Latest Articles - Page 315 of 645

2Aug

By Louise PennNo Comments

Scotland

Gethsemane – Edinburgh Fringe Online

Gethsemane is a new musical by John Richmond which tells the story of Nadi and Chloe, who were contemporaries of Jesus. This piece in currently in development as a full show and so plays out as a visual album in its current 100-minute form, with songs and narration. Although the images are often simply complementary to the narration or songs, they are sometimes set out of their time - I can see why the parallels are being made (for example, with the homeless in a 21st century London). There are no actors and no on-screen performances. The leading characters are Nadi, a carpenter who works with Jesus in the workshop and based on the “naked disciple” referenced in the Gospel of Mark, and Chloe, the daughter of Joseph of Arimathea, a rich merchant. Must Nadi fight the Romans with his br...

Foxdog Studios: Robo Bingo – The King’s Arms

2Aug

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Foxdog Studios: Robo Bingo – The King’s Arms

Set to dazzle audiences at the Edinburgh Fringe Festival, "Robo Bingo" provides a unique spin on traditional entertainment. This show, hosted by a dynamic duo of tech enthusiasts, Lloyd and Pete, seamlessly blends technology and comedy with interactive gameplay. Distinctly designed for introverts, "Robo Bingo" offers a refreshing take on audience participation. Show-goers get the opportunity to interact with robotic elements integrated into the performance, creating an immersive and memorable experience. This isn't your standard bingo night, and Lloyd and Pete's wit and charm are at the heart of the show's appeal. Their comedic timing and tech-infused narratives bring a fresh and enjoyable dynamic to the performance. As "Robo Bingo" gears up for its stint at the Edinburgh Frin...

First look at the stars of the English language premiere of ‘Rebecca’ at Charing Cross Theatre

2Aug

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

First look at the stars of the English language premiere of ‘Rebecca’ at Charing Cross Theatre

Richard Carson, Lauren Jones and Kara Lane head the cast for the eagerly anticipated English language premiere of the critically acclaimed musical ‘Rebecca’. Based on Daphne Du Maurier’s 1938 novel, by Michael Kunze and Sylvester Levay, two of the most successful German-language musical theatre creators, ‘Rebecca’ has already captivated more than two million people worldwide in hugely successful productions in 12 countries and eight languages. ‘Rebecca’ had its world premiere at VBW’s Raimund Theater in Vienna, Austria, in September 2006, where it went on to play to sold-out houses in three seasons, and where it is currently enjoying a hugely successful revival. The rest of the cast are: Alex James-Ward, Piers Bate, Sarah Harlington, David Breeds, Amanda Minihan, Neil Moors, Nicho...

Dame Fanny And Her Fabulous Friends – Liverpool Theatre Festival

31Jul

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Dame Fanny And Her Fabulous Friends – Liverpool Theatre Festival

It’s pride weekend in Liverpool, a weekend of love, acceptance and unity. I was at another show within the programme of the Liverpool Theatre Festival at St Luke’s Bombed out Church. It was Dame Fanny and her friends Violet P and Debbie. Advertised as a family show. I didn’t know what to expect but what I got blew my mind. It was funny, engaging and ‘off the cuff’. Dame Fanny came out in a gorgeous dress in LGBTQ+ colours and welcomed her audience with open arms. She used her quick-fire wit when speaking to the audience and kept them in check. Fanny encouraged audience members to take the stage and show of talents for prizes to be won including a framed signed photo of Dame Fanny and a family trip to ArCains games. The audience and Fanny were very supportive of those who got up and ...

The Tempest – Liverpool Theatre Festival

31Jul

By Bev ClarkNo Comments

North West

The Tempest – Liverpool Theatre Festival

For the penultimate performance of the Liverpool Theatre Festival, A Place for Us brought its edited version of Shakespeare’s The Tempest. The setting is ideal for open air Shakespeare and the weather managed to hold off the raindrops until the last few minutes. A Place For Us are a professional creative team who work with students, in this case members of Cronton Sixth Form College, delivering this project with only five days of rehearsals and then presenting at Norton Priory woodland, before this performance at the Bombed Out Church. Director Kate Allerton has done a wonderful job bringing this all together in such a short time, with an atmospheric soundtrack, some really good movement sequences and some excellent performances from their cast of twelve young people. The...

