Latest Articles - Page 138 of 645

15Nov

By Alan Stuart MalinNo Comments

London

Club Life – Omnibus Theatre

Fred Deakin’s ‘Club Life’ is more than a show, it’s an intimate love letter to the transformative magic of club culture. Part autobiography, part highly immersive, participatory theatre, and part living history, this production takes audiences on an exhilarating journey through Deakin’s personal and professional evolution, from awkward teenage house party DJ to the mastermind behind some of Edinburgh’s most iconic and infamous club nights. Set against the vibrant backdrops of 1980s and 1990s Edinburgh nightlife, ‘Club Life’ combines heartfelt storytelling with a celebration of the communal power of dance. As narrator, Deakin recounts his early forays into DJing, describing how playing music at parties gave him a sense of belonging. From there, the narrative crescendos into his universit...

15Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: Ruddigore – Lowry

Jo Davies’ 2010 production of Gilbert and Sullivan’s fast-paced comic opera is dusted down for a well-deserved airing by Revival Director James Hurley, with the action reset in the 1920’s and the era of silent movies proving the perfect setting for moustachioed villains and cloak-swirling, whilst not missing out on some updated lines to have a dig at prime ministers old and new: now, whose name might rhyme with lettuce… Rose Maybud (Amy Freston) is an innocent village girl who lives her life by a book of etiquette which only serves to hinder any burgeoning relationship with tongue-tied suitor Robin Oakapple (Dominic Sedgwick), much to the disappointment of the village’s professional bridesmaids (Chorus of Opera North led by Gillene Butterfield). Robin ropes in his foster brother,...

The Tailor of Inverness – Traverse Theatre

15Nov

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

The Tailor of Inverness – Traverse Theatre

The Tailor of Inverness is not so much about the capital of the North or about the profession of tailoring, rather it is about identity, about truth (or lack of it) and about home. Actor/writer Matthew Zajac plays his own father and then himself as well as multiple other characters in between, in an absolute tour de force, a performancenot to be missed. History is written by the winners, as they say, and for the Tailor, winning was always going to be measured by simply being alive at the end of the Second World War, by whatever means possible. A history lesson, a geography lesson, a survival lesson. A story told how the titular tailor would like to have you believe it, followed by the truth, told by the son who eventually draws all the threads together, however unpalatable. The...

Distant Memories of the Near Future – Arcola Theatre

14Nov

By Dave SmithNo Comments

London

Distant Memories of the Near Future – Arcola Theatre

In the near future, love is just another commodity driven by an app called Q-pid. In fact, it’s a bit more than love, everything is commoditised. There are advertisements that it is legally mandated you listen and pay attention to, you are encouraged to report anyone you know who mutes the ad. In this future, AI dictates so much of life that those it cannot match with a partner are labelled as “undesirables”. In such a society, is there any space left for real human connection? Within this world, a lone narrator shares stories of love and connection. David Head, writer and performer, has an immediate rapport with the audience, he comes across as a natural born storyteller with a big heart, a warm smile and such a sense of humour with his wit and sarcasm sparkling across the stage. Dista...

14Nov

By Savitha VenugopalNo Comments

London

Blue Stockings – New Wimbledon Theatre

Behold, a young lady pursuing education, clamouring for the right to graduate, wanting to perform scientific experiments and debate on philosophy! Is there anything more unnatural than a ‘blue stocking’ woman who insists on going against her role in nature, which is to reproduce and care for the young? Concepts that draw snickers from the audience now, but concepts that were well believed and propagated in the 19th century. Written by Jessica Swale and directed by Natalie Romero, Blue Stockings is set in Cambridge of the 1890s. A group of women – young and old, students and teachers – are fighting for their right to earn a degree and to be educated on the same footing as the men. The female students match their male counterparts grade for grade and yet find that they are sidelined, even...

14Nov

By Nazaret RaneaNo Comments

Scotland

Albert Herring – Festival Theatre

On Wednesday night, Scottish Opera brought Benjamin Britten’s Albert Herring to the Festival Theatre in Edinburgh, offering an evening of comic charm and lively satire. Directed by Daisy Evans, this fresh production reimagines Britten’s comic opera in the 1990s English countryside, a setting that adds humour and nostalgia to the story. Originally inspired by a Maupassant tale, Albert Herring revolves around its shy, naive protagonist, Albert, who’s crowned the town’s “May King” after no “morally suitable” young woman is found. The plot follows Albert’s transformation as he wrestles with the town’s rigid expectations and his yearning for personal freedom. Glen Cunningham’s portrayal of Albert captures both innocence and a quiet depth, making his character’s journey both touching and humo...

Opera North: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Lowry

14Nov

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Opera North: A Midsummer Night’s Dream – Lowry

There’s nothing tragic about the mirth and magic of Opera North’s wonderful production, a second revival of their 2008 production of Britten’s opera, whose libretto – with the exception of one line introduced in response to the many cuts from the original – is taken directly from Shakespeare’s most popular comedy. The mischievous Puck (Daniel Abelson) accompanies us throughout and in the forest his master is Oberon (James Laing), King of the Fairies, whose Queen, Tytania (Daisy Brown) is served by fairies Peasblossom (Kitty Moore), Moth (Dougie Sadgrove), Mustardseed (Lucy Eatock), and Cobweb (Jessie Thomas). A little domestic disagreement has ensued which is about to spill over into the paths of lovers – Hermia (Siân Griffiths) who with her love Lysander (Peter Kirk) is fleeing her fat...

14Nov

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

After the Act – HOME Mcr

A new musical inspired by the nationwide societal impacts of Section 28, After the Act continues its winter tour with a penultimate stop in Manchester- long a welcoming city boasting one of the country’s largest LGBTQ+ populations. Ellice Stevens, Nkara Stephenson, Ericka Posadas and Zachary Willis deliver monologues from those who experienced the oppressive, anti-gay culture of the late 1980s as an ensemble, with Frew providing live music. The Conservative government’s law prevented schools and councils from “promoting” homosexuality. While the source material is discernibly moving, its delivery is drawn out by being overly verbatim: every single “um”, “er” and false start is unnecessary. Where this doesn’t result in anecdotes losing their focus, activity from the non-speaking cast ...

14Nov

By Hannah EsnoufNo Comments

North West

Dear Evan Hansen – Liverpool Empire

The classic saying always favours the book over the film of story but when a book comes off the back of a musical, then that musical has got to be next level. Dear Evan Hansen therefore comes with a calibre. The show is the blueprint that went to Broadway before Hollywood film sets and so future renditions can sometimes be overshot with assumed greatness. Instantly this performance was not that. What I noticed first was that the story was the main character rather than the individual performers which so often occurs during ‘big’ shows. I say it every time I go to the Empire, but that theatre is a big space that demands a strong stage presence. This cast were instantly electric, purposeful and slick that captured me and the packed seats three tiers high. Ryan Kopel’s Evan wa...

14Nov

By Katy GilroyNo Comments

North West

Cluedo 2 – Floral Pavilion

A staple in many a games cupboard, Cluedo is the ultimate in murder mystery fun – bringing it to life on stage means you’ve got a lot to live up to. As the audience took their seats on a cold Tuesday night in New Brighton, it was anyone's guess as to where the story would end up… Brilliantly laid out with the classic Cluedo board as a constant backdrop, the cast were introduced one by one as the scene was set: an old manor house, newly purchased by failing rock star Rick Black. With his wife, father/manager, right hand man, cook, a recently hired interior designer and ex bandmate making up the rest of the ‘colour’ characters, the tale began to unfold. The story, of course, follows a murder that takes place at the manor – cut off by a storm and not wanting to involve the police for ce...