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20Oct

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Commitments – Sheffield Lyceum

I had been waiting for this one, as a fan of the novel-cum-cult film by Roddy Doyle and I certainly enjoyed my evening. This musical whilst a 5-star juke box musical night’s entertainment, leaves the purists amongst us longing for a more politically developed and socially aware production. Instead of the slight nod to the issues of drugs and disillusion in the 1980’s Dublin, early comments such as ‘the Irish are the blacks of Europe’ are unfortunately never fully explained and explored. The production in effect sells itself out to the jukebox genre whilst promising to be so much more, it runs in the veins of similar productions such as We Will Rock You rather than dealing with the issues like Green Day’s American Idiot. But all that said The Commitments is was a cracking night of Rhy...

19Oct

By Hazel BumbyNo Comments

North West

Blood Brothers – The Lowry

I love Blood Brothers and have to admit Mrs Johnstone is role I dream of playing one day. With more drama than any soap, this wonderful story is set in the exciting City of Liverpool with a move to Skelmersdale later in the show. Set between the 50’s-70’s, it tells us of a young woman who met a ‘fella’ and got pregnant and in those days, children without marriage was frowned upon, so very quickly they wed…. She went on to have several children with him before he left her, and she no longer looked like ‘Marilyn Monroe’ who he had always likened her to. He left her pregnant “with seven hungry mouths to feed and one more nearly due”. Only one more turned into two more mouths… The lady she cleaned for hatched a plan and as she couldn’t have her own child, Mrs John...

Something In The Air – Jermyn Street Theatre

19Oct

By Caroline JamesNo Comments

London

Something In The Air – Jermyn Street Theatre

The world premiere of ‘Something In The Air’ by Peter Gill was staged at Jermyn Street Theatre. A beautiful and poignant reminder that no matter the age of the outer shell, the inner memories of youth remain. We arrive in a care home where we meet Colin, played by Ian Gelder, and Alex, played by Christopher Godwin. They begin to recount their youth and the boys they had loved. Meanwhile we see, what at first, feels like two younger versions of themselves acting out various scenes from the past. The most lovely moments coming between Gareth played by Sam Thorpe-Spinks and Alex, having a conversation that spans time. It would have been lovely to see more of this. Juxtaposing the reminiscences nicely were two visitors in the modern day setting of the care home. They were Alex’s niec...

The Osmonds: A New Musical – Hull New Theatre

19Oct

By Jackie FoottitNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

The Osmonds: A New Musical – Hull New Theatre

I headed to the Hull New Theatre on Tuesday evening to review The Osmonds: A New Musical, safe in the knowledge that my financial outlay would be minimal. A free ticket and interval drink meant my only expense would be a pre-production coffee. I was absolutely certain that Donny Osmond’s recording of Puppy Love and his sister Marie’s Paper Roses (the only two Osmond songs I could recall … apart from my worst song of all time, Crazy Horses) would never, ever make it on to my ageing iPod. Well, dear reader, all I can say is I will never be rich. Back home I downloaded everything Osmondy I could find (except Crazy Horses!). From the not-so-glittery curtain up, the show grew on me by the minute. It was Jay Osmond (Alex Lodge), one of the older Osmonds, who narrated their story, writte...

Titus Andronicus – The Kings Arms, Salford

18Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

North West

Titus Andronicus – The Kings Arms, Salford

When you arrive at a venue and are offered a plastic poncho and earplugs as you make your way into the theatre, you have an inkling that this production may be a little different. A bare arena stage surrounded by white curtains greets you, allowing the audience to be sat virtually on stage and witness at close quarters a ninety-minute onslaught of murder, rape, mutilation and cannibalism that is definitely not for the faint hearted. Titus Andronicus is one of Shakespeare's more problematic texts, indeed literary scholars have debated if he even wrote it at all. It fell out of favour during the 19th Century, its gory depiction of strong sexual themes making it unsuitable for the more gentrified theatre audiences of Victorian Britain. However, Cream Faced Loons are a company that love a c...

