Latest Articles - Page 157 of 657

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

23Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Dear Evan Hansen – Alexandra Theatre, Birmingham

If you were born in this new century and nestle within the demographic that favours “Glee” “Big Bang Theory” then “Dear Evan Hansen” seems designed just for you. For those of us outside that very slim group it remains an anomaly. The show itself has an undoubted pedigree having opened on Broadway in 2016 with music and lyrics by Benji Pasek and Justin Paul (whose credits include the glorious “The Greatest Showman” and the awful sounding “Tom and Jerry: Back to Oz”) with a book by Steven Levenson, produced by Marc Platt and starring Ben Platt - note the shared surname making lesser critics wonder if that nepo-element may go some way to explain the show’s weaknesses, but, hey, it won nine Tony Awards! The show has toured endlessly, had a long West End, a badly received film - and people love...

23Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Frankenstein – Hull Truck Theatre

A cast of six brought the world’s most famous monster to the Hull Truck stage on Tuesday evening with a thought-provoking adaptation of Mary Shelley’s Frankenstein. As the 1818 thriller, now set in the war year of 1943, begins its second major UK theatre tour, would its producers, Tilted Wig Productions, have a monster hit on their hands? Stage settings are always something to look forward to at this popular local theatre and Tuesday evening was no exception. Though dark, unfussy and dimly lit, with sparse furnishings, the interior of a wooden cabin perfectly set the tone for the well-known horror story. I found the theatre itself was very cold on the night, which, though uncomfortable, added to the atmosphere. The cabin’s shabbily-dressed occupant, Captain (Basienka Blake - wh...

22Oct

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Chicago – Bradford Alhambra

There is no better opening in musical theatre than Chicago as a troupe of ripped and toned dancers shimmy, strut and shoulder roll their way round the stage in perfect unison as vaudeville performer turned murderess Velma belts out All That Jazz. Originally choreographed by the great Bob Fosse this is a show full of ‘jazz hands’, which is a concept that many people sneer at, but as Craig Revel Harwood constantly points out on Strictly strong hands make for great dancing. There is something really elemental about a simple move like a hand roll, and the dancers in this cast nail some of the toughest and naughtiest routines in any show. At heart Fosse’s wonderfully cynical book is both a tribute to the exuberance of vaudeville and to the nature of fame, aided by the med...

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

22Oct

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Ed Gamble: Hot Diggity Dog – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

Perhaps better known for his award-winning podcast Off menu with James Allcaster or for winning season nine of Taskmaster, the man-child that is Ed Gamble was a regular on the Stand-Up circuit long before pod casts even existed, and returns to his roots tonight in a laughter filled show at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh’s biggest stage. And despite the hurricane inspired winds outside it didn’t deter a packed house from enjoying almost two hours of lively entertainment. Ed is very ably assisted by noteworthy warm-up act, Chloe Petts, who fills the first thirty minutes with easy laughter, starting with her tales of being a ‘child geezer’, at age 13, six foot one tall, at an all-girls school and parents asking at ballet class lessons, why there is a bouncer in the room. She also hila...

Candlelight Original Sessions – Manchester Cathedral

21Oct

By Mary FoggNo Comments

North West

Candlelight Original Sessions – Manchester Cathedral

A beautifully intimate evening gracing Manchester Cathedral's skies with whimsical live music, storytelling, and candlelight. This Candlelight Original Session (that sold out in just 11 minutes!) brought Bastille fans to Manchester to celebrate the release of their new album Bastille Presents “&” (Ampersand) amongst the beauty and magnificence of Manchester Cathedral. It was on a very wet rainy evening that I made my way to the stunning Manchester Cathedral situated in the city to watch Bastille, who formed in 2010, with frontman Dan Smith perform a special candlelit live preview of Bastille’s new album “&” (Ampersand). On turning the corner and ‘doors opening’ not for a while yet, I was thinking surely no one will be queuing in this torrential rain. I was amazed to see the tops...

