REVIEWS Archives - Page 78 of 408

1Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Animal Farm – Hull Truck Theatre

When Snowball the angry, militant “pig” crept menacingly towards me, across the stage of Hull Truck Theatre on Thursday night, I began to think my front-row seat wasn’t such a good thing after all. I was at this popular local theatre to watch a powerful re-telling of George Orwell’s classic, Animal Farm - a book I had never read, but, it being a classic, knew the storyline of. Thankfully, Snowball (Samater Ahmed) spared me, directing his anger at the farm’s owner and his master, Mr Jones. The way Jones ran Manor Farm was not to the animals’ liking nor for their benefit, so they overthrow him, take over and create a new set of rules in which “all animals are equal”. However, it soon becomes apparent that the cleverest farm animals are the pigs - Squealer (Killian Macardle), Napo...

1Apr

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Je Suis Charlie – 53Two, Manchester

It only takes a glimpse of 9/11-themed musical Come from Away or Carly Wijs’ Us/Them to appreciate that theatre and terrorism is an atypical yet resonating combination, when handled tactfully. Rough Boy Mcr attempts to do the same with Je Suis Charlie, but this verbose one-acter fails to lift any sort of new, thought-provoking interpretations from its source material. A Grindr hook-up takes an unforeseen turn shortly after the timid and youthful-looking Mike turns up to satirical cartoonist Charlie’s home; the two roles are dutifully played by Ben Bradfield and Ben Rigby respectively. Putting aside its several distracting plot holes, the serious conflict in Je Suis Charlie is interrupted by frequent, formulaic comedy that rarely sits right in the context- though Rigby’s gags and quip...

Brief Encounter – Church Hill Theatre Edinburgh

1Apr

By Melissa JonesNo Comments

Scotland

Brief Encounter – Church Hill Theatre Edinburgh

Brief Encounter started as a play called Still Life before Noel Coward translated it to the stage with his immortal screenplay. Emma Rice’s highly rated re-adaptation of Brief Encounter for the stage meets both mediums somewhere in the middle. The original screenplay is pastiched beyond belief- even if you’ve never seen it, you will have seen at least one comedy skit. Married suburban mother Laura Jesson is passing through the train station when a piece of grit gets in her eye. Saved from potential blindness by fellow train traveler, the married Dr Alec Harvey, passions are ignited. The trouble is, it’s the late 1930s, and their burning love for each other is ruinous, so here their love story pans out against a motley crew of other travelers, clientele and servers in the train station c...

28Mar

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

North West

The Kite Runner – Storyhouse Chester

Based on Khaled Hosseini’s bestselling novel, The Kite Runner visits the Storyhouse, Chester as part of its UK tour after receiving international acclaim in both the West End and on Broadway. The story follows one man’s journey spanning cultures and continents to confront his past and find redemption. Adapted by Matthew Spangler and Directed by Giles Croft, we are transported to Afghanistan, who are on the verge on war, on a wonderful afternoon in Kabul during a kite flying tournament. Full of excitement with the skies full of colour, no one can foresee what is about to happen and how it will tear friends and family apart for good. The story, told through the eyes of Amir, portrayed brilliantly by Stuart Vincent, who jumps in and out of the action, both narrating and playing the char...

Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Opera House, Manchester

28Mar

By Emma WildNo Comments

North West

Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Opera House, Manchester

Well, what a night! This show will live long in the memory for all the right reasons! The ‘Cornley Drama Society’ (Mischief Theatre) have visited Cornley Polytechnic (The Opera House Manchester) to put on their production of Peter Pan (which is most definitely NOT a pantomime!). Cornley Drama Society is full of endearing characters, including over-ambitious wannabes, all of whom are hilarious, under-rehearsed, prop, stunt and line-bumbling amateur thespians. The programme (which is an absolute hoot!) informs that Members of the Cornley Youth Theatre have the honour of joining the ‘real near-professional actors and directors’ of the adult section of the Society, (whether they want to or not!) for this disastrous production of J.M. Barrie’s classic story about a mischievous boy from Never...

