Latest Articles - Page 440 of 645

22Jul

By Zoё MeeresNo Comments

London

Mosquito – Seven Dials Playhouse

The role of the ‘other woman’ in popular culture over the years has tended to sit at either end of a spectrum. Typically speaking she is either sexy, fearless, bordering on cold-hearted, a temptress, or she is meek, downtrodden, obsessed with a man who she knows will never leave his wife for her and suffering from low-self-esteem. Lemy (Aoife Boyle) is very much in the latter camp. When we first meet her and her love interest James (Seamus Dillane) we quickly establish that they are – or were – having an affair, and that James has now tired of Lemy and is returning to his wife and baby. James is cold – polishing off his Pret lunch while he ends his affair to enable him to get straight back to the office – while Lemy is clearly anxious and unsure, swinging from begging James to stay to s...

22Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Mrs Doubtfire Confirms UK Premiere Cast

Producers Kevin McCollum and Jamie Wilson are thrilled to announce the full cast for the UK premiere of Mrs. Doubtfire, the new comedy musical based on the iconic movie, which will run for a strictly limited season at the Manchester Opera House from Friday 2nd September 2022 until Saturday 1st October. Mrs. Doubtfire the musical will introduce comic actor Gabriel Vick (Avenue Q) as Daniel Hillard, with Laura Tebbutt (School of Rock) as Miranda Hillard, Carla Dixon Hernandez (Matilda the Musical) as Lydia Hillard, Cameron Blakely (The Addams Family) as Frank Hillard, Marcus Collins (The X Factor) as Andre, Dominic Andersen (Heathers) as Stuart, Vanessa Fisher (Legally Blonde) as Wanda Sellner, Ian Talbot OBE (Hairspray, and Director of The Mousetrap) as Mr. Jolly and Aiesha Naomi Pease (...

Angela Griffin to interview Johnny Vegas at Shakespeare North Playhouse

22Jul

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

NEWS

Angela Griffin to interview Johnny Vegas at Shakespeare North Playhouse

Beloved comic and actor Johnny Vegas sits down with actress and TV Presenter Angela Griffin, in the second of Shakespeare North Playhouse’s ‘Evening With’ events on Friday 29th July in the Cockpit Theatre. Before sipping cuppas with a knitted monkey or being a TV panel regular on QI and 8 Out Of 10 Cats Does Countdown, Vegas was perhaps one of the most fearlessly honest stand-ups that this country has ever produced. Revered for his comedic rants and use of surreal humor, Johnny is a true Northern legend (and a local one at that!) Leeds-born Angela is a firm favourite with audiences around the world. Her road to success began in 1993 when, as a 16-year-old, she assumed the role of hairdresser Fiona Middleton in ITV’s Coronation Street. Since then, Angela has appeared in a wide variet...

22Jul

By Riana HowarthNo Comments

London

Closer – Lyric Hammersmith

An obituary writer’s life is changed when he meets Alice, a reckless free spirit. Her habit of not looking as she crosses the road lands her in hospital where the two have flirtatious banter with Alice seeking intimacy through bizarre personal questions. From there unfolds the messy interweaving of four characters’ lives as they struggle and scheme to hold onto love or what they think is love. Patrick Marber’s play, first performed in 1997 feels as relevant and as shocking as it would have been then. With hints of the 90s as well as modern aspects and a minimalistic bright red stage designed by Soutra Gilmour, it gives the story a timeless feel. Marber’s dialogue fascinates and entertains, particularly the consistently surprising quips from Larry’s character. It was engaging and intrigu...

22Jul

By Mark DavorenNo Comments

North West

The Book of Mormon – Liverpool Empire

The Book of Mormon has been meting out metaphors since it first broke on the stage in 2011 and this latest adaptation continues that rich vein with recent local topical references slipped in for good measure. Two young men, Kevin Price (Robert Colvin) and Arnold Cunningham (Jacob Yarlett) have finished their training to be missionaries for the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints and inspired by the memory of Joseph Smith (Johnathan Tweedie) and with the title Elder inserted in front of their names, the pair are thrust together and sent off on their two-year mission to find, recruit and baptise new members into the Mormon religion. However, it’s not to be the magic of Orlando but Africa when they pitch up in Uganda to help struggling Elder McKinley (Jordan Lee Davies) and team. W...

