Latest Articles - Page 419 of 659

22Oct

By Donna M DayNo Comments

North West

The Fifth Guest – Hope Street Theatre

The Fifth Guest is a horror themed dark comedy, written by Carol Maginn and directed by Zara Marie Brown. Taking place on Halloween night, four strangers arrive at an abandoned, and apparently haunted, house on a small, rocky island somewhere between Great Britain and Ireland. They have been invited to take part in a murder mystery dinner, but soon after arriving, one by one, in the dusty, cobwebbed filled dining room, with gaudy red chairs and cheap hatstand, it quickly becomes clear that everything might not be as it seems, and worst of all, dinner may never be served. Soon after the play opens, we meet the house’s resident ghost, the Lost Girl (Emma Hill) who wears a bedraggled wedding dress and speaks mostly in Macbeth quotes creating a brilliant pastiche of Dickens and Shakespeare,...

22Oct

By Jennifer LaishleyNo Comments

London

A Gig For Ghosts – Soho Theatre

A Gig for Ghosts at The Soho Theatre is a heart-warming story that tells of the romance between Lilly and Amy. The show is a gig theatre show with one act. There is a lot more story to this show than other shows I’d the same format which helps to bring alive the characters. Although the subject matter is dark the script is also funny. Amy (Hanora Carmen) has a morbid job administering deaths for forgotten people and Lilly (Rori Hawthorn) is temping and new to London. The two characters are complete opposite, Lilly is desperate to fall in love and Amy is more comfortable alone. In the first scene we learn that Lilly is dead and this hangs over us throughout the show. The girls had convincing chemistry together and built believable characters. They were accompanied on stage by Maud (Li...

Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear – Online

22Oct

By Nicky LambertNo Comments

REVIEWS

Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear – Online

Sherlock Holmes: The Valley of Fear is Sir Arthur Conan Doyle’s fourth and final Sherlock Holmes novel. This production by Blackeyed Theatre is a world premiere, written and directed by Nick Lane, currently touring the UK and there is also a streamed version available until 22nd January 2023. This review is of the streamed version. Blackeyed Theatre was created in 2004 and I saw their 2016 version of Frankenstein which I thought was a masterpiece. They set the bar high with that one in my opinion! I am not familiar with the story of “The Valley of Fear” so this was new to me. We see two stories running parallel to each other – one in “present day” (1895) and one told in flashback from twenty years earlier. This part is set in the Pennsylvanian Vermissa Valley. It is clear that they a...

MUSICALS: A new Musical Theatre magazine hits the streets this month

21Oct

By Paul WilcoxNo Comments

NEWS

MUSICALS: A new Musical Theatre magazine hits the streets this month

MUSICALS: A new Musical Theatre mag hits the streets this month, but will it fly, or will it flop? Paul Wilcox from North West End gets a preview and gives us his verdict. A reassuringly heavy thud on my doormat announces the arrival of 'Musicals', a brand new bi-monthly magazine promising coverage of 'The World of Musical Theatre from the West End to Broadway and beyond.' I am fascinated to explore whether there is still a gap in the market for a specialist publication in a world of clickbait journalism and instant online content, mostly available free of charge. Ripping open the envelope and settling down on the sofa with a cuppa, I am presented with a product of undoubtedly high quality. Nearly 100 glossy pages broadly divided into news, reviews, features and interviews, with cont...

Noga Ritter Trio – Manchester Jewish Museum

21Oct

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

Noga Ritter Trio – Manchester Jewish Museum

Noga Ritter made her inaugural performance as part of Manchester Jewish Museum’s Synagogue Nights autumn 2022 season, delighting the audience with a fusion of diverse musical influences from around the world, in particular Africa, South America and the Middle East. Joined by Tomer Eldor on Piano and Giuliano Osella on percussion, the trio took us on an eclectic journey informed as much by Ritter’s upbringing in Israel as her experiences of other cultures including taking Hebrew back to its original nomadic context. The opening song, Falling In Love In The Middle Of Lockdown, had an infectious rhythm with poetic lyrics, whilst Horizon that followed drew on Ritter’s time in Haifa near the sea and reflected strong emotions reinforced by a bluesy piano providing a richer, deeper and hope...

