Yorkshire & Humber Archives - North West End UK

28Oct

By NewsdeskNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Burlesque – Sheffield Lyceum

Fourteen years after it debuted on screen, audiences got their first glimpse of Burlesque on stage in 2024. Now it’s Sheffield’s turn for the final week of October 2026. Whilst Burlesque promises to be big, however, it often falls short. This ‘big new musical’ is extravagant and flashes lights in your face and blasts sound into your ears but there is so little behind the curtain you’re forgiven for second guessing its credentials. Behind the bombast and frills, this is a poor musical theatre show. I’m happy to give the production its flowers where it earned them. Faye Brookes is great as the matriarchal Tess. Ryan Carter’s Sean is brilliant, and Vanessa Ela Young is formidable as Nikki. Tyler Davis offers a particularly layered performance as Jack and Macy Dermody Blythe commits well to...

28Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Legally Blonde – Hull New Theatre

Bruiser Woods had us in the palm of his hands, appearing as he did quite early on in the musical, Legally Blonde, which started its run at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening. I should say the palm of his paws as Bruiser is a teeny chihuahua, performing as Sprout, the pet of the star of the show, Elle Woods (Amber Davies). We, in the packed theatre, melted instantly as soon as he appeared. Also eliciting “ahs” from the audience later on was a real bruiser of a dog called Rufus, playing the part of Rocco. Two gorgeous pooches - what's not to love? This new production of Legally Blonde, based on the award-winning 2001 film, centres around University of California, Los Angeles (UCLA) student, Elle, who, expecting a marriage proposal from her boyfriend, fellow student Warner (J...

23Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The 39 Steps – Hull Truck Theatre

Early on, when watching The 39 Steps at Hull Truck Theatre on Thursday night, I began to wonder how much more of the production I could take, as I’d laughed so much and so hard. I was on the front row, so escape for some respite would have been noticed by the incorrigible actors responsible for my near demise - James Keningale, Kathryn Perkins, Sophie Bloor and the rather dishy Ryan Starling. Understudy Tom Mitchell was the “invisible” scene shifter. Dressed in a dark, tightly fitted onesie-type outfit, he removed and installed furniture, often at the wrong times, finally, briefly emerging onesie-free as Chief Inspector Albright - to huge cheers from the audience. At “curtain up”, to the left on the raised stage was a red leather armchair, side table holding an old-fashioned d...

22Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Cats – Hull New Theatre

After watching Andrew Lloyd Webber’s award-winning musical, Cats, at the Hull New Theatre on Wednesday night, it finally became clear why our cat, Bill, stayed out just the one night of the year, usually in October, for 18 years without fail. He was at the Jellicle Ball - the focal point of this production. The concept for Cats came from renowned poet T.S.Eliot’s Old Possum’s Book of Practical Cats, a book of playful poems enjoyed by Lloyd Webber as a child. As an adult, he set some of the poems to music and the rest, as they say, is history. As the curtain rose, we theatregoers in the jam-packed venue were treated to the sight of dancers in the most glorious cat costumes. Against the background of a huge full moon encased in a crusted, glittery crescent, they creep out of the shadow...

Dear Evan Hansen – The Montgomery Theatre

21Oct

By Natalia PrucnalNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Dear Evan Hansen – The Montgomery Theatre

Quiet sniffling could be heard from across the audience nearing the end of Splinters Theatre Group’s performance of ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ at the Montgomery Theatre. Despite persistent technical difficulties, the show came together quite nicely, with plenty of pleasing vocals from the cast. Director Kate Parkin has tackled Steven Levenson’s book with grace, ensuring scenes do not just disappear into memory. Benj Pasek and Justin Paul’s music was in good hands with Musical Director Adam Walker, and Aggie Gryszel’s choreography was satisfactory and suited the musical itself but felt slightly uninspired. ‘Dear Evan Hansen’ is a musical about 17-year-old high schooler, Evan Hansen, who is learning to cope with depression and anxiety by writing letters to himself as per his therapist’s advice. C...

21Oct

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Car Man – Bradford Alhambra

If you came along to The Car Man expecting a straight dance version of Bizet’s classic opera you would be disappointed but instead buckle up for a dark and raunchy ride through lust and murder. New Adventures Artistic Director Matthew Bourne, who devised and directed this piece, says The Car Man was inspired by Carmen’s heady blend of lust and revenge, but the only real connection was the use of the opera’s familiar 40-minute Shchedrin arrangement as the basis of a dynamic longer score composed by Terry Davies. Instead, this was a production heavily influenced by James M Cain’s 1934 classic noir novel, The Postman Always Rings Twice, later made into a similarly seamy movie starring Jack Nicholson and Jessica Lange. Not surprisingly The Car Man started off in a 1950s small garage in t...

21Oct

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Heathers The Musical – Sheffield Lyceum

A delighted Sheffield audience welcome Heathers to the Lyceum with the now expected cult-like following. Plaid skirts aplenty filled the theatre and we are back to our high school days in this dark tale depicting the social rules of high school life, in its own brutal adaptation of the 1989 cult film by Daniel Waters of the same name. Like the song says - ‘’This ain’t no high school, this is Thunderdome’’. Kevin Murphy and Laurence O’Keefe’s (Book, Music and Lyrics) shockingly catchy tunes juxtapose the stark undercurrent of adolescent despair – ‘’We all know what it feels like to be an outsider and a weirdo. Everyone is clueless and scared. And that’s okay’’. Fast forward for a moment to 2020’s, now school shootings are common place; bullying is no longer whispered insinuations and forged...

21Oct

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Twelfth Night – Crucible Theatre

A shipwreck separates twins Viola and Sebastian – neither knowing whether the other survived. A local Duke is in love with a grieving countess, who in turn is falling for his new emissary. A trio of revellers plot to bring down the steward who seeks to curtail their fun. There is something for everyone in Shakespeare’s 17th century play, which at its heart explores questions of love and identity, all while serving a healthy dose of comedy. This production of Twelfth Night from Sheffield Theatres is brilliantly funny, and director Jamie Glover and his team have led the company to a product that is accessible, and full of energy and interesting character nuance. The maid, Maria (Katie Wimpenny), has an agency and feistiness that I have not seen in previous productions, and which scratc...

15Oct

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Come From Away – Montgomery Theatre

Ellesmere MTC had the pleasure of premiering the Sheffield amateur production of Come From Away, one of the longest running One Act Musicals! And the Rock highlighted more than a few precious gems within the cast, musicians and production team. Sparkling bright, the multi role playing twelve strong cast are polished and multi-faceted in their interpretation of Irene Sankoff and David Hein’s Book, music and lyrics. Come From Away is a real-life story of the power of humanity, against the backdrop of tragedy of 9/11. 38 planes were diverted on that fateful morning to the little Canadian town of Gander in Newfoundland, doubling the town’s inhabitants, the traumatised passengers had to rely totally on the hospitality and goodwill of these islanders. From the opening mundane video footage...

14Oct

By Natalia PrucnalNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Waitress – Sheffield Lyceum

The sugar and flour the cast were sprinkling on stage must’ve gotten in my eye during the performance of “Waitress” at the Sheffield Lyceum Theatre, because I couldn’t stop the tears from running throughout the entire performance. The entire production is meticulous and crisp, and the production team have somehow managed to find a really witty cast with the warmest and smoothest tones I’ve ever heard live. With 2026 being Waitress’ 10th anniversary, it’s no surprise that the hit Sara Bareilles songs and book by Jessie Nelson bring back the fire to theatres, alongside direction by Diane Paulus, beautiful restaging by Abbey O’Brien and diverse choreography by Lorin Latarro. “Waitress” is a musical set in the American South, about a waitress named Jenna who accidentally falls pregnant with...