West Midlands Archives - Page 6 of 16

An Officer and a Gentlemen – Alexandra Birmingham

28Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

An Officer and a Gentlemen – Alexandra Birmingham

Like “Dirty Dancing” before it, yet another of the screen to stage transmutations which seem to proliferate currently, “An Officer and a Gentlemen” has a single, vibrant choreographic image around which all else might be considered mere dressing. He lifts her up (presumably where she belongs) and carries her from the factory surrounded by applauding workers and colleagues. So ingrained is that image in my mind I can recall it without any research 42 years after its release! Such is the power of screen, but what of stage? In the highest grossing movies of 1982 only ET and Tootsie* elbowed “An Officer and a Gentleman” into third place just above Rocky III - which, I’m sure, would make an excellent ballet - proving itself a huge success for Richard Gere, Debra Winger and the very shouty Lo...

25Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Spot’s Birthday Party – Theatre Severn

It’s hard to believe Eric Hill’s joyous creation has been bouncing joyfully through children’s literature for over forty years. I’m not sure what that is in doggy years, but Spot’s appearance in Shrewsbury this afternoon showed no sign of old age or flagging. “Where’s Spot?” quietly appeared on our book shop shelves in 1980 and slowly went talkies all over the country and onto bedroom bookshelves all over the world. Spot, the worldwide phenomenon, has barked in over sixty languages and has appeared on television, video, DVD, CD and now, in what appears its natural habitat, on stage. Surrounded by a giggling, gurgling, pointing, chatting audience with an average age of about 6, this critic took his seat wondering what wonders would unfold in the doggy world of which he knew so little. We...

2:22 A Ghost Story – Wolverhampton Grand

22Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

2:22 A Ghost Story – Wolverhampton Grand

We should have known Danny Robin’s career would have led him up the cemetery path towards the dark side of the racks when one of his first forays into entertainment was the kids tv show, Young Dracula. The signs were all there. We should have sought the help of a vampire slayer when we had the chance, but no. Danny grew into an adult with a penchant for the paranormal, a weakness for the weird, a taste for the terrifying and an urge for the uncanny. As a young stand-up he may have died many times, but in the afterlife, he seems to have reincarnated himself as a presenter of the hauntingly addictive and truly unsettling TV and radio reality series, “Uncanny”. Those of us who hid behind a cushion as each ghostly tale throttled our imagination will approach this play with trepidation, angst a...

Edward Scissorhands – Birmingham Hippodrome

7Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Edward Scissorhands – Birmingham Hippodrome

Matthew Bourne’s buoyant, yet tender, tale of acceptance and difference arrives at the Birmingham Hippodrome to a rousing audience welcome adding to the growing list of shows about inclusivity and understanding, “Everyone Talking About Jamie”, “Billy Elliot” etc which British audiences seem to adore and welcome with open arms. For those who don’t know, the ballet first emerged as a film by Tim Burton, a director known for championing odd, quirky and ultimately endearing tales of equally odd, quirky and ultimately endearing characters with Edward Scissorhands being, perhaps, one of the oddest. The 1990 gothic fantasy romance (as Wikipedia terms it covering as many bases as possible in an attempt to describe it) provided a great vehicle for Johnny Depp drawing on the director’s feelings of i...

31Jan

By Annette NuttallNo Comments

West Midlands

The Full Monty – The Alexandra

Most people know one thing about The Full Monty, it’s about a group of men who decide to be male strippers. There is however a whole lot more to this brilliant show than that. The themes in this play are as relevant now as they were when the story was first written. As the redundant steel workers struggle to make ends meet and deal with unemployment in their own ways, we are shown a realistic portrayal of the struggles faced by anyone in that position. Each character has his issues, Gaz the laddish, confident rogue played with gusto and heart by Danny Hatchard, who would do anything for his son. Dave (Neil Hurst) dealing with weight problems and rock bottom self-esteem and Gerald (Bill Ward) trying desperately to hide his unemployment from his wife and the world. These and the other men...

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Wolverhampton Grand

24Jan

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Everybody’s Talking About Jamie – Wolverhampton Grand

Everybody’s Talking About Finton! Rarely do you get the chance to witness an understudy triumph in a role, but tonight at the Grand was once such moment. Finton Flynn slipped into the title role with big heels to fill which he did with aplomb. A joyous, buoyant comic performance tempered with a well judged dash of poignancy made this performance in equal parts outstanding and endearing. He exploded with assured confidence and squeezed every drop out of line and every lyric. Certainly, a performer to look out for. Elsewhere Rebecca McGinnis more than held her own as Jamie’s long-suffering mother nailing a beautiful ballad in act two. She forms a great comic partnership with Shobna Gulati whose comic heritage is well-known. And Talia Palamathanan is a total delight as Priti and nails o...

10Dec

By Priya GuptaNo Comments

West Midlands

Peter Pan the Musical – The Old Rep

Go on and join The Old Rep Theatre for something magical this Christmas as Peter Pan The Musical flies into Birmingham. Based on the infamous novel by J.M. Barrie, with book, music, and lyrics by Piers Chater Robinson. This production is produced by the BOA group. Alec Fellows-Bennett returns to head up the creative team as Director, with CiCi Howells as Choreographer, Stephen Watkins as Musical Director, Daniel O’Neill as Set Designer and Leanne Fitchett as Costume Designer. Alongside them is Will Monks as Lighting and Projection Designer and Clive Meldrum as Sound Designer. The story follows a free-spirited, mischievous young boy who can fly and never grows up, Peter Pan spends his never-ending childhood having endless adventures in Neverland as the leader of the Lost Boys, interac...

The Bodyguard – The Alexandra, Birmingham

5Dec

By Annette NuttallNo Comments

West Midlands

The Bodyguard – The Alexandra, Birmingham

Based on the 1992 film of the same name, this award-winning production comes to Birmingham for a four-week run. Rachel Marron is a singing sensation, but is she also in danger from a stalker? Frank Farmer is called in to find out and protect her if she will let him. Will her entourage around her appreciate his interference, as she fights for an Oscar to add to her extensive trophy cabinet? Part concert, part thriller, part romance, this show grabs your attention from the very first moment and holds it. With effects, lighting and sound that wouldn’t look out of place in an arena, you are projected headlong into the action. While the story may be a little thin in places, the vocal performances more than make up for that. With songs showcasing the work of Whitney Houston, it would be...

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 clea...

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 Mend...