The Beauty Queen of Leenane – Traverse Theatre

21Oct

By Oliver GigginsNo Comments

Scotland

The Beauty Queen of Leenane – Traverse Theatre

Maureen Folan (Julie Hale) leads a frustrating and angry life looking after her elderly mother Mag (Nuala Walsh), thanks in great part to the latter's mix of necessary dependency due to old age and her less than charming personality. Maureen has a few issues herself, highlighted by the forced proximity and partly due the frustrations of missed opportunities, a personal grief echoed by the many Irish folk forced to pursue other lives in America and England. One such person is the attractive Pato Dooley (Paul Carroll), older brother of neighbour Ray (Ian O'Reilly), who is back in his hometown for a short stay, and with whom a meeting offers Maureen some escape from her troubles, though in what way remains to be seen. The Beauty Queen of Leenane is the first part of Martin McDonagh's fi...

The Solid Life of Sugar Water – Orange Tree Theatre

21Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

The Solid Life of Sugar Water – Orange Tree Theatre

The solid life of sugar water opens at the Orange Tree Theatre to critical acclaim. The venue is a cosy setting for the play that brings the intimacy of a young couple to stage. They meet greet, to moving in and falling in love. It's a masterpiece on how theatre can dwell with poignancy on often untold stories and transport us to witness human beings with their rawest emotions. The audience enters the dark theatre that has ‘the bed’ centre stage lighted below. Around the room the screens display the dialogues as uttered by the actors on stage. Indiana Lown-Collins commitment to make access cool with the brilliant collaboration of designer Ica Niemez shines through. Actors Katie Erich and Adam Fenton arrive with authenticity, as they bring Alice and Phil to life with their sign, tw...

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) – Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

20Oct

By Beth EltringhamNo Comments

Scotland

Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) – Royal Lyceum Theatre, Edinburgh

Witty, cleaver and true to its original material, Pride and Prejudice* (*sort of) is one not to be missed. A cast of 5 brilliant actresses Tori Burgess, Christina Gordon, Leah Jamieson, Hannah Jarret-Scott and Isobel McArthur (today nominated by the Evening Standard Awards in the Emerging Talent category) take on the classic tale of Pride and Prejudice warts and all. The play is taken from the point of view of the staff within the novel, those forgotten by the reader and sometimes the writer, the ones deprived of a story of their own but who play a major part in bringing the story together and making things happen. Each actress takes on many a role within the play, dressing in a white chemise and adding character pieces on top to distinguish each character, no major wig changes, no extr...

20Oct

By Brian MaddenNo Comments

North West

Jersey Boys – Opera House, Manchester

The swinging 60s, what a time to be alive! The first man walked on the moon, England won the World Cup, and of course Frankie Valli and The Four Seasons became international sensations. However, their journey to fame wasn’t always as slick as their harmonies, as is presented in the stage musical, Jersey Boys. As the curtain goes up, the audience are greeted with a rendition of the classic ‘Oh What a Night’, which really sets the tone for the evening. However, this has a more contemporary twist on the classic hit. On this night Frankie Valli was played by Ryan Heenan, who I was surprised to learn was the understudy for the role. He was absolutely sublime and a perfect fit for the character. Singing mostly in falsetto is very difficult, especially for a male, but he did a great job and...

20Oct

By Anisha PucadyilNo Comments

London

Soweto Gospel Choir – Cadogan Hall

Three times Grammy winning Soweto Gospel choir is synonymous with energetic magnetism that has you glued to your seats from the first note. The show packs music, rhythm, history, dance, choreography and the most colourful and fashionable costumes. The show starts with bringing into the spotlight the female drummer, who sets the rhythm, the mood and the pace through the next two hours. Twenty years of being on stage, the choir has travelled worldwide to prestigious locations in North America, Australia and Europe. It continues to raise funds for the Nkosi Haven Vukani Trust. The collections after performances go to buy supplies from food for the children the charities serve, plastic tables and chairs for pre-schools and funerals, kitchen appliances for soup kitchens, and child-fee...