21Oct

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

reINCARNATION – Festival Theatre

Nigeria’s population is overwhelmingly young, and unemployment is high. Amidst the hardship, dance is a popular creative outlet, and many young Nigerians share their talents through videos on social media. In 2014, Qudus Onikeku returned to his home city of Lagos, having achieved acclaim as a choreographer in France. He was inspired by the abundance of creative talent, and invited some dancers to a workshop. The workshop grew into a school, and the Q Dance Company is a creative home for the school’s graduates. The rehearsal period began with an improvisation session. Onikeku instructed the dancers to allow their bodies to take the lead, and let the dance pass through them. Throughout the session, Onikeku sketched, and he refined the ideas to devise the piece. The resulting choreo...

21Oct

By Zain RussellNo Comments

London

Bridge Command – Mission: Intrigue

Bridge Command was a fully immersive experience from the moment you step inside. The actors and staff actively encourage you to engage and make the experience your own. Upon arrival at the venue, conveniently located near Vauxhall station, you're asked to suit up in your uniform, preparing for your mission. Next, you're taken through a “teleportation” sequence, which transports you to a new area: the bar. While the teleportation effect is very cool, it involves a lot of flashing lights. If you're sensitive to this type of lighting or have any conditions affected by flashing lights, it's a good idea to inform the staff beforehand, which they also check for before entry. The bar itself is fully decked out in a space-themed design. The bartenders were cheerful and chatty, making it a gr...

18Oct

By Klervi GavetNo Comments

London

1984 – Hackney Town Hall

George Orwell’s 1984 comes alive in this site-specific theatre production under the solid eye of Irish director, Jack Reardon. This immersive experience skilfully blends audience participation with the confined setting of Hackney Town Hall’s council chamber and atrium to underscore the novel’s themes of oppression and loss of individuality. The adaptation adeptly condenses the first half of Orwell’s novel, focusing on world-building and intrigue through an induction led by high-ranking Party officer O’Brien (Dominic Carter). A Big Brother rally, complete with patriotic singing, anti-sex league flyering, and party agents probing, welcomes the audience into the dystopian world where every word and movement are monitored under the ever-present eye of Big Brother. The initial slow burn a...

When We Are Married – Rainhill Village Hall

18Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

When We Are Married – Rainhill Village Hall

Director Rosetta Parker’s superb revival of JB Priestley’s hilarious 1938 play takes full advantage of the wealth of talent Rainhill Garrick Society has to offer and even with a cast of fourteen, there was still plenty of talent remaining both back and front of house to deliver this thoroughly enjoyable evening. Set entirely in the sitting room of Mr and Mrs Helliman (Rick Young; Tracey Duffy), it is 1920 and they are entertaining two other couples – Mr and Mrs Soppitt (David Parker; Lynn Aconley) and Mr and Mrs Parker (George Lowe; Alison Mawdsley) - as they celebrate the silver anniversary of their triple wedding. They have got it in for Gerald Forbes (Tom Nevitt), the church organist, who has been seen out with a girl at night, something very shocking for that day and age. What they ...

17Oct

By Anna Ní DhúillNo Comments

North West

Am I Irish Yet? – Unity Theatre

Kate Kerrigan’s autobiographical one-woman show at Unity in Liverpool has the audience rapt as she shares anecdotes about her life in the media, working at a hair salon in London, and her deep connection to her Irish roots. Playing as part of the Liverpool Irish Festival, Am I Irish Yet? kicked off ten days of celebration as the city hosts theatre, commemorations, and talks celebrating Irish heritage. Photo: Alison Loredo My first takeaway of Am I Irish Yet? is that Kate Kerrigan is an amazing woman. Born in London in the sixties, to Irish parents from Ballina, Co. Mayo, Kate is an exceptional role model for any woman who might have been told they aren’t qualified enough. Over the course of ninety minutes, we get snippets of Kate’s life and the important characters that shaped her, a...