Latest Articles - Page 106 of 664

15May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Boys From the Blackstuff – Leeds Grand

‘Gizza a job. Go on, gizza job. I can do that.’ That desolate plea for help from a broken Yosser Hughes helped make Boys From the Blackstuff one of a series of epochal TV series that marked out the newly created Channel 4 as the nation’s social conscience as our industrial heartlands were decimated by Thatcherism. Scouser Alan Bleasdale used all five episodes of his 1982 BAFTA winning masterpiece to follow a bunch of unemployed former asphalt layers - gentle Chrissie, young buck Loggo, wise George, sensible Dixie and Yosser who is prone to headbutting people – who are desperately trying to keep their heads above water working on building sites while claiming the dole as Liverpool’s industries die around them. Bleasdale used these desperate and often broken men as a metaphor for the m...

The Girl on the Train – Liverpool Playhouse

15May

By Jenn McKeanNo Comments

North West

The Girl on the Train – Liverpool Playhouse

What would you do, if you saw something that you knew wasn’t right, but were on a train when you saw it? The Girl on the Train has been adapted from the bestselling book by Paula Hawkins, that was turned into a film starring Emily Blunt. It tells the story of Rachel Watson who watches people on her commute into work, then one day a detective turns up at her door to tell her that a lady she has been watching on the train has disappeared. We follow as Rachel becomes involved in the investigation and figures out things that she has blocked from her memory. Louisa Lytton (best known as Ruby in Eastenders) has taken over the role as Rachel Watson for five weeks and she seems fitted into the cast and the role seamlessly. She really showcases her acting talent in the role and take the audie...

Dear Annie, I Hate You – Riverside Studios

15May

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

Dear Annie, I Hate You – Riverside Studios

Samantha Ipema takes what is perhaps the most traumatic period of her life and turns it into a dramatic telling full of comedy and poignance. To say that this play offers a peek into its creator’s brain is not hyperbole, it is a mere fact. We do get to see her brain. But more on that later. The play is directed by James Meteyard and Ipema plays herself as she tells her life story from the day she met her adoptive brother, Mica. Their childhood shenanigans, school, friends, teenage, and her love for soccer. And that’s where Annie comes into her life. Annie is the personification of the aneurysm that doctors find in Sam’s brain. She is unpredictable, explosive, and is played with chaotic energy by Eleanor House. She is Sam’s unwelcome plus-one at spring break, in school, at parties. Th...

The Comedy About Spies – Noel Coward Theatre

15May

By Michelle KnightNo Comments

London

The Comedy About Spies – Noel Coward Theatre

What a play, the two Henry’s, Lewis and Shieldshave ‘cracked the funny bone’ with this one. What is there not to like about Englishmen MI6, Russian KGB and American CIA agents getting it not quite right! If you enjoyed The PLAY That Goes Wrong, well this play is one for the bucket list. The Mischief Company present The Comedy About Spies, with espionage, lots of sneaking about undercover and a dash of James Bond, wonderful. The cast’s opening gambit sets the scene in 1960’London, on a mission ‘Project Midnight’ to track down documents to avert an international disaster. With an ensemble of dialogue to make you cringe and laugh out loud the agents named by letters of the alphabet start a confusing conversation: “this mission is for you no not you U” “Why” agent Y walks in “not you Y get ...

Ormonde Ensemble – Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room

15May

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Ormonde Ensemble – Liverpool Philharmonic Music Room

This performance was created to bring female composers and those from underrepresented backgrounds to the forefront. A stunning 5 piece orchestra with the ability to delight and alight your senses taking you on a journey through your imagination, accompanying you with the sweet sounds and emotions. The performance began with the exciting, cheerful and exhilarating Ligeti Six Bagatelles, like layers of waves crashing together to create one almighty storm of beautiful sound. The players perfectly in symphony and a pleasure to hear were superb. Playing a mixture of both newer and more familiar compositions. Cara Houghton (flute), Helena Mackie (oboe) and Isaac Prince (clarinet) providing the chase and thrill within my imagination with their gentle, tinkering and cheery notes w...

