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Pippin: 50th Anniversary Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

30Apr

By Carole GordonNo Comments

London

Pippin: 50th Anniversary Concert – Theatre Royal, Drury Lane

Packed full of Stephen Schwartz's memorable songs, such as "Corner of the Sky" and "Magic To Do", Pippin is a show that has been re-produced and re-imagined over the last 50 years around the world, including in the West End and on Broadway. At its heart there's the simple tale of a young man, a prince, at a loss of what to do with his life, the curse of princes throughout history. Pippin is the son of King Charlemagne the Great and heir to the Frankish throne. He seeks fulfilment, believing that, as he's extraordinary, he should find something extraordinary to achieve. In his attempts to break through this existential despair, he tries leading an army, but only succeeds in losing most of his men. Then he has a period of debauchery, but that leaves him empty. Art and religion also fai...

This Is Memorial Device – Riverside Studios

29Apr

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

This Is Memorial Device – Riverside Studios

Capturing an art induced euphoria and a sense of estrangement, we are shown the meaning in the small, contained world of fictional band, Memorial Device. Graham Eatough brings to life David Keenan’s novel that merges an imagined world and the 80’s music scene in Airdrie. The set and concept was intriguing and provoking. The mannequins on stage was such a beautiful idea (slightly absurd and eerie nonetheless) - enlivening the way the band and the music made the speaker feel. Deeply poetic, lyrical words were woven in between the candid. The running thread through the script was of feelings; of awe and searching to reconnect to an ecstatic moment, and a feeling of mourning. In ways, it felt like an ode, and a eulogy. Actor Paul Higgins took us on a journey in this strange suspended time, ...

29Apr

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

The Tempest – Drayton Arms Theatre

Burnt Orange Theatre Rep Company bring The Tempest to life. In the black box theatre setting, the troupe form a striking ensemble with sizzling choreography as well as impressive individual performances. Such dynamic storytelling with swift transitions made Shakespeare’s language accessible and engaging. The group was cohesive and nimble, heaving to and fro throughout like the waves and the ship, and producing surreal hissing and clicking sound collages. I loved the interpretation of Ariel, with four actors embodying the spirit. They really captured the magic and elemental nature of the play. Ioan Oosthuizen’s fraught Prospero was heavy with responsibility, and it was charming to see his lighter side and fatherly affection around his daughter. As the principal storyteller in the ...

29Apr

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Borrowed – Unity Theatre

New writing offers a fresh perspective in exploring one’s own bodily autonomy within a world prejudiced by societal expectations and imposed limitations. Back in 2022, in line with its historical patterns of oppression and exploitation, the US revoked Roe v Wade, a piece of legislation which guaranteed the right to access safe abortion care. This reversal saw an assault on reproductive rights, resulting in a worrying reduction in healthcare choices, including those accessing IVF and surrogates, (as well as the people they’re carrying babies for, such as infertile couples, and members of the LGBTQ+ community). Borrowed deals with pregnancy from the perspective of the surrogate, and the choices available pre and post 2022, with our central protagonist Bella, at aged 17 (Sasha Georgette...

29Apr

By Katy GilroyNo Comments

North West

Totally 80’s – Floral Pavilion

A medley of 80s music at a seaside venue on a Saturday night – the perfect spring evening out or something a little bit cringe? Brand new live music show Totally 80s hit the Floral Pavilion, New Brighton, on Saturday; it was a triumphant display of fun and musical talent with plenty of hits to sing along to… With audience members decked out in neon leg warmers and CHOOSE LIFE t-shirts, there was a buzz in the air as everyone took their seats and the band made their way to the stage. With classic tunes from A-ha, Wham, Blondie, Tiffany and many more, young vocalists Ffion Davies and James O’Roarty showed talent and energy from start to finish – with an incredible range of jackets which were switched out to match the songs, as a subtle but brilliant addition to the show. The singers an...

Remembrance Monday – Seven Dials Playhouse

29Apr

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Remembrance Monday – Seven Dials Playhouse

Watching Remembrance Monday, I was reminded of a description I’ve always liked of memories that I read in an interview. The interviewee (it may have been Florence Welch but don’t quote me on that), talked about memories being like photocopies of photocopies, blurring gradually over time as you get further and further away from the original. And so it is with Julius (Nick Hayes), as his recollections of what initially appears to be a regular Monday night with husband Connor (Matthew Stathers) quickly take a much darker turn. In Remembrance Monday, playwright Michael Batten weaves seeds of doubt and confusion very early on, presenting questions about the reliability of Julius’s narration. I’ll keep this a spoiler free zone, but I will say that the twists and unfolding of the plot are perf...

29Apr

By Wendy McEwanNo Comments

Scotland

Futuristic Folktales – Tramway

Futuristic Folktales is an experimental dance theatre production which tells the story of the first womb. Along with movement and music, spoken words are also used to tell the story. The storytelling feels both abstract and visceral. At one point, a performer mentions “a colour that cannot even be described” and the other immediately demonstrates said colour through movement. However, for this article I must use words, and I am especially aware of the subjectivity with which I write. Other people may have experienced the show differently from me. The concept originated from director Charlotte McLean’s personal contemplation of whether to reproduce. The scope is wide – birth and death, identity and injustice, the personal and the universe. The piece is highly ambitious. A cohort...

Black Is The Color Of My Voice – HOME Mcr

29Apr

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

Black Is The Color Of My Voice – HOME Mcr

Apphia Campbell’s play, inspired by the life of Nina Simone, has won critical acclaim and sold-out venues around the world. It is not hard to see why. Black Is The Color Of My Voice is about as accomplished a one-person show as you are ever likely to see. Confined to one sparsely decorated room, jazz singer Eugenia vows to ditch the booze and the cigarettes as she tries to connect with the spirit of her late father. Campbell’s character clutches a framed picture of ‘daddy’ as she reflects on her life, loves and losses. Artefacts and articles of clothing pulled from a suitcase trigger memories. Memories that are beautifully and believably portrayed to a spellbound audience. Memories punctuated by stunning interpretations of Nina Simone classics. Within the first few beats of the fi...

29Apr

By Kira DanielsNo Comments

London

Moby Dick – Wilton’s Music Hall

You know the story. Boy meets whale. Whale eats boy’s leg. Boy never gets over whale. The enduring power of the novel, Moby Dick is difficult to relate to in this modern day and age for audiences without a special interest in whale anatomy or sperm oil derivation methods. Some productions take on this difficulty by recontextualizing the story, playing up its tragic or romantic elements, and this production, by the theatre ensemble simple8 technically checks both of these boxes. Our narrator/protagonist Ishmael (Mark Arends) and his beloved bunkmate Queequeg (Tom Swale) have more than a hint of chemistry and jokingly allude to a sea marriage. The doomed Captain Ahab (Guy Rhys) and his gloomy mate Starbuck (Hannah Emanuel) both take their respective roles in spreading their component element...

27Apr

By Coral MourantNo Comments

North West

The Wizard of Oz – Palace Theatre

Nikolai Foster has taken many a musical theatre staple and put his own spin on them, with this show being another triumph to come out of the tried and tested method of starting at the Leicester Curve before becoming a big hit. Sending this spectacle out on a national tour is a no-brainer, bound to bedazzle theatre goers all over the country with its imaginative take on the heart-warming classic. Based on the book by L. Frank Baum, the tale has had many iterations, proving its generational appeal. But at the heart of its story, there’s a young girl on a heroic journey to find a place to belong. We are taken on this adventure by Dorothy (Aviva Tulley). The audience is in very capable hands here, Tulley’s voice soars as she delivers Over the Rainbow, and her performance encapsulates all...