Latest Articles - Page 197 of 431

6Oct

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Macbeth – Epstein Theatre

Now I’ve never been a person to like Shakespeare or even understand it but the beauty about this job is my mind is open to all theatre. So, I went to watch Macbeth (otherwise known as the Scottish play) at Liverpool’s Epstein theatre. It was a Daniel Taylor productions piece directed by Daniel Taylor himself. With local Liverpool actors and actress’s making up the cast. In case you are not familiar with the story. Macbeth (Tomas Loftus) comes in to contact with 3 witches/weird sisters (Gillian Hardie, Kaitlin Howard and Helen Jeffery) who tells Macbeth that he is to be King. When his wife Lady Macbeth (Tracy Spencer) hears of this tale she encourages Macbeth to kill the current King Duncan so that the tale becomes a reality. Which almost gave the impression that lady Macbeth is the ...

The Boy With Two Hearts – National Theatre

6Oct

By Alice RoseNo Comments

London

The Boy With Two Hearts – National Theatre

My second visit at the National this week tells a true story of a refugee family fleeing the Taliban after they call a death warrant on the mother, Fariba (Houda Echouafni) after speaking out in public against the violence against women. Within days, the family sell their items and flee, with the UK in mind mostly to access the NHS to save their eldest son Hussein (Ahmad Sakhi) who suffers from an undiagnosed heart condition. We journey through Moscow to Vienna to France and finally make it to the UK all through the eyes and bodies of this family and as they face every possible curb, we sit nearing the edge of our seats wanting to catch them each possible fall. Above us hang coats and jackets, layering the ceiling ranging from all sizes and ages. My eyes kept catching one of the smalle...

6Oct

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Theatre Café Diner – London

A homage to the famous Ellen’s Stardust Diner in New York City, the award-winning Theatre Café has just launched its very own theatrical dining experience in the heart of London’s West End. Like its sister venue, the Theatre Café Diner is decked out in full theatrical decor. A glittering golden sign greets customers at the door, alongside colourful photographs of all the West End favourites from Wicked to Frozen. The inside is just as impressive too, covered from head to toe in theatrical memorabilia, with images from shows and framed sheet music signed by cast members. There were theatrically themed areas dedicated to the likes of SIX, & Juliet and Cats, each area had its own unique charm and flair. Theatre fans will love the incredible attention to detail, from the iconic H...

Trap – John Foster Drama Studio, Liverpool

6Oct

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Trap – John Foster Drama Studio, Liverpool

Written and performed by Nathan Dunn, this is the story of Chris and his leaving do night out with a couple of mates. He wants to make a fresh start in another country and more importantly escape his hometown that has trapped him for so many years. On the surface this seems quite a simple story, but Dunn’s script is full of nice little touches, and he brings a vibrant energy to his performance as Chris and all his friends. Trap explores many issues including the class system, masculinity, sexuality, and toxic relationships. There is a good mix of dramatic tension and comedic flair throughout, and Dunn pitches the balance really well. Each of the friends have something to say and a story to tell and Dunn’s adroit and well-paced script moves effortlessly between the characters,...

Don’t. Make. Tea. – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

6Oct

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Don’t. Make. Tea. – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

It is a rainy night in Edinburgh. I expect to find a car parking place easily, but to my horror find the streets jammed, there is a rock concert on next door. I park three streets away and jog towards the venue. 3 minutes to spare. If I was disabled, I would be in a right pickle. Appropriate, given that the show tonight is from BOP, a leading force of disability led theatre in Scotland. Established in Glasgow in 1993, Birds of Paradise (BOP) Theatre Company became Scotland’s first touring theatre company employing disabled and non-disabled actors. The remit of the company has always been to produce accessible theatre and to highlight the challenges faced by the disabled community. I am delighted to see that the 250-seater theatre is near capacity and the demographic is refres...

5Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Three Phantoms – Liverpool Philharmonic

Imagine every West End and Broadway musical having a full and complete orchestra to play its soundtrack and how amazing it would sound… If that is something you want to get on board with, then look no further than an evening with Three Phantoms. Comprising of Earl Carpenter, Jeremy Seacomb and Richard Woodford, along with Katie Hall and Olivia Brereton; Three Phantoms is an evening of entertainment with something for everyone to enjoy. From classic musical theatre songs to newer and more unusual show tunes, with a bit of Disney thrown in for good measure, it would be hard to leave the concert without having a smile on your face. Fresh from the UK tour of Les Misérables, Carpenter and Hall show their close friendship truly is and bring other friends along for the ride. It is clear to...

5Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

North West

Bat out of Hell – Liverpool Empire

What do you get if you cross Peter Pan, Romeo and Juliet and Gossip Girl? Sadly, it would be a mess, which is what happened when Bat out of Hell opened at the Liverpool Empire last night. The show is set in the Dystopian city of Obsidian (although this is never mentioned to the audience) and the story of Strat, who is one of ‘The Lost’ and Raven, the daughter of the city’s leader – Falco. They have seen each other briefly, but have fallen madly in love with each other, much to Falco’s disapproval. The other issue is that Strat has been frozen and will remain 18 forever, no matter how old Raven becomes. It is not just Strat that Falco disapproves of it is all of The Lost and he tries as hard as he can to remove them from the streets and subways of the city. Act one was extremely difficu...

James IV: Queen of the Fight – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

5Oct

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

James IV: Queen of the Fight – Festival Theatre, Edinburgh

“I’d no illusions I could match Shakespeare, but I thought someone should try and dramatise Scotland’s history,” said Rona Munro when she set out on the James series of plays. And this latest one, James IV: Queen of the Fight, brought to the stage by Raw Material and Capital Theatres in association with National Theatre of Scotland, is a cracker. The script has humour and is earthy, mixing modern language, clothes and gestures with a set which reflects the sixteenth century and costumes to match. It is framed by the acknowledgement that this is storytelling, based on historical evidence. It is a snapshot in time of James IV and Queen Margaret’s court. It is compelling and exciting in equal measure. The strong king (Daniel Cahill) fights his foes for fun yet has a tender heart and a ...

5Oct

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Sister Act – Birmingham Hippodrome

Immaculate! If you see only one Holy Catholic mass this season, make sure it is “Sister Act - A Divine Musical Comedy” at the Birmingham Hippodrome! It’s a joyous, elegant, comic romp riven through with the kind evangelical zeal usually only witnessed at the most passionate of churches. In the beginning was the film and the film, according to most critics, was good, and Whoopi Goldberg was, according to those same critics, “heavenly”. That was 1992 and now, thirty years later, the story is reborn and praise the lord it’s a hit! The Good Book by Cheri Steinkeller and Bill Steinkeller wipes out memories of the film whilst still retaining its joyful, liberating tone. Mix in Alan Mencken’s music and Glenn Slater’s lyrics and you have nothing short of a miracle of musical theatre! Oka...

5Oct

By Aditi DalalNo Comments

London

Dmitry – Marylebone Theatre

The son of the Tsar Ivan IV and heir to the throne has been long dead. A young man emerges in a Polish court claiming to be him, the much-revered Dmitry. Who is this man? What is his genealogy? Could he possibly be Dmitry? What does the Tsarina make of this? How much does his newlywed wife know about who he really is? What will be the fate of the current child heir to the throne be, if this man really was Dmitry? Based on the historical and religious stir this mystery caused in 16th century Russia, Peter Oswal’s Dmitry explores the personal and political conflicts around the identity of this man. Oswald boldly took on the task of completing the play after Friedrich Schiller passed away midway through writing the original manuscript. Artistic Director of Marylebone Theatre, Alexander Giffo...