Shout! The Mod Musical – Liverpool Theatre Festival

31Jul

By Luke StephensonNo Comments

North West

Shout! The Mod Musical – Liverpool Theatre Festival

At the penultimate night of the Liverpool Theatre Festival, I was invited to review ‘Shout the (mod) Musical’ by Phillip George and David Löwenstein. It was performed by the students at Edge Hill University for their musical theatre course. A short synopsis of the show is that. It’s a show with hits from the 1960s including such hits as Son of a Preacher man, Goldfinger and of course Shout from LuLu. The show was about 5 women making their way through the 60s decade and overcoming stereotypes and prejudice. Each woman portrayed a different type of woman from the 60s and it looked at the personal journey of each of them. Whether questioning sexuality, their marriage and their love of Paul McCartney. We even had agony aunt columns and adverts plucked from the era. The musical was set in L...

30Jul

By Lou SteggalsNo Comments

North West

No Further Action – The Squad House

From the opening audio of news headlines highlighting cases of historical abuse finally coming to light, there is a very clear message in tonight’s show – the system has done a terrible job of supporting victims of abuse, with perpetrators often walking scot-free; prosecutors unable to meet a seemingly impossible threshold of evidence to make a case worth pursuing. Mia Lockley has turned her own experience into a short play, being shown as part of the Manchester Fringe festival. We meet Lottie, a young woman who finally decides to report the abuse she has suffered at the hands of her grandfather, only to hit brick wall after brick wall as she tries to get justice. Mia acts as our narrator, guiding us through Lottie’s story, which is made powerful from being informed by (sadly) person...

Bring It On: The Musical – Festival Theatre

30Jul

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Bring It On: The Musical – Festival Theatre

This was a blast! The Beyond Broadway franchise does it again; bringing together no fewer than 250 tinnies, teenies and young adults to the Festival Theatre stage following an intensive two week, acting, singing and dancing summer school. Can they pull off this huge and extremely challenging and technical show? Of course they can, and then some! Loosely based on the year Y2k American teen comedy motion picture of the same name, Bring It On: The Musical first saw the light of day in January 2011, where it opened to mixed reviews. Put together by such illuminated Tony-winners as writer Jeff Whitty (Avenue Q), Composer-lyricist Lin-Manuel Miranda (In The Heights, Hamilton) and composer Tom kit (Next To Normal), this Musical certainly has a rich pedigree – but is not well known, and r...

30Jul

By Emma LambeNo Comments

North West

Rhythm of the Dance – Floral Pavilion

The National Dance Company of Ireland present a show that has celebrated the beauty of Irish song and Dance for over 20 years now. Performed by an ensemble of flawless professional dancers to upbeat and traditional Irish musicians and live singers. Blending snippets of story without dialogue is a special thing to see, presenting us with Irelands history from the old to the new. You can see why it has been popular for so long. The best moments were certainly when they all danced together in unison, showcasing their dedication to the craft. I can understand how these dancers have done so since a very young age and winning lots of awards along the way. Their dance was brought to life with the talented musicians using traditional Irish instruments such as the violin, drums, or should I say ...

Ahoy! Ballad of the Time Kraken – Salford Arts Theatre

30Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

Ahoy! Ballad of the Time Kraken – Salford Arts Theatre

A confusion of school disco music, playground lyrics, art room props, nativity choreography and dress-up box costumes make this poorly performed, barely-plotted absurdity of a musical unfit for performance in front of a paying audience in its current state. You wouldn't swab the poop deck with this two-and-a-half-hour shamble. ‘Ahoy! Ballad of the Time Kraken’ continues at Salford Arts Centre until 29th July with tickets available from https://manchester.ssboxoffice.com/events/ahoy-ballad-of-the-time-kraken/ Reviewer: Scot Cunningham Reviewed: 28th July 2023 North West End UK Rating: ★