My Beautiful Laundrette – Liverpool Playhouse

28Mar

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

My Beautiful Laundrette – Liverpool Playhouse

Ignorance isn’t a religion, yet. My Beautiful Laundrette is based on the film from Stephen Frears and Hanif Kureishi of the same name. It is set in London during the Thatcher years and tells the story of Omar, a teenage British-Pakistani boy, who wants to transform his Uncle’s run-down laundrette inro the go-to place for locals. He runs into an old school friend, Johnny and convinces him to help with the laundrette and we get to see their coming-of-age story blossom. The film and play focus on topics of fascism, racism amongst other subjects, with an underlying love story. This comedic story is heartwarming, divisive and joyous throughout, almost an emotional rollercoaster, but there are definitely characters you root for and ones that are meant to cause the divisions. Omar is played...

28Mar

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Minority Report – The Rep, Birmingham

Science fiction doesn’t work on stage. There I’ve said it. Someone had to. What was the last great science fiction stage play you saw? No, me neither. It’s a genre born of, and best suited to, cinema. From Metropolis to Dune sci-fi’s visual imagery has played equal part to its plots and philosophy. Sadly, no matter how dexterous and inventive the stage design, it’ll never quite capture a cinematic experience. Though, without doubt, one of the more outstanding elements of this production is Tal Rosner’s ethereal digital design perfectly evoking the virtual world of the near future. The play, based of Phil K.Dick's short story riddled with Cold War paranoia, is about pre crime. The capacity to identify a murderer before they commit a murder and arrest them. Whilst this is explained by the...

28Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Life of Pi – Hull New Theatre

I was almost lost for words - written and vocal - after watching Life of Pi at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday night. Not a good state for a reviewer to be in. Faced with the question “How do I describe perfection?”, back home, I made myself a coffee, opened a bag of chocolate buttons and got my brain into gear. Life of Pi tells the story of 17-year-old Indian boy, Pi Patel, who, after political disruptions in his homeland, seeks out a new life in Canada, with his family. However, the Tsimtsum, the cargo ship they embark upon, sinks in a terrible Pacific Ocean storm, leaving Pi stranded on a small lifeboat with a hyena, zebra, orangutan and a Bengal tiger - animals being transported from his family’s zoo. Pi (the amazing Divesh Subaskaran) loses his family - mother (Goldy Notay...

Wild About You – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

28Mar

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

Wild About You – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

The new musical, Wild About You, with music and lyrics by Chilina Kennedy and book by Eric Holmes, opens for an exclusive two-day run at the Theatre Royal Drury Lane. This staged concert gives a taste of the drama, talent and performances audiences can expect if Wild About You is taken to a full production. The story surrounds Olivia, an emotionally charged woman who has battled with her feelings and where she should be throughout her life. When she wakes up one day in the hospital, unable to remember her life or who her emergency contact is, she takes a trip down memory lane to discover who is most important to her and where they place in her life. The set is, as expected, limited due to the show being a temporary production and in essence, a staged concert. However, screens and lig...

Singin’ in The Rain – Grand Theatre, Blackpool

28Mar

By Katie LeicesterNo Comments

North West

Singin’ in The Rain – Grand Theatre, Blackpool

On World Theatre Day, Blackpool Operatic Players presented ‘Singin’ in The Rain’ at the beautiful Grand Theatre. Blackpool Operatic Players was established in 1953 to present day and have had an accolade of successes, the last production being Shrek in 2023. Neil Townsend the Artistic Director has created a visual and auditory delight in his latest production of ‘Singin’ in The Rain’ which is worthy of any main stage. Singin’ in The Rain is set in 1927, when silent films were all the rage, and at this time the main stars of the silent screen were Don Lockwood (Jack Price) and Lina Lamont (Stephanie Cartell). Unfortunately, their rivals Warner Bros were ahead of their time and had started to produce talking pictures and had a huge success with their production of ‘The Jazz Singer’. ...