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Factory International to premiere stage adaptation of Oliver Jeffers’ award-winning children’s book, Lost and Found

23May

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Factory International to premiere stage adaptation of Oliver Jeffers’ award-winning children’s book, Lost and Found

Children and families are invited to experience the world premiere stage adaptation of Oliver Jeffers’ award-winning children’s book, Lost and Found (Nestlé Smarties Book Prize 2005, Blue Peter Book Award 2006) as part of Factory International’s opening season at their flagship new venue in Manchester. Adapted and directed by BAFTA award-winning director Will Brenton (CBeebies, Coronation Street), the show will premiere on Friday 15th December this year and run until Saturday 6th January 2024. Lost and Found is a heart-warming, magical story of friendship and loneliness, following the journey of a little boy who one day finds a penguin on his doorstep. The official adaptation of the much-loved story will take to the stage for the very first time in Manchester. The show is produced...

The creatives behind The Beekeeper of Aleppo discuss its power and truth as it buzzes into Leeds Playhouse

22May

By Paul ClarkeNo Comments

Interviews

The creatives behind The Beekeeper of Aleppo discuss its power and truth as it buzzes into Leeds Playhouse

The Beekeeper of Aleppo was a surprise hit novel but the stage version on its way to Leeds Playhouse began with just a feeling and a Facebook post. After volunteering at a refugee centre in Athens in 2016 – a decision prompted by her own experiences as a daughter of Cypriot refugees – bestselling author Christy Lefteri wrote on her Facebook page: ‘You wouldn’t believe what’s going on here.’ Leferi was too overwhelmed with her volunteering work to post again, but the seeds of the novel had been sown, and the hard graft of writing it down would soon begin. Despite the tales of devastation and destruction she had heard, the first scene that Lefteri wrote was one of hope - a man salvaging a pomegranate for his wife among a pile of rotting fruit. “Just from that one scene,” r...

Don Giovanni – The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD

22May

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

REVIEWS

Don Giovanni – The Metropolitan Opera Live in HD

Mozart’s retelling of the Don Juan myth dates from 1787 and its tale of a serial, sexual predator sadly remains far too relevant some 235 years later. Don Giovanni (Peter Mattei) has seduced some 1,800 women, all catalogued by servant Leporello (Adam Plachetka), and he is looking to add another name with his attempted rape of Donna Anna (Federica Lombardi) that results in him killing her father, the Commendatore (Alexander Tsymbalyuk), and which her fiancé Don Ottavio (Ben Bliss) swears to revenge. Donna Elvira (Ana Maria Martinez), an earlier conquest, has come in search of Don Giovanni, although he is now trying to seduce peasant girl Zerlina (Ying Fang) on her wedding day to Masetto (Alfred Walker) and later attempts to rape her at his party. The next day, Giovanni forces Lepor...

Dear Billy – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

22May

By Kathleen MansfieldNo Comments

Scotland

Dear Billy – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

Why is Gary McNair’s ode to master comedian, Billy Connoly, Dear Billy, excellent? It is the authentic voice of Scotland. It has perfect comic timing. Every man and woman portayed is distinct in characterisation. The words are all true - not a single piece of fiction. The idea is brilliantly simple while the execution looks simple, but is, in fact, brilliantly compiled, composed and performed - not simple at all. He makes it funny. I take my hat off to you, Mr McNair, and your team of story-gatherers. This is a fabulously funny, tender, and varied piece of theatre which had me in stitches, and I’m not a die-hard Billy Connolly fan, like some of the audience in this full-house. It is the breadth of commentary/recollections that makes this piece sparkle - stories of...

Your Body is a Wasteland – Brighton Fringe Online

22May

By Donna M DayNo Comments

REVIEWS

Your Body is a Wasteland – Brighton Fringe Online

Your Body is a Wasteland, is a multi-media online experience being released daily-ish. Written by Emma Maguire, this is a unique and thought-provoking journey into life with chronic illness and its life changing impact on everything that you do. Featuring a combination of video, text extracts, images and audio recordings, the piece takes full advantage of the online theatre medium to create something truly original and remarkable. There are two options to experience this piece. The Long Road allows you to explore the material in your own way. The Short Road relates the story in a linear way. Posts are still being added to the piece and this review is of the Short Road as it stands today, 20 May 2023. Maguire plays “the Wanderer”, who has chronic illness and is wandering through the w...