14May

By Stephanie WiswallNo Comments

North West

Shrek the Musical – The Brindley

Step into the magical mythic tale of Shrek the Musical and follow him and his band of fairytale creatures on a journey with his beloved sidekick Donkey and his enchanted Princess Fiona as they save the Kingdom of Duloc from the evil Farquaad and find true love. Directed by Dean Callow. This performance, although it may be performed by an amateur company, is anything but amateur. A show which is guaranteed to have audiences laughing, singing and shouting for more. Audiences are captivated from the moment they enter the auditorium as the staging and set are eye catching and transport you into a magical wonderland. Then, you are hit with the most stunningly enchanting costumes which perfectly identify each individual character easily, full of colour, sparkle and pizazz. The Musical D...

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Festival Theatre

14May

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

The Lion, The Witch and The Wardrobe – Festival Theatre

As someone who spent a good portion of their childhood half-convinced there might be a secret world hiding at the back of the wardrobe, this production was always going to land somewhere between nostalgia and reverence. And I’m pleased to say, it hit the mark beautifully. Michael Fentiman’s production, adapted from Sally Cookson’s earlier version, is a rich, often dazzling journey into Narnia and one that balances spectacle and substance with real flair. From the opening bars of We’ll Meet Again, underscoring the siblings’ evacuation from London, it’s clear this is not simply a children’s story. There’s grit in the frame, a proper wartime darkness that lends weight to the fantasy. It’s still magic – of course it is – but the stakes feel real. The visual storytelling is a triumph. ...

Cruel Intentions The ‘90s Musical – Hull New Theatre

14May

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Cruel Intentions The ‘90s Musical – Hull New Theatre

Although an avid movie-goer, the 1999 cinema release of Cruel Intentions, passed me by, so when the musical of the same name came to the Hull New Theatre, I had no clue of what to expect. The theatre was filled far from capacity on Tuesday evening, which was a shame, but those of us who did attend were in for a treat. The many trigger warnings in the press release hinted at themes that may upset some folk, and although “explicit sexual language and behaviour, racial discrimination and drug usage” did raise their ugly heads, I can honestly say they didn’t overshadow proceedings, meaning such events came and went and then we were on to the next scene. That’s not to minimise such gross deeds, but they were so cleverly interwoven as to seem unimportant, if that makes sense. Based o...

13May

By Leanne RushtonNo Comments

North West

& Juliet – Regent Theatre, Stoke

The Regent Theatre was packed out with eager theatre goers ready to watch &Juliet on its first UK tour. The audience was full of people of all ages. On entering the auditorium, the spectacle that this show draws you in instantly. Projecting London landmark names onto all walls and playing instrumental versions of the music your ears will be graced with throughout the rest of this show. The ensemble cast entering the stage and engaging with the audience before curtain up was a really sweet touch. The second you stepped foot into the auditorium you knew that this was going to be a special night and the show lives up to these expectations and more. This Jukebox musical mixes the traditional story of Romeo and Juliet and adds Modern twist. With Shakespeare (Jay McGuiness) and Anne...

Klezmer Klassica: the Men behind the Play with Music

13May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

NEWS

Klezmer Klassica: the Men behind the Play with Music

It’s always a boon when there is a recording available of a production you’ve attended and none more so than the recently attended Gideon – a play with music, a collaboration between Richard Fay and Daniel Mawson through their company Modalways CIC. Following the life of a magnetic musician and his family facing impossible choices, its factual narrative is accompanied by a delightful fusion of Klezmer, Czech folk, classical compositions, and jazz performed by a live ensemble. My interest was piqued when noting that the recording labelled as Volume 3 was accompanied by a not entirely related Volume 4, raising the obvious question as to what/where were Volumes 1 and 2? Well, a little bit of delving was to unveil a musical goldmine, but first of all we have to take a step back in time. ...