Strictly Ballroom the Musical – Liverpool Empire

18Oct

By Anne PritchardNo Comments

North West

Strictly Ballroom the Musical – Liverpool Empire

Anyone attending this show and expecting BBC TV’s Strictly Come Dancing will be disappointed; Strictly Ballroom the Musical is a musical theatre adaptation of the 1992 cult, classic, film Strictly Ballroom. The glitzy glamour and ballroom dancing is there but that’s where the similarity ends. The show was preceded by a voice-over by Director/Co-Choreographer, Craig Revel Horwood announcing in an Australian accent, jokingly, that any photographs taken during the performance are not allowed and should be instantly uploaded to as many social platforms as possible immediately after the performance. The Strictly Ballroom film directed and co-written by Baz Luhrmann is a comedic satire on the cut-throat world of amateur ballroom dancing; it is regarded as an edgy, in-your-face mockumentary...

Souvenir De Florence – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

18Oct

By Kiefer WilliamsNo Comments

North West

Souvenir De Florence – Royal Liverpool Philharmonic

This delightful concert in the Close-Up series features musicians from the Royal Liverpool Philharmonic Orchestra. The ensemble consists of: Thelma Handy- violin Sarah Brandwood-Spencer- violin Alex Mitchell- viola Gwendolyn Cawdron- viola Jonathan Aasgaard- cello Alexander Holladay- cello The evening comprises of three pieces of superlative chamber music. Vaughan Williams Phantasy Quintet (1912) is probably one of Williams most lyrical and moving compositions. Its melody positively soars over the course of four short movements. There is an overriding theme of contemplation that runs throughout each movement. It is a truly beautiful piece of music and the ensemble play this with great finesse and precision. Exquisite. Martinu String Sextet (1932) is a more mod...

Nigel Osner: Still Ticking! – Etcetera Theatre

17Oct

By Louise PennNo Comments

London

Nigel Osner: Still Ticking! – Etcetera Theatre

Barrister turned cabaret performer Nigel Osner has had a busy life. In twenty-five years on the stage (“it sounds better than quarter of a century”) this lively septuagenarian has formed his new show following his near-death experience during heart surgery last year. Over the course of an hour Osner looks at the songs he has written, the places he has been to become “self-sufficient” and “comfortable” with his ageing self and performs a handful of character-driven monologues. He tells us of the musicals he wrote – Rock Heaven, with its posturing star and cyborgs, never got produced, but Magic in Ravenswood, a children’s fantasy based on Osner’s own book, did – and his earlier shows, notably Angel to Vampire! which won acclaim at the Buxton Fringe. In personality, Osner presents as...

The Canterville Ghost – Southwark Playhouse

17Oct

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

London

The Canterville Ghost – Southwark Playhouse

Coming up in the lift from the underground on my way to the Southwark Playhouse (fast becoming one of my favourite theatre venues - lovely space, absolutely delightful staff, reasonably priced wine) I saw a poster advertising The Canterville Ghost which proclaimed the warning “Contains puppet profanity”. I found this a very pleasing prospect - who doesn’t like a sweary puppet - and so I went into the performance hoping for some silly, joyful giggles. Which is, happily, exactly what I got; a charming, hugely entertaining evening of slick theatre and performances delivered by a talented cast. While the show is based on the Oscar Wilde short story of the same name, the setup is very different - a play within a play if you will. A theatre group consisting of a musician/compere, a ventriloqu...

17Oct

By Khushboo ShahNo Comments

London

Forgotten Voices – Canal Cafe Theatre

When the personal is blended with the political in theatre, the outcome is likely to stir the audience with myriad reflections on the unjustness of life. This was indeed the case with Forgotten Voices written by David Moorhead, directed by Margaret Connell and performed by Shareesa Valentine at Canal Cafe Theatre, quite befittingly, as part of the Black History Month celebration. Simple but not simplistic, the play is ambitiously written, encompassing multiple complex layers of Moorhead’s grandmother Eva Moorhead Kadalie’s biographical episodes and running parallel, the South African history of apartheid. Thus, the play skilfully serves the dual purpose of narrating the story of a strong, affective, and resilient woman and educating the audience on the ethos of the times and life of South ...