22May

By Gemma PrinceNo Comments

London

Brokeback Mountain – Soho Place

Set in the wild Wyoming mountains during the 60s, Brokeback Mountain is based on Annie Proulx’s 1997 short story of the same name about two cowboys, Jack Twist and Ennis Del Mar working on a ranch who struggle with their feelings for each other in a hostile and unforgiving world. Most will be more familiar with the hit film adaptation starring Jake Gyllenhaal and Heath Ledger. Directed by Jonathan Butterell, the story is told through the perspective of an older Ennis (brilliantly played by Paul Hickey), depressed and drinking alone in a bedroom, looking back on his past life with the solemn ‘Don’t Let the Years Get Your Down’ playing on the radio. Hickey appears throughout the story, sorrowfully looking back at his younger self, softly reacting to painful moments and decisions that shap...

Carrie Hope Fletcher Talks About New Chapters Ahead Of Debut Solo Tour An Open Book

22May

By NewsdeskNo Comments

Interviews

Carrie Hope Fletcher Talks About New Chapters Ahead Of Debut Solo Tour An Open Book

For Carrie Hope Fletcher, 2022 was destined to be one to remember – she was leading the cast in the title role of a West End show, was living with her long-term boyfriend, and was going to turn 30. Little did she expect it to turn out to be quite such a landmark in her life. Or did she? As the musical theatre actress, vlogger and author says, 22 is her lucky number… But it didn’t get off to the best start, with the show she was starring in, Andrew Lloyd Webber’s Cinderella having a Covid-enforced eight-week stop, and the end of a four-year relationship. Carrie might have been forgiven for rethinking her lucky charm. However, come the end of the year, and it was a different story: Carrie had happily turned 30, found a new, true love – and got engaged, impressed critics with her ...

A Brief List of Everyone Who Died – Finborough Theatre

20May

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

A Brief List of Everyone Who Died – Finborough Theatre

“There is no me in me without the way I love you”. A light, convivial family atmosphere transitions into a dark comedy as Graciela’s (Vivia Font) parents figure out how to tell her that their dog has died. Denial and questioning turns into blame and Graciela develops some sort of fear of her loved ones dying. Members of the cast take it in turns delineating the time passing as Gracie ages. Jacob Marx Rice’s script is mischievously witty and exuberant one moment before revealing undercurrents of disquiet and grief. Throughout the play, people in Gracie’s life die, and she struggles to deal with each one, until it eventually becomes her turn. What I loved about this play was its earnestness and the acute portrayal of grappling with something beyond your control. Font was emotiona...

Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me – Waterside Arts, Sale

20May

By Peter RuddickNo Comments

North West

Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me – Waterside Arts, Sale

There is a rich theatrical tradition of showcasing stories of people who have been left behind, left out. They tend to veer towards empowering and uplifting. So, it is safe to say theatregoers may make certain assumptions as they head into a one-person show about a young man growing up in a challenging background only to discover the power of cruise ship singer Jane McDonald. In reality, however, Jesus, Jane, Mother & Me is something altogether darker. Daniel Valentine (Jack Stokes) is restlessly roaming his mothers’ front room as the audience members take their seats. Bin bags full of clothes litter the floor, the windows are boarded up, no cleaner has troubled the space for many years and the faded shape of a cross on the wall tells us religion was here but is present no longer...

20May

By Adam WilliamsNo Comments

North West

It is what it is – 53two

When does a one-woman play become a stand-up set and vice versa? This show seemed to be unsure which side of that fine line it wanted to be and whilst it was a highly entertaining show it was not entirely clear what was intended. The space itself mirrored this problem as at the front were a number of tables and chairs set out as they would be in a comedy club. Yet behind them was the traditional tiered seating you would find in a theatre. Before the play started there was a warm-up act in the form of Maisie McFarlane who played a few sweet songs. This had nothing to do with the play and only added to the cabaret feel for the whole project. There was an overwhelmingly young, exuberant, animated audience who were extremely lively and definitely keen to enjoy themselves. Given their ...