REVIEWS Archives - Page 78 of 549

7Jun

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Lear – Traverse Theatre

Shakespeare’s infamous tragedy is significantly thinned down and reinterpreted into a one hour wordless anti-war allegory by Ramesh Meyyappan, but retains a raw power and delicate beauty and some rather unexpected humour that make it a thoroughly watchable and thought provoking addition to the Lear genre. This Lear has a worldly feel and international backing, a production by Glasgow based Raw Material in association with National Theatre for Scotland and Singapore National Festival of Arts, it looks made to tour extensively. In the hands of writer and performer Meyyappan and acclaimed director Orla O’Loughlin, we see and feel the effects of war on a father returning from the battlefield and his three daughters. The returning king of the household is welcomed with initial relief and ...

7Jun

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

Wales

Tick, tick… Boom! – Theatr Clwyd

Everything is new at Theatr Clwyd, with a sparkling £50m refurbishment nearing completion and Kate Wasserburg installed as the Artistic Director, on a gorgeous Friday evening in June all feels very positive for the future of the creative industries in this beautiful part of North Wales. As the final touches were completed, the press night audience arrived to the sight of unfinished landscaping and the smell of fresh paint throughout the building, whilst in the auditorium Tick, tick… Boom! provided a joyous paean to the necessity of creativity in life and a cracking start to the new era at Theatr Clwyd. Wasserburg chose wisely with the first show of her tenure, Tick, tick… Boom! is a relatively easy show to mount, with a cast of three and minimal set and props required for its staging. I...

7Jun

By NewsdeskNo Comments

North West

Scratch Night – Arts Bar, Liverpool

Following on from the success of their inaugural event in April, the Arts Bar on Hope Street returned with their second Scratch Night and an opportunity for emerging and less established artists or companies to test their work before a welcoming audience, with much of the work performed for the first time. An eclectic evening commenced with Cuts, Scratches, & China Plates written by Adam Hancox and directed by Connor Mullan. Featuring Hancox, Jack Coley, Ethan Shortt, and Jonny murphy, it is about a group of men united through football until the unimaginable happens. An interesting exploration on why some men resort to violence as a first means and how their friends should hold them accountable for their actions. In a slight change to the scheduled order, Charlie’s Release, w...

Inside Giovanni’s Room – Liverpool Playhouse

6Jun

By Anna Ní DhúillNo Comments

North West

Inside Giovanni’s Room – Liverpool Playhouse

Inside Giovanni’s Room by Phoenix Dance Theatre at Liverpool’s Playhouse was close to a five-star night out at the theatre. For the majority of the audience, the tale of Giovanni’s Room – James Baldwin’s 50s literary classic – was familiar. They knew the story of David (played here by Phikolwethu Luke), a young American torn between the world’s expectation of him and his own desires. The audience members who might have been unfamiliar with the book were enlightened with less of the facts and more of the feelings: which, in my opinion, made for an emotional and gripping story of sexuality and shame. Where certain details are lost – David’s relationship with his aunt and father – others are found: Giovanni’s inner world is lit up in a nightmarish dance at the start of the second act, wher...

6Jun

By Abigail PendleburyNo Comments

North West

Grease The Musical – Blackpool Grand

Grease is back in Blackpool, and it's bringing all the nostalgic charm and infectious energy that fans adore. This co-production between Pitlochry Festival Theatre and Blackpool Grand Theatre delivers a fresh take on the classic, blending dynamic performances with a live on-stage band to create an immersive experience. From the very first announcement the audience were transported back to the 1950s world of Rydell High. The cast's enthusiasm is obvious from their smiles and energy as they take the stage, with standout performances that breathe new life into beloved characters. Blythe Jandoo shines as Sandy, showcasing the character’s innocence throughout the show, delivering a beautiful and heartfelt rendition of "Hopelessly Devoted to You," while Alexander Service's portrayal of Danny ...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bridge Theatre

