West Midlands Archives - Page 3 of 11

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...

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Stafford Gatehouse

4Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

West Midlands

A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Stafford Gatehouse

A magical Midsummer’s Night in Stafford It is the small details that can make a theatre trip memorable. As I took my seat at Stafford Gatehouse Theatre on Sunday 2nd July before seeing the summer Shakespeare production of 2023 (A Midsummer Night’s Dream), I could hear the sound of bird song emanating through the auditorium. Coupled with a view of the Greek taverna set on full display, I was transported to another place before any of the actors appeared. Usually this classic play opens with the Athenians conversing; however director Sean Turner opted to have Puck (a male fairy) start the proceedings, which I thought worked well because Puck’s role is to act as a commentator on the other character’s foibles. It is not just the actors who are commented on here thou...

30Jun

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Happy Days – Birmingham Rep

Only on leaving the theatre are you struck by what a phenomenal feat of memory you’ve just witnessed. That alone justified Siobhan McSweeney’s standing ovation from a grateful, and perhaps slightly bemused audience, last night at the Birmingham Rep. Grateful because it is a stunning achievement. Dame Peggy Ashcroft, who had a fair crack at the part herself, describes the leading role, Winnie, as “one of those parts, I believe, that actresses will want to play in the way that actors aim at Hamlet - a summit part.” And bemused, because unlike Van Gogh whose work was misunderstand in his lifetime, but in time came to be embraced, Beckett’s work continues to be defiantly cryptic, mercurial and inaccessible in any conventional sense. We are met with mounds of sands. Location and time unspec...

Demon Dentist – The Alexandra Birmingham

30Jun

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Demon Dentist – The Alexandra Birmingham

Neal Foster sustains his formidable reputation as the doyen of commercial children’s theatre with a production of David Walliams’ “Demon Dentist" which fizzes and pops with buoyant joy and good humour. Tearing children from their screens is a huge ask these days, but within seconds of the play starting hundreds of children surrounding me were entranced by the sheer energy, vitality and strength of the show. There’s a naughty tooth thief about the unspecified Northern town, stealing various teeth from under the very pillows of unsuspecting children and replacing them with gross and surprising objects. Who is it? What are they doing and why? Alfie and Gabz set out to find out. A company of commanding performances prove the play’s true strength. Sam Valley as Alfie captures the angst o...

Wish You Were Dead – The Alexandra, Birmingham

22Jun

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Wish You Were Dead – The Alexandra, Birmingham

I’ve never heard of Peter James, but to be fair he’s probably never heard of me. So, when his voice echoed around the auditorium of the Alexandra Theatre in Birmingham last night we all felt we’d been given special treatment. Though rumour has it Dolly Parton used to do it on “9 to 5”. It added an element of personal involvement and validation as James wouldn’t personally be joining us that night. Now there were those in the audience last night who may have regarded what followed as preposterous hokum, cut and pasted from the Crime Writer’s Handbook riddled with a litany of hackneyed cliches smothered with lashings of clunky exposition. But no, I disagree. At first we’re confronted by a selection of our favourite mystery tropes - a crashing storm, no wi-fi, electricity gone out and the...

15Jun

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

I, Daniel Blake – Birmingham Rep

There’s a palpable, visceral fury coursing through the core of “I, Daniel Blake” which makes for compelling drama and infuriating truth. For those of us who first came across the story in its cinematic incarnation it’s good to see it has lost none of its bite, bile and bitterness. And, though the theatre version loses some of the reportage and cinéma vérité authenticity in its imagery, it more than makes up for it in heart and soul driven home by some startling and sincere performances. It’s the story of a good, honest man. Not a hero, not special. Just straight and centred ensnared in the obscene and labyrinthine benefits system inflicted on this country by Tory administrations. The tweets and voice grabs of living, breathing politicians expounding the virtues of their cruel system wh...

9 to 5 The Musical – The Alexandra, Birmingham

15Jun

By Robert BartleyNo Comments

West Midlands

9 to 5 The Musical – The Alexandra, Birmingham

Dolly Parton’s instantly recognisable hit “9 To 5” became the signature anthem behind the film of the same name, which kicked off the 1980s with a huge dose of female empowerment. The film’s legendary cast (Jane Fonda, Lily Tomlin, and Parton herself) made the film an instant classic still beloved today, and as is often the way these days, went on to inspire a stage musical. Though it was short-lived on Broadway, running just a few months in 2009, it has found a larger audience here in the UK, with a year-long West End run (curtailed by Covid) and two successful national tours. The uplifting and empowering musical is the latest choice for the long-running BMOS group based in Birmingham. Incredibly this is their 166th production in a history spanning nearly 140 year...

Sadlers Wells Breakin’ Convention 2023 – Birmingham Hippodrome

15Jun

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Sadlers Wells Breakin’ Convention 2023 – Birmingham Hippodrome

A smorgasbord of hip-hoppery whooped and hooted and hollered and exploded on the stage of the Birmingham Hippodrome last night as “Breakin’ Convention 2023” delivered a gobsmacking, head spinning array of some of the finest hip-hop dancers from “around the corner and around the world” and the audience lapped it up. This was a whole new world to me. Our host, Jonzi D (MC, spoken word artist, dancer and director) entreated us to “give it up” and “big it up” and “make some noise” which we were only too eager to do. The cast included Gloucestershire’s victorious street dance company, CoadyCrew, Company Apidea and Gfunk Collective. Apart from the first the programme tells us nothing of these people or where they are from, but wherever it is they must be very proud. But my guess is they are ...