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Bright Lights City – Salford Arts Theatre

20Jul

By Louise KershawNo Comments

North West

Bright Lights City – Salford Arts Theatre

When two people meet in a seaside café at the end of a pier on a grueling wet afternoon it can go one of two ways; either sulkily sit out the storm in a sad soggy state or stop for a moment and absorb what is actually going on around you and even gain a new perspective on life, love and latte. Laura Gender’s play introduces us to Woman (Marchia Brogan)– middle-aged, successful, demanding, rude, disappointed, angry, entitled and caught out in a storm. In the empty café in which she takes refuge she meets Waitress (Blue Blackburn) – sixteen years old, unambitious, open, funny, patient, tolerant, smart and ready to shut up shop for the day. In the unfolding drama we see two women, seemingly from very different places, whose worlds collide and clash but who find a way to connection, reso...

19Jul

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Titanic the Musical – Sheffield Lyceum

Sheffield Lyceum hosted Titanic the Musical this week and it proved to be a rousingly decadent piece of ensemble theatre. The star of the show, as should be, is the ship itself with its hull of steel that claimed to be unsinkable. The production covers its fateful maiden journey in April 1912 and its promise to make history as the fastest liner to cover the transatlantic voyage. History was indeed made on the tragic voyage, but not as intended, over 1500 souls were lost at sea as an iceberg tore a gash in its hull below the water level. This production with music and lyrics by Maury Yeston and the book by Peter Stone is directed by Thom Southerland. The set by David Woodhead depicts the interior of the ship with its walls of steel towering over the cast and is a constant reminder ...

19Jul

By Akshay RahejaNo Comments

London

Diana – Soho Theatre

In Diana, a captivating one-person musical, Peter Smith draws inspiration from the enigmatic Diana, the blonde British icon who bared her soul on television. Smith, a renowned figure in the New York cabaret circuit, reveals their fascination with Diana, ignited by watching Martin Bashir's infamous interview. Yet, the show appears more about Smith, frequently delving into anecdotes about family, leaving us perplexed about its true focus. The lack of clarity leaves us yearning for a clearer narrative. Smith excels at crafting sensationalist one-liners, but disappointingly, do not lead anywhere substantial. Instead, it feels like a collection of shallow headlines, akin to tabloid gossip that entices but lacks depth. This alluring yet ultimately open production leaves much to be desired. ...

19Jul

By Maani WayNo Comments

London

The Choir of Man – Arts Theatre

“Cheers, everybody!” This fresh, innovative and hilarious show has launched itself on the West End, promising solid enjoyment which is sure to leave you fully satisfied at last orders. While the story is a tale of a group’s highs and lows, with some rhyming dialogue and narration by poet Michael Hamway, this is not the key aspect of the show. A little unconventional, The Choir of Man allows audience members to grab a pint at the pub on stage before the performance, allowing for the actors to interact with the audience and set the scene and spirit of the show. Audience participation is a focal part of this show, and is one of the more distinctive parts of this production. Tom Carter-Miles performs a comically romantic rendition of Katy Perry’s “Teenage Dream” to a lucky audience membe...

Heathers The Musical – Bradford Alhambra

19Jul

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Heathers The Musical – Bradford Alhambra

Many musicals flirt with darkness before another tune about empowerment and the power of love comes along to take the edge off, but not so Heathers The Musical which offers a relentless diet of serial killing, bullying, eating disorders, homophobia and date rape. It’s based on the deliciously dark eighties movie Heathers which was a welcome antidote to the saccharine John Hughes films who mistook teens for young adults. Here the teens are feral locked in the cliquey hell that is a typically hieratical US high school as the cool gangs, jocks and nerds try to survive into college. Our (anti) hero at Westerburg High School is geeky Veronica Sawyer who accidentally falls in with the bitchy cool gang trio all named Heather, who delight in making everyone’s life a misery to mask their own ...