6Jun

By Zandra OdetundeNo Comments

London

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Bridge Theatre

If A Midsummer Night’s Dream should leave you feeling as though you’ve wandered through a strange, enchanted world, unsure what was real and what was play, then this immersive production succeeds beautifully. Bold, funny, sometimes outrageous, but always intelligent, it brings Shakespeare’s classic comedy to life with an energy that is both thoroughly modern and deeply respectful of the text’s spirit. Bunny Christie’s design is a triumph, a playful yet atmospheric space in which the audience moves freely as the world of the play shifts around them. The staging, with its moving platforms and layered set-pieces, constantly reshapes your perspective. I was fortunate to experience it from within the pits, which brought an exhilarating intimacy to the action. That said, if you...

6Jun

By Jan MellorNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Shakespeare North Playhouse

Dark, scary and foreboding. The three words that summarise the Shakespearean masterpiece. The tale of greed, malice and murder shown in the magnificent theatre at Prescott - it’s very foundations from the times that the original plays were performed. The set was thick with an eerie mist as the audience entered the round theatre, and as the play started, we were put into pitch blackness with only the sound of eerie sighs and moans from ghouls, surrounding us as the play began. It was immediately atmospheric and as the first scene opened – a bare stage with only a tin bath at it’s centre - we were immediately transfixed. A woman is carried to the bath, her gown covered in blood and in this bath, she miscarries her baby. Screams from the woman fill the theatre. This is not for the fain...

6Jun

By Aditi DalalNo Comments

London

So What’s the Plan – The Other Palace

So What’s the Plan is a three-hander performed mostly through song, following three friends in their twenties, trying to build a life in London. It touches on their friendship, the struggle to pay rent, juggling jobs, navigating flat shares and chasing their dreams - all delivered with humour, warmth, and honesty. Written by Harry Gascoigne, and starring himself alongside Lucy Brindle and Sophie Precious Muringu, the show is a fun, engaging watch. It’s especially relatable for anyone in their 20s trying to make it in a big, overwhelming city—and particularly for those hustling in creative industries. The show is told primarily through song, with engaging musical numbers that capture the emotional landscape of early adulthood and artistic ambition. While the songs don’t break new arti...

Nan Shepherd: Naked and Unashamed – Pitlochry Festival Theatre

6Jun

By Jessie MartinNo Comments

Scotland

Nan Shepherd: Naked and Unashamed – Pitlochry Festival Theatre

Featuring in Pitlochry Festival Theatre’s Summer lineup, Nan Shepherd: Naked and Unashamed has been produced by Firebrand Theatre Company and Pitlochry Festival Theatre for a second time following the success of the play’s first run in 2024. The biographical play explores the life of famous female Scottish writer Nan Shepherd, the first woman to be printed on a Royal Bank of Scotland banknote. This play paints a ghostly portrait of Nan’s mental deterioration throughout time, while simultaneously highlighting the headstrong, vibrant and vigorous way in which she carried herself through life. Although we see glimpses of nan’s childhood, as well as her time in a nursing home, the brunt of the story is told when an American reporter comes to interview her about her close friend...

Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical – Opera House, Manchester

5Jun

By Kathryn GortonNo Comments

North West

Come Fall in Love: The DDLJ Musical – Opera House, Manchester

Opening to a packed press night audience , this iconic Bollywood love story movie from 1995 is translated to the musical stage with a sparkling , brand new score of 18 songs from Nell Benjamin (Mean Girls) capturing the authentic bhangra beats and style and rhythms of the culture and breathing new life and reimagining this Bollywood blockbuster, musically. The music was a highlight and although new musicals never usually leave me with an ear worm , Act One’s Twice as Good’ and Act Two’s ‘ Desi Kudi’ definitely hit the sweet spot. Aditya Chopra has adapted the famous movie Dilwale Dulhania Le Jayenge and it is spectacular costumes with energy, playfulness, humour and a vibrant and talented cast who ooze charm and charisma. The story is of British born, second generation Indian, Simr...