action into a city centre pub. So, boarding at Altrincham Interchange heading into ‘town’ are Jennifer (Louise Kershaw), Duncan (John Jones) and Lillian (Victori...

Limp Wrist and the Iron Fist – Brixton House Theatre

14Nov

By Zandra OdetundeNo Comments

London

Limp Wrist and the Iron Fist – Brixton House Theatre

Limp Wrist and the Iron Fist at Brixton House Theatre was nothing short of electric, a play that’s not just important but gloriously entertaining. It’s funny, heartwarming, and unflinchingly true to the lives it represents. Each character feels like a facet of what it might mean to be Black and queer today: tender, defiant, exhausted, and alive all at once. The performances are uniformly strong, but the standout is Omari, played with fierce vulnerability by Tyler Orphé-Baker. His intensity grounds the play, every glance, every silence, feels heavy with truth. There are moments that made me laugh out loud and others that seemed to have the whole room in tears. Yes, there are references to sexual assault and other sensitive topics, so go in knowing that, but they’re handled with honest...

14Nov

By Olivia CoxNo Comments

London

Old Fat F**k Up – Riverside Studios

“What are we going to do about all the men?” It’s a broad question that lacks any tangible answer, and “millennial, middle-aged theatremaker” Olly Hawes isn’t concerned with providing an answer. Instead, his new solo play Old Fat F**k Up occupies space within and around the question, tackling the meaty subjects of masculinity, fatherhood, and inherent violence. As Hawes clarifies at the top of the show, staged in an intimately small traverse that brings us right into the world he’s creating, this is not a stand-up comedy show. Nor is it an autobiographical tale – but he’d happily sell it to Netflix in exchange for a glossy 6-part limited series. Old Fat F**k Up is rather a blend of storytelling and comedy that runs for a well-oiled 70 minutes, and acts as an incredibly sturdy vehicle...

Slava’s Snow Show – Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

13Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Slava’s Snow Show – Alexandra Theatre Birmingham

An old man goes to see a psychiatrist in Switzerland complaining of deep depression. The psychiatrist tells him to go see Grock, the greatest and funniest clown in all of Switzerland. No one could see Grock and not come away delighted, entertained and inspired, he says. Grock takes all the worries off us for a few hours every night, he says. The old man looks up with sad eyes and softly says, “But I am Grock!” Clowns have hopped, bounced, bo-inged, flipped and prat-fell around the edges of show biz for centuries. Every era has its clown. Shakespeare had Will Kempe, during the regency period we had Joseph Grimaldi and today we have Slava Polunin who, though now 75, brings us an astounding piece of theatrical wonder which has been delighting audiences since 2009. Slava says “…One day I re...

It’s a Wonderful Life – Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio

13Nov

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

It’s a Wonderful Life – Liverpool’s Royal Court Studio

Considered to be one of the greatest films of all time, Frank Capra’s wholesome tale of community, love and redemption has become a staple of the Christmas movie selection. Adapted by Mary Elliot Nelson, tonight is a reimaging of the tale of George Bailey who, contemplating ending his life following the collapse of the business and town that he has given up his own dreams to keep afloat, is given a glimpse of what life would be like if he had never been part of it. Old Fruit Jar Productions, have revived their previous, highly praised staging, playing once again to a packed house. Whilst the original play was written for four multi-role actors, the team, under the steady direction of Alex King, has expanded the production to a company of 12. Utilising a simple set where signage and smal...

Fawlty Towers The Play – Liverpool Empire

13Nov

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Fawlty Towers The Play – Liverpool Empire

John Cleese’s Fawlty Towers the Play is sure to be a great night out for anyone wanting to have a good laugh. I was delighted to see John Cleese’s name on the programme, wondering whether he had any part in the plays production. His is the first name you see on the programme, down as adapted for the stage by. What a difficult task that must have been, trying to keep fans of the show happy with the expected gags, but also making sure it works on stage. Which it sure did. Danny Bayne playing the iconic Basil got the audience laughing as soon as he entered the stage and had his mannerisms and look down to a t. Matched brilliantly by Mia Austen as Sybil. Their energy bouncing lines off each other really set up the play as a whole. It was like you could almost imagine the consequences of Bas...

13Nov

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Band – Sheffield Lyceum

The Cast ‘Shine’ with a heart of pure gold! A STOS production worthy of its 125 years anniversary! With title changes including ‘The Official Take That Musical - Greatest Days’ and a TV talent show, a UK tour and finally the result of these changes, what you see today – as STOS Theatre Company bring - The Band A new musical by Tim Firth with the music of Take That - to the Sheffield Lyceum in their 125th anniversary year. And what a fitting celebration of a show it is to mark this milestone! I was fully invested and smiled from the very first scene to the final crowd pleasing medley. It was warm, it was nostalgic and it was thought provoking what more can you ask for from a night at the theatre! But let’s consider why all the changes before this production? It would seem people were expect...

Lewd and Lascivious Acts – Hope Street Theatre

10Nov

By Ben PearsonNo Comments

North West

Lewd and Lascivious Acts – Hope Street Theatre

Danny Partington’s Lewd and Lascivious Acts is a heart wrenching love story wrapped in an unflinching examination of the brutality experienced by members of the LGBTQ+ community at the hands of the Nazi regime. It’s 1931 and Freddie (James Sprague) and Paul (Evan Watkinson) have just met in Berlin’s famous Eldorado club. The chemistry between the actors is palpable, with Sprague’s earnest and vulnerable sincerity contrasting beautifully with Watkinson’s more flamboyant and captivating presence. An inescapable air of dread follows Freddie and Paul as they begin their enduring romance. While they hold one another and dream of better times, the audience is ever more aware of the horrors lurking on the horizon. Partington’s script plays on this awareness to great effect, frequently honing i...

10Nov

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

Playing Burton – The King’s Arms

Many times, actors get labelled as icons, legends and titans of their craft. Richard Burton was someone who would be extolled as such yet tempered by opinions that his was a wasted talent, squandered in the depths of a bottle of gin and never truly realised on account of his untimely death at the age of 58. Resurrecting the man via Mark Jenkin’s rich and lyrical script is a tall order for anyone, especially where they are required to hold their audience through a long monologue. And Burton was renowned for his love of the spoken word whether in the prose of Shakespeare, the poetry of Dylan Thomas or within the scripts of the Hollywood epics he was adored for, so delivery is critical. Off the bat, Sean Cernow neither looks, nor sounds, like Burton so it is best to put a pin in ...