Latest Articles - Page 375 of 645

17Feb

By Stewart Who?No Comments

London

Bootycandy – Gate Theatre

This wasn’t a normal night at the theatre. It felt like a 1960s ‘happening’ but with smart phones in place of LSD and a post-modern, clued-up crowd who‘ve seen previous generations failed dreams and repeated ‘revolutions’ and have taken to TikTok to cuss their hippy forbears. The Summer of Love died and became the Bummer of Life. Welcome to 2023. There was a domestic installation near the entrance of the theatre, a little pop-up kitchen, complete with electric hob and saucepans full of condoms, lube and sexual health info. ’Black Joy is Power’ said one of the stickers, while brilliantly bigging up STI home testing kits and PrEP The show is presented in the round and as the lively audience took their seats, an ‘80s soul soundtrack span a semi disco vibe as Cheryl Lynn and Michael Jack...

Jesus Christ Superstar set for 2023/2024 UK Tour

17Feb

By NewsdeskNo Comments

NEWS

Jesus Christ Superstar set for 2023/2024 UK Tour

Following several acclaimed and sold-out runs in London as well as an extensive tour of North America, the Olivier Award-winning reimagined production of Andrew Lloyd Webber and Tim Rice’s celebrated musical JESUS CHRIST SUPERSTAR will embark on a UK tour in 2023/2024. Produced by David Ian for Crossroads Live, the UK tour will launch at Manchester’s Palace Theatre from 11 September 2023 and will visit Newcastle, Hull, Aberdeen, Glasgow, Liverpool, Milton Keynes, Plymouth, Wolverhampton, Bradford, Nottingham, Ipswich, Cardiff, Edinburgh, Leicester, Stoke, Bristol, Crawley, Southampton, Norwich, Eastbourne, Birmingham, Oxford, Wimbledon, Woking, Sunderland, Canterbury, Sheffield, Llandudno, Torquay, Dartford, Cheltenham and Blackpool. Further tour dates are to be announced. Featuring ...

VAULT Festival left without a home for future festivals

17Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

VAULT Festival left without a home for future festivals

Following its triumphant return for the first time since the pandemic, VAULT Festival, the UK’s leading festival of live performance, has been advised by its venue-landlord, The Vaults, that it must find a new home for future festivals. VAULT Festival, run by not-for-profit charity VAULT Creative Arts, had repeatedly sought a long-term commitment from The Vaults, but the venue is instead looking at other more commercial projects which leaves VAULT Festival without a home for 2024 and beyond. Having run in the then-derelict tunnels in Waterloo since 2012, VAULT Festival has helped build the reputation of The Vaults over the past 11 years by bringing over 3,000 bold and brilliant shows to more than 400,000 audience members. VAULT Festival is recognised for being vitally important to th...

Love In Mind – Star-studded charity concert at Southbank Centre

17Feb

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Love In Mind – Star-studded charity concert at Southbank Centre

A star-studded line-up of artists across classical, pop, jazz, and dance music join forces in a symphony of sounds to support the mental wellbeing of young creatives. An illustrious line-up of special guest artists including Grammy award-winning Clean Bandit, internationally recognised cellist Sheku Kanneh-Mason, Chineke! Orchestra, Europe’s first ethnically diverse professional orchestra, award-winning jazz organisation Tomorrow’s Warriors, hitmaker Charlie Deakin Davies aka Charlieee and many more headline artists still to be announced, will join forces with Mark Rylance to take part in this special charity concert at London’s Southbank Centre to launch The Harvey Parker Trust. The night, which also includes performances from members of the National Childre...

17Feb

By Gonzalo SentanaNo Comments

London

Love Rash – Pleasance Theatre

First impressions can deceive. When the stage lights up, we see the least believable face possible, with a weird rictus in the face, and an even weirder voice filling the space, then the fear of having to endure a whole show like that becomes strong. Oh, my, how first impressions can deceive. Weirdness was just the tip of the iceberg (…or should I say fatberg?). From writer/performer Natasha Sutton Williams, this one-woman show of comedy at the Pleasance Theatre is an exhilarating and alienating incursion into human beings' desires and lust for connection. The first character (and the last) to appear is Gary Strange, a curious and thoughtful individual who screams offering for help from the sewers to the people who he records with his cassette recorder. He introduces us to the other cha...