Barefoot in the Park – Frinton Summer Theatre

19Jul

By Samantha CollettNo Comments

South East

Barefoot in the Park – Frinton Summer Theatre

When you’re in a long-term relationship it’s sometimes hard to remember why you’re with the other person. Luckily for Corrie and Paul Bratter they’re newly-weds – 6 days married and full to the brim with love for each other and life. Corrie (Olivia Bernstone) is an optimistic happy wife. Carefree and always wanting to look on the bright side of life, she’s the perfect antidote to her more uptight and anxious new husband Paul (Jamie Treacher). Over the course of four days, we watch as the twosome learn to live together and navigate the mundanities of life from their top floor apartment. Corrie’s mother, Ethel Banks (Olivia Carruthers), and their upstairs neighbour, Victor Velasco (Nathan Osgood), provide enough skits to make this period comedy work. ‘Barefoot in the Park’ is about wan...

19Jul

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Blood Brothers – Hull New Theatre

When, in a packed theatre, every member of the audience rises to their feet, as one, the nano-second a production ends, then you know you have witnessed something very special. That was the scene on Tuesday evening, when the legendary Blood Brothers came to Hull New Theatre. Set in Liverpool, it tells of twins, separated at birth - one staying with his impoverished birth mother and the other going to a well-off family, desperate for a child. The twins’ mum, Mrs Johnstone (Niki Colwell Evans), works as a cleaner for Mrs Lyons (Sarah Jane Buckley), who, with her husband, Mr Lyons (Tim Churchill) is desperate for a child. Hearing that Mrs Johnstone is expecting twins, Mrs Lyons pays Mrs J £50, getting her to swear on the Bible that one of the babies will be handed over at birth. ...

15Jul

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Disruption – Park Theatre

Artificial Intelligence is having a moment. From ChatGPT and now a Google rival, ‘Bard’, to journalists calmly asking robots with near-human faces if they’re planning a rebellion against us, Andrew Stein’s cautionary tale about AI feels perfectly timed. The stage is set for a reunion dinner. Tech entrepreneur Nick is in town, buoyant from his latest business sale and has arranged to meet up with some old friends; three thirty-something couples who are grappling with the kind of first world problems that plague the middle classes like private school fees, whether to buy a bigger house, which exotic destination would be preferable for a holiday and so on. Enter Nick’s mysterious (unblinking) partner, Raven – together, they have a proposition that could solve all of Nick’s friends’ ...

Run to the Nuns The Musical – Riverside Studios

15Jul

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Run to the Nuns The Musical – Riverside Studios

It was a curious, rich and unique evening. The first hiccup to curse Run to the Nuns was a technical hitch, which meant the show opened over 30 minutes late. It was their first night. The upside was that the mysterious delay meant there was ample time for cocktails from the bar. In addition to unruly wires in the theatre, the box office printer broke down. A member of staff wrote out a ticket for me with a biro. It was very analogue. And slightly chaotic. I was into it.We were informed that the performers’ microphones had been abandoned. Instead, they’d be singing without electrical amplification. Tech gremlins were forcing a spontaneous descent into the unplugged old school. Our usher didn’t even check tickets when we finally piled into Studio 3. ‘Just get in and grab a seat,’ she begg...

SEVEN and a half YEARS – Salford Arts Theatre

15Jul

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

North West

SEVEN and a half YEARS – Salford Arts Theatre

Mark Glentworth experienced incredible success as a composer, and then his life changed. But not in the way that you would expect. This autobiographical one-act musical tells the story of what came next: it is a journey that takes Glentworth from the heights of his success to the depths of his despair and isolation, ending with his first steps towards a new start. The production makes the most of the simple set and lighting designs, and Glentworth moves around the space well. It is his authenticity that is most striking; it cannot be easy for him to perform this material over and over and relive the best and worst moments of his life. Glentworth is clearly an outstanding musician, and the music in the show – which switches seamlessly from prerecorded tracks to live piano and back...