Yorkshire & Humber Archives - Page 7 of 33

5Jun

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Come From Away – Hull New Theatre

A complimentary badge was handed to me, along with a press pack, as I entered the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening, to watch the musical Come From Away. The badge depicted the Earth surrounded by the words “Wherever We Are”, words relating to one of the 14 songs in this uplifting musical. The story centres around the Newfoundland town of Gander whose inhabitants found themselves playing hosts to almost 7,000 passengers, as American and Canadian planes were grounded on September 11, 2001 after two planes crashed into the Twin Towers in New York. Although the tragedy was the catalyst for Gander’s upheaval, this lively musical doesn’t dwell on the bad stuff. The all-singing, all-dancing cast, accompanied by talented musicians, portray townsfolk who refuse to be downhearted by thei...

31May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Mind Mangler – Hull New Theatre

My reviewer mind started to be slightly mangled as I was handed my press pack in Hull New Theatre’s foyer on Thursday night, and told there would be no programme available for Mind Mangler: Member of the Tragic Circle. No programme meant I had to really pull up my reviewer socks and, gulp, concentrate for the duration of the show. After the initial shock wore off, I took my seat in row N of the stalls, after being handed a pencil and a folded card upon which we were asked to write our full name and a secret about ourselves. Now, my regular reader will know I have an intense aversion to audience participation. So I tucked the blank card away from the prying eyes of the tall young man collecting completed cards from those eager theatregoers not as averse to the spotlight. However...

Little Shop of Horrors – Hull Truck Theatre

24May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Little Shop of Horrors – Hull Truck Theatre

There was an air of excitement in the packed foyer of Hull Truck Theatre, on Thursday evening, as theatregoers entered in their droves to watch a production of Little House of Horrors. Taking our seats, we were faced with a stage setting showing a small florist shop, on Skid Row, in downtown New York, belonging to a Mr Mushnik. Customers are few and far between, with drunkards and drop-outs being the only passers-by. Mushnik (Andrew Whitehead) has two assistants - nerdy Seymour (Oliver Mawdsley), whom he took in as an orphan, and the lovely Audrey (Laura Jane Matthewson), regularly battered by her abusive boyfriend, Orin (Mathew Ganley). Things were much livelier outside the shop, mainly due to three characterful females - guitarists Crystal (Zweyla Mitchell Dos Santos) and Ron...

21May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Here You Come Again – Leeds Playhouse

‘What would Dolly do?’ That’s the premise for the UK version of a musical comedy based on some of the greatest songs from country music’s undoubted queen Dolly Parton and one of the all-time great songwriters in any genre. Asking that question is fortysomething Kevin marooned in his parent’s attic during lockdown after splitting up with his boyfriend and his furlough pay is coming to an end. His boyhood room is a shrine to Dolly and as if by magic - or his subconscious - the relentlessly upbeat country and gay icon pops up to help her flamboyant, but secretly floundering, superfan find his way. This is not only a love letter to a big hearted philanthropist who has distributed 150 million free books to kids because her beloved daddy couldn’t read, but to a hall of fame songwriter w...

16May

By Phoebe Olivia Sian HobsonNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Pretty Woman – Leeds Grand Theatre

Last night I took my first steps into Hollywood and wow what an amazing experience it was, I fell in love with the vibrant LED signs and light bulb infused palm trees, but nothing prepared me for the way I would become obsessed over the pretty woman storyline all over again. The beloved romance movie of the 80’s came alive once again onstage last night; Jerry Mitchell’s take on this fan favourite was everything you hoped it would be. Take a popular rom com add a little instrumental and some catchy musical numbers and you’ve got a night full of priceless entertainment and that’s exactly what was witnessed at Leeds opening night. I was in complete awe of the attention to detail, from the colourful 80’s costumes to the Beverly Hills hotel the resemblance was fascinating but also unique. As...

15May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

2:22 A Ghost Story – Hull New Theatre

Having reviewed quite a few musicals this year, it was a lovely change to take my seat at the Hull New Theatre, in participation of watching a ghost story. The city’s theatregoers were out in force on Tuesday night when 2:22 A Ghost Story came to the stage. And what a stage! The setting of a big, old house was wonderfully realistic - large kitchen with the usual electrical trappings, plus a sofa, table, chairs, an Alexa and a baby monitor. Oh, and a large digital clock which my eyes were drawn to every two minutes waiting for it to turn to 2:22. It’s the home of young married couple Jenny (Fiona Wade) and Sam (George Rainsford) and their baby daughter, Phoebe. While Sam is away working on the island of Sark, Jenny and her baby girl are alone in the big, rambling house - a house...

1May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Come From Away – Leeds Grand Theatre

Wandering through Broadway’s theatreland my youngest daughter and I were looking for a show to see so she suggested that Come From Away had fantastic word of mouth on TikTok. We popped into the box office scoring great stalls seats for 80 bucks, and she was spot on with her pick as this warm-hearted show about the best and worst of humanity went straight into my top five musicals. A musical about the aftermath of 9/11 seems an unlikely hit, but it’s based on a true story set thousands of miles away from the twin towers in a small Canadian town called Gander that was home to an airfield once used to refuel jets before they set off across the Atlantic. Super jets made the landing strip almost obsolete, but as airspaces were shut down after the terror attack 38 airplanes carrying 7000 diso...

Agnes of God – Cortonwood Comeback Centre Theatre

26Apr

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Agnes of God – Cortonwood Comeback Centre Theatre

Agnes of God is a 1979 play by American Playwright John Pielmeier which he later penned as a film script in 1985. With runs in both the West End and Broadway this play is believed to be Pielmeier’s finest. Inspired by the true story of American Maureen Murphy, a 37-year-old Nun who was found in a pool of blood after giving birth to a baby in the Our Lady of Lourdes convent in New York. Murphy, a resident of 19 years at the convent before the conception, the baby boy was originally reported missing but was later found in a garbage can. The baby’s death was logged as Asphyxiation and Murphy was later evaluated and cleared by the court as to her emotional and mental stability, to stand trial. Her criminal defence argued she was unable to comprehend her actions, due to the excessive loss of bl...

Made In Dagenham – University of Sheffield Performing Arts Society

25Apr

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Made In Dagenham – University of Sheffield Performing Arts Society

Based on the 2010 film and centring around the Ford factory strike of 1968, 'Made in Dagenham' is the story based on the real life events that led up to the Equality Pay Act of 1970. As the female machinists in the factory were downgraded to 'unskilled' workers, the fight escalated into a full on war against the government and Trade Unions to secure equal pay for all workers regardless of gender. 'It's not about money it's about equality!' This small group of women, like all ground breakers, found that the battle had to be won in their home lives as well as the factory floor. As the principal character encapsulates with her poignant line in response to her young daughter's career choice, 'I laughed at her when she wanted to be a doctor and bought her a nurse’s outfit instead', but this was...

24Apr

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Edward Scissorhands – Hull New Theatre

The 1927 song “I Danced With A Man, Who Danced With A Girl, Who Danced With The Prince of Wales”, refers to the oft-desired human condition of forging connections with famous people - however remote those connections may be. Well, I possibly suffer from the same condition and can claim family folklore has revealed that my nephew’s daughter’s mum is Liam Mower’s cousin. Impressive eh? Mower, for those not in the know, has the lead role of Edward Scissorhands in Matthew Bourne’s magical dance production of the same name, which began a run at the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday night. As I took my seat, I wondered if the Hull-born dancer’s performance would cut it (pun intended) with his home crowd. I needn’t have worried, he was stupendous. And that goes for everyone on stage that ni...