Yorkshire & Humber Archives - North West End UK

17Jan

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Bull – Playhouse Sheffield

A disturbing yet utterly compelling play with microscopic intensity that doesn’t allow you to look away. A decade after Mike Bartlett’s Olivier - Awarding winning production Bull departed Sheffield for its transfer to the Young Vic in London, Mesh Theatre co. brings it charging back to its homeland. Mike Bartlett initially penned this play after watching a Bullfight in Mexico City ‘It elicited something disturbing in the audience and yet thrilling… I am asking why we enjoy cruelty’. This quotation sums up this razor-sharp one act play, intended to be witnessed from ringside seats, close to the action, the fear and the brutality. It is shocking and so very familiar - Bullying, we witness this behaviour from cradle to grave, in school, in the workplace, in every interaction with oth...

Pride & Prejudice (*Sort of) – Sheffield Lyceum

15Jan

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Pride & Prejudice (*Sort of) – Sheffield Lyceum

Without doubt, the best theatre I have seen in years! Jane Austen’s classic Romantic Comedy novel, Pride & Prejudice published in 1813, is given this reshaping with exquisite insight and the voice of today’s much freer woman by Isobel McArthur in this modern stage version. The result has all the idiosyncrasies of the original with its underlying disclosure of reputation and family, still allegorically coded within but now with a freedom that allows a modern audience to heartedly laugh at the societal pressures of the era. This 21st- century microscope of a show, still explicably explores the interwoven themes of sexism, class and, the ache of relevance and foremost, the production retains the ‘Love’ questions, should love be enduring? Is there a perfect ‘one’? Or maybe love is someo...

Sleeping Beauty – Normanton Junior Academy

10Jan

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Sleeping Beauty – Normanton Junior Academy

There is always a warm welcome at an Encore production and right away you are made to feel part of the evening, with smiles and greetings galore. Established in 1944, Encore is a well-known Theatre company in the local Wakefield/Castleford area and boasts The Lord St Oswald (6th Baron St Oswald) of Nostell Priory as its Honorary Patron. What made this production special to me was the Inclusivity on the stage as well as off. It really was a diverse (in every sense of the word) community performance and just how panto should be – a collective experience for the cast and the audience – as one doesn’t exist without the other! Sleeping Beauty is very well written by Sue and Andrew Sheppard and directed by Sue, the detailed and clear storyline follows the well-known tale of Sleeping Beauty an...

Jack and the Beanstalk – Sheffield City Hall

31Dec

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Jack and the Beanstalk – Sheffield City Hall

A stellar cast climbs the heights! The City Hall, Sheffield hosted the opening night of Manor Operatic Society’s Jack and the Beanstalk last night to a packed and lively family audience. Reputed to be the largest amateur pantomime in the country, Manor yet again pulled out all the stops not to disappoint. With a strong, polished and large cast, they filled the large City Hall stage to the brim with laughter and pantomime traditions in their ‘bucket’ load! This pantomime is fully immersive and not one expected ‘pantomime must have’ is missing. From the expected messy baking scene to the tune of Sweet Caroline, to the children invited on stage, and the obligatory ‘it’s behind you’ mayhem - to the audience participation – retorts filled the auditorium and MOS gave the audience what they wa...

16Dec

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Beauty and the Beast – Wesley Centre

Sherlock Productions brought Beauty and the Beast, written by Joshua Clarke and Lewis Clarke to the Wesley Centre in Maltby, Rotherham. Musical Direction by Shelley Edwards, Technical by Steve Trotter, Front of House and Costume Design by Pauline Lister A night of family fun with the obligatory tongue-in-cheek humour and an all-inclusive cast steered by flair by first-time Director Jade Wilkinson. Sherlock Productions was initially established in 2022 by Shelley Edwards and Jade Wilkinson to continue his work and honour their mentor and friend Paddy Sherlock after his sudden death. Sherlock Productions prides itself on providing a secure environment where everyone is welcome, and all are allowed to take to the stage whatever their experience and ability. A real community all-incl...