James Barr: Straight Jokes – Frog and Bucket Comedy Club

21Jul

By Scot CunninghamNo Comments

North West

James Barr: Straight Jokes – Frog and Bucket Comedy Club

In response to being told he’s “too gay” in the workplace, podcaster James Barr delivers an hour of flippant stand-up. There are few laughs to be enjoyed here regardless of your sexuality. Some of the jokes do land, but setbacks relating to delivery, stage presence and timing result in a lot of misses. The audience were supportive as Barr repeatedly forgot his place, resorting to notes on the floor to keep him on track, but this gig needs straightening out if it wants to thrive in the comedy circuit. It’s apparent that much of the material is borrowed: on the teaching of gay relationships in schools, Barr’s quip about him learning Geography but not becoming Sri-Lankan is an obvious recycling of journalist Benjamin Butterworth’s World War Two tweet that resurfaces every Pride month. &...

21Jul

By Tracey BellNo Comments

Yorkshire & Humber

Singin’ in the Rain – Sheffield Lyceum

Last night, I spent a gloriously nostalgic evening at the theatre watching the spectacle that is Singing in The Rain, it felt like a childhood embrace from a favourite grandparent - warm, happy, secure and where I belonged! We all know of the 1952 MGM classic musical comedy film ‘Singin’ in the Rain’, as it has been named as one of the greatest musical movies of all time. Made famous by the cast of Gene Kelly, Donald O’Connor and Debbie Reynolds, it light heartedly charts the 1920’s depiction of performers caught up in the transition from silent films to the ground-breaking ‘talkies’. Centring on the silver screen romantic pairing of Don Lockwood and Lina Lamont - the darlings of MGM studios. Everyone has trouble adapting to the changes but none more than Lina Lamont, a beautiful screen...

Seven Dials Playhouse announces exciting Autumn 2022 shows

20Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

Seven Dials Playhouse announces exciting Autumn 2022 shows

Following a critically acclaimed inaugural season of sold-out shows and five-star reviews, followed by a mini Summer season focusing on contemporary texts, plays and new writing from breakthrough voices, Seven Dials Playhouse now announces their Autumn 2022 slate. Both productions will be accompanied by the venue’s trademark Associated Programme of events. This innovative programme serves as a stimulus for a variety of bespoke curated events created in tandem with the visiting company and Seven Dials Playhouse, bringing an ever-changing and exciting perspective to the organisation. Opening the season from 5th September to 15th October, Help! We Are Still Alive is a postapocalyptic musical comedy that will have its premiere at Seven Dials Playhouse. Directed by OFFIE nominated theatre di...

20Jul

By Melissa JonesNo Comments

Scotland

Footloose – Edinburgh Playhouse

Footloose tells the musically infused tail of wayward Ren and his journey from Chicago to rural backwater Bomont. A town tragedy involving the loss of the preacher’s son results in a town-wide ban on dancing in the bible-led town. Really? Oh yes. For newly arrived Ren and the preacher’s rebellious daughter Ren, this is devastating, especially as romance blossoms and the desire to dance ensues. But more interestingly, Ren embraces Christianity and uses a newly gifted bible to argue his cause for dancing which is a rather impressive move. Footloose is your classic jukebox musical complete with hits of the day spattered throughout the production for some dramatic and often comic effect. West-End star Darren Day relishes the spotlight as tough preacher Rev. Shaw Moore. In fact, his performa...

MAMMA MIA! The Party Extends Booking Period to February 2023

20Jul

By Paul DownhamNo Comments

NEWS

MAMMA MIA! The Party Extends Booking Period to February 2023

MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY, London’s premier dining experience, has extended its booking period due to extraordinary demand and is now playing to Sunday 26th February 2023. Tickets for the new booking period at The O2 London are on sale this Friday 22nd July. Created by ABBA’s Björn Ulvaeus, MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY is a unique and magical experience in a class of its own, bringing all ABBA’s hits to life more vividly than ever before: over the course of four glittering hours, guests can immerse themselves in a spectacular musical extravaganza, a four-course Greek feast and an ABBA disco, all in one unforgettable evening of dancing, dining and singing! MAMMA MIA! THE PARTY is set in a taverna on the beautiful Greek island of Skopelos, where most exteriors of the first MAMMA MIA! film were shot...