West Midlands Archives - North West End UK

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – Birmingham Rep

20Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe – Birmingham Rep

This latest reincarnation of The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe explodes with delight, wonder and some truly breathtaking magic which holds its cross-generational audience enrapt for its entire course. From the first moment of a single pianist playing songs from the war through to the final thrilling anthemic chorus (via a plethora of engaging compositions variously described as “crisp beats” or “thrumming cello” by the ever attentive surtitles) Beni Bower and Barnaby Race’s music provides the aural glue holding together this magnificent edifice of a show. A packed theatre was held spellbound throughout.Various previous iterations for stage, television and film of CS Lewis’s iconic children’s book have struggled which it’s Church of England subtext but here we see a more secular and cle...

Jesus Christ Superstar – Wolverhampton Grand

15Nov

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Jesus Christ Superstar – Wolverhampton Grand

Now on its umpteenth resurrection in fifty or so years, “Jesus Christ Superstar” comes to the Grand in Wolverhampton in this very sombre and earnest production from Regents’ Park. The stark set inevitably dominated by a cross is cloaked in darkest from the outset and peopled with gray and black clad actors. We don’t see a fleck of colour till Act Two. The first ten minutes or so has a feeling of grudging obligation which slowly modulates into something more engaging. Of course, it’s splattered with well-known tunes throughout, and each is dutifully deployed under Michael Riley’s tight musical direction with Hannah Richardson as Mary giving us a beautiful rendition of “I Don’t Know How to Love him”, which, as musical aficionados love to point out, bears more than passing resemblance to Men...

Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Wolverhampton Grand

31Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Peter Pan Goes Wrong – Wolverhampton Grand

Exploding both literally and figuratively on the stage at the Grand last night, “Peter Pan Goes Wrong” follows in the confident footsteps of its predecessor Broadway-smash, “The Play That Goes Wrong”. Riddled with Mischief theatre’s trademark mania, chaos and panto-like pandemonium from the off and a litany of misfires, missed cues, mistakes and madness - the evening provides a string of cracking sight gags and slapstick. Whereas their predecessor opted for a murder mystery to parody here we have the well know family story which, much to the actor’s distress, the audience seem to think is a panto. The joy of Mischief theatre is the dedicated attention to detail, gags woven so adeptly into the script with many callbacks to previous set-ups making for a fantastically joyous evening with no ...

31Oct

By Annette NuttallNo Comments

West Midlands

Twelve Angry Men – The Alexandra

This gripping jury room drama arrives in Birmingham on a national tour. The production has spent time in the West End to great acclaim and brings the 1957 Academy Award Nominated film of the same name to the stage. Following a three-day murder trial, the jury are sent to consider their verdict. Locked in a room, these 12 men from different backgrounds have the difficult task of considering the evidence to convict or acquit the accused. In a State where the death penalty is the sentence for this crime, the decision weighs hard on one man’s mind. Keen to discuss the case and not jump to the ‘obvious’ answer he raises the question of reasonable doubt, the debate begins, and tensions rise. Every Juror (and the security guard) is wonderfully characterised and played with total conviction...

8Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Head Set – Midlands Arts Centre

“Head Set”, Victoria Melody’s autobiographical performance piece of self- examination, seems to inhabit the little chartered hinterland between stand-up comedy and one-person show and feels unsure which camp it truly belongs to. That, however, doesn’t necessarily detract from all the truly positives this show offers. It’s the first date on a 26 date tours so a few minor glitches are to be expected. The stage is scattered with various props and flotsam and jetsam which have little to do with the show and are soon tidied away within the first few moments as Melody introduces her idiosyncratic personality, her mother and her comedy teacher both of whom work as a kind of Greek chorus throughout. The crux of the show is Melody’s inability to perform stand-up comedy. This may be a thinly veiled...

The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Wolverhampton Grand

27Sep

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Ocean at the End of the Lane – Wolverhampton Grand

Without doubt British Author Neil Gaiman (Coraline, Good Omens and The Sandman) is one of the greatest storytellers in the world. His intriguing and beguiling tales are in turns science-fiction, fantasy, surrealism, horror, magic realism and have appeared as novels, comic books, audio theatre, films, television and now stage. Playwright Joel Harwood together with director Katy Rudd have adapted the award-winning book in an equally award-winning play which appeared at the Dorfman, the Royal National Theatre’s smallest theatre back in December 2019 to stunning acclaim and, though the touring version seems a somewhat pared down version of the original, it’s easy to see why it is so popular. Photo: Brinkhoff-Moegenburg It begins with a single man returning to his childhood home, standin...

10Sep

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Oklahomo – The Old Joint Stock Theatre

“Oklahomo” is an endearingly ramshackled, delightful kitsch and joyously indulgent piece of … what? Well, that’s the question. Is it a revue? Is it cabaret? Is it drag? Is it slapstick? Is it art? Let’s settle for post-modern Dadaist agit-prop performance piece with knock gags. I’m sure I’ll think of a better description later in the review. The Old Joint Stock Theatre, now under the confident management of James Edge, is a gem in the heart of the second city - small, compact, bijou. Climbing the stairs is like sneaking away to your own secret playroom away from the grown-ups and that, in essence, is what tonight felt like. Maybe a hundred people, joyfully crammed into a hot room with many a-fan fluttering would usually be my idea of hell, but this was a crowd clearly out to enjoy itse...

The Woman in Black – Wolverhampton Grand

7Sep

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

The Woman in Black – Wolverhampton Grand

Like the elegant yet phantasmagorical lady of the title, this play glides before us with confidence and aplomb unfurling a cornucopia of thrills, spills, shocks, jolts and moments of truly unsettling terror. This is not fairground spookery, this is not a tuppenny ghost ride. This is your genuine ghost story with every trope you would expect and lots more you wouldn’t. Since this ghostly apparition first shimmered into existence at the Stephen Joseph Theatre in 1987 you may be forgiven for thinking the years had not treated her well and the dust and spiderwebs may have gathered and everything had started to creak a little. But no. This version from PW Productions is as sharp, as fresh and as tight as if this were its premier. The adaptation of Susan Hill’s novel has overshadowed its sou...

30Aug

By Annette NuttallNo Comments

West Midlands

Noises Off – The Rep Birmingham

This entertaining theatrical farce comes to Birmingham as part of a nationwide tour. Although first presented over 40 years ago, Noises Off by Michael Fray, proves a timeless classic. It is crammed full of laughs and delightful character performances. We join a touring theatre company in their final rehearsal of “Nothing On”, it is clear all is not as polished as it could be and already the director is showing the strain. The second act is set a few weeks later when we see the same play. This time our view is from behind the scenes as the company take the stage in front of an audience. The third act is at the end of the tour, and it is clear the company have not fared well on the road. Pamela Raith Photography This whole play is well observed. The way time and actions effect a...

14Jul

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Candide – The Alexandra, Birmingham

Leonard Bernstein’s adaptation of Voltaire’s “Candide” has been through many revisions, reimagining and total overhauls since it first appeared back in 1956. Stephen Sondheim, Lillian Hellman, Dorothy Parker and British satirist, John Wells have all dabbled with the words and what emerges is less a committee-driven compromise, but a deft tapestry of differing styles and techniques blended together with Bernstein’s sublime compositions. From the first note of one of the most famous overtures in opera, the Welsh National Opera Orchestra- superbly conducted by Karen Kamensk - soars and whirls and twirls its way blissfully through this blistering score. It is a thrill to witness such a tight, controlled and vibrant orchestra playing at the top of its game. If that were not enough a company...