Underneath a Magical Moon – Sheffield Playhouse

16Dec

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Underneath a Magical Moon – Sheffield Playhouse

Tutti Frutti productions bring ‘A reimagining of Peter Pan as told by Wendy Darling’ to life at the Sheffield Playhouse. This is a children’s theatrical experience aimed at the 3+ age range. The theatre was full of children with their 'grown ups’ and Saturday morning was the perfect time for young minds to be open and not feeling too sleepy! The cast interact with the audience before the show starts, introducing themselves and developing a rapport with the children. Written by Mike Kenny with Ivan Scott as Composer the cast took on mutipule characters to re tell the story. Starting with J.M.Barrie’s original child characters of Wendy, John and Michael they transform to Peter Pan, Captain Hook, Mermaids and the ‘Clock-a dile‘. This multi-talented Cast of Rachel Hammond as Wendy, Alex ...

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Hull New Theatre

16Dec

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Goldilocks and the Three Bears – Hull New Theatre

An incident tonight at the Hull New Theatre highlighted a perfect example of how lovely panto folk are. Goldilocks and the Three Bears were in town, and, after Joey, the Clown (Neil Hurst) had sprayed those seated on the front rows with water from a huge water pistol, many times, he then covered the wet theatregoers in reams of toilet paper, so they could dry off. Thoughtful or what! And that is why I never, ever sit on the front rows of a panto - one blast from that pistol and I would have been a fuzzball. But from my fab seat up in the circle, how I laughed at the victims’ screams. And I never stopped laughing all the way through this rip-roaring, colourful spectacle. The whole production was a riot of colour from start to finish, thanks to the most amazing costumes - some...

Little Shop of Horrors – Sheffield Crucible

13Dec

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Little Shop of Horrors – Sheffield Crucible

With a sassy evening of satirical splendour, Howard Ashman (Book and Lyric) and Alan Menken's (Music) dark yet comic musical Little Shop of Horrors hit the Crucible Theatre, Sheffield. Directed by Amy Hodge, designed by Georgia Lowe and choreography by Jade Hackett, the audience are transported back to 1960's Skid Row and into the hapless interior of Mushnik Florists. Amongst the decaying plants we meet the proprietor Mushnik himself and his assistants Audrey and Seymour. With the help of the omnipresent and sparkling singing of the narrative trio - The Ronettes, we follow Seymour's meteoric rise to fortune and fame after he stumbles upon a new genus of plant, but this one has a carnivorous appetite and a mission of world domination! Photo: Manuel Harlan With new Musical orchestratio...

Amelie – University of Sheffield Drama Studio

12Dec

By NewsdeskNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Amelie – University of Sheffield Drama Studio

Amelie is a light, layered romantic comedy that interrogates love, loneliness, purpose and progress - and this production by the young cohort of the University of Sheffield was a strong presentation of the famous French work. Alfie Cowgill and Katie Weller’s direction was resolute - an adept understanding of space and dimensions, engaging vignettes and consistent emotional narrative evoked by this ensemble cast. Charlie Harmer and Tessa Chan’s musical direction was equally as well touched, although these driving orchestrations did not always interplay well with each other with some disjointed and missed cues. Some transitions were handled excellently, and the world was well crafted for this. This demonstration of theatrical intellect was fleeting, which is a shame as there was cl...

The Adventures of Pinocchio – Bradford Alhambra

12Dec

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Adventures of Pinocchio – Bradford Alhambra

Next year Bradford becomes the UK City of Culture so what better way to prepare for that momentous year then joining local legend Billy Pearce for his 24th panto. Pinocchio is a new show for both this theatre and panto giant Crossroads, so it makes sense to launch it with Billy leading a strong company and getting the audience revved up from the moment he came on. Billy may be in his seventh decade, but he retains an infectious energy, and razor sharp comic timing honed by his years slogging round the club circuit. He’s also the king of the fart gag, much to the delight of the young kids laughing their heads off alongside their loved ones. He’s equally at home with the corny gags that are so central to a satisfying panto experience, and the smutty asides that go over the heads of...