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Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty – Bradford Alhambra

22Feb

By Jo TillotsonNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Matthew Bourne’s Sleeping Beauty – Bradford Alhambra

Once upon a time… All great fairy tales start with those immortal words, and this one is no different. However, what Matthew Bourne has done with this version of Sleeping Beauty is so much more than a standard fairy tale. And it’s definitely more than just a dance show. Bourne and his team, Etta Murfitt and Neil Westmoreland, have taken the story that we know and built on it to produce an epic visual tale of love and overcoming adversity. As the show opens, we meet baby Aurora, the result of a bargain Aurora’s parents made with Carabosse, the Dark Fairy. As in the traditional tale, Aurora receives gifts as a baby from various fairies. Carabosse’s threat of a short-lived life is once again mitigated by the King of the Fairies, who promises sleep over death; but just as Aurora is falling ...

22Feb

By Anisha AnantpurkarNo Comments

London

Age Is a Feeling – Soho Theatre

‘Here are twelve stories about what’s to come in your adult years’, says Haley McGee at the top of Age Is a Feeling, and for some reason, I instantly trust her. The stage is set with a tall lifeguard chair, with lit candles on a small platform underneath the seat. The chair sits in the centre of a circle marked by 12 pole-like potted flowering plants. Each plant bears a small card with a word written on it in large letters. The audience hears 6 stories, each picked by an audience member, and we are left with just a hint of what might’ve happened in the ones we don’t pick. Haley McGee, barefoot and dressed in a black blouse featuring some lace and jeans soiled by dirt, picks some cards off the plants and walks towards members of the audience seated closest to the stage. She then asks ...

22Feb

By Philip EdwardsNo Comments

North West

Steel Magnolias – The Lowry

There has been a theory knocking about that there are no great parts for older female actors being written. Well, that’s not quite true is it. Because, even if “Steel Magnolias” was written in the 1980’s the story is timeless and each of the six characters offer are, in their own way great, from Annelle with her mysterious past to Ouiser Boudreaux who is larger than life and an open book. Author Robert Harling based each of the six characters on people he grew up with. It must have been like growing up on the set of “The Golden Girls” with all the zinging one liners and “girl talk” he has recalled. Set in the hair salon owned by Truvey Jones, at the heart of the story are Shelby and her mother M’Lynn what happens to them during the two years of the story and the friendship of the other ...

Rock of Ages – Winter Gardens, Blackpool

21Feb

By Gill LewisNo Comments

North West

Rock of Ages – Winter Gardens, Blackpool

Are you ready to rock? Buckle up for this jukebox musical, belting out nonstop 80s classic soft rock riffs which will leave you fist pumping and head bobbing well after the final guitar crunch. 1980’s USA is a country still recovering from the post-Vietnam war conflict which caused economic and political uncertainty, creating an anxiety which led to an American identity crisis. Bands such as Journey, Europe and Starship were making music and writing lyrics which talked to the disenfranchised youth of the day with messages of hope, fighting for what you believe in and pursuing your dreams. These messages resonated with young people who admired the flamboyant, long haired rock gods, their vitality representing freedom and liberation in contrast to the condescending voices of a...

21Feb

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

The Bodyguard – Edinburgh Playhouse

A show that literally starts with a bang. The Bodyguard follows Pop sensation Rachel Marron (Melody Thornton) as she receives death threats from an obsessive fan (Marios Nicolaides), to save the pop stars life her team hire Frank (Ayden Callaghan) as her personal bodyguard. Despite their dislike for one another the situation only serves to bring the two closer together providing us with a will they won’t they love story within the midst of danger. Of course, this is all accompanied by the hits of musical legend Whitney Houston. Visually this show is something to be seen, using techniques very rarely seen within musical theatre such as a heavy load of pre-recorded video projection used to give the show a much more sinister true crime atmosphere when discussing the stalker building suspen...

21Feb

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

The Beach House – Park Theatre

Arriving at the theatre last night to find an almost full choice of unreserved seats I instantly regretted tucking myself into a corner and wondered if I’d get the most out of the four-sided stage. I needn’t have worried, though; and was heartened to see that Director Bethany Pitts’s biography includes Jules and Juniper, which was my North West End UK pick of 2022. The Beach House was reminiscent of this in terms of the fluidity and the smoothness of movement – fitting for a play set by the sea. The performers make full use of a tight space and are in almost constant motion – physically and maybe emotionally too. This is complemented by the gentle use of lighting which perfectly moves the action through time, from a dawn interrupted by a crying new born to New Year’s Eve fireworks. &nbs...

Will You Be In The Room Where It Happens?

21Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Will You Be In The Room Where It Happens?

Producers Jeffrey Seller and Cameron Mackintosh are delighted to announce that the multi award-winning HAMILTON will tour the UK for the very first time opening at the Manchester Palace Theatre on Saturday 11th November 2023 for a 15 week season until Saturday 24th February 2024 followed by a run at the Festival Theatre, Edinburgh from Wednesday 28th February – Saturday 27th April 2024. FURTHER VENUES TO BE ANNOUNCED SOON. Casting for the UK tour is currently underway. ATG Theatrecard tickets will go on sale for Manchester on Friday 10th March at 10am. General tickets will then go on sale for the seasons in Manchester and Edinburgh on 13th March at 10am 2023. Sign-up at www.hamiltonmusical.com for access to priority tickets. The Olivier, Tony and Grammy and Pulitzer Prize-winn...

21Feb

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

The Rocky Horror Show – Opera House

"The Rocky Horror Show" is a classic musical that has captivated audiences for over four decades. As someone who recently had the pleasure of attending a live performance of the show at the Opera House in Manchester, I can confidently say that it is a truly unforgettable experience. From the moment the show begins, you are transported into a world of science fiction and horror, complete with catchy music and outrageous costumes. The cast of characters is eccentric and colourful, and the audience is encouraged to participate in the show by shouting out lines and using props. This creates an atmosphere that is both lively and engaging, making it a truly unique theatrical experience. The musical numbers are a true highlight of the show, with memorable songs such as "The Time Warp" and "...

The Shawshank Redemption – Regent Theatre

21Feb

By Angela KellyNo Comments

North West

The Shawshank Redemption – Regent Theatre

Producer Bill Kenwright has taken on a classic this time that’s for sure. Since it first appeared on screen in 1994 and known for perhaps being one of the most popular movies of all time, it must be said that a transfer of ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ to the stage was a brave undertaking. Based on the Stephen King novella, and adapted for stage by Owen O’Neill and Dave Johns, ‘The Shawshank Redemption’ is set behind the bars of a maximum-security prison. Directed by David Esbjornson, the play highlights the story of Andy Dufresne (Joe Absolom) who, despite expressing his innocence, is handed a double life sentence for two murders. The story depicts Andy’s friendship with Red (Ben Onwukwe) and shares the highs and many more lows of life inside the prison over a time span of 20 years. Jo...

20Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Follow the yellow brick road on tour!

Michael Harrison and the Really Useful Group are thrilled to announce that The Wizard of Oz, the musical based on the iconic story by L. Frank Baum, will embark on a UK Tour, following this summer’s forthcoming season at the world-famous London Palladium. The Wizard of Oz will open its tour with a Christmas season at the Liverpool Empire, beginning performances on Wednesday 13th December, with subsequent tour dates announced today through to Spring 2024. Michael Harrison, the producer of the smash-hit Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat which thrilled audiences on its UK Tour in 2022, now presents Curve’s brand-new production of one of the world’s most beloved musicals. For more information and to book tickets, go to www.wizardofozmusical.com Join Dorothy, Toto and friend...