17Feb

By Greg HolsteadNo Comments

Scotland

Moonset – Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh

Finishing it’s too short 15 day run at Traverse Theatre, Edinburgh, Citizens Theatre Glasgow brings a thought provoking coming-of-age piece which has its roots in the infamous burning in 1697 of seven witches, known as the Paisley or Bargarran witches. The play, set in modern day, follows 15-year-old Roxy (Layla Kirk) as she tries to come to terms with her mother’s recent cancer illness at the same time as pre-exam stresses. This is a loss of control for Roxy, which throws her into a tailspin. At her lowest point we see the importance of her friendships with studious Bushra (Cindy Awor), who also has her own sexuality/faith issues, rebellious live wire, Gina (Leah Byrne) and glamor-pus rich kid Joanne (Hannah Visocchi), with boyfriend troubles. Evoking the turmoil of young minds, Jen...

A Bunch of Amateurs – Rainhill Village Hall

17Feb

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

A Bunch of Amateurs – Rainhill Village Hall

When one of your favourite satirists meets one of your favourite theatre companies what could possibly go wrong? Well for all the right reasons, quite a lot in this ‘love letter to amateur dramatics’ penned by Ian Hislop and Nick Newman and directed by Lynn Aconley. The question is what happens when spoilt, arrogant Hollywood star Jefferson Steel (Gerald Walker) washes up, pursued by journalists (George Lowe; Tom Nevitt), and meets a struggling group of actors including their premier star Nigel Dewbury (Rick Young), the local B&B owner Mary Plunkett (Rosetta Parker) and local handyman Denis Dobbins (Richard Parker), all of whom are capably coordinated by their director Dorothy Nettle (Jo Webster). This is a different kind of Stratford however and with the threat of the venue being s...

Spitting Image Saves The World – Birmingham Rep

17Feb

By Peter KinnockNo Comments

West Midlands

Spitting Image Saves The World – Birmingham Rep

A healthy dose of dissent blended with bucket fulls Hogarthian vulgarity has provided the basis of British satire for many a year and there is nothing more vulgar and satirical and, indeed, British than “Spitting Image” which has been speaking the truth to power without remorse, consideration and, as times, tact since its inception in 1984. Produced at Central TV Studios which used to exist almost exactly opposite the theatre which houses its current incarnation. In its time it was subversive, naughty and very, very controversial these days every other TV show seems to aim and achieve that - so reviving it on stage may seem a bit of a risk. And it is one which Sean Foley as director together with co-writers Al Murray and Matt Forde take to with elan. Photo: Mark Senior Twelve buoyant...

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Theatr Clwyd

17Feb

By Damian RiverolNo Comments

Wales

Joseph and the Amazing Technicolor Dreamcoat – Theatr Clwyd

Go, Go, Go Tip Top you’ve done it again! Tip Top Productions has brought an incredible version of Joseph to Theatr Clwyd and within the first five minutes I know this is going to be something special. With Direction and Choreography by Rob Stevens, we are treated to a show that would not look out of place on a West End stage and as bold a statement as this may be, this has got to be the best version of this show I have seen. Ever. The direction is clear and precise, bringing out the best in the cast members on the stage, taking us through many emotions and eventually leaving the whole audience on our feet, cheering, clapping, and dancing along. The choreography is incredible. It’s inventive, clean, slick and uses many assorted styles. The cast take hold of every move and deliver it with...

Standing At The Sky’s Edge – National Theatre

16Feb

By Chloe StallibrassNo Comments

London

Standing At The Sky’s Edge – National Theatre

Where to begin. Upon entering the theatre you're met with an ominous set of a building standing as tall as it can be, with the famous artwork of the "I Love You Will U Marry Me" sign, bringing you straight into the location of the show: Sheffield Park Hill. The musical follows three individual families living under the same roof throughout various timelines, telling the story of the occupants in the flat and covering family troubles and dilemmas. The music for this show fits in so perfectly. The music styles vary from soft and loving all the way to repressed and angry, without taking the audience aback the music had the power to knit the whole show together beautifully. A couple of songs really reached out to strike the hearts of the audience and received a very loud round of applause, ...