Yorkshire & Humber Archives - Page 35 of 43

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – Hull New Theatre

13Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Bedknobs and Broomsticks – Hull New Theatre

Within two minutes of Bedknobs and Broomsticks hitting the Hull New Theatre stage on Tuesday evening, the stage setting fell apart. An almighty cock-up? No, just the most amazing and dramatic opening of any theatre production I have ever witnessed. It was breath-taking and the whole musical continued in the same vein throughout. Take a bow, set and illusion designer, Jamie Harrison, not forgetting the associate scenic and puppet designer Kenneth MacLeod (more of the puppets later). We in the packed theatre were transported to the dark years of the Second World War, hence the aforementioned stage setting collapse, the result of bombing on the London home of the Rawlins family. The three children, orphaned in the tragedy, are packed off to the safety of the countryside. Thirte...

Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Leeds Playhouse

7Apr

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Hedwig and the Angry Inch – Leeds Playhouse

When the movie version of this show featuring an outrageous and damaged genderqueer rock singer came out it defined the word cult, but it’s central theme of sexual identity was barely talked about nearly three decades ago. Now this joyous revival of the Broadway hit is very much of its time as society is embroiled in a superheated debate about trans rights, and whether we should put ourselves in boxes. Hedwig is a Berlin boy on the wrong side of the wall who is the victim of a botched sex change operation - hence the angry inch - but fights back to become a rock singer before being ripped off by another artist who goes onto mega success. In Jamie Fletcher’s intelligent reimaging a bitter Hedwig was marooned in a seedy Yorkshire club, whilst his rival played nearby Roundhay Park, w...

6Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

SIX The Musical – Hull New Theatre

It took just 80 minutes on Tuesday evening, for King Henry VIII’s six wives to tell us how they really felt about their marriages to the Tudor royal. They got their chance when the musical Six came to Hull New Theatre and, boy, they didn’t hold back. In costumes to die for (no pun intended for the three wives who popped their clogs while married to the King), they burst onto the jazzily-lit stage eager to spill the royal beans, not in the language of old, but in today’s speak, thank goodness. At first, I couldn’t take my eyes off of the glorious costumes - they really were fantastic with their amazing shapes, stiffening, glitter, shoulder pads, peplums, platform boots, fishnet tights, glow-in-the-dark ruffles and, on one occasion, modern sunglasses. We all probably know the lif...

5Apr

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

School of Rock – Leeds Grand Theatre

There can always be the danger when a classic movie turns into a stage show that you just can’t get the original star out of your mind. Well, don’t worry as there wasn’t a moment you thought of Jack Black as gifted physical comic Jake Sharp’s big voice and easy charm was perfect for broke wannabe rock god Dewey Finn who pretends to be a substitute teacher in a posh elementary school. In the absence of any teaching ability - or qualification – he focuses on his undying belief in the redemptive powers of rock and roll to form a group to take part in an adult battle of the bands. The gag is that the band is his class of privileged kids who are having their very souls sucked out of them. Step forward the kids in the band who proved to be quite the most talented group of young performe...

1Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Opera North: Carmen – Hull New Theatre

“Enjoy the screaming ab-dabs!”, were my opera-hating husband’s parting words as I headed for the Hull New Theatre on Thursday evening to watch Opera North’s production of Carmen. I’ve seen several of this company’s operas, in the line of duty, but never Carmen, so, blocking out hubby’s words, I vowed to watch with an open mind. Before “curtain up” an Opera North representative took to the stage to explain that there were Ukrainian and Russian cast members, who were all horrified by the current events in the Ukraine, and would we please be upstanding while the orchestra played the Ukrainian National Anthem. It was a reflective and sombre start to what turned out to be a colourful and riotous production. Set in 1830’s Seville, Spain, the opening scene featured drunken soldiers am...

23Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Shrek the Musical – Hull New Theatre

I haven’t a maternal bone in my body, but, on Tuesday evening when a seven-year-old Shrek was cruelly abandoned by his parents, I actually felt stirrings of sorriness for the poor little mite. This tear-jerking scene heralded the start of Hessle Theatre Company’s production of Shrek the Musical at the Hull New Theatre and, heartstrings firmly tugged, I settled down to see how the green baby-ogre fared. In 2020, Covid wreaked havoc with the original release date of this amateur show so, out of mothballs, would it still have the same allure? Well, don’t let the word “amateur” put you off - this crew are as good as any professionals I have seen. The energetic cast, dressed in the most wonderful costumes, sang beautifully, danced and acted their hearts out, keeping a well-attended the...

16Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Addams Family – Hull New Theatre

Writing this review, I am happily singing along to just one of the catchy ditties that entertained us at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening, courtesy of The Addams Family’s musical comedy. “Death is just around the corner”, sung by the family matriarch, Morticia (Joanne Clifton of Strictly Come Dancing and The Rocky Horror Show fame), though morbid in content, was sung in such a joyful way, I’ll be humming it for days. From the start, the amazing stage setting held its own with the equally amazing cast, being suitably spooky, with smoke and lightning strikes both adding to the atmosphere. Aided and abetted by wonderful live music emanating from the orchestra pit, we knew we were in for a treat. And as the familiar finger clicks by “The Thing” started proceedings, it was ghoul...

14Mar

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

RENT – Carriageworks Theatre

It’s a tribute to Jonathan Larson’s genius that his quirky offbeat rock musical about a bunch of New York outsiders is the eleventh highest grossing Broadway show of all time and this is a pretty faithful recreation. The claim that it’s a reworking of Puccini’s opera La Bohème has always seemed to be a bit overblown, but it remains a powerful ode to artists as outsiders based on Larson’s own experiences when he was struggling to get work made. The narrative and dizzying array of musical styles is held together by aspiring director Mark making a gonzo documentary about his friends living in and around a New York squat, many of whom have AIDS when that for many was still a death sentence. Paul Lonsdale’s Mark is a touch on the mature side, but he sings and acts well. Rent continues ...

The Musical Comedy Whodunit: Curtains – Rotherham Civic

14Mar

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Musical Comedy Whodunit: Curtains – Rotherham Civic

Maltby Musical Theatre group founded in 1949 bring to Rotherham’s Civic Stage the lesser known Kander and Ebb Musical, Curtains which was nominated for 8 awards at the 2007 Tony Award’s including Best New Musical. Well, it’s 1959, and the Colonial Theatre in Boston is to premier a new musical. Cue the mayhem, as it’s ’curtains’ for the leading lady and the entire cast and crew are now suspects. Enter stage left, the musical theatre fan of a detective, to solve the crime. With several more murders and attempted murders along the way, love stories and a stage mother with attitude and the perpetrator is finally brought to justice. But we are warned in the encore, it will be ‘Curtains’ for us if we disclose the killer, so that is a very good reason to catch the show whilst you can. The script...

10Mar

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

71 Coltman Street – Hull Truck Theatre

As a theatregoer, when you’re handed a complementary tub of chip spice along with your tickets, it does pique your interest. The chip spice came courtesy of Hull Truck Theatre, whose world premiere production of 71 Coltman Street brought to life this local theatre’s creation, 50 years ago. This week I have almost made myself ill by laughing so much at a Hull theatre production, but on Wednesday evening, at this intimate city centre venue, my chuckle muscles took a real battering. The play centres around Hull Truck founder, Mike Bradwell, who at 23, arrived in our city in 1971, renting the run-down house of the production’s title, setting up the theatre from there the following year. Written by Richard Bean, Bradwell admits not a word in the script is true